Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Happy Holidays
No, I'm not one of those people who is attempting to include all religious holidays in my title greeting. I simply am late in wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and early with a Happy New Year message. Simply saying "Happy Holidays" encompasses all the season tidings I wish to convey.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
New Brake Pads On Moby
This past weekend I got in my grunge clothes and did some grease work in the garage. The brakes on Moby D (my 2000 Toyota Camry) were grinding as I had gone way too long with changing my pads. The main reason for going so long in having my car maintained was due to lack of funds to pay for the service. So I decided to save some money and use my big brain to accomplish something that many men (some better, some not) have seemed to figure out on their own. Therefore, I changed the two front brake pads on my car all by myself. I needed a little assistance from my father-in-law as he had to provide a set of sockets because my set didn't go large enough to take off a bolt I was having some trouble with.
Overall, the process wasn't that difficult and from now on I will be changing brake pads on my own and my wife's car. It feels really good to accomplish something that before doing you thought was some special auto garage secret. I also changed out the wipers on Moby and tried to fix the CD player (when I insert the disc the player can't seem to read anything and then spits the disc back out 15 seconds later). I will have to either have someone look at the CD player or buy a used player to replace mine.
Moby has returned to running smooth, which is a good thing as I have to keep that car in tip-top shape until Emery turns 16 and needs her first car. That is only 12 years from now.
Overall, the process wasn't that difficult and from now on I will be changing brake pads on my own and my wife's car. It feels really good to accomplish something that before doing you thought was some special auto garage secret. I also changed out the wipers on Moby and tried to fix the CD player (when I insert the disc the player can't seem to read anything and then spits the disc back out 15 seconds later). I will have to either have someone look at the CD player or buy a used player to replace mine.
Moby has returned to running smooth, which is a good thing as I have to keep that car in tip-top shape until Emery turns 16 and needs her first car. That is only 12 years from now.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Top Movies By Decade: Part 2 – "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."
Author's Note: I apparently did a similar list in July of 2009 but didn’t include my top ten favorites. It simply had my favorite film and then a few honorable mentions that would have been in the top five.
I've started a series of lists that rank my top ten favorite movies by decade. I started with the 1920s and will be working my way toward the new millennium.
To compile this list, I took my ranked films from IMDb, which I grade after every movie viewing, and sorted them from highest to lowest. Then looking at each movie in each decade I came up with my favorite ten.
I have included some honorable mentions to show what the top ten were up against. We will continue with the 1930s.
1930s
Honorable Mentions: M (1931), Horse Feathers (1932), The Thin Man (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), A Night at the Opera (1935), and Wuthering Heights (1939)
10. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – Watching this movie for the first time was a seminal moment in my life as it helped me realize the individual soldier my country is at war with doesn’t necessarily have the same ideals as what we are led to believe when fighting whomever. Often our enemy is a scared, disillusioned boy who got wrapped up in the idea of patriotism and is now trapped in a war he regrets joining. All Quiet on the Western Front illustrates the realism of what a human being went through during World War I. It received instant praise from critics and audiences alike, winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director and receiving nominations for Best Writing and Best Cinematography as well. It has since made many lists for best film, including the American Film Institute’s 100 Years 100 Movies and 10 Top 10 lists. It was also selected in 1990 to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
9. Grand Illusion (1937) – Feeling like a prison escape movie but having overtones that deal with social classes and race relations, Le grande illuision, or Grand Illusion, is unique in that it is a war film with no battle scenes. Set during World War I, the film follows a group of French soldiers trying to escape from a German prisoner-of-war camp. As well as being named by critics as one of the great masterpieces of French cinema and ranking at #35 in Empire magazine’s The 100 Best Films of World Cinema in 2010, Grand Illusion was honored by director Orson Wells when he stated it was one of the films he would take with him “on the ark.” Despite winning Best Artistic Ensemble at the Venice Film Festival, the movie was banned in both Germany, for obvious reasons, and France, so as not to lower soldiers’ morale.
8. Bringing Up Baby (1938) – Screwball comedies are a mixed bag for me because I sometimes can’t get past the implausible situations the characters find themselves in, but Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant give such sharp performances in Bringing Up Baby that the entire plot seems to flow effortlessly. Considered a failure when initially released and leading theater owners to label Hepburn “box office poison,” its popularity has grown to become one of the most memorable of the screwball comedy genre. AFI placed it on its 100 Movies, 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, 100 Quotes, and 100 Movies 10th Anniversary lists. Bringing Up Baby had an influence on comedy films later in the decade.
7. It Happened One Night (1934) – You might be scratching your head after I made the proclamation about screwball comedies not being my favorite genre of film and then I list another such movie in the very next spot, but this Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Frank Capra hit is a special kind of movie. It Happened One Night was the first to win the “Big Five” of Oscar (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay), which has only happened three times in Academy Award history. The film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 1993. It was also selected to AFI’s 100 Movies, 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 lists.
6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – This was the pioneering first full-length animated feature production from Walt Disney Studios that resulted in a string of cartoon classics that have lasted decades and entertained countless children. The American Film Institute listed it as one of two animated movies in its 100 Movies list, the only animated film in its 10th Anniversary list and later named it the greatest American animated film of all time. AFI also listed the film among its 100 Heroes and Villains and 100 Songs lists. In 1989, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant by the United States National Film Registry. Prior to being a box office smash, the film premiered to a standing ovation from numerous Hollywood celebrities and a week later Walt Disney and the seven dwarfs made the cover of Time magazine. During its original theatrical run, it was the most financially successful film up to that time. Disney received an Academy Honorary Award for providing a “significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field.”
5. Stagecoach (1939) – The first of many westerns directed by John Ford, starring John Wayne, and featuring Monument Valley, Stagecoach is a thrilling adventure with memorable performances and has influenced directors for decades. During his time directing Citizen Kane, Orson Welles claims to have watched this movie about 40 times, claiming it is a perfect textbook of filmmaking. It won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Best Music and was nominated in five other categories, including Best Picture and Best Director. Ford did end up winning for Best Director at the New York Film Critics Awards. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1995 and AFI listed it among its 100 Movies and 10 Top 10 westerns lists.
4. The Wizard of Oz (1939) – The quintessential idea of how film can take its viewer to a fantastical new world while never leaving their seat in the movie theater or couch at home, The Wizard of Oz combines the use of special effects, Technicolor, musical hits, and standout characters to create one of the most beloved motion pictures of all time. Due to being such an expensive production, the film started out as a box office failure, however, it went on to receive encouraging reviews, two Academy Awards wins, and numerous nominations including Best Picture of the year, losing to a movie yet to be mentioned on this list. The Wizard of Oz, thanks to annual telecasts beginning in 1956, has become the most-watched film in history and is often among the highest ranked movies in critics’ polls. It made the AFI lists 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, 100 Heroes and Villains, 100 songs (twice), 100 Quotes (three times), 100 Musicals, 100 Cheers, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 Fantasy. Other notable honors include rankings in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Maverick Movies, Entertainment Weekly’s 100 Greatest Films, The Village Voice’s 100 Best films of the 20th Century, Sight & Sound’s Greatest Film Poll of Directors, Total Film’s 100 Greatest Films and 23 Weirdest Films lists, and The Observer’s 50 greatest film soundtracks. It was selected to the National Film Registry its first year of eligibility in 1989.
3. Frankenstein (1931) – Launching the career of Boris Karloff as the Monster, Frankenstein is a historic film that, along with the help of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, helped launch Universal’s monster movie genre popular until the late 50s. The titular monster is portrayed as a hapless individual who is more of a misunderstood creature than the horrifying villain of the book. Considered to be one of the best movies of the year, Frankenstein was received to universal acclaim and is ranked among AFI’s 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, and 100 Quotes lists. It also ranked on The New York Times Best 1000 Movies Ever list, Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments list, and is among the Chicago Film Critics Association’s scariest films ever made. The United States National Film Registry selected it for preservation in 1991.
2. Gone With the Wind (1939) – An epic that rivals all epic films, producer David O. Selznick and director Victor Fleming made a movie that garnered 10 Academy Awards, a record at the time, and won the Best Picture Oscar in a year that is considered the greatest individual season of filmmaking ever that included such nominees as Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ninotchka, Of Mice and Men, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, and Wuthering Heights. The movie premiere was such a big event, it was shown at the end of a three-day climax of festivities in Atlanta, which included a parade of limousines featuring stars from the film, false antebellum fronts on stores and homes, and a costume ball. Becoming the highest-grossing film of all time and holding the position until 1966, Gone With the Wind was the longest running American sound film made up to that point, coming in at 3 hours 44 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. When inflation is taken into account, it still holds the record for most money earned in theaters. The AFI listed it fourth on its 100 Movies and 10 To 10 Epic, second on its 100 Passions and 100 Film Scores, first, 31st, and 59th, on its 100 Quotes, 43rd on its 100 Cheers, and sixth on its 100 Movies Anniversary lists. This classic was among the inaugural films to be deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry.
1. King Kong (1933) – Being filmed nearly 80 years ago, shooting in black-and-white, and use of stop-motion animation, this monster adventure film still stands up today as an exciting story with sentiment running throughout. Not the first movie to follow a formula of having a scientist or explorer test a theory in some strange, new land only to discover a monstrous aberration, with its solid casting, impressive animation, and striking soundtrack, King Kong is now a legendary Hollywood icon with unforgettable scenes at the top of the Empire State Building and battling a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Among the many accolades, AFI included it among its 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, 100 Passions, 100 Quotes, 100 Film Scores, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 Fantasy lists. In 1991, King Kong was preserved by the Library of Congress in its National Film Registry.
The year 1939 is considered to be the most outstanding 365 days in Hollywood's history, with releases including Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach (all of which make my top ten list), Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Mice and Men, and other fabulous motion pictures. Coupled with other great titles that made their way to theaters throughout the decade, the 1930s is one of the most celebrated decades regarding the film industry.
I've started a series of lists that rank my top ten favorite movies by decade. I started with the 1920s and will be working my way toward the new millennium.
To compile this list, I took my ranked films from IMDb, which I grade after every movie viewing, and sorted them from highest to lowest. Then looking at each movie in each decade I came up with my favorite ten.
I have included some honorable mentions to show what the top ten were up against. We will continue with the 1930s.
1930s
Honorable Mentions: M (1931), Horse Feathers (1932), The Thin Man (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), A Night at the Opera (1935), and Wuthering Heights (1939)
10. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – Watching this movie for the first time was a seminal moment in my life as it helped me realize the individual soldier my country is at war with doesn’t necessarily have the same ideals as what we are led to believe when fighting whomever. Often our enemy is a scared, disillusioned boy who got wrapped up in the idea of patriotism and is now trapped in a war he regrets joining. All Quiet on the Western Front illustrates the realism of what a human being went through during World War I. It received instant praise from critics and audiences alike, winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director and receiving nominations for Best Writing and Best Cinematography as well. It has since made many lists for best film, including the American Film Institute’s 100 Years 100 Movies and 10 Top 10 lists. It was also selected in 1990 to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
9. Grand Illusion (1937) – Feeling like a prison escape movie but having overtones that deal with social classes and race relations, Le grande illuision, or Grand Illusion, is unique in that it is a war film with no battle scenes. Set during World War I, the film follows a group of French soldiers trying to escape from a German prisoner-of-war camp. As well as being named by critics as one of the great masterpieces of French cinema and ranking at #35 in Empire magazine’s The 100 Best Films of World Cinema in 2010, Grand Illusion was honored by director Orson Wells when he stated it was one of the films he would take with him “on the ark.” Despite winning Best Artistic Ensemble at the Venice Film Festival, the movie was banned in both Germany, for obvious reasons, and France, so as not to lower soldiers’ morale.
8. Bringing Up Baby (1938) – Screwball comedies are a mixed bag for me because I sometimes can’t get past the implausible situations the characters find themselves in, but Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant give such sharp performances in Bringing Up Baby that the entire plot seems to flow effortlessly. Considered a failure when initially released and leading theater owners to label Hepburn “box office poison,” its popularity has grown to become one of the most memorable of the screwball comedy genre. AFI placed it on its 100 Movies, 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, 100 Quotes, and 100 Movies 10th Anniversary lists. Bringing Up Baby had an influence on comedy films later in the decade.
7. It Happened One Night (1934) – You might be scratching your head after I made the proclamation about screwball comedies not being my favorite genre of film and then I list another such movie in the very next spot, but this Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Frank Capra hit is a special kind of movie. It Happened One Night was the first to win the “Big Five” of Oscar (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay), which has only happened three times in Academy Award history. The film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 1993. It was also selected to AFI’s 100 Movies, 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 lists.
6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – This was the pioneering first full-length animated feature production from Walt Disney Studios that resulted in a string of cartoon classics that have lasted decades and entertained countless children. The American Film Institute listed it as one of two animated movies in its 100 Movies list, the only animated film in its 10th Anniversary list and later named it the greatest American animated film of all time. AFI also listed the film among its 100 Heroes and Villains and 100 Songs lists. In 1989, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant by the United States National Film Registry. Prior to being a box office smash, the film premiered to a standing ovation from numerous Hollywood celebrities and a week later Walt Disney and the seven dwarfs made the cover of Time magazine. During its original theatrical run, it was the most financially successful film up to that time. Disney received an Academy Honorary Award for providing a “significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field.”
5. Stagecoach (1939) – The first of many westerns directed by John Ford, starring John Wayne, and featuring Monument Valley, Stagecoach is a thrilling adventure with memorable performances and has influenced directors for decades. During his time directing Citizen Kane, Orson Welles claims to have watched this movie about 40 times, claiming it is a perfect textbook of filmmaking. It won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Best Music and was nominated in five other categories, including Best Picture and Best Director. Ford did end up winning for Best Director at the New York Film Critics Awards. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1995 and AFI listed it among its 100 Movies and 10 Top 10 westerns lists.
4. The Wizard of Oz (1939) – The quintessential idea of how film can take its viewer to a fantastical new world while never leaving their seat in the movie theater or couch at home, The Wizard of Oz combines the use of special effects, Technicolor, musical hits, and standout characters to create one of the most beloved motion pictures of all time. Due to being such an expensive production, the film started out as a box office failure, however, it went on to receive encouraging reviews, two Academy Awards wins, and numerous nominations including Best Picture of the year, losing to a movie yet to be mentioned on this list. The Wizard of Oz, thanks to annual telecasts beginning in 1956, has become the most-watched film in history and is often among the highest ranked movies in critics’ polls. It made the AFI lists 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, 100 Heroes and Villains, 100 songs (twice), 100 Quotes (three times), 100 Musicals, 100 Cheers, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 Fantasy. Other notable honors include rankings in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Maverick Movies, Entertainment Weekly’s 100 Greatest Films, The Village Voice’s 100 Best films of the 20th Century, Sight & Sound’s Greatest Film Poll of Directors, Total Film’s 100 Greatest Films and 23 Weirdest Films lists, and The Observer’s 50 greatest film soundtracks. It was selected to the National Film Registry its first year of eligibility in 1989.
3. Frankenstein (1931) – Launching the career of Boris Karloff as the Monster, Frankenstein is a historic film that, along with the help of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, helped launch Universal’s monster movie genre popular until the late 50s. The titular monster is portrayed as a hapless individual who is more of a misunderstood creature than the horrifying villain of the book. Considered to be one of the best movies of the year, Frankenstein was received to universal acclaim and is ranked among AFI’s 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, and 100 Quotes lists. It also ranked on The New York Times Best 1000 Movies Ever list, Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments list, and is among the Chicago Film Critics Association’s scariest films ever made. The United States National Film Registry selected it for preservation in 1991.
2. Gone With the Wind (1939) – An epic that rivals all epic films, producer David O. Selznick and director Victor Fleming made a movie that garnered 10 Academy Awards, a record at the time, and won the Best Picture Oscar in a year that is considered the greatest individual season of filmmaking ever that included such nominees as Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ninotchka, Of Mice and Men, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, and Wuthering Heights. The movie premiere was such a big event, it was shown at the end of a three-day climax of festivities in Atlanta, which included a parade of limousines featuring stars from the film, false antebellum fronts on stores and homes, and a costume ball. Becoming the highest-grossing film of all time and holding the position until 1966, Gone With the Wind was the longest running American sound film made up to that point, coming in at 3 hours 44 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. When inflation is taken into account, it still holds the record for most money earned in theaters. The AFI listed it fourth on its 100 Movies and 10 To 10 Epic, second on its 100 Passions and 100 Film Scores, first, 31st, and 59th, on its 100 Quotes, 43rd on its 100 Cheers, and sixth on its 100 Movies Anniversary lists. This classic was among the inaugural films to be deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry.
1. King Kong (1933) – Being filmed nearly 80 years ago, shooting in black-and-white, and use of stop-motion animation, this monster adventure film still stands up today as an exciting story with sentiment running throughout. Not the first movie to follow a formula of having a scientist or explorer test a theory in some strange, new land only to discover a monstrous aberration, with its solid casting, impressive animation, and striking soundtrack, King Kong is now a legendary Hollywood icon with unforgettable scenes at the top of the Empire State Building and battling a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Among the many accolades, AFI included it among its 100 Movies, 100 Thrills, 100 Passions, 100 Quotes, 100 Film Scores, 100 Movies Anniversary Edition, and 10 Top 10 Fantasy lists. In 1991, King Kong was preserved by the Library of Congress in its National Film Registry.
