Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Random New Years Eve posting

I don't think I've ever been ashamed to actually enjoy a show like I've been enjoying Whatever, Martha. I'll admit that I love the movies, Encino Man & Valley Girl ... Malibu's Most Wanted ... Pam, Girl on the Loose ... but Whatever, Martha is my shame. Alexis is a spoiled rotten I hate mommy 16 year old in a 45 year old's body and her partner in crime is just fluff and I LOVE IT!

It's getting to be awards season and here are the phrases that I absolutely hate to hear coming out of Hollywood mouths this time of year:

Referring to watching a movie, or making a movie as "a ride" or "a wild ride" or "enjoying the ride". For freaks sake ...you ride in a car, a train, a plane ... you don't ride a movie. Just stupid.

When actors refer to themselves or others as "being comfortable in their skin" ... ugh!!!! I hate that phrase. Well, dear, who are you going to switch skins with. Idiots.

When the SAG awards come out ... constantly hearing these twerps referring to each other as "peers". Come on! Peers? I'm probably nit picking on this one, but the word "peer" is probably the most intelligent word that most of these dorks know.

OK, got that off my chest.

Watched the movie, In Bruges. I loved it! Colin Farrell is great. He plays emotionally hurt in this movie and I completely fell for it. I think he lives in the end though. Ralph Fiennes is magnificent. I haven't seen him in a movie for awhile. Played psycho very well. Colin Farrell really got swept up into the whole Hollywood scene early on in his career. Glad to see that he can actually act, Miami Vice be damned.

Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

What in God's name was that???

I was idly flipping channels last night ... Where is the cast of 90210 now ... Living With Ed, House Hunters ... la dee dah. Then I stopped on a show that I have no idea what in heaven's name it is. It's called Whatever, Martha. Whatever? Yea, what the heck??? It's Martha's overtly bitter daughter Alexis and her plump friend sitting on couches and chairs Mystery Science Theatr-ing Martha's old shows. I was completely sucked in and I'm not proud of it. Alexis Stewart, again, is a very bitter, sarcastic, well, insert any word .. geez! I'm no fan of Martha Stewart by any means, I like Ina Garten though, and she's almost like Martha Stewart, but for some reason, she doesn't incite the same derision as Martha Stewart does. I think Martha Stewart is uppity and arrogant and I find absolutely nothing she cooks or crafts appealing to me whatsoever. I will say, though, that I thought she was thoroughly railroaded when she was sent to jail and shouldn't have had to go and I will give her major kudos for coming back like gangbusters to reclaim her empire.

Anyway, Alexis Stewart and her plump friend Jennifer Hutt sit there and make fun of Martha's shows like teenagers trying to get away with snooping in their parents underwear drawers. They act like complete mean girls who would make fun of someone for not wearing the right clothes. Jennifer isn't as mean and sarcastic as Alexis, she just goes along for the ride, agreeing with anything Alexis deems right.

Did I enjoy it? Well, I enjoyed it more for the shock factor than anything else. Alexis, again, is just bitter and I would HATE to be in the same room as her. Whay is she so vicious and mean? If I grew up in Westport and Easthampton, I'd be the nicest chick on earth! She acts like a spoiled 16 year old who has never gotten over the "I hate mommy" phase of her life. Seriously, there is absolutely nothing nice about her. I don't know, maybe it's an act and Alexis really is a sweetheart, but I kind of doubt it. I wonder if Alexis is a younger version of Martha. As arrogant as Martha is on camera, methinks that she's more like Alexis off camera, mean mean, mean. I can only imagine that Jennifer must have some wicked information on Alexis to keep her in line. Ultimately, the conversations always veer off into sexland, which ... yawn ... boring. I could care less about their personal lives. It's the mocking of Martha that's fun and they should stick to that, but the bottom line is that watching Whatever, Martha is like eavesdropping on popular girl's phonecalls. I'm afraid that one of these days, I'm going to get my butt chewed off by Alexis for watching the show.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Casey Affleck Should Play David Byrne

Watched Gone Baby Gone ... ok, it's not a bad movie, per se. Not at all. All performances were fantastic and I won't be happy until Ed Harris finally wins an Oscar (deserved one for Pollack). Casey Affleck is a good actor, Jesse James wasn't a fluke and he was better in this one, probably because he was playing where he came from ... brother Ben is a capable director and I think he was going more for the feel of Dorchester and getting the accents right, but I hated the movie for the subject matter. I just don't like movies where children die or suffer and the ending of the movie made me angry. I know, it was based on a book and it had to remain true to the subject at hand, but still. It just wasn't my kind of movie. I wanted that little girl to stay with Morgan Freeman, not end up alone on a couch with Casey Affleck becoming the accidental babysitter and poof, fade to black.

I was so upset after watching Gone Baby Gone, I had to diffuse it by watching Twelve Monkeys. Watched it years ago and remember liking it and I still like it. Brad Pitt's character was like a psychotic version of the character Leonardo DeCaprio played in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. And I caught an accidental ironic line spoken by Bruce Willis when he shouted "all I see are dead people" ... HA!!!! Sixth Sense!!!!! Anyway, 12 Monkeys is my second favorite Gilliam film, Fisher King being my favorite.

Started re-watching Thin Red Line. I didn't like it the first time I saw it. It came out at the same time as Saving Private Ryan and I think that was the problem. Private Ryan wasn't hard to watch ... storyline flowed, not a thinking movie. This one is more thinky ... is that a word? I'm about 20 minutes in ... long way to go. Good thing it's Christmas break.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Infamous

I watched the second Truman Capote/In Cold Blood movie this afternoon, called Infamous. It was a completely different film. On the one hand, I like it better because it focused on Capote as a person and what a terrible manipulative twirp he was. I think this one embellished his relastionship with Perry way too much. Sorry,but I just don't see the make out session really happening. Truman was much too prissy for such foolishness. I like the first half of Infamous a lot. The second half, not so much. Again, this had more to do with the society people that were featured and the people who played them, Siguourney Weaver, Gwenyth Paltrow, Hope Davis and Sandra Bullock, I thought, was a better Harper Lee than Katherine Keener. As for Capote ... I don't know, Phillip Seymour Hoffman made Capote too artistic, which I don't think is quite accurate. The guy who played him in Infamous was over the top ... he looked like Elmer Fudd with the voice of porky pig. But I think that the Infamous Capote probably captured Capote's true nature moreso than PSH in Capote. PSH still deserved that Oscar though. Daniel Craig was great as Perry Smith, the killer who supposedly fell in love with Capote. The guy who played him in Capote was very childlike .. I don't know, the movies are very different from each other. As far as character for character, I liked Infamous better, but as for the story itself, I liked Capote.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas break viewing!

With all my shows on break, I can catch up with my movie viewing. Saw 2 somewhat quality films last night. By somewhat quality, I mean that Jesse James is still fresh in my noggin.

I watched Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and I almost stopped 30 seconds in ... yuck! I'm sorry, and I'm no big prude either, but seeing Phillip Seymour Hoffman's plump posterior going at it with Marisa Tomei almost made me hurl. I felt the same way about the Cooler too, only I didn't have to see William H. Macy's rump right at the beginning of the film. These 2 are great actors who don't need to drop trou in order to make the film good. So, I fast forwarded ... which was even scarier, should have fast forwarded with my eyes shut, oh well. So then I had to watch the entire film with PSH's nekid scene going through my head, which really made it difficult. What's funny is that they didn't show Ethan Hawke nekid, which wouldn't have been as traumatic ... why why why??? So, this film was like Memento, jumps back and forth, back some more ... forward some more, yawn. The story was good and PSH's performace was great, but he's great in everything, especially when I don't have to see his naked pasty white can of Crisco 30 seconds into the film. I don't know, it was ok, but ... THE BUTT!!!

Also watched American Gangster. Denzel & Russell! Apparently at one point it was supposed to be Denzel & Benicio Del Toro. It's based on a true story about one of my favorite times in history, 1970's NYC. Great performances all the way around and the scene where Denzel and Russell are passing a coffee cup back and forth during interrogation was cool as heck. Ridley Scott makes films in his sleep, not that there's anything wrong with it. No pasty white butts in this movie, just some naked women cutting heroin. I'm not a huge fan of big budget productions, but this one was good.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

I am Stunned

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is almost 3 hours long, so it took me about 3 days to get through (thank you Tivo!). All I have to say is that I am stunned by this film, stunned by the beauty of it, stunned by the performances, just stunned by the story.

I'm no fan of Casey Affleck either. I think he'd be perfect in a David Byrne biopic than any other film. Watched him in Lonesome Jim and found his acting style as rather stoned than effective. Same with Jesse James ... I just wasn't entirely buying his role. There had to have been someone better. I guess Shia LeBoef was up for it, but anyway, in spite of Affleck, the film is a masterpiece. Each and every scene is a work of art. I don't think it won the Oscar for cinematography but it sure as heck should have. I wasn't a bit surprised to see that the cinematographer that does most of the Coen Brothers movies was the cinematogrpaher for this film It had a very Fargo/No Country For Old Men feel to it. The editing was magnificent ... boy, this film has brought out the film geek in me.

Brad Pitt, who continues to be the most unappreciated actor in Hollywood (along with Val Kilmer, but that's another blahg entry for another day) gave a career performance as Jesse James. He set the uncomfortable tone of the entire film. Seriously, you feel uncomfortable watching this movie, the stress is palatable from the beginning. I'll even give Casey Affleck some credit, his stoney performance lended to the general feel of the entire film.

There's so much to discuss ... was Robert Ford a coward? Or was he just getting Jesse before Jesse could get him? Was Jesse James really a bad guy? Dang, this film is going to marinate with me for WEEKS!!!!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Playlist is so cool!

I can put up to 200 songs on my playlist now ... word of warning, I've put some songs on there that may cause blushing, fair warning.

Watched Capote last night. I think that Phillip Seymour Hoffman is one of the best, if not THE best actor out there right now. As I was watching, I found myself getting really annoyed with Hoffman's imitation of Truman Capote. I'm generally opposed to biographical films as most actors tend to do imitations rather than a portaysl (did I spell that right?) .. I think that Val Kilmer is a great actor and his Jim Morrison (the Doors .. the only Ollie Stone film I really like) and John Holmes (Wonderland) were spot on .. not imitations. I will say that I adored Cate Blanchett's imitation of Kate Hepburn, but that's what she was going for and it worked. Her portrayal of Veronica Guerin was amazing and she probably deserved an Oscar for that role moreso than her role in the Aviator. Anyway, as I'm watching Hoffman imitate Capote and getting yawny while doing it, everything changed when he saw Perry Smith for the last time in the room before he was hung. His imitation changed and went to pure portrayal and for the last 15 minutes of the film, the scene in the holding room, the scene in the gallows and his phone call telling whoever he was speaking to that his life will never be the same ... for THAT, Philip Seymour Hoffman EARNED that Oscar.

