State License Plates Part 7: Maryland

April 28, 1788. Breathe it in. That was the date Maryland became a state and gave a ceremonious middle finger to the Brits as it shoved a crab down their pants. Charming.

I’ve been to Maryland once, just once, and it was to see the Orioles play. On that night Mike Mussina was pitching and I had by far the worst hot dog I have ever had at a baseball game. It wasn’t until later that I learned that the best places to eat are at the restaurants just beyond left field on the concourse. You live and you learn.

Maryland is known as ‘The Old Line State’ which was bestowed upon it by George Washington as he associated the state with its regular line troops, the Maryland Line, who served in the Revolutionary War. It’s motto: ‘Manly deeds, womanly words’. Uh, OK. So they all speak niceties to each other but they act out aggressively toward others? Or do they open doors for ladies and speak softly to their companions? Strange motto for a strange state.

When I think of Maryland I think of crabs (the crustacean), the Baltimore Ravens, and subsequently Edgar Allan Poe, ‘The Wire’, the aforementioned Orioles, and of course their wacky flag. What’s up with their license plate?

In short, I like it. They use a simple white background with black text/numbers that are a bit blocky but it gives them a clear definition.

I really like the font used for ‘Maryland’ and ‘www.maryland.gov’. It’s elegant, simple, and easily legible. Speaking of that wacky flag, it’s on prominent display in the centre of the plate in the form of a shield which – maybe I’m reading too much into this – looks to reference their state nickname and the Maryland Line that fought in the Revolutionary War.

*Upon further reading it harkens back to the George Calvert and his coat of arms (hence the shield form) and being that he was the first Lord Baltimore, why not infuse it with the state because the flag is unique to the state, and now the University of Maryland has wrapped its arms around their heritage and adopted it as a part of their uniforms.

Overall, this plate is simple, clean, neat and elegant. There are no distractions and the plate serves its purpose. I give it a an A.

(I’m not here to discuss the flag but there’s an interesting history behind it here that I think you should check out because it provides some perspective on the state history and the struggle within the state during the Civil War.)

The Best Pop Album of 2011?

The other day I talked about the best dance album of 2011. Today I am here to discuss the best pop album of 2011. Now, it’s a bit of a mishmash of an album I have chosen because it’s not a definitive ‘pop’ album. It’s a bit electropop and dance.

Now you might be saying: “Skillet, you already chose a Best Dance Album. If this one has dance infused with it doesn’t that make it a dance album?”

No. It’s my opinion, GTFO.



The album comes from Sneaky Sound System, who I fell in love with during my time in Australia in 2007. During that time they had released their self-titled debut album and it was blowing up all over the country and songs were playing at nearly every club I went into. Scratch that, I heard at least one Sneaky song every night I went out. Their tunes are just that catchy and danceable.

They followed up with their sophomore effort “2” and while I wasn’t in Australia to experience it I made sure I got enough Sneaky Sound System here so that I could fill the void. It’s a great album with memorable tracks and is something I listen to from beginning to end frequently.

Here they are, minus one member, in 2011 with “From Here to Anywhere” and it’s my pick for pop album of the year. It starts out strong with ‘Friends’ and singer Connie Mitchell belting out an important question ‘Why can’t we be friends?’. From there the next five songs deliver and continue with an electropop vibe with danceable beats and some great hooks.

If there is a fault with the album it lies with three out of the last four songs. The closing track ‘Lovetown’ is cheesy and goofy but is different in tone flavour than the rest of the album. ‘I Need You So’ and ‘1984’ are fine but just not as strong as the beginning of the album. It’s with ‘I’m Not Leaving’ that my faith in the group is restored. It’s an awesome track with Connie at her best.

All in all, a nice follow-up album and I just hope that the 2nd half of the album isn’t the direction that the group is headed because their strength lies with Mitchell’s vocals and their synths and beats. ‘Lovetown’ is, in all honesty, a crappy song that really diminishes the value of the album and I essentially skip over it every single time but the best parts of the album help overshadow that one tiny snag and make it my pop album of 2011.

Other tracks of note: ‘We Love’, ‘Big’, ‘Really Want To See You Again’

The Best Dance Album of 2011?

I am a sucker for pop music. Especially female-led pop music. There is just something about female vocals and catchy, vibrant tunes that really gets me going.

I first heard of September while I was listening to a Pandora station with mainly Kylie influences on their. I was hooked from the moment I heard ‘Cry For You’ and from then on I was looking for all things September. I created a Pandora station with her style of music and really just fell in love with her pop style.

I have never heard her songs on any US radio station and I probably won’t because she’s not Gaga or Beyonce. She doesn’t reinvent the wheel with pop but she does it well. That’s why I have proclaimed her 2011 album ‘Love CPR’ to be my dance album of the year.

When I say ‘dance’ I mean a song that you can hear at a party and just start dancing to because the beat and hooks are infectious. Needless to say September delivers on that with a massive 20 song album.

September kicks the album off with, one of my songs of the year, ‘Party In My Head’. A song that really brings out the dance vibe as she sings ‘I don’t care if the whole club is dead/because the party’s in my head’. It’s a song that illustrates that you can have a great time even if it’s just in your head and you don’t care how others view your joyous/dancing nature.

A real highlight on the album is that she includes 5 songs in her native Swedish. The standalone track being ‘Baksmälla’, which translates to ‘Hangover’. She sings about waking up late and f***ing up again and getting drunk and it’s mixed awesomely with rhyming vocals by Petter to give the track more of an edge. She also includes the Swedish version of ‘Me & My Microphone’ – which appears earlier on the album – and if you like the English version you’ll enjoy the Swedish one too.

Other tracks of note: Ricochet, Hands Up, Heat Rising, and Music.

‘Breaking Dawn’ nearly total yawn

I am no stranger to the ‘Twilight’ saga film series. I saw the first on a whim, enjoyed it for what it was but thought nothing more. I saw the second to see where the story would go, and wound up being angry at Bella for not choosing Jacob because he is clearly the better option because sure immortality is great right up until you know you have to leave your friends and family behind because they die and you don’t. I digress. I saw the third because I figure I’d already seen the first two that I might as well see the next one. You know what? The third was actually quite good. More action, back story, and the acting improved across the board. Now here we are with the penultimate film in the series, ‘Breaking Dawn: Part 1’.

**Beware Spoilers ahead**


No way I’m giving up now having already invested three separate movie-going sessions on the first films. Thus, I ventured out after the film had been out a few weeks (so to avoid the tweens and Twi-hards) and decided to formulate my own opinion on the film.

Meh.



I realise that the splitting up of the film is to make sure that as many details from the book can be in the film but I felt cheated. There were numerous montages of playing chess, vampire-human relations, and playful teasing in the form of lingerie (which I approve). And there was only ONE Taylor Lautner shirtless scene! C’mon! I thought this was a ‘Twilight’ movie! The film felt longer than it was and any drama was negated by its seeming never-ending length.

