Robin Meade

January 23rd, 2007, 5:30AM PST. Do you remember what you were doing then? If you were like most people on the west coast, more specifically, in my residence hall and on campus, you were probably sound asleep. Not this guy.

I've always been an early riser. I used to get up at 5:30 just to watch "I Love Lucy" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" as I would eat my cereal. As I grew older I woke up later and later. But not by much. Throughout High School I would get up at 5:55 on the nose. Why not 6:00 or 5:50? I don't know. I think I liked seeing the straight set of fives on my clock. It also gave me an extra 5 minutes to get dressed. Whatever the case was, and at times still is even though now it could be considered worse since I set my clock 17 minutes ahead on purpose but I digress. To make it shorter: I get up early.

This particular January morning was a special one. One that takes place every year and I can remember watching everything unfold live on my TV in the wee hours of the morning. I'm talking about the Academy Award nominations. Yes, I'm obsessed to such a degree that I watch the nominations but this morning was different. My roommate, I didn't realize this until I woke up (but it's not like it hadn't happened 80% of the quarter - oh wait, yes it did) was in his girlfriends room down the hall. I had placed the remote next to my bed the night so I wouldn't have to get out of bed the following morning. I usually went to bed watching Conan so having the remote near me was not uncommon.

I woke up a little bit before 5:30 and immediately turned on the TV. I clicked through channels hoping to find some sort of coverage for the nominations. The local stations were still covering traffic, weather, and anything except what I was looking for. Then I turned to CNN. They were talking with an "entertainment expert" about what she expected and then they cut back to the studio...If I told you that this woman I saw moved in slow motion when I first saw her I'd be lying because everything was moving at normal speed. I sat up in bed and half-asleep said "Who is this?" Then she said "We'll be right back on Robin & Company". I was hooked.

As some of you may know I have a fondness for news anchors. One of which, my favorite, deserves a post all to herself - which she will get in the future. But this is about Robin Meade. Robin has a certain charm, style, and overall sexiness that she exudes even when it's early in the morning. She's one of my favorite anchors, and if you're ever up early enough, 6-11AM on HLN to be exact, I recommend you tune in.

Films from 2005

The list for 2005 is a little bit thinner than previous years. Thinner in that there were not a whole lot of films that really stood out to me. There were a couple that I loved and then a bunch of others that I just enjoyed or thought were interesting.

This year I tried to get a good mix of genres across the board and I think I accomplished that. There is one great horror film that I discovered during my time in Australia, when a family friend told me that the story the film is based on is true. Needless to say after watching the movie I didn't leave the house that night. There are two great R-rated comedies on the list that I know most of my friends loved, and I do too and there is one PG comedy as well. There are a couple of smaller films, both drama and comedy and there a couple of big, blockbuster type films. All of which I think are great films and if you have not seen them then I suggest you do. There are a couple on this list that are also family friendly. They are also ones that most might not expect to find on a list by me. Never fret, I will explain why I chose them at the end.

The first two on the list are my top two of the year and then the rest follow in no particular order.

• Batman Begins
• Hustle & Flow
• Brokeback Mountain
• The Matador
• Tsotsi
• Red Eye
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• King Kong
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin
• Wedding Crashers
• Wolf Creek
• Kicking & Screaming
• The Devil's Rejects
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

"Hustle & Flow" has one of the best soundtracks of the decade. The music is integral to DJay and his lifestyle and you can tell that time was taken in the deliberation over what songs to include in the film and how they work with the film's subject matter. The original songs "Whoop that Trick", "Hustle & Flow (It Ain't Over)", and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" breathe life into DJay and his struggle to make a name for himself. His words are an extension of his soul and how he is trying to cope and deal with living as a pimp in Memphis, Tennessee. Terrence Howard delivers a fantastic performance as does the rest of the cast featuring Anthony Anderson ("Law & Order"), DJ Qualls ("Road Trip"), Ludacris, and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button").

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Yes you read that right. It's on my list and I'll tell you why. It all starts with the leads. The four girls played by America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Blake Lively ("Gossip Girl") and Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls") all do exceptional jobs portraying these young girls. They are charming and charismatic as they deal with situations that more closely resemble real life drama and comedy than most teen girl movies do. The standout story comes between America Ferrera and her about to be newly remarried father, played by Bradley Whitford ("Billy Madison" and "The West Wing"). She sees that her father has become a different person and we watch her wrestle with being neglected by him as she struggles with being a girl of color with the white family her father is joining.

The girls deal with life, love, the reality of death and the struggle to fit in. Each story is presented as life and is rarely sensationalized which adds to its overall appeal. We see the girls deal with their demons, both internal and external, and how they overcome them because of their sisterhood. The bond they share extends beyond borders as they are always there for each other no matter what. This film deserves a chance to be seen and if you dismissed it earlier I suggest you go back and watch it and see what you've been missing.

