dear god that "dress" was nipple-tastic

Hitman, with Timothy Olyphant and Dougray Scott. Aside from one particular fight scene, this movie really didn't do much for me at all. Well, I suppose the almost-always semi-nude Olga Kurylenko did it for me as well, but at the same time, she was almost-naked to an almost ludicrous degree. Reading about the games, I think the movie would have much better been served if it had actually followed the game's plot at all, rather than just taking the character and throwing out a few easter eggs. And the close-ups that pervaded the film were a bit much, I think; as in The Fountain, those instances perhaps better translate, interestingly, to a smaller screen. Sigh, I wish I could just take just the fight scenes out of some movies...

Rescue Dawn, with Christian Bale and Timothy Zahn. Aside from a wince-worthy special effects introduction, the greater part of this movie seemed carefully crafted in terms of cinematography and acting and appearance. Other than that (oh, and a strange, almost incongruous ending), it seemed less a film than a kind of journal based on some real experiences. I think I would have appreciated it more had there been a documentary-style narration accompanying it, as I felt that either I was missing a lot, or a lot was being left out in terms of explanations and information. Or perhaps that was just replicating the POW's experience...hm.

A nice collection of (mostly vintage) articles on Savate and its offshoots is under "Essays"

On good attitude: "Keeping his units concentrated and moving deliberately, Smith made an aggressive assault to break out of the reservoir. When asked if the Marines were retreating, Smith explained that their fighting withdrawal through Chinese lines did not constitute a retreat. His explanation was abbreviated into the famous misquote, "Retreat? Hell, we're attacking in a different direction!""