Yesterday, I had a dinner date with Kayla. We started out at Tokyo Japanese Restaurant. Teppanyaki isn't really Japanese, but regardless, it's delicious! Got to see and chat a little with Derek Munden. I haven't seen him for a long time. I feel sorry for him, it turns out he's going to be a math major.

After dinner, Kayla and I went to Oakwood to see the latest Coen Brothers film, Burn After Reading [imdb.com]. I must say, I thought it was hilarious. It's a great movie about stupid people. I don't believe Kayla enjoyed it as much, but at least it's worth a few laughs if the uncontrollable plot isn't your cup of tea. A star-filled cast doesn't hurt and I think it's a hilarious satire on the spy genre in general. I'd recommend it if only for Clooney's top secret basement project.

Overall, I'd say it was a very enjoyable date, even if she didn't enjoy the movie as much as me, though I hope she had as much fun.

So, for the last few hours, I've been listening to Metallica's new album, Death Magnetic [amazon.com]. I like it quite a bit, however, I will still say their classics (One, Nothing Else Matters, Enter Sandman) are better. I am becoming quite fond of "The Day That Never Comes," though. I'd recommend it to metal fans and Metallica fans alike (though, if you're either, you probably already have it.)

So, lately, I watched a few movies. They were pretty good. Three out of four isn't bad. Four movies, so let's go with chronological order.

The first I saw and thus first on the plate, there's Hot Fuzz [imdb.com]. A movie parodying cop films, I thought that Hot Fuzz was better than most cop films. The action sequences are just so over the top that it brings a hilarity to the preposterous premise of purifying a perfect country town. Doesn't hurt that the British humor is just spot on, making this a laugh-inducing ride. I'd recommend this highly and it really makes me want to see Shaun of the Dead.

Following that, 3:10 to Yuma [imdb.com]. So, Russell Crowe is a big-time crook and Christian Bale is the tragic hero. There's some superb action between the two and some really provocative conversations that end up making this as much an intellectual morality tale as much as a shoot-em-up. I'd recommend this with both thumbs, a western that just hits all the right notes.

Two good movies in a row and sadly, the third time's not the charm here. In Chaos [imdb.com], Jason Statham, who is always either the driver or a cop, plays a cop. Kind of a shame, really. I really wanted to like this one, it almost felt like it was going to be good. But too much psycho-babble really made it a hard one to wade through. Wouldn't recommend this one.

Finally, there's Waiting [imdb.com]. As a server myself, I can't help but love this film. The same interactions happen in my work, too, though the behind the scene stuff doesn't happen. At least, not at my restaurant. Though, there are times I wouldn't mind adding some "garlic salt" (read: dandruff) to an irritating customer's entree. I haven't said much about the movie yet, but that's because it's like second nature to me. But the truth is, it's well done. It's not the best film out there, but it really gives me a smile.

Three out of four isn't bad. Any recommendations?