tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88233387425038559082024-03-21T15:57:14.025-05:00High Five RevivalRichardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-37685183835041164912013-09-06T00:20:00.001-05:002013-09-06T00:20:16.845-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Top Five Friday #5</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Best Movies To Look Forward To</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>(Now That Summer Is Over)</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In obvious news, it's been a long time since I've posted. Perhaps most telling is that this only the fifth installment of "Top Five Friday" and the blog has been around in one form or another since 2009. That's a rate of approximately one per year and clearly that needs to improve. Will it? Time will tell, but history suggests it's not likely. It'll be an adventure finding out. So, now that summer of 2013 is over, which brought an embarrassment of riches in the movie field such as Man of Steel (the best Superman movie yet in my opinion), Pacific Rim (surprisingly awesome), Star Trek: Into Darkness (J.J. Abrams is one of my favorite directors alive or dead) or Iron Man 3, which is perhaps the best of the series as a few examples. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But, what movies are left? Note that this list only covers through the rest of 2013 and does not extend into the following year, but wanted to give any readers, if I'm being optimistic, a list of movies to look forward to throughout the rest of the year and that I'm looking forward to personally. (This list is organized by release date and not in any other particular order) None of the ones I'm looking forward to are until November, so sorry September and October - you're out of luck. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ender's Game</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><b>(November 1) </b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is one of my hands down favorite novels when I was growing up and getting to see it translated to the big screen is something I can't wait for at all. If it's anywhere as good as the book and the trailers indicate it very well could be, then this will be a pretty great movie. It's a very interesting science fiction novel, which is really an awesome read in my opinion and a pretty thought-provoking one as well. I doubt we'll see the rest of the Ender's Game trilogy get filmed as they would be really difficult to put to film, but I've said that about a lot of things and Hollywood keeps managing to pull it off, with varying degrees of success. Will this end up a fantastic adaptation of a classic novel such as Harry Potter, the Silver Linings Playbook, The Help or Princess Bride? Or is it destined to be along the lines of Eragon, the Twilight Novels or The Cat In the Hat? I'll be finding out in November and hopefully you will too.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Thor: The Dark World </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><b>(November 8) </b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have to say that my expectations for Thor when it came out were practically non-existent and I didn't have a lot of hope for the movie, even though the trailers made it look pretty good. But, I've been fooled by good trailers before (Spiderman 3, I'm looking at you) and I didn't think it would go on to be one of my favorite graphic novel adaptations ever. I didn't think it would ever be one of the best of that summer and predicted it might be one of the worst, but that honor goes to Green Lantern. (Sorry, Brandon, but it's true). Here we are, years later, and I can't wait to visit Asgard again with Chris Hemsworth as the title character, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard and the rest of the fantastic cast . My only concern is that it's not directed by the excellent Kenneth Branagh, who is directing instead one of the other movies on the list, but everything I've seen so far has me resting pretty easy and looking forward to this movie more than ever. This time, I have extremely high expectations and we'll see whether they can reach such lofty heights again! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>(December 13) </u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have to confess I was a little wary of returning to Middle Earth after such a lengthy journey the first time around, but I really enjoyed the Hobbit. It's definitely a different look at the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien than the first trilogy as the stakes definitely lower, through the first book at least and I have to confess I've never read the Hobbit, so it's been a enjoyable journey so far to find out what's going to happen next in this prequel to one of my favorite trilogies of all time. I can't wait to return to journey with Gandalf, Bilbo, their company of dwarves and the rest of the traveling party later this year. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><b>(December 20) </b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have to confess, I'd given up hope on seeing a sequel to Anchorman, which has its inherent charm despite any flaws and is one of my favorite comedies, given its highly quotable nature. Year after year brought talk of a sequel, but things looked pretty dire for the Channel 4 News team, but then, out of the darkness, came an official announcement that Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Christina Applegate and the whole gang would be back to bring us the news once again! "Don't act like you're not impressed." Like the phoenix, the Channel 4 News Team shall rise again! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Jack Ryan </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><b>(December 25)</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have to say I'm pretty thrilled to be getting a reboot of the hero Tom Clancy universe, Jack Ryan, who has been played by Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin and Ben Affleck, who I will discuss in an (hopefully) upcoming blog post for what I hope are obvious reasons. However, that'll be for another time as Chris Pine steps into the shoes of Jack Ryan with Kiera Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Brannagh (also directing) also in the film. Thus far, there is not a trailer for it that I've found (any trailers you find for it on YouTube have seemed to be trailers for the Wolf of Wall Street, featuring Leonardo Dicaprio for no apparent reason) and I've discovered that Paramount might be calling it Jack Ryan: Shadow One, which I'm going to just flat out ignore and never refer to it as that. Ever. But, my enthusiasm remains undiminished and I am looking forward to seeing this one this year, with any luck. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just a few films to look forward to throughout the rest of the year, with films like Hunger Games: Catching Fire or Monuments Men not making the cut. But, of course, never a shortage of fantastic films throughout the rest of 2013, so enjoy and discuss. What were your favorite movies from the summer? (No spoilers please). What movies are you looking forward to this year? What are the best and worst adaptations you've seen committed to film? Until next time, stay classy! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>This post was brought to you through Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend, which I have been listening to non-stop all week and will certainly end up on my year-end favorites list. Check it out if you haven't yet</i>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-24753685099013764522012-03-24T10:25:00.003-05:002012-03-24T14:44:02.879-05:00Top 12 Movies Of 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Top 12 Movies of 2011-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's been well over a year since I've posted on here and although often when I talk with friends, I say, "I should write a blog about that", it's obvious that I never have. I've written this blog in my head months ago and it probably wouldn't be up this week if some people (you know who you are) hadn't demanded (in no uncertain terms) that a new blog go up before the end of the week. So, in that case, thank you and for your consideration...<br /><br />It was another great year in film, personally. 2011 is notable for many reasons in American film, one of them being the releases of the most sequels in one year. Many of which were good and appear on my list. But, other sequels did not fare so well. It was definitely a year of high and lows, but you can't go wrong with any of the movies on this list. Personally, they may not appeal to you, but I loved each and every one of them in their own way.<br /><br />Now, you may ask (or may not care), why a top 12 instead of a top five or top ten? This is just my opinion, but I think in any given month out of the year, there should be at least one film you want to see in theaters. However, this is not often the case. The summer months or over the Christmas holiday you have two to three great movies released in one month, leaving those months jam packed and then a bit of a lull in months where there are not any movies that would ever coax me into seeing them on the big screen. Instead, I would much rather wait for them to come out on DVD or ignore them altogether. But, thankfully, there were at least 12 movies that come out this year worth watching on the big screen. Hopefully you did so, because full disclosure, I did not. Hopefully 2012 will be different, but for now, these are my Top 12 films of 2011 -<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(In Alphabetical Order)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">50/50</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Rated R for </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="st">language throughout, sexual content and some drug use. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">)</span><br />This was one of the gems of 2011 in my honest opinion. Starring Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendricks and Bryce Dallas-Howard (appearing in two of my favorite films of the year), it tells the story of a young man dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Equally hilarious and heartbreaking at times, it walks on the tightrope between them and never wavers. 50/50 balances the two elements of the script perfectly. I was fortunate enough to see this one with a friend on the big screen and I'm glad I did. If you haven't watched this one yet, I'd highly recommend it. It's not often a movie can make you laugh and cry as well as this one does. Love this movie. <br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa--ea9P7P4">50/50 Trailer<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Captain America (Rated PG-13 for </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="st"> intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action) </span><br />I definitely had a lot of concerns with this film, having watched the 1990 film (and I'm warning you now, don't do it) and I had some concerns over the casting of Chris Evans. But, thankfully, Chris Evans was up for the task as the iconic Captain America. The rest of the supporting cast was stellar too, including Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving and the consistently underrated Stanley Tucci. The film is excellently directed by Joe Johnston and it should be no surprise to some that he directed The Rocketeer. Captain America shares the same sense of nostalgia and adventure that film possessed. The end result is a great movie that isn't perfect, but enjoyable throughout. Don't watch the 1990 film (seriously don't) and instead watch this great adaptation of Captain America.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4DlMggBPvc">Captain America: The First Avenger trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language).</span><br />If you've read the books or watched the Swedish adaptations (excellent films in their own right), then you know what you're getting into. This, for me, is the definitive adaptation and I cannot wait for the sequels. If you don't haven't read the books or watched the movies, then it's a great character study and missing persons mystery that you should definitely follow as soon as possible. Rooney Mara is a revelation in this film and in my opinion, she should've won Best Actress for her role in the film. The film is cast so well though with Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomquist who teams up with a computer hacker (the aforementioned Mara) to solve a decades old mystery. I can't say enough good things about this movie, although I'll freely admit it's not for everybody. It is, however, awesome.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVLvMg62RPA">Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hanna (Rated PG-13 for for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language).</span><br />Another one of the real surprises of 2011 for me as it's a combination of a modern day fairy tale and a high tech action film that I thoroughly enjoyed. Normally, a combination of the two wouldn't work, but here, it's handled so deftly that you can't help but admire it. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchette, it's a coming-of-age story about a young girl entering the world for the first time, a fairy tale about a fight against a wicked witch and an expertly crafted action film about a fight against the CIA and a film that you should definitely check out at your earliest opportunity. Like the previous entry, it might not be for everybody, but if you give it a try, I think you'll love it. I know I did.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjtv8tVtVRw">Hanna Trailer </a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Rated PG-13 (for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images). )</span><br />With Harry Potter, you're either going to love it or hate it. If you know me, you know which side I'm on. Splitting the final film into two parts was a very wise move. I can't imagine trying to compact all of the epic nature of the finale into just one film. Given the build-up to this film and the record-setting nature of the book series, could this movie possibly live up to the hype? The answer, is a definite yes. If you're a Harry Potter fan, there's no excuse for missing this movie and if you're not a Harry Potter fan, then start reading the books right now. Stop reading this blog and go pick up the books from a friend, local library or wherever you choose to, but get them now. And then once you've read them all, watch all the movies that will culminate in this magical film. Go!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NYt1qirBWg">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Help (Rated PG-13 for thematic material)</span><br />The issue of racism is always a very controversial and volatile one to discuss, but this is a good film to foster discussion of the topic. It's a feel good and inspirational movie, which balances the often difficult subject matter of racial attitudes in the South and the issue of a civil rights as a whole with some humor and fantastic performances by the cast. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard (again) and scene-stealer Jessica Chastain all infuse this movie with a lot of goodwill. I believe this movie deserved every award and attention that it received for tackling this issue with grace, powerful performances, humor and a lot of heart. I can't say how it compares to the book (which I'm in the process of reading right now), but the movie was one of my favorites of the year. I can't stress how impressed I was with this film.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GYmhc8Xk8g">The Help Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence)</span><br />This is, hands down, my favorite action film of the year. Going into the holiday season, I was looking forward to this film as the follow up to one of my favorite action films (Mission Impossible 3) and since it was being directed by Brad Bird (director of The Incredibles) making a transition to live-action film. The result is a resounding success. If Mission Impossible 3 didn't, then Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol definitely absolves Tom Cruise of any of his couch-jumping insanity. Apart from the awesome Tom Cruise, you have a spectacular cast including Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Micheal Nyquist, Lea Seydoux and the never-fails-to-amuse Simon Pegg. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch this movie and enjoy!!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxrndgt7gIY">Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material). </span><br />It is a great time to be a Sherlock Holmes fan. Not only do you have the excellent version of Sherlock on the BBC (which I can't recommend highly enough), but you have a stellar version of Holmes and Watson played by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law respectively on the big screen. They're joined in this outing by Noomi Rapace (who you may know from the Swedish version of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Jared Harris, who expertly plays the villainous Professor James Moriarty. The original movie is one of my favorite films that I've ever seen, but this film might be even better. A stellar sequel in every way possible and one of the best films of 2011. The game is afoot!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD7Bca-xJXw">Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Reel Steel Rated (PG-13 (for some violence, intense action and brief language).)</span><br />Many people will reduce this to "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" the movie or "Teleroboxing" (if you had a Virtual Boy.), but it's not. With winning performances from Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo and Evangeline Lilly, this is a film about relationships (which as I've been told by a very wise man is what all of life can be reduced to)., specifically the relationship between father and son. Real Steel is what many people, myself including, went to the "Transformers" movies hoping to see. Robots you can cheer for and cheer I did, out loud, more than once. One of the feel-good movies of the year and definitely one of the best. Give it a chance and you'll be pleasantly surprised that you did. <br /><a href="v%5C%5Chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLVDT9-q6k">Real Steel Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Super 8 Rated PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use). </span><br /> Directed by one of my favorite directors, J.J. Abrams (Alias) and produced by Steven Spielberg, this is one of the highlights of the year. It's buoyed by stellar acting from all of the child actors involved, especially leads Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning, who were just so enjoyable to watch. I'd be remiss in not mentioning the excellent soundtrack from Micheal Giacchino, which only serves to underscore the sense of nostalgia, hopefulness and mystery that pervades the movie. It's a mystery movie, a monster movie, a coming-of-age story and one that I am just positively thrilled to recommend. Oh and don't forget to stay after the credits. You won't want to miss that. Going into this movie, I knew that I'd enjoy it and I did not walk away disappointed in the least. In fact, I walked away with a fist pump into the air and a smile on my face.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCRQQCKS7go">Super 8 Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thor (Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence)</span><br />When it came to summer, there was probably no movie I had lower expectations for than Thor. Boy, was I wrong. The God of Thunder translates perfectly from the pages of the comic book to the big screen, thanks in large part to the performance by Chris Hemsworth, who is some spot-on casting for the role. In fact, every role in the film is spectacular with Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony Hopkins, Clark Gregg and Kat Dennings, who manages to bring a lot of fun into every scene she's in. I also cannot say enough about Tom Hiddleston, who brings a lot of depth and talent to the role of Loki, who I was certain was unplayable. Kenneth Branagh balances the action, humor and story all extremely well with a very steady hand. This is one of my surprises of the summer and a definite success. Marvel continues their streak of successful adaptations with Thor and makes me say words that I didn't ever think I'd be saying: I cannot wait for a Thor sequel.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHBnrJowBZE">Thor Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">X-Men First Class (Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence; some sexual including brief nudity and language).</span><br />Now if Thor was the movie I had the lowest expectations, then X-Men: First Class was the film I was most worried about. I loved the X-Men as a kid, loved the comics, loved the movies (until the third one) but was genuinely concerned about the movie. I talked about it quite a bit (and my apologies to anybody who had to listen to those worries and thank you), but it turns out in the end, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. The end result is not just one of the best films of the year, but one of my favorite superhero films. The casting, as is becoming the norm thankfully in comic book adaptations, is stellar. James McAvoy, Micheal Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, and a fantastically evil Kevin Bacon are just some of the stars that make up this film. Credit must also go to the amazing script and the direction by Matthew Vaughn, who previously directed the awesome film Kick-Ass. It's a very intriguing storyline, intersecting historical events with the rise of mutants, which is well-done in my opinion. This is considered a prequel to the earlier films (even if the timeline is irrevocably screwed up), but in the end, I just am looking forward to their sophomore class. It's a fresh start and hopefully a springboard to a new franchise of X-Men movies. Make mine Marvel!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFFfJZuw8tI&feature=related">X-Men First Class Trailer</a><br /><br />And there you have it. Now, I've met my blogging quota for the year. Look forward to this blog around this time next year for my favorite films of 2012. <br /><br />I kid, I kid. <br /><br />Sometime soon (though with me, that's a very relative term), I'll post the movies that I'm looking forward to the most in 2012. Will 2012 find another 12 great movies? We'll have to wait and see, but for now...<br /><br />Stay Classy.<br /><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-25805311133496786502011-02-05T15:21:00.000-06:002011-02-11T21:42:46.200-06:00Best Albums of 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top Five Friday #4<br />-Best Albums of 2010-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You have no idea how hard it is to limit the top albums of 2010 to only five (5), as there are so many albums which are definitely deserving of attention and admiration that released in the past year. I, would of course, urge you to check out various other music sites or blogs that might give you a more comprehensive list so that you get a full view of the year in music. However, it's called Top <span style="font-weight: bold;">Five</span> Friday for a reason and that allows for just five albums. <br /><br />These are the albums that have been on repeat over and over since they've been released. These are the albums that have occupied me on numerous times driving and kept me going during the various road trips that I've taken. These are the albums that have made me happy and amazed me with the creativity of musicians throughout the year. These are the albums that everybody should buy, in my humble opinion and these are my personal choices for the top five albums of the year.<br /><br />Not only will I give you the top five albums of the year, but with each album, I'll include three tracks to listen to to give you an idea of what the album is like. If you like those tracks, then there is a good chance you'll like the rest of the album and if you don't like those songs, then there is something very wrong with you. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Contra (Vampire Weekend)</span><br />Vampire Weekend's follow up to their self-titled debut is filled with some of the most fun songs that you'll hear from the past year and definitely doesn't fall victim to the dreaded sophomore slump. Their second album is filled with not only more confidence but also a sense of excitement that makes this album so enjoyable to listen to. Contra also retains the charm and creativity that fueled the first album, which makes me look forward to their inevitable third album even more.<br />Listen to: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhdqfX44zUM">White Sky</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgBmHjj26U0">Holiday</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkUQ-OBazbc">Horchata</a><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Together (The New Pornographers)</span><br />Anytime the New Pornographers release an album, it's almost guaranteed to make my top five albums of the year and this year is no exception. This Canadian supergroup produces epic pop melodies sound effortless and easy to create. This is their fifth album and as the album title would suggest, it's definitely a group effort. Utilizing the talents of everybody from A.C. Newman to Neko Case, this is another fantastic album of power pop that is worth listening to. Repeatedly.