Be On The Lookout This Weekend

There are three movies that I want to throw out for your consideration this weekend. The first is The Lookout. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Levitt plays Chris, a once normal kid looking to regain some of that normalcy after a terrible accident. He manages to get tied up in a heist going down at the bank that he works for. Critics are hailing it as amazing. Ebert gave it two thumbs up and even used the word masterpiece.

Here's the thing. I am going to be knocking down the door to see it because of Levitt alone. I think he is on the verge of being the next great American actor. I have championed him for years, dating back to...dare I say...10 Things I Hate About You. All kidding aside he has carved his acting chops with such dark roles in films like Brick, Mysterios Skin, Latter Days, and Manic. He is a must-see actor with the potential to be a household name.

Two other movies open this weekend in Memphis that I deem mentionalable. First is Kal Penn's serious turn as the lead in The Namesake. Best known as Kumar in the White Castle movie, Penn plays American-born Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants, who wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways. (IMDB)

It is showing at Studio On The Square.

And lastly, Blades of Glory. I will be honest; I am going to see this movie. I am not going to like this movie. I think Will Ferrell is on the fast track to becoming the next Adam Sandler. Not bad for his pocketbook, but not great for his acting future either. Where Sandler seems to be able to branch out a bit into more serious roles, I'm not sure Ferrell is molded in the same fashion. They are both in need of a new joke though, if they plan on keeping up with Steve Carrell.

Whatever you see this weekend, let me know what you thought about it. You know I'll do the same for you.

OUT!

2007 Baseball Predictions

Yeah, I know that most of my friends have no interest in sports. At least the friends that keep up with my blog. But I am still going to go ahead and post this here and hopefully a few of you will comment on it and give me your opinions.

Final Standings:
AL EAST
Yankees
Bluejays
Red Sox
Devil Rays
Orioles

AL CENTRAL
Minnesota
Cleveland
Detriot
Chicago (Sox)
Kansas City

AL WEST
Oakland
LA Angels
Seattle
Texas

NL EAST
Philadelphia
Atlanta
New York (Mets)
Florida
Washington

NL CENTRAL
St Louis
Milwuakee
Houston
Chicago (Cubs)
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati

NL WEST
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Fransisco
Colorado
Arizona

AL Playoffs:
Yankees over Cleveland (WC)
Minnesota over Oakland

Yankees over Twins

NL PLAYOFFS
Philadelphia over Milwaukee (WC)
Dodgers over Cardinals

Dodgers over Phillies

World Series
Yankees over Dodgers

OUT

What Would You Give Up?

From CNN.COM by Katie Hawkins

For some, it's chocolate. For others, it's coffee or cigarettes. But as this Easter approaches, some young and devout Christians are anxious to return to what they gave up for Lent: Internet sites Facebook and MySpace.
Many users describe the popular social networking sites as addictive, which is why they say giving up these 21st-century temptations is a sincere sacrifice. Members on both sites create profiles and add each other as friends. They can also share messages, photos, videos and personal blogs.
"It's been hard, especially in the beginning," said Kerry Graham, who says she gave up Facebook for Lent. Her boyfriend challenged her to do so, describing her as a "Facebook fiend."
During the first days of Lent, the 23-year-old graduate student admits she had to stop herself from typing the site's Web address nearly every time she checked her e-mail.
Graham, who was raised Catholic, is studying theology at the University of Nottingham in England. She's far from her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and said the distance has made the sacrifice more difficult.
"If I'm missing someone, there's no real way to let them know," she said.
Catholics and others who observe Lent typically make sacrifices as a way to show religious devotion. Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to Easter and correlates with the 40 days and 40 nights that the Bible says Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and resisting temptation.
"Some of my friends think it's silly, since people usually give up food," said 16-year-old Emily Montgomery, who says she's given up her access to MySpace. "I wanted to give up something that's really hard for me."
MySpace and Facebook are the largest social networking sites on the web. According to comScore Networks, an online measurement firm, MySpace attracted 64.4 million unique visitors in February. Facebook was the Internet's second-most visited site, with 23.6 average visits per visitor during February.
Montgomery says she spent an average of two hours a day on MySpace, logging onto the site at least four times a day. She's using Facebook as a substitute during the 40-day period.
"Not because Facebook is special -- I think it's boring," she said, explaining that the site helps her to still "feel connected."
"People try to be clever with Lent," said the Rev. Michael J. Dolan, college chaplain at Trinity College and the University of Hartford in Connecticut. "It makes sense that students are giving up these things. By giving up something, you hope to gain something."
Dolan himself has a Facebook account. He says he's friends with more than 130 other members at Trinity and 80 in the Hartford network, and has spoken with many students who have given up social networking sites or online messaging for the Lenten season.
"It's a form of spiritual awareness that allows you to reconnect with God," said Jocelyn Chiu, an Emory University sophomore and active member of her Presbyterian church. "By giving up something that used up so much of my time, I realized that I had been leaving my spiritual life behind."
Chiu gave up Facebook for Lent in 2006 and went one step further this year -- vowing to avoid the Internet altogether. She has only allowed herself to check Emory's internal e-mail for school-related messages.
"I realized how much time I was spending on the Internet," said Chiu. "I needed to make myself focus on schoolwork more."
Too much time online?
Limiting the amount of time spent on social networking sites can be beneficial, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Maressa Hecht Orzack, director and founder of the Computer Addiction Study Center at Harvard's McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.
She said students who demonstrate compulsive Internet or computer use often neglect schoolwork. In some cases, this behavior results in a lack of sleep, missed meals, poor hygiene and, in some extreme situations, seizures.
Graham said giving up Facebook has helped her distinguish between her real friends and those of "convenience." Montgomery says she now plays tennis and focuses on schoolwork more often, and Chiu has been studying, reading the Bible and spending time with friends.
"It's a nice change," said Chiu. "The human interaction is so much more personal than anything you could have on the Internet."
As Dolan observed, "People are realizing that reality involves people, not pixels."

