starting to think that you can't help being a bore

In an attempt to not belabor the points of yesterday's posts (and a hearty thank you to everyone who wrote such supportive words- even if I don't necessarily deserve them, you guys rock all the same), I am afraid I have to get all pop culture on your a$$es instead.

The only thing broseph, his girlfriend, and I could do at noon in South Beach after three days in the blistering heat was drag ourselves to see a movie. It was a little independent movie that you just might have heard of: Superman Returns. Here's the thing: I went in expecting less than nothing. Plus one of my teeniac cousins loved it, which was even more damning than the wrath of the critics. So, it took me nearly an hour into the film to recognize that I was actually enjoying it. To wit:

• Lucky for me, one hour into it was less than halfway through the movie. That is a bit long for a superhero movie.
  
• I'm always surprised at how Bryan Singer seems to perpetually fall short, and yet still draws me in. Logically, I can point out a number of big problems with the first two X-Men movies. Yet, I will still watch them, because they have moments when they really engage me. Singer did the same thing with Superman Returns, and I half-hate him, half-love him for it.
  
• As we were watching the opening credits, Kal Penn's name appeared in the old school font, and I must admit that I got goosebumps. I had not realized what a big deal it was that he was cast in the movie until that moment. The broseph, who does not keep track of such things, turned to me excitedly in the theater with a giddy Hey it's Kumar! fist-pump. I didn't check to see how he was doing later, when it became clear that Penn had very little to do.
  
• Dude, what is up with James Marsden? He must have went to school at Our Lady of the Perpetually Cuckolded, because it seems like he is always the other guy. You know the other guy- the one the girl marries/dates/ends up with, while she secretly pines for the guy. Cut the guy a break already, Singer!
  
• Broseph commented, "I don't know what all the fuss was about the special effects," at the end of the movie. His girlfriend and I laughed incredulously, but he was serious. Actually, I think this means that the special effects were used in the right way- not in the look at me! way, but in a way where it fits the plot/story.
  
• It's a waste of space to get into how horrible Kate Bosworth was.

In other pop culture time-wasting, I was inconsolably saddened by the dismal review of POTC:2 that I just read. Shall I now have to settle on A Scanner Darkly alone? What if Keanu Reeves animated is only as good an actor as regular Keanu Reeves?

Out of the big screen, onto the small screen. Emmy nominations were released this morning, and Piven got a nod. My friend SP used to love him, but she had to kill him, because of the whole exoticizing of India documentary thing he did. For my part, I was more depressed at all the Grey's Anatomy accolades. And I also thought there was an unusual number of nominations for defunct shows that made my heart twinge with renewed loss, like:

• Frances Conroy, best actress in a drama, for SFU- the other actresses in her category really can't compete with her performance on SFU. She plays complex, sometimes annoying, sometimes endearing mom better than anyone else.
  
• Peter Krause, best actor in a drama, for SFU- All I have to say is "NARM!" I think he's going to have a tougher time winning that one.
  
• Arrested Development for best comedy series. This one really made me want to burst into tears. And listen, dudes, the nominations in this category are a game of one of these things is not like the other. Why Two and a Half Men got a nod over Entourage is going to be a mystery for all ages.
  
• Will Arnett for best supporting actor in a comedy series, for Arrested Development. Sadly, I think Piven has a lock on it this year. Sorry, G.O.B- I still lurve you!

Oh and then there were the million or so nominations for the now put-to-bed The West Wing, which did not make my heart twinge. Whatever. Incidentally, there's a much more coherent rant about the Emmy nominations here.

On a somewhat tangential note, I always think Trader Joe's is in some ways alternative, but the speakers inevitably set me straight. Last night, on a quest for mango pulp (and all I wound up with was mango sauce, but it shall have to do), I was strolling down the aisle at TJ when JoJo's Leave (Get out) assaulted my ears. Yeah, as Anna would say, how apposite, except not really at all.

Hey, remember when I used to actually write about science? Yeah, me neither.