There's another Capote movie out there called Infamous. I'll have to check that one out sometime. Sandra Bullock plays Harper Lee. Catherine Keener was magnificent as Harper Lee in Capote ... we'll see how Bullock does. I see Sandra Bullock are a pure fluff actress. She's good in the weepy love stories like the Lake House, but heck, I liked her in Demolition Man! If I have to sit through Hope Floats again ... someone better keep me from hurting myself or the tv.

Watching the HBO flim, House of Saddam. No big surprises. Guy was a psychopath, killed everyone around him, blah blah blah. The acting is great so far. Not quite sure what the point is, but I'm watching, so maybe that's the point.

Daily Show is on hiatus until the new year .. I bet Stewart is regretting that now, especially considering what is going on in Blago-Bleep gate and the shoe flinging incident in Iraq. Oh well, I'm sure Olbermann and SNL will have a field day.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Some more of my favorites

Is it wrong that my kids know the words???? There's an ad at the end, but I love the animation ... good job!



And some others that I love:






This one was originally done by the Waitresses, but the Donnas do it justice.

And if I have to listen to the stupid Bing Crosby/David Bowie Christmas song again, I may have to punch a wall. Ugh!

ok ok ok ... this is wrong on so many levels, but being a fan of Rankin and Bass AND Goodfellas ... well ...

Not for the faint of heart, you've been warned.



But I'll temper it with my favorite Christmas song:



All better now? I can't believe this was released in 1984 ... 1984!!!!!!! Look at George Michael! Holy cow, this was before we had a men's bathroom fetish ... or maybe it was before he was so brazen about his men's bathroom fetish! I bought this .45 (that's a record for all you young-uns) and I was so proud that on the cover, it stated that the purchase of this record fed one hungy Ethiopian child. Did it really? I don't know, but it was my first do gooder act of my 17 year old life at that point. Look at George Michael!!! Look at Boy George!!!! Wonder if he had handcuffs in all that hair. Hats off Sir Bob!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Charlie Wilson's War

Wow ...

I always knew we bankrolled the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan against the Soviets and this movie just ... as George Tenet said ... slam dunked it. People forget that Osama Bin Laden was our buddy back then and, for that matter, so was Sadaam Hussein, oh fooey, Manuel Noriega was a pal too at one time ... sigh.

Charlie Wilson is quite a character and I think that the Tom Hanks version was mild compared to the real thing. What was so stupid (not the movie, the motive), is that some rich evangelical socialite in Texas was the spearhead of getting money/weapon to the Mujahadeen fighters in the name of defeating "godless" communists, when in fact, we were arming the very people we are now fighting ...

When I went to the Soviet Union in 1990 ... still godless communists .. ha ... I've never seen people so religious in my life. They were literally crawling over each other to say prayers in their Churches, I felt like an intruder.

What we did over there was fight the Soviets so we wouldn't have to fight them here, kind of like what we are doing now ... outsourcing war so we don't have to fight on our soil all in the "name" of spreading democracy ...oh man, I could go on a complete rant, but I won't.

Anyway, the movie was great. Phillip Seymour Hoffman has yet to do poorly in a film. For Tom Hanks, it was a walk in the park, Julia Roberts, who I think is the most overrated actress in Hollywood conveyed what a misguided do-gooder this Texas socialite really was. But the best part of the film was the end quote from Charlie Wilson ... sums everything up:

"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world...
...and then we fucked up the end game." - Charlie Wilson

Yep, we sure did.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Turkey Day tv viewing

Watched a movie that I thought was incredibly well done, considering the subject matter. It's called The Killing of John Lennon. The title says it all. It follows the weeks prior to John Lennon getting killed by Mark David Chapman. I guess there's another Lennon assisination film out there called Chapter 27, which I haven't seen, so I don't have anything to compare it to.

I was 13 years old when John Lennon was killed. I think I was the only person in my 8th grade class that was affected by it. I remember only teachers really getting what happened. My Dad woke me up to tell me. He was watching some sporting event and they announced it. I can't believe it's been almost 30 years.

I feel like a schlub for saying that I thought it was a good movie. I'll just say it was well made. I don't think it showed compassion to Chapman, which is what I was afraid of. He came off as completely creepy and out of his mind, which is what he was/is. I can't believe he got 20 to life .. why not life, period? Not that he'll ever make parole, but still ... he can apply for it and has been turned down 4 times. What was really creepy was that the film was shot on location .. wonder how Yoko felt about that?

Frontline had a great profile of Hugo Chavez. Is it me, or does he look like a Chia Pet? I don't know if he's whacky or not. It seems to me like he's being a president by the seat of his pants ... making it up as he goes along.

I just love Total Wrecklamation. She pieced apart a house in my beloved Evanston ... Jodi, I would have bought that front door! I just love what she does, not just the environmental stuff, yea yea yea, saving stuff from the landfill. I just like the job that she does ... oh, and I'll take that Sub Zero fridge too. What are people thinking?????

Saturday, November 29, 2008

More Andy Warhol!

First of all, I am sorely disappointed that ABC is cancelling Dirty Sexy Money. This show has the best cast on television, but I'm also sure it's one of the highest paid, sigh. But, they are not cancelling Life on Mars, although, it's on hiatus until January. Great great show. Reaper is coming back too!!! But alas, they axed Aliens in America ... a truly unappreciated show.

True Blood ended the season. Rene was the killer and Bill went into the daylight to save Sookie from Rene. Sam is a shapeshifter who turns into a dog ... for anyone who doesn't watch, reading this is strange, but the show is just incredible. Not sure if these Twighlight movies/books have anything to do with True Blood. Maybe Twilight is the teenage version of True Blood. HBO ordered up season 2, so COOL!!!!

My Andy Warhol fetish continues. The more I get into it, the more I don't like the guy. Total user, enabler, contributor to his own demise. Ovation has been running a series called Andy Warhol's Factory People. What a bunch of whackos. It's a great series. I think that Bob Dylan knew Andy's deal and refused to be a part of it ... even made off with a print for sitting for a screentest, HA, you go Bob!!! Andy was just really really strange, but he completely manipulated people and honestly, I think some of them wanted to be manipulated. And some of the aging Factory "superstars" are still delusional. This Ultra Violet woman??? Yea, right lady, your hair is now naturally violet ... ca-razeeeeee!!!! Some woman named Ivey claims that she and Andy were going to get married ... hellllooooooo ... he was gay! There was one woman, can't remember her name who was very straight and to the point about how stupid the whole scene was ... she was there for the drugs. I can respect that. I respect people who don't lie to themselves. Unfortunately, many of the Factory people met awful demises, OD's, suicides, hit and runs ... even Andy died a slow painful death. He was never right after being shot by Valerie Solanas .. no surprise, he let her in. She's dead too. I don't think that Lili Taylor portrayed Solanas quite crazy enough in I Shot Andy Warhol ... the woman was just insane.

Also watched a great film called The End of the Century. It's about the rise and fall of the Ramones. I still can't believe Joey is dead. Heck, Dee Dee and Johnny are too ... the front 3, original members, sigh. Those guys were great. While I believe they created a new form of music ... well, not created, because, to me, the godfathers of punk are Iggy and the Stooges, but there were stages ... Stooges, NY Dolls, Ramones ... in that order. Ramones never got the recognition they deserved and they spawned more bands who were far more successful. Heck, they did give birth to the British punk movement, Pisols, Clash, Damned, which begot Joy Division/New Order, Buzzcocks, oh the list goes on and on. Ramones kept it going ... 22 years of touring. I love those guys and I wish Joey was still around.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Taxi to the Darkside and Rosemary's Baby

How's that for a happy night of tv viewing???

Taxi to the Darkside was on HBO and it details the horrendous torture that our government not only encouraged and condoned, but will probably also be forgiven as a result of the current administration gutting the torture sections of the War Crimes Act. Yep, the people in charge are going to get off scott free .... I watched this film over several nights because it was very very graphic. The undoctored photos that were seen on tv and in magazines from Abu Graib (which took it's cues from a prison in Afghanistan called Bagram) and going into even more detail of the abuses in Gitmo (please president elect Obama, close that damn place). I'm so incredibly happy that they want to give the detainees proper trials in the United States. It's only fair and if the prosecutors can't make their case, then either they stink as attorneys, or the evidence (read habeus corpus) wasn't there to begin with. Shame on this country's administration ... what a bunch of sick *insert whatever expletive here*.

Finished Rosemary's Baby too. Was it supposed to be a horror movie? It wasn't scary. It was really campy. I mean ... all these old people were Satanists? No young people were part of the group? I didn't get that at all. Was it supposed to be campy? Mia Farrow was kind of shrilly ... I don't know ... why does this film make all these "great" lists.

I'm watching another Michael Winterbottom film called Go Now. It has one of my favorite actors, Robert Carlyle, who I cannot understand a word he says, but I love his acting. He played Begby in Trainspotting, brilliant film, couldn't understand a freaking thing he said in that one either. Carlyle plays a guy who gets MS, which is just horribly debilitating ... it's really depressing to see him deteriorate and Carlyle plays the part so well.

Today is the 30th anniversary of Jonestown. May each person who died on that day, with the exception of Jim Jones, be at peace and may each of their families find peace on this day as well.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story

Lee Atwater is the poppa of negative campaigns. He started out running a negative campaign the head up the College Republicans, with, none other than .. Karl Rove. Rove is Atwater's protegee. The 1988 election was my first election and I honestly don't remember the negative campaign influencing my vote at all. I remember his racist Willie Horton ad, but at that time in my life, I was a 22 year old clueless kid from an extraordinary conservative town and I voted straight ticket republican. I'm still exorcising that demon and writing it down helps. What was I thinking ... well, I wasn't thinking. My democrat Dad was ashamed of me, but he knew that I was voting my age, not my issues and he's right .. I've grown up since then.