The year 1939 is considered to be the most outstanding 365 days in Hollywood's history, with releases including Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach (all of which make my top ten list), Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Mice and Men, and other fabulous motion pictures. Coupled with other great titles that made their way to theaters throughout the decade, the 1930s is one of the most celebrated decades regarding the film industry.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A Facelift
While recently going through my archive of posts and labeling most of the entries to make things easier on myself if I want to go back and find an old post, I decided to make a few changes to the design of my blog. The template is different, I swapped where the posts and the gadgets are positioned, and I changed the font of my title. Nothing drastic, but something to give me a new look.
Monday, December 12, 2011
A Joyous And Grinchy Weekend
This past weekend was both a blessing and a bummer as I received a Christmas gift early from my mom but then the Dallas Cowboys game resulted in a loss to division rival New York Giants.
The present I was given was a new bicycle. I told my mom last summer Joanna and I wanted bikes for the holidays to ride around our neighborhood and get in better shape. As good as her word, my mom delivered. Joanna and I both went out Friday night and Saturday morning to find our new bikes at local Wal-Mart and Target stores. We both selected Schwinns, Joanna's being a one-speed ladies comfort ride and mine a hybrid with 21 gears.
I have already ridden the new gift twice, despite chilly weather. My legs woke me up with a burning sensation Sunday morning after my first ride, which lasted only 15 minutes due to my heart wanting to explode from the pressure I had put it under during the excercise. This morning my legs felt much better, which is probably because my ride on Sunday was only a quick five-minute ride down the street due to the cold weather early yesterday morning.
I hope to ride my bike every day once the weather warms up, but during the winter I will try to get in a session of excercise on my new bicycle a few times a week. I still have some accessories to add like a water bottle holder and we need to buy helmets (yes, we rode without helmets this weekend), a bike rack to transport the bikes when we go camping or want to ride them at a park that is far away, and a bike carrier for Jackson to travel in.
So far, this Christmas is going great.
The present I was given was a new bicycle. I told my mom last summer Joanna and I wanted bikes for the holidays to ride around our neighborhood and get in better shape. As good as her word, my mom delivered. Joanna and I both went out Friday night and Saturday morning to find our new bikes at local Wal-Mart and Target stores. We both selected Schwinns, Joanna's being a one-speed ladies comfort ride and mine a hybrid with 21 gears.
I have already ridden the new gift twice, despite chilly weather. My legs woke me up with a burning sensation Sunday morning after my first ride, which lasted only 15 minutes due to my heart wanting to explode from the pressure I had put it under during the excercise. This morning my legs felt much better, which is probably because my ride on Sunday was only a quick five-minute ride down the street due to the cold weather early yesterday morning.
I hope to ride my bike every day once the weather warms up, but during the winter I will try to get in a session of excercise on my new bicycle a few times a week. I still have some accessories to add like a water bottle holder and we need to buy helmets (yes, we rode without helmets this weekend), a bike rack to transport the bikes when we go camping or want to ride them at a park that is far away, and a bike carrier for Jackson to travel in.
So far, this Christmas is going great.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Really How Good (Or Bad) Is Tony Romo?
As expected during my family’s Thanksgiving get-together this past week, our debates turned to Dallas Cowboys quarterback and local sports punching bag Tony Romo. I am a Romo supporter and my cousin thinks he is awful. During the discussion it was brought up about where Romo would rank in the current list of quarterbacks in the National Football League. I said easily top ten, Clint didn’t give a number but made it clear he isn’t even average (meaning he is ranked less than 16th as there are 32 starting quarterbacks; for the purpose of our discussion Peyton Manning is still considered the Indianapolis Colts quarterback), and my brother said he probably wouldn’t put Romo in the top ten (making it sound as if he is right outside of that group).
Realistically, Romo is certainly behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees. After those four QBs the list will start to become more personal for every fan. The rest of the pack that is even in discussion to be among the top ten in the league include (in no particular order) Romo, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Matt Schaub, Michael Vick, Jay Cutler, and Joe Flacco. That's a total of 14 quarterbacks and three of those have to be grouped with Romo to be among the ones not good enough to be considered the top third in the sport if my brother and cousin are correct.
I have compiled some statistics from this year’s season that will show how Romo is faring among his peers. Obviously, stats alone don’t make an argument for an athlete’s merits. There are other intangibles that can’t be put onto paper that weigh in favor and against a player in the minds of the public, but this will give you an idea of how Romo’s year is going. The numbers listed include passing yardage, yards per attempt, completion percentage, touchdowns, interceptions, sacks, and QB rating, both by the NFL’s standard system and ESPN’s new QBR system.
Because Peyton Manning has not played this year due to a neck injury, no stats are available for him. It should also be noted that some players like Vick, Schaub, and Cutler have missed a few games due to injury and rookie Cam Newton has been omitted from the discussion despite putting up some impressive numbers, but he has to be around for more than half a season to be considered for best in the league. After 11 games this will be a good litmus test for Romo.
Passing Yardage
Romo ranks ninth in yards with the Elite 3 (Rodgers, Brady, and Brees) taking the top three spots:
Brees – 3,689
Brady – 3,627
Rodgers – 3,475
Manning – 3,358 (4th)
Rivers – 3,211 (5th)
Stafford – 3,119 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 3,070 (8th)
Romo – 3,026
Ryan – 2,887 (10th)
Flacco – 2,737 (11th)
Schaub – 2,479 (17th)
Cutler – 2,319 (19th)
Vick – 2,193 (20th)
Yards Per Attempt
Romo is seventh in passing yardage per attempted throw:
Rodgers – 9.6 (1st)
Brady – 8.62 (2nd)
Schaub – 8.49 (3rd)
Manning – 8.35 (4th)
Brees – 8.02 (5th)
Roethlisberger – 7.97 (6th)
Romo – 7.96
Rivers – 7.66 (9th)
Cutler – 7.39 (11th)
Ryan – 7.33 (13th)
Vick – 7.31 (14th)
Stafford – 7.04 (18th)
Flacco – 6.66 (25th)
Completion Percentage
Ranked behind the Elite 3, Romo comes in at fourth:
Rodgers – 71.8%
Brees – 70.2%
Brady – 65.8%
Romo – 64.5%
Roethlisberger – 63.6% (6th)
Manning – 62.9% (8th)
Ryan – 62.4% (9th)
Stafford – 62.3% (11th)
Rivers – 61.1% (13th)
Schaub – 61% (15th)
Vick – 60.3% (19th)
Cutler – 58% (26th)
Flacco – 56% (29th)
Touchdowns
Again trailing the Elite 3, Romo is ranked fifth:
Rodgers – 33
Brady – 28
Brees – 27
Stafford – 26 (4th)
Romo – 21
Manning – 20 (6th)
Ryan – 18 (tied for 8th)
Roethlisberger – 17 (10th)
Rivers – 16 (tied for 11th)
Schaub – 15 (tied for 13th)
Cutler – 13 (tied for 15th)
Flacco – 13 (tied for 15th)
Vick – 11 (21st)
Interceptions
Despite a reputation for coughing up the ball too much, Romo has kept his picks down to only nine thus far, which is good enough for tied at 17th (a lower ranking is better):
Rivers – 17 in 419 attempts (1st)
Stafford – 13 in 443 attempts (6th)
Vick – 11 in 300 attempts (tied for 9th)
Brees – 11 in 460 attempts (tied for 9th)
Brady – 10 in 421 attempts (tied for 12th)
Manning – 10 in 402 attempts (tied for 12th)
Roethlisberger – 10 in 385 attempts (tied for 12th)
Ryan – 10 in 394 attempts (tied for 12th)
Romo – 9 in 380 attempts
Flacco – 8 in 411 attempts (tied for 20th)
Cutler – 7 in 314 attempts (tied for 24th)
Schaub – 6 in 292 attempts (tied for 27th)
Rodgers – 4 in 362 attempts (tied for 35th)
Sacks
Romo’s scrambling gets him out of a few hits every game, giving him a lower ranking at tied for 18th than other immobile quarterbacks (again, low rank is preferred):
Roethlisberger – 32 (2nd)
Rivers – 28 (tied for 4th)
Rodgers – 27 (7th)
Cutler – 23 (tied for 12th)
Ryan – 22 (tied for 14th)
Flacco – 21 (tied for 16th)
Stafford – 21 (tied for 16th)
Brady – 20 (tied for 18th)
Romo – 20
Manning – 20 (tied for 18th)
Brees – 19 (21st)
Schaub – 16 (tied for 24th)
Vick – 15 (tied for 30th)
NFL QB Rating
Romo is right behind the Elite 3 at fourth:
Rodgers – 127.7
Brady – 105.1
Brees – 103.6
Romo – 97.5
Schaub – 96.8 (5th)
Manning – 95.5 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 92.2 (7th)
Stafford – 90.7 (9th)
Ryan – 89.3 (10th)
Cutler – 85.7 (12th)
Rivers – 80.8 (20th)
Vick – 79.8 (21st)
Flacco – 78.9 (22nd)
ESPN QBR
Again, Romo comes in fourth behind the Elite 3:
Rodgers – 85.6
Brees – 79.1
Brady – 74.7
Romo – 73.1
Schaub – 66.7 (5th)
Ryan – 66.2 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 65.8 (8th)
Manning – 64 (9th)
Cutler – 59.5 (11th)
Vick – 58.1 (14th)
Flacco – 55.6 (16th)
Stafford – 54.5 (17th)
Rivers – 49.6 (19th)
In total, Romo’s rankings include three fourths, a fifth, a seventh, and a ninth, excluding the interceptions and sack rankings due to being inverted.
If you exclude all quarterbacks who have attempted less than 250 passes and rank by fewest interceptions thrown, Romo would be considered tied for ninth, with only Rodgers, Cutler, Schaub, and Flacco (listed in order of best to worst) being the quarterbacks included in this discussion of best in the league throwing fewer picks.
Utilizing the same criteria of 250 pass attempts or more and inverting the rankings of sacks taken, Romo would come in at a tie with Brady and Manning at ninth. The quarterbacks ahead of these three and in the top 10 discussion include Vick, Schaub, and Brees (listed from best to worst).
Looking at all of the information above, Romo consistently falls in the top ten. He makes the top five of more than half those rankings.
So let’s consider all the information above and find a reasonable spot for Romo to be placed among NFL quarterbacks. Obviously, Rodgers, Brady, and Brees make out the top three. Even without playing a single down this season, Peyton Manning is included in the most elite of quarterbacks. This leaves six spots left.
Roethlisberger is considered a bus driver for his offense and many don’t give him much credit for the Steelers success. I think he is a bit overrated, but two Super Bowl rings and a third trip to the championship game is one of those things you cannot rank. I would put Roethlisberger ahead of Romo at least until Romo shows more postseason success. We are down to five spots left.
Philip Rivers is having an awful season. I don’t know what is going on in San Diego, but Rivers has not lived up to the expectations his talent level gives the Chargers fan base. If Rivers continues to tank the rest of this year and shows no sign of turning things around in 2012, I will move Romo up, but for now I have to give Rivers the nod. That leaves four spots.
With a Super Bowl win on his resume, many would position Eli Manning ahead of Romo. I think Manning has a lot of skill, but like Romo, his mistakes are given the biggest headlines due to where he plays, and Manning has some really awful stinkers throughout any given season. Among the quarterbacks left in the pool, I think little Manning is the closest in competition with Romo.
Schaub is a gifted quarterback who shows signs of brilliance in a season, but those signs usually are short-lived as he is always injured. Since 2005, in the seven seasons he has been the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans, he has only stayed healthy for 16 games in four of those. His shortened seasons include 2007 (11 games played), 2008 (11), and 2011 (10). Other than a three-game absence in 2008 and last year’s season-ending injury after only six games, Romo has been a gamer, working on his sixth complete season this year and even having to tough it out through broken ribs and a punctured lung to do so. Even if Schaub is the better quarterback in mechanics, I can’t put the fragile Texan ahead of the tough Cowboy.
Like Schaub, Stafford isn’t reliable enough to complete an entire season. Stafford was put on injured reserve in both his rookie and sophomore seasons. His talent is obvious, but until he starts contributing for an entire season it is impossible to rank him higher.
I would like my team’s future if Ryan were the Cowboys quarterback. He is young, has a lot of the key components it takes to be a winner in the NFL, and seems to be improving as each season concludes. There isn’t a lot to dislike about Ryan, but when it comes down to it, I think Romo right now is the better player.
Vick isn’t a great quarterback. He is a great athlete who plays quarterback. He can make some big plays, but he also performs with reckless abandon which can result in costly mistakes. His style of play is also a recipe for injury, much like this season is showing.
Flacco, Flacco, Flacco. He isn’t flashy. He doesn’t put up gaudy numbers. He just goes and gets the job done. If he were the recipient of Super Bowl championships like Roethlisberger I might rank him above Romo, but without the skins on the wall he just isn’t good enough to be counted among the greats in the league right now.
I see a lot of Romo in what Cutler does every Sunday. You take the good with the bad. But it seems like Cutler’s bad is so much worse. He turns the ball over at a rate that would make Brett Favre proud. He was actually looking very good for the start of this season, but his injury has put things on hiatus for now. Until he shows better decision making, Cutler doesn’t crack the top 10 for me.
So my list looks something like this:
1a. Tom Brady
1b. Aaron Rodgers
3. Drew Brees
4. Peyton Manning
5. Ben Roethlisberger
6. Philip Rivers
7. Tony Romo
8. Eli Manning
9. Matt Schaub
10. Matthew Stafford
11. Mat Ryan
12. Michael Vick
13. Joe Flacco
14. Jay Cutler
Realistically, Romo is certainly behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees. After those four QBs the list will start to become more personal for every fan. The rest of the pack that is even in discussion to be among the top ten in the league include (in no particular order) Romo, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Matt Schaub, Michael Vick, Jay Cutler, and Joe Flacco. That's a total of 14 quarterbacks and three of those have to be grouped with Romo to be among the ones not good enough to be considered the top third in the sport if my brother and cousin are correct.
I have compiled some statistics from this year’s season that will show how Romo is faring among his peers. Obviously, stats alone don’t make an argument for an athlete’s merits. There are other intangibles that can’t be put onto paper that weigh in favor and against a player in the minds of the public, but this will give you an idea of how Romo’s year is going. The numbers listed include passing yardage, yards per attempt, completion percentage, touchdowns, interceptions, sacks, and QB rating, both by the NFL’s standard system and ESPN’s new QBR system.
Because Peyton Manning has not played this year due to a neck injury, no stats are available for him. It should also be noted that some players like Vick, Schaub, and Cutler have missed a few games due to injury and rookie Cam Newton has been omitted from the discussion despite putting up some impressive numbers, but he has to be around for more than half a season to be considered for best in the league. After 11 games this will be a good litmus test for Romo.