Films from 2004

As I move on in the years I notice a trend in my film lists. I notice that more and more of them are films that I saw in theatres. It started out with just four from 2000 and that number is now at 12. I started to broaden my horizons and look to new directors and writers for interesting films. That, and I was given more freedom to be on my own and I relished that opportunity so I made the most of it. I set time aside during my weekends, and weekdays to go and see films that I wanted to see.

This years list is truer to a ranking than any other list I've made. Starting with the films I really, really loved and ending with ones that I also enjoyed quite a bit.

• Kill Bill Vol. 2
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Sideways
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Friday Night Lights
• Spider-Man 2
• The Incredibles
• The Bourne Supremacy
• Shaun of the Dead
• Collateral
• Super-Size Me
• Anchorman
• Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
• Team America: World Police
• The Girl Next Door

"The Girl Next Door" is one of those movies where I saw the trailer and I knew I was going to see it because I knew I would like it. I saw it at a special "Sneak Preview" event about a month before it's actual release so I was excited. I did end up liking it, but after letting it sit for a while and reading and hearing reviews for it I began to think less and less of it. I knew I liked it but my love for it was dwindling. My opinion had changed. I started to not like it at all. Was I that susceptible to other people's opinions? Or were the reviewers expecting something different and just disappointed by the end result?

It wasn't laugh-out-loud hilarious as "Harold & Kumar" or "Team America" but it had something else that I didn't quite discover until I thought about the film as a whole. It has heart. It's a coming-of-age story about love, life, and pursuing a dream in the face of overwhelming obstacles. It is often dismissed as a gross-out teen comedy in the vein of "Porky's" or "American Pie" but it's not. Those films are their own genre of teen comedy. "The Girl Next Door" is a mature teen comedy with a great cast in Emile Hirsch ("Into the Wild"), Elisha Cuthbert ("24"), Timothy Olyphant ("Deadwood"), Paul Dano ("There Will Be Blood"), and Chris Marquette ("Joan of Arcadia"). If you missed it the first time around, or even a second time, the third time's the charm.

A Retrospective: Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes

Do you remember a time when you actually watched MTV? I do. Although, it was quite a long time ago. I would watch "The Blame Game", "Say What? Karaoke", "TRL", "Fear", "The Real World" and "Road Rules" just to name a few. But there was one show that I particularly looked forward to, that has since been diluted and 'roided out by overly muscular (except for Big Easy) bros. I'm talking about "The Real World/Road Rules" Challenges.

If you've never watch it before the premise is simple. They take cast members from both "The Real World" and "Road Rules" and pit them against each other in challenges set in exotic places like Capetown, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. While I occasionally follow the series now (I watched "The Duel II" last year, but have not been back) I find that it's better years are behind it.

The best season of the "Challenges" came very early and ultimately set the bar very high for seasons to follow. This was during the "Battle of the Sexes" in Jamaica, hosted by Jonny Moseley. This season could not have started in a more dramatic fashion. The confrontation between Puck and David in the first episode is now the stuff of legend. It's right up there with Stephen's slap of Irene in "Real World: Seattle". Puck spit at David because David was accusing Puck's wife of calling him, saying that he beat her. Puck restrained himself physically but could not hold back the spit.

David called for his disqualification, and Puck attempted to apologize and David told him he would forgive him if he let him spit in Puck's mouth. Puck agreed, but David recanted his request just to antagonize Puck. David, frustrated that Puck was not disqualified took himself out of the game.

The Guys team played the smartest game possible, which is why they changed the scoring system for the next battle of the sexes. They eliminated the guy with the lowest score. They took all emotion out of the decision and let the numbers speak for themselves. The women, on the other hand, used their feelings, err I should say grudges, against one another and voted out those that they did not have a good relationship with. This horrible decision making began to show right after the second challenge when the guys would win 11 out the remaining 14 challenges.

This season was anchored by the charismatic, gold medal winning, Jonny Moseley (another standard later seasons failed to meet). He was able to keep his composure, stay calm and ultimately be laid back. This is something that current host T.J. Lavin lacks.

The challenges were fun to watch because they incorporated physical aspects as well as mental fitness, the cast member blow ups and everything else that goes with an MTV reality show are just icing on the cake as far as I am concerned. Some of the highlights included Emily confronting Veronica about her alleged affair with her boyfriend James and Puck's feud with Ellen.

