Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. I'm going to go with saying that this is a solidly good movie. It can also probably be adequately described by mentioning that it's a Tim Burton movie, I suppose. Though I don't feel very locquacious about it right now, I'll finish by saying that it made me laugh when I thought my day had been compellingly ruined, so that speaks for it, and I have trouble thinking of another movie that my entire family would enjoy.

The Thomas Crown Affair, with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. Or, if one likes, Two Very Attractive People. Now, this movie, I will probably buy at some point. Or move in with someone who owns it, another possibility, you know, whichever is more reasonable. As a review of it that I read pointed out, it's not a mystery, nor is it a suspense or really a romance per se. It's really a true cat-and-mouse story, and you definitely have to pay attention to detail to get the full benefit of all the little cinematic and narrative clues. And a see-through dress like whoa. Unfortunately, the copy we had was scratched right smack dab in the middle of what is reputedly one of the steamiest love scenes known to man (and woman, too, I suppose, Brosnan is just as nekkid). Alas. Luckily, the film is worth multiple viewings.

      In other news, since I've not done any real jujitsu besides some odd grappling matches for a long time, and beyond that only fallen in a controlled fashion for so long, I'd forgotten that throws can be effective at all. I suppose I'd started to think of them purely as a positioning thing, like trying to maneuver the opponent into a less defensible position. Then I gave an instructor with a substantial size advantage all the momentum I could generate to play with, and the very first thing that hit the mats was my temple. And hoo boy did it slap right onto them, like my hand should have been slapping had I been able to breakfall properly. At first I thought it was just a momentary dizziness or light-headedness that I'd have to deal with, but it seems that even now later in the weekend there's the last remnants of an ache eminating from my left temple. So, odd as it sounds, I'm actually happy for that reminder. Even if had that been asphalt my head would have split like a melon.