<br />Listen To: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FYnBV0LltE">Your Hands (Together)</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2N1MjfrIBY">Moves</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVrh9uxc7_8&feature=related">Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Treats (Sleigh Bells)</span><br />Not only one of the best albums of the year, but definitely one of the best new artists of the year. The sound of the album is fresh, exciting and nothing short of phenomenal. This is perfect for blasting out of your stereo, driving on a summer day. This is one of the loudest albums of the year and hopefully it's loud enough to get the attention it so richly deserves. It's a bold and fantastic debut here. Hopefully they'll be around for a long, long time - if we're lucky.<br />Listen To: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhYYd5adVY4&feature=related">Infinity Guitar.</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z8ppcFGPlY">Crown On The Ground</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kJ05P-71gY">Tell 'Em</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Suburbs (Arcade Fire)</span><br />On their third album, Arcade Fire proves that the old saying "third time is a charm" holds true. This is the best album from this indie rock group, proving just as engaging and captivating as the previous two outings. Arcade Fire's debut <span style="font-style: italic;">Funeral</span> was an audacious debut, shooting right out of the gate and while they lost their footing slightly with their sophomore debut <span style="font-style: italic;">Neon Bible</span>, there is no doubt that they've found their footing and voice once again in this stunning musical examination of the ideal American dream. No doubt at all that you should listen to and appreciate this album at your earliest opportunity.<br />Listen To: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH_7_XRfTMs&NR=1&feature=fvwp">Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJIilmx-wGI">Empty Room</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNdqoQWz34E&feature=related">Suburban War</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Fang Island (Fang Island) </span><br />Fang Island describes their sound as "every high-fiving everyone" and that is exactly what you'll want to do after listening to this groups first full-length album. There are so many words to describe this album, but all of them are positive. It's just an amazing accomplishment and an even better album. Just pure mind-blowing and ear-pleasing awesomeness. The album starts off with fireworks (literally), which is to say this album starts off with a bang and is an indication of how epic this album is. Plus, the album ends with fireworks as well, so that you can put it on repeat and just listen to it over and over. Trust me - you'll never want to leave Fang Island.<br />Listen To: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIurAP4yHtQ&feature=related">Daisy</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBq-SbZ2qM&feature=related">Dream Of Dreams</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL8BXPkfsbM">The Illinois</a><br /><br />And that it's, folks. Those are my top five albums for the year. If you enjoyed any of these albums that I've recommended (and I can't recommend them more highly), please go to your local or online retailer as soon as possible to purchase these. Pure auditory awesomeness. Don't miss out!<br /><br />Until next time, stay classy!<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-79688892078135121432011-02-01T22:42:00.000-06:002011-02-01T23:55:37.631-06:00The Boy Scouts Would Be Disappointed<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-The Boy Scouts Would Be Disappointed-</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">-(But the Zombies Delighted)-</span><br /><br /></div>Some of you might know that I'm <s>very</s> kinda concerned about the impending zombie apocalypse. I have the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Zombie%20Survival%20Guide">Zombie Survival Guide</a> and always take it with me on a trip. You never know when it might come in handy. According to my parents - never. <br /><br />Late last year, there was a headline about a <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40846679/ns/technology_and_science-space/">Zombie Satellite.</a> It had me momentarily excited as I clicked on the link as I thought that perhaps the government was finally taking the zombie threat seriously and had dedicated a satellite to track them. As you might guess, not so much.<br /><br />My brother and I, one fateful summer where I was actually motivated, worked out. My brother prepared me on different training techniques to help fight off zombies and worked on running a lot, which trust me, will come in handy if zombies come around. Thank you, hermano, for attempting to keep me prepared for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-War-Oral-History-Zombie/dp/0307346617/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296622795&sr=8-1">World War Z.</a><br /><br />Since that time, I have not kept up with that same level of diligence. I should, as Professor Moody is so fond of saying in the Harry Potter series, maintained "Constant Vigilance!". Unfortunately, I haven't.<br /><br />I realized this as we started to have what newscasters are labeling as a "blizzard" here in Illinois, with some news organizations suggesting we might have two feet of snow or more. I'm not a big fan of snow, but I am just a little bit excited about the possibility of a snow day, which I haven't had in years. Even at my most recent job, they never closed and I lived right across the street, so I would be the one called in when everybody else called off. So, fingers and toes crossed for a snow day.<br /><br />In the meantime, being the amazing son that I am, I called my parents to make sure they were okay since Indiana is also having some "adverse weather conditions". We began to discuss the weather and the conversation turned to what would happen if the electricity went out. Did I have candles? Enough food items that I could eat without the use of a stove or microwave? Did I have a flashlight? Did I have enough blankets? Did I have a first aid kit?<br /><br />The answer to all of those, on my end, was surprisingly "no.". At this point, I came a shocking realization. <br /><br />Not only was I not prepared if the power went out, but <span>-dramatic pause-</span><br /><br /><u></u><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>-My parents are more prepared for the zombie apocalypse than I am!</u></span>-<br /></div><br />Which is obviously unacceptable and indeed, sad. <br /><br />Not to say a candle is going to solve your zombie problem by any means. In fact, lighting a zombie on fire is not going to do you much good at all. Blinding them with a flashlight or throwing a blanket over them won't help you much either, though with any of these, you might be able to distract them long enough to run away. The number one rule of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zombieland-Jesse-Eisenberg/dp/B002WY65VU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296625720&sr=8-1">Zombieland</a> is cardio. Don't forget that lesson.<br /><br />But, the important lesson, I think, to take away from this entire situation is all about being prepared. Once I can get out of my house again, then I will make it my mission to be more prepared. Not just for the zombie apocalypse or in the event of electricity going out, but in general. So, please, if you think of anything I should need to help with being prepared for an emergency, ranging from the basic, such as the electricity going out or extreme, such as a velociraptor attack or any other situation you can imagine, please feel free to share.<br /><br />Same goes for everybody else out there who reads this blog (all three of you), it's important to be prepared. It's equally important for us to help one another to be prepared, because as Shaun (Simon Pegg) says in the film <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shaun-Dead-Kate-Ashfield/dp/B0006A9FKA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296624232&sr=8-1">Shaun of the Dead</a>,: "As Bertrand Russell once said, "The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." <br /><br />However, as he so also so eloquently states in the same film, "As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team.." <br /><br />Words to live by.Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-54945998145548171442010-10-16T18:49:00.000-05:002010-10-16T20:04:48.207-05:00Spider-Man + Calvin & Hobbes = Awesomeness!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjmsIDRdRyyLIgaaFR5sX-kRo3Pfxdt5k2zLQkYHQm8kGf1urhjGMJ9ZI7FJcyCEEcnunsItoQr22J3pG63TLm-W-pLniodaKOlMJ5GxDqcqwgwhZyp2pUitIypBShdwWfgSFMR9ItBU/s1600/peteranduncleben.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjmsIDRdRyyLIgaaFR5sX-kRo3Pfxdt5k2zLQkYHQm8kGf1urhjGMJ9ZI7FJcyCEEcnunsItoQr22J3pG63TLm-W-pLniodaKOlMJ5GxDqcqwgwhZyp2pUitIypBShdwWfgSFMR9ItBU/s400/peteranduncleben.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528814554624286322" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbeW4FVsaKuk_ulS3zvfJgII-bDtu_x0Jj4nMwE5UU4-LzB_4zlR-bNeUuD1223gBvqYYTJXpZ0KAZTitKeDnR7cci4Zz6qHmxw9kh9nWs_zCkdUucnMgmPl4mXmQB3mQxdn5m9CTLe8/s1600/peteranduncleben.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anybody that knows me should know that two of my favorite things in the whole wide world are Spider-Man & Calvin & Hobbes. Here, in this fantastic display by Mark Pelligrini and Timothy Lim, they managed to combine the two in a masterful - dare I say classic - display of awesomess. Thanks to both of them for this!!! Click <a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2010/10/peteranduncleben.jpg">here</a> for a larger version.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />It'd be even more funny if it weren't describing and summarizing actual storylines that our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler has been through in the past few years. It's pretty awkward.<br /><br />Yep - Spider-Man has dealt with clones (far too often.)<br /><br />It's true - Aunt May (or a genetically-altered actress) has managed to be "killed" several times.<br /><br />As much as it pains me to say this - Spider-Man did sell his & MJ's marriage to the devil.<br /><br />Pardon me while I throw up - but yes, Satan did "magically" erase everybody's memories after Spider-Man revealed his identity during the events of Marvel's Civil War - in exchange for the previously mentioned marriage.<br /><br />I'm embarrassed to even acknowledge it.<br /><br />What I will acknowledge is this cartoon strip's absolute brilliance and hilarity!<br /><br />It's still awkward but hilarious. Seriously, the fact it summarizes (and satirizes) events in such a clever fashion actually makes it more funny. This is the best thing I've seen on the net in a while and I just had to share it with you all. Hopefully you enjoy! Any comments on this epic bit display of artwork, feel free to share once you're done laughing. I haven't been able to wipe the smile off of my face yet. Just too awesome for words. Until next time, excelsior!!!<br /><br />P.S. - This post was written while listening to the song <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt52nJWik4A">Spider-Man</a>, track eight (8) off of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-man-Reflections-Superhero-Stan-Lee/dp/B00004TQXY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287275824&sr=8-1-fkmr0">Spiderman: Rock Reflections of a Superhero</a>, a musical re-telling of the events surrounding Peter Parker's transformation into Spider-Man and the events following, complete with a few catchy numbers, a few eye-rolling numbers and some narration by the one and only Stan Lee! It has to be heard to be believed! The <a href="http://dailypop.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/rrbackcover.jpg">back cover</a> alone is worth the price of purchase. Yes, ladies and gentleman, that is Captain America, playing the tambourine. I must have this!<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-87480377257895691292010-09-13T22:54:00.000-05:002010-09-14T02:20:50.252-05:00The World Is New<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Actually, the world isn't new. My laptop, however, is. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It seems like only last year that I bought a brand new laptop computer, if you recall my previous </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://highfiverevival.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-got-laptop.html">blog post</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, and unfortunately, it was only last year. Thanks to hindsight, it's obvious that it was a mistake. What might be the mistake? I bought a Compaq computer during a too-good-to-be-true sale at Wal-Mart. Well, you know the old saying about Compaq? Take the C, the A, and the P from Compaq - remove the O, M and the Q - add an R - and you have crap. Crude, but then again, it's an old saying. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> And that's my final word on Compaq. Well, actually, the</span></span><span style="visibility: visible; font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" id="main" ><span style="visibility: visible;" id="search"> word I'm searching for.... I can't say because <em>there's preschool toys present</em>. (Bonus points if you know what that's from!). <br /><br />Seriously, with the laptop, came a one year warranty. Almost immediately after the one year warranty, the troubles started. A whole host of errors one after the other. At first, I thought they were small and I tried to fix them on my own. At first, it appeared that my fixes worked but after a week, it was apparent that was not the case. Once my laptop was basically a giant, expensive, semi-working paperweight, I took it into Best Buy to have the Geek Squad take a look at it. (If only it was a Buy More...) Didn't take long for them to declare my hard drive pretty much...dead. And like a bad Mastercard commercial, they started to list the cost of repairing it...<br /><br />Replacing Your Hard Drive: $49.95 (plus tax)<br />A New Hard Drive: $80<br />A New Operating System: $120<br />Your New Laptop Dying Two Weeks After Your Warranty Has Expired: Priceless.<br /><br />With tax and other assorted prices that would be added on, it would be almost as much as the price of a brand new laptop. But, I still thought about it. The laptop still worked, albeit a little bit slower and with a fair amount of errors. I figured I could use it for a little longer, but fate (and the poor construction of a Compaq laptop) had other plans. Later that night, like Tom Hanks in Castaway, I discovered fire. <br /><br />Specifically, on my couch as the power cord to the laptop had burst into flames. It had started to spark and then burst into a flame. A small flame - not like a huge wildfire or anything, but fire nonetheless. Enough to make a small scorch mark on my couch cushions, but thankfully that was all. A quick removal of the power cord and the emptying of a bottle of water onto my couch cushion made Smokey the Bear proud, even if we weren't in a forest at all. I think just the whole fire prevention thing should've made him pretty pleased. <br /><br />And so, I took that as a sign that it was time to go laptop hunting. Once again, I considered all of the options (even contemplating a switch to Apple), but in the end was discovering that many of the more inexpensive laptops were Compaq again, which I had vowed not to do. Never again. I had to decide whether to accept a substandard laptop or perhaps I would have to go a bit outside of my price range to have a laptop that might be more than a one-year rental. Thankfully, not too far outside of my price range was a beautiful Gateway laptop (to be exact this <a href="http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668661.php">Gateway laptop</a>.) And so far, so good. <br /><br />This time around, I have a much, much better warranty. (Check back with me in a year though) And hopefully much, much more blogging. (Check back with me in a few days to find out though). Until then, stay classy!<br /><br />P.S. - And if you're wondering (probably aren't) where the title of the blog post came from, it's the title of a song from the 90's ska band Save Ferris (themselves inspired by the classic 80's film Ferris Bueller's Day off) and if you're at all interested, here is the music video to listen to: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GDZp0bPRcU&ob=av2e">The World Is New</a>.<br /></span></span>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-78439921029648926742010-05-18T20:01:00.000-05:002010-05-20T21:36:24.969-05:00Should I Stay Or Should I Go?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Should I Stay Or Should I Go-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">While this may be the title of a classic song by punk rockers The Clash, it was easily one of the easiest decisions I've ever made. For all of those who have been following at home, you should know by now that the city to win the sweepstakes for well, me, was the metropolis of Peoria, Illinois. I know, I know. It's not any closer to my friends in Ohio or family in Ohio, but it does get me away from Walgreen's and into the until recently seemingly unattainable world of professionalism. In March, I had a job interview at a place called the Bowen Center in Indiana and had what I thought was a great job interview. (I was to learn, later, that it was only a pretty good interview). Initially, I was like the little boy in this video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9eL3ejXmE">here</a> on the right but weeks later, when I finally realized they had decided to head in yet another direction, I was more like the little boy in about 12-15 seconds into the video.<br /><br />Absolutely devastated. For a few short weeks, I was under the hope that I was leaving Walgreen's and then, that hope was cruelly ripped away. With under a month now until I needed to make the decision on renewing my lease there at my current address, prospects seemed slim. I would have to make a decision here soon and at the lowest point of my despair, I considered just taking my savings to travel around for the summer to make a pancake tour of America (which would be a tour of the United States to discover the best pancake places in the United States), an idea which was not really embraced by my family or friends. Or even me, for that matter. I'm not even that big of a fan of pancakes in the first place. But, I'll just claim temporary insanity on that score. After taking a day off to recover, I set out to start applying once more.<br /><br />Before, I applied exclusively to other states closer to family such as Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and even New York. But, now it appears that I would need to apply to Illinois as well. Apparently, that's what I should've been doing all along. Within days of applying to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, I had an appointment for an interview. The interview was with the Adoption team supervisor and the Foster Care Supervisor. I won't bore you with all the details of the interview, but throughout the interview, it was very clear that I was wanted in Foster Care and Adoption Services. There was a brief tug of war and Foster Care was victorious. From there, they went over what I'd be doing at this job, taking me on a grand tour of where I'd be working, had me meet several team members and showed me what a great interview would be. <br /><br />It was virtually a lock, but it's not official until they make the job offer. And after one, long, agonizing week, they did. Not to let it get missed here in this paragraph like the moment where Frodo throws the ring into Mount Doom (it's a quick moment in the Return Of The King. Shockingly short, in my opinion but I digress),<span style="font-weight: bold;"> I was officially hired by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois</span>! That's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7duP4d9ZziY">bingo</a>! <br /><br />And now, it was time to say farewell to Walgreen's and to Kankakee. No hard feelings either way. In fact, I was pretty impressed by the support from everybody there. The people there were simply amazing and although I probably won't miss the job very much, I will certainly miss my co-workers and managers and staff. But, it's on to a new adventure. Continuing with the the Lord of the Rings from earlier, let us <span style="font-size:100%;">“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."<br /><br />Except now I know for the moment, where I'll be swept off to and now, dear reader, so do you. Off to Peoria, Illinois. <br /><br />Away We Go!<br /></span><span class="sqq"><a class="sqq" href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/-remember_what_bilbo_used_to_say-it-s_a_dangerous/346887.html"></a></span></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-59741571106663618672010-03-08T16:35:00.000-06:002010-03-08T17:55:40.654-06:00-82nd Academy Awards Review-<div style="text-align: center;">-82nd Academy Awards Review-<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's the day after the Academy Awards and just like sports fan are gathered around the water cooler in heated debate and discussion after the Super Bowl, it's time to discuss what is Hollywood's version, the Oscars, so named for the statuettes that are given to the award winners. It was quite a night, filled with some surprises and plenty of moments that weren't so surprising, but pleasant anyway. This certainly won't be a full review, but just a few quick and general thoughts regarding the Oscars.<br /><br /> First of all, let's discuss the big award of the night. I don't know what I expected from the Academy, the same academy who ignored "Star Wars" in favor of "Annie Hall", which is a good movie but certainly years later, which film is remembered better? I think that'll be the case here. Avatar is a film that I expect will be remembered very strongly, as long as they don't overdo it as they did the case with Star Wars (those prequels...*shakes head sadly*) and seeing as how most people didn't see the Hurt Locker before it came out, I doubt that'll change too much, despite the big Oscar win. I think it'll definitely get an Oscar bump after winning, but let's not take anything away from the Hurt Locker at all, even if it wasn't my personal vote for movie of the year (neither was Avatar). Hurt Locker was a film that realistically explored the difficult issue of the Iraq War filled with a number of amazing performances throughout the movie, from its taut and tense opening sequence to its gripping conclusion. Definitely worth watching. But, I was hoping, against all odds, to see a different movie rewarded on Oscar night. Up In The Air was a great film. But, lots of great films win best picture and lots of great films don't.<br /><br /> I have to admit I didn't enjoy the comedy stylings of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, who trust me, I usually enjoy, but last night, I was not impressed at all. One such comedy bit featured banter such as -<br />Steve Martin: I really enjoyed the Hangover.<br />Alec Baldwin: Me too. Four guys who can't remember anything after a night of binge drinking.<br />Steve Martin (repeats): I really enjoyed the Hangover.<br />Get it? See what they did there? It earned a chuckle, but that's about it which summed up their performance pretty much. I was pleased to see that the Hangover at least got a mention during Oscar time as comedies are generally ignored when it comes to the Academy Awards. Comedians are good enough to host the Oscars, but not to be nominated for the actual awards. Not to say that the Hangover deserved to be nominated, but it's good to see something other than drama get a mention there.<br /><br />Which also brings me to the fact that they did a tribute to horror movies. I was actually pleasantly surprised to see this as horror movies have been a staple of the movie industry for years, but get absolutely no recognition come Oscar time. It was interesting to see that Kristen Stewart mentioned that horror films have had no presence for about 37 years, but in the Oscar Montage to horror, they clearly show scenes from Silence of the Lambs, which swept the Oscar Awards in the early 90's. So, is Silence of the Lambs a horror movie? It's a question certainly worth asking, but glad to see horror films which have helped out the industry and its stars for years.<br /><br />I was also really glad to see a tribute to John Hughes, the seminal director of such classics as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Pretty In Pink", "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "The Breakfast Club" and so many others. Getting to see some of the moments in the montage reminded me of how much I loved those movies and how much they had an impact on me. To this day, some of those are still some of my favorite movies and ones I love introducing to people who have (for some unknown reason) yet to see them. Seeing Molly Ringwald at the Oscars was definitely a highlight for me. <br /><br />Another highlight for me was seeing Up's wonderful score from Micheal Giacchino get rewarded with Micheal Giacchino finally getting the award after doing so much amazing composing work over the years. This year in particular, he not only composed the score for "Up", but also for "Star Trek", giving him the honor of composing for two of the year's biggest blockbusters. I first noticed Micheal Giacchino as he composed the music for one of my favorite shows of all time, "Alias", and then continued his collaborations with J.J. Abrams to also help score another one of my favorite shows "Lost". I'm glad to see him finally starting to see the recognition he deserves.