For me, the best portions of the film are when Esme and Carlisle are on screen. Elizabeth Reaser and Peter Facinelli are both capable actors who do well to make their characters more than just the leaders of the Cullen coven. The are there to guide them along their journey as they try to blend in with their community.
Billy Burke as Charlie Swan, has the dad nailed down and delivers some of the best intentionally funny lines of the film. Nikki Reed as Rosalie is another character I wish we’d see more of because she is there to negate Bella’s choice of becoming a vampire because she sees it as a lack of respect for mortality. An interesting parallel that is not fully explored, but then again this film series is about the romance.

The romance is not for me and I think she made the wrong choice with Edward so I move on.

So Bella gets herself knocked up and starts dying because the fetus is killing her. I had no idea there’d be a Roe v. Wade debate in the middle of this film and I was surprised so I sat up in my seat wondering how it would all play out. Sadly, that scene lasts a few minutes and then we move on. I guess we can’t get too heavy here can we?

The film is drawn out too long and when everything came to a head it ended soon after. There was this whole beef with the vampires and wolves fighting and Jacob leaving the pack (oh and we could hear the wolves talking – in wolf form) and then they were coming after the Cullens if Bella died and then it ended because Jacob decided he wanted some wolf-on-wolf action for himself by imprinting on Sam’s ex-girlfriend. Crazy.

The most intense part of the film comes at the end when Bella has delivered and Edward has given up trying to revive her. We see Edward’s venom surge through her body and attach itself to her heart, blood vessels, and reattach her broken spine. This is a very cool piece of digital camerawork as we see Bella being reborn as a vampire. Then they tease us with Bella waking up as a vampire. Gah! They’ve got me hooked. Looks like I’ll be seeing Part 2 next year when it’s released.

The End of an Era

How did it come to this?

At what point did people become upset with the established order and decide that quick wasn’t quick enough?

Technology happened.

With the advent of digital media and the internet becoming even more of a behemoth than it was, I guess it was only a matter of time before it started to crumble. No, I’m not talking about newspapers, I’m talking about home video.

I’m the kind of guy who likes to peruse the video store and see what there is to see. I go in there with maybe one or two movies in mind and then I wander. I’ve been known to take upwards to an hour to find a movie. That’s how picky I am.

I used to visit the local Blockbuster pretty much every week when I was in high school. I would rent multiple movies and that would most likely be my Friday and/or Saturday nights. I exposed myself to ‘The Killing Fields’, ‘Tootsie’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘The Apartment’, ‘Malena’, ‘Taxi Driver’, Yojimbo’ and many many more all because I walked around the store and came across those films. I had heard of them before but I just never got around to watching them. The way people find movies is all changing now.

At first it was at home DVD delivery, now it’s streaming that has become the norm among the cinephiles. The video store cannot/is not able to survive. I had seen Blockbuster’s and Hollywood Video’s closing all over town but I still had one near me and that was all that mattered. I had nothing to worry about.

Then they came for me.

I was all ready to pull into the parking lot of Blockbuster when I saw a giant dumpster parked behind their building filled with debris and trash. The storefront was bare. Gone was the iconic blue background and yellow ticket stub. In it’s place, a pale concrete slab that hadn’t seen the sun since the store was built. I am at a loss.

Sure, it’s a video store, there’s another one a few miles the other direction that I can go to but it’s that store that gave me the love of film. My cinematic mind was expanded because of that store – it has a meaning in my life. The video store in general has been a huge part of my life.

Where do I turn to now? Do I go the online route and have DVD’s mailed to me? Or do I go to that other store and continue about my business? I do not consider my self a part of the ‘Generation Now’ mainly because I have had the same phone for six, yes six, years and it still works great. I do not need my DVD’s to arrive the next business day. I’d like to be able to walk out of a store with it knowing that I have something I want to watch that day or night. I cannot do that online.

It’s a funny thing when something you’ve known your whole life just suddenly vanishes. Like a teardrop in the rain. You know it’s there, you felt it, and now that it’s gone it's impossible to get back. I tend to wax nostalgic when it comes to things from my adolescence and this is no different, but it’s happening all over the place. These stores are disappearing from neighbourhoods all over the country and it signals a change. Whether that change is good is something we will only know in the future.

State License Plates Part 6: Massachusetts

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear Massachusetts? I think America. Red. White. Blue. Revolution. Patriot. The Shot heard ‘round the world. Bam, that’s the beginning of how our nation came to be.

The two times that I have been to Massachusetts, I have enjoyed it. Having said that, it was the Summer/late Spring and the weather was kind enough to oblige to my sight seeing. I don’t do Winter with feet of snow and hail the size of kumquats. Nor do I do Summer with 80% humidity.

Massachusetts was accepted as a state on February 6, 1788, although some might not consider Massachusetts a state being that it’s the “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” but I bet those are the same people who think Greedo shot first.

Simple design here using the red, white, and blue effectively but the blue is lighter with a hint of gray. The red, too, isn’t too brazen and is a more subdued/softened red. I think it works. Then there’s the slogan “The Spirit of America” – which according to some research is from a 1980’s tourism jingle. Now, I have it on good authority from an inside source that if your license plate holder covers up “The Spirit of America” during a vehicle inspection then your vehicle will not pass inspection. “Spirit of America” huh? Sounds more CCCP than USA.

Not much else to report here, it’s simple but dull at the same time with no image to liven things up. I’m not an advocate for images on plates but something a little something can improve a plate. Here, I think it could work, maybe the original 13 Colonies American Flag somewhere to tie in that colonial America/Revolutionary War era that was crucial to Massachusetts and our nation. I give it a B.

State License Plates: Part 5 - Connecticut

What’s in Connecticut? I mean besides the UCONN Huskies, the Connecticut Sun, and Stars Hollow. The Hartford Whalers left town and moved to Carolina, of all places, and won the Stanley Cup less than 10 years later. That’s got to sting a bit. But what’s in Connecticut? I’ve never been nor have I had in inkling to travel there – if only to cross it off my list of states to visit. Nevertheless it is a part of the USA and it was the 5th state admitted to the Union on January 9, 1788.

Connecticut is known as ‘The Constitution State’ due to the claim by John Fiske that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/39 were the first written constitution in history. This is disputed by some historians, but not by me, because I’m not a historian and I’m just going to roll with it and examine this plate.

The blue used on the plate is consistent with the blue used on the state flag, so that’s nice that they have some continuity, but that’s all the plate has going for it. The state appears in the top left corner but that is the only thing that keeps it from being boring. Because let’s face it, if I wanted to look at blue and white colors all day I’d look up at the sky or out to the ocean or at a pool.

There isn’t a whole lot here for me to recommend other than the dark blue numbers and lettering really pop off the plate. Other than that this plate is very pedestrian, yet I admire it’s simplistic nature because it doesn’t try to do too much other than be a license plate. It gives the sense that it is by the water, which it is, (e.g. Atlantic Ocean and Connecticut River) and it does a simple job of doing so. Connecticut isn’t the next state I am going to go visit but the license plate does a good job of selling me whatever it is they happen to be selling. I give this state a B.

Sporting Events I Wish I Was Alive To See

There’s one thing I regret about living in this time and era in human history. No time travel. What if 200 years from now time travel is possible? Then this list would not exist. Alas, that’s not the case and I am only left with ‘what ifs’ and dreams.

