Down my Alley

Top 10 Movies of 2010

2010-12-31T18:01:00.004-05:00

Since most of my friends see my movie reviews, I've decided to post my top 10 flicks of the year. By my tally, I've seen somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 films released in 2010. The rules for being considered for this list are quite simple: 1) A 2010 theatrical release, and 2) I've seen it (either in the theater or on DVD).

Before we get to the main course, let me get your whet your appetite with my honorable mentions. These are 3 movies that I really enjoyed, but for one reason or another, just didn't quite crack the list. They are: Predators, The Book of Eli, and The Expendables. I gave each of these films 3 1/2 stars (out of 5), but since my top 10 all received 4 stars (or better), they are on the outside looking in.

Here's the Top 10...in dramatic reverse order... (Ranking. Film (release date) - rating out of 5)

10. Red (Oct 15) - 4 stars

For a film that uses an aging cast and a plot that's been done before, it stays fresh and fun for the majority of the film. Great chemistry in the cast and a truly fun film from start to finish.

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (Nov 19) - 4 stars

Really good set pieces and enjoyed watching the characters really grow up. It's really the sudden ending and a bit of a lull in the middle that drags down the film a bit. It does make me want to see how the story will end.

8. The Town (Sept 17) - 4 stars

A very solid drama that mixes in some action packed robberies along the way. Reminiscent of Heat, only better (in my opinion). Pacing is pretty decent, which is always the difficulty with this type of film.

7. Inception (July 16) - 4 stars

Christopher Nolan solidifies his standing as an excellent director. This mind-trip of a movie is well made, interesting, and thought provoking. Most high-concept movies don't do much for me, but this one kept my attention.

6. Green Zone (March 12) - 4 stars

Matt Damon shines in this film about the Iraq war. Really draws you into the search for answers with a realistic take on war. Makes for a good war and political intrigue movie.

5. The Crazies (Feb 2) - 4 stars
An edge of your seat intense movie that captures the zombie feel without actually having zombies. Excellently pulls off the small town feel and the atmosphere is equally superb.

4. Shutter Island (Feb 19) - 4 stars
Atmospheric thriller that really keeps you guessing at what is going on. Pretty solid ending. Side note: Leonardo Dicaprio's second appearance on this list (Come a long way since that crapfest that was Titanic).

3. The Social Network (Oct 1) - 4 stars
A really interesting tale about how Facebook came to be. A great script and outstanding acting really make for an amazing film. It's crazy in just how little time a concept can go to being an integral part of many people's lives.

2. The A-Team (June 11) - 4 stars
I simply did not have a more fun time at the movies this year than when I saw this one. Great action, characters, humor, and a good all-around time. If you like entertaining action films, this is an absolute must see.

And the number 1 film of 2010....

1. Toy Story 3 (June 18) - 4 1/2 stars
Not quite as laugh-out-loud funny as the first 2 entries in the Toy Story universe, but an excellent movie. A phenomenal story, and it holds together extremely well from start to finish. Really gives a sense of nostalgia and makes you feel attached to a group of cartoon "toys".

There you have it. All-in-all a pretty good year for movies. Here's for hoping next year might be even better.

The Top 10 Movies of 2009...

2009-12-29T21:10:00.005-05:00

Well, it's that time of year for top 10 lists. First up is my top 10 movies of the year. By my tally, I've seen somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 films this year. The rules for being considered for this list are quite simple: 1) A 2009 theatrical release, and 2) I've seen it (either in the theater or on DVD).

Honorable Mention: Family Guy - Something, Something, Something Dark Side - It gets honorable mention for being hysterical but not truly a theatrical film. Really worth the watching if you like Family Guy or Star Wars...even better when you are like me and really enjoy both.

So here it is...my list organized as follows: Number. Film (release date) - rating out of 5

10. Pandorum (Sept 25) - 3 1/2 stars
A pretty solid film about a crew that awakens to find their ship in a state of disarray. Entertaining and pretty much sticks to what it aimed to be. One of the better sci-fi films of the year.

9. The Hangover (June 5) - 3 1/2 stars
A comedy that hits on more notes than it misses. Some of the situations that the characters find themselves in are quite hysterical. There is enough that doesn't quite work and a "plot" that drags just a little too long holding this film back from being great.

8. Avatar (Dec. 18) - 3 1/2 stars
Definitely the prettiest movie I watched all year. Really, a visual treat. The story falls flat though. You should be slapped if you don't figure out the direction of this movie pretty quickly. Also, if you feel like you heard that ominous, things are going well music before...you have...note for note from Enemy at the Gates (really lazy, James Horner, really lazy!).

7. Watchmen (March 6) - 4 stars
I was by no means a die-hard fan of the comic, so my expectations weren't as high as others. However, I did find it to be a pretty solid film. Looked great and was pretty entertaining.

6. Angels and Demons (May 15) - 4 stars
A quality movie (better book) that was actually better than the first film with these characters and director (aka the DaVinci Code). Better pacing and Tom Hanks getting a haircut made for the improvements.

The Top 5...with visual aides....

5. Taken (Jan 30) - 4 stars
The best pure action movie of the year. Liam Neeson really holds his own as an action star. Not much on plot, but does some pretty clever things following a man's search for his daughter.

4. Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince (July 15) - 4 stars
A very excellent installment to the Harry Potter franchise. My biggest complaint was the ending. A great build-up really was wasted (not sure if that's how the book played out), but it brings the film down just a bit.

3. Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (Oct 30) - 4 stars
While not as good as the original film, the sequel does most of the same things and is still superbly entertaining. This is gratuitous violence done right...now hopefully the third film doesn't take as long to come to fruition.

2. Star Trek (May 8) - 4 stars
A spectacular film that makes Star Trek relevant again. Really entertaining and all the casting really shines through. Immediately after watching, your thoughts really go what's going to happen next for this crew....I guess, we'll wait and see.

And the best movie of the year is...

1. Zombieland (Oct. 2) - 5 stars
One of the easiest decisions to make was putting this film at number 1. It was entertaining, superbly hilarious, a couple of awesome characters, and zombies. Now if only the DVD will hurry up and get out...then we can make Zombie Day II happen!

There you go. You'll probably get games of the year and ...well, who knows what else. Stay tuned and stay frosty!

My Top 50 Movies...10-1

2009-12-07T22:24:00.005-05:00

Ok, here we are at the finale of the list. I must apologize that I lied last time, my favorite 80's movie does find itself in the top 10. For the final time, I cheat on the trilogy thing (did you guess what trilogy this is?). There are lots of things that go boom on this final list. Each film on this list is outstanding in its own right and as such, gets each gets a picture.

Enjoy the list...My Top 10...

10. We Were Soldiers (2002)The best movie about Vietnam ever made. Mel Gibson portrays a great leader and the action is outstanding. The back-and-forth between Gibson and the Vietnamese leader on tactics is pretty sweet. Awesome action highlights this great war movie.

9. Saving Pvt. Ryan (1998)The best WWII movie I've ever seen. The first 30 minutes is a fantastic achievement in cinema. Several great battle sequences surround the solid story.

8. Die Hard (1988)The best Christmas movie ever made...and my favorite film from the 80s. This movie really set the tone for all action movies to follow. Even today, action films and lead characters are often compared to this film and John McClane (as portrayed by Bruce Willis). Yippee-ki-yeah...

7. 300 (2007)Historical accuracy is overrated (as you will note by a couple up-coming films), but awesome ass-kicking action is not. There is very little that isn't wicked cool about this film.

6. Gladiator (2000)This movie is probably one additional large-scale battle away from the number 1 spot. A great lead character and sweet action hit all the right notes in this historical fiction movie.

5. Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)The only film of the prequel trilogy to make the top 50. Honestly, Episode II just missed...but I digress. This was an outstanding film that I actually viewed multiple times in the theater. With so many loose ends to tie up, I wasn't sure this film could succeed, but it did. And the final lightsaber fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan is just amazing.

4. The Dark Knight (2008)It might well be nostalgia that keeps the other 3 movies ahead of this one. I also saw this one several times on the big screen and multiple DVD viewings. I cannot think of a single bad thing about this film. Heath Ledger as the Joker may be one of the best performances ever...haunting really.

3. The Rock (1996) Simply one of the most fun movies I've ever seen. Not a strong acting job, not a believeable plot, and ridiculous action...but I love it. I can watch this movie from any point and enjoy it. From the very beginning this film gets revved up and never lets up until the end.

2. Star Wars Original Trilogy (1977+)The original trilogy is simply the best set of movies ever made. A story that is just amazing, with some of the most memorable characters put to film. What is truly amazing is the scope of the universe that George Lucas created. Personally, A New Hope > Empire Strikes Back > Return of the Jedi. I've never watched them in a row, but I have seen all 6 films on 6 consecutive nights. Amazing story...

1. Braveheart (1995)My favorite movie of all time. Despite the historical inaccuracies (which are quite abundant), I just love the film. Awesome battle sequences, some great characters, and that ending just chokes you up. I'm okay with making the King of England a little more evil than he probably was...since you need a bad guy...but what bugs me more on the historical inaccuracies is downplaying the role of some of the other Scots (esp. Mornay). Oh well, a great film that remains my favorite movie.

Well, thanks for sticking with me over the past week. Pretty impressive out-pouring of posts, eh? Now to keep it going without the series forcing my hand...hopefully, that shouldn't be a problem....especially since I have to do my annual "Best of the Year" series.

My Top 50 Movies...20-11

2009-12-06T22:38:00.004-05:00

We're getting close to the finish of this list, but before we do, you are going to get my 4 favorite movies from the 1980's. Also, I cheat again and include a trilogy as a single entry. I'll let you know now that it'll happen one more time on the next segment of this list too.

So here we go again...numbers 20-11

20. The Goonies (1984)A great adventure story about a group of kids seeking treasure and out-running and out-witting career criminals. Hilarious and quotable...two important factors for an all-time favorite film.

19. Aliens (1986)The only improvement I would make would be to limit the role of Newt..."They come at night...mostly..." Aside from that, this is a stellar sci-fi film, and the only movie to successfully show what space marines should be.

18. Black Hawk Down (2001)
The best modern warfare movie that has ever been made. Not much on plot, but the visceral/real feel of the movie is outstanding. Really an in-your face action movie about a US mission in Somalia that goes horribly wrong. One of the best war movies ever made.

17. Ghostbusters (1984)One of my favorites from my childhood holds the test of time. Another quotable, hilarious film. Excellent characters and entertaining story really propel this one into the top 20.

16. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)My favorite Indiana Jones film, and really what they should all strive to be. The Young Indiana Jones segment at the beginning really works, and the interplay between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is outstanding. Throw in the great Quest for the Grail idea, the movie is superb success.

15. The Matrix (1999)
An interesting and beautifully executed science fiction film that revolutionized movies. Bullet-time was unheard of before this one. A crazy idea that seemed plausible. Now, if only we can erase the sequels from our memory...

14. Serenity (2005)The "space-western" is my favorite sci-fi film of recent years. Outstanding characters, a well-developed universe, and a solid story and pacing bring the brilliance of this movie to life. A criminally short TV run (of the series Firefly) led to this film. I would love to see a sequel (or two) for this one.

13. Crimson Tide (1995)
It is really the performances of Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman that make this movie so gripping. The acting, dialogue, setting (nuclear submarine), and enough action to make this an edge of your seat thrill from start to finish.

12. Remember the Titans (2000)
Another Denzel Washington film shows up here. A great social piece wrapped around high school football. An outstanding sports movie and pretty good film about race relations.

11. The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-03)An amazing feat of film-making. There really is not a weak point to this series...maybe the length, but there isn't much to cut. Honestly, I love the Aragon storyline so much more than the Sam/Frodo thing. My order of preference within the trilogy is The Two Towers (specifically the extended cut), The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Return of the King.

Well, up next the Top 10...have you guessed what films are there? If not, it's okay, stay tuned and I'll relieve your curiosity.

My Top 50 Movies....30-21

2009-12-03T21:01:00.005-05:00

The fun continues, and we are starting to get to some really excellent movies. From here on out, I could watch any of these movies at any time. The previous 20 were outstanding movies, but some require being in a certain mood. Just making this list makes me want to watch some movies...

30. Signs (2002)I've enjoyed most of M. Night Shymalan's films, but this is hands down my favorite. A believable family, well-acted, and a neat story. Very suspenseful and I love how everything comes together at the finish.

29. Toy Story 2 (1999)
An outstanding sequel that nearly trumps the original. Laugh out loud funny from start to finish. The characters stay refreshing and the story keeps it entertaining.

28. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)Rarely does a sequel surpass the original, but this is the case here. Ron Pearlman brings just as much fun out of Hellboy in this one, but the sequel really takes off the gloves in envisioning the world of the paranormal.

27. Back to the Future (1985)
A great film from the mid-80s, quotable, great idea, with perfect set-ups for all the situations. It's also the film that gives me the occasional flight of fancy of owning a DeLorean. Also, I think all cars should have the option of a Flux Capacitor.

26. Casino Royale (2006)
The movie that made Bond, James Bond, truly relevant again. After the plots and gadgets getting further and further out of whack with each successive Pierce Brosnan movie, this film introduces us to a new Bond and a more realistic setting. While it was sad that there was no Q, and some gadgets, but taking a page from the Bourne movies made for a great action film.

25. Shaun of the Dead (2004)A Rom-Com-Zom movie. Easily my favorite "romantic comedy"...probably because it's light on the romance, high on the comedy, and there are zombies. Sounds like a winning formula to me.

24. Toy Story (1995)
The movie that showed the true potential of computer generated cartoons and really got the Disney-Pixar juggernaut rolling. A great concept wonderfully realized where most of the jokes work.

23. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)The film that introduced us to Indiana Jones, and showed how great a George Lucas-Steven Spielberg collaboration could be (we'll try and forget about The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). It is really the utter coolness of Harrison Ford that makes this such a great film.

22. The Boondock Saints (1999)Over the top violence, awesome characters, and funny dialogue makes for a great film. There's a lot to love, and only a few things to dislike. If you are overly sensitive to the F-bomb, you might want to avoid it.

21. Zombieland (2009)Yep, another zombie movie, and easily one of my favorite movies of recent time. Hilarious film, awesome characters (Woody Harrelson in particular), and zombies. I'm eager for the day this becomes available on DVD and I get the oppurtunity to watch it again...and again...

Coming up next, the Top 20...I know you're excited, but keep your pants on.

Top 50 Movies...40-31

2009-12-02T21:58:00.004-05:00

You're going to notice that I cheat in this section...and will actually do it again later...namely I include a whole trilogy as a single entry. Since it's my list, you're just going to have to deal with it. It mostly seemed unfair for a single over-arching storyline to take up multiple spots. Well, without any more intro items to cover, my list of Top 50 movies continues with...

Numers 40-31...

40. National Treasure (2004)I look at this one a little bit like Indiana Jones, the light version. The material isn't as weighty or as gritty, but still superbly entertaining. It is this light entertaining attitude that just makes National Treasure a joy to watch.

39. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
An amazing drama, with superb acting, and one of the best endings to a movie. This movie only works if you have a level of care for the main characters, and Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins hit all the right notes. One of the few good Stephen King adaptations.

38. The Lion King (1994)
One of my favorite Disney movies. Not generally a big fan of musicals, but Disney films generally are tolerable when it isn't simply a boy meets girl love story. I digress...The Lion King works for the pure evilness that is Scar, voiced by Jeremy Irons, and the awesomeness that is James Earl Jones as King Mustafah. Also, one of the coolest intros to a Disney movie with Simba's "baptism." One or two good preaching/theological points in this one.

37. Cloverfield (2007)"Peek-a-boo with a 30 story monster." An interesting idea that was fully realized here. After a short 20 minute set-up to the characters and their relationships, the poop hits the fan and an edge of your seat adventure begins.

36. Hot Fuzz (2007)Generally, British humor isn't my cup of tea, but this group really gets it right (with another film higher on the list). Quirky characters and funny situations build the humor, all leading up to a most ridiculous over the top shootout.

35. The Bourne Trilogy (2002+)
This movie is only as good as Matt Damon's performance...luckily for us, it's outstanding. One of the few times that movies are actually better than the books (in my opinion). Some of the best action movies of recent years. Within the trilogy, my preference is Identity > Supremacy > Ultimatum.

34. Jurassic Park (1993)
I was a fan of Dinosaurs as a kid...not quite to the extent of my brother, but still a fan...and this is easily the best movie featuring Dinosaurs that I've seen. The movie is a roller coaster ride, from a sense of awe, to excitement, to fear. All the while bringing the audience along for the ride. Now if only the sequels were good.

