Tuesday, December 20, 2005
I thought that since I am addressing my deep, sincere, important thoughts in another blog that it might be fun to create another blog for my less important, but passionate opinions about movies, music, television, books, and video games. I have always said that I am a fountain of knowledge about pop culture and though I do not watch as much television, or movies, or listen to as much music as I used to I still know a good deal about it.
I think what I going to do is give you some movies, television shows, albums, and books you should check out and some you shouldn't. Also, maybe some random thoughts and articles as they come to me and as they seem relevant.
I think I am going to have a lot of fun writing this, I hope you enjoy it and find some of the things I say helpful, because I know I don't get to watch as many movies as I once did and I hate wasting my time on a bad movie.
PICK OF THE WEEK
Cinderella Man - As of now this is not just my pick of the week this is my pick for the Oscar. This movie is really as good as it was billed. Back in June when this movie came out, it didn't do too well at the box office. AMC offered a money back refund to anyone who watched the movie and didn't like it. I know that if people were honest than this bounty would never be collected. This movie tells the inspiring Riches-to-Rags-to-Riches story of James Braddock. I don't want to divulge alot of the plot, but the life of this movie comes from a man's unwillingness to give up in the face of any adversity. Russel Crowe is probably the greatest actor of our generation and this movie just goes farther to establishing that point. He is at his best. Paul Giamatti has been an actor long overlooked by hollywood, but with the sucess of Sideways last year people are finally starting to take notice and he turns in the best performance I have yet to see in his career in this film. He has come along way from playing PigVomit in Private Parts. Renee Zellwegger too is great, not Cold Mountain great, but great nonetheless. She is a great compliment to Russell Crowe in this film. I am not up on my James Braddock history so I don't know how accurate this movie is, and I don't care, it's a great story and script. I have said nothing of the boxing scenes yet, they are intense and awesome. They aren't quite on par with the boxing from Million Dollar Baby, yeah it still amazes me that the best boxing I have ever seen in a movie is female boxing, but that don't change that fact. But the boxing in Cinderella Man is better than average and probably a close second to Million Dollar Baby. In the end this movie will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling that will last. If this movie doesn't move and inspire you, than you're dead. But if this movie by some chance does will the best picture Oscar, you realize that next year we will be bombarded by bad boxing movies.
Turd of the Week
The Last Episode of Prison Break - I got addicted to this show very quickly and easily this season. If you are unfamiliar with it here's a quick synopsis. Lincoln Burrows is convicted of killing the Vice President's brother and sentenced to execution, His brother Micheal Scoffield (different fathers) believes his brothers innocence and plans an escape of his brother from a prison he helped design. The first step in this plan is to get blueprints and other information he needs tatooed to his body, all of this is hidden among other tattoos. The second step is to get thrown in the same jail as his brother. This he does. Meanwhile Lincoln's ex-wife also believes in his innocence and just so happens is a lawyer, she is working on the outside to find out how and why Lincoln was setup, and to try to get him out. There is alot more going on than just these things though, there were twists and turns around every corner all season. Wentworth Miller is the star of the show and he is excellent. I was hooked all year, I tivoed the show everyweek and watched it on tuesday. It is not that I couldn't have watched it on Monday, but I prefer to watch it on Tivo because I can skip the commercials. Okay, now here is my problem with the last episode. The show is called Prison Break, the premise is breaking out of prison. There are two people working to free Lincoln from two different angles. Scoffield working from the inside out to break him out. And Veronica working from the outside in to prove Lincoln's innocence. They could have let Scoffield and Lincoln escape and spend the next season following them on the run, while Veronica and the guys work to prove Lincoln's innocence. Atleast something would have been resolved at the end of season one. As it was Lincoln did not break out and was not proven innocent. Scoffield was stopped in his escape attempt and Veronica found out that the conspiracy against Lincoln is much deeper than she thought. How can you end a season without resolving anything? That being said I will be there at the start of next season and I can't wait to see what is going to happen, but I felt so teased at the end of last season. My prom date got me all excited in the car and then left, she is promising to give me some next time, but that doesn't help me right now. This is a minor complaint to a great show, I would have alot more compliments than complaints. But to the producers don't do this to me next year. I anxiously await next season. Power to the people. Free Lincoln.
