It is time for another movie review this time a flick from 1976 called "Murder by Death". It has an all star cast but it was Peter Falk that made me watch it but it also has Peter Sellers, Truman Capote, James Coco and Alec Guinness to name a few. It is basically Clue before Clue came out in 85.
The plot is that the worlds greatest detectives are brought to this mansion for "Dinner and a murder". They are then informed by their host (Capote) that a murder will take place a midnight and they are to solve it and if they do they get 1 Million Dollars.
From there the fun takes place. It is an old premise but for '76 it may have been new I don't know. Each character has some quirk that is enjoyable. Falk is the a gritty streetwise detective with the 50's lingo. Sellers is of course a character nothing like him as he is Chinese and talks almost always in fortune cookie type responses.
I found it enjoyable but not laugh out loud funny. It could have been back then but now we've seen the bits several times over. I still enjoyed it and its a good way to kill 90 minutes. I would say 3 out 5. Its gets slight above average because Columbo was in it!
2011/12/20
2011/11/21
Dead of Night book review
Last night I finally finished the new Jonathan Maberry book "Dead of Night". I say finally because it took me way to long to finish this book. It was, like everything I've read of his, extremely well done.
The book is about a zombie type outbreak. I say zombie like because it is closer to the movie "28 Days Later" in the creatures. The story takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania. Much like Maberry's other books I can't give much of a plot outline because EVERYTHING is important and I don't want to ruin anything. Basically a zombie virus is released after an execution.
The book is slow at parts but in a good way. He builds the tension up very well and the characters, well most of them, are well defined. I say most because I would have liked to know more about the JT character personally. Not that he wasn't well developed I just wanted to know more about his background having so much about the other characters.
This had a Stephen King feel to it the way it ebbs and flows. Much like King he made me care about the characters and feel what the character feels. The tension, the anger, the frustration and the fear the characters feel are intense. The pat where Dez jumps out of her trailer played out so well and vivid.
I wanted more from this story in a good way. I didn't want it to end. The brief story ideas that come from the gym scene makes me want stories from this universe.
All in all another great book by Jonathan. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he has become one of my favorite authors. I look forward to his next Ledger novel, which is not soon enough for me, and need to go read his older stuff.
Another great book from Maberry. It can be picked up at your local bookstore, at BN.com or amazon.com
Pick it up, enjoy it and pass it on!
2011/11/03
I don't understand.....
I never claimed to be the smartest man out there, the sexiest perhaps, but not the smartest so I need someone out there to explain this whole Occupy Wallstreet thing to me.
No I don't mean what they are angry about. I understand that. I disagree with parts of it but I understand anger. If there is anything I understand in life its anger....and the love of a good cheeseburger. What I don't understand is what happened in Oakland yesterday.
These people are upset about the 99%. You know the average Joe right? (and for the record I could be very confused about this whole thing). So I get the whole lets shut down Wallstreet because those guys all have to work right at Wallstreet not at their huge houses. We then see Occupy Wallstreet's showing up all over the place which doesn't make sense but okay lets play along.
Oakland then figure we can shut down the port to "show our power". My question do they think about who they are hurting? What do you think that evil corporation Wal-Mart will do if they don't get their products? Suddenly say "Oh my god you're right. We are evil! Here all Wal-Mart employees take an extra $10 dollars an hour". No that isn't what they'll do. They will just say "We need to cut people because of the slow down in good so we had to cut 1/3 of our workforce."
So explain to me how shutting down the port will change anything for what they are fighting for. For that matter please explain to me how these protests will make positive change. This is from a CNN Story:
"Ben Bruso, 23, was among those blocking the port's Gate One. He told KCBS he was there because he wants to get rid of government lobbying.
"Our government is being bought by corporations," he said. "The middle class and lower class are being subjugated."
The port closure, he said, "sends a message to the corporate world that we're not going to sit by and take it anymore." (From http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/03/us/occupy-demonstrators/index.html?hpt=us_c1)
We aren't going to sit by and take it anymore. We are going to cost dock workers money and the lower and middle class people money. Before start screaming that I don't get it I do. I get what he is saying but by the time some corporate fat cat feels this tens of thousands of lower and middle class people will have to suffer.
Ask those dock works who lost a day or two wages if they want to "sit by and take it anymore". Ask the people there in Wallstreet who have been laid off if they are being subjugated and by who.
Sometimes instead of asking can I do this it is should. This is a case of good gone wrong. The idea was good but the execution was bad and is getting worse. Look at the videos of Oakland yesterday and last night. People smashing windows, painting graffiti. Building fires in the streets. Shooting fireworks at cops (part of that middle class folks). That isn't a protest about wallstreet anymore. That is violence.
Maybe I'm just not a visionary. Maybe twenty years from now we'll be talking about what a great job those people did. I don't think so but maybe.
No I don't mean what they are angry about. I understand that. I disagree with parts of it but I understand anger. If there is anything I understand in life its anger....and the love of a good cheeseburger. What I don't understand is what happened in Oakland yesterday.
These people are upset about the 99%. You know the average Joe right? (and for the record I could be very confused about this whole thing). So I get the whole lets shut down Wallstreet because those guys all have to work right at Wallstreet not at their huge houses. We then see Occupy Wallstreet's showing up all over the place which doesn't make sense but okay lets play along.
Oakland then figure we can shut down the port to "show our power". My question do they think about who they are hurting? What do you think that evil corporation Wal-Mart will do if they don't get their products? Suddenly say "Oh my god you're right. We are evil! Here all Wal-Mart employees take an extra $10 dollars an hour". No that isn't what they'll do. They will just say "We need to cut people because of the slow down in good so we had to cut 1/3 of our workforce."
So explain to me how shutting down the port will change anything for what they are fighting for. For that matter please explain to me how these protests will make positive change. This is from a CNN Story:
"Ben Bruso, 23, was among those blocking the port's Gate One. He told KCBS he was there because he wants to get rid of government lobbying.
"Our government is being bought by corporations," he said. "The middle class and lower class are being subjugated."
The port closure, he said, "sends a message to the corporate world that we're not going to sit by and take it anymore." (From http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/03/us/occupy-demonstrators/index.html?hpt=us_c1)
We aren't going to sit by and take it anymore. We are going to cost dock workers money and the lower and middle class people money. Before start screaming that I don't get it I do. I get what he is saying but by the time some corporate fat cat feels this tens of thousands of lower and middle class people will have to suffer.
Ask those dock works who lost a day or two wages if they want to "sit by and take it anymore". Ask the people there in Wallstreet who have been laid off if they are being subjugated and by who.
Sometimes instead of asking can I do this it is should. This is a case of good gone wrong. The idea was good but the execution was bad and is getting worse. Look at the videos of Oakland yesterday and last night. People smashing windows, painting graffiti. Building fires in the streets. Shooting fireworks at cops (part of that middle class folks). That isn't a protest about wallstreet anymore. That is violence.
Maybe I'm just not a visionary. Maybe twenty years from now we'll be talking about what a great job those people did. I don't think so but maybe.
2011/10/31
Walking Dead talk
I just watched episode 3 of the Walking Dead for this season and I wanted to talk about it. There are spoilers so stop reading now if you don't want stuff to be ruined.
At the end of episode one Carl was shot. In the next episode we meet Otis who shot Carl by accident while hunting, Carl was petting a deer. Otis and Shane went off to get equipment to save Carl. They find a crap ton of zombies and at the end of episode 2 they are trapped in a school with zombies everywhere. They are then being chased during episode 3. Otis risks his life to draw the zombies away so Shane can jump out a window. He does that, sprains his ankle is about to die when here comes Otis to the rescue and saves Shane. They are both 'running' or limping as the case may be. Shane because of his ankle injury Otis...well because Otis is heavyset. They compare how many bullets they have and Shane then shoots Otis in the leg! He shot him, takes his weapon and the equipment and lets the zombies eat him!
Okay I can see Shane's thoughts but then on the Talking Dead, the talk show that follows TWD, the host, the dude of Napoleon Dynamite and Felicia Day all talk like it is okay for Shane to do this. WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?! I feel like up is down and black is white. THAT WAS NOT OKAY!
They talk about how it is a changed world and it was for a kid. That doesn't make killing a man right. I guess had Shane turned around and shot Otis in the head after they started eating him. To show some compassion maybe I would be okay but that was awful!
The excuse of it being a new different world doesn't work for me. IF anything that should make EVERY life worth trying to save. They were out running the zombies. Otis wasn't any slower than Shane.
I will admit it was me or someone else in that situation, its someone else, and I assume almost everyone else will say that. It the zombies were two steps behind things would be different but that isn't the case.
Oh and for the record the show is doing something right when I, or anyone, get emotionally interested. Its the sign of good writing in my opinion. Also I assumed Otis was going to die, but not sacrificed and executed like he was. I figured he would sacrifice himself to save Carl to make amends for his accident.
I will say that I am really interested in a few things.
1. Where does this take Shane's character? He is a murderer now, no matter the reason and good that came out of it he killed Otis.
2. What will happen when Rick finds out that Shane killed Otis?
3. Does Shane still want to leave the group (he talked about that in episode 1) or does he now think he can do better than Rick as leader
Okay that is enough ranting. Let me end with this, when Shane is zombie food I will not feel bad. I will be extremely happy. Much like when Shane died on the Shield. Maybe it is all TV characters named Shane that are just asses. Oh and I would love to see Zombie Otis come and eat Shane.
Oh and I was so disappointed to hear Felicia Day say she agreed with what Shane did. That made me a very sad panda
At the end of episode one Carl was shot. In the next episode we meet Otis who shot Carl by accident while hunting, Carl was petting a deer. Otis and Shane went off to get equipment to save Carl. They find a crap ton of zombies and at the end of episode 2 they are trapped in a school with zombies everywhere. They are then being chased during episode 3. Otis risks his life to draw the zombies away so Shane can jump out a window. He does that, sprains his ankle is about to die when here comes Otis to the rescue and saves Shane. They are both 'running' or limping as the case may be. Shane because of his ankle injury Otis...well because Otis is heavyset. They compare how many bullets they have and Shane then shoots Otis in the leg! He shot him, takes his weapon and the equipment and lets the zombies eat him!
Okay I can see Shane's thoughts but then on the Talking Dead, the talk show that follows TWD, the host, the dude of Napoleon Dynamite and Felicia Day all talk like it is okay for Shane to do this. WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?! I feel like up is down and black is white. THAT WAS NOT OKAY!
They talk about how it is a changed world and it was for a kid. That doesn't make killing a man right. I guess had Shane turned around and shot Otis in the head after they started eating him. To show some compassion maybe I would be okay but that was awful!
The excuse of it being a new different world doesn't work for me. IF anything that should make EVERY life worth trying to save. They were out running the zombies. Otis wasn't any slower than Shane.
I will admit it was me or someone else in that situation, its someone else, and I assume almost everyone else will say that. It the zombies were two steps behind things would be different but that isn't the case.
Oh and for the record the show is doing something right when I, or anyone, get emotionally interested. Its the sign of good writing in my opinion. Also I assumed Otis was going to die, but not sacrificed and executed like he was. I figured he would sacrifice himself to save Carl to make amends for his accident.
I will say that I am really interested in a few things.
1. Where does this take Shane's character? He is a murderer now, no matter the reason and good that came out of it he killed Otis.
2. What will happen when Rick finds out that Shane killed Otis?
3. Does Shane still want to leave the group (he talked about that in episode 1) or does he now think he can do better than Rick as leader
Okay that is enough ranting. Let me end with this, when Shane is zombie food I will not feel bad. I will be extremely happy. Much like when Shane died on the Shield. Maybe it is all TV characters named Shane that are just asses. Oh and I would love to see Zombie Otis come and eat Shane.
Oh and I was so disappointed to hear Felicia Day say she agreed with what Shane did. That made me a very sad panda
2011/10/24
Paranormal Activity 3 review
Over the weekend I went and saw Paranormal Activity 3. Those of you who know me know that I saw the first one in the theater 3 times I believe. I loved the movie. I am a big fan of suspenseful movies like this. What I like about these movies is that it isn't about the scare, although the scare is good, its about the build up to the scare. This one is good, not great but good.
Cons: One of the big drawbacks to this flick is its run time. At 85 minutes it is just too short. I would have liked to see another 15 minutes tacked onto the film to help build the end which was really good. The film does a nice job of building slowly but it is suddenly over with little built up to the final 10 minutes or so. There could have a been a little more there. The other thing I didn't like is that it was a little short on the scares. Of course that goes with the run time as well. The other thing is that this one was slightly more predictable than the first two but that happens when you're the third movie I guess.
Pros: The acting is great. The little girl, Jessica Tyler Brown, who plays young Kristi really does a fantastic job. She plays the creepy little girl amazingly. The other little girl, Chloe Csengery who plays young Katie also does a great job. There is a scene she does while playing the old game "Bloody Mary" which might be the best scene in the entire film. That 5-8 minutes is intense and well done especially by her. The scares were well done and Toby (the demon's name in the flick thanks to young Kristi) is pretty well done when he does his stuff.
Overall enjoyable. I would see it again to see if I missed anything although this one was slightly less involved. I also would have liked to see my crush Katie Featherston (from the first two) in it more only because I enjoy her so much! I would give it 3 out of 4. The run time knocked it down some or it would have been a 3.5 out of 4. Really well done overall. I hope this is the end of these movies as I don't want to see it turned into Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street where it runs its course and then some. They told a great story in the three films, gave you all the info you need and it is time to put these to bed.