33. Forrest Gump (1994)
An instant classic that brought Tom Hanks a well deserved Oscar. One of the best movies about spanning the decades and hitting the highlights of all the major events, seen through the eyes of a memorable character. The soundtrack is pretty stellar, too.

32. Batman Begins (2005)Batman suffered a pretty cruel fate in the cinema. A decent first outing, but all down hill from there...until this film. Who knew you could make the idea and actions of Batman grounded in reality, and make it good? A very solid film that quickly engrosses the viewer.

31. Hellboy (2004)A fairly obscure comic that I knew almost nothing about, and became one of my favorites. I think I watched the DVD like 4 times in the span of a couple of months when it was originally released (rental, roommate rental, previewed purchase, with friends)...and liked it each time. Ron Perlman really outdoes himself in the role of Hellboy.

Alright, 20 down, 30 to go. Are you thinking ahead and wondering what's to come? Well, keep you pants on and stay tuned...

My Top 50 Movies - 50-41

2009-12-01T19:44:00.004-05:00

So, I guess I could apologize for my lack of posting. Not quite sure why I took the last 3 months off, but I did. I, however, was recently inspired by my brother's recent series of personal Top 50 movies (check them out at northofreality.blogspot.com). He did his over 3 posts, but I'm breaking it down in 10 movie segments (more dramatic and ensures more posts).
Here it is...Numbers 50-41.

50. Planet of the Apes (1968)An old school classic begins my list. It is not the stellar acting, or amazing costume design (please read with sarcasm) that makes me enjoy this film, but the general story and phenomenal ending.

49. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Oscar winner for best picture sneaks its way onto this list. As you will see, my favorite films are rarely the most critically acclaimed dramatic movies. This one really sticks with you and has one of the more unique styles to tell this coming-of-age tale. A rare good decision by the academy for selecting best picture.

48. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
I've watched all the Harry Potter movies, and am looking forward to how the story ends (haven't read the novels...don't want to ruin the films). Anyway, aside from the first two, I've enjoyed the other movies. Goblet of Fire stand as my favorite.

47. Hoosiers (1986)One of the best sports movies of all time. If it wasn't for a forced love interest for Gene Hackman, you might find this one even higher on the list. This films builds throughout until you find yourself really rooting for the kids from Hickory high school.

46. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
I really enjoyed Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV show, and always had high hopes for the movies. Only one ever really met those expectations. Seeing Picard really unleash, seriously threatening bad guys (the Borg), and Data handling his "emotions/humanity". A cool movie.

45. Zulu (1964)
A quality movie that could really use the remake treatment. Seriously, the main thing holding this back is the limitations of the day in which it was made. 100 British defending a mission against 4000 Zulu warriors, not the best odds, but the reason its such a neat story.

44. National Lampoons Animal House (1978)
The quintessential college comedy. Many movies have tried to the capture the magic first displayed here. Very few of the comedic offerings miss, and most are outright laugh-out-loud hilarious.

43. Dawn of the Dead (2004)This is really the movie that is primarily responsible for my current fondness for all-things zombies. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I enjoyed the idea of zombies prior to this; however, this movie really showed what a cool zombie movie should be.

42. Groundhog Day (1993) One of the funniest movies out there. This was really Bill Murrary at his best (just ahead of The Man Who Knew Too Little). Who knew that one day could be so funny...over and over again.

41. Home Alone (1990)It was funny when it first came out, and is still hilarious today. Slapstick comedy done right, and surrounds a fairly pleasant story, too. Fairly apt for the current season too...I recommend watching this one sometime in the next several weeks. Too bad they made a bunch of subpar sequels.

There you have it...the first 10 movies. Stay tuned, there are 40 more to go.

What you should watch...Fall '09 version

2009-08-24T22:37:00.004-04:00

Ok, first off, I greatly apologize for the lack of posts. No excuses other than to say I have no good excuse.

If you watch much TV, you have noticed that most stations are now starting to advertise the start of their new episodes. Also, you can pretty quickly pick out which shows the networks want you to invest your time in. You probably figured all that out already, so without further ado...on to telling you about the shows that you should be watching (or if you are like me,DVR it and watch it later). Must watch shows designated in Bold (and by pictures).

Sundays

8 pm (NBC) - Sunday Night Football - depends on the game
8 pm (CBS) - The Amazing Race - still the best reality show on the TV and always worth watching
8:30 pm (FOX) - The Cleveland Show - not sure if this one will be another Family Guy (hysterical), or if it will be American Dad (just not funny)
9 pm (FOX) - Family Guy - easily one of my favorite shows, hardly a day goes by where I don't relate some event to a scene in Family Guy, great stuff.

Mondays

8-10 pm (CBS) - Comedies (How I Met Your Mother is pretty solid, Accidentally on Purpose is a new one w/ Jenna Elfman, Two and Half Men is funny stuff, and Big Bang Theory has it's moments)
8 pm (NBC) - Heroes - I fell behind early last year and never quite got caught up, so I'm not yet caught up. Unless something has drastically changed, it's likely still decent.
9 pm (ABC) - Castle - This show premiered at the end of last season, and I absolutely loved it. Yes, it's a cop show, but it's typically light hearted with awesome chemistry between the two main characters. Definitely check this one out.

Tuesdays

8 pm (CBS) - NCIS - I've been watching this series for several years now, and I'm not about to stop.
9 pm (CBS) - NCIS: Los Angeles - Worth giving a try exclusively for the show it is being spun off from. I have my doubts though, and HATE the fact they are doing the CSI naming thing by throwing in the city name...stupid.
10 pm (ABC) - The Forgotten - Not too sure about this new series. Looks like it will take itself a little too seriously, but might be worth a look.

Wednesdays

Gotta be the worst night on television. Dumb comedies, overrated dramas and reality. Painful. Good thing I bowl on Wednesdays.

8 pm (NBC) - Mercy - A medical drama with a nurse as the main character (at least the previews look that way). I'm a sucker for a medical drama and will almost always give them a chance (until bad medicine or soap operaness kicks in)

Thursdays

8 pm (Fox) - Bones - a really cool show, along the lines of Castle, with some quirky likeable characters.
9 pm (Fox) - Fringe - another one I fell behind last year (and plan on catching up soon), but still liked it and am willing to stick with it.
10 pm (CBS) - The Mentalist - one of the pleasant surprises of last season. Solid characters really drive this show. Worth the time.

Side note: 8 pm (ABC) - Flash Forward - This is the one that ABC is pushing hard as their new series they want everyone to watch. However, I'm very very hesitant. First, it appears to model itself on Lost (where nothing happens and they break their own rules). It will require a full commitment and I'm not sure I want to give it one. Interesting idea, but not sure if it is worth the time.

Fridays

Really there is nothing here to watch. Pick a show from the week that you DVR'd and watch that. Enjoy it because there is nothing on to watch.

Saturday

College Football or repeat the Friday scenario.

That's all. Set your DVR season passes and plan your life accordingly.

Am I going to post more? Maybe...stay tuned and fined out.

Flashback to Childhood...Kings Island

2009-07-03T22:58:00.003-04:00

This past Tuesday I went to Kings Island. Two of my co-workers were discussing going and asked what my day off was. It happened to be Tuesday (which was when they were planning this trip) and I was invited....and I accepted. It has been quite some time since I was last at Kings Island; however, back in the day my family had season passes to KI and I've been there many a time, just not recently. In general, it was a really fun day. Temperature was outstanding (mid-70s and overcast, but no rain), and the crowd was not too heavy. The longest wait was about 40 min. and averaged about 25 min. for rides.

As for the rides, I was screwed up because KI used to be Paramount's Kings Island and many rides were named for movies. I found out that KI was sold to the Cedar Point group and thereby the names have changed (for example: Top Gun became Flight Deck, Drop Zone became Drop Tower, Face/Off became Invertigo, Italian Job Stunt Coaster became the BackLot Stunt Coaster [the mini-coopers stayed though], and Tomb Raider became Crypt)...the problem here was I probably sounded like an idiot because I called many rides by the wrong name. My favorite ride at Kings Island remains....Flight of Fear.

Looks great, huh (it's the big building)? I love this ride. For those who haven't been to KI, here's the gist of the ride. After getting into the car, you get launched to 60 mph in a couple of seconds and then enter that large building in the picture above where the track lays mostly in darkness (a few scattered lights). For about 30s, you have no idea if you are upside down or right-side up...it's great. It takes place in such as small area, that you constantly weave in and out of the track, staying overly clueless as to where you actually are. Awesome ride.

The newest ride at KI is called, Diamondback. It is the tallest and fastest ride ever constructed at KI. 230 ft tall and 80 mph, steel roller coaster, no loops, but plenty of hills and several fast turns. Very smooth ride and outstandingly fun. Here's the layout.

It's pretty neat that you can see several of the hills poking out through the trees and other rides no matter where you are in the park. However, what really makes the ride a big thrill is the new seats. Basically you have no car support around you, and no shoulder bar. You basically are in a chair on a platform. It's a bit disconcerting, actually, but fun. Check them out.

Finally, for an idea of the experience, head here to watch a CG video.

The only ride that I wanted to get on, but was unable too, was Firehawk. It also has unique seating, where you are basically laying and staring at the ground, to give the sense of flying. However, the first time we stopped by, the wait was 2 hours, and the second time (at the end of the day) it was still at 1.5 hrs. After consulting the group, we opted to head to the car and get out of Dodge.

To top it all off, I also successfully won a stuffed animal on the bowling game. You know, the one where you have to get over the first hill, but not let the ball pop back over it. My family certainly knows what I'm talking about. The daughter of one of my co-workers really wanted to play, so she was playing it, and I decided to put in a quarter and won on my first try...the daughter got to keep the little stuffed dog.

That was my day. Very fun, tiring, and only a few bruises (the Beast and Vortex being the biggest offenders on my knees). I'm guessing now that I'm a bit over an hour away from the park, I might make trips slightly more frequently than I have.

Happy 4th of July everyone...I'm a little early, but you can deal with that.

Brand Loyalty

2009-06-22T21:52:00.003-04:00

I've recently had some thoughts about brand loyalty. There are a whole bunch of things that I do not have loyalty too. For instance, I've driven cars by different companies (Ford Taurus and Aerostar, GEO Metro, Pontiac Grand Am, Cadillac DeVille, and a Dodge Intrepid). My clothes and shoes come from all sorts of manufacturers. I've had a wide variety of electronics from many makers. On a side note, I do have a preference for Sony, but by no means a loyalty to it (hence my Microsoft Xbox and RCA DVD player). So, I've decided to discuss 5 items that I have absolute brand loyalty toward...that is to say, I will buy these regardless of whether other similar products are on sale.

Without further ado...

Charmin - Ultra Strong
This is without a doubt the best toilet paper ever produced. Easily one of my biggest peeves about toilet paper is rolling up while in use. This doesn't roll up or tear at all. Great. Additionally, it is quite soft and comfortable. The only TP I'll be picking up.

Tide w/ Bleach Alternative
It's not the scent that matters much here (Spring Rain, Mountain fresh, Original, whatever), but I will exclusively use Tide w/ Bleach alternative. I'm a big fan of the 2x Ultra, as well. In fact, I don't really even know many other options out there in the realm of detergents (Era...right, that's one?).

Old Spice Red Zone Pure Sport
Quite the complicated title, but it can also be referred to as "The Official Scent of Kyle Johnson." I claim it as such because, I use the stick deodorant, the spray deodorant, and the body wash. I love the scent, and the relative effectiveness of the anti-persperant component of the deodorant. Kicks the crap out of Degree (my previous deodorant choice....a long, long time ago).

Jif Peanut Butter - Extra Crunchy
This one is not exclusively of my decision (unlike the above options). This is a family (more specifically, the padre) preference that has carried over. In fact, I might get disowned if my dad ever found another brand of peanut butter in my pantry. Regardless of the origin, I do love my Jif PB...and extra crunchy is the only way to roll. Essential for pancakes or Eggo's (another brand I'm loyal too). Remember..."Choosy moms, choose Jif!"

And finally....

Dr. Pepper
Hands down the best cola (or soda, or pop, or coke...note the lower case...whichever term you chose to use) available on the market. And note: the Diet version doesn't really count, I've tried, and it is not the same. I'll order Dr. Pepper at restaurants, and when the waitress says, "We have Mr. Pibb. Is that okay?" I always say, "No!" and promptly order a Coke (note the capital, referring to the actual brand Coca-Cola classic). Anyway, I could propably survive on Dr. Pepper, Lemonade, and Orange Juice (no brand preference on those final two). There is simply no substitute for Dr. Pepper..."I'm a Pepper."

And as honorable mention: Cascade dish detergent

Alright, there you have some of my brand loyalty's. What about you? What products do you use exclusively?

In Need of a Post

2009-06-12T21:11:00.003-04:00

I'm well past due with my need for posting. I've had a few ideas to post about, but just haven't gotten around to putting them down on paper...or rather on the screen...or whatever it is you would call a post. Anyway, mostly because I need to post, I'll just give a quick highlight of these recent thoughts and they might warrant a full post in the days to come.

A) Return to small town life...the pros and cons. I'm back to living in a small country based town in Indiana. This is not really new to me, but it has been a while for me. High school (in Ramsey, IN) was about as country as could be...not even a stop-light in town. However, New Albany/Clarksville and Lousiville, KY were not very far away, so it wasn't awful. Also, I spent some time in Washington, IN, and that is very similar to my most recent location. It is quite different than my 6 years in Indy for school and the past few years in Denver, CO. It comes with some adjustment, but I'm pretty settled (there's a bowling alley and some good pizza...aka, the necessities of civilization).

B) Jesus Camp. I watched this doucmentary the other night and certainly have some strong views on the material presented. I did like how the documentary was fairly hands off and unbiased, but the subject matter is simply controversial. I'm never quite sure I want to discuss some of the things presented in this forum. Regardless, it had topics that really got me boiling a bit (such as: science and home schooling, what it really means to be pro-life). Simply put, I can't understand how some people can adopt some beliefs so blindly.

C) Zombies. This is mostly brought on in response to my brother's most recent post. I greatly enjoy many things zombies, and have contemplated a top 10 zombie movie list. I'm sure I've thought of it before, and who knows, I might have even done it before. Regardless, I like lists, I like movies, and I like zombies...so this post seems like an obvious thing.

and finally...

D) Anything else. It is really funny how I'll think of something to post about at random times during the day, but never quite get around to posting about it. I really need to work on actually getting around to posting more regularly about whatever topic hits me.

and as always (clearly I lied about that finally thing a moment ago)...

E) Movie reviews. Recent viewings include: Angels and Demons, The Hangover, Bedtime Stories, and Yes Man. Giving a review is always an easy post, so I should probably at least default to that on a weekly basis.

Ok, well, that meets the requirements of a post...almost...I still need a visual aide. Let's see....how about this...

If you didn't quite look hard enough. It is a normal set of stairs with the railings of escalators...I wonder how many people got confused and stopped at the base for a second?

The Frosty...Better to eat than drink

2009-05-30T23:39:00.002-04:00

So this afternoon, after a morning spent at the Fayette County Health Fair and then lunch with my boss, I got a craving for a nice cold treat. Since the Dairy Queen was on the other side of town (granted a 3 minute trip, but still one I was unwilling to take), and I was driving right by a Wendy's, I decided a Frosty would be that cold treat.

I pull into the Wendy's and find the drive through backed up. As logic dictates, I parked and decided I would just grab it inside...only to find that the inside was equally backed up, however, since I was already inside (and it was air-conditioned) I opted to wait. While waiting, I look over the Frosty menu...yep, a whole picture menu of Frosty items next to the register. My options included normal Frosty's (Vanilla or Chocolate), Candy mixed Frosty's, or the Frosty shake.

A shake sounded really, really good. While waiting on my turn to order, I had talked myself whole-heartedly into this shake. Then I ordered it, and watched them make it. Filled about 1/3 of the cup with chocolate syrup, then added the Frosty, then mixed it up and topped it with whipped cream. I was very underwhelmed from the first drink. It wasn't the texture, which was actually pretty close to what I expect from a shake, but the flavor was more that of Hershey's syrup than of the Frosty. I was disappointed. I think the idea is sound, but milk should be added and then blended, not chocolate syrup.

My conclusion: Frosty's should be eaten as a creamy treat...not as a shake.

Ranking the Pixar Movies

2009-05-28T22:42:00.004-04:00

With the release of Disney-Pixar's most recent film this weekend (that film would be Up), and with the inspiration of this article from IGN.com, I've decided to give my own rankings of the 9 Disney-Pixar full length feature films. Without further ado, and in dramatic order...

