What a Game!

The Philadelphia Eagles put together their most complete game of the season at the exact right time they needed it and, thanks to losses by Chicago and Tampa Bay, roared into the 2008 Playoffs with a 44-6 thrashing of their hated rivals, the Dallas Cowboys.

Okay, that's the impartial part of the post, so now let's get to the shameless gloating: This was the greatest football game I've ever seen, so good that I'm contemplating watching it again on DVR. I was amazed that the stars aligned for the Eagles and allowed them to once again control their own destiny after the turd they laid on the field in Washington last week, but there was no doubt in my mind that they would knock the Cowboys out of the playoffs, denying them a win in Philadelphia. The Eagles' players did not know they had a chance to go to the playoffs until right before the start of the game and I could tell that while that information more than likely led them to kick their game into another gear, they already were playing for pride and had an "if we're not going, neither are you," attitude. Of course, it seemed as if the Cowboys didn't even show up to play.

The Eagles' offense was clicking early, capitalizing on Dallas turnovers and scoring three offensive touchdowns to put the 'Boys down 27-3 at the half. Then, Safety Brian Dawkins and the Philly defense went off, forcing two crucial fumbles on beleagured Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and running back Marion Barber that the Eagles ran back for touchdowns, putting Dallas in a 41-3 hole before McNabb and the offense had even stepped on the field for the second half. For an Eagles fan, it was a thing of sheer beauty and an example of what this team can accomplish when they hit on all cylinders.

The Eagles' win was the most lopsided loss that the Cowboys have ever received and for Eagles fans, it was all the sweeter that Philly's victory came against Terrell Owens and the Cowboys, a team that has flopped late in the season once again and is never worthy of all the praise they receive every year, only to come up short in the end. So, of course, all the press the day after is about "What's Wrong with the Cowboys?" when it should be "What's Right with the Eagles?"

Five weeks ago, the Eagles, and especially their quarterback, Donovan McNabb, were left for dead with no thoughts at all to the post season. Now, after winning 4 of their last 5 games (with all the wins coming in convincing fashion), the Eagles are right in the thick of things and are considered to be one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs. Lest football fans forget that the current Super Bowl champs, the NY Giants, took a similar path to their own championship last year. So, the Eagles are playing well at the right time and are looking to go deep into the postseason. Their first challenge comes next Sunday at Minnesota against a Vikings team that had a few chances to clinch their division and finally got it right the last game of the season...against the Giants (mostly) second string team...and they only won by 2 points. So, I like the Eagles chances to win at the very least, that first game, setting up a third 2008 season match up with the Giants. It'll be interesting to see how they do, but if they play the way they did against Dallas this past Sunday, I don't think anyone can beat them.

How 'bout them Cowboys?

McNabb and Eagles Silence Critics...For Now

Thanksgiving 2008 – Three games on the schedule with three routs as the results. Of course, the first two games pitted two hapless teams against two juggernauts, so the results were predictable, but in the nightcap, the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles was a little less so. The Cardinals are on top of the NFC West thanks to both great play from quarterback Kurt Warner and the receiving duo of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald and the ineptitude of the rest of the division. The Eagles have been struggling this season, with quarterback Donovan McNabb under intense scrutiny after two sub-par weeks and getting benched in last week's loss at Baltimore. Western teams haven't played well when trekking across the country to come east and the Eagles were reeling, what would the result be? Knowing McNabb's history of having big games when faced with controversy, the ending to this game should have never been in doubt.

McNabb and the Eagles put together their first truly complete game since they bludgeoned the St. Louis Rams in the first game of the season and carved up the Cardinals for Thanksgiving, 48-20. For McNabb and his Eagles, it was redemption after two solid weeks of bad press and equally poor play. For the Eagles coach, Andy Reid, it was proof that what he has said all year is true, when the team is clicking on all cylinders, they are tough to beat. McNabb threw for four touchdowns, two of them to a rejuvenated Brian Westbrook, who also added two rushing touchdowns of his own, and looked like the McNabb of old. He was accurate and more importantly, he ran the ball when he had to, scrambling for much needed yards when the pass was not there. Westbrook, who has been ailing all season with ankle and rib injuries, also looked like he had a drink from the Fountain of Games Past and played one of his best games of the year. The defense for the Eagles did their part as well, intercepting Kurt Warner three times and forcing a fumble in the second quarter to keep the Cardinals on their heels. Although the traditionally blitzing defense of the Eagles had no sacks in the game, they kept constant pressure on Warner and stopped the Cardinals running game cold, transforming the NFC West leaders into a one-dimensional team on offense as they tried to play catch-up. What had been, prior to kickoff, a result in question, no longer was as the Eagles rolled to victory.

However, in the NFL, all victories are fleeting and now the Eagles have to look ahead to next week when they meet the NY Giants in a clash of NFC East rivals. The Giants have been cruising along at a great clip this season, their only loss so far coming from the Cleveland Browns. They've had a couple of close calls, but have managed to pull out each game on their road to repeating as Super Bowl champs. The Eagles will need to bottle this A-Game against the Cardinals and bring it with them up I-95 if they want to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. But, on this Thanksgiving night, the Philadelphia Eagles showed that they are still a team to be reckoned with and the rest of the league should take notice and watch out.

Death of an Original Show

Well, despite my attempts to try and rally viewers to its rescue, ABC announced that it will not be picking up Pushing Daisies for the rest of the season, leaving its fans with only 22 episodes between two seasons and this viewer in particular is not happy at all. This is essentially the same fate that befell another of my favorites, Arrested Development, the only difference there being that they won the Emmy for Best Comedy, thus staving off execution until the abbreviated season three (Pushing Daisies was nominated for 10 Emmy awards and won for art and direction. About the only category they weren't nominated for was best series).