In the final challenge it came down to the puzzle. The guys had built a sizable lead but the puzzle is what got them stuck. The girls rolled through the puzzle and left the guys in the dust. In a feat of ingenuity - the girls would later call "cheating", but it wasn't - the guys walked over to the completed girls puzzle and saw how it was put together then mirrored it with their puzzle. In one of the cutaway interviews during the puzzle Mark had said to one of the producers that if they finished before the girls they would knock down their own puzzle so as not to leave a map for the girls to follow. There were no infractions called and the guys would storm through the next obstacles and win the Battle of the Sexes. All in all a terrific season, but the ones to follow failed to match the intensity and overall entertainment factor of the original Battle of the Sexes.

Films from 2003

2003 saw the end of a trilogy and the beginning (although unexpected and not necessarily planned) of another. The first film on my list is my favorite of the year because of its blend of action, adventure, fantasy, humor, drama - in essence it has it all. While it is my favorite of the year it is not necessarily my favorite of the trilogy. That honor would go to the first film of the three.

My second favorite is a film I find to be nearly perfect. The acting and writing are some of the best of the decade. The soundtrack choices blend perfectly with the tone and scope of the film and the ending is perfect for everything that has happened to the characters. It lets the characters dictate the ending and have a moment to themselves after all they have been through.

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Lost in Translation
• Mystic River
• Seabiscuit
• The Station Agent
• Finding Nemo
• Matchstick Men
• Kill Bill Vol. 1
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• School of Rock
• Elf
• Under the Tuscan Sun
• Love Actually
• X-2: X-Men United
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

There are two films on this list I urge people to see, if they haven't already. They are "The Station Agent" and "Under the Tuscan Sun".

"The Station Agent" is a small (no pun intended) film starring Peter Dinklage, who also appears in "Elf", as a model train enthusiast who inherits an old train station. There he meets the local people who help him shed his crusty demeanor. Peter Dinklage is main reason this film succeeds and he does so with ease. Also starring Patricia Clarkson from "Good Night, and Good Luck" and most recently the Motherlovin' music video and Bobby Canavale from TV's "Third Watch" and "Will & Grace".

"Under the Tuscan Sun" is just an enjoyable film starring the lovely Diane Lane as a newly divorced writer who, on impulse, buys an Italian villa in Tuscany. We see her embrace life and the natural beauty of the world as she tries to start anew. If nothing, the film is beautiful to look at in terms of scenery and its stars. Diane Lane is the heat and soul of this film and she does not disappoint. Also making appearances are "Grey's Anatomy" stars Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh.

Look at the photo. Now imagine ships are sailing on the water at night and that there are towns around the water's edge. That location was used during "The Return of the King". The photo was taken in September 2007.

Taking a break

I'm taking a break this afternoon from my decade in review of films to address something that has been bugging me since I thought about it last night.

I enjoy watching "30 Rock" and the crazy antics that go on on the TGS set but lately I've been annoyed. I've been annoyed by the bevy of guest stars they've packed into episodes. Elizabeth Banks is an extremely funny woman but her hair looked awful and, to me, fake and it was all I could focus on. Steve Buscemi was underused last season and didn't have much to do in his episodes. Julianne Moore gave one of the worst Boston accents I've ever heard. And Brian Williams seems like he is having more fun than I am. I don't like being bombarded with actors that don't seem to fit into the show other than they are recognizable names.

I am not opposed to big name guest actors, but it needs to be done right and not just thrown in there so that the ads can say that the big name actor is on "30 Rock" this week. The show has done it correctly with Jon Hamm and Salma Hayak, but those appearances seem like eons ago.

*UPDATE: I was recently reminded about Oprah's episode and then I quickly forgot about it. That's how memorable it was to me. Easily forgettable, just an excuse to say Oprah was on "30 Rock" and she was barely in the episode. If you're going to use Oprah then make her more of a force and not just a device for Liz to do something that makes her look like a fool (mission accomplished) but their credibility in choosing guest stars took a hit. Here's to hoping that Michael Sheen is put to good use and not just another one-and-done.

Films from 2002

I distinctly remember seeing most of these films in theatres and remembering them as being fantastic/tragic/dramatic/hilarious. Each one I had seen left me with something to think about after the final credit had rolled. Whether it was a funny line or a memorable scene, the images from these films have been instilled in my memory. I can vividly recall walking out of the theatre of my number one film and it being completely silent until I got closer to the lobby.

The image on the left is of Mount Sunday in Canterbury, New Zealand where Peter Jackson and Co. set up Edoras, the capital city of Rohan for the filming of The Two Towers. This photo was taken on my semester break in September of 2007.

The first two films listed are my top two of 2002. They vary in genre, style, and nearly everything else but at the heart of each film is the fight for survival and the strength of the human spirit to prevail over even the most sinister of evils. They both deal with complex issues and the directors, writers, and creators involved allow the audience to sit and reflect after each viewing and we are left to wonder what we would have done if put in those situations because the choices made are not only difficult but life-altering. The remaining films follow in no particular oder.

