The Best News I've Heard All Day...

VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland has told MiamiHerald.com that fans should be on the lookout for a reunion of his previous band, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, in the coming months. The singer made the announcement during an appearance this past Saturday (January 19) at an all-star gala event benefiting the AROD Family Foundation. The event took place at the Ritz Carlton hotel in South Beach, Florida. Hosts included Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and his wife Cynthia, who founded the non-profit organization to support programs focused on improving quality of life, education and mental health for families in distress.

You all know that I am a huge STP fan. And while the last album was a pile of junk, they are still amazing to see live and I hope that they tour before the end of this year. I will go about anywhere to see them live...which means I guess I better plan a trip to Atlanta for later this year, huh.

THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS

Whether or not there is a ceremony to announce winners or not doesn't really matter to me. The 4 plus hour bloated production has never been that interesting to me. But since it is the single most important event in the film industry I figured it was important for me to talk about it.

Below is a list of nominations. The items in GREEN are who I think SHOULD win. The items in RED are the ones I think will win. The item is in BLUE if they are both.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Achievement in Directing
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman, Juno
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly


Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, Juno
Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins, The Savages


Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton, Atonement
Sarah Polley, Away from Her
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood


Original Score
Atonement: Dario Marianelli
The Kite Runner: Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton: James Newton Howard
Ratatouille: Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma: Marco Beltrami

Original Song
"Falling Slowly," Once: Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song," Enchanted: Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
"Raise It Up," August Rush: Nominees to be determined
"So Close," Enchanted: Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
"That's How You Know," Enchanted: Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz


Achievement in Art Direction
American Gangster: Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
Atonement: Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Golden Compass: Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Sweeney Todd: Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
There Will Be Blood: Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Achievement in Cinematography
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Roger Deakins
Atonement: Seamus McGarvey
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: Janusz Kaminski
No Country for Old Men: Roger Deakins
There Will Be Blood: Robert Elswit


Achievement in Costume Design
Across the Universe: Albert Wolsky
Atonement: Jacqueline Durran
Elizabeth: The Golden Age: Alexandra Byrne
La Vie en Rose: Marit Allen
Sweeney Todd: Colleen Atwood


Best Documentary Feature
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War/Dance

NUMBER ONE

Let's hear from you in the comments section Tiger fans. The best in the land!!!

There Will Blood - Movie Review

There Will Be Blood is based on the novel "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair. The movie is directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The movie is about oil man Daniel Plainview and his unrelenting business drive to unearth black gold in Little Boston, California. Along the way some townsfolk, including faith-healer Eli Sunday try to stand in his way.




We were promised blood and it was delivered. Judging by many of the critics who saw this movie before me I was also promised an amazing movie, one of the year's best, according to most. That was not quite delivered.




What was delivered:
-Top notch acting. Daniel Day-Lewis is once again worthy of every ounce of praise bestowed upon him. He takes the character of Daniel Plainview by the balls and unleashes hell. Paul Dano is making a name for himself quickly by throwing down his second strong performance in a row (Little Miss Sunshine).

-Beautiful scenery. Every shot is framed up with a keen eye. Paul Thomas Anderson knows how to sell a story with pictures and this is his most effective work to date. There are so many wide sweeping shots that give the audience the feeling of being dropped off by the DeLorean right in the middle of the early 1900s.

-A true fear of the movie's main characters. For any film to be effective the audience has to be invested in the characters on the screen. It's why movies like Alien Vs. Predator aren't winning over movie goers. No one care whether Billy and Bonnie live or die. I cared about Eli and Daniel and H.W. and all of the other characters. Of course caring can mean I hoped that they would die, but that still means I cared!


What wasn't delivered:
-Any sense of continuity. The movie bounced around from scene to scene, from decade to decade moving the story along, but never really going back to close up loose ends. Yes, the story made sense, but scenes never followed the path laid out by the scene before it.

-Any closure. Yes, the movie has an ending. And yes things get solved. But I left the theater wondering what happened to so many different things. Many promises were made and so many of them were never delivered.

In Closing:
Magnolia is one of the most acclaimed movies of the last quarter century. It is the best role I have ever seen Tom Cruise play. Too bad the movie is also one of the most overrated pieces of crap I have ever seen. Yes, the acting is perfect. However, Magnolia is the best example I can think of to prove that amazing acting isn't enough to save a movie.
There Will Be Blood proves this point again. Granted, this movie is a million times better than Magnolia, but the acting, as great as it was, wasn't enough to make me love the film. I feel like most people who rate this movie are grading it simply on Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano and not on the movie as a whole.
The other big connection between Magnolia and There Will Be Blood? They were both written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. ApparentlyI just don't like his movies (Punch Drunk Love included). I will give him this credit though, he gets the best out of everyone he directs.

Plot (The Story): 8
Script (The Dialog): 7
Directing: 9
FX / Sound: 10
Casting: 10
Acting: 10
Pacing: 8
Conclusion: 6
Overall Entertainment: 15

TOTAL: 83
MOVIE GRADE: B


For the record here are the grade ranges:
100 - 97 = A+
96 - 93 = A
92 - 90 = A-
89 - 87 = B+
86 - 83 = B
82 - 80 = B-
You Get The Point
70's = Cs
60's = D's
59 and below is F

Movie Review - Cloverfield

I come bearing news from Cloverfield. The new JJ Abrams produced, Blair Witch meets Godzilla thriller, has been unleashed and I was there to see it on opening night. Some of my initial feelings might not hold up, but I don't have the patience to wait on putting it up. Here are some bullet points.


-The cast is made up of mostly unknowns and they do a good job of selling the general idea. That's not saying the acting was any good, because largely it was only barely convincing, but they managed to get the point across. -The main narrator was the best part of the movie. He held the camera, provided the comic relief, and largely was the only one I cared about.


