I (Blanked) This

What: Kubb
When: July 22, 2009
Where: Broad Street Lawn, Seattle Center
Why: The latest game in Team Saucony’s Seattle summer league, Kubb is an ancient Viking game that I took an immediate liking to last summer when we first learned it. Despite Team Hot Dog’s love for the wood blocks and dowels, we were soundly defeated in ‘08. Not this time around, however.

With yours truly leading the way, we forged a comeback 2-games-to-1 victory over Seattle Weekly. The real drama though, was over on the other field (the subject of this photo), where KEXP battled new league member Easy Street all the way to a dramatic conclusion (Team Easy Street pulled out a 2-1 victory as well). All in all, another great game, and another reminder that I need to get myself a Kubb set. After all, my best sports are those random ones nobody’s ever really heard of.

What: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
When: July 13, 2009
Where: Cinerama, Seattle, WA
Why: Why? Is that a question even needing to be answered? A better question might be how soon until I see it again? The past two Potter flicks I caught twice in the theaters and this one I might have to watch one more time as well for, despite a few quibbles, this is another marvelous film in the series. Throughout the second half of the film, I kept asking myself “Where are the horcruxes?” and then when the finally appeared, the ending felt rushed and abrupt. I could say the same for director David Yates’ previous entry into the Potter archives, 2007’s Order of the Phoenix, which I sadly found anti-climactic.

Whereas the death of Cedric Diggory brought me to great sadness in Mike Newell’s Goblet of Fire, here Dumbledore’s death is much less emotionally taxing. I’m not sure why, but I don’t exactly recall getting worked up while reading the book, so maybe it’s not the fault of the director after all. What Yates does remarkably well is direct his actors. As usual, the all-star British cast found yet another perfect addition with Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn, and the kids are getting better and better all the time. Dan Radcliffe in particular has a knack for mixing comedy with his seriousness.

This is a funny film. Hard to imagine, considering all the creepiness of the deeper story of the Hogwarts-aged Tom Riddle (I would’ve liked to have seen some sequences from the Riddle household, even if they would’ve been overload for an already long film). Yates and his young cast are able to keep it light enough to balance the dark for much of the film, what with all this romance blooming amongst the adolescents. 

One more note on casting: everyone blasts Chris Columbus now for making two saccharine family films with the first entries in the franchise, but every last Potter fan should be thankful for the job that he and his casting director did all those years ago. Think about it, not one child actor has been recast, and every time you see them in each progressive film (Yates & team do a commendable job of giving everyone at least a scene in Prince), you never question that they are still that character. Bonnie Wright especially stepped it up here, and I look forward with great anticipation to see her increase her role as Ginny Weasley in the final two films.

What: Moon
When: July 9, 2009
Where: Metro, Seattle, WA
Why: First of all, I love thoughtful science fiction. Second, and maybe more importantly, Sam Rockwell is one of my favorite actors working today. Third, my brain needed a break today. Fourth, that poster is fantastic. Fifth, I really wanted to see this at SIFF but never made it. So I waited patiently for it to come out for real. I was not disappointed. On par with Solaris (both versions), the movie is a great look at the loneliness of space, the morality of… well, I don’t want to spoil it. Go see it/rent it. And in the meantime, I’ll be watching a movie I somehow have never seen: Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

What: Team Saucony Whiffle Ball
When: July 8, 2009
Where: Broad Street Lawn, Seattle Center
Why: Team Saucony Seattle’s second event of the season was Whiffle Ball, a game we Hot Dogs dominated last season and were fully expecting to do again… until Showbox pulled yet another no-Showbox (and pulled out of the league entirely, it would seem), leaving us Yellow Shirts to play ourselves. Or some reasonable facsimile. We added a few strays including our fearless event leader Patty, and fought a great intramural battle in which WE won. Which we, I’m not so sure, but the Hot Dogs were wieners winners on this day.

What: White Rabbits
When: June 22, 2009
Where: The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
Why: White Rabbits’ second record, It’s Frightening is good, but not as good as their live show. I last saw them at Sasquatch ‘08 and am quite pleased to say they’ve gotten even better in the interim. 

This sextet brings it. Despite a lack of immediacy in their stage setup (lead singer/frontman Stephen Patterson is seated at his keyboard, front and center), White Rabbits bring a huge amount of energy to their show. Percussive to a fault, they utilize two drummers for most songs, though at some point I think every band member grabbed the sticks and joined the beat.

“Percussion Gun,” might be the most drum-heavy song in their catalog, and it was a standout, along with old favorites like “The Plot” and “We Go Dancing”—my personal highlight of the night. While the bouncy, infectious tunes couldn’t quite get the typically staid Seattle crowd moving too much, it thankfully didn’t weaken the band’s performance. The best part about this show? Being able to better appreciate all the new songs, which admittedly sounded a little lackluster on first listen of the record.