Anyway, Lee Atwater. Now, he was a rat, a brilliant win at all costs anti-establishment rat. Note, I said brilliant. He accomplished more by the time he was 40 than most will accomplish in a lifetime in politics. He worked his ass off to get his candidate a victory, but he never pierced the veil socially. He was considered nothing more than the hired help and was expendible, which hurt him. He knew that if he failed, he would be thrown out with the rest of the garbage. He had to win that election for George HW Bush and he did, in the most rotten campaign ever run at that point. And then at 40, while he achieved the position of chairman of the RNC, he got brain cancer, and then get got guilty .. which deflates his image in my view. He went on a religion tear, converted to Catholocism and set about sending I'm sorry letters to everyone ... including Willie Horton!!! What an idiot move that was. I hate it when bad people turn to religion and look for forgiveness when they are on their deathbeds. It's dishonest and manipulative and COWARDLY. Even Mary Matalin, who defends Lee Atwater's style as if he were her child, didn't get why he went on his "please forgive me" campaign, his final campaign. Fooey on him. My parting words to Lee Atwater, whereever he may be are "you reap what you sow". Amen.

Watched the final 30 minutes of Boondock Saints. I just had to finish it. I love Billy Connelly and he was worth watching, actually, but the best business decision that Harvey & Bob Weinstein made was cutting that piece of doo of a film and Troy Duffy loose.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

No title necessary

Random TV viewing

I remember hearing about Jonestown when I was a kid. I remember the cover of Time Magazine, with the vat of grape Kool-aid and bodies lying everywhere. What ... was I 11 or 12 when that happened? I remember feeling not being able to grasp why anyone would willingly kill themselves in a mass suicide. I also remember being shocked when the pictures of Leo Ryan lying dead by the plane emerged. Man, my parents probably shouldn't have let me watch the news or look at newspapers ... sigh. Anyway, I watched a "great" documentary on MSNBC called Witness to Jonestown. New footage, including one of the gunmen shooting people at the airstrip, before the cameraman was shot himself, sad. They interviewed former temple members, even one member who watched his wife and baby son die before he took off for the jungle (can't imagine his suvivor's remorse). I don't think there was any new revelations, but I think it's important that history not forget what happened in Jonestown. Over 900 people died. Leo Ryan is the only sitting congressman who has ever been assasinated while in office. His assistant was interviewed extensively. She now has his seat in Congress. She almost died on that airstrip. Watching it for 2 hours brought back all those feelings of confusion I felt when I was a kid seeing it right when it happened.

Another show I've been watching is Californication. I really don't know what to write about the thing. It's funny, but now like Seinfeld funny ... it's guilty funny I guess. It's an incredibly adult show. David Duchovny's character is bizarro Mulder, which is good because it proves the guy can act, kind of. The female lead is positively gorgeous ... Natascha McElhone, yet another European playing an American. Evan Handler plays a Hollywood agent. I love him. I first became a fan when he was on this short lived show called "It's Like You Know". I think I was one of 5 people who watched the entire run. The most annoying character is the daughter ... ugh! She talks like a robot and looks like a goth. For any graphic novel fans out there, she's a complete rippoff of Emily the Strange. It's sickening and I wish they would send her to boarding school. Anyway, it's funny, but man, not in a good way.

A few years ago, I watched this documentary called Overnight. It was about this flash in the pan writer named Troy Duffy. He wrote a script for a movie called The Boondock Saints and apparently, he became an overnight success and went crazy, ego crazy and became such a jerk, that the Weinsteins pulled funding for the movie and as fast as Duffy's rise came, his crash was even worse. Ok .. so this channel called Spike has been running Boondock Saints, so I am watching it ... holy cow!!! This movie is so freaking BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. I mean BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. I guess it played in 5 theatres, which is a good thing because Willen Dafoe should be lashed for being in the film. I mean, it's hard to watch! The movie so badly wants to be Pulp Fiction. Dang!!! The Troy Duffy documentary is better than the film!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

And Yet, the World Hasn't Ended ....

First post-election post and all is good :)

The Daily Show's election night coverage was lame. Stephen Colbert is playing a character, Jon Stewart is not ...it doesn't work having them work the same room.

Life on Mars was great ... they are blending the current with the past in a really cool way, using his mentor and the local priest and then showing the funeral of his mentor with the priest presiding. This was the best episode focusing on Tyler. Whoopi even made a cool cameo as a Angela Davis afro'd dj. The best part though, was the music. Using Garland Jeffrey's Wild in the Streets as the theme for the show was perfect. I remember loving that song when I was a kid and it will always remind of this friend who took pity on me when I was a pathetic newcomer to Chicago. He used to sing this song to himself all the time, emphasing the W in Wild. And Tyler gaining cred with the militants by rapping Ice Ice Baby was classic!!! I wish ABC would put it on a different night ... Thursday nights are a killer. I heard the ratings aren't that great. If they cancel this show ... well, I won't give up tv altogether, but I may boycott ABC.

Dirty Sexy Money is still chugging along. I heard that ABC is telling it's shows to trip 2% off their show budgets. I'd imagine that the DSM cast is probably one of the highest paid, but each and every one of them are crucial to the storylines. C'mon Donald & Jill, you don't need all that money right???? And Blair, you have a good gig over at In Treatment ... HBO may pay you a little more. Peter Krause is worth every dime though.

Gossip Girl is positively delicious. I can do wtihout Jenny though ... the chinless wonder is just grating. She's even more grating than Serena. Send her to study fashion design in Paris ... she's not needed.

Do not touch a freaking thing in True Blood. Just more Bill would be nice.

Finished watching Michael Clayton ... sigh ... I knew it, another makeup Oscar. Tilda Swinton was good, not Oscar worthy. Tom Wilkinson DESERVED an Oscar. Ok, so maybe he'll get a makeup Oscar at some point in his career. Who knows, maybe Hollywood is mad at him for playing a transsexual in the HBO movie, Normal (which was kick butt btw). He was also freaking fabulous as the leacherous Ben Franklin in HBO's John Adams (he really was the only reason to sit through it, honestly). It was a good movie though. Clooney has really made himself a great actor. I had my doubts, but now I'll at least give a look to anything he does.

And now for my "loser movie fan moment": I'm watching, for the first time, Rosemary's Baby.

And now for my cool book moment ... snagged a copy of David Sedaris's "When you are Engulfed in Flames" from our local library. I have a month to finish it. Since I read as fast as a turtle, it will take me that long. Bad librarian, bad librarian! I listened to Holiday's on Ice, read by Sedaris, which was better than reading the book. His voice is incredible.

And the sun is still shining.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Quite Possibly the Worst Movie I've Ever Seen

It's called Tideland ... at Terry Gilliam movie that I didn't know existed and now I know why. I hate deleting movies before they are finished, but I had to delete this one. The premise sounded interesting ... a little girl dealing with the death of her parents. The Dad was played by Jeff Bridges, whom I normally love ... he was great in Gilliam's Fisher King and of course, he's Jeff Lebowski ... why Jeff, why??? First of all, Bridges spends most of the movie decomposing in a rocking chair ... but the little girl .. and I don't mean to say this, really, I don't .. was just awful! I couldn't understand a word she said. I think she was going for a southern accent, but it was so terrible, I couldn't understand her. She lives in this fantasy world with 2 doll heads stuck on her finger and every once in awhile, they come to life .. I don't know ... what was Gilliam thinking???? I like Gilliam movies, well, usually I do. I still don't get Brazil, but I love 12 Monkeys and Fisher King and I will always have a soft spot for anyone involved with Monty Python, but man ... this, quite possibly is the worst movie I've ever tried to watch. I loathed Crash, but I go through it and there are many other stinkers that I've endured, but this one ... I couldn't finish it and I don't think I'll ever be able to finish it. Maybe Gilliam can do a do over on this one because I think it could be good.

This week's Life on Mars was kind of sappy. Tyler runs into his mother and saves her and then we get into a rat in the house story, blah blah blah. Keitel was a total sap ... very un-Keitel. Boo to the writers on that one. HARVEY DOESN'T CRY!!!

I'm in the midst of watching Michael Clayton. So far, I don't understand why Tilda Swinton won the Oscar, but maybe she'll wow me. I have a feeling that her Oscar is a makeup Oscar, which Oscar is known for. Judy Dench should have won for Mrs. Brown but was given one for her 3.5 second performance in Shakespeare in Love (blech), Russell Crowe won for Gladiator, when he should have won for The Insider. I loved Swinton in Orlanda, she should have won an Oscar for that film.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Total Wrecklamation and Factory Girl

Ok, I want to meet Jodi Murphy. She cracks me up. Who knew an auctioneer could be so cool. She auctioned off stuff from a beautiful home in Downers Grove. I would have killed for that front door! I don't know if she hams it up for the cameras, I don't think she does, but she's really cool.

I love Andy Warhol. Do I? Well ... I like his art ... art? Ok, I like what Andy Warhol did in the art world. Kind of ground it up with his shoe and shoved it back in the faces of the pretentious art gillerati. I think I've seen most of the films that depict Warhol:

David Bowie played him in Basquiat .. so so ... too cartoonish for me
Jared Harris in I Shot Andy Warhol ... again, so so ...
Cripin Glover played him in The Doors ... caught his quirkiness, that's about it

But I think that Guy Pearce did the best portrayal in Factory Girl. With the exception of Crispin Glover ... all the others who have played Andy aren't American.

Factory Girl is about Edie Sedgwick, an heiress, who pal'd with Warhol and his crowd for a brief period of time. She died when she was 28 of a drug overdose, hello Janis, Hello Jimi, Hello Jim. Edie was beautiful. The film portrays her as a lost soul, who knows? She ends up falling in love with Bob Dylan (Dylan threatened to sue the film producers, so he's billed as "musician" ... but it's a big fat duh ... oh, and Hayden Christianson plays Dylan really well). Sienna Miller plays Edie. She's ok ... I'd have to say my favorite portrayals were Christianson as Dylan, Pearce as Warhol and Iliana Douglass as Diana Vreeland.

Overall, the film, to me seemed to try to wow the audience with "oh, they look so much like ... ", but the story was kind of weak, like they ran out of money and could only give the highlights. It could have been better. I thought I Shot Andy Warhol was a much better film. Since Edie was with Andy for such a short period of time, I would have thought it would have been better I guess.

Maybe it's just too hard to make a film about The Factory and Warhol.

Monday, October 27, 2008

I'll Miss You Mad Men!!!

The season finale was fantastic! I was wrong on all counts about Don. He came back, as Don, begging to come back. Betty was her usual deluded self, only now she's pregnant! So what does she do? She goes horseback riding, she's smoking, goes to a bar and drinks and has a tryst in a bathroom with a complete stranger! Then she goes home and proceeds to nosh on a piece of chicken, this was after Sallie said "mommy doesn't like to eat". So she let's Don come back ...