There are events in history where people can claim ‘I was there’ and that firsthand account told and retold is something that cannot be taken away no matter how much time has passed. ‘I was there’. We’ve all always wanted to be ‘there’ because seeing something after the final whistle has blown or after the champion has been crowned is not as exciting. Whether it was seeing Sinead O’Connor burn a photo of the Pope or watching Jason Lezak outswim Alain Bernard to win the 4x100m at the Olympics, you want to be ‘there’ or at least see it live. Here is my list of sporting events I wish I was alive to witness in person.

1. ‘The Miracle on Ice’ – No doubt, #1 on my list. The inspiration for this list came when I was digging through a storage box and I came across a mug from the Lake Placid Olympics and I thought to myself: ‘Damn, I wish I was alive to see that.’ The drama, the joy, the sheer beauty of it all , and Al Michaels all culminate in one of the finest moments in American sports history. I get goose bumps every time I hear the ‘do you believe in miracles?!’ line and to see in person would’ve been icing on the cake.
2. Cassius Clay KO’s Sonny Liston – Do I particularly like boxing? Not really. I’m not into fighting sports in general but I can admire and appreciate the way Muhammad Ali boxed/danced/talked his way through a ring because watching him do his thing is beautiful and is something that cannot be duplicated. Oh yeah, and this photo, pretty much displays how much of a bad ass Ali was while he was in his prime.
3. ‘4-Minute Mile’ – As a long-distance runner this feat is something that marvel at because I am aware at how hard it is to sustain a fast yet manageable pace over a long distance and this time shows pure guts and heart, because to run that fast is insane.
4. Björn Borg v John McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon – Growing up, I always watched Wimbledon in the summer, and in particular the gentlemen’s final on Sunday. I remember watching Sampras, Agassi, Ivanišević, Hewitt and then Federer and Nadal (who together played the greatest tennis match I have seen) but this is the match that is was compared to and it is something I wish I could’ve seen live and been caught up in the drama of it all. Especially in that seemingly never-ending tie-break. I love tennis and to watch these two icons play in their prime would’ve been a dream.
5. ‘The Play’ – The game was over right? No chance, right? Someone forgot to tell the Stanford band that there was still the business of the kickoff to end the game. A few laterals and a flattened tuba player later and Cal wins a game that has the wildest finish on the college gridiron.
6. Super Bowl III – Broadway Joe guaranteeing a victory over the heavily favored Colts? I can only imagine what people were talking about by the water coolers ‘This Joe Namath guy guy is saying he’s going to win. I gotta see this dude fail.’ Uh, whoops, looks like he was right. To see a guarantee of that magnitude backed up is sporting legend.
7. 1975 World Series – Seeing archive footage of Pete Rose running the bases and Carlton Fisk flailing his arms in a desperate attempt to will the ball fair just doesn’t do it justice. Seeing this series would’ve been joy and heartbreak for me. Wanting The Curse to end, but failing to see it happen, and watching The Big Red Machine chug along in all its glory on the way to the World Series title.
8. 1974 World Cup Final – To see Johan Cruijff and Franz Beckenbauer face off against each other on the biggest stage in the sport, yes please. The Dutch playing their ‘Total Football’ is the stuff of legend and impressive to watch, even in YouTube form. To see it live up against powerful, and eventual champion, West Germany would’ve been something special.
9. Berlin 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens – I highly doubt I would’ve been there in person and I know I could not have seen it live unless I was in Europe but nevertheless to see Jesse Owens dismantle the Aryan belief of Hitler, although he wouldn’t admit it, would’ve been supremely satisfying.
10. Nadia Comaneci’s Perfect 10 – Never been done before and to do it six (yes 6) more times throughout the 1976 Olympics is something to awe over as it forever changed the judging of the sport and the way perfection is viewed.

Fun with Pamphlets

The waiting room can be one of the more excruciating things in life – if you hate that sort of thing. For others it is a window of opportunity to sit back, relax and read a few articles in a magazine that you normally don’t read. Such is the case when I sat down in a doctor’s waiting room and picked up a pamphlet that in big letters on the top said “Let the ocean heal you!”

How could I resist?

The image on the front is somewhat disturbing when you look at it for a prolonged period of time.

The female mermaid is tilting her head back as the merman is intertwined with her and he thrusts his trident upwards. This, looks strangely erotic. But I guess that’s what the ocean provides – erotic pleasure that can heal you.

Then, when I opened up the pamphlet I was greeted by this man:

Somebody call Chris Hanson and tell him to set up a sting by the ocean because this guy looks creepy and eerily seductive as he tries to lure you to purchase his product. Also note that he is by the ocean for the direct correlation to his product. Ah ha.

Then there’s the testimonials. Now, I believe that this product may be healthy for people and may benefit some but there was one testimonial in particular that I found to be quite interesting:

“Thank you Chris for letting me try your product. I have seen and felt many changes in myself since I’ve been taking your product. I’m 15 years old and before I started taking PotentSea Sea Vegetables, I was struggling in school and was tired most of the time. I started taking 4 capsules a day and in the first couple days I really felt an increase in my energy. My hair has grown so much in the past couple of months, my nails are stronger and grow faster, and my skin is much softer. The greatest improvement though would have to be my grades in school. Since I’ve been taking PotentSea Sea Vegetables  everyday, my grades have from from about a 2.0 GPA to a 3.5 GPA. Thank you so much for your wonderful product, I will continue to enjoy its great abilities.”
Shelby, Malibu, CA

Hmmm. The thing that strikes me is the 4 capsules a day. That seems like a lot and given that there are only 30 capsules in a container she is running out every single week. The pamphlet doesn’t tell you how much each container costs so I went to the website to do some digging. Here’s what I found:

1 bottle = $21.95. 3 bottles = $62.95. 6 bottles = $119.95. I case (12 bottles) = $229.00.

Um, wow, that seems like a lot of cheddar to throw down on some kelp and algae that ‘Cast Away’ Tom Hanks was privy to on a daily basis. But hey, it’s her (or most likely her parent’s) money.

The second thing that caught my attention was the GPA increase. I don’t buy it. I’d like to see some dates on these grades because everyone struggles in the beginning of the year maybe she was destined to come out of the funk and perform better regardless of the Sea Vegetables. Maybe she just didn’t study before she took the pills. Maybe she realized she had no friends and grew sad and tired and didn’t focus at all in school but it wasn’t until one person said ‘Hi’ to her at lunch did she realize that she in fact did have friends and then became more involved with school and thus her grades went up. Or maybe she’s telling the truth.

Then there’s the parents. Why couldn’t they have given her some Ritalin like most other parents and send her on her way? But no, they had to go to some New Age-y way and find an alternative to chemicals. What’s wrong with chemicals? These are the same parents that probably got rid of the Capri-Sun and Rice Krispie Treats after the soccer game in favour of wheat grass smoothies and flaxseed oil based granola bars. Kids need sugar and occasionally good tasting foods so they know what to snack on once they experiment with drugs that increase their appetite. It’s science.

Pamphlets and magazines are windows into other worlds as you wait for your doctor or as you wait in an airplane. As you sit in your next waiting room don’t just pick up the Entertainment Weekly,  Sports Illustrated or People Magazine that you normally pick up. Venture out and try something different like Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping or pick up a pamphlet and discover something new about the world. I know I will never look at the ocean the same way again.

