Seeing as I did not watch any new films this weekend or indulge in any new television, I am suffering from a bit of writer's block. Stream of consciousness can commence...now:
Saturday, 9:15 AM: "What the hell am I doing at school so early when I have NOTHING DUE until Thursday?"
Saturday, 12 PM: "YES! Seminar paper is DONE..now to begin my last law school paper EVER!"
Saturday, 1 PM: Paper not started, shopping for computers
Saturday 2 PM: Completed the information section on the paper (to/from); still not started. Starting to think how easy it would be to procrastinate until May 13 (paper is due by midnight that night)
Saturday 4 PM: Completed the hardest part of the paper and am over halfway done. This is a good stopping point. Go home and get ready for dinner.
Dinner was out with a group of friends in celebration of one of my friend's birthdays. This was followed by a visit to a nearby Belgian chocolate shop. I then headed out to meet other friends farther north for ANOTHER birthday celebration. A country-western bar. In Chicago. Opened since the 1950s. An AMAZING house band...the guitarist, who looked to be in his late 50s/early 60s, was incredible. Good music and great company made the evening enjoyable.
Sunday: the release of Mario Kart Wii. 4 hours spent at a friends house playing it. Much excitement. Sunday night was spent playing Guitar Hero and more Mari Kart.
So ended the weekend...and my last paper is still not done...
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Insurance claims make no sense
So my wonderful renter's insurance company has acted in record speed (really, they did...I am not being sarcastic) in cutting a check that would cover my losses from the burglary, but the way they calculated some things make no sense.
First of all, the company can purchase certain new items for me. These items include a new VHS-DVD deck, a Playstation 2, my slam-bang Denon receiver, and an iPod. If I requested the cash value of the items, I would be getting the reduced value. Fair enough. I chose to have the insurance company replace these items, as I really do use all of them. The funny thing about the stolen iPod: it was an old 30 GB photo iPod that could no longer hold a charge for any appreciable amount of time. I was quite honest about this fact when I reported it to the insurance company, but an iPod is an iPod. They informed me that, since the 30 GB iPod Photo is no longer in production, they would have to substitute an 80 GB iPod video and would I give them permission to do so. Umm....yeah.
So then we get to the part of the rest of the check. It ended up being a substantial amount that will adequately cover my losses and enable me to replace most of what was stolen. No, I do not think that I will be getting a replica Darth Vader light saber handle...although...hmmm...
The big thing that was stolen was my behemoth laptop. At the time I purchase said laptop, it was state of the art with all sorts of bells and whistles...and I paid WAY too much for it. So the insurance company cut a check for the depreciated value of the laptop and then informed me that there is $2000 in reserve.
"Reserve for what?" I asked.
"Well, that represents the balance of your laptop in case you need to purchase a new one. If the amount of your new laptop exceeds the amount we allocated for the depreciated value, we will cut a check for that difference up to the $2000 reserve."
"So, in other words, if I purchase a $2000 laptop, that $2000 goes unused and I lose it. However, if I purchase a $4000 laptop, you will cut me a $2000 check to cover the difference?"
"Yes."
DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? So, pretty much, the insurance company is FORCING me to purchase another ridiculous laptop that costs too much. Any suggestions as to types or configurations would be helpful. A FULLY LOADED Macbook Pro still does not come to the amount of $4000. If the Macbooks had Blu-ray, it would be a no-brainer. I invite all of you to provide suggestions for good, reliable laptops. In other words, Dell and Compaq need not apply.
First of all, the company can purchase certain new items for me. These items include a new VHS-DVD deck, a Playstation 2, my slam-bang Denon receiver, and an iPod. If I requested the cash value of the items, I would be getting the reduced value. Fair enough. I chose to have the insurance company replace these items, as I really do use all of them. The funny thing about the stolen iPod: it was an old 30 GB photo iPod that could no longer hold a charge for any appreciable amount of time. I was quite honest about this fact when I reported it to the insurance company, but an iPod is an iPod. They informed me that, since the 30 GB iPod Photo is no longer in production, they would have to substitute an 80 GB iPod video and would I give them permission to do so. Umm....yeah.
So then we get to the part of the rest of the check. It ended up being a substantial amount that will adequately cover my losses and enable me to replace most of what was stolen. No, I do not think that I will be getting a replica Darth Vader light saber handle...although...hmmm...
The big thing that was stolen was my behemoth laptop. At the time I purchase said laptop, it was state of the art with all sorts of bells and whistles...and I paid WAY too much for it. So the insurance company cut a check for the depreciated value of the laptop and then informed me that there is $2000 in reserve.
"Reserve for what?" I asked.
"Well, that represents the balance of your laptop in case you need to purchase a new one. If the amount of your new laptop exceeds the amount we allocated for the depreciated value, we will cut a check for that difference up to the $2000 reserve."
"So, in other words, if I purchase a $2000 laptop, that $2000 goes unused and I lose it. However, if I purchase a $4000 laptop, you will cut me a $2000 check to cover the difference?"
"Yes."
DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? So, pretty much, the insurance company is FORCING me to purchase another ridiculous laptop that costs too much. Any suggestions as to types or configurations would be helpful. A FULLY LOADED Macbook Pro still does not come to the amount of $4000. If the Macbooks had Blu-ray, it would be a no-brainer. I invite all of you to provide suggestions for good, reliable laptops. In other words, Dell and Compaq need not apply.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A Man's Perspective on "Sex and the City"
Eddie correctly pointed out that, in my column on the upcoming summer movie season, I neglected to mention the release of the Sex and the City movie on May 30. At the time, I was unsure if Warner Brothers, the longtime corporate parent of New Line Cinema who had just absorbed New Line into its corporate structure, was planning on delaying the release in order to change the marketing strategy, etc. I also knew that a discussion of the film would not be complete without a discussion of my own views of the series and how watching the series became almost similar to watching a train wreck at times. The following is my own perspective of the series, one MAN's view of what Sex and the City was all about (amusingly, it turns out that it was about a lot more than the subject matter of its title!).
Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. I daresay that if you start a conversation with those 4 names in unison, 90% percent of the women in the room will immediately get wistful looks in their eyes. When TV creator Darren Starr (can that REALLY be his name), he of "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place" fame, brought "Sex and the City" to HBO, it was before the time of HBO Series. Back then, HBO was not know for quality television programming; it was viewed as a depository for feature films as well as the occasional made-for-HBO film. Sex and the City changed all of that. The pilot episode introduced us to the foursome of women that would take us through the rest of the 1990s and into the 2000s. Each of the women represented an archetype of the XX set. You had Samantha, the sexual feminist in complete control of her life and outwardly confident. Miranda was the career feminist, a woman who dressed like a man in an effort to be taken seriously by the partners of her button down, boys' club law firm. Charlotte was the anti-feminist, a graduate of a WASPY women's college in the Northeast who had been trained since childhood to be a good wife and mother. Finally, you had Carrie, the star of the series whose career and experiences were based on those of Candace Bushnell, the author of the book upon which the series was based. Like Bushnell, Carrie was a columnist living in New York, hanging out with her friends at the hottest and trendiest nightspots. With the exception of Charlotte, there was no emphasis on finding Mr. Right-Mr. RightNow would do. Most of the episodes would focus on the experiences of one or more of the women as they made their way through NY, the dating jungle, career issues, and, ultimately, marriage, cancer, and motherhood.
I never watched the series until 2002. My girlfriend at the time was a devotee of the series, and we would watch the episodes together. I could never convince her that I really wanted to watch the show; she always asked "do you really want to watch it?" Of course I did. The show was, for the most part, well written and provided me with a lot of insight into the female psyche. Here was a show that was not afraid to reveal the insecurities and struggles of single women everywhere, and the show served to demystify the "feminine mystique" to a certain degree, as far as I was concerned. Early on, I decided that my favorite character was Carrie. Miranda was written as too much of a man-hater, and Samantha was just a little too wild. Charlotte was not as strong as she would become later in the series, so I rooted for Carrie. This all ended the day she cheated on Aidan with Big (I am not a fan of people cheating). After that, I tended to view the women with derision. All they seemed interested in is finding ideal men, but they always tended to look at the superficial instead of what really mattered. They seemed to place more emphasis on having a good time than focusing on life itself. I found them all to be irritating and was amazed that so many women I knew and respected identified with one or more of the women on the show.
In retrospect, I was being quite shortsighted. The show has grown on me in reruns, and I see something now that I never saw before. The women were developing before our very eyes, and the things that the women did in sabotaging their own romantic lives mirrored the same things that men do. Whereas the series initially seemed to be a parade of idiot men, the later shows revealed that each woman (with the exception of Carrie) was falling for a mate that, early on in the show's run, they might not have given the time of day. Among all of the angst and struggles, the women also maintained their friendship, and this was the best part of the series. Guys form lasting friendships over experiences such as beer, sports, and video games, but these women forged their friendships over meaningful experiences in their lives.
So, at the end of the series, shiksa Charlotte fell for her Jewish divorce attorney, a bald, soft in the middle sort who loved to sit his hairy ass down on her valuable furniture. He was a good guy. She could not have children, so they adopted. Miranda the hotshot lawyer fell for bartender Steve, a series semi-regular and the father of Miranda's child. Steve was also a good guy. Samantha fell for Smith Jared, a himbo who showed Samantha that she was worth loving (his forgiveness over her indiscretion spoke volumes about relationships in general). Finally, Samantha ended up with Big, something that could have been predicted but his line to her at the end of their first date:
Carrie: So have you?
Big: Have I what?
Carrie: Ever been in love
Big (smiling broadly): Abso-f**king-lutely
Such great writing. So, in the end, I learned to appreciate the ladies of Sex and the City. I enjoyed their various misadventures and complained when the stories became too serious (as with Steve's mom's Alzheimer's storyline). As such, I intend to see it in the theater. Besides the fact that this is the first new story featuring the ladies in 4 years, there is something about being a single guy in a theater sure to be populated with women that tends to appeal to me. Unless the men in the film are masochistic jerks..in which case I will make my way to the exits muttering apologies along the way...
Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. I daresay that if you start a conversation with those 4 names in unison, 90% percent of the women in the room will immediately get wistful looks in their eyes. When TV creator Darren Starr (can that REALLY be his name), he of "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place" fame, brought "Sex and the City" to HBO, it was before the time of HBO Series. Back then, HBO was not know for quality television programming; it was viewed as a depository for feature films as well as the occasional made-for-HBO film. Sex and the City changed all of that. The pilot episode introduced us to the foursome of women that would take us through the rest of the 1990s and into the 2000s. Each of the women represented an archetype of the XX set. You had Samantha, the sexual feminist in complete control of her life and outwardly confident. Miranda was the career feminist, a woman who dressed like a man in an effort to be taken seriously by the partners of her button down, boys' club law firm. Charlotte was the anti-feminist, a graduate of a WASPY women's college in the Northeast who had been trained since childhood to be a good wife and mother. Finally, you had Carrie, the star of the series whose career and experiences were based on those of Candace Bushnell, the author of the book upon which the series was based. Like Bushnell, Carrie was a columnist living in New York, hanging out with her friends at the hottest and trendiest nightspots. With the exception of Charlotte, there was no emphasis on finding Mr. Right-Mr. RightNow would do. Most of the episodes would focus on the experiences of one or more of the women as they made their way through NY, the dating jungle, career issues, and, ultimately, marriage, cancer, and motherhood.