-The action started about 15 minutes into the movie and it didn't stop or even think about slowing down for the next 60 minutes...except for one brief moment to conclude a love story.

-I hated the love story. I love many of my friends, but if a monster was coming at me with Mike Tyson style bad intentions I likely wouldn't go back into the war zone to confess my dying love.

-I thought that the movie played too much on the emotions of a post 9/11 movie crowd. The buildings collapsing, the dust storms, the screaming crowds, screams of bloody victims. These are all images that are still too rough. I just felt like the chills were cheap because of this.

-The camera is so shaky that I strongly recommend some motion tablets before you go see it.

-There were some seriously tense moments, usually when the ground shook and the monster lurked beyond buildings just out of sight. At those moments you were able to think about how you would feel if you were really there. Very effective stuff.

-The movie was obviously sponsored by Nokia and Sephora. And apparently a big ass monster is strong enough to knock down major buildings, but smart enough to miss the cell phone towers so that the characters can call their friends...I'm just saying.

I won't say much more because the movie needs to be experienced by each individual. Ultimately Cloverfield manages to accomplish what it sets out to do; entertain and thrill its audience. Now, the grades.


Plot (The Story): 9
Script (The Dialog): 6
Directing: 9
FX / Sound: 10
Casting: 5
Acting: 6
Pacing: 10
Conclusion: 8
Overall Entertainment: 19

TOTAL: 82
MOVIE GRADE: B-


For the record here are the grade ranges:
100 - 97 = A+
96 - 93 = A
92 - 90 = A-
89 - 87 = B+
86 - 83 = B
82 - 80 = B-
You Get The Point
70's = Cs
60's = D's
59 and below is F

Looking Ahead

Now that I've reflected some on what has passed, it's time for me to begin looking ahead to 2008. Here is a list of my most anticipated movies of the year.

10. Star Trek XI - I hope you'll keep reading even though I put a Star Trek movie on my list. But honestly, I'm excited about it. JJ Abrams, who we can thank for Lost is behind the camera on this series re-start and that couldn't give anything other than hope to the Trek community. 12-25-08

09. Wall-E - Ok, yet another diversion from my usual path. This is the next offering from Pixar Studios. If I have learned one thing as a wanna-be critic it's tht you don't bet against Pixar. they are top of the line in animation quality both visually and in story telling. This little robot adventure story is sure to be out of this world. 6-27-08

08. The Chronicles of Narnia; Prince Caspian - As a huge fan of CS Lewis' series of books, I can't help but wait in wonder of the next stunning chapter in this tale of a far away land. Some time has passed since the four children ventured into the wardrobe and found Narnia, but when they head back they quickly realized that much has changed in the land. But there is a savior... 5-16-08

07. Indiana Jones and the Kindgom of Crystal Skull - Harrison Ford is back, this time with Shia LeBeouf as his side kick. The real plot of the story has been kept under wraps pretty tightly, but I can't imagine a misstep in this series after so many years away. 5-22-08

06. Be Kind Rewind - Michael Gondry who brought us into the Eternal Sunshine and through The Science of Sleep has outdone himself this time. Mos Def and Jack Black work at an old school VHS Video store. When all of the tapes get erased the duo begins shooting their own versions of the movies and renting them out. This is going to be too funny. 1-25-08

05. Harold and Kumar 2: Escape From Guantanemo Bay - The pot smoking tag team is back in action, with Neil Patrick Harris in tow of course. This time the boys get busted for trying to smuggle a bong onto a plane. They get locked up and treated as terrorist. The tag line for the movie says it all...This time they're running from the joint. 4-25-08

04. Wanted - Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy star in this action movie. I know very little about the film, but I saw a preview for it several weeks ago and was absolutely blown away. I enjoy an action movie as much as the next guy, but I'm never geeked up about them like many of my friends are. Well, this one...I'm already counting down the days. Go check out the trailer on the apple trailers site. Seriously. Now. 6-27-08

03. Iron Man - I never in a million years thought that I would give a damn about this movie. And then I heard that Robert Downey Jr. was going to play the lead. I was more interested. Then I saw the trailer...Oh my word. This is not the next Ghost Rider or Dare Devil like I thought it might be. It is a serious kick ass superhero movie. I can't wait. 5-2-08

02. The Incredible Hulk - This is NOT a sequel to the Ang Lee film from several years ago. This is a complete system reboot with a different cast and a completely different looking Hulk. To make you more excited: Edward Norton is playing Bana! Yep, one of the best actors of our time is stepping into the role. 6-13-08

01. The Dark Knight - This one is NOT a reboot. It is a sequel to the best Batman movie of them all. I loved Batman Begins. It was a brutal, dark, twisted origin story that had me by the gonads the entire runtime. Heath Ledger joins the fun as the Joker and judging by the first 6 minutes of the movie, we are in for a real treat. Christopher Nolan is back in charge directing. 7-10-08

Others To Mention:

Hell Boy 2 - Guillermo del Toro directs

Bond 22 - Daniel Craig is back

Cloverfield - Monster movies meets Blair Witch Project

Get Smart - TV show remake with Steve Carrell, looks hilarious

Valkyrie - Tom Cruise stars Bryan Singer directs. Great team

ALL IN ONE PLACE

Just to keep everyone from having to scroll so far down to see my top ten movies I wanted to post them all in one place:

10. Grindhouse
09. Kite Runner
08. 300
07. Superbad
06. Bourne Ultimatum
05. Gone Baby Gone
04. Knocked Up
03. The Lookout
02. No Country For Old Men
01. Juno

Thanks for playing boys and girls.

OUT!