• The Pianist
• Minority Report
• Catch Me If You Can
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
• 28 Days Later
• City of God
• Spider-Man
• 25th Hour
• Punch-Drunk Love
• Panic Room
• Orange County
• Spirited Away
• The Bourne Identity
• The Emperor's Club
• Road to Perdition

Films from 2001

In continuing my series of my favorite (see Ms. Stu-di-ous, no "u" this time) films of the decade I look to 2001. 2001 was a very diverse year in my selection of films. There are no doubt a couple on this list that will raise eyebrows but nonetheless they are my favorites from 2001.

My top two films listed are my top two films of the year and they both have the "What!?" factor. As in "What!? I'm blown away!" and "What?! did I just see?", respectively. The rest follow in no particular order.

The image to the left is of the river the Fellowship travels down in Fellowship of the Ring. I took this photo during a semester break trip to New Zealand in 2007.

• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• Moulin Rouge!
• Amélie
• Dogtown and Z-Boys
• Ghost World
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• In the Bedroom
• Metropolis
• Monsoon Wedding
• Monster's Inc.
• Ocean's 11
• Saving Silverman
• Not Another Teen Movie
• Rush Hour 2
• The Majestic

The top two films also share something in common in that their last half-hours are about as good as anything put to film. The Battle of Amon Hen is a fantastic piece of camera work, editing, choreography, and drama capped off by an exciting one-on-one battle and one of the more moving scenes in the trilogy as Boromir shares his final words with Aragorn. When Christian confronts Satine during Spectacular! Spectacular! the scene is filled with a sense of lament for the love lost as the Duke's plan is working. We see Christian lose his way and denounce love, only to have it restored tenfold as Satine brings him back and makes him realize why he believes in love in the first place.

Both sequences beautifully end films that bring out the fantastical, the tragic, the heroic, and the sense of awe and wonderment that are embodied in the heart and soul of each film. These two films exemplify everything that I love in film which is why they are at the top of my list for 2001.

In The Valley

Yesterday, Sunday March 14th, I was in Winnetka, CA for a Frisbee tournament. After our first game we (the team) decided to go bowling and then we voted on where to eat for lunch. The only place I remembered was the Carl's Jr., so we went to Carl's Jr. While driving I noticed a Subway, and thought that would've been a better/healthier choice. But, it was too late and we were all caravaning to Carl's. As we walked from the parking lot there were some, shall I say, "shady" people loitering out back by the parking lot.

A strawberry blonde woman, dressed head to toe in black except for a pinkish/purple shirt, stood scratching at the inner part of her elbow. A man, also dressed in black, wearing dark sunglasses and a hat leaned up against the Carl's Jr. wall with a couple of suitcases at his feet and a shopping cart full of, what looked to be, plain old junk you'd find at a garage sale.

After we ordered we sat down and as we were eating the woman walked in from the back door of the restaurant and out the front. Then, two police officers walked inside and used their radio. Two more started walking around the restaurant and looked in through the windows. A couple of them wore their badges like necklaces while the others were in full uniform. I peered out the front door and saw the woman bent over the hood of a police car with her bag on the hood and an officer taking items out.

A few more officers walked in, out, and around the restaurant. I half expected one of them to shout at us to stay seated or pull out their weapons (my imagination...), thankfully that didn't happen. While I was thinking that I saw the woman being questioned by the officers. We finished eating and as we exited out the back we saw the man with the sunglasses leaning with his head against the wall, feet spread and his hands cuffed behind his back. We swung out wide and walked on the sidewalk and headed to the parking lot. As I'm getting into the car I saw that the suitcases the man had were opened and there were clothes all over the ground. The logical explanation we all came up with was a drug bust of some kind, that, or they were wanted for something.

Looking back on it, Subway would've been better, but not nearly as interesting. Welcome to The Valley.

What have I been up to?

I'm going to start out by saying that this blog is going to be about my obsessions with movies, television (no American Idol, Jersey Shore, Big Brother, etc), the Los Angeles Dodgers/Kings/Galaxy, the Tennessee Titans, soccer and anything else that comes across my path that I find interesting*.

*This is also a way for me to stymie the boredom I've encountered while looking for a job.

To start things off, since this is a new decade (3 months into it), I am going to take a look back at my favourite 15 films from each year in the 00's and then compile those lists into my best of the decade.

In the year 2000:

• Memento
• Gladiator
• What Women Want
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• Billy Elliot
• Best in Show
• Scary Movie
• Chocolat
• Cast Away
• The Replacements
• Finding Forrester
• Chicken Run
• The Emperor's New Groove
• Amores Perros
• Traffic