Passing Yardage
Romo ranks ninth in yards with the Elite 3 (Rodgers, Brady, and Brees) taking the top three spots:
Brees – 3,689
Brady – 3,627
Rodgers – 3,475
Manning – 3,358 (4th)
Rivers – 3,211 (5th)
Stafford – 3,119 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 3,070 (8th)
Romo – 3,026
Ryan – 2,887 (10th)
Flacco – 2,737 (11th)
Schaub – 2,479 (17th)
Cutler – 2,319 (19th)
Vick – 2,193 (20th)
Yards Per Attempt
Romo is seventh in passing yardage per attempted throw:
Rodgers – 9.6 (1st)
Brady – 8.62 (2nd)
Schaub – 8.49 (3rd)
Manning – 8.35 (4th)
Brees – 8.02 (5th)
Roethlisberger – 7.97 (6th)
Romo – 7.96
Rivers – 7.66 (9th)
Cutler – 7.39 (11th)
Ryan – 7.33 (13th)
Vick – 7.31 (14th)
Stafford – 7.04 (18th)
Flacco – 6.66 (25th)
Completion Percentage
Ranked behind the Elite 3, Romo comes in at fourth:
Rodgers – 71.8%
Brees – 70.2%
Brady – 65.8%
Romo – 64.5%
Roethlisberger – 63.6% (6th)
Manning – 62.9% (8th)
Ryan – 62.4% (9th)
Stafford – 62.3% (11th)
Rivers – 61.1% (13th)
Schaub – 61% (15th)
Vick – 60.3% (19th)
Cutler – 58% (26th)
Flacco – 56% (29th)
Touchdowns
Again trailing the Elite 3, Romo is ranked fifth:
Rodgers – 33
Brady – 28
Brees – 27
Stafford – 26 (4th)
Romo – 21
Manning – 20 (6th)
Ryan – 18 (tied for 8th)
Roethlisberger – 17 (10th)
Rivers – 16 (tied for 11th)
Schaub – 15 (tied for 13th)
Cutler – 13 (tied for 15th)
Flacco – 13 (tied for 15th)
Vick – 11 (21st)
Interceptions
Despite a reputation for coughing up the ball too much, Romo has kept his picks down to only nine thus far, which is good enough for tied at 17th (a lower ranking is better):
Rivers – 17 in 419 attempts (1st)
Stafford – 13 in 443 attempts (6th)
Vick – 11 in 300 attempts (tied for 9th)
Brees – 11 in 460 attempts (tied for 9th)
Brady – 10 in 421 attempts (tied for 12th)
Manning – 10 in 402 attempts (tied for 12th)
Roethlisberger – 10 in 385 attempts (tied for 12th)
Ryan – 10 in 394 attempts (tied for 12th)
Romo – 9 in 380 attempts
Flacco – 8 in 411 attempts (tied for 20th)
Cutler – 7 in 314 attempts (tied for 24th)
Schaub – 6 in 292 attempts (tied for 27th)
Rodgers – 4 in 362 attempts (tied for 35th)
Sacks
Romo’s scrambling gets him out of a few hits every game, giving him a lower ranking at tied for 18th than other immobile quarterbacks (again, low rank is preferred):
Roethlisberger – 32 (2nd)
Rivers – 28 (tied for 4th)
Rodgers – 27 (7th)
Cutler – 23 (tied for 12th)
Ryan – 22 (tied for 14th)
Flacco – 21 (tied for 16th)
Stafford – 21 (tied for 16th)
Brady – 20 (tied for 18th)
Romo – 20
Manning – 20 (tied for 18th)
Brees – 19 (21st)
Schaub – 16 (tied for 24th)
Vick – 15 (tied for 30th)
NFL QB Rating
Romo is right behind the Elite 3 at fourth:
Rodgers – 127.7
Brady – 105.1
Brees – 103.6
Romo – 97.5
Schaub – 96.8 (5th)
Manning – 95.5 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 92.2 (7th)
Stafford – 90.7 (9th)
Ryan – 89.3 (10th)
Cutler – 85.7 (12th)
Rivers – 80.8 (20th)
Vick – 79.8 (21st)
Flacco – 78.9 (22nd)
ESPN QBR
Again, Romo comes in fourth behind the Elite 3:
Rodgers – 85.6
Brees – 79.1
Brady – 74.7
Romo – 73.1
Schaub – 66.7 (5th)
Ryan – 66.2 (6th)
Roethlisberger – 65.8 (8th)
Manning – 64 (9th)
Cutler – 59.5 (11th)
Vick – 58.1 (14th)
Flacco – 55.6 (16th)
Stafford – 54.5 (17th)
Rivers – 49.6 (19th)
In total, Romo’s rankings include three fourths, a fifth, a seventh, and a ninth, excluding the interceptions and sack rankings due to being inverted.
If you exclude all quarterbacks who have attempted less than 250 passes and rank by fewest interceptions thrown, Romo would be considered tied for ninth, with only Rodgers, Cutler, Schaub, and Flacco (listed in order of best to worst) being the quarterbacks included in this discussion of best in the league throwing fewer picks.
Utilizing the same criteria of 250 pass attempts or more and inverting the rankings of sacks taken, Romo would come in at a tie with Brady and Manning at ninth. The quarterbacks ahead of these three and in the top 10 discussion include Vick, Schaub, and Brees (listed from best to worst).
Looking at all of the information above, Romo consistently falls in the top ten. He makes the top five of more than half those rankings.
So let’s consider all the information above and find a reasonable spot for Romo to be placed among NFL quarterbacks. Obviously, Rodgers, Brady, and Brees make out the top three. Even without playing a single down this season, Peyton Manning is included in the most elite of quarterbacks. This leaves six spots left.
Roethlisberger is considered a bus driver for his offense and many don’t give him much credit for the Steelers success. I think he is a bit overrated, but two Super Bowl rings and a third trip to the championship game is one of those things you cannot rank. I would put Roethlisberger ahead of Romo at least until Romo shows more postseason success. We are down to five spots left.
Philip Rivers is having an awful season. I don’t know what is going on in San Diego, but Rivers has not lived up to the expectations his talent level gives the Chargers fan base. If Rivers continues to tank the rest of this year and shows no sign of turning things around in 2012, I will move Romo up, but for now I have to give Rivers the nod. That leaves four spots.
With a Super Bowl win on his resume, many would position Eli Manning ahead of Romo. I think Manning has a lot of skill, but like Romo, his mistakes are given the biggest headlines due to where he plays, and Manning has some really awful stinkers throughout any given season. Among the quarterbacks left in the pool, I think little Manning is the closest in competition with Romo.
Schaub is a gifted quarterback who shows signs of brilliance in a season, but those signs usually are short-lived as he is always injured. Since 2005, in the seven seasons he has been the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans, he has only stayed healthy for 16 games in four of those. His shortened seasons include 2007 (11 games played), 2008 (11), and 2011 (10). Other than a three-game absence in 2008 and last year’s season-ending injury after only six games, Romo has been a gamer, working on his sixth complete season this year and even having to tough it out through broken ribs and a punctured lung to do so. Even if Schaub is the better quarterback in mechanics, I can’t put the fragile Texan ahead of the tough Cowboy.
Like Schaub, Stafford isn’t reliable enough to complete an entire season. Stafford was put on injured reserve in both his rookie and sophomore seasons. His talent is obvious, but until he starts contributing for an entire season it is impossible to rank him higher.
I would like my team’s future if Ryan were the Cowboys quarterback. He is young, has a lot of the key components it takes to be a winner in the NFL, and seems to be improving as each season concludes. There isn’t a lot to dislike about Ryan, but when it comes down to it, I think Romo right now is the better player.
Vick isn’t a great quarterback. He is a great athlete who plays quarterback. He can make some big plays, but he also performs with reckless abandon which can result in costly mistakes. His style of play is also a recipe for injury, much like this season is showing.
Flacco, Flacco, Flacco. He isn’t flashy. He doesn’t put up gaudy numbers. He just goes and gets the job done. If he were the recipient of Super Bowl championships like Roethlisberger I might rank him above Romo, but without the skins on the wall he just isn’t good enough to be counted among the greats in the league right now.
I see a lot of Romo in what Cutler does every Sunday. You take the good with the bad. But it seems like Cutler’s bad is so much worse. He turns the ball over at a rate that would make Brett Favre proud. He was actually looking very good for the start of this season, but his injury has put things on hiatus for now. Until he shows better decision making, Cutler doesn’t crack the top 10 for me.
So my list looks something like this:
1a. Tom Brady
1b. Aaron Rodgers
3. Drew Brees
4. Peyton Manning
5. Ben Roethlisberger
6. Philip Rivers
7. Tony Romo
8. Eli Manning
9. Matt Schaub
10. Matthew Stafford
11. Mat Ryan
12. Michael Vick
13. Joe Flacco
14. Jay Cutler
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Top Movies By Decade: Part 1 - "You ain't heard nothing yet!"
As many of my friends know, I am a movie freak. I have seen thousands of movies numerous times and love all genres of film. While bored at work today, I decided to rank my favorite movies by decade and post them in a series.
To compile this list, I took all of the ranked films from my IMDb account, which I grade after every movie I see, and sorted them from highest to lowest. I then looked at every movie in each decade and came up with my favorite ten.
I have included some honorable mentions for each decade to show what the top ten were up against. We will begin with the 1920s.
1920s
Honorable Mention: The Kid (1921), The Navigator (1924), and Wings (1927)
10. The Jazz Singer (1927) – While finding the first movie to be filmed in color is a bit muddled, the beginning of sound pictures can be pinpointed to the Al Jolson musical The Jazz Singer. Featuring synchronized dialogue sequences, The Jazz Singer had such an immediate impact on the film industry, eccentric aviator and film producer/director Howard Hughes incorporated the new technology into his half-completed silent movie, Hell’s Angels, and converted the movie into a talkie at an increased cost. Another memorable footnote from The Jazz Singer is Jolson’s performance in blackface, which in today’s society almost always is looked upon as racist. The Jazz Singer received Academy Award nominations for Writing Adapted Screenplay and Engineering Effects and Warner Bros. production chief Darryl F. Zanuck received a special Academy Award for producing “the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry.” It is included among the group of films preserved in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress.
9. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – This French silent film chronicles the imprisonment, trial, and execution of the controversial religious warrioress. What makes The Passion of Joan of Arc such a historically important film, both in regard to textbooks and moviemaking, is how closely the script follows the trial records and the camera-work that highlights the actors facial expressions through close-ups. Richard Einhorn’s soundtrack to the film, titled Voices of Light, is also a powerfully chilling score that accentuates the gripping performances, which are made even more eerie by actors with no makeup applied. The Passion of Joan of Arc has consistently made it on (credible) top ten lists, including Sight & Sound magazine and the Village Voice, and is considered to contain one of the greatest performances on film of any era from Renée Jeanne Falconetti.
8. Safety Last! (1923) – The most lasting image from this silent romantic comedy is star Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock several stories up on a skyscraper. Besides the impressive stunts Lloyd does throughout the final sequence climbing a 12-story building, the comedic bits are also a hoot-and-a-half. Unlike some movies in this list that were panned by critics to begin with and later found a cult following that grew to become sincere appreciation, Safety Last! was a critical and financial success and is still a hit at revivals. It was selected in 1994 to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
7. Battleship Potemkin (1925) – This is a dramatization of the 1905 mutiny by the crew of the Russian Battleship Potemkin against its czarist regime. However, it is not simply a propaganda film from Sergei Eisenstein, but an experiment in the art of montage. Eisenstein wanted to edit the film in such a way as to invoke sympathy for the rebels and abhorrence for the upper class. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you might have seen its most famous scene, which is of the czar’s soldiers marching in unison down the Odessa Steps and firing into the crowd, killing men, women, and children at random. Eisenstein’s montage theory is executed flawlessly in the Odessa Steps scene, creating some today to believe the made-for-film scene was a historically accurate event. Along with being one of the finest propaganda films ever, The Battleship Potemkin has garnered praise for more than 85 years as one of the greatest films of all time. Empire magazine listed it at #3 in its 100 Best Films of World Cinema in 2010.
6. The General (1926) – Originally panned by critics and a flop at the box office, The General has gone on to become one of the greatest silent-era films of all time. Both thrilling and comedic, Buster Keaton’s stunts and direction are still compelling, even in today’s action-heavy movie world. Keaton was not only the star, but also contributed to writing, editing, producing, and directing the picture as well. Despite its poor financial run, thus resulting in Keaton having to abandon his dream to be an independent filmmaker and enter into a restrictive contract deal with MGM, it has since gained much favor with both critics and audiences. The American Film Institute celebrated The General on both its 100 Laughs and 100 Films 10th Anniversary Edition lists. The National Congress included it among the first selections in 1989 to the National Film Registry.
5. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) – The first ever Academy Award winner for Unique and Artistic Production, which the next year would be combined with another category to become the Best Picture award, Sunrise was an American production from director F.W. Murnau in the style of German Expressionism, which features distorted art design for symbolic effect. The silent film used few title cards and experimented in long tracking shots, with the longest ever being filmed up to that point at more than four minutes for one take. Sunrise was immediately loved and was nominated in four categories at the Academy Awards, winning three Oscars for best actress, best cinematography, and best picture. It was also among the original films included in the National Film Registry, Sight & Sound magazine’s critics’ poll for Top 10 best films ever made, and the American Film Industry’s Top 100 Passions film list.
4. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) – Being one of the most influential German Expressionist movies and among the earliest examples of executing the frame story in film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari also introduced another aspect of film that is highly common today, which I am not going to state here as it will spoil some of the movie for those who have yet to see it. The art design of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is unique in that shadows and light were painted directly on the sets’ walls, floors, and backgrounds. This movie inspired directors for decades afterward, is considered to be among the first horror films, and had a great influence on the genre film noir.
3. Nosferatu (1922) – Another exceptional example of German Expressionism in the 1920s, Nosferatu is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, resulting in the bankruptcy of the company as Stoker’s estate sued the filmmakers for copyright infringement. Even to this day, Max Schrek’s Count Orlock, substituting for the more famous Count Dracula, is one of the most horrifying and iconic portrayals of a vampire. In a time where vampires are written to be sexy, misunderstood creatures who only want to find true love among the humans instead of utilizing our species like cattle for their unending bloodlust, it is Schrek’s ghastly makeup and eerie performance that reminds us vampires were originally created to be our enemy. In 2010, Empire magazine listed Nosferatu at number 21 among its 100 Best Films of World Cinema.
2. The Gold Rush (1925) – Any list of early cinema is not complete without a Charlie Chaplin film, and this one isn’t going to be the last in my rankings. Not only starring as his Little Tramp character, who debuted in 1914 and continued to star in silent movies until 1936’s Modern Times, but also writing, producing, and directing, some of Chaplin’s most memorable sequences can be found in The Gold Rush, including the roll dance. The Gold Rush is the fifth highest grossing silent film and the most successful silent comedy in cinema history. The American Film Institute includes The Gold Rush among its 100 Movies (at #74), 100 Laughs (#25), and 100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition list (#58). It was also selected to the National Film Registry for preservation in 1992.
1. Metropolis (1927) – German filmmakers knew what they were doing in the 20s as this is the fourth Expressionist film to be in the top four of my best of the decade list. A dystopian study of social upheaval between the workers and owners of capitalism set in a science-fiction world, Metropolis is the most expensive silent film ever made, and its lavishness can be appreciated in each viewing. The film is still impressive, even by today’s standards, in its art direction and special effects. Following its premiere in Germany, Metropolis was drastically altered and many never saw the same footage or at the correct speed (as not all movies were filmed at 24 frames per second like they are today) that director Fritz Lang intended. Until 2008, a portion of the film was believed lost, but a copy of the original film was discovered in Argentina. Despite being a classic today, when it was initially released Metropolis was not the darling of the silent era like it is now. Ranked 12th in Empire magazine’s list of the Best 100 Films of World Cinema, it came in second in a list of the greatest movies of the silent era.
The 1920s is easily one of the weaker decades in film history, but that is not really the fault of the filmmakers of the era. As technology improved, so did the movies. People today find it very hard to sit through silent movies that don’t explain everything to them through dialogue. In the 20s, movies were still learning what could and couldn’t be done, and with the discovery of sound on film with 1927’s The Jazz Singer the medium changed forever. While this decade is probably my least favorite when it comes to all movies made during that time period, the ones on this list are among some of the best and most iconic in all of film history.
To compile this list, I took all of the ranked films from my IMDb account, which I grade after every movie I see, and sorted them from highest to lowest. I then looked at every movie in each decade and came up with my favorite ten.
I have included some honorable mentions for each decade to show what the top ten were up against. We will begin with the 1920s.
1920s
Honorable Mention: The Kid (1921), The Navigator (1924), and Wings (1927)
10. The Jazz Singer (1927) – While finding the first movie to be filmed in color is a bit muddled, the beginning of sound pictures can be pinpointed to the Al Jolson musical The Jazz Singer. Featuring synchronized dialogue sequences, The Jazz Singer had such an immediate impact on the film industry, eccentric aviator and film producer/director Howard Hughes incorporated the new technology into his half-completed silent movie, Hell’s Angels, and converted the movie into a talkie at an increased cost. Another memorable footnote from The Jazz Singer is Jolson’s performance in blackface, which in today’s society almost always is looked upon as racist. The Jazz Singer received Academy Award nominations for Writing Adapted Screenplay and Engineering Effects and Warner Bros. production chief Darryl F. Zanuck received a special Academy Award for producing “the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry.” It is included among the group of films preserved in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress.
9. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – This French silent film chronicles the imprisonment, trial, and execution of the controversial religious warrioress. What makes The Passion of Joan of Arc such a historically important film, both in regard to textbooks and moviemaking, is how closely the script follows the trial records and the camera-work that highlights the actors facial expressions through close-ups. Richard Einhorn’s soundtrack to the film, titled Voices of Light, is also a powerfully chilling score that accentuates the gripping performances, which are made even more eerie by actors with no makeup applied. The Passion of Joan of Arc has consistently made it on (credible) top ten lists, including Sight & Sound magazine and the Village Voice, and is considered to contain one of the greatest performances on film of any era from Renée Jeanne Falconetti.
8. Safety Last! (1923) – The most lasting image from this silent romantic comedy is star Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock several stories up on a skyscraper. Besides the impressive stunts Lloyd does throughout the final sequence climbing a 12-story building, the comedic bits are also a hoot-and-a-half. Unlike some movies in this list that were panned by critics to begin with and later found a cult following that grew to become sincere appreciation, Safety Last! was a critical and financial success and is still a hit at revivals. It was selected in 1994 to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
7. Battleship Potemkin (1925) – This is a dramatization of the 1905 mutiny by the crew of the Russian Battleship Potemkin against its czarist regime. However, it is not simply a propaganda film from Sergei Eisenstein, but an experiment in the art of montage. Eisenstein wanted to edit the film in such a way as to invoke sympathy for the rebels and abhorrence for the upper class. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you might have seen its most famous scene, which is of the czar’s soldiers marching in unison down the Odessa Steps and firing into the crowd, killing men, women, and children at random. Eisenstein’s montage theory is executed flawlessly in the Odessa Steps scene, creating some today to believe the made-for-film scene was a historically accurate event. Along with being one of the finest propaganda films ever, The Battleship Potemkin has garnered praise for more than 85 years as one of the greatest films of all time. Empire magazine listed it at #3 in its 100 Best Films of World Cinema in 2010.