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - NUMBER 1

http://realorimaginary.blogspot.com/2007/12/movie-review-juno.html

R I P

Actor Brad Renfro Dies at 25

Actor Brad Renfro, who became a child star at 14 in The Client but in recent years was plagued by numerous drug problems and arrests, was found dead at his Los Angeles home Tuesday morning; he was 25. While the Los Angeles County coroner confirmed to Access Hollywood that Renfro had died, a cause of death was not named. The Tennessee-born actor snagged an amazingly high-profile part for his first role, that of a young boy sought by the mafia in the 1994 adaptation of the John Grisham novel The Client, opposite established stars Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. His impressive performance in the box office hit made him a high-profile young actor, and roles in such films as Tom and Huck, Sleepers and Telling Lies in America followed; he also appeared opposite Ian McKellen in Bryan Singer's controversial Apt Pupil, about a young student who blackmails his elderly neighbor, whom he believes is a Nazi war criminal. Despite a string of successful roles, including solid performances in Bully and Ghost World, Renfro reportedly found adapting to Hollywood difficult, and was arrested on a number of drug and theft charges. In 2000, he was arrested in Florida on grand theft charges for allegedly trying to steal a 45-foot yacht, and while on probation for the crime was jailed for underage drinking. Other arrests followed, and last year he was found in violation of his probation for failing to enroll in a drug treatment program. Most recently, Renfro had appeared in The Jacket as well as an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He had just wrapped filming on The Informers opposite Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Billy Bob Thornton and Kim Basinger.

From IMDB

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - A Review

I watched the first two episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles last night. I am a big fan of T-2 and I actually enjoyed T-3 quite a bit. The original film used to be high on my list too, but an old friend of mine ruined that for me. He pointed out a fatal flaw in the film’s main premise and I just can’t look past it now.

The new show, which airs Monday Nights on Fox, eliminates the third film altogether. The pilot actually picks up right after T-2 ended. The story follows Sarah and John as they try to lay low after destroying the SkyNet system at the end of the second movie. A refresher: SkyNet is the satellite network, created in the future, that serves as the catalyst for the end of the world.
Well, as always seems to be the case in television, SkyNet wasn’t completely destroyed, it was just slowed down for a while. Someone in 2011 actually manages to get the SkyNet system launched and that event will still manage to lead the machines to turn on humanity after all. The who, what, where, when, and why of this new SkyNet launch is the hook for the show. Sarah and John must stop the system from being put into place.

Sarah Connor, one of the most kick ass mothers in the history of film, is portrayed here by Lena Heady of 300 fame. She is every bit as hardcore as Linda Hamilton and slides beautifully into the role. Thomas Dekker, of brief Heroes stardom, takes on the John Connor roll. John is still a headstrong, angst ridden teenager who has a long ways to go before he can become the man that leads the fight against the machines. The main new character is played by Summer Glau (Firefly, The 4400). She is the “good” machine sent back by John to help protect him and his mother.

The show is an action packed, fly by the seat of your pants thrill ride. But that’s where the good news ends. While the action is brisk and brings back memories of the glory days of 24, it lacks the brains that 24 had. You don’t have to invest a whole lot of your intelligence into Terminator and I consider that a bad thing.

I will say this; the show runs circles around The Bionic Woman, which I am sure it will be compared to. I enjoyed Terminator ten times more than that show. However, I can’t get my mind around this one dilemma. In an early scene in the series Summer Glau’s character takes John and Sarah to a bank. Inside some of the safety deposit boxes are parts to build a kick as futuristic gun that fries the machines. John asks, “Did someone bring this gun back from the future?” The machine explains to him that you can’t send items, including clothes, through time. She says future John sent someone back to 1963 when the bank was built to collect the parts to make the gun and he hid them inside the bank. That’s fine and good. But here is a more fundamental question; why haven’t the bad guys sent someone back even further in time and just killed Sarah Connor’s parents and ended this waaaayyyyy back when?

I can’t stand shows that leave holes in the story that big. This has to be explained or I won’t be able to continue watching the show. Maybe I’m being too hard on it. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve taken a show to task. I am going to keep watching because I WAS entertained. But I hope they manage to make the show as much about a mother protecting her son at all cost and about solving a mystery as it is about being a special effects showcase during a cat and mouse chase. That’s basically what 24 has become and I quit watching that show a long time ago.

Check This Out

My friend Paymon wants YOU to check out his new blog. It's sports related, which you could have guessed. It's a great place for insight into all things sports and an even better place to debate with the site's creator.

http://www.realandfantasysports.blogspot.com/

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - Number 2

No Country For Old Men - Javier Bardem is officially one of the greatest bad guys in the history of cinema. I still see the man with the bowl cut in my nightmares. The Coen Brothers threw out the quirky comedy they've done so well in the past (Big Lebowski, Oh Brother Where Art Thou) and upped the cat and mouse ante that they had already mastered in the minds of many (Fargo). There is nothing to smile about while watching this film. It is hand-on-the-throat intensity all of the way through. The movie is not without its faults, including dialog that rambled on for two long, a showdown that never happened, and Woody Harrelson. But, very few movies are perfect and it was easy to overlook the shortcomings in exchange for all of the brilliance. This is a cinematic diamond and a must see for everyone.

Another Ruined Chance

I am stealing this post, for the most part, from www.themovieblog.com just to be honest. However, the point is soooo good that I have to make it here too... And I assure you, after seeing the picture below, I would have made the exact same comment, minus a few F-bombs.
Anyway, for years I have been one of the many people begging for Pacino and DeNiro to do a movie together. Yes, they were both in Heat and they were both in The Godfather II. However, they only shared one scene together in one and no scenes in the other, respectively. So, why has it taken so long to get them together? The answer is not an obvious one. I doubt, even if there were a reason, that it wouldn't be a good one. But that's about to change. The two amazing actors are about to star in and share screen time in the movie "Righteous Kill."
The bigger surprise? The movie is going to suck ass. Why? Check out the photo below.