Better late than never – My favourite films of 2010

I realize that this is very, very, very late but I just noticed that I never put out a list for 2010. I’m a bit too lazy to write out an entire intro but suffice it to say that these are my favourite 15 films from last year with 1 – 3 being my top three then the rest coming in no particular order other than what’s popped into my head – although there is some order to the list as it progresses.

1. Inception
2. Black Swan
3. 127 Hours
4. The Social Network
5. The King’s Speech
6. True Grit
7. The Town
8. Easy A
9. The Kids Are All Right
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
11. How To Train Your Dragon
12. Kick-Ass
13. Toy Story 3
14. Despicable Me
15. Hot Tub Time Machine

‘Arrested Development’ & it’s one degree of separation from ‘The Social Network’

ESPN is getting on my nerves

Let me get something straight first. I watch ESPN regularly. Not as much as I used to, but I watch it for the sports banter and the highlights.

I don’t watch it for their draft coverage. Whether it’s the NBA or NFL, I do not care. Period. It is not interesting to me and to see them devote hours of coverage to whether or not Cleveland needs an offensive tackle more than a long snapper is a bit ridiculous to me.

Couple that with the unlikeable draft ‘experts’ Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr (who seriously needs a new hairstyle) and you have some of the most boring television ever. Now, granted, there are some die hard fans out there who go through their team position by position and say to themselves, their friends, their barber, priest, bartender, and paperboy that their team needs a down lineman more than a kick returner and that’s fine – for them. I get angry when I see wall-to-wall coverage of something that doesn’t need to be dissected this much when there are other things in the world of sport that are more interesting/exciting. It is something that is literally all speculation (commentating is that to a degree but this is more) because the only certainty lies with whoever has the first pick the rest is all guesswork and overanalyzing.

This leads me to their Top 10 plays of the day. I get that it’s an arbitrary system in deciding the top plays but to not include at least one of the stops from Manuel Neuer, of Schalke 04, from yeserday’s Champions League match is a crime. I hear people complain about football not getting any support in this country and here is a perfect opportunity to showcase some brilliant goalkeeping and ESPN blows it. Then again, this is coming from a network that spent an hour on ‘The Decision’, so, you know where their programming decisions lie.

Ke$ha & The Case Against Most Music Videos

Have you seen the latest (I assume it’s the latest because I don’t keep up with these things) Ke$ha music video for ‘Blow’? No, well it’s not good. Not good at all. It begs the question: ‘Why are there music videos?’. In order to grasp my argument here is the video in question:

Really?

For starters, Dawson? I guess his schedule is empty given that there isn’t a sequel for ‘Varsity Blues’ in the pipeline. I mean c’mon dude the other three leads from that show are all doing great. Michelle Williams: Two-time Oscar nominee. Katie Holmes: Steady acting gigs while me married to one of the biggest stars on the planet. Joshua Jackson: Co-Stars on one of my favourite shows ‘Fringe’ where he is fantastic. But this isn’t about him, it’s about her…and music videos.

This video is a bomb right out of the gate. The ‘no mythological creatures’ title card is trying very hard to be funny. A bit too hard. The high-concept video has been done to death and at times it can be refreshing but most of the time it’s annoying. Just look at Katy Perry’s new video ‘E.T.’ it’s filled with digital imagery and bright colours but it has no heart. Sure there’s that robot thing, but there is no emotion tied into it. It’s just a vehicle for Katy to dress up and wear tons of makeup, the music is put off to the side.

Back to Ke$ha, the unicorn heads are odd, and laughably bad (which I bet is the point) but they go from ‘Oh hey, those are fake’ to ‘What’s the point?’ to ‘This is just plain stupid.’ Then there’s the guns and the rainbows the unicorns bleed. Why? It looks tacky, but not in the B-movie sort of way. It’s the, we-have-a-budget-but-we-choose-to-ignore-it-by-using-purposefully-bad-effects-because-it’s-a-hipster-thing-because-by-acting-like-we-don’t-care-we-are-going-against-the-establishment-thus-being-quirky-but-we-really-do-care.

This brings me to the question of ‘Why are there music videos?’. I remember the last time I sat and watched a music video on TV and it was 2009 and it was the Friendly Fires ‘Skeleton Boy’ and it is a fantastic video. But ultimately, what’s the point? For every ‘What’s My Age Again?’ there’s Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’. It’s a mixed bag. It’s as if artists just do music videos because they have a hit single and they want to visualize it. Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s bad. But, as mostly is the case, the bad outweigh the good because they get the most attention. If what we get is ‘Blow’ quality videos from millionaire artists then I think everyone who bought the album should get a percentage back because they ruined a song by doing something dumb in a video.

Sure, there are some great music videos out there but a lot of them came out before the internet was fully utilized. Now, every artist can make their own video, which is great, but just because it can be made doesn’t mean it should be made. It comes down to quality not quantity. Effort counts when putting something to film. CGI alone won’t help you (ahem Ms. Perry) but great imagery can enhance your video. Ellie Goulding’s ‘Lights’ is a prime example of imagery complimenting the music. It’s simple in design (but more complicated to create) and effective. It’s not just about a futuristic concept, fantastical creatures or monkeys directing your video from a stage (cough Fall Out Boy). It has to come off as a genuine attempt to connect with the audience through the visual medium by way of a song. Ke$ha does the opposite and she needs to be stopped. It’s all about flash-bang/shock-awe with her because she has to outdo everyone else around her. This constant one-upmanship is tired and it’s less shock-awe and more shockingly bad.

As is life you can choose to ignore or watch anything you want. Just remember, once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.

State License Plates Part 4: Georgia

[After a bit of a hiatus I have returned with more]

It seems rather odd that the 4th state admitted into the Union was a state that was someplace other than the Northern Atlantic seaboard, but here were are.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Georgia? Ray Charles? Peaches? The Braves? “Tara”? Well, only one of those shows up on the state license plate and I assure you it’s not the “Tara”. It’s a peach, duh. I mean it’s ‘The Peach State’ for a reason.

Plain white background with raised black font really makes the letters and numbers pop. I feel that the Georgia DMV or whoever designs these things really wanted some symmetry so they looked for the biggest font they could use to fit ‘GEORGIA’ in between the two holes at the top of the plate. Then in an afterthought they realised that this is the 21st century and added the ‘.gov’ to show that they have a website. Classic.

A peach alone would have sufficed for the plate but they decided to stick the state in the middle but have it a bit blurred out and obscured by the peach as if to say the peach is greater than the state. I do like the realism in the peach design with the tip at the bottom and the rounded top with the leaf sticking out. It lets me know that it’s a peach and not some other fruit. But it’s hard not to think of ‘Face/Off’ and Nicolas Cage saying ‘Peach, I could eat a peach for hours’ whenever I see a peach. But that’s just me. A simple, yet effective plate I give it an A-.

Remember This?

With it being March and basketball being on the minds of just about every single person in the USA I thought it appropriate to bring back an ad campaign that was all basketball. All the sounds, the moves, the style, the hype, the showmanship. Basketball.



