Watched this week.

Breaking Bad, Stossel - Taxes/Myths Lies and Downright Stupidity, The Daily Show, SNL, House, Justified, The Middle, Modern Family, TUF, You Don't Know Jack, Believe - The Eddie Izzard Story, Community, Parks & Recreation, The Mentalist, 30 Rock, The Office, Smallville

K-1 WGP Yokohama, UFC 111 & 112, The Voice VS Joe Rogan Interview

Note on this week's Batman The Brave and the Bold - a "children's cartoon" where one of the heroes turns the villain into cheese, in order to be eaten by rats? = TOTAL WIN. Later, Detective Chimp plays Jackie Chan. Plus gorillas on cell phones and doing semaphore. This show is so full of massive win it's not even funny.

Defendor - surprisingly good, though niche, so I see why it went straight to video.  Drama where Harrelson plays a guy who's a little slow on the uptake who fancies himself a costumed crimefighter.  Worth checking out.


Diner - I'd never actually seen this classic early 80s flick.  A definite 'who's who' of the era.  Great dialogue, good performances.



Seven Pounds - really a quite moving film.  Enjoyed it far more than I imagined I would.  The romance bit seemed to drag/was a bit forced, but overall I'd recommend it.  Strong performance by Smith.  Far more understated than his typical work.

Documentaries on Liberia I've watched this past week... Iron Ladies of Liberia is probably my favorite of the three...

Why Democracy? - Iron Ladies of Liberia -

"After fourteen years of civil war, Liberia is a nation ready for change. On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated President. She is the first ever elected female Head of State in Africa, winning a hotly contested election with the overwhelming support of women across Liberia. Since taking office she has appointed other extraordinary women to leadership positions in all areas of government, including the Police Chief and the ministers of Justice, Commerce and Finance. Can the first female Liberian president, backed by other powerful women, bring sustainable democracy and peace to such a devastated country? Iron Ladies of Liberia gives the viewer a behind-the-scenes access to Sirleaf’s first year in government, providing a unique insight into a newly elected African cabinet."

Pray the Devil Back to Hell
"... an uplifting and gripping account of a group of brave and visionary women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades-old civil war.

This acclaimed film won Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival as well as many other film festival accolades. Recently the film was screened at the UN Headquarters in Geneva and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even mentioned it during her speech at the 58th National Prayer Breakfast.

"Uplifting, disheartening, inspiring, enraging — the mind reels while watching the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell," says Manohla Dargis of the New York Times"

Sliding Liberia
"...a story about war, peace and surfing on the world s deadliest stretch of coastline. Combining an epic quest for perfect surf with documentary-style interviews of local Liberians (including the only Liberia surfer), the directors invent a completely new film genre one where surfing becomes a catalyst for social justice. As pros Dan Malloy, Chris Del Moro, and Crystal Thornburg follow their friend Nicholai s lead through the war-torn country in search of what could be the best wave setup in Africa, they are forced to recognize the harsh realities of their surroundings. Shot in a hybrid of 16 mm, video, and archival footage, Sliding Liberia has won awards at several major film festivals, including the Grand Prize at the Alpinist Film Festival, the Emerging Filmmaker Award at X-Dance, and Best Surf Film at the Byron Bay Film Festival, and boasts media coverage in several major surf and non-surf publications worldwide."