Who is that, in between two of the greatest film icons ever? None other than 50 Can't Fucking Act Worth A Cent. Are you kidding me?

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - Number 3

The Lookout – Many of you know that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is my favorite up and coming actor. His roles in Brick, Mysterious Skin, and Havoc are all top of the line performances. You can now add The Lookout to this list. This time around the former Third Rocker plays a kid who makes a mistake by drinking and driving. He gets into a horrible accident and it causes serious brain damage. He goes from being a popular high school kid to someone who has to write down everything that he is supposed to do or he will forget. It’s a tragic story. But even more tragic is what happens when he befriends a group of hoodlums who have something a little more devious than friendship on their minds. Part thriller, part drama The Lookout delivered on every level.

And In Other News...

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!

BEST MOVIES of 2007 - Number 4

Knocked Up - The funniest movie of the year. Hands down. I laughed until I hurt and then I laughed some more. One part in particular hit home with me. I loved when Paul Rudd's character, thought to be cheating on his bitchy wife, was actually caught...playing fantasy sports. Seriously, I fear that could one day be my life and isn't it true that real life situations are the ones that are always the funniest. Judd Apatow is in the zone right now.

BEST MOVIES of 2007 - Number 5

A New Resolution

To my drinking friends.

I just read an article on the dangers of drinking....

Scared the shit out of me!

So that's it!

After today, no more reading.

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - Number 6

The Bourne Ultimatum - The conclusion of this knock down drag-out trilogy might not be the last Bourne movie after all. And that's a good thing. I would argue with anyone who would tell me there is a better trilogy of movies out there besides The Lord of the Rings set. Coming in at 3+ hours for each movie, LOTR even had its fair share of slow parts. I beg you to find a slow part in any of the Bourne movies? You certainly won't find one in The Bourne Ultimatum. Matt Damon said he would be willing to revisit the character, but only many years down the road. Luck has it that a 4th Bourne book was written, many years after Robert Ludlum put down his pen. This 4th installment is called The Bourne Legacy and I can only hope that some day the movie comes about.

Movie Review - The Orphanage

My first movie review of the new year and it's a doozy. The Orphanage is a spanish language horror film presented by Guillermo del Toro who last year directed Pan's Labyrinth and this year is directing Hell Boy 2. He didn't direct this film, but almost anything with his name on it is golden in my book.

The Orphanage, or El Orfanato if you will, is a good old fashioned ghost story. Here's a quick plot outline: A woman and her husband buy an orphanage that the woman was raised in. They intend to re-open the home for several special needs children. The couple have an adopted, cute-as-a-button son who is ill. The son has several imaginary friends and these friends have a few secrets about the orphanage that they seem to be trying to relay through the boy.
Each scene is a nail biter, winding it's way through a maze of thrills and chills. The story weaves in and out of scenes, each leaving clues about what's really going on. It's a treasure hunt of sorts that National Treasure could only aspire to be.
As with any good story you'll need to be sure not to let anyone ruin what's coming up. The movie is in the same vain as The Sixth Sense (although not quite in its league) crossed with The Others and maybe the two good parts of Hide and Seek thrown in for good measure. I literally leaped out of my seat once and squirmed several others. Don't let the subtitles scare you away from a movie that will honestly scare you.

I'm trying to give more well rounded reviews this year so here is what I'm going to be doing: There are 9 things that I am going to grade each movie on, each of those will be worth up to 1o points a piece except the final category which will be worth 20 total points. Those things:

Plot (The Story): 10
Script (The Dialog): 8
Directing: 9
FX / Sound: 10
Casting: 9
Acting: 9
Pacing: 9
Conclusion: 10
Overall Entertainment: 19

TOTAL: 93
MOVIE GRADE: A


For the record here are the grade ranges:
100 - 97 = A+
96 - 93 = A
92 - 90 = A-
89 - 87 = B+
86 - 83 = B
82 - 80 = B-
You Get The Point
70's = Cs
60's = D's
59 and below is F


We'll see how this grading scale goes and see if it really reflects my feelings on the movies I see. If it doesn't, then I'll go back to a simplified scale.

OUT

Making an Assumption

I was in the shower tonight, an imagine that I'm sure you could live without, when a popular nightly segment came on 93X. The segment is called 9 Songs That Don't Suck. Something is really wrong with your format when you have to take a break from your normal playlists in order to throw on a few songs that don't suck. And several of the songs that they play on this segment are NEVER played on the station again.
Just a thought, but wouldn't it be more ideal to try to always play non-sucky songs?

OUT

A Perfect Example of My Luck

There are two morals to the story that I am about to tell you. It is a heart breaking tale of a boy on the most important journey in his life. I don't usually post too many "personal" items on here, but this one is called for. Especially if it can teach you the life lessons that I myself have learned the hard way.
Many of you know that I have spent the better part of the last month in a serious job hunt. Not that I am dying to leave the library. I want to make it clear that the library/WYPL is going to be the best job that I have ever had. But I don't feel challenged there the way that I want to be. Plus I want to have opportunities to move up and I feel like I have reached the peak of opportunity at the Berry.
So I have been pretty successful in my job hunt so far. With the help of Selena I managed to get an interview for a great job at Sedgwick. I really wanted that job, but I didn't quite have the work experience to land the job. I was basically told to get my foot in the door, get my hands dirty for a little while, and then I could move to this department with ease.
I managed to land an interview with another company without the help of friends. I was pretty proud of myself to get a bite so quickly. This interview went so great that I was promised a second interview right there on the spot. Well two weeks went by and I hadn't heard anything from anyone about setting up this second meeting. So I did what any eager job seeker would do, I called. The lady was nice enough to tell me that the calls were being made for second interviews TODAY and that my name was on the top of that list!!! Go me.
So I waited today for that call. And I waited. And I waited. While I waited I texted a few friends. They didn't write back. I texted a few more. They didn't write back. So finally I picked up my cell to check and make sure that I had service where I was. I did. So I made a call from my cell. And it went straight to ATT's Account Services.
I was told that my bill was past due and that my service had been shut off. That couldn't be right, I'd sent out my payment weeks ago. What the hell?
Nevertheless, I got home, checked my bank account, and sure enough the check had not cleared. So I called ATT, paid by e-check, and got my service cut back on. But I most likely missed the call for my second interview.
The morals of the story...
1. Live in the present; snail mail is for seniors and sending Christmas cards only.
2. Life if about balance; balance your checkbook.