I never watched the series until 2002. My girlfriend at the time was a devotee of the series, and we would watch the episodes together. I could never convince her that I really wanted to watch the show; she always asked "do you really want to watch it?" Of course I did. The show was, for the most part, well written and provided me with a lot of insight into the female psyche. Here was a show that was not afraid to reveal the insecurities and struggles of single women everywhere, and the show served to demystify the "feminine mystique" to a certain degree, as far as I was concerned. Early on, I decided that my favorite character was Carrie. Miranda was written as too much of a man-hater, and Samantha was just a little too wild. Charlotte was not as strong as she would become later in the series, so I rooted for Carrie. This all ended the day she cheated on Aidan with Big (I am not a fan of people cheating). After that, I tended to view the women with derision. All they seemed interested in is finding ideal men, but they always tended to look at the superficial instead of what really mattered. They seemed to place more emphasis on having a good time than focusing on life itself. I found them all to be irritating and was amazed that so many women I knew and respected identified with one or more of the women on the show.
In retrospect, I was being quite shortsighted. The show has grown on me in reruns, and I see something now that I never saw before. The women were developing before our very eyes, and the things that the women did in sabotaging their own romantic lives mirrored the same things that men do. Whereas the series initially seemed to be a parade of idiot men, the later shows revealed that each woman (with the exception of Carrie) was falling for a mate that, early on in the show's run, they might not have given the time of day. Among all of the angst and struggles, the women also maintained their friendship, and this was the best part of the series. Guys form lasting friendships over experiences such as beer, sports, and video games, but these women forged their friendships over meaningful experiences in their lives.
So, at the end of the series, shiksa Charlotte fell for her Jewish divorce attorney, a bald, soft in the middle sort who loved to sit his hairy ass down on her valuable furniture. He was a good guy. She could not have children, so they adopted. Miranda the hotshot lawyer fell for bartender Steve, a series semi-regular and the father of Miranda's child. Steve was also a good guy. Samantha fell for Smith Jared, a himbo who showed Samantha that she was worth loving (his forgiveness over her indiscretion spoke volumes about relationships in general). Finally, Samantha ended up with Big, something that could have been predicted but his line to her at the end of their first date:
Carrie: So have you?
Big: Have I what?
Carrie: Ever been in love
Big (smiling broadly): Abso-f**king-lutely
Such great writing. So, in the end, I learned to appreciate the ladies of Sex and the City. I enjoyed their various misadventures and complained when the stories became too serious (as with Steve's mom's Alzheimer's storyline). As such, I intend to see it in the theater. Besides the fact that this is the first new story featuring the ladies in 4 years, there is something about being a single guy in a theater sure to be populated with women that tends to appeal to me. Unless the men in the film are masochistic jerks..in which case I will make my way to the exits muttering apologies along the way...
TV Review: "John Adams"
Normally, I am not one to do TV reviews. Most of you do not even know which TV series I follow. This is because television has really let me down as a medium. The television viewing experience has devolved into a neverending carousel of voyeuristic "reality" TV where the viewers are drawn not so much by positive messages but to the pathos and suffering endured by the participants. Even that most notable exception to the reality TV genre, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", is fraught with inconsistencies. I was disappointed to hear that many of the families are suing the producers of "EM" because the contractors never finished their homes! As a matter of fact, many of the homes are not up to code and have been deemed uninhabitable by the local municipalities. At least the families could have lived in the homes prior to the makeovers, but now what are they to do? Meanwhile, the show continues.
I admit to watching "Top Chef" as a reality show, as I was fished in by the challenges and the chef personalities. Part of the fun is watching the chefs at the judging table, and the tension in the room is palpable. Because I have an exception to my rule of "no 'reality' TV", I suppose that makes me a hypocrit. Oh well. I still find solace in identifying good television when it occurs.
As many of you may know, I LOVE history. I love learning about the past, about ancient cultures, and about the founding of our VERY young republic. I was lucky to grow up in Virginia, as the history of Virginia is closely intertwined with the founding of the nation. 5 of the first 10 presidents of the United States hailed from Virginia (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Tyler). Virginians were instrumental in the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Patrick Henry was the Virginian who gave the famous "give me liberty or give me death" speech. The only problem with Virginian history is that, like most state histories, it tends to be a bit skewed towards the Virginians when recounting the historical events of the American Revolution (no, it is NOT the Revolutionary War, for there is nothing whatsoever revolutionary about war!). As such, I always wondered about the OTHER influential state of the Revolution, the state where the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired, where the men were even more bent on Independence than even those men of Virginia. Massachusetts is the true birthplace of the Revolution, yet I had never truly learned about the influential men behind it. I knew of them (Samuel Adams, his cousin John Adams, and John Hancock, just to name a few), but I never knew of their stories. John Adams, as far as I knew, was the first president to only serve a single term in office, as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe all served 2 terms. Adams never seemed to be at the forefront of the Revolution; I only knew him as one of the founding members of the Federalist Party. There HAD to be more to the story.
Author David McCullough's biography, John Adams, was universally hailed as an invaluable resource to American Revolution scholars. This meticulously researched book painted a complete picture of Adams as a man resolute in his principles who sacrificed a great deal for his belief in the independence of the United States. Tom Hanks' Playtone production banner produced an HBO series based on McCullough's book, and I had the opportunity to watch the first 5 episodes over the last 2 days.
