Friday, April 30, 2010

May Flowers....

As we roll into May, I just wanted to wrap up a few things from my last few weeks.

I did see Kick-Ass last weekend and completely enjoyed my experience. It is crass, calculated, and contemporary (how about that alliteration!).Visually I thought the movie was spectacular, especially a scene that was essentially an animated graphic novel. The action scenes involving gun play were unbelievable and the last time I was taken aback by a person to person action scene was Kill Bill Vol. 1 in 2004. Acting is pretty solid and I must say Nicholas Cage channeling Adam West is pretty entertaining, in a car crash way. It gets a solid grade from me but not for the little ones. And as I would have guessed as I walked into the theater sitting smack dab in the middle was a father and what appeared to be his 7ish year-old son. Terrible parenting. I could never be a movie ticket taker. Because when a parent and their young child came up to me I would berate the "Adult" for making such an awful choice. Take your kid to How to Train Your Dragon, and when they hit puberty they can watch a movie called Kick-Ass.

I have fallen in love with Party Down. It is on Starz, but is on Netflix streaming and it is awesome. It is full of a cast of "Oh, that guy/girl" stars. Adam Scott is rocketing up my favorite actor list with fantastic turns in Party Down, Eastbound & Down, and who could forget his epic portrayal of Griff, on Boy Meets World. The show simply follows people who work parties in California. Absolutely love it, and I am a sucker for half-hour comedies streaming live on Netflix. you can rip through a season in a few days.

And I am rather excited to see Iron Man 2. If only for Mickey Rourke's Russian accent. If the trailers are any indication, it could be the worst Russian accent since John Malkovich's Teddy KGB from Rounders. "It ez my cluuub and I zwill splish ze pot venever ze fuck I pleeeeze."

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Movie Thoughts....

Just watched Up in the Air last night. And I must say that I really enjoyed the movie. It was really funny at times, and completely heartbreaking at the same time. The entire theme of job loss and where do you go when you are let go, is really well done and obviously resonates with many people. I'm lucky enough to not have been in that position, (knock on that wood) but a lot of people have been. I could discuss a lot more but it would give away a huge plot twist at the end, and I'm not that guy that tells people unless they really want to know. Suffice to say the acting is awesome. Clooney does his usual, which is outstanding. It really says something about your charm when you play a character that fires people all day long, and the audience still roots for you and likes you. The women are real good, as their Oscar nominations would suggest. Standouts to me are Zach Galifianakis and J.K. Simmons in bit roles as employees who are fired. They showed rage and helplessness at the same time and made it look effortless. And I really liked Danny McBride in this flick, because it was a complete 180 from anything else he has done. His character was quiet, understated, and the complete opposite from Eastbound and Down. I completely understand why it was nominated for Best Picture, and can say of the movies I have seen in the past year it is near the top.

Avatar comes out today on DVD and I have an issue with this release. They are releasing the DVD sans any special features today. And they have the audacity to already be talking about a release sometime in November, that will have deleted scenes, special features, and commentaries. The movie made over $2 billion in freaking box office sales, and the first thoughts out of the people at FOX was "How can we milk this for more?" Absolutely sickening. Companies have been doing this for years with special and unrated editions of certain movies and it is ridiculous. Just put everything you have on a disc and sell it for 20 bucks. You will do plenty of business and not have to worry about anything. So if you are contemplating buying Avatar today, I suggest you don't. Not only because the product will rip you off, but because those in charge are actively trying to rip you off.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Big Ben Falls Hard....

Well it is now official. The "No Fun League" doesn't believe in the phrase, "innocent before proved guilty." And in this case, the accused was innocent (in the law's eyes) the entire time. I have a big problem with Roger Goodell suspending the Steelers QB for 6 games in this upcoming season. I realize that it is a business to run and you do not want your employees detracting from your business, or in this case, product. But the man was accused of sexual assault, the charges were dropped, and yet he still can't go back to his job. I get sick of the NFL holding itself up to a holier than thou level. Is Roethlisberger a meat head for getting himself in this situation again? Of course he is. But suspending him only brings more light to the situation and more attention. So let the man be and let him do his job.

