3 more things about made-up languages

NEWS ITEM The linguist hired for "Avatar" describes the constructed language he created, admits he's the sole fluent user.

• • • Klingon -- Trekker couple tried to raise their son as a native speaker; decided he wanted a normal life instead.

• • • Esperanto -- A language constructed to unify European languages, and George Soros is a native speaker. Dec. 15 is the 150th birthday of its creator. There's a prog-rock band (I own an LP... go figure); the fact their site has English and French versions says a lot about constructed languages.

• • • Elvish -- J.R.R. Tolkien's books inspire obsession over Elves.

3 more movies that open with a lead character dead already or saying they'll be dead by the time it's over

NEWS ITEM "Lovely Bones" is the tale of a murder victim watching her family and killer.

• • • "American Beauty" -- Kevin Spacey remarks, "Remember those posters that say 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life' ...? Well that's true every day but one."


• • • "Sunset Boulevard" -- William Holden says "That's me floating in the pool."


• • • "Milk" -- Sean Penn narration says the tape he's making is only to be revealed "upon his death by assassination."

3 more movies that show a real part of L.A. not commonly shown

NEWS ITEM "A Single Man" will show a niche of life in 60's Los Angeles.

• • • "Mask" --Not the Jim Carrey movie, but the Peter Bogdonovich movie shows San Gabriel Valley and other north county areas; foto via IMCDB







• • • "Repo Man" -- Lots of now seemingly archival locations throughout the Atwater region north of downtown; watch the trailer; foto via aric








• • • "Real Women Have Curves" -- There's a great montage of East LA while the not-yet-a-major-star America Ferrera walks to her garment factory job; watch the trailer; foto via BlueGrassFilmSociety

3 more things about boxers outside of the box

NEWS ITEM After Manny Pacquiao proved he's among the greatest boxers ever, two hours later he sang at a previously scheduled concert.

• • • Oscar De La Hoya -- His pretty decent CD came out in 2000.

• • • George Foreman -- Yes, he was a champion prizefighter before he was an appliance salesman, yet not a cook like Jack King.

• • • Tex Cobb -- He can not only take a punch but he can take direction, being an awesome nemesis in "Raising Arizona."

3 more things about prophecies

NEWS ITEM "2012" movie destroys the world, timing pegged on Mayan calendar.

• • • Ron Weinland -- Ever-evolving date for Second Coming is now set for May 27, 2012.

• • • John Hogue -- Problems surrounding Palestine and India will either erupt or be solved this year.

• • • Tim McHyde -- There's a star that will pass through the solar system that will make the year 360 days long; that happens in 2015.

3 more examples of posturing

NEWS ITEM Something vaguely familiar about the imagery and how evocative it is

• • • Michael Flatley -- lord of a type







• • • Michael Phelps -- didn't get acclaim for walking on water.




• • • W -- really, what's more to say?

3 more productions with incredibly short titles

NEWS ITEM Remake of '83 mini-series debuts, still not based on Thomas Pynchon novel.

• • • "O" -- rethinking "Othello."

• • • "Z" -- political turmoil in Greece.

• • • "M" -- one of the best movies of all time tells of criminals hunting a child-killer when police fail.

3 more things with 3s

• • • The Three Stooges

• • • Three Dog Night

• • • Three Doors Down