6. The General (1926) – Originally panned by critics and a flop at the box office, The General has gone on to become one of the greatest silent-era films of all time. Both thrilling and comedic, Buster Keaton’s stunts and direction are still compelling, even in today’s action-heavy movie world. Keaton was not only the star, but also contributed to writing, editing, producing, and directing the picture as well. Despite its poor financial run, thus resulting in Keaton having to abandon his dream to be an independent filmmaker and enter into a restrictive contract deal with MGM, it has since gained much favor with both critics and audiences. The American Film Institute celebrated The General on both its 100 Laughs and 100 Films 10th Anniversary Edition lists. The National Congress included it among the first selections in 1989 to the National Film Registry.
5. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) – The first ever Academy Award winner for Unique and Artistic Production, which the next year would be combined with another category to become the Best Picture award, Sunrise was an American production from director F.W. Murnau in the style of German Expressionism, which features distorted art design for symbolic effect. The silent film used few title cards and experimented in long tracking shots, with the longest ever being filmed up to that point at more than four minutes for one take. Sunrise was immediately loved and was nominated in four categories at the Academy Awards, winning three Oscars for best actress, best cinematography, and best picture. It was also among the original films included in the National Film Registry, Sight & Sound magazine’s critics’ poll for Top 10 best films ever made, and the American Film Industry’s Top 100 Passions film list.
4. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) – Being one of the most influential German Expressionist movies and among the earliest examples of executing the frame story in film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari also introduced another aspect of film that is highly common today, which I am not going to state here as it will spoil some of the movie for those who have yet to see it. The art design of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is unique in that shadows and light were painted directly on the sets’ walls, floors, and backgrounds. This movie inspired directors for decades afterward, is considered to be among the first horror films, and had a great influence on the genre film noir.
3. Nosferatu (1922) – Another exceptional example of German Expressionism in the 1920s, Nosferatu is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, resulting in the bankruptcy of the company as Stoker’s estate sued the filmmakers for copyright infringement. Even to this day, Max Schrek’s Count Orlock, substituting for the more famous Count Dracula, is one of the most horrifying and iconic portrayals of a vampire. In a time where vampires are written to be sexy, misunderstood creatures who only want to find true love among the humans instead of utilizing our species like cattle for their unending bloodlust, it is Schrek’s ghastly makeup and eerie performance that reminds us vampires were originally created to be our enemy. In 2010, Empire magazine listed Nosferatu at number 21 among its 100 Best Films of World Cinema.
2. The Gold Rush (1925) – Any list of early cinema is not complete without a Charlie Chaplin film, and this one isn’t going to be the last in my rankings. Not only starring as his Little Tramp character, who debuted in 1914 and continued to star in silent movies until 1936’s Modern Times, but also writing, producing, and directing, some of Chaplin’s most memorable sequences can be found in The Gold Rush, including the roll dance. The Gold Rush is the fifth highest grossing silent film and the most successful silent comedy in cinema history. The American Film Institute includes The Gold Rush among its 100 Movies (at #74), 100 Laughs (#25), and 100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition list (#58). It was also selected to the National Film Registry for preservation in 1992.
1. Metropolis (1927) – German filmmakers knew what they were doing in the 20s as this is the fourth Expressionist film to be in the top four of my best of the decade list. A dystopian study of social upheaval between the workers and owners of capitalism set in a science-fiction world, Metropolis is the most expensive silent film ever made, and its lavishness can be appreciated in each viewing. The film is still impressive, even by today’s standards, in its art direction and special effects. Following its premiere in Germany, Metropolis was drastically altered and many never saw the same footage or at the correct speed (as not all movies were filmed at 24 frames per second like they are today) that director Fritz Lang intended. Until 2008, a portion of the film was believed lost, but a copy of the original film was discovered in Argentina. Despite being a classic today, when it was initially released Metropolis was not the darling of the silent era like it is now. Ranked 12th in Empire magazine’s list of the Best 100 Films of World Cinema, it came in second in a list of the greatest movies of the silent era.
The 1920s is easily one of the weaker decades in film history, but that is not really the fault of the filmmakers of the era. As technology improved, so did the movies. People today find it very hard to sit through silent movies that don’t explain everything to them through dialogue. In the 20s, movies were still learning what could and couldn’t be done, and with the discovery of sound on film with 1927’s The Jazz Singer the medium changed forever. While this decade is probably my least favorite when it comes to all movies made during that time period, the ones on this list are among some of the best and most iconic in all of film history.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Stanley Kubrick: A Life Of Films
Recently I watched Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory and with how much I enjoy that film I realized there were at least three others off the top of my head that I liked even more from director Kubrick (and it ends up it is really four). I then considered how few feature films Kubrick made in his career (13 total; a miniscule amount compared to other legendary filmmakers like John Ford [140], Alfred Hitchcock [53], Woody Allen [45 thus far], and Steven Spielberg [32 thus far]) and how vast the genres were. His filmography includes war, history epic, dark comedy, science fiction, period piece drama, and horror.
Listed below is my ranking from worst to best of Kubrick's films.
13. Fear and Desire (1953)
12. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
11. Barry Lyndon (1975)
10. Killer's Kiss (1955)
9. Lolita (1962)
8. Spartacus (1960)
7. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
6. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
5. Paths of Glory (1957)
4. The Shining (1980)
3. The Killing (1956)
2. Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Listed below is my ranking from worst to best of Kubrick's films.
13. Fear and Desire (1953)
12. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
11. Barry Lyndon (1975)
10. Killer's Kiss (1955)
9. Lolita (1962)
8. Spartacus (1960)
7. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
6. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
5. Paths of Glory (1957)
4. The Shining (1980)
3. The Killing (1956)
2. Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Official Press Release Held For Bond 23
The new title and additional cast and crew information was released today for what has been known as Bond 23. The following is the official press release from the regular Bond team:
Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today presented the cast of the 23rd James Bond adventure, titled Skyfall. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. The screenplay is written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan. Skyfall, which goes into production on Monday, November 7, will begin its worldwide roll-out in the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 26, 2012, and in North America on November 9, 2012.
Joining Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Director Sam Mendes were members of the cast of Skyfall, including: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, and Berenice Marlohe. The filmmakers also announced Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, and Ben Whishaw.
In Skyfall, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
"We're so delighted to have Sam Mendes direct Skyfall and be working once again with Daniel Craig. We've a great script, an extraordinary cast and an incredibly talented creative team for this latest James Bond adventure," said Wilson and Broccoli.
The director of photography is Roger Deakins, a nine-time Oscar nominee who previously shot the films Jarhead and Revolutionary Road for Mendes. The production designer is Oscar winner Dennis Gassner, who previously designed Quantum of Solace and collaborated with Mendes on the films Road to Perdition and Jarhead. The editor is Stuart Baird, A.C.E., whose many credits include Casino Royale. Jany Temime, whose many credits include the Harry Potter series, In Bruges, and Children of Men, is the costume designer. Action specialist Alexander Witt is the second unit director. Gary Powell is stunt co-ordinator, Chris Corbould is SFX supervisor and Steve Begg is visual effects supervisor, all of whom have worked on previous Bond films.
Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today presented the cast of the 23rd James Bond adventure, titled Skyfall. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. The screenplay is written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan. Skyfall, which goes into production on Monday, November 7, will begin its worldwide roll-out in the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 26, 2012, and in North America on November 9, 2012.
Joining Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Director Sam Mendes were members of the cast of Skyfall, including: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, and Berenice Marlohe. The filmmakers also announced Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, and Ben Whishaw.
In Skyfall, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
"We're so delighted to have Sam Mendes direct Skyfall and be working once again with Daniel Craig. We've a great script, an extraordinary cast and an incredibly talented creative team for this latest James Bond adventure," said Wilson and Broccoli.
The director of photography is Roger Deakins, a nine-time Oscar nominee who previously shot the films Jarhead and Revolutionary Road for Mendes. The production designer is Oscar winner Dennis Gassner, who previously designed Quantum of Solace and collaborated with Mendes on the films Road to Perdition and Jarhead. The editor is Stuart Baird, A.C.E., whose many credits include Casino Royale. Jany Temime, whose many credits include the Harry Potter series, In Bruges, and Children of Men, is the costume designer. Action specialist Alexander Witt is the second unit director. Gary Powell is stunt co-ordinator, Chris Corbould is SFX supervisor and Steve Begg is visual effects supervisor, all of whom have worked on previous Bond films.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Come On America!
I heard today the World Series is not being watched with the same amount of interest as it has in the past when the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox are in the Fall Classic and that makes me weep a little on the inside. I know I am biased because it is my hometown favorite Texas Rangers competing for a championship, but through four games we have had some very exciting, and differing, ball games.
Game Two of the series is one for the ages as defensively we saw Elvis Andrus make a dive, scoop for an out that could be highlighted in 50 years as one of the most impressive feats of baseball ever in a World Series (notice I said "one of the most" and not "the most" because it is still fresh in our minds; I will let time decide where it falls in the annals of World Series history). This game was also decided in the final inning when the Rangers, down 1-0 going into the ninth, set up a extremely close steal by Ian Kinsler, clutch hit from Andrus that sent Kinsler to third and eventually got Andrus to second with some heads-up baserunning, and two sacrifice fly balls to take the lead from Josh Hamilton, who is already dealing with a possible sports hearnia, and Michael Young.
Game Three was a stereotypical Ballpark in Arlington affair with multiple home runs and high scores. It became almost absurd as Albert Pujols hit three homers of his own.
Game Four was the polar opposite of its predeccesor as only one long ball was driven out of the park and instead the night was a time for young, tiny-mustachioed Rangers pitcher Derek Holland to become a man as his baseball father Ron Washington sent his little boy to the mound for 8 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball.
Who knows what games five and six, and possibly a seventh, will bring, but what we do know is it will be highly improbable to match the drama thus far this World Series has already delivered. Here is to hoping for the highly improbable.
Game Two of the series is one for the ages as defensively we saw Elvis Andrus make a dive, scoop for an out that could be highlighted in 50 years as one of the most impressive feats of baseball ever in a World Series (notice I said "one of the most" and not "the most" because it is still fresh in our minds; I will let time decide where it falls in the annals of World Series history). This game was also decided in the final inning when the Rangers, down 1-0 going into the ninth, set up a extremely close steal by Ian Kinsler, clutch hit from Andrus that sent Kinsler to third and eventually got Andrus to second with some heads-up baserunning, and two sacrifice fly balls to take the lead from Josh Hamilton, who is already dealing with a possible sports hearnia, and Michael Young.
Game Three was a stereotypical Ballpark in Arlington affair with multiple home runs and high scores. It became almost absurd as Albert Pujols hit three homers of his own.
Game Four was the polar opposite of its predeccesor as only one long ball was driven out of the park and instead the night was a time for young, tiny-mustachioed Rangers pitcher Derek Holland to become a man as his baseball father Ron Washington sent his little boy to the mound for 8 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball.
Who knows what games five and six, and possibly a seventh, will bring, but what we do know is it will be highly improbable to match the drama thus far this World Series has already delivered. Here is to hoping for the highly improbable.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Packers Throwback Uniforms
Am I the only one who think the throwback jerseys for Green Bay look awesome? They are a dark blue with a yellow circle and number in the middle of the jersey. It looks like something you would see in an NFL Films archive photo from the 60s. I just love it. Maybe it is just me.
Welcome Back
Last year's trip to the World Series for the Texas Rangers was a euphoric time for the DFW metroplex. Local residents and fans were all just happy to experience the thrill of competing for a championship with this baseball team that in 40 years had only experienced one playoff win ever, win or lose.
Well, things have changed in a year. Not only do we want to win it all this year, we expect a greater performance from our hometown team. And they have not disappointed. Nelson Cruz alone has put on quite the show with his big bat. He set league championship series records with six home runs and 13 RBIs. But the other members of this ball club have also shown the nation that they weren't a one-and-done team last year. This Rangers team was improved in the offseason, improved at the trade deadline, and have become a force that hopefully will be a contender for years to come.
Go Rangers!
Well, things have changed in a year. Not only do we want to win it all this year, we expect a greater performance from our hometown team. And they have not disappointed. Nelson Cruz alone has put on quite the show with his big bat. He set league championship series records with six home runs and 13 RBIs. But the other members of this ball club have also shown the nation that they weren't a one-and-done team last year. This Rangers team was improved in the offseason, improved at the trade deadline, and have become a force that hopefully will be a contender for years to come.
Go Rangers!
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Fall TV Interest List
Lots of complaints are made about how terrible television is these days. A common statement overheard in TV talk is, “All those channels and still nothing is on.” But if you really search for something you are interested in, then chances are you will find a show that interests you.
I for one am a big fan of television right now. For the past decade or so television has become a quality medium that rivals what is seen in movie theaters. Budgets have increased, the talent level has improved , and writers are actually putting forth effort in telling season-long stories, as opposed to shows in the past where each episode’s focus was simply to entertain for that time slot and had no bearing on the next week’s plot.
In the next year, I will already be setting aside precious life hours for 14 television shows, so adding new shows each season is something I have to take seriously and can’t allow every new show that is slated for the fall season to be downloaded to my DVR. If I am going to commit to a new show, I have to be sure it is going to be something I am interested in and will entertain me for the entire season. I don’t want to get caught in a trap like I did with the CW’s Smallville where I felt obligated to continue watching until the end, long after it got bad. Although, I have become a bit more resolute with my television standards as recently I gave up on The Event and V after half a season of the former and a full season of the latter.
My current roster of shows that I will stop down for each week includes Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Dexter, Community, The Office, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Justified, Supernatural, and psych.
Premiering this fall are six new shows I will give some attention in order to see whether they make the rotation. These include FX’s American Horror Story, AMC’s Hell on Wheels, CBS’s Person of Interest, Fox’s Terra Nova, and NBC’s newest comedies Up All Night and Whitney.
The synopsis for American Horror Story isn’t overly intriguing, which is basically that a family moves in a new home that is haunted and creepy things follow, but it is FX and they have hosted some pretty great programs in the past. Therefore I will give it a look on network cred alone. American Horror Story premieres October 5 at 10/9 central.
Hell on Wheels has been touted as a reincarnation of HBO’s Deadwood, which is the next completed series I plan to watch on DVD after I finish the one I’m currently working on. Hell on Wheels would fall under the western genre, which I love, and is on AMC, which is a network new to original programming but has already put out great ones like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. The Walking Dead is also fantastic, but after only one season I want to give it a little time before giving it the same acclaim that Mad Men and Breaking Bad have garnered. Given AMC’s recent track record for programs, I will give Hell on Wheels some consideration. The program premieres November 6 at 10/9 central.
The only reason I’m willing to check out Person of Interest is because of Michael Emerson, who played Benjamin Linus on Lost. The premise is a lot like Philip K. Dick’s Minority Report, where future crimes can be prevented with technology provided by the wealthy character Emerson will portray. The series also stars Jim Caviezel as a former CIA agent hired to help stop the crimes before they happen. Person of Interest premieres September 22 at 9/8 central.
Jurassic Par … Oh, I mean Terra Nova has been in the making for a long time and will finally see the light of TV day when it begins September 26 at 8/7 central. The Shannon family is sent back in time to a colony of humans who must flee from the year 2149 due to overpopulation and poor air quality. What the Shannon family will soon find out is the colony is placed in the middle of a group of carnivorous dinosaurs.
Being a new parent myself and able to relate a little to Up All Night, Christina Applegate and Will Arnett star in this comedy as parents with a newborn baby trying to juggle work and home life. The premise isn’t too original, but the previews look funny, I am a fan of both stars, and I feel like a lot of the jokes will have been written with me in mind specifically since I am only a few months from going through the same situations. Up All Night will start September 14 at 10/9 central.
Whitney is the wildcard show for me. It probably has the shortest leash and will need to get me laughing in the first few episodes and keep it up all season long if it is going to make the cut. The show stars comedienne Whitney Cummings and will be about her real-life experiences and stand-up routines. Whitney premieres September 22 at 9:30/8:30 central.
I would also like to add Boardwalk Empire to the list, which is in its second season already, but without HBO it makes it difficult.
I for one am a big fan of television right now. For the past decade or so television has become a quality medium that rivals what is seen in movie theaters. Budgets have increased, the talent level has improved , and writers are actually putting forth effort in telling season-long stories, as opposed to shows in the past where each episode’s focus was simply to entertain for that time slot and had no bearing on the next week’s plot.
In the next year, I will already be setting aside precious life hours for 14 television shows, so adding new shows each season is something I have to take seriously and can’t allow every new show that is slated for the fall season to be downloaded to my DVR. If I am going to commit to a new show, I have to be sure it is going to be something I am interested in and will entertain me for the entire season. I don’t want to get caught in a trap like I did with the CW’s Smallville where I felt obligated to continue watching until the end, long after it got bad. Although, I have become a bit more resolute with my television standards as recently I gave up on The Event and V after half a season of the former and a full season of the latter.