I'm not quite sure what I would give up. I would probably need to start with some of my tv time. I don't think that I would really be successful though. I could give up Myspace with no problem. Honestly I am looking for a reason to delete my account anyway. But I don't know if I could stop watching television or stop going to the movies. It might just be too hard. But then again, that's what sacrafice is all about. Let me know what you would give up!

OUT!

My New Best Friend

Well it didn't take long to replace Paymon. Here is my new buddy. Not sure on his name yet, but here are some options. Let me know what u think.





1. Kong
2. Kane
3. Rufus
4. Zod
5. Kal-El
6. Nola

remember, this little guy will get to be the size of a horse. well 30 inches tall and 175-200 pounds.

April is Scary Movie Month

I'm not sure when it happened, but April is now officially the scariest month of the year, even surpassing October. Why? Well look at the list of upcoming films being released in April and you will understand.

April 5: The Reaping
Hilary Swank plays an investigator charged with unearthing the truth behind "religious" phenomenon. She then finds herself in a town being overtaken by a serious of Biblical prophecies. Looks kind of creepy.

April 6: Grindhouse
My most anticipated film for sure. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez team up to direct this double feature. One half zombie flick (R.R.) and one half slasher flick (Q.T.) the film is all in honor of the 70's style exploitation flicks. The directors even went as far as soliciting other horror directors, (Eli Roth/Rob Zombie) to create fake trailers to appear between films. They also made sure to scratch up the film and even cut out chunks of frames to give it that traditional grindhouse feel.

April 13: Perfect Stranger
Not sure what to make of this thriller. Bruce Willis hasn't made a good film in ages. Halle Berry is still hot. The trailers gave a LOT away. So this one will just depend on word of mouth.

April 13: Disturbia
A modern revisualization of the great Hitchcock movie Rear Window. I don't know that this version will hold up. Hitchcock left a lot to the imagination. Disturbia seems to be a show all film. Shia LaBeouf stars.

April 20: Vacancy
I admit. I am intrigued by this film. I actually thought about it two weeks ago when I checked into a seedy hotel I was staying at in Nashville. I had just made a comment and as I turned the television on the guy on screen said exactly what I said. Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson play a couple who get a little more room service than they bargained for.

April 20: Hot Fuzz
Ok, this is a comedy, not a fright fest. But it is the latest movie from the folks who borught us the amazing Shaun Of The Dead. I had to mention it.

April 27: Fracture
I've been a fan of Anthony Hopkins for years. He will always be Hannibal Lecter to me. But this time he plays a guy who gets off on a technicality for the murder of his wife. But the assistant D.A. played by superstar-in-the-making Ryan Gosling is not willing to let it go.

April 27: The Invisible
This is another movie I can't quite put my finger on. Part Sixth Sense and part Lovely Bones, it seems like it might be more mystery than horror. But it's just interesting enough to make me put it on my calendar.

Roasting Paymon Number One

Well, we can't tell Paymon stories without bringing up cars. Many of you know this story so I will leave out a few of the details. Of course I am also leaving out a few of the main details because I don't want the wrong person to read this and all of the sudden cops are coming to arrest Paymon before he even gets out of town.

See back in the day Paymon was a less-than-faithful employee of a certain major car dealership. He was responsible for washing the cars, delivering them to the show room, and filling them up with gas. An honorable job...with a lot of responsibility. Can you imagine having your hands on the keys to corvettes, camaros, and other beauties? Well Paymon could. And he took full advantage. Many times taking a car with 0.2 miles on its odometer and returning it will 200. Yes, the plan was flawless...as long as he stayed accident free. Unfortunately one October night a brand new Camaro Z-28 ended up heading in the wrong direction on Hickory Hill Road. Before we knew it the car was a total loss.

And that's the night that I learned why Paymon loved Superman so much...because he too had a secret identity. By day he is Paymon Keith Shokoohi, but by night he is Houdini. The man wrecks a brand new car, barely loses his job, isn't convicted of any crime, and basically gets off unscathed. Yes, the man is a magician. He is a hero. Paymon Shokoohi is a god.

And with this we send off our good friend to start a new life. I wish you the best of luck and all of the happiness in the world. You have truly been a brother to me and my life has been blessed to have had you a part of it. I know that we will always be friends. Good luck!