<br /><br />While Micheal Giacchino got to score two of the biggest blockbusters of the year, Sandra Bullock had the dubious honor of being nominated for Best Actress of the Year at the Oscar Ceremony and Worst Actress of the Year at the Razzies (which honors the worst in cinema each year), winning both of them, for 'The Blind Side" and "All About Steve" respectfully. I think Sandra will deal with it though as she showed a great deal of class in accepting both awards, although it's the one acting category that I was least sure of as I had a friend recently make a great recommendation for the actress in "Precious" to receive the Oscar, whereas I've heard a number of rave reviews for the other actresses involved. I'll have to reserve my opinion until I've seen all of the films. I've seen enough of "All About Steve" to know she deserved that one though.<br /><br />I have yet to see Crazy Heart, but I certainly can't be any more happy to see the award go to Jeff Bridges to receive his first Academy Award win after his previous four nominations. When it comes to the Oscars, it's hard to tell whether this is for this particular film or in recognition of the years of excellent acting he's given us. Either way, you can't deny he deserves it. It was such a joy to watch his acceptance speech, which was filled with his natural exuberance that has always made him so fun to watch on screen, probably setting an Oscar record for the uses of the word "man" in his acceptance speech. Definitely somebody worthy to respect in Hollywood as he has shown that you can deliver amazing on-screen performances consistently, remaining married in a loving relationship while raising your kids and not becoming constant tabloid fodder. Congratulations Jeff Bridges. The dude abides. <br /><br />From the opening award where Christoph Waltz got his much-deserved Supporting Oscar nomination by creating one of the great villains on screen and gave a really great opening accepting speech as well, setting the stage for a great Oscars which including such momentous moments such as seeing Kathryn Bigelow become the first female director to win the Oscar for Best Director. Although I didn't enjoy Barbara Streisand setting up as she said "Tonight we could have the first woman to win the prize, the first African American to win the prize or the man who brought together the biggest grossing movie in box office history" and then completely made no mention of the other two nominees, who were certainly very deserving of their nominations in Jason Reitman and Quentin Tarantino. <br /><br />However, the night was filled with too many good moments to let any small things spoil it. I really enjoyed the tributes to each of the individual nominees for the best actor awards as you could tell they really had a lot of respect for the person they were championing and got to set up their personal road to this award. I mean, Gadboury Sidibhe took a day offschool, pursued her dream and is nominated for one of the biggest awards in the industry. Pretty amazing stuff. <br /><br /> Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you to the Oscars for giving us another Academy Awards to showcase films and performances that deserve to be recognized. Although it will take some time for all of the award winners to be out on DVD, especially some of the documentaries and short films, I'm certainly glad that we have such a show designed to highlight them. <br /><br />But, that wraps up another great year of film with a ceremony that was too long as always but very enjoyable. However, with the film industry, the wonderful thing is that unlike sports, there is no off-season. A film that is released next week could be a nominee next year, so keep watch for what should be another great year in cinema. Until then, stay classy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-21757942240529527312010-03-07T16:39:00.000-06:002010-03-07T19:45:17.047-06:00Academy Award Predictions (No. 1)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Academy Award Predictions-</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">-(No. 1)-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Well, the day is finally here. And no, I'm not just talking about the second trailer for Iron Man 2, which will make its debut on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and no doubt online shortly after. Keep an eye out for that, which will build up the anticipation for what will no doubt be summer's biggest movie. However, the debut of that trailer will be after the night's other big event, which is the 82nd Academy Award ceremony. <br /><br />As described by Frank Capra, "The Oscar is the most valuable, but least expensive, item of world-wide public relations ever invented by any industry." It's a symbol of amazing achievement in the world of film and certainly an occasion to celebrate every year if you follow movies, though for whatever reason, we don't get off work the next day for it. No doubt that'll change someday as it becomes a nationally recognized holiday for recognizing excellence in the world of movies. Although this probably should've gone up earlier, it's been a busy week and honestly, I'm just adding my own predictions to an already overwhelmingly crowded field of predictions. However, I really enjoy trying to predict the Oscars and so I'm happy to make my choices here.<br /><br />Now, I won't be picking in every category, because in some categories, such as Best Costume (seeing as how I haven't seen any of the films nominated), likewise with Documentary Short and others. I'll be putting down my honest prediction as to who I think will win and I'll also, just for the sake of fun, adding my own prediction as to who I think should win. I certainly won't be the most informed candidate because I didn't get a chance to see all of the movies in theatres and some of them have yet to arrive on DVD, but I have seen a majority of the films nominated for Best Picture and the performances within, so I feel pretty good about my choices tonight, which are, for your consideration:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Writing (Best Original Screenplay)</span><br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"The Messenger"<br />"A Serious Man"<br />"Up"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>"The Hurt Locker".<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Personally, my vote goes to Inglorious Basterds.<br /><br /><p><b>Costume design</b></p> <p>"Bright Star"<br />"Coco Before Chanel"<br />"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"<br />"Nine"<br />"The Young Victoria"</p><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Writing (Best Adapted Screenplay)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"District 9"<br />"An Education"<br />"In the Loop"<br />"Precious"<br />"Up in the Air"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>"Up In The Air"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>"Up In The Air". Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner have written a very excellent script, dealing with a very pressing issue today, in a very impressive manner that deserves recognition.<br /><br /><p><b>Best foreign-language film</b></p> "Ajami"<br />"El Secreto de Sus Ojos"<br />"The Milk of Sorrow"<br />"Un Prophète"<br />"The White Ribbon"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"District 9"<br />"Star Trek"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win:</span> Avatar<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Avatar. There is literally no reason in the world why Avatar will not take this home. All due respect to Star Trek and District 9, the best graphics all year belonged to Avatar and they should take this one home easily.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sound Mixing</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"Star Trek"<br />"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Hurt Locker<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span> Avatar<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><b><br />Documentary short</b> <p>"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"<br />"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"<br />"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"<br />"Music by Prudence"<br />"Rabbit à la Berlin"</p><p><b>Best documentary feature</b></p> <p>"Burma VJ"<br />"The Cove"<br />"Food, Inc."<br />"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"<br />"Which Way Home"</p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sound Editing<br /></span>"Avatar"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"Star Trek"<br />"Up"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Avatar<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Avatar<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art Direction</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"<br />"Nine"<br />"Sherlock Holmes"<br />"The Young Victoria"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Avatar<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win:</span> Avatar<br /><p><b>Short film, animated</b></p> <p>"French Toast"<br />"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty"<br />"The Lady and the Reaper"<br />"Logorama"<br />"A Matter of Loaf and Death"</p><p><b>Short film, live action</b></p> <p>"The Door"<br />"Instead of Abracadabra"<br />"Kavi"<br />"Miracle Fish"<br />"The New Tenants"</p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Film Editing</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"District 9"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"Precious"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Avatar<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win:</span> Avatar<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Cinematography </span><br /><br />"Avatar"<br />"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"The White Ribbon"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Hurt Locker<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Inglorious Basterds.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Original Song</span><br />"Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog"<br />"Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog"<br />"Loin de Paname" from "Paris 36"<br />"Take it All" from "Nine"<br />"The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>"The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win:</span> After listening to all of the choices today, I have "The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart" as my pick too. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Original Score</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"Fantastic Mr. Fox"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Sherlock Holmes"<br />"Up"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win:</span> "Avatar"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>"Up". Out of all the film scores released this year, it's Micheal Giacchino's score that is both heartfelt and whimsical that should take home the prize. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Make-Up</span><br />"Il Divo"<br />"Star Trek"<br />"The Young Victoria"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Animated Feature</span><br />"Up"<br />"Coraline"<br />"Fantastic Mr. Fox"<br />"The Princess and the Frog"<br />"The Secret of Kells"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>"Up"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>I will take a moment here to discuss one of the bigger Oscar snubs this year in mentioning that the latest release from Hayao Miyazaki wasn't nominated with "Ponyo". Let me just make it simple for you, Academy - any year that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli release a film, just nominate it. It's going to be in the top five animated features released that year. But, even it had been nominated, I still would've voted for Up. Just a great, great film that is rightfully nominated not just here, but in the running for Best Picture overall. If "Up" won Best Picture, I would be very happy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Director </span><br /><br />Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"<br />Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"<br />James Cameron, "Avatar"<br />Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"<br />Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Kathryn Bigelow<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Kathryn Bigelow. Look for Kathryn Bigelow to become the first woman to take home the best directing honors. It's about time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Supporting Actress</span><br />Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"<br />Mo'Nique, "Precious"<br />Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"<br />Penelope Cruz, "Nine"<br />Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win:</span> Mo'Nique.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win:</span> Having not seen all of the contenders this year, I don't really feel qualified to offer my opinion but Anna Kendrick has my vote out of the ones that I've seen.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Supporting Actor</span><br />Matt Damon, "Invictus"<br />Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"<br />Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"<br />Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"<br />Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Christoph Waltz<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Christoph Waltz was one of the best actors you'll see on screen this year, creating a memorable character from the beginning of Inglorious Basterds to the very end. I can't imagine anybody else getting this award.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actress</span><br />Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"<br />Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"<br />Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"<br />Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"<br />Carey Mulligan, "An Education"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win: </span>Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side".<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>I've heard amazing reviews for Carey Mulligan, but having not seen that film, I'll say the award will go to Sandra Bullock. Why? Because they can't give it to Meryl Streep again.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actor</span><br />George Clooney, "Up in the Air"<br />Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"<br />Colin Firth, "A Single Man"<br />Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"<br />Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win:</span> Jeff Bridges<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win:</span>Jeff Bridges. Jeremy Renner did a great job in the Hurt Locker, it's hard to pick against Morgan Freeman's portrayal of Nelson Mandela, I've heard rave reviews of Colin Firth's performance and I really would love to see George Clooney pick up an award for his role, which I really do think is one of the best of the year. However, Jeff Bridges has been nominated so many times before that I doubt the Academy will pass him over again and nor should they. From what I've heard, an amazing performance.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>This is clearly the biggest award of the night and it's going to be different this year as instead of the usual five, there are ten films to select from this year, which allows for not only the big blockbuster movie to get in but also some smaller films that might not have received recognition before. This rule change occurred in response due to the fact that the Dark Knight was inexplicably left out of the Best Picture race last year, resulting in some of the lowest ratings in history as feel-good movie Slumdog Millionaire won it instead. Slumdog Millionaire was a deserving winner, though. Who should win this year? If you've been noticing my selections throughout the blog, you'll see that I definitely think more of "Avatar" than I do of "Hurt Locker". While both are very good films, I enjoyed Avatar more, despite it being not the most original movie in the world, it was in a word: awesome. But, despite it being the highest grossing film of the year, one that obviously stroke a chord with audiences around the world, does that mean it deserves to be labeled the best? Let's not forget that that atrocity committed to film Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen was one of the biggest box office movies of last year, so box office success has little to do with whether it's one of the year's best. Which of these following films should have the right to place "Winner Of Best Picture" on their DVD in the future, to declare themselves the best in this years to come?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nominees:</span><br />"Avatar"<br />"The Hurt Locker"<br />"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"<br />"Up in the Air"<br />"Inglourious Basterds"<br />"Up"<br />"The Blind Side"<br />"District 9"<br />"An Education"<br />"A Serious Man"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Will Win:</span> Avatar. I really think that the Academy will recognize Avatar this year and not just the geek in me speaking. <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who Should Win: </span>Realistically, it's a two horse race. Avatar has swept a number of film awards though lately it's been the Hurt Locker gaining the most momentum in recent award shows, placing it as the front runner. My personal vote has the two front runners canceling themselves out and allowing "Up In The Air", one of my favorite films of the past year to gain the prize. However, I'll be very happy if (and hopefully when) Avatar takes home the top prize, finally giving science fiction movies a well deserved win in the Best Picture category. Then, with fantasy films getting their due with "Lord of the Rings" and science fiction hopefully this year, we can work hard towards getting a superhero film as best picture. One day...<br /><br />Until then of course, it should still be a very exciting show at the 82nd Academy Awards. The only thing it'll be missing is Stan Lee, who makes a very compelling case for his own Oscar award in <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/47fadf5a15/stan-lee-for-oscar">this video</a> here. Stan Lee deserves an Oscar. Watch that video and see whether you don't agree. But for now, go enjoy the culmination of another great year of film and then check out the Iron Man 2 trailer after the show to see what, in my mind, should hopefully be a front runner for the Oscars in 2011. <br /><br />P.S. - It could happen.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-43198279291346608832010-02-26T22:18:00.000-06:002010-02-27T00:49:08.007-06:00Top Five Friday #3<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top Five Friday #3</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Worst Superhero Movie Scenes Ever-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This is a tough list to make. Not merely because you have to narrow down the top five worst comic book scenes of all time, which is in itself a difficult task. Honestly, Hollywood has had a very bad record adapting graphic novels to the big screen and only recently have started to get them right. However, even with some of the better adaptions, such as X-Men, for example, you have such moments as Halle Berry's Storm "What happens when a toad gets struck by lightning?" line, which my dad and I both saw the other night for my birthday and laughed at what I'm sure was supposed to be a pretty awesome moment for Storm. That moment narrowly didn't make the list, but it's up against some pretty awful competition. You not only have to narrow down the list, but you have to remember and watch some of these scenes again, which is excruciatingly painful. <br /><br />Imagine being set on fire while somebody simultaneously punches you in the face and simultaneously douses you with acid while simultaneously shooting you in the knee caps and at the same time, has your significant other break up with you while your boss fires you while shoving you into a lake full of boiling lava filled with special lava-resistant piranha. Watching some of these scenes is, honestly, I think more painful. <br /><br />Now, I've tried to focus on some of the more prominent adaptations of superheroes on the list, because it would be easy to mock Nick Fury, Steel, or Supergirl, but let's focus on some of the bigger names and modern adaptations in which they have just completely made me want to slam my hand into a car door or something similar just to give my body some other amount of pain to focus onto. <br /><br />Note of course, that this is just a top five list. These are for me, my least favorite scenes in superhero movies. Many of these movies, I will either fast forward past this scene or probably am unable to watch the films any longer. I'm sure that after I write this list, I'll end up talking about the blog with somebody and realize that there are other far more deserving moments on the list, but after a lot of thought, I'm wondering whether this is a good idea after all. I mean, just thinking about some of these scenes have me so angry. Angry enough to turn into Hulk, which makes me think of Ang Lee's interpretation, which makes me think about Hulk poodles and his dad becoming Absorbing Man or the entire ending sequence or....deep breathes, Richard. Deep breathes. While I go find a stress ball or something, here for your consideration:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006) Cyclops Killed Off Screen</span><br />To be perfectly candid, I almost didn't include this scene simply because it never happens actually. When Bryan Singer left the X-Men franchise to go direct Superman Returns after his admittedly fantastic work on the first two installments, he forever altered (read: killed) the directions of two promising franchises. By handling the reins of direction over to Brett Ratner (a man we both know can't finish a trilogy - Rush Hour 3 is one of the worst movies I've ever had the unfortunate "privilege" of watching and in theaters no less. I don't blame my brother though who dragged us to go see it - he couldn't have known. Nobody could've). The fact that Brett Ratner was given control of the franchise was a troubling sign to say the least. Producers were also upset at James Marden, the actor who played Cyclops, for signing on to play a role in Bryan Singer's superman. The whole scene plays out like revenge, but the real ones who suffered were the audience. A very popular character from the first two films, one of the original X-Men, the leader of the group and one of the main characters, is killed OFF-SCREEN. You read that right. He wasn't even given the dignity of an on-screen death, never mind the fact that his death in the film makes absolutely NO sense. <br />After Scott and Jean share a passionate, "last" moment together, Xavier apparently senses a great disturbance in the force and sends Logan & Ororo out to the lake. There, they find Jean Grey, Scott's glasses and no body to put them on. Logan doesn't mention this to anybody else apparently and instead, just confronts Jean about them later as she is apparently very stressed about it and the glasses disintegrate in Logan's hand in what I'm guessing is a not so subtle hint about what happened to Cyclops. Even worse, nobody seems to care. I certainly did, and one of the only reasons I continued with the film was to see whether it could redeem itself (it didn't) and whether Cyclops was somehow still alive. I even stayed after the credits to see whether they would reveal Cyclops being alive and if they had, I might've been able to forgive the rest of the film. However, Cyclops was never seen again in the X-Men film franchise and like Cyclops, the franchise died a sad, inglorious death. However, in a sign of eternal optimism and/or stupidity (I really thought that Cyclops would be back), I'm still hoping for X-Men 4....<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Spiderman 3 (2007) - Emo Dancing. </span><br />The black symbiote is one of the most famous storylines in comic books as is the character Venom, but somehow, when it came to film, it translated into this scene of Peter Parker <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqsdPUfnno&feature=related">emo dancing</a> on the streets of New York City. I don't exactly know what emo dancing is, but calling this emo dancing is probably an insult to the term. The symbiote is an alien lifeform, one which causes your inner desires and emotions to emerge in increasingly dangerous and hateful ways. I can only imagine that the film makers hated the audience and wanted to punish them in some way. Pay special attention (if you can make it through the clip) right near the end, at about :46 seconds as Peter gets down with his 'bad self' as people veer away from him as if afraid of catching whatever moron disease he's caught. A low point for the movie, for the franchise as a whole and shockingly enough, not the only dancing scene in the film (one of three in fact - an inexplicable decision), but it was probably this scene which led to, as with Superman coming up, a reboot of the entire film franchise. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Superman Returns (2006) - Superman Has A Kid. </span><br />"Congratulations - it's a boy!" Normally these words would be greeted with joy - not so in this uneven (to say the least) film adaptation. Superman Returns was a good film, although not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, as it was sadly hampered down by scenes of Stalker Superman and the Kryptonite Mountain and Lex Luthor again (apologies to Kevin Spacey). However, the worst moment in a movie which was otherwise pretty enjoyable was the reveal that Superman had a kid. The fact that Superman had a child doesn't bother me so much as the reasons why it was done and how it was done. For example, Superman didn't have a child in the comic books and apparently was done in an attempt to make Superman more "relatable". In the famous I'm A Marvel...I'm a DC series on Youtube, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ItsJustSomeRandomGuy#p/u/89/ytqV6GEHW24">third installment</a> covered this very well as Spider-Man asks "They thought the best way to make you relatable to younger audiences was to give you an illegitimate child?" Touche. It's a very valid point. Not only did they introduce an element not covered in the comic books, they did it in such a way that ensured that this would have to be rebooted and of course, now it is. Superman is one of the easiest characters to connect with in comic books, despite his alien origins and near limitless powers. Watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ItsJustSomeRandomGuy#p/u/89/ytqV6GEHW24">video</a> - it makes the point quicker than I ever could. This scene is so high up because it just shows exactly what happens when filmmakers stop trying to take what makes the character work and instead imprint their own vision onto the character, which results in failure - every...single....time.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Batman and Robin (1997) - The Entire Movie</span><br />The Batman movies, lock up the top two spots with ease. When it comes to Batman and Robin This is a film so bad, that it led to the entire franchise being given up. Most of the cast has never completely recovered. I'm pretty sure comic book adaptations in general have a restraining order against Joel Schumacher. Later, when I do my worst comic book movies of all time, this is almost guaranteed to be a lock for number one, although the whole early Batman franchise might just nab the top spot. In fact, I don't know why opponents of Arnold Schwarzenegger out in California didn't just show this movie to voters - I can't imagine him ever being elected. George Clooney actually apologized for it and so should everybody involved. I defy you to find a moment in the film where it doesn't suck. It can't be done. So, singling out one horrible moment was just impossible. There are just too many to choose from (Bat Ice Skates, The Bat Credit Card, every time Mr. Freeze opens his mouth, Uma Thurman's portrayal of Poison Ivy, Bane being reduced to an idiotic thug able to be beat up by Batgirl, Batgirl being Alfred's niece, Alfred's Macgregor's Syndrome storyline, to every single moment in the film). From the opening scenes to the final moments, it is one of the worst things you'll ever see on film - EVER. <br />Fun Fact: Rumor has it that the Ring, the movie where the video kills you within seven days of watching it, was based on this movie. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Batman (1992) - Alfred Brings Vicki Vale Into The Batcave</span><br />"A visitor for you, sir.." <br />Why in the world would you bring Vicki Vale into the batcave? Why? <br />What more needs to be said? Seriously. This is, without a doubt, the worst superhero movie moment in history. It will probably be the standard forever. Comic book movies are already too well known for not taking the secret identity seriously (but that is a blog for another day and soon.), as nearly all comic movies usually have the hero have some desperate need to reveal their secret identity and manage to do so throughout the film. This film, however, takes it to a new low as Alfred, Batman's trusted butler, brings Vicki Vale into the Batcave. Just writing the sentence makes me want to punch something or somebody. Alfred is completely trustworthy, has served Bruce Wayne/Batman for some time and in the comics, would never reveal the secret. In the movie, his true motivations will never be known. I don't know whether Alfred was drunk, wanted to raise some Wayne toddlers, angling for a pay raise or what was going on, but this was an epic fail on every level. This is the worst performance by a Butler ever (although Harry Osborn's butler certainly gave him a run for his money in Spiderman 3). Introducing some woman to the biggest secret of Bruce Wayne's life - a woman that he's had minimal contact with thus far and has spent most of the movie stalking Bruce Wayne - and a reporter no less, just is completely indefensible. You can't defend it. In a movie filled with horrible moments, this is definitely the worst. This should never have occurred. In fact, the Batman movies almost deserve a top five list of their own, but perhaps it's best if we are just thankful that Christopher Nolan came along and ensured that we can have Batman movies to be proud of once again. <br /><br />In fact, thanks to a new generation of filmmakers, producers and other film talent who are taking comic book adaptations seriously, hopefully we will never see scenes like this again. That will be something worthy of celebration for sure and like any celebration, feel free to dance. Do the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk4f4fWOHOE&feature=related">Batusi.</a> <br /><br />P.S. - Hopefully this further establishes the fact that dancing and superheroes should not go together. Superheroes shouldn't dance - not Batman, not Peter Parker, not Reed Richards - stop them from dancing. C'MON!!! Okay - I'm going to go calm down now. Until next time, stay classy.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-44438170263475420432010-02-24T13:03:00.000-06:002010-02-24T14:05:22.264-06:00Happy Birthday Wishes To Myself<div style="text-align: center;">-Happy Birthday Wishes To Myself-<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Well, my birthday was approximately two weeks ago now, so given my natural pace of reporting the news long after it's over, it's about time to talk about it. (Coming up soon, I'll be discussing the state of the comic book world after Marvel was bought out by Disney, DC's reorganization in the wake of it and the Spider-Man reboot - all of which have happened quite some time ago. Better late than never, right?) So, while I'm at it, let me say thank you to all of my friends and family who took time to acknowledge my birthday. Thank you very much. I received a good number of phone calls, texts, Facebook wall posts and other methods to wish me a happy birthday. I really appreciate it and it made my birthday a fantastic one.<br /><br />This year was my 26th birthday - not a particularly big one, though this does have the potential to be a big year, for me. Last year, of course, was the 25th Anniversary since I was born - which could've and should've been a national holiday. Schools should've been closed down, the nation ought to have taken a moment to stop in reflection and remembrance, parades should've been held in my honor and it could've been a time of great celebration. However, my accomplishments thus far, being what they are, were not recognized and fervor did not sweep the nation. I'll blame in on the recession. Who would pay for the parades, for example? I certainly don't have the funds and given the state of our economy, I wouldn't ask the taxpayer to foot the bill. Seeing as how our economy has not yet been stimulated yet, I decided to keep it low key this year as well. We'll see how our economy is doing for my 30th birthday and I suppose, whether I've done anything worth celebrating by then. Besides being me, of course.<br /><br />However, even though my birthday is under the national radar this year, that still means doing it right and this year, that meant home. Home to the parents, who know how to spoil a kid like nobody else. This year, I went home to Indiana to stay at my parents for the weekend. I got there early on Friday night where we stayed up chatting for a while, then my dad and I played Wii Fit for hours. Literally hours. That game is a workout for sure. My favorite was the Snowball Fight game, which I rock at. I was like Buddy in the movie Elf. Unstoppable.<br /><br />The next day I got to sleep in - perhaps a little too late, but regardless, soon enough, we were off to Ft. Wayne and my favorite birthday dinner place - Olive Garden, which for me, is a magical land - of infinite breadsticks and chicken alfredo pizza. Hold on here while I contentedly sigh. What a happy time that was, though surprisingly hard to get into on a Saturday afternoon. From there, we headed to another magical location - a Half-Price book store. <br /><br />My dad almost had to drag me out of there - I could've spent hours in there. Knowing that it was my birthday, I spent conservatively on only two books - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Am-America-So-Can-You/dp/B0029LHWSQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267040021&sr=8-1">I Am America (And So Can You)</a> by Stephen Colbert, a book of political satire which I enjoyed and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zot-Complete-Black-Collection-1987-1991/dp/0061537276/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267040075&sr=8-2">Zot: The Complete Black & White Collection (1987-1991)</a>, which as the title would suggest, is a compilation of the majority of the run of Zot, a comic written by Scott McCloud, which I loved immensely. Simply amazing. <br /><br />The half-price book store was amazing and it officially made the list of things that I need to have in my next town. For the record - those are (and I reserve the right to add to the list) - a Chipotle's, Blockbuster, Olive Garden and now a half-price bookstore. Fort Wayne has all of those, so it's definitely moved up on the list. However, some friends and family have informed me that Columbus has those options and also New York. These are some tempting offers - who will win the Richard sweepstakes? If you'd like to enter, by all means, let me know what's so interesting about your town and what job opportunities await. All entries must be made by no later than the end of March or beginning of April. Enter right away to increase your chances. <br /><br />The rest of the weekend, food-wise, was very fantastic. More pizza, breadsticks, McDonald's, Alfredo pasta and yes, the one and only, strawberry shortcake. As you can see, my parents went all out. Neither were my family slackers in the gift department. <br /><br />My parents, for example, got me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nausicaa-Valley-Wind-Sumi-Shimamoto/dp/B0001XAPZ6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1267040544&sr=8-2">Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind</a>, the first major release by Studio Ghibli and a great film, in addition to the surprisingly underrated <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Giant-Special-Eli-Marienthal/dp/B00009M9BK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1267040618&sr=8-1">Iron Giant</a>. My brother got me a World Map shower curtain, which I've been wanting to get since I saw them at a friend's house a few months ago (Lindsey's house in PA) and just was very impressed. I mean, with all the time we spend in the bathroom and with the number of ways we're undereducated about the world in general, why can't we use the time productively? Plus, I also received <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BioShock-Playstation-3/dp/B001B1W3GG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1267040875&sr=8-1">Bioshock</a>, which is an older game (and by older, I just mean 2007, where it received numerous game of the year awards), but definitely a classic. I've been playing that game for the past week or two since I've received and I am hooked. It's one of the best games I've played yet for my Playstation 3 and when we're talking about Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resident Evil 5 as the competitors, that's saying something. <br /><br />My sister got me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Mark-Millar/dp/0785121781/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267040908&sr=8-4">Civil War</a>, a trade paperback collecting one of the biggest events in comic book history of the past decade and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sense-Sensibility-Monsters-Jane-Austen/dp/1594744424/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267040978&sr=8-1">Sense And Sensibility And Sea Monsters </a>, because you can't go wrong with the classics. This comes from the creators of the amazing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Zombies-Deluxe-Classics/dp/1594744513/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267041153&sr=8-1">Pride and Prejudice and Zombies</a>, which is to me, one of the best books. Seriously, how did people go through books without monster mayhem? I simply can't imagine it and am looking forward to the upcoming movie adaptation. If you thought that Colin Firth, Keira Knightly or Bride & Prejudice set the standard, just watch in shock (and awe) as Natalie Portman battles zombies (and her own heart) in the film. This will be one of the ideas that I'll always kick myself for not coming up with first. <br /><br />Throughout the birthday weekend, I got to hang out and talk with family (at varying intervals), which was a real blessing. I got to hear the saga of my adoption, which was met with fond recollection and was extremely touching. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and eventually, I had to go back to Illinois. It gets harder every time I come home to visit, but here in a few months, I will probably be calling some new place home. <br /><br />I heard it said once that "You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime." Which is true. Looking over my birthday blog here, you can tell that I'm still young at heart. I still love video games, sleeping in, superheroes, comic books, monsters and hanging out with family. But, that doesn't mean I have to be immature. Believe it or not, you can like comic books and still be professional. It's true people. <br /><br />But, here in a few months, I'll be making one of my biggest decisions as I decide where I'll be living next, where I'll be working next, where my friends that I'll depend on will be in these all too important years and where I could even end up meeting my wife. It's a huge decision and one I don't take lightly. So, as I remember this birthday, just keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks to all who made it memorable, touching and definitely a birthday that I don't ever want to forget. <br /><br />However, even in this time of upcoming decisions, of growing older, of getting wise, I take heart in what I've been told by Robert Browning, Frank Sinatra and even Metal Gear Solid -<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URTt_imRTlM">The Best Is Yet To Come.<br /></a><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-64620232333842968422010-02-19T21:26:00.000-06:002010-02-20T00:03:24.943-06:00Top Five Friday (No. 2)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top Five Friday </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Number 2 (Two)-</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Top Five Romances In Comic Books-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Well, in writing this blog, there were at least two things I realized. First of all, I have been wildly inconsistent with my blogging. In what I hoped would be a weekly installment or at least a semi-regularly installment, this is only my second Top Five Friday, which is completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated. Second of all, I realize that this would've been far more timely preceding the holiday of Valentine's Day, but one thing I'm certain of is that romance should be in season no matter what. <br /><br />If you're still looking for a little romantic inspiration, you really can't go wrong with some of the classic romances found within the printed pages of the graphic novels found in your local bookstore (half price or otherwise) or feel free to support your local comic book shop. Many of these romances stretch over years, time, space, over continents, through numerous stories and situations that defy belief. <br /><br />As one of my favorite characters from television, Logan Echolls put it to describe another one of my favorite romances on one of my favorite television shows (Veronica Mars), "I thought our story was epic, you know? You and me. Spanning years, and continents. Lives ruined and blood shed. Epic!" Indeed. These are some of the most epic romances ever put to the printed page and deserve to be treated as such. <br /><br />Without further ado -<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Bigby Wolf and Snow White (Fables) - </span><br /><br />Snow White: "Do you think happily ever after is possible after all?"<br />Bigby Wolf: "We'll see."<br /><br />With these two, I certainly hope so and can't wait to see what happens next. This is certainly one of the newer romances on the list, since the critically acclaimed series Fables has only been around since 2002. However, the characters are based on two names in the literary world that everybody is familiar with (Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf) ensures their status on the list. I won't spoil anything about their romance (although including them on this list is a minor spoiler already), but I am a big fan of this relationship and can't wait to see them continue to <span style="font-style: italic;">blow</span> other relationships away in the comic book scene.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Batman and Catwoman (Batman) - </span><br /><br />Batman: "I'll do everything I can to rehabilitate you."<br />Catwoman: "Marry me."<br />Batman: "Everything except that." (He'll come around...)<br /><br />If you thought your ideal of romantic tension is Ross & Rachel or Jim & Pam, they have nothing on Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. The underlying chemistry between the two is a constant in the Batman universe and a tantalizing tease on whether these two vigilantes will ever officially embrace each other in order to realize their relationship. They've been enemies, allies, lovers and no matter what, the dichotomy between the two has yet to grow old. Once Batman returns this coming year, I'll be interested to see what new path their relationship takes as they fight crime, and occasionally each other, in Gotham City.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Scott Summers and Jean Grey (X-Men)</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />"Once upon a time, there was a woman named <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jean Grey</span>, a man named <span style="font-weight: bold;">Scott Summers</span>.<br />They were young.<br />They were in love.<br />They were <span style="font-weight: bold;">heroes</span>."</div><blockquote></blockquote>In those few sentences, Chris Claremont defined one of the greatest romances in the history of comic books. Jean Grey belongs with Scott Summers. No doubt in my mind. When it comes to Scott and Jean, their love truly does stretch across time and space, in some cases quite literally when the Phoenix Force becomes involved. Their story has seen its fair share of complications, twists and turns, ups and downs, the most recent being that Jean Grey is currently not among the living. However, like the Phoenix, I'm certain that Jean Grey will be back and their romance will burn even brighter than before.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson (Spider-Man)</span><br /><br />"You just hit the jackpot, tiger!" - Mary Jane Watson.<br /><br />Peter Parker certainly did and as it turns out, so did the readers. Out of the death of one of the most ideal romances and characters ever (Gwen Stacy), came what turned out to be one of the better (if not one of the best) romances in comic books. As big a fan as I am of Spider-Man, it's almost inconceivable to me that they aren't number one on the list, but recent events (One More Day) have forced me to place them at number two as Marvel appears to want us to pretend that they never happened. Ever. At all. But, in spite of Mephisto or Marvel editors, these two are undeniably unforgettable. We'll see these two together again and the comic book universe will be better off for it. We all will. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Superman) </span>- Even without the most recent events of One More Day over, it'd be hard not to place these two at number 1. Lois and Clark. <br /><br />"Lois Lane: Will we see you? Around?<br />Superman: I am always around."<br />- Superman Returns<br /><br />And if we're lucky, this couple always will be. For over 70 years now, this has been the definitive comic book romance. From the start, it was always Clark Kent in love with Lois Lane, while Lois Lane is madly in love with Superman, always so close to discovering his secret identity, although common sense would always indicate that she knew before Clark Kent trusted her enough to reveal the secret. Regardless, that old familiar dynamic is a thing of the past as they've been married for many years now and now, their romance is probably one of the strongest you'll find in the comic book universe or anywhere else. Nothing can stop these two - they've been through it all and come out even better every single time. Superman and Lois Lane really do soar up, up and away over all the other couples as this is the stuff that superhero love stories are made of.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These are my top five, but there are so many other relationships that you can read about in comic books that are just as great. For example Bruce Banner and Betty Ross (a real Beauty and the Beast story), Reed And Sue Richards, Ralph and Sue Dibney (not even death can separate them), Green Arrow and Black Canary, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Carol Ferris, Wally West and Linda Parks. If you're twisted, you could look at the example set forth by Harley Quinn and the Joker. Oh, and let's not forget Hawkman and Hawgirl, who continually are reincarnated and killed throughout history, only to find each other and fall in love again. Regardless of your opinion of graphic novels, that is epic. <br /><br />Even though good romance finds joy in the day to day, in the little things that make your relationship work, in the tiny things that only you know and make you smile even when you're having a bad day, and rejoices in just finding comfort knowing that they're there - who doesn't want a little epic awesomeness in their love story? Everybody does.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-18823646100692517342010-02-02T21:21:00.000-06:002010-02-03T02:07:15.941-06:00Lost In Translation<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Lost In Translation-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Personally, I believe so many of the world's problems can be due to a breakdown in communication. If you examine so many of the issues that we witness in this world, many of them can be reduced to the fact that communication simply didn't occur. For example, I think we can all agree war is an awful, awful thing. What makes it more terrible is that it is really never necessary. It's a last resort when one side or both opt to resort to violence as the means to solve their problems. It means they no longer are able or interested in continuing to try to solve the problem. Dialogue breaks down and rather than talk about their problem, they decide they'd rather have the person dead than try to work it out.<br /><br />But, unfortunately, many people don't know how to communicate. It's not limited to any particular stereotype, ethnic group or country. There are far too many people, myself included at many times, who don't know how to express what they want or what they want people to do. For example, I just watched a video from <a href="http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/thisisourmoment/">This Is Our Moment</a>, a website which appears to be supported by several celebrities and dedicated to "mobilizing America for a sustainable future" Their short-term goal would appear to be making sure that the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power bill that is currently in the Senate gets passed. It states that it's one of the most important pieces of legislation in our time but doesn't state, which I think would be crucial, is how. On the website or in the video, there is really no explanation of what the bill is supposed to accomplish or most importantly, how. I would love to get behind something like this - making ourselves reliant on our energy to countries that would like nothing more than to see us dead has never made sense. But, tell me how this bill is going to accomplish what it does. If it's that important, right?