I think what I going to do is give you some movies, television shows, albums, and books you should check out and some you shouldn't. Also, maybe some random thoughts and articles as they come to me and as they seem relevant.
I think I am going to have a lot of fun writing this, I hope you enjoy it and find some of the things I say helpful, because I know I don't get to watch as many movies as I once did and I hate wasting my time on a bad movie.
PICK OF THE WEEK
Cinderella Man - As of now this is not just my pick of the week this is my pick for the Oscar. This movie is really as good as it was billed. Back in June when this movie came out, it didn't do too well at the box office. AMC offered a money back refund to anyone who watched the movie and didn't like it. I know that if people were honest than this bounty would never be collected. This movie tells the inspiring Riches-to-Rags-to-Riches story of James Braddock. I don't want to divulge alot of the plot, but the life of this movie comes from a man's unwillingness to give up in the face of any adversity. Russel Crowe is probably the greatest actor of our generation and this movie just goes farther to establishing that point. He is at his best. Paul Giamatti has been an actor long overlooked by hollywood, but with the sucess of Sideways last year people are finally starting to take notice and he turns in the best performance I have yet to see in his career in this film. He has come along way from playing PigVomit in Private Parts. Renee Zellwegger too is great, not Cold Mountain great, but great nonetheless. She is a great compliment to Russell Crowe in this film. I am not up on my James Braddock history so I don't know how accurate this movie is, and I don't care, it's a great story and script. I have said nothing of the boxing scenes yet, they are intense and awesome. They aren't quite on par with the boxing from Million Dollar Baby, yeah it still amazes me that the best boxing I have ever seen in a movie is female boxing, but that don't change that fact. But the boxing in Cinderella Man is better than average and probably a close second to Million Dollar Baby. In the end this movie will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling that will last. If this movie doesn't move and inspire you, than you're dead. But if this movie by some chance does will the best picture Oscar, you realize that next year we will be bombarded by bad boxing movies.
Turd of the Week
The Last Episode of Prison Break - I got addicted to this show very quickly and easily this season. If you are unfamiliar with it here's a quick synopsis. Lincoln Burrows is convicted of killing the Vice President's brother and sentenced to execution, His brother Micheal Scoffield (different fathers) believes his brothers innocence and plans an escape of his brother from a prison he helped design. The first step in this plan is to get blueprints and other information he needs tatooed to his body, all of this is hidden among other tattoos. The second step is to get thrown in the same jail as his brother. This he does. Meanwhile Lincoln's ex-wife also believes in his innocence and just so happens is a lawyer, she is working on the outside to find out how and why Lincoln was setup, and to try to get him out. There is alot more going on than just these things though, there were twists and turns around every corner all season. Wentworth Miller is the star of the show and he is excellent. I was hooked all year, I tivoed the show everyweek and watched it on tuesday. It is not that I couldn't have watched it on Monday, but I prefer to watch it on Tivo because I can skip the commercials. Okay, now here is my problem with the last episode. The show is called Prison Break, the premise is breaking out of prison. There are two people working to free Lincoln from two different angles. Scoffield working from the inside out to break him out. And Veronica working from the outside in to prove Lincoln's innocence. They could have let Scoffield and Lincoln escape and spend the next season following them on the run, while Veronica and the guys work to prove Lincoln's innocence. Atleast something would have been resolved at the end of season one. As it was Lincoln did not break out and was not proven innocent. Scoffield was stopped in his escape attempt and Veronica found out that the conspiracy against Lincoln is much deeper than she thought. How can you end a season without resolving anything? That being said I will be there at the start of next season and I can't wait to see what is going to happen, but I felt so teased at the end of last season. My prom date got me all excited in the car and then left, she is promising to give me some next time, but that doesn't help me right now. This is a minor complaint to a great show, I would have alot more compliments than complaints. But to the producers don't do this to me next year. I anxiously await next season. Power to the people. Free Lincoln.