OUT!

Roasting Paymon Number 2

I guess I am going to wrap several great things in to one. First, living with Paymon has always been great. We have never had a fight, rarely had an argument, and barely got on each others nerves completely. But I know the day that I brought Laddy home from the animal shelter Paymon wanted to kick my ass.

Laddy was my gigantic fat cat. And Paymon had a real hatred for him from the beginning. Now don't get me wrong, Paymon isn't an animal hater. No one needs to call PETA. But he made sure to put the cat through boot camp. From snap n' pops to balled up paper, the cat might have been huge, but he had to reamin quick on his toes.

Another memory of being roomies with the Shokoohi include his couch. All of my friends through the years have made mention of Paymon and his couch. There were only a few times through the years that you someone would come to the house and not find Paymon in his typical position, sprawled out on the same couch. He and the couch are one and the same. I think the seat is going to miss him as much as I am. It's definitely going to miss Paymon more than Jason does.

And lastly, I will always remember the bad puns. I often told Paymon that if he were a rapper his stage name would be Big Pun. If you've ever watched tv with us then you know this to be true. He can turn any word, any name, and commercial into a bad joke that you can't help but laugh at. Some of my favorite new words, diseases, and conditions have come from tv watchin and pun makin.

My favorite string of bad jokes came from watching CSI. See, a girl who likes black guys is said to have BDS. Black Dong Syndrome. It is a disease that comes from the African Snake, smuggled here years ago. A black person is said to suffer from 'Roids. It is a shortened word for the actual disease which is negroids. A person who dies from 'roids will eventually contract niggamortis. It is a very difficult problem to solve.

Now that you all think Paymon is a racist I assure you that this was all said in good fun with all of our black friends present...ok, well we don't really have black friends, but Richard was there!

I know that I will never have another roomie like ya man. I hope that one day Becky can understand your jokes and laugh at their stupidity with the same glee that I do. If not, there's always room here for you to sleep on your couch.

OUT!

Roasting Paymon Number 3

You can't tell Paymon stories without taking about Carey. Yep, my sister. For those of you who don't know or weren't around for the drama (and there was plenty) Paymon dated my sister back in the day. Yeah, it was a match made in hell. Honestly, Satan and Billy Graham make a cuter, more stable couple.

Between Carey beating Paymon up, halting basketball games in the middle of play, barking like a pit bull from the window of her car as she drove by Josh's or getting caught doing 'things' by my snoopin' dad there was never a dull moment.

I will refrain from rehashing the harshest moments. Let me remember a few great ones. Like 'Postago.

Huh, you ask? Well Carey, in her best Memphian dialect once asked "Where I postago?" From that moment on the post-and-go has been our favorite football play. Postago? Really!

So, Paymon...thanks for the memories. And thanks for dating my sister. That was never uncomfortable. Really.

PS, I didn't have any pictures of Carey and Paymon so I used a picture of her and her new boyfriend. She doesn't beat him up as much as she did Shokoohi.

OUT!

Roasting Paymon Number 4

You can look at Paymon and tell that he loves food. I mean since he moved in to the house with me and started cooking those rice dishes I've easily gained 25 pounds. Thanks dude!

But on food story sticks out in my mind. We made a trip to Hueys one weekend. Our favorite item on the menu is cheese fries. Yum!

The only thing we don't care for on our fries are the scallions; little green onions that crunch and kind of taste like grass. Paymon, being the culinary expert that he is orders cheesefries with no Sicilians. Apparently we don't like green onions on our fries, but we also don't like the people of Sicily on our fries either.

Classic.

Roasting Paymon Number 5

I am going to begin raosting Paymon over the next few days. He is leaving on March 28th and I want to make sure and send him off in good fun and with great memories.


I have to begin with Paymon's love of music. Anyone who knows Paymon knows that he started off as quite the thug. He sported a Miami Hurricanes Starter jacket, a real mean grimace, and an attitude that meant business. Who knew that under the mean facade a kinder, gentler soul was hiding? Paymon's cd player has since been eaten up with Celine Dion, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Cranberries, Avril Lavigne, Lifehouse, and even Kelly Clarkson. And if you want to go way back, Paymon used to love Boys 2 Men and Mariah Carey too. Yep, who's not so tough now?

I remember one great line from a Cranberries song went something like this..."We were drinking vintage cider, having fun." Paymon's recollection of the lyrics were a little off. He thought that they were drinking vintage CEDAR. Pronounced see-dar.
Classic Paymon.

OUT!

In Case You Didn't Notice

On the right side of my page you can see the ltest book that I am reading and any new cds that I have purchased (or downloaded) that are worth mentioning. I also have an ever changing list of my favorite movies and television shows. Keep an eye on those as they will change periodically.

OUT!

