Monthnotes 24 Dec 2023

Texas again, then to Mexico and finally sliding into the holidays to ring out the year of 2023

After Thanksgiving, I flew back out to Longview, TX where my cousin's daughter was married. It offered the perfect opportunity to have a small family reunion with my brother, mom, and my step-dad. Had good, short, time before returning home.

Then I was off again. This time to my company's annual trip to Cancun, Mexico. We pay for travel, they pay for everything else for up to three thousand or so employees and guests.

The outdoor stage in Cancun

The big draw is the three-day music festival they put together. Rain and weather screwed up the first day, so we didn't see The Lumineers as planned. Day two started with Goldfish, then on to T-pain, Kaskade, then Usher.

Day three had Saint Motel, Phoenix, Chance the Rapper, and closing act Justin Timberlake.

Justin Timberlake

Then, back home, where I tested positive for COVID. Luckily, I got over it quickly so I would still be able to have a somewhat normal birthday and Christmas.

Movies

Napoleon is Ridley Scott's epic about the iconic emperor of France. My brother happens to be an expert on Napoleon, and this film certainly just covers the highlights. A film on a scope you rarely find anymore.
Blue Beetle was fun, but I don't think it really brought anything new to the superhero genre other than the Latino characters.

Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla Minus One was a surprise. Hands-down my favorite film of 2023. Primarily because of the characters and their stories. Even if you're not a Godzilla fan, this is the one you'd want to check out.
When Evil Lurks was fun and gruesome, but I think the hype it received had me expecting more from it.
It's a Wonderful Knife was mostly fun, but characters start making either dumb decisions or those which are purely in the service of the script, so I don't feel it entirely landed for me.
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire is pretty much what I've come to expect from Zach Snyder. Style way over substance. Basically a Seven Samurai clone with more action than sense. "Will you fight for my farming village?" "No." "Pretty please?" "Okay." That times six and you have a movie apparently.

My Top 5 films of 2023

Reelhouse Foundation Films

There were a couple, but due to holidays and their schedule and my schedule I missed the films. That didn't prevent me from donating to the Reelhouse Foundation charity. I'll be watching the next showing, whatever that may be.

Etherfields Board Game

I had been looking for something a little different and this one is definitely that. A story-based game where you venture into dreams and slumbers as a dreamer.

I've only made it through the initial tutorial so far, but ready to start into it with the extra time I have off around the holidays.