Later today I'll be homeward bound schlepping along gifts and whatever else might come in handy during a four day stay with the parents. As the last people on the planet they finally got cable, so Sunday I can take a break from the Christmasy stuff and follow the race towards the playoffs even though things are looking a little grim for the Ravens right now. Also, for once I know what I'm doing for New Year's a week in advance, which (not counting last year) is very unlike me.

So, other than buying presents I've done little but hang out the last week or so. I did watch Kitano's Zatoichi and although it's flawed I thought the fight scenes were really intense. The flashback scenes were a little confusing and I felt there was a backstory missing on the Ronin. It could also have benefited from a bit more editing (especially during the dance and gambling sequences), but on the plus side it was actually quite funny at times. But the thing that really got me was the crazy sword fights, which were really brutal and totally without all that Cirque de Soleil crap that Kill Bill and Crouching Tiger were full of. And oddly enough while people were getting murdered and having body parts sliced of the blood spilled looked like red roses flowing out of people's bodies, which made the whole thing gruesome and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. How bizarre, how bizarre.

So maybe you should stick with It's a Wonderful Life as your movie of choice this weekend and check it out later. Now, I have to pick out a few CDs, pack The Bell Jar (what says Christmas better than depression and suicide?), and get rolling towards the sticks. Have your self a merry and I'll see ya'll later.