Archive for Film

What Do You Love?

// February 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Comics, Film, Food & Drink, I ♥, Music, Sean, Tech, Television

You know he's evil cuz he's got a goatee

You know he's evil cuz he's got a goatee

Nothing says love like spending four days with your family and your girlfriend and feeling like it was far too short. I love my family, but I unfortunately don’t get to see them as often as I’d like. While I do get to see the two and a half hours away girl on a more regular basis, it’s never quite enough. Sigh.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and I thought I’d share a few things I love, but leaving out some obvious choices like friends, family and the two and a half hours away girl. What do you love?

KISS
Rock and roll super heroes… is there really anything better? You know, there are people who love KISS and there are people who LOVE KISS. I love the band, but I don’t have a basement dedicated to everything KISS with a pinball machine, a glass case full of pictures, magazines, trading cards, model kits, lunch boxes and who knows what. My collection pretty much is music, movies and books about the band. In fact, I just recently bought the Peter Criss solo album on vinyl the other day.  Still haven’t played yet.

Skyline chili
I have to thank my friend Andy for turning me on to the pleasure of heating up some frozen or canned Skyline chili. This isn’t just your run of the mill, average chili. It’s a spicy, flavorful chilidog topping first and then a bowl style second. I like mine with a handful of oyster crackers and cheddar cheese. I know you wanna try it.

Coffee / Tea
When I started drinking coffee, I’d take it with like five sugars and a ton of creamer. My co-workers at the time called it a milk shake. So, I started drinking it black. A perfectly brewed cup of coffee doesn’t need sugar or creamer. Unfortunately, I rarely come across a great cup of perfectly brewed coffee. I usually just add a few packs or spoonfuls of Splenda to take the bitterness edge off. On the other hand, tea is best with the right combination of heat, tea and sweetener. My favorites lately are Ginger Peach Decaf and Cinnamon Apple Spice.

Sleeping in on Sunday
Only the deeply religious would argue with my belief that everyone should sleep in on Sunday. I don’t go to church and haven’t in quite some time. I don’t need the social aspects nor do I feel the need to fill up some spiritual hole. To each their own, of course.

My Droid Eris
Easily the best phone I’ve ever owned. I have barely scratched the surface of what it can do, but my Eris already has exceeded my crappy Blackberry Storm. Next purchase will likely be an iPhone on the Verizon network, but maybe not. HTC + Google + Verizon Network = WIN.

Apple hardware and software
Working with Windows is a collection of frustration wrapped up in a desperate ringing of the hands. To do any basic work like word processing, email and web browsing a PC is adequate enough. However, if you want to do any other kind of work like photo manipulation, graphic design, layout or website creation, Windows sucks. If you like to build your own workstation with all your own parts and spend the time tweaking everything to your own personal settings, an Apple just isn’t for you. However, if you want a computer that just works like it should, buy an Apple.

Water parks
I think it might have been Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon that turned me on to water parks. There were a few waterslides around my hometown and I did happen to meet the two and a half hours away girl as we were heading to a water park, but giant tube slides and tall speed slides just didn’t exist. Pretty soon, my daughter and I will be heading to Key Lime Cove, an indoor water park in Gurnee.

The Godfather
I have only two movie posters in my apartment, Blade Runner and The Godfather. Both are movies I came to late in life. I tried to watch both, but never truly understood either until I had some experiences of my own and a bit more maturity in my tastes. Of the two, The Godfather is my favorite. The Italian-ness of the family reminded me of my own extended family to a certain degree. Not the mobster part, but the family comes first part.

The Legion of Super Heroes
When I was a kid, my Dad let me go up in the attic and pull out a dozen or so of his comics. He had boxes of comics, all bought for nickels and dimes, of his own money. I was consistently drawn to a group of young heroes from the future who all came from different worlds and had specific super powers. They fought intergalactic bad guys, had relationships, sacrificed themselves for the greater good, had easily one of the largest supporting casts in all of comics and made an enormous impression on me. I’m looking forward to reading the new series coming out later this year.