Peggy confessed to Pete about the baby. But I'm confused. Did she give it away? Or was she lying about that to keep Pete from pursuing it??? Pete laid it on the line. Told her he loved her. But he was drinking and lonely. I'm glad Peggy stood her ground. She really left him hanging.

Not sure about the merger. It blew up in Duck's face, which was great. It seems that his whole MO was to get rid of Don via an employment agreement he thought he had, which he didn't. Don just laughed in Duck's face and said "I don't have a contract" and Bert and Roger looking sheepish stating that they didn't think they needed one! This means that Don can go out to another agency and take clients with him. Duck blew up and that was that. Not sure if the merger is going to happen now. At least Pete did the CYO job of all CYO jobs by playing Duck and Don ... Pete's learning.

The entire episode was set up during the Cuban Missle Crisis. Not being alive during that time, but studying it in my history classes in college, it must have been weird (is that the right word?), or just plain scary. It made the entire episode tense, which is what every character exuded ... tension.

I hope they bring it back for a third season. I'll be heartbroken if they don't.

True Blood was great too. Bill is alive ... came crawling out of the ground and grabbed Sookie and they ... well ... you know. We are getting more and more informed about Sam and his nudist ways. Stephen Root made a great cameo appearance as a lonely vampire who doesn't leave his house. He was creepy, but you had to feel sorry for him on some level. He ends up getting kidnapped for his blood by Jason and his new girlfriend, who is something other than human, but not vampire. With Mad Men gone, maybe I'll be able to get better sleep on Sunday nights.

30 Rock starts up again this week!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

2 Random Thoughts

I feel really bad about not liking the Albert Brooks movie ... I really do. As I racked my brain today, I remember one of my favorite Albert Brooks performances. It was My First Mister. Brooks plays this incredibly sad man who befriends a young woman and it's just fantastic and I remember crying like a baby at the end of the film. Ok Albert, please do more of these kinds of films. Please!!!!

The other random thought has been rolling around my noggin everytime I pass a Sherwin Williams Paint store. When I was on a train a week or so ago, we passed this huge, what looks like a warehouse, but it may be a factory for Sherwin Williams. Each and everytime I see their "cover the earth" logo, it makes me cringe. Cover the earth? Are you kidding me? With paint? Toxic paint? Heck, I wouldn't want to cover the earth in no VOC paint ... come on! Whoever came up with that lame catchphrase is a complete bonehead!!! Booooooooo!!!!

Mad Men Season Finale Tonight and I am Sad

Now I think that Don is going to tell Betty that he is staying in California with Anna. Good! Let that stupid twit try to take care of herself. She thinks she's in control? Ha .. nevahhhhhh!!!

John Hamm was the host of SNL last night. Man, that show has really gone in the crapper. It's just not funny anymore. Sure, when Fey & Pohler are together, it has some great comedic moments, but it was just dismal watching last night ... what, a guy playing a robo-cal? Are you kidding me? Belushi and Radner are rolling in their graves right now. Even the skit they tried to spoof Mad Men with guest apperances by Peggy and Roger was lame-O!!! Lorne Michaels, we hardly knew ye.

Life on Mars was a tearjerker in the end. Tyler actually saw himself as a child with his Dad ... sniff sniff. I like the hippie chick character. I wonder if she's a figment of his imagination. She's kind of a Greek Chorus character, keeping him on track. Keitel had some great lines, as usual. I smell an emmy for him! Imperioli already has one for Sopranos, it's Harvey time!

Total Wrecklamation is still fabulous. I wonder how the show is going to do if this teardown craze comes to an end in Chicago. Is it slowing down??? I also really like Living With Ed. It follows Ed Begley Jr. and his wife, Rochelle. She's cool and puts up with his quirks like a trooper. I love his competitive streak with Bill Nye and I kind of have to say that I hope Bill wins .. Ed's kind of smug and holier than thou sometimes.

So, I actually watched a movie. I love Albert Brooks ... Lost in America, Defending your Life .. and yes, Nemo. He's just a funny guy and his brother is too ... did you know his brother is Super Dave? He's also in Curb Your Enthusiasm (when is that coming back on???) Anyway, Albert Brooks just makes me laugh .. very deadpan, not vulgar. Well, he did this strange movie called Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World .. is that the right title? The premise is funny ... he plays himself and gets tapped by the gov't to find out what makes people in the Muslim world laugh. He gets sent to India first .. why, I have no idea. He tries to find out what makes Hindus laugh and completely bombs out and we never really find out why ... come on, something has to be funny to Hindus, or else he's just jabbing at Hindus. The one funny scene is each day, he has to pass by one of these call centers in New Delhi and each day he hears different company names. Well, he bombs doing his standup for a roomful of Indian citizens, so he goes to Pakistan ... he sneaks into Pakistan and he kills (not literally) with the same jokes that bombed in New Delhi, to a crowd of 5 Pakistani comedians ... unfortunately, this causes a major international incident and literally, 20 minutes after the Pakistani standup routine, the movie was over ... poof, done. I don't know, I thought it would be funnier. They shouldn't have spent so much time on the Indian side and focused more on the Pakistani side because THAT was funny. Oh Albert ... I'm sorry, but you lost me on this one.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Life on Mars is Definitely COOL!!!

First of all, I found out that next week's episode is the season finale of Mad Men :( I predict that Don is going to fess up to Betty who he really is and she will completely fall off the deep end and end up in the loony bin, at least I hope so, I'm tired of her craziness. The writers need to give her a rest. I wonder who will lose their jobs in the merger. I have a feeling that Peggy and Pete are going to have it out once and for all. Or maybe Peggy will talk sense into Don and convince him not to fess up to Betty ...

The second episode of Life on Mars was magnificent! I was right, Keitel and Imperioli make the show what it is. The main guy even grew on me a little bit. There was a scene where Keitel and Tyler get into a fight in a hospital room. It's just hilarious. The opening scene where they are chasing a guy wearing a banana hammock was also howl worthy. I have the episode from last night waiting for me ... I LOVE YOU TIVO!!!

True Blood was great. I don't think that Bill is dead ... they can't kill Bill. I'll stop watching the show if they do. Apprently, Anna Paquin and Steven Moyer are now an item for real. Duh, the chemistry is there on screen. I want to know what Sam is .. he was spotted running nekid across a field ... wth?

And Total Wrecklamation, what a great show. I hope her business is getting a big boost from the show because Jodi Murphy is really something to watch. Man, some guy bid 1K on a stone porch ... marble, and won! It was worth at least 12K. It was surprsing to see how blah this beautiful mansion in Wilmette was .. it was downright ugly on the inside. Maybe that's why it was being torn down. She did manage to sell it all off ... every last piece of lumber, so it wouldn't go to the landfill. Love it.

And Gossip Girl is getting great. I can't believe I'm writing that. I love that the writers are focusing on Chuck now. He makes the show what it is. If anyone has seen the documentary, Born Rich, I have a feeling that Chuck Bass is slightly based on Luke Weil. The only problem there is that Luke Weil was busted for heroin awhile back ... I hope they don't do that to Chuck. Blair is just weird looking. The writers do need to stop punishing her though, but hey, at least I don't have to hear that whiney voice of Serena all the time now.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Mad Men ... Best Episode Yet

Each and every scene was key. I adore the "other" Don. He's relaxed and ... NICE! Seems that we have met the wife of the real Don Draper and she is honestly, Don's soulmate. I think that Don is considering just staying with her.

Poor Joan. She obviously made the wrong choice in a man, sigh. And there's Joan, just taking it, so unlike Joan.

Betty, psycho Betty, manipulative Betty, horrible friend, Betty. She knew what she was doing when she set up her friend and the stable guy and then to feign anger afterwards??? She put Sallie in the closet for punishment for smoking! Oh, and she's not upset that this little girl is smoking cigarettes, she's ticked because she may burn the house down! My god .. I just shake my head.

Peggy is really coming into her own. I think that Roger gave her the office just because Peggy had the nerve to come right out and ask. But who knows what will happen now that the merger has been approved. Roger, of course, loves it and Bert is broken hearted .. I wish he would have voted nay. Boy, Don sure is going to have a case full of surprises when he gets back.

I do have a feelng that Pete is going to go after Peggy with a vengeance again. Who knows, maybe they'll end up together after she loses her job as a result of the merger and she'll tell Pete that they have a kid together and he can be rid of Trudy and that family of hers.

Can't wait for next week!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Much to catch up on

Last Wednesday, I really went to town on my shows.

True Blood was magnificent. Sookie had to bury her Gran and tried hard to block out the voices in attendance, but couldn't .. ended up telling everyone in town to, well ... shut the up. Then she actually LET bill bite her ... that's where it ended. It will be interesting to see where it goes tonight. I want to read the books, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. Wonder if they are following the books much? Alan Ball really pushes the envelope sometimes. OK, we get it .. JASON IS A DOG! We just don't need to see it every freaking week.

Mad Men was downright surreal. Don and Pete were in LA and Don ditched Pete to go with some eurotrash nomads out to Palm Springs. It was strange strange strange. Don ends up making a phone call telling the person that he's Dick Whitman, so we'll see where that goes. Peggy found a good friend who dolled her up and took her to see Bob Dylan .. or maybe they didn't make it to the Dylan show because he gave Peggy a new look. I just love how this show is written. That, along with the writing of Life On Mars, is incredible. I also have to say that it was nice to not have to hear psycho Betty for an episode. Not enough Joan though :(

Californication is getting funnier and funnier, which makes me happy because the season opener was just rude. I do wish they'd do something with the daughter though. Am I the only one who thinks they are trying too hard to have her be a real life version of Emily the Strange? And the way she talks ... does anyone really speak like that?

Z-Rock is what it is ... I'm glad it's only a half hour, but it does prove that Joan Rivers still has what it takes to be funny.

Total Wrecklamation, still, is my favorite non-fiction show. Jodi Murphy is great. I highly recommend this show to anyone. I wish I could get in on her auctions. Her company is Murco Recycling and she has a website. She is doing great work.

Watched the first episode of the new Starter Wife weekly series and it was wayyyyyyyy better than the miniseries. I was really skeptical, but it's true. Judy Davis' character is more likeable and Debra Messing actually seems to meld better with the new cast of characters. I think I'll keep this one.

I ditched Heroes. I just couldn't take it anymore.