I've already talked about what makes the show so great and why I love it (see my review blog link to the right), but the two biggest things that annoy me about this cancellation are that 1) Due to the writer's strike last year, the show wasn't really given a fair shake at developing an audience and then, with general apathy towards television shows at an all-time high because of that strike, the show was forced to perform when all shows are suffering; and 2) Pushing Daisies is easily the most original show on television right now and it kills me to see gems like this get dumped when there is such crap on television getting a pass, (I'm looking at you, Knight Rider!). It's frustrating to see a refreshingly sweet and funny show get canned without so much as a chance to prove itself in the marketplace. ABC could have extended the show, granting it a mulligan due to the strike, and done a heavy push for the holidays for the DVD set for Season 1 to get people on board. The fact that the Freshman show was nominated for 10 Emmy Awards has got to mean they were doing something right, right?

The show's creator, Bryan Fuller, has said that the story may continue, (as the 13^th and final episode for Season 2 is due to end in a cliffhanger), in the form of either a comic book or a feature film. Why not, I say. After all, it was reported this last week that the long rumored film version of Arrested Development is close to happening for real, and I would welcome a Pushing Daisies film to wrap up all the loose ends. However, I think that the producers should try to sell the show to HBO, as it is obvious the premium cable station has hit hard times in regards to its original programming. Shows like Dexter, Weeds, and Californication on Showtime are proving to be more popular than HBO's fare and in terms of awards, they are now chasing basic cablers like Mad Men. The students have truly become the masters and HBO needs something fresh and different to shake it out of its funk. Of course, they tried doing quirky with John from Cincinnati, which proved to be a disastrous flop, but I felt that show was a bit more esoteric than Pushing Daisies, which is far more accessible. The future does not look too good for Home Box Office, (at least they have finally greenlit the pilot for George R. R. Martin's “Game of Thrones”), no matter how good they tell you Tru Blood is (it isn't). They need help and that help should come in the form of pie from the Pie-Maker.

So on this Thanksgiving, it is with a heavy heart that I say one of the things I was thankful for was Pushing Daisies, long may it live on DVD and reruns.

Americans Actually Do the Right Thing

After eight years of watching this country vote against progress and against its best interests, Americans stood up today and surprised me by doing the right thing for the first time in a long time.

Barack Obama is the next President of the United States of America and those Americans looking for the country to move forward and leave the divisive culture wars and poisonous politics of the past behind can breathe a sigh of relief. The fear of having another conservative administration that blurs the lines between religion and government is gone for the next four years and now we must come together to repair the damage that has been done to this country and its reputation over the last eight years.

Will Obama accomplish all he has said he wants to? Probably not. The world is ever-changing, and with that in mind, sometimes, plans need to take a backseat to doing what is necessary in the moment. But, will he be a good president? I believe so.

I'm proud of America today and for what we have accomplished with our vote. And for those who voted for Senator McCain, I hope that they look past the whole "us vs. them" dynamic that has gripped this country the last eight years and find it in themselves to support him as he leads our country, truly, into the 21st Century.

The "Real" America

Have you heard about this shit? Governor Palin (or "Sarah Stupid," as I like to refer to her) has been referring to small town America as the "real" America, with McCain's Senior Policy adviser, Nancy Pfotenhauer, (she looks like the female Joker) separating Virgina into northern Virginia and the "real" Virginia in televised interviews. Then, there's Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who wants the members of congress investigated to find out who is anti-American. Basically, it all sums up like this: If you're voting for McCain, you're a "real" American; Obama? You're anti-American. I agree with Jon Stewart, who said in his act this past weekend at Northwestern University: "If New York City was good enough for fucking Osama Bin Laden, it should be good enough for these people." You can see a tamer version of his rant on last night's Daily Show:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/40048/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-mon-oct-20-2008

You know, I don't usually get overly patriotic or wear my love for this country on my sleeve, but this is the last fucking straw. These people are hateful and need to be stopped. America's going through a rough patch right now, both internally and in the way we're perceived around the world, and it's because of these "freedom loving" motherfuckers, who just want to divide us even more. It disgusts and infuriates me that just because I want to vote for the liberal black guy and I have no real problem if gays want to get hitched and I believe that what a woman does with her body is her own fucking business, that means some will label me "Un-American." They're opposing the same freedom that they so easily tout as one of the virtues of this great country. It feels as though people like this are taking over the nation and that's not only painful, but it's sad. This is the 21st Century. We're supposed to be moving forward into the future, not slogging around in the past and trying to drag the rest of the country down. I feel sorry for real, honest to God Republicans, who believe in a more conservative way of dealing with things, but still want to move this country forward. The religious right has torn down a party that was once considered perfectly sane and has made Republican a dirty word and that's sad. Maybe we should split America into two nations and let the ignorant "real" Americans do their own thing, while the rest of us join the rest of the world as fucking adults.

Okay, rant over...for now.

McCain: The Dark Nut

Here's something my buddy Josh and I plotted out and I whipped it up for the Election. I think it gives you a good idea who I'm pulling for. I had the video embedded here earlier, but it wasn't working properly, so just hit the link below. Enjoy!




McCain: The Dark Nut

Depeche Mode on the Road Again

UPDATE: Mute/EMI has revealed that the new album is due to hit stores, April 21, 2009 in the U.S.!