We first meet Adams (Paul Giamatti) as an earnest young Boston lawyer with a lovely wife named Abigail (Laura Linney) and 3 small children. It is the night of the Boston massacre, and Adams comes on the scene after the massacre. He is shocked and saddened by what he sees, and he sees his cousin Samuel watching in the background, looking almost pleased by what has transpired. Samuel is a "fiery" revolutionary, a man who wants to start fighting NOW. John is more moderate, a man of the law and principles who believes that the formation of a country without a firm foundation of law can only lead to chaos. This immediately comes into play when Adams is approached to represent the British officers accused in the massacre. Until I saw this, I had no idea that Adams had defended the men. It echoed his son John Quincy's defense of the slave from the ship "Amistad." A man takes on an unpopular case and is able to rise above it through the power of the law itself. In a hostile courtroom, Adams successfully defends the men, but the cost is his practice. Because he took the case, Adams has become unpopular with many of his countrymen, but Adams believes in the law to the point where his own reputation is secondary to everything.
These events are recounted in the FIRST episode of the series. Needless to say, I was hooked. The second episode focused on the Declaration of Independence and the beginnings of Adams long terms away from home in the name of liberty. The third episode followed Adams efforts in Paris with Benjamin Franklin and his early lessons in diplomacy and political intrigue. The fourth episode begins with the end of the Revolution and Adams' appointment as the first Ambassador to the British Empire and ends with his return to the United States and election to the vice presidency.
The portrait of the man that emerges is quite impressive. Adams had a strong sense of duty to his country and love of liberty, yet his honesty and forthright approach to issues made him ill suited for the world of politics, where political infighting and backstabbing are still the norm as they were in the days of Adams. The series does not shirk from also showing the man's true failings, as Adams was an absentee father who still insisted that his children do as he says. He was completely disconnected from his children, yet Giamatti does an excellent job of showing the pain of the man when he realizes this fact. Adams was an honest man who tried to be a politician, and it was this that prevented him from securing a second term in office. I no longer see Adams as a "one term loser"; instead, I see him as a man weary of fighting a war of subterfuge and betrayal. Adams truly gave his life for his country, yet he has never been viewed on the same plane as Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Hopefully, this impressive miniseries will establish his important place in history outside of New England alone.
One final note. As I was watching the series, I thought about how this would never be on network television, and that saddened me. There was nothing about the series that was objectionable (other than perhaps the tarring of the tax agent in Boston Harbor in episode 1), yet the series would not be considered a big enough "ratings grabber" for a network to take a chance on it. I remember watching a wonderful miniseries on John F. Kennedy, called "Kennedy" growing up, and these sorts of miniseries are few and far between. When was the last time there was a miniseries on network TV? I am glad that networks such as HBO take chances on series such as "John Adams", but I wish that the series were on regular television. There is a whole generation of children who would benefit by learning of the life of John Adams.
I admit to watching "Top Chef" as a reality show, as I was fished in by the challenges and the chef personalities. Part of the fun is watching the chefs at the judging table, and the tension in the room is palpable. Because I have an exception to my rule of "no 'reality' TV", I suppose that makes me a hypocrit. Oh well. I still find solace in identifying good television when it occurs.
As many of you may know, I LOVE history. I love learning about the past, about ancient cultures, and about the founding of our VERY young republic. I was lucky to grow up in Virginia, as the history of Virginia is closely intertwined with the founding of the nation. 5 of the first 10 presidents of the United States hailed from Virginia (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Tyler). Virginians were instrumental in the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Patrick Henry was the Virginian who gave the famous "give me liberty or give me death" speech. The only problem with Virginian history is that, like most state histories, it tends to be a bit skewed towards the Virginians when recounting the historical events of the American Revolution (no, it is NOT the Revolutionary War, for there is nothing whatsoever revolutionary about war!). As such, I always wondered about the OTHER influential state of the Revolution, the state where the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired, where the men were even more bent on Independence than even those men of Virginia. Massachusetts is the true birthplace of the Revolution, yet I had never truly learned about the influential men behind it. I knew of them (Samuel Adams, his cousin John Adams, and John Hancock, just to name a few), but I never knew of their stories. John Adams, as far as I knew, was the first president to only serve a single term in office, as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe all served 2 terms. Adams never seemed to be at the forefront of the Revolution; I only knew him as one of the founding members of the Federalist Party. There HAD to be more to the story.
Author David McCullough's biography, John Adams, was universally hailed as an invaluable resource to American Revolution scholars. This meticulously researched book painted a complete picture of Adams as a man resolute in his principles who sacrificed a great deal for his belief in the independence of the United States. Tom Hanks' Playtone production banner produced an HBO series based on McCullough's book, and I had the opportunity to watch the first 5 episodes over the last 2 days.
We first meet Adams (Paul Giamatti) as an earnest young Boston lawyer with a lovely wife named Abigail (Laura Linney) and 3 small children. It is the night of the Boston massacre, and Adams comes on the scene after the massacre. He is shocked and saddened by what he sees, and he sees his cousin Samuel watching in the background, looking almost pleased by what has transpired. Samuel is a "fiery" revolutionary, a man who wants to start fighting NOW. John is more moderate, a man of the law and principles who believes that the formation of a country without a firm foundation of law can only lead to chaos. This immediately comes into play when Adams is approached to represent the British officers accused in the massacre. Until I saw this, I had no idea that Adams had defended the men. It echoed his son John Quincy's defense of the slave from the ship "Amistad." A man takes on an unpopular case and is able to rise above it through the power of the law itself. In a hostile courtroom, Adams successfully defends the men, but the cost is his practice. Because he took the case, Adams has become unpopular with many of his countrymen, but Adams believes in the law to the point where his own reputation is secondary to everything.
These events are recounted in the FIRST episode of the series. Needless to say, I was hooked. The second episode focused on the Declaration of Independence and the beginnings of Adams long terms away from home in the name of liberty. The third episode followed Adams efforts in Paris with Benjamin Franklin and his early lessons in diplomacy and political intrigue. The fourth episode begins with the end of the Revolution and Adams' appointment as the first Ambassador to the British Empire and ends with his return to the United States and election to the vice presidency.