I'm now trying to catch up on shows that I missed while I was on my trip to my most favorite city in the world catching up with my "peeps".

Saturday, October 11, 2008

New shows ...

I watched the miniseries, The Starter Wife last week. It was about as fluffy as a show can get and I can't believe that I kept up with it. I used to like Debra Messing. I loved the show Ned & Stacey, it didn't stay on the air long enough. Never got into Will & Grace. I just looked like a really pretentious show that was trying to shock, yawn. Starter Wife must have been an easy paycheck for Joe Montagna. I don't know if I'll watch the new series. I think I have the first episode recorded, we'll see.

And ... doo di dee dee doo dee doooo!!!

Life on Mars! Seriously folks, the ONLY, and I mean THE ONLY reason to watch this show is for Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli. Keitel looks like he's having fun playing to type (total badass mofo). Going back in my memory, Keitel's done a few stupid roles (can't remember the show about the monkey), but between Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Bad Lieutenant, Mean Streets ... why hasn't this guy won an Oscar yet? Well, hopefully this will get him an emmy. Michael Imperioli! Love that guy. He looks different from any other role he's done. Kind of like Serpico and that's only because I can't think of anyone else to compare him to. Like Keitel, he's having fun with the role. Hopefully he'll get more meaty stuff later. The main guy, Jason O'Mara is ok, but he's definitely second fiddle to my main guys. It is nice to see Lisa Bonet acting again. She has such a troubled face, but she's a good actress. I really liked her in High Fidelity and I haven't seen her in anything else except for Life on Mars. Looking forward to next week.

My friend from England turned me on to the show, Little Britain, a few years ago. For some reason .. ahhhhh .. hmmmmm ... she thought that I'd like the humor. Wow, she was right. What can I say, I grew up watching Monty Python on PBS as a child (shame on my parents ... yea right). I love the Python movies and I have to admit that I've let my kids watch SELECT skits, but so far, they really dig the Terri Gilliam cartoons.

Anyway, Little Britain is on HBO as Little Britain USA. Their characters are now in the US. They have some new characters as well, but they are lame compared to the standbys. It's raunchier than the British version. I don't know, maybe they think that Americans are more vile .. are we??? I love the lady who leads the weight watchers meetings. Rosie O'Donnell was a guest on that sketch and you can only imagine where it lead ... funny nonetheless. There were a couple sketches, one involving naked bodybuilders in a lockerroom that was too over the top, but overall, it was funny.

But my new show is called Total Wrecklamation on Planet Green. It's a show about this auctioneer in Chicago who goes into houses that are going to be torn down and auctions off everything she can, thus saving as much as possible from the landfill. The first show I saw had this family get an 85K kitchen for 14K! I was amazed. The sticking points though are that the sales are cash only and the stuff has to be out by the end of the day. It really is something to see though, what people are willing to teardown, but I wonder how much more that will be happening now ... sigh. That's an entire other diatribe.

Vote!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

This is as personal as I'll get here ...




You Are a Green Crayon



Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors.

While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around.

Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease.

You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows!



Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

I'm downsizing, slightly

As my Tivo is loading up by the hour, it seems ... I'm weeding out a little bit. Just a little.

Watched the season premieres of Pushing Daisies and Chuck and decided to nix 'em. I don't like cutsie shows and these shows have turned decidedly cutsie .... awwww, look at Chuck, so cute with Sarah .. awwww, fooey. I have to say that I'll miss Morgan and his Nerd Herd crew, but between Chuck and Sarah and Chuck's god awful annoying sister and fiance ... oh, and I'll miss the guy who played Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket too, sigh. Sorry guys, I gotta cut you loose. And Pushing Daisies really disappointed me ... again, yea yea yea, Ned and Chuck (wait, maybe I just have an anti-chuck thing going .. have to marinate on that one) ... he can't touch her, she'll die again, blah blah blah. I'm getting tired of that lovelorn look he constantly gives her. Awwww, he has to wear bell slippers around her .... poor Ned. I wish he'd just hook up with Olive and realize that she's way better than Chuck. I'll miss Chi McBride. He's great. And the guy at the morgue ... but the entire show has become too narrative and too cartoonish. It really disappoints me too because I loved Bryan Fuller's show, Dead Like Me ... why couldn't ABC just pick that up instead??? Man, I really need to run a network.

Heroes is my last holdover from last season, well, it's in it's third season and the only reason I'm watching it is because I'm so confused by it. Matt Parkman still annoys the snot out of me and I wish that guy wouldn't have come to rescue him in the desert. Mohinder's character is too Jeff Goldberg in the Fly ... come on writers ... you can do better than that! I like the Hiro, Claire and Petrelli storylines though. But Syler just creeps the heck out of me. Those eyebrows are just not to be believed and I HATE his acting .. he delivers every line with this raspy fake voice that just makes me want to give him a new voicebox that has a normal voice. He tries to act evil too much ... his coach should be fired.

So anyway .... I am looking forward to the premiere of Life on Mars. Keitel is going to be awesome, and Michael Imperioli too ... how cool is it that they are going to play 70's cops. It's right out of a Scorcese movie. Maybe he's a consultant. I have no idea who the main character is, I'm just excited about the supporting cast.

Well, now that I've cancelled Chuck, I can get back to Gossip Girl!!! Woo hoo! I missed the last one because of Chuck. I wonder if Reaper is coming back .. hope so ... that was a show that didn't take itself seriously and even though it has it's cutsie moments, it's not annoyingly cute, blech.

True Blood is getting better and better. It's almost making me want to go read the books that the show is based on. NOOOOOOOOOO ... I can't start reading!!!!!!

Oh, and the other show I'm keeping is Dirty Sexy Money. Simply the best cast on tv. I can forgive Donald Sutherland for doing that stupidass Fierce People movie now. Watched the series opener and it was just brilliant. I mean, I can't complain about any of the characters, they are all fantastic, even Billy Baldwin ... I will say that I think my favorite character is Jeremy, he and Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl should meet. Wow, they could throw a great party. Ok, WB/ABC ... have a crossover episode!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Wow, I really am watching too much television

Yahoo!!! ND won, Cubs, well, they won a week ago and the Bears!!! A good weekend for all.

Watched a couple episodes of John Safran vs. God. He attempted to skewer the Catholic Church and actually ended up considering joining up. Not that I'd ever tell anyone to join, it's not my business, but I thought it was cool. He became an alterboy and liked the ritual of it. He also thought the priest was cool. He wasn't the most religious chap, as are most priests I encounter, some, but not all, are actually pretty cynical, which I tend to be as well. Next, he explored something that I never knew existed ... ok, my LDS friends ... Mormon cinema (sometimes called Mollywood). John actually pitched a movie idea called "Extreme Mormons", which dealt with bike riding missionaries going into the worst of the worst urban areas and doing what they do best. The people at the LDS film office loved the idea and were serious about greenlighting it with a title change since Mormon isn't necessarily a nice term. So, any of my LDS friends out there. If you have a copy of God's Army, The Singles Ward, the RM or Brigham City in your movie collections ... can I borrow them? I love films and didn't even know this genre existed. I mean, what do we Catholics have ... Dogma? Granted I loved it, that cynical Catholic thing ya know? DaVinci Code? Ok, we have a laugh out loud cynical comedy and a drama about murderous priests ... oh wait, Heaven Help Us was a great Catholic comedy ... and The Magdelene Sisters ... dang, I guess there's quite a Catholic movie genre out there. Oops.

I think Pam, Girl on the Loose is over for the season and it was magnificent. I feel that since we were born one day apart to the day in 1967, we totally should be friends. I don't know, she is really a wonder. She has her head on straight in terms of her business and her boys, even Tommy, but man, she sure acts like a dumb blond with men ... I mean, Kid Rock .... Rick Solomon (marrying him because she put herself up as a bet in poker???) Well, anyway, the show was a big fat surprise.

Mad Men ... last nights episode was a marinator. It was dull while watching it, but as it marinates overnight, you realize it's one of the best episodes of the season. Betty is completely losing her mind. I really thought she was going to do the deed with the stable guy, but no, she sets him up with her friend and then calmly removes the phone from the hook so they can't call. Don & Peggy are total dopplegangers. They are sensitive to other's feelings, but in the end, it's about them. The best, and this took me by surprise, was the revelation of Roger & Jane! Mona barging into Don's office because she feels that Don told Roger to leave her for Jane ... wow, that was a great scene. And poor Freddy ... pees his pants and gets fired. Don didn't want to do it, but had no choice. Peggy got his job, she didn't want to get it that way, but she had no choice. I do like how she lit into Pete though ... what a worm.

Watched a movie ... was it one of the worst movies I've ever seen? Yea, maybe. It's called Fierce People. It has no excuse for being bad either ... Diane Lane (who will forever be the little girl from A Little Romance ... sigh, one of my favorite films of all time) and Donald Sutherland ... a legend. And also, Anton Yelchin, who is a great actor already. He played the son in Huff, one of those shows that didn't deserve to be cancelled. Anyway, I can't even describe it ... mom's a drug addict and a masseuse to Donald Sutherland's character, who has no ... well, nothing downstairs due to cancer .. he's a billionaire and opens up his house to drug addict mom and son ... mayhem ensues, murder, balloon rides ... just stupid. I only kept watching because I wanted to see the cast, but man, I want my 2 hours back. Boooooo!!!!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

My teams are killing me ... well except for one.

ND ... lord, what can I say ... please guys, make it look better against Purdue. And the Bears, good grief. But at least they beat the Colts, that will get me at least through December.

Cubs clinch! Cubs clinch!!!!

No Mad Men this week, because they were too busy winning the Emmy for the best drama on tv!!!Yea!!!! I still wish they would create an emmy for best facial expressions because John Slattery would win it hands down!

This week's K-Rock was hilarious. Joan Rivers, like her or not, is a very funny lady. The guys got fired from their usual club gig, so their manager, who is funny as heck, booked them into a jazz club and the group managed to sway a bunch of jazz fans, and Joan Rivers to boot. The thing I like about Joan is that she's willing to make fun of herself. A key scene was of her in the spa getting every non-surgical treatment there was. I still find it hard to believe those guys are a real band because they are very good comic actors. I guess next weeks episode has Dave Navarro, should be fun, lots and lots of Carmen Elektra jokes, I'm sure.

Daily Show is back. Had Bill Clinton on ... ok, this isn't a blatantly political blahg, but I miss that philandering old coot.

