It snowed last night. That’s how the weather seems to work here; precipitation arrives after dark and often leaves shortly after sunrise. Of course there are exceptions to that rule in the form of quickly moving squall lines or large storm systems. But on balance during winter the snow starts overnight and one awakens to a winter wonderland. That concludes the weather report.

Ok. Avatar. I believe Roger Dean should be credited and paid for inspiring the visuals of “Pandora.” I’m not alone in that opinion as many many websites will attest.

If i owned a movie theatre i would run a double feature: District 9 and Avatar. Like salt and pepper both films form a kind of yin-yang experience. District 9 has a far more compelling story and follows the best traditions of good Sci Fi by combining the ordinary with the fantastic. Avatar provides jaw-dropping visuals and near seamless integration of CGI and live action, but with a story so lame, so predictable, so depressingly ordinary one can’t help but wonder how the budget was sliced up…. CGI 99%, writers 1%?

That concludes the movie review for today.