Today, Depeche Mode announced that they have a new album due next spring and a world tour to follow after that. Of course, as a huge Depeche Mode fan, I'm really looking forward to this. One thing occurred to me, though as I watched the press conference live on the web: Isn't it a little early to announce a tour starting in May 2009? The band says that the album should be done by the end of the year and the predicted release is April, but I kind of feel that all of this could have been announced once the album was wrapped up in January. That would have been four months prior to the first show and is plenty of time to get the word out and tickets sold. Just an odd move for the band. Also, because of the gap in between the announcement and the start of the tour, there was no announcement of North American dates, as those shows are a little less than a year away. I'm hoping that Depeche Mode doesn't fall into the same trap that U2 fell into with their Pop Mart Tour in 1997, where the tour was all set up and then the band had to rush to finish the album in order for the tour to start on time. Suffice to say that the resulting album, “POP,” is one of U2's least favorably received album and is mostly condemned by the band as a whole; Bono has been known to call it “the world's most expensive demo tape.” So, I'm hoping that Depeche Mode doesn't meet the same fate with their new album.

The good news for Depeche Mode fans is that by lead singer Dave Gahan's own admission, he and Martin Gore have come up with so many songs this time around, the band looks to have a tough time selecting what makes it onto the album. I'm really excited about this news as, usually, Depeche Mode has to strain just to come up with a b-side for every single and not have it be an instrumental track.

As of right now, the album is untitled, but the title of the tour is “Tour of the Universe,” which to me, is pretty lame. I know that in the past, DM has used arrogant titles for their albums (see: Music For The Masses), but this one is just a little out there. It'll be interesting to see what the final title of the album is, as it usually informs the title of the tour. I just hope it's not called “Masters of the Universe,” as I'm not really in the mood for He-Man jokes.

For every Depeche Mode album since 1990's Violator, Anton Corbijn has designed the album artwork, from the photography (naturally) all the way down to the font. All the fans have been able to see so far is the stylized font that Corbijn will be using and the color scheme for the album art. I wasn't too keen on the font, as it looks like something that would be found on an Evanesence album or something similar, but there was a logo that looked like spotlights shining up into the sky, which may be alluding to the stadium tour that the band is undertaking in Europe next summer. Also, the color scheme (orange on, of course, black) reminded me of Black Celebration for some reason. I was really getting that 1986 vibe which is a good thing.

Despite my minor gripes, I'm very happy about the news. Depeche Mode is a band that has been counted out several times in the past and they keep coming back stronger every time out (well, we won't count Exciter). Their last album, Playing The Angel, was a great return to form and with them working with producer Ben Hillier again, I'm looking forward to the results of their second collaboration.

To read more about Depeche Mode, head over to www.depechemode.com and to watch the press conference itself, direct your browsers towards http://www.livenationinternational.com/depechemode/

Introducing: Doug's Reviews!

I've decided to branch out a bit and have started a separate blog with all of my reviews of all things entertainment. Just look to the right and you'll find the link. Enjoy!

Batman: Gotham Knight - A Review

So, I rented the new Batman anime, "Gotham Knight," which is supposed to be a kind of bridge between "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." If you don't want to be spoiled, here's my basic conclusion: Rent, don't buy this.

Overall, it's pretty good, but definitely not worth parting with your hard earned. The animation is solid throughout, except for the first story which didn't impress me, and the voice acting is topnotch. Kevin Conroy is great, as usual, as Batman and it's good to hear him step back into the role.

The DVD is built around six separate, but loosely connected vignettes directed by different anime directors with their own styles. Most of the stories were written by Jordan Goldberg, with some comic book pros providing some of the scripts. Here's a breakdown of each of the stories. If you don't want to be tipped off before seeing it, stop now.

"Have I Got a Story for You" - The basic story behind this one is that three kids tell stories about seeing Batman and in each of them, he's nothing like he is in real life. This concept has been done three times by my count: the comics, The Animated Series, and now this one. Of the three, this one is the worst attempt. To me, the animation is just ugly and it gets the DVD off to a bad start. Also, because I've seen this concept done before, I found myself just sitting there waiting for the payoff when the real Batman is revealed.

"Crossfire" - This one was just okay for me, but I did like the addition of Crispus Allen from the comics. He is a cop on the Major Crimes Unit who is uncomfortable with and resentful of Batman. Also, we get a look at what The Narrows have become since "Batman Begins." Greg Rucka wrote the script, but again, it was just okay. The story centers on two cops, one anti-Batman (Allen), the other sort of pro-Batman (Detective Anna Ramirez, who is a substitute for Renee Montoya), who get caught in the middle (literally) of a mob firefight.

"Field Test" - Lucius Fox develops a device that can generate a limited electromagnetic field and deflect small arms fire. Bruce Wayne decides to test it with unexpected and unwanted results for Batman. I liked this one the best of the first three, and it expands on the mob conflict presented in the second story. Also, this one basically spells out that Fox knows what Wayne does with his nights.

"In Darkness Dwells" - What has Scarecrow been up to since "Batman Begins?" Find out in this story scripted by David Goyer. This one was good in that it shows the actual teamwork that Batman and Gordon develop. Special villain cameo in this one as well.

"Working Through Pain" - This one cuts back and forth between a badly wounded Batman and the time when Bruce was gone for seven years. The flashback centers on how Bruce trains himself to ignore/overcome pain. It's an interesting tale, though I think it a little dumb that he uses his real name when traveling; they already inferred that he was using false I.D.s in "Batman Begins." Script is by Brian Azzarello.

"Deadshot" - Predictably, this is the best one of the lot and in the "realistic" world they've constructed for the new Batman movie universe, I would have liked to have seen Deadshot on the big screen. Who knows, maybe they'll still use him at some point. Alan Burnett of The Animated Series fame wrote the script and this installment has the best line of dialogue in the whole movie.

