I only watched one movie this weekend, 12 Angry Men, Sidney Lumet's 1957 directorial debut. Now, I am not a historical movie buff. I love films, but the majority of things I watch were made no later than 1980. I do, on occasion try to watch the occasional older film just to feel wise and snooty. You know, so I can be better than those who don't watch classic movies. But, if I ever meet anyone who truly does know anything about historic movies, I'm screwed, because I know nothing.
Anyway, I think the first time I saw 12 Angry Men was back in high school as part of a school project. I always used to despise black and white movies, not because of the lack of color, but because I always thought of them as slow. I remember that I had low hopes for this movie when I first saw it. I mean, come on, 90 minutes of twelve guys sitting in a room yelling at each other, how good could it be? Well, I was shocked when I first saw the film. It has been almost 10 years since I have seen it, so it was about time to watch it again.
For those who have never heard of this movie, essentially it is about a jury in deliberation over a murder case, where the defendant's life is at stake. When they first get into the deliberation room, 11 out of the 12 men vote guilty and one man, Juror #8, Henry Fonda, stands alone with a not guilty vote. The remainder of the movie is devoted to Fonda convincing the rest of the jury to change their vote.
I loved how Juror #8 used a moral basis to continue the discussion. Early on, he never claimed the defendant was guilty, only that he thought they owed him a discussion because his life was at stake.
I loved how the mood changed throughout the film and how the weather (ie the heat and the rain) mirrored the feelings in the room.
I loved the actors. Lee J Cobb, Jack Klugman, Henry Fonda, Jack Warden, and John Fielder (Piglet! Seriously, any guy with a voice like that is awesome!). I have to check out some other things these guys have done!
Here's the great trailer. Enjoy:
"The smell of violent death in their nostrils." Awesome!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Not Pop Culture, Awesome Nonetheless
Alright, I know this post is not about pop culture, but Friday is Miscellaneous day and I saw a video today that really intrigued me. Also, it's my blog and I can do what I want! Check it out:
The sound it makes is kinda freaky, but this robot is awesome! I had never heard of Boston Dynamics, the company that has designed this incredible beast, but I hope they keep up the good work. According to Wikipedia (every bloggers' best friend) "BigDog is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the hopes that it will be able to serve as a robotic pack mule to accompany soldiers in terrain too rough for vehicles." Yeah, I could see that.
The BigDog is amazing! It looks like it can climb over just about anything, can be kicked without falling over, and did you see it on the ice? Incredible! I have never seen a robot with the kind of balance and movement abilities that BigDog has. My initial thought when watching the video (besides "holy crap, that's a robot, not two freaky people trying to pull a prank") was that BigDog would be great for planetary exploration. However, DARPA is funding the design of this robot for carrying equipment for soldiers in places where wheeled vehicles are unable to go. A couple of things stand out to me this being the case (and I know this is just a prototype, and will likely never be used in this way, so don't give me to hard a time in the comments):
The sound it makes is kinda freaky, but this robot is awesome! I had never heard of Boston Dynamics, the company that has designed this incredible beast, but I hope they keep up the good work. According to Wikipedia (every bloggers' best friend) "BigDog is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the hopes that it will be able to serve as a robotic pack mule to accompany soldiers in terrain too rough for vehicles." Yeah, I could see that.
The BigDog is amazing! It looks like it can climb over just about anything, can be kicked without falling over, and did you see it on the ice? Incredible! I have never seen a robot with the kind of balance and movement abilities that BigDog has. My initial thought when watching the video (besides "holy crap, that's a robot, not two freaky people trying to pull a prank") was that BigDog would be great for planetary exploration. However, DARPA is funding the design of this robot for carrying equipment for soldiers in places where wheeled vehicles are unable to go. A couple of things stand out to me this being the case (and I know this is just a prototype, and will likely never be used in this way, so don't give me to hard a time in the comments):
- That noise is a little unnerving. I mean, I could see it scaring the crap out of some terrorists at a camp in Afghanistan or something, but it also seems like they might be able to hear it pretty easily. It could also annoy the crap out of the soldiers with it.
- What makes this better than a horse? I mean, I'm all for awesome robotics, but BigDog has got to cost millions of dollars. Horses can probably move just about as well and are a heck of a lot cheaper. BigDog may be a little less fragile (although that could be debatable), but have you priced high end electronics lately? I could almost guarantee you that horses would be cheaper to acquire and maintain.
That being said, I think BigDog is awesome! I love it and hope this kind of technological advancement keeps moving forward.
Also, I am planning a 25 mile backpacking trip at the end of the summer, so I want one! Seriously, I think I can put up with the annoying noise and I'm lazy, so it would be great to have BigDog along to carry all of my stuff.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Books - The Areas of My Expertise
I assume you have all seen the I'm a Mac, I'm a PC commercials starring Justin Long and that other guy.
Well, that other guy is John Hodgman, an author and humorist. You might also recognize him from The Daily Show with John Stewart. My first experience with Hodgman, besides the Mac ads, is from his first book.
Hodgman's first book is titled "An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order by Me, John Hodgman a Professional Writer, in The Areas of My Expertise Which Include Matters Historical - Matters Literary - Matters Cryptozooilogical - Hobo Matters - Food, Drink, & Cheese (a Kind of Food) Squirrels & Lobsters & Eels Haircuts - Utopia What Will Happen in the Future and Most Other Subjects." Yes, that is the title. And yes, the book is as great and bizarre as the title makes it sound.
The Areas of My Expertise is 236 pages of weird and wacky essays, table, charts, and "helpful" guides. Here are some of his chapter titles:
"Jokes That Have Never Produced Laughter"
"Hints on Building Snow Forts"
"History's Worst Men's Haircuts"
"Some Prophets Who Were Not Actuaries"
"Hobo Matters"
"Some Useful Hobo Signs"
"Short Words for Use on Submarines to Preserve Oxygen"
"Lobster-Claw vs Pigeon-Foot Deformaties"
"Colonial Jobs Involving Eels"
"Little-Known Laws of Two American Communities"
There are many many more chapters and sections just like these. My favorite chapter was "Seven Hundred Hobo Names," which actually was a list of 700 names for Hobos. Really. It goes on for 5 pages. Some of my favorite names:
Hobo Zero
Ghostly Nose Silvie
Shakey Aitch the Boneyard Concierge
Crispus T. Muzzlewitt
Crumbjacket Timmy
Old Pliny Dance-for-Ham
Tailstump Guther, the Vestigial Man
Utility-Belt Deana
Remember, there are 700 of these! Anyone who is bizarre and creative enough to actually come up with 700 hobo names like this is someone you need to read. Seriously, this whole book is great like this.
Hodgman goes over the 51 states (he includes a mythological state know as Hohoq) and gives "facts" and notes. For my home state of Colorado:
Nickname: The Dwarrodelf
State Flower: Formerly the Rocky Mountain Columbine, now renamed the Rocky Mountain Pretty, Pretty Flower
He goes on to talk about how we are a state of underground cities, the chief of which was NORAD and is ruled by a talking computer. So, that sounds about right.
Anyway, if you found any of the above excepts funny or enjoyable, you should check out this book. If, however, you found it weird and stupid, skip the book, because the whole thing is like that. I loved it though, so give it a chance.
Well, that other guy is John Hodgman, an author and humorist. You might also recognize him from The Daily Show with John Stewart. My first experience with Hodgman, besides the Mac ads, is from his first book.
Hodgman's first book is titled "An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order by Me, John Hodgman a Professional Writer, in The Areas of My Expertise Which Include Matters Historical - Matters Literary - Matters Cryptozooilogical - Hobo Matters - Food, Drink, & Cheese (a Kind of Food) Squirrels & Lobsters & Eels Haircuts - Utopia What Will Happen in the Future and Most Other Subjects." Yes, that is the title. And yes, the book is as great and bizarre as the title makes it sound.
The Areas of My Expertise is 236 pages of weird and wacky essays, table, charts, and "helpful" guides. Here are some of his chapter titles:
"Jokes That Have Never Produced Laughter"
"Hints on Building Snow Forts"
"History's Worst Men's Haircuts"
"Some Prophets Who Were Not Actuaries"
"Hobo Matters"
"Some Useful Hobo Signs"
"Short Words for Use on Submarines to Preserve Oxygen"
"Lobster-Claw vs Pigeon-Foot Deformaties"
"Colonial Jobs Involving Eels"
"Little-Known Laws of Two American Communities"
There are many many more chapters and sections just like these. My favorite chapter was "Seven Hundred Hobo Names," which actually was a list of 700 names for Hobos. Really. It goes on for 5 pages. Some of my favorite names:
Hobo Zero
Ghostly Nose Silvie
Shakey Aitch the Boneyard Concierge
Crispus T. Muzzlewitt
Crumbjacket Timmy
Old Pliny Dance-for-Ham
Tailstump Guther, the Vestigial Man
Utility-Belt Deana
Remember, there are 700 of these! Anyone who is bizarre and creative enough to actually come up with 700 hobo names like this is someone you need to read. Seriously, this whole book is great like this.
Hodgman goes over the 51 states (he includes a mythological state know as Hohoq) and gives "facts" and notes. For my home state of Colorado:
Nickname: The Dwarrodelf
State Flower: Formerly the Rocky Mountain Columbine, now renamed the Rocky Mountain Pretty, Pretty Flower
He goes on to talk about how we are a state of underground cities, the chief of which was NORAD and is ruled by a talking computer. So, that sounds about right.