All I can do is pray that those calls weren't made today. And if they were I have to pray that they try my number again tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath.

BEST MOVIES of 2007 - Number 7

SuperBad - Honestly, there was no way this movie wasn't going to make my top ten list. Just from the unrated trailer alone I was in love with this movie. The movie didn't manage to live up to my EVERY expectation, but those were some lofty expectations and SuperBad managed to get pretty darn close. Jonah Hill had the majority of the laughs, Michael Cera was his always endearing self, but they all took a back seat to the guy who will be forever known as McLovin. A little less Seth Rogan and a little more McLovin and this naughty movie would have sky rocketed to near the top of this list.

OUT

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - Number 8

300 – Some of the knocks I heard on this movie were that it was too over-the-top, not believable, and couldn’t keep up the intensity for the entire movie. I beg to differ on all counts and found 300 to be one of the most kick ass movies of the year. A movie like The Kite Runner wins me over because it creates a moral dilemma and I am left thinking about how I would react in those situations for days after the reel has stopped spinning. A movie like 300 scores with me because I leave the theater jazzed up and ready to take on the world. The last movie I saw before 300 that left me with such an adrenaline rush was The Matrix. And I have that listed as one of my all time favorite films.
300 doesn’t have the brains that The Matrix had, but it has all of the other flavors including visual effects that left my jaw inches from the floor.

BEST MOVIES OF 2007 - Number 9

The Kite Runner - I think Hollywood has begun to rely way too heavily on book adaptations. Apparently Tinsel Town is out of fresh ideas. Nevertheless, many book adaptations are made each year and many of them turn out to be great movies. Some don’t (The Golden Compass). As a matter of fact at least 3 of my top 10 movies are scripts based on books. The reason The Kite Runner makes the list is because of the moving story. It’s the tragic tale of Amir, an Afghani boy who befriends the son of his family’s servant. I won’t ruin any plot here, but something terrible happens and before Amir can make amends the Soviets invade Afghanistan and he is whisked away from the country by his father. Years later Amir returns to the country, now decimated by the Taliban, in search of a way to set things right.
All unknown actors are used in this film, yet the lack of Hollywood drawing power is never evident. All of the actors do an outstanding job. Young Amir and young Hassan were perfectly picked to play those roles. The only negative on the movie was the sudden jumps in time, which were necessary to get the entire story onto the screen in a reasonable amount of time.
For those of you wondering, the movie is about 50 percent subtitled and 50 percent English.

An Annoying Fact...

I was reading in the Commercial Appeal this morning about some name dropping columnist who had dinner with Morgan Freeman recently. While the article went on and on about how she talked with him about her dogs and sports and travel…She went on and on and I never really found a point to the article. However, one thing really did stand out.
Morgan Freeman was telling her that he doesn’t have a problem with guns. Apparently Mr. Freeman found a study that shows that “MOST people don’t shoot their guns at people unless someone fires at them first.”
I’m no math major, but if someone fires at you and you fire back then 2 people have fired guns. 1 + 1 = 2. So if two people fire shot and one of them fired first and another fired back in response, doesn’t that lead to the assumption that the first person fired at will, not because they were fired at? Leaving me to draw the conclusion that 50 percent of all people who fire guns, fire first. And that invalidates Mr. Freeman’s argument that MOST people don’t fire guns unless they are shot at first.
Just goes to show, even famous people believe everything they read in the papers…Then again maybe he didn’t really read anything. Maybe he’s like a lot of people I know (me included) and he just makes up stats and studies. I have heard that 43 percent of all percentage stats are made up numbers…

BEST MOVIES of 2007 - Number 10

And now the moment you've all be waiting for a I know. The official start to my TOP 10 movies of 2007. Well, here we go. At number 10:




GRINDHOUSE - I've chosen to present this feature as one movie, since that's the way I saw it. I loved Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror. It was the most mindless fun that could possibly be crammed into an 80 minute flick. Explosions, zombies, guns, and decapitations have never been such a riot. For me Death Proof, Quentin Tarantino's half of the project, was more highly anticipated. It didn't deliver at the level that I had hoped. There was way too much dialog and not nearly enough action. However, when the action finally did get under way, it was quite the thrill ride. The faux trailers between pictures, the missing reels, and authentic grind house presentation sold me. It was truly a unique movie going experience.

BEST MOVIES of 2007 (Honorable Mentions)

These movies were close to making the top ten. They were all on my short list, but these just didn't quite make it. I will share brief pointers on why they were at the top and not focus on why they didn't make the cut.






1408 - I can't remember the last time I had so much fun watching a horror movie. So many times scary movies just don't deliver. Well this one did. John Cusak was back to old form here as a writer/ghost hunter trapped in a hotel room. This was an old school supernatural thriller...and one of the best Stephen King adaptations not named Green Mile or Shawshank.