TV Guide's Hot People Issue

TV Guide just released it's "sexiest stars on television" issue. Some of the stars receiving the honorary ego boost are obvious; Eva Longoria, Patrick Dempsey, and Evangeline Lilly. One name that stood out above all others though, Skeet Ulrich!
Skeet? Really? Should the bitter name not disqualify him immediately anyway? Even past the name and the one-note acting (don't get me wrong, I enjoy Jericho) do chics really think that this guy is good looking? Someone please comment below and let me know. Maybe I'm missing something.
And Josh Holloway? Is he sexy? It must be the bad boy thing that is so steamy to the ladies. I am really not seeing the appeal. Maybe there isn't enough redneck in me to understand.
Anyway, enough being jealous that I will never grace such a list. As you know I can't stand to see a list (or 2) without making one of my own.

BEST LOOKING LADIES ON TV
10. Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica)
09. Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill)
08. Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl)
07. Jill Hennessy (Crossing Jordan)
06. Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars)
05. Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
04. Kelly Carlson (Nip/Tuck)
03. Evangeline Lilly (Lost)
02. Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives)
01. Ali Larter (Heroes)

Runners-Up: Jennifer Morrison (House), Rashina Jones (The Office), and Teri Hatcher (Housewives).

Worth a Second Glance...and a Third
10. America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
09. Jenna Fischer (The Office)
08. Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother)
07. Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love)
06. Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)
05. Lizzy Caplan (The Class)
04. Nadine Velazquez (Earl)
03. Sara Ramirez (Grey's Anatomy)
02. Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica)
01. Kate Walsh (Grey's Anatomy)

Now, someone more qualified should post their picks for best looking TV guys. Can't wait to hear who you like on my list and who you can't believe made it.

OUT!

My Weekend

Went to nashville this weekend to check out a comic named Aries Spears. It was off the chain. I wanted to put up a couple youtube links so that you could check this dude out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHT860Z-oJs

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFTHSj8zYhU

OUT!

Movie Review

300

This review will be a bit different. Action movies are not usually my favorite. Sometimes they feel too thin or too shallow. So in honor of action movies my review will be the same way...

Here are 10 things I have to say about the movie.

1. Hell Fuckin' Yeah. The action sequences made me say it out loud, twice!

2. Leonidas was a real hero. The best since Maximus in Gladiator.

3. Xerxes was a creepy bad guy.

4. The cinematic presentation was amazing. Every bit as good as expected.

5. The choreography was spectacular.

6. The slow-motion and stop-motion bits made me hold my breath everytime.

7. The monologues were a bit contrived, but I believed everything they said.

8. Did every Spartan have a membership at Gold's?

9. The movie lacked significant sub-plots. (But don't all action flicks)

10. Frank Miller's graphic novels turned movies are 2 for 2. I will see the 3rd no matter what it is.

GRADE: A-

The Wrong Question

AOL ran a story today about the movie 300 making so much money. They asked this question: "Critics panned 300, but it still made tons of money. Are critics wrong?" Personally, I think the question is stupid. An opinion can neither be wrong nor right.
Critics just give their two cents. Some moviegoers, like myself, read them. Some moviegoers just don't care.
Critics don't predict box office take. That job is left to marker analysts and money men. A review focuses on quality and not quantity. Even a reviewer who gave 300 an A+ would never have predicted 70 millions bucks.
Folks love to bash on critics. We all love to hate on people with opinions. Speaking of opinions...I think we should all find one or two reviewers that we gnerally agree with and read their reviews and ignore all the rest. And even still, if something catches your eye, go see it. You will never agree with someone on every movie. It's impossible.
The only thing that the mixed and negative reviews for 300 proved is that most moviegoers put very little stock into what a critic thinks.

OUT!

Scavenger Hunt

LAREDO, Texas (AP) -- A citywide scavenger hunt turned sour for 40 Texas high school students when police learned of it and arrested them on felony charges of theft and engaging in organized criminal activity.
Laredo police accused the students -- most of them in their final year at Laredo high schools -- of stealing up to five truckloads of loot from across town. The scavenger list included items such as city traffic signs and pinatas, police said.
"We will cooperate fully, review the case and collaborate with officials to determine all the facts," said Marco Alvarado, spokesman for the Laredo school district. "If needed, we will take appropriate action as specified in the student Code of Conduct."
Police arrested the 32 adults and eight juveniles March 2. The students' names were not released.
Officers first uncovered the escapade when a group of five students was pulled over for speeding. Their car contained stolen stop signs, a garden hose and other items, police said.
A short time later, the police department started receiving calls from residents who were angry about commotion caused by cars speeding in their neighborhood and stopping at a vacant lot.
Police determined the lot to be a drop-off point for stolen items. Officers arrested the students as they made drop-offs, the department said.
The older students were taken to jail, while the younger students were taken to a juvenile detention center. The police also impounded several of the students' vehicles.
Juan Cruz, an attorney for United Independent School District, said the district would review the criminal charges on Monday and figure out what action to take.
A third-degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A state jail felony theft charge is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

300 Plus 70 Million

WTF. Rarely am I so wrong about how much money a film is going to pull in over the weekend. I thought for sure 300 would come in at number one. It was the only movie to make my "must see" list for this weekend. But first place for a March weekend is generally about 30 million dollars. Occassionally a cartoon or well marketed comedy will spike above that. (Wild Hogs made a remarkable 40 million last weekend)
However, 300 made 30 million on Friday alone and by the time the bell rang on Sunday afternoon the movie had capped at about 70 million dollars.
Looks like the summer movie season is heating up earlier than usual this year.
Next weekend I suspect 300 will do battle with Dead Silence for the top slot. I don't think Silence will rake in 70 million, but 30 million is not impossible. Word of mouth for 300 will determine whether it holds on to the top slot or not.
Either way 300 was huge and I am sure it won't take too long for the next Frank Miller graphic novel to hit the big screen.