Cons: One of the big drawbacks to this flick is its run time. At 85 minutes it is just too short. I would have liked to see another 15 minutes tacked onto the film to help build the end which was really good. The film does a nice job of building slowly but it is suddenly over with little built up to the final 10 minutes or so. There could have a been a little more there. The other thing I didn't like is that it was a little short on the scares. Of course that goes with the run time as well. The other thing is that this one was slightly more predictable than the first two but that happens when you're the third movie I guess.
Pros: The acting is great. The little girl, Jessica Tyler Brown, who plays young Kristi really does a fantastic job. She plays the creepy little girl amazingly. The other little girl, Chloe Csengery who plays young Katie also does a great job. There is a scene she does while playing the old game "Bloody Mary" which might be the best scene in the entire film. That 5-8 minutes is intense and well done especially by her. The scares were well done and Toby (the demon's name in the flick thanks to young Kristi) is pretty well done when he does his stuff.
Overall enjoyable. I would see it again to see if I missed anything although this one was slightly less involved. I also would have liked to see my crush Katie Featherston (from the first two) in it more only because I enjoy her so much! I would give it 3 out of 4. The run time knocked it down some or it would have been a 3.5 out of 4. Really well done overall. I hope this is the end of these movies as I don't want to see it turned into Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street where it runs its course and then some. They told a great story in the three films, gave you all the info you need and it is time to put these to bed.
2011/10/21
Transformers 3.....the worst film ever?
I must have done something horrible because I just punished myself by watching Transformers 3. It was the most GOD AWFUL thing I've ever seen on film and I've seen "The Room", "Birdemic", "Battlefield Earth" and "Avatar".
Let me start off with what was good about the movie...and that part is done. That isn't true. Patrick Dempsey was good as was Alan Tudyk even though his part was horrible. Okay that really was the best part of this abomination called a movie.
Now to the bad....where to begin....I really don't know. I'll start with the horrible HORRIBLE acting. It was god awful. Shia LaBeouf should NEVER be allowed to 'act' again. Instead of his usual bumbling in the first two he now is a 'tough' guy which made me miss his bumbling! His parents, who I usually like in...especially Kevin Dunn, are horrible. John Turturro, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich I just felt sorry for. How can talented people like that say the horrible lines they were given. It was written like like I would have wrote a movie as a teenager...and probably now...which isn't a good thing!
Lets move onto the writings. They quote Spock and they have Leonard Nimoy say it. Yeah that is where this movies writing goes. You have Sam's mom talking to him about his girlfriends orgasms. You have the usual horrible things said by the Autobots which I have already forgotten.
Now to the point that really angers me, much like the first two films, the way the Autobots act. I grew up with Transformers. I feel like some of these characters are almost family. I remember crying as kid when Prime died in the animated film. Watching Prowl and Ironhide die gave me nightmares! I've known these characters my whole life and the way they act in the films are not the characters I know. Yes i know this makes me sound like a fan boy but that is because I am. I get the comics still (which by the way are awesome). I still collect the toys, not those from the movie, but those based on the old series and the comics. I own the entire original TV series and the movie. I am one of the ultimate transformers fans out there. Optimus Prime, in my opinion, was one of the true good characters out there. Prime often did the right thing even when he shouldn't have. In the movies you have Prime taking trash while ripping Decepticon apart. You have him killing in this movie when he never would. I am going to give spoilers here so stop reading if you haven't seen this movie and think you might...
In this movie Prime fakes leaving the Earth to teach the leaders of Earth that they can't trust the Decepticon. By doing this Chicago is all but destroyed. Really? REALLY!!
I just realized the Transformers portion of the storyline is basically ripped off from two stories from the old cartoon. The first three episodes, a mini-series, is about Megatron bring Cybertron to Earth. There is also an episode where Megatron and a human trick the government into exiling the Autobots.
In the cartoon of course Prime actually leaves because he is honorable and doesn't sacrifice tens of thousands of humans.
Anyway this would be like George Lucas basically taking a character from Star Wars and making him into a whiny baby....oh wait that happened. I know that this is a new 'universe' as it were but man they didn't get anything right.
There is a scene where Soundwave, with the correct voice that made me smile, is about to execute Bumblebee after killing Wheeljack and I wanted him to do it. I wanted Bumblebee to die. I wanted my favorite character to die. My dream car is an old beetle because of Bumblebee and I waned to see his head blown off. I was glad to see Ironhide die. I wanted to see them all die because then there wouldn't be a chance of another movie.
Yes this is a rant from a fan boy. However it is also a rant from a fan of movies. I can stand the first movie, especially if I pretend it isn't a Transformers movie. It was okay. The second was just bad no matter what. This one though, it was horrible. The special effects are okay. The acting and writing are the worst I've seen for some time.
I give this 0 stars. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. I would watch all those movies mentioned above over and over again before EVER watching this again. May god have mercy on Michael Bay's soul for this movie.
Let me start off with what was good about the movie...and that part is done. That isn't true. Patrick Dempsey was good as was Alan Tudyk even though his part was horrible. Okay that really was the best part of this abomination called a movie.
Now to the bad....where to begin....I really don't know. I'll start with the horrible HORRIBLE acting. It was god awful. Shia LaBeouf should NEVER be allowed to 'act' again. Instead of his usual bumbling in the first two he now is a 'tough' guy which made me miss his bumbling! His parents, who I usually like in...especially Kevin Dunn, are horrible. John Turturro, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich I just felt sorry for. How can talented people like that say the horrible lines they were given. It was written like like I would have wrote a movie as a teenager...and probably now...which isn't a good thing!
Lets move onto the writings. They quote Spock and they have Leonard Nimoy say it. Yeah that is where this movies writing goes. You have Sam's mom talking to him about his girlfriends orgasms. You have the usual horrible things said by the Autobots which I have already forgotten.
Now to the point that really angers me, much like the first two films, the way the Autobots act. I grew up with Transformers. I feel like some of these characters are almost family. I remember crying as kid when Prime died in the animated film. Watching Prowl and Ironhide die gave me nightmares! I've known these characters my whole life and the way they act in the films are not the characters I know. Yes i know this makes me sound like a fan boy but that is because I am. I get the comics still (which by the way are awesome). I still collect the toys, not those from the movie, but those based on the old series and the comics. I own the entire original TV series and the movie. I am one of the ultimate transformers fans out there. Optimus Prime, in my opinion, was one of the true good characters out there. Prime often did the right thing even when he shouldn't have. In the movies you have Prime taking trash while ripping Decepticon apart. You have him killing in this movie when he never would. I am going to give spoilers here so stop reading if you haven't seen this movie and think you might...
In this movie Prime fakes leaving the Earth to teach the leaders of Earth that they can't trust the Decepticon. By doing this Chicago is all but destroyed. Really? REALLY!!
I just realized the Transformers portion of the storyline is basically ripped off from two stories from the old cartoon. The first three episodes, a mini-series, is about Megatron bring Cybertron to Earth. There is also an episode where Megatron and a human trick the government into exiling the Autobots.
In the cartoon of course Prime actually leaves because he is honorable and doesn't sacrifice tens of thousands of humans.
Anyway this would be like George Lucas basically taking a character from Star Wars and making him into a whiny baby....oh wait that happened. I know that this is a new 'universe' as it were but man they didn't get anything right.
There is a scene where Soundwave, with the correct voice that made me smile, is about to execute Bumblebee after killing Wheeljack and I wanted him to do it. I wanted Bumblebee to die. I wanted my favorite character to die. My dream car is an old beetle because of Bumblebee and I waned to see his head blown off. I was glad to see Ironhide die. I wanted to see them all die because then there wouldn't be a chance of another movie.
Yes this is a rant from a fan boy. However it is also a rant from a fan of movies. I can stand the first movie, especially if I pretend it isn't a Transformers movie. It was okay. The second was just bad no matter what. This one though, it was horrible. The special effects are okay. The acting and writing are the worst I've seen for some time.
I give this 0 stars. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. I would watch all those movies mentioned above over and over again before EVER watching this again. May god have mercy on Michael Bay's soul for this movie.
2011/09/23
The Jennifer and Scott Petkov List (Formerly the Tool List) Updated 09/23/11
It has been a while since I posted a blog and updated my Petkov list. However today this list NEARLY got renamed.
Rick Santorum. This Presidential failure....er candidate was asked the following question at the Fox News Debate:
In 2010, when I was deployed to Iraq, I had to lie about who I was, because I'm a gay soldier, and I didn't want to lose my job. My question is, under one of your presidencies, do you intend to circumvent the progress that's been made for gay and lesbian soldiers in the military?
His answer is basically to go back to the way it was because:
"That policy would be re-instituted. And as far as people who are in -- in -- I would not throw them out, because that would be unfair to them because of the policy of this administration, but we would move forward in -- in conformity with what was happening in the past, which was, sex is not an issue. It is -- it should not be an issue. Leave it alone, keep it -- keep it to yourself, whether you're a heterosexual or a homosexual."
Why should people, as the man RISKING HIS FUCKING LIFE IN IRAQ, pretend to be someone else. No homosexual person is prancing around the barracks in pig tails checking out the other guys (well I don't think atleast). I don't think any gay man is saying:
"Hi my name is Gil and I'm a gay man."
You are right leave it out of it but don't make people hide who and what they are. Rick Santorum well to your place on the Petkov list. Look around at the people around you you fuck. They are all worthless pieces of shit and you fit right in. Unlike the real work you might be able to be President here.
The Jennifer and Scott Petkov List. I'll update this when I find a new tool to add to list.
Midland School District Vice President Clint McCance. This assclown went onto face book and posted negative things about homosexuals. Including using the terms "queer" and "fag" repeatedly, promised to disown his own children if they were gay, and stated that he enjoys "the fact that [gay people] often give each other AIDS and die." according to CNN. Well you're on my list and it sickens me that they can't do anything. The cocksucker (yes I see the irony of using that phrase here) should be fired and not allowed within 1000 feet of ANY public education sponsored event or property. He is no different than a drug pusher. He is pushing hate and intolerance which is actually more dangerous than ANY illegal drug out there.
Jennifer and Scott Petkov: They mocked a dying seven year old online and even parked a truck with a coffin in front of their house. FUCK YOU TWO ASSHOLES!
Rene Ellmer: Republican Congressional cadidate from North Carolina. Just look at this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QvKOdiyFaw
Rev. Terry Jones - an asshole cocksucker who on 9/11 is going to lead a burn the Quran rally. Biggest tool in the country
Michael Bay [New 9-3] for...well need I tell you why he is on the list? I HATE YOU MICHAEL BAY! I swear I would kick in the nuts if I ever meet you. Square in the NUTS!
Jan Brewer R-Gov. Arizona [New 9-3] for lying about headless bodies in the desert
Dr. Laura Schlessinger [NEW 9-1] for just being a bitch
Craig Kilborn because he is a tool
Paul Watson is an ass plain and simple
Lars Ulrich because he sued me despite I didn't steal his shitty music
Texas State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball for her responses on Anderson Cooper
Rep. Louie Gohmert for his responses on Anderson Cooper
Rick Santorum. This Presidential failure....er candidate was asked the following question at the Fox News Debate:
In 2010, when I was deployed to Iraq, I had to lie about who I was, because I'm a gay soldier, and I didn't want to lose my job. My question is, under one of your presidencies, do you intend to circumvent the progress that's been made for gay and lesbian soldiers in the military?
His answer is basically to go back to the way it was because:
"That policy would be re-instituted. And as far as people who are in -- in -- I would not throw them out, because that would be unfair to them because of the policy of this administration, but we would move forward in -- in conformity with what was happening in the past, which was, sex is not an issue. It is -- it should not be an issue. Leave it alone, keep it -- keep it to yourself, whether you're a heterosexual or a homosexual."
Why should people, as the man RISKING HIS FUCKING LIFE IN IRAQ, pretend to be someone else. No homosexual person is prancing around the barracks in pig tails checking out the other guys (well I don't think atleast). I don't think any gay man is saying:
"Hi my name is Gil and I'm a gay man."
You are right leave it out of it but don't make people hide who and what they are. Rick Santorum well to your place on the Petkov list. Look around at the people around you you fuck. They are all worthless pieces of shit and you fit right in. Unlike the real work you might be able to be President here.
The Jennifer and Scott Petkov List. I'll update this when I find a new tool to add to list.
Midland School District Vice President Clint McCance. This assclown went onto face book and posted negative things about homosexuals. Including using the terms "queer" and "fag" repeatedly, promised to disown his own children if they were gay, and stated that he enjoys "the fact that [gay people] often give each other AIDS and die." according to CNN. Well you're on my list and it sickens me that they can't do anything. The cocksucker (yes I see the irony of using that phrase here) should be fired and not allowed within 1000 feet of ANY public education sponsored event or property. He is no different than a drug pusher. He is pushing hate and intolerance which is actually more dangerous than ANY illegal drug out there.
Jennifer and Scott Petkov: They mocked a dying seven year old online and even parked a truck with a coffin in front of their house. FUCK YOU TWO ASSHOLES!
Rene Ellmer: Republican Congressional cadidate from North Carolina. Just look at this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QvKOdiyFaw
Rev. Terry Jones - an asshole cocksucker who on 9/11 is going to lead a burn the Quran rally. Biggest tool in the country
Michael Bay [New 9-3] for...well need I tell you why he is on the list? I HATE YOU MICHAEL BAY! I swear I would kick in the nuts if I ever meet you. Square in the NUTS!
