MVP

Aaaaaallllright, folks. Time to call your picks. Let's discuss who is walking away with the MVP this year, why and if they deserve it. Do you have any thoughts on who will win? Is it the same person who deserves it?

I'm calling Kobe Bryant. You could argue that he's virtually toe to toe with Lebron James and that therefore, James deserves it equally. But, aside from stats, look at what Kobe has done for the Lakers: he brought that team together. He is a fantastic player, but a better leader. And I think he's walking away with MVP because of it. Besides, James still has plenty to win.

Welcome to the West...

...ya arrogant snots. Lot harder than the East, huh?

Not as easy as it used to be...

This is EXACTLY what I needed to get pumped before the 48-hour competition. Yeaaaaaahhh....

Shaq Attack

Sheer brilliance? Or utter stupidity...?

Kerr's argument for adding him to the team is compelling and makes sense in theory, but we'll see. Let's just hope he can hold the middle court and give Nash and Stoudemire the freedom they need to be as offensive as possible.

The Scramble, The Catch

One of the best Super Bowls ever. Next to when John Elway finally won his first, of course. ;-)
With all apologies to Josh, Angie, and Jeremy...if the Patriots had won, I would have labeled it, one of the worst Super Bowls ever. Next to when the Broncos got trounced 55-10, of course.

Weird Fish on Arpeggi Bread

Shhh...don't tell them I did it.

Buy the ticket, take the ride...

Review: Cloverfield

I’d wager that most people have been to an amusement park at some point in their lives. My family was particularly into Disneyland (probably because we’re from suburbia). Now, when you think about it, Disneyland is actually more of a THEME park than an amusement park. There’s a difference between the two. What is that difference? A thin layer of exposition.
You see, when you take a ride at an amusement park, there really isn’t a whole lot of ceremony involved. There are a ton of roller coasters at Six Flags. Riding one of those is basically like picking up a prostitute: You both know what you’re there for, so let’s just get to it.
A theme park is something else though…at a theme park, most of the rides you get on are story based. What I mean is that sure, you still get on the ride, but not before being subjected to some thin layer of exposition as to WHY you’re getting on the ride. For example: in Disneyland’s “California Adventure” theme park, they have a ride dedicated to the Twilight Zone – the Tower of Terror. They strap you into a metal box, shoot you up into the air and then drop you back down. Lots of theme parks have this ride – in fact, the Tower of Terror is pretty tame in comparison to the versions other parks have. What separates it is this narrative you’re forced to listen to before you board the ride. Rod Serling comes out and does his little spiel from the show, telling you that the Tower was once home to famous celebrities but that something bad happened. The narrative continues as you board the ride, ending with him saying something like, “tonight, you, the audience, are part of the show…”

And then they drop you a few stories and you feel like you’re going to die.

That’s Cloverfield in a nutshell.