Mirror Universe/Parallel World Stories
My favorite Star Trek story involves an evil parallel universe where our characters are evil doppelgangers. My favorite comic book story is one where the Justice League meets evil counterparts from a parallel world. There’s just something about taking the heroes we know and love and twisting them, usually by adding an awesome goatee, into bad guys.

So, there you have it… ten things I absolutely love. What about you?

==

LINKY GOODNESS

SHOUTING AT THE SEA

“I’m more comfortable in my imagination than I am in actual human discovery. The best days of my life are when I’ve dreamed about a sexual encounter with someone I’ve already been with. When that happens, I cannot lay off myself.” — John Mayer

COLOPHON

Sean McDevitt could really use a working Legion flight ring.

Agree to Disagree

// January 24th, 2010 // No Comments » // Books, Comics, Current Affairs, Film, Food & Drink, Music, Religion, Science, Sports, Television

I have a question for you.ebertsiskel

Why exactly do you like the things you do? What makes your favorite music, movie, food, TV show, sports team, author, whatever it is… your favorite? And what do you do when someone tells you what you like is stupid?

Taste’s change. People grow up. I was a huge fan of the Monkees in third grade, but today I’d be hard pressed to listen to “Valerie” without rolling my eyes. Although to be fair, you all are now singing the chorus along with me. I know. It’s okay.

Interests usually get solidified early. For example, I grew up in a house full of awesome silver age comic books. So, of course, I love comics. I also grew up in a house knee deep in St. Louis Cardinals, James Bond soundtracks and Starlog magazine.

For example, I know when I fell in love with KISS. It was 1978 and I learned rock and roll super heroes existed. Come. On. How could I not love that? Especially since one of them looked like he belonged on the cover of Famous Monsters of Filmland and another thought he was from some planet named Jindell. At the tender age of 10, I found something that I’ve enjoyed for 30 years. I bet you have a similar tale.

The real test is how you defend your likes when someone says what you like sucks. Likes and dislikes are all subjective. I may understand why some people like Radiohead, but I just can’t find myself enjoying much of their catalog. Isn’t there a T-shirt with the slogan, “Your favorite band sucks?”

I’ve never been a music, movie or television snob and I think my open-mindedness has allowed me to simultaneously enjoy a serious, well-made, Academy Award-winning film like The Departed along with a not-trying-to-be-anything-but-a-way-to-entertain-you-for-an-hour-and-a-half-movie like Rock Star starring that girl from Friends and Marky Mark doing his best Jeff Scott Soto by way of Judas Priest.

Another good example is how I can’t fathom why anyone is a fan of the Chicago Cubs. They haven’t won anything in years, yet Wrigley Field is filled each summer with fans hoping next year is this year. It would be easy to say (and I’ve said it more than once myself) that Wrigley Field is the biggest beer garden that also happens to have some guys throwing a baseball around in the middle of it all and that’s the real appeal. There’s some truth to it, but I would never tell a Cubs fan they’re stupid for enjoying their team. It is what it is.

Take it one giant step further with topics such as politics or religion and one can quickly see what kind of crazy intolerance is out there. Nobody is born Republican or Protestant at birth. It’s thrusted upon children from the moment they enter the world. In my view, if your religion gives you personal comfort more power to you, but don’t tell me I’m going to hell because I don’t believe quite the same thing you do.

I enjoy debating with my friends regarding political policy especially because my friends don’t treat being intellectually retarded as a virtue. One of my friends is deeply conservative but he would be the first to tell you he’s not a Republican and the Presidency of George W. Bush was a disaster. I’m way more progressive then he is, but neither one of us would slam the other for our points of view – especially if we find some common ground. We always simply agree to disagree and move on. Our whole lives are not wrapped up in finding the right wing or left wing POV of every little detail. How sad would that be?