9. WALL-E (2008)
Critically acclaimed, but just didn't do it for me. Outstanding animation and clever sets, however, it lacked one very important element in a Disney-Pixar movie...namely, humor. It wasn't a funny film. In fact, I often felt sad for WALL-E and didn't really find much of his antics funny.

8. Monster's Inc.(2001)
A pretty solid movie, but I never quite got drawn into the characters. It was clever and fairly humorous, just not the best that Pixar has done.

7. Cars (2006)
Awesome animation, good story, and interesting characters push this one up the list a bit. The cleverness of what they did with world of cars was pretty impressive.

6. Ratatouille (2007)
More of a "cute" film than many on this list, but a quality main character (the rat who wants to be a chef) really drives this entertaining yarn.

5. A Bug's Life (1998)
I've always held this, the second Disney-Pixar film, in very high regard. I must admit that I haven't watched it in awhile, so it might not have aged well, but my recollection of it is a very very funny film. Consistently underrated by many.

4. The Incredibles (2004)
A funny and very entertaining film about a family of super heroes ranks high on the list. Makes great use of the characters and their powers to really make for a funny and entertaining movie. Quite a bit of action for a cartoon movie also makes it worth watching.

3. Finding Nemo (2003)
A consistently funny film that really hits on almost every right note from start to finish. Who knew searching for a fish could be so much fun?

2. Toy Story 2 (1999)
Arguably the best Pixar film (see below for reasons it is not). Basically flat out hilarious, a great story, and awesome characters. There really is nothing not to love about this movie.

However, it is number two because number one is....

1. Toy Story (1995)
Basically everything I said about Toy Story 2 is also true for the original, and because Toy Story came first, it also has to come in first here on my list. Laugh out loud funny and unbelieveably clever.

Honestly, with the exception of WALL-E, I've never really been disappointed in a Disney-Pixar film. I'm looking forward to Up, not sure I'm going to the theater to see it, but the previews have enough moments to raise expectations. If your Pixar list differs from mine, feel free to post your comments.

Life Update and Movie Reviews

2009-05-23T23:23:00.004-04:00

Geez, I completely dropped the ball on this one big time. From December on, I had very little to actually do, but somehow constantly failed to post here consistently. The result has been very very few posts. However, now that my life is returning to some sort of semblance and hopefully with a pattern of some kind attached, posting will occur more often.

First, let me get you up to speed on things. In Mid-December, things at graduate school took an unexpected turn and left me out of the world of academia. The following months consisted of playing video games and watching plenty of movies (a nice life, but the pay kind of sucks). In addition to goofing off, I did some job hunting and got hooked up with a recruiting service. The end result was a job as a hospital pharmacist in Connersville, IN. I'm now 2 weeks in and enjoying it. It is so-much better than retail pharmacy. So, now I'm back in small-town, country Indiana and that is going to take a bit of getting used to. Luckily, Richmond is only 30 min. away, Indy/Dayton/Cincy are each in the neighborhood of 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I'm close(r) to family and friends, so that is nice. In between that move was 3 drives across the country (Denver to Indiana), selling my water bed and packing (and unpacking), going to Las Vegas, renting an apartment, buying furniture, and plenty of other stuff.

You are now up to speed.

Movie review time.

Star Trek
J.J. Abrams re-imaging of the Star Trek universe. On the whole I really enjoyed this film. It was fun and exciting. Most of the characters were spot on (Karl Urban as Bones was great, and Zachary Quinto as Spock), and some lines/scenes were great for each character (loved when Chris Pines as Kirk delivered lines like Shatner's Kirk). My biggest gripe is the whole time travel aspect of the plot. It doesn't fit well with what is known about Star Trek, however, I understand that it is needed for future sequels in this version of the Star Trek universe. Anyway, I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars and recommend to any sci-fi fan.

Terminator Salvation
A disappointing film, but I had some marginally high expectations. It didn't quite live up to what I had envisioned the future war between humans and machines to be. Nor was it quite how the previous installments hinted about the future. I felt the movie tried to do too much and never really hit all the right notes for any of it. The story should have been simplified and more attention paid to making that story work. My guess is the real kicker is McG (the director) isn't that good of a director. He should stick to producing and overseeing things and let someone else direct. Worth seeing if you are fans of the series, but lower your expectations. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Well, with that I'll be signing off. However, I'm hoping this is the first of many new posts on a far more consistent basis. Movie reviews for sure, but possibly other insights (if you can handle them).

March Madness Predictions...

2009-03-16T21:27:00.004-04:00

First, let me gripe again about the Butler seeding. I understand that they lost their conference championship game, but not by much against a pretty decent Cleveland State team. And I grant that would hurt the seeding a bit, but to get a 9 seed and to play LSU is really rough. Further, if they win, they get North Carolina in North Carolina...that sucks. I figured a 7 was likely and a 6 was hopeful, but a 9 seed is really an injustice. Oh well, it's a young team that should consider this a learning experience.

Here are my predictions:

1) All 4 number ones won't make the final four. It's never happened...except for the fluke that was last year. I really don't anticipate it happening again, especially since Memphis deserved the spot over UConn.

2) First rd upsets: 11 Dayton over 6 West Virginia, 10 Maryland over 7 California, 11 VCU over 6 UCLA, 10 Michigan over 7 Clemson [8-9 matchups don't count as upsets]

3) 12 over 5 upset special (it seems to happen every year), Arizona over Utah. I'm of the opinion that Arizona didn't deserve the spot, but since they are in, I'm guessing they take all the hoopla about not deserving the spot and turn it into a motivation to win the game. (WKU over Illinois is also probable)

4) The Big East is overrated and crazily got 3 number 1 seeds in the dance. However, the Big East is good and I anticipate only 2 representatives in the Elite 8 and 1 in the final 4.

5) Surprise Sweet 16 appearances: 6 Arizona St., 11 VCU

6) Surprise Elite 8 appearances: 4 Wake Forest, 5 Purdue

7) My Final Four: 2 Michigan St, 2 Memphis, 1 Pittsburgh, 1 UNC (NOTE: I never, ever, get the final four right)

8) National Championship: Memphis defeats Pittsburgh

9) First number 1 to lose: UConn and Lousiville in the Sweet 16. (However, if Ty Lawson is injured/can't play, then UNC may not see the Sweet 16.)

10) I'm guessing that 80% of these predictions are wrong (including this one).

There you go. My NCAA predictions. Tournament tips Thursday at noon with the most anticipated matchup of the first round...Butler v. LSU...go BU!

Who Watches the Watchmen?.... I did

2009-03-06T23:32:00.005-05:00

First, let me apologize for being a square and having not posted for over a month. Geez, you'd think while not working I'd be capable of posting daily. Anyway, I figured I'd try and get back on track by doing a movie review. I've seen several in the theater recently, and many more on DVD, but instead of doing a recent release, I'm going to do a brand spanking new release. And if you weren't quite paying attention with the title, the movie I am referring to is Watchmen.

Plot: Originally a comic mini-series from the late '80s, Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985. Superheroes (not really super-powered, but just normal people who wore costumes and battled criminals) exist. The US won Vietnam and Richard Nixon is still in office. The Cold War is at an all-time high and nuclear war is imminent. The movie starts with one of the heroes being killed. The remaining heroes (having since been driven underground due to a law that made vigilantism illegal) try to figure out who is responsible and try to prevent nuclear holocaust.

Review: First off, let me claim to have read the graphic novel many a year ago. However, due to my age at the time and the years since, I really couldn't have told you anything about the story, so this review will not focus on accuracy to the source material. (On a side note, I did a wikipedia check after watching the movie, and it appears that the film stayed pretty close to the comic).

On the whole, I really enjoyed the film. It is a visually spectacular movie, and a superb job is done making the setting feel real. I had no trouble believing the film was set in 1985. The action was intense and brutal, but not quite as continuous as you might think. Much of the film is spent as flashbacks giving you background on the heroes and the setting. While very well done and really is the meat of the movie, it is also my main area of complaint. Keep in mind that this is minor, but the main plot (finding the killer and preventing nuclear war) often takes a back seat to the flashbacks. It is a long movie, but I never felt like the movie was dragging and I certainly was never bored. Overall, I am a fan, and feel like the movie lived up to my expectations.

It was a well-deserved "R" rating with plenty of violence, cursing, and some nudity (male and female).

I give Watchmen 4 out of 5 stars, and highly recommend the big screen treatment.

Best "Hero" in the Film: Rorschach (played by Jackie Earle Haley)

Also, Director Zack Snyder is doing a darn good job for himself. 3 major releases and 3 awesome movies (Dawn of the Dead remake, 300, and now Watchmen). That's all for now. Until next time....and it might be sooner than 1 month.

Super Bowl Thoughts...And Top 5 Commercials.

2009-02-03T02:14:00.003-05:00

My apologize for my lack of posting, but I'm back and will hopefully get back into the swing of regular posts. With that said, let me enlighten you with my thoughts about SuperBowl XLIII....

First, what a game! That was an awesome 4th quarter. Initially, I was afraid of a blowout when Pittsburgh took the opening drive and scored with relative ease. Arizona turned it around, but again, I became worried when James Harrison (LB, Pit) had the 100 yard interception return and Pittsburgh lead 17-7 at the half.

I kept wondering when Arizona was going to get Larry Fitzgerald (arguably the best WR in the game today) involved. Shortly after I had this thought for about the 14th time, Fitzgerald made an appearance. Guess what happened? The Cardinals scored, and then scored again. Suddenly we had a ball game, and the set up for a great finish.

Final thoughts. The catch by Santonio Holmes (WR, Pit) for the game winner was amazing, and was good (two feet down and possession). I do think we (the fans) were robbed of a potential great final play by a terrible call on the final play. Ruling on the field was a fumble by Kurt Warner (QB, Ari) when he was hit while throwing. It appeared to me that he was in the act of passing, and the ruling should have been an incomplete pass. At a minimum we should have seen a Hail Mary pass with a chance for the W. How can the official not at least review that play? Why not take 5 minutes to look it over? Oh well, a great game and congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers...and mad-props to Arizona Cardinals, way to turn it around.

Now for the commercials. There were some good ones, some mediocre, and a fair number of wastes of money (seriously Budweiser, what was up with your Clysdale commercials this year...dumb). Anyway, here are my top 5 commercials from the SuperBowl.

5. Mr. and Mrs. Potato-head by Bridgestone

When Mrs. Potato-head loses her lips, and then switches her eyes...that was quality.

4. One Second Commercial by Miller High Life

This one was set up by a commercial (ran over the previous few weeks) making fun of other people for spending $3 mil on a 3o sec. spot. I loved it.

3. Save Money by Bud Light

The first big laugh of the day.

2. Cyrstal Ball - by Doritos

Hilarious commercial.

And my favorite SuperBowl commercial...

1. Baby at the Country Club by Etrade

Immediately followed the game and was my favorite of the night. "Subsidize your lack of golfing skills. " "Read the rules, Shankopotamus." I was rolling after this one.

Best Video Games of 2008

2008-12-29T23:37:00.003-05:00

Well the year is almost over and I haven't finished my "Best of" series yet. And my delaying has again let my brother beat me to a post. Anyway, aside from movies, the other entertainment area that takes up lots of my free time is video games. I wanted to inform everyone about my favorite video games that were released in the previous year. Here are my rules:

1) Release date in this current year (by my count that equals 9 games...sort of)
2) I have to have played the full game, not a demo

Honorable mentions: I know I'm going to enjoy these games, but I just received them for Christmas. Which means I haven't really played the full game...yet, but I'm going to go ahead and start the list with them.

10. Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom - Honestly, I know nothing about this game but got it for Christmas. It's an action-RPG with online co-op play. So, I'll hit it up with my bro and see how it is.

9. Dead Space - My brother has played it and compared it to Resident Evil 4, which is easily one of my favorite games...ever. So, I'm really looking forward to it.

8. Fallout 3 - From the makers of Oblivion (also one of my favorite games), comes an action-role playing game (RPG) in a post-apocalyptic world. I've played the very beginning of this game and am enthralled thus far.

Ok, now the true countdown begins, as I have played enough of all of these games to make an accurate assessment.

7. Unreal Tournament III - A shooting game that is basically the same in single player as it is in multi-player. Primarily picked up so my brother and I could play against computer-controlled bots. Fun, but relatively average.

6. Fable 2 - Another action-RPG, but this one failed to live up to the hype. I wasn't a huge fan of the expression system (instead of a conversation system). The story was ok. The combat system was good, but still left much to be desired overall.

5. RockBand 2 - More of the same from the first RockBand game. An improved World Tour mode, and compatability with all RB1 songs made this a one stop shop for all things music. I'm a fan.

4. Rainbow 6: Vegas 2 - I honestly didn't realize that this had a 2008 release date until I looked it up for the post. I was a huge fan of the first game and equally enjoyed this one. No real tweaks over the original. A better advancement system and more customization, but a slightly poorer terrorist hunt mode. Still, I'm in for any Rainbow 6 game in the future.

3. Gears of War 2 - High expectations and easily met them. Probably the best single player story mode of any game this year. I loved the single player. However, the multiplayer just doesn't quite do it for me. I know it is similar to the original in this area, but I never was a huge fan either. Sadly, I still haven't ever gotten into a Horde mode, which is highly raved about.

2. Call of Duty: World at War - The CoD franchise returns to WWII, and I was excited. Solid single player levels, but a poor story. However, amazing online play. I love this game online. The upgrade and perk system from CoD4 is brought along and still impresses. CoD may easily become my favorite franchise ever if this quality keeps up.

And my favorite game of the year....

1. Left 4 Dead - I like zombies and I like shooting games, and now there is a game that puts them together. And does so near flawlessly. It holds up well as a single player game, but shines in co-op and versus modes. Even with only 4 missions/stories/movies, the AI system successfully keeps things interesting and different. The versus mode (with friends) has resulted in some of the funniest moments ever. Really hope they get some new maps out there without reqiuring much more of an investment.

There they are. Best games of 2008, and I'm really looking forward to a few games in the early months of 2009 (Lord of the Rings: Conquest and Resident Evil 5).

Until next time...enjoy your gaming....

Best Movies of 2008

2008-12-22T11:08:00.004-05:00

Well, we are just over one week away from the new year (and only a few days to Christmas...an early Merry Christmas to all my readers), and in order to stick to tradition, a best of list must be made. I previously hit up the worst movies of the year, but now it is time to focus on what movies where the best from 2008.

Here are my criteria:
1) Must have had a theatrical (or on DVD if that was the only way it was produced) release in the 2008 calendar year.
2) Have been viewed by me (either on DVD or in the theater)....currently out of 53 viewed [sorry to Valkyrie, Eagle Eye, and WALL-E]
3) Ranking primarily based upon my star rating (out of 5)
4) Just as a reminder, I judge movies largely on the entertainment and rewatchability factor and less on the critically done aspects (artsy-fartsy movies don't rate very highly for me)

Well, without further ado, in dramatic rank order....

10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 4 stars; Good animation, entertaining story and good action (especially for a cartoon). Not perfect by any sense, but still it was a good trip back into the Star Wars Universe.

9. Journey to the Center of the Earth - 4 stars; Simply an entertaining film from start to finish. Lots of funny one-liners. I'm sure a large part of 4 stars was due to the 3-D version I saw in the theaters. Really well done.

8. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - 4 stars; A darker and more action packed trip to Narnia than the first film. I never read the book, so I don't know if it was accurate, but it was a good flick. Solid action, but I would have liked more back-story/explanation.

7. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - 4 stars; I'll admit, the film's plot was super cheesy and mostly dumb. However, it was an Indiana Jones film and that's worth a few stars all its own. I wouldn't be opposed to another Indiana Jones adventure, but I really hope there's a better treasure to seek.

6. The Happening - 4 stars; The most recent film by M. Night Shyamalan, and a pretty good one. It was a pretty tense film from start to finish, but not without issue. I'll buy the concept (which I won't ruin in case you haven't seen it), but I don't like how it only occurs in one area. Also, I would rather have it been a secret for a little longer. Still a good movie.

5. Quantum of Solace - 4 stars; An amazing action-packed movie. Daniel Craig still doesn't quite feel like Bond, yet. This one clearly had a few more moments of Craig trying to be suave. He's close, and I'm hoping the next film he fully embodies Bond and is past all this Vesper stuff.

4. Cloverfield - 4 stars; A monster attack on New York City as seen through the handheld camera of a group of friends. I didn't find the shaky camera thing to be annoying, and was on the edge of my seat for most of the film. Really sweet flick.

3. Ironman - 4 1/2 stars; What a fun film. I had low expectations before watching this and found it to be really good. Robert Downey, Jr. fully embodies Tony Stark and that really makes the movie.