OUT

My Media Room

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Music Talk

There are a couple of cds that I wanted to let you in on.

Relient K - 5 Score and Seven Years Ago

The Christian band continues to grow musically without losing touch of what got them to where they are; catchy up-beat tunes with hooks worthy of deep sea fishing.

Great Lines: And here I sit in retrospect understanding that I misunderstood//thought I could make up your mind//You had a decision locked up so tight that it couldn't be touched

Teddy Bears - Soft Machine

Lots of big beats and head bobbin' pop spews from this disk. Whether it's a track featuring Ebbot Lundberg (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives) or Mad Cobra you just can't help but feel inspired by the urge to get up and move. This Swedish group is going to be making noise for a while.

Best Track: Punk Rocker (Featuing Iggy Pop)

Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime

Indie newbies make good. That about sums up TPC. A cross between The Strokes, The Hives, and The Shins anyone who enjoys tempo-altering, screeching power, and powerful groove should pick up a copy of this 7 track set.

Best Track: Cheer It On

What's Worth Seeing

It's that time again. A look at the weekly movie openings for Memphis. This week looks pretty thin, but the one movie that is worth mentioning is well worth the solo slot.

300
Summary (From IMDB.COM): Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army against the advancing Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band together against the Persians, and helped usher in the world's first democracy.

My $.02: The trailers look amazing. Frank Miller's Sin City was awesome. The action looks promising. The story is inspiring. And the special effects and cinematography look radical and groundbreaking. So can 300 really live up the hype? The preliminary reports on Rotten Tomatoes seem to be torn. Right now the meter is hanging around 58% which is considered rotten.

My Anticipation: 7.0 (out of 10).

Movie Review

Black Snake Moan starring Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci

"She got this sickness like. She gotta get the dick in her." And that pretty much sums up the plot of this wild farce from director (and Memphian) Craig Brewer. The follow up to his acclaimed Hustle and Flow is nothing if it's not full of imagination and heart.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Lazarus, a down on his luck country farmer. After his brother runs off with his wife he finds himself at the end of his emotional rope. Christina Ricci plays Rae, the town slut. But we're told to not blame her because she's got the sickness. She can't help herself.

After Rae's "meal ticket" ships off to war she hits rock bottom and finds herself underneath man after man. Drunk, drugged, and beaten, Rae is left for dead after a wild night of partying.

And this is where the story kicks in. Rae is found by Lazarus on the side of the road barely clothed and hardly breathing. Lazarus, a religious blues man, helps her into the house and begins to nurse her back to health. But his discovers her sickness and decides it's his job to cure her. So he chains her up to his old radiator and the games begin.

Sure it sounds like a pretty wild plot. And it is. However, I went into this movie thinking that it was going to pretty much be a one trick pony; Sam Jackson spouting off one liners in the same vain as his Pulp Fiction character. My theory was pleasantly disproven and what started out as a unique and unusual story turned into a damned good movie.

That's not to say there weren't a few short comings. Justin Timberlake plays Ronnie. Rae's boyfriend that ships off to war as the movie begins. I couldn't get passed the fact that it was J.T. on the big screen. I kept waiting for him to bust out in song. I couldn't get passed the high pitched voice or the unmistakable attempt to act. It wasn't until the end of the movie that I finally settled down and was able to believe that Ronnie was on the screen and not NSync. This wasn't Timberlake's fault, it's just his celebrity is much bigger than this movie ever will be.

The movie is at it's best when the blues are pumping loud and clear through the theater speakers. The soundtrack is top notch and the soulful tunes break up the movie like a careful waitress slicing up a sweet piece of pecan pie. Sam Jackson sang several of the movie's best tunes including Blind Lemon Jefferon's 1927 track Black Snake Moan.

The film's pace is deliberate and sometimes seems to give you permission to drift off in your mind. But that's not to say it is slow or boring. There are just some moments that require a little more attention than others.

Christina Ricci does a great job keeping a straight face throughout some of the more insane moments. I still think her best role ever was in Monster, but this is close. She is believeable. She is passionate. And she's pretty much naked throughout the whole thing.

While not everyone will appreciate the tongue in cheek humor or how serious this flick ultimately takes itself I can assure you that it will give you something to talk about. And isn't that really the director's most important job requirement?

Grade: B+

Highlights

My day has been pretty groovy and I wanted to share just a few of those moments with you guys.