Jan Brewer R-Gov. Arizona [New 9-3] for lying about headless bodies in the desert
Dr. Laura Schlessinger [NEW 9-1] for just being a bitch
Craig Kilborn because he is a tool
Paul Watson is an ass plain and simple
Lars Ulrich because he sued me despite I didn't steal his shitty music
Texas State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball for her responses on Anderson Cooper
Rep. Louie Gohmert for his responses on Anderson Cooper
2011/07/12
Book review of Dying to Live: Last Rites
This is the third book in the Dying to Live series. I really enjoyed the first one. The second one was okay but I didn't like where the story was going. I was wrong and Mr. Paffenroth I am sorry for doubting you. This story picks up after Will, Rachel, Truman and Lucy are exiled. I don't want to give too much away as pretty much anything is a spoiler but I will say Rachel and is sick and the other three man some difficult decisions to save her. New Sparta isn't the savior that they think it is.
Let me say this, while this is a third in a zombie series this does not really feel like a zombie book. While the characters, Truman and Lucy, are both zombies neither feel like it. While this book was completely different then World War Z I look it at the same. World War Z was about survival and I look at this the same way. I felt for the characters quite a bit.
Kim takes the zombie story in a very different way as the zombies becomes basically a different species but not the brainless eating machines that so many stories make them. As much as I didn't like Truman and Lucy in Life Sentence I really liked them in this one. The story arch that each character goes through was amazing, especially Lucy's.
I almost don't want to say this is the third in the series as you don't have to have read the others to enjoy this. It is a different book. I extremely enjoyed it and read it in basically two sittings give or take.
Overall I would give say if you enjoy zombie stories this series is a good one. This one is about survival and almost a commentary on human nature...and not a good one but a true one. What happens in this book could happen in our society.
If there is another book in this series I will pick it up and I am going to try and pick up his book about George A. Romero.
Let me say this, while this is a third in a zombie series this does not really feel like a zombie book. While the characters, Truman and Lucy, are both zombies neither feel like it. While this book was completely different then World War Z I look it at the same. World War Z was about survival and I look at this the same way. I felt for the characters quite a bit.
Kim takes the zombie story in a very different way as the zombies becomes basically a different species but not the brainless eating machines that so many stories make them. As much as I didn't like Truman and Lucy in Life Sentence I really liked them in this one. The story arch that each character goes through was amazing, especially Lucy's.
I almost don't want to say this is the third in the series as you don't have to have read the others to enjoy this. It is a different book. I extremely enjoyed it and read it in basically two sittings give or take.
Overall I would give say if you enjoy zombie stories this series is a good one. This one is about survival and almost a commentary on human nature...and not a good one but a true one. What happens in this book could happen in our society.
If there is another book in this series I will pick it up and I am going to try and pick up his book about George A. Romero.
2011/06/19
King of Plagues by Jonathan Maberry
I just finished finally reading the third book in the Joe Ledger series. King of Plagues you into the world of secret societies and Ledger does battle with the Seven Kings.
If you remember I did a review of Dragon Factory last year and became GREAT friends with the auther....okay he sent me a brief thank you, but that is more than enough for me to lie through my teeth. However I am a broadcast journalist (I still miss seeing the Brain on TV) I will not allow that to cloud my judgment.
I really enjoyed this book. It started a bit slow I thought and that is a good thing. It was like a freight train it was slow at first and then it picked up steam and by the end there was nothing stopping it. Unlike the other Ledger adventures this one was going to take more than just brute force and luck. Some great new characters were introduced and I hope continue in the series. I personally would love to know more about Hugo and I liked him from his introduction. There is also some great foreshadowing to future DMS investigations.
We also so the return of two of my favorite characters. The King of Plague and his conscious. Wait, I've read the other books you are saying and those characters are there. Read the book and you'll know the characters! The Conscious actually might be my favorite character in the book....besides Ghost (I have a weakness for dogs as mine is snoring away next to me).
The book is a good mix of straight forward plot and mystery. Maberry does a great job of making the solution so simple that you solve it and then second guess yourself. I had several key parts figured out and dismissed because it couldn't be, that would be too simple yet it isn't. Other 'mysteries' are obvious and they are suppose to be. I found myself several times yelling in my head for Joe to use his head because he is better than this. We also get to meet the infamous Aunt Sallie who I hope we see more of.
Overall another great novel by one of my favorite authors. I would give it 4 out of 5. I think this was better then Dragon Factory but not as good as Patient Zero. His next book, the second in the Rot and Ruin, Dust and Decay comes out at the end of August and I can't wait. Makes me wish I was still working at a book store for the possibility of an advance reader version of it. August is a few months and I don't plan on waiting to read that one like I did this one.
Great work. I know there was a rumor about a possible DMS/Joe Ledger TV Series. I hope it goes on a real network like HBO or Starz where they will give it the proper funding. Patient Zero especially was so vivid that it would be a waste if it ended up like Legend of the Seeker!
Okay got of track there but all talk of the DMS. I am off to buy my DMS Coffee mug.
If you remember I did a review of Dragon Factory last year and became GREAT friends with the auther....okay he sent me a brief thank you, but that is more than enough for me to lie through my teeth. However I am a broadcast journalist (I still miss seeing the Brain on TV) I will not allow that to cloud my judgment.
I really enjoyed this book. It started a bit slow I thought and that is a good thing. It was like a freight train it was slow at first and then it picked up steam and by the end there was nothing stopping it. Unlike the other Ledger adventures this one was going to take more than just brute force and luck. Some great new characters were introduced and I hope continue in the series. I personally would love to know more about Hugo and I liked him from his introduction. There is also some great foreshadowing to future DMS investigations.
We also so the return of two of my favorite characters. The King of Plague and his conscious. Wait, I've read the other books you are saying and those characters are there. Read the book and you'll know the characters! The Conscious actually might be my favorite character in the book....besides Ghost (I have a weakness for dogs as mine is snoring away next to me).
The book is a good mix of straight forward plot and mystery. Maberry does a great job of making the solution so simple that you solve it and then second guess yourself. I had several key parts figured out and dismissed because it couldn't be, that would be too simple yet it isn't. Other 'mysteries' are obvious and they are suppose to be. I found myself several times yelling in my head for Joe to use his head because he is better than this. We also get to meet the infamous Aunt Sallie who I hope we see more of.
Overall another great novel by one of my favorite authors. I would give it 4 out of 5. I think this was better then Dragon Factory but not as good as Patient Zero. His next book, the second in the Rot and Ruin, Dust and Decay comes out at the end of August and I can't wait. Makes me wish I was still working at a book store for the possibility of an advance reader version of it. August is a few months and I don't plan on waiting to read that one like I did this one.
Great work. I know there was a rumor about a possible DMS/Joe Ledger TV Series. I hope it goes on a real network like HBO or Starz where they will give it the proper funding. Patient Zero especially was so vivid that it would be a waste if it ended up like Legend of the Seeker!
Okay got of track there but all talk of the DMS. I am off to buy my DMS Coffee mug.
2011/05/29
American Gangster
I was messing around on Netflix and found a TV show called American Gangster produced by BET (Black Entertainment Television). Those of you who know me know that I love the TV Gangland on History channel and this is in the same vain. Unlinke Gangland, which focuses on a specific gang, American Gangster actually focuses on specific gangsters. This includes Frank Lucus, who the film American Gangster starring Denzel Washington was based on.
I am torn on this show. I enjoy the show because for some reason I'm enthralled with the gang life. The gang life is just so interesting from the thought process to the fact that many of the top "thugs" are actually better business men then some CEO's.
However the show often seems to be an us verse them type mentality. This was really obvious in the first season, again in my opinion. However later on in season 2 that changed and it became more just both sides being said. It could be that I see this because I am not from their world. I've never been in that position.
However I am not going to let that taint a good show. Ving Rhames does the voice overs for the show which is cool because he has an amazing voice.
Overall if you enjoy a Gangland type show. If you like real life stories you'll enjoy this.
I am torn on this show. I enjoy the show because for some reason I'm enthralled with the gang life. The gang life is just so interesting from the thought process to the fact that many of the top "thugs" are actually better business men then some CEO's.
However the show often seems to be an us verse them type mentality. This was really obvious in the first season, again in my opinion. However later on in season 2 that changed and it became more just both sides being said. It could be that I see this because I am not from their world. I've never been in that position.
However I am not going to let that taint a good show. Ving Rhames does the voice overs for the show which is cool because he has an amazing voice.
Overall if you enjoy a Gangland type show. If you like real life stories you'll enjoy this.
2011/05/20
Priest....in 3D!
Last week I went and saw the latest movie adapted from some random comic I guess. Honestly I've never heard of it before. I though it looked cool. I like Paul Bettany after seeing him in the movie Legion. If you haven't seen it you should hunt it down, its pretty damn good. It is on Instant Watch on the Netflix.
Anyway back to Priest....IN 3D! I decided to pay the extra to see this flick in 3D. From the previews I thought it would be really cool. If you look at the preview you've got people throwing awesome throwing stars, an amazing chain whip thing like out of a video game. Bitching looking monsters jumping around at people. Oh it was going to great!
Then I saw the movie...and not so much. Let me rephrase that, the movie was okay but it was really a waste of 3D and the extra money. Very few of the scenes were in 3D.
Now lets look at the specifics of the movie shall we. The plot is simple. Vampires and humans are at war, always at war. Humans have stopped the vampires...but for how long?!?! To stop the vampires the first time they found a group they called the Priests who are like super human fighters. They turned the tide. The church then took over everything. The Priest were then disbanded after the victory. The movie begins!
My first problem with the movie was right here. What I just gave you wasn't shot in awesome battle scenes like the opening scenes of Fellowship of the Ring. Nope it was in a silly cartoon that was drawn like video game Dragon Age 2. It was not a good way to start the movie. Well it didn't quite start that way I don't think. I believe there is a brief action scene first but still not the best way to start in my opinion.
The movie was kind of formulaic. First some exposition. Then a brief action scene. Rinse and repeat. The action scenes were typically brief and the cool scene's you saw in the previews.
It seems that this is just setting up a series of movies. It was slower then you would think with lots of back story. I was expected lots of action and there were only a few fight scenes.
Now let me say that there were good things. Karl Urban was really good in this. He really stole every scene he was in. Also if I could pull off his duster and hat look I would!
Overall it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. If you have time and you want an average movie check this out. 2 out of 5 for this one.
Anyway back to Priest....IN 3D! I decided to pay the extra to see this flick in 3D. From the previews I thought it would be really cool. If you look at the preview you've got people throwing awesome throwing stars, an amazing chain whip thing like out of a video game. Bitching looking monsters jumping around at people. Oh it was going to great!
Then I saw the movie...and not so much. Let me rephrase that, the movie was okay but it was really a waste of 3D and the extra money. Very few of the scenes were in 3D.
Now lets look at the specifics of the movie shall we. The plot is simple. Vampires and humans are at war, always at war. Humans have stopped the vampires...but for how long?!?! To stop the vampires the first time they found a group they called the Priests who are like super human fighters. They turned the tide. The church then took over everything. The Priest were then disbanded after the victory. The movie begins!
My first problem with the movie was right here. What I just gave you wasn't shot in awesome battle scenes like the opening scenes of Fellowship of the Ring. Nope it was in a silly cartoon that was drawn like video game Dragon Age 2. It was not a good way to start the movie. Well it didn't quite start that way I don't think. I believe there is a brief action scene first but still not the best way to start in my opinion.
The movie was kind of formulaic. First some exposition. Then a brief action scene. Rinse and repeat. The action scenes were typically brief and the cool scene's you saw in the previews.
It seems that this is just setting up a series of movies. It was slower then you would think with lots of back story. I was expected lots of action and there were only a few fight scenes.
Now let me say that there were good things. Karl Urban was really good in this. He really stole every scene he was in. Also if I could pull off his duster and hat look I would!
Overall it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. If you have time and you want an average movie check this out. 2 out of 5 for this one.
2011/04/29
Movie Review of Knucklehead
My next review for the world of Netflix's is Knucklehead starring the WWE's Big Show. It also stars Dennis Farina, Melora Hardin and Mark Feuerstein. There is also a bit part by one of my favorite character actors Saul Rubinek.
The movie is all about The Big Show's character traveling and learning to be a fighter after her burns down an orphanages kitchen. Show's character, Walter, is an orphan who never got adopted and just stayed on as a handy man. Mark Feuerstein plays a sorta crooked trainer named Eddie who owes Dennis's character twenty five thousand dollars and is going to use Walter to get money. Dennis of course doesn't want him to get the money.
Show has excellent comedic timing. I've always enjoyed the big man's talent as a wrestler and I actually decided to watch this after watching the documentary that WWE made about his career. If you can find the sketch from SNL with him, The Rock and Mick Foley.
Back to the movie there is a scene where Walter fights bare knuckle Dave. I won't ruin the scene but it involves a funnel cake and a rear naked choke.
This is a family comedy so there is quite a few fart jokes...which of course having the mentality of a 13 year old I laughed at each and every one. Although I really don't need to see the Big Show's ass again.
This is actually a nice feel good comedy with of course the stupid romantic stuff thrown in. It probably would have done okay if it didn't have the WWE stench on it. I mean the last statement sarcastically. People wouldn't, including me, didn't give it a chance because it was from WWE flims. Much like the Condemned with Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones.
If you want just a stupid family comedy I would suggest this. I really enjoyed it.
