A Photo for Thought

Just a fun photo I found a few years back, and I did some searching and found it again. Enjoy...or not.

Skillet Seal of Approval: Let The Right One In

This review may not be completely relevant (given it's original release date), but I recently caught this film over Halloween (as I was looking to watch a horror film) and I was very impressed and I now am intrigued to see the American remake: Let Me In.

This is the vampire film people should be talking about.

I'll admit, I'm one of the "Twilight" apologists (if you will). I was pleasantly surprised by the first one, thought the 2nd was dreadful, and felt the 3rd was a better film than the first two. Released in the same year as "Twilight", "Let The Right One In" seemingly got lost in the shuffle.

There is more here than just a simple vampire horror film. It is a coming of age story, a family drama, and a taut thriller. The first of which is the most important and an element of the film I find to be most crucial.

Oskar is a bit of a bookworm and is constantly teased and bullied at school. He is smart, attentive, and obsessed with the gruesome aspects of society, namely murders. Eli is the new girl who moved in next door, she first appears to him in the courtyard of the apartment seemingly out of thin air. She is strong, assertive, cold (literally and figuratively) and is curiously drawn to Oskar, as he is to her.

The relationship between these two is what drives this film. Through all the scares and blood pools formed, it all comes back to the connection between Oskar and Eli and how they help each other out in their lives. Their bond is strengthened through their varying experiences and the film succeeds on a level I had not anticipated: providing me with a sense of hope that these two characters will prevail against all odds and actually wanting that result. I have never felt so much affection toward a supernatural character as I have for Eli. Oskar welcomes her burden and accepts her for who she is because of his genuine love for her. And it all works.

I have nothing but admiration for this film. It is chilling, terrifyingly realistic, and at it's core a story of growing up and moving on even in the face of adversity. Truly, a great film.

Why I hate the Internet.

What? "Hate the Internet"? Is he serious?

Yes.
Yes I am. Somewhat.

Well, maybe I'm overstating it - actually I am, but there are things about the internet that I just cannot stand. One of them, and the main reason why I started writing this post, is message boards. I hate message boards. So maybe that would make for a better title but I'm already this far and don't want to lose any momentum in my writing.

Message boards are everywhere and are linked to every single topic that exists in this world. From adult entertainment to zipper enthusiasts and maybe even a combination of the two. Maybe I don't hate that there are places for people to talk about these topics, it's just the way people talk about things that bothers me.

It's really all about spelling and abbreviations. I hate unnecessary abbreviations. Hate. Hate. Hate. For example, on a movie site that I frequent people were talking about Judd Apatow's latest project and instead of writing out "Knocked Up" someone wrote "KU" as a short form reference to the film. Really? "KU"? Is "Knocked Up" too long of title for you to type out? On a similar site I saw someone abbreviate "The Hurt Locker" as "THL". I had to re-read the post three times in order to come to the conclusion that they were talking about "The Hurt Locker". If that happens, then the point of abbreviating seems to have lost it's meaning.

There are some appropriate abbreviations like "CSI" or "NCIS" or "Law and Order: SVU" but the cons outweigh the pros. It's become an excuse for lazy people, in this Twitter-140-character age and it seems like a lot of getting lost in translation at the expense of the instant gratification generation.

Spelling. Spelling is another thing that bothers me and it all relates back to the Twitter-heads and their limited characters. I should say limited vocabulary or limited brain capacity but there are smart people on Twitter. (I don't know who, since I don't use Twitter but I'm sure there are some.) I see things such as "ur", "u", "r", "kewl" (which contains the exact amount of letters as cool, it's correct spelling), "l8r"...etc. and I just think that our society is regressing and that maybe Mike Judge's vision of the future in "Idiocracy" is actually more of a reality than fantasy. Maybe that's harsh, but is partially true.

It's not just these short spellings/alternate spellings it's also the lack of common sense when writing out sentences. A lack of punctuation, possessive apostrophes, apostrophes in general, periods, etc. have made deciphering what people say more difficult. Here's some examples I pulled from a Yahoo! Sports comments page and ESPN page respectively:

"Nevada loss to Hawaii yesterday absolutely killed any hope they may have had for NC game but if they win out they could get Rose Bowl invite...just sayin"

"for the record I dont think Tennsess is any good or anything. Their record speaks for itelse and Vols fans would tell you the same."

Yes I'm being a bit of an asshole and a bit picky but it's very easy to make "loss" to "lost" and I read NC and immediately thought of North Carolina then National Championship (the intended thought). Ugh, I know people are in a rush when they write these type of posts but c'mon take one minute after you finish writing and proofread and don't try and sound smart by abbreviating things that don't need abbreviating.

So maybe I overreacted when I said I hated the internet. I just hate the idiots that occupy the cyberspace but the idiots are a part of a whole. A whole mess of pages and message boards where even the person with the worst typing skills can voice their opinion, which is what makes freedom great. But freedom isn't for everyone.

YTMND of the Week: I Can Break These Cuffs

"Cops" is one of those shows that is always on but I never watch it fully. Most of the time it's just routine traffic stops with drug addicts and drunks being pulled over and the cops finding drugs or other paraphernalia. Then there are times when the show becomes something more, something (dare I say) great. This is one of those moments.

I Can Break These Cuffs

Stemming from this one video came some great YTMNDs. For example: Love in these cuffs & Olympic Cuff Breaking Event. But it's the original that I'm highlighting this week because it just demonstrates the stupidity of our country that I can look at and laugh at because I know that there is someone out there that is being dumber than me. Enjoy.

Making Sense

I just realised that in Animaniacs Yakko and Wakko were the Warner Bros. (duh, like they said in the title song) and their Warner Sister, Dot, is named after the actual dot at the end of Warner Bros.

It took me long enough to figure that one out but now it all makes sense. The good things in life always come back around to you in the end, albeit many many many years later.

YTMND of the Week: The Original YTMND

If you don't know what YTMND is then what have you been using the internet for? The site started with one simple line from a very good movie with Sir Sean Connery:

"You're the man now dog!"

What has stemmed from this simple page are pages and pages of inane, idiotic and at times utterly hilarious GIFs, JPEGs and video with it's only purpose to entertain. I love this site and visit it frequently but in order to "appreciate" other pages you must start at the beginning to see what you are in store for - which is why I linked to the original YTMND. To browse other pages simply go to www.ytmnd.com and take a look around and see what's there. More times than not it will be stupid and not funny, but every so often something comes along that will leave you with a smile on your face and a LOL out of your mouth.

Stella!!! Stella!!!!

I walked into a market a few weeks ago and immediately my ears met the sounds of Ranchero music, so I somewhat knew what type of store I was walking into. I walked around the cooler and saw nothing special until I got the the end, where the imported items were kept. If you're familiar with beer then you know this Stella. If you're familiar with movies you know this Stella and if you're familiar with music then you know this Stella. But nothing prepared me for what I saw on the label for this product. I did a double take because I didn't believe what I just saw but there it was. What was it? I'll show you.



I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it's there and I documented it. I've never had Estella Artois. I wonder if it's Stella's Hispanic cousin she rarely sees because she's home schooled and doesn't get out much. Either way, I just I hope it's as good as the Belgian Stella Artois because she is so fine.

Not Skillet Approved: Resident Evil: Afterlife

Wow, what a waste. What a bore. What a pointless excuse for an action film. This is a first of The Life of Skillet, I have witnessed something I cannot approve. That something is Resident Evil: Afterlife.

One question popped into my head just as the credits began to roll: What’s the point? There is no plot. (I know, some people say “What’s the point?! It’s all about killing zombie-like creatures and Milla Jovovich kicking ass!”) That's fine but there is hardly a beginning, I didn’t notice a middle, and there definitely is no end. The dialogue is terrible, the acting is worse (ahem Ali Larter) – save for Boris Kodjoe playing a former basketball star/leader of survivors who is the only character worth caring about. It was nice to see Wentworth Miller (TV’s Prison Break) show up and low and behold he’s back in a prison (where most of the film takes place) and he knows a way out (I think he’s been type casted). This film is devoid of needed humour, scares, and imagination. In essence, this film is a mess from top to bottom. The action sequences literally borrow from The Matrix Reloaded and Die Hard and the film could have been much shorter if not for the amount of slow-motion (most of which is used in the action sequences).

It's really hard for me to see why people love these films (being that there are now 4 of them) when the product they turn out is so bad.