My biggest pet peeve is willful ignorance. I get a bad feeling around people who are proud of being stupid. I’m no fan of talking heads and other “personalities” who relish in knocking down the intellectually elite because they graduated from an institution of higher learning and studied the world around them. More to the point, you can’t engage these mouth-breathing buffoons in conversation or, better yet, in debate because their “reality” seldom crosses over into my reality. There’s no agreeing to disagree with these people because it’s always their way or the highway, even when information comes along that destroys their tiny little world view. I avoid them.

In fact, it’s more fun debating with my friends whether or not Wolverine is the best post silver age character ever created. Now that’s a way to kill a Sunday afternoon.

==

LINKY GOODNESS

SHOUTING AT THE SEA

“I have masturbated myself out of serious problems in my life. The phone doesn’t pick up because I’m masturbating. And I have excused myself at the oddest times so as to not make mistakes. If Tiger Woods only knew when to jerk off. It has a true market value, like gold bullion. [The reason is] because I want to take a brain bath. It’s like a hot whirlpool for my brain, in a brain space that is 100 percent agreeable with itself,” — John Mayer

COLOPHON

This post reflects my thoughts and opinions. It does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of my girlfriend, ex-wife, my kid, my cats and dogs (if I had any and I do not), my car, or my computer. All rights reserved. Subject to change without notice. Enlarged to show detail. Employees and their family are not eligible. Beware of dog. As seen on TV. One size fits all. Hand wash only. Do not fold, spindle, staple, or mutilate. No substitutions allowed. For a limited time only. Void where prohibited. No warranties expressed or implied. User assumes all liabilities. Not liable for damages due to misuse. An equal opportunity employer. No shirt, no shoes, no service. Quantities are limited. Do not write below this line. Falling rock. Quality may vary. No parking. No Standing. No Solicitors. No Spitting. No Kidding. Post No Bills. No substitutions. No one under 17 admitted. Keep away from direct sunlight. Limited one per family. No money down. No purchase necessary. Cash and carry. You do not need to be present to win. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Breaking seal voids warranty. Has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Action figures sold separately. Apply only to affected area. May be too intense for some viewers. For recreational use only. Do not disturb. All models are over 18 years of age. Available in fine stores everywhere. Take a number please. Preservatives added to improve freshness. Safety goggles must be worn at all times. Hard hat area. Sealed for your protection. The buck stops here. Call before you dig. Add toner. Place stamp here or post office will not deliver. For external use only. If a rash, redness, irritation, or swelling develops, discontinue use and consult your physician. Use only with proper ventilation. Sanitized for your protection. Avoid extreme temperature. Store in a cool dry place. Refrigerate after opening. Keep away from open flame. Avoid contact with eyes. Wash, rinse, repeat. Do not puncture, incinerate, or store above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not place near any magnetic source. May be hazardous to your health. We’re not in Kansas any more. Hi ho hi ho it’s off to work I go. Slippery when wet. For official use only. Not affiliated with with any government agency. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Trespassers will be prosecuted. No animals were harmed in the making of this film. No salt, MSG, or artificial color added. If ingested, do not induce vomiting. If symptoms persist, call 911. The white zone is for passenger loading and unloading only. Contents under pressure. Restaurant packaging, not for resale. Pull down, then tear up. Contents may settle during shipment. Sign here without admitting guilt. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Driver does not carry cash. Auto pilot is engaged during flight. Substantial penalties for early withdrawal. Slightly higher outside the continental US. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. Other restrictions may apply. Your mileage may vary.

My Vampires Don’t Sparkle

// December 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // DVD, Film

I have a 14 year old daughter. She loves Twilight. Guess where I was this past weekend? Her friends were otherwise engaged so she was relegated to seeing New Moon with her old man. All things considered, she’d rather have been with her friends. Except, you know, I bought popcorn.

