From Nat's Brain: Hot docs and new ideas

Ever feel like you need some sort of interface which would allow you to quickly and painless dump all the great blog ideas you had during the week in places far far away from the computer and dump them point form to be tweaked. Too many posts, so little time. Yet I sit here and stare at the curser.

Usually one weekend night, The Man walks down to the Videoflicks and gets two DVDs. (1) Family friendly fare (please submit your suggestions) and (2) a movie for him. Not us. Him. I'm not so much into movies, so you never can tell what I will watch. Well, actually, he probably can tell. Horror, senseless action, war, dumb comedies -- aren't my thing. However, bring home a documentary. I'm all over that.

Now this marked a clear departure from the film three weeks ago, Sweeny Todd (which was not nearly as good as it could have been, specially with actors like Rickman, Depp and Bonham-Carter -- I love JD.) I expected films with blood and guts to come home for the next little bit. Not so. Art-filled docs. Love it.

Manufactured Landscapes: An National Film Board sponsored film about how humanity has changed the world and created these new landscapes. It's a visually stunning film. Simply beautiful. Gives you pause, and made me think about the big picture. Reminiscent of Koyaanisqatsi and about getting the perfect shot, the repressed photog in me gets it -- wishes I had that kind of vision into projects. Worth seeing just for the opening sequence in the factory.

This week's grown up feature: Helvetica All about the typeface that changed the world, how it came to be, and what it means. Fascinating on so many levels, including a few people saying things that meant absolutely nothing to me (pretentious art snob that guy was). (Not sure it takes itself nearly as seriously as some of the graphic designers and typographers who are interviewed.) Definitely a new perspective for me on designers and how some view their work. Worth seeing if you are into art and design.

Last but not least, we do a lot of kid friendly fare with The Boy. This week was Young Sherlock Holmes, as written by Chris Columbus. As the title suggest about a teenaged Holmes and Watson solve a crime. The young sleuths meet at a boarding school in London. One can't help but notice that the hall where the boys eat bear a striking similarity to the Great Hall at Hogwarts and that a shot in a church looks a heck of a lot like the room at where Harry meets Voldemort for the first time. Just saying...

Anyone have any suggestions for films for 7 year old boys? (Ok, older than 7, we sort abide by the PG-13 rule. So Indiana Jones, or the Mummy is ok. Well, the mummy was a bit scary.)