Then there is the 3D. This film was shot using the same technology used in Avatar but I asked the same question after the credits began to roll: What’s the point? 3D did nothing to enhance my experience and the stuff that was meant to fly off the screen and at my face, didn't. 3D is supposed to add depth to immerse the audience in the world of the film. True, but when that world is an abandoned prison I’d like to stay in my seat thank you. The 3D did nothing to enhance the action or my experience and in short, was a failure.

I don’t want to spend too much time on this film because it doesn’t really deserve it so I’ll end it with a few final thoughts: Milla Jovovich sleepwalks through the film delivering a one-note performance and that one note is monotone. Her voice-overs nearly put me to sleep and bored me to death. I wanted her to shut up as she talked into her hand held camera about the devastation she saw. Ugh, is all I have to say. Finally, this film felt longer than it actually was which is, uh, pretty bad when it was only 1.5 hours long.

Save your money and time and skip this film for it is Not Skillet Approved.

Notable Alumni: Not Another Teen Movie

I’m starting a new segment here on The Life of Skillet and it deals with looking at films with ensemble casts and seeing where they ended up – in essence the ones that hit it big I ask one question: What happened to them?

To start things off I’m looking at the 2001 comedy Not Another Teen Movie. There’s no denying that this movie is not for everyone. With the current trend of spoof films coming out (ie Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans) it really makes me appreciate this film more even though it’s not on par with the greatest spoof film of all time: Airplane! (my opinion). This film was a breath of fresh air as it laid into most of the teen movies that had come out. Everything from the cheesy yet pleasing She’s All That to the underappreciated 10 Things I Hate About You and most of the filmography of the late, great John Hughes. The humor is crude, some of the jokes fall flat but for the most part I laugh and laugh throughout this film every time I watch it. It also features some very big names, albeit after the fact.

Chris Evans: Went on the star in both Fantastic Four films, the underrated Cellular, the under seen Sunshine, and was recently seen (although the box office returns beg to differ) in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and now he is set to play Captain America. Not bad for a guy who put whip cream on his body and a banana in his butt.

Chyler Leigh: She hasn’t done much film work but she has carved out for herself a steady television gig. She had a stint on The Practice and she’s been on Grey’s Anatomy (or so my mom tells me, and iMDB confirms) since 2007 so it’s safe to say she’s doing alright.

Eric Christian Olsen: This guy has popped up all over the place since Not Another Teen Movie. He was in the Dumb and Dumber sequel (unfortunately), Cellular with pal Chris Evans, Paul Haggis’ The Last Kiss, and he has recently been seen on TV’s Community (a show I love) and NCIS: Los Angeles (a show I occasionally follow).

Jaime Pressly: Probably the most recognizable name on the list due to her time on My Name is Earl where she won an Emmy in 2007. She was last seen in 2009’s I Love You, Man and if you want to find sexy pictures of her, it’s very easy.

Josh Radnor: Don’t know the name? Then you probably don’t watch one of my favorite shows on TV: How I Met Your Mother where he plays loveable/hopelessly in love architect Ted Mosby. If you don’t remember him in the movie then think back to the guy who explains why there was slow motion at the party or when he so justly points out how everyone at the school was a professional dancer. It’s him, and it took me viewing the film recently to see it was him.

For my next installment of Notable Alumni I will look at another comedy: Old School.

An odd Drive-Thru

A few weeks back I found myself in Baldwin Park. Meh. Not my type of city but it's there regardless. As I waited at a stop light I found my eyes wandering and looking at the buildings surrounding the intersection. There was a gas station and a fast food place but what really caught my eye was what was directly to my right.

I looked at a plain-looking building and saw a driveway. Only this ran right next to the windows of the building. I looked harder and saw that at the driveway entrance was a Starbucks drive-thru order window. It's what came after the order window that really caught my eye.

Picture this: You drive up and order your coffee (does anyone really order just coffee anymore? I mean people order non-fat double shot espresso with almond vanilla milk - or whatever else they put in coffee - but you get the idea) and then on the driver side are windows to several other stores. You look and see a giant pink "T" for T-mobile and see the inside of the store and wonder if anyone really uses T-mobile anymore because the main carriers are Verizon and AT&T so you see T-mobile as being somewhat falling by the wayside.

You pull up and then you see something odd, but you don't know it's odd until you look deeper. You see an Indian woman (as in from India) smiling at you and then you read the caption on the photo: Eyebrow Threading. Eyebrow Threading? What the hell is that? If you take it literally, which you do, you would think that someone literally threads eyebrows into your face for cosmetic reasons. You shudder at the thought and then pull up to get your coffee and leave.

All the way home, or to work, you think about Eyebrow Threading and you have to know exactly what it is or else you'll go crazy. When you get home, or work, you pop on your computer and do a search. You see that what you originally thought was not true, in fact it's a process of removing single eyebrows by using thread. You then think: Can't they just use tweezers? You then make a decision to never go back through that drive-thru because that original image of Eyebrow Threading is ingrained in your brain and to see it again would trigger those thoughts so you say to yourself "We'll just avoid that odd drive-thru." And you do.

And I've never seen that drive-thru again.

Things I Don't Understand

There are some things that exist in this life that I cannot for the life of me figure out why they were even thought of in the first place. These are things that irk, perturb and disturb me to such a degree that they border on the inane and idiotic and make me wonder what the future holds for humanity when there are people in this world who are willing to create/imagine/execute such ideas. I’ll give you an answer now: it looks pretty damn bleak.

Mohawk Motorcycle Helmets: Great. Just what d-bags needed: another excuse for a Mohawk – already a poor fashion choice now emphasized by the fact that if you ride a motorcycle (aka crotch rocket) you can wear a helmet with a Mohawk attached. They come in all sorts of colors: neon green, red, blue, and you can even get studs or points in place of the fanciful follicles. What statement are you trying to make? I hope as you ride under a low-lying bridge those Technicolor tresses get caught in one of the cracks and pulls you right off your bike – but you remain unharmed, thus learning a lesson in stupidity and d-baggery.

No Music during a Music Video: For starters, I don’t know how a music video can be profitable. You can now watch them online, for free, or ignore them completely. I tend to ignore most of them on account of TRL being cancelled (although I stopped watching long before that). But it really bugs me when music videos don’t play music. In the middle of Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker” she gets into a fight with herself in the women’s bathroom – and they added some cheesy fight music (I get that it’s cheesy, but play the damn song during the fight). This got me even more perplexed when I tried to watch Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro”, I couldn’t. It took a little over two minutes for the musical intro to even start. I sat at my desk waiting for the video to start and nothing happened, and when the music did start I was so put off that I just closed the video page. It’s a music video, play the song with some visuals and be done with it.

Stickers on Hats: Apparently it’s now cool to leave the stickers on your hat, as well as leave the brim flat (ugh). How is it cool to see that it looks like you just bought that hat yesterday? It seems to me that you’re driving the bandwagon wearing your Tampa Bay Rays hat with the black and gold 59fity logo emblazoned on the top of the brim. Just like the motorcycle helmets: what statement are you trying to make? I guess you care more about your appearance than representing your favorite team, or else you’d leave the sticker off completely. Do you see Albert Pujols or Ichiro leaving the stickers on their hats? No and neither should you.

TMZ: The gossip rags aren't my thing and I really could not care less if Britney Spears was seen walking out of a Starbucks. It's just not my thing. But have you ever watched the TMZ show? It looks like it was put together by an ADD riddled speed addict who also took some shrooms and decided it would be a good idea to exploit celebrities by finding photos and video of them in situations that they would not normally be put in if were not for the camera people in front of them. The show tries to be funny (very very hard) but falls flat on its face at every attempt. The "reporters" dictate exactly what they just showed in a video and describe every detail in each photo - great journalism a work. I truly don't understand why this show is popular, then again I'm not it's target demographic: I don't care about celebrity gossip.

Zeljko Ivanek: I remember seeing this guy accept an Emmy for his work on "Damages", a show I've never watched, and then all of a sudden seeing him pop up everywhere on all of my favorite shows. He showed up in "Heroes", "Big Love", "True Blood" and one episode of "House". All the while I noticed that he's just playing the same brooding character in all of those shows. He's the tough guy with a no-nonsense attitude and aggressive tendencies that others find excessive but he finds necessary. His agent needs to get him some other work, because playing the same character only gets you so far. It just bugs the hell out of me seeing him everywhere and it's something I can't quite put my finger on why he's everywhere. Now he's all over NBC for "The Event" where he seems to be playing another power hungry individual who needs to control the situation at all costs. It's hard for me to say if he's a good actor or not because I haven't seen much range from him and until I see that range (ie a comedic role) then he will be one of those things I just don't understand.

