Burned out

I'm tired. So tired. Sorry about the delay in blog posting, but lots has been going on this holiday season. Once January rolls around, perhaps I'll have some amusing anecdotes to share. Until then, GHOST TOWN.

Them's fightin' words!

So, Espella Humanzee, my "Unreal Tournament" lunchtime adversary thinks I'm weak and heavy footed from my holiday indulgences? I'll have you know last week's Christmas vacation wasn't all fun and games! I had to exert much physical force to aid my parents in their move from current residence. No walk in the park, my friend!

My reflexes are fine tuned, ready for any projectiles that can be hurled my way during "lunchtime warfare", for I have much experience with my two nephews and their "baby projectiles" in the form of spit-up. Oh yes, I have been in the trenches! I have felt the sting of battle, I have waged a war on projectiles. You can't scare me! You can't beat me!!!!

Go web, go!! Up up and away, web!!

The Royal Tenenbaums / The Life Aquatic

There's a movie being released on Christmas day, and while I don't encourage anyone to use a holiday like Christmas to be watching movies in a theater, I do however, encourage you to watch The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Though I haven't seen Wes Anderson's first two films, I did see The Royal Tenenbaums and liked it immensely. No, it is not for everyone, but it is a masterfully filmed and very well made movie. The Life Aquatic should be no less good. The trailer exibits much of the dry humor present in Tenenbaums. Some folks just don't get this type of humor. Their loss.

An amazing quality in Tenenbaums is Wes Anderson's eye for screen composition. He essentially places his camera in the middle of the scene, and strategically positions his actors and set pieces in a wonderful way that takes full advantage of the widescreen format. Every scene is a feast for the eyes, and doesn't require the use of fancy camera movement or quick cuts to create artistic expression. I am looking forward to all the great locations in The Life Aquatic. Lush environments should provide many new artistic expressions.

Another defining attribute in Tenenbaums is the use of static shots, as in, a picture, or an actor just staring into the camera as a caption is displayed, revealing the name of who or what we are looking at. It is a welcome part of the storytelling and is not a widely used method in today's films. The best one has to be the picture of the cover of a book written by Bill Murray's character. I won't reveal what is on the cover, only recommend that you watch the movie to feel the full effect. It is side-splittingly funny!!!

As for those who don't get this type of movie, I say this: It is best to stay away from the films of Wes Anderson. You might hurt your fragile little brain. Better you just turn on WWE Smackdown! to catch all the nuanced performances and high drama that this amazing form of entertainment can offer.
The previous statement is in reference to a lady I overheard whilst browsing in a Blockbuster Video store a few years back. She was telling a neighbor how she rented The Royal Tenenbaums and had no idea what she was watching, only to exclaim "Get this crap out of my DVD player!" I suppressed a laugh as I was reminded of the character Helen in the movie Tommy Boy. Helen is a midwestern woman who'd rather watch American Gladiators than important news. I couldn't help but think of this woman. So American Gladiators is more to your liking? My, how we've evolved.

Steve's Oceanic world

Christmas Vacation's a comin'

Baby step to Friday after work... Baby step to Friday after work... Baby step to Friday after work!

Tomorrow's anotha day!

Tuesday, December 14, 2004. The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King - Extended Edition. Over 40 minutes of extra footage! I had better train my eyes to prepare for the awesome spectacle of this behemoth of a trilogy! What a way to end one of the most substantial movie trilogies ever assembled. Not only did J.R.R. Tolkien create a vast, fantastical world with his beloved books, but also has Peter Jackson and his team created a huge world that is completely believeable. Not once did I ever get the feeling I was watching a "movie". It all felt so real, like I was looking into the past at real events, albeit geared toward fantasy. The amount of detail and hard work put into these movies makes every detail an important one. Every emotion comes to fruition with the events of this, the final film in the Rings trilogy. The addition of some key scenes should make this cut of the film all the more satisfying. These films will forever be ingrained into the fabric of our imaginations. These are the great films, which truly belong to the vault which houses the most memorable films in existence.

BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Info here

Monthly Classic Movie Review

December is home to the most important Holiday of the year: Christmas. It is a time when families come together, friends fellowship, and Santa brings that new Red Ryder home! This month's classic movie is none other than A Christmas Story. This is one of my favorite films and is truly one of the top 5 best holiday films in American History. I would say it’s the best, but I’m sure many people think It’s A Wonderful Life, or How the Grinch Stole Christmas is better. Whatever floats your boat. It deals with a period in American History much desired by those living in the now. A time where walking to school did not involve worrying if your kid would be snatched up by a kidnapper, or involved in a sniper’s shooting spree. A much quieter, gentler time when the radio was your idiot box, and television was still a few years away.
The charm of this film is endless. Just about every single character is so loveable and funny you can’t help but root for them. The lengths one young boy will go just to get his greedy little hands on that shiny, slick new Red Ryder b.b. gun; he devises clever little schemes to get his mother to read the advertisements and subliminally put the idea of a b.b. gun, every boy’s dream, into her head. He doesn’t care if he would shoot his eye out, which is of course every adult’s mantra. The adventures of Ralphie and his little brother Randy almost pale in comparison to the adventures of Ralphie’s Dad, a hard working, blue collar joe who has constant battles with their house’s furnace, his coworkers, and his neighbor’s 765 smelly old hound dogs, who hate every human being on earth except him. A small part of the film involves a special prize won by Ralphie’s Dad, that sparks not only tension between his parents, but previously unknown desires within Ralphie, that should not be manifest for at least 5 more years! It is one of the film’s funniest gags. This is a very funny movie. The constant chasing of the kids by the school bullies goes from real-time to hyper-speed, complete with high pitch screaming, maniacal cackling, and Randy yelling “Come on guys, wait up!” Another great sequence involves Ralphie’s uttering of a swear, and his subsequent punishment and confession, in which he lies that he heard the word from a friend. His mom calls the mother of this boy and informs her, who in turn is heard screaming in anger as she runs down the hall, proceeds to put the fear of God into her child, while he screams “What I do!”, which can all be heard as Ralphie’s mom listens in horror on the other end of the phone line!

It has all the elements of a good holiday film: Laughter, nostalgia, fantasy, love, emotion, and laughter! It is part of the holiday tradition now. A Christmas spent without watching A Christmas Story is not a Christmas at all!

Closer than they appear

I watched the made-for-tv movie Duel the other night. It’s been a while. I am very glad it is now out on DVD. This was the directorial debut of a then unknown filmmaker by the name of Steven Spielberg. It’s amazing just how many of his little tells are present in this movie. What do I mean by that? There is always a way to know you’re watching a Spielberg movie. Many of the well known Spielbergian movie moments began life in Duel. Like Jaws, this film deals with a seemingly invincible enemy that never stops its pursuit. An everyman by the name of David Mann (oddly enough) takes a small business trip through the Californian desert and encounters a big rig going very slow. After passing the rig, he finds his deed was somehow the worst decision he ever made, as the driver of this mean-looking rig pursues Mann to no end, endangering his life and that of his measly little red car. Though a little tame by today’s standards, this thriller will make you think twice before you attempt to pass a slow moving rig! During this cat and mouse chase, a shot from David’s point of view shows the big rig in his driver’s side mirror as it closes in behind him. You can see this shot mirrored almost exactly in Jurassic Park, as the Tyrannosaurus chases down the main characters in the Jeep at night, a similarly harrowing experience, albeit a little impossible, seeing as how dinosaurs haven’t been cloned just yet! Also, there were little sound effects that were re-used in Jaws, and other Spielberg pictures.

The picture is superb for a 33 year old movie. The new dts 5.1 sound mix was awesome! I am always amazed at how good an old movie can sound nowadays.

The fun part of seeing old movies today is the many visual treats to be had: goofy outfits, cheesy acting, funny sounding music, and the technology! I am somewhat a collector of old technology. The stereos and telephones of the early seventies are just too cool. Just another part of my personality that makes me so weird. In the words of David Mann: “Don’t tell me I need help!”

A game of Kings

Now here’s a fun game! Over the Thanksgiving weekend, my Uncle bought a foosball table for his house, in preparation for the Christmas holiday, in which all 5 of his children are going to be there. His three sons are veterans when it comes to foosball, having learned their fair share in college game rooms. Personally, I haven’t played a foosball game in over 13 years. I remember the time our 8th grade class went to the Wilds Christian Camp in North Carolina. This was around 1991. I was a wee 14 years old. There was a foosball table in the game room and we put it through its paces. I really enjoyed the game, and was more than happy to play it again.
We were there to set it up this Thanksgiving, and we broke it in substantially that night. The next night, more games continued. Then I had to come back to Dallas, so I can’t wait to get back home and play. We will be holding a tournament this Christmas. As far as I know, there will be around 10 guys in the house at any given time, and the competition will be fierce! No holds barred! Fortunes will be won and lost. There will be no pity for the losing team! Now if we could only get John Madden to do the play by play, we’d be in business. FIRE IT UP!