Anyway, if you found any of the above excepts funny or enjoyable, you should check out this book. If, however, you found it weird and stupid, skip the book, because the whole thing is like that. I loved it though, so give it a chance.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
TV - Old School or Just Old?
Yesterday, I was walking down the hall at work and I started humming a song that gets stuck in my head a lot. It goes like this:
We run, we jump, we swim and play.
We row and go on trips
But the things that last forever are our dear friendships.
Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts
And when we think about you it makes me wanna fart!--"It's 'I hope we never part,' Now get it right or pay the price!"
Now we will share a lifetime of the fondest memories
By the lake of Anawanna set in the old pine trees
Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts
And when we think about you (This thing came apart)
Think Anawanna. Speak Anawanna. Live Anawanna -- Ugh!
Do you recognize it? It is the theme song to one of my favorite old Nickolodeon shows that I used to watch all the time, Salute Your Shorts, which aired 26 episodes over two seasons from 1991 to 1992.
I used to watch this show all the time, I watched it everyday when I got home from daycare. I must have seen each episode at least 20 times. The show took place at Camp Anawana, which I always thought was a joke (say it slow and it sounds like "I don't want to"), but turns out was a real camp from the early '60s to 1992 in upstate New York. I don't think the show was actually based on this camp, but they shared a name. The kids in the show are all classic stereotypes: the nerd, the jock, the fat kid, the rebel, the athletic black girl, the bully, the princess, the new kid, and the hippie girl. But the actors all played their roles well and they made my little 10 year old day (and probably shaped my ideas about what it would be like to be older as most of the kids were onle 3-5 years older than me).
This show made summer camp look so great to me. They got to do something new and cool every week, play tennis, wrestle, put on a play, fake being sick (I'm obviously easily excitable), play in a lake, and all sorts of other things that I can't recall at this moment with my quarter-century year old brain. I went to camp once and I hated it. It wasn't nearly as fun as Camp Anawana seemed. Crappy food, mean kids, boring crafts, and terrifying nights (that was the first time I slept away from home besides with friends). It was not cool.
Check out the video (made way after the show by the way, this is not a real trailer) to see how tuly awesome the show was.
After Pete and Pete
and Clarissa Explains It All came out on DVD I was sure Salute Your Shorts would be released, but alas, we are all out of luck. I mean come on, even Are You Afraid of the Dark? is out! Well, I will just keep hoping. Oh, and while we're at it, I would be remiss if I didn't mention:
Also awesome!
So, what about the title of this post? While I was YouTubing (new verb!) Salute Your Shorts I came across a bunch of videos with names like "old nickelodeon shows" and "remember how great nickelodeon was." I thought to myself "well, of course, Salute Your Shorts, Hey Dude, Doug, all greats." But, when I watched the videos, they were about a bunch of weird stuff like Cat-Dog, Angry Beavers, and Animorphs. Practically nothing I remember and it is being called old. Now I feel old. I say bring back the real classics!
I will try not to make you sit through any more posts where I whine about how great the '90s were, but I can't make any guarantees.
We run, we jump, we swim and play.
We row and go on trips
But the things that last forever are our dear friendships.
Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts
And when we think about you it makes me wanna fart!--"It's 'I hope we never part,' Now get it right or pay the price!"
Now we will share a lifetime of the fondest memories
By the lake of Anawanna set in the old pine trees
Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts
And when we think about you (This thing came apart)
Think Anawanna. Speak Anawanna. Live Anawanna -- Ugh!
Do you recognize it? It is the theme song to one of my favorite old Nickolodeon shows that I used to watch all the time, Salute Your Shorts, which aired 26 episodes over two seasons from 1991 to 1992.
I used to watch this show all the time, I watched it everyday when I got home from daycare. I must have seen each episode at least 20 times. The show took place at Camp Anawana, which I always thought was a joke (say it slow and it sounds like "I don't want to"), but turns out was a real camp from the early '60s to 1992 in upstate New York. I don't think the show was actually based on this camp, but they shared a name. The kids in the show are all classic stereotypes: the nerd, the jock, the fat kid, the rebel, the athletic black girl, the bully, the princess, the new kid, and the hippie girl. But the actors all played their roles well and they made my little 10 year old day (and probably shaped my ideas about what it would be like to be older as most of the kids were onle 3-5 years older than me).
This show made summer camp look so great to me. They got to do something new and cool every week, play tennis, wrestle, put on a play, fake being sick (I'm obviously easily excitable), play in a lake, and all sorts of other things that I can't recall at this moment with my quarter-century year old brain. I went to camp once and I hated it. It wasn't nearly as fun as Camp Anawana seemed. Crappy food, mean kids, boring crafts, and terrifying nights (that was the first time I slept away from home besides with friends). It was not cool.
Check out the video (made way after the show by the way, this is not a real trailer) to see how tuly awesome the show was.
After Pete and Pete
and Clarissa Explains It All came out on DVD I was sure Salute Your Shorts would be released, but alas, we are all out of luck. I mean come on, even Are You Afraid of the Dark? is out! Well, I will just keep hoping. Oh, and while we're at it, I would be remiss if I didn't mention:Also awesome!
So, what about the title of this post? While I was YouTubing (new verb!) Salute Your Shorts I came across a bunch of videos with names like "old nickelodeon shows" and "remember how great nickelodeon was." I thought to myself "well, of course, Salute Your Shorts, Hey Dude, Doug, all greats." But, when I watched the videos, they were about a bunch of weird stuff like Cat-Dog, Angry Beavers, and Animorphs. Practically nothing I remember and it is being called old. Now I feel old. I say bring back the real classics!
I will try not to make you sit through any more posts where I whine about how great the '90s were, but I can't make any guarantees.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Comic Cover Prices
So, as mentioned in an earlier post, I have a fairly decent sized collection of my moms old Silver Age DC comics. The cover prices on these books are between 10¢ and 25¢. I currently pay $2.99 for most of my comics that I buy new at the store (well, before the 20% discount for my hold file). Anyway, this really got me thinking about comics pricing over the years. Now, I am in no way an expert on the comics industry, but I do have some business training and am fascinated by niche industries like this, and the entertainment industry in general. For more details on the comic book industry from a retailer's perspective, check out Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin.
So, here's the average price of a funny book by decade (based on Action comics, because both my mom and I have purchased new issues when they first came out!) Fun Fact: My mom stopped buying comics as soon as they hit 25¢. Way too expensive!
1930s: 10¢
1940s: 10¢
1950s: 10¢
1960s: 10¢, 12¢, and 15¢
1970s: 20¢, 25¢, 30¢, 15¢, and 40¢
1980s: 40¢, 50¢, 60¢, 75¢, and $1.50
1990s: $1.50, 75¢ $1.25, $1.95, and $1.99
2000s: $1.99, $2.25, $2.50, and $2.99
Now, let's look at the inflation rate and see what these comics cost in today's dollars. I calculated these with what little I remember from my Economics class using this Inflation Rate Calculator. I basically multiplied the cover price by the inflation rate from the date of the issue until today.
The first issue of Action Comics cost 10¢ in 1938, which is $1.40 in todays dollars. This number surprises me, these funny books weren't cheap when they first came out.
The last 10¢ Action Comics, # 282 came out in 1961. In today's money this cost 60¢, so, just due to inflation, the costs of comics dropped 80¢ in real dollars. They got pretty cheap and affordable.
My mom started buying Action Comics when they were 12¢ each. The last 12¢ issue, # 376, cost 58¢ in today's money. The cost continued to drop in real terms.
She stopped buying comics when they hit 25¢ an issue. This was in 1971 with issue # 402. No wonder my mom stopped buying them, these cost $1.04 in real terms. A 41¢ in today's dollars over the previous issue!
The 1980s seemed to have the widest range of cover prices, from 40¢ to $1.50. The last 40¢ issue, # 510 cost 61¢ in todays dollars, and the last $1.50 issue of the '80s, # 642, cost about $2.59 in real terms. This is a huge jump!
It seems as if it is all down hill from here, with prices currently at $2.99. Now, there have been numerous changes over the years leading to an increase in the cost of these prices, from much higher overhead costs, to more expensive materials and talent. Now, I am not going to try to explain the changes, as I am not a student of comics history, but it was interesting to see that the cost of comics did not start as cheap ($1.40 in 1938!), and they seem to average about 60¢ per issue in today's terms. I hope you find this as interesting as I did!
See you tomorrow for a TV post!
So, here's the average price of a funny book by decade (based on Action comics, because both my mom and I have purchased new issues when they first came out!) Fun Fact: My mom stopped buying comics as soon as they hit 25¢. Way too expensive!
1930s: 10¢
1940s: 10¢
1950s: 10¢
1960s: 10¢, 12¢, and 15¢
1970s: 20¢, 25¢, 30¢, 15¢, and 40¢
1980s: 40¢, 50¢, 60¢, 75¢, and $1.50
1990s: $1.50, 75¢ $1.25, $1.95, and $1.99
2000s: $1.99, $2.25, $2.50, and $2.99
Now, let's look at the inflation rate and see what these comics cost in today's dollars. I calculated these with what little I remember from my Economics class using this Inflation Rate Calculator. I basically multiplied the cover price by the inflation rate from the date of the issue until today.