Waitress - The country-fried accents killed me. But once I was able to put them out of my mind this was a really charming movie. Keri Russell flexed her indie-acting chops while Nathan Fillion prepped for his OB/GYN turn on Desperate Housewives as an OB/GYN in this film. The main course was the Russell's failing marriage to an abusive prick. Dessert was the cooky friendship Russell served up with Andy Griffith. And after this movie I couldn't help but find the nearest bakery for a slice of pie.

Breach - I am usually not impressed with straight forward movies that offer up no twists, no turns, no shocks, and few surprises. This was one of those movies, but for some reason it worked. Ryan Phillipe plays a wet-behind-the-ears rookie charged with following every move of veteran agent Chris Cooper. The bosses think Cooper might be a spook. The movie is based on a true story...and for once I believed most of it because not everyone dies at the end leaving no one to tell that true story (Open Water anyone?) but I digress. This movie was genuinely intense and despite the lack of big reveals, delivered a great conclusion.

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead - Two brothers, one professionally successful (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and one a slacker (Ethan Hawke), find themselves in a bit of financial trouble. So what's a pair of bros to do? Well rob their mom and dad's jewelry store of course. Well as you can imagine, things don't go as planned and suddenly this time jumping caper is a study in the dynamics of family. This one is directed by Sidney Lumet who brought to life the classic Dog Day Afternoon.

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BEST NEWS EVER

My favorite game show/reality show is making a comeback. ABC has just announced that it will be bring back THE MOLE for a ten week run this Summer. I can't think of a better show to use during the strike disabled season. I know a lot of you guys used to really like this show too, so maybe we'll have a MOLE party at my place in a few months. You Dig?

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It's A Hit

Yes, I watched. And yes I loved every cheesy moment of it, brother...

NBC’s revamp of the campy competition classic “American Gladiators” scored the highest new series premiere rating of the season.

“Gladiators” earned a 5.9 preliminary rating among adults 18 to 49 and was seen by 12 million viewers. The demo rating gives "Gladiators" the best score for an NBC debut since “Heroes." Previously, the highest premiere tally this season was held by "Bionic Woman" (5.7), NBC's other action-filled primetime remake.

The two-hour premiere came in second during the 9 p.m. hour behind an original episode of “Desperate Housewives” (7.2), but it handily won the 10 p.m. hour. What’s more, “Gladiators’” final half-hour was its highest-rated, with a 6.1, which bodes well for the true test of the show’s strength when the show airs tonight in its regular time period.

MSNBC called the program “an awkward start,” but still “a thrilling television event.” BuddyTV said it’s “cheesy fun.” The Onion wrote, “After two grueling hours, I want my brain cells back.”

BEST MOVIES of 2007 (The Worst)

For some critics I think their favorite time of the year is putting together their WORST movies list. I personally am not one of those "critics." I hate bad movies. I hate wasting my time and money on crap. So when a movie is really well reviewed and then ends up being bad I am usually a little pissed off. Part of the reason I even bother with this blog is so that my friends might save a pointless trip to the movies.

So I have 2 lists for this post. The first is a list of movies that were well reviewed, but didn't deliver the goods as far as I am concerned. I didn't have to hate the movie for it to be on the list, but I certainly had to be in significant disagreement with the overall consensus.

3. Eastern Promises - I loved David Cronenberg's A History of Violence. I thought that it was an excellent thriller and really delivered the gut punches. So when Eastern Promises was delivered I thought for sure it was a can't miss done deal. Well I thought the movie was terribly drawn out, predictable, and had none of the moral ambiguity that made History so amazing. And the 5 minute fight with Viggo Mortensen's business flopping about was overkill.

2. Zodiac - Let me clarify by saying that I thought the acting was top notch in this film. Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. could all win awards this season and I wouldn't complain. However, the movie itself was slow and really didn't pass along the sense of urgency to the audience that many of the actual people in San Francisco must have been feeling. The movie was just bland. I didn't feel much different about Zodiac than I did about The Black Dahlia.

1. The Namesake - This return to your roots drama starring Kal Penn was pretty well received by most critics. And the larger number of them deemed Kal Penn a a really great actor. Don't get me wrong I love Kumar, but he can't really act that well. And this movie actually highlighted that. The movie was down right boring and it made me with that Dr. House hadn't just hired him as a new doctor on his team. (Ok, the movie wasn't bad enough to make me feel like that, but you get my point.


Now, this list is comprised of the WORST MOVIES of the year. Now, let's make sure we are clear, these are movies that I actually saw. Some things I knew were going to be awful as soon as I heard about them (I Know Who Killed Me). So this list is likely an incomplete one. But at least you can avoid the following movies and not lose any sleep over not seeing them... or because you did see them...

By the way, these movies deserve NO MORE of my time so I won't be writing much if anything about them.

5. The Number 23 - Jim Carrey, are you kidding me with this shit?

4. The Invisible - Should have been me that was invisible from this theater.

3. Rush Hour 3 - This is what happens when money is more important than quality. I look forward to the day when Chris Tucker finds a new role to play. I won't hold my breath.

2. The Golden Compass - I'd rather worship the devil than see this again.

1. Bug - Holy shit I can't believe I spent my money on this movie. And some critics liked it.


So, leave me some comments...what was the worst movie you saw this year?

BEST MOVIES of 2007 (Most Surprising)

This is always one of my favorite things to read by other movie enthusiasts. It's a list of the most surprising films of the year. This list is made up of movies that I had low expectations for and ended up being pleasantly surprised. The 6 movies on this list are the ones that had the largest difference between expectation and actualization.