There seems to be an undercurrent throughout all six of the stories about guns and gun violence and I have a feeling that this may play into "The Dark Knight" somehow, as in the trailer we hear Bruce saying things like, "I know what I have to become to stop men like him [The Joker]." Aside from that theme, though, as well as Scarecrow and the mob stuff, I'm not sure how this prepares viewers for the new movie, but it is a nice little diversion until the 18th.

One Guy's Take on the Results of the Democratic Primaries

May 30, 2008 - The Detroit Pistons fell 9 points short of topping the Boston Celtics in the tally that is generated by making baskets in a basketball game, thus making the Celtics the representative for the Eastern Conference in this year's NBA Finals. In short: Detroit Lost. After the game, they didn't sit around the locker room and say, "Well, we only lost the game by 8 points, so maybe we should play game 7 anyway; you know, just to be fair." If they had said that, observers would have checked their Gatorade for psychotropics, so why is it okay for Hillary Clinton to pull this shit? SHE LOST. Obama reached and surpassed the number of delegates needed to win the nomination and without any more primaries to hold, the contest is over. Yet, all of her campaign people and Hillary herself are saying, "She's going to decide what to do." The only thing Mrs. Clinton has to "decide to do" is when exactly she's going to return to the Senate and serve out the rest of her term, because her Presidential campaign is OVER. I was watching clips of her speech and her lame supporters are chanting "Denver! Denver!" I can see them doing that if Obama didn't reach the delegate goal, but HE WON. It's OVER. How is this any different from a sporting event where the final tally decides the contest? The Patriots didn't get to say, "Well, we went undefeated during the regular season, so can't we play a second Super Bowl to determine the real winner?" This woman and her supporters are living in a fantasy world. Obama owes her NOTHING, except a letter that states: "Thanks for wasting my time and energy on deflecting your pathetic attempts to discredit me...bitch." The Clintons are pathetic and the Democratic leadership needs to make them go away now.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review

Indiana Jones is back in theaters again and after seeing his latest exploits for myself the other day, I have to ask: Why did they bother? It's not that Harrison Ford's too old, quite the contrary actually. He slips right back into the role effortlessly and makes the viewer wish that they had been making these movies all throughout the 19 year layoff that the character has had from cinemas. The film also looks great, but there is way too much CGI involved for a movie that director Steven Spielberg declared was trying to stay away from a preponderance of it. No, the problem with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a problem that has been plaguing many big budget movies as of late: the script. It's a mess and it is the single reason that moviegoers will exit the theater this weekend saying "What the hell was that?" as opposed to "Let me get in line again." With all that said, I didn't hate this movie, as there is a genuine note of nostalgia at seeing Harrison Ford back as his most famous character, but there is a lot of disappointment at the final product. It feels like a wasted opportunity and that saddens me, as Indiana Jones has been one of my favorite characters since childhood. Now, on to the review, but of course, let me put the warning out now, spoilers up ahead.

The movie starts out well enough in 1957 and I got a real sense of a "man out of time" shaping up, with Indy being a hero of the 30's and 40's being thrust into the atomic age. There are a few stretches in plausibility (the "fridge" sequence), but the payoff is amazing, when the viewer sees that shot of Indiana Jones silhouetted against a mushroom cloud. Outstanding. Then, the film gets into some Red Scare moments with the government thinking that Indy is working with the Commies. Indy then gets pulled into the main adventure by Shia LaBeouf, who's mother has been kidnapped due to their association with an old colleague of Indy's. Now, this is a great hook to get Indy involved, but it also serves to keep him on the sidelines for the last 45 minutes of the movie doing nothing but observing. LaBeouf is not bad in his role, but if he is to be the main character in any future Indiana Jones movies, as George Lucas has hinted, count me out. Once Indiana Jones (who can only be played by Harrison Ford) gets pushed to the side, it ceases to be an Indiana Jones movie. And yes, as the worst kept secret in Hollywood, Shia's character is Indy's son with Marion, who also shows up in the middle of the movie and is completely wasted as a character. This brings up another problem with Crystal Skull, there are way too many characters with not enough to do. By bringing in so many people into the quest, Lucas and Spielberg diminished Indy's role and as much as the teenage girls love Shia, the vast majority of moviegoers are there for Indiana Jones.

Once Marion shows up, as well as John Hurt as Indy's former colleague, the script goes off the rails as the movie cannot decide whether it wants to be a science fiction movie or anther 30's adventure film. I didn't mind the whole insertion of aliens into the plot of this movie, but the filmmakers just don't make it believable that they exist in this film universe. After everything Indy has seen, with the Ark, the Temple of Doom, the Holy Grail, and God knows what else in the intervening 19 years, they're telling me he's having a hard time buying aliens? Give me a break. Basically, once John Hurt shows up, the movie becomes two things: "Plug in the Indiana Jones movie device that works here," and "Follow John Hurt to the lost city the characters are looking for while Indy plays observer." All of that makes for a boring climax. For all the ballyhooing about the jungle chase scene by critics, I just saw it as a weak shadow of the truck chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark with a shit-ton of CGI. And don't even get me started on the "Tarzan moment" that made me groan in displeasure.

The filmmakers simply have too many balls in the air and they're lousy jugglers. Even the tacked on neat happy ending rings false as there is no real chemistry built up between Marion and Indy through the first hour and fifty minutes. It's like I said, the film is just a mess. I almost wish that this had been Indiana Jones 5 and that they had made Indiana Jones 4 about the intervening 19 years, because whenever a character references that time in the film, it sounds a hell of a lot more exciting than what Lucas and Spielberg offered us up this time around. The sad part is, there were easy fixes to many of the problems that were laid out in the script, but the filmmakers didn't want to make the hard choices to make them. First, as I mentioned, Marion is completely underused and underdeveloped in this chapter. It would have been much easier (as much as I wanted to see Karen Allen reprise her role from Raiders) to kill her off in the missing 19 years and have Shia's character already know that he's seeking out his father for help. Either that, or get her into the story earlier. Second, with John Hurt's character being the conduit to find the lost city, Indy is pushed to the side. Simple fix, make Indy the conduit. If the crystal skull in the title is as powerful as all the characters say it is, it could have made Indy forget he had ever been to the lost city and helped him remember what he had lost.