The first issue of Action Comics cost 10¢ in 1938, which is $1.40 in todays dollars. This number surprises me, these funny books weren't cheap when they first came out.
The last 10¢ Action Comics, # 282 came out in 1961. In today's money this cost 60¢, so, just due to inflation, the costs of comics dropped 80¢ in real dollars. They got pretty cheap and affordable.
My mom started buying Action Comics when they were 12¢ each. The last 12¢ issue, # 376, cost 58¢ in today's money. The cost continued to drop in real terms.
She stopped buying comics when they hit 25¢ an issue. This was in 1971 with issue # 402. No wonder my mom stopped buying them, these cost $1.04 in real terms. A 41¢ in today's dollars over the previous issue!
The 1980s seemed to have the widest range of cover prices, from 40¢ to $1.50. The last 40¢ issue, # 510 cost 61¢ in todays dollars, and the last $1.50 issue of the '80s, # 642, cost about $2.59 in real terms. This is a huge jump!
It seems as if it is all down hill from here, with prices currently at $2.99. Now, there have been numerous changes over the years leading to an increase in the cost of these prices, from much higher overhead costs, to more expensive materials and talent. Now, I am not going to try to explain the changes, as I am not a student of comics history, but it was interesting to see that the cost of comics did not start as cheap ($1.40 in 1938!), and they seem to average about 60¢ per issue in today's terms. I hope you find this as interesting as I did!
See you tomorrow for a TV post!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Movie Mondays - Horton!
Hi Everybody! Welcome back, I hope you had a great Easter Weekend!
I went this weekend to see Horton Hears a Who. No, I don't have any little Titans running around. Or Teen Titans for that matter (Ha!). But I thought it looked pretty fun, and had some great actors in it.
First, let me say that I am not really a Jim Carrey fan. Never have been. It's not that I can't stand him, I just find him too over the top, and a little obnoxious. While there were a couple of times in this movie when Carrey, as Horton the Elephant, was a little too much, it wasn't annoying to me. The story and animation were cute, and followed the short Dr Suess story book about as well as I can remember. Well, you know, with an additional 80 minutes tacked on.
So, the great actors: I already mentioned Jim Carrey, a meh choice for me. However, the mayor of Whoville is played by none other than Steve Carrell. His wife? Amy Poehler. Isla Fisher is the the Who professor who determines their world may be destroyed. And Carol Burnett plays an evil Kangaroo! Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Will Arnett, Jamie Pressly, and Niecy Nash also have small but great rolls in this film. (If you need to know who any of these actors are, and why you NEED to be following their careers, just leave a comment. I'll help you out.)
Anyway, Mrs. Titan's parents are in town visiting, so the post will be short today, but see the movie, learn about the actors above and leave a comment.
Tomorrow: Comics!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Misc Fridays - Great Music
Last week I used Friday to discuss how XM Radio opened up my music world, today I want to share with you some of the music that I found on XM. No YouTube Videos this time, as I think I maybe have done too many lately, and I want this to be a blog that people enjoy reading, and I maybe overloading it with content. So, anyway, today I just want to link to some great music and leave it at that, enjoy the music and have a great weekend. I will leave these links up on the right hand side there, so you can go back and listen to them as often as you want.
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab has been around for about 10 years now. Their name always kind of freaks people out, but their music is much more subdued and melodic than the name may imply. I guess they expect violent screaming and such when I let them listen. According to wikipedia the name was taken from a song named Death Cab for Cutie that was used in the Beatles' movie Magical Mystery Tour. Huh, who knew? Blogging is so fun, you can learn so much. Anyway, the lead singer, Ben Gibbard has a very unique voice (he also sings in the band Postal Service), and it is recognizable (to me), and very comforting.
PS. They have a new album "dropping" May 18th!
Favorite Songs - Crooked Teeth, I Will Follow You Into the Dark, and Someday You Will Be Loved
Stars
Stars, a great Canadian band, has been around for 8 years. The lead singers, Torquil Cambell (awesome name!) and Amy Millan are both a part of Broken Social Scene as well as Stars. (I will have to BSS out!) Anyway, I have learned that when it comes to music there are two things I really like. The first is orchestration with rock stylings, and the second is when a guy and girl sing together. Just about every one of Stars' songs is a guy and a girl singing together. And their voices work so well together.
Favorite Songs - The Night Starts Here, Personal, and Calendar Girl
I'm From Barcelona
Ok, first let me say, this band is crazy. They are from Jönköping, Sweden and there are 29 members. Let me repeat that. THERE ARE 29 MEMBERS. They have a freaking choir in their band and it is awesome! They also use "clarinets, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, banjos, accordions, kazoos, guitars, drums, and keyboards among other" instruments in their music. They also sing all of their music in English. So, let's recap:
I'm From Barcelona:
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab has been around for about 10 years now. Their name always kind of freaks people out, but their music is much more subdued and melodic than the name may imply. I guess they expect violent screaming and such when I let them listen. According to wikipedia the name was taken from a song named Death Cab for Cutie that was used in the Beatles' movie Magical Mystery Tour. Huh, who knew? Blogging is so fun, you can learn so much. Anyway, the lead singer, Ben Gibbard has a very unique voice (he also sings in the band Postal Service), and it is recognizable (to me), and very comforting.
PS. They have a new album "dropping" May 18th!
Favorite Songs - Crooked Teeth, I Will Follow You Into the Dark, and Someday You Will Be Loved
Stars
Stars, a great Canadian band, has been around for 8 years. The lead singers, Torquil Cambell (awesome name!) and Amy Millan are both a part of Broken Social Scene as well as Stars. (I will have to BSS out!) Anyway, I have learned that when it comes to music there are two things I really like. The first is orchestration with rock stylings, and the second is when a guy and girl sing together. Just about every one of Stars' songs is a guy and a girl singing together. And their voices work so well together.
Favorite Songs - The Night Starts Here, Personal, and Calendar Girl
I'm From Barcelona
Ok, first let me say, this band is crazy. They are from Jönköping, Sweden and there are 29 members. Let me repeat that. THERE ARE 29 MEMBERS. They have a freaking choir in their band and it is awesome! They also use "clarinets, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, banjos, accordions, kazoos, guitars, drums, and keyboards among other" instruments in their music. They also sing all of their music in English. So, let's recap:
I'm From Barcelona:
- Not from Barcelona, but Sweden
- A 29 member band!
- Uses tons of weird instruments
- Songs all in English
- Pure Awesome!
Favorite Songs - We're From Barcelona, Treehouse, and Collection of Stamp
Nickel Creek is by far my favorite band on this list. Nickel Creek was founded in 1989 and decided to part ways in 2007. This band combines my two favorite things about music as seen above, orchestration (they have a mandolin, guitar, violin, and bass) and male and female singers (band members Chris Thile, Sarah and Sean Watkins, who are siblings). Their music has been called alternative, progressive, acoustic, indie rock, folk, and bluegrass, and it really is a mix of all of the above. If I were to put it in a genre, I would say pure awesome! Nickel Creek released five albums, and while I think the Nickel Creek was the best, and most pure, they all have something to offer.
Mrs Titan and I attended one of their very last concerts on their Farewell (For Now) Tour at the FolkWest Festival in Pagosa Springs and it was an amazing experience. Nickel Creek can perform! They were amazing, and the crowd in Pagosa went berserk. If they ever get back together, you owe it to yourself to see them in concert. In the meantime, check out their albums.
Favorite Songs - All of them. But, if I have to pick three...The Lighthouse's Tale, When You Come Back Down, The Fox, Sweet Afton, and Doubting Thomas (obviously). Oops, couldn't pick just three!
Go check these bands out! Enjoy!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Books - Alvin Maker
Now, some of you, hopefully most of you, have at some point read Orson Scott Card's seminal novel, Ender's Game. This is basically a book that follow's young Ender Wiggen through his adventures in a futuristic Battle School where children are trained to fight in the next war against belligerent aliens known as Buggers. This is a sci-fi classic and should be read by anyone who enjoys a good story. There have been seven books in the Ender series, and they are all pretty great.
But...that's not what I am going to write about today. Instead I want to let you in on a secret. The Ender series is not my favorite Orson Scott Card series (and this is saying a lot considering that at this point I would consider Card my favorite author). It is truly enjoyable, but in my mind, it does not nearly have the heart and the magic of the Alvin Maker series.
Alvin Maker is, in many of ways, a lot like Ender, in that the series starts with a young boy learning his place in his world and finding out that he is special and a leader. The Alvin Maker series is an alternate history and fantasy, set in a pre-Civil War America where folk magic is a part of life. I like this series better than the Ender series because I feel closer to the characters and the world than I did with the Ender series (and granted, I haven't read Ender in over eight years, so it may just be a matter of what I have read most recently).
This series, which is six books long, follows the life of Alvin and his friends and family. For anyone who has read other of Card's novels, much of the story telling techniques will be familiar and comfortable. However, many of the twists that the story takes are new and unique, and true to each of the characters. The magic elements are never heavy handed, and serve the story, the story does not serve merely to show of these neat elements. Ultimately, what makes this series great is the exploration of an early America with great characters and a neat magical twist.