Been watching this show on Planet Green called Stuff Happens. It's hosted by uber-geek, Bill Nye (the science guy). He's funny. He picks out a subject, like dinner, and goes into how wasteful humans are and how we wreck the planet just by having dinner ... sigh. Yea, guilt me into "going green" please. I like the information presented and now I throw my coffee grounds into my garden rather that in the garbage. I'll do that much. But I'm not going to change my life worrying about cattle farts affecting the polar ice caps. Buying organic shade grown coffee and throwing the grounds into my garden is about as far as I go ... only because organic, shade grown coffee is tasty!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

The Darjeeling Limited

Getting ready to watch ND and Michigan State .... saying hail mary's and our father's, but I'll take a break.

Watched the Darjeeling Limited. I'm a so-so fan of Wes Anderson films. Loved Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Royal Tennenbaums, but thought the Life Aquatic was dumb as heck. I will say that I really liked Darjeeling. As usual, the characters are complex and completely screwed up. Has there been a Wes Anderson film without Owen Wilson? Now there's a guy I just want to shake. He SEEMS to be a really smart guy, even though he looks and acts like a doofus. I thought he was downright charming in Night and the Museum, but Wedding Crashers ... duh ... Drillbit Taylor, you're kidding. I thought he and Ben Stiller should have switched roles in Permanent Midnight. Adrian Brody is just so weird that he's great. It will take a HUGE HUGE HUGE role choice for me to think otherwise since he was just so perfect in The Pianist. Talk about deserving that Oscar. Jason Schwartzman is creepy, just creepy. But Owen is great, he and Wes make a great team.

His films also make use of great cameos ... Natalie Portman and Bill Murray. Again, has there been a Wes Anderson movie without Bill Murray. I love that guy, Murray. He seems like such a jag and I would be askeered to be in the same room with him because he seems really really mean, but I'm happy to watch him in movies. I think I'm one of the few people who thought he was fabulous in Lost in Translation. Oh and Angelica Houston makes a great cameo as well as the mother who the 3 guys are trying to track down in India.

I have to wonder how realistic the film was. It was shot mainly in India and I thought it felt authentic, but I could be wrong.

Watched a Globe Trekker episode about Southern Mexico. Ian loved it, but I thought it would be the last place on earth I'd want to travel. It just doesn't look like that much fun. Acupulco ... cheesy and expensive and the Mayan ruins are cool, but it just seems like a very dangerous place. Don't like to travel to dangerous places. If I have to travel to a dangerous place, I at least want to be in a police state, like I was in the Soviet Union. It was scary, but I knew that the KGB or the cops were everywhere. But I digress.

Monday, September 15, 2008

From one girl with glasses ...

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a tepid fan of Tina Fey. My dad adores her and he thinks I'm jealous ... well, maybe I am. But I always thought she took the whole girl with glasses thing too far in order to hide the fact that she is one of the mean girls that she wrote about in her movie, Mean Girls. But after watching her do complete justice to Sarah Palin on SNL last weekend, ok, I'll admit it, I'm a fan now. You just get down with your girl with glasses self. But I suppose that I should be thanking Sarah Palin because that is what turned me. Thanks Governor "I can see Russia from my house", I'm going to get major mileage out of that line.

Mad Men was ok ... not fantabulous, but ok. It dealt with the women. Betty is going to end up in the looney bin. I thought for sure that Don was going to find her trying to cut herself on the glass that she cut her foot on. I mean, I have to give her credit for trying to stand up for herself to Don, but she's married to Don ... unshakeable Don. He did get shaken by Jimmy Barrett last week, but no woman will ever outdo him. They'll end up tied up, like Bobbie. Ok, he's going with Betty's request to stay in the office, but that won't last. Betty needs to bed that guy from the stables, pronto!!!

The Peggy/Colin Hanks storyline is kind of lame. Not sure where it's going.

Joanie bayyyybeeee!!! Well, she got a taste for what Peggy is going through didn't she??? I kind of felt sorry for her. Roger has screwed her over twice now. Wonder what the third will be??? Am I the only one who thinks that John Slattery should win an emmy for his facial expressions alone??? I mean, it's hysterical how devious he looks, but in a funny way. Even his pause to wait for Harry to open the door, FOR HIM ... classic!

True Blood ... so freaking cool! The scene where Bill has Sookie under his spell was ... well, I don't want to type how the scene was, it was just so ... incredibly ... well, you know. Shoot, even the scene where he's cleaning her up after the beating was so ... incredibly ... you know ... Lot's of "you knows" in this show.

I gave up on I Want You. It was like watching a soft core porn film and, not that I'm some righteous prude, but come on .. it was just dumb.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Why do I do this to myself

Finished watching the Grey Zone. It was by far THE most depressing Holocaust movie. Not that there are any uplifting Holocaust movies, but this one was particularly depressing. Amazing cast though, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, David Arquette, Natasha Lyonne, and a virtually unrecognizable Mira Sorvino. The movie is based on a book by a Hungarian physician who worked with Josef Mengele in Auschwitz. There was a group of Jewish men who worked to keep order in the camps, assuring the prisoners that they would be safe ... basically lying to them to maintain order. A girl manages to survive the gas chamber and is nursed back shortly before an uprising by the men of the camp. The ending isn't surprising .. but it just bummed me out more than any other Holocaust film I've seen. It was written and directed by Tim Blake Nelson of O Brother Where Art Thou fame. For playing such a loveable dolt in that film, he is a remarkable writer and director. "Pete, we thought you wuz a hornnnnnnneeeeeeeeeey toad".

Also watched a great documentary called The Source. I am fascinated by the Beat movement. Could Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady look any more normal than they did? Who knew they jock types would go on to found one of the most influential subcultures in history. The Beats begat the hippies. I love the characters behind the people. Borroughs, what a freak .. Ginsburg ... brilliant oddball ... Kerouac & Cassady ... unlikely founders of a movement. I tried to read On The Road, but I guess my feeble brain just could wrap itself around it. Borroughs too ... just way beyond my realm. I'd rather admit that I don't understand a word they write, than pretend that I do. I'll admit it ... I'm just not bright enough for their writing! But honestly, I think their legacy is more than their writings, it's their personas, you can relate to Ginsburg without ever reading Howl. You hear On The Road and you get what the big picture is. Anyway, the Source is a great documentary film. John Turturro performs Howl, Hopper read Burroughs and Johnny Depp performs Kerouac, all very very good.

Friday, September 12, 2008

John Safran vs. God

I've watched this show off and on for a year or so. John Safran is this whiney voiced Australian comedian with a wicked lisp. His humor is super sarcastic, I mean the guy ends each and every show by saying "go to hell" ... but for some reason, when he says it, maybe it's the aussie accent and the lisp, I kind of chuckle.

He takes on religion head on ... he participates. Last night, he went to a Zen Buddhist monastery in Japan and proceeded to get the tar beat out of him in order to answer the question "who you are". He also took Australians to task with regard to some people posting signs outside their doors announcing that they recognize that the indigenous people of Australia are the original owners of the property. Well, he sent some Aborigines to the door and asked if they could have their house back ... and I will say, that unlike an American, who would probably spew a litany of expletives to get the "hoo-hoo" off my property, they invited them in for tea ... the Aboriginal people were kind of shocked, but they went in and had some tea. It's kind of hard to get mad at that.

I saw an episode last year where he visited ... was it a pentecostal .. church. They attempted to exorcise the Jewish demons out of him. What transpired was weird. He seemed to go into some kind of trance and growled and just acted strangely. He refuses to cop to acting, but it was really odd. This preacher told him to go after the LDS church, which he tried, but failed. About the only thing he could find punch line worthy was the whole "magic underwear" (the preacher's words) thing. Safran was able to procure these undergarments in Salt Lake City and really didn't see what the big hairy deal was. Nice try Pentecostal man.

He also wanted to see how easy it would be to get a fatwa issued by a Muslim Imam. And the really scary part, he was able to do it with ease at a Mosque in London. He made up a story about a rival celebrity and before a Sharia court, a fatwa was issued for the death of this guy. Talk about having to backtrack!

I'm watching 2 movies ... one is I Want You ... a Michael Winterbottom film, and the other is The Grey Zone, written by Tim Blake Nelson. I can't figure out what the Winterbottom film is about yet ... hopefully nothing like Jude (still traumatized by that film) and the Grey Zone is about Birkenau, a Death Camp and based upon a true story, yea, that one will end happy, I'm sure ... not.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Queen

Watched The Queen ... it's an understatement to say it was fabulous. As I am thoroughly obsessed with all things old money, it would make sense for me to be equally intrigued by all things royal. Helen Mirren deserved 2 Oscars for her portrayal of QEII. James Cromwell as Prince Phillip was born to play that role and I adored him in Babe too. Oh heck, loved him in Six Feet Under ... he's just a great actor. The guy who comes out smelling like roses in the film is Prince Charles, unbelieveable! Everyone was great. I spent half the movie chuckling because of how ... how do I say it ... British, stiff upper lipped they were. It was almost Pythonesque. I spent part of the moving crying because, heck, Diana died and seeing Prince Charles's reaction was moving, which Prince Phillip's cure was to take the boys hunting ... ironic since their mothered died being hunted by the media. Anyway, such a great film.

No Daily Show this week. They need a break after such great coverage during the conventions.

Still watching Pam, Girl on the Loose and llllllllllllllllllllllllovin' it. I'm actually not so ashamed to say that anymore.

Monday, September 8, 2008

It's a great day

I'm basking in the warm glow of victory. Notre Dame won ugly and the Bears beat the Colts ... I'm as happy as a pig in doo.

Mad Men was absolutely fantastic. If the guy who plays Jimmy Barrett doesn't get some kind of award, then all awards shows should be banned. He drew Don in by using Betty ... I loved it. Each and every scene, first with Jimmy & Betty, calmly telling Betty exactly what she was thinking and then Jimmy twisting the knife in Don's gut. He's no dumb comedian, that's for sure! And then Betty upchucking all over Don's purty new car. I had to laugh though, when Don and family went out for a picnic in his new car and they just non-challantly chucked all their garbage in the field ... no regard for anything, they just didn't want the garbage. I gasped. What a different time that was. And Joan-y baby was put in her place, that's for sure. Sweet Jane ... sweet sweet Jane. She's a young version of Joan. She probably did the same thing when she was a lowly secretary. It's going to be interesting. Jane has Roger right where she wants him and Roger is Joan's weak spot. What an interesting triangle this is going to be. As long as Joan is engaged, she has to be cool, but if that engagement gets called of ... rut ro! Jane better just quit.