Now I’m not knocking the film, because I liked it quite a bit. I like going on rides at Disneyland too, but that doesn’t change the fact that the thin narrative before every ride is just a device meant to keep you and your group waiting while the ride cycles through the previous group.
What is the film about? Well, it centers around Rob and Beth, two friends living in Manhattan with a serious crush on one another. At the onset, Rob and Beth have sex, causing a whole bunch of awkwardness when Rob states that he’s heading off to Japan for some major promotion. Beth wants Rob to stay in New York, and Rob has no idea how to express his feelings for Beth. So he basically tells her to get lost at his own going away party.
After that, all hell breaks loose. Manhattan is being attacked. The military sweeps in urging everyone to evacuate. And it is in the midst of this evacuation that Rob gets a frantic call: Beth is trapped in her apartment and she can’t get out. So Rob decides to turn around and head back into the city in an attempt to undo the damage he has wrought on the girl he loves.
It’s funny too, because Rob and his friends are basically you and your friends. I feel that if the film succeeds on any level beyond the sheer thrill of its premise, it will be because these characters are just archetypes lifted from the myspace generation. They’re not particularly clever characters, but they are true to some extent.
I do have a large gripe with Rob though: Rob’s the world’s greatest bad decision maker. I once wrote a film along the lines of something like that, but I never intended people to like my character. The filmmakers WANT you to like Rob. They want him to really click with the audience – and he doesn’t. He’s a real bastard – the film even says so itself at one point. He’s resourceful and determined, but beyond that, not very likable…He’s just some self-serving jerk who decides, “hey, what the hell, I’d like to sleep with this girl again, so I’m gonna go back and get her.” You can get away with a real jerk of a character in your film, believe it or not. But the character has to be really freaking good at what he does. Rob isn’t…he’s just that guy in your group every Friday night who heckles prog-rock. I think part of suspension of disbelief allows us to have moments in films where characters do incredibly stupid things that pay off in unreal ways. The characters themselves literally state, “there’s no way in hell this is going to work, but here goes…” and then it does work. And yeah, you’re crying out “no way”, but you’re also with the character because they can’t believe it either. Rob’s just like that, minus the “it works” part.
Beth also isn’t terribly likable. There’s a girl like her in every group too: the pretty girl who contributes nothing. Her and your other friend have this “thing”, and he’s totally into her because she’s waaaaaaay out of his league and he’s pretty sure he can’t get anything better than that… I mean, why do we even let Beth hang out in this group? She doesn’t bring anything to the table – PLUS, we’re sick of all the drama she drags along.

Okay, sorry…got caught up in the film’s style for a moment there.

One of the better aspects to this film is its commentary on “the group” and on my totally useless generation. At Rob’s party, everyone’s buzzing about the weird relationship between Rob and Beth. They’re also doing shots of jagermeister and listening to Spoon, effectively doing nothing but idly gossiping about one another’s lives. There are a few stark moments in particular when the city is first attacked that basically sums up this youtube/text message culture in all its bloated self-interest. It’s hilariously human. Spielberg would be proud.

All 80 minutes of the film are a great way to spend your evening. It’s a real trip from beginning to end and it isn’t terribly consuming, so count me a fan. But still, like most rides, you can’t help but walk away saying, “huh – I’m not sure if I’d get back in line for that again.” Therein lies the difference between the greats like Spielberg and the new kids like Abrams. Spielberg never told you he was taking you on a ride. He never told you his characters were just like you and your friends. Goddard? Abrams? Reeves? They’re right there, telling you the entire way.

Live from the Emerald City

Yes, I'm blogging from cold, rainy Seattle, Washington. Not so emerald right now, but I've enjoyed the cold and rain...the first two days! Now I'm tired of it. How do people live here? Probably because the nice days make up for it, like enduring the heat in Phoenix for the mild winter.

We came up for a wedding, which was very nice. We took extra days to take in the city. The most interesting part for me, was being in a "football town" where the home team was hosting the playoffs. My first time. I mean, the Broncos went to the playoffs many times when I was in Colorado, but I never was in Denver. You could definitely feel the electricty among the locals, especially when Redskins fans walked the streets. I briefly thought of trying to get tickets.

We've done the Space Needle, and today we're going to the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum (they're in the same building). I look forward to that. And tonight, we come home.

Wildlifeless screening

Well friends, it is official.

The Almost Famous International Short Film Festival, in their infinite wisdom, has selected Wildlifeless for screening. You hear that Phoenix-dwellers? This is the first official non-private screening of the short film – so for those who have yet to see the flick or want to catch it again – check it out. The jury looks to have selected a great list of other short films as well from various filmmaking communities around the globe. Very cool.

Year End List?

I'm afraid you won't see a "Best Albums of 2007" list from me. Mainly because I have only, about, four albums from this year. A dissapointing year in music for me personally. I did listen to a lot of songs from albums of this year, but nothing really grabbed me. Although, I very much liked Battles' Mirrored, an electronic/guitar type album. How can you not like an album with the drummer from Helmet?

It seems there were a lot of electronic, mash-ups, hip-hop, and "noise" albums this year. And being that I'm mostly a guitar-oriented, rock kind-of-guy, there wasn't much to tantalize my senses. That being said, though, The White Stripes and Dinosaur Jr. had very good albums. Of course, there's Radiohead, but I've been meaning to post about that. I think Brock has too.