Number 6 - Shoot 'Em Up
Another Clive Owen mention here. This guy really can make anything better. This movie was advertised as a non-stop roller coaster of a ride with tons of shoot outs, plenty of explosions, and some witty banter. When I hear that I immediately think about Michael Bay. And since I hate Michael Bay I had no desire to see this movie. But I kept hearing a little buzz here and a little buzz there. So I gave in and Netflixed it expecting to hate every mind numbing second of it. And yet there I was laughing at every line Paul Giamatti offered up. And there I was pumping my fist every time Clive Owen did something so fucking cool yet so fucking unbelievable. I never get why movie have so many bullets flying and so few people getting hit. I still don't get it, but by the end of this wild trip, I just didn't care.

Number 5 - Live Free or Die Hard
Are you kidding me. Another Bruce Willis as John McClain Die Hard movie? I kind of felt about this movie the same way I feel about Indiana Jones IV: The Cialis Crystal or whatever it is called. I know I'll like the movie, but I know I won't be able to NOT compare it to the classic Raiders of The Lost Ark. Just like I couldn't help but compare Live Free or Die Hard to the original Die Hard, which I've seen no less than 95 times. But with each stunt, special effect, cheesy joke, and unbelievable get away, I fell under the movie's spell even more. Justin Long helped breathe some new life into the franchise, giving Willis someone new to play off of. And the Kevin Smith cameo was priceless.

Number 4 - Walk Hard; The Dewey Cox Story
I hate spoofs. Hate them. I find no redeeming quality in many of them. Sure there are some funny bits in each spoof that comes along. Anytime pop culture is poked fun at there are going to be some chuckle worthy moments. The trailer for Meet The Spartans makes me laugh out loud every time I see that dude kicking Britney Spears into the giant pit. But ultimately those movies never make me feel like I got money's worth. Walk Hard was the ultimate exception for me. John C. Reilly was a perfect choice to play the Ray/Johnny Cash/Elvis Presley biopic spoofer. Things got off to a slow start, but the movie relied a lot on jokes through repitition and eventually it found its timing. When I laughed, I did so until I cried. There were things that didn't work, but those were all forgotten when things clicked.

Number 3 - Enchanted
Girlie Disney movies aren't really my thing. I don't like syrupy sweet flicks that always end with a big happy kiss. It's not real life. But strangely enough the moral of this movie was exactly that...there is no such thing as a Fairy Tale life. Real life has trials and tribulations. Amy Adams was so perfect in the lead role as the fairy princess that it was sick. I can't picture anyone in my mind who could have done a better job. The story moved quickly, was always funny and willing to never take itself too seriously. Enchanted was truly enchanting.

Number 2 - Disturbia
When someone would mention Shia LeBeouf before this movie I would have no idea who they were talking about. After seeing Disturbia, I will never forget again. He carried the movie by himself with ease. You never once thought about the fact that this guy was acting. It was if you really had a camera in the guy's bedroom. Ultimately this flick would have worked better as a romantic comedy than a thriller. When the movie went darker it lost its appeal. But the first half was almost perfect. Sarah Roemer played the love interest and her chemistry with LaBeouf was spot on. They had a chemistry that is often missed in movies. I laughed numerous times and it is very apparent to me that Shia is a real PTPer (Prime Time Player) in this business now. His next big role is next to Harrison Ford in this summer's new Indiana Jones movie. Word is, Steven Spielberg is so impressed with the kid that he is looking at making a new Indiana trilogy with him as the star.

Number 1 - Mr. Brooks
I had no expectations. Kevin Costner. Dane Cook? A thriller with a different twist on the serial killer genre. The little voice in Costner's head that willed him to kill was more than a voice. The figment of his imagination was played by William Hurt. And as this "psyche" followed Costner around you saw him slipping further and further away. It was really a great psychological trip. Dane Cook was actually pretty good, but his introduction into the movie actually played a little too heavy on coincidence. Besides that it was a really fun journey into one man's battle with his inner demons. If you haven't seen this one, check it out. If Kevin Costner could ever find a little consistency in his movie role choices he could be one of the great American actors. But his record shows a pattern of one good, one bad, one good, one bad...etc.

BEST MOVIES of 2007 (What I Didn't See)

As I continue my Best Movies of 2007 Series I have to next mention a few movies that I wish had already been released in Memphis so that they could be included in my list. These movies will most likely be reserved for a post in 2009 mentioning why they were great yet can't be included in my Best Movies of 2008. But, we'll worry about that next year. When I see these movies I promise to review them on here.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - This movie did actually get released in Memphis. Unfortunately for that one week I was too busy to make it to the theatre for 2 hours. I will get my hands on this dvd as soon as it is released and will make sure to post a review. For those of you who don't know, Brad Pitt is the star of this movie.

There Will Be Blood - Where there is Daniel Day Lewis there is Oscar talk. I'm not a big fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. I thought his movie Magnolia was way too long and too quirky just for the sake of being different. I though Punch Drunk Love was extremely boring. But I admit to being blown away by the trailers for Blood and I am really looking forward to seeing it. I also really like Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine). I think he stole the movie The Girl Next Door and I can't wait to see him in Where The Wild Things Are.

Into The Wild - This one was released in Memphis also. And I have no excuse for not going to see it. I loved the sountrack and still play it regularly. I think Emile Hirsh is the real deal and will be actng for years to come. I love movies like this and am pretty sure that I am doing you a disservice for not being able to include this in my top ten list. I'm sorry about that!

The Savages - This family drama is not making as many top ten lists. But two of my favorite actors in the world star in this one and I know that I am going to love it. The stars are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. Seriously, have you ever seen either of them NOT be brilliant?

So, I promise to review these as soon as I can. And at some point in the future I might revamp my 2007 list to include these.

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BEST MOVIES of 2007 (A Continuing Series)

This first post in my BEST MOVIES OF 2007 SERIES is part BEST OF LIST and part disclaimer. Several great movies were released in Memphis in early 2007. But, because they were "officially" released in 2006 I have deemed them ineligible for the best of 2007 list. These movies would have easily made my best of list for this year, but instead they get a brief mention here...