My current roster of shows that I will stop down for each week includes Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Dexter, Community, The Office, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Justified, Supernatural, and psych.
Premiering this fall are six new shows I will give some attention in order to see whether they make the rotation. These include FX’s American Horror Story, AMC’s Hell on Wheels, CBS’s Person of Interest, Fox’s Terra Nova, and NBC’s newest comedies Up All Night and Whitney.
The synopsis for American Horror Story isn’t overly intriguing, which is basically that a family moves in a new home that is haunted and creepy things follow, but it is FX and they have hosted some pretty great programs in the past. Therefore I will give it a look on network cred alone. American Horror Story premieres October 5 at 10/9 central.
Hell on Wheels has been touted as a reincarnation of HBO’s Deadwood, which is the next completed series I plan to watch on DVD after I finish the one I’m currently working on. Hell on Wheels would fall under the western genre, which I love, and is on AMC, which is a network new to original programming but has already put out great ones like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. The Walking Dead is also fantastic, but after only one season I want to give it a little time before giving it the same acclaim that Mad Men and Breaking Bad have garnered. Given AMC’s recent track record for programs, I will give Hell on Wheels some consideration. The program premieres November 6 at 10/9 central.
The only reason I’m willing to check out Person of Interest is because of Michael Emerson, who played Benjamin Linus on Lost. The premise is a lot like Philip K. Dick’s Minority Report, where future crimes can be prevented with technology provided by the wealthy character Emerson will portray. The series also stars Jim Caviezel as a former CIA agent hired to help stop the crimes before they happen. Person of Interest premieres September 22 at 9/8 central.
Jurassic Par … Oh, I mean Terra Nova has been in the making for a long time and will finally see the light of TV day when it begins September 26 at 8/7 central. The Shannon family is sent back in time to a colony of humans who must flee from the year 2149 due to overpopulation and poor air quality. What the Shannon family will soon find out is the colony is placed in the middle of a group of carnivorous dinosaurs.
Being a new parent myself and able to relate a little to Up All Night, Christina Applegate and Will Arnett star in this comedy as parents with a newborn baby trying to juggle work and home life. The premise isn’t too original, but the previews look funny, I am a fan of both stars, and I feel like a lot of the jokes will have been written with me in mind specifically since I am only a few months from going through the same situations. Up All Night will start September 14 at 10/9 central.
Whitney is the wildcard show for me. It probably has the shortest leash and will need to get me laughing in the first few episodes and keep it up all season long if it is going to make the cut. The show stars comedienne Whitney Cummings and will be about her real-life experiences and stand-up routines. Whitney premieres September 22 at 9:30/8:30 central.
I would also like to add Boardwalk Empire to the list, which is in its second season already, but without HBO it makes it difficult.
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
F-A-N-S, FANS! FANS! FANS!
Yesterday’s Labor Day was spent with the wife and children at my mom’s house. The weather was so nice we left the back door open all day and let Emery and my nephew and niece run in and out at their pleasure.
With such nice weather coming and autumn being right around the corner that means it is football time. And when it is football time, it is also fantasy football time.
My softball teammate Jared is a big fantasy football nut, so we got a league together at the last minute with the wives involved. Although my wife is interested and knowledgeable in football, the three other women in the league are not. They received help from their spouses, but it will be interesting to see how this goes for 16 weeks.
Overall, my drafting went okay. I got into a bit of trouble in the early rounds with not taking a running back early, but hopefully with the talent taken in their place it will make up for it.
I had the ninth pick of the draft and here is my roster in order of the round they were taken:
1. QB – Michael Vick
2. WR – Calvin Johnson
3. WR – Vincent Jackson
4. RB – LeGarrette Blount
5. RB – Jahvid Best
6. RB – Knowshon Moreno
7. TE – Vernon Davis
8. WR – Anquan Boldin
9. RB – Marshawn Lynch
10. QB – Joe Flacco
11. WR – Mike Thomas
12. DEF – Baltimore
13. RB – Ryan Torain
14. WR – Jacoby Ford
15. WR – Antonio Brown
16. K – Matt Bryant
A few notes from the draft:
The fun in doing a live draft with your friends is enjoying the camaraderie over pizza and junk food, laughing at the bad picks, and reveling in the theft of a player one or two spots early while your buddy had his heart set on that guy. Watching someone anguish over losing a top tier pick or sleeper project they had targeted is possibly the highlight of the entire night, depending on which side of the theft you happen to be on.
We had a few of those moments last night, the funniest being when Jeff snatched Nate Burleson one pick before Jared could get him. Jared’s prolonged torment was priceless. I was on both sides of a steal. My pick of Vernon Davis was one of those types of picks, which resulted in James, who picked one spot after me, being left to fret over what to do next. I was especially happy with the Davis snatch because James had the last pick of the round, which means he then had the first pick of the following round and then I came after him. So I had the option to pass on Davis and select Anquan Boldin, who I had my eye on the entire time, needing to only wait three spots until it would be back on me. However, I knew James didn’t have a tight end yet, so I took a chance with getting Davis first and hoping he wouldn’t get Boldin with his next two picks. My planning paid off because as soon as I said Vernon Davis, James was heard huffing and puffing about what to do since Davis was gone.
Being the one who lost the opportunity to get who I really wanted happened prior to the Davis selection. It was in the third round when my brother-in-law Tony picked Frank Gore with the 28th pick of the draft. Somehow Gore had fallen that far and I didn’t have a running back yet, so Gore was a golden nugget in my eyes. Yet, Tony stole Gore from me and that put my entire draft in jeopardy.
The most prescribed draft strategy out there currently is grabbing a running back with your first pick of the draft, if not getting two running backs with the first and second picks. Some people follow that strategy to a fault, taking talented running backs who should be second- or even third-round selections over transcendent quarterbacks or wide receivers simply because they are under the belief that running backs have to be taken early.
This year I was going with the “most talented player on the board” strategy. As long as I had a spot available for him, I was taking the highest rated player on my board when it got to me, within reason. I made an alteration with the Davis, Boldin selections, but that was because of the situation. I also made exceptions as it got later into the draft because I would need extra running backs and wide receivers over back-up tight ends or a third quarterback.
Because of my strategy, at the ninth pick I was looking at Philadelphia’s quarterback Michael Vick as the best player available because all the elite running backs had been taken and Andre Johnson was also off the board. I decided to stick with my strategy of going with the best player available instead of taking a running back because the fantasy football blogger says that is what you have to do. And so, the dog-killing parolee was now the starting quarterback for team Moby D. After James took Maurice Jones-Drew and Michael Turner with back-to-back picks I was on the board at pick 12 and took Detroit’s Calvin Johnson.
In rounds three and four, I lost out on Gore and was then left with another wide receiver as the best available option for the 29th pick of the draft, so I took it and picked San Diego’s Vincent Jackson. It only took three rounds for me to panic. Since I didn’t have a running back at this point, which I didn’t think would happen but I had to live with the strategy I had implemented, I decided round four was the time to get a solid running back. The best running back on the board at that point was LeGarrette Blount of Tampa Bay. I toyed with the idea of skipping Blount and going with Peyton Hillis, who has the potential to accrue more points but is also riskier as he is more likely to injure himself because of his running style, but I stuck with my strategy and took the best player available with the 32nd pick.
Rounds five and six were used to get two more running backs. I had three choices between Detroit’s Jahvid Best, Denver’s Knowshon Moreno, and the New York Jet’s Shonn Greene. I have high hopes for Best this year so he was a lock among the three, and getting him at pick 49 was a great bit of value in my opinion. I passed on Greene and went with Moreno for the 52nd pick of the draft because I just wasn’t sure of the timeshare that Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson would get.
Rounds seven and eight were discussed earlier as that is when I stole Vernon Davis from James in round seven and followed it up with Anquan Boldin in the eighth round. They were picks 69 and 72, respectively.
In round nine, I started looking at bench players. This was also where I started to veer from the best player strategy and take what I thought was either good value or necessary because of what I had already done before. With the 89th pick I got another running back, but since Seattle is the place for players to die in the NFL, I don’t expect much from Marshawn Lynch. He could surprise me and end up producing, but I am not holding my breath. The tenth round was a reach pick because I had to find a solid back-up quarterback for Vick. The ex-con is a tremendous player and his value could be astronomical this season, but I also need to have a plan B should it not work out. I went back and forth between Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford. Both quarterbacks are projected at about the same with Stafford having a bit more potential and both quarterbacks also didn’t have a conflicting bye week with Vick. Another thing I looked at was that both of the main receivers for Baltimore and Detroit were already on my roster, so there was no advantage to getting one quarterback over another in that regard. I decided to go with Flacco because he is a little more proven and I have had him in previous seasons. He is a bit more solid of a choice and I know what I can expect from him each week.
Jared knew the dilemma I was having during this round and even wrote down Stafford’s name on a sheet of scrap paper to show that he was confident he knew what I was thinking. He ended up taking Stafford a few picks after me and said in my position with Vick as his starter he would have done the same thing in picking Flacco as his backup.
The last six rounds went by without a lot of fanfare. These final players included a defense, kicker, insurance policies should starters go down during the season, and sleepers that could have a decent season and become trade bait down the line.
Only the top four teams make the playoffs, so I will need a lot of things to go right this season in order to win the championship. But luck is as much a part of fantasy football as solid drafting and in-season waiver wire moves.
With such nice weather coming and autumn being right around the corner that means it is football time. And when it is football time, it is also fantasy football time.
My softball teammate Jared is a big fantasy football nut, so we got a league together at the last minute with the wives involved. Although my wife is interested and knowledgeable in football, the three other women in the league are not. They received help from their spouses, but it will be interesting to see how this goes for 16 weeks.
Overall, my drafting went okay. I got into a bit of trouble in the early rounds with not taking a running back early, but hopefully with the talent taken in their place it will make up for it.
I had the ninth pick of the draft and here is my roster in order of the round they were taken:
1. QB – Michael Vick
2. WR – Calvin Johnson
3. WR – Vincent Jackson
4. RB – LeGarrette Blount
5. RB – Jahvid Best
6. RB – Knowshon Moreno
7. TE – Vernon Davis
8. WR – Anquan Boldin
9. RB – Marshawn Lynch
10. QB – Joe Flacco
11. WR – Mike Thomas
12. DEF – Baltimore
13. RB – Ryan Torain
14. WR – Jacoby Ford
15. WR – Antonio Brown
16. K – Matt Bryant
A few notes from the draft:
The fun in doing a live draft with your friends is enjoying the camaraderie over pizza and junk food, laughing at the bad picks, and reveling in the theft of a player one or two spots early while your buddy had his heart set on that guy. Watching someone anguish over losing a top tier pick or sleeper project they had targeted is possibly the highlight of the entire night, depending on which side of the theft you happen to be on.
We had a few of those moments last night, the funniest being when Jeff snatched Nate Burleson one pick before Jared could get him. Jared’s prolonged torment was priceless. I was on both sides of a steal. My pick of Vernon Davis was one of those types of picks, which resulted in James, who picked one spot after me, being left to fret over what to do next. I was especially happy with the Davis snatch because James had the last pick of the round, which means he then had the first pick of the following round and then I came after him. So I had the option to pass on Davis and select Anquan Boldin, who I had my eye on the entire time, needing to only wait three spots until it would be back on me. However, I knew James didn’t have a tight end yet, so I took a chance with getting Davis first and hoping he wouldn’t get Boldin with his next two picks. My planning paid off because as soon as I said Vernon Davis, James was heard huffing and puffing about what to do since Davis was gone.
Being the one who lost the opportunity to get who I really wanted happened prior to the Davis selection. It was in the third round when my brother-in-law Tony picked Frank Gore with the 28th pick of the draft. Somehow Gore had fallen that far and I didn’t have a running back yet, so Gore was a golden nugget in my eyes. Yet, Tony stole Gore from me and that put my entire draft in jeopardy.
The most prescribed draft strategy out there currently is grabbing a running back with your first pick of the draft, if not getting two running backs with the first and second picks. Some people follow that strategy to a fault, taking talented running backs who should be second- or even third-round selections over transcendent quarterbacks or wide receivers simply because they are under the belief that running backs have to be taken early.
This year I was going with the “most talented player on the board” strategy. As long as I had a spot available for him, I was taking the highest rated player on my board when it got to me, within reason. I made an alteration with the Davis, Boldin selections, but that was because of the situation. I also made exceptions as it got later into the draft because I would need extra running backs and wide receivers over back-up tight ends or a third quarterback.
Because of my strategy, at the ninth pick I was looking at Philadelphia’s quarterback Michael Vick as the best player available because all the elite running backs had been taken and Andre Johnson was also off the board. I decided to stick with my strategy of going with the best player available instead of taking a running back because the fantasy football blogger says that is what you have to do. And so, the dog-killing parolee was now the starting quarterback for team Moby D. After James took Maurice Jones-Drew and Michael Turner with back-to-back picks I was on the board at pick 12 and took Detroit’s Calvin Johnson.
In rounds three and four, I lost out on Gore and was then left with another wide receiver as the best available option for the 29th pick of the draft, so I took it and picked San Diego’s Vincent Jackson. It only took three rounds for me to panic. Since I didn’t have a running back at this point, which I didn’t think would happen but I had to live with the strategy I had implemented, I decided round four was the time to get a solid running back. The best running back on the board at that point was LeGarrette Blount of Tampa Bay. I toyed with the idea of skipping Blount and going with Peyton Hillis, who has the potential to accrue more points but is also riskier as he is more likely to injure himself because of his running style, but I stuck with my strategy and took the best player available with the 32nd pick.
Rounds five and six were used to get two more running backs. I had three choices between Detroit’s Jahvid Best, Denver’s Knowshon Moreno, and the New York Jet’s Shonn Greene. I have high hopes for Best this year so he was a lock among the three, and getting him at pick 49 was a great bit of value in my opinion. I passed on Greene and went with Moreno for the 52nd pick of the draft because I just wasn’t sure of the timeshare that Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson would get.
Rounds seven and eight were discussed earlier as that is when I stole Vernon Davis from James in round seven and followed it up with Anquan Boldin in the eighth round. They were picks 69 and 72, respectively.
In round nine, I started looking at bench players. This was also where I started to veer from the best player strategy and take what I thought was either good value or necessary because of what I had already done before. With the 89th pick I got another running back, but since Seattle is the place for players to die in the NFL, I don’t expect much from Marshawn Lynch. He could surprise me and end up producing, but I am not holding my breath. The tenth round was a reach pick because I had to find a solid back-up quarterback for Vick. The ex-con is a tremendous player and his value could be astronomical this season, but I also need to have a plan B should it not work out. I went back and forth between Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford. Both quarterbacks are projected at about the same with Stafford having a bit more potential and both quarterbacks also didn’t have a conflicting bye week with Vick. Another thing I looked at was that both of the main receivers for Baltimore and Detroit were already on my roster, so there was no advantage to getting one quarterback over another in that regard. I decided to go with Flacco because he is a little more proven and I have had him in previous seasons. He is a bit more solid of a choice and I know what I can expect from him each week.
Jared knew the dilemma I was having during this round and even wrote down Stafford’s name on a sheet of scrap paper to show that he was confident he knew what I was thinking. He ended up taking Stafford a few picks after me and said in my position with Vick as his starter he would have done the same thing in picking Flacco as his backup.
The last six rounds went by without a lot of fanfare. These final players included a defense, kicker, insurance policies should starters go down during the season, and sleepers that could have a decent season and become trade bait down the line.
Only the top four teams make the playoffs, so I will need a lot of things to go right this season in order to win the championship. But luck is as much a part of fantasy football as solid drafting and in-season waiver wire moves.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Suggested Reading
With how little I do at my job on most days, I get a lot of reading in. I just finished a book my dad recommended to my mom, who in turn gave to me. The non-fiction story is titled The Glass Castle and it is by Jeannette Walls.
If even half of what she says is true in this novel, then it is quite a tale. The ability to overcome and make a life after what she went through with the parents she had is astounding. Every page opens up a new scab of this woman's injured past, making it one of the most enthralling stories I have read in quite some time.
The book is a quick read and only took me a couple days to finish. I highly recommend you find a copy. While cliche to say, once you start it will be tough to put down.
If even half of what she says is true in this novel, then it is quite a tale. The ability to overcome and make a life after what she went through with the parents she had is astounding. Every page opens up a new scab of this woman's injured past, making it one of the most enthralling stories I have read in quite some time.
The book is a quick read and only took me a couple days to finish. I highly recommend you find a copy. While cliche to say, once you start it will be tough to put down.
Monday, August 22, 2011
I Feel Like A Kid Again
It is significant that today was the first day of the new school year for many boys and girls as I will be utilizing my brand new lunch box at work. Lately to save money I have been taking a lunch to work and it is packed in a plastic grocery bag. While that is a "green" way to reuse the bags instead of just chunking them in the trash when we get home, it is rather boring, doesn’t have much personality to it, and is what many people do already in my office.