<br /><br />Perhaps an even better example would be one of the top issues that has dominated headlines for the past year here in the United States - health care. I don't think anybody can deny that our health care system needs to change. I mean there are still some people who maintain that our health care system is the best in the world, but it's not. Last time I checked, our health care system ranked 37th in the world, pulling right ahead of Slovenia (go us!), so yeah, it's pretty clear we need to do some work. A great majority of Americans are uninsured and even those who are avoid major, in some cases necessary, procedures because they simply can't afford them. If we are the best health care system in the world, people who need health care, should be able to get it. But we don't and they can't. But, the health care reform is in "critical condition" or "life support" because they have failed to explain how this health care reform will affect the average American, how it will help them, how it will be paid for and how it works. Again, huge breakdown in communication and now, this much-needed piece of legislation probably won't happen and if it will, it's going to be woefully inadequate. <br /><br />This failure to properly communicate what you're about can even extend to Christianity. A fantastic book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/unChristian-Generation-Really-Christianity-Matters/dp/0801013003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265179361&sr=8-1">Unchristian</a>, which everybody should read, discusses what people think about Christianity and why. Not to spoil the book at all, but it should be no surprise to you that people have a negative image of Christianity. People view Christians as judgmental, intolerant, hypocritical. More than a public relations problem, this is a communications issue. It's not the message - the message is the same as it's always been, but it's the messengers who aren't communicating the same loving message that Jesus did. Again, the problem is communication as we have completely managed to misrepresent the greatest message ever told. How did it come to that?<br /><br />The great newscaster, Edward R. Murrow once said, "The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue." We live in an era of basically instant communication through Facebook, twitter, texting, e-mails, cell phones and the like. It's easier than ever to get your point across nowadays, but so many of us fail to. And if we do, it's oftentimes not what we wanted to get across at all. We have to really be careful with what we're saying, what we're telling people, what we're communication. Why do so many of us have trouble saying what we want out of life, what we want to do and what we want to communicate to the people we share this world with? I think this is an issue that affects everybody - a basic problem that we need to overcome through honest dialogue, direct discussion and above all, clear communication. <br /><br />Even after all that, I don't know whether I said what I meant to in order to make it understandable, but I hope it came across and that my random (rambling) thoughts made sense to you. Feel free to let me know your thoughts or ideas on this subject and as always, stay classy. <br /><br />This post was written with the help of the new Motion City Soundtrack album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Life-Motion-City-Soundtrack/dp/B002ZDOYKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1265184288&sr=8-1">My Dinosaur Life</a>, out in stores today and wherever music is sold.<br /><a title="Click for further information about this quotation" href="http://quotationspage.com/quote/40363.html"></a></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-75215804895534253372010-01-02T23:27:00.000-06:002010-01-03T00:39:29.284-06:00Brand New Year<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brand New Year<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">I'm sitting at home now, wearing a Spiderman Snuggie and playing Resident Evil 5 on a Playstation 3. My apartment is freshly cleaned - practically as spotless as it gets for me - and I have a warm cup of hot chocolate as I look out at the snow and music plays over my laptop. I'm back home again after a week with my family, which was a much needed vacation from work, getting to relax over the Christmas and New Year's holiday. I've arrived home safely using GPS which is an amazing little invention, making my trips practically worry-free now, both for me and my family which should not have to worry about me getting lost ever again. Now it's a brand new, bright and shiny New Year, full of possibilities and even better yet, a brand new decade. Life isn't perfect right now - just a few more things I need to make it perfect - but I have to say, it's pretty good. Pretty great in fact.<br /><br />As you can tell by the above paragraph, I made out pretty good this Christmas. Not only did I get some of the above items, but lots of other gifts and best of all, time with family. It was definitely a different Christmas this year as for the first time in our family's history that we weren't able to be together on Christmas. My brother was in New York and though he was able to surprise us all for Thanksgiving (which was awesome), he couldn't make it home for Christmas. So, we used a service called <a href="http://www.oovoo.com/">Oovoo</a> to connect over video chat and through the miracle of the internet. Plus this year, my sister would not be with us for very long, since she had to go basically the next day back home so she could go work on church planting in Africa. I'm so proud of her, but was a little sad that I didn't get to spend as much time with her, because the time that we did spend together, was fantastic. <br /><br />This year, I was actually looking forward more to the gifts that I was giving rather than the ones that I received. We gave my parents a Wii, which blew their mind and that made it completely worth it. We did good this year. My sister is definitely a Wii fan as she had that set-up minutes after we finished unwrapping our presents and really got into the Wii. Seeing her do a victory dance after she absolutely killed me in baseball (I didn't even know it would invoke the Mercy Rule in Wii baseball, did you?) was definitely a sight to see. It made me wish I'd gotten a video camera instead of Erika this year. Not to say I'm not very excited about the gifts that I did receive and the time that I got to spend with family. Playing Wii with my dad, watching movies with my family, sleeping in, helping take down the Christmas decorations, catching up with everybody, and just relaxing to help bring in the New Year was definitely the way to go. <br /><br />But now it's a brand new year and it's time to focus on making it one of the best years ever. So, in order to get that accomplished, here are a few of my New Year's Resolutions. For those of you following at home, you can read these and try to keep me accountable or help me in any shape, fashion or form. That'd be fantastic, just like I hope this year will be.<br /><br />(1) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Get A New Job</span> - This is at the top of my list. Not to say I'm not very blessed to have a new job or that this job isn't better than the jobs that some people have to work at, especially in this economy, but I don't find it very satisfying, in any way. It's allowing me to pay my bills, but certainly not letting me get ahead financially and it's not moving me ahead career-wise at all. In May, when my lease is up, it's like 99.9% sure that I won't be staying here and that I'll be moving somewhere for a new job, which will be ideally be closer to family or friends or both. So, if you hear of anything, feel free to let me know. I'd like a new job.<br />(2) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Be A Better Friend</span> - Since I've graduated from college and moved away, I've stayed in contact with many of my friends. One my friends actually just called me to discuss something completely random and that is a great thing. However, there are many friends that I have not been quite as good at staying in touch with and that should definitely change. Friendships and family is what makes everything worthwhile. As a great man has told me repeatedly, everything in life comes down to relationships. Everything comes down to relationships.<br />(3) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Be A Better Person</span> - There are so many things going on in this world that are so right and unfortunately, all too many things that are very, very wrong. I know it's easy in this world that we live in to just want to try to focus on trying to make sure things are going good for you and getting ahead. But, we can't ever forget that there are lots of people in worse situations than you all over and you could make the difference through just a little money, a little time, a little consideration and I want to definitely work more at that this year to make sure that I do my part to make the world a little bit better. There are few things more dangerous than apathy but almost nothing more powerful than love, which can overcome all the evil in this world.<br />(4) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Trust God More</span> - Personally, I need to definitely work on this. As I mentioned up above, I plan on moving here in the next few months to either Indiana or Ohio or somewhere else in the United States. But God, in his infinite wisdom, may choose to have me stay here at my current job or location. God works in mysterious ways, but whatever His plans are, I definitely need to trust Him. I have no idea where I'll be in a few months, but I need to believe that it's where I'm supposed to be. <br />(5) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Get A Girlfriend</span> - More likely than not, I'll find myself a girlfriend (and with any luck, a wife), when I'm not even looking. That doesn't stop my family or friends from looking for me (thank you) and not to say I'm not keeping my eyes and options open. I've been pretty much out of the dating game for a while and haven't been in a serious relationship for years. My attempts to date again have met with mixed and occasionally embarrassing (albeit humorous) results, but all it takes is one girl. This could be the year where I meet the girl of my dreams. You never know. But when it does happen, it's going to be worth all the waiting.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Overall, those are just a few of my resolutions and it'll be interesting to see how they all play out over the coming year. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how 2010 goes, but as a writer once said:<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif;" >We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Happy New Year to all!!!<br /><br />This post was written with the help of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/500-Days-Summer-Music-Motion-Picture/dp/B002BAODSC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1262500143&sr=8-4">(500) Days Of Summer soundtrack</a>.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-32087021063372638262009-11-17T23:36:00.001-06:002009-11-18T01:18:09.208-06:00Four Problems That Could Sink America<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Four Problems That Could Sink America-</span><br /><br />"There's the country of America, which you have to defend, but there's also the idea of America. America is more than just a country, it's an idea. An idea that's supposed to be contagious." (Bono)<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I love America but although love is blind, you'd have to be blind to not see that we have some problems here in our great nation. I believe we are in the midst of currently coming back, but it won't be easy and it won't be as quick as some would like either. I won't go over all of the problems that we're currently undergoing but the other day, I was surfing around the internet and came across a fantastic little article from U.S. News and World Report, written by Rick Newman. Here is a link to the <a href="http://www.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2009/09/02/4-problems-that-could-sink-america.html">original article</a>, which is quite a good read, discussing, as the title might suggest, four problems that could undermine our attempts to recover from this economic downturn. The Americans spirit always triumphs, innovation always overcomes, our perserverance always manages to see us through, but there are definitely some problems that we should work on as a country and as individuals. I'll admit I'm as guilty as anybody else when it comes to some of these following issues, which I'll definitely be working on. America is, in my opinion, the best country in the world and I want it to stay that way. But in order to do so, we'll have to address some problems here as outlined below -<br /><br />1) <span style="font-weight: bold;">We Don't Like To Work.</span> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." (Sam Ewing)<br />This one is pretty self-explanatory. Personally, I know for a fact that I don't enjoy working. I do, however, enjoy the money that work brings. Unfortunately, they do go hand in hand. I'm sure there have been more than one occasion where work has asked me to stay later and I've told them no, only to complain later when money is tight. There is a great quote in the article from a young entrepreneur who says "If you want to work eight hours a day, you're going to get eight-hour-a-day results. There's nothing wrong with that, but I don't want to hear you complain about money if you're only willing to work eight hours a day." This is a great thing to keep in mind as we go to our jobs. Our parents typically have great work ethics which they've tried to instill in us and so far, I'll be honest, it hasn't taken as well as they probably would've liked. But, living on your own and paying your own bills definitely forces you to change. Now I look at working an extra hour or two at work as "these extra hours can help pay for my groceries for the week or that's half of my cell phone bill that I can put towards something else". If you want to be successful, you have to be willing to work hard.<br /><br />2) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nobody Wants To Sacrifice</span> "Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness." (Napoleon Hill)<br />In these modern times, most people don't feel the need to sacrifice as they feel a sense of entitlement. After I graduated from college, I went out to the work force practically expecting a job to be handed to me and was practically shocked when people weren't lining up around the block to hire me. I mean, after all, I had a college degree. Apparently, so does everybody else. Getting a job requires a lot of sacrifice and if you have a job right now, feel very honored. I complain about my job at times, but I should feel very blessed that I have one when unemployment is approaching 11%. That means 1 in 10 people are unemployed. Even with that staggering statistic, people still don't sacrifice. The government is seemingly able to swoop in to rescue the middle-class without a problem, right? Wrong. That stimulus package earlier this year was hundreds of millions of dollars. The government doesn't have a vault underneath the White House where they have endless piles of money. That money has to come from somewhere. The solution of most people nowadays is "Why don't we just tax the rich? They can afford it, can't they?", which I'm sure sounds completely fair when you think about it at first. Forcing 2% of the population to pay for all of the changes in our country isn't fair. Some sacrifices definitely need to be made, by all Americans.<br /><br />3) <span style="font-weight: bold;">We're Uninformed</span>. "Half Of The American People have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half." (Gore Vidal)<br />This is definitely a huge problem when it comes to the issues here. When it comes to voting on issues, we often have little or no grasp on those issues. More people vote on American Idol than they do on for the presidency of the United States, which is a sad commentary on our nation. When it comes to big issues like climate control, health care, the stimulus bill or even a number of smaller issues, Americans seem to have little or no idea. I realize that the average American is very busy, so between jobs, families and friends, there may not be much time to educate yourselves but they really ought to make time. Basic information that every American should know is shockingly uninformed on many issues. If you're one of the Americans who takes time to get involved and knowledgeable about the issues, then that is fantastic and you should be very proud. If you're not (like myself, who definitely needs to know more), then take some time to educate yourself about these issues which could end up defining not just your generation, but also your children and even your grand-children. These decisions affect more than just you and you have a voice. Get informed and use it.<br /><br />4) <span style="font-weight: bold;">iCulture</span> "America is a country that doesn't know where it is going but is determined to set a speed record getting there. " (Lawrence J. Peter)<br />For me, the i represents instant. We know what we want and we want it now, with none of that hard work in between. Things like the McDonald's Monopoly Game (which I confess I played and probably will again), the lottery, books like the One Minute Millionaire and other such distractions may temporarily convince us that we can become rich practically overnight. This idea is reinforced by the media and by ourselves as our priorities are wildly out of proportion. Movie stars, sports players and other similar, frivolous pursuits are rewarded with astronomical sums of money while crucial jobs like teachers are almost criminally underpaid. Not to say that actors or sports players aren't working, because I know I certainly couldn't do what they do. They have worked hard to get where they are and they deserve to get paid, but hundreds of millions of dollars to play a game, to me, is absurd. In fact, in the NFL or NBA, you can get paid millions of dollars if you get picked by a team, without ever playing a second. Basically, it's money for nothing. That's the dream of million of Americans, to be rewarded for little or no work. I know I dream of a day when that will magically occur, but the odds are it won't. I'm never going to win the lottery, especially when I don't play it. Success is not the result of luck, chance or anything of the sort. It's the result preparation and perseverance, failure and learning from it, discipline and determination, and the willingness to do what it takes - however long it may take.<br /><br />I thought this this was a great article that really got me thinking and I wanted to share. The problem listed above are just some of the problems facing us, but definitely ones that need to be dealt with, hopefully sooner rather than later. These are tough times - financially, spiritually, emotionally and in all general areas - for us as a nation. It's going to require quite a lot for us to rebound, but I'm confident that we will and stronger than ever. But these four problems are big problems and ones that won't be solved overnight. I know I'll be working on these and if these are issues you recognize you struggle with, then I hope you do too. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions or anything else you have in response to this, just let me know by commenting or messaging me.<br /><br />"There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure." (Dwight D. Eisenhower)<br /><div class="UIComposer_InputArea_Base UIComposer_InputArea"><div class="UIComposer_InputShadow "><div style="width: 512px;" class="Mentions_Input" id="c4b038657b56f60f70825358_input" contenteditable="true"><br /></div></div></div>Stay classy, America.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-11787447732890333492009-11-11T12:15:00.000-06:002009-11-11T13:51:32.091-06:00Throw Off Your Cloak Of Invisibility<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Throw Off Your Cloak Of Invisibility-</span><br /></div><br />Recently, I watched the film 17 Again. It's not a film I probably would've normally chosen to watch, but I had a friend recommend the movie very, very highly. Mainly on the fact that there was a character in there that I was told reminded her of myself. So, after many weeks of deliberation, postponing and every attempt to avoid the film, I decide to sit down and watch the movie. If you're not familiar with the film, <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>it's similar to the premise of the 1988 Tom Hanks film <span style="font-style: italic;">Big</span>, in which a character is transformed age-wise but this time it's reversed so that Matthew Perry is transformed back into his younger self, played by Zac Efron. So, a twist on the premise which led to what was surprisingly a pretty good movie. The biggest discovery of the movie would not come from either of the leads of the film though, but from a supporting actor who plays the character of Ned. I'll take a moment to let you know that there are SPOILERS AHEAD, so if you haven't watched the movie, then beware. However, if you don't care about the movie or have already taken time to watch the movie, then feel free to read ahead or skip the following few paragraphs.<br /><br />The character of Ned is played by Thomas Lennon (Reno 911), who is in the movie as the best friend of Matthew Perry's character, who helps him out with such sage advice as with this following classic exchange between Ned and Mike after discovering the transformation -<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ned:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>It's a classic transformation story. Are you now or have you ever been a Norse God, Vampire, or Time Traveling Cyborg? <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mike</span>: I have know you since what, first grade? I think that maybe I would have told you! <br /> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ned: </span>Vampire wouldn't tell, Cyborg wouldn't know.<br /><br />This is the type of discussion I can imagine having or hope to have if one of my friends ever had a similar dilemma. The character of Ned is a huge, for lack of a better word, nerd or probably more accurately a geek. A geek is a person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream. From now on, I'll use the term geek throughout the rest of the post, as geek mainly denotes somebody who is an enthusiast of things outside the mainstream spectrum whereas nerd is, in my opinion, more of a derogatory reference. In my case, it's superheroes for the most part, though I'll admit to being interested in other things such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as well.<br /><br />Throughout the film, Ned pursues the character of Jane Masterson, masterfully played by Melora Hardin (The Office), who is the principal at the high school where Mike is attending. Most of the film involves Ned's attempts to woo Jane, though she she continually rebuffs his advances as she refuses to date the parents of students. However, it's revealed in a dinner scene as Lord of the Rings comes up unexpectedly and just as unexpectedly, she is discovered to not only speak the Elvish language but is a huge geek as well. She still struggles to overcome her reservations until a pivotal (and perhaps the best scene of the movie) where he arrives at a basketball game wearing a cloak, which he declares to be the cloak of invisibility. When she says that she can't be seen with him, he coolly responds "How can you be seen with me when I'm wearing the cloak of invisibility?" Touche. (SPOILERS OVER)<br /><br />On that note, There comes a time when you have to throw off the cloak of invisibility and be proud of who you are. The fact is that I'm a geek. I realize that this probably comes as a surprise to well, just about nobody. Not to say that when you're an enthusiast about graphic novels or comic books or Harry Potter that the description encompasses all that you are. It's a big part of you though - something you should be proud of. It certainly doesn't mean that you're weird, embarrassing, socially inept or anything of the sort. It means you're not afraid to pursue things that may not be potentially popular and things that are outside of the mainstream. You're not afraid to march to the beat of a different drummer or take the road less traveled. Stand up!<br /><br />In that manner, I'll admit that I'm single and I may have to start thinking outside the box as I search for a girlfriend. Not to say that if you're a geek, then you only need search inside geek culture. I have several friends who are also geeks but have married girls who are not in the least into the culture, but embrace (or tolerate) it out of love. But, I have to say, looking for a girl into areas where you are interested in certainly can't hurt. In fact, it can only help. On that note, there are numerous comic book conventions, websites and blogs devoted to just such an ideal - bringing people together who are into the exact same things. Whether those things are comic books, Battlestar Galactica, Harry Potter, Twilight, Lord of the Rings, video games, or anything else of the sort, what really matters is finding a good foundation to build your relationship upon. There is the conventional way of finding women and perhaps, the convention way. <br /><br />Then, of course, if you find another geek to marry, then you have the option of a themed wedding. (I mean, you've got Lord of the Rings - "the Fellowship of the Ring." See how well that would work as a wedding theme? The ring? Clever - I know). But, that's a blog for another day. Right now, I'm off to look up the upcoming convention schedule. <br /><br />Stay Classy.<br /><br />P.S. - If you're interested in the upcoming conventions of various geek types, then my suggestion would be to visit this site - <a href="http://www.conventionscene.com/schedules/allupcomingevents/">Convention Scene</a>, which goes over the upcoming events. I had a friend send me this link today to <a href="http://www.soulgeek.com/">Soul Geek</a>, which declares itself to be the cyber-home for geek dating. Then there is finally this<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/09/08/geeks.romance.dragon.con/index.html"> inspirational story from CNN</a> which discusses geeks finding love at comic book conventions and includes this quote from the founder of SoulGeek, who says "You can't settle. You can't be with somebody who's going to hope that someday you're going to grow out of this." Truer words were never spoken. As X-Files declared years ago, the truth is out there. But, maybe, just maybe, love is out there too. You just have to look for love in the right places. Put on your favorite geek shirt proudly and walk out there to find it. Love is out there.Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-40544351920259472022009-09-24T19:52:00.000-05:002009-09-24T21:06:50.860-05:00Spectacular Spider-Man<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spectacular Spider-Man</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">The fall television season is in full <span style="font-style: italic;">swing</span> once again with a number of great shows such as House, The Office and even Smallville is back for an amazing 9th season. You have returning shows like Heroes (whose latest arc is appropriately titled "redemption"), Dollhouse or the show Fringe, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite shows on television. You even have new shows like FlashForward (which is being hailed as the new 'Lost' by some') and the guilty pleasure Glee making its way to the small screen. Of course, in a few months, you have even more shows to look forward to like Chuck, 24 and of course, can't-miss-television with the final season of Lost. But, there is one glaring omission from the fall television schedule that has me seeing red. I am talking about nothing other than the one, the only, the Spectacular Spider-Man.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ-GfE-ZQ-wppQhXYI7dK7uFJKSbyrZ_BsJRKj8cZpTedovw707Zquz5UtDrfgBaT1qXENokG5XOQ5MwOGTc6zNqT8X0xtcYFOOBrP5hLO29sIuqaP92vLIu04KJuWt8Uaud6A4cEoio/s1600-h/spectacular-spiderman-animated-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ-GfE-ZQ-wppQhXYI7dK7uFJKSbyrZ_BsJRKj8cZpTedovw707Zquz5UtDrfgBaT1qXENokG5XOQ5MwOGTc6zNqT8X0xtcYFOOBrP5hLO29sIuqaP92vLIu04KJuWt8Uaud6A4cEoio/s320/spectacular-spiderman-animated-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385204582149195266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Spectacular Spider-Man</span><br /><br />There have been numerous attempts to bring an animated Spider-Man to the small screen, both live-action and animated, though most have wisely gone the animated route as the live-action version was an embarrassment, starring Nicholas Hammond. Then, you have numerous animated adaptations that have spanned from the 60's until our current series. You have the original Spider-Man series from 1967, which is probably most notable for its theme song. (You know the one - "Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can..."). You have the show Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which was certainly less than amazing. Of course there was the titular 1994 adaptation, which is probably the most well-known and the longest lasting (65 episodes), but none of them quite are in the same league as this latest animated offering. The Spectacular Spider-Man is not simply the best Spider-Man animated version, but perhaps one of the best versions of Spider-Man on any medium. (Perhaps, in fact, the best animated superhero cartoon of all time - maybe even besting the acclaimed Batman the Animated Series, but that's a debate for another day)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Already it may have surpassed the original 1994 adaptation, since towards the end of its run, it veered off into such failed storylines such as Hydro Mary Jane or the introduction of Madame Web, who is to this day one of my least favorite comic book characters ever. In fact, she may even replace Jack Hanna as the celebrity I'd like to punch most in the face. Overall, it had a strong run, but the initial 26 episode run of Spectacular Spider-Man has been nothing short of amazing. <br /><br />From the very first episode, you can tell it's gonna be great as they manage to introduce characters such as Doctor Connors, Flint Marko, Alex O'Hirn, Hammerhead, The Enforcers, Eddie Brock, Adrian Toomes, Doctor Octopus and Norman Osborn in the very first episode. In fact, you get to meet most of those characters before they become villains so that you get to see them transform into the villains that threaten Spider-Man and New York City. It continues with the fun nature that is the hallmark of Spider-Man, perfectly capturing the witty banter that has been so missing in the live-action version. Wisely avoiding the origin story which is already too well-known, it instead dives head first into the familiar Spider-Man mythos in an exiting and fresh manner. Perhaps most importantly, you get to see Gwen Stacy (a character that all too many people are not familiar with, but is an important character in Spider-Man's history and has never been seen before in an adaptation and no, Spider-Man 3 doesn't count). You get to see Spider-Man at his most relatable, dealing with the pressures and headaches you can expect from a 16 year old superhero. With a great supporting cast, plot, pacing, writing, animation - the creators of Spectacular Spider-Man excel in every category and exceed any expectations I had.<br /><br />Words can't really do it justice, but trust me when I say this is one of the best shows I've ever seen. You can catch both seasons now out on DVD and you should as the producers really seem to understand the character so well. If you're fortunate enough to have cable, try to watch it on Disney XD as well. For reasons that are incomprehensible to me, there has yet to be a season 3 announced, although the recent merger of Disney and Marvel should hopefully only increase its chances. They seem to be waiting to see the ratings from Season 2 and DVD sales as this economy has made people more hesitant than ever to stick with a show. So watch it, support it, tell your friends, write about its complete and epic awesomeness, shout it from the rooftops, but whatever you do...<br /><br />Don't miss this show. <br /><br />The end of the very first show sums it up best as Peter Parker/Spider-Man declares "Tell me there's something better. Go ahead. Try." It's quite a challenge thrown out there but I'm confident that if you take that challenge and watch this show, you won't be able to find anything better.<br /><br />Go ahead. Try.<br /></div></div></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-91967244474390917602009-08-01T11:58:00.000-05:002009-08-01T15:57:07.548-05:00Proud Of Pluto (And Illinois)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >-Proud Of Pluto (And Illinois)-</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkfHxrvFYifK7_pLdobN-V5s4Ey9J0SCRdwAklyIYbaLnKpFbZ0Ux4pGL1BDgLL8_gXPxq1RxmcZePyoYb4inIiRFSxpWk4gFg24tp1LoyHcFGLE-_LWDmfM41ZCKGsahqy9emkiN0-I/s1600-h/pluto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkfHxrvFYifK7_pLdobN-V5s4Ey9J0SCRdwAklyIYbaLnKpFbZ0Ux4pGL1BDgLL8_gXPxq1RxmcZePyoYb4inIiRFSxpWk4gFg24tp1LoyHcFGLE-_LWDmfM41ZCKGsahqy9emkiN0-I/s320/pluto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365099089355926402" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">There are moments where I'm proud to live in Illinois and then there are moments that make me really proud to live here. <br /><br />This is one of those moments where I'm really proud.<br /><br />But, first, a little history.<br /><br />Back in 2006, our world was forever changed and not for the better. Growing up, throughout elementary school, we memorized mnemonics that helped us to remember the names of our nine planets. For example, a popular one was "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas". (Hopefully with breadsticks!!) But, in something that could only was an absolute travesty and a sham and a mockery (indeed a traveshamockery). Yes, you'd have to make up words to describe how terrible this event really was. You'd have to make up words just to describe how scandalous this really was. I think we all know where this is heading.<br /><br />In 2006, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) voted to remove Pluto from the list of planets, effectively demoting it to the status of dwarf planet.<br /><br />Never mind that only 424 of its over 10,000 members voted to impose a foolish and indeed binding resolution that was held on the very last day of a two week convention with no absentee voting allowed. With something this big and this important, why do it that way? The whole thing was an injury to science and one that can only be healed through restoring Pluto to planetary status. Personally, I believe that not only is the decision controversial, but so vague and nonsensical as to be rendered meaningless.<br /><br />Which is where Illinois comes in. In a big nod to the underdog, the Illinois State Senate adopted a resolution to restore Pluto to full planetary status, which you can read <a href="http://www.floridastars.org/plutoildeclaration.html">here</a>. This also makes March 13 Pluto Day, in honor of the day its discovery was announced. This makes me <span style="font-style: italic;">almost </span>as proud as the fact that most of the classic 80's movies from the one and only John Hughes (Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink etc.) were filmed here in the state. Not quite as proud, but still one of my prouder moments as an Illinois resident.<br /><br />So, kudos to Illinois for not allowing them to change the mnemonic to something along the lines of "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nothing", which describes exactly what the IAU gave us. Congratulations to them for supporting Pluto, who although small, will always be a planet to me. Have all of the members of the IAU been too busy demoting planets to read classic books such as Charlotte's Web, which shows that the runt of the litter can often be the best. Or perhaps they haven't taken the time to watch Lord of the Rings (or read them) in which Tolkien shows that the smallest can often be the biggest among us. If they haven't, then they are more out of touch than this decision shows.<br /><br />Numerous scientists are working to overturn this decision but this is a big step forward and hopefully more people will realize that Pluto is still a planet that deserves to be recognized as one yet again. Thank goodness for places like Illinois who can stand up for what's right and good once again. Pluto is a planet again - at least in Illinois - and in the hearts of amazing people everywhere. Pluto will be a planet once more.<br /><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-88490533928234315072009-07-28T12:06:00.000-05:002009-07-28T13:02:31.393-05:00I Got A Laptop<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-I Got A Laptop-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Anybody who knows me knows that I've been frustrated with my desktop computer for some time now. Don't get me wrong - it's a great computer and it has served me very well. Lately, however, it's showing its age. ("It's true - she's aging more noticeably every day.") It's gotten to the point where it's only slightly more effective than two tin cans connected by a string and I only rank my computer above that because you can't watch <span style="font-style: italic;">The Colbert Report</span> on the two can system. Personally though, I felt it was just a fantasy that I would be able to. However, Wal-Mart ("Save Money, Live Better".) certain lived up to its tagline this weekend as it had an <a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Wal-Mart-Laptop-Compaq-Presario-298,8331.html">exclusive laptop sale</a> where they were selling a laptop for $298. For me, that is a great deal and right in my price range for a laptop.<br /><br />My dad - a wonderful, benevolent father indeed - sent me an e-mail regarding this sale on Friday and I immediately called my Wal-Mart to verify that they were indeed regarding the sale. The knowledgeable guy in Electronics informed that they were and because they were a 24 hour Wal-Mart here, the sale would begin at midnight. Already, I had the weekend off and now it looks like it was going to shape up to be a pretty eventful weekend indeed. Due to the nature of the sale, he advised me to be there early. Possibly up to an hour early and on the advice of my awesome brother, I did him one better and went two hours early, just to ensure that I wouldn't miss it.<br /><br />When I arrived though, I learned that the knowledgeable guy I spoke to in Electronics wasn't so knowledgeable after all. Wal-Mart was only selling the laptops at 8 the next morning, which was mentioned pretty clearly in their ad and so, I went home, momentarily defeated. But, I was determined to come home with a laptop this weekend and so I decided I would go back tomorrow morning. But, the idea of me getting there at 6 the next morning wasn't likely. Not a morning person, but I would get there an hour early to discover quite a line had already formed. Some people I talked to had been there since 4:30 in the morning. Now, that's dedication.<br /><br />I settled back in the line, which stretched all the way back to the HD-TV's in between an elderly couple who were pretty excited about a laptop and who hadn't apparently been in line for a new technological gadget since the Wii came out. They certainly loved their Wii and told me quite a bit about it. Wii Fit was their favorite. How awesome is that? On the other side of me was a family of five who were bitterly disappointed to learn that the laptops had a one-per-family limit. They'd brought their whole family with them, apparently eager to have a laptop for everybody. In their need for a laptop, they went ahead to start calling people to see whether they could recruit them over to purchase a laptop for them and mysteriously they were all called Tammy. (Biker Tammy, Tammy By Riverside, Farmer Tammy, Barbie Tammy etc). However, an hour and many Demi Lovato interviews later, the line started to move.<br /><br />Cruelly and ironically enough, the Carly Simon classic "Anticipation" blared over the loudspeakers as we waited. The line seemed to move at a glacial pace, taking forever it seemed to get my laptop but once it got going, the glacier thawed out and really moved fast. Eventually, after about a half hour in line, I was able to receive my laptop. Walking out the door with a laptop and a celebratory box of Hot Tamales, I was now the proud owner of a <a href="http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01753032&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN">Compaq Presario </a>laptop. <br /><br />Gone were the days of having to make an Itunes night to add music to my computer, since it locked up my whole computer and hours to add a few cds. Gone were the days of not been able to run more than one or two programs at once. Gone were the days of picking up a book to read a chapter or two to wait for a program or a page to load. Gone were the days of popping in a movie to wait for the computer to restart. (That's a bit of an exaggeration - the last one - but only barely). But now, my computer runs smoothly no matter what and it is Hakuna Matata all the way.<br /><br />Now, I got a laptop, I got a laptop, I got a laptop - hey, hey, hey! <br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-92008796728487486562009-07-20T20:36:00.000-05:002009-07-21T10:44:02.966-05:00Ten Against Torture Tuesday<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Ten Against Torture Tuesday-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'll admit that I love alliteration. I can't help myself. This will not be a regular feature by any means, but it's Tuesday and so I had to use the name. I love alliteration, but on the other hand, there are certainly things that I hate.<br /><br />One of those things that I hate is torture.<br /><br />I hate torture in all its forms, wherever and however it is practiced. Specifically, this post is to address the fact that torture has been approved and in fact, committed by the United States Of America. I certainly don't understand that and reading some of the stories from people who were prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and other such facilities makes me very sad. It makes me sick, but perhaps more than anything it makes me upset, because we're America and we're supposed to be better than that. We are better than that.<br /><br />Torture is defined by the <a href="http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_cat39.htm">United Nations Convention Against Torture</a> as:<br /><br />"...any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity."<br /><br />The Geneva Convention, which the United States has ratified, explicitly condemns torture in no uncertain terms. In fact, it doesn't permit "violence", "cruel treatment", "humiliating and degrading treatment" against a detainee "at any time and in any place whatsoever." In fact, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Crimes_Act_of_1996">War Crimes Act of 1996</a> made any "serious breach of the Geneva Convention" a felony and punishable under U.S. law with serious consequences. There are supposed to be serious consequences anyway, but so far, there have been little to none.<br /><br />Only those who are either criminally naive or seriously interested in deluding themselves would pretend that the United States didn't torture people in Iraq and throughout the world. There have been enough witness, enough testimonies, enough pictures, enough documentation and hopefully just enough so that this never occurs again.<br /><br />President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and others have admitted that torture was used, although it is claimed that “The techniques…were necessary and are necessary to be used on a rare occasion to get information to protect the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1231704165_1">American people</span>,”as Bush said during an interview with Fox News on January 11 of this year. Techniques such as water-boarding and others were defended here, using this and the ever-popular "ticking time bomb" scenario. <br /><br />As far as I'm aware of, the "ticking time bomb scenario" has never happenned and if so, why haven't they told us when it has?. On the popular show "24", which I love, which also appears on Fox, it frequently happens. For the sake of plot points, keeping up the shows breathtaking pace and indeed to save the world, Jack Bauer frequently employs some methods which are certainly torture. At the beginning of Season 7 (which started off so strongly), Jack Bauer was being tried for his actions and he responded to those who accused him that things aren't always so black and white out in the field where the action happens and that it's a lot easier to judge when you're not part of that situation.<br /><br />Jack was right. I have never been part of the military and in fact, am unlikely to. I've never been there in a situation where the pressure to save lives is a reality and where you feel that there is legitimately no other recourse than torture. I sympathize with those charged with gathering information, for those tasked with protecting the American people and to those serving in our military both at home and abroad. I can hardly imagine the situations that they were placed in. However, both Jack Bauer and President Bush, are also wrong.<br /><br />Some things are black and white. I believe torture is one of those things. Torture is never necessary. It's not just a law, but if you're a Christian, it's a Biblical command as well. The Bible says very clearly "to love your enemies." Notice what it says there - to love your enemies. Notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say "except if your enemies are Islamic terrorists, then it's okay not to love them". It's pretty clear to love them.<br /><br />Torture is both illegal and immoral. It violates numerous laws and values of American society that we hold dear. Torture is something that the American people can't tolerate or approve of. So far, President Obama has discussed with various news outlets that he has a desire to "look forward" and not focus on the "mistakes of the past." While I think it's very admirable and commendable to look forward to the future, but we can't compromise ourselves by ignoring the past, which is exactly what we would do there. In doing so, we're implicitly approving of what they did and setting a dangerous precedent for the future.<br /><br />In the film <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Batman Begins</span>, Bruce Wayne is put into a similar situation where he is told to perform an act that he finds contrary to his own values. Bruce Wayne is told that by a man named Henri Ducard that "Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share."<br /><br />In response, Bruce Wayne, the man who would later become Batman, states: "That's why it's so important. It separates us from them."<br /><br />Don't mistake the compassion of the United States for any sort of weakness, but we can't condone torture, especially not on the level that the United States has engaged in the past and can't afford to do so in the future. It has cost us dearly in American lives, our standing in the world and have sacrified many American ideals in the process. Torture is contrary to what America stands for and should not stand for ever again.<br /><br />America has tortured. In fact, we have stood by and allowed it to happen as OUR government (after all, we are a democracy) has performed in secret detention facilities throughout the world. President Obama has said on one hand very clearly that America does not torture people, while on other hand doesn't want to be caught up in policy differences between the incoming and outgoing adminstrations.<br /><br />People being murdered, beaten to death, sexually abused, raped, physically humiliated, waterboarded, undergoing sleep deprivation, stripped of their dignity, burned with cigarettes, attacked by dogs and other such indignities is not simply a policy difference. People leaving with scars, both psychologically and physically, that they may never fully heal from is not a policy difference. Torture is not a policy difference.<br /><br />It is the difference between right and wrong. <br /><br />Those who committed torture, those who condoned torture, those who approved and indeed ordered torture, should be held accountable. I realize that we're in a war, but we need to keep those standards no matter what, because 'it separates us from them. ' Amnesty International recently began a campaign that is the inspiration for those post which is called <a href="http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/c.jhKPIXPCIoE/b.5273371/k.673C/10_Against_Torture/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx">Ten Against Torture</a>, which features ten letters, which are thought provoking, moving and in many instances, heart-breaking, that you can send to President Obama to make him think about how important an issue this is. Even if you don't participate in the campaign or whatever your opinion is concerning torture, I would urge you to take some time to read some of these letters. They are powerful words and hopefully they inspire you to participate in the campaign to make the issue of torture one that President Obama can't ignore and to hold those who engaged in torture accountable.<br /><br />In my opinion, this isn't about revenge, justice or a trial for those responsible for these crimes. It's about sending a very clear signal, setting a precedent for our current and future Presidential adminstrations that torture will not be permitted. If we don't, in the future, we may encounter another situation, another ethical collapse, and they will see an opportunity to do this again. I strongly feel that this is important to regaining the credibility of our country and helping to restore our integrity as a nation. I love America, no question about that, but this is not our proudest moment here and we should deal with it, not simply ignore it and hope it goes away.<br /><br />More importantly than getting people involved is just making people aware of this issue and I hope that regardless of how you feel, you're now at least a little more aware of the issue. If this is an issue that resonates with you, feel free to let me know and I'd be more than happy to help you get involved or help you to become more informed. Even if you disagree, I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you. I think this is an issue that should be discussed often as possible, as over the 200 plus years since we established our independence (to escape tyranny), people around the world have looked to us for guidance and indeed, looked up to us. <br /><br />It's up to us - you and I - to help remind them why.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-42798613518487683912009-06-30T23:36:00.000-05:002009-07-01T00:46:58.556-05:00Say No to the ShamWow<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Say No To the Shamwow-</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This post is dedicated to Billy Mays. If you've ever been an insomniac or had trouble sleeping, found yourself in front of the television, flipping through the channels, chances are you've come across the enthusiastic face and voice of Billy Mays as he promoted one product or another. Now, when I have cable once again, I'll flip through various "as soon on tv" commercials and there will no doubt be a void left in the commercial advertising industry, if not my heart. It's a sad day. Billy Mays - 1958 to 2009 - you will not be forgotten.