I sorta get this Twilight phenomenon. Edward’s a sexy, twinkling in sunlight, “vegetarian” vampire with cool mind reading powers. It’s a fantasy on the same level as any Harlequin romance. It’s just written directly for tween girls instead of their mothers. But of course, the mothers get all hot and bothered by it too.

The closest thing for my generation and gender has to be Star Wars and that wasn’t even a book series prior. In fact, with Twilight and Harry Potter before the fact they were successful teen book series first is actually an accomplishment. Yes, I read the Alan Dean Foster… AHEM… George Lucas… penned Star Wars novel back in the day. Although, I really haven’t pulled it off the shelf in decades. I don’t recall how much the screenplay was followed as a template for the novel. My gut says it was more a tie-in than anything original. It’s an interesting scenario. What if Star Wars was a successful original teen book series before it was turned into movies?

By the way, New Moon is bad only in that Bella is the weakest lead character I’ve ever encountered. She is the most appalling example of a “Mary Sue” in popular fiction in recent memory. Thank goodness my daughter has watched all seven seasons of Buffy and knows a powerful, dynamic and independent woman when she sees one.

Also, Ashley Greene is hot.

Short Bursts

// September 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Books, Film, Music, Performance, Television, Twitter

Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough Department

You may have heard about Michael Jackson? The child singer recently went to the great big “Neverland in the Sky,” but like Elvis before him, he’s worth more now than as the stand-in for Skeletor. Apparently before he had massive heart failure, MJJ was filming his rehearsals for his upcoming British concert gigs. The wise and powerful Sony grabbed the guy from High School Musical and decided to edit the footage down to make some sort of musical documentary that, you know, isn’t Spinal Tap. Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ will probably generate a few bucks and some rubberneckers at the local cineplex. I think I’ll wait for the inevitable DVD release.

Master of Moptops is Pulling Your Strings Department

I have been informed there is a band which plays Beatles songs in the style of Metallica. They are named, Beatallica, of course. The guy does an amazing James Hetfield impression.

The Future’s So Bright Department

Remember the early 90s commercials from AT&T that asked various technology questions and then ended with Tom Selleck saying “You Will?” If not, here they are for you to ponder. I find it fascinating how truly accurate the predictions were… and a “Before They Were Stars” Jenna Elfman in the baby one. I wonder what would be in a set of new ones created today?

Twits and Bats Department

Once Twitter’s arch-nemesis, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is now buddy-buddy with the blue bird. Cardinals fans were treated to a ceremonial opening pitching by none other than Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s Creator and Co-founder. The milestone event pretty much puts to bed the former quarrel between La Russa and Twitter, which had the baseball manager suing the company for trademark infringement, cybersquatting and misappropriation of name and likeness. The best thing to come out of it was Verified Accounts, which elimiated the Fake Celebrities on Twitter.

Tooting About Nick Hornby Department

I’ve read the first chapter of the new Nick Hornby book, Juliet, Naked. I loved every word. I love the name of the characters and I really loved the plot. From the description:

Annie loves Duncan-or thinks she does. Duncan loves Annie, but then, all of a sudden, he doesn’t. Duncan really loves Tucker Crowe, a reclusive Dylanish singer-songwriter who stopped making music ten years ago. Annie stops loving Duncan, and starts getting her own life.

In doing so, she initiates an e-mail correspondence with Tucker, and a connection is forged between two lonely people who are looking for more out of what they’ve got. Tucker’s been languishing (and he’s unnervingly aware of it), living in rural Pennsylvania with what he sees as his one hope for redemption amid a life of emotional and artistic ruin-his young son, Jackson. But then there’s also the new material he’s about to release to the world: an acoustic, stripped-down version of his greatest album, Juliet-entitled, Juliet, Naked.

What happens when a washed-up musician looks for another chance? And miles away, a restless, childless woman looks for a change? Juliet, Naked is a powerfully engrossing, humblingly humorous novel about music, love, loneliness, and the struggle to live up to one’s promise.

Here’s a link to the first chapter. If you love music just a little bit, you won’t be disappointed.