So, whilst I hang my head and kick the nearest pebble, I look forward to 2008. Especially since My Brightest Diamond and Able Baker Fox are slated for releases (however, I do have the pre-release of Able Baker Fox now, more on that later). And, Sufjan Stevens is due, hopefully!

Throw me the idol! I'll throw you the whip...

My house is being torn up right now (a brother is installing tile and carpet)...so I am posting this from Marco's house. Aaaaand...I only have a few minutes to post this, but I had to. It's for the new Indy flick.



I think that as far as recreating the feel of the original films they've done a brilliant job. The film itself may suck, but at the moment, we can look at this poster and pretend we're at a multiplex in the 80's. And yeah, I'm gonna say it - as excited as I was for the Star Wars prequels (which turned out to be unfounded excitement) I much prefer Indy. But then, anyone who has seen Wildlifeless can tell you that.

My Brightest Diamond

Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond is truly unique. Her bio at Asthmatic Kitty says it all. Her uniqueness transcends into her music. Interesting guitar lines, strings, various percussion, and an operatically trained voice makes for an album that sometimes repeats on end in my players. I’ve meant to write a post about MBD for a while now. But I’m newly inspired by excited anticipation for their upcoming album. Check them out.

Oh, I should also mention that Brock and I had the wonderful privilege to see her, minus band, earlier this year. We were both mesmerized.

Also, I should be receiving the new album from Able Baker Fox any day now. This is a combination of two of my favorite rock bands ever, The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike. What I’ve already heard, has blown me away. I believe in rock again.

Take Away Shows!

Clearly, there are numerous ways to pass time away on the Internet. Especially when searching for new music. Most of them are a waste. One of the best ways to make that slow day at work go by (or, if you're at home waiting for the souffle to rise), go to http://www.blogotheque.net/takeawayshows/!

My personal faves:
Sufjan Stevens & Friends
The Dirty Projectors
Menomena (Mostly for the dancing kids)

There are many I have yet to see.

Indiana Jones and the New Eyes Like Static Post

Brock sits before a computer.

BROCK

WAAA-HOO!!!

Housecleaning

No, this isn't another post about House (don't think I didn't consider tacking something on though). It's a post about something I finally took care of: going down to SCC and getting my diplomas. I let the degrees sit at the school for about three months...mainly because I just kept forgetting about them. And maybe, deep down, I was sort of sad to tie off the last connection to the school.
But, to be honest, it was the most hassle-free experience I've had at that school. I just showed my ID and they brought out three packages - a certificate in film production, a certificate in screenwriting and an associates in applied science. I'm glad to have it done. Now all I have to do is get them framed in some type of foggy glass and then place them up high on a wall so that people will be unable to read them and will instead assume I'm some kind of med school grad or something...

Rox and the Sox

The Red Sox are the new Yankees. In other words, the new team to hate. With their show-off batters and mouthy pitchers, they’ve eclipsed nasty New York. That’s what I’ve read anyway. I really don’t know. I haven’t watched nearly enough baseball to know. What I do know, is that the Red Sox are the much stronger team. This World Series will truly be David vs. Goliath. Will the Rockies keep their momentum and swing the proverbial sling-shot, striking the mighty Red Sox square in the temple? I hope so. (So far, no. It's wierd watching the World Series in mid-afternoon.)

Torture him if you have to

To be frank, I kind of watch 24 every now and then. I enjoyed season 5, but season 6 wasn't too great (I stopped watching about a quarter of a way through). Well, some folks in the U.K. have been given a trailer for season 7 (along with a funny "thanks for watching" message by Kiefer Sutherland). I liked it . It looks like they're trying to revise the show, make it interesting again (although it looks like they're continuing to rip off Die Hard by using its latest sequel).

Hopefully, it'll be a nice distraction come Monday.