And I am also sick of the Commish wanting to make an example of the big name stars. If your mantra is that our players will be accountable, then at least be fair with the way they give out fines and/or suspensions. I just read a story about a guy who plays for the Colts who is accused of sexually assaulting an employee of a hotel he stayed at during the week of the AFC Championship Game. So let me get this straight, a guy attacks a woman during the NFL season, and nothing is levied on him. A guy is accused of assaulting a woman during the off season, chargers are dropped and he is suspended for 6 games. What's the difference? The guy getting six games is a quarterback and has two Super Bowl rings. So I think Big Ben is getting a raw deal, much like Michael Vick did.

Vick's deal was so raw, it was worn down to the bone. Vick committed heinous acts against animals and was rightly sentenced to prison. Served nearly 2 years in the big house. But I have watched witness testimony say that Vick and now I'm quoting "10 to 15 other NFL players" were involved in the operation. The NFL did no investigating on who those other guys were, and the names have never been released. So Vick's close friends rolled over on him, ratted out the big dog (bad pun I know) and put him away. And the police and the NFL bought it.

I digress a bit and am not sure if I make many good points, but I am sick of the big name players being the ones who take the fall in these issues. If the NFL ever wants to be taken seriously in how it conducts it's players relations, fairness is key. Everyone is on the same level, from rookie to 10 year Super Bowl winning vet.

I really expected a 2 game suspension. It sets a message, and gives the Steelers a chance to come back if they fall in an 0-2 hole. They could reasonably start 2-4 or 1-5, and if that's the case, in a division with Baltimore and Cincinnati, Pittsburgh is dead. I realize you take accountability if you are Big Ben and say that you were wrong to be in that decision. But when the government decides the only thing you are guilty of is being a dumb ass, it should end there.

Monday, April 19, 2010

The eyes never lie....

The NFL Draft starts this Thursday, and I really do not care. First off, my nonchalance towards the issue is due to the Bears not having a first or second round pick this year, and quite frankly if your team's draft cupboard is that bare and you still are all jacked up, you sir have issues. Best case scenario for Chicago is that they somehow find offensive line and secondary help in rounds 3-7. Worst case scenario is that this draft is like every draft for the past 5 years. Pure suck. Actually I take that back, the Bears usually identify one talented guy, who is serviceable on the roster. Outside of that, epic suck. Now onto my draft thoughts.

If I was an executive, I would not touch Sam Bradford with a ten foot pole. Yes the guy is physically gifted, but he is injury prone and underachieved his entire career. In fact, Oklahoma is projected to have 3 players taken in the top 7 picks. And yet, they still can't win a bowl game. But seriously, if Bradford gets knocked out of a game against TCU, what makes you think he can stand in the pocket and take a hit from NFC West opponents Patrick Willis or Bertrand Berry. I also would have a hard time taking a quarterback with the top choice because of the money they get. Insiders say Bradford will get nearly 50 million bucks guaranteed, whether he sees the field or not. I'm just giving you one man's opinion, and that man says draft Suh or McCoy, and build a defense first, because it's not like the offenses in that division are that great.

If I was going to draft a quarterback I think it would be Tim Tebow. I almost threw up as I said that, but the reason you pick him is because he works. I'm not saying he's the second coming of Steve Young, but the guy has an NFL body and can play something. And after watching the Jon Gruden special on ESPN, the guy is at least passionate and is willing to do anything to play in the league. I will also say that though I don't agree with his whole Jesus praisin' image, everyone vouches for his work ethic. Back in 97, there was debate on whether Indianapolis should take Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf. They graded out equally on the physical tools, but when it came to work-ethic no one would back Leaf. And as we know now, Manning (love him or hate him) has made his studying of the league, legendary. So if I was an exec, in round 2 or 3, I would take a flyer on him.

And my last thought is about the ESPN special with Jon Gruden. I was watching part of it on TV and my lovely fiancee said, "Is this actually interesting to you?" And I was hooked. Jon Gruden may no longer hold a coaching job, but he knows what you need to make the league and how to handle yourself. It is from this special that I finally started to look at Tebow a little differently. He seemed to be the only one taking the advice to heart. Bradford and Clausen looked bored and completely disinterested in a Super Bowl winning coach helping them. McCoy was engaging, but I seriously don't think he has the tools to succeed at the next level. I really enjoyed the special and wish they could do a defensive installment as well. I will always be intrigued by x and o talk about any sport.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Guh....