<br /><br />Now that Billy Mays is gone, who will the commercial advertising industry look to as they've lost one of their proudest and most vocal pitchmen? Certainly not Vince Offer, better known as the "Shamwow Guy." I'm sure by now most people have heard of the "Shamwow", a cleaning product which bills itself as a towel, chamois and sponge all-in-one. As a product I've heard, they work very well and in fact, the company that produces them has a 10 year gurantee on them. You can find them in most stores, but right now, that should not be the case. Not when the man promoting their product is somebody who is a violent deviant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutmikaocKsNAKqA8A3nvN5NST-C-L32BOQdmBmaw6RvmSKjDOwMo-OrCNaHfxL-VvlgeHczcRPgj5gUAQu9KesdoQwiFbGWKgROA_SrdfLBTi0kjgZUZbJKBASd7x98wjCADUWOqjUE8/s1600-h/Shamwow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutmikaocKsNAKqA8A3nvN5NST-C-L32BOQdmBmaw6RvmSKjDOwMo-OrCNaHfxL-VvlgeHczcRPgj5gUAQu9KesdoQwiFbGWKgROA_SrdfLBTi0kjgZUZbJKBASd7x98wjCADUWOqjUE8/s320/Shamwow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353351978076978930" border="0" /></a> You may look at this picture and you may see what I do. Vince Offer is a little smug and a little calculating - like a shark. Now, what would it eally mean to be a smug, psychotic Shamwow salesman? It could mean a lot of things, but surely it doesn't mean that he would violently beat up a prostitute? <br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />Now, I'll admit this story is an old one, but it's not my fault I haven't heard about it until recently. It's one that was virtually ignored in the media, reduced to being reported on a few websites and lampooned on "Jimmy Kimmel Live". Certainly not the media coverage it deserved. Now, granted, there are certainly far more important issues that should be covered in the news (the Iraq War, the cap-and-trade bill being voted on in the Senate, the state of the American economy, preventive detention, the elections in Iran), but all I'm saying is that I wish I'd heard about this earlier. Perhaps it actually did get all the media coverage it deserved, which is virtually none, but I would've liked to be in the loop on this one.<br /><br />On February 27, 2009, Vince Offer was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida under his real name, Vince Schlomi. The charge was felony battery, after an altercation with a prostitute. According to the police report and several websites, Vince paid $1000 for the services of a "lady of the evening" - for the evening. Sometime during the festivities of the evening, the two of them kissed and the 26-year old woman bit his tongue. Not only did she bite, but she refused to let go. In a moment of no doubt pure pain, panic and rage, he punched the prostitute repeatedly. I would advise you not to go look at the pictures of the incident. They are pretty brutal. I can understand his reaction to having his tongue bitten, which I can only imagine is a very painful thing to endure. However, I can't condone his actions. Neither should you.<br /><br />That is why I would advice you not to purchase a Shamwow. If you haven't yet, don't. <span style="font-style: italic;">Every time you purchase a Shamwow, it's like you're implicitly endorsing abuse.</span> Now, somebody (without any heart) may say that it's just a prostitute, but a person's a person, no matter their profession. In fact, in the defense of these women, prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. Now what that says about the world and the human condition, I don't care to speculate right now or go into, but it does say something. What I want to say though is that beating up on a woman is not something to be approved of, no matter who they are, what they do and what they've done. Nor can one approve using the proceeds from your advertising to purchase the services of a prostitute. Personally, I can't even understand it, as you would think the allure of having sex with strangers of a hotel would wear off pretty quickly. But, it's stood the test of time unfortunately. <br /><br />Now, the ShamWow website sells you eight ShamWows (4 large and four mini) for the price of just $19.95, plus 7.95 S & H. At these prices, for $1000 (one thousand) dollars, that is approximately 288 ShamWows. (Yeah. I did the math.) With the purchase of those Shamwows, Vince is not only purchasing the services of 'hookers', but physically beating and abusing them as well. How can one even stand to look at the ShamWow now, much less purchase one? No amount of Shamwows can clean up all that shame....<br /><br />(As is usual with my blogs, I usually release an accompanying video and here is one that I discovered posted on YouTube that is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7kBDt-iPW0">Tribute To Billy Mays</a>. Truly, heaven may have just received one of its best promoters ever. God bless Billy Mays.)<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-91954585737292373102009-06-12T20:53:00.000-05:002009-06-13T13:24:52.674-05:00Nine Days<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Nine Days-</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You may be thinking this is a blog about that one hit wonder band who wrote the song <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur0RMitdArc">Absolutely (Story Of A Girl) </a>back in 2000, but you're probably not. If you were though, you'd be wrong but possess some great musical memory. You may also be thinking that with school being out, the weather getting warmer, the blockbusters coming out in theaters and everything feeling more free, that it was summertime. Unfortunately, you'd be wrong. ...again...technically.<br /><br />If you want to get technical (and I don't want to but I will anyway), summer doesn't officially start until June 21st, which is nine days away. With spring ending though and summer on the verge of starting, I've been surprisingly busy. That has led to less blogs and me trying to catch up. So, I've decided to post three-blogs-in one today. That's right - three blogs in one, for the low price of like five to ten minutes of your precious time. It's a pretty good offer and to kick us off, I'll discuss -<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Karma Chameleon<br /><br /></span>If you like music from the 1980s, then you should<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>instantly recognize the name of that song, which was the number one song of 1983, from the band Culture Club. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrokoRE5Lqg">Karma Chameleon </a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrokoRE5Lqg"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a></span>was a wordwide success despite<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>the nonsensical nature of the music video and the overall androgynous creepiness of Boy George. No matter what you might say about it though, it's a catchy song and I'd listen to the song only if you're willing to get it stuck in your head. Because it will. But, we're not here to go over the inherent power of 80's music, but instead to think about Karma Chameleon itself.<br /><br />I was listening to the song a few days ago and simultaneously discussing with a friend the most recent Indiana Jones installment. Needless to say not a good combination. Now, perhaps it was the heat, boredom, tiredness, temporary insanity, or rage over Indiana Jones IV or needless sequels in general. Regardless, I began to think about Karma Chameleon as an actual creature (No - keep reading!) as like some kind of vengeful creature who attacks people after they have accumulated too much bad karma. A chameleon can blend into pretty much anywhere, although for maximum striking power, I'd make him larger than his usual size and more something resembling a komodo dragon. Ideally, he'd look very friendly and charming, like the Geico Gecko but make no mistake, he would attack once you've exhausted all your good Karma.<br /><br />For example, you could look at George Lucas, who was involved with Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. That would certainly contribute a lot to his bad karma. Typically, George Lucas has a great deal of good karma due to his involvement in great movies like Willow, Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope, Labyrinth, the early Indiana Jones installments and even underrated films like Radioland Murders. I even liked Hook and the Land Before Time before they made approximately a million sequels. (only slightly exaggerating). But, travesties like the Star Wars prequels, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, anything to do with the Ewoks, Jar Jar Binks, the Star Wars Holiday Special and Howard the Duck would certainly contribute to some bad karma and test the Karma Chameleon's patience.<br /><br />So, in an effort to help my own good karma and to keep the attention of Karma Chameleon on more deserving individuals, I'll do my part to help others. Ocassionally in my blog, I'll try to do some kind things like spotlight good causes, point out ways to help others and reviewing terrible movies to spare others from having to watch them. Now, to kick off getting good karma, I'd like to present<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Red Door Furniture</span><br /><br />In an era where we have an African-American President, it'd be easy to declare that racism is over. But, sadly, it's still around and it's still an injustice that needs to be eradicated. Thankfully, there are people out there dedicated to helping fight injustice and to that end, we have Red Door furniture, which is unfortunately located in North Carolina, which is unfortunately a little bit too far to go browsing in, although you can check out the website but even better, check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOyMSEWNTs">video</a>, where you can see them trying to unite the country - and provide good furniture. What more can you ask for? Seriously, it should warm your heart as they get to the end of the video, where they declare: "Red House, where black people and white people buy furniture.", followed up with "And Hispanic people too..." and then stirringly, "All people". Can't we all just get along? Watch the video - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOyMSEWNTs">Red House Commercial.</a> It's classic.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Top Five Friday<br />-Number Two-<br />-Top Five Shows That Should Not Have Been Canceled-<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well, it's time for summer and not time for watching television, but as summer begins and the previous television season ends, it's time to take a moment to mourn a few shows that won't be back with us next year. This list will discuss a few of the best shows that we believe should still be around and so it won't cover shows that ended their run as planned such as ER, Battlestar Galactica, the Shield or Prison Break. Nor will it discussed shows that should've ended their run long ago or never been created such as According to Jim, Knight Rider, Kyle XY or Osbournes: Reloaded. Instead, we'll discuss such great televison, such as:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Pushing Daisies</span> - Touted as a "forensic fairy tale", it was created by Bryan Fuller with Lee Pace starring as Ned, a pie-maker who can bring people back to life, but with some strong conditions and Anna Friel as the adorable Chuck, who Ned resurrects in the pilot. Kristen Chenoweth and Chi McBride were part of the great supporting cast, with the talented Alan Dale narrating this clever show. Quirky, fun, daring and ultimately ahead of its time, it lasted only two amazing seasons. This is one show that Ned can't resurrect, sadly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles </span>- I'm still wondering why this show was canceled and the disappointing Dollhouse was renewed. This was a great show where you could see some fantastic acting and action each week from people like Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker and the awesome Summer Glau, who many fans will recognize from Firefly (another show that Fox canceled way too early). I'm so mad at Fox for canceling this show, but perhaps with the upcoming movie, there was just too much Terminator and unfortunately, unlike the real Terminator, this one won't be back.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Life On Mars</span> - I'm sad to say that this won't be nearly as successful as the British series it was based on, although I can't tell you why. Featuring a fantastic cast that included Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol and Micheal Imperioli, this show was a great blending of multiple genres such as the police procedural, action show, science fiction and deserved to be given more of a chance than it did. At least the cancellation decision gave the producers enough time to wrap up the storyline decently, but I wish there could've been more. If only I could go back in time to convince them of that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Reaper </span>- While this show isn't officially canceled, it doesn't look promising and any future iteration of the show would be appearing on Sunday nights on select CW affiliates. It's on life support and the reaper is here to claim this one. I think we'll have to part with this one, although it had an interesting premise of a young slacker whose parents sold his soul to the devil and is now forced to work for the devil to retrieve lost souls who have escaped. With a great cast of Bret Harrison, Missy Peregrym, Tyler Labine and Ray Wise, this show should have lasted a lot longer than it did. I can only hope this show ends up in tv heaven.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Kings </span>- This one is one that never caught on, although it was an ambitous and exceedingly intriguing show. Set in the nation of Gilboa, which is very similar to the United States and is a modern day retelling of the story of King David, as the series begins with the well-known story of Goliath with a present day twist and continues with all of the twists and turns you could expect. A fantastic premise, excellently acted, well told story and the cast was great with Christopher Egan, the immensely talented Ian McShane, Brian Cox, Leslie Bibb, Allison Miller, Macalculay Culkin, Wes Studi and yet, despite it all, it will have only lasted one season. I'll lay the blame on NBC for not promoting the show properly, but regardless, it's gone the way of Goliath.<br /><br />But, no worries. There will still be great television to watch when summer is over, but until then, just have fun and stay classy. <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></div></div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-32126287119639735422009-05-29T22:25:00.000-05:002009-05-30T00:15:26.583-05:00Up<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Up</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">(Movie Review)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I took the time tonight to go watch Pixar's newest animated film and was immediately inspired afterwards to write about it. Each year, Pixar continues to take risks and be impressively innovative in the animated market, when many companies attempt and fail. Take, for example, last year's Wall-E (an amazing film in its right) which had a robot protagonist who really couldn't speak and most of the communication is through squeaks, whistles, looks and such. For much of the film, it was a silent fmovie and yet still, one of the best releases of last year. I can't say enough good things about Pixar, who I've been huge fans of since Toy Story, their very first film. Each year, I question whether this latest Pixar movie will be able to meet the high expectations that come from being a Pixar movie and I've never been disappointed (maybe a little bit with Cars, but even that's still better than many animated films that are put out nowadays). Now, I'm happy to report that Pixar does it again. Not only does it meet the lofty expectactions I set for it, but it soars right over them. (Sorry - couldn't help myself!)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Up</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL2sj8dkcJ6yGcV-Bm8WVwvAVz7xM_dXFXrQZhMdcD6mU9bpAa_v1xqxla46LCVle0xcWN3TGcnXrya0kPxvFQpfknMBqe_hOLvpWiP5WZ2tYB2uw_Jq84n6kF7TOLAP3u5f-q-KwZek/s1600-h/DisneyUpLogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL2sj8dkcJ6yGcV-Bm8WVwvAVz7xM_dXFXrQZhMdcD6mU9bpAa_v1xqxla46LCVle0xcWN3TGcnXrya0kPxvFQpfknMBqe_hOLvpWiP5WZ2tYB2uw_Jq84n6kF7TOLAP3u5f-q-KwZek/s320/DisneyUpLogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341460123242458290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Released: May 29, 2009.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Starring: Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Running Time: 1 Hour and 36 Minutes (96 Minutes)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Director: Pete Docter.</span><br /><br />Carl Fredrickson (Ed Asner) and his wife Ellie always wanted to go adventuring down to South America, as they both dream of becoming explorers. The opening montage opens up with their meeting during childhood, their romance and ideal romance. Even after marriage, they still dream of going out on adventures and yet, as life tends to do, it gets in the way. By the time the montage is over, their dreams of travel have been postponed and Carl ends up leading a much different life, one completely devoid of adventure as he seldom travels anywhere beyond his front porch. <br /><br />However, as you might guess from the trailers, this lifestyle isn't meant to last and through the efforts of a greedy land developer, Carl is being forced to be evicted from his home and heading towards a retirement home. But, rather than being carted off to a retirement community, Carl decides to use his lifelong career as a balloon salesman as he uses thousands of helium balloons to lift himself up into the air to fullfill their dreams of traveling down to South America once and for all. Of course, things don't go quite as planned as a young Wilderness Explorer, Russell (Jordan Nagai) comes along for the ride while trying to ern his merit badge for assisting the elderly. Adding to the magical adventure are a pack of talking dogs (with the standout being Dug, who is a classic character and adds a ton of charm to the film), a dangerous elderly explorer (fantastically voiced by Christopher Plummer in a menacing turn), a wounded jungle bird, a flying dirigible and some gorgeous imagery which only highlights a beautiful film. Put them all together and you have one of Pixar's best films yet. Considering Pixar's predecessors, that's saying a lot. <br /><br />Whereas Wall-E was a homage to sci-fi films, Up reminds me a lot of the early Indiana Jones films (not the new Indiana Jones film) with its imagination, thrills and adventure. However, it's one of those rare films which manages to succeed in many different ways as it can alternately make you laugh, cheer, smile and even cry. At its heart, it is truly a touching film. I watched the film in Disney 3-D, which is probably the first 3D film I've ever seen and I'll confess that I was thankful for those big 3-D glasses from time to time while I was choking back a few tears. Overall though, I didn't feel like the 3-D element was used too often but with a film like this, it hardly needs any added spectacle when it's already quite amazing on its own. Perhaps amazing isn't a strong enough word for a film like this, as it's really a beautiful film to watch, with some great scenes as they fly through the air in the flying house and even more colorful scenery follows once they arrive in Brazil, all the way to the exciting finale. It's a film anchored by some strong characterization as its easy to forget you're watching an animated film sometimes, considering how deeply you get involved with the characters. While I'm not easily moved by films, this one certainly did.<br /><br />Of course, the film wouldn't be complete without an incredible score, which in this instance is done by Micheal Giacchino, who I was fortunate enough to discover through the television show Alias and has been one of my favorite composers ever since. I'm genuinely glad to see him really achieving some mainstream success. This summer he has composed the scores for this must-see movie and Star Trek, another of the best films to be released so far in 2009. Micheal Giacchino has been doing scores for several of the past Pixar films and contributes yet again with another soundtrack which perfectly matches the material. The music accompanies the film brilliantly and really adds to the experience.<br /><br />I find it difficult to believe that this movie succeeds on so many levels and yet, somehow, it does. It's a sweet film that is another great achievement in a long list for Pixar. The movie grips you early and once they take off into the clouds, you're along for the ride and trust me, you won't regret it for a moment. Long after the ride is over, this film will stick with you. What you will regret is if you don't see this movie. So, even if you do have to use 10,000 helium balloons to reach your nearest theatre displaying this movie, make the trip. Up, up and away!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: Five Stars (High Five!)</span></span><br /><br />(Now, in a movie which received lots of cheers and clapping, including a standing ovation from many audience members (including myself), the loudest cheers of all might have been for this particular teaser trailer which presents what may very well be the highlight of next summer. It's certainly one of the films I'm looking forward to next year and even the brief charm in this teaser certainly is better than anything we'll see in entire other animated films released this year - the only bad thing about this trailer is that we have to wait a whole year for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWS0XG6zy58">Toy Story 3</a>!)<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-15243855832297189132009-05-17T21:30:00.000-05:002009-05-18T00:48:08.756-05:00Summer Movie Preview<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Summer Movie Preview</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">While the Summer may not have started, the summer movie season has already started and I've missed it. I'm sorry about that. There's really no excuse. If there was an excuse, it would be something along the lines of "I moved and didn't have my internet up for a few weeks", butwe all agree there isn't one. So, having established that, we can move straight up into the summer blockbuster season.<br /><br />As I mentioned before, the Summer Movie Season is already in full swing with three big releases having occurred already. Those are....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wolverine (May 1) </span>- If you're a fan of superhero movies, the earlier X-Men films, Hugh Jackman or just action in general, you should make sure you see this movie.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Star Trek</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (May 8) </span>- Even if you're not a Trekkie, the word is out that this is a film well worth seeing. Get into warp drive and head to your nearest theatre now. <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Angels & Demons (May 15)</span> The sequel (or rather prequel) to the controversial film the Da Vinci Code, this one was actually a better book in the opinion of many and hopefully will translate to an even better film than its predecessor.<br /><br />B<span style="font-weight: bold;">onus Film</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Brothers Bloom</span> - This one doesn't qualify as a summer blockbuster, but it should be a great film. Out in limited release, it's directed by Rian Johnson, his second film after the amazing movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Brick</span> (one of my favorite movies ever) and stars Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo as a pair of con-men brothers on one last scam which involves Penelope (Rachel Weisz) and their sometimes partner Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), who just happens to be a Japanese explosives expert. If you can, watch it. (Check out: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPXfmqIy-4">Brothers Bloom Trailer</a>)<br /><br />Having already seen two of those movies, I'll try to find a little time to review them sometime soon. I have yet to see Angels & Demons, but the first two are both great films in their own right. However, there is a great slate of other films coming out this month and throughout the summer that should be just amazing to watch. I certainly wouldn't be covering every movie coming out this summer, just the ones that I believe are worth watching (notice, for example, how I've already ommitted Ghost of Girlfriends past, as hard as it was for me to not include a Jennifer Garner film). But, that way you simply get the best of this coming Summer. And for the rest of the best....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Terminator Salvation</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(May 21)</span><br />Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man that they've spent the last three preceding Terminator films saving so that he could lead the resistance. Here, in this film, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, we get to see him do just that as we get to see the future they've tried desperately hard to prevent, the arrival of the Terminators and their war against humankind. When they said he'd be back, he wasn't kidding. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcg5t0mT8V4">Terminator Salvation trailer</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(May 21)</span><br />If you were a fan of the first "Night", then it's time to take a trip to a new museum. The mad-cap adventures of Ben Stiller takes him to the Smithsonian, where he encounters a whole new host of characters like Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams), General Custer (Bill Hader), Einstein (Eugene Levy), along with several members of the original cast like Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and more. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQyrz5V7Vuw">(Night at The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian trailer)</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Up </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(May 29)</span><br />Another year and it's time for another excellent film by Pixar, who has scaled the heights of the animation industry and just keep climbing every year they put out another great film. I have yet to see it, but I have no doubt that it'll be another whimsical, enjoyable film. Though it'll be hard to top last year's Wall-E or any of the amazing films that preceded it, if anybody can do it, it's Pixar. If you only see one animated film this summer, this should be the one. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyyrYPTjPJg">Up trailer</a>)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Drag Me To Hell</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(May 29)</span><br />However, on the other hand, if that weekend you're in the mood for a good horror film, you probably can't go wrong with Sam Raimi's return to horror after his Evil Dead films, which will be a surprise to people who have known Sam Raimi only through his Spider-Man films. Alison Lohman plays an ambitious loan officer who denies an old woman a loan and reposesses her home. However, this is no ordinary old woman, but an evil one who places a curse on her life to turn her life into a living hell. With her life unraveling, how far will she go to break the curse? (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-REviL75zg">Drag Me To Hell</a> trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Land Of The Lost</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(June 5)</span><br />Will Ferrell is back again, this time as Dr. Rick Marshall, who is sucked back into a time vortex with two research assistants in a remake of the television series. Will Ferrell has a questionable record at best when it comes to television remakes (Bewitched anyone?), but this could be a good movie. Although time and time vortexes may suck, there's no reason this movie has to. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDORApKiltM">Land of the Lost trailer</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Year One</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(June 19)</span><br />Directed by Harold Ramis, this film follows Jack Black and Micheal Cera as Zed and Oh, who live in Biblical times as they travel to witness some of the biggest events in Old Testament history. There's a good chance it could be sacriligeous, but an equally good chance it could be hilarious. We'll have to wait to find out. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTNBwIAY9Zo">Year One trailer</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(June 24)</span><br />Not much is known about the story of this film, but honestly, not much needs to be. It's Megan Fox and giant robots. What more needs to be known? Oh, and Shia Labeaouf will return too. Regardless, if you want to see insane action, giant robots and the cast returning for what promises to be a great sequel, see this movie. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Veo0G2qfY">Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Public Enemies</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(July 1)</span><br />From acclaimed director Micheal Mann (Heat) comes another crime drama that follows the massive manhunt for charismatic depression era-robber Johnny Dillinger (Johnny Depp) as he is pursued by the top investigator in the F.B.I., Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). The movie also features Billy Crudup as Edgar J. Hoover, director of the F.B.I. and Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard as Johnny Dillinger's girlfriend Billie. This is one I'm definitely looking forward to. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWof6CovHxI">Public Enemies </a>trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(July 1)</span><br />You wanted it, you got it - a third Ice Age movie. Of course, even if you didn't want it, you still get it. This mismatched crew of dinosaurs, mammals and assorted creatures continue making their way through the Ice Age featuring the voice talents of Ray Romano, Dennis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg and others. Scrat, of course, is still searching for that nut. You have to admire his determination. But, will you admire it enough to see this film? (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhskSbh6EbA">Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs</a> trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(July 17)</span><br />It's only July and no doubt lines are already forming to see this movie. It's yet another film in the magical Harry Potter franchise, as Harry Potter and his loyal friends prepare for the final battle with the evil Voldermort. As danger continues to appear all around them, even within Hogwarts itself, and by the time the film is over, will Harry or Hogwarts ever be the same again? You know you wanna see it. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96QRVfto7OM">Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</a> trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Funny People</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(July 31)</span><br />I have high hopes for this film, which is only the third film directed by Judd Apatow (after the 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up), although there have been numerous other films produced by him and bearing his name. This one features Adam Sandler as a comedian who has a near death experience and the changes that follow. This one will likely be more of a dramedy than a comedy, but it features such talents as Leslie Mann, Jason Schwartzman, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Aziz Ansari and newcomer Aubrey Plaza. Could be worth checking out, especially if you're fans of his earlier films. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24VVnvrjI8w">Funny People</a> trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(August 7)</span><br />Based on the successful toy line and the animated tv series that followed it, this is an updated version of the G.I. Joes that stars Christopher Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Ray Park, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Christopher Eccleston, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Dennis Quaid and lots of action. It shows the rise of the Cobra organization (as the title would imply), the start of the G.I. Joes and hopefully setting the groundwork for a great franchise. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBfnQXWvatw">G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra</a> trailer)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Inglorious Basterds</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">August 21<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>I know<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">, </span></span></span></span></span>the title bothers me too. But, the spelling of the world is apparently how the director wanted it. And what the director wants, the director gets. Especially when the director is Quentin Tarantino, which guarantees the film will have some of his classic dialogue, violence and plot in a movie that is literally years in the making. Featuring Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger in this WWII era thriller, it should be another interesting adventure that we'll have to wait until August to undertake. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sQhTVz5IjQ">Inglorious Basterds</a> trailer)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span>And there you have it, an inglorious end to what should be an excellent summer for movies. I still haven't covered all of the movies that will be coming out this summer, leaving out a few of the more romantic films, comedies and a few others, but I certainly won't even get to see all of the films that are on this list. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />I know it's not Friday, but just because we haven't done a top five list in weeks, I'm going to finish off with the Top Five Movies I'm Guaranteed To See In Theatres This Summer<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">, </span></span>which in addition to being a long and unwieldy title, doesn't include Wolverine or Star Trek, which probably would've taken some spaces had I not already seen them.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Top Five Movies I'm Guaranteed To See In Theatres This Summer-</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(In Alpabetical Order</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">)</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. G.I. Joe</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Terminator Salvation</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Transformers</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Up</span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>Have a great summer at the movies!!!<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8823338742503855908.post-80564303153141485032009-04-29T11:53:00.000-05:002009-04-29T18:00:46.400-05:00Best Albums Of 2009 (Volume One)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Best Albums Of 2009<br />-Volume One-<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Here we are, practically one third of the way through 2009 and there have been some great albums released so far. So, for those of you who can't be bothered to keep up on the music scene or just don't have time, I'll attempt to help you out. I'm going to go over some of what I consider some of the best albums of the year thus far. Bear in mind, this only covers 2009. Although there some great releases in the latter half of 2008 that will be up for awards in the upcoming awards season, any albums released in 2008 won't be on this list. So, if you're a huge Britney Spears fan and wondering why Circus isn't on this list,that's probably why. That way you can wonder if it would've made the list anyway, but don't ponder too long. Instead, read this list of great music and then work on getting them from your nearest record shop or online retailer, such as Amazon or Itunes.<br /><br />For your listening pleasure, here are -<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Best Albums Of 2009 (So Far)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(Arranged Alphabetically By Artist)</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Get Guilty</span><br />By <span style="font-weight: bold;">A.C. Newman</span><br />While A.C. Newman spends a great deal of his time as the lead singer for supergroup The New Pornographers, he also has taken some time out to establish a successful solo career. Following up his previous release from 2004, the Slow Wonder, he has shown himself to be a genuine purveyor of pop perfection. (Say that five times fast). Even better, listen to this album five times fast.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - The Heartbreak Rides</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Changeling (Get Guilty)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Submarines of Stockholm</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.75 out of 5. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Noble Beast</span><br />by<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Andrew Bird</span><br />Andrew Bird has been a classically trained violinist since the age of four and uses all of those talents to incorporate strings into his repertoire in various ways to fashion some wonderfully creative melodies that help create what is, in my opinion, his most complete album yet in his long career. It may take a few listens, but you won't be disappointed by the time you're through with this fantastic album.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Oh No</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Masterswarms</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Anonaminal</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Meriweather Post Pavillion</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Animal Collective</span><br />Animal Collective has been making records for quite some time and this appears to be the critically acclaimed record that really breaks them into the public consciousness and rightfully so. In doing so, though, they've sacrificed none of their committment to create their own unique musical style of electronic pop, but the album instead feels like the culmination of all their previous albums to reach this apex that is both accessible and inherently enjoyable.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Brother Sport</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Summertime Clothes</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - My Girls</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4.5. out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Grr...</span><br />By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bishop Allen.</span><br />Bishop Allen has made the transition from independent treasure to making its way to a larger audience, through a number of well-placed commercial songs and an appearance in the hit movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist.</span> This seems designed to capitalize on that appeal and one can only hope it works. This is a band that I feel deserves to be known with their catchy hooks and positive music. Although this isn't their best album and they don't tread any new innovative ground, the phrase if it ain't broke, don't fix it comes to mind.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - South China Sea.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Don't Hideaway</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Cue The Elephants.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.5 Out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Law Of The Playground</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Boy Least Likely To</span>.<br />Boys will be boys and I couldn't be any happier about it when it comes to this group. Their first album, The Best Party Ever, was an undeniably happy and nostalgically infectious album that couldn't help but make this reviewer smile. Nothing has changed this time around as the songs are still just as optimistic, making this album even more relevant in this time of uncertainty. If you enjoyed their debut, don't miss this charming album.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - A Balloon On A Broken String</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - A Fairytale Ending.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 Out Of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Working On A Dream</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bruce Springsteen</span><br />I can't help myself but include the newest record from the Boss. However, his inclusion on this list is not a matter of respect for his iconic status but because this is a really fun album. As the title might suggest, this is a hopeful album, with plenty of rollicking rock numbers. After watching his Super Bowl halftime performance and hearing of a new cd, I sought this one out.<br />I am definitely glad that I did.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Lucky Day</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - The Last Carnival</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - The Wrestler</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.75 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">My Maudlin Career</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Camera Obscura</span><br />Following up on the stellar album <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Get Out Of This Country</span> wasn't going to be an easy task, but thankfully, Camera Obscura is certainly up for it. Making it seem almost effortless as they churn out a number of songs that are the equal of anything found on the last disc, but rather than just recreating the timeless melodies there, they have expanded into another record that is brave, tragically beautiful and very worth listening to. Thankfully, this career of this group, maudlin or otherwise, shouldn't be ending anytime soon.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - French Navy</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Swans</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Honey In The Sun.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Davy</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Coconut Records.</span><br />Actor Jason Schwartzman has made a mark in not just the acting industry (Rushmore, Darjeeling Limited) but in the musical industry as well, with his work on the band Phantom Planet, who are probably best known for their theme song to the hit show The O.C., "California". However, whereas he is the drummer for that group, Coconut Records is an independent solo project. This is the second album from Coconut Records and one that displays his love and knack for 60's pop to its fullest. It's one of the shortest albums you'll find this year, but make no mistake, it's a complete and delightful album to listen to.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Microphone</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Drummer</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Wandering Around.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.5 Out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Hazards Of Love</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Decemberists</span><br />When The Decemberists first moved to Capital Records, I remember being mildly worried that being signed to a larger label might kill their fiercely independent streak but their first album, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Crane Wife, </span>dispelled that notion. Then now, their second album under a major record label is their most indepedent and ambitious album yet. The whole disc is basically an epic love story, telling about a young girl named Margaret, who falls in love with a shape-shifting forest dweller, but encounters opposition with a jealous forest queen along with a whole host of recurring characters. It works rather well as an enchanting fairy tale, although there are no obvious singles that stand out from the disc but the entire album is a treat to listen to as a whole. A rock-opera well worth listening to.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Just listen to the whole album. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Tonight: Franz Ferdinand</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Franz Ferdinand</span><br />While their first two highly successful albums came in a flurry, with their second album coming a mere eighteen months on the heels of their debut album, Franz Ferdinand took their time with this album and it shows. Although not quite the danceable masterpieces of their first two albums, this one comes off smarter and a little more cohesive, save a few indulgences on songs like the experimental "Lucid Dreams". The wait definitely pays off as it's a absolutely enjoyable way to spend about 45 minutes, although it still feels like the band is only scratching the surface of its potential. However, I'll be waiting eagerly for the next installment.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Ulysses</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Send Him Away</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - No You Girls.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.5 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Middle Cyclone</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Neko Case</span><br />Middle Cyclone represents another strong entry into the catalogue of Neko's work and one that is just as fiery as her hair. Neko Case is definitely an independent artist who typically ignores the typical song and chorus familiar to most listeners, perhaps exemplified by the fact that the album ends with thirty minutes of cricket and frog noises recorded on her farm (which I have listened to). However, I think this just shows the dedication and determination that Neko is to her journey on the album and it's a journey well worth taking.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - People Got A Lot Of Nerve</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - I'm An Animal</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - This Tornado Loves You.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Living Thing</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peter Bjorn and John.</span><br />If you're not deaf, then you heard the breakout hit from this band in "Young Folks", which was an indescribably catchy number which helped them break into the mainstream. However, fans expecting more of that little slice of pop nirvana are likely to be a little disappointed, but this album, while not as upbeat as that song, is just as good. Make no mistake, there are a number of intelligent and enjoyable songs with clever pop beats on this album, but even without a sure breakout hit like Young Folks, it's a rewarding album and a very consistent followup.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Nothing To Worry About.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Living Thing</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Just the Past</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.5 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Now You Can See</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Thermals</span><br />If you think politics and punk rock can't mix, then you haven't heard The Thermals. Their albums frequently take on heady topics such as energy conservation, Christianity, selfish spending and the aforementioned politics. They set such topics of universal interest through power-pop melodies and guitar riffs, which are surprisingly catchy and enjoyable. Especially in times such as today when these topics are at the forefront of everyone's thoughts, it's just a minor shame that the album is not nearly as cohesive or exciting as their earlier albums. But, that doesn't diminish their fire to tackle some heady topics and create some good music at the same time.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Now You Can See</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - You Dissolve</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - At The Bottom Of The Sea</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">No Line On the Horizon</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">U2</span><br />After the lackluster response to 1997's album <span style="font-style: italic;">Pop</span>, U2 declared that they were "reapplying for the job of best band in the planet". U2 got the job back with a return to form with the 2000 release of <span style="font-style: italic;">All You Can't Leave Behind</span> and then got further job security with their following release <span style="font-style: italic;">How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.</span> This album is their third killer album in a row, certainly better than their previous cd, filled with classic moments of those catchy rock numbers and alternately, moments of quiet contemplation as well. U2 handles both sides well, although there are a few missteps along the way. However, despite a momentary stumble or two, they stand strong by the end of the album with their musical icon status intact.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - White As Snow</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Breathe</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's Blitz!</span><br />by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yeah Yeah Yeahs.</span><br />The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been one of the most consistently entertaining bands thus far in the decade, with lead singer Karen O. being one of the most gifted female vocalists in rock, drawing comparisons to Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde. On this particular album, the group veers away from the rock and punk notions that have fueled their first two releases, moving towards the closest to a disco album the Yeah Yeah Yeahs may ever reach with some slick synth grooves and dance floor sounds. It's also a more introspective and quieter work than either of their two previous releases, but the sum of the album feels more like a expansion in this case than a detour. But, even if it is a disco-themed detour, Karen O is a great siren to follow on the trip.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Standout Tracks</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Zero</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Heads Will Roll</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Hysteric.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: 4 out of 5.</span><br /><br />So, there you have it. Those are just a few of the best artists and albums that have come out this year. Certainly there are plenty of other musical choices that I haven't even touched or explored in this blog, but in a future blog, I'll try to suggest some ways to discover new music and how to keep up with the music scene. But for now, this should be a good way to enjoy the new year in style. Kick back and listen.<br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02628736461198719554noreply@blogger.com1