Life and Times in the Inland Empire

My job takes me to various exotic locales. Places the likes of which you have only seen in the movies or in your dreams. Where the plains are vast and at times expansive and the very air you breathe feels like you could be drinking water instead of breathing because it’s so humid. Places where a once proud business is now a vacant building or an empty plot of land unused and untouched by human hands in more than a decade, where the weeds have turned brown and have been ground into dust and the lone speck of green is from a wrapper from the Green Burrito. At times there is hope, as it does spring eternal (or so they say) as a majestic oak rises out of the barren dust bowl-like parking lot that was once connected to a grocery store. But more often than not, the cracks in the asphalt signal what has truly become of the neighborhood. Unfilled, and spreading further and further apart by the day. Shopping carts are left on the side of the road or in empty parking lots. Cars are abandoned next to the train tracks, windows rolled down so you can get a better look at that blue vinyl interior. A moon bounce sits unused behind a warehouse. It’s red and yellows contrast with the tope and beige walls filled with streaking cracks. Men, and sometimes women, wait in front of the Home Depot waiting for a job that may never come. Then, further down the road the streets are clean, the asphalt is fresh and the paint is just getting dry. Where the houses are gated and the cul-de-sacs are a plenty and the sidewalks are filled with verdant life that creates actual shade. The homes are many and the cracks are few. Empty plots don’t last long here, as someone is bound to snatch it up for another housing development. It's a part of life, it's a part of community, it's a part of a whole damn mess of things that don't seem to make sense. It's night and day, rich and poor, love and hate, Napster and Metallica, The Bride and Bill - opposition. It will always exist.

I see this and much more as I journey through the Inland Empire, as it’s called. I see this in Pomona, Chino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Upland. It’s a strange part of the world this San Bernadino County because I’ve usually never spent more than five minutes there before my job – on account that I had no reason to go out there, ever. My Thomas Guide didn’t help me because it was only Los Angeles and Orange county so every street I had to find I basically guessed and asked my way to, and it was a pain in the ass. I don’t know why so many people live out there, they’re secluded, backed up into the hills and mountains like the people of Rohan at Helms Deep – and we all know how that turned out. It’s hotter than just about anywhere else – except for the desert communities and places further inland and the stores I go into have storm doors. Storm doors? Really? You know the kind where you walk in and there’s a space in between you and the next door that actually lets you into the store. The only reason I see it as being necessary is to keep out the smell of the nearby horses and dairy cows. Yes, the smell is so pungent you can smell it through your car fans. Why does Chino smell like the aftermath of the Rose Parade? They do have a prison nearby so I guess it’s a good way to keep the inmates inside but for the regular people, it’s got to suck.

I can’t say I hate the place but I can say it’s never truly been boring. I accidentally ran a red light I thought was green and went through about eight lanes of traffic – luckily no cars were coming at me and I survived. Other than that I tend to pass the time by listening to the radio while I drive and thinking about what I’m going to do once the day is over – and I’m out of the Inland Empire. I’ve seen some strange and not so strange things during my travels but I wouldn’t count it out for having a few more surprises in store for me as I venture deeper and deeper into the heart of the Inland Empire.

What's Wrong With Sports Illustrated?!

Do you see this cover? It's terrible. No, really, it's atrocious. It's so bad because of who is on it and who is not on it.

Look at Chris Bosh. He looks like he's having a great time. Look at Dwyane Wade. He looks content and pleased with himself. Look at Lebron James. He doesn't know whether to smile or be serious so he was caught in between and looks like an awkward 6th grader posing for his first middle school photo. That's who's on the cover. Do you know who's not on the cover? I'll give you a list: Casillas, Villa, Ramos, Torres, Puyol, Fabregas, Pique, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Pedro, Iniesta...

All of those players, and more, did something no other Spanish futbol team had done: win a World Cup. Spain became only the 8th country to win the quadrennial tournament and the only coverage they get on the biggest sporting magazine in the United States is the top line: "Party like it's 1579"?! I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. First, Lebron wastes nearly 30 minutes of my time by deferring the answer to a question that would take 1 minute to say, in telling national television where he would be playing, now he takes up a magazine cover to endorse his "businessman-like" behavior. What's wrong with you Sports Illustrated? Just because the United States was out of the tournament, did that mean that the biggest sporting event in the world became Page 2 material? I fail to see how an off season move that, while big I admit, can be dissected every which way throughout the summer is bigger news (and worthy of a cover photo) than Spain winning it's first World Cup.

I just don't get it. Maybe it's because I'm not a HUGE NBA fan and maybe it's because I love the sports that most Americans don't find all that enjoyable in Soccer, Hockey and Baseball. But the World Cup is the World Cup. I don't know how else to say it. This slight to soccer/futbol/football is nothing new. I mean, I live in a country where cars with decal headlights that only turn left for hundreds and hundreds of laps, is something people find exciting - and it gets more coverage than soccer. People call soccer butt-numbing, what do you call watching a guy with two first names turn left for four hours? I call that boring. In 2006 the main photo was of the New York Mets and how they were "intrepid". At least then Fabio Cannavaro was shown hoisting the cup in the upper left hand corner. But this most recent cover features no photo, just words.

Am I blowing this out of proportion? Maybe. But when a sport that isn't even in season dominates the headlines over the most watched sporting event in the world, we got a problem.

Skillet Seal of Approval: "Aphrodite"

Not much of a surprise here but Kylie Minogue has scored another hit album with “Aphrodite”. I wouldn’t classify myself as a Kylie superfan, but I do enjoy her music and her as well. I might go so far as to say that I love her. Period. End of Story. But, there’s an album here that needs to be brought to the forefront of your attention if you didn’t know it existed already.

I considered “X” to be an experimental album of sorts. It is filled with electronic synths and beats that are uncommon in previous Kylie albums and suffice it to say, they all work. With songs produced by Daft Punk and The Scissor Sisters you knew a different sound would come about. “Aphrodite” is a return to her vocal-led pop roots. Sure there are electronic beats and electronic-led songs but it’s not as prevalent as in “X”. Kylie is known for experimenting with different styles, and that is no more apparent than if you listen to “Impossible Princess” then “X”, you’d hear two distinctly different sounds. “Aphrodite” is somewhere in between with elements from both albums as well as some new sounds. It blends her sultry, sexy, sensuous, salacious voice in a way that is refreshing to hear given that the pop landscape is inundated with auto-tuned artists not willing to let their true voice be heard. Kylie takes a risk on this album by going against that trend and delivers sweet music that plays to her vocal strengths. The album is wonderfully put together as every song compliments the other. It’s a testament to the producers, and Kylie, that the songs don’t seem like they were randomly selected and then thrown in an unspecified order on the album.


“All the Lovers” is a great starting off point, but the album really kicks into gear with “Get Outta My Way” as a piano-led intro gives way to one of the most infectious hooks in recent memory. If you aren’t bobbing your head by the time Kylie tells you to “take a chance and try something new”, then something’s wrong with you. The album is filled with love-themed pop songs (and really, what great pop songs aren’t about love?) that highlight Kylie’s ability to draw you into her voice and feel the words she’s singing. Kylie is the Queen of Pop and “Aphrodite” is a welcome return after a three-year hiatus.

Songs of note: “All the Lovers”, “Get Outta My Way”, “Closer”, “Aphrodite”, and “Cupid Boy”

Skillet Seal of Approval: Eclipse

Yes, you read that title line right. I, Skillet, have approved Eclipse. I refuse to call it by it’s “full name” of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse because it’s pointless. The Book is called Eclipse and that’s how I will call it. Now, let me set the scene.

June 30th 2010. I had a day off and I decided to beat the heat by seeing a movie. I had seen Twilight on a whim when it first came out, I knew nothing other than it was a book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it – the soundtrack, the mood, etc. Then came New Moon. It was awful. Nothing seemed to happen. I felt as if I watched a series of events that could’ve been told in 30 minutes, dragged out over two hours. Uninspired directing, save for the opening shot through the Italian town, uninteresting character development and all in all it was just boring. I am pleased to report that Eclipse is a huge step in the opposite direction.