Over the last 48 hours I have experienced my first ever spat with food poisoning. I truly would not wish it on my worst enemies. So moral of the story is, unless I'm eating sushi at a reputable restaurant, fish gets cooked til it has no flavor and resembles a brick.

In other news, I am rather excited about Kick-Ass which comes out this Friday. The movie is based on a graphic novel (aren't they all) about everyday people becoming super heroes. The flick has Nicholas Cage, which means it is going to be campy and over the top. But it was adapted and directed by the guy who made Layer Cake, which I highly recommend you go watch. That stars Daniel Craig, in pre-Bond mode, and Sienna Miller. It was very cool, and the director clearly has his own style and vision. So that is why I am excited.

It is getting decent reviews so far, but some people object with the content. Apparently the movie uses an 12 year-old girl as one of the heroes, and she basically shoots and kills adults. People have an issue with this, saying that youngsters will watch this and want to kill people. Once again, give me a damn break.

First off, the movie is rated R, as in no one under 17 allowed in without an adult. So if a kid gets into this movie, the parents are to blame. Secondly, I am sick and tired of people saying that just because people view things, they will instantly do what they saw. Yes, if you show young children certain things, they will do those things. But by some point, and I would guess it is around 16 or 17, people realize what they can do and can't do. And if they do get injured, or injure someone and try to justify it by saying they saw a movie or a video game, we should just kill them then. Because if a 16 or 17-year old can't tell the difference between fiction and reality, we have an entirely different problem.

So with that I am going to go see the movie this weekend, and probably laugh at a 12 year-old killing men in a comic-book movie. Does that mean I am going to run out and start taking people out? Probably not. Because I am not a 12 year-old girl.....

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Following Takes Place on a Blog Nobody Reads....

I have always been a fan of the show 24. However, extenuating circumstances have made it virtually impossible for me to view this season and it just so happens this season is it's last. This is year 8 and in my mind, the show had a hell of a run. I have viewed every episode in years 1-7 and can honestly say this show has brought me a lot of joy.

Why am I reminiscing? Because I was poking around netflix this weekend and found out that season 1-7 are all on instant view. If you have a subscription, I highly recommend you at least watch the first season. I started the viewing this Sunday, and am already on episode 8. I remember watching it in it's first run, which surprisingly was back all the way in November of 2001. After watching the first episode, I was instantly hooked again. Good dialogue, quick scenes, decent acting, and amounts of sex and violence that hadn't been seen on network TV in a long time. I mean seriously, they had a terrorist blow up a plane less than 6 weeks after September 11th. Very ballsy FOX. The first season works at a lightning fast pace and bucked many TV cliches. They killed off main characters, had plot twists every hour, and effectively used a format that really hadn't been utilized ever.

I was surprised how young Kiefer Sutherland looked, but it was nearly a decade ago, and Jack Bauer has had 8 long ass days since this time. Just something about that first season is awesome. The concept was new, so I think everything caught everyone off-guard. Part of the problem of the latter seasons were that the show became a cliche of itself. Who's getting killed? The twist is coming right now! So through no fault of it's own the show created an expectation and there is honestly only so many story lines you can have about one guy saving the world year after year.

If I had to rank the seasons that I enjoyed the most, I would say 1, 3, and 5 were the best of the best. Season 1 had the best all around story, and you had no idea what was coming. Season 3 had my favorite scene, which included Jack cutting off his partner's hand, because a bomb with an air pathogen was attached to it. Jack then threw the hand bomb into a fridge and let it go off with no repercussions. And season 5 was a culmination of the show finally getting it's due with Sutherland winning a Best Actor Emmy, and the show winning Best Drama. Having a great story where it turns out the President of the United States is harboring terrorists will do that for you. And if you truly do not want to see a dying breed please steer away from season 6. It is bad news bears.

So I salute you 24. You were on my list of top shows of the decade and I would be hard pressed to keep you out of my top 5 favorite shows of all-time. Granted in your later years you got a little stale, but all in all a good run. And I look forward to my 16 hours I have left in season 1.