What makes this series, and most of Card's storytelling great is the values that he instills in his characters and his books. Card creates characters who I can identify with. They are not perfect, but they always try to do what is right and have a strong sense of morals and values. Many authors these days seem to creat characters who are "gritty" or "flawed" and this can get rather old. I really appreciate Card's values and his insistance on instilling them in his characters in spite of current trends.
If you have enjoyed any of Card's previous novels, pick up the first book, Seventh Son, it is a lot of fun!
But...that's not what I am going to write about today. Instead I want to let you in on a secret. The Ender series is not my favorite Orson Scott Card series (and this is saying a lot considering that at this point I would consider Card my favorite author). It is truly enjoyable, but in my mind, it does not nearly have the heart and the magic of the Alvin Maker series.
Alvin Maker is, in many of ways, a lot like Ender, in that the series starts with a young boy learning his place in his world and finding out that he is special and a leader. The Alvin Maker series is an alternate history and fantasy, set in a pre-Civil War America where folk magic is a part of life. I like this series better than the Ender series because I feel closer to the characters and the world than I did with the Ender series (and granted, I haven't read Ender in over eight years, so it may just be a matter of what I have read most recently).
This series, which is six books long, follows the life of Alvin and his friends and family. For anyone who has read other of Card's novels, much of the story telling techniques will be familiar and comfortable. However, many of the twists that the story takes are new and unique, and true to each of the characters. The magic elements are never heavy handed, and serve the story, the story does not serve merely to show of these neat elements. Ultimately, what makes this series great is the exploration of an early America with great characters and a neat magical twist.
What makes this series, and most of Card's storytelling great is the values that he instills in his characters and his books. Card creates characters who I can identify with. They are not perfect, but they always try to do what is right and have a strong sense of morals and values. Many authors these days seem to creat characters who are "gritty" or "flawed" and this can get rather old. I really appreciate Card's values and his insistance on instilling them in his characters in spite of current trends.
If you have enjoyed any of Card's previous novels, pick up the first book, Seventh Son, it is a lot of fun!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Bonus Post - New Blog
If you look over on the right hand side there, you will see a new link to a blog called Tron Lives. If you spend any time working on a Windows PC, you should check this out. A genius of an engineer friend of mine, Andy, posts daily on different solutions to problems you may not have even known you have with your PC. He is attempting to make it easy for people brand new to computers (or just idiots like me) to use, so leave him some comments so he can clarify his posts. Or just ask him questions so he can come up with a solution for you. This is a great and informative blog, I suggest you give it a look.
Tron Lives
Tron Lives
TV Wednesdays - How I Met Your Mother
Well everyone, as of Monday, it is official, scripted TV is back on after the writers strike (not counting SNL, which has been awesome lately). How I Met Your Mother is back! Monday's episode was not my favorite episode of the show, but it was still better than most of the junk on TV.
For those of you who have never seen it, How I Met Your Mother is a three camera sitcom that breaks the coundaries and cliches of other similar sitcoms. It has been likened to Seinfeld and Friends and I would say it is at least as good as either of those shows. The show stars Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, a thirtysomething looking for a relationship. He is ready to get married. Each episode is narrated by Bob Saget, as future Ted, telling his kids about how he met their mother. Ted is joined by his best friend Marshall (the awesome Jason Segal), Marshall's his wife Lily (Alyson Hannigan, of Buffy and American Pie fame), other best friend Barney (a sex crazed Neil Patrick Harris, you know, Doogie Howser), and ex-girlfriend Robin (the great newcomer Cobie Smulders).
The show is funny on its own, but as a whole, it is even better. There are great inside jokes like the famous slap bet, Robin's Canadianness (yes, I made up a word, Canadianness, deal), and Marshall and Lily's boringness (like Mrs Titan and I!). There are some fun catch phrases, or maybe just Barney-isms like "Suit up!" "Haaaave you met Ted?" and "Legen--wait for it--dary." Seriously, if you haven't seen this show, you need to check it out. You can get the first season from the Amazon link below or rent it!
Here are some fun YouTube videos of the show to get you in the mood. Remember, these are all better in context, but I think they are pretty great on their own as well.
The HIMYM Dictionary
The Slap Bet
Slapsgiving
Robin Sparkles in Let's Go To the Mall (remember, she's Canadian)
Tomorrow: Alvin Maker
For those of you who have never seen it, How I Met Your Mother is a three camera sitcom that breaks the coundaries and cliches of other similar sitcoms. It has been likened to Seinfeld and Friends and I would say it is at least as good as either of those shows. The show stars Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, a thirtysomething looking for a relationship. He is ready to get married. Each episode is narrated by Bob Saget, as future Ted, telling his kids about how he met their mother. Ted is joined by his best friend Marshall (the awesome Jason Segal), Marshall's his wife Lily (Alyson Hannigan, of Buffy and American Pie fame), other best friend Barney (a sex crazed Neil Patrick Harris, you know, Doogie Howser), and ex-girlfriend Robin (the great newcomer Cobie Smulders).
The show is funny on its own, but as a whole, it is even better. There are great inside jokes like the famous slap bet, Robin's Canadianness (yes, I made up a word, Canadianness, deal), and Marshall and Lily's boringness (like Mrs Titan and I!). There are some fun catch phrases, or maybe just Barney-isms like "Suit up!" "Haaaave you met Ted?" and "Legen--wait for it--dary." Seriously, if you haven't seen this show, you need to check it out. You can get the first season from the Amazon link below or rent it!
Here are some fun YouTube videos of the show to get you in the mood. Remember, these are all better in context, but I think they are pretty great on their own as well.
The HIMYM Dictionary
The Slap Bet
Slapsgiving
Robin Sparkles in Let's Go To the Mall (remember, she's Canadian)
Tomorrow: Alvin Maker
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Comic Tuesdays - Web Comics
Hey everyone. Being new to comics makes it hard to post on comics. I do not have a big collection of old issues to make fun of. Even much of the issues I do buy I have a hard time mocking or being critical of because not only am I still learning who everyone is, I am also learning what I like and what I don't like in the comics medium. I will say that I am in the middle of Bone: One Volume Edition, which so far is great, but I am only about a quarter through (cut me some slack, the thing is 1,300 pages long!). Now, I picked this up due to some recommendations from other comics bloggers. If anyone has any ideas of some books I should be picking up, leave me a comment.
Today I am going to talk to you about a couple of web comics that I have enjoyed and one other comic related site that is quite fun. I don't find reading web comics as satisfying as physical paper comics (the same goes with books and magazines, but I thoroughly enjoy the multimedia allowed by blogs), but some think that this is that way the industry is moving, so it may be worth checking out.
Bayou
One of the very first web comics that I have read is part of the Zuda project. This is a project/contest run by DC to find and promote a web comic distribution system. Bayou is the story of a young girl, Lee, and her sharecropping father who live in what seems to be a fantasy world in the Mississippi Delta. This story has heart and the characters seem real almost instantly, which is rare for web comics. The beautiful illustrations and writing by Jeremy Love make this world and Lee really come alive. This is a great looking comic and I look forward to seeing where it goes.
The Order of the Stick
The Order of the Stick is a web comic about a D and D adventure party. Now, I have never played a game of D and D. My only knowledge of the game comes from computer games like Neverwinter Nights and popular culture (they played a game of it in Freaks and Geeks, of course). However, knowledge of the game isn't necessary to enjoy this comic.
The entire comic is done with stick figure, but Rich Burlew, the creator, writer, and aritist, is amazing at making these simple characters more lifelike and believable than many other people in the comics industry. His characters come alive, so much so that you really begin to care about a bunch of sticks with a circle for a head. The different story lines and plots have been ongoing and interweaving. So, you have to start at the beginning, no jumping in in the middle, or you will miss way too much of a great story. Go to the link at the header of this section to get to his first page of OoTS. You won't regret it!
Garfield Minus Garfield
Now, first I have to admit that when I was in elementary and middle school I loved Garfield. I mean I loved him! I had the first 22 collections of the comic strip, a stuffed Garfield, bookmarks, bed sheets, all of it. I was obsessed. I have no idea why. Have you read Garfield. Yeah? That's right, not very funny. I'm not quite sure why I liked it so much, but I did, and I have to live with that.
Now, someone went and took Garfield the cat out of the Garfield strips (hence the name, duh). Anyway, this lets us get an insight in the disturbing mind of Jon Arbuckle. Check these out. In a way they make me sad because I get nostalgic. But in another way, they are hilarious because it seems like it could be a real comic about a very very sad man.
I know, this is not truly a web comic, but it is awsome and fun. Here is a great example, but go to the website and check out the rest.
, which so far is great, but I am only about a quarter through (cut me some slack, the thing is 1,300 pages long!). Now, I picked this up due to some recommendations from other comics bloggers. If anyone has any ideas of some books I should be picking up, leave me a comment.Today I am going to talk to you about a couple of web comics that I have enjoyed and one other comic related site that is quite fun. I don't find reading web comics as satisfying as physical paper comics (the same goes with books and magazines, but I thoroughly enjoy the multimedia allowed by blogs), but some think that this is that way the industry is moving, so it may be worth checking out.
Bayou
One of the very first web comics that I have read is part of the Zuda project. This is a project/contest run by DC to find and promote a web comic distribution system. Bayou is the story of a young girl, Lee, and her sharecropping father who live in what seems to be a fantasy world in the Mississippi Delta. This story has heart and the characters seem real almost instantly, which is rare for web comics. The beautiful illustrations and writing by Jeremy Love make this world and Lee really come alive. This is a great looking comic and I look forward to seeing where it goes.