For starters the look is entirely different. Gone are the earth-tone based browns and reds as seen in the previous film as the story returns to the gloomy overcast of grays infused with mist and fog that surround the Cullen Clan, as well as the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This atmosphere reflects the story, which is much darker as the stakes are higher as the outlook for our characters become increasingly dire.



Bella (Kristen Stewart), still hasn’t decided if she wants to marry Edward (Robert Patinson) but she still wants him to turn her into a vampire, which he is against. This simmers in the background for most of the film as the Cullens, the werewolves, and the people of Forks are in danger as the vicious vampire Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) is still out for revenge on Bella and she’s doing so by creating an army of new vampires to go after her and her friends. This includes the Cullens, and just about anyone else involved with them.

One of the elements that are improved this time around is the characters. We are given more background about the werewolves, Rosalie Cullen (Nikki Reed) and Jasper Cullen (Jackson Rathbone) which are used to help us understand them, as well as the gravity of their transformations and how they relate to Bella and her desire to become a vampire. It also helps the audience, who haven’t read all of the books (me included) become more involved with someone other than the three main characters we already know.

But of course, the heart of the film lies with the three main characters of Bella, Edward and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). The once obtuse love triangle set up in the first film has become equilateral. Bella now has a better understanding of the consequences of being with Edward or Jacob and sees that it is not as easy as being a “Team Jacob” or “Team Edward”. She sees that being with Edward would be a lot more costly to the life she knows than if she were to be with Jacob.

The action is ramped up and more violent than before as vampires battle vampires and werewolves battle vampires. The violence might be too much for younger children, but that’s to be expected when David Slade (Hard Candy, and 30 Days of Night) is directing. The music compliments the film both in score and soundtrack as it builds tension as well as set the mood for the other scenes. This is one of the better films of the year, and it’s Skillet Approved.

What's sticking to Skillet?

Movie Etiquette 101:

I love going to the movies. If I were to average out every time I went to the multi-plex over a year it might average out to roughly once a week. In essence, I see a lot of movies. Some great, some not so great but it’s all a part of the experience of going to a theatre, sitting down with you drink, candy and/or popcorn in a room full of strangers and watching something that has the ability to not only entertain but provoke thought as well.

It’s when there are people in the theatre that don’t share the same love for the movie theatre/don’t care about anyone else around them that the experience is ruined. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been watching a movie and out of the corner of my eye I see a blue LED screen pop up and see that someone is texting during the movie. Or worse, when someone decides to take a phone call in the theatre. It’s not only distracting, it’s downright rude.

I was always taught that the movie theatre is not your living room, nor is it your den and that you must respect everyone else who is in there with you because they are trying to enjoy the film as well. Some people just do not understand, think they are above it all, or think they are too cool for the rules.

I hate that shit.

So, with that being said I would like to propose my rules for movie watching at the theatre:

1. Turn off your phone completely: Your Facebook friends status updates are not crucial to your survival nor do those text messages from your friends asking you where you are need to be answered at the moment in time. When I went to see “The A-Team” last week a woman in front of me was texting during the trailers (not a HUGE deal but still annoying) thankfully once the movie started she stopped, clearly someone knows their mobile phone etiquette in theatres. But there are some that do not, ie tweens and teenagers, because they think they’re the shit and too important to care about anyone else in their vicinity. People got by without phones for the better part of the entire existence of humans. The world will still spin on its axis without your phone on for two hours, trust me, you’re not that important. Nor is it worth ruining my movie going experience over, because it’s not just you in the theatre.

2. Shut up: This one is very simple. Laugh all you want at a funny movie, I encourage it. If you have to lean over to your friend and ask a quick movie plot question, do it. But don’t have full blown conversations until the movie is over. I will never forget watching “Crash” and (SPOILER ALERT) right as Michael Pena is about to get shot and his daughter jumps up to shield him a couple behind me says “they were blanks”. Ef, you. You just ruined a dramatic moment in the film for me. I hope you’re happy. Talking can be good if done in the right movie, ie “The Room” or, for example, during “What Lies Beneath” when Michelle Pfieffer is trying to escape by crawling and the villain is slowly closing in and guy at the other end of the theatre yelled “Bitch you better run!” I’ll never forget that. Know what type of movie you’re in before you open your mouth.

3. Babies, stay home: Parents, if you’re taking your four-year-old to see “Transformers 2” we got a problem. I mean you as parents and me as a theatre patron. I don’t want to hear him or her crying when Optimus Prime is kicking some Decepticon ass, nor does anyone else in the theatre. When I went to see “X2” right as the opening credits rolled a baby started crying, mind you it was dead quiet (except for the baby) then one man yelled from across the full theatre “Shut up!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Most theatres have Mom Movie Mondays where the theatres play movies with lowered sound and brighter lights so you can watch with your baby. Go to that, leave the 3:10pm show on opening day to us who want to see the movie and be distracted by your baby.

4. Clean up after yourself: Have you ever looked down the row after a movie is over and the lights are all up? You’ll be amazed at see how much trash is left behind. Some in the form of nearly full bags of popcorn (that costs $6 and you’re leaving it on the ground!?) and empty drink cups. Take the time, pick up your large items and throw them away as you leave the theatre. Most of the time the cleaning crew is there with a trash can, making it very easy for you to throw away your trash. They appreciate it, I’m sure. It’s a privilege to go to the movie theatre and eat delicious/fattening/overpriced snacks, don’t abuse that by trashing the joint then leaving. Sure it’s their job to clean up but it’s the right thing to do.

5. Arrive early: Ugh, this one really gets me. I like to get to the theatre at least 30 minutes before show time because I like to choose my exact seat, get all my concessions and relax before the show. When people arrive late they stand at the theatre entrance looking for seats that don’t exist and then climb over you to get to those seats. I’m not the face of a rock wall, step over me with dignity and deftness please. I personally hate it when I have to stare up at the theatre and try to find a seat, when I do arrive later, because it just isn’t fun. If you’re constantly late, set your watch ahead 10 minutes, then you’ll never be late again.

6. Respect those that stay: My grandmother used to take me to see any movie, no matter the rating. I wanted to “The Lion King” we saw it. She wanted to see “Bullworth”, we saw it. She also liked to sit through the credits of every single movie, no matter how good or how bad. I never found out why she did this but I attribute it to seeing all of the people that put their hard work into the film and acknowledging them by seeing their name. I still sit through credits and I’ve found another use for them: discussion. I can sit with my friends and discuss the movie, without worrying about if I’m ruining anything for anyone else. People today cannot wait to get out of a movie theatre fast enough once the credits roll. They stand in front of me blocking the screen (sure it’s just a list of people, but I’m still watching the movie! Get the hell out of my way). They step on my feet trying to get out and just annoy me. Where’s the fire? Can you not wait two to five minutes longer? At times the credit sequences are a piece of art (ie “Up”) and can also have a little tidbit at the end. Respect those that linger after the action has ended because that’s their way of enjoying the film. Patience is a virtue, but one that seems to be missing from today’s society.

My idea of perfect movie watching is different from others, and at times I respect that, but if it ruins my enjoyment (and other peoples as well) of a film then I think you need to rethink your habits.

Adventures in Sky Mall

Let me start off by saying that I really enjoy flying. I enjoy being zipped away over the earth to a destination of my choice and all the while sitting comfortably (and at times not) in a seat with a book, magazine, music, crossword puzzle or a movie to keep me occupied. I also enjoy watching people at the airport. I enjoy it because people get irritated over the tiniest of things. These irritants coupled with the pressure to get to the plane on time make people fun to watch. I am a very calm flyer. I take my time, arrive early, check-in, find my gate, and wait it out. I love watching frustrated people go through the metal detectors over and over again and seeing them take off a piece of jewelery they forgot they were wearing which was setting off the alarm in the first place. I love watching people run awkwardly through terminals with their bags in tow as they try to get to their departure gate on time. I always imagine they are running to stop the person they love from boarding a plane going halfway across the country, but that's just in the movies. I really enjoy listening to people complain about how they are going to be late for their flight, as they stand in the security line asking to cut in front of people. They will not get any sympathy from me because they failed to arrive early and/or read the signs at the security line entrance. I think I take pleasure in their discomfort because it's not me.