I remember really digging this ad and trying to dribble the ball with my knees as I walked - to no avail - and trying to pass the ball through my shirt and around my back - again: failure. But that didn't stop my from trying or capturing my imagination and showing me some of the highlights of what the game has to offer in terms the skills players possess. The ad is just basketball and that's all it needed for it to be effective.

Then there was this:



This might be where the spoof genre started to go downhill by adding in current references. To viewers who weren't born or aren't aware of the 'Nike Freestyle' ad this might seem just plain odd and out of place but honestly within the 'Scary Movie' landscape, to me, this fits. It adds to the creepy/haunted house storyline and keeps it funny with physical comedy. I love both of these clips and seeing Marlon Wayans' facial expressions is an added bonus.


**Make sure you fill out your bracket before the first round starts tomorrow**

The Best Show You’re Not Watching

The world of television is populated with a mixed bag of shows. Some great, others meh not so much, then there are some that are just plain awful. Viewers usually have their set networks that the tune into every weeknight because we are creatures of habit. I am here to get you out of that habit and steer your towards a show that is so much fun and filled with originality that it makes other shows look banal.

You won’t find it on any of the major broadcast networks or even some of the bigger cable/satellite networks. You’ll find it on Cartoon Network. Not the premier destination for programming for anyone over the age of 12 but when you find yourself bored on a Monday around 12:30 episodes of ‘Codename: Kids Next Door’ become quality television. But I’m not talking about that show I’m talking about something much different. I’m talking about ‘Adventure Time’.

‘Adventure Time’ is about a boy, Finn, and his faithful talking and endlessly bendable dog, Jake and their journeys through the land of Ooo as they battle villains and save princesses. The beauty of the show is in it’s matter-of-factness. Everything is everything. This being a cartoon show the rules of physics rarely apply and ridiculous situations often arise within seconds. But what separates this show from others is in it’s writing. It introduces words and phrases that normally aren’t spoken in times of sheer joy and are spoken with such energy that phrases like ‘Algebraic!’, ‘Mathematical!’, and  ‘All aboard the knuckle train to fist planet!’ are fresh and excitement. There’s joy in the dialogue and imagination spewing out of each syllable. It’s hard to ignore a show that constantly surprises you with each sentence as it can be more ludicrous than the last.

The situations Finn & Jake get in to are pretty ridiculous…and fun. They travel to Lumpy Space, visit the Candy Kingdom, and help a giant snail find a mate only to find out that the snail is actually a giant slug so that’s why it can’t find a snail girlfriend. To name a few.

Wacky storylines aside the show’s heart is with it’s two leads, Finn & Jake. They care about each other and are willing to do anything for one another. Their friendship drives the show and if it weren’t for their animated chemistry I’m sure this show would fail.

If your find yourself flipping through the channels with nothing to watch dial up Cartoon Network and see if ‘Adventure Time’ is on. It’s a 15-minute foray into the bizarre and magnificent that should not be missed.

St. Pauly D.

I got bored and decided to have a bit of fun with some image editing. This is what I came up with:

Midnight Movie Madness

You always remember your first time right?

Mine was in the summer of 2004. A new film by M. Night Shyamalan was opening and people were excited. The audience was electric with people whispering and talking amongst themselves. Some in anticipation. Some just recounting the days events. But everyone was there for the film at that special time. Midnight.

The Midnight Movie is something of a rite of passage for cinephiles. It shows how much you want to see a film that you would stay out late and see it when most people are asleep. Now, it’s not for everyone and some times you just cannot make the midnight show but you should at least do it once. Just make sure it’s for the right movie. I’ve been there for “Revenge of the Sith”, “At World’s End”, “Spider-Man 3”, “Wolverine”, some others and the aforementioned “The Village”. All of which have a pedigree for fans and a history for healthy box office. That’s not so much the case anymore.

Take a look at this poorly constructed image I created from screen caps of the actual movie show times from a local theatre.

Notice anything a bit out of the ordinary? Perhaps that “Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son” is being shown at midnight. Or that “I Am Number Four” and “Unknown” are also being shown at midnight. Uh, what?

I had no idea that there was a groundswell of support for a third “Big Momma’s House” movie let alone enough of an audience to require a midnight show. It is a travesty. I understand that “I Am Number Four” is based on a popular book, so I’ll give it that, but I hadn’t heard of the book until I heard of the movie so that illustrates where my focus is on all things literary. “Unknown” looks like a lesser version of “Taken” but this time they speak German instead of French.

When did these films become worthy of midnight showings? It’s as if the midnight show doesn’t mean anything anymore. The zest is gone. It used to only happen every once in a while for an “Avatar”, “Harry Potter” or “Transformers” and now it seems everybody is allowed entrance to the party when they shouldn’t be. There is no pedigree for any of those films. Am I being a snob for what I deem to be worthy of midnight shows? Hell yes I am because who else is going to protect the midnight show. “Rocky Horror, “The Room”, “Indiana Jones” are films worthy (used loosely for ‘The Room’) of the midnight show for their own reasons. The novelty of the midnight show is being worn thin by the volume of films being shown.

The idea behind the midnight show is to gain support for the weekend and give the hardcore fans the first crack at the product. Whether it’s a film based on comic book, science fiction novel of TV show, or what have you it’s generally reserved for something BIG. Good early buzz = solid weekend box office. Now with the advent of social networking sites the word gets out much quicker so people will (hopefully) flock to the theatre to see the film. Is that really necessary for any of the films listed in that image? I say no. This comes off as the theatre’s attempt to grab more cash by adding an extra show instead of doing it for the fans and having a midnight show. No movie screams BIG in February, especially now.

I guess I’m just upset that a “Big Mommas” movie is being shown at midnight. C’mon man, that’s just ridiculous. When was the last time people actually said “Hey let’s go see that Martin Lawrence movie.” There was a time when I did. “Black Knight”. I regret every single second I sat in that theatre. Why did I see it? I don’t recall. I like Martin Lawrence. He can be extremely funny, but his track record as of late does not reward a midnight show. Especially when it’s “Big Mommas”.

This is the film world I live in now. A world where Liam Neeson, Martin Lawrence and that girl from “Glee” who always seems to be talking like her nose is congested can share a midnight show and it can be considered normal. I have only one thing to say to that: ‘Shit just got real.’

State License Plates Part 3: New Jersey

Ah yes the lovely state of New Jersey. I have only had the pleasure of traveling through Newark Airport, on my way to New York, and it was pleasant enough but all I could think about was finding where John Cusack got spit out after being inside John Malkovich’s head. Sadly, I never found it, I don’t think. I was there in March so the same dead-ish brown grass populated most of the stretch of highway I traveled on. Oh well, I move on.

New Jersey:

Now when I see the words ‘Garden State’ I think the opposite of New Jersey. When most people hear that they think of Zach Braff and The Shins. Quite the contrast.