The Order of the Stick
The Order of the Stick is a web comic about a D and D adventure party. Now, I have never played a game of D and D. My only knowledge of the game comes from computer games like Neverwinter Nights and popular culture (they played a game of it in Freaks and Geeks, of course). However, knowledge of the game isn't necessary to enjoy this comic.
The entire comic is done with stick figure, but Rich Burlew, the creator, writer, and aritist, is amazing at making these simple characters more lifelike and believable than many other people in the comics industry. His characters come alive, so much so that you really begin to care about a bunch of sticks with a circle for a head. The different story lines and plots have been ongoing and interweaving. So, you have to start at the beginning, no jumping in in the middle, or you will miss way too much of a great story. Go to the link at the header of this section to get to his first page of OoTS. You won't regret it!
Garfield Minus Garfield
Now, first I have to admit that when I was in elementary and middle school I loved Garfield. I mean I loved him! I had the first 22 collections of the comic strip, a stuffed Garfield, bookmarks, bed sheets, all of it. I was obsessed. I have no idea why. Have you read Garfield. Yeah? That's right, not very funny. I'm not quite sure why I liked it so much, but I did, and I have to live with that.
Now, someone went and took Garfield the cat out of the Garfield strips (hence the name, duh). Anyway, this lets us get an insight in the disturbing mind of Jon Arbuckle. Check these out. In a way they make me sad because I get nostalgic. But in another way, they are hilarious because it seems like it could be a real comic about a very very sad man.
I know, this is not truly a web comic, but it is awsome and fun. Here is a great example, but go to the website and check out the rest.
Tomorrow: How I Met Your Mother is Back! Now, we need CBS to pick it up for next season!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Movie Mondays - Music Edition
Saw three movies this weekend, Air Guitar Nation, 10,000 BC, and Breach, but decided to do something different than just review each movie. I will, however, briefly let you know what I thought of each one.
Air Guitar Nation- I wasn't sure what to expect here, but it was a fun, quick movie that really showed a little bit about the Air Guitar Championships (who even knew these existed?!), and showed off, some (surprisingly) great American talent.
10,000 BC - I didn't like this movie. It wasn't because of a lack of realism, which was extreme, and for me, distracting. It was because of a lack of characters you could care about and a poor script that tried too hard to be an epic story. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the tribe experimenting with agriculture and the different prehistoric animals like the mammoth herds and moa birds. Those were fun, but overall, the movie wasn't.
Breach - This film is about US FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was spying for the Russians, and Eric O'Neill, the agent assigned to watch him. This movie was great. I did not expect it to be very good after watching "Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story," the 2002 made for TV movie, which bored me to no end. Breach, however, is much better and should be seen by anyone who enjoys thrillers or espionage movies.
Now, on to the good stuff, the music. It seems like in the last six months we have been watching a lot of movies with great music. The first piece, from the aforementioned Air Guitar Nation, features the world champion air guitarist, C Diddy, doing his crazy thing:
Next we have a great song "Let's Duet" from Walk Hard: The Legend of Dewey Cox. I thought this movie deserved better, as it was a hilarious film mocking all of the recent biopics about musicians. Every one of the songs from this film deserves a YouTube video, but this one was the most fun. Either way, check out the movie!
Finally, we have the Academy Award winning song from Once. I know I mentioned this movie before, but I thought I should show the actual scene from the movie. This scene shows how the song was built (in the film) and is just amazing. I hope you all enjoy this great song. It is the best song I have ever heard that was written for a movie.
Bonus video, not movie related, but awesome, just for the heck of it!
See you all tomorrow!
Air Guitar Nation
- I wasn't sure what to expect here, but it was a fun, quick movie that really showed a little bit about the Air Guitar Championships (who even knew these existed?!), and showed off, some (surprisingly) great American talent.10,000 BC - I didn't like this movie. It wasn't because of a lack of realism, which was extreme, and for me, distracting. It was because of a lack of characters you could care about and a poor script that tried too hard to be an epic story. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the tribe experimenting with agriculture and the different prehistoric animals like the mammoth herds and moa birds. Those were fun, but overall, the movie wasn't.
Breach
- This film is about US FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was spying for the Russians, and Eric O'Neill, the agent assigned to watch him. This movie was great. I did not expect it to be very good after watching "Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story," the 2002 made for TV movie, which bored me to no end. Breach, however, is much better and should be seen by anyone who enjoys thrillers or espionage movies.Now, on to the good stuff, the music. It seems like in the last six months we have been watching a lot of movies with great music. The first piece, from the aforementioned Air Guitar Nation, features the world champion air guitarist, C Diddy, doing his crazy thing:
Next we have a great song "Let's Duet" from Walk Hard: The Legend of Dewey Cox
. I thought this movie deserved better, as it was a hilarious film mocking all of the recent biopics about musicians. Every one of the songs from this film deserves a YouTube video, but this one was the most fun. Either way, check out the movie!Finally, we have the Academy Award winning song from Once
. I know I mentioned this movie before, but I thought I should show the actual scene from the movie. This scene shows how the song was built (in the film) and is just amazing. I hope you all enjoy this great song. It is the best song I have ever heard that was written for a movie.Bonus video, not movie related, but awesome, just for the heck of it!
See you all tomorrow!
Friday, March 14, 2008
XM Radio - My Hero
When I was in high school I used to listen to broadcast radio all the time. I loved it. I got to listen to all the great pop songs like Mmm...Bop and No Diggity. There was always something good on. Well, at least, there was always something on. Except commercials. A LOT of commercials. Oh, and what's that, more of the same four songs. Great, I only heard Love Shack six times today, I really do need to hear that again. (Granted, there is not a lot of diversity on the radio in Colorado. I have spent some time in San Diego and Maui, and they both have some pretty great radio stations).
Boy, I was delusional in high school. Well, who wasn't? Anyway, by senior year, I was fed up. I started to buy and/or burn Cd's to listen to in the car. Granted, a lot of the music I listened to was generic pop music that I could hear on the radio, but it was the pop music I liked and there were no commercials. Things were getting better.
I was lucky enough to hit college right as Napster became big, but before it was illegal! It was great. I started downloading everything. I left my computer on all the time and filled the hard drive with all kinds of different music. Rap, punk, R&B, metal, alternative, "international," oldies, classical, and, of course, pop music. I started to appreciate different kinds of music (although still not country, that would happen much later). This lasted until my computer died a horrible, albeit quick, death late in the last semester of my Freshman year. I lost over 50 gigabytes of music, having never listened to much of it.
After that I went back to buying and burning until I met the future Mrs Titan. We met in college, and summer break rolled around after a few months of dating. She went home. It was an 8 hour drive away!! I stocked up on Cd's for my visit and ended up listening to them over and over and over, as much of the drive gets even fewer stations than we do at home. I knew something would have to change if we were to stay together, so about a year later, she bought me an XM Radio receiver for my car (although, the service was not part of the gift, sneaky girl).
I got it hooked up right away and I think I have only turned it off twice in the three years I have had it. I have grown to love indie rock, as well as some alternative and classic rock. For those in the know, channels 43 (XMU) and 47 (Ethel) are my favorites. I have heard and loved so many bands from these channels that I would have never heard on broadcast radio. If I ever want to hear the same crappy pop music that I liked to listen to in high school I can turn back to the '90s channel, or listen to the crap they listen to nowadays on the Top 20 station (channel 20, natch). They also have four comedy channels so you can always switch to someone better when a terrible comedian comes on.
On top of all this, no commercials. I never have to listen to the same terrible commercials over and over again. I haven't heard a radio commercial in 3 years. I get to listen to the kind of music I want to whenever I want to. True, it is between $10 and $13 a month, but it's worth it. You can also check it out online and listen there for only $3 a month before deciding to buy a receiver.
Wow, it sounds like I work for XM, I don't, I promise, I just really really hate broadcast radio. Check out XM, and enjoy.
I'm off to watch Lost, catch you all on Moday. Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the blog so far!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Books - The Road by Cormac McCarthy
We will have a short post tonight due to daylight savings time. Springing forward makes Titans tired.
Cormac McCarthy is quite the famous author. He has written 10 novels and I have read one of them. I picked up The Road because of it's basic premise. The book is essentially about a man and his son wandering around in a post-apocalyptic United States.
I don't know what might be wrong with me, but I have a thing for post-apocalyptic stories. I really enjoyed I Am Legend, Children of Men, On the Beach by Nevil Shute, Jericho, Robot Jox(!), and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. So, this book is just another in a long line of great post-apocalyptic fiction.
What sets this book apart, however, is its realism. The man and boy, who are not named, spend the book walking along a road. They have no goal short of heading south to avoid the coming winter. They work to avoid all others, as most other people have resorted to rape and/or cannibalism to stay alive and in power. McCarthy describes none of this graphically (short of one small bit of implied cannibalism), but the terror of what is going on is obvious.
This is the only book I have ever had a true physical reaction to. I could not read it past 9 pm, because my entire body would tense up while reading it and I would not be able to relax quickly enough to fall asleep. The tension is palpable on every page, mainly because anything can happen at any time. There is no sense of safety in the book and it is SCARY.