I'm a fairly superstitious flyer. When I fly Southwest (which is more often than not) I like to choose my exact seat: Row 17, window. My lucky number is 17, and I like to look out and see the Earth below. I also like to read Sky Mall. If you've never experienced Sky Mall then you've never flown in a plane before. It's the type of catalogue where you can buy anything. From bug vacuums to canine genealogy kits. Needless to say I love looking through the catalog and seeing all of the useless stuff a person can buy/thinks they need. From the Wrist Cell Phone Carrier to a color changing shower head (the water glows the color of the LED lights). Some of the items can be useful like the emergency battery that can, supposedly, help you restart your car and inflate your tires if your stranded or the fire escape ladder. This catalogue borrows a page from the Hooters mantra: "Delightfully Tacky".

This brings me to the pièce de résistance from the Sky Mall catalogue. Look at this photo from the catalogue of the shoe I found on page 11 and tell me what sticks out.

These shoes are called "Gravity Defyer"'s and apparently help you absorb shock and add a spring to your step. They claim to be like Benny the Jet's PF Flyers: "Walk and run faster, jump higher, no fatigue and nor more pain!" But what sticks out to me is the logo. It's what struck me the first time I laid eyes on these shoes. If you didn't really look at it before, look at it again. See something you shouldn't? Me too. Am I messed up for this being my first thought when looking at these shoes? Probably, but this design went through stages of development before it was sewn on the shoe. Don't you think one person in the marketing, advertising, design department or even the FedEx guy delivering packages to the company would've said something about this logo? Whose idea was it to go ahead with this design? It's not only inappropriate, it's stupid. I don't know what else to say about these shoes because the logo pretty much says it all. These shoes will forever be known as the "Sperm Shoe" and it's a near perfect example of what you can find in Sky Mall and it just goes to show that there's never a dull moment when you read Sky Mall.

The State of Saturday Mornings

If you were like me when you were younger you woke up Saturday morning and sat down in front of the TV to watch cartoons. For me, that was my Saturday. Wake up, eat breakfast, watch cartoons all morning then do whatever afterwards. Some people got out of watching cartoons as they got older, not me. I continued to watch them well into my teens. Part of it was due to the fact that I always got up early each day and Saturdays would be no different. The only difference was that I didn't have to get ready for school on Saturdays. It was my day.

I had my routine down pat. I knew which shows were on which stations at a given time so I could plan my cartooning accordingly. The three main stations I watched were Fox Kids, Kids WB and ABC's One Saturday Morning. For most of my live-action shows I would turn to TNBC. I would watch shows like "Hang Time", "City Guys", "California Dreams", "Saved by the Bell". One Saturday Mornings had my favorite shows like "The Weekenders", "Recess" and "Fillmore!" but it wasn't my go-to station. Kids WB and Fox Kids were my real time wasters. They had the shows I used to watch religiously: "Eerie, Indiana", "Digimon", "Bobby's World", "Power Rangers", "X-Men", "The Tick", "Animaniacs", "Batman & Superman: The Animated Series", "Pokemon", "Static Shock", "Jackie Chan Adventures"...the list goes on and on. I don't really watch cartoons anymore except for "The Simpsons", "Metalocalypse" and "South Park" and a few others but those are clearly not suitable for Saturday Mornings.

A few weekends ago I was feeling a bit nostalgic and decided to see what cartoons were on TV. I started at the beginning of the networks: CBS. They used to carry shows, but I never watched them. Now they carry shows like "Noonbory and the Super 7" (huh?) and they rerun One Saturday Morning's old "Sabrina the Animated Series". NBC has ditched the teen-oriented live-action shows for cartoons named "Turbo Dogs" and "Shelldon", among others. Kids WB, now called The CW 4 Kids is still going strong in the cartoon department and has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show and a bunch of other Japanese-style anime cartoons, including reruns of "Yu-Gi-Oh!". ABC's One Saturday Morning is now ABC Kids. They ditched the cartoons and now broadcast Disney Channel shows like "Hannah Montana" and "The Suit Life with Zack and Cody" they also added on other former cultural phenomenon to their lineup: "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers". Only, they've dumbed it down. They put title bars under nearly everything. For example, when they morph into their ranger forms and call their zords we see a title pop up saying the name of the zord. As if they didn't just hear it! They also added ka-pows and zany sound effects when people fall, which are useless. Fox Kids is gone and now the network shows some "Saved by the Bell" reruns on top of documentary-style wildlife shows.

I think a lot of the missing content is due to the huge impact cable and satellite programming have made. Now it is more accessible for kids to watch cartoons elsewhere because there's an entire network devoted to cartoons. When I was growing up not every kid had cable, me included, so I made good with what I had and loved it all the way. What bothers me is that kids today are very impatient. If they don't see something on TV they like, they change it immediately because they know they can find something else. I never had that option, it was either watch a "Doug" rerun I'd seen a dozen times on ABC or Creflo Dollar and I chose the former.

What's happened to Saturday Mornings? Maybe this is me being nostalgic but the stations I used to love watching now show shows that are horribly written/animated (there seems to be a high volume of computer animated shows now because it's cheaper, and it shows), they are boring, and extremely uninspiring. Not to mention that almost every network is showing a rerun of a popular show from the past: "Sabrina", "Hannah Montana", "Saved by the Bell" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!". Most of the best content is now on cable and satellite channels making the network Saturday morning schedule thinner than in the past.

The state of Saturday mornings is dire. Comic book fans will remember the critically acclaimed "Batman: The Animated Series" as being expertly crafted in all aspects, and it was developed with Saturday mornings in mind. "Animaniacs" was an over-the-top zany adventure every week filled with entertainment references about Rob Reiner and "Citizen Kane" I wouldn't get until I was older but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I look at the characters in these new shows and I ask: Where's the TJ Detweiler from "Recess" I wanted to emulate? Where's the sense of whimsy I got while watching Tai and Agumon journey through the Digiworld in "Digimon"? It seems to be missing from these new shows, or maybe I'm just not young enough to watch them in the first place. Maybe the shows of my era were looked on as bad by the older generation. Maybe I am a part of a cycle that will repeat itself when the kids watching the shows now get older. A part of my believes that but another part thinks that these new shows are just plain terrible.

With the ever-expanding TV landscape making it easier for Saturday morning programming to be found every day of the week, the niche Saturday morning programming of cartoons and shows are no longer special. It is now commonplace to find cartoons and oddball kid sitcoms on TV any time you want. This does not mean the death of Saturday mornings but they seem to have just become another morning.

Fresh Meat II: "How to Dismantle an Entire Alliance by Mr. Beautiful" - Review

"Mr. Beautiful", aka Kenny, seems to have come back from the dead. He has gone from on the brink of exile to King of the mountain. It's been such a dramatic shift that the once all-powerful Wes is now on his heels, looking for a proper foothold. Wes was originally playing a long term, strategic game because he had the numbers to do so. Now those numbers are dwindling and he's left to wonder where did it go wrong. The best part about it is that he still thinks he has some control over the game. This game is a marathon, you can't sprint at the sound of the gun, you've got to pace yourself and Wes is not doing that and Kenny is coming up behind him with a stronger 2nd wind.

If you thought the lie CJ & Sydney made up about competing in exile when they actually didn't (because of Brandon's drinking before the challenge) was going to come back and bite them in the end, you were right. We confronts CJ head on and asks him specific questions about the exile challenge and CJ is not being clear to Wes. Wes isn't clear on the details of the challenge and keeps asking questions. During this time Sydney just gets up and leaves because she can't take the lying anymore. Wes finds this fishy and probes deeper. CJ snaps and lets Wes know they didn't compete. Now he's labeled a liar, not trustworthy, thus he's expendable. Poor CJ, and you thought you would just coast through.

In the challenge the pairs teamed up with other pairs in a 2-team vs. 2-team challenge in pushing two logs around until they hit the 180° mark. The teams are split onto four ends of the logs and opposite sides. I think I'm making this challenge sound more complicated than it is, because it's pushing a log while the other team pushes the same log in the opposite direction. In the first heat Kenny & Laurel teamed up with Pete & Jillian vs. Landon & Carley and Ryan & Theresa. The challenge deadlocked for an hour and a half, all women jumped off (as an added challenge) to leave the men alone pushing. Pete, somehow, found some strength in him and pushed as hard as he could pushing Ryan and Landon back to the 180° mark.