The movie is all about The Big Show's character traveling and learning to be a fighter after her burns down an orphanages kitchen. Show's character, Walter, is an orphan who never got adopted and just stayed on as a handy man. Mark Feuerstein plays a sorta crooked trainer named Eddie who owes Dennis's character twenty five thousand dollars and is going to use Walter to get money. Dennis of course doesn't want him to get the money.
Show has excellent comedic timing. I've always enjoyed the big man's talent as a wrestler and I actually decided to watch this after watching the documentary that WWE made about his career. If you can find the sketch from SNL with him, The Rock and Mick Foley.
Back to the movie there is a scene where Walter fights bare knuckle Dave. I won't ruin the scene but it involves a funnel cake and a rear naked choke.
This is a family comedy so there is quite a few fart jokes...which of course having the mentality of a 13 year old I laughed at each and every one. Although I really don't need to see the Big Show's ass again.
This is actually a nice feel good comedy with of course the stupid romantic stuff thrown in. It probably would have done okay if it didn't have the WWE stench on it. I mean the last statement sarcastically. People wouldn't, including me, didn't give it a chance because it was from WWE flims. Much like the Condemned with Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones.
If you want just a stupid family comedy I would suggest this. I really enjoyed it.
Movie review of "Exam"
I've returned with yet another movie review! Netflix's is AWESOME! Anyway to my next movie, yet another British flick, Exam.
The plot is that 8 people enter a room for an exam. They are all finalist for a position in an exclusive company. They are given directions and 80 minutes to take this exam. Each person has a piece of paper in front of them. However...there is nothing on the paper. From there people are figuring out how to solve the riddle they've been given to get the biggest chance any of them have had.
As one character says this is one big mind fuck. They are told there is one question and only one answer in this room. If they try to communication with the people in charge they are disqualified. If they leave they room they are disqualified. If they soil the paper in front of them they re disqualified. 80 minutes and go.
From here the people are trying to figure out just what this one question is. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect of it. Is it all for one or is it all about number one? Is this test to see their team work or just how cut throat they can be?
If you like dialog heavy plot lines this is a good movie for you. 3.75 out of 5.
The plot is that 8 people enter a room for an exam. They are all finalist for a position in an exclusive company. They are given directions and 80 minutes to take this exam. Each person has a piece of paper in front of them. However...there is nothing on the paper. From there people are figuring out how to solve the riddle they've been given to get the biggest chance any of them have had.
As one character says this is one big mind fuck. They are told there is one question and only one answer in this room. If they try to communication with the people in charge they are disqualified. If they leave they room they are disqualified. If they soil the paper in front of them they re disqualified. 80 minutes and go.
From here the people are trying to figure out just what this one question is. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect of it. Is it all for one or is it all about number one? Is this test to see their team work or just how cut throat they can be?
If you like dialog heavy plot lines this is a good movie for you. 3.75 out of 5.
Movie review of Rampage
Rampage is a movie directed by Uwe Boll....but don't hold it against the flick. I really enjoyed it but maybe that says something about me. The plot is a young man from a seemingly wealthy family plots a killing spree. Then he does it. That's it. Lots of shooting.
Okay for my next review...wait...you want more? There really isn't more. You have explosions, shooting and bank robbery.
I wish there was more. There is an underlying storyline involving the main characters friend but it was pointless.
I enjoyed the violence in the movie and honestly that is all I wanted when I read the description. If you want just violence with a little social commentary watch this on NetFlix instant watch
Okay for my next review...wait...you want more? There really isn't more. You have explosions, shooting and bank robbery.
I wish there was more. There is an underlying storyline involving the main characters friend but it was pointless.
I enjoyed the violence in the movie and honestly that is all I wanted when I read the description. If you want just violence with a little social commentary watch this on NetFlix instant watch
2011/04/28
From Paris with Love Review
So I couldn't sleep and I decided to watch a movie. This time around it was From Paris with Love starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Let's just start with the fact that this is just a basic action flick. Nothing special so right off the bat I'll start with my score. 2.5 out of 5. I actually probably would have rated it higher if not for Jonathan Rhys Meyers and his role. The whole time I was thinking I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell. I honestly felt that it was Zach Morris running around with Travolta. Actually Mark-Paul Gosselaar could have been a better choice. He was in NYPD Blue. I was also distracted by the look they went for Travolta. Bald and goatee for the bad ass look I guess. Stone Cold pulled it off much better!
The plot is basic. Meyers plays a secret agent of some kind and wants to move up in the agency. Travolta plays the rugged vet who gets assigned to team with Meyers and hilarity ensues. Wait...that isn't right. They went with the basic and Meyers is dumbfounded by Travolta's off the cuff tactics. Half the movie Meyers carries around a vase full of coke. Yeah just carries it around and no one asks anything. I will say the action scenes are pretty cool and the chase scene with the bazooka was awesome.
There was one scene where Travolta goes down a fireman's pole, I don't want to ruin it too much, that nearly put it over the top. Basic action flick with horrible dialog and I almost felt like Travolta was doing the same character as Face-Off. It is on instant watch and only and hour and a half. If you like a basic action flick watch this.
There was one scene where I just about gave up on the movie. T
Let's just start with the fact that this is just a basic action flick. Nothing special so right off the bat I'll start with my score. 2.5 out of 5. I actually probably would have rated it higher if not for Jonathan Rhys Meyers and his role. The whole time I was thinking I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell. I honestly felt that it was Zach Morris running around with Travolta. Actually Mark-Paul Gosselaar could have been a better choice. He was in NYPD Blue. I was also distracted by the look they went for Travolta. Bald and goatee for the bad ass look I guess. Stone Cold pulled it off much better!
The plot is basic. Meyers plays a secret agent of some kind and wants to move up in the agency. Travolta plays the rugged vet who gets assigned to team with Meyers and hilarity ensues. Wait...that isn't right. They went with the basic and Meyers is dumbfounded by Travolta's off the cuff tactics. Half the movie Meyers carries around a vase full of coke. Yeah just carries it around and no one asks anything. I will say the action scenes are pretty cool and the chase scene with the bazooka was awesome.
There was one scene where Travolta goes down a fireman's pole, I don't want to ruin it too much, that nearly put it over the top. Basic action flick with horrible dialog and I almost felt like Travolta was doing the same character as Face-Off. It is on instant watch and only and hour and a half. If you like a basic action flick watch this.
There was one scene where I just about gave up on the movie. T
2011/04/27
Review of the movie "Doghouse"
Doghouse is a flick I found while just messing around in Netflix's instant watch. This is the description on netflix:
"Six guys hell-bent on having a raucous weekend away from wives and lovers arrive in the town of Moodley. But something's odd about this quaint hamlet. Where are the men? And why do all the women look like they're thirsting for blood? The poor blokes soon discover that half the population has been wiped out by the same virus-infected, man-hating cannibals terrorizing them. Stephen Graham, Danny Dyer, Noel Clarke and Lee Ingleby star."
How could I NOT check this flick out? I didn't notice but Mickey from Doctor Who starred in it as well (Noel Clarke).
This was done in a similar tone as Shaun of the Dead where the main characters are morons while things go to hell around them. The deaths are over the top most of the time which is fun. The gore is over the top which is cool and everyone does a great job in their roles.
As the description above says, a group of pals decide to take their recently divorced friend away for a weekend of drinking. They got to Mikey's (Noel Clarke's) grandma's house in a small wooded town. She is out on a cruise. When they get there the town is dead...almost literally. About 25-30 minutes in you run into your first crazy woman and then it goes from there. The group of guys are dumb and running around. The humor is done with their reactions much like in Shaun of the Dead.
Overall I really enjoy this flick. It is British and I don't think it made it over here to the states but I could be wrong. Noel plays Mickey basically which made it slightly better in my opinion.
Again Overall I enjoyed it and I left it in my queue as I might even watch it a second time. There you go, another night at the movies with the Fat Man.
"Six guys hell-bent on having a raucous weekend away from wives and lovers arrive in the town of Moodley. But something's odd about this quaint hamlet. Where are the men? And why do all the women look like they're thirsting for blood? The poor blokes soon discover that half the population has been wiped out by the same virus-infected, man-hating cannibals terrorizing them. Stephen Graham, Danny Dyer, Noel Clarke and Lee Ingleby star."
How could I NOT check this flick out? I didn't notice but Mickey from Doctor Who starred in it as well (Noel Clarke).
This was done in a similar tone as Shaun of the Dead where the main characters are morons while things go to hell around them. The deaths are over the top most of the time which is fun. The gore is over the top which is cool and everyone does a great job in their roles.
As the description above says, a group of pals decide to take their recently divorced friend away for a weekend of drinking. They got to Mikey's (Noel Clarke's) grandma's house in a small wooded town. She is out on a cruise. When they get there the town is dead...almost literally. About 25-30 minutes in you run into your first crazy woman and then it goes from there. The group of guys are dumb and running around. The humor is done with their reactions much like in Shaun of the Dead.
Overall I really enjoy this flick. It is British and I don't think it made it over here to the states but I could be wrong. Noel plays Mickey basically which made it slightly better in my opinion.
Again Overall I enjoyed it and I left it in my queue as I might even watch it a second time. There you go, another night at the movies with the Fat Man.
2011/04/26
Review of Michael Moore hates America
With Netflix I am finding all sort of things I never knew of. Such as this movie. Now let me start by saying that I am a fan of Michael Moore. I have seen, I think, all of his films. I don't always agree with him, such his last one about Capitalism, but I do watch them. I am also not a fan of his methods at times. He lies about what the films are about and uses the ambush method of interviewing people which I don't agree with either. However I think he gets people thinking and that is important.
Now this film is done almost exactly like a Moore film. Horrible narration, weird boring shots of nothing, interviews with people who really have nothing to do with the subject but are somehow in a weird six degrees of separation way of making it part of the main point.
The idea is that Michael Wilson, who finds quite a few holes in the Bowling of Columbine movie. He decides to make a movie about it and try to interview Moore. Moore of course doesn't respond. It is then all about Wilson proving that Moore hates actually hates America.
Wilson goes to Flint, Michigan and New York to try and find Moore. He also go to the bank where Moore got his free gun for opening an account in Bowling. It was extremely staged according to the teller and people from the bank. Penn Jillette is also featured in it talking about documentaries throughout.
Overall I enjoyed it. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. Its a couple of years old but I enjoyed it more than I did Capitalism.
Now this film is done almost exactly like a Moore film. Horrible narration, weird boring shots of nothing, interviews with people who really have nothing to do with the subject but are somehow in a weird six degrees of separation way of making it part of the main point.
The idea is that Michael Wilson, who finds quite a few holes in the Bowling of Columbine movie. He decides to make a movie about it and try to interview Moore. Moore of course doesn't respond. It is then all about Wilson proving that Moore hates actually hates America.
Wilson goes to Flint, Michigan and New York to try and find Moore. He also go to the bank where Moore got his free gun for opening an account in Bowling. It was extremely staged according to the teller and people from the bank. Penn Jillette is also featured in it talking about documentaries throughout.
Overall I enjoyed it. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. Its a couple of years old but I enjoyed it more than I did Capitalism.
2011/04/25
Deep in the Valley Review
So I am pretty sick today (I think food poisoning) and I recently picked up a free month of netflixs. One of the first movies that came up that I've never heard of was "Deep in the Valley" because I like Scott Caan. The idea of the movie is a loser and successful friend end up winning a old porn booth. After getting into it they are taken to a world that is all set in the world of Diamond Jim's porns, which the loser, Lester, knows everything about. From there it is just one horrible porn joke after another although it made me laugh quite often. Diamond Jim is played by Christopher McDonald who is Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore. It isn't something that I would say you have to watch but if you're bored one night, you have netflixs and aren't offended by boobs you will enjoy this I think. I laughed quite a few times. It kind of reminds me of the old National Lampoon movies. Some brief nudity and lots of sophomoric humor.
Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Caan and McGavin are both great and lots of good young women.
Oh and on a personal note if you are wondering I think I have food poisoning. I don't feel bad except for all the puking. I hope to return to normal life tomorrow.
Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Caan and McGavin are both great and lots of good young women.
Oh and on a personal note if you are wondering I think I have food poisoning. I don't feel bad except for all the puking. I hope to return to normal life tomorrow.
2011/03/13
Review of Battle: Los Angeles
Today I did something I hadn't done since July. No it wasn't take a shower, I do that once a month if I need it or not. I went to see a movie. We were talking about it last night while gaming and I realized that it had been that long AND that I could afford it once a week or so. Also I am quite stressed and a movie relaxes. I went to movies.yahoo.com and found out what was playing at my local Cinemark theatres. Most of it looked like NOTHING I would enjoy. Then I saw it. Battle: Los Angeles
I had heard of this movie but without TV now I don't see previews and I was out of the loop. It stars Aaron Eckhart, Bridget Moynahan, Cory Hardrict and Michelle Rodriguez atleast those are the people you would know. Bridget, while I enjoy her wasn't a star really.
Anyway I really enjoyed this film. It was everything that District 9 wasn't and I mean that in a good way. District 9 was trying to make a politically point and wasn't close to what I expected. I really like the movie and own the DVD but it wasn't what I wanted. I wanted explosions, shooting, people screaming and stuff like that. That is what you get from Battle: Los Angeles.