I really really enjoyed this book. I had to finish it quickly because the tension was starting to get to me, but it was great. I do not, however, recommend this book to everybody. If you are at all skittish, squeamish, or sensitive, do not read this book, it will seriously freak you out. However, if you really enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, or just a good suspenseful read, pick it up!
Cormac McCarthy is quite the famous author. He has written 10 novels and I have read one of them. I picked up The Road because of it's basic premise. The book is essentially about a man and his son wandering around in a post-apocalyptic United States.
I don't know what might be wrong with me, but I have a thing for post-apocalyptic stories. I really enjoyed I Am Legend, Children of Men, On the Beach by Nevil Shute, Jericho, Robot Jox(!), and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. So, this book is just another in a long line of great post-apocalyptic fiction.
What sets this book apart, however, is its realism. The man and boy, who are not named, spend the book walking along a road. They have no goal short of heading south to avoid the coming winter. They work to avoid all others, as most other people have resorted to rape and/or cannibalism to stay alive and in power. McCarthy describes none of this graphically (short of one small bit of implied cannibalism), but the terror of what is going on is obvious.
This is the only book I have ever had a true physical reaction to. I could not read it past 9 pm, because my entire body would tense up while reading it and I would not be able to relax quickly enough to fall asleep. The tension is palpable on every page, mainly because anything can happen at any time. There is no sense of safety in the book and it is SCARY.
I really really enjoyed this book. I had to finish it quickly because the tension was starting to get to me, but it was great. I do not, however, recommend this book to everybody. If you are at all skittish, squeamish, or sensitive, do not read this book, it will seriously freak you out. However, if you really enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, or just a good suspenseful read, pick it up!
Oh, by the way, apparantely this is a Oprah Book Club book. I have never read another one of her recommendations, but this kinda shocked me. I mean, this is a book where people cool a baby with the intention of eating it. Not the kind of book I picture Oprah enjoying, but what do I know.
Tomorrow: XM Radio
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
TV - Freaks and Geeks
With all of my mentions of how Freaks and Geeks was an amazing show that everyone should see I thought I ought to actually write a formal post about it.
The basic plot outline for the show, stolen directly from imdb.com: "It's the 1980s and at McKinley High, there's two different groups of teenagers, the Freaks with cool and charismatic Daniel DeSario (James Franco) and tomboy Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) and the Geeks with Lindsay's shy younger brother Sam (John Francis Daley), gentle Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr), and self-proclaimed ladies' man Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine). The show chronicles the normal teen/adolescence problems any teenager goes through including acceptance, drugs, drinking, and bullying."
This is a very basic outline, and on the surface, it sounds kinda boring, but this show is one of the most true to life shows about high school that I have ever seen. The kids look like kids. They don't speak like well educated Harvard students, but just like you and me. Sex is dealt with, but as far as I remember, there wasn't a lot of it going on. Like my high school experience, you knew some people were involved, but it wasn't everywhere, in your face, and it wasn't talked about much like on most TV shows about high school. The parents acted like parents and were involved in their kids lives on a daily basis. All of these things rang true to my high school experience.
Again, the above all sounds boring. Who wants to watch a show that is almost exactly like high school was? It may make you nostalgic in an odd way if you were a freak (aka a burnout, stoner, slacker, etc) or a geek (you know, me, and probably most bloggers), but the nostalgia is always about those odd, awkward, or uncomfortable situations that we all had in high school. The show is filled with humor and fun, while at the same time, heart. It truly portrays how hard high school is for all of us who were not popular.
It is so real that we can't help but care about the characters. We can't help but want them to succeed in life and to get everything that they hope for, even when it is a stupid dream (like Nick and his huge drum kit). These characters are our friends and ourselves, and that is why it is so much fun.
The actors in this show were so great, that many of them are pretty famous now. Let's see what they have done since the show:
Linda Cardellini - Lindsey Weir
She is now a regular on ER.
John Francis Daley - Sam Weir
Has been on numerous TV shows like Kitchen Confidential and Bones.
James Franco - Daniel Desario
Freaking Harry Osborn right here folks. Plus, he will be in Judd Apatow's Pineapple Express.
Samm Levine - Neal Schweiber
Well, according to imdb.com it's Samm's birthday today. Happy Birthday! It looks like Samm has had a guest appearance in just about every show made since 2000. I remember him most recently from How I Met Your Mother and Entourage.
Jason Segel - Nick Andopolis
He was on Undeclared (the next great Apatow show) right after Freaks and Geeks. He is currently on How I Met Your Mother and will be in the next big Apatow movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He was also in one of the best scenes in the show EVER (watch it to the end for full effect):
Pure Awesome!
Martin Starr - Bill Haverchuck
Also showed up on How I Met Your Mother, but his most memorable roll since Freaks and Geeks is as Martin, the pink-eyed, long-haired dude on Knocked Up.
Seth Rogen - Ken Miller
Seth has probably gained the most noteriety since the show. He has been in Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, and many other movies. Plus, he will be in Pineapple Express.
Busy Philipps - Kim Kelly
She was on Dawson's Creek, Love Inc, and ER. She also made a How I Met Your Mother cameo.
And now you can see why every TV show and movie that is great can somehow tie back in to Freaks and Geeks. I'm not quite ready to call it the best show of all time, but it certainly is fantastic. Get your own copy on the Amazon.com side bar over there or check it out on Netflix. Come on people, you owe it to yourselves.
Tomorrow: Books - The Road
The basic plot outline for the show, stolen directly from imdb.com: "It's the 1980s and at McKinley High, there's two different groups of teenagers, the Freaks with cool and charismatic Daniel DeSario (James Franco) and tomboy Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) and the Geeks with Lindsay's shy younger brother Sam (John Francis Daley), gentle Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr), and self-proclaimed ladies' man Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine). The show chronicles the normal teen/adolescence problems any teenager goes through including acceptance, drugs, drinking, and bullying."
This is a very basic outline, and on the surface, it sounds kinda boring, but this show is one of the most true to life shows about high school that I have ever seen. The kids look like kids. They don't speak like well educated Harvard students, but just like you and me. Sex is dealt with, but as far as I remember, there wasn't a lot of it going on. Like my high school experience, you knew some people were involved, but it wasn't everywhere, in your face, and it wasn't talked about much like on most TV shows about high school. The parents acted like parents and were involved in their kids lives on a daily basis. All of these things rang true to my high school experience.
Again, the above all sounds boring. Who wants to watch a show that is almost exactly like high school was? It may make you nostalgic in an odd way if you were a freak (aka a burnout, stoner, slacker, etc) or a geek (you know, me, and probably most bloggers), but the nostalgia is always about those odd, awkward, or uncomfortable situations that we all had in high school. The show is filled with humor and fun, while at the same time, heart. It truly portrays how hard high school is for all of us who were not popular.
It is so real that we can't help but care about the characters. We can't help but want them to succeed in life and to get everything that they hope for, even when it is a stupid dream (like Nick and his huge drum kit). These characters are our friends and ourselves, and that is why it is so much fun.
The actors in this show were so great, that many of them are pretty famous now. Let's see what they have done since the show:
Linda Cardellini - Lindsey Weir
She is now a regular on ER.
John Francis Daley - Sam Weir
Has been on numerous TV shows like Kitchen Confidential and Bones.
James Franco - Daniel Desario
Freaking Harry Osborn right here folks. Plus, he will be in Judd Apatow's Pineapple Express.
Samm Levine - Neal Schweiber
Well, according to imdb.com it's Samm's birthday today. Happy Birthday! It looks like Samm has had a guest appearance in just about every show made since 2000. I remember him most recently from How I Met Your Mother and Entourage.
Jason Segel - Nick Andopolis
He was on Undeclared (the next great Apatow show) right after Freaks and Geeks. He is currently on How I Met Your Mother and will be in the next big Apatow movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He was also in one of the best scenes in the show EVER (watch it to the end for full effect):
Pure Awesome!
Martin Starr - Bill Haverchuck
Also showed up on How I Met Your Mother, but his most memorable roll since Freaks and Geeks is as Martin, the pink-eyed, long-haired dude on Knocked Up.
Seth Rogen - Ken Miller
Seth has probably gained the most noteriety since the show. He has been in Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, and many other movies. Plus, he will be in Pineapple Express.
Busy Philipps - Kim Kelly
She was on Dawson's Creek, Love Inc, and ER. She also made a How I Met Your Mother cameo.
And now you can see why every TV show and movie that is great can somehow tie back in to Freaks and Geeks. I'm not quite ready to call it the best show of all time, but it certainly is fantastic. Get your own copy on the Amazon.com side bar over there or check it out on Netflix. Come on people, you owe it to yourselves.
Tomorrow: Books - The Road
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Comics: One More Day - Late to the Game
Look at me! I'm blogging about something that most comics bloggers forgot about months ago! I'm late.First, let me point out once again that I have only been reading comics for a couple of years, so my extensive knowledge about Spider-Man comes about as much from the movies as it does from the comic books.
For those of you who don't regularly peruse the Spider-Man funny books, or comic blogs, let me fill you in on what happened during One More Day. First, you need to know that in the comics Peter Parker and Mary Jane have been married for about 20 years (in the real world, not the fictional one). I have no idea if this marriage was controversial at the time (probably knowing comic fans). Anyway, I thought the relationship they had in what I read of the book was great and it seemed natural.