2. Hellboy II: The Golden Army - 4 1/2 stars; An awesomely fun movie. I enjoyed the first Hellboy movie, and this one retains the humor and coolness, but ups the
fantastical. The combination is a really cool movie.

And the best movie of the year is ...

1. The Dark Knight - 5 stars; Near perfection. Excellently acted, solid action, captivating story, and keeps you wondering how it will end. Heath Ledger's Joker will go down as one of the best characters in all of cinema, simply amazing. Everyone must see this film. Easily the Best Movie of 2008.

There you have it. The best movies of 2008 (as determined by me). All-in-all a pretty solid movie year. Stay tuned for my best video games of 2008. It'll be fun.

Thanks for reading...and Merry Christmas!

Worst Movies of 2008

2008-12-13T17:23:00.004-05:00

It's fast approaching the end of the year, and now is the time when many publications/critics/people publish their best of lists. Well, I too will do that with movies and video games (as I have the past few years), but decided I would start with the WORST movies of 2008. I do this mostly because I might yet catch a movie released in 2008 over the next week, and I would like to include as many candidates as possible.

Here are my criteria:
1) Must have had a theatrical (or on DVD if that was the only way it was produced) release in the 2008 calendar year.
2) Have been viewed by me (either on DVD or in the theater)....currently out of 53 viewed
3) Ranking primarily based upon my star rating (out of 5)
4) Just as a reminder, I judge ratings largely on the entertainment and rewatchability factor and less on the critically done aspects (artsy-fartsy movies don't rate very highly for me)

So, without further ado, in ranked order:

10. Tropic Thunder - 2 1/2 stars. Simply put, this movie just wasn't very funny. The dialogue was generally dumb, very few physical gags, and it reeked of self-important acting. If it was supposed to be satirically funny, then, well, I pretty much missed it. Just not funny.
9. In Bruges - 2 1/2 stars. Fast dialogue that wasn't as witty as the script thought it was. Painfully slow in the beginning, and the shootout at the end wasn't too exciting either.

8. Conspiracy - 2 1/2 stars. A B-movie starring Val Kilmer. Pretty much everything in this movie had been done before. No originality and felt like a movie you find on a cable channel on Saturday afternoon.

7. Art of War 2: The Betrayal - 2 1/2 stars. Wesley Snipes returns...and who really cares. The movie acted like people remembered his character from the first Art of War, and I bet no one really did. Pretty mundane and obvious with subpar action. 6. Meet Bill - 2 stars. A slow, boring drama...or comedy...maybe dramedy. Anyway, it was boring and unfunny. Even Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Alba as eye candy couldn't save this one. You needed to like the main character, I could care less about him.

5. The Promotion - 2 stars. A comedy that forgot a very important factor for comedies...namely, humor! Painfully unfunny.

4. The Ruins - 2 stars. I was hoping for a movie like the Descent only set in a Mayan ruin instead of a cave. What I got was Attack of the Killer Vines. Oh, wait, did I spoil the surprise? Sorry, guess you don't have to watch it now. You can thank me later. 3. Day of the Dead (remake) - 2 stars. A remake in name only. In fact, the original Day of the Dead is probably my favorite of all the "of the Dead" by Romero. This one was a cheap zombie movie that stole the name. SciFi channel quality all the way.

2. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale - 2 stars. I gave this one an extra star exclusively for the laughability of Burt Reynolds as the King. A bunch of named stars somehow got suckered into this Uwe Boll (worst director...ever) movie. Hysterical in how hard it tries to be serious. And the Worst Movie I saw in 2008....

1. Semi-Pro - 1 1/2 stars. Man is Will Ferrell the most unfunny "funny" person alive. I recently heard him described as having "air of Saturday Night Live self-regard." That finally puts a finger on what I dislike about him in his leading man comedy roles. He thinks he's funny and you OWE him your laughter. Anyway, you can count the funny moments from Semi-Pro on one hand...and I'm being generous there.
There you have it. I certainly saw more bad movies than good ones this year, and several 2 1/2 star films just missed the cut to the top 10 (including: Pathology, Starship Troopers 3, 10,000 BC, Shutter, Flawless, and Harold and Kumar 2). Anyway, stay tuned for Best Movies and Best Video Games of 2008.

Two Worlds

2008-11-20T18:15:00.003-05:00

Here's a silly little thing that I first found at my brother's page, and then received an e-mail from my sister with her response. Anyway, here are my results for "I-Tunes answers":

Here are the rules.

1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
How Do You Talk to an Angel? (The Heights)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Babylon (David Gray)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Bad Love Song (Sean Morey on Bob and Tom)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Amazing Grace/Peaceful Easy Feeling (Unknown Praise Band)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Only God Knows Why (Kid Rock)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Hollywood Nights (Bob Seger)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

Pretty Fly for a Rabbi (Weird Al Yankovic)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Shout to the North (Delirious?)

WHAT IS 2+2?
Living on a Prayer (Philmore)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Harry Carey and the First Baseball Game (Dan St. Paul on Bob and Tom)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Wanna Rock (Twisted Sister)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
1941 theme (John Williams)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Come Sail Away (Styx)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Lucky Denvermint (Jimmy Eat World)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Independence Day theme (David Arnold)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar (Weber and Rice)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
I’ll Be There (Jackson 5)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Love is My Religion (Ziggy Marley)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Fire at Midnight (Jethro Tull)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Shambala (Three Dog Night)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Dust in the Wind (Kansas)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?

Last Kiss (Pearl Jam)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
All Because of Jesus (Fee)

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Moonshine Still (Oakhurst)

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY??
The Road to Berlin from Medal of Honor (Michael Giacchino)

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?

I Touch Myself (Divinyls)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Desperately (Michelle Branch)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Cartoons (Chris Rice)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Whenever, Wherever (Shakira)

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Dukes of Hazard theme (Waylon Jennings)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Two Worlds from Disney’s Tarzan (Phil Collins)

Movie Review: Quantum of Solace

2008-11-17T13:21:00.002-05:00

The 22nd official James Bond film released this past weekend. I'm a fan of Bond movies, and the hype has been up since Casino Royale a couple of years ago. It wasn't too hard to talk my friends into going to see the new flick. On Saturday night, I put down my $7.50 (yeah, student discount) and sat back to enjoy a thrill ride of a flick. Here are my thoughts.

Plot: Ego-maniacal bad guy has plans to destabilize a country and make a ton of money. Said bad guy is part of a secretive bad guy organization. Bond sniffs out the plan and goes about trying to stop it.

Starring: Daniel Craig in his second spin as Bond, Judi Dench as M, Mathieu Amalric as the bad guy, and Olga Kurylenko as Camille (aka, the Bond girl...no complaints from me).

Review: Easily the most action packed and fast paced Bond movie ever made. Right from the beginning (about 5 minutes after the end of Casino Royale), the movie hits the accelerator and never really lets up. Of course, cramming in all of these action sequences does come at the cost of the story and character development. I'm not really complaining about this though. Honestly, I don't go to a Bond movie for spectacular plot and character development. I feel like you still find the character of Bond continue being formed throughout the flick. After watching the movie, the title for the film makes a lot more sense, but I won't explain it at the risk of giving things away (not a major spoiler, but still a potential spoiler).

I felt the plot builds its way throughout the movie, and for the most part, the audience learns things as Bond does. It was nicely done and keeps you engaged during the non-action sequences. As for the action, exhilarating is a good word to describe it. A combination of handheld camera shakiness and stationary angles. Craig continues to deliver as Bond, but does not yet have that suave/charming aspect down yet. I'm hoping that will continue to evolve as the character of Bond does in these newer series of films. Olga Kurylenko is very attractive, and her character weaves through the story convincingly.

Final Analysis: 4 out of 5 stars. Recommend viewing for fans of Bond, action movies, and entertaining thrill rides. Sit back and enjoy.

Post-Election thoughts

2008-11-12T18:25:00.003-05:00

Well, this was a very interesting election, and clearly historical. It also marks the first time that the guy I voted for in a Presidential election won the electoral college. Yep, I voted for Obama. Mostly because I think he brings about new ideas, a desire for change, and the ability to inspire. Further, I like his healthcare and energy plans. I believe the choice of Joe Biden as his VP was very good. It balances Obama's apparent short-comings: lack of experience (Biden has 30+ years in the Senate) and lack of foreign experience (former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations committee). Personally, too much is made about race. I understand it, but don't get it (if that makes sense). I like Obama for his ability to inspire and his policies, and personally could care less what race he is (or heritage). Race and religion should play a non-existant role in choosing a President (or employee, or student admission). If they hold the traditional values of a race or religion, then that will be seen in their policies and that is how they should be judged, not because they are (or are not) of a certain race.

As for McCain, in 2000 you might have found me amongst a group of McCain supporters. However, in the past 8 years, especially the previous 2, he has pandered to the base and moved away from being a moderate and shifted to the right. I never bought that he would be more of the same as Bush, at least not exactly the same. It really was his actions over the past years that scared me. Voting against the Bush tax cuts twice, and now claiming to make them permanent for example. Things of that nature bothered me. The final push was the selection of Sarah Palin. My political dislike for Palin is large. In all honesty, she scares the hell out of me as a President. Even less experience than Obama, interviews that made her sound not all that bright, and her theology (as I've been able to research online) is even worse than anything Rev. Jeremiah Wright ever said. I can only hope she quietly goes about her business in Alaska and doesn't make another appearance on the national stage.

How about those speeches on election night? McCain was very gracious and (I believe) sincere. He has served this country very well, and has done what he believes is in the best interest of America. Obama's speech was remarkable. The man can captivate an audience.

As for this junk about appointing judges who "legislate" from the bench that gets spewed, let's think about it. All judges legislate from the bench. By upholding one law, or striking down another, the judge determines the law, or at least the spirit and extent of a law. Saying one side legislates and the other interprets just means that you disagree with the opposition point of view. Personally, the Constitution is far too vague (and intentionally vague) to be used literally for all issues (some sure, but all, not a chance). I foresee Obama appointing up to 3 judges to the Supreme Court, and this is not a bad thing. In fact, this will keep the Court relatively balanced (Conservative v. Liberal...appointed by a Rep. v. a Dem.). A balanced Court ensures that both sides get consideration and argued for. It could make for an interesting dynamic for many years to come.

Anyway, I was glad the election turned out how it did, especially since it wasn't an insanely close election like the past two years. Our nation is still relatively divided in our political ideologies, but it was good to not see a 49-49 election (Gore-Bush) or 51-49 (Bush-Kerry). Obama enters office facing as many issues and challenges as any President, probably since FDR (the Great Depression and war on the horizon). I only hope that Obama assembles a cabinet and advisors of people who are knowledgable and diverse (in ideologies). I think the past 8 years prove that a bunch of "yes" men don't really get it done. Getting away from the good ole boy system should bring about nothing, but improvements to the country.

As for other elections on the ballot, I voted for Mark Udall (D) for US Senate (over Bob Schaffer (R)). This one came down to the 30 minutes of their debate I watched. During a "lightning round" (yes/no questions and responses), Schaffer was unable to answer yes or no. Also, he couldn't hold eye contact with the moderator, Mr. Udall, or the camera. A very poor impression, plus he was a big oil guy, and as a former Congressman voted for/agreed with Bush most of the time.

Some Real Election thoughts...

2008-11-03T19:06:00.003-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the day that I will do my civic duty and cast my vote. Not just for President and Senator, but for a bunch of local offices where political party really doesn't matter. In addition, there are quite a few ballot initiatives (referendums and constitutional amendments) that require my attention. While, I might get around tomorrow or the next day with who I will vote for in the major national elections, today will focus on these initiatives. For all the nitty gritty details, here is the link to the .pdf form that includes the general idea, the pros/cons, and the legalese.

Amendment 46: Discrimination and Preferential Treatment by Governments
What it says: What this does is basically do away with Affirmative Action for Colorado government funded employment, education and contracting. It prohibits discrimination AND preferential treatment. Exceptions exist, however, including: title IX (women have equal sport opportunities), existing court orders (Denver PD has one to promote diversity), and bonafide qualification based job (female guard for a female prison). Also, private entities are not affected (so a private organizations and programs could still offer scholarships/jobs based on race, sex, or creeed).
My Thoughts: While I've never been a fan of affirmative action, I conceptually understood it. However, the thought of treating all applicants equally and based solely upon true qualifications sounds really good. The most convincing argument against this amendment is the lack of definition in the proposal for "discrimination" and "preferential treatment", which leaves open the possibility of lawsuits and a court definition of the law. I'm not a fan of lawsuits, so this is a bit of a big deal.
My Vote: As of now, I'm inclined to vote "Yes". I like the idea of everyone being treated evenly and fairly without regard to age, race, sex, sexual orientation, or religious creed. I'm not sold on the idea, so I still could change my mind before tomorrow morning.

Amendment 47: Prohibition on Mandatory Labor Union Membership and Dues
What it says: Prohibits joining a union and paying dues as a condition of employment
My thoughts: Joining a union should NOT be required for doing a job. If conditions get bad in the work environment, an employee is free to join the union at any point; however, requiring a worker to join is just not right. The argument against this measure is that all employees benefit from the work the union does (either pay, hours, work conditions, etc.). While that may be true, it still doesn't justify mandating joining a union.
My Vote: Well, if you couldn't tell from above, I'm voting "Yes" on this Amendment.

Amendment 48: Definition of a Person
What it says: "define the term 'person' to 'include any human being from the moment of fertilization' ". This gives the the rights of life, liberty and property of all "persons" to be applied to just newly fertilized eggs.
My thoughts: Well, if you know me at all, then this won't shock you. Personally, I find this to be the single dumbest, narrowest, and worst idea that I have ever had the chance to vote on. There are many problems with this amendment, not the least of which is life does not begin at fertilization (the potential for life...yes; actual life, no). Aside from that, this law would prevent legal dispensing of emergency contraception and common birth controls (that prevent implantation and not fertilization). Further, there are no provisions for incest or rape or the life of the mother being endangered. Taken literally (which is clearly the point), this law would make miscarriage of a baby an illegal act (probably involuntary manslaughter). Think about it, by some action of the mother, a "person" has been killed. Finally, scientific research that uses embryonic stem cells would be fully outlawed. Even if you agree with the general idea (do away with abortion), this law is worded far too poorly to get serious consideration.
My Vote: An emphatic "No" (if only there were a way to add emphasis to a vote).

Amendment 49: Allowable Government Paycheck Deductions
What it says: This proposal limits what a public employee is allowed to deduct from their paychecks.
My Thoughts: This initiative is kind of silly. Reading between the lines it sounds like a way for government to try and close some deduction loopholes. However, not all of the excluded deductions are loopholes, but it closes those legit deductions too. There is no ultimate effect on revenue or expenditures, so I'm confused as to why this is an issue. The government is getting no extra cash out of this, so why screw around with what people deduct from their paycheck.
My Vote: No...let people deduct as they see fit.

Amendment 50: Limited Gaming in Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek
What it says: Gives control of betting limits, casino hours, and games available to the communities with casinos (Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek). Currently, the state has a $5 max on any bet, limited hours, and limited games in the casinos. Any new tax revenue goes to Colorado community colleges.
My thoughts: This sounds like a good idea. It gives control of casino rules/regulations to the local communities, while benefitting the entire community college system in Colorado. If an increase in problems is seen (debts, stealing, etc.), then the communities can simply go back to lower limits, hours, and available games.
My Vote: Yes, let the local communities control casino operations and let community colleges benefit.

Amendment 51: State Sales Tax Increase for Services for People with Developmental Disabilities
What it says: Raise the sales tax from 2.9 to 3% for 2009, and then 3 to 3.1% in 2010, with the extra income being targeted to people/programs for people with developmental disabilities.
My Thoughts: The end result is a 4-cent increase on a $20 purchase in 2010, that results in $89 million in the next year and $186 million the following. This seems like such a minor increase, and the aide to those with developmental disabilities seems a worthy cause. As I was discussing this with a friend, he mentioned that he didn't like the precendent. Small tax increases earmarked for a specific cause, could easily find their way on the ballot yearly and the result being a dramatically increased sales tax.
My Vote: Well, I'm probably going to err on the side of the developmentally disabled and vote "Yes" for the tax increase. If it becomes a yearly thing with a new group each time, I'll have to evaluate each on the merits presented.

Amendment 52: Use of Severance Tax Revenue for Highways
What it says: Require the state legislature to spend a portion of the state severance tax on highways.
My Thoughts: I'm not really a fan of requiring the state to spend the money on a given project. It seems to me the state should plan on spending tax dollars to keep roads and highways in good repair. Where this money comes from is not really something I'm concerned with.
My Vote: No, keep on roads repaired from whatever funds the legislature desires. Plus, the current severance tax is primarily spent on water projects (and since CO is a desert, this is a good thing to spend money on).