-I finally got an office today. After 26 months of broken promises I am out of the ol' cubicle in into an office. Now those of you alreay in possession of an office I hope that you haven't taken for granted the freedom that this allows. It's a space you can clear your head when the day is too tough. It's a private place to make a quick call. It's something that says "hey you do a good job and you deserve this freedom."
Plus to be honest it's a place for me to watch cable tv, listen to cds, and play hook up my dvd player. I know, I know...I have it so hard. But I do feel like I have earned it.

-Joey Porter signed with the Dolphins today. Steeler fans will be quick to point out that Porter is old, he's got two bum knees, a big mouth, and can be a real pain in a coach's side. But, let me counter if you will. Porter will only face one man. The days of double teams are over thanks to Jason Taylor filling the other side and Zach Thomas clogging up the middle. He is still an outspoken leader, and Steeler fans can argue the fact that he is a winner and a champion.

-Randy Shannon, the new Miami Hurricanes coach is shaking things up a bit. He's added a curfew, an on-campus living policy for underclassmen, a G.P.A. standard for upper classmen who wish to live off-campus, and given a zero tolerance decree for fire arms. Any player caught with a fire arm will be dismissed from the team and will be immediately expelled from the private university. he has the full cooperation of the unviersity president. Miami is about to get its winning swagger back...with a hard nosed coach.

-I saw a great movie last night. Talk To Her. The 2002 Almodovar flick was excellent. This spanish language tale is about two men who take a very strange path to friendship. One is a nurse caring after a lady in a coma. The other is an emotional wreck who falls in love with a bull fighter. When the bull fighter is put into a coma she ends up in the same hospital as the nurse. Through a series of curious incidents and coincidences the two hit it off and become friends. As one falls into a web of legal troubles and heart break the other fights to help him recover while keeping quite a secret himself. If you like a movie with twists and turns and lots of surprises then this is a must see. Of course I know many of you will pass b/c of the subtitles. Your loss.

OUT

Come On Big Blue Let's Go!

I was thrilled to see the Tigers had climbed to number 5 in both the coaches poll and the Ap poll. If we win out in the conference tournament then we are a solid number two seed. Right? Not So Fast My Friend as Lee Corso would say. Bracketology has Memphis as a three seed. Even with the longest winning streak in the nation. Even with an undefeated conference schedule. Even with a top 10 RPI. Even with a top 5 poll spot. 3-seed? What gives?
No doubt our conference schedule isn't nearly as hard as say Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio State, or Kansas. But while these schools are playing Butthole State to warm up for the conference, the Tigers are grinding it out with Arizona, Tennessee, and Gonzaga. The RPI proves that our competition isn't that much worse than these schools.
Granted we have struggled over the last week and a half. SMU gave us a run for the money. BUT, we won. And that's what matters, right? No matter who you are, when you play a team for the second time, there is a chance that they are going to be better. They've looked at your game plan and studied it and know what to expect. Not to mention UTEP has a former Memphis coach leading them.
So, that being said. It looks like we are about the be screwed this coming Sunday. The difference between a 2 seed and a 3 seed is gigantic. It's the difference between playing a North Carolina in the sweet sixteen versus playing them in the Elite 8. That's a pretty big difference. At least as far as I am concerned.
The only thing that make me more comfortable is that I know John Calipari will never let it go if we get bent over like we are about to be.

OUT

Happiness or Meaning

This is not a post about Heroes...this is a post about life. Keep reading, trust me!!!

I was watching Heroes last night. I wasn't a gigantic fan of the show until about three weeks ago. Before the season started I knew for sure that this show would land in my top 5. I am a big fan of super powers, heroes, and especially villains, but after the first three "chapters" I just wasn't getting into it. Because so many fans online continued to rave about it and because several of my spoiler sites swore that the best was yet to come I stuck with it.
Well I am glad that I did. The pay off came last week when H.R.G. got his very own special feature episode. It let me know that the creators do have a plan and that everything we've seen up until now has a reason. (Beyond season one, who knows, but at least the first season has a destination).
THE REAL STUFF
Anyway, I'm not here to discuss the actual show with you. I just wanted to give my two cents before I moved on to the real topic. Last night Nathan met up with the guy who is presumably behind most of what is going on. Linderman. While this Linderman is a real creep he had some insight on life that I think is incredibly accurate and amazingly real.

He said that life can only have two paths. You can either strive to live a life of happiness or you can strive to live a life of meaning, but you cannot have both. At first I disregarded the comment as a bunch of Heroes hooey. But then he elaborated and I really got what he was saying.
A life of happiness is a wonderful thing. You are contented. However, you live in he here and now. You can't look back into the past and you can't realistically anticipate the future. If you do either of those then you are not trully allowing yourself to be happy.
A life of meaning is alos a great thing. However, on this path you are not happy because in order to create some type of meaning and purpose you have to live in the past and see the realities of the future. You must understand pain and suffering and you must learn to change that so that the future is not so grim. So, a life of meaning and a life of happyness really can't co-exist.
I just thought that it was a neat insight and one that I completely believe. And I don't really look at it is as a negative outlook on life. Being a bit of a realist I think that it helps explain why so many people are unhappy. I think most folks attempt to take the path of happiness, but refuse to get out of the past or fail to quit looking at the future and they never can quite find that proper middle ground in the here and now.