Evelyn saw this made the guys tired so she decided to throw the challenge giving her alliance it's best shot: a rested Wes & Mandi and CJ & Sydney vs a tired Kenny & Lauren and Pete & Jillian. Sounds great except for the fact that she pissed off Noor & Jenn (her challenge partners) for throwing the challenge and because it didn't work. Wes' team got worked and Pete and Jillian went on to win the challenge.

Wes wanted so badly for Kenny to win so he could throw in Pete & Jillian and remove a member of Kenny's alliance. Pete & Jillian pushed against Kenny & Laurel in the final. Kenny knew that no one would want to go against him and Laurel in Exile so they let Pete & Jillian win. Well played, "Mr. Beautiful". Well played.

Wes thought he was controlling the game when he pulled Kenny aside so that he could tell him for Pete to send in Landon & Carley then the house will send in CJ & Sydney. Except for the fact that both of those teams are a part of Wes' alliance. Not very smart Wes. He thinks Kenny is so stupid and he is completely underestimating him, still.

Pete blurted out Landon & Carley at the deliberation and Wes thought he was in control. Kenny is playing Wes, and he doesn't even know it. The house voted in CJ & Sydney and after a horrible Exile performance (it took them 1.5 hours to finish the first puzzle) CJ & Sydney went home.

Kenny has exposed Wes for not protecting the members in his alliance. Jenn and Ryan, who were playing both sides before, now see what getting into bed with Wes is all about: betrayal, and they are flipping to Kenny's alliance. Wes is only looking out for himself, and Evelyn. This tactic will only get him so far and could cost him a shot at the final. His once seemingly unstoppable alliance is slowly coming apart at the seams and there doesn't seem to be anything he can do to change that.

World Cup fever begins to take hold

It's official, one month from now on this day (the 12th of June) the USA will open up it's World Cup campaign against England (1966 Champions) in Rustenberg, South Africa. The next match will be June 18th vs. Slovenia in Johannesburg and the final match of the group stage will be June 23rd vs. Algeria in Pretoria.

The fervor over these, and all of the matches, matches began in December, when the draw was announced live to the entire world. Now we are less than a month away (June 11th - opening match: South Africa vs. Mexico) from the start of the greatest sporting event/tournament in the world. No other sporting event comes close to the drama, joy, heartache, and passion that the World Cup brings about every four years.

In the history of the tournament only 7 countries have won the title of World Cup champion. Uruguay (2), Italy (4), Germany [as West Germany] (3), Brasil (5), England (1), Argentina (2), and France (1). To become champion makes you a legend and gives your country bragging rights over the next four years.

I'd like to forget four years ago and what happened with the USA in Germany. Hopes ran high for this team after the successful 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup run only to be derailed in the first half of the first match vs. Czech Republic and fumbling through the other matches. A disallowed goal here, a red card there all but sealed their fate. On a positive note, the USA was the only team not to lose to eventual champion Italy.

If history is any factor to judge World Cups, which it can be, then the USA is due for a good showing. Case-in-point: 1994 - upset favorite Colombia, played hard against eventual champion Brasil in knockout round. 1998 - One. Goal. Scored. 0 wins, 3 losses (Germany, Yugoslavia, and Iran). 2002 - beat group favorite Portugal, advanced to knockout stage: beat Mexico, narrowly lost to eventual runner-up Germany 1-0 in quarterfinals (Torsten Frings is still public enemy #1 in my house for his not-called handball on the German goal line). 2006 - blown out by Czech Republic, tied Italy, lost to Ghana (here's where the disallowed goal happened). 2010 - ??

Yesterday, USA coach Bob Bradley named his preliminary 30-man roster for the team. This number will be reduced to 23 by June 1st (FIFA date for final roster submission). In case you missed it, or you rely on me to tell you everything about the United States Men's National Team here is the 30-man roster, with the clubs they represent in parentheses:

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Orebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus), Jose Torres (Pachuca).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Brian Ching (Houston), Robbie Findley (Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris).

A lot of people will talk about the omissions. You won't find that here. These Yanks will represent the USA in South Africa and while I may not agree with every selection I support them 100% of the way.
Expect all three goalkeepers to go along for the ride with Howard as the starter. Jonathan Bornstein is suspect at the back line but can be good when his head's on straight.
DaMarcus Beasley played his way onto this spot for his great showing for Glasgow Rangers and during the USA vs. Nederlands match. Robbie Rogers is low man on the totem pole here based solely on the fact that Bradley, Donovan, Holden, Dempsey and Clark play extremely well together and have proven themselves at a high level.
I don't expect to see Robbie Findley or Brian Ching get off the plane in South Africa. Robbie Findley was touted as the answer to the missing Charlie Davies. In his time playing for the Stars and Stripes (I saw him live vs. Honduras) he looked sluggish, and jogged most of the time. The speed he showed during the MLS Cup final back in November vanished. I don't know where it went. He's a great player and I want him to excel but he hasn't shown me much to make me believe he can be a legitimate scoring threat. Ching is recovering from a recent injury, but I've never really considered him much of a threat up front. I want to see Gomez play and see what he can bring to the USA because he has been a goal-scoring machine in Mexico. Buddle is a surprise choice but not unthinkable. I only ask if can he produce on the international stage as he has at home (MLS leading goal scorer with 9 in eight games)?

The USA has some "tune-ups" for the World Cup in late May vs. Czech Republic and Turkey. The final roster will be announced June 1st and on June 5th they play Australia in South Africa for their final "tune-up". I will be sure to keep you all updated after those matches and throughout the World Cup.

Fresh Meat II: "Where s*** gets stressful"

The face of the game has changed. No longer will friends be protected by friends. It's all about "how are you going to help me win". This was made clear through Wes' actions this week.

Last week it was hinted that Danny (still wearing those hats) was crumbling under the pressure of the game, according to his alliance, and that he was becoming too much of an emotional liability. Wes saw this as a problem and wanted to send Danny & Sandy into Exile, and hopefully home. His plan, if Kenny & Laurel won the challenge, was to have Ryan (Wes' mole) tell Kenny that he wanted to face Danny & Sandy in exile. This would be done because Kenny would assume that Ryan & Theresa would be voted into Exile by the rest of the house. But, all of this would be moot if Kenny & Laurel won the challenge.

In the "Drop Out" challenge the pairs had to swim out, climb a vertical rope ladder, then a horizontal rope ladder, run from a platform and jump and hang onto a hanging punching bag. Needless to say, there were some pretty nasty falls into the water. The winning team, for the third straight challenge, and fourth out of five, was Kenny & Laurel. Now Wes could put his plan into action.

It went down almost exactly as planned: Kenny & Lauren voted in Danny & Sandy, but a curve ball was thrown as the remaining members of Wes' alliance voted in Pete & Jillian (considered a strong team). Wes wanted Danny, his liability, gone and this was the final nail in the coffin. This decision to put Danny & Sandy against Pete & Jillian is a real eye opener to the other teams. It shows, as Ryan and Noor said, that Wes is willing to thrown anyone under the bus, even his best friend just for the money. No one in his alliance is safe.

Before Exile Danny said that if he were to come back he'd jump ship to Kenny & Laurel's alliance just to take Wes down. Clearly, Wes is doing something wrong if his best friend wants his head on the chopping block. In Exile, Danny (wearing a white bandanna) & Sandy get a blazing head start by completing the first puzzle quickly. Pete & Jillian stumble at the first puzzle but make up some time as they run through the forest. Sandy begins to tire and slows down and Danny yells at her. But it looks as if the lead they built too big of a lead at the beginning to lose. Halfway through the challenge, Pete & Jillian seem to kick it into another gear and find a second wind and begin to run like crazy. Sandy slows down even more and it cost her team. Pete & Jillian literally finish 10 yards in front of Danny & Sandy. They saw Danny pop out of the woods just as they crossed the finish line. Wes got his wish, his liability went home. In the end, Danny, disappointed at what Wes did to him, still wants to be friends and hopes that the two of them can put it all behind them. Aww, bro hug it out.

Social "Game" Notes
Danny, showing his "emotional instability", talks to Mandi about his home life and brings up that his mom died while he was on "The Real World: Austin". It didn't bug me that he brought it up, just the way he did it. He said to her: "in this one episode" he would listen to a recording over and over again. He's not even treating it like it was his life, he's treating it like a television show. He specifically said that it was an episode, and that just rubbed me the wrong way.