Amendment 53: Criminal Accountability of Business Executives
What it says: Holds an executive accountable if their business knowingly fails to perform a legal duty.
My Thoughts: Executives are already on the hook for many of their business actions. Often, if illegalities occur, the executive is going to be on the hook for them. Finally, the executive can report the business and avoid prosecution, so the amendment provides its own stated loophole.
My Vote: A decent idea, but poorly executed. No, from me.

Well, there are more, but I'm sure I bored you enough for now. Stay tuned and I might tack on a few more with my other election votes in the very near future. Until then, stay informed and vote.

Some Election Thoughts

2008-09-16T11:42:00.008-04:00

We are in the heart of election season and the campaigns are at full strength. And since I'm kind of annoyed by both candidates right now (seriously, quit calling the other guy names and talk about YOUR plans/policies), I thought I'd get a few thoughts about the important choices off my chest. So, here are my election thoughts....Star Wars style.

I found these T-shirts from zazzle.com which I think are awesome. They are campaign style shirts telling you to vote for __________ in '08. I'm going to rank my preference of candidates, based on their shirts. Go here if you want to buy (or look) for yourself.

In dramatic descending order....

15. Asaij Ventress
Bald chicks that can kick my butt don't generally get my vote. However, awesome dual lightsaber skills is strangely hot....but still, I'll pass. I really don't think she has the best interest of the galaxy at heart.

14. Ahsoka
While this Jedi padawan would have the best interest of all, she is just too inexperienced to fill the ticket. Now if someone wanted to pander to the feminist and the Jedi base, they could pick a young, inexperienced female and talk her up without any actual record to stand on...but who would do something like that.

13. General Grievous Grievous can't get my vote because is nothing but a puppet. He never made independent decisions, but just did as he was told. An independent thinker is required to hold the most powerful office in the galaxy.

12. Boba Fett
The problem with Fett is he exclusively looks out for himself and not others. However, his cool appearance does bump him up the list a bit. Also, he would raise some important questions about the rights of clones.

11. Anakin Skywalker
I'm not sure the campaign slogan "There's Still Good in Him" is really the way to go. Who wants that much teen angst in the driver seat anyway? Once Anakin comes into his own, then he might be vote worthy.

10. Emperor Palpatine
Well, of all the candidates we have the most hands on experience with how Palpatine will rule. He is a conniving, devious, piece of Sith. Certainly wouldn't be good for the galaxy, but you have to respect his credentials and ability to get things done. (Please don't shoot force lightning at me.)

9. C-3PO and R2-D2
Apparently 3PO thought he could run on his own as evident by this campaign poster. 3PO is too indecisive and cowardly to lead the way. Plus, his slogan ("Fluent in over 6-million forms of communication") seems like he is running for press secretary or something.
An apparent re-ordering of the ticket makes the droids more ideal. R2-D2 certainly is the better of the two to lead, and this way 3PO could translate all his executive orders. My problem is that R2-D2 is a little too rash. While experience tells it that it works out, I don't really like the idea of someone who ignores most rational thought and does whatever he (she or it) wants.

8. Luke Skywalker
Military experience, war hero, good, and has true understanding of what it is like to be the little guy in the Outer Rim. The problem is he is just too bleepin' whiny. Give him a few more years to age (but not yet be senile) and he'll be ready to lead the entire galaxy.

7. Princess Leia
Experienced and very pleasant on the eyes. Seriously, if she would debate or campaign in Jabba slave gear, every male would be voting for her. She also is appealing to the plight of the galaxy, "This is Our Most Desperate Hour." A proven leader who deserves your consideration.

6. Chewbacca
This vote is exclusively due to Chewbacca's coolness. Really, Chewie is a solid right hand man, but has shown little inkling to actually lead. The slogan however does hold some weight, "Let the Wookie Win." You might want to consider this.

5. Han Solo
A better scruffy-looking nerf herder there is not. He talks a mighty game about doing the best for himself, but he always comes around to the best interest of others. With Chewie on the ticket, you get one of the best duos in the universe. Sadly, I'm afraid this maverick wouldn't work with others as well as you might think. Politically scary slogan would be, "I Shot First".

4. Admiral Ackbar
A darkhorse in the election. He came from relative obscurity, but has proven to be an exceptional leader. He certainly has the cajohnes for the job. I doubt any other candidate would recommend engaging a Super-Star Destroyer at close range. Might make a better Secretary of State, but still worth consideration. "It's Not a Trap"

3. Obi-Wan Kenobi
"He's Our Only Hope"...what a great slogan. Youthful (as portrayed), but wise beyond his years. A good heart and would certainly surround himself with wise counsel (Yoda and Mace Windu certainly in the running for cabinet positions). Has a bit of a rebellious streak, but always sees the big picture and doesn't make rash decisions. Negotiates first, but not afraid to fight when required.

2. Yoda
If Obi-Wan would be good, Yoda would be great. Despite a lack of size, his wisdom alone could carry the galaxy to years of peace and prosperity. "Do or Do Not. There is No Try." However, he lacks a certain charisma and doesn't really inspire. Age is a factor...how long could he serve before slipping into senility?

So, my vote goes to...

1. Darth Vader
He has the coolest campaign poster and the coolest slogan. "Together We Can Rule the Galaxy" See he wants you to help. He's not in it for himself, but wants you to come along for the ride. Plus, rumor has it, "There's Still Good in Him." And he'll force choke you if you don't vote for him. Vader '08!!!

Ok, seriously, I have spent some time thinking about the upcoming election and will likely drop some of those thoughts on you. I am looking forward to the debates between Obama and McCain. Hopefuly we can actually here issues and plans, not just rhetoric and name calling. Until then, I'm sticking with my man, Vader. Rumor has it, he has one more promise....cookies.

Entertainment Guide: Summer Reading Reviews

2008-09-08T15:25:00.004-04:00

While my intent was not to seem like a copycat (click here to see what I mean), it will come across that way. However, it fits with my recent theme of posts. Over the past year, I have rarely not had a new novel to read. Whenever I finish one I either go and pick one up at Barnes and Noble from their bargain rack, or get one that my dad has recently finished. The gist is that I have really enjoyed reading. This isn't something new, as I have constantly tried to read a chapter or two daily for many years (all through college and even some high school). I can't ever quite seem to want to read a scientific research paper (can't imagine why), but I commonly find time to read fiction novels. Anyway, here's the list including: title, author, and a brief review. Please enjoy.

The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
The story of an exorcist who gets caught up with a mobster during what should be a routine exorcism. An odd start, but the main character grew quickly on me to make for a good read. If you have difficulty buying into (or at least suspending belief on) ghosts and ghouls, then this isn't really the novel for you. A second novel with the main character has just been released.

Imperium by Robert Harris
A fictionalized account of the rise of Marcus Cicero as told by his aide, personal secretary, and slave Tiro. A very interesting tale about the politics of ancient Rome. There are certainly some parallels to modern politics which begs the question, how accurate a vision is this novel. Good for any historical fiction fans.

Crusade by Robyn Young
The second novel in a trilogy (first, Brethern and recently released Requiem). Note, you must read Brethren first, or you will be completely lost. An excellent period novel continuing the story of Will Campbell, a Templar Knight. No Da Vinci Code claims to get all upset over (not that I ever did), but solid characters and good development of the situations. Really looking forward to how the story ends in the final novel.

Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell
Very similar to the other Bernard Cornwell novels that I've read (the Saxon series). An interesting take on the society that built Stonehenge. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun read nonetheless.

The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer
Best to describe this novel as a thriller. The death of a close friend sends our protagonist and a unwilling senate page on a life and death adventure. An easy read, but entertaining and a bit of a page turner.

Creepers by David Morrell
The author of Rambo brings us an adventure story about urban explorers. A group that takes a yearly trip to break into abandoned buildings enters the Paragon hotel, and it doesn't go as planned. I was expecting more supernatural type of book, but got a straightforward adventure novel. Not bad, but a very quick read.

The Curse of Cain by J. Mark Powell and L.D. Meagher
A historical fiction account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. I really like the concept, but the execution left a little to be desired. The characters were relatively bland, and there weren't any real twists to the plot. If you like historical fiction, it is an ok read, but there are better novels out there.

Blasphemy by Douglas Preston
A solid book by one of my favorite authors. Blends science, philosophy, and religious fanaticism into a gripping novel. This novel can leave you thinking a little bit about what life, science, and religion should really be about. Also portrays the stupidity that apocalyptic Christianity can lead to.

The Black Sun by James Twining
A world-hopping, follow the clues type of adventure novel that predominates my reading. Good characters that set out to stop a re-imagined Nazi party. A good page-turner that tries to stay one step ahead of the reader.

The Treasure of Khan by Clive (and Dirk) Cussler
I'm cheating just a little bit. I'm only about 2/3 of the way through this novel at the time of this post. However, since I've read almost all of the Dirk Pitt novels I'm pretty sure I know how it's going to end. Thus far, it has been a by the numbers Dirk Pitt adventure, which means an enjoyable ride. The interplay between Pitt and Al Giordino really makes me wish they would make more Dirk Pitt movies (remember Sahara with Matthew McConaughey).

There you have it. The novels I've read since May. I'm still looking to pick up Sword Song (the next Saxon novel) by Bernard Cornwell and The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (their latest Pendergast novel). I would imagine they are going to make a bargain bin appearance soon.

Until next time...keep reading

Entertainment Guide: Fall Movie Previews

2008-09-02T12:33:00.005-04:00

Continuing with my entertainment guide theme, I now turn my eyes toward the future theatrical releases. I was tempted to go all the way through December, but opted to only do the Fall season (Sept and Oct). Mostly because between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, movie studios generally try to throw some heavy hitters in there...and that means a post all it's own. That's right stay tuned for the Holiday Movie Preview (likely to come sometime at the start of November). Here are the movies to be released in the near future that I think warrant a closer look, and maybe even a theater viewing. In chronological order...

September 12th - Righteous Kill
DeNiro and Pacino are partner detectives closing in on retirement. When a series vigilante murders begin, eerily similar to a case they worked years ago, they must find out if a copycat is out there, or if they were wrong the first time. Sounds interesting and could be an excellent cat-and-mouse type of cop movie.

September 26th - Eagle Eye
Shia LeBeouf and Michelle Monaghan star in this thriller. A mysterious person/group frames and then controls Shia LeBeouf's character. The trailer doesn't give too much away aside from that. Could be a solid, edge of your seat thrill ride.

October 3rd - Appaloosa
A Western starring Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris as law for hire partners. When the town of Appaloosa looses all sense of order, Mortensen and Harris are brought in to restore it. The trailer had some great lines, and definitely pushed this movie up the list. My reservation was a line about a love interest in Zelleweger causing Mortensen and Harris to distrust each other...boo to stupid love triangles. Hopefully it's not enough to make the movie suck.

October 10th - The Express
Dennis Quaid stars in this feel-good sports movie about the first African American to win the Heisman in college football. I imagine this will feel a lot like Remember the Titans and Glory Road, but that's not a bad thing.

October 10th - Body of Lies
Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio star in this thriller. DiCaprio is a field agent for a US intelligence group (likely the CIA) and Crowe a higher ranking desk agent (plans the missions). Crowe appears to be the bad guy, and it becomes a cat-and-mouse game with Dicaprio. Potential to be very gripping and suspenseful.

October 10th - Quarantine
A Cloverfield style (ie handheld camera) film about a building that gets quarantined after an infectious outbreak of some kind. A reporter doing a night with the Fire Dept. piece goes along on the call. Then all hell breaks loose. Has a bit of a zombie movie look to it. Could be great...or could really suck. The biggest problem is knowing how it ends.

October 24th - Pride and Glory
Another cop movie, but this time more similar in appearance to We Own the Night. Two brothers (Norton and Farrell) are both cops, but when an investigation turns one of them up as being a dirty cop, it puts the family at odds. Norton typically gives strong performances and the set-up is intriguing enough.

October 24th - Saw V
The now perennial horror franchise returns. I'm guessing there are evil traps, dead bodies, and an attempt at a surprise ending. Saw I and II were good, III and IV struggled...here's hoping V gets back to where they started. Plus, this is a disturbing movie poster of somebody else wearing Jigsaw's face.

October 31 - RocknRolla
A Guy Ritchie film that promises to return to his cool movies (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch). Here's a review of the film, as it has been released in the UK already. From the review, it sounds like this will be a really enjoyable movie. Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson star.

There you have it. A series of movies to keep you eyes open for in the coming months. I might make it to the theaters to see a couple of these, but most will probably wait for DVD for my viewing.

Until next time...stay frosty

Entertainment Guide: Summer Movie Review(s)

2008-08-29T13:07:00.009-04:00

It's been a long time since I've done much in the way of movie reviews. A few weeks ago, I did review the Dark Knight and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Prior to that, it looks like my previous reviews can be found here from May. I have watched many movies (lots of DVDs and a few in the theaters). So here's what you can expect in this post...number of stars (out of 5) and a few short lines about all movies. Without further ado, the movies I've watched since the start of the summer (sans Iron Man, Prince Caspian, and the Orphanage which I reviewed in May).

The Great Debaters - 3 1/2; An excellently acted and scripted film. Fairly predictable, but that doesn't take away from the power it has. Worth the viewing.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - 4; Didn't quite meet my sky-high expectations, but still was a very enjoyable movie. The setting works. The references to the past works. The story may be far-fetched, but so have the previous installments. A solid adventure.

Reign Over Me - 3 1/2; A surprisingly good drama. True concern for the main characters (excellently acted by Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler) really drives this film.

Flawless - 2 1/2; Fairly slow...but the payoff at the end was interesting. Certainly not tense, but interesting heist flick. Michael Cain and Demi Moore star.

Diary of the Dead - 3; Didn't completely embrace the handheld footage concept. That said, it was an interesting way to view the zombie apocalypse. An enjoyable zombie flick though. George A. Romero directs.

The Brave One - 2 1/2; Not the best film ever. I'd rather have seen more cat-and-mouse between Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard. Death Sentence was the better revenge movie.

Semi-Pro - 1 1/2; Pretty much unfunny from start to finish. No real redeeming quality. Will Ferrell is just not a funny leading man.

Untraceable - 3; A decent thriller. A little predictable, but still entertaining. Definitely has a little Saw in it, though. Diane Lane stars.

Fool's Gold - 3 1/2; I was pleasantly surprised. Entertaining story, with a good mix of humor, action to balance the romantic comedy aspects. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson star.

Atonement - 2; A decent start, but painfully boring after the first hour. Lots of walking around with music playing, and no real story. Nominated for best picture (how?).

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - 2; Solid acting, an overall decent story, but boringly executed. No action and way too bloody long. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck star.

The Spiderwick Chronicles - 3 1/2; Not much explanation about the fantasy world, but a decently entertaining kids movie. Solid acting by Freddie Highmore.

In Bruges - 2 1/2; Occasional funny banter, but very slow. Falls well short of the coolness that is Snatch. Colin Farrell stars.

Vantage Point - 3 1/2; A fairly unique film. Reshowing the same event from different points of view gets a little repetitive, but the payoff is decent. Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, and Forrest Whitaker star.

Grandma's Boy - 3; I was in the mood for dumb comedy, and this movie worked for me. Enough funny points to make it enjoyable. Still a dumb comedy though.

Be Kind Rewind - 3 1/2; An entertaining movie from the get go. Jack Black avoids being annoying. Watching them refilm classics is pretty hilarious. Also stars Mos Def and Danny Glover.

The Ruins - 2; I was hoping for a Descent-like movie taking place in a Mayan ruin. It was nothing like that, and actually really dumb. Not scary at all.

Day of the Dead - 2; Super cheesy zombie flick. NOT a remake of Romero's Day of the Dead though. A small step (barely) above SciFi channel originals.

The Omega Man - 3; Fairly entertaining, but very dated (part of the entertainment, actually). The bad guys really weren't that terrifying. 2 versions down (I am Legend and this one), one to go (the last man on earth). Charlton Heston stars.

The Dark Knight - 5; In a word...awesome. I really have no complaints about this movie. Good plot, excellent acting, and overall phenomenal. Christian Bale and Heath Ledger star.

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D - 4; Good solid family fun. Entertaining from start to finish. The 3D effects were pretty neat. Good for audiences of all ages. Brendan Fraser stars.

[more detailed review of TDK and Journey to the Center of the Earth in this post here.]

Conspiracy - 2 1/2; Pretty standard action movie. Nothing really new gets done here. Along the lines of First Blood. Val Kilmer stars in this direct to DVD film.