Nothing says ‘Garden’ like emulating a hazy mixture of taupe and bile and plastering it all over the license plates of every car and lo-and-behold that is their state color. Sure it was chosen by George Washington (as in the 1st President George Washington) for the troops from New Jersey so that’s that but c’mon George did you run out of colors after Red, White and Blue for the rest of the country that you decided to stick New Jersey with that? That’s too bad. Really, it’s too bad, I would’ve said ‘Thanks Georgie but I think we’ll go for vermillion or something a bit more bad ass because I don’t want to look at my flag and see phlegm behind our awesome crest.’

Another state uses a blob in the middle only this time the blob is a recreation of the state and has distinct features that let you know that it’s not just a blob. Meh. On the plus side I can easily read every single letter and number. They go that going on but that’s about it. This plate is ugly and boring and received a C-.

A Man without a team

I love football.

When I say football I mean the game you actually play with your feet. Soccer. Fútbol. Football.

I love the game and follow many leagues around the world. Here at home I am a Galaxy supporter through and through. In Australia’s A-League I follow the Brisbane (formerly Queensland – how I knew them) Roar on account of I lived and studied in Brisbane and fell in love with the city. From there it gets a bit murky. I tend to support teams with American players on them. I look for them to see how they are doing in their respective leagues in hopes that their success will translate onto the national team. Other than that I don’t have a strong inkling towards any team other than the two I already mentioned. I need a team.

I’m not a huge fan of La Liga because it’s dominated by Barcelona and Real Madird. Messi is a brilliant player but the league is a two-team race and I am not interested in supporting either team.

Ligue 1 is enjoyable, when I can watch it, but I am not sure who to support. Lyon? St. Etienne? PSG? Sochaux? Marseille? I know very little about their domestic football league that it’s hard to pick a team to support.

The Bundesliga is extremely competitive but it, like Ligue 1, is a league I know little about but enjoy watching. I’d like to know more about this league but I have no vested interest in any of the teams. With the recent departures of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones to the EPL on loan, my interest in the league dips but there is still interest.

The EPL is the league I follow most closely because it features most of the best players in the world and because it is full of American players. From Dempsey to Howard to Friedel to Holden, the Stars and Stripes are well represented in the EPL but I don’t have a team to fully get behind. I’m not interested in Man U or Arsneal or Chelsea based on personal preference and the players they bring to the pitch. I enjoy watching Liverpool play and the way they’ve overcome their sloppy start this season has made for some great matches. Hmmm…

I like Everton and their setup with Arteta in midfield and Saha and Cahill up front. Then I ask if I only like the team because Tim Howard is their keeper and because Landon Donovan was on loan there last year. It certainly doesn’t hurt.

Stuart Holden has been in top form at Bolton and he works well with Elmander and Lee but this might truly be the case for liking the player more than the team even though the entire team is playing well.

This trouble continues with Fulham (Dempsey), Aston Villa (Friedel, Lichaj, Bradley) and hell, even Wolves at times gets my support (Damn you Marcus Hahnemann!). I am a man without a team. It’s enjoyable to watch a match just for the pure joy of watching football but at the same time I wish I had a team to get behind so I could get emotional about a game. I’m asking my readers, friends, and whoever came across the page by accident to help me find a team to support. EPL, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Scottish Premier League, Eredivisie, pretty much any league, find me a team that I can get behind and support like the ones I already do.

- Skillet.

Jesse James moves on, so have I

It’s a match-made in ink.

Known Nazi cos-player Jesse James recently announced that he is engaged to wed reality TV star Kat Von D. James said that 2010 was the “best year of [his] life because [he] fell in love with [his] best friend.” So Sandra Bullock wasn’t your best friend? What about Janine Lindemulder, your first wife with with whom you share a child? I guess they were mere acquaintances and not friends.

I’ll be honest, when I first heard of Jesse James, I thought of the original American outlaw, train robber, and ultimate murder victim. Someone of actual interest and significance. Not a guy who fixes up motorcycles and goes through women like Jocelyn Wildenstein goes through plastic surgeons. So to hear that the namesake of an important American is now more (in)famous is a tad insulting. But hey, that’s pop culture.

Is this news really that shocking? I mean this is coming from the guy who had relations with a woman who has the nickname “Bombshell”. I am not really sure she understands what a bombshell is but I can surmise what her name means: Bomb, yes, but in the destructive sense. Shell, I can only assume it is hollow up in the cranium (why else would she have so many tattoos). Clearly the man has a type.

Who are you kidding Jesse James, proclaiming "I have Never Felt so Loved! I'm The Luckiest (man) in the World!" Of course you’re the luckiest man in the world, you found a woman with no short term memory. A female Memento. Except Carrie-Anne Moss is still stuck in The Matrix and Joe Pantoliano isn’t pulling any strings. You are.

Am I saying that I wish ill upon the newly engaged? No, far from it. I like seeing people happy. I think some people deserve each other. No matter how crazy they might be. Just please stay out of my line of sight so I can see things of actual importance going on in the world.

State License Plates Part 2: Pennsylvania

Let me start off by saying something: I am not a huge fan of this state. This state has single handedly produced a team that trounced my team twice (in a row, to add insult to injury) in the post-season only to leave me with a bitter taste in my mouth and disdain for all of it’s citizens. This state has also given me a basketball team to cheer for (even thought I don’t really like the NBA), I don’t have the answer for that but it has something to do with not liking the teams I have in my region. That being said, this state is crucial to our nations history. Ben Franklin, 1776, Independence Hall, William Penn, the Liberty Bell, Gettysburg, ‘Rocky’, the Steelers, etc.

Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania became a state a mere five days after Delaware in 1787. But enough history!! Let’s get to the plate. The state colors are blue and gold (similar to Delaware… how original) and you can see the colors border the top and bottom of the plate. It’s a nice touch, simple, but effective. Pennsylvania is known as the ‘Keystone State’ and that’s why there’s a blob in the middle of the plate. When I’m driving and looking forward at the plate all I see is a blob. It’s not until you get close enough that you see it’s a keystone. Clever…? It is better than this 2000 version that is even more of a blob but they should have stuck with the outlined version to make the keystone a more prominent feature.

With the advent of technology it was bound to catch up to our cars. I just never thought it would hit license plates. The ‘visitPA.com’ at the bottom is trying a bit too hard to get me to go there and wouldn’t the people buying these plates and putting them on their cars already live there? They don’t need to visit. They probably want to get away. There’s only so much cheesesteak, Hershey’s chocolate, and Quakers one can take right?  So telling the people who buy your plates to visit a state they already live in is like having a horse eat hay, it already does it every day. I give this plate a high C-.

Appreciating ‘American Pie’

As a lazy Sunday afternoon bled into a lazy Monday I found myself where I always find myself when I am bored and have nothing to do. In front of the TV.

Now this particular day was special because there was practically nothing worth watching. The movie channels had nothing. The Networks had zilch (and the includes the ‘Pro Bowl’). Basic cable channels were showing next to nothing until I came upon Comedy Central (and their new bizarre logo) and saw a movie I had not watched in a long while, ‘American Pie’. Sure it was edited and blurred but the movie is still essentially the same. It wasn’t until I saw the movie in this form that I really saw what it was about. The friendship and coming of age story of these four friends and the journey they go on to accomplish their goals.