The portrait of the man that emerges is quite impressive. Adams had a strong sense of duty to his country and love of liberty, yet his honesty and forthright approach to issues made him ill suited for the world of politics, where political infighting and backstabbing are still the norm as they were in the days of Adams. The series does not shirk from also showing the man's true failings, as Adams was an absentee father who still insisted that his children do as he says. He was completely disconnected from his children, yet Giamatti does an excellent job of showing the pain of the man when he realizes this fact. Adams was an honest man who tried to be a politician, and it was this that prevented him from securing a second term in office. I no longer see Adams as a "one term loser"; instead, I see him as a man weary of fighting a war of subterfuge and betrayal. Adams truly gave his life for his country, yet he has never been viewed on the same plane as Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Hopefully, this impressive miniseries will establish his important place in history outside of New England alone.
One final note. As I was watching the series, I thought about how this would never be on network television, and that saddened me. There was nothing about the series that was objectionable (other than perhaps the tarring of the tax agent in Boston Harbor in episode 1), yet the series would not be considered a big enough "ratings grabber" for a network to take a chance on it. I remember watching a wonderful miniseries on John F. Kennedy, called "Kennedy" growing up, and these sorts of miniseries are few and far between. When was the last time there was a miniseries on network TV? I am glad that networks such as HBO take chances on series such as "John Adams", but I wish that the series were on regular television. There is a whole generation of children who would benefit by learning of the life of John Adams.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Movie Review: "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
Movies come in all shapes and sizes-we call them genres. Among the many genres, the comedy genre has the most potential for hits and misses. In recent history, the films of Judd Apatow, he of "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared", have mostly been hits ("The 40 Year-Old Virgin", "Knocked Up", "Superbad") with a few misses along the way (most notably "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story").
I am pleased to announce that the latest film from Apatow & Company, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," is a RESOUNDING hit. Most of you probably are aware of the broad strokes of the plot (man is dumped without warning, escapes to Hawaii to recover, and ends up spending his vacation at the same hotel as his ex and her new beau), but what really struck me was the verisimilitude to real-life situations. The dialogue and scenes themselves rang true in a way that is rare in modern day comedies. Most modern comedies tend to go for the overbroad ("Old School", the films of Will Farrell, and anything that stars the individuals from the "Wedding Crashers") but humor that is born out of a real situation is the rarest type. There were several scenes in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" that rang true. For example, Peter (the main character) is blindsided by the breakup, and the viewer feels his pain and also some animosity towards Sarah for putting him in this situation. We learn that Sarah cheated on him during their relationship, and this allows the viewer to feel even more animosity towards Sarah. It is not until later in the film, when Sarah outlines to Peter how hard she tried and how Peter was oblivious does the viewer get a sense that there is more to the story than that from Peter's perspective. None of the characters are truly hissable because, as is often the case in real life, people are not "completely bad" or "completely good". It was this crafting of the characters in the screenplay that allowed the story and the situations to resonate with me long after I had left the theater.
Granted, there were a few "wow" comedy moments as well. Highlights include Peter's interactions with the hotel staff (especially Paul Rudd's surfer burnout character), scenes referencing Peter's vampire musical (the scene featuring his song had me rolling), the "naked break-up" scene (uncomfortable to watch, but steeped in realism), and the dinner scene with both exes out with their new beaus (classic comedy that, once again, felt steeped in realism).
In the end, there were also a few problems with the film. Most notably, I felt a distinct lack of closure with regard to the fates of some of the characters, and the subplot with the newlyweds felt forced and completely superfluous to the rest of the plot. Overall, however, I enjoyed the film and will probably purchase it when it is released on disc.
I wonder if the Children's Television Workshop is going to sue for copyright infringement (see the film and you will understand)...
I am pleased to announce that the latest film from Apatow & Company, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," is a RESOUNDING hit. Most of you probably are aware of the broad strokes of the plot (man is dumped without warning, escapes to Hawaii to recover, and ends up spending his vacation at the same hotel as his ex and her new beau), but what really struck me was the verisimilitude to real-life situations. The dialogue and scenes themselves rang true in a way that is rare in modern day comedies. Most modern comedies tend to go for the overbroad ("Old School", the films of Will Farrell, and anything that stars the individuals from the "Wedding Crashers") but humor that is born out of a real situation is the rarest type. There were several scenes in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" that rang true. For example, Peter (the main character) is blindsided by the breakup, and the viewer feels his pain and also some animosity towards Sarah for putting him in this situation. We learn that Sarah cheated on him during their relationship, and this allows the viewer to feel even more animosity towards Sarah. It is not until later in the film, when Sarah outlines to Peter how hard she tried and how Peter was oblivious does the viewer get a sense that there is more to the story than that from Peter's perspective. None of the characters are truly hissable because, as is often the case in real life, people are not "completely bad" or "completely good". It was this crafting of the characters in the screenplay that allowed the story and the situations to resonate with me long after I had left the theater.
Granted, there were a few "wow" comedy moments as well. Highlights include Peter's interactions with the hotel staff (especially Paul Rudd's surfer burnout character), scenes referencing Peter's vampire musical (the scene featuring his song had me rolling), the "naked break-up" scene (uncomfortable to watch, but steeped in realism), and the dinner scene with both exes out with their new beaus (classic comedy that, once again, felt steeped in realism).
In the end, there were also a few problems with the film. Most notably, I felt a distinct lack of closure with regard to the fates of some of the characters, and the subplot with the newlyweds felt forced and completely superfluous to the rest of the plot. Overall, however, I enjoyed the film and will probably purchase it when it is released on disc.