Charlie Bartlett - 3; I thought the character of Charlie was well developed and acted. The story as a whole was okay, but far from great. Drags a bit for the last half-hour. Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr. star.

Team America: World Police - 2 1/2; Has it's moments of being humorous, but on the whole fairly dumb. I laughed, but don't really ever need to see it again. Not for the easily offended.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army - 4 1/2; A fantastical movie. Guillermo del Toro creates a fantasy world with great detail, and keeps the movie entertaining. I really like the Hellboy characters. Ron Perlman stars.

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay - 2 1/2; Basically more of the same as the first. Not quite as good. Has moments, but not enough throughout the film.

The Bank Job - 3; A decent heist movie. Less about the actual job and more about the surrounding plot. Slow start, but well set-up in the end. Jason Statham stars.

The Final Season - 3; Your standard underdog sports movie. No real twists or surprises. Sean Astin stars.

Doomsday - 3; A silly action movie. Combination of Mad Max and Resident Evil (minus zombies, but same feel). I enjoyed it. Here's a hint to help: Do NOT think during the movie. Rhona Mitra stars.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - 4; A surprisingly good movie. A solid mix of courtroom drama and supernatural. Highly recommend. Tom Wilkinson and Laura Linney star.

Flightplan - 2 1/2; Really not that great of a flick. Watching Jodie Foster freak out on a plane for an hour isn't really my idea of a good movie. Too long of a setup before the plot ever gets going. 21 - 3 1/2; Overall a solid movie. Gets a bit slow in the middle and is somewhat predictable throughout. Pretty good ending though. Worth the time.

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder - 2 1/2; This is what the sequel to Starship Troopers should have been (not the crapfest that was ST2: Hero of the Federation). Dumb, but entertaining. Still missing something from the original, but silly fun to watch.

Khartoum - 4; Surprisingly excellent movie. Charlton Heston plays a very memorable General Gordon. Action is well paced. Kingdom of Heaven (one man won't leave or back down from a stronger opponent) meets Zulu (outnumbered brave fighters...and 1960s style action).

Shutter - 2 1/2; What you expect from a Japanese style horror movie. On pace with the Grudge, but not as good as the Ring. Rachael Taylor was pleasant to watch though.

Street Kings - 3 1/2; Some predictably, but still a good film about dirty cops. Keanu Reeves and Forrest Whitaker star. Well, there you have it. My summer viewing with recommendations.

Best movie I saw all summer was The Dark Knight (5 stars). Followed by Hellboy II (4 1/2 stars), Indiana Jones, Exorcism of Emily Rose, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Khartoum (rest 4 stars). So if you haven't seen any of these be sure to check them out. Disagree, or did I miss a great movie this summer, let me know. Chances are I'll get around to it when the DVD hits.

Peace out home skillet.

Entertainment Guide: Fall TV Schedule

2008-08-26T13:45:00.004-04:00

Summer is winding down, and the fall TV schedule is about to kick into full gear. Stations are beginning to heavily advertise the return of their hits and some of the new shows. Premieres begin throughout the entire month of September. I would hate for any of my faithful readers to enter this hectic time of year without knowing the Kyle Johnson approved viewing schedule. I will first give you the shows I will certainly be watching, followed by the newcomers of interest (ie. I'll give them an episode or two and see how it goes). Without further ado (all times EST)...

Monday
Chuck 8pm NBC - loved this show last year, and can't wait for it to return.

Heroes 9pm NBC - enjoyed last season for the most part (couple of subpar story lines)

honorable mentions: How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men, 8:30 & 9 pm CBS...best sitcoms out there, but I prefer the NBC lineup, leaving these as back-up channels or repeat viewings.

Tuesday
NCIS 8pm CBS - my favorite of the cop/crime scene shows, right amount of humor and seriousness
Eureka 8pm SciFi - cool show, and has reairs at midnight (10pm in my time zone), so I can watch both of these shows

Wednesday Bones 8pm FOX - another forensic/crime show with good humor and excellent chemistry between the main characters

Note: I bowl on Wednesday, so I can only watch the early show(s).

Thursday
Grey's Anatomy 9pm ABC - not nearly as good as the first two years, but I'm still faithful to it

Friday
Nothing recommended on network stations. Probably should rent a movie, or go out, or something.

Saturday College Football

Sunday
Sunday Night Football NBC
The Amazing Race 8pm CBS - best reality show out there
Family Guy 9pm FOX - hilarious, irreverent take on all things

Those are the shows I will be taking time to watch. So if you are bored, check them out and enjoy. Now for the new shows on the schedule that sound interesting.

Monday - My Own Worst Enemy 10pm NBC - mostly worth checking out due to Chuck and Heroes as the lead-in. Christian Slater has dual personalities (homebody and secret agent). Really depends on how annoying Slater is.

Tuesday - Fringe 9pm FOX - a science fiction series. An FBI team (agent and scientists) investigate unexplained phenomenon and conspiracies. X-Filesesque, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Wednesday
Knight Rider 8pm NBC - if they can keep it light and each episodic (stand alone entries, no conspiracy, long story arcs), this could be an enjoyable romp. The two reasons to watch pictured below.

Thursday - 11th Hour 10 pm CBS - a scientist/doctor gets called in at the 11th hour to solve unexplained cases. Again, X-filesesque, but still not a bad thing

Friday - Crusoe 8pm NBC - a take on Robinson Crusoe's life stranded on an island. Could be fun. Of course, being started on Friday isn't really a big endorsement from the network.

Saturday - Nothing of interest

Sunday Merlin 8pm NBC - mid-season entry (after football is over), that examines Merlin and Arthur on their rise to Camelot. Medieval times are a personal favorite for games, books, movies, and possibly TV.

Kings 10pm NBC - also a mid-season entry following the football season. Follows David, a heroic soldier brought into the King's court. Set in a future world full of war/strife. Depending on where it goes, and how quick it gets there, could be an interesting show.

Well, there you have it. All that is important to watch this coming fall season. I'm sure there will be some show that fails and is pulled early. At which point, a new series could pop up. I also don't doubt that I left something(s) off that I'll probably end up watching. But this is a solid starting point. If nothing looks good, just play your Xbox...that's always good entertainment.

Stay tuned for my post-summer movie guide, and fall movie guide. I know you're excited, don't hide it.

My Fantasy Football draft

2008-08-19T12:38:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday was the draft for my fantasy football league. I might end up in another league or two, but this is the only one I put a few bucks on, and it is with friends (and therefore bragging rights). I was relatively happy with my draft. Looking at my team now, I am admittedly weak in the RB department, but I'm hoping to overcome that with my WRs. I do have some question marks that could really make this a long and disappointing season for me. Oh well, here's my team in the order I drafted. Relatively standard rules apply: RB/WR/TE 15 yds/pt, 6pts/TD, -1 for fumbles, -2 for lost fumbles. QB 25 yds/pt, 6pts/TD, -2 for INT. K points based on FG yards, -1 for missed FG inside of 30 yds. Def/ST score for return TD, INT, sacks, fumbles, and lose points for giving up TDs/FGs (based on how many). Anyway, if you've played fantasy football, you understand how it goes. I had the 8th selection spot in a 12 team league with serpentine drafting (top to bottom, bottom to top, etc. etc.).

So my draft:

Rd. Ovr Pick Player, Pos., Team
1. 8 Peyton Manning, QB, Colts*
2. 17 Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns*
3. 32 Chad Johnson, WR, Bengals*
4. 41 Tory Holt, WR, Rams*
5. 56 Edgerrin James, RB, Cardinals*
6. 65 Selvin Young, RB, Broncos*
7. 80 Jonathon Stewart, RB, Panthers
8. 89 Kevin Curtis, WR, Eagles
9. 104 DJ Hackett, WR, Panthers
10. 113 Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Giants
11. 128 Jeff Garcia, QB, Buccaneers
12. 137 Ben Utecht, TE, Bengals*
13. 152 Antwaan Randle El, WR, Redskins
14. 161 Leon Washington, RB, Jets
15. 176 Adam Vinatieri, K, Colts*
16. 185 Baltimore Ravens DST*

*-designates starter on my team to begin season

There it is. No free agent slots this year, so if I pick someone else up, I have to drop someone. My RBs are questionable, and I erred by not trying to draft Andre Hall (backup RB in Denver) and Tim Hightower (backup RB in Arizona). Hall was gone before I wanted him, but I could have had Hightower. I do have two solid backups in Bradshaw and Washington if the starters get injured, or potentially trade bait to the teams that drafted Brandon Jacobs (NYG) or Thomas Jones (NYJ). I'm obviously banking on Manning being healthy and ready to go. Same with Chad Johnson.

However, it turns out, it should be fun. I stuck to my draft strategy (mostly) and got some of the guys I targeted. Let the games begin...in 2 weeks.

I am Juror 4223

2008-08-15T14:51:00.002-04:00

A potential title for my autobiography or at the very least a chapter title. Sorry for the confusion, allow me to set you straight as I tell you about one of the most formative events to ever occur in my life.

Despite being registered to vote and having a driver’s license since for as long as legally able, I have never been selected to jury duty. This was perfectly fine by me, in fact, I’ve never once complained about my lack of jury duty. However, this blissfully ignorant life of mine was about to change.

I recently moved, and even though I filled out a change of address card, my mail was not consistently forwarded. Luckily my previous landlord is an acquaintance and co-worker. This is important because my summons to appear for jury duty arrived at my previous address, and she was able to promptly pass along this important piece of mail. Originally, I was downcast and annoyed. I did not want to spend my oh-so precious time dealing with this crap. The fear of a fine, and no real reason to get out of my civic duty, drove me to answer the call for jury duty.

I arrived early to the city/county building. I blame much of this on my parents (trust me, this will be at least one chapter earlier in my autobiography). If you recall (see I’m writing this like you’ve already read that previous chapter), my parents rarely got me to any event in a timely fashion. Fashionably late was the mainstay. Anyway, I digress. I arrived early as I do to many things, as compensation for my late arrivals throughout my childhood.

I’m unsure what to expect and approach the counter with trepidation. I brought my summons and filled out questionnaire as instructed. The attendant asks for the summons. I hand it over and without another word, she tears off the questionnaire, scans the barcode and hands it back to me. That’s it. Nothing else. My unsuredness is far from relieved.

I looked into the vast room and take in a sea of chairs in tidy rows and some stylistic paintings on the wall. It crosses my mind that I really don’t get art. Why is it, that something it appears a 4-year-old did while watching Saturday morning cartoons is considered priceless? I can appreciate the classics, but what passes as modern art is beyond me. Honestly, I’ve seen paintings that look like a colored image of my windshield after a late night drive through the country. Sorry…off track again.

I wander over to a magazine rack and pull off a Newsweek. In my anxiety over serving on a jury, I chose not to bring a book. So, with my current dose of current events in hand, I make a lap through the room before choosing a place to sit. As is my usual, I choose a seat on the side in the middle portion of the room. This comes from my many years of schooling. I’m not the overachiever who needs constant attention from the teacher and sits in the front of the room. While I am a slacker, I fully realize that teachers like to pick on the slackers who sit exclusively in the back of the room. Therefore, the safest place is a middle seat, slightly offset so as to not be in the direct line of sight. Not that there is a teacher in the jury room, but I’m not taking any risks.

Over the next 45 minutes, the other unfortunate souls go through the same process that I did. Hand over their summons and questionnaire, then try and find a seat. I go about my normal process of people watching, while appearing to read my Newsweek. As a 20-something, single guy, I always make a point to mark the cute females that enter the room. The process is simple. Do a quick scan of the person. If they classify as cute, then I move on to the next step: the ring check. This is all important. If they are wearing a ring on their left hand ring finger, then it’s all over, and they might as well not exists (in the single guys world at least). However, if no ring is present, then feel free to dream up scenarios where they sit next to you and you kick off a wonderful conversation. The end result is some digits and the promise of future interactions. Then reality sits in and I realize I won’t say a word to anyone currently in the room, but I’m off topic…again.

I’ve finished one Newsweek, and still have some time before anything of import will happen. I head back to the magazine rack and pull another Newsweek (slightly less current events this time). Return to the exact same seat I just vacated. The interesting thing about people and choosing seats is how quickly they become assigned. It’s like once someone sits down, that becomes their personal seat. Doesn’t matter if you are in a public room where millions of butts have sat in that exact seat previously. For the next several hours, this seat is mine. No matter how many times I get up and move around, that seat belongs to me. I’ve never really understood it, but that’s how it works, and who am I to rock the boat.

The attendant from the jury desk now gets on a microphone and tells us we get to watch a 15 minute video about what jury duty is all about. It’s just a series of people telling how great an experience it was, and how everyone on the jury has this sense of duty and justice. Blah, blah, blah…or so I thought. About this time, there was a switch occurring in my disposition. No longer was I dreading the time serving my jury duty. I was becoming excited. The anticipation of sitting on a jury and dispensing justice was taking over.

The video ends and I’m nearly on the edge of my seat. The attendant returns and tells us that it appears to be a full docket in the courts and things could be busy. My chances of sitting are improving, and woe to the lawbreaker that has me dispensing justice. The first set of juror numbers are read off for a trial. Each time I hear “42”, my heart skips a beat as I eagerly hope to hear the number “23”. I would guess roughly 20 people are called, but alas, juror 4223 continues to sit, slumped, disheartened in the jury room.

The next hour and half passes without so much as a single court asking for a jury. If I make it to noon, I will be dismissed. This can’t happen. I am here for a reason. I wasn’t called just to waste my morning. It can’t be.

Another jury is called. The numbers are read off. Again, I’m eager and just hearing 42 gets me excited. A light sheen of sweat can be seen on my forehead.

“4223”

“Here”, I respond and head to the hall to view my fellow jurors. Finally, I get to be a part of the system. A John Grisham novel come to life. I am about to experience that excitement. I’m going to be like Batman bringing justice to those that deserve it, legally of course. Oh, I will be fair and impartial. I will do all in my power to ensure the truth comes out. Trust me, I can handle the truth. I am about to appear in my own personal Law and Order episode.

We are lead to the doors of the courtroom. Through these doors are where my destiny lies. I am meant to be here. I was called to be here.

We wait….and wait…and wait. Forty-five minutes, I and my fellow jurors stand around in the hall outside the courtroom. Twenty feet from the room that holds all my dreams, and we wait. We see the other citizens who were summoned exit the county/court building. Those unlucky fools who weren’t selected for a jury, but were dismissed at noon.

Our handler returns and directs through a side set of doors. Here we go, trial time. We hang a right. My confusion mounts. The courtroom is on the left…why are we going right? We enter another courtroom, but there is no judge, no attorney, no accused. We are seated on hard wooden benches and told to wait. Again, more waiting. We wait…and we wait…and we wait. During this time, I get to listen to some young guy (mid-30s) talk and talk and talk. He has an opinion on everything, and seems to consider himself an expert. I’m guessing he has read the same John Grisham books as I have, watched the same Law and Orders, and probably even a movie or two that had a trial in them. Because of these experience, he is a expert on the legal process. Blah, blah, blah. No one asked him a question…no one asked for his opinion. But he feels like he should be talking. Oh well, there’s one in every group right….so annoying.

Our handler returns…is it time? No, we get to return to the hallway outside of the courtroom. And we wait. Shorter this time however. We are finally lead into the courtroom. However, there are no attorneys, just the judge and his clerk. Again, I’m confused.

The judge introduces himself and goes through a little history on himself. Then he gets around to why we are sitting here, without a trial to watch. Apparently, “things” came up and the case was not going to be heard today. The judge seemed nearly as disappointed as I did. He apologized for wasting two hours of our time (all that bloody standing and sitting). It was a shame because he seemed like a cool judge that wouldn’t take much crap from attorneys or witnesses. It could have been fun. He then dismisses and thanks us for our civic duty.

That’s it. Nothing more. No trial, no motions, no objections, no deliberations, and no justice. My destiny was shot down. Through no fault of my own. I’m dejected and depressed.

Then the judge says some fateful words, “I believe this excuses you from further jury duty for the next 12 months.”

What? I don’t have to do this horsecrap again for at least 12 months. Hallelujah! I’m free from the tyranny of a free society. No more civic duty for me. This jury duty stuff is ridiculous and I pity the fool who gets summoned.

I am Juror 4223, and this is my story.

