I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this PD James-adapted action movie, but it certainly wasn't that I'd see one of the best movies I've seen this year, and one of the most intense and interesting sci fi movies to come along in a very long time.

Clive Owen is as handsome and brilliant as always, no surprise there, but I was surprised to find how realistic his character is. Not a Rambo-superman, but a regular, albeit unreasonably handsome, regular guy who spends little (to no) time kicking ass and most of the movie trying to escape with his life.

Children of Men takes place in the near future, and if you're pessimistic, it seems like a pretty accurate depiction. Mankind has become barren. Only fear, war, paranoia and madness thrive. Owen becomes the reluctant protector of the last pregnant woman and has to deliver her safely to a possibly imaginary activist group.

The film is bleak and gut wrenching, especially since it's not too difficult to imagine yourself in some of the worst case scenarios in this plausible futurescape. A thinking man's action movie with top rate performances and stunning visuals.

While the Dr. Who Theme Song may have been composed composed by Ron Grainer, it's unique out-of -this-world sound, which has secured its spot in the annals of music history as one of the greatest TV theme songs of all time, was actually created by Delia Derbyshire one of the pioneers of electronic music. And not just any old electronic music that any fool who never bothered to learn to play an instrument can make with the latest computer technology. Derbyshire went to painstakingly laborious lengths to achieve the awesome sounds in this piece of music and created a masterpiece.

This gruffly handsome muse of master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa influenced the good Star Wars episodes and Clint Eastwood. Toshiro Mifune played warriors, kings, peasants and businessmen with the same intense complexity that has made him one of the most recognizable Japanese actors of all time. I personally adore him the most in The Hidden Fortress.

Altman discovered this lanky weirdo goddess when he cast her in her most adorable role as Suzanne Davis, a wide eyed cutie addicted to fast cars, in the fabulous Brewster McCloud. He was not the only one smitten.

Aside from several of his films, including my beloved Nashville Shelley Duvall has starred in several classics. Woody Allen used her as a “transplendent” Rolling Stone columnist date in Annie Hall; she gave an inspired (even if it was tortured out of her) performance in The Shining; we all remember her from Faerie Tale Theater growing up; and today she served as muse for Brixpick fave Guy Madden.

Plus, I spoke to her once on the phone and she was very pleasant… but why, oh why has she nearly disappeared? According to IMDB her latest projects include a stint on The Hughleys and a movie called Big Monster on Campus. She's such a talent and unique beauty who I've always been intrigued by, I wish she'd make a come back.

Several years ago my friend Dan introduced me to the concept of kettle corn, I guess it must have been a common snack in his home state of maple syrup and pride (otherwise known as Vermont).

But for me, at least, the idea of slightly sweetened pop corn was as questionable as Crystal Pepsi. Fortunately it faired far better in a personal taste test and I was hooked. It's been a few years since then and kettle corn has faded into the past just like Hey Ya and Beanie Babies. But now it's back thanks to a company called Popcorn Indiana and their huge red bags that line the walls of Whole Foods and Stew Leonard's.

It's a perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors and if memory serves, it's even better than the microwave-able kind I used to get. They also make mustard, bbq, and cheese flavors which make me salivate just thinking of how good they might be.

Despite coming in a tie for last place, Jim and I had our best game of mini golf ever last weekend at the gaudy spectacle that is Goony Golf in Lake George, “the gooniest golf around”.

A great way to spend some time in the outdoors. If you can't make it all the way up to Goony Golf and take in the extraordinary fiberglass sculptures that grace the park, there are a few more local options. You can try Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Randalls Island Golf Center, Staten Island Golf & Hockey, and several places on Long Island.

Fifteen stories below a large mansion atop a rural green hill lie the stalactites and stalagmites of Howe Caverns. It was discovered when land owner Howe was annoyed that his cows were always gathering congregating in same sunny spot (not in the shade like they were supposed to), he went to the crowded patch and felt a cool breeze coming from the Earth.

Of course, like any sensible man, he started digging and put Cobleskill, NY on the map as a tourist destination ever since–although technically it should be called Howe's Cow's Caverns. A guided tour starts every half hour and our guide, Sarah, (who has been doing this for eight years and still has yet to learn how to be cordial and friendly or enjoy a single minute of it) took us down the elevator. She delivered (in the most unpleasant monotone that occasionally reached to a scream) lines like

“And here lies the formation called ' big turtle'. It doesn't have a head, but if you can imagine a head, you can imagine it looks like a big turtle.”

Our fellow travelers also added their own “spice” to the journey, making fart noises if it got too quiet; dragging their whaling children along; and one forty year old dude kept touching everything he could in an act of defiance (you're told not to touch anything because it damages the formations). No one tells him what to do!

The spot is ideal for picture taking so bring a camera, or you can opt to pose for one in the “gold room” where a poor teenage girl has to wait all day for you to come by and snap you photo. At least Sarah got to see daylight every half an hour.

The neatest and most Disney-like part of the tour is a short boat ride on the calm river. The tour lasts ninety minutes and really is neat and worth a trip, although you might get freaked if the idea of being so far underground spooks you.

Nearby are the rival Secret Caverns, who advertise with big psychedelic billboards that reference Rush and Pink Floyd, so of course our original plan was to go there. They were totally closed! But I'm glad we went to Howe's. Despite the efforts of the public and the staff, it's a truly magnificent site.

Put all images of the misguided and dismal recent film out of your head, for despite its nerdiness and cheapness, the original BBC The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a fantastically funny piece of absurdity and Science Fiction and well-deserving of its cult status in all its formats (It began as a radio show, became a book, then this TV series).

If you are unfamiliar with Hitchhiker's Guide, think Monty Python with less cross dressing and more science and shoe string special effects. The actors are all charming and the paranoid android is brilliant (yes, Radiohead did get the title from here). Sure, it may seem a little less than thrilling for no- nerds, but everyone should give it a try.

It seems weird that I chose to make this recipe with the assumption that it would probably be kind of gross, but I'm glad I'm so irrational sometimes because it wasn't gross at all, but instead extremely delicious.