The plot is basic, meteors are crashing off the coast of most major cities and then BAM alien! Aaron Eckhart plays a SSgt. Michael Nantz who is putting in his retirement papers when he finishes his current training mission. Very cliche I know but there is more I could say but I don't want to ruin anything. He replaces another soldier who is off on leave and he is trust into action. From there you get explosions, aliens, more explosions, shooting, yet more explosions, Michael Pena of Shield Fame, an actual emotional scene and yes more explosions.
As I said earlier this is what I wanted when I went to District 9 originally. Was this "The Kings Speech"? I don't know as that doesn't look entertaining to me but I doubt it. This was dumb excitement and I loved it. It was slightly long and could have been cut down a little. I applaud them to try and make us care about the characters at the start but that isn't what you want from movies like this typically. They tried but they tried to be too much at times. I just wanted to see stuff blow up and they gave me that.
Overall I would give it 3.75 out of 5. Was it a movie I would see again? Probably not. Depending on DVD extras I could possibly get the DVD. The acting was well done and Aaron gave a great speech at on point. He really does good in movies that shouldn't be any good, The Core, Thank You for Smoking, and lets be honest no one expected anything from that Dark Knight POS (sarcasm on the last one, please don't send death threats!).
If you want just a stupid action flick this is a great option. It isn't preachy like almost everything else anymore. It was just dumb entertainment and I dug it. I am doing six days next week at work and I might not get a chance to go see a flick next week. Paul is my next flick I think as it comes out this week.
I had heard of this movie but without TV now I don't see previews and I was out of the loop. It stars Aaron Eckhart, Bridget Moynahan, Cory Hardrict and Michelle Rodriguez atleast those are the people you would know. Bridget, while I enjoy her wasn't a star really.
Anyway I really enjoyed this film. It was everything that District 9 wasn't and I mean that in a good way. District 9 was trying to make a politically point and wasn't close to what I expected. I really like the movie and own the DVD but it wasn't what I wanted. I wanted explosions, shooting, people screaming and stuff like that. That is what you get from Battle: Los Angeles.
The plot is basic, meteors are crashing off the coast of most major cities and then BAM alien! Aaron Eckhart plays a SSgt. Michael Nantz who is putting in his retirement papers when he finishes his current training mission. Very cliche I know but there is more I could say but I don't want to ruin anything. He replaces another soldier who is off on leave and he is trust into action. From there you get explosions, aliens, more explosions, shooting, yet more explosions, Michael Pena of Shield Fame, an actual emotional scene and yes more explosions.
As I said earlier this is what I wanted when I went to District 9 originally. Was this "The Kings Speech"? I don't know as that doesn't look entertaining to me but I doubt it. This was dumb excitement and I loved it. It was slightly long and could have been cut down a little. I applaud them to try and make us care about the characters at the start but that isn't what you want from movies like this typically. They tried but they tried to be too much at times. I just wanted to see stuff blow up and they gave me that.
Overall I would give it 3.75 out of 5. Was it a movie I would see again? Probably not. Depending on DVD extras I could possibly get the DVD. The acting was well done and Aaron gave a great speech at on point. He really does good in movies that shouldn't be any good, The Core, Thank You for Smoking, and lets be honest no one expected anything from that Dark Knight POS (sarcasm on the last one, please don't send death threats!).
If you want just a stupid action flick this is a great option. It isn't preachy like almost everything else anymore. It was just dumb entertainment and I dug it. I am doing six days next week at work and I might not get a chance to go see a flick next week. Paul is my next flick I think as it comes out this week.
2011/03/01
A ranting blog (teachers may not like this)
Okay today I am going to just throw out a bunch of random stuff that pisses me off. Today’s blog is brought to you by the letter “S”. S can form cool words like Sleep and Shit.
• First off I am so sick and tired of people being late for work? There is NO excuse for it. Okay there is but very few. Heart attack, I’ll allow it. Car Accident, okay. Hmmm, I don’t know what else I can accept as an excuse. Proper planning typically will fix anything else. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was late for work. I really can’t.
• Little kids going door to door trying to sell things really piss me off. It really does. Nothing worse then on a lazy Sunday afternoon having some snot nosed little bastard knocking on the door to try and sell you overpriced crap. Especially in an apartment complex that says no soliciting. Should have told them off is what I should have done.
• Panhandlers are the same way. A few weeks ago I had one come up to a friend and I asking for money and my friend was going to give him a quarter and the guy was like “that’s it?” He then went on a rant because I was in shorts and t-shirt. The guy had a really nice winter jacket, backpack, headphones, was pretty clean shaven, oakleys and stuff like that. What he was doing was his job because suckers will
give him money. Personally I only wanted to give him a kick to the crotch.
• People. Yeah I am pretty sick of people in general. It is always I need this NOW so when you do it then they don’t get back to you. What they mean is I need this NOW when it is convenient for me.
From here you can stop reading as those are the few things that have pissed me off recently besides this big rant that I’m about to go on.
But the biggest thing that has pissed me off recently are those assclowns in Wisconsin. No not the Governor, the teachers. Yeah in this case I am pissed at the teacher. Now before you all go off and think I’ve gone to the dark side or something (I can’t go where I already am by the way) let me explain. First off take emotions out of the equation because that will only cause trouble.
What job do the teachers have? I know that seems like a stupid question but keep following me and you’ll get why I’m pissed at them. What job do they have? To teach, right? So why are we hearing about schools shutting down for days at a time? Because the teachers are sick and by sick we mean taking sick days and protesting at the capital.
Do you know what I would do if I was the Governor? I would find out which teachers are protesting, and if they have taken sick days instead of personal days to do this, I would fire them. FIRE THEM! Then he won’t have to lay people off.
What they are doing is wrong. What kind of example is this to the students? Don’t like what is happening? Walk out! Protest! Instead of doing it through proper channels just protest. I lost all respect for these ‘teachers’ when I heard of this. Protesting on your time, more power to you, but doing it on the tax payers time is wrong. Then I heard about them taking their students and I nearly lost it. Stories, and I don’t know if all of them are true but if even one is true it wrong, of teachers having the kids making protest signs and then marching. There is a video of High School kids protesting and when asked why they had no idea that their teacher brought them there. Well that teacher is BULLSHIT! Carrying around nazi signs, really? Nazi’s killed people did the Governor do something that I didn’t hear about?
Now the problem is that there are a lot of good teachers who are going to get put with these assholes. I am sorry for that, I really am. I taught and I know it is a thankless job. However it is the job you picked. If you don’t like it, you can leave. I for a while had planned to stay with Barnes and Noble, to continue to move up the ladder there until I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted anymore. I can go into details but it was mostly politics there (and not Dems and Rep crap). So do you know what I did? I left and got a new job! I left a job that I really enjoyed, and I did enjoy BN…and I wish I could have stayed, because I knew the future that was there for me wasn’t the future I wanted. Teachers can do that too. There are a lot of other opportunities out there for educators.
This unfair wage stuff is crap as well. Do a little research and you’ll find that isn’t true. Do they have to work long hours at time, yes they do. Do they have to deal with shit from the ungrateful worthless students, of course they do. Did they know all that before they got into it? They should have!
Now I don’t want it to sound like I am bashing all teachers. I loved teaching and if I wasn’t so extremely lazy I would finish my degree and possibly go back to it. I miss it and by most accounts I was good at it. The four months I did it I had test scores up 25%. I got a student to pass his basic math test that two others couldn’t do. I respect teachers who teach. I don’t respect those who walk out and protest instead of doing their jobs.
Quite frankly that is what the union is there for right? You pay the union to deal with things like this so that you can do what you love, teaching. I was lucky I was at a private school and didn’t have to join a union, I don’t believe they are needed any more. Unions take money and do nothing for the people anymore. Need examples, look at GM. They took and took and took from GM. They bleed them dry and now are giving away benefits to keep their own jobs. Or my great grandfather who paid into the union for some 40 years or something and then after he retired they took all his benefits away. No money coming in so they didn’t care. Unions were good in the early 1900’s but now they are dragging companies down, in my opinion of course.
Anyway back to the Wisconsin asshats. I was with them until they walked out. Now it isn’t all them. The governor has got what he wanted and yet he is still threatening to take away collective bargaining. That isn’t right either. Personally they are both wrong for different reasons. I am not as upset with the governor as I am the teachers. They have given a very poor example to their students and have turned a major portion of the public against teachers. It is one of those things where they had the right to do it but was it the right thing to do?
• First off I am so sick and tired of people being late for work? There is NO excuse for it. Okay there is but very few. Heart attack, I’ll allow it. Car Accident, okay. Hmmm, I don’t know what else I can accept as an excuse. Proper planning typically will fix anything else. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was late for work. I really can’t.
• Little kids going door to door trying to sell things really piss me off. It really does. Nothing worse then on a lazy Sunday afternoon having some snot nosed little bastard knocking on the door to try and sell you overpriced crap. Especially in an apartment complex that says no soliciting. Should have told them off is what I should have done.
• Panhandlers are the same way. A few weeks ago I had one come up to a friend and I asking for money and my friend was going to give him a quarter and the guy was like “that’s it?” He then went on a rant because I was in shorts and t-shirt. The guy had a really nice winter jacket, backpack, headphones, was pretty clean shaven, oakleys and stuff like that. What he was doing was his job because suckers will
give him money. Personally I only wanted to give him a kick to the crotch.
• People. Yeah I am pretty sick of people in general. It is always I need this NOW so when you do it then they don’t get back to you. What they mean is I need this NOW when it is convenient for me.
From here you can stop reading as those are the few things that have pissed me off recently besides this big rant that I’m about to go on.
But the biggest thing that has pissed me off recently are those assclowns in Wisconsin. No not the Governor, the teachers. Yeah in this case I am pissed at the teacher. Now before you all go off and think I’ve gone to the dark side or something (I can’t go where I already am by the way) let me explain. First off take emotions out of the equation because that will only cause trouble.
What job do the teachers have? I know that seems like a stupid question but keep following me and you’ll get why I’m pissed at them. What job do they have? To teach, right? So why are we hearing about schools shutting down for days at a time? Because the teachers are sick and by sick we mean taking sick days and protesting at the capital.
Do you know what I would do if I was the Governor? I would find out which teachers are protesting, and if they have taken sick days instead of personal days to do this, I would fire them. FIRE THEM! Then he won’t have to lay people off.
What they are doing is wrong. What kind of example is this to the students? Don’t like what is happening? Walk out! Protest! Instead of doing it through proper channels just protest. I lost all respect for these ‘teachers’ when I heard of this. Protesting on your time, more power to you, but doing it on the tax payers time is wrong. Then I heard about them taking their students and I nearly lost it. Stories, and I don’t know if all of them are true but if even one is true it wrong, of teachers having the kids making protest signs and then marching. There is a video of High School kids protesting and when asked why they had no idea that their teacher brought them there. Well that teacher is BULLSHIT! Carrying around nazi signs, really? Nazi’s killed people did the Governor do something that I didn’t hear about?
Now the problem is that there are a lot of good teachers who are going to get put with these assholes. I am sorry for that, I really am. I taught and I know it is a thankless job. However it is the job you picked. If you don’t like it, you can leave. I for a while had planned to stay with Barnes and Noble, to continue to move up the ladder there until I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted anymore. I can go into details but it was mostly politics there (and not Dems and Rep crap). So do you know what I did? I left and got a new job! I left a job that I really enjoyed, and I did enjoy BN…and I wish I could have stayed, because I knew the future that was there for me wasn’t the future I wanted. Teachers can do that too. There are a lot of other opportunities out there for educators.
This unfair wage stuff is crap as well. Do a little research and you’ll find that isn’t true. Do they have to work long hours at time, yes they do. Do they have to deal with shit from the ungrateful worthless students, of course they do. Did they know all that before they got into it? They should have!
Now I don’t want it to sound like I am bashing all teachers. I loved teaching and if I wasn’t so extremely lazy I would finish my degree and possibly go back to it. I miss it and by most accounts I was good at it. The four months I did it I had test scores up 25%. I got a student to pass his basic math test that two others couldn’t do. I respect teachers who teach. I don’t respect those who walk out and protest instead of doing their jobs.
Quite frankly that is what the union is there for right? You pay the union to deal with things like this so that you can do what you love, teaching. I was lucky I was at a private school and didn’t have to join a union, I don’t believe they are needed any more. Unions take money and do nothing for the people anymore. Need examples, look at GM. They took and took and took from GM. They bleed them dry and now are giving away benefits to keep their own jobs. Or my great grandfather who paid into the union for some 40 years or something and then after he retired they took all his benefits away. No money coming in so they didn’t care. Unions were good in the early 1900’s but now they are dragging companies down, in my opinion of course.
Anyway back to the Wisconsin asshats. I was with them until they walked out. Now it isn’t all them. The governor has got what he wanted and yet he is still threatening to take away collective bargaining. That isn’t right either. Personally they are both wrong for different reasons. I am not as upset with the governor as I am the teachers. They have given a very poor example to their students and have turned a major portion of the public against teachers. It is one of those things where they had the right to do it but was it the right thing to do?
2011/02/26
Response to a face book post
This is a response to a face book post by a friend. I started answering it and as you can see I went off for a while. Its about education but I think you can get that.
