Attack of the Giant Spiders -- movie at seven

We've been to a Purim celebration at the Synagogue yesterday. It was actually very nice. It is a bit hysterical how they mix the Hebrew words into English. The day before that, we went to the same synagogue for the reading of the Esther Scroll. It's the first time I actually heard it in full. I again wonder at the irony of me having to move to US to do these things.

Anyway. At the Purim celebration there was an attraction for the kids -- a woman made really cute balloon animals and stuff. I never saw anything on par in Israel. Rather amazing. Giant spiders were all the rage :) Hence the title of the thread.

While driving back home we had a really long debate whether we see the moon or something else. It was completely not of this world. Eerie, like in the werewolf movies. A perfect finish for our "movie" night :)

Avatar

Well, I've seen "Avatar" yesterday. It was nice, but not something extraordinary. I can see where some of the controversy comes from, but it is overblown, imo. This basic story had appeared many times with different variations.

On a side note, I couldn't stop the feelings of deja vu. Strong parallels with the Matrix (the machines humans had are even similar to those in the Matrix). On the other hand, Cameron had directed "Aliens" and Ripley/Weaver used a similar machine there as well. This, though is a superficial similarity. On the deeper level I saw many parallels with Card's "Speaker for the Dead". I mean, natives who are in touch with there whole planet which might be a one big organism, talking to trees (actually "planting" people to get them to the next level of life as a tree). Some humans defending the natives against the other humans. Well, the similarities aren't exact, but I just couldn't shake the feeling.