However, now that I have a lunch box in the refrigerator at work I will know exactly which bag is mine. My lunch box is really just a green cloth cooler to keep the items inside insulated and big enough for a couple things to be stored. I hope in the future to get a retro box, possibly made of metal, with an old cartoon character on it or possibly a James Bond lunch box. That would be sweet! Maybe for Christmas.
However, now that I have a lunch box in the refrigerator at work I will know exactly which bag is mine. My lunch box is really just a green cloth cooler to keep the items inside insulated and big enough for a couple things to be stored. I hope in the future to get a retro box, possibly made of metal, with an old cartoon character on it or possibly a James Bond lunch box. That would be sweet! Maybe for Christmas.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Food Blog Is Up
Joanna has completed setting up her new food blog and has a few posts already published. The website is kissacook.wordpress.com. Go check it out.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A Family Of Bloggers
I am very proud of my wife. She has decided to start up a food blog. She has always been into cooking and we commonly joke that I married her simply for her cooking and the great insurance she gets with her job. While her taste buds are different than mine, she always makes a great meal. I am excited to see what she comes up with and it will make dining out a little different knowing we are critiquing the experience.
As soon as she comes up with an address for her blog I will post it here for anyone interested in food like my wife is.
As soon as she comes up with an address for her blog I will post it here for anyone interested in food like my wife is.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Happy Birthday ...
to me!
It's my 31st birthday today. Yah. Spent it celebrating my daughter's 4-year-old birthday at Pump It Up. Had fun, but my legs are killing me. Just saying, I feel 31 after jumping, running, and vaulting through bounce house obstacle courses.
It's my 31st birthday today. Yah. Spent it celebrating my daughter's 4-year-old birthday at Pump It Up. Had fun, but my legs are killing me. Just saying, I feel 31 after jumping, running, and vaulting through bounce house obstacle courses.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Apparent Netflix Greed Doesn't Upset Me
Following the recent announcement that Netflix would be hiking their subscription rates up led to massive revolts on the Internet with users screaming about the increase and threatening cancellation. As of two days later, several acted on their threats, moving to Redbox or going back to brick-and-mortar video stores like Blockbuster. I completely understand the outrage, but I’m just not a part of it and the reason is twofold.
The first reason is the pricing increase actually is going to benefit me. I have been complaining for a little while about the lack of options for streaming through Netflix and the service on my blu-ray player is very hit and miss. With Netflix raising prices for my option, which is unlimited discs through the mail one at a time and unlimited streaming, I will drop the streaming side of the service and stick with the DVDs through mail only. By changing my plan and sticking with the portion of service that I have no problem with I will be saving $2 a month from what I currently spend. Works for me.
The second reason I won’t be cancelling my service and moving to another company is that the selection of classic films is nowhere near as great as with Netflix. I can’t find silent, black-and-white, German expressionism films anywhere but Netflix and occasionally on Turner Classic Movies. Redbox’s catalogue doesn’t go further back than about 2008 and Blockbuster is lucky to have the most popular classic films, which I either own or have seen several times already.
For the service I desire, Netflix is for me. I can see why people are upset about the price increase, but it just doesn’t have the impact on me that it will for others. So for now I am sticking with Netflix.
The first reason is the pricing increase actually is going to benefit me. I have been complaining for a little while about the lack of options for streaming through Netflix and the service on my blu-ray player is very hit and miss. With Netflix raising prices for my option, which is unlimited discs through the mail one at a time and unlimited streaming, I will drop the streaming side of the service and stick with the DVDs through mail only. By changing my plan and sticking with the portion of service that I have no problem with I will be saving $2 a month from what I currently spend. Works for me.
The second reason I won’t be cancelling my service and moving to another company is that the selection of classic films is nowhere near as great as with Netflix. I can’t find silent, black-and-white, German expressionism films anywhere but Netflix and occasionally on Turner Classic Movies. Redbox’s catalogue doesn’t go further back than about 2008 and Blockbuster is lucky to have the most popular classic films, which I either own or have seen several times already.
For the service I desire, Netflix is for me. I can see why people are upset about the price increase, but it just doesn’t have the impact on me that it will for others. So for now I am sticking with Netflix.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Ranking Harry Potter Films Thus Far
Prior to seeing the final installment in the Harry Potter movie universe I wanted to get down on paper my order of the first seven films.
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The first two films are a little too childish for me, but they were written with pre-teens and young teens in mind. The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is a great movie, but it is too much of a cliffhanger for me to vault it above some of the other great Potter movies that give closure at the end of their respective movies.
The Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite of all the films probably because it can stand on its own and doesn't rely heavily on the rest of the series to be a great movie. While the threat of Voldemort is still looming throughout the film and certain plot lines make more sense if the previous movies have been seen, it is not essential to watch the other films in order to enjoy The Prisoner of Azkaban.
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The first two films are a little too childish for me, but they were written with pre-teens and young teens in mind. The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is a great movie, but it is too much of a cliffhanger for me to vault it above some of the other great Potter movies that give closure at the end of their respective movies.
The Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite of all the films probably because it can stand on its own and doesn't rely heavily on the rest of the series to be a great movie. While the threat of Voldemort is still looming throughout the film and certain plot lines make more sense if the previous movies have been seen, it is not essential to watch the other films in order to enjoy The Prisoner of Azkaban.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
A Pixar First
After 11 marvelous, ground-breaking, history-making films, Pixar has raised its standards extremely high. From the perspective of storytelling and animation, Pixar films have been unbeatable. That is what makes the disappointment that is Cars 2 such a unique event.
I, along with several other moviegoers, have always said Cars was Pixar’s weakest movie. Therefore, making a sequel of that film always left a question mark in my mind and putting more of a focus on Mater, the stalest character of the production company’s plethora of casts, felt like a big mistake. However, it was Pixar and they had earned enough respect to be given a little latitude.
After going to the drive-in theater in Ennis last night to watch Cars 2, I can safely say it really is Pixar’s first flop. Financially it will probably still be considered a success and kids are going to love it because of the increase in action, but from the perspective of an adult viewer it was pretty unfulfilling.
I don’t have an official one-to-ten scale score for the movie as I was busy watching over a 3-year-old little girl wanting numerous snacks, pillows, and position changes in the back of our Xterra. The film was also shown in 3D, which is not ideal for a drive-in theater. I will give the film another chance where I can give it my full attention, but for now the following is my rank of the Pixar animated feature-length films.
1. The Incredibles
2. Toy Story
3. Finding Nemo
4. Up
5. WALL-E
6. Toy Story 3
7. Monsters, Inc.
8. Toy Story 2
9. Ratatouille
10. A Bug’s Life
11. Cars
12. Cars 2
I, along with several other moviegoers, have always said Cars was Pixar’s weakest movie. Therefore, making a sequel of that film always left a question mark in my mind and putting more of a focus on Mater, the stalest character of the production company’s plethora of casts, felt like a big mistake. However, it was Pixar and they had earned enough respect to be given a little latitude.
After going to the drive-in theater in Ennis last night to watch Cars 2, I can safely say it really is Pixar’s first flop. Financially it will probably still be considered a success and kids are going to love it because of the increase in action, but from the perspective of an adult viewer it was pretty unfulfilling.
I don’t have an official one-to-ten scale score for the movie as I was busy watching over a 3-year-old little girl wanting numerous snacks, pillows, and position changes in the back of our Xterra. The film was also shown in 3D, which is not ideal for a drive-in theater. I will give the film another chance where I can give it my full attention, but for now the following is my rank of the Pixar animated feature-length films.
1. The Incredibles
2. Toy Story
3. Finding Nemo
4. Up
5. WALL-E
6. Toy Story 3
7. Monsters, Inc.
8. Toy Story 2
9. Ratatouille
10. A Bug’s Life
11. Cars
12. Cars 2
Friday, July 01, 2011
Michael Bay: Menace to Moviemaking or Messiah of Masculinity
Next to Uwe Boll, Michael Bay is a director most film critics and fans feel epitomize bad directing in Hollywood. His bit is to blow enough stuff up that the men in the audience are pleased and will shell out another $9 to see again the following weekend in theaters. Another M.O. of Bay’s is to feature scantily clad women who are either currently or will soon become (likely because of the popularity of Bay’s movies) a highly searched Internet queen.
As a movie fan, I am very torn on Michael Bay. I’m fully aware he is a hack at making quality pictures. Nothing he ever does will win a Best Picture Oscar. However, he is good at what he is driving at, which is entertaining the eye with spectacular visuals and non-stop thrills. Sometimes I find his antics appealing and then other times he takes it too far.
With the release of the third installment in the Transformers series, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, I recently heard one critic call Bay’s latest effort his best yet. My initial thought was, “Is that really so hard?” But let’s be fair and actually take a look at the eight feature films Michael Bay has helmed as director and rank them from worst to best. I have included the year the movie was released, the IMDb rating, and my personal rating of the movie.
8.Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009/5.9/3) – When I went back to look at my rating for this movie I was shocked, shocked I say, to discover how generous I was to give it three stars. I was also astonished that this wasn’t Bay’s worst rated on IMDb, but that distinction is saved for another bad movie. This movie is a complete mess. It is long, the plot makes no sense, characterization is nonexistent, and the Autobot twins are quite possibly the most annoying characters ever created for the silver screen. Normally, prior to watching a new sequel in theaters I will re-watch the previous movies in the series, but I’m not sure any amount of money or other motivation could make me sit through this garbage ever again.
7. The Island (2005/6.9/3) – This movie actually had a lot of potential, but it ended up resorting to one action set after another where the characters found themselves dangling from tall buildings or driving recklessly in hot rod futuristic vehicles. It never really explored the most appealing part of the movie, the characters’ journeys of self-realization. What should have been a great homage to “escape-from-dystopia” science-fiction films like Logan’s Run ends up like every other Michael Bay movie with explosions every 15 minutes and hot women showing off their sexy bodies.
6. Bad Boys II (2003/6.2/4) – The childish high jinks that resulted in disastrous comedy and/or gunplay from the first installment did not last in its sequel. Bad Boys II is mind-numbing and the partnership-on-the-rocks between the main characters is played out far too long. Since 1995 when the first movie came out, detectives Lowrey and Burnett have apparently been trained by CIA-level spies and their jurisdiction is just as far-reaching as the CIA. The jokes aren’t as funny as before, the drama isn’t as real as before, and the brotherhood between Lowrey and Burnett doesn’t feel the same as before. In fact, really the only thing that is better than the first is the amount of action (which ends up not being a good thing) and the level of hotness from the female cast (a Michael Bay specialty). Gabrielle Union is in a close race with Megan Fox and Kate Beckinsale for hottest sexpot in a Michael Bay movie.
5. Pearl Harbor (2001/5.5/5) – Visually spectacular middle-third, while the other two-thirds are wasted on a played-out love story. There is very little to like about this movie, but what Bay does right in it he does very well. The action sequences during the Japanese attack are amazing. This movie, which is not a good one but better than the ones listed before it, gets an extra one-point vote from me for personal reasons as my grandfather was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and therefore I feel a connection to him when watching a piece of history that gives me some sort of sense of the horrors he went through on that day, even if it is pumped full of historically inaccurate testosterone.
4. Bad Boys (1995/6.6/7) – This is where the line in the sand is drawn for me between crowd-pleasing popcorn action thrillers and illogical mess of a movie. What Bad Boys II did wrong, the first in the series got right. The comedic chemistry is spot on between the two leads. The gunfights are exciting and somewhat believable. The soundtrack is catchy. And a pre-Sopranos Michael Imperioli supporting role is quite memorable. Bad Boys is just another buddy-cop movie with new actors replacing the roles of those that had come before them, but the energy is high and everything gels together well, resulting in an enjoyable two hours of fast cars, hot women, foul-language humor, and tense action.
3. Transformers (2007/7.2/7) – Keep in mind that none of Michael Bay’s work that get positive reviews from me is actually a finely made film by industry standards. They aren’t going to win awards for acting, directing, or writing, but what they will do is entertain. Transformers, despite all of its obvious flaws, is one of those entertaining blockbusters. Maybe it is childhood nostalgia or possibly I just find fast cars morphing into killer robots appealing, but Transformers is one of those movies that anytime I see it on television I have to stop whatever I’m doing and watch. Shia LeBeouf’s shtick isn’t annoying yet. Megan Fox is an unknown hotness waiting to be discovered. Optimus Prime’s introductory transformation nearly brings a tear to the eyes of all those young men who grew up on the Hasbro toy.
2. Armageddon (1998/6.1/8) – This is the movie I think of when somebody says the name Michael Bay: ludicrously dumb plot, over-the-top scenarios that lead to explosions and mayhem, greatly timed delivery of funny lines by the cast, shoehorned love story, solid supporting characters. I never saw Deep Impact (another space impact movie like Armageddon that came out two months prior), but I have to believe it tackled deeper issues than what Bay worried about with his natural disaster snuff film. The impossibilities this movie presents as “just another day at the office for meteor-drilling astronauts” is countless, however, it is reported that NASA has prospective managers point out all the inaccuracies in the film and a total of 168 have so far been found. In other words, is this movie unbelievable? Absolutely. Does it matter? Not one bit.
1. The Rock (1996/7.3/9) – There isn’t a better example of the things Michael Bay does well than in The Rock. An obligatory car chase is included in the first half of the film. The buddy cop routine is executed well between the two main leads. Comedic lines are spot on. The pacing of each gunfight is well-timed. The story isn’t too outlandish, but still intriguing enough to peak our interest. It is no wonder that this movie is Bay’s highest rated on IMDb. It is a fun thrill-ride with lots of laughs, suspense, and memorable quotes.
As a movie fan, I am very torn on Michael Bay. I’m fully aware he is a hack at making quality pictures. Nothing he ever does will win a Best Picture Oscar. However, he is good at what he is driving at, which is entertaining the eye with spectacular visuals and non-stop thrills. Sometimes I find his antics appealing and then other times he takes it too far.
With the release of the third installment in the Transformers series, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, I recently heard one critic call Bay’s latest effort his best yet. My initial thought was, “Is that really so hard?” But let’s be fair and actually take a look at the eight feature films Michael Bay has helmed as director and rank them from worst to best. I have included the year the movie was released, the IMDb rating, and my personal rating of the movie.
8.Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009/5.9/3) – When I went back to look at my rating for this movie I was shocked, shocked I say, to discover how generous I was to give it three stars. I was also astonished that this wasn’t Bay’s worst rated on IMDb, but that distinction is saved for another bad movie. This movie is a complete mess. It is long, the plot makes no sense, characterization is nonexistent, and the Autobot twins are quite possibly the most annoying characters ever created for the silver screen. Normally, prior to watching a new sequel in theaters I will re-watch the previous movies in the series, but I’m not sure any amount of money or other motivation could make me sit through this garbage ever again.
7. The Island (2005/6.9/3) – This movie actually had a lot of potential, but it ended up resorting to one action set after another where the characters found themselves dangling from tall buildings or driving recklessly in hot rod futuristic vehicles. It never really explored the most appealing part of the movie, the characters’ journeys of self-realization. What should have been a great homage to “escape-from-dystopia” science-fiction films like Logan’s Run ends up like every other Michael Bay movie with explosions every 15 minutes and hot women showing off their sexy bodies.
6. Bad Boys II (2003/6.2/4) – The childish high jinks that resulted in disastrous comedy and/or gunplay from the first installment did not last in its sequel. Bad Boys II is mind-numbing and the partnership-on-the-rocks between the main characters is played out far too long. Since 1995 when the first movie came out, detectives Lowrey and Burnett have apparently been trained by CIA-level spies and their jurisdiction is just as far-reaching as the CIA. The jokes aren’t as funny as before, the drama isn’t as real as before, and the brotherhood between Lowrey and Burnett doesn’t feel the same as before. In fact, really the only thing that is better than the first is the amount of action (which ends up not being a good thing) and the level of hotness from the female cast (a Michael Bay specialty). Gabrielle Union is in a close race with Megan Fox and Kate Beckinsale for hottest sexpot in a Michael Bay movie.
5. Pearl Harbor (2001/5.5/5) – Visually spectacular middle-third, while the other two-thirds are wasted on a played-out love story. There is very little to like about this movie, but what Bay does right in it he does very well. The action sequences during the Japanese attack are amazing. This movie, which is not a good one but better than the ones listed before it, gets an extra one-point vote from me for personal reasons as my grandfather was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and therefore I feel a connection to him when watching a piece of history that gives me some sort of sense of the horrors he went through on that day, even if it is pumped full of historically inaccurate testosterone.
4. Bad Boys (1995/6.6/7) – This is where the line in the sand is drawn for me between crowd-pleasing popcorn action thrillers and illogical mess of a movie. What Bad Boys II did wrong, the first in the series got right. The comedic chemistry is spot on between the two leads. The gunfights are exciting and somewhat believable. The soundtrack is catchy. And a pre-Sopranos Michael Imperioli supporting role is quite memorable. Bad Boys is just another buddy-cop movie with new actors replacing the roles of those that had come before them, but the energy is high and everything gels together well, resulting in an enjoyable two hours of fast cars, hot women, foul-language humor, and tense action.