Ok, just my two cents. Thought I'd throw it out there.

OUT

It Just Gets Worse

When I saw this video on local news I knew I had to find out more about it. You can never trust ANYTHING you see on local news. They have a way of spinning things to try to win ratings. So I jumped online and did a search.

WATAUGA, Texas (CNN) -- Police in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, said a videotape found in a search for stolen goods appears to show two teenagers persuading a 2-year-old boy and his 5-year-old brother to smoke marijuana.
Third-degree felony charges have been filed against the teenagers.


Well that about sums it up, right. This world has officially gone to hell. I just can't grasp the idea that two teenagers, (17 NOT 13), would do something like this. Seriously. But you know who should be blamed the most. The mother. She was in the back bedroom while all of this was going on. It's not like she didn't know that these teens were thugs. I'm sure she knew they were smoking pot. It's not the easiest smell to hide. To leave her children alone with them...she should be charged with criminal negligence.

2007 Tennis Tournament

(From Top To Bottom)
Andy Murray
Andy Roddick
Venus Williams
Tommy Haas
Lil Cree

Movie Review

ZODIAC starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.

As many of you know, David Fincher is one of my favorite directors. Se7en was bloody good, Fight Club was nearly as brilliant as the book, The Game was full of twists and turns, and Panic Room was a ton of fun (who the fuck is Raul). My anticipation level was pretty high on this one for me because it has just been too long since he made a movie.

When I watch a movie I am always aware of three things. The first is the acting. A movie is only as good as its cast. Bad acting will take away from the entire plot of the film. But acting can only be great with great directing. And therefore the second thing I look for in a movie is the directing skills. But a director, in my opinion, can only make a great movie with a great script. Some might disagree, but I think the key to all perfect movies is the script.

That being said, let's begin with the actors and acting. All were in top form here. Mark Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, You Can Count On Me) is always great in everything that he does. This is no different. He plays an inspector tasked with finding the Zodiac killer. Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain) was sufficient as the main character, Robert Graysmith. Him playing a father was a bit hard to buy since he has always played younger characters. But his charm was used to the max when dealing with his kids or working around a zany, masterful Robert Downey Jr.

Downey Jr. played Paul Avery, a writer for the San Francisco, is the lead crime reporter on the Zodiac case. Avery is on a bit of a downward spiral in the movie kind of hitting close to home for the actor.

So, acting aside, let's look at the directing. Honestly, nothing special here to report. There weren't a whole lot of special effects, there were limited unique camera angles or points of view, and everything played very straight. Where Fincher does shine here is in bringing the late 60's and the early 70's era to life without it being a distraction. Several similar movies of late, Hollywoodland and The Black Dhalia, to name names, were very annoying to watch because of how hard the directors were trying to get you to notice their sets and costumes. Zodiac passes with flying clors where those movies failed.

That just leaves the script. The movie is based on several books written by Robert Graysmith. I didn't much care for his first book. It was very dry and read almost like a newspaper reporter's notes. Luckily, the movie's dialogue is pretty quick and it doesn't spend a lot of time catching you up. Once a character is mentioned or shown on screen you had better rememeber his or her name or you will find yourself lost.

Zodiac is a bit long, however they could have made a six hour movie and still not covered everything that should be noted about this serial killer. The length didn't bother me, but I heard several other moviegoers comment on it as we were leaving.

The movie covers nearly 25 years of history. When any amount of time passes in the film it is noted at the bottom of the screen. By the 4th or 5th flash of elapsed time I had already lost track of when we were in the story. Ultimately that became annoying and I just stopped paying attention unless the passed time was longer than a year.

What was surprising to me about Zodiac was the lack of a creep factor. I only tensed up in one scene and even that wasn't super chilling. The movie really does play out more like a video history than like that of an old fashioned detective story. It's dry in some places, but not once does the information stop coming. You are always learning something new.

The first half is especially bad about touching on a point with no elaboration. It isn't until the last quarter of the film that movie really hits its stride. That's when Graysmith, all the county sheriffs, and the inspectors all begin to close in on a few prime suspects.

Zodiac manages to be entertaining and informative. It manages to be a document of brutality. It manages to showcase police limitations and a lack of resources. It manages to show how easily someone can get away with murder.

If you've ever found yourself at home on some night watching Forensic Files or some other Court TV special or if you are extremely fond of 48 Hours Mystery then this is 2 hours and 40 minutes made just for you.

GRADE: B-

LOST

For those you that watch Lost, let's chat about last nights episode. By far the funniest episode of the season. You can always count on Hurley to bring the funny. His episodes are always heart warming and make me feel good about the show. With all of the doom and gloom, torture and terror, this was a very welcome break.
Sawyer dropped off quite a few lines from little house to skeletor. I think my favorite Sawyer moment was him teaching Jinbo the three most important English lines when it comes to dealing with women.
But the best line of the night went to Hurley when he called Sawyer Red Neck Man. His delivery was perfect.

So, the episode was short on mythology and didn't much move the story forward. And the suspenseful ending didn't really have me on the edge of my seat. We all knew Alex was the french woman's daughter. Kate telling her didn't really get my blood pumping. But it was a great stopping point and will really help kick it back into full gear next week.

