She is startin' to damage my calm.

I'm not going to write this up on BSL because I can't really offer an unbiased opinion. I think it was well done, I just don't think it really needed to be done. Eventually, sure. As the end titles recall the fate of the flight and the unprecendented shutdown of US airspace, it really felt directed at people who weren't there five years before.

I remember on the one-year anniversary seeing a re-enactment on Japanese TV which, while far cheesier, really wasn't a whole lot different from the second half of the film. The first half is devoted to seeing the inside of air traffic control as they start to lose contact and track of certain flights, followed by them seeing the CNN reports of the Towers and the Pentagon. I'm sorry, I have my own imagination and the film did nothing for me I couldn't have already speculated for myself. I also don't think it was the sort of under-reported event that necessitates a film in order to help "spread the word/story." I don't mean to sound callous--I'm sure the heroics of the people onboard deserve to be told over and over. And imdb had some neat trivia to offer on United 93:

Families of the 40 passengers and crew members killed on United Flight 93 cooperated in the production, offering [writer/director] Greengrass detailed background about their loved ones, down to the clothes they wore, what reading materials or music they had with them and what sort of candy they might have snacked on aboard the plane.

At the request of the filmmakers, no studio-produced trailers were shown before the start of the movie in its theatrical run.

And isn't this great:

The Iraqi-born (but London-based) actor Lewis Alsamari, who plays the lead hijacker in the film, was denied a visa by US immigration authorities when he applied to visit New York City to attend the premiere, despite having already been granted asylum in the United Kingdom since the 1990s. The reason given was that he had once been a conscripted member of the Iraqi army - although this was also the grounds for his refugee status after his desertion in 1993.

I'm just saying that personally, I really could have gone without seeing it.

And right along with more cheerful viewing, I have the documentary The Ground Truth to watch. I believe these are interviews with people who have come back from Iraq and tried to get on with their lives. Should be a huge upper.

But don't worry! I won't leave you on such a downer. D and I are both off tomorrow and I was reminiscing the other day that it had been ages since I'd played a proper drinking game. I'm far too old (and, uh, "wise" seems like the wrong word altogether, but you get the drift) to take straight shots. I imagine we'll be drinking beer and water to be safe. And lots of munchies. This was all in the spirit of drinking for anything but the Super Bowl. And lifted right off the internet, we have...ta da! The Buffy Drinking Game:

SIP IF:

You see Buffy's bra strap
Someone sneaks up on Giles
Someone has a little more knowledge than they should
A nice teacher gets whacked
Somebody alone in a locker room gets whacked
The Hellmouth is mentioned
Buffy's past is mentioned
There is a gratuitous cleavage shot
There is any "buffyism" (a short two or single word phrase - NOT A LINE)
Willow is behind a keyboard
Xander displays jealousy over Buffy
Willow displays jealousy over Xander
Buffy gushes over or is annoyed by Angel
Angel appears with a cryptic greeting for Buffy
Buffy grunts while fighting
Cordelia rips on someone, someone rips on Cordelia, or Cordelia is oblivious to the paranormal
Buffy goes on a date
A vampire whacks an innocent person
Buffy's mom lays the smack down on Buffy's plans
Principal Snyder shows distaste for Buffy
Buffy cries
Willow surprises herself with her last remark
Willow hacks into a restricted site
The Master orders Buffy's death
Buffy leaves school grounds during normal hours

CHUG IF:

Buffy slays a vampire
Buffy's dress goes past her thigh
Willow is better dressed than Buffy
A nice teacher lives through the episode
Giles sneaks up on someone
Buffy delivers a line before laying the smack down (ex. "Hi honey, I'm home!")
Buffy's date isn't human
Giles' earring hole is visible

But depending on our viewing mood, there is also the Firefly Sips & Shots Game!

A shot every time Zoe shoots someone.
A shot every time River says "Two by Two hands of Blue" (if she says it 13 times in 4 scenes, that’s 13 shots)
A shot every time someone mentions 'the special hell'
A shot every time Book crosses his arms across his front while holding his Bible and looks on disapprovingly at the situation
A shot if Jayne tries to barter a weapon for a person....
A shot for any repair to the ship that involves string, tape, gum or other non-mechanical household objects
A shot every time there is an encounter with a Reaver ship
A shot anytime Kaylee makes a play towards the Doctor.
And 2 shots if he actually makes a play *back*
A shot each time Inara kicks Mal out of her shuttle.
Five shots if she gives herself a sponge bath
A shot each time Book tells them needful info about criminal/shadowy activities.
A shot whenever someone speaks a mandarin phrase
A shot whenever Mal says "not so much" (special rule for Buffy fans)
A shot for every time some one refers to Inara as a whore (directly)
A shot every time the ship is referred to as "she"
A shot every time Jayne says something that makes the rest of the crew stare at him. E.g.: "That's why I never kiss 'em on the mouth," or "This smells like crotch."
Two shots if Mal talks about his plow in a scene (not every time he says the word plow, just how many times he says plow in one scene)
Two shots if someone is still alive after a Reaver attack
Three shots if Mal kisses Kaylee in a less-than-brotherly way.
Four shots if Jayne kisses Kaylee at all. Ever.
Five shots if Simon kisses Kaylee.
Six shots if Inara kisses Kaylee

A sip for every scene showing the alliance where someone is wearing a goofy alliance hat
A sip for every time Jayne starts to caress his weapons
One sip for the use of the word "shiny"
One sip every time Firefly lands on a friendly planet...
one gulp every time they land on a hostile one

A chug for each time the crew poses as a married couple…. and a whole can/glass if they come away at the end of the show with no profits/goods acquired for their troubles.
Big chug if Jayne kisses ANYBODY!

A round for the house every time Kaylee hollers during sex.

Ok, how does anyone get past the first thirty minutes? I'm too old; I have a feeling I'll be drinking at my normal pace and merely watching whichever show we go with...(what a pussy)! And I'll stop including these huge lists of show drinking games, but damn there's a great one for STNG, some of the highlights being:

"Engage", "Make It So", "Energize", "Accessing", "On Screen" and "Magnify" are shot words - you must take a drink unless you say the exact word _in unison_ with the dialogue. Two drinks if you say the wrong word.

Whenever Riker appears in a scene, the last person to say "Oink Oink" takes a drink.

If Troi "senses" something, everyone must stick a finger down their throats and make gagging sounds - last one to do so takes a drink. (This one could be dangerous in the latter stages of the game.)

Whenever Data embarasses himself, drink until somebody stops him.

Clearly it's time to go eat.