Video Game Wishlist

2008-08-05T13:39:00.004-04:00

It's no surprise to any of my loyal readers that I enjoy my video games. I find them to be an excellent way to have fun, get a good laugh, and also wind down after a hard day's work (not that I have many of those). Just recently, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (or something like that), better known as E3, just concluded. This expo is where video game developers and consoles make major announcements about upcoming games. With this knowledge, watching and reading many previews, and having not purchased a new game in quite some time (excluding Rockband a month ago), I've decided to post my video game wishlist. For the most part these will be games that I will certainly pre-order, buy later, or request as a gift. I'm excited about several on this list. By chronological order via release date....

October

Fallout 3 - release date: 10/7; This is a action/RPG video game by the same developers of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Oblivion has been one of the pleasant surprises of my video gaming life. Switching to post-apocalyptic Washington DC and adding guns and mutants promises to be another 100+ hrs of enjoyment.

RockBand 2 - release date: 10/19; 84 more songs to rock out to. In addition to all the previous downloaded songs, and all songs on RockBand 1. All in all, addition of this game allows rocking out to a lot of really good songs. Good times had by all.

Fable 2 - release date: 10/21; Another action RPG game. I never played Fable 1, but what Fable 2 promises is enough to intrigue me. The idea that everything has consequences, and you get to live out a life and not just quests is interesting. Addition of co-op play also seems very interesting. (Fake box-art...not confirmed)

November

Left 4 Dead - release date: 11/4; Zombie shooting game. Enough said. Focus on co-op play and try to get through the various maps, from safe point to safe point. I've been excited about this game for a long time.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest - release date: 11/4; Take the Lord of the Rings world and characters, place them in a capture point style game, and all I can say is heck yeah. Star Wars Battlefront (1 and 2) is one of my all-time favorite games. Using that gameplay and LotR universe, makes me giddy as a schoolboy.

Gears of War 2 - release date: 11/7; I really loved the first game. Single player, co-op, and online play all worked very well together. I suffered some serious burnout though, when it was the only game my buddies were playing online. I'm guessing that happens again, but I should have a few of these other games to distract me.

Call of Duty: World at War - release date: 11/11; I love the CoD franchise. Each game has excellent single player missions, and the promise of getting some help from the CoD4 people, should make this entry into the series another enjoyable time.

Other games releasing this year that I like the idea of, but won't make any promises about purchasing immediately (maybe used down the road): Star Wars: the Force Unleashed (9/16) - single player only, so I don't miss out by waiting; Project Origin (10/1) - sequel to FEAR, and promises a solid single player experience; Dead Space (10/20) - another single player game, this time in the survival horror genre...reviews will be very important to my purchasing.

And finally, a long term projection that is a definite must-buy...

Resident Evil 5 - release date: 3/13/09; RE4 was one the best video game experiences ever. A similar style of game play, and addition of co-op, makes this required purchasing.

Alrighty, I'm sure most of you really didn't care about that, but it's ok, I smiled while writing it up. I'm confident I missed a game, or that one will be announced between now and then that I'll also want. Either way, this coming winter/holiday season is sure to be a good one for video game enthusiasts. Have a great week.

A penny for my thoughts...

2008-08-01T15:57:00.008-04:00

I am overwhelmed with posting ideas. I need to update everyone on recent events, give opinions on certain items, and maybe even review a movie. Because of such a bottleneck of ideas, and the lack of posting on a regular basis, I'm going to just stick a bunch of things together. The end result will be a hodgepodge post. Let the potpourri of topics begin.

Trip to Indy
Family Time - We had a family picture taken for the first time in several years. All in all it was good, and made the momma happy. As a rule of thumb in the Johnson clan, when the mom's happy, everyone's happy. I was also able to spend time with my brother, parents, and sister. Everyone got a piece...and all were satisfied.

The Brickyard - As always, my family and I attend the Brickyard 400. Sadly, this year was a little different than most due to some terrible tire issues. Goodyear did not do their homework, and brought a tire that simply tore up and was gone after 5-10 laps. The result was NASCAR throwing competitions yellows (cautions) every 11 laps. It was needed for safety purposes. During the short green flag runs, the racing was extremely good (likely due to keeping the field bunched up, and the frequency of adjustments to the cars). I still had a good time with it.

Friends - I was able to meet up with a couple of friends. Basically, two of the three that I try to meet up with whenever I return to town. Everyone seems well, and it was a good time to hang out. Also, babies can be cute...when they're not yours.

Hot Temperatures - Denver is in the midst of a record heat streak. 20 days (and counting) of days with a high over 90 degrees. Several days have hit 100+. And there is no cool down in site. The temps through the weekend are supposed to be near 100 again. It's bloody hot...but its a dry heat.

Energy/Oil Prices - There has been a lot of propaganda flying about trying to blame a specific political party with the price of high gas prices. A lot from Republicans blaming the current Democratic congress. While this Congress hasn't done much in general, they also aren't responsible for the rising price of gas. A poor economy (falling value of the dollar) and war in the middle east are very major contributing factors, the likes of which blame cannot be placed on a single entity. Interestingly, gas prices have done nothing but rise while Bush has been in office (even with a Republican Congress for 6 of those years), yet it is somehow the current Congress' fault. Then there is the propaganda that offshore drilling will lower prices now. I'm under the impression that it will take several years to get production from offshore oil facilities to the level needed to significantly change oil prices. Regardless, gas is expensive, likely wont' fall, and is probably the fault of all parties involved (Rep, Dems, and the Pres). Quit finger pointing, and tell me how you plan to fix the issue (short term and long term). Note: Suspending the gas tax sounds kind of dumb when our deficit is at its largest...and growing.

A Good Book - I really enjoying reading. I note this because I go through novels very quickly. Any time I'm about to finish a book, I make sure to pick up a new one, so I'm never without reading material. Many of the books I read are entertaining, but don't really leave a lasting impression. Occasionally, I read one that would make a good movie. Rarely, do I find a book that keeps me dwelling on it. I'm reading one now (almost finished...Blasphemy by Douglas Preston) that might stick around for a bit. You might hear more later. The moral of the story is I enjoy reading a good novel.

The Move - I know I already posted about my move, but I just wanted to update you that things are working out well. I like the house and believe this should work out for the next couple of years.

A Scooter - I've been contemplating getting a scooter. Something in the variety of a 100cc scooter. They get 70-100 mpg, and for my trip in to work (about 7 miles, 15 min.) the speed limit never exceeds 35 mph. Add it all up, and it means a scooter would be an ideal way to get to and from work on decent weather days. It's very tempting and I've checked craigslist regularly to see what's out there.

Movies
I know it's been awhile since I've done a serious movie review. In fact, it looks like you have to go back to May 20. I've seen several films since then (numerous DVDs and a few in theaters). Let me give you a brief look at my most recent theater viewings. I'll probably do a summer movie wrap-up at the end of August (if I remember).

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D - I saw this one on Tuesday night with the Young'un and the Brit. It was a surprisingly enjoyable film. Very much family friendly, but a fun ride. The 3D element was well used, and pretty neat. Not sure if this is the future of film making, but it was cool. 4 out of 5 for entertainment.

The Dark Knight - Brilliant. Awesome. Excellent. And a myriad of other words that have the same meaning. I have nothing but positives for this movie. From start to finish, it just builds on itself. Phenomenal acting, great story, and superb action. Best Batman movie, and best superhero movie made to date. If you haven't seen it, you should. In fact, tonight should be my second viewing (I have several friends who haven't seen it...and tonight they will). 5 out of 5 stars.

Well, I know this was long, but hopefully you now know what I've been doing. You are now caught up on all things Kyle. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Now that the bottleneck is cleared, future posts will be more focused on a single topic.

I leave you with words of wisdom form Mr. T...."I pity the fool."

Why are Government is broken....

2008-07-22T12:51:00.002-04:00

Ok, our government has issues, but it really isn't broken. Just very far from perfect. Here's an article I first saw highlighted in USA Today's "On Politics" section, and then linked over and read the full article at the Politico. I'm not hip to the leanings of all news sites (other than Fox = more conservative, MSNBC = more liberal). Regardless, I'm sure there is a little truth behind these articles.

For those not choosing to read them, here's the gist. Republicans aren't "whipping" (ie, pressuring to vote party lines and with the President) their membership in Congress on many issues. The reason: to win re-election in November, so the GOP doesn't lose (or loses fewer) seats.

Here's the problem I have. Shouldn't members of Congress be voting their own conscience, and look out for the best interests of their constituents all the time? Isn't this the whole idea of our representative government? I vote for someone who will go to Washington and then support the values/ideals of the community who elected them (determined by surveys and discussions). I understand the reason of the party system. Group similar-minded people and pool resources. It makes sense. However, you should still do the job you were elected to. That is, if you are a Republican from a very Democrat minded area, you should still support Democrat legislation, regardless of your parties leadership. The same is true on the other foot. A Democrat from a primarily Republican district, should support some Republican legislation. I support some areas/issues where the Representative/Senator votes their mind regardless of their district, but they should do more than just toe the party-line.

The fact, that members are being encouraged to vote for their constituents only to get re-elected is dumb. The member should be voting that way all along, not just before (or in) an election year. The Congressman should vote for the constituents because that's why they were elected.

I'm not sure what the answer is. Doing away with the two-party system? That likely brings up more problems than it helps. Not toeing the party line is a quick way to find oneself without funding, and without support. Maybe we just need more politicians that aren't out for themselves, but are honestly interested in voting the mindset of their district/state.

Our government has issues...too bad their aren't any easy answers.

My New Phone

2008-07-14T12:17:00.002-04:00

My 2-year contract with Sprint expires at the end of this month. Because of this fact, I'm due a fair amount of discounts on a new phone and a new plan. I've definitely wanted to upgrade my phone for a while now. My previous LG flip-phone was ok, but it had some issues with signal strength and call quality. It's possible this new phone will have the same issues, but it has enough bells and whistles to overcome those problems. So, I've opted to stay with Sprint (the nights/weekends starting at 7 pm is too good to change), and am now sporting the Palm Centro.

The main reason for moving to a PDA/phone was in case I return to working in a pharmacy. This way, I don't have to carry both a phone and my PDA. I now carry my drug references with me wherever I go. I can now also use it for a date book, and might stay more connected on important things. Of course, I'll probably fail to do that, and just wing it most of the time.

I just picked it up yesterday, so it's too early to tell how well everything works, but the early impressions are most positive. It feels good and is fun to goof around on. It has a camera of decent quality, so I might actually get those pictures of my new abode posted at some point.

The real kicker, and what makes it such a great deal. I'm getting a $400 phone for $50 (well, $150, but I'm entitled a $100 rebate). That's a deal I couldn't pass up.

Anyway, I'll try to post more regularly now that things are getting settled at the new pad. Alrighty, enjoy your week.

Moving is Tiring

2008-07-02T12:48:00.002-04:00

I know it's been quite some time since my last update. And for that I apologize, but I do have some great excuses. First, last week I was sick. Sunday night started feeling poorly and it got worse. Went to the doctor, fever of a 102, diagnosed with sinusitis/bronchitis. After a course of antibiotics (which probably didn't really help), and getting some rest, I'm finally feeling decent (up through this past Saturday I was still feeling illish). Secondly, I've moved this past weekend. The week leading up to it (while sick) required me to pack and get things prepared to move. So, please understand my delay in posting.

I'm getting settled in the new place. I've moved in with a friend of mine and two of his buddies. Early indications are that things are going to work out well. I really need to take a whole day of getting everything put in its place. Regardless, my water bed is up and going, so I'm relatively content. Right now, the biggest pain is not having cable TV or internet. The Comcast guys are supposed to be swinging by this coming week/weekend.

I'll try to get a picture or two of the new pad posted in the coming week(s).

Until next time....stay frosty.

I don't even like golf....

2008-06-16T16:55:00.003-04:00

but yet I found myself captivated today watching the US Open over the internet (thank you ESPN and USGA for the simulcast). On a normal weekend, I won't give golf a second look. The few exceptions are: 1) Final round of a major, 2) Tiger Woods in contention, and 3) I need a nap. Well, today (and yesterday), 2 out of the 3 were in play. Never before have I witnessed a whole round playoff for a win. There are so many story lines attached to this round of golf that made it so intriguing.

There is the whole awesomeness that is Tiger Woods. His now 14-0 record in majors when leading after 3 rounds. His chase for Jack Nicklaus' record. Playing with a bum knee (seriously, play that well, mere weeks after knee surgery).

Then there is the Rocco Mediate storyline. He seemed like a quality guy. Ranked 158th in the world, and taking Tiger Woods to the wire. Simply amazing.

Then the golf itself. Woods takes a 3 stroke lead. Followed shortly by Rocco getting 3 birdies in a row and taking a one shot lead. Leading by one going to 18 (same as yesterday). And just like yesterday, having Woods sink a putt to force a playoff. 90 holes of golf, and these two guys were dead even. Wow.

As stated, I'm not a huge golf fan. But I think I appreciate the greatness that is Tiger Woods. It's like watching Wayne Gretzky (slightly before my time as a sports fan...and it's hockey), or Michael Jordan, or probably Jack Nicklaus (before Woods made his appearance). Witnessing sports history...that's what makes it worth watching.

Also, I really loved this commercial about Woods. It's his later father explaining why Tiger is so good...mental toughness. Watch and enjoy

Favorite Video Games: XBOX 360

2008-06-11T10:23:00.005-04:00

Video games have certainly gotten a ton better in recent memory. Narrowing my 360 games down to just 5 has certainly been tough. Last September (at my one-year 360 anniversary), I posted my top 5 games/experiences then. This list is drastically different. Again, unbelievably difficult to only put 5, so pay attention to the honorable mentions, as they really aren't too far away from the top 5. To crack this list, the enjoyment of playing the game must be there, the desire to finish the game, and the uniqueness of the game. Here they are, my current favorite video games for the XBOX 360.

5. Call of Duty 2
Still the best WWII first person shooter video game. The single player was intense and great fun. However, the fondest memories of this game will always be online sniper battles. Superb game.

4. Assassin's Creed
One of the most unique platforming games to come across consoles ever. Half the fun was simply running around the cities. I'm a big fan of this historical period (Crusades) in literature and film, and playing this time period was great. The combat was phenomenal and the story was interesting up until the very end (took a strange turn at that point). Eagerly anticipating a sequel to this game.

3. Gears of War
The gameplay alone gets this on the list. The cover system was excellent, the active reloads, and level design was outstanding. Online play was good at first, but I did get burned out on it. I'm anticipating Gears II, but I'm not getting all ga-ga over it. Anyway, still an excellent gaming experience.

2. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Mass Effect (tie)

I'm kind of cheating here by giving these two a tie. Both are excellent games, and since both are in the action/RPG category, I'm grouping them together. Oblivion wins for its feeling of setting the world. Just wandering around and discovering new dungeons was superfun. The feeling that you really were in the world was great. However, the main storyline wasn't the best ever, and I found myself enjoying side missions even more.

Mass Effect is just the opposite. I did feel like a part of the universe set up in the game, and I loved in the conversation system. The side missions were relatively mundane, repetitive and not terribly intriguing. However, the main storyline was unbelievably awesome. I had to resist the temptation to just race through the main quest. Quite possibly a better story has never been put to video game lore. I most certainly can't wait until Mass Effect 2 makes an appearance.

And my favorite video game for the XBOX 360...

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
This may be as close to a flawless game that has been made to date. The single player levels are intense and cinematic. Getting through this game on Veteran difficulty is a great achievement (I'm on the final level, and can't quite get it done). However, the multiplayer is the reason to keep coming back. Map design is great. If you like to snipe, most maps make it possible. If you prefer close quarters, most maps make it possible. The leveling up system and perks system are outstanding, and keep the game fresh. I don't generally play with the general public (GP) much, but on this game, I play on very regular basis. If you have access to this game, you MUST get it.

Honorable mentions (with short comments): College Basketball 2k8 (my current favorite, but not really a unique experience, just excellent to play); Madden 08 (best Madden to date); Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 1 & 2 (great gameplay, and the most maps ever released for online play); Rainbow 6: Vegas 1 & 2 (perfected tactical shooting from the single player perspective); Halo 3 (it's a Halo, and is ok); Guitar Hero 2 & 3 (makes a musical moron feel like a rockstar, really fun times)

That's all for this favorite video game series. Now, I'll have to think of some other topics. A life update would be good, I haven't done one of those in a little while.

Favorite Video Games: Playstation 2

2008-06-09T14:45:00.005-04:00

We are coming into much more modern times, as I take a look at my favorite games from the Playstation 2. This was the first system that I purchased with my own money (prior to this, they had been gifts from my parents). Video games became a much larger portion of my free time starting with this system, and the steps games a whole made were very large. Without further boredom, let's take a look at my top 5 PS2 games.

5. Madden Football
I've played Madden ever since my first go round on the SNES. For the most part, each version was getting a little better than the last. 2005 was my final version on the PS2 and I loved the game. The fantasy draft for franchise mode was super fun, and made the game that much more fun.