The Last King of Scotland - This movie was the best that I SAW in 2007. I enjoyed every single aspect of the film. Forest Whitaker was brilliant and his many awards earlier this year were well deserved. This flick also cemented in my mind what a great actor James McAvoy is. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and I consider this movie a MUST SEE.

Children of Men - I know a lot of people thought that this was the best movie of 2006. It was certainly up there. Clive Owen is in a class of his own. Even mediocre movies are raised a level by his presence. This dire, futuristic film was part action, part tragedy, all amazing. Michael Cain did annoy me just a bit, but that's just because I don't find him all that entertaining. His role didn't alter my take on the movie.

Volver - A foreign language film that most of my friends will never see. But trust me when I tell you that this movie hit a home run on every aspect I consider important. The story was tight and provided plenty of twists and turns. The directing, done by the always inventive Pedro Almodovar, was versatile yet very direct and intentional without being distracting. The acting was believable and real, especially Penelope Cruz. After several horrible American roles, she had a triumphant return to her roots.

Pan's Labyrinth - Another foreign language film by another cutting edge filmmaker. This time the damage was being done by Guillermo del Toro. The story is an adult fairy tale. The movie was creepy and wonderful, brutal and kind. The only knock was not getting to spend more time in the wonderful fairy tale world.

Each of these movies were great in their own way. Each are movies I encourage you to see.

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Just To Make You Feel Old...

Some 2008 Anniversaries...

TURNING 18 (or as the ROS guys say, “Movies You Can Legally Have Sex With”)
The Hunt for Red October
Pretty Woman
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Back to the Future Part III
Total Recall
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Ghost
Goodfellas
Home Alone
Dances With Wolves
Misery
Edward Scissorhands
The Godfather Part III

10TH ANNIVERSARY FILMS
The Big Lebowski
The X Files
Armageddon
Blade
American History X
Shakespeare in Love

15TH ANNIVERSARY FILMS
Groundhog Day
Army of Darkness
Jurassic Park
The Fugitive
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Mrs. Doubtfire
Schindler’s List
Philadelphia
Tombstone

20TH ANNIVERSARY FILMS
Beetlejuice
Big
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Coming to America
Die Hard
Rain Man
Beaches

National Treasure: Book of Secrets - Movie Review

National Treasure: Book Of Secrets can really be summed up with one sentence; If you liked the first one, you’ll like the second one. The difference between the first movie and the second is that I had very low expectations for the first film and it far exceeded those. But with the sequel, my expectations were understandably higher and that caused the movie to feel flat at times.
I have two main beefs with this movie. The first being the amount of faith you must put into circumstance. In the first movie you were along for the ride, feeling like you were right there helping Cage and the crew put the pieces together. This time around you aren’t allowed to help in the problem solving at all.
The second problem I had? They tricked Ridley out. He used to be a fun loving nerd who had all the brains and none of the glitz. This time out he is more confident, less likeable, and ultimately less funny.
Also slowing the movie down were scenes with Cage’s mom and dad. I felt like I was watching Indiana Jones all over again with the great Indy dragging his pops everywhere.
That’s a lot of negative and I don’t want you to think that I didn’t enjoy the movie. I did. I had a good time and as far as pop corn flicks go, this was right on target. But I don’t see movies just for the good times. I also like my movies to make me think, to let me play along, or to make me question personal feelings about a moral situation. National Treasure: Book of Secrets did not meet any of those criteria.

MOVIE GRADE: C+

Joshua - Movie Review

I don’t know why this is, but kids in movies creep me out. I’ve always thought that Dakota Fanning was a demon. I think that kid in Problem Child is the son of Satan. I think the youngest Culkin kid is basically Spawn. I just don’t know what it is about them that make me cringe. Well the movie Joshua adds another kid to the list.
The movie follows a family of four. Dad, played by Sam Rockwell, mom, nine year old Joshua, and brand new baby girl.
Joshua is a piano prodigy and basically a genius. And yes, Joshua is supposed to be a little creepy. That’s the point of the story. It works.
Joshua appears to feel a little neglected now that baby sis has come home. He’s not getting the attention he wants or needs and it seems as if he is about to try anything to change that.
The movie builds to a fever pitch and ultimately pays off with a few scenes that literally had me yelling at the screen. Sam Rockwell does a great job as a dad struggling to love a child that he really doesn’t see himself in. It’s a role that he was made to play.
The only negative on the movie is that so many of the ideals have been played out before on the screen or in books and there was nothing new or special offered up here.
This movie was released by an independent company and didn’t make many people’s radars, but it’s available for rent now and you should check it out.
Fans of The Omen and other creepy child movies will like it.

MOVIE GRADE: B

Atonement - Movie Review

Atonement is getting a ton of press right now and rightfully so. The British romance story is certainly well acted. The story goes something like this: Keira Knightlyy plays a well to-do woman who falls for the family help in early 1900’s. The hired hand who woos Knightley is played by James McAvoy. The more movies I see McAvoy in the higher he climbs on my best actors list.
Well the real drama starts when Knightley’s younger sister accuses McAvoy of a horrible crime that he didn’t commit. The movie then follows the lost lovers as they fight to find their way back into one another’s arms throughout their lives.
The movie is based on an Ian McEwan novel. The movie at times feels like a book on screen which, if you manage to keep watching this sometimes slow period piece, makes a lot of sense in the end.
The acting is superb, easily Keira Knightly’s best work and another notch on McAvoy’s resume.
This isn’t really my type of movie, but it did hold my interest and I was very open minded. It won’t be number one on my Best Movie list, but it is certainly a movie that you should add to your movie que.

MOVIE GRADE: B+