Overall, if you're a fan of Indiana Jones, you owe it to yourself to at least check the movie out, as opinions on it have been wide and varied. It's good to see Harrison Ford back, but I wish they had put more time and care into the script than just throwing in everything they wanted to put in the movie and then trying to string it all together, like it appears they did. Just a really big disappointment, and after the Star Wars Prequels, I wasn't even expecting that much to begin with. If they do indeed make an Indy 5, they should do it now and set it in the 40's; tell some of Indy's WWII stories. At least they sound interesting.

Iron Man Review

It's official, Iron Man is the movie to beat this summer. The script is fairly tight, given that Iron Man doesn't have the greatest of villains, and serves as a great launching pad to a new superhero franchise. Robert Downey Jr. shines as Tony Stark/Iron Man and brings great charisma and bravado to the character. Also, with Downey's history of addiction in real life, he is ideal to portray Tony Stark, who battled alcoholism in the comic books. The supporting cast is topnotch as well as the chemistry between all the actors, particularly Downey and Gwyneth Paltrow. The special effects are sharp and the final Iron Man suit is fantastic; very true to the suit that is on display on paper every month in Marvel Comics.

The comic book movie formula may be losing its punch as more and more characters are pulled from the quarter bins and thrust onto the screen, but Iron Man executes the formula to perfection and is full of the promise of great adventures to come. Marvel has announced that they will be launching Iron Man's allies in the superhero team The Avengers in their own movies and then launching an Avengers movie in its own right. This is good news for Iron Man, as his rogue's gallery is weak and sustaining a franchise with him alone would be difficult. For now, though, audiences have the movie in theaters now and I can't recommend it enough. It's a fun ride with a fun character.

Summer Movies 2008

Last year, while I did end up seeing quite a few good movies during the summer, at the start, I was completely underwhelmed by the slate of pictures due to be released. You can read that post on my old MySpace blog, here. Of course, there were some movies that emerged as winners; Ratatouille surprised me and became one of my favorites, while Superbad simply came out of nowhere to become not just one of the funniest movies of last year, but one of the funniest ever.

However, this year is going to be different. Starting on May 2nd and for a full year after that, there are a number of movies that I'm interested in seeing. I'll mainly be covering summer '08 flicks here, but I will look ahead to the future as well to a few stand outs that are coming soon to a theater near you. Also, any movie that has an asterisk next to it is one that I might go see, but I'm not sure yet; it all depends on whether I can get in for free or if there is a future trailer that really wows me.

Iron Man (5/2) - Marvel Comics' track record with movies has not been that good with me. The first two X-Men movies were topnotch and two of the best of the superhero genre, but then there are the Fantastic Four flicks, X3, and Daredevil, which were all mediocre at best. Ang Lee's Hulk movie was good up until the last 20 minutes when it devolved into a shitty comic book movie and don't even get me started on the Spider-Man series. I know a lot of people love what Sam Raimi did with those movies, but I couldn't stand them. Now, comes a new age of Marvel movies. They have retained and won back the rights to a lot of their characters and have struck a distribution deal with Paramount to make their own films and Iron Man is the first. I've never been a huge Iron Man fan, but I do like the character, so I was intrigued by this project from the beginning, but then again, I also know how Ghost Rider turned out, a movie with a trailer so bad, I knew to stay away. Anyway, Iron Man is directed by Jon Favreau and stars Robert Downey Jr., which, if you know the history of the character, is simply brilliant casting. So, I was interested to see where this was going. Then, I saw the suit and I became a full on Iron Man fanboy. Every trailer for this flick has rocked and it looks like it's going to be a great time at the theater. The cast is loaded with talent and it's hard to see how Marvel can go wrong with this one. The only thing that may worry them, is lack of consumer recognition for the character, but I'm sure their ubiquitous commercials will change all of that.

Speed Racer (5/9)* - Yes, that is the first dreaded asterisk of the post and let me explain why. I've seen the commercials and trailers for this movie and while it looks pretty, it also looks like the movie might give me a seizure. Everything in this movie, save the actors, is CGI, but I'll hold judgment on the latter until I see the thing. It looks like it could be good, but it also looks like I won't be able to tell what the hell is going on. The guys behind the Matrix are behind this one, but that doesn't really further entice me to get into the theater, as I feel that trilogy of films is completely overrated, (for the record, number one is great, but they should have just stopped there as two is just a flashy movie with no substance and number three borders on unwatchable, although, any time it comes on cable, I can't look away). So, the verdict on this one is, I'll probably go see it, but I'm glad I live in NC and can get that cheap matinée price, because if I was still in NY, I wouldn't even bother.