Tonia you're living in a fantasy world. People who work hard don't always get ahead. How would you know who is a good teacher and who is a bad one? Test scores? Teachers will teach to the test. Graduation/pass rates? They will lower the expectations or just pass kids through. Teaching, to a certain extent, is a subjective field. A good teacher might not actually 'teach' you anything. There are so many different levels of teaching. My favorite teacher actually taught me nothing but how to be a better person (which I failed at but that is my fault not Mr. Hylen's). A teacher can teach you something but they can't make you learn it and that is the difference. Education shouldn't be about memorization anymore. There is a saying in the military, and I am butchering it, but its something to the extent that we are always ready to fight the last war during the current one. We are finally ready to teach my parents generation now that we are on to their grand kids. We are still “teaching” memorization of facts instead of application of those facts. When I was teaching (and I did raise test scores 25% in the four months I was there so I guess I was a “good” teacher) I didn’t care if they couldn’t remember the Pythagoras' Theorem but that they knew HOW to apply it.
Raising taxes aren't a good answer either. In the current political climate that won't work. People don't want to see higher taxes. If Michigan raises the taxes on say...um...I can't think of a local business based in Michigan but lets say Meijer's. They will pack up and go to a state that DOESN'T "over" tax them. While we see them as unnecessary tax cuts just think what would happen if they didn't have those breaks and left all together. Especially in a state like Michigan where you Detroit losing (at one point atleast) 10% of its population every year and you had GM just decimate the economy the state can’t afford to risk losing any major employers. That is why you see cities like Ann Arbor, or maybe it was even the state I can’t remember now, giving Google that huge tax break to build in Ann Arbor. That is why companies GM and Ford get them.
There is no good answer. In my opinion, and trust me it PAINS me to say this, but I agree with Tonia. Much like GM the unions have hurt themselves with outrageous requests and while they flourished (to a certain extent) they have painted themselves into a corner. They have hurt themselves in the long run and really hurt what should have been their main focus, the students.
As I implied earlier in my opinion what we need to do is stop looking at education as a whole like it is still the 20th century. Smaller class size doesn't mean anything if we aren't giving the kids what they need NOW not twenty years ago.
However often it isn’t the teachers or the schools fault. What this country needs to do is take a long look in the mirror and realize that WE have put us in this position. Because I like to use wrestling and TV as examples take a look at the line below from when Good Ol’ JR interviewed Mick “Mankind” Foley:
Jim Ross: Don't you think, that it's about time in your life, where you look squarely in the mirror, and accepted the personal responsibility for who you are? Don't you believe that you, yourself, have caused and brought on all these problems?
That is what WE as a whole need to do. The problems in this country are OUR fault.
Now I don't have the answer. If I didn't i would have been a cafe manager or working at an IT Desk right now. I have been on the front lines of education for short period of times. I have had to reach TEACH 18 years old how to read and do basic math. I can tell you what isn’t working but that is only part of the equation. That is like having 2x+3 but not knowing what it equals to solve it. I don’t have the answer but I can tell you what won’t fix it. All this fighting that this country has been doing since 2000. This is a problem that will, hopefully, be solved, and by better and smarter men than I. I am just a guy who has to walk students through a very easy user ID claim process on a daily basis.
Tonia you're living in a fantasy world. People who work hard don't always get ahead. How would you know who is a good teacher and who is a bad one? Test scores? Teachers will teach to the test. Graduation/pass rates? They will lower the expectations or just pass kids through. Teaching, to a certain extent, is a subjective field. A good teacher might not actually 'teach' you anything. There are so many different levels of teaching. My favorite teacher actually taught me nothing but how to be a better person (which I failed at but that is my fault not Mr. Hylen's). A teacher can teach you something but they can't make you learn it and that is the difference. Education shouldn't be about memorization anymore. There is a saying in the military, and I am butchering it, but its something to the extent that we are always ready to fight the last war during the current one. We are finally ready to teach my parents generation now that we are on to their grand kids. We are still “teaching” memorization of facts instead of application of those facts. When I was teaching (and I did raise test scores 25% in the four months I was there so I guess I was a “good” teacher) I didn’t care if they couldn’t remember the Pythagoras' Theorem but that they knew HOW to apply it.
Raising taxes aren't a good answer either. In the current political climate that won't work. People don't want to see higher taxes. If Michigan raises the taxes on say...um...I can't think of a local business based in Michigan but lets say Meijer's. They will pack up and go to a state that DOESN'T "over" tax them. While we see them as unnecessary tax cuts just think what would happen if they didn't have those breaks and left all together. Especially in a state like Michigan where you Detroit losing (at one point atleast) 10% of its population every year and you had GM just decimate the economy the state can’t afford to risk losing any major employers. That is why you see cities like Ann Arbor, or maybe it was even the state I can’t remember now, giving Google that huge tax break to build in Ann Arbor. That is why companies GM and Ford get them.
There is no good answer. In my opinion, and trust me it PAINS me to say this, but I agree with Tonia. Much like GM the unions have hurt themselves with outrageous requests and while they flourished (to a certain extent) they have painted themselves into a corner. They have hurt themselves in the long run and really hurt what should have been their main focus, the students.
As I implied earlier in my opinion what we need to do is stop looking at education as a whole like it is still the 20th century. Smaller class size doesn't mean anything if we aren't giving the kids what they need NOW not twenty years ago.
However often it isn’t the teachers or the schools fault. What this country needs to do is take a long look in the mirror and realize that WE have put us in this position. Because I like to use wrestling and TV as examples take a look at the line below from when Good Ol’ JR interviewed Mick “Mankind” Foley:
Jim Ross: Don't you think, that it's about time in your life, where you look squarely in the mirror, and accepted the personal responsibility for who you are? Don't you believe that you, yourself, have caused and brought on all these problems?
That is what WE as a whole need to do. The problems in this country are OUR fault.
Now I don't have the answer. If I didn't i would have been a cafe manager or working at an IT Desk right now. I have been on the front lines of education for short period of times. I have had to reach TEACH 18 years old how to read and do basic math. I can tell you what isn’t working but that is only part of the equation. That is like having 2x+3 but not knowing what it equals to solve it. I don’t have the answer but I can tell you what won’t fix it. All this fighting that this country has been doing since 2000. This is a problem that will, hopefully, be solved, and by better and smarter men than I. I am just a guy who has to walk students through a very easy user ID claim process on a daily basis.
2011/02/18
Review of Inception
I finally got around to watching Inception and...well....it could have been worse. I'm not sure how but it could have been I'm sure.
Okay this movie was very boring. It is just under two and a half hours long and to be honest seemed twice that at least. The rambling exposition. The boring action scenes. Honestly I was completely bored by this movie. Completely and utterly bored.
I would like to explain the plot here but I honestly haven't got a clue. Okay that isn't completely true because I do understand what happened its just boring and overly complicated. It really was.
The acting was okay, well some of it was. Cobra Commander and Juno were both fantastic in their roles. Beyond that....well it could have been worse.
It makes me wonder if Nolan didn't just go to the heads of the studio and be like "I made Batman damn it let me make some shitty shit too." basically using the Family Guy plead that I made something good so you have to let me make whatever I want now.
Now I'm not exactly a person who hates complex movies. The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies. This movie...not so much.
I am not going to rail on this movie too much more. I would NOT recommend this movie. Again I was bored and would hate to see others waste their time. If you are a big fan of the star of Critters 3, then you should check it out. If you enjoy a lot of extremely boring exposition then you should check it out.
I would give this a 1 out of 5. Again some decent acting and an interesting plot that was just extremely complicated.
Okay this movie was very boring. It is just under two and a half hours long and to be honest seemed twice that at least. The rambling exposition. The boring action scenes. Honestly I was completely bored by this movie. Completely and utterly bored.
I would like to explain the plot here but I honestly haven't got a clue. Okay that isn't completely true because I do understand what happened its just boring and overly complicated. It really was.
The acting was okay, well some of it was. Cobra Commander and Juno were both fantastic in their roles. Beyond that....well it could have been worse.
It makes me wonder if Nolan didn't just go to the heads of the studio and be like "I made Batman damn it let me make some shitty shit too." basically using the Family Guy plead that I made something good so you have to let me make whatever I want now.
Now I'm not exactly a person who hates complex movies. The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies. This movie...not so much.
I am not going to rail on this movie too much more. I would NOT recommend this movie. Again I was bored and would hate to see others waste their time. If you are a big fan of the star of Critters 3, then you should check it out. If you enjoy a lot of extremely boring exposition then you should check it out.
I would give this a 1 out of 5. Again some decent acting and an interesting plot that was just extremely complicated.
2011/02/15
Review of "Countdown to Lockdown" by Mick Foley
Mick's latest book was an interesting one. First let me say a few things for people who don't know me very well. I've been a fan of Mick's since he debuted for the WWF back in 1996 when he debuted as Mankind. At that point my "sickness" as Roddy Piper called it might have almost been at its worst or pretty damn close. I didn't miss a wrestling show and Mankind quickly became one of my favorite characters. However as I learned more about Mick Foley the more I realized he was a good person. Mick's first book was something for years and years I was rarely found without. I am ashamed to admit I haven't read either of novels. I was even lucky enough to have meet Mick briefly even though I was so nervous I didn't really say much but I do have a picture of myself with the Hardcore Legend and I got his autograph. I am saying this so that you can get the impact of what I'm saying. This book would have been better without the underlying story of his Lockdown match with Sting.
His last book, Hardcore Diaries, was set up the same way. In this book the story is Mick getting ready for his match with Sting in a steel cage match. Mick will then tell other stories or write about other things in between chapters.
There are two chapters in particular that I enjoyed. One talking about the Chris Benoit tragedy and the other being a chapter on steroids. Mick is a great writer in that he writes as a person would talk.
I am in no way trying to compare myself with Mick but I think my blogs are written in a similar style, more a stream of consciousness. It comes off as real and it is one of the reason I enjoy his fantastic books.
Another thing that I liked was reading about all of Mick's charitable acts. It is great to hear that he has taken his stardom and done such good things with it. His building of schools and donating his advance to RAINN.
Overall the story of his match with Sting, while slightly interesting, just didn't keep me as interesting as the Hardcore Diaries did. One interesting thing is that Mick doesn't shy away from his own doubts like some stars would.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Mick's other books it was still good and had its moments. I really enjoyed the line about the Motor City Machine Gunns, his wife and a double team....I'll let you read it to find out what the story was, I actually was laughing out loud at that one.
Mick is a person I respect as a performer and a man. If you're a fan of Mick's you'll enjoy the book. If you want some good stories and some insight into the business and the mind of a true legend.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5. While not his best work still enjoyable.
Next up...I don't know. I have a few zombie books to read. Tomorrow, I believe, Chris Jericho's second book comes out so I've gotta read his first book. I've also got the Jim Butcher series, Doctor Who, The Dexter Series, The Left Behind Series, The Hunger Games series, and many others. Who knows what is next. Until next time, Abyssinia!
His last book, Hardcore Diaries, was set up the same way. In this book the story is Mick getting ready for his match with Sting in a steel cage match. Mick will then tell other stories or write about other things in between chapters.
There are two chapters in particular that I enjoyed. One talking about the Chris Benoit tragedy and the other being a chapter on steroids. Mick is a great writer in that he writes as a person would talk.
I am in no way trying to compare myself with Mick but I think my blogs are written in a similar style, more a stream of consciousness. It comes off as real and it is one of the reason I enjoy his fantastic books.
Another thing that I liked was reading about all of Mick's charitable acts. It is great to hear that he has taken his stardom and done such good things with it. His building of schools and donating his advance to RAINN.
Overall the story of his match with Sting, while slightly interesting, just didn't keep me as interesting as the Hardcore Diaries did. One interesting thing is that Mick doesn't shy away from his own doubts like some stars would.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Mick's other books it was still good and had its moments. I really enjoyed the line about the Motor City Machine Gunns, his wife and a double team....I'll let you read it to find out what the story was, I actually was laughing out loud at that one.
Mick is a person I respect as a performer and a man. If you're a fan of Mick's you'll enjoy the book. If you want some good stories and some insight into the business and the mind of a true legend.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5. While not his best work still enjoyable.
Next up...I don't know. I have a few zombie books to read. Tomorrow, I believe, Chris Jericho's second book comes out so I've gotta read his first book. I've also got the Jim Butcher series, Doctor Who, The Dexter Series, The Left Behind Series, The Hunger Games series, and many others. Who knows what is next. Until next time, Abyssinia!
2011/02/09
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign
While yesterday's blog was a nice calm one this one not so much. Ready for it because I am turning on rant mode....now! /rant
I don't know why we bother to put signs up, I really don't. No one reads them or if they don't they don't follow them. Take the walk/don't walk signs. How often do you see dipshits cross when they aren't suppose to and then look at YOU like you did something wrong driving. This morning some jogging asshole in all black with two little reflector strips nearly got their ass ran over by yours truly because they were jogging across the street when the sign had the big ass fucking red/orange hand saying don't walk. Natural selection had obviously selected that asshat to die but I gave them a reprieve. In all reality the irony of a fat fuck like me running over and killing some jerk jogging is not wasted on me, in fact it made me chuckle.
Another example is at work. We have security doors with those fancy badges. Yes we are that important. On the god damn door it says NOT TO KNOCK! It says if you forgot your badge to go get one at the front desk. So what does everyone do? THEY FUCKING KNOCK! Personally, being the asshole I am, I don't answer it. I'm far enough away from the door that they can't see me anyway but even if I was right there I wouldn't out of principle. Now as someone pointed out to me, people forget things. That is true. Very true. That is why it says what to do if you did forget your key. Aren't part of the university but need to get in to the work area? Guess what, the sign says what to do in that case too!