3. Transformers (2007/7.2/7) – Keep in mind that none of Michael Bay’s work that get positive reviews from me is actually a finely made film by industry standards. They aren’t going to win awards for acting, directing, or writing, but what they will do is entertain. Transformers, despite all of its obvious flaws, is one of those entertaining blockbusters. Maybe it is childhood nostalgia or possibly I just find fast cars morphing into killer robots appealing, but Transformers is one of those movies that anytime I see it on television I have to stop whatever I’m doing and watch. Shia LeBeouf’s shtick isn’t annoying yet. Megan Fox is an unknown hotness waiting to be discovered. Optimus Prime’s introductory transformation nearly brings a tear to the eyes of all those young men who grew up on the Hasbro toy.
2. Armageddon (1998/6.1/8) – This is the movie I think of when somebody says the name Michael Bay: ludicrously dumb plot, over-the-top scenarios that lead to explosions and mayhem, greatly timed delivery of funny lines by the cast, shoehorned love story, solid supporting characters. I never saw Deep Impact (another space impact movie like Armageddon that came out two months prior), but I have to believe it tackled deeper issues than what Bay worried about with his natural disaster snuff film. The impossibilities this movie presents as “just another day at the office for meteor-drilling astronauts” is countless, however, it is reported that NASA has prospective managers point out all the inaccuracies in the film and a total of 168 have so far been found. In other words, is this movie unbelievable? Absolutely. Does it matter? Not one bit.
1. The Rock (1996/7.3/9) – There isn’t a better example of the things Michael Bay does well than in The Rock. An obligatory car chase is included in the first half of the film. The buddy cop routine is executed well between the two main leads. Comedic lines are spot on. The pacing of each gunfight is well-timed. The story isn’t too outlandish, but still intriguing enough to peak our interest. It is no wonder that this movie is Bay’s highest rated on IMDb. It is a fun thrill-ride with lots of laughs, suspense, and memorable quotes.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Your Argument Is Invalid
During some downtime at work today I was reading from about The Beatles in where an excerpt from the book Living Life Without Loving the Beatles by Gary Hall expressed the author’s general disdain for those who are considered massive Beatles fans but have no general knowledge of what good music really is, given the moniker of a Grade One. Hall doesn’t blame these people for following a massive group like The Beatles because they just don’t know any better.
In his chapter about a Grade One and how to cope with their high opinions of the Fab Four, he nullifies an argument made in favor of The Beatles with an entirely moronic premise regarding lasagna. Hall claims that by stating The Beatles are the best band ever because they sold millions upon millions of albums is like believing a Marks and Spencer pasta meal is better than one from a certain mom and pop café in Italy. This mentality is beyond ridiculous.
I’m in complete agreement that record sales does not equate to quality product. Comparing the music industry to a similarly distributed, yet differently experienced medium, just because Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace made money hand over fist does not mean it is a good movie. In fact, it is God-awful and was drafting off of the legacy that the original trilogy had built over time.
However, to compare record sales to meal sales is an apples-to-oranges argument. It is not hard to believe that a homemade dish of lasagna is going to be tastier than a frozen TV dinner version of the meal. But that homemade meal doesn’t have the same outlet to sell its dish that the store-bought version does, so therefore of course it is not going to make as much money.
Yet, all bands and musicians have the same opportunity for the world to hear their music. Sure, some lesser talented artists get better management, better recording gigs, and better publicity than others and therefore reap the benefits of more records sold than those with more music aptitude and song-writing quality, but the outlet is all the same. Musical notes are put down on vinyl/CD/Internet download/whatever, and the entire masses have an opportunity to evaluate the music for themselves. Good music will likely attract the most listeners and in turn generate more records from a particular group/singer. It is a level playing field for every musician who strives for their music to be heard.
Grandma Lucella from Milan, Italy, isn’t going to stand a chance at competing with a brand name TV dinner company. Sure, anyone who tastes her meal will undoubtedly give the thumbs up when comparing it to a Marks and Spencer product, but how can she be fairly judged when her only outlet is a small café in Milan? It is not possible to bring every person in the world to her shop for a taste of lasagna, but Marks and Spencer do have the capability to reach the masses through neighborhood grocery stores. So what about packaging the Italian café meal? Then you lose the flavor of making it in-house and therefore the product is not the same.
The lasagna argument is just not the same when comparing it to music. The Beatles certainly were lucky to hit the big time when they did and many of their songs probably came in higher on the charts because of name recognition during the middle and later parts of their group’s career, but to fairly deny The Beatles as greatest band ever is going to take a greater line of reasoning than Hall’s lasagna parable.
In his chapter about a Grade One and how to cope with their high opinions of the Fab Four, he nullifies an argument made in favor of The Beatles with an entirely moronic premise regarding lasagna. Hall claims that by stating The Beatles are the best band ever because they sold millions upon millions of albums is like believing a Marks and Spencer pasta meal is better than one from a certain mom and pop café in Italy. This mentality is beyond ridiculous.
I’m in complete agreement that record sales does not equate to quality product. Comparing the music industry to a similarly distributed, yet differently experienced medium, just because Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace made money hand over fist does not mean it is a good movie. In fact, it is God-awful and was drafting off of the legacy that the original trilogy had built over time.
However, to compare record sales to meal sales is an apples-to-oranges argument. It is not hard to believe that a homemade dish of lasagna is going to be tastier than a frozen TV dinner version of the meal. But that homemade meal doesn’t have the same outlet to sell its dish that the store-bought version does, so therefore of course it is not going to make as much money.
Yet, all bands and musicians have the same opportunity for the world to hear their music. Sure, some lesser talented artists get better management, better recording gigs, and better publicity than others and therefore reap the benefits of more records sold than those with more music aptitude and song-writing quality, but the outlet is all the same. Musical notes are put down on vinyl/CD/Internet download/whatever, and the entire masses have an opportunity to evaluate the music for themselves. Good music will likely attract the most listeners and in turn generate more records from a particular group/singer. It is a level playing field for every musician who strives for their music to be heard.
Grandma Lucella from Milan, Italy, isn’t going to stand a chance at competing with a brand name TV dinner company. Sure, anyone who tastes her meal will undoubtedly give the thumbs up when comparing it to a Marks and Spencer product, but how can she be fairly judged when her only outlet is a small café in Milan? It is not possible to bring every person in the world to her shop for a taste of lasagna, but Marks and Spencer do have the capability to reach the masses through neighborhood grocery stores. So what about packaging the Italian café meal? Then you lose the flavor of making it in-house and therefore the product is not the same.
The lasagna argument is just not the same when comparing it to music. The Beatles certainly were lucky to hit the big time when they did and many of their songs probably came in higher on the charts because of name recognition during the middle and later parts of their group’s career, but to fairly deny The Beatles as greatest band ever is going to take a greater line of reasoning than Hall’s lasagna parable.
Friday, May 20, 2011
What To Do? What To Do?
I'm freaking out over what my last movie will be before the rapture hits tomorrow at 6 p.m. Central Standard Time. My wife and I are planning to go to a movie in the early part of the day, so I have to figure out whether my final cinema-going experience will be remembered as following Jack Sparrow's swashbuckling adventures in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean picture or fulfilling my geek need with the comic book movie Thor.
But to be honest, it is the movie that I will be watching as the flames and earthquakes erupt to take me up to heaven. Should I be a good Christian person and partake in a family-friendly Pixar or Disney film like Toy Story or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or should it be something I respect as a movie aficionado like The Godfather or Citizen Kane? Of course, an entry in the James Bond franchise would certainly be suitable. I just don't know.
I do have John Huston's gritty crime film noir The Asphalt Jungle on my DVR. That would certainly be an acceptable bow out film. I have about 24 hours to figure this out. Maybe I will make a list of the final experience I want to savor when I check out of this crazy, doomed world.
But to be honest, it is the movie that I will be watching as the flames and earthquakes erupt to take me up to heaven. Should I be a good Christian person and partake in a family-friendly Pixar or Disney film like Toy Story or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or should it be something I respect as a movie aficionado like The Godfather or Citizen Kane? Of course, an entry in the James Bond franchise would certainly be suitable. I just don't know.
I do have John Huston's gritty crime film noir The Asphalt Jungle on my DVR. That would certainly be an acceptable bow out film. I have about 24 hours to figure this out. Maybe I will make a list of the final experience I want to savor when I check out of this crazy, doomed world.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Long Search Comes To An End
Since abandoning my barber in Ennis 18 months ago and searching for a new one I think I finally found the place. After trying out my new barber shop, which is located in my childhood town of Rendon, I found it has all the amenities I enjoy plus an additional one I didn't expect. Besides the serviceable cut I expect from a barber for a valuable price, this particular coiffeur also offered a straight razor shave on the back of my neck, a warm towel wrapped around my head following the cut, and a brief electric massage on the upper back and neck. It was wonderful. The only downside I saw was the barber's a little chatty, but since the whole process took less than 15 minutes it's not that big of a deal. I am pleased with the outcome and plan on making this my new haircut home.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Origins Of Energy
I don’t know what made me think about this today but for some reason I asked myself the question, “If God doesn’t exist and the Big Bang Theory really is the way things started for our universe, then where did that energy come from in the first place?”
This post probably stems from the recent remark made by physicist Stephen Hawking about Heaven being a “fairy story,” but whatever the reason for my pondering it still begs the question of how our entire existence came to be if a higher power doesn’t exist. I will not hide the fact that I believe in God, have faith that He created us, and my faith will one day result in me spending eternity in that fairy story place called Heaven. My feelings on this subject have been tested in the past and I eventually decided I do believe what I was taught as a child in Sunday school.
As for my question about where the energy that started the Big Bang came from, I’m still asking. Those who disbelieve creationism, not wanting to buy into the idea that the only thing Christians have to go on in trusting that God exists is faith, in actuality have to have the same form of faith. The best answer right now to where the matter came from for the Big Bang is that it has always existed. It may have been in a different form, but since energy can neither be created nor destroyed it has to have always been in existence, so where did it come from in the first place? It is the same conundrum that Christians have when atheists ask where God came from. Our best answer is He has always been there.
However, the difference in our two answers is that with our faith we can trust that our answer is true and God will reveal how things began once we are in Heaven, whereas those who put their faith in science will never be able to answer that question with any certainty and will ultimately be forced to have the same amount of faith as Christians, just directed in a different direction.
And I’m not stating I am entirely against the idea that the universe began as the result of a Big Bang. Where I differ from those who don’t believe in a higher power is that I think God instigated the Big Bang and created the energy necessary for such an event. Again, I don’t have all the answers and am not sure where I stand on the Big Bang Theory, but what I do know is that if that is the way things began in our universe then it was God who directed the thing.
This post probably stems from the recent remark made by physicist Stephen Hawking about Heaven being a “fairy story,” but whatever the reason for my pondering it still begs the question of how our entire existence came to be if a higher power doesn’t exist. I will not hide the fact that I believe in God, have faith that He created us, and my faith will one day result in me spending eternity in that fairy story place called Heaven. My feelings on this subject have been tested in the past and I eventually decided I do believe what I was taught as a child in Sunday school.
As for my question about where the energy that started the Big Bang came from, I’m still asking. Those who disbelieve creationism, not wanting to buy into the idea that the only thing Christians have to go on in trusting that God exists is faith, in actuality have to have the same form of faith. The best answer right now to where the matter came from for the Big Bang is that it has always existed. It may have been in a different form, but since energy can neither be created nor destroyed it has to have always been in existence, so where did it come from in the first place? It is the same conundrum that Christians have when atheists ask where God came from. Our best answer is He has always been there.
However, the difference in our two answers is that with our faith we can trust that our answer is true and God will reveal how things began once we are in Heaven, whereas those who put their faith in science will never be able to answer that question with any certainty and will ultimately be forced to have the same amount of faith as Christians, just directed in a different direction.
And I’m not stating I am entirely against the idea that the universe began as the result of a Big Bang. Where I differ from those who don’t believe in a higher power is that I think God instigated the Big Bang and created the energy necessary for such an event. Again, I don’t have all the answers and am not sure where I stand on the Big Bang Theory, but what I do know is that if that is the way things began in our universe then it was God who directed the thing.
Friday, May 06, 2011
Summer Movie Preview
With the release of Thor this weekend, summer movie blockbusters have officially begun. My wife and I have made our yearly bet as to what movie will make the most money, which with Harry Potter being a candidate and Joanna getting the first pick I am likely the loser this year.
A lot of sequels and comic book films are available to viewers this season, but there is an original idea or two out there that don’t involve robots pummeling one another or mutant/Norse God/magical ring heroes saving the planet. I have counted 13 films my wife, 3-year-old daughter, and I will be attempting to see in the next three months, not necessarily all together as The Hangover Part II is a Daddy movie only. First is the list of films available worth seeing. I include Fast Five as, oddly, my wife loves that film series and swoons when she sees Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, so we will be going to the theater this Saturday for a fast cars, hot bodies watching date night.
For me:
Thor – opened May 6
The Hangover Part II – opening May 26
Super 8 – opening June 10
Green Lantern – opening June 17
Captain America: The First Avenger – opening July 22
Cowboys and Aliens – opening July 29
For my wife and me:
Fast Five – opened April 29
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – opening May 20
X-men: First Class – opening June 3
Transformers: Dark of the Moon – opening July 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II – opening July 15
For both parents and child:
Cars 2 – opening June 24
Winnie the Pooh – opening July 15
You might have noticed I have omitted Kung Fu Panda 2. I never saw the first one and will likely wait to see this one as well. But it is opening on May 26 if you are interested.
The film I’m probably most excited about is Harry Potter, not because I expect it to be the best of all these other blockbusters, but because it will bring to a close a story I have vested countless hours of interest in through previous movie viewings. My most anticipated release, thinking I'll be the most entertained from them, is either Super 8 or Cowboys and Aliens. I have a lot of trust in what J.J. Abrams does and Super 8 looks similar in style and substance to what Steven Spielberg was doing in his heyday of moviemaking. Cowboys and Aliens is a guilty pleasure. While the premise is stupid, I will checkout mentally and simply enjoy James Bond and Indiana Jones in the Old West kicking some alien butt.
I am afraid The Hangover Part II is going to simply rehash old jokes from the original and try to squeeze every last funny dime out of the hype that the first film created, but the previews do look entertaining enough.
Thor, X-men, Green Lantern, and Captain America are all going to be the same thing. Christopher Nolan so far is the only one to make a comic book movie dramatic and suspenseful enough to transcend the genre it falls under.
Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers 3 have to rebound from crappy sequels, and in the case of Pirates it is two crappy sequels, but I am willing to give them a chance at redemption.
Cars 2 is questionable as it is a sequel to the weakest of all Pixar movies. While Cars is still good, it does not come close to the greatness of the Toy Story franchise or anything else the computer-animated company released in the new millennium.
While I was not a Winnie-the-Pooh fan growing up, I am excited to introduce my daughter to the characters who live in Hundred Acre Wood.
A lot of sequels and comic book films are available to viewers this season, but there is an original idea or two out there that don’t involve robots pummeling one another or mutant/Norse God/magical ring heroes saving the planet. I have counted 13 films my wife, 3-year-old daughter, and I will be attempting to see in the next three months, not necessarily all together as The Hangover Part II is a Daddy movie only. First is the list of films available worth seeing. I include Fast Five as, oddly, my wife loves that film series and swoons when she sees Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, so we will be going to the theater this Saturday for a fast cars, hot bodies watching date night.
For me:
Thor – opened May 6
The Hangover Part II – opening May 26
Super 8 – opening June 10
Green Lantern – opening June 17
Captain America: The First Avenger – opening July 22
Cowboys and Aliens – opening July 29
For my wife and me:
Fast Five – opened April 29
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – opening May 20
X-men: First Class – opening June 3
Transformers: Dark of the Moon – opening July 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II – opening July 15
For both parents and child:
Cars 2 – opening June 24
Winnie the Pooh – opening July 15
You might have noticed I have omitted Kung Fu Panda 2. I never saw the first one and will likely wait to see this one as well. But it is opening on May 26 if you are interested.
The film I’m probably most excited about is Harry Potter, not because I expect it to be the best of all these other blockbusters, but because it will bring to a close a story I have vested countless hours of interest in through previous movie viewings. My most anticipated release, thinking I'll be the most entertained from them, is either Super 8 or Cowboys and Aliens. I have a lot of trust in what J.J. Abrams does and Super 8 looks similar in style and substance to what Steven Spielberg was doing in his heyday of moviemaking. Cowboys and Aliens is a guilty pleasure. While the premise is stupid, I will checkout mentally and simply enjoy James Bond and Indiana Jones in the Old West kicking some alien butt.
I am afraid The Hangover Part II is going to simply rehash old jokes from the original and try to squeeze every last funny dime out of the hype that the first film created, but the previews do look entertaining enough.
Thor, X-men, Green Lantern, and Captain America are all going to be the same thing. Christopher Nolan so far is the only one to make a comic book movie dramatic and suspenseful enough to transcend the genre it falls under.
Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers 3 have to rebound from crappy sequels, and in the case of Pirates it is two crappy sequels, but I am willing to give them a chance at redemption.
Cars 2 is questionable as it is a sequel to the weakest of all Pixar movies. While Cars is still good, it does not come close to the greatness of the Toy Story franchise or anything else the computer-animated company released in the new millennium.