Prince Caspian (5/16) - This is the second in the Chronicles of Narnia series, and I liked the first one all right, so I'll give this one a try. They are nowhere near on the level of Harry Potter, but the last one was well-made and showed me one hell of a minotaur on film, so we'll see where the story takes us, as I never got around to reading the book.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (5/22) - Once again, George Lucas says, "Fuck you, Hollywood, I can release my movies on Thursday if I wish." I'm pretty sure he was the first one to do that with the Star Wars Prequels. Anyway, I'm a huge fan of everybody involved with this one, (despite said Prequels), and the character has always held a special place in my heart, so I'm excited to see this (but it's not my number one movie to see this summer, hmmm). The trailer looks good, but it didn't show me enough to quell the Star Wars Prequel fears that I have for the movie. However, the good news is that Lucas merely came up with the story and is producing, the two things he's really good at, and I don't think that Spielberg would put a complete piece of crap up on the screen. We'll see though. I will say, it's great to see Harrison Ford back in the costume and I was thrilled when I found out Karen Allen was back as Marion. I'll label my mood for this one as "cautiously optimistic," and hope that they can deliver the goods.

The Incredible Hulk (6/13) - What? June 13th? But Doug, you skipped Sex and the City! No, I really didn't. :P
As I stated above, I liked Ang Lee's take on the character until the last 20 minutes, which were inexplicably bad, and I like the Hulk in general, so I'm hoping that Ed Norton and crew can scare up a winner this time. There have been reports of behind the scenes difficulties as Marvel wants to make the film shorter, more action-packed, and commercial, while Norton (who worked on the script) and the director want a more meditative run time. I believe that Marvel has agreed to release Norton's vision with the DVD, but after the lukewarm response that Ang Lee's film got in 2003, you have to side with Marvel in this. Iron Man looks to be a sure winner, but the Hulk is iffy. There is a lot of great buzz that came out of the New York Comic Con this past weekend, so we'll see if the marketing folks can turn it around. I liked the trailer I saw for this one and am very interested in seeing how it turns out.

The Happening (6/13) - M. Night Shyamalan took some well-deserved hits in the last few years for not only his sub par and self-indulgent movies (see: The Village and The Lady in the Water), but also for his behind the scenes insanity. This guy really seems to think he's the second coming of Spielberg or something, but I really liked Unbreakable and, yes I'll admit it, Signs (never saw The Sixth Sense, since the ending was ruined for me), and the trailer looks intriguing for this one, so I'll give it a shot, but I'll definitely be seeing Hulk first.

Get Smart & Love Guru (6/20)* - June 20th brings two movies that get big fat asterisks on them. The trailers I've seen for Get Smart have been okay at best, and TV to movie translations are usually pretty shitty, but I like Steve Carell a lot and like to give him the benefit of the doubt (even though I will not touch Evan Almighty with a 10-foot pole) and Anne Hathaway is always great to look at (gentlemen, if you'd like to see more of Miss Hathaway, I suggest renting Havoc). So, I will more than likely catch a matinée on this one...or I may just wait for DVD. With June 13th having two movies I want to see, I may use the 20th as a catch up weekend.
The other movie out on June 20th that I'm not sure about is Mike Myers' return to live action films after the debacle that was Cat in the Hat. Myers has been filling his bank account with loads of Shrek money as of late and apparently has been developing this Love Guru character for years. A friend of mine saw him perform as the Love Guru in NY and said it was hilarious and right now, that's the only recommendation I have to see this at the moment, because the trailer was awful. It looked like Austin Powers 4, but they forgot to put Austin in it. Speaking of Austin Powers, it looks like there will be a fourth movie in that series, but I have to point out that the character was running out of gas by the third movie and it looks like, judging from the trailer, that Love Guru didn't even make a stop to fill up. I'll have to see how I'm feeling when these two come out to determine if I'll see either of them.

Wall-E (6/27) - The latest entry in Pixar's canon of films has got me really excited. I'm a sucker for sweet/cute animated characters and Wall-E looks like he's got the goods. The movie sounds fascinating too, as there are apparently going to be large sections without any dialogue, since he's a robot and living alone on Earth. I'm just really interested in seeing this, especially since Ratatouille restored my faith in Pixar after the good, but not great Cars...and that robot is just so cute! :)

Wanted (6/27) - Now, I've been a pretty big comic book fan since I was 12 years old and while my reading has dropped off the past couple of years, (hey, it's an expensive hobby), I am familiar with Mark Millar's Wanted and I know that the movie is probably going to be more unlike the book than like it, so I'm wary, but the trailer looks pretty cool and Angelina Jolie looks hotter than ever, so I may have to go see two movies the weekend of 6/27, but I'll definitely see Wall-E first.

Hancock (7/2)* - Will Smith has made some bold predictions about his new "superhero you've never heard of" movie Hancock and at this point, I have to call bullshit on him until I start hearing some word of mouth. Apparently, he plays a washed up alcoholic superhero (see: Iron Man) or something like that. I would love Hollywood to create their own superhero franchise free of the chains of comic books and pre-conceptions, but from what I've seen thus far, this is not it. I'll wait and see another trailer and maybe hit a matinée, but my expectations are in the gutter for this one.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (7/11) - Everyone must like the chain 7-11, because there are a bunch of movies out on that day and the one that I most want to see is Hellboy 2. The first Hellboy movie was a pleasant surprise for someone expecting another shitty comic book movie, but Guillermo del Toro delivered the goods and only got better with his own Pan's Labyrinth. Ron Perlman is perfect as the titular character and his supporting cast is great as well. This story is a new one written by del Toro and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, so it could end up being one of the better comic book movies in a while since it is not trying to recreate any particular story from the comics.

Religulous (7/11) - I love Bill Maher and I love Bill Maher best when he's attacking religion, so this movie is probably the perfect one for me. I'm sure this will end up being a limited release, so God only knows if I'll be able to see it the weekend it is released (one of the perks of living in NY is that I would have), but I know I'll be one of the first in line in NC. In fact, if it does indeed manage to make it down south on opening weekend, I'll probably see Religulous before Hellboy 2, as it is the more likely of the two to get pulled from the theaters.