I remember ‘American Pie’ as the gross-out movie that was rated R, and for good reason. Stifler, the pale ale, the tongue tornado, band camp, Nadia, that ‘Asian Guy’, and everything else is all there but at the heart of it all is how each of the four friends, Jim, Finch, Oz, and Kevin grow throughout their quest. It’s a fairly honest look at what it’s like to be a teenager with hormones being the driving force behind all of your decisions. The film has always been about the strong bond the four friends have but I had never fully seen it because the gross out stuff is pushed to the forefront when in fact the friendship never goes away even amidst all of the turmoil and raunchy situations that happen.

I always liked the film, mainly because of the crude humor, nudity, and overall ridiculousness but I had never appreciated the film for the strong message of friendship and relationships it presented. When you break it down it’s the story of four best friends who would do anything for each other regardless of what that might be. It’s still about sex, bodily fluids, nudity, and apple pie but the friendship is what holds the film together and sets it apart from other teen comedies.

State License Plates: A 51-Part Examination Part 1: Delaware

I’ve finally got the gumption to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Write about US State license plates. How droll. What I plan to do is look at the most recent license plate of each of the 50 states, plus Washington D.C., and give my take on what’s going on in the plate itself. I am not going to look at the special plates issued. Rather, I am looking at the ones most in use by the people living and driving in that state. I’m going to go in order of when the state joined the Union starting with Delaware and ending with Hawaii.

Delaware:

Ah Delaware, a classic use of a two-color scheme as the yellow border draws your eyes toward the numbers. The numbers stand out from the background so they are easier to see but that’s about it. There is nothing fancy about this license plate, granted it comes from a state that is most famous for Joe Flacco and this.

As you can see it’s slogan is ‘The First State’, it’s also the first state to lack charisma. They stick to their state colors of colonial blue and buff but nothing pops off the plate. It just sits there. I don’t want a gaudy plate, but I don’t want something boring either and this is borderline boring – if it weren’t for the use of state colors. I give the state credit for sticking with a color scheme that is true to it’s history and keeping the same look for all of these years, because tradition is important, but that’s all I can give. I want to like this plate more but I can’t. Out of respect for the ‘First State’ I give this plate a solid B.

In defense of ‘iCarly’

It’s silly, it’s stupid, it’s childish, it’s not even filmed in the city it takes place in nor are any of the exteriors, it’s funny, it’s inane, it’s what the kids watch, it’s filled with some bad acting, it’s filled with some mediocre acting, it’s lovable, it’s ridiculous, it’s one of the reasons I question my sanity, it’s ‘iCarly”.

Yes, I watch ‘iCarly’. Oh well, deal with it.

I remember flipping through the channels one slow Saturday afternoon looking for something to watch while I ate my lunch. I happened upon ‘iCarly’ and didn’t really know what it was until the first commercial break. I had heard of the show before but I knew nothing about it. I was in the dark. Now I actively search out new episodes, or ones I have yet to see, so that I can be caught up. But why? Why would I watch this kids show? I watch ‘Dexter’, ‘Modern Family’, ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘30 Rock’, ‘The Office’, ‘Fringe’, ‘Big Love’, ‘Survivor’, ‘NCIS’, and ‘Smallville’ (I think I hit every major network) so why would I watch a show directed at/made for children? I have no idea.

It’s about a girl who has her web show (unlike every other tween with a MacBook) but this is different – she’s popular. Gasp! They do random skits and watch videos and that’s it. That’s what makes it popular. The entire show is based around this web show and everything that comes with the internet and celebrity. It’s a guilty pleasure, I don’t think it’s great but it’s enjoyable. Nothing more, nothing less. Enter eccentric brother and friends and their crazy shenanigans. I laugh a few times, out loud, at the older brother, Spencer and their friend Gibby who seem to have a knack for physical comedy and are just funny to watch. I also watch for the obvious love triangle between Sam, Freddie and Carly.

I’ve never understood why people call it a love triangle, that would imply that everybody is into everybody. Meaning Carly and Sam are in love with each other the same way that Sam loves Freddie (although she won’t admit it) and Freddie loves Carly (although Carly doesn’t feel the same way, but also sees that Sam loves Freddie so she stays away). But that’s a totally different topic in and of itself, one meant for a deeper discussion and if you were feeling really snarky, it could be a thesis topic. Lesbianism and ‘iCarly’ how love knows no age. But I digress.

Here’s a main character rundown: Carly is a bit too stiff and perfect to be funny, so funny things are done to her. She’s the cool girl because she has her own web show. Sam is the one who does all of the funny stuff, albeit odd stuff (like eating a whole turkey leg from out of her locker) and it’s funny because she comes from a broken home (mom: guest star Jane Lynch) and gets into trouble all of the time. Aw shucks, ‘aint she a pain in the butt?! Freddie is the nerd, but lovable, as he takes care of all of their technical needs but he is definitely needy and yearns to break free from the protective cocoon created by his mother. But that’s not why I defend the show.

It’s harmless. In an era that has given rise to the celebrity of people who have no discernible talents ( here, here, and here) it’s refreshing to watch a kids show that’s about kids for kids. Yes, they have existed before and will continue to exist but I like having my faith in humanity restored when I can turn on Nickelodeon and see TV shows that are for kids. I can also turn to Disney Channel to find these shows as well (‘Good Luck Charlie’, ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’) both of which I quite like, and are actually better shows than ‘iCarly’ because they have better actors and better writers who don’t seem to be as self-absorbed as creator Dan Schneider is as he put his Schneider name on just about everything on the show, but this is about ‘iCarly’ and why I like it. Regardless of who is behind the scenes.

‘iCarly’ gets some flak for featuring some “brat factor” but that doesn’t bother me. The kids are quirky, the action is ludicrous, i.e. jumping out of a cargo plane over Japan or being commissioned to choreograph a once big pop star (blatant Britney Spears reference) but it’s escapist fun and the overall vibe of the show is positive and in a world where kids are exposed to this I welcome this type of show and champion it’s heart which is the friendship between the kids and their families and friends. So there, I watch ‘iCarly’ and approve of all of it’s ludicrousness and if you don’t like it then you don’t know what the chiz you’re missing out on.

2010 Oscars – Sweet and Sour

As usual I was up this morning to watch the Academy Award nominations live – albeit today I was on my way to work so I was that early anyway.

If you’re reading this then you want to know my take on the whole show – and you know what? I aim to please. I will go through the major categories (acting, writing, directing, picture) and some of the other technical categories that I find interesting and give my spin on the nominees and who I think will win and who I would pick to win.

Best Original Screenplay
“Another Year”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”

Skillet’s Pick: “Inception” – Original, ambitious, and it’s the perfect example of high-art action science fiction. Not easily done, but this script excels.

Projected Winner: “The Kids Are All Right” – Terrific, light comedy with dashes of drama that feels very real and it’s the kind of script that doesn’t tie up all the ends and ends as life does – sometimes with not fully closed doors.

Best Adapted Screenplay:
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”

Skillet’s Pick: “The Social Network” – It’s smart, maybe too smart, but the dialogue is so volatile and an essential part of these characters that it’s too hard to ignore.

Projected Winner: “The Social Network”

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

Skillet’s Pick: Hailee Steinfeld – She should be in the lead category because she commands the screen in this film and takes charge of Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon throughout the film.

