South Korea beat Togo 2-1 yesterday in their first match of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Togo scored early in the first half, but SK was able to equalize it early in the second half and was able to score a short while after. Fortunately, they were aided considerably by a one-man advantage after to a Togo red card. As relieved as the Koreans are to have pulled through this first match, they have a lot on their plate to worry about. True, they currently stand atop of their group with three points (France and Switzerland each recieved one point for their tie), but unless the team steps up, they will have absolutely no chance against France, and may likely lose to Switzerland as well. It's always so frustrating for me to watch the Korean team play, because even though they appear to try so hard on the field, their striking ability seems to generally be inferior to most other teams from other countries that have a longer soccer tradition. Korea's next match is on Sunday, I believe, against the French. I'll definitely try to find some place to watch that. LET'S GO COREA! DEH-HAN-MIN-GUK!!
The Da Vinci Code (2006)Directed by Ron Howard for Columbia Pictures
You know, I heard a lot of crap about this movie, and I enterred the theater prepared to criticize everything humanly possible... but gosh darnnit... I really like the movie. There were weaknesses, naturally, but most of them- I believe- are simply matters of preference regarding which scenes from the novel should have been played up that weren't. This is a common problem (at least for me) when I watch a movie based on a novel, but I'm willing to acknowledge the difficulties of scripting, directing, and editing a movie. The final product seemed to be somewhat of a compromise on the part of the director, perhaps in order make the movie appear less controversial by making the story move along... diplomatically. Still, the essence of the novel was preserved (although it has been quite a while since I read the novel and I am not sure about a lot of parts), so I would happily recommend this movie, as long as you're willing to take it with a grain of salt. But I think it's unfortunate there is so much controversy surrounding this book and movie, because it takes away from the enjoyment. It's not great literature, but it's fun and action-packed. Furthermore, it's informative. Now, of course, the "information" cannot be proved, but I think that's partially the point. The possibility Dan Brown proposes cannot be proved... BUT it can also not be disproved. Perhaps the lesson is that you should be open to a variety of possiblities. We, after all, have these wonderful brains for a reason.
Evidence is scarce and hard to come by, and those that are available are often conflicting. Are their definite answers? Possibly. One day I would like to see the papal library opened to academia. Simply the fact that virtually everyone but the pope is forbidden to enter the library seems to suggest that there are many documents they simply do not want the world to see. Is it because the information they have will cause more Christians to doubt? The truth is that no one, besides the pope and his high-level aides, have the capability to learn the basis of this secrecy.
Anyway, back on topic, the movie was a lot of fun compared to the average Hollywood blockbuster. Not great enough for me to buy the dvd, but it's definitely a movie I wouldn't complain about having to watch again. Recommended. B
Sopranos: Season One (HBO)I remember a time (a few years ago) when references to Sopranos was EVERYWHERE. It was the IT tv show, and I have even heard Sex and the City regarded as the "Sopranos for Women." And considering how popular Sex and the City was, I imagine that was intended as a compliment. I didn't have many preconceptions about the series, other than my previous experience with the Godfather movie trilogy. I had imagined the mob lifestyle to be depicted as more glamorous, but the series seems to be stressing the more human and relatable qualities of the mafia. Tony has to battle crippling anxiety and depression, a manipulative mother, and paranoid Uncle, a worsening marriage, as well as the stresses of being a mob captain and constantly having to look over his shoulder. My impression, though, is that the entire first season served little more than a set-up. With the first season finale, I finally got the sense that the story was moving forward, and Tony moving up to boss. By the end of the first season, I became a little impatient with the constant and excessive usage of obvious literary devices to, I assume, have the story appear deep and insightful, but they simply detracted from the story. Aside from the satisfaction of patting myself on the back that I understood the metaphors, but contributing little to my overall enjoyment of the show so far. Still, an interesting start, and I'm looking forward to watching more. B-
Stuff: I actually had a really fun time yesterday in the city. True, I was not able to watch the game when it aired, but I don't really regret it. In the past, I have prided myself in my staunch opposition against hanging out in "groups" in favor of the more more personal, revealing qualitis of a one-on-one conversation, but now I feel like I can better understand how most other kids my age have fun. This is one of the few instances in which I feel sad about some of the things I missed out on when I was growing up and attending college. To some degreenow , I definitely feel envy for the people who seem to be better at enjoying themselves.
