Matrix Revolutions - I saw it on the IMAX screen. I thought that bigger would be better. At times, I actually wished the screen was smaller so that the idiocy would be somehow reduced. The sad thing is that this one might have been better than Reloaded. This one has less plot, more mega-action, and it goes back to the huge overarching themes of the first Matrix. Some of the concepts have yielded interesting discussion afterwards. But, then again, if you know my friends, then you know that pretty much any old thing can yield endless discussion. We are trained lethal analysts. I liked it better after a few days. After I had gotten over the fact that I had laughed out loud through many of the more serious attempts at drama. Although Neo goes through transformation, the Wachowskis should have remembered that Keanu is still Keanu.

I saw Love Actually, with one other female, and three males of the species. This movie managed to make all of us cry at some point or another (one of my friends cried pretty much throughout). Why? Why cry? Well, it's actually a pretty good movie. It basically takes something like 7 or 8 romantic drama comedies and smooshes them into one movie. So, whatever your favorite flavor is, there's a hint of it in there. Also, with all the wisdom of British comedy, this movie doesn't take the bite out of love. All the stories didn't end in a pink-hued wedding or a desperate declaration of love from a parachute. Some ended quietly, painfully, without resolution. And it seemed real, and touching - hence tears. (I kind of want to see it again)

NEXT - Mystic River. Grey, gritty....is it Sean Penn's year?

I know this isn't an entertainment website - but there's no one here to remind me of that!

Just watched a terrifying film called Event Horizon. Not a great movie, really. I mean, it's one of those sci-fi thrillers that doesn't even try to be scientifically consistent. Not once did they even really discuss the significance of the words "event horizon". And the entire premise of the movie is appropriately vague and magnificent. There is a giant, visually stunning magnetic gravity-maker inside a huge spaceship, which then opens "the gateway." Oh god, no...not the GATEWAY!!!!! The gateway is to hell, or a purely evil dimension (the imagery of this dimension is very Dante, which is sort of funny, since the year is 2047). Anyway, despite it's utter lack of logic or consistency, it's really scary. It plays ALL the tricks - unreliable lighting, sudden loud noise, a river of blood (yes, in a spaceship), and lots of winding corridors with sudden corners. I had some trouble sleeping, because the movie reminded me of The Shining (a truly quality book AND movie, in my opinion). The Shining is one of the most "fundamentally disturbing" movies, according to a good friend of mine. I might still be partial to The Exorcist, because I like angst-ridden Catholic priest-psychiatrists.

On Friday, I sang at the MIT Diwali Night. It was a big cultural show and dinner. Our act was the opening act - an Indian semi-classical, voice-and-instrument ensemble piece. It went beautifully, and I realized how much I miss singing in shows. It's funny, because I get almost pathologically nervous before shows, and always think that I'm going to be unable to sing at all. But there's ALWAYS that moment when I'm on stage, and I take a deep breath, and suddenly I'm completely calm and happy and relaxed. After we were done, I got to devour free Indian food. So all is well.

By the way, speaking of food. Last night's amazing dinner: Butternut squash ravioli covered with olive oil and parmesan. Also, baby spinach, mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, covered with more olive oil and pine nuts. Many variations on this meal can be expected in the near future. It was shockingly good.

Oh oh......WINGED MIGRATION. Just saw it at the MFA film showing. Breathtaking, deeply touching and technically impressive visual documentary on migrating birds. I highly recommend it. All of the footage is real (no special effects), and apart from gorgeous images, there are also some small vignettes that tell you about the relationship of birds to other animals and each other. One warning: you'll never see crabs in the same light. Other movie by the same people - Microcosmos (close-up look at insects - supposedly makes the audience feel WITH the insects).