Battle of the Smithsonian!

I had few hours to kill today, so I decided to catch up on the sequel to the movie, "Night at the Museum"; hard to believe that first film came out at Christmas 2006. Seems like only yesterday!

While this one moves the action to Washington DC's Smithsonian complex, and really ups the ante for potential exhibits that may soon come to life, it doesn't retain the freshness of the first film. Certainly a fun movie, but a bit sequelly and predictable - whereas I found the first one to be quite unpredictable! Owen Wilson, as the feisty diminutive cowboy escapee from a diorama again manages to steal the show with his snappy retorts. (At least this time he takes a screen credit!)

As a free publicity campaign for famous US museums, these films must have worked wonders. They certainly give me itchy feet to return to New York's Museum of Natural History, and the Air & Space Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington.

Today's outing was also a good excuse to snap this 3D display for my 365 Photos project.


Cinema display for "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian".

On the fifth day of Christmas

Yesterday, my friend Leonie and I went to see the new Ben Stiller movie, "Night at the Museum". Based on Milan Trenc's children's picture book "The Night at the Museum", this movie is a lot of fun, with some great special effects that are seamlessly incorporated into the story. (Why should toys be the only things to come to life at night?) this film should make anyone eager to take a stroll through the New York Museum of Natural History. By day or by night...

Today's ornaments:



Above left: For 1998, one of my favourite ornaments: Pinky and the Brain, two determined mice attempting world domination, and have seemingly achieved it by wrapping up the Earth in Christmas lights and carrying it away. From the "Animaniacs" cartoon series, and bought from the Warner Bros. store in Parramatta. The little troll with Christmas hair, tie and pixie boots, is actually a girl's hair accessory for a ponytail. I bought him from the Lakemba pharmacy/newsagency, back when I lived in that suburb.

Above right: For 1997, the Christmas elf with the Jack-in-the-box just had lots of appeal. It's spring-loaded and came in a display box from Grace Bros. in Roselands. The cat is unusual and wasn't intended to be a Christmas tree ornament. The head is ceramic and the body is a tiny bean bag, made of patterned material. He doesn't actually hang from the tree, but rather reclines on the top of several branches. I bought him from the Lakemba pharmacy/newsagency.