I heard something on eonline today. You might want to stop reading now if you dont like spoilers. Last chance... SPOILER ENDS WHEN RED ENDS...Life and Style magazine is reporting that dm has been told that he will not be back next season. Now I don't know if this is true. Kristen is hard at work trying to find out if this is the case or not. But my assumption would be that this is true and that Charlie is going to kick the bucket pretty soon. I will be sad to see him go, but he really doesn't add a lot to the show. He is just another sad character that I feel sorry for. There are more than enough of them to go around.
I also hear that a new female character will be added by the end of the year and that she is not an other, not in a flashback, and was not on flight 815. Oh no, its an other other. Hmmmm.

All around good times last night. Next week is supposed to be excellent as Sayid returns to center stage. Coming up after that we have a Claire episode, a Locke episode, and a Nikki-Paulo episode. March looks to be a great month on Lost.

OUT!

STUPID PEOPLE

I was reading an article on AOL this morning about stupid lawsuits. I had to share a few of these with you!!!

Two Michigan men set a small fire in their store to collect insurance money on the goods. The fire spread to the next building, which they also owned. After confessing to the crime, the men sued for a claim on the building they accidentally torched.

Frivolous lawsuits aren't just an American epidemic. A woman in Israel sued a local weatherman and TV station after his predicted sunny forecast turned to unexpected rain, which she claims gave her the flu because she was ill-prepared for it.


In Michigan state Case No. 9650302, a prisoner blamed his flatuence on the food he was served in the state penitentiary. The Michigan State Attorney's office reports that lawsuits by inmates are on the rise -- and paid for by taxpayers.

A bank robber knocked off a California Savings and Loan. He shoved the stolen money roll, which contained a hidden Security Pac, in his front pocket. The device leaked red dye and tear gas giving the robber 2nd and 3rd degree burns, for which he sued the bank and the device manufacturer.

A Maine woman was hit in the face with her own golf ball after it struck railroad tracks on the first fairway of Fort Kent Golf Club and bounced back. She sued the golf club for damages.


One surfer sued another for stealing his wave. The court was able to establish guilt but dismissed the case because it could not agree on a monetary award for the pain and suffering endured having to watch another ride your wave.

A New York woman sued the company that makes 'The Clapper,' saying she had to clap so hard to turn her appliances on and off that she hurt her hands and was unable to peel potatoes.

Just had to share!

OUT

Looking Back Then Looing Forward

For three days I had been looking forward to playing tennis, but when the time came it didn't live up to my expectations. See I had been planning on playing with Jason after work yesterday. When I told Paymon about it he asked if he could play. I told him of course he could. My goal over the next four weeks is to hang out with Paymon as much as possible. With him being gone at the end of March I want to get in as much hang-out time as I can.
Well when we got out on the court my game was just not there. I was hitting the ball long, my serve was erratic, and I had no rhythm. When we play with three people, two players play for a game and the odd man sits out. The winner of the game stays on and the loser rotates out.
Well I pretty much hate playing that way. It doesn't allow you to work on your game, you barely get any exercise, and it keeps your rhythm off for the whole night. I have no desire to go out and try to play tennis if I'm not getting better or at least not getting some exercise. So my night was pretty much ruined.
I finally got frustrated and let Jason and Paymon play while I sat out and watched. But now that I look back on it I think a couple other issues were at play. First of all my back was hurting pretty badly. The last two times I played tennis my back didn't really bother me. This time it got to me fast and hit me hard. I think I was partially getting mad because of the pain and frustration of continuing to have to deal with back pain. The other reason I was frustrated is that I realized how much I need to start working on my diet and exercise. In coming posts I will write more about that.

Ok, now that I have that off my chest it's time to look forward. I will be thirty years old in 19 months. How fucking scarry is that? I know that it isn't the end of my life or anything. Most people have their best years between 30 and 40. Thats when a lot of people get married, a lot of people have kids, and a lot of people settle down. These are all great things. These are all thingss that I am looking forward to. But there are other things that I want to accomplish as well. And here are a few of those things that I want to do before I am 30:

1. I want to learn to play an instrument. I know I can't learn to be good on an instrument in just a year and a half, but I can get the basics. I have never even taken the initiative to try.

2. I want to take tennis lessons. At least one. But more likely a series of lessons.

3. I want to write a book. I know, everyone wants to write a book. I really want to write a book. And I know that I can do it in 19 months if I just set my mind to it and go for it.

I think that these are all things that I can accomplish. Any encouragement, help, or opportunity that you can provide me will be greatly appreciated.


here are some song lyrics that really sum up how I'm feelin'!

failure by design
by Brand New

This is a lesson in procrastination.
I kill myself because I'm so frustrated.
Every single second that I put it off
Means another lonely night I got to race the clock.
(I ignore it and it ignores me too.)
What say we go and crash your car?
And every time I leave you go and lock the door.
So I walk myself picking at a chip on my shoulder.
I'm another day late and one year older.
It's failure by design.

OUT