Watched the premiere episode of True Blood ... wow. It's about modern day vampires in Louisiana (where else?). Anna Paquin, sweet little Oscar winning Anna Paquin ... played Holly Hunter's daughter in the Piano. Both deserved those Oscars. She's all grown up with a Letterman style gap between her front teeth. She's a mortal who can hear people's thoughts. She's intriugued by the vampires who don't need human blood anymore to live. I have it set up as a season pass on my tivo now. Alan Ball, who created the most excellent, Six Feet Under, created this one ... so to say there are some twisted storylines is an understatement. Lots of blood, gore and naked-ness. Not for the faint of heart ... not a family drama.

And I have to give a nod to the Daily Show's coverage of the GOP convention ... kudos! The Reformed Maverick bit was worth the entire week. Just fabulous. They deserve the week off!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Yea!!! TV is back!!!

Back to my guilty mindless television viewing!!!

Gossip Girl's season opener was great! But Chuck isn't nasty enough .. come on! He's Chuck!!! And am I the only one who thought the "Baron"s English accent didn't seem right? Now Chuck IS really British and his American accent is superb. Every storyline was pretty good ... even whiney Serena and Dan's plot ... ooooooo, caught kissing Nate, but it all worked out. And seeing a real NYC socialite, Tinsley Mortimer, or is it Mortimer Tinsley ... anyway, it was cool to see one of THEM poking fun. Heck, even Lydia Hearst was seduced by Chuck at the end of the season.

My most guilty of guilty pleasure shows ... I've been watching for a couple weeks and can only muster up the bravery the write about it now is Pam, Girl on the Loose. Pam Anderson and I share a birthday, we are the same age, we are both mothers and we both look really mushy without makeup on. Watching this show gives me fits because, normally, I think she's nothing but a huzzy who makes really bad decisions picking men. What makes it even worse, is that her crap behavior actually makes Tommy Lee look like a responsible adult! Heck, Tommy's show over on Planet Green makes him seem downright likeable and fun. Now, Pam's show .... sigh ... she's kind of a cool gal. But why does she do what she does when it comes to men???? We see her making her own decisions about her boys, her house, she does her own housework .... she seems like someone who's public persona is opposite of her private persona. The show is really well done and she probably has a lot to do with the decision making. It's a really good show and I can't believe I am writing that.

I love the Independent Film Channel. I started watching a show called Z Rock ... it's about a real rock band called Z02 who's day gig is a kid's band. It's hilarious. Each of the guys are good actors and I had to do some research and find out that yes indeed they really are a band. I've watched 2 episodes so far. One episode had them going after a Wiggles type band and completely owning them in the end. Their manager is a former groupie, so she gets the score with them.

Watched a good movie last night called The Brave One. Jodie Foster plays victims so very well and has won awards for it. Here she goes vigilante on a group who beat the crap out of her and killed her fiance AND stole their dog :( And Terrence Howard was fantastic as usual. I've not seen him in a bad movie, as much as I loathed Crash, he was very good in it.

The Shield started last night, need to record it. It's the final season for Mackie!!!! I'm going to go ahead and predict that he gets his bald butt blown away at the end.

Monday, September 1, 2008

I am McPalin!

I'm in such a funk! I'm over the Olympics, ok ... and this political season is making me vomit in my mouth a little each and every day. The only thing that is keeping me somwhat sane is the Daily Show. I can actually LAUGH while watching the political coverage and they haven't even had any chance to go after the McPalin ticket. I'm sorry, but what the heck is up with little miss beehive??? I mean, she looks like a freaking B-52 ... I expect her to launch into Rock Lobster when she's at the mike. Maybe she'll do that for the convention! I'd watch that one. I am dubbing this election:

McOlection between McPalin and OBiden. I won't be voting for either of them.

Mad Men was fan-freaking-tastic! Seriously every single scene was out of this world. The best shot was at the end with Don looking like a brick wall has fallen on top of him. The shot of his reflection sitting on the can ... great work. And Pegggy! You know, Joan is one of the best heroines on tv. She says it like it is in 5 words or less. I loved the look Pete gave her in the strip club. She's romping all over his sorry angry butt. She'll get further than him and he may very well knock someone else up, we'll see by the end of the season. And Duck ... now, I'm no fan of English Setters, but how can anyone with half a brain let a dog go in Manhattan ... how!!! Hopefully he has tags and will be returned. And Roger gave the best double take of the evening looking over Don's secretary. It's about the only thing on tv that's keeping me sane at this point.

New shows are gearing up soon. I'll see how Heroes, Pushing Daisies and Chuck go. I want to see the new Keitel show ... can't think of the name ... ugh! Harvey Keitel is great. Born of Scorcese and resurrected of Tarantino .. ahhhhhhhhh.

Well, the DS should have fun with the GOP convention this week. If there is a convention. I honestly don't think McCain wants to be president anymore.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

I'M WIGGING OUT!!!!

No more Olympics!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I started watching the closing ceremonies last night and they were lame compared to the opening ceremonies, it just looked like a bunch of people in cool costumes running around like chickens with their heads cut off just to fill out the stadium. But I don't fault them at all. Those opening ceremonies were as beautiful and much as they were freaking scary. I didn't feel the intimidation factor with the closing ... it was kind of like they were running on fumes after the past 17 days and this is the best they could do.

I don't know, the opening was so unexpected, it was a lot to live up to. And the British part of the ceremony was just plain stupid. Oh boy, there's a freakish looking OLD OLD Older than dirt Jimmy Page ... why??? He looked like Confucious .. is that what he was going for? If so, I shake my head in shame. He has nothing to do with sport. I mean, I love Zep, but why? Leona Lewis, never heard of her, sorry for any fans ... you could barely hear her at first and what in heaven's name does "Whole Lotta Love" have to do with the Olympics ... waaaay down inside, you know, you neeed it ... " ok people, that song is NOT about sports, wink wink. And David Beckham just looked like he wanted to be anywhere but on that bus that looked like Sherwood Forest with those silly glowing umbrellas??? If THAT was supposed to get us fired up about the London games in 2012 ... oy, I hope the next 4 years crawl.

And am I the only one who thought that the mayor of London looked like a cross Gary Bussey and Jon Daley? Those 3 looked just plain out of place waving that unruley flag. I'm sure the Chinese officials immediately took the flag away from the mayor of London and had it shot.

The soccer ball being passed around was cute though. Clever. But overall ... the Olympics ending with a wimper.

So now what ... I think I watched 5 minutes of the convention and that made me more depresed than the closing ceremonies. Maybe I need to watch the opening ceremonies again. Mad Men isn't on again until Sunday ... ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Ok ok ... Jacques Rogge ... you're still an idiot

Oops, got his name wrong ... still don't like how he was bashing Usain Bolt.

I can't believe the Olympics are over. I'm officially in withdrawl. I haven't turned on the tv today :( I'm so sad. I didn't even watch the closing ceremonies. Couldn't bear it.

And how about Iceland??? Silver medal in men's team handball! I have this odd fascination with Iceland. Maybe it's a Bjork thing. I don't know. I don't think there would be a darn thing on the island I would like to eat, but those spas. I hope to go there at some point in my life. But how cool that they won their first ever Olympic medal. Between that and Afghanistan winning a medal and that German weighlifter dedicating his medal to his recently deceased wife .. a great Olympics I'd say. Heck I even got into watching the men's basketball. I was amazed at how humble those guys were. They didn't show up and expect to win. They got shoved around and gave it right back, a good show!!! LeBron James is THE MAN! Hat's off to him.

Mad Men was fantastic!!!

"Thank you Don"

That was the best line of the evening, well that and:

"I'm Ken"

Don showing up in the hospital was a "whoa" moment for me. I'm such a sucker. So Don knows about Peggy's baby ... that's why he called her to "fix" the accident with Bobbie. Peggy better not get too comfy with calling him "Don" though. He uses people. Hope she doesn't take Bobbie's advice to heart.

Pete and Trudy. Pete is a gigantic ... . Trudy is just a twit. She should go get a job or go riding with Betty. I don't know how much clearer Pete could make it that he doesn't want a baby (HA!!!) I hope there's a big to do when Pete finds out about Peggy's baby.

Joan is engaged. Bet it doesn't happen.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Shut Up Jean Rogge

Yea, I'm talking to you. How dare you criticize Usain Bolt for doing nothing more than enjoying the fact that he owns the track this year. You should be more critical of the fact that China has little baby girls on their gymnastics team that the government cheated for and 2 of the most anorexic looking platform divers that I've ever seen. One even admitting that she doesn't like to eat. My god! Yea Rogge, you all took a huge risk in giving the games to Beijing, and so far, they seem like they are going great, but there's a seedy underbelly there ... what we aren't seeing under your watch, Rogge, unfortunately, let's hope that after the games, stories will surface and then maybe you'll change your tune about Mr. Bolt.

Yea, I cringed when I saw Bolt showboat after the 100m final, but none of his fellow competitors minded. In fact, they celebrated with him! He's a likeable guy who likes to clown around. He's immature, he's RAW ... he hasn't reached his full potential yet. We all expected Phelps to dominate the pool, but who knew about this Jamaican kid other than people who follow athletics? He's a pure joy to watch .. beautiful runner who is obviously having a freaking great time out there on the track and is enjoyed by his fellow athletes. I love to see athletes enjoy their sport.

Shut up Jean Rogge ... there are many things to criticize about these games, Usain Bolt is not one of them. Fermez la bouche mon frere.

And I'll never understand HOW both US 400m relays CHOKED!!! Yes, choked in the relay prelims. Dropping the baton???? At this level????? I ran that relay for almost 8 years and never once did I drop a baton ... ok ok, I wasn't at the Olympic level, but these athletes should at the very least have the core point of this event down to an art. Do they not practice prior to the games??? It sure didn't look like it. I'm not sure how these teams are chosen, but they sure looked like someone just said "you, you, you and you" and told them to get on the track. It was just painful to see. Jamaica will sweep both the men's and women's relays. Every one of their handoffs were perfect, like they've all be practicing. I hope they run Bolt second or third, down the straightaway rather than the anchor, which should be run by Usafa Powell. I've always held that you should never put your best runner last. Put them in the middle to establish dominance and then bring it home in the final leg.

Of course Jean Rogge will probably say that Usain Bolt is showboating ... what a dork.

And we swept the 400m! The bronze medal winner literally dove across the finishline! Way to go David Neville, formerly of Merrillville and IU ... thumbs up!!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

He's for Real!!