Meet Dave (7/11)* - Yes, Meet Dave is Eddie Murphy's new movie and is his live action follow up to Norbit, so that's why the flick gets the asterisk. However, I saw the trailer for this one online and it looked like it might actually be funny. If I can get my buddy Jack to go see it, I probably will. Hell, we saw Let's Go to Prison, so this can't be that bad...can it? The premise is that mini aliens are exploring the Earth in a human-sized robot that looks like Eddie Murphy. Hilarity ensues. Although, I did read in Entertainment Weekly that the guy who directed the aforementioned abortion known as Norbit also directed this one, so that leaves me more than a little wary.

The Dark Knight (7/18) - This is IT. This is the movie that I am the most pumped up for this summer and I can't believe that I have to wait until mid-July to see it! Ever since the credits rolled on Batman Begins, I've been anticipating this film and all the trailers have done is get me even more excited for it. Heath Ledger looks amazing as the Joker and it's a shame that he passed away earlier this year, because no matter what success he's had previous to this, The Dark Knight would have launched him into the stratosphere. I've heard that the runtime is going to be close to 3 hours and I couldn't be happier about that. Batman Begins is, in my opinion, the greatest comic book movie of them all with a pitch-perfect cast (yes, even Katie Holmes, who is replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal in the sequel) and excellent direction from Christopher Nolan. I can't say enough great things about this sequel and for the first time in a long time, I think I've found a movie that will more than live up to my high expectations.

Step Brothers (7/25) - Will Ferrell is a comic genius. I will go see pretty much anything he's in (except Kicking and Screaming, which was more of a generic family film anyway). Anchorman is one of the funniest movies of the last 10 years and I loved the chemistry that Ferrell and John C. Reilly generated on Talladega Nights, so when the same team got together again to make this movie about two spoiled men who still live with their single parents, who in turn get married, I knew it was going to be high on my list. Then, I saw the trailer and it went even higher. This movie will be hilarious and will break Ferrell's streak of sports movies that he is quickly becoming both known and reviled for (Semi-Pro was good, but not great). Hopefully, Step Brothers will get him back on track. Also, Reilly needs a lift too after the box office anemic Walk Hard, which I thought was very funny, but a little too long in runtime. This one could be the comedy of the summer, but there's a little film in August that might have something to say about it.

X-Files: I Want to Believe (7/25) - Huh, what? X-what? Is this a spin off of X-Men? :) That's the reaction filmmakers and Fox are hoping moviegoers do not have when it comes to their long overdue X-Files sequel. I was never a huge fan of the show, but I enjoyed it at times and really admired the arc-centric storytelling. I loved the movie though, and have been hoping for a sequel for a while. I haven't read much about this, because I don't want to be spoiled when I see it. All I know is, if Mulder and Scully are in it, I'll be there...but I'll see Step Brothers first.

Pineapple Express (8/8) - I'm not a big fan of stoner humor. I don't smoke weed, nor do I intend to, so maybe I just don't "get it," and that was my attitude when I watched the clip of Pineapple Express on the Superbad DVD. I watched the clip, didn't really laugh, and felt that Judd Apatow was about to have his first real clunker since his string of hits that started with 40 Year Old Virgin (of course, his real first clunker was Walk Hard, on which he was a producer, as he is with Pineapple Express). Then, I saw the trailer and all was forgiven. This movie looks to be pretty hilarious, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Will Ferrell, so I'm hoping that Step Brothers makes more scratch, but I will definitely be in line for both this summer. The story follows two stoners and all the hijinks they get into after one witnesses a cop murder someone. Seth Rogen stars with James Franco, who is almost unrecognizable from his pretty boy turns in the Spider-Man series and 40 pounds of other crap movies he's been in.

Star Wars: Clone Wars (8/15) - WTF? I thought we were done with Star Wars movies? What? New cartoon show this fall? Huh? Yes, to launch his new cartoon, Clone Wars, George Lucas is releasing a new animated Star Wars movie. Now, this is not to be confused with the animated shorts that Cartoon Network did leading up to Episode III. This either replaces that series entirely or, adds onto it, I'm not sure, but from what I've seen, the CGI animation for this new series looks pretty slick. A lot of haters are getting down on this before it's even released because A) they feel betrayed by the mess that was the Prequels and B) they have a hard on for the previous animated series because it was done by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky and don't want to ruin their memories of that with something that Lucas made. However, I can guarantee that C) everyone who is whining about this will be in the theater on 8/15 to see this flick. It's funny to say this, but Star Wars: Clone Wars may be the surprise hit of the summer. You wouldn't expect that from a Star Wars movie, but it's really coming in under the radar this year. Also, one last note for those of you complaining about the animation style, it looks pretty much the same as the old style, but just ramped up in CGI, so get over it.

Tropic Thunder (8/15) - Now, as a minor movie snob, (I am, it's true), anytime I hear the words "Ben Stiller," I generally run for cover, but this movie (directed by Stiller) seems like it might be pretty funny. The main reason I want to see this, I'll be honest, is for Robert Downey Jr. Check out the trailer and you'll see why. I saw the first picture posted online and couldn't believe it was him. Tropic Thunder combined with Iron Man could spell the full comeback of Downey Jr.

Crossing Over (8/22) - I'm a huge Harrison Ford fan and when I heard that years ago he passed on Traffic, I was livid. Ever since 1997, I have watched my favorite actor's career get lamer and lamer. He had some decent movies in there, but nothing that set the world on fire and he's making a big comeback with Indiana Jones in May, but this film will show dramatic Harrison Ford and I want to see what he does with his role as a border patrol in this ensemble drama about illegal immigration in the United States.