While I was not a Winnie-the-Pooh fan growing up, I am excited to introduce my daughter to the characters who live in Hundred Acre Wood.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Late-April Update
With a new baby in the house, catching up on work after being out for a week, repairing damage from the North Texas storms that have been passing through, and a new series to catch up on, I haven’t had much time to do anything too interesting for a blog post. However, I feel like something is needed, so I will give a brief update.
Baby Jackson (or Buddy as I keep calling him when he is in my arms) is doing well. The disgusting dead skin on his belly button finally fell off and we gave him his first real bath last night in the kitchen sink, instead of the normal washing with a damp cloth to get dry skin to shed. He has good nights and bad nights, but a schedule is starting to be maintained with him sleeping for four or five hours at night. That isn’t too bad. I especially appreciate Joanna, who is getting up to feed him so I can get my rest for work while she is a stay-at-home mom for two more months. There is nothing abnormal to report on the little one. He is growing at an ordinary rate, eating a little more, pooping a little more.
The first set of storms that came in at the beginning of the month flipped some shingles off the roof and knocked sections of our fence down. I spent most of the vacation that was taken in order to have quality time with Jack repairing my fence and roof. I still have a few sections of fence down, but they are in the front yard and don’t affect Mona being outside. I hopefully will finish my roof work tonight before it gets too dark.
As far as that new television series I am watching, my buddy Danny lent me all five seasons of Dexter and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first season so far. I am going slower than normal when I am really into a show, but since most of my life is spent at work or watching over a newborn son or 3-year-old little girl I haven’t had much free time to enjoy TV like I used to. Such is parenthood. However, the show is great and the character Dexter Morgan might be the most interesting one TV has seen since George Costanza. I really like the show and can’t wait to watch another episode or two tonight.
While I am here, I figured I would include a brief analysis of a movie I watched last night that seems to be adored by film noir fans but to me was a second-rate B movie thriller. The movie in question was This Gun for Hire, starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. It seems that those who are in love with the film cite Ladd and Lake’s performances and the quick pace of the picture as its high points. Yes, Ladd does a pretty good job of playing a cold, ruthless killer and the pace moves along well, but how hard is it to accomplish that feat when the movie is only 80 minutes long.
In general, Lake looks fantastic as the blonde bombshell of the picture, but her performance, along with nearly everyone else’s excluding Ladd’s, is wooden at best. The plot is forgettable, dialogue laughable, and I was left with a feeling that it was bad, but not so bad to be enjoyable like sci-fi B movies of the 50s or Snakes on a Plane cringeworthy. The relationship between Ladd and Lake’s characters is so unrealistic as genuine characterization would have had Lake spewing hateful obscenities at Ladd for the things he does to her and those she loves. Trust me in that if you had seen this movie you would know what I was talking about.
I had heard good things about This Gun for Hire, but ultimately it was unsatisfying and quite a letdown.
That is about it I guess. When something interesting happens I will throw it up here, but maybe I will generate something of interest to talk about before then.
Baby Jackson (or Buddy as I keep calling him when he is in my arms) is doing well. The disgusting dead skin on his belly button finally fell off and we gave him his first real bath last night in the kitchen sink, instead of the normal washing with a damp cloth to get dry skin to shed. He has good nights and bad nights, but a schedule is starting to be maintained with him sleeping for four or five hours at night. That isn’t too bad. I especially appreciate Joanna, who is getting up to feed him so I can get my rest for work while she is a stay-at-home mom for two more months. There is nothing abnormal to report on the little one. He is growing at an ordinary rate, eating a little more, pooping a little more.
The first set of storms that came in at the beginning of the month flipped some shingles off the roof and knocked sections of our fence down. I spent most of the vacation that was taken in order to have quality time with Jack repairing my fence and roof. I still have a few sections of fence down, but they are in the front yard and don’t affect Mona being outside. I hopefully will finish my roof work tonight before it gets too dark.
As far as that new television series I am watching, my buddy Danny lent me all five seasons of Dexter and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first season so far. I am going slower than normal when I am really into a show, but since most of my life is spent at work or watching over a newborn son or 3-year-old little girl I haven’t had much free time to enjoy TV like I used to. Such is parenthood. However, the show is great and the character Dexter Morgan might be the most interesting one TV has seen since George Costanza. I really like the show and can’t wait to watch another episode or two tonight.
While I am here, I figured I would include a brief analysis of a movie I watched last night that seems to be adored by film noir fans but to me was a second-rate B movie thriller. The movie in question was This Gun for Hire, starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. It seems that those who are in love with the film cite Ladd and Lake’s performances and the quick pace of the picture as its high points. Yes, Ladd does a pretty good job of playing a cold, ruthless killer and the pace moves along well, but how hard is it to accomplish that feat when the movie is only 80 minutes long.
In general, Lake looks fantastic as the blonde bombshell of the picture, but her performance, along with nearly everyone else’s excluding Ladd’s, is wooden at best. The plot is forgettable, dialogue laughable, and I was left with a feeling that it was bad, but not so bad to be enjoyable like sci-fi B movies of the 50s or Snakes on a Plane cringeworthy. The relationship between Ladd and Lake’s characters is so unrealistic as genuine characterization would have had Lake spewing hateful obscenities at Ladd for the things he does to her and those she loves. Trust me in that if you had seen this movie you would know what I was talking about.
I had heard good things about This Gun for Hire, but ultimately it was unsatisfying and quite a letdown.
That is about it I guess. When something interesting happens I will throw it up here, but maybe I will generate something of interest to talk about before then.
Friday, April 08, 2011
Hello Jack!
Well, it took 13 hours of labor, two full hours of pushing during every contraction, and a vacuum to pull him out, but Jackson Harris Cook is here. He came into this world at 8:11 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces. His length was 19 1/4 inches.
Hopefully we will be released soon, not because I want to spend father-son time at home or am anxious to see what normal life will be like with our new son. No, I want out of this hospital because of the fold-out bed. It is awful.
Joanna did an incredible job and fought through pain and exhaustion to keep pushing. I was so proud of her. I even cried when he was finally pulled out. It wasn't just because of the birth of Jack that I teared up, but I was overjoyed that Joanna was finally done pushing and it was also a complete release of the anxiety and tension I had felt for the day.
So far Jack has been doing well. He spent most of the night in the nursery, unless he was feeding with Joanna. I liked that he was there because it gave Joanna a chance to get some rest, which she needed.
Hopefully we will be released soon, not because I want to spend father-son time at home or am anxious to see what normal life will be like with our new son. No, I want out of this hospital because of the fold-out bed. It is awful.
Joanna did an incredible job and fought through pain and exhaustion to keep pushing. I was so proud of her. I even cried when he was finally pulled out. It wasn't just because of the birth of Jack that I teared up, but I was overjoyed that Joanna was finally done pushing and it was also a complete release of the anxiety and tension I had felt for the day.
So far Jack has been doing well. He spent most of the night in the nursery, unless he was feeding with Joanna. I liked that he was there because it gave Joanna a chance to get some rest, which she needed.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
It's Go Time
Today is the day we bring Jack into the world. Pray for Joanna as she is very anxious about the labor process she will be put through today. I will give updates when I can.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Rangers Continue Successful Run
Last night’s game was historic for a number of reasons.
First, it marked only the third time ever for a player to have homered in each of the first four games of the season. Nelson Cruz is now in the same category as Willie Mays and Mark McGwire, who should be discounted as he has admitted to using steroids during his career.
Secondly, little Elvis Andrus hit his first major league home run after 705 plate appearances. It was only Saturday I was telling my wife that Andrus would not hit for the cycle as he was short a home run and had never before hit one. Also, I loved that the team momentarily ignored Andrus when he made it back to the dugout. The players are having a lot of fun with each other and it shows.
Lastly, Michael Young moved into second place as the all-time games played as a Texas Ranger leader, only 60-ish games behind Rafael Palmeiro’s total of 1,573.
Include that the Rangers are now 4-0, which is something that hasn’t happened since the 1996 season, where they continued into the postseason for the first time ever in franchise history, and last night’s game against the Seattle Mariners was a great event.
I am loving the 2011 Texas Rangers.
First, it marked only the third time ever for a player to have homered in each of the first four games of the season. Nelson Cruz is now in the same category as Willie Mays and Mark McGwire, who should be discounted as he has admitted to using steroids during his career.
Secondly, little Elvis Andrus hit his first major league home run after 705 plate appearances. It was only Saturday I was telling my wife that Andrus would not hit for the cycle as he was short a home run and had never before hit one. Also, I loved that the team momentarily ignored Andrus when he made it back to the dugout. The players are having a lot of fun with each other and it shows.
Lastly, Michael Young moved into second place as the all-time games played as a Texas Ranger leader, only 60-ish games behind Rafael Palmeiro’s total of 1,573.
Include that the Rangers are now 4-0, which is something that hasn’t happened since the 1996 season, where they continued into the postseason for the first time ever in franchise history, and last night’s game against the Seattle Mariners was a great event.
I am loving the 2011 Texas Rangers.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Wow! Just, Wow!
I know it is only three games, but sweeping the American League darling Boston Red Sox (and handily I might add) is a great way to start this season. It gives the team and its fans the confidence going forward needed for another great, competitive season.
Go Rangers!
Go Rangers!
Saturday, April 02, 2011
High Hopes, High Marks For Rangers
Opening Day in Arlington was not exactly a perfect outing for the defending American League Champion Texas Rangers, but showing they are still the resilient, tough team who will continue to be a force in the West is what most fans were hoping for during the 2011 season. Beating the Boston Red Sox 9 to 5 and David Murphy's pinch-hitting double to give the Rangers the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning was about as exciting of a moment the metroplex has had on Opening Day (even taking into consideration last year's ninth-inning walk-off hit from Jarrod Saltalamacchia). What made yesterday so special was the residual expectations fans have after making it to the World Series last year.
The few downer moments from yesterday included an error on the first play of the game from centerfielder Julio Borbon, who is not endearing himself with the metroplex as manager Ron Washington's purported heir apparent to the position, and a pretty good outing from pitcher C.J. Wilson, but not quite the lights-out work everyone wanted.
Yesterday was only one of 162 games and overreactions, both good and bad, should be kept in check, but what yesterday did show was that it likely is going to be another long season with this team staying competitive long into the season.
The few downer moments from yesterday included an error on the first play of the game from centerfielder Julio Borbon, who is not endearing himself with the metroplex as manager Ron Washington's purported heir apparent to the position, and a pretty good outing from pitcher C.J. Wilson, but not quite the lights-out work everyone wanted.
Yesterday was only one of 162 games and overreactions, both good and bad, should be kept in check, but what yesterday did show was that it likely is going to be another long season with this team staying competitive long into the season.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A Shoutout To Jamerin!
My buddy James and his new bride Erin are in Santorini, Greece, right now and I hope they are having an excellent time.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
250 Reasons Not To Trust IMDb Blog Not Reliable
The other day I came across a person’s movie blog created to determine whether the films listed on IMDb’s Top 250 list deserved the status as best movies in the world. First off, the IMDb list is more of a popularity movie list than a credible “best of” list when it comes to moviemaking, so celebrating it as some be-all, end-all registry of great films isn’t exactly the best idea. However, for argument’s sake let’s pretend the IMDb 250 list is influential.
To claim to be a fan of film and exclude some of the movies this girl did is quite appalling. I’m not saying she had to fall in love with every movie, but even if you don’t like the content of the picture you still need to recognize the value certain movies had on the industry and the way in which they changed Hollywood for all time. I can’t stand films like Easy Rider or The Deer Hunter, but I acknowledge that they were a reflection of the times America was going through and consequently deserve a certain amount of respect.
The author’s posts consisted of the top 250 movies as of June 30, 2010. She approved of 157 movies on the list. Therefore, of the other 93 movies she considered not of quality standards to be the best in the world, some showed how naïve and subjective she was being with the appraisals. Certainly nobody is going to agree with all 250 films, but to discredit a handful of the ones she did was a crime.
A few examples include:
Pulp Fiction – gave Independent filmmakers a voice and popularized the genre
The Dark Knight – despite flaws in the movie, the best superhero film to date enhanced by bringing costumed heroes and out-of-this-world villains into a real world
The Seven Samurai – a legendary Japanese director’s epic film
Goodfellas – Martin Scorcese’s best movie with a brilliant cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and flow
North by Northwest – a classic from Alfred Hitchcock that bested its predecessors of the “innocent man on the run” theme and influenced the genre’s successors
Citizen Kane – considered to be the greatest film of all time and inspired filmmaking for all time afterward; the influence this movie has had on Hollywood is too great to tackle in only a few sentences
Saving Private Ryan – the opening scene of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is enough to merit this movie as one of the greatest films ever made
To Kill a Mockingbird – a pretty authentic adaptation of the novel and Atticus Finch is a legendary character played to perfection by Gregory Peck
Braveheart – Some arguments could be made as to whether the historical inaccuracies should hinder this as a great movie, but from storytelling, acting, and all other moviemaking aspects it is a celebrated entry in film
The Maltese Falcon – possibly the greatest film noir movie ever made with remarkable dialogue and strong performances from all the cast
Metropolis – this is an example of giving a little leeway to a film due to the constrictions of the time period; made in 1927 as a silent film, it could still stand up to other science-fiction movies of today in many categories of filmmaking
Jaws – the first of its kind in that it created the summer blockbuster and every year since audiences have been bombarded from Memorial Day to mid-August with action, explosions, gunplay, and car chases
On the Waterfront – one of Brando’s most inspiring performances
Scarface – another example of a movie I don't necessarily like, but respect; it oozes 80s, and that is what makes it such a classic
Toy Story 2 – one of the greatest sequels of all time that continued to prove computer animation was a new, valid form of storytelling
The Adventures of Robin Hood – today it looks over-sentimental, but Errol Flynn’s iconic role has had a huge influence, not just on the story of Robin Hood, but in Looney Tunes cartoons, a Mel Brooks comedy, and other forms of spoofery.
Some of these movies are products of the decade they were filmed in, but they are still vital to the history of cinema. A certain respect needs to be shown to these movies and others like them on the IMDb Top 250 list, even if you personally didn’t find them an enjoyable watch.
To claim to be a fan of film and exclude some of the movies this girl did is quite appalling. I’m not saying she had to fall in love with every movie, but even if you don’t like the content of the picture you still need to recognize the value certain movies had on the industry and the way in which they changed Hollywood for all time. I can’t stand films like Easy Rider or The Deer Hunter, but I acknowledge that they were a reflection of the times America was going through and consequently deserve a certain amount of respect.
The author’s posts consisted of the top 250 movies as of June 30, 2010. She approved of 157 movies on the list. Therefore, of the other 93 movies she considered not of quality standards to be the best in the world, some showed how naïve and subjective she was being with the appraisals. Certainly nobody is going to agree with all 250 films, but to discredit a handful of the ones she did was a crime.
A few examples include:
Pulp Fiction – gave Independent filmmakers a voice and popularized the genre
The Dark Knight – despite flaws in the movie, the best superhero film to date enhanced by bringing costumed heroes and out-of-this-world villains into a real world
The Seven Samurai – a legendary Japanese director’s epic film
Goodfellas – Martin Scorcese’s best movie with a brilliant cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and flow
North by Northwest – a classic from Alfred Hitchcock that bested its predecessors of the “innocent man on the run” theme and influenced the genre’s successors
Citizen Kane – considered to be the greatest film of all time and inspired filmmaking for all time afterward; the influence this movie has had on Hollywood is too great to tackle in only a few sentences
Saving Private Ryan – the opening scene of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is enough to merit this movie as one of the greatest films ever made
To Kill a Mockingbird – a pretty authentic adaptation of the novel and Atticus Finch is a legendary character played to perfection by Gregory Peck
Braveheart – Some arguments could be made as to whether the historical inaccuracies should hinder this as a great movie, but from storytelling, acting, and all other moviemaking aspects it is a celebrated entry in film
The Maltese Falcon – possibly the greatest film noir movie ever made with remarkable dialogue and strong performances from all the cast
Metropolis – this is an example of giving a little leeway to a film due to the constrictions of the time period; made in 1927 as a silent film, it could still stand up to other science-fiction movies of today in many categories of filmmaking
Jaws – the first of its kind in that it created the summer blockbuster and every year since audiences have been bombarded from Memorial Day to mid-August with action, explosions, gunplay, and car chases
On the Waterfront – one of Brando’s most inspiring performances
Scarface – another example of a movie I don't necessarily like, but respect; it oozes 80s, and that is what makes it such a classic
Toy Story 2 – one of the greatest sequels of all time that continued to prove computer animation was a new, valid form of storytelling
The Adventures of Robin Hood – today it looks over-sentimental, but Errol Flynn’s iconic role has had a huge influence, not just on the story of Robin Hood, but in Looney Tunes cartoons, a Mel Brooks comedy, and other forms of spoofery.
Some of these movies are products of the decade they were filmed in, but they are still vital to the history of cinema. A certain respect needs to be shown to these movies and others like them on the IMDb Top 250 list, even if you personally didn’t find them an enjoyable watch.
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