It is not like I am expecting five year old's to understand this. I am expecting intelligent (or maybe not so much) people to understand what a sign says. I don't know what set me off on this tangent yesterday but now its stuck in my head and that jogging fucker really pissed me this morning. All black really?
Okay since I am ranting and raving here let me get some more out.
Why the hell can't people be on time? I honestly can't remember the last time I was late. I really can't. Especially work. Hmmmm, last time I was late for work....it wasn't at BN this last tour of duty. Maybe I was late at Southwestern, but I left there in 2006....well you get the idea. Why? Because I am not a dumb fuck. I plan ahead. I hear we might have bad weather tomorrow, I better be ready and leave early. Its winter I might have to clean my car, I better be ready and factor that into my time. Rest of the people...nope...dumb fucks. I'll just be late and let other people carry the weight for my stupidity. Or worse I'll drive fast because I'm late and get in an accident. Stupid fucks.
Another thing is that people around here in SLC are apparently too dumb to turn on their car's headlights. Why bother. Its 7am and I'm in a gray car, people can see me. Its snowing like hell and I'm in a white car I'm good to go. I would think they would have their headlights on 24/7 because its dark with your head shoved so far up your ass! Maybe if I kick hard enough it'll pop back out like in the old cartoons.
/rant
Okay rant mode is off. I am done, spent, tired, sleepy and less angry. In a personal note I think I have caught the flu from the Oatman family. The house should probably be quarantined.
Also at work everyone is gone at a meeting and I'm holding down the fort but of course there are things happening that I don't know how to fix but no one is available to assist either. Its going to be a long LONG day. Fuck me....
I don't know why we bother to put signs up, I really don't. No one reads them or if they don't they don't follow them. Take the walk/don't walk signs. How often do you see dipshits cross when they aren't suppose to and then look at YOU like you did something wrong driving. This morning some jogging asshole in all black with two little reflector strips nearly got their ass ran over by yours truly because they were jogging across the street when the sign had the big ass fucking red/orange hand saying don't walk. Natural selection had obviously selected that asshat to die but I gave them a reprieve. In all reality the irony of a fat fuck like me running over and killing some jerk jogging is not wasted on me, in fact it made me chuckle.
Another example is at work. We have security doors with those fancy badges. Yes we are that important. On the god damn door it says NOT TO KNOCK! It says if you forgot your badge to go get one at the front desk. So what does everyone do? THEY FUCKING KNOCK! Personally, being the asshole I am, I don't answer it. I'm far enough away from the door that they can't see me anyway but even if I was right there I wouldn't out of principle. Now as someone pointed out to me, people forget things. That is true. Very true. That is why it says what to do if you did forget your key. Aren't part of the university but need to get in to the work area? Guess what, the sign says what to do in that case too!
It is not like I am expecting five year old's to understand this. I am expecting intelligent (or maybe not so much) people to understand what a sign says. I don't know what set me off on this tangent yesterday but now its stuck in my head and that jogging fucker really pissed me this morning. All black really?
Okay since I am ranting and raving here let me get some more out.
Why the hell can't people be on time? I honestly can't remember the last time I was late. I really can't. Especially work. Hmmmm, last time I was late for work....it wasn't at BN this last tour of duty. Maybe I was late at Southwestern, but I left there in 2006....well you get the idea. Why? Because I am not a dumb fuck. I plan ahead. I hear we might have bad weather tomorrow, I better be ready and leave early. Its winter I might have to clean my car, I better be ready and factor that into my time. Rest of the people...nope...dumb fucks. I'll just be late and let other people carry the weight for my stupidity. Or worse I'll drive fast because I'm late and get in an accident. Stupid fucks.
Another thing is that people around here in SLC are apparently too dumb to turn on their car's headlights. Why bother. Its 7am and I'm in a gray car, people can see me. Its snowing like hell and I'm in a white car I'm good to go. I would think they would have their headlights on 24/7 because its dark with your head shoved so far up your ass! Maybe if I kick hard enough it'll pop back out like in the old cartoons.
/rant
Okay rant mode is off. I am done, spent, tired, sleepy and less angry. In a personal note I think I have caught the flu from the Oatman family. The house should probably be quarantined.
Also at work everyone is gone at a meeting and I'm holding down the fort but of course there are things happening that I don't know how to fix but no one is available to assist either. Its going to be a long LONG day. Fuck me....
2011/02/08
It has been a while...
It has been a while since I posted hasn't it? I've been busy what can I say. I have been at my new job just over a month now and I'm still enjoying it quite a bit. It is a nice mix of customer service and sorta using that knowledge I went to school for all those years (and have yet to finish). Had some long days including last Friday but its all part of paying my dues, showing that I'm a team player and most importantly (to me atleast) getting some overtime in and getting some of these past due bills out of the way.
In other Gene news, I did my taxes already and have been waiting since Jan. 26th for Idaho to send me my return. Is there anything that Idaho does that doesn't piss me off?
I didn't watch the Superbowl this year as I didn't give a rats ass about either time. If the Patriots aren't in it I don't care. Also I slept from about 4 on to try and store some sleep up for another busy week. It didn't work as then my body didn't want to sleep last night. Oh insomnia how I thee.
Today was the first bad day weather wise I've had to deal with since returning to SLC. It was blowing like a bitch out there and that isn't a good way to start a morning. Still better then being back in the Great Lakes and all the snow and cold they are getting but still.
Sunday I was playing with Ace and he broke my glasses. Broke one of the arms off. I don't know how old these glasses are but I believe it was 2001 that I got them so they went well past their expected life span and still going. I am wearing these bad boys till they fall apart.
I am currently reading Mick Foley's latest book "Countdown to Lockdown" and I think I'll be done in a week or so, so expect a new book review then. I also have a short story by Jonathan Maberry (my good personal friend....since he responding to this very blog...what Mean Gene Okerland always used that phrase so I can steal it if I want to) starring Joe Ledger which I am quite excited about. Maberry has three or four books coming out this year all of which I can't wait for. If you haven't read his stuff you should, some of the best writing I've read for quite some time.
Well there you go, a brief glimpse into what I've been doing since my last entry. Maybe later I'll go look at some news sites, get all worked up, and write an entry people might be interested in.
In other Gene news, I did my taxes already and have been waiting since Jan. 26th for Idaho to send me my return. Is there anything that Idaho does that doesn't piss me off?
I didn't watch the Superbowl this year as I didn't give a rats ass about either time. If the Patriots aren't in it I don't care. Also I slept from about 4 on to try and store some sleep up for another busy week. It didn't work as then my body didn't want to sleep last night. Oh insomnia how I thee.
Today was the first bad day weather wise I've had to deal with since returning to SLC. It was blowing like a bitch out there and that isn't a good way to start a morning. Still better then being back in the Great Lakes and all the snow and cold they are getting but still.
Sunday I was playing with Ace and he broke my glasses. Broke one of the arms off. I don't know how old these glasses are but I believe it was 2001 that I got them so they went well past their expected life span and still going. I am wearing these bad boys till they fall apart.
I am currently reading Mick Foley's latest book "Countdown to Lockdown" and I think I'll be done in a week or so, so expect a new book review then. I also have a short story by Jonathan Maberry (my good personal friend....since he responding to this very blog...what Mean Gene Okerland always used that phrase so I can steal it if I want to) starring Joe Ledger which I am quite excited about. Maberry has three or four books coming out this year all of which I can't wait for. If you haven't read his stuff you should, some of the best writing I've read for quite some time.
Well there you go, a brief glimpse into what I've been doing since my last entry. Maybe later I'll go look at some news sites, get all worked up, and write an entry people might be interested in.
2011/01/24
Post Office
So the post office is in trouble? Big surprise. Has anyone been in a post office recently? They are horrible. I mean just horrible. Recently I went to the local Post Office to set up a PO Box. Why? Well I just moved and I will be doing it again in like 6 weeks. Instead of changing my address several times I figured this would be an easier. Oh how wrong I was. I stood in line there for 45 minutes. That's right nearly and hour and would have stood there longer had I not just said screw it and walked out. Oh did I mention that I didn't move in line that entire time. Yep, not a single person got helped and there were 3 people working. What these asshats were doing I'll never know. I will not be going back to a post office in the near future if ever! UPS and FedEx have basically already replaced the post office.
I rarely mail anything. I use my bank's bill pay to pay my bills. Text/phone/email to keep in touch with people. I honestly don't see the need for the Post office. I know we have to keep it there because there will be old people, like my grandparents, who still use it. It's like a business having to take checks for the older generation but I say eliminate most of them. Cut back to just delivering the mail to like Tuesday through Friday. Also tell the people working at them that if they can't get people through the line in a reasonable amount of time then they will find people who can.
The bottom line is the Post Office needs to get into the 21st Century or get left behind. I personally say leave them behind!
I rarely mail anything. I use my bank's bill pay to pay my bills. Text/phone/email to keep in touch with people. I honestly don't see the need for the Post office. I know we have to keep it there because there will be old people, like my grandparents, who still use it. It's like a business having to take checks for the older generation but I say eliminate most of them. Cut back to just delivering the mail to like Tuesday through Friday. Also tell the people working at them that if they can't get people through the line in a reasonable amount of time then they will find people who can.
The bottom line is the Post Office needs to get into the 21st Century or get left behind. I personally say leave them behind!
2011/01/13
Censorship
[Note: I started this about 10 days ago]
About 10 years ago I used to rant and rave about censorship due to a certain organization called The Parent TV Council. For those of you who do not remember this horrible thing they basically went after any TV show they didn't feel was appropriate. They targeted shows like WWF programming, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI and things like that. Now obviously the attack on the WWF is what drew my attention to it and it drove me insane! I have the right to do watch what I want and if someone else doesn't want to watch a show they have this amazing new device called a remote control. Or if you are still suck in the 50's, like the PTC, they have a nob on the set below the rabbit ears.
However things have gone from bad to worse recently. Oh before that let me talk briefly about cleanflixs or whatever that is called. If you are unaware of this it is a company that would 'clean' movies up. Taking out any violence, language, sex, or fun out of movie so it was family friendly. This was mostly in Utah, I believe, but I do know there was atleast one in Michigan down in Niles as well. This is wrong. If that is how the film makers wanted their film that is how they would have made it. Sometimes language or violence, and less often sex, are important parts of a film and the meaning or impact of a scene or entire film would be changed without it. It is just wrong.
As I say things have gone from bad to worse. Recently it was announced that a new version of Huck Finn was being released without a certain name for Jim. I WON'T use the word here. Part of me wants to....
Okay this is a different topic altogether. The word in question is a horrible word however it is used all the time. Rappers use it all the time. Friends use it to address each other. Take this story here. One man is fired for using the word in question when several others were not. It SHOULD NOT make a difference if the person is black, white, yellow, brown, purple or anything else. Yes I understand context before you say. However in a staff meeting talking ABOUT the word I would think that the word needs to used. It reminds me of Clerks 2 and the porch monkey thing....which is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. However in a professional environment if you fire one person for using it the others should be as well, in my opinion. I don't walk around saying honky to Paul at work because it is 'offensive' (well not to me but you get my idea). Its like saying it is okay for a fat person to call someone else fat...well I say that is okay all the time....hmmmm....but then again fat is not a 'bad' word. So there is no good example for this but I support the gentleman who was fired. What is good for the goose is good for the gander as the saying goes.
Anyway back to my original point of changing things and censorship. Huck Finn, which I HATED by the way, shouldn't be changed for any reason. It is a work of art and that shouldn't be changed. I don't see someone putting pants on the Statue of David (now that I said that someone will). If I am personally offended by say the use of religious overtones in the Narnia series are we going to see an edited version of that for atheist?
Unless the artist themselves decides to change whatever it is it should stay the way it is. If Stephen King decides that a clown is too scary and makes it a puppy instead that is okay but it isn't okay for people in twenty years to do it because clowns have all become psycho killers or they have become saints.
Let me just sum this up. Censorship is wrong. Extremely wrong. I have nothing else to say about this topic. To those who want to censor people...piss off!
About 10 years ago I used to rant and rave about censorship due to a certain organization called The Parent TV Council. For those of you who do not remember this horrible thing they basically went after any TV show they didn't feel was appropriate. They targeted shows like WWF programming, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI and things like that. Now obviously the attack on the WWF is what drew my attention to it and it drove me insane! I have the right to do watch what I want and if someone else doesn't want to watch a show they have this amazing new device called a remote control. Or if you are still suck in the 50's, like the PTC, they have a nob on the set below the rabbit ears.
However things have gone from bad to worse recently. Oh before that let me talk briefly about cleanflixs or whatever that is called. If you are unaware of this it is a company that would 'clean' movies up. Taking out any violence, language, sex, or fun out of movie so it was family friendly. This was mostly in Utah, I believe, but I do know there was atleast one in Michigan down in Niles as well. This is wrong. If that is how the film makers wanted their film that is how they would have made it. Sometimes language or violence, and less often sex, are important parts of a film and the meaning or impact of a scene or entire film would be changed without it. It is just wrong.
As I say things have gone from bad to worse. Recently it was announced that a new version of Huck Finn was being released without a certain name for Jim. I WON'T use the word here. Part of me wants to....