It’s the Pineapple

Of all the wonderful and amazing features I could experience in Hawaii, so far, the pineapple rules. Yes, the pineapple. I thought I knew what a pineapple tasted like. Oh, how ignorant I was. I thought pineapples were supposed to be tangy/tarty, unless they’ve been soaked in fructose syrup in a can. But ever since I first sunk my teeth into a Hawaiian pineapple (first night here), I’ve been eating them whenever I can. They are so sweet and succulent. They really lose their sweetness on the trip over to the 48. Okay, the weather and ocean are great too, but the pineapple rules.

Dying would be a great adventure

There are so many tremendous new things happening since I last blogged. I am afraid that I will be given over to hysterics the moment I start talking about all that is neat and new and be branded a histrionic (a label I already desperately need to stay away from). But, c’mon! There is a new Radiohead album out today. In Rainbows! I’m going to write a review for that and some other things this week. At the moment though, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it as I’ve only listened to it one and a quarter times.

So here’s what I’m going to do instead: I’m going to talk about last night’s episode of House.
Before I jump into that, let me note that I haven’t seen the first two episodes of the season due to scheduling conflicts. So kindly get off my back if I say something that sounds ill-informed.

First of all, is this doctor elimination game working for me? Absolutely. How about the new doctors…are they gelling? I think so. They’re both radically different from House’s previous tenants yet they remarkably overlap with a few of their key qualities. Was that done on purpose? This is me, smiling. Still, there are enough shades in these guys to bring out new sides to House. How about the ambitious blond girl? I can’t remember her name, and yes, that’s part of the joke…but I liked her scheming efforts. This is like the most sordid parts of elimination reality shows…but fictionalized, so we’re okay to enjoy it. Right? And in a way, last night’s episode vaguely commented on the price of such games. I.E.: their efforts to get into House’s permanent roster ended up killing a patient.
I really liked that. It worked on two levels for me. One: it showed us how silly this competition is and how ambitious these morons are…and, two: really made House seem petty. Sure, he reversed course towards the end of the episode, realizing it was time to cut the crap and try to save this guy before it was too late. But, this just adds another level of moral darkness to his character. He was always a bastard with some heart…but now? He’s just questionable. While I enjoy the writers showing us how tentative life is on this show, House has to save someone soon. Cause that’s probably the only thing about his character that gives him a permit to do the things he does.

Speaking of which, how about that Joshua moment? What I’m getting at is House electrocuting himself to see God. That was both shocking (if I make light of the pun, does that make it any less clever?) and a little out of hand. I know this show is well beyond reality, but would they seriously let him keep working after having shocked himself like that? I guess after all the crap he has done, that’s sort of a moot point. It would have smoothed the whole thing over though if he hadn’t been okay later on in the episode. Give him a week to recover…last time I checked a week was standard procedure for gunshots, overdoses and accidents.

I like Kal Penn’s immature ten-year-old-boy quality in this show. He’s generally annoying as hell, but herein, he’s annoying in a kind of funny way. I especially like him annoying House.

The new doctors seeking advice from House’s old crew is cool, but enough with the Foreman crap. He’s about as enjoyable this season as a sharp stick to the eye. And this better not become a pattern. The new group is shaking things up plenty, but from here on out, if they want advice, they should go to Wilson. This cast is getting too big for its britches.

And yes, I am a spoiler monger…so I already know which three he picks.

The Eastern Sun: Part 3

If you hit every big eastern city on your way out to the Atlantic coast, you run along a section of the country referred to as BosWash. This is really just the Northeastern Corridor – a collection of cities upon which the fortunes, politics and culture of the United States turns. Some call it the Main Street of America.
For the past month, we’ve been walking up Main Street. Every door here has been opened to us, every light left on. Like a runway, each city represented a light, and all lights led to Boston.
But now, it’s time to go. All lights lead to Phoenix.