I wonder if the Children's Television Workshop is going to sue for copyright infringement (see the film and you will understand)...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Second Post today-a New G.I. Joe Picture
So here is a picture of Rachel Nichols in her role as Scarlett for Stephen Sommers' G.I. Joe film.
Ummm...if Scarlett looked like this in the cartoons I watched as a wee lad, puberty would DEFINITELY have been of the early onset variety.
I'm just saying...
Ummm...if Scarlett looked like this in the cartoons I watched as a wee lad, puberty would DEFINITELY have been of the early onset variety.
I'm just saying...
The Summer Movie Season: A pre-season guide
The summer movie season seems to arrive earlier and earlier every year. Back in the days pre-Jaws, there was no "summer movie season" so to speak. The big releases came out during the holidays. Jaws changed that equation for all time, and now we have "tentpole" films that lay claim to key weekends years in advance, the equivalent of studios marking their territory. Careers are made or broken on opening weekend grosses during the summer movie season, and just one bad film can ruin a filmmakers reputation (see M. Night Shyamalan and The Lady in the Water).
The summer of 2008 is upon us, and I have been told that this will be the worst summer of my life (with the bar exam being at the end of July). In spite of the pending doom of the bar exam, I plan on catching all of the big summer films. My approach to summer films differs from my approach to most other films. I can enjoy a film on the pure level of "popcorn fun," letting a mindless little film take me away for a few hours without worrying about things such as plot points and poor CGI. Of course, if the subject is one that is near and dear to my heart (for example, a comic book film), I will cast a far more critical eye towards the story, acting, and overall production than I would to an unknown film. With that in mind, allow me to outline the summer movie season for 2008 and the films that I intend to see on their opening weekends. This entry will cover the month of May.
1. Iron Man, May 2: Iron Man is a Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby in 1963. On the 45th anniversary of his creation, director Jon Favreau is bringing a big-budget adaptation of the character's story to life. Iron Man is the story of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, a man whose genius was the foundation of the weapons manufacturer that bears his name. Originally set during the Vietnam War, Iron Man was born during Stark's time as a POW. A piece of shrapnel caught in his chest during his capture, and Stark was slowly dying. His captors, knowing who Stark was, demanded that he create a weapon for them. Instead, Stark created a chest plate that kept the shrapnel from reaching his heart. The power supply of the chest plate also allowed him to power an armored suit that he secretly built while he was supposedly building a weapon. Using the armored suit, Stark escaped captivity, but his newly acquired knowledge of his own mortality and the evil that he witnessed caused Stark to emerge from his experiences a changed man. When he returned to the United States, he changed the direction of Stark International and, in his Iron Man persona, fought crime on an international scale. The casting for the film is perfect. Robert Downey Jr. makes for a great Tony Stark, and Jeff Bridges is perfectly cast as Stark's rival Obadiah Stane. I have high hopes for this film.
2. Speed Racer, May 9: Based on the Japanese manga MachGoGoGo, Speed Racer is the story of a young man who is the driver for his family's racing team. His father, Pops Racer, is the creator of the incredible Mach 5, a car that has more gadgets than Bond's Aston Martin. Also lurking in the shadows is the enigmatic Racer X, one of the top racers on the circuit who always manages to save Speed from harm at the last minute. Speed's younger brother Sprittle and his pet chimpanzee Chim-chim always hide in the Mach 5's trunk so that they can race with Speed, but this always puts them in danger. The racing courses along the circuit are akin to the rally's that were first popularized during the 1960s. The film looks intriguing as envisioned by the Wachowski brothers, the creators of The Matrix. I remember describing The Matrix as "a Japanese anime film come to life," and from the trailers, it appears that the Wachoskis are continuing their trend. The driving sequences look amazing and require a lot more than a mere suspension of disbelief. As a fan of the original series (Theme song began "Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer..he's a demon on wheels...."), I am looking forward to the Wachowski's interpretation. As a bonus, it is being released in IMAX 3-D!
3. The Chronicle of Narnia: Prince Caspian; May 16. I must admit that the first film, though fun, did not exactly leave me wanting more. I was unimpressed with the performances of the actors portraying the Pevensies, and the only bright spots were those that included Aslan and the White Witch. At least Prince Caspian deals with a darker time in Narnia, with the Narnians driven underground by the invading Telmarines. The problem that I have with Narnia is the issue of kids fighting battles with swords and killing others. They never showed it in the first movie, with the exception of Peter's slaying of the wolf captain of the secret police, but that is always in the back of my mind. Whereas The Lord of the Rings dealt with the realities of war in a fantastical setting, there is no sense of reality in Narnia. Oh well. It should still be fun to watch as a kids film.
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; May 22. Indiana Jones is back, and Marion and a son are in tow! I have no idea what to expect, but those of you who frequent my blog will know that Raiders of the Lost Ark is on my short list of favorite films. While I doubt that this Indy film can match the heights of the first film, I will be contented just sitting in the theater and watching Harrison Ford in the trademark fedora.
The summer of 2008 is upon us, and I have been told that this will be the worst summer of my life (with the bar exam being at the end of July). In spite of the pending doom of the bar exam, I plan on catching all of the big summer films. My approach to summer films differs from my approach to most other films. I can enjoy a film on the pure level of "popcorn fun," letting a mindless little film take me away for a few hours without worrying about things such as plot points and poor CGI. Of course, if the subject is one that is near and dear to my heart (for example, a comic book film), I will cast a far more critical eye towards the story, acting, and overall production than I would to an unknown film. With that in mind, allow me to outline the summer movie season for 2008 and the films that I intend to see on their opening weekends. This entry will cover the month of May.