Okay this is a different topic altogether. The word in question is a horrible word however it is used all the time. Rappers use it all the time. Friends use it to address each other. Take this story here. One man is fired for using the word in question when several others were not. It SHOULD NOT make a difference if the person is black, white, yellow, brown, purple or anything else. Yes I understand context before you say. However in a staff meeting talking ABOUT the word I would think that the word needs to used. It reminds me of Clerks 2 and the porch monkey thing....which is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. However in a professional environment if you fire one person for using it the others should be as well, in my opinion. I don't walk around saying honky to Paul at work because it is 'offensive' (well not to me but you get my idea). Its like saying it is okay for a fat person to call someone else fat...well I say that is okay all the time....hmmmm....but then again fat is not a 'bad' word. So there is no good example for this but I support the gentleman who was fired. What is good for the goose is good for the gander as the saying goes.
Anyway back to my original point of changing things and censorship. Huck Finn, which I HATED by the way, shouldn't be changed for any reason. It is a work of art and that shouldn't be changed. I don't see someone putting pants on the Statue of David (now that I said that someone will). If I am personally offended by say the use of religious overtones in the Narnia series are we going to see an edited version of that for atheist?
Unless the artist themselves decides to change whatever it is it should stay the way it is. If Stephen King decides that a clown is too scary and makes it a puppy instead that is okay but it isn't okay for people in twenty years to do it because clowns have all become psycho killers or they have become saints.
Let me just sum this up. Censorship is wrong. Extremely wrong. I have nothing else to say about this topic. To those who want to censor people...piss off!
2011/01/10
Enough already!
Okay I've had ENOUGH! No more damn it! What am I talking about? The use of 9/11. 9/11 was a damn tragedy there is no doubt about that. It is something that SHOULDN'T have happened if we didn't have thousands of layers in the government. But that doesn't matter because what is done is done. What pisses me off is the use of 9/11 for gains politically or otherwise.
The last straw was last night when I heard about the shooting in Arizona. I went over to CNN to get some information about it and it mentioned the 9 year old who was shot. What was strange was they made sure to mention she was born on 9/11/01. I don't see what that has to do with ANYTHING! If she was born on 8/21/01 would that even have been mentioned? Of course it wouldn't have been! But because she was born on 9/11 it is suddenly significant. Then driving to work I hear Glenn Beck talking about how this is significant that she was born on 9/11. It isn't!
Now I am not trying to take away from another horrible incident. The fact that these people were killed for NOTHING is tragic. However the fact that they are using 9/11 to make this more powerful is disgusting.
9/11 has nothing to do with this. As far as the information out there I can't even find that this is politically motivated. Right now, and I assume we will find out, that this was just the act of a madman. To blame ANYONE, be it Sarah Palin and her 'crosshairs hitlist' or Glenn Beck or whoever, is just dangerous and wrong. That could lead other unbalanced people, if that is the reason for this shooting, to do the same thing in the other direction.
Right now all that matters is that 6 people, including a young 9 year old, are dead and several are hanging on in critical condition. To the people turning this into a political arena you should all be ashamed of yourselves.
Lastly its time for this country to stop using 9/11 as an excuse for everything. For a reason that everything has happened. For the reason that anything WILL happen. 9/11 should not be forgotten but also shouldn't be used all the time either. As the King of Harts would say, Enough is enough....
The last straw was last night when I heard about the shooting in Arizona. I went over to CNN to get some information about it and it mentioned the 9 year old who was shot. What was strange was they made sure to mention she was born on 9/11/01. I don't see what that has to do with ANYTHING! If she was born on 8/21/01 would that even have been mentioned? Of course it wouldn't have been! But because she was born on 9/11 it is suddenly significant. Then driving to work I hear Glenn Beck talking about how this is significant that she was born on 9/11. It isn't!
Now I am not trying to take away from another horrible incident. The fact that these people were killed for NOTHING is tragic. However the fact that they are using 9/11 to make this more powerful is disgusting.
9/11 has nothing to do with this. As far as the information out there I can't even find that this is politically motivated. Right now, and I assume we will find out, that this was just the act of a madman. To blame ANYONE, be it Sarah Palin and her 'crosshairs hitlist' or Glenn Beck or whoever, is just dangerous and wrong. That could lead other unbalanced people, if that is the reason for this shooting, to do the same thing in the other direction.
Right now all that matters is that 6 people, including a young 9 year old, are dead and several are hanging on in critical condition. To the people turning this into a political arena you should all be ashamed of yourselves.
Lastly its time for this country to stop using 9/11 as an excuse for everything. For a reason that everything has happened. For the reason that anything WILL happen. 9/11 should not be forgotten but also shouldn't be used all the time either. As the King of Harts would say, Enough is enough....
2011/01/05
Apocalypse of the Dead review
I recently finished my latest zombie book, Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney. Let me start off by saying this is sort of a sequel to Dead City. It is in the same world after Dead City but you wouldn't have to read Dead City to understand or get this one. In fact this book is much MUCH better.
Overall I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. At first I did not like it. Then I did. Then I loved it. Then I shook my head at it. Overall the book follows four groups through zombie breakout. One group from within the dead zone (not the phrase they use in the book but I can't remember the one they use). Another from Florida. One from LA and one from the Big Easy I believe.
I almost think that Joe couldn't decide what kind of book he wanted to read as it goes through several different writing styles throughout.
It has several twists and turns that one would not expect and several you can see coming a mile away.
The writing style is simple yet affective. I found this decent story telling till the end where things made little sense to me. It was similar to a movie that has a decent first act, the second act is AMAZING, and then the ending has you thinking...wait...that's it?
The story itself is, as I said, following four groups throughout the outbreak. As you can expect slowly the four groups meet up and worlds collide. Along the way each group has it's own problems that include being stuck in the dead zone, having a group of bikers after them, being old with kids and a prisoner and being part of a religious group. Oh and throw in a young man who has a special power and you've got an interesting group of characters.
I enjoyed things till the ending where several characters disappeared completely. Several subplots also seemed to disappear. I wonder if they hurried the process to have it come out during the Halloween holiday.
Those problems aside it was a much better book than Dead City. I would say if you enjoy zombies its a good book but not anything to put at the top of the pile. Since I no longer feel obligated to being a company shill here is the ISBN. 9780786023592.
Up next I am going to read Mick Foley's latest book Countdown to Lockdown.
2011/01/02
Scott Pilgrim review
I finally got a chance to see Scott Pilgrim vs. the World this evening. First off let me say that I didn't love it. Nope. It wasn't horrible but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought. Honestly I would have shut it off within the first half if I had something else to do. I am glad I didn't as it did pick up.
I won't go into the story much as it is basically Michael Cera playing the same character he does in every movie (type casting much?) having to defeat the 7 evil ex's of his new girlfriend.
Honestly at first it was extremely annoying and as I said I really wanted to shut it off. The acting was annoying as shit and I wanted to kill myself. The only person in this movie that didn't annoy me was Kieran Culkin who I thought was great throughout the film.
After the first half hour I found myself enjoying it more. The movie picked up speed at this point. One weird thing was all the 'cameos' in the flick as most of Ramona's ex's were famous people. I don't know if you can call them cameos or not but it was still strange although I once again liked Brandon Routh who has been really good in everything he has done but Superman...boy was that an awful movie...anyway.
Overall I would recommend the movie but don't pay attention to the first 4th or so. Also I would have liked to see someone besides Cera play the main character. I honestly think an unknown would have been the way to go. Cera was distracting throughout and personally made the movie slightly less enjoyable. Not as much as Death Race 2's main actor but slightly.
Overall I would say 2.75 losing .25 for Cera and his usual lack of acting ability. Sorry but its true Michael, you aren't much of an actor in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't blame Michael as I have enjoyed some of his films but look at this movie and his character in Juno. Pretty similar. But then again it isn't his fault that he is the same character as he didn't write them but still not a fan of his in this flick.
Not a movie I would watch a second time but worth checking out. Oh and it would be wrong not to mention the fact that all the young ladies in this film are very attractive. Just saying!
I won't go into the story much as it is basically Michael Cera playing the same character he does in every movie (type casting much?) having to defeat the 7 evil ex's of his new girlfriend.
Honestly at first it was extremely annoying and as I said I really wanted to shut it off. The acting was annoying as shit and I wanted to kill myself. The only person in this movie that didn't annoy me was Kieran Culkin who I thought was great throughout the film.
After the first half hour I found myself enjoying it more. The movie picked up speed at this point. One weird thing was all the 'cameos' in the flick as most of Ramona's ex's were famous people. I don't know if you can call them cameos or not but it was still strange although I once again liked Brandon Routh who has been really good in everything he has done but Superman...boy was that an awful movie...anyway.
Overall I would recommend the movie but don't pay attention to the first 4th or so. Also I would have liked to see someone besides Cera play the main character. I honestly think an unknown would have been the way to go. Cera was distracting throughout and personally made the movie slightly less enjoyable. Not as much as Death Race 2's main actor but slightly.
Overall I would say 2.75 losing .25 for Cera and his usual lack of acting ability. Sorry but its true Michael, you aren't much of an actor in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't blame Michael as I have enjoyed some of his films but look at this movie and his character in Juno. Pretty similar. But then again it isn't his fault that he is the same character as he didn't write them but still not a fan of his in this flick.
Not a movie I would watch a second time but worth checking out. Oh and it would be wrong not to mention the fact that all the young ladies in this film are very attractive. Just saying!
2011/01/01
Death Race 2 movie Review
Good morning everyone and welcome to another movie review. Last night I watched the sequel...or prequel...not sure which, to the 2008 action film remake of Death Race. This one stars Sean Bean, Ving Rhames, Tanit Phoenix and the debut of the character of Lists played by Frederick Koehler who is in the 2008 film. Also you have the return of 14K played by Robin Shou from the 2008 film as well.
Now my first question when I started this movie was "why is Sean Bean in this movie?". Now the reason I sequel or prequel is because its hard to tell. It is called Death Race 2 but it actually takes place before the 2008 film. The idea of the movie is that Carl Lucas (played by Luke Goss...who is the star but billed sixth for some reason) is a thug who works for Markus Kane (Sean Bean) blows a bank job and ends up in prison. Kane, who runs a major crime organization needs him dead. In the prison they have what they call "Death Match" which is really a mix between UFC, American Gladiators and the old Roman Gladiators fights where two men walk in and only one walks out. I won't say anymore about the plot but I think you get the idea.
This movie was one of those where I thought "How long is this? It has been going on forever" and it was only a half hour in. However the second half was quicker. To me the only people who come off looking decent were Ving and Sean, big surprise huh? Luke Goss was HORRIBLE in this. I mean horrible. He came off as a poor mans poor mans, or third generation copy, Jason Statham. He was probably cast because he kinda sorta looks like Statham. But honestly his performance might be one of the worst ones I've seen in a long time in a film. After a little research into Mr. Goss I saw nothing on his resume to make me think that this was just a fluke performance and he is actually better than this. I don't mean to come down so hard on Mr. Goss but he really made the film quite a bit worse and brought it down. Honestly I think my fat ass could have done better. Sorry Mr. Goss but you were horrible.
With Mr. Goss's performance aside I enjoyed the flick as Kevin Smith would say. Is it a master piece like say Saving Private Ryan of course not. I knew it was going to be a dumb action flick with bad dialog and probably decent to action segments. If you enjoyed the first one or want to know how Death Race (the fictional game show in the movie's universe) its worth watching. If you want to watch a stupid action flick watch this. If you want something amazing I would avoid this one. If I had to give a rating probably 1.5 out of 4. If there was a better star it would have gotten higher but as I said Goss just sucked everything out of the film. Much like the late Andrew Martin (Pro Wrestler Test for those of you who don't know) he was the black hole of charisma in the movie.
Until next time guys. Remember, its a new dawn and its a new day.
Now my first question when I started this movie was "why is Sean Bean in this movie?". Now the reason I sequel or prequel is because its hard to tell. It is called Death Race 2 but it actually takes place before the 2008 film. The idea of the movie is that Carl Lucas (played by Luke Goss...who is the star but billed sixth for some reason) is a thug who works for Markus Kane (Sean Bean) blows a bank job and ends up in prison. Kane, who runs a major crime organization needs him dead. In the prison they have what they call "Death Match" which is really a mix between UFC, American Gladiators and the old Roman Gladiators fights where two men walk in and only one walks out. I won't say anymore about the plot but I think you get the idea.
This movie was one of those where I thought "How long is this? It has been going on forever" and it was only a half hour in. However the second half was quicker. To me the only people who come off looking decent were Ving and Sean, big surprise huh? Luke Goss was HORRIBLE in this. I mean horrible. He came off as a poor mans poor mans, or third generation copy, Jason Statham. He was probably cast because he kinda sorta looks like Statham. But honestly his performance might be one of the worst ones I've seen in a long time in a film. After a little research into Mr. Goss I saw nothing on his resume to make me think that this was just a fluke performance and he is actually better than this. I don't mean to come down so hard on Mr. Goss but he really made the film quite a bit worse and brought it down. Honestly I think my fat ass could have done better. Sorry Mr. Goss but you were horrible.
With Mr. Goss's performance aside I enjoyed the flick as Kevin Smith would say. Is it a master piece like say Saving Private Ryan of course not. I knew it was going to be a dumb action flick with bad dialog and probably decent to action segments. If you enjoyed the first one or want to know how Death Race (the fictional game show in the movie's universe) its worth watching. If you want to watch a stupid action flick watch this. If you want something amazing I would avoid this one. If I had to give a rating probably 1.5 out of 4. If there was a better star it would have gotten higher but as I said Goss just sucked everything out of the film. Much like the late Andrew Martin (Pro Wrestler Test for those of you who don't know) he was the black hole of charisma in the movie.
Until next time guys. Remember, its a new dawn and its a new day.
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