Leading up to our departure, we’ve done a bunch of crazy things…

We met Marco in Philadelphia. I think I will remember that moment for the rest of my life – we were sitting in the lobby of an Embassy Suites. The room was amber and filling up with soft-spoken men in business casual. These bastards didn’t mind stealing a few threatening glances our way. And then, the elevator doors opened: there he was. Smiling. The Italian Stallion, the Rooster, by way of Philadelphia.
As Marco slung taunts my way (as he usually does), we barreled down the narrow pathways of the city, eyes searching the misty streets, hoping to find a spot for parking. By the way, driving in Philly is horrible. You have to turn right, stay straight, go back, turn left, pay toll, gas to pedal, approach a barrier, cars whizzing by, lights red, your dash vibrating with an anxious idle. It’s like being on coke and tied down. And the people of the city? They want your blood, man. There is something defiant and snide in their gait. They prowl the street like they own the city, as opposed to other places along the Corridor where the city owned them. It was just big enough to be impressive, just small enough to be manageable. It was a boxer, aglow with gaslight and electric.
We had fantastic Jamaican food while we were there. I had jerked chicken that made my nose run like a decathlon athlete. After sending Josh and Angie to bed that first night, Marco and I toured the city, finally ending up at the Hard Rock café where he bought a shirt for a friend. Apparently, this friend was collecting a Hard Rock shirt from every city. Cross Philly off that list buddy, cause Marco’s got you covered. And we had a drink. And we chatted…about cool things I’ve seen, cool things he has seen. I would never pretend to be an equal to Marco on the world traveler scene, but for once I could sit down with him and have notches on my belt. It was a damned fine drink, that drink.
Following our trip to Philly, we went to New York and saw Times Square and Grand Central Station. Times Square looks like a web site with all the flashing, colored pop-up adds. Grand Central Station looks like an ancient Greek palace submerged beneath the ground, and submerged even further below that palace was the shambled, clattering blood of the city. To say these places teemed with energy would be a cliché, but a well-spoken one. They do teem with energy, but they also teem with a plethora of other things. You fill in the gap with that one.

After getting back to Massachusetts we toured some museums, hit the Cape and prepared for the visit of John Anthony and his friend Aaron. It was as if my time on the East was bleeding like a hemophiliac’s wound. We toured Boston, hit the Green Dragon Tavern (of Paul Revere fame) and spent a day up in New Hampshire at the Highland Scottish Games. That was quite enjoyable. I had never been to a ski resort before, and the games were held on just such a resort, named the Loon. The snow had all melted, but the air was bursting with Scottish geeks. Scottish geeks dress and prance about to bagpipe music much like Lord of the Rings geeks by the way. These two cultures should seriously consider pooling their efforts.
We all went our separate ways at this event, crossing every now and then like fish in a tank. I spent the majority of my time split between the competitions themselves and the bar nestled up in the top of the Loon’s lodge. While enjoying a brew, I heard a tremendous precession thundering below the bar. People started to flock to the stairs to take a quick look. Gleeful cries went up and the sounds grew louder. And then, the bar was being overrun with a full Scottish band. Right there, in the middle of our amber hops, they touched the ceiling for a brief moment. And then everyone bought them drinks. Nice trick…I guess the bagpipes works just as well as the guitar if you’re in the right place.

Some other things happened. Some of it was of interest, some of it wasn’t. At one point or another, I may get around to sharing it. But don’t hate me if I don’t. All that matters is that I am in the 11th hour. All my bags are packed and my seat is reserved. This time tomorrow, I will be atop four wheels that are spinning across the country. In the past 24 hours, I’ve heard that Dave Matthew’s song “Where Are You Going” twice. It plays wherever I am. I have been cut to the quick by the East Coast and I have arrived at some conclusions about where I am going…so to say it was more then a trip would be appropriate. Clearly, it was more then a trip. Why? I got slightly melancholy today as I packed my bags and realized my footsteps wouldn’t clack against the Franklin streets again. But I also feel a new drive. I have to return home. I must melt back into the desert, dented by my dip into the Atlantic.
Did I dent the people here? Am I like a Sanjuro or Blondie, striding into town, making his mark and then taking leave? It’d be arrogant to say yes.

So, yes.

I'll see you in Phoenix