Well, essentially, during the Marvel Civil War Spider-Man registered with the government and unmasked to the world. As a result of this an assassin was sent to kill Peter Parker, but Aunt May ended up catching the bullet. Peter rushed around NYC trying to find a way to save her, but ended up failing. Finally, Mephisto, who I guess is the Marvel U's version of Satan, came and offered to bring May back from the brink for the Parker's marriage. Of course, they agree, and things are "retconned," or rebooted, back to before Peter and Mary Jane's marriage.
This whole move was on the part of Joe Quesada to reset Spidey's world and make the character more accessible, etc. Now, I have no idea how a married antagonist is not accessible. I found they're relationship enjoyable to follow (much better than in the movies), and fairly realistic (you know, for a superhero comic).
Some have seen this as an attack against marriage, and while that may be going a bit far, it did seem unnecessary and a little disturbing. I mean, if a close relative who was in his or her seventies was on the brink of death, there is no way I would go back on my marriage to Mrs Titan. I can see how it makes the entire fan base feel like the marriage was a sham. I truly hope that no married person who truly loves their partner would consider this to be a realistic action. No matter how desperate one is, there must be a time when we just let go in a situation like that.
Okay, I'm done preaching now. While One More Day sucked, the outcome Brand New Day, is pretty fun. I've really been enjoying seeing where the (now huge) Spidey Team takes it. Check it out if you haven't!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Movie Mondays: 5 Movies I Can't Wait to See
I love movies, I watch between 2 and 4 movies every week between all the TV. However, it is a rare movie that makes me want to get out to the theaters. Here are the five movies that I am most looking forward to in the coming year:
Iron Man
Now, I didn't start reading Iron Man in the comics until right around the big Civil War event, so the only version of Iron Man I know is the one no one likes, you know, the manipulative, rich, jerk one. I think he is kinda cool, you know, jaded and conflicted and whatnot. Well, I think just about everyone agrees that the trailer was pretty awesome, so I have high hopes.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Indiana Jones! How awesome is Indy? I still have images of eating monkey brains, pulling hearts from chests, and exploding giant dudes in propellers burned into my brain from when I was a wee Titan. I mean, I know that Harrison Ford is looking a little craggy, but from what I understand, the new movie is set much later than the first three, so it will hopefully make narrative sense.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
One thing you will learn about me is that I love anything that I can relate back to Freaks and Geeks, Judd Apatow's seminal TV series about high school in the '80s, which could be one of the best shows I have ever seen (remind me to post on Freaks and Geeks). Anyway, long story short, Jason Segal, who played Nick Andopolis on F&G, wrote and stars in this film, along side with Kristen Bell from Veronica Mars. Awesome!
Baby Mama
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler starring in this movie. Need I say more?
Pineapple Express
First, I should point out that I am not a huge fan of drug use in any kind of media (and yet I am a big Kevin Smith fan, go figure). So, the fact that this movie is all about an amazing kind of pot seems like it wouldn't be my thing, but again, this is an Apatow produced movie written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the guys behind Superbad, so I have pretty high expectations (yes, I get the pun). Also, please note the two stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, both Freaks and Geeks alums. And the circle is complete.
Here is a bonus poster for what I am most excited about in 2009:
Star Trek
Iron Man
Now, I didn't start reading Iron Man in the comics until right around the big Civil War event, so the only version of Iron Man I know is the one no one likes, you know, the manipulative, rich, jerk one. I think he is kinda cool, you know, jaded and conflicted and whatnot. Well, I think just about everyone agrees that the trailer was pretty awesome, so I have high hopes.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Indiana Jones! How awesome is Indy? I still have images of eating monkey brains, pulling hearts from chests, and exploding giant dudes in propellers burned into my brain from when I was a wee Titan. I mean, I know that Harrison Ford is looking a little craggy, but from what I understand, the new movie is set much later than the first three, so it will hopefully make narrative sense.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
One thing you will learn about me is that I love anything that I can relate back to Freaks and Geeks, Judd Apatow's seminal TV series about high school in the '80s, which could be one of the best shows I have ever seen (remind me to post on Freaks and Geeks). Anyway, long story short, Jason Segal, who played Nick Andopolis on F&G, wrote and stars in this film, along side with Kristen Bell from Veronica Mars. Awesome!
Baby Mama
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler starring in this movie. Need I say more?
Pineapple Express
First, I should point out that I am not a huge fan of drug use in any kind of media (and yet I am a big Kevin Smith fan, go figure). So, the fact that this movie is all about an amazing kind of pot seems like it wouldn't be my thing, but again, this is an Apatow produced movie written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the guys behind Superbad, so I have pretty high expectations (yes, I get the pun). Also, please note the two stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, both Freaks and Geeks alums. And the circle is complete.
Here is a bonus poster for what I am most excited about in 2009:
Star Trek
Thursday, March 6, 2008
My Favorite Comics Blogs
What with getting a job involving sitting in a cubicle for hours on end, occasionally I get a little bored with waiting for programs to load and/or new emails to show up that I need to work on. So, I fill some of these empty moments with checking on my favorite bloggers. They are all listed over there on the left.
Each one of these blogs inspired me in some way:
Not Blog X
G. Kendall is going through each and every one of the X books from the nineties and reviewing them to find out if there were really as bad as their reputation seems to be. Check it out to get his take on it.
Siskoid's Blog of Geekery
This crazy canuck posts at least twice a day, which makes him really fun to read. I started checking out the blog for his comics humor, but stayed for the Star Trek reviews. He is reviewing one episode a day and has been for 454 days so far. He is about to wrap up the last season of DS9. Great fun for daily readings.
Occasional Superheroine
Valerie writes about comics from a female perspective, which is a great perspective for us readers from the less gentle gender (you know, most of us). She points out some of the things in comics that are disturbing or inappropriate that really helps to broaden our minds and perspectives. My biggest hope is that she will bring about positive change in the industry and push forward women and images of women in the industry. Oh, and she isn't some obnoxious male basher, she is great fun to read and a fun sense of humor. Most importantly, she pointed me in the direction of some great graphic novels for Mrs Titan.
Bully the Little Stuffed Bull
Bully is by far the cutest comics blogger out there. Seriously adorable. He is also one of the most interesting to read. With his Ten of a Kind, Wodehouse a Weeks, Saturday Morning Cartoons, and some of the best Friday Night Fights of any blog I have read, there is always something fun going on on his site. Seriously, I never thought I would be interested in a British writer from the early twentieth century, but I read every Wodehouse a Week entry with fascination and am looking forward to reading my first Wodehouse. I also love the regular adventures out with Bully and am jealous of his adventures in NYC.
Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin
Mike has an incredible grasp of the comics industry. He is always talking about the latest trend in the industry, or the crash in the nineties. He has a creative perspective on the goings on and is always willing to share his perspectives on what is going on. He has the best business acumen of any blogger I have read, which keeps me glued to his blog. Also, his End of Civilization posts are some of the best out there where he covers all of the bizarre and disturbing things in the most recent issue of Previews.
Chris's Invincible Super-Blog
What list of great comics blogs would be complete with out the ISB? This blog has more kicks to the face than your average Chuck Norris movie and is always good for a laugh. Chris reviews comics on a weekly basis and continues to point out his love of face-kickery. He also mocks comics incessantly, and has one of the best senses of humor I have ever read. The ISB is a must read for anyone interested in comics.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Check back Monday for the 5 Movies I Can't Wait to See!
Each one of these blogs inspired me in some way:
Not Blog X
G. Kendall is going through each and every one of the X books from the nineties and reviewing them to find out if there were really as bad as their reputation seems to be. Check it out to get his take on it.
Siskoid's Blog of Geekery
This crazy canuck posts at least twice a day, which makes him really fun to read. I started checking out the blog for his comics humor, but stayed for the Star Trek reviews. He is reviewing one episode a day and has been for 454 days so far. He is about to wrap up the last season of DS9. Great fun for daily readings.
Occasional Superheroine
Valerie writes about comics from a female perspective, which is a great perspective for us readers from the less gentle gender (you know, most of us). She points out some of the things in comics that are disturbing or inappropriate that really helps to broaden our minds and perspectives. My biggest hope is that she will bring about positive change in the industry and push forward women and images of women in the industry. Oh, and she isn't some obnoxious male basher, she is great fun to read and a fun sense of humor. Most importantly, she pointed me in the direction of some great graphic novels for Mrs Titan.
Bully the Little Stuffed Bull
Bully is by far the cutest comics blogger out there. Seriously adorable. He is also one of the most interesting to read. With his Ten of a Kind, Wodehouse a Weeks, Saturday Morning Cartoons, and some of the best Friday Night Fights of any blog I have read, there is always something fun going on on his site. Seriously, I never thought I would be interested in a British writer from the early twentieth century, but I read every Wodehouse a Week entry with fascination and am looking forward to reading my first Wodehouse. I also love the regular adventures out with Bully and am jealous of his adventures in NYC.
Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin
Mike has an incredible grasp of the comics industry. He is always talking about the latest trend in the industry, or the crash in the nineties. He has a creative perspective on the goings on and is always willing to share his perspectives on what is going on. He has the best business acumen of any blogger I have read, which keeps me glued to his blog. Also, his End of Civilization posts are some of the best out there where he covers all of the bizarre and disturbing things in the most recent issue of Previews.