Projected Winner: Melissa Leo – Dramatic, emotional, all the makings of a winning role but she might split votes with co-star Adams thus letting one of the other three slip in.

Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
John Hawkes – “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner – “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”

Skillet’s Pick: Geoffrey Rush – He is such a joy to watch. He is one of the reasons this film is so great because he has fun with it while at the same time not being overly comical. He is level-headed and stands true to his ideals no matter what he is faced with, even when it’s the King of England.

Projected Winner: Christian Bale – This is a lock, take it to the bank. Bale steals this movie with his performance.

Best Actress:
Annette Benning – “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

Skillet’s Pick: Natalie Portman – Her descent into madness as the pressure of the lead in Swan Lake is breathtaking and we go along for the ride. She is sensual and terrifying as she blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. It’s a role that starts in one place and ends somewhere completely different. A true transformation.

Projected Winner: Natalie Portman

Best Actor:
Javier Bardem – “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
James Franco – “127 Hours”

Skillet’s Pick: James Franco – His performance reminds me of one of my favourite performances of all time by Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” in that he is virtually alone and acting by himself for a majority of the film. He is funny, at times grave, charming, and we see the transformation from the person he was to the person he wants to be. We are placed right there with him under the boulder and watching him struggle with the possibility of death and losing everything he ever took advantage of and loved. This is a complete performance from one of the best young actors working today.

Projected Winner: Colin Firth – Lock it up. He’s won. He is terrific. He commands the screen not only because he is the King of England but because his performance is so complete that is impossible to ignore. I cannot quite put my finger on it but Firth has it  and it’s a quality that allows him to be the King and take us on a journey that culminates in a crowd-pleasing moment.

Best Director:
Darren Aronofsky – “Black Swan”
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen – “True Grit”
David Fincher – “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech”
David O. Russell – “The Fighter”

Skillet’s Pick: Darren Aronofsky – (since the best director wasn’t nominated – Christopher Nolan for “Inception” I choose the next best) The camera, like the audience, loves Nina and it follows her closely everywhere lurking over her should like the delusions that Nina says are following her. The camera moves deftly through the ballet scenes as we are placed right in the middle of it all.

Projected Winner: David Fincher – He’s won many other directing awards, and now it might be his time given his work on “Benjamin Button” and audience favourites “Se7en” and “Fight Club”. I’ll be honest I don’t remember much about the camera work in this film, which says a lot about how this film played with me.

Best Original Score:
“127 Hours” – A.R. Rahman
“How To Train Your Dragon” – John Powell
“Inception” – Hans Zimmer
“The King’s Speech” – Alexandre Desplat
“The Social Network” – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Skillet’s Pick: Inception – BWRAAAAAMMH! The music from this film is so powerful and essential to the film as a whole because it emphasises the emotions and actions (as all great scores do) of the characters. It’s original (duh), daring (slowing down the horn from Edith Piaf’s “No Regrette Rien”') and utterly masterful because it is so unique.

Projected Winner: The Social Network – The music is so haunting that is the part that has stayed with me the most from the entire film. The music is beautiful and let’s you sit in the moment and soak it all in while the score plays in conjunction with the action, not separate.

Best Original Song:
If I Rise – “127 Hours”
Coming Home – “Country Strong”
I See the Light -  “Tangled”
We Belong Together – “Toy Story 3”

Skillet’s Pick: I See the Light – What a return to form for the Disney animated musical. I was surprised to hear original songs in this film and really enjoyed this song and the imagery that was accompanied it, as it was a complete experience. It’s a simple song but beautiful nonetheless.

Projected Winner: I See the Light

Best Picture:
“127 Hours”
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right” 
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”

Skillet’s Pick: Inception – A daring piece of cinema that challenges the mind and entertains. Mind-bending effects, a multi-layered plot (literally), all centered around an idea that is not a simple as it sounds – not unlike the act of inception itself. The directing is top notch, the visuals – cinematography and effects, the writing is fresh and original, the action is intense, and the story in emotionally involving. All the makings of a great film.

Projected Winner: The King’s Speech – I am torn between this film and “The Social Network”, yet I feel that “The King’s Speech” will win out because it is a feel good story set in a time when there was not much to feel good about. The people of England needed a voice and they found it in their unlikely King who struggles just like the people he oversees. This is a complete film that never takes you out of the moment and immerses you into the time and place because in order to understand the gravity of the job the King must do, we must be put into his life and walk around in his shoes. A job the film does very well.

Too Much Rihanna

I’m sure we are all familiar with the saying that there can be too much of a good thing. Is there something to be said about too much of a mediocre thing? Case-in-point: Rihanna.

I remember when she first hit the airwaves with her hit “Pon De Replay” and I initially thought it was Beyonce because of the long hair and the hip gyrations (which is probably why she cut her hair). Then I realized it wasn’t her and began to look into this “Rihanna”. Then she pretty much fell off my radar until “SOS” and I got mad that she was sampling “Tainted Love” in the song for a song. Then came her biggest hit, ever. I don’t even think I need to link to it because it was one of the biggest songs of 2007. At first I hated the song. I found it to be childish and simplistic. But damn, did that song grow on me. It played in just about every bar/nightclub I went into and it got the place bouncing. People would scream “BECAUSE!” and “ella, ella” and it was a crowd pleaser. Then came the enticingly dark “Disturbia”, which is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, and from there her stock rose.

Enter 2009. She releases a new album and with it a terrible song in “Rude Boy”, “Hard” and every other single off that album. Then, just when I thought it was over she comes out with another album one year later. Now on the radio all I hear is “Only Girl”, “What’s My Name?” and her duet with Eminem. All of which are not nearly as good as the general public make them out to be. “Only Girl” is an attempt to capture the electronic-based club anthem crowd into listening to pop music. Success. “What’s My Name?” is just bad because of “Degrassi” Alum Drake’s vocals – they are nasty (and not in a good way). His voice is strained and is a pain to my ears. Her duet with Eminem makes no sense, as the song is about burning someone alive while they are on a bed. Huh? How do these songs warrant repeated listening. I heard “Only Girl” a few times before I grew tired of it and as soon as I hear her songs with Drake and Eminem I turned the radio dial. It’s too much.

The radio airwaves are being saturated with Rihanna and it’s really starting to annoy me. This is too much of a mediocre thing. I hope she takes some time to think about her next album and the next songs she makes because too much of something is bad enough and when that something is being played repeatedly over the radio then people will start to tune you out because it is being overplayed. I realize she/her agent/her marketing team are capitalizing on her stardom but this might be overdoing it to the extent that people will get tired of her and want for her to take a break. I know I do.

What I think of when I see Matt Hasselbeck:

After watching yesterday's game between the Seahawks and Saints I couldn't help but think of one moment in Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's career. It's one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of his name.

It took place a few years back in a playoff game at Green Bay. Then this happened: (Note: turn up your volume and listen to what Hasselbeck says)



I give him props for being confident in his team and himself but it's one of those moments that is both funny and cringe-inducing (if you're a Seattle fan). I can't help but think of this moment whenever I hear Matt Hasselbeck's name.