1. Iron Man, May 2: Iron Man is a Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby in 1963. On the 45th anniversary of his creation, director Jon Favreau is bringing a big-budget adaptation of the character's story to life. Iron Man is the story of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, a man whose genius was the foundation of the weapons manufacturer that bears his name. Originally set during the Vietnam War, Iron Man was born during Stark's time as a POW. A piece of shrapnel caught in his chest during his capture, and Stark was slowly dying. His captors, knowing who Stark was, demanded that he create a weapon for them. Instead, Stark created a chest plate that kept the shrapnel from reaching his heart. The power supply of the chest plate also allowed him to power an armored suit that he secretly built while he was supposedly building a weapon. Using the armored suit, Stark escaped captivity, but his newly acquired knowledge of his own mortality and the evil that he witnessed caused Stark to emerge from his experiences a changed man. When he returned to the United States, he changed the direction of Stark International and, in his Iron Man persona, fought crime on an international scale. The casting for the film is perfect. Robert Downey Jr. makes for a great Tony Stark, and Jeff Bridges is perfectly cast as Stark's rival Obadiah Stane. I have high hopes for this film.
2. Speed Racer, May 9: Based on the Japanese manga MachGoGoGo, Speed Racer is the story of a young man who is the driver for his family's racing team. His father, Pops Racer, is the creator of the incredible Mach 5, a car that has more gadgets than Bond's Aston Martin. Also lurking in the shadows is the enigmatic Racer X, one of the top racers on the circuit who always manages to save Speed from harm at the last minute. Speed's younger brother Sprittle and his pet chimpanzee Chim-chim always hide in the Mach 5's trunk so that they can race with Speed, but this always puts them in danger. The racing courses along the circuit are akin to the rally's that were first popularized during the 1960s. The film looks intriguing as envisioned by the Wachowski brothers, the creators of The Matrix. I remember describing The Matrix as "a Japanese anime film come to life," and from the trailers, it appears that the Wachoskis are continuing their trend. The driving sequences look amazing and require a lot more than a mere suspension of disbelief. As a fan of the original series (Theme song began "Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer..he's a demon on wheels...."), I am looking forward to the Wachowski's interpretation. As a bonus, it is being released in IMAX 3-D!
3. The Chronicle of Narnia: Prince Caspian; May 16. I must admit that the first film, though fun, did not exactly leave me wanting more. I was unimpressed with the performances of the actors portraying the Pevensies, and the only bright spots were those that included Aslan and the White Witch. At least Prince Caspian deals with a darker time in Narnia, with the Narnians driven underground by the invading Telmarines. The problem that I have with Narnia is the issue of kids fighting battles with swords and killing others. They never showed it in the first movie, with the exception of Peter's slaying of the wolf captain of the secret police, but that is always in the back of my mind. Whereas The Lord of the Rings dealt with the realities of war in a fantastical setting, there is no sense of reality in Narnia. Oh well. It should still be fun to watch as a kids film.
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; May 22. Indiana Jones is back, and Marion and a son are in tow! I have no idea what to expect, but those of you who frequent my blog will know that Raiders of the Lost Ark is on my short list of favorite films. While I doubt that this Indy film can match the heights of the first film, I will be contented just sitting in the theater and watching Harrison Ford in the trademark fedora.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
On being burglarized....
So this past weekend was schizophrenic-moreso even than John Arbuckle from Garfield without Garfield. Last Thursday, I headed out with PAG, the PAGman (I refuse to call him Arms, Daisy), Scarlett, and Daisy for 4 days in the surf and sun. This was in celebration of PAG and PAGman's pending nuptials. A good time was had by all, and I had a great time meeting the friends of PAGman. Sadly, the day came to depart, and I was on an early morning flight. During my connection, the plane sat on the runway for 1.5 hours, so I arrived in Chicago much later than anticipated. As is my routine, I immediately turned on my cell phone upon reaching my final destination and checked my messages. I had 2, both from my brother.
8:30 AM: "Dude, just checking in to see what you are up to. Talk to you later."
9:30 AM: "Dude, you have to call me as soon as you get in. It is an emergency. It concerns your apartment."
My stomach immediately fell into the bottomless pit of despair. I immediately dialed my brother, fearing a) that my home had burned down and I was now homeless or b) that someone had broken into my apartment while I was away. Upon reaching my brother, I found that the correct answer was b). Someone had indeed broken into my apartment while I was away. My brother told me that someone had kicked in two doors and taken what he thought was the entire stack of my high end electronics.
The trip from the airport back to my apartment was the longest hour of the weekend.
When I arrived, I immediately took stock of the situation. I noted that the robbers had taken most of my electronics but had left others (no doubt due to my ingenious strategy of employing hopelessly entangled wires as a deterrent). I also noted that the robbers had not taken any of my dvds, blu-rays, or video game software. Strange indeed. My place was already a mess, as I had been traveling a lot over the previous 2 weeks, and i think that that might also have contributed to the robbers being unsuccessful. Upon completing my survey of the area, I immediately called 311 to report the burglary. I expected maybe one officer to show up. Instead, 10 officers descended upon my home. The cynic in me noted that this might not have been the case if I lived in one of the more distressed areas of Chicago. Burglary is not an everyday occurrence in my neighborhood. What followed was more humorous exchanges as I slowly started my recovery from the initial shock.
Officer: "Wow..this place is a mess. They did all this, huh? They really did a number on you."
Me (too embarassed to admit that much of the mess existed before the robbery): "Yeah..those bastards..."
Officer: "Why did they only take 2 of the video game systems?"
Me: "I dunno..perhaps they were Sony fans?"
Officer (in answer to a description I gave of something that was stolen): "Excuse me??"
Me (sheepishly): "A replica Darth Vader light sabre handle made of machined metal, a limited edition in a lucite case made by Master Replicas that retails for $350.00."
Officer: "Ooooo-kay...."