Usain Bolt ...

Seriously, with his name, what else could he be but a freaking sprinter? His Dad attributes his speed to the yams that grow locally in his town in Jamaica .. uhhhhh, ok. Sorry Daddy Bolt, your son has redefined sprinting. He's built like a wide receiver and runs like a cheetah. The people around him have to take 2 strides for his 1 ... he doesn't even expend all his potential energy because nobody is near him. As much as I don't want to see him lose, I just want someone to push him, get close. I mean holy moses people, you don't win the 100m by 5m nor the 200m by 10m .. Happy Birthday Usain. Last week was about Michael Phelps, this week it's about Usain Bolt, god I love Athletics. He's running in the 4x1 this weekend. I'd love to see what he could do in the 4x4.

Needless to say, I haven't been watching much else lately. I've been enjoying not watching the news during these Olympic games. I'm more at peace with the world. Sigh, unfortunately, the Olympics ends this weekend and then it's back to manic mode with the Democratic convention.

I'm enjoying this while I can.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Mad Men ... getting better and better

I hate to say this, but I actually cheered when Don shoved Betty ... but man, she's just awful. She's a terrible mother and she hates men. She takes out her hatred of Don on her poor little boy, Bobby. She wants nothing to do with those kids. I hope she gets some ya ya's out with her stable guy.

And when is Peggy going to get out of her terrible state of denial? I liked how the priest kind of shoved her aside with the easter egg. Did you know that was Tom Hank's son playing the priest? I thought he sounded earily like his Dad. Tom was in DaVinci code, Colin plays a priest.

But the best line of the evening was when Bobby was talking to his Dad after dinner. He's such a sweet kid, despite that mother of his. He asked Don what his father liked to eat, Don replied "Ham" ... the guy playing Don is played by John Hamm! HA!!!!

Joan having to babysit a drunk Sally was kind of funny too ... I loved it when Sally flatly told Joan "you have big ones" ...

And Pete, of course, got the short end of the stick, AGAIN!!!! That's what you get for trying to exploit your father's death. Butthead.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Bolt!!!

I participated in Athletics for more years than I can count. Athletics=track and field. I love watching track meets and wish I could be a track official. I would love to be a starter. Anyway, athletics started over the weekend at the Olympics and I have to say that I've witnesses greatness and his name is Usain Bolt. He's 6'5". He's too dang tall to run this fast, but he does. He's only been running the 100m for 2 years and he's managed to break the world record twice. Not only that, but he doesn't even run full on ... he shattered the World Record in Beijing and coasted, celebrated ... acted like a cocky S.O.B. before he even crossed the finishline. And watching this at 5:15am sure got my day started with a spark. I cannot wait to see this guy run the 200 ... I CAN'T WAIT!! I'd love to see what this guy could do in a 400 or on relays.

Another thing that was truly amazing is that 5 out of the 9 runners were from either Jamaica or Trinidad & Tobago. Bolt won the gold for Jamaica, a guy from Trinidad & Tobago won silver and Walter Dix from the US won bronze (way to go Mr. Dix!) ... I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!!!

The movie, Sunshine has fully marinated in my brain and I can wholeheartedly say that I love the movie ... I need to watch it again to fully absorb it.

I watched an old one that I missed the first time around and now I understand why ... The Beach. It's a Danny Boyle film and it sucked. It sucked bad. Oh my god did it stink. I want Danny Boyle to give me my 2 hours back. It was positively terrible. Ok, Leo was fresh off Titanic and Tilda Swinton ... well, I'll give 'em both a pass because they've moved onto much better things. But Danny Boyle!!! Blech.

I watched The DaVinci Code all the way through this time ... been trying for a year and I managed to get it done. Boy, the Catholic Church got all on it's haunches over this film. Why??? I personally, as a Catholic, thought it as a very interesting STORY. It's a story, folks ... so defensive these people. This was the most restrained I've ever seen Tom Hanks act and I kind of liked it. I thought it gave a great overview of how Christianity developed in the western world. A Cliff's Notes on relgion so to say. I don't understand why the concept of Jesus being a regular guy is so hard to grasp. I don't think it would affect my Catholic faith in anyway, but boy would it change the order of the Mass ... yikes!!! Oh and the whole Communion thing ... it would completely blow away the whole concept of transsubstantiation if Jesus were just a regular dude who had a pregnant wife at the time of his crucifixion. I don't know, I thought it was a great story and really gave viewers something to think about and maybe that's why the Church got so upset.


Watched an interesting episode of Penn & Teller Bullshit on world peace. Penn Jillette is an interesting guy with interesting ideas. They showed both sides of the extreme coin. Code Pink/A.N.S.W.E.R and an extreme pro-war organization, can't remember the name. Basically, they said that the Code Pink types are more about feeling good than actually doing good, and I can agree. Sorry, but the Code Pink people just look and act strange. They are the kind of people who get more caught up in being disruptive than actually doing something good. The pro-war folks were just scary ... please, anyone who thinks that war is a good thing needs to be checked into a psych ward, or sent to a third world country to fend for themselves. P&T stated that world peace=open markets and capitalism ... I have to kind of agree, but then you get into the politics of open markets and capitalism (NAFTA, Iraq oil war) ... to me, it just means the ruling of many be a few and no, that doesn't mean I'm a communist, far from it. I'm all for capitalism, it's in human nature to be competitive and win. I'm as big of a consumer as the next dope, but world peace equalling business reeks to me. World Peace to me means nobody is fighting anybody. No, not singing kum-bay-a either. Please. People just being people without acting like assholes. I don't think I'll see that in my lifetime, maybe my kid's lifetime.

Back to my Olympics!

Friday, August 15, 2008

The Road to Guantanamo

Watched The Road to Guantanamo ... another Michael Winterbottom film. It's funny, in a cynical way, how films like Osama, In This World, and The Road to Guantanamo are ignored by the American audience, when, in fact, these should be viewed by every American, especially this one. It's part documentary, with the 3 focal characters being interviewed, and actors replaying their terrible story. First, what they were thinking going to Pakistan from England just after 9-11 .. idiots ... then deciding to check out Afghanistan? Double duh. What those guys went through was bad enough, but they had to endure this bullshit (sorry), for 2 years. Denied legal counsel, tortured into giving confessions that were false. They were British citizens who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I could understand if they were actually fighters, like that crazy spoiled kid from California who was caught and is now serving in prison, but these 3 guys were just idiots who made 2 very boneheaded decisions. I'll give them credit, they hung on for as long as possible, but there was no reason that they needed to be in custody for that long, no reason whatsoever. The authorities could have cleared them sooner. I'd like to think that this whole ordeal with Gitmo is winding down, but our and the British government completely overstepped their bounds with these massive roundups and imprisonment. Shame.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Yea yea yea

Olympics ... Phelps again. But that relay crushed the world record. They are the first relay to go under 7 minutes for the 800 relay ... unbelieveable! I was so pumped after watching it, I had to watch a movie.

In keeping with my Danny Boyle film festival, I watched Sunshine. I think I liked it. It was kind of 2001, kind of 28 Days Later (another Danny Boyle movie) ... it was confusing, for me anyway. I contemplated just giving up on it, but I toughed it out until the end and I get the big picture. The sun is dying, it's snowing in Australia, but I don't understand why and the crew has to crash a "payload" into the sun to get it working again. There's some religion aspects, lots and lots of science (which is probably why I don't understand to film entirely) and really cool special effects. It's one of those depressing yet uplifting endings ... again, I think I liked it. So as my brain tried to wrap itself around that movie, it was about 3am, so I went back to ..

Olympics

Women's gymnastics, LIVE!!! Our women won the silver, which was expected. The Chinese pre-pubescent girls, sorry, they're just not 16, owned the mats. Bela Karolyi is right, they should just chuck the rule entirely. I'm sure he has some pre-pubescent girls in his gym that he'd love to have on the team. Methinks he knows how to bend the rules like the Chinese do.

The funniest thing is The Daily Show actually has a correspondent in Beijing for real. Rob Riggle, who is an ex-Marine/Afghanistan veteran is absolutely hysterical playing the ugly American. The Chinese people are having fun with him too.

And in honor of the upcoming football season, I've added the Chicago Bears fight song, Bear Down Chicago Bears ... a REAL song for a REAL football team ... a team that plays OUTSIDE. I've also added the Notre Dame Victory March ... man, ND better put together at least 8 wins this season. And in honor of the Olympics, Nike keeps running this commercial with a song that has the chorus "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier". It's the Killers, All These Things That I've Done ... great great song on so many different levels.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Guess what I'm blah-ging about???

Yep, Olympics. I am so incredibly sleep deprived, but this is only a 1 time every 4 years thing, so I think I can handle it. It's the Olympics for heaven's sake!!!

Watched Spain beat China in Men's basketball early this morning in spite of the refs doing everything in their power to give it to the Chinese. Watched the US men play Angola. The men's team acts like they want to win it all this year, not like it is going to be bestowed upon them by the Olympic Gods. The German women are playing North Korea's women in soccer right now. Amazing, North Korea is really good. It's too bad that they have to play for North Korea. Germany has their hands full. They (Germany) are the reigning world champions.

I've been watching as much of these games in high definition as possible. It's so cool! The only thing that's not cool is seeing Rafael Nadal, who .. don't get me wrong ... he's a great tennis player, but the the guy sweats like he has faucets on his head going full blast ... it's not pretty in regular definition, it's dowright gross in high def. And then after he beat Lleyton Hewitt from Australia, he takes off his headband, which looks like a well cooked noodle after his match and then shakes Hewitt's hand with the hand he took his headband off with ... eeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuu!!!! No wonder Hewitt exited the court immediately, he needed to shower that hand!!! I don't think I'll watch women's weightlifting in high def.

I watched some greco roman wrestling this morning after the China/Spain basketball game. The US has this little ball of muscle named Spenser Mango who is one of the top "wraslers" in the world. He lost to a guy from Romania, but greco roman wrestling looks really tough. That's what I love about these Olympics .. seeing sports that I wouldn't normally watch. I also watched kayaking and more team handball. I think the scariest thing I watched today was Croatia and Serbia going at each other, literally, in men's water polo. A few players were ejected and what was going on under the water wasn't pretty. Those 2 countries still hate each other. I remember reading about the 1956 Olympic water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union. Hungary had recently had an uprising against the USSR and from what I've read, there was blood in the water during that match. Hungary won the match, but lost the revolution. There wasn't any blood in the water today, but it was intense to watch.