Only one thing of note was revealed this week and it was that Jenn and Pete like to hook up. Jenn just likes to make out with Pete and sleep in his bed because she finds him hot. Uh, OK, sure, I can see this ending well...

Films from the 2000's

What have people been calling this decade? The naughts? The ots? People seem obsessed with trying to find a name for this decade. We had the 20's, 30's, etc. but what did they call the early 1900's? It seems to me that we could just revert back to whatever that was called and use it today. But I'm just one person, sitting in front of a computer, writing about whatever. As you can see, I have some pull around here, so maybe I can make something happen. But that's not the point I'm trying to make today.

Today I round up my "Best Of" series with my top films of the decade, from the no name 2000's. It wasn't until I completed this last list that I noticed something, something unintentional but after thinking about it for a while I realized it made perfect sense. One filmmaker shows up on the list four times. He could've shown up five times if there weren't some great films already on this list.

It astonishes me that one director, who also had a hand in writing all four of the listed films, could produce quality films multiple times throughout a decade. Especially in a decade when the cinematic world view expanded, and exploded, with films from countries like Iran and Brazil coming to the forefront and establishing their cinematic identity. The world of film is no longer Hollywood vs. Europe. People from all over the globe are participating in making films that are a part of their culture and society. They are letting the world see what they have to offer and that in turn provides moviegoers the opportunity to find great films from almost anywhere in the world.

While this final list might not reflect the new world order of the expanded world view I mentioned before, I look back at each list I made for each year and I see films from other parts of the world and smaller films put up against the machine that is Hollywood, and at times besting it.

I tried to order this list from top to bottom and I found myself changing my mind with every succeeding number. I think that the list I have now is as complete as it will get, although I find that the first two films are interchangeable (as I've switched them 4 times since I made the list). Without further ado...

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. Memento
3. The Pianist
4. The Dark Knight
5. Up
6. Slumdog Millionaire
7. Minority Report
8. Lost in Translation
9. There Will Be Blood
10. Batman Begins
11. Moulin Rouge!
12. Juno
13. Dogtown and Z-Boys
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
15. Kill Bill Vol. 2
16. Hustle & Flow
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
18. Hot Fuzz
19. Little Miss Sunshine
20. The Prestige

Skillet Seal of Approval: Kick-Ass

This film is violent, graphic, bloody, cringe-inducing, darkly humorous, full of jaw-dropping moments and you know what, I loved every minute of it. There have been a barrage of comic book films as of late and it's been a mixed bag. The good ("The Dark Knight"), the bad ("The Spirit"), and the mediocre ("Hulk"). "Kick-Ass" is a refreshing change in direction for comic book based films in that it's actually good (because I needed something to wash out the taste of "Wolverine"). I found myself becoming completely involved with all of the characters and invested in their plight. I laughed at every joke, cringed at most of the stabbings, and laughed at some of the stabbings too. Each action piece was wonderfully choreographed and are used to help move the film along, it is not dependent on action scenes alone. The writing and the acting are great and are the real stars of the film. You believe in these characters and what they are going through instead of just going through the motions until the next major plot point.


"Kick-Ass" surprisingly has a strong message on societies reluctance to take action on crimes or misdeeds. Many times in the film a person is attacked and people just stand around watching instead of taking any action. This aspect of our society is what sets off our hero on his journey to be the comic book-like hero the people need. Many of the films crucial scenes revolve around this and it's quite alarming how people become frozen at the sight of a wrongdoing to the extent that they treat it like theatre. It's an aspect of our society that is commonplace today and serves as a great jumping off point for the film. In Kick Ass' first real fight he is called out by a knife-wielding criminal for being crazy and sick. To which he responds that what's crazy is that people stand and watch, taking video, while one guy gets is ass kicked. It's a strong statement on society, but one that is unfortunately true. The more people around watching the less likely someone is to step up and help out. But enough analyzing let's get to the good stuff.


This film excels in the hyper-realistic violence department. Within that violence, as well as the film as a whole, it blends a lot of the things effortlessly: humor, violence, and blood. Oh yes, the blood. Blood gushes and oozes as bullets and knives fly through flesh and air and, it's awesome. I don't remember the last time I was laughing while cringing during a fight scene. It's a union about as perfect as milk & cereal. The film moves along at a nice pace and I never once felt bored or if it were on a scene for too long. The soundtrack never overpowers a scene, instead, it serves as its compliment. It's the collection of violence, action, music, blood, humor, profanity, and everything else in this film that really made it work for me. This film is not for the faint of heart, so if you have a strong stomach and are not put off by people getting their legs chopped off and repeatedly shot and stabbed then this is the film for you.

Fresh Meat II - "Well-Oiled Machine"

The game, up to this point, has been about two alliances: Kenny's and Wes'. Kenny's alliance members keep dropping after every exile. Wes is becoming more and more arrogant about how he is running the game because his group controls the votes. He keeps going on and on about how his alliance is like a "well-oiled machine". He even says it right in front of Kenny as he is talking to Danny. Wes was drunk, but still, he said it. Kenny & Laurel keep winning challenges, throwing a wrench into the cogs that run his machine.

In the "King of the Wall" challenge, the teams jumped off a dock into the water, swam 30 yards and climbed up a slanted and slick wall to a platform where they had to ring a bell to signal their completion of the challenge. Kenny & Laurel obliterated the competition with e blistering time of 36 seconds. The next closest was 53 seconds by, who else, Wes & Mandi. During the challenge Katelyn & Brandon struggled to finish, as Katelyn fell down the face of the wall and badly bruised her fibula, knee, and possibly tore her ACL. Not a great omen for this team.

Back at the house, it was revealed that Evelyn was using Ryan as a double agent to get him to vote in CJ & Sydney. The seed was planted in Kenny's mind that Ryan & Theresa would be the next ones to go in, but that wouldn't be the case. Ryan would say to Kenny that he would feel comfortable going against CJ & Sydney - Kenny would vote them in, then Wes' alliance would vote in Pete & Jillian to go against CJ & Sydney, thus removing one of Kenny's alliance members. Only the first part of this happened.

Katelyn came back from the hospital, and everyone saw that she was injured and most likely could not compete in any more challenges. The group decides to vote them in (to eliminate the weaker competition) because most of them thought it was the right and fair thing to do.

Brandon came to terms with the fact that they're the ones going home no matter what so they decide to not even get up and compete. CJ & Sydney lobby for them to just show up just so they can see the course and have a leg up on the other teams. They do this but Brandon, in his infinite wisdom, decides to drink before heading out to the challenge. The two teams get to the starting line and TJ Lavin informs them that drinking before a challenge is an automatic disqualification. CJ & Sydney don't get to see the course at all and are sent back to the house. On their way back, CJ decides to cook up a lie that they did in fact compete, but only for a short while, that way they can still have that leg up on the other teams. Their reasoning is that having seen and competed in the Exile challenge they'd know how to win at it the next time around.

Later, CJ felt a little raw about being thrown to the wolves for the sake of his alliance. He doesn't like that his name was being thrown around as a team Ryan "wanted to face" going into Exile and this pisses him off. He and Landon talk it over and agree that Wes is not showing them any respect and they are not happy with the way they are being treated. The episode ends with CJ and Landon hinting at flipping sides to Kenny's alliance.

Social Game Notes:
Danny drinks a lot, insults his partner Sandy and Brandon gets defensive for her. They almost fight before Wes has to reverse piggyback him in order to slow him down and prevent him from fighting. Wes has to calm Danny down and tell him that his actions are screwing everything up for their alliance. Danny calms down a bit, and he and Brandon hug it out because they both understand it was the alcohol talking.

Danny, again, is not the best person to take fashion advice from. He wears the short brim hat that snugly fits his head everywhere he goes. This was made apparent during a conversation he had with Wes, outdoors, in the rain, in the hot tub!

Wes "dumped" Theresa, even though they never were in a relationship. They then become "friends".

"Letters to Juliet" & A Problem with Movie Trailers & Ads

I'm a big trailer guy. Not the kind you live in, the kind you watch before a film. Whether it's in a theatre or in my own home, I like to watch trailers. I, like most people, watch because I want to know what's coming out. I like seeing selections of clips (that are meant to impress me or entice me) that are there to urge me to see the entire product. What I don't like, is being able to deduce what is going to happen throughout the film just by watching the trailer. I like a sense of intrigue and mystification that goes with walking into a film knowing little or nothing about it.