And that's it for the summer of 2008, but I meant it when I said that May 2nd starts a year of movies that I'm looking forward to, with the next James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, and the sixth Harry Potter being released this November and in 2009, Watchmen on 3/6 and Wolverine on 5/1. Will they all be good? Probably not, but I hope so, as Hollywood needs some quality to return to the films it produces. After all, the films I've noted here can't be any worse than Pirates 3, can they? See you at the movies.

Playoffs!

And for the first time in a long time, I can add that exclamation point at the end of "Playoffs." Of course, I'm referring to the start of the NBA Playoffs, which kick off on Saturday on ABC/ESPN. This year looks like it could be a contest for the ages in both the Western and Eastern Conferences. (We'll just ignore that Atlanta-Boston series that will be pretty much a lock to be a sweep in Boston's favor). The biggest problem the Western Conference teams will have this year is not beating the hell out of each other to get to the Finals and then losing because they're so worn out. The teams in the West are so closely packed together in the standings that any "upset" is completely feasible and will not shock at all.

The series to watch in the first round will be the Phoenix/San Antonio contest, which will more than likely go to seven games. The Suns are finally adapting to the addition of Shaquille O'Neal and are playing great basketball right now, while the defending champion Spurs are starting to show their age and have been sputtering as of late, mainly due to the health of Manu Ginobili. It will be a knock down drag out battle as these two teams have become bitter rivals over the course of the last few years.

In the East, the best first round series will probably be Washington/Cleveland, but the one I'll be watching is Philadelphia/Detroit. As a Sixers fan, I'm ecstatic that they're back in the playoffs, but not too thrilled with the fact that they going in on a four game slide. I'm a realistic fan and I know that the Sixers basically have little chance of upending the Pistons, but the two teams split their regular season series with the Sixers taking the last two games and aside from the recent slump, Philly has been playing great ball since the All Star break. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sixers push this series to six games, but of course, I'm praying for an upset.

Since I'm a Philly man, I'm also looking to see how the Denver Nuggets do against the Lakers in their first round series. It would be great to see Allen Iverson wipe that smug grin off of Kobe Bryant's face, but with 'Melo collecting a recent DUI rap, the Nuggets look like they may be headed for an early exit. Still, a guy can dream, right?

All in all, this season has got me excited for basketball again. I think the last time I was this interested in the NBA Playoffs was when the Sixers went on their inexplicable Finals run in 2001, only to lose to the indomitable Lakers. As the years have gone on, I've become more of a football fan than a basketball fan, but from now until June, all that changes.

Holy Cow! Where Have I Been?

It's been quite some time since I've posted to this page and that changes today. The past two years have been quite eventful as the company I worked for back in early 2006 closed the doors on its Raleigh operations and moved me up to the prestigious (read: dump) New York offices. I was with them until August 2007 when financial trouble struck again and there were talks of another company coming in to take over. So, I found a new job and was immediately looking again come October, I hated it so much. Unfortunately, if there's one thing that I'm lousy at, it's playing the corporate game (even though it was a very small company, go figure) and they knew I was unhappy, so at the end of January this year, we...shall we say...parted ways. After unsuccessfully looking for a job during Black History Month, I spent March packing up my apartment for a return engagement in Raleigh, since my lease was up and Uncle Sam doesn't provide enough scratch to cover New York rent, which probably explains their massive homeless problem. The story of the move will be documented in full Technicolor detail in a later post, but suffice to say, I made it back relatively unscathed. So now, I'm right back where I was when I started this blog, so it seemed like the perfect time to start it up again.

So, to answer the question in the title, I was in New York. I lived in Astoria (Queens) and worked in Manhattan. New York is a fantastic place to visit and any chance I have to get up there, I'll jump at it, but living there was only cool for the first year at most. The city really wore on me, especially being from the suburbs and not a city guy at all. I think I adjusted quite well to the change, but I started to miss the perks of living in the suburbs like Target and driving. The subway, a fun adventure the first few months living there, rapidly devolved into a major hassle for someone who doesn't like getting sick. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of people in general, so I picked the perfect city to move to (he said sarcastically). There are just so many people in New York and they consistently like to get in your way wherever you go. Even though I was used to driving everywhere in every other location I've lived, I didn't mind walking everywhere in the city, but when you have to lug groceries home or anything over five pounds to...anywhere in the city, walking becomes a real pain in the ass. As time wore on, there were a lot more cons to living in the city than pros, so it helped in my decision to leave greatly, but it was still bittersweet as I was not really able to leave on my own terms. I was forced to leave and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Now, I don't want to paint the picture that it totally sucks living in New York, because it doesn't. There is always something to do (if you can afford it) and that's a major perk. I will miss being able to see limited release movies whenever I want to as well as all the bands I like, as New York is more of a must stop for most tours than Raleigh/Durham. Also, a lot of my college and high school friends live in the area and it was great to be amongst them again for the two years I lived up there. I was sad to leave them all behind again, but at least now I know I'll have places to crash when I do visit. And one last thing I will miss about New York are all the absolutely gorgeous women who populate the city. Now, Raleigh has it share of pretty girls, but when I walked around New York, I would invariably see "the hottest girl I've ever seen" several times a day and the odds are pretty good that I won't be running into Natalie Portman down here like I did outside my office in Chelsea. *sigh*

All in all, though, I'm happy with the move. Practically my entire family has relocated here from New Jersey and it's good to be amongst them again. Also, I missed my Raleigh friends a lot when I was up north, so it's good to see them again. It seems that wherever I go, I'm missing someone. Every time I move I imagine the perfect place to move to and it's a warm place with great scenery and a teleportation device so that I can go back and forth to see my friends. Anyhoo, if anybody knows anyone who's hiring, let me know. I need a fucking job.