Officer: "The burglar left a jacket here?"
Me: "Yes, he only needed one. He took my leather jacket."
Officer: "Score."
PAGman text to me (because I called him several times upon arriving at my home): In a movie. Is everything all right?
My text to PAGman (still in Florida): My home was burglarized while I was in Florida. Oh, and I left my iPod charger in the hotel room. Holla.
All in all, the final tally of damage was around $7,000, with most of that coming from the theft of a laptop. Thankfully, I have renters insurance, and I cannot recommend it enough to those of you who may not be investing that $10 or so a month. It is totally worth it. I think that the most irritating thing of all is having the knowledge that strangers were walking around my home with their filthy street shoes looking through my stuff (as if anyone REALLY keeps cash at home anymore).
I also learned something else, about myself, from this experience. All of my life, my parents have placed a lot of emphasis on material success in life as a measure of one's success. I was worried that I was becoming, like them, too attached to the power of money. The love of money is the root of all evil, and I feared that I was falling into that abyss. Being a victim of burglary allowed me to take stock in what was truly important. I mean, my home was not burned down and I am not homeless. No one is hurt. I went from being angry at the individuals who did this to feeling kinda sorry for them. I am indeed fortunate that I have never had to steal. I hope to never be placed in that position. In my minds eye, I hope that the individuals who stole from me did so because they had no other recourse. This is highly unlikely, but I still pity someone who has to steal from another.
Finally, I learned that I had the best friends in the world. Missy, Daisy, PAGman, PAG, Scarlett, and a whole bevy of other friends offered their condolences and offers of aid and showed me that our friendships were not just mere acquaintances. I knew this to be the case long before the burglary, but I must admit to being deeply affected by the outpouring of support provided by these friends. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I feel as if I am truly wealthy when it comes to the riches of my friends. So here is a shout out to all of you who have helped me through this.
Now all I need to do is figure out why someone would steal a Comcast cable box....
8:30 AM: "Dude, just checking in to see what you are up to. Talk to you later."
9:30 AM: "Dude, you have to call me as soon as you get in. It is an emergency. It concerns your apartment."
My stomach immediately fell into the bottomless pit of despair. I immediately dialed my brother, fearing a) that my home had burned down and I was now homeless or b) that someone had broken into my apartment while I was away. Upon reaching my brother, I found that the correct answer was b). Someone had indeed broken into my apartment while I was away. My brother told me that someone had kicked in two doors and taken what he thought was the entire stack of my high end electronics.
The trip from the airport back to my apartment was the longest hour of the weekend.
When I arrived, I immediately took stock of the situation. I noted that the robbers had taken most of my electronics but had left others (no doubt due to my ingenious strategy of employing hopelessly entangled wires as a deterrent). I also noted that the robbers had not taken any of my dvds, blu-rays, or video game software. Strange indeed. My place was already a mess, as I had been traveling a lot over the previous 2 weeks, and i think that that might also have contributed to the robbers being unsuccessful. Upon completing my survey of the area, I immediately called 311 to report the burglary. I expected maybe one officer to show up. Instead, 10 officers descended upon my home. The cynic in me noted that this might not have been the case if I lived in one of the more distressed areas of Chicago. Burglary is not an everyday occurrence in my neighborhood. What followed was more humorous exchanges as I slowly started my recovery from the initial shock.
Officer: "Wow..this place is a mess. They did all this, huh? They really did a number on you."
Me (too embarassed to admit that much of the mess existed before the robbery): "Yeah..those bastards..."
Officer: "Why did they only take 2 of the video game systems?"
Me: "I dunno..perhaps they were Sony fans?"
Officer (in answer to a description I gave of something that was stolen): "Excuse me??"
Me (sheepishly): "A replica Darth Vader light sabre handle made of machined metal, a limited edition in a lucite case made by Master Replicas that retails for $350.00."
Officer: "Ooooo-kay...."
Officer: "The burglar left a jacket here?"
Me: "Yes, he only needed one. He took my leather jacket."
Officer: "Score."
PAGman text to me (because I called him several times upon arriving at my home): In a movie. Is everything all right?
My text to PAGman (still in Florida): My home was burglarized while I was in Florida. Oh, and I left my iPod charger in the hotel room. Holla.
All in all, the final tally of damage was around $7,000, with most of that coming from the theft of a laptop. Thankfully, I have renters insurance, and I cannot recommend it enough to those of you who may not be investing that $10 or so a month. It is totally worth it. I think that the most irritating thing of all is having the knowledge that strangers were walking around my home with their filthy street shoes looking through my stuff (as if anyone REALLY keeps cash at home anymore).
I also learned something else, about myself, from this experience. All of my life, my parents have placed a lot of emphasis on material success in life as a measure of one's success. I was worried that I was becoming, like them, too attached to the power of money. The love of money is the root of all evil, and I feared that I was falling into that abyss. Being a victim of burglary allowed me to take stock in what was truly important. I mean, my home was not burned down and I am not homeless. No one is hurt. I went from being angry at the individuals who did this to feeling kinda sorry for them. I am indeed fortunate that I have never had to steal. I hope to never be placed in that position. In my minds eye, I hope that the individuals who stole from me did so because they had no other recourse. This is highly unlikely, but I still pity someone who has to steal from another.
Finally, I learned that I had the best friends in the world. Missy, Daisy, PAGman, PAG, Scarlett, and a whole bevy of other friends offered their condolences and offers of aid and showed me that our friendships were not just mere acquaintances. I knew this to be the case long before the burglary, but I must admit to being deeply affected by the outpouring of support provided by these friends. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I feel as if I am truly wealthy when it comes to the riches of my friends. So here is a shout out to all of you who have helped me through this.
Now all I need to do is figure out why someone would steal a Comcast cable box....
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