It seems to be that more and more trailers today are giving away crucial plot points/twists. Why should I see your film if you just showed me the entire thing in two and a half minutes? Case-in-point: "Letters to Juliet". I'll let you watch first then give my thoughts.



I think we just saw the entire film. In case you went momentarily deaf and blind and didn't get the message:

• Amanda Seyfried and her fiancée (who's too busy to pack with 12hrs until they depart for Italy) fly to Verona.
• She finds an old love letter - writes a response - meets the old woman who wrote the letter's attractive grandson - meets the old woman - then they all go on a journey to find her lost lover, Lorenzo
• Amanda Seyfried becomes disgruntled with her fiancée (Gael Garcia Bernal, why are you in this film?) because he actually works and can't spend time with her on a frivolous journey
• The chiseled blonde grandson ends up falling for the hot blonde Amanda Seyfried (didn't you see him almost hit that car while driving because he was looking at her? What a klutz!) and she for him because he is giving her attention she's not getting from her fiancée (can you say attention whore?)
• The old woman finds Lorenzo
• The blonde grandson and Amanda Seyfried have share a moment around a dinner table then go their separate ways
• The old woman says for the grandson to go after Amanda Seyfried, they meet up at a wedding and profess their love for each other and live happily ever after.
• Did I forget anything? Yes. The part where I won't be caught within 50 yards of this film.

This trailer is nothing new, nor is the worst of all of the offenders, but it is a part of the problem.

Accompanying these trailers are TV spots and other ads that give away more and more of a film. Recently, I remember being bombarded with TV spot after TV spot for "Kick-Ass" a film which I really wanted to see, so every time something came on I either muted the station or changed it entirely. Film studio marketing departments are flooding the market with their product so that people will know that their film is out there. It's not enough now to have a teaser trailer, theatrical trailer, billboards and bus stop posters, and TV commercials. Now there are multiple versions of trailers, red band, green band, extended trailers, character specific trailers. You name it, it probably exists. I used to be one of those guys that would watch any clip I could find on an upcoming film. Then I realized how much of the film was being revealed in each of those ads. Now I just watch the trailer a few times (it's rare that I watch it more than twice), read a review, see a few commercials then make my decision. I enjoy being surprised by plot twists, when I see a film for the first time, and I don't want the film ruined before I see it.

It's one thing when a trailer gives away some of the better jokes in a film ("Rush Hour 3") but I always thought a general rule of thumb for a trailer was to leave an audience wanting more. I guess somewhere down the line that rule became more of a guideline and that guideline was ultimately forgotten. It's a shame really, because if studios have to show your entire film in a trailer to an audience just for them to go see it what does that say about the film? I know what it says to me.

Skillet Seal of Approval: Whitewood Entertainment

I'm introducing something new to the blog today and it deals with things I find to be hilarious and worth your time. The honor of the first recipient of the Skillet Seal of Approval is Whitewood Entertainment.

I think Weird Al has some competition in Whitewood Entertainment. These guys take their time in making content and it shows, because everything I've watched I've laughed and smiled all the way through. I found these guys when I was looking for the Everest College commercials, because it has this guy in them that is so annoying, and they did a series of very funny parody commercials about him. (If you've seen the ads of the guy with the sideways hat talking to you about going to college and getting off your butt and doing something with your life, it's the Everest College guy.) The guys at Whitewood Entertainment use the same format he uses in his commercials and make it very very funny. This search lead me to their "Throw Some D's" parody, "Throw Some Cheese". It's very funny, and one of the reasons I started the Skillet Seal of Approval. If you get a chance search Whitewood Entertainment on YouTube. They also have other hilarious videos such as "I Am Legend...Mock", "National Geographic: Chris Brown", and "Too Much Information". These guys are very funny, I highly suggest you check them out.

Films from 2009

The final year in my decade-in-review saw a lot of great films released, as well as some not so great ones (ahem "Transformers 2"), but as my previous lists would suggest I am focusing on my favorites from the year 2009.

I'd like to think I have just about every type of film on the list: animated/family friendly, action, drama, comedy, science fiction, romantic comedy, horror, and even foreign language. The first two films are my top two of the year and the rest follow in no particular order.

1. Up
2. Up in the Air
3. Star Trek
4. (500) Days of Summer
5. Avatar
6. District 9
7. In the Loop
8. Inglorious Basterds
9. Drag Me To Hell
10. The Hurt Locker
11. The Hangover
12. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
13. I Love You, Man
14. Taken
15. Rudo y Cursi

"Up" is the best film from 2009 (and possibly Pixar's best) because of its heart, humor, rich characters, fantastic writing, and is filled with its share of action and dramatic moments. The first scenes of Carl and Ellie's life together would make for an amazing film in and of itself. Couple that with one of the final scenes, between Carl and Russell at his scouting ceremony, and you have some of the most moving scenes put to film. "Up" is a film that succeeds on all levels and is enjoyable for people of all ages. And remember, "Adventure is out there!"

Fresh Meat II - "Tori Spelling Reject"

The ads for this weeks episode of "The Challenge: Fresh Meat II" focused on one event: Jenn taking it to Mandi. In the past, physical confrontations have been billed as must-see-TV. Not this one. Mandi confronted Jenn about Jenn & Noor continually voting for Wes & Mandi to go into Exile. Mandi got mad at her and the result was Jenn getting angry at Mandi, whom she doesn't like for no other reason than her smug-looking face and how she carries herself (which I buy because that's how I feel about some people). Jenn calls her a whore, slut, horse-face (Sarah Jessica Parker now has company), and a "Tori Spelling reject." Mandi responds by calling Jenn a bitch and Jenn reacts by throwing her drink in Mandi's face, knocking her off a ledge and onto the ground.

Both girls are restrained and Mandi cries and professes to Wes her hatred of Jenn. Jenn, being a tough girl, continues to drink and moves on. As Wes talks to Mandi, we discover that Wes had employed Jenn to align with Kenny on the outset of the game only to switch after the first two votes went through. During that time Jenn would vote against Wes & Mandi (which made Mandi mad in the first place). Wes hopes to have gained an ally but nothing in this game is certain because alliances on this show are about as strong as a 8-year-olds grip. Has his plan worked? We'll have to wait and see.

This weeks challenge, entitled "Water Logged", saw the partnered teams try to make their way across a series of suspended vertical logs to another platform. If either one of the team members fell into the water, they would be disqualified. Kenny & Laurel were the first team to go, as per Landon & Carley's (last week's challenge winners) choosing, so that they would be at a disadvantage because everyone after them would know how to navigate the course better. Needless to say that plan backfired. Kenny & Laurel won (they were one of three teams to complete the course in front on Jenn & Noor and Evelyn & Luke) and were exempt from Exile, throwing a wrench into Wes' alliance's plan (to vote Kenny & Laurel in to Exile).

Kenny & Laurel knew that Paula & Jeff, from their alliance, would be sent to Exile so they selected a team who they thought they could beat, Evelyn & Luke. Paula & Jeff put up a good effort in the exile challenge, but ultimately fell short and were eliminated. With Kenny's alliance dwindling in numbers he is forced to look at who's left. He trusts Pete & Jillian, sees Ryan & Theresa as useless, and is unsure about Jenn & Noor. His only option is to keep winning challenges so he doesn't get sent it to Exile, or that someone will flip to his side. Either way, Kenny's hope is bleeding out as he treads water in a pool of sharks.

Kylie ¤ Aphrodite

Many of you know my affinity for all things Kylie Minogue and today was a day that made me look forward to the future involving Kylie. June 28th 2010 and July 5th 2010 to be exact. That's becasue Ms. Minogue will be releasing her first single, "All The Lovers", off her 11th studio album entitled "Aphrodite" on those respective dates.

The album's July 5th debut marks the end of a 3-year gap from her last release 2007's "X" (a fantastic album). Most people here in the States seem to have forgotten all about her since she exploded onto American shores with the Platinum album "Fever", which is a shame. She has consistently put out great songs and albums and seems to be a smash success everywhere but here. I love her work and what she has accomplished and look forward to this single and album because I know it will be something interesting, dynamic, and an all around good time. For a crash course on Kylie, listen to "The One", "Red Blooded Woman", "Love Affair", "Under the Influence of Love", "Cowboy Style" and "Confide in Me".

If you're inclined to do so, click here for the announcement video.