Chris's Invincible Super-Blog
What list of great comics blogs would be complete with out the ISB? This blog has more kicks to the face than your average Chuck Norris movie and is always good for a laugh. Chris reviews comics on a weekly basis and continues to point out his love of face-kickery. He also mocks comics incessantly, and has one of the best senses of humor I have ever read. The ISB is a must read for anyone interested in comics.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Check back Monday for the 5 Movies I Can't Wait to See!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Books - AJ Jacobs
Tonight's post will be a quick one, as I am pretty tired tonight. I just want to point everyone (you know, all 3 of you) in the direction of a great nonfiction author who writes humorous memoirs after messing with his life. AJ Jacobs is an editor/writer at Esquire, and quite the quirky dude. Now, this is not literature, it's just fun, nonfiction journalism/memoir/humor writing.
Jacob's first hit, The Know-It-All, is all about his year reading the entire 32 volume set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It sounds like this is about all he did for the entire year, just read the entire Encyclopedia cover to cover. He points out tons of facts that he picks up as he reads and that will stick with him long after he has finished his reading. Now, I'm a trivia guy, so this is a lot of fun for me, but even better than this, he includes moments in his life that parallel what he is reading, which brings even more meaning to his writing. It's great fun.
Jacob's most recent book, The Year of Living Biblically, is not quite as satisfying from a trivia standpoint, but it is great as a memoir piece focused on a spiritual search. He spent one entire year trying to live life following the rules of the Bible as literally as possible. Jacobs is an admitted agnostic and is open about his biases, which make this book quite intriguing. He is, however, fairly good at keeping an open mind to his experiences. This book has much more heart than The Know-It-All, as Jacobs shares much more about his personal life and how his grand experiment affects his family and life. Throughout both of these books Jacobs uses a light touch of humor, so the reads are quick, fun and light, the perfect books for reading in short bursts. Check him out!
Tomorrow: Who know, it's a Misc. Day!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
TV - The Addiction
"Hello, my name is Tom and I'm a TV-aholic. I have been sober for 952 days."
That's right, I used to be a pretty serious TV addict (still a big TV buff, but not as bad). As I mentioned in an earlier post, I used to watch something between 60 and 80 hours of TV each week. I recorded shows on three different VCRs in my house, and had tapes that were specifically ordered so that I could watch everything in order (see My-OCD).
So, what did I watch? Just about every network program on TV. I watched dramas, comedies, procedurals, reality shows, and everything in between. I enjoyed most of the shows, but at least half of them I would only watch while playing a computer game or reading something while it was on.
I was always afraid of missing something, so I would have to tape everything. The completest in me did not want to find out the next day that I missed the mystery being revealed in the latest episode of Veritas: The Quest or the funniest new episode of Oliver Beene. What's that? You haven't heard of those shows? Well, that's because neither lasted more than 1 season, and in fact, Veritas only lasted 4 episodes. But, I watched them anyway, because they were on.
When I got married and a job, I realized I couldn't keep up with this demanding view schedule. I couldn't push Mrs Titan aside just to find out what happened on Black Sash (seriously, look it up), or sleep in and miss work just so I can stay up and find out who wins Joe Millionaire 2.
Well, I cut back quite a bit and I am doing great, Mrs Titan and I got a TiVo. We now have our favorite shows like The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, My Name is Earl and others. We supplement these by watching the greats over and over on DVD, like Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Extras. Life is good and the addiction is kept in check.
But, please, please network executives, never let there be a Joe Millionaire 3, or my world may come crashing down around me.
Tomorrow: Books - AJ Jacobs
That's right, I used to be a pretty serious TV addict (still a big TV buff, but not as bad). As I mentioned in an earlier post, I used to watch something between 60 and 80 hours of TV each week. I recorded shows on three different VCRs in my house, and had tapes that were specifically ordered so that I could watch everything in order (see My-OCD).
So, what did I watch? Just about every network program on TV. I watched dramas, comedies, procedurals, reality shows, and everything in between. I enjoyed most of the shows, but at least half of them I would only watch while playing a computer game or reading something while it was on.
I was always afraid of missing something, so I would have to tape everything. The completest in me did not want to find out the next day that I missed the mystery being revealed in the latest episode of Veritas: The Quest or the funniest new episode of Oliver Beene. What's that? You haven't heard of those shows? Well, that's because neither lasted more than 1 season, and in fact, Veritas only lasted 4 episodes. But, I watched them anyway, because they were on.
When I got married and a job, I realized I couldn't keep up with this demanding view schedule. I couldn't push Mrs Titan aside just to find out what happened on Black Sash (seriously, look it up), or sleep in and miss work just so I can stay up and find out who wins Joe Millionaire 2.
Well, I cut back quite a bit and I am doing great, Mrs Titan and I got a TiVo. We now have our favorite shows like The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, My Name is Earl and others. We supplement these by watching the greats over and over on DVD, like Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Extras. Life is good and the addiction is kept in check.
But, please, please network executives, never let there be a Joe Millionaire 3, or my world may come crashing down around me.
Tomorrow: Books - AJ Jacobs
Monday, March 3, 2008
Comics - Marvel vs DC
In an earlier post I mentioned that I read comics on a regular basis, however, I only read Marvel books, and not DC. After reading many other comics blogs, I thought I better explain myself so that I would not be shunned from the community. This is my story.
My mom collected comic books growing up. She grew up in the mid to late '60s, and she only read DC. She passed her collection on to me when I was about 10, and this collection is full of classic Silver Age DC comics. I have numerous Silver Age issues of Superman, Action, Batman, Detective, Adventure, Wonder Woman, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, and Justice League. I read these growing up myself, and I loved them. I loved the stories and the bizarre things that would happen in these Silver Age books. Just see every other comics blog on the web for great examples.
I never bought any of my own comic books growing up, because I had these, and I could read them at will, no need to buy new ones. A couple of years ago I read about Infinite Crisis, a big DC crossover event, in Entertainment Weekly. When I read about it, I got the impression that this would be a great jumping on point for the DCU, so I picked up the seven issues in the main series, and started getting Action, Superman, Batman, Detective, and Justice League. Just like momma used to buy! Then I started reading them. I had no clue what was going on! Multiple Earths, weird characters, insane violence! What was going on? I thought I would stick with them for a few months to see where they would go.
While I was at the comic book store I decided to pick up a copy of The New Avengers, because it had a lot of characters I recognized on it. I mean, who doesn't recognize Spider-Man, Captain America, and Iron Man. I thought it might be interesting. Well, this book was eminently more understandable and easy to follow than the DC books. It was fun, and quick, and even though I had never read a Marvel book, I knew who everyone was, and the story was fun.
Shortly after that I decided to start picking up The New Avengers regularly, and what started right after I began picking these up? That's right, The Civil War! I starting picking all of these issues up, just to get the whole story, and that was it, I was hooked in the Marvel U. Shortly after that I had to drop the DC books, just to keep up with Marvel.
I know DC is supposed to be mythic and powerful, but the universe was just to hard for me to follow. Marvel made sense because it seemed a lot more like the real world. It doesn't have the same qualities that I grew up enjoying with my mom's Silver Age books, but I don't think anything ever will. Well, except DC Showcases, The War That Time Forgot was freaking awesome!
For now, Make Mine Marvel, but who knows what the future will bring, I still hold the classic DC characters close to my heart.
Tomorrow: TV
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Movie Mondays - Jumper and Once
I haven't been to the movies in since Jumper, I still have to get over that one before heading back to the theaters. Jumper was not the worst movie I have ever seen, but for a movie being about something as awesome as teleportation, I thought it could be much better. Hayden Christensen wasn't too bad as David Rice, the main character, he just lacked any depth, and he didn't show much real emotion through the entire film.
Rachel Bilson, as Millie, did a decent job with the shoddy writing that she was given. I mean honestly, who would just run away to Italy with someone you assumed was dead since ninth grade without any kind of conversation before hand? That was a little hard to accept.
Samuel L Jackson was...well...he was Samuel L Jackson. Pretty much just out for a paycheck. His characters motives were pretty darn vague.
The standout actor in this movie was by far Jamie Bell, the cynical and aggressive veteran Jumper who tried to give advice to David. While I thought Bell's Griffen was the best character in the film, he was also left with no closure, which was very disappointing.
Ultimately, this movie was a let down. It had some cool action sequences, but not enough to make it worth sitting through the rest of it. Avoid it if at all possible.
A few months ago Mrs Titan was interested in seeing a romance, so I looked on my extensive Netflix Queue (over 400 movies and counting!) for something that I thought we would both enjoy. I remembered hearing some pretty great things about Once when it first came out, so I thought we could check it out.
I was expecting to be mildly entertained, listen to some decent music, and ultimately be depressed, as that seems to be the norm for movies that are well reviewed anymore. Well, thank goodness I couldn't have been more wrong.
This movie is great! It's emotional, moving, and beautiful. For once, I agreed with most critics. The folk music in this film is exceptional. I bought the album the same night we finished the movie and it has been repeated many times on the ole iPod. When Falling Slowly won the Oscar I was thrilled, it was the most excited part of a fairly boring Academy Awards (although that is a story for another post).
Finally, the movie did not have a depressing ending. It may not have been expected, (and I won't ruin it here) but it was believable, uplifting, and warm. I would hardily recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys good movies and music.
Tomorrow: Comics - Marvel vs DC
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