4. TimeSplitters 3
I had not played the previous two TimeSplitters games, but greatly enjoyed this one. The single player was fun, and really humorous. This game really shines in multi-player though. Many an hour were spent with the brother playing this game against various bots. The characters are outstanding. I'll never forget the Ginger Bread Man: "Bite my crunchy brown @$$."

3. God of War (I and II)
I would easily rate God of War as the best platforming game of recent memory and certainly have it in the conversation for best ever. An absolutely amazing game. Graphics were awesome, story was engaging, level design superb, and the most badass character ever in the history of video games. I kept my PS2 after buying the Xbox 360, exclusively so I could play God of War II. I wasn't disappointed. I might have to get a PS3 once God of War 3 makes it out. These games rocked.

2. Resident Evil 4
This game probably ranks in my top 5 of best games of all time. I never played any of the other Resident Evil games, but was immediately hooked on this one. I just did not want to put the controller down. The combination of suspense and action was excellently balanced. They kept you right on the cusp of low ammo. Enough to keep you worried, but not so often to actually be annoyed by it. The section of game where you lock yourself in the farm house is simply one of the best levels ever.

And the number 1 game on the PS2...

1. Star Wars Battlefront (1 and 2)

It's tough to pick between these two games, so I won't. I'm not sure I could tally how many hours my brother and I played these two games, but it's a frickin' lot. I like first person shooters, I like Star Wars, and capture point battles are also fun. The combination makes for a nearly perfect game. Flying a snowspeeder and taking out AT-ATs is a blast. Holding off the droid army at Bespin platforms is super fun. The battles never played out the same way twice (with the exception of us winning). I'm eagerly anticipating Battlefront 3...and more Star Wars butt-kicking.

Honorable mentions: Grand Theft Auto III, Smuggler's Run (way more fun than it needed to be)

I have very fond memories of the PS2. Up next, my current system and first foray into the Microsoft gaming world, the X-box 360. My series concludes within the week. Stay tuned.

Favorite Video Games: Nintendo 64

2008-06-06T11:18:00.004-04:00

Continuing the stroll down video game memory lane, we now come to the years of the Nintendo 64. The final cartridge system, and my final run on a Nintendo. Many, many good hours were spent playing this system. Both single player games, and multi-player battles with my brother (and occasionally sister). This is certainly one of my favorite systems ever. The controller was unique for its time, and the entry into 3D gaming was awesome. Now that the fanboy gushing is over, let's get on with the countdown.

5. Super Mario 64

Mario's first stint in the 3D realm was outstanding. The control scheme was excellent, the level design was phenomenal, and putting on the winged hat and flying around was so enjoyable. An amazing game at anytime, and even more impressive for a launch title.

4. Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark (tie)

Due to the similarity of these two games, I've opted to give them the number 4 spot. These two games mark my first foray into console first person shooters. This genre of game is now my favorite type (along with sports). Both games had excellent single players, but really shined in multi-player. I remember vividly playing Perfect Dark with my brother and sister against a Perfect Bot and trying to stay alive...really funny stuff.

3. Star Fox 64
I enjoyed Star Fox for the SNES, but the difficulty of the game kept me from loving it. This version however, was super fun to play. One of the few games I can (or at least could) beat on one life. The fact that how you played levels actually affected how the story progressed was unique and made certain choices that much more important. Awesomely fun.

2. Zelda: Ocarina of Time
It is really hard not to put this game at number 1. This really represented my first (and only) journey through Hyrule, and I loved every minute of it. This game was darn near perfect. Good puzzles, excellent fighting, and superb story. From start to finish, an amazing adventure. I definitely played through this game more than once.

And the reason Zelda isn't at number 1....

1. Mario Kart 64
They honestly don't make games any better than this. Probably the best racing game ever put on a console. The AI was appropriately difficult, the tracks are ingenious, and best of all, the battle mode! I'm not sure how many hours my brother and I played this game in battle mode. Avoiding red turtle shells, flooding the level with green shells, and the suspense when we were both down to one balloon. The best Mario Kart to date (granted I've not played the Wii version, but I can't imagine it beats this one). Best game ever for the N64.

Honorable mentions: Mario Golf, Wrestlemania 2000, and Star Wars: Rouge Squadron.

I fondly look back on the N64, and sometimes wish to find games as enjoyable as they were on this system.

Stay tuned, up next...the Playstation 2.

Favorite Video Games: Super Nintendo Entertainment System

2008-05-30T10:53:00.003-04:00

Continuing my series on favorite video games. I'll continue my stroll down memory lane with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). I spent many an hour playing this system, and these games most definitely composed the greatest enjoyment out of it.

In dramatic reverse order....

5. Donkey Kong Country

One of the first games to excel at 3-D graphics. It was still a side-scrolling game, but graphically amazing for a 16-bit system. In addition to the aesthetic quality, it was superb to play, and co-op made it enjoyable for a group.

4. NHL Hockey (EA sports)

The screenshot is from the '94 variation. However, I'm pretty sure I played multiple years of this title. Despite not really being a huge hockey fan, this game was superbly fun. Learning the art of the one-timer was the secret to success. Also, you can count on one hand, the number of times I was out body-checked by anyone.

3. Madden Football (EA Sports)

The system that started my love affair with Madden (please don't take that out of context). Despite the poor graphics, the gameplay was second to none. Many games were played of Madden football throughout the SNES's lifespan.

2. Super Mario World

Another excellent outing of Mario. Easily one of the best Mario games out there. Fun to play at any time.

And the best video game for the SNES...

1. Super MarioKart

Hands down the best game for the SNES...no questions, accept no substitutes. I have some vivid recollections of playing this game. Both the single player GPs against the computer, and more so, the many many hours of battle mode against my brother. We loved snow days away from school in order to play this game. An amazing game.

Honorable mentions: NBA Jam, Star Fox, and F-Zero

Well, that brings this stroll down SNES memory lane to an end. I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned our next outing in a DeLorean for a trip to the N64 days.

Favorite Video Games: Nintendo Entertainment System

2008-05-28T18:03:00.003-04:00

Well, let me start by saying I'm stealing the idea from my brother. He recently has posted his top 25 video games of all time (25-18, 17-10, 9-1). Now to be fair, he has far more video game experiences than I do. I'm mixing it up a bit, and will discuss my top 5 games for each of the systems I've owned. That way I stick to comparing apples to apples.

Here we go...My Top 5 Video Games from the Nintendo Entertainment System

5. RC Pro-Am

A top down racer that would be a fore-runner to my enjoyment of kart racing games. Oil slicks, wet spots, bombs and missiles all added to the enjoyment of the game. I never mastered it, but I did get pretty good and hated missing the letters to spell out NINTENDO and upgrade to the next batch of cars.

4. Super Mario Bros.

It's hard to make a list of NES games and not include the original game. Packaged along with Duck Hunt, this game established one of the best video game characters ever. For a long time, side scrolling adventures would be compared to this one.

3. Ninja Turtles Arcade Game

Never really progress that far in this game, due to the lack of continues and monster difficulty of bosses. However, that did not stop my great enjoyment of the first 3 levels. Playing along with the brother was great fun too.

2. Super Mario Bros 3
An excellent and fun game. Back on track after the bizarre Mario Bros. 2. Very enjoyable game. Always wanted to make sure you had a leaf hanging around.

And my favorite NES game ever....

1. Little League Baseball

Quite possibly my favorite baseball of all time (granted I've not really played a baseball game since the N64 days). The fielding worked, the pitching worked, and the batting was fun. The uniqueness of each team made this game special. I still recall setting up tournaments with my brother and our neighbor. This game also got me through a hospital stay as a kid. Superb game!

Honorable mentions: Duck Hunt and Rad Racer

Stay tuned as over the next week, I'll give my top 5 SNES, N64, PS2 and Xbox 360 games. Hope you enjoyed this minor stroll down memory lane.

Three Movie Reviews

2008-05-20T15:21:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I experienced a slew of movie viewing consisting of two trips to the actual theater (I know, impressive). Since I'm due for an update and I've got these three films in my mind, this post just seemed natural. I'm going to review the films in chronological order...which also turns out to be best to worst. Without further ado...

Iron Man
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, and Jeff Bridges

Synopsis: The owner of a weapons company is captured by terrorists and held hostage to make weapons for them. Instead he creates and iron suit. After returning to civilization, he has a change of mind about weapons and chooses instead to perfect his suit and get rid of all his weapons in the wrong hands.

Review: A superbly entertaining film. I'll let it be known that I've never read the comics, so I'm not sure how faithful it stayed. Downey, Jr. is excellent. Whether as a arrogant playboy millionaire, or as a man concerned with others well being, he is always believable and plays the role perfectly. The character development is sound. The story workable, and the special effects outstanding. Right up there with Spiderman 2 as the best comic book movie to date. I give this one 4 1/2 out of 5. Highly recommend the big screen for this one.

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Starring: The kids from the first one, some guy you've never heard of, and Warwick Davis

Synopsis: The kids from the first return to Narnia after 1300 years (Narnia time) has passed. Narnia has been captured by a group of humans known as Telmarines, and the mythical creatures are in hiding. The titular Prince Caspian and original kids unite with the Narnians (the creatures) to battle the Telmarines for control of the land.

Review: Let me get the disclaimer that I've never read the novel, so I can't make claims about how faithful this adaptation was. Compared to the first CoN movie, this one has a darker tone and more action. Both of which were greatly welcomed, as I felt the first was rather campy. However, I felt a little lost in the story, where the first was pretty much laid out for all to know, this keeps things unsaid for nearly the entire movie. As a Christian allegory, it only works if you are looking for it. It is certainly not an in your face type of movie, and not as obvious as the first. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars. If you liked the original, check it out on the big screen (the battle scenes are worth it), otherwise wait until DVD.

The Orphanage
Starring: Spanish actors

Synopsis: A lady returns to her childhood home (an orphanage) with her husband and adopted child to run a home for mentally challenged children. Her son sees and plays with make believe friends that worries his mother. Her son disappears and she seeks out answers believing that his make believe friends are actual ghosts.

Review: I don't normally do foreign language films, but was intrigued by the idea of a good ghost story. I never really got around to liking this movie, but at the same time, did not hate it. Every time things started to get tense, the movie just lets it slide. The end result was a somewhat boring film that didn't live up to its potential of being an edge of the seat thriller. Needless to say I'm not really recommending this one to people. I give it 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. It is possible that people who like artsy-fartsy might like it more than I did.

Last Class...Ever?

2008-05-13T15:14:00.002-04:00

Yesterday marked a historic event in my educational life. Short of winning the lottery, or a sudden mid-life crisis, I am finished with traditional classroom education. Yep, yesterday marked the end of my life as a classroom student. I am done with classes...forever. I know, never say never and all that, but for the current planned future, I will likely not be attending class as a traditional student.

This does not mean I'm done with testing (Comprehensive exams sometime this summer...probably August), presentations (once a quarter for my lab, and once a year for the department), or even lectures (a seminar is just a lecture that you won't be tested on). At some point, I will probably still have classroom responsibilities, but hopefully in the role of lecturer/professor.

Really, for seeming like such a milestone, it comes with very little fanfare. Now, I simply continue in the life of a graduate student. Nothing special happens, no weeks/months off (as with the end of high school or college), just show up today and go about business as usual. Nonetheless, I'm choosing to mark the event...by making a post about it. It seems strange in some regards though. For the past 22 years of my life (preschool at age 3), going to school and taking classes has been the mainstay. I know I had summers off from classes, but that only represents 2-3 months a year. I have spent the majority of my life in a classroom...and now, it is no more. I'm almost sad...almost.

What's next? Lab work, lab work, comprehensive exam, and then more lab work. Once I clear the hurdle of comps, I will be exclusively focused on getting out of here with that piece of paper and 3 little letters. Hard to imagine that's likely 3 years away. Oh well...back to work, I guess.

Note: Picture stolen form some website. Google image search for classroom.

Summer Movie Must-see Movie List

2008-05-05T17:06:00.007-04:00

As promised, I'm going to give you my current must-see movie list for the summer of 2008. Keep in mind this list is only my opinion of movies that have announced a release date, and I've heard of them. My research relies mostly on previews and internet buzz. I don't doubt that I've missed some movies that will be good, and that I'll probably see, but I'm only human and I'm only going to hit the blockbusters. Fairly picture heavy posts, as I've tried to include a movie poster for each movie on the list of must-see. The honorable mentions do NOT get a poster (sorry). Here they are (in order of release date)....

May 22nd - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Clearly, this is a must-see movie. I loved two of the original trilogy (Raiders and Last Crusade...Temple of Doom was okay). And Indiana Jones is simply one of the coolest characters ever.

June 13th - M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening
Generally, I don't go see movies, or avoid movies because of a director (Uwe Boll being one to avoid at all costs); however, M. Night Shyamalan is an exception. I've liked all his movies (Signs and Sixth Sense a lot, The Village well enough, and the concepts of Unbreakable and Lady in the Water), and the previews really make me interested in this one. Certainly should be worth price of admission.

June 27th - Disney/Pixar's WALL-E
Similar to a director standpoint, I'm not big on specific producing companies, but Disney/Pixar's track record speaks volumes. Now, I may not get around to catching this on the big screen, but I'm certainly going to try...and definitely pick it up to rent immediately.

July 11th - Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The original Hellboy was a bit of a guilty pleasure. I'm pretty sure I liked it more than was necessary. It was simply a fun movie to watch. Good action and a wise-cracking demon, what's not to love. The previews promise more of the same from this one.

July 18th - The Dark Knight
Another one of the most anticipated movies of this summer. The Batman Begins franchise reboot was an awesome film, and with the same creative team returning, this promises more of the same. The previews look excellent, and Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker promises to be phenomenal.

August 15th - Star Wars: The Clone Wars (cartoon)
Star Wars returns to the big screen with an all-new adventure in CGI cartoon. Current reports on a stand-alone story will be released in theaters prior to episodic content on TV. All-in-all the series is supposed to tell the story about what happened between Episodes II and III. I'm not complaining about more Star Wars.

Honorable mentions (not necessarily big screen, but rentals for sure):

5/16 - Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - the first CoN film was childish, but enjoyable. The previews appear to up the action, which would be very welcome.

7/25 - The X-Files - I really enjoyed the TV series, especially when it wasn't dealing with conspiracies, but with really strange creatures/happenings. This film claims to return to that type of plot.

8/1 - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - The original Mummy was excellent, and it was all downhill from there. A new "mummy" and change in locale might be what this franchise needs. Just bring back fun and wise-cracking, and I'm in.

There are others coming out that I'll rent and are worth keeping an eye on, but these crack the list as must-see. What are yours? Anyone? I mean really, I want to know...it'll be fun.

Later

1000 miles, 6 days, and 36 games

2008-05-02T12:56:00.002-04:00

What a week! In the past six days (since last Saturday), I've driven 1000 miles and have bowled 36 games (plus practice balls). Aside from a little tenderness in my right shoulder and wrist, and an ache in my left quad, I'm in pretty good shape. Tired, for sure, but certainly capable of bowling again. For those possibly forgetful of why I've traveled and bowled so much, I've been in Albuquerque (NM) for the USBC Open championships. And while in town, did 2 sets at the Bowlers Journal and 3 sets at the Bowling This Month tournaments. While, I never scored extraordinarily well, after the opening set at the BJ and BTMs and game 1 of team event, I threw the ball very well. I was pretty consistent and close to the pocket. I shot my single pin spares well. The difficulty was a very small miss was often magnified and resulted in splits or washouts (think split with the headpin still present). I think I was close to a 180 average for the 29 games in Albuquerque.

I followed that up by driving back into Denver for the final night of my winter league. It was nice to be on an easier shot. I actually didn't throw the ball all that well, but due to having a bit of room I was able to score ok. Most importantly was only one open (split). Last night started my summer PBA experience league. Side note: the irony is I started my summer bowling league when it was 32 degrees and snowy...gotta love Denver weather, huh? Ok, back on track. I threw the ball really well last night and got off to a pretty good start in the PBA league.

Well, as of right now, I'm likely not going to be bowling again until next Thursday. If only I would hit the lottery (Powerball at $175 mil this week), I might bowl this much every week. Until then, I'll keep my day job and bowl at least weekly.

Have a great weekend. Up next: My summer movie must see-list.

Movie Review: Cloverfield

2008-04-23T12:30:00.005-04:00

This movie just came out on DVD yesterday, and I received it in the mail via Blockbuster yesterday and watched it. It's been awhile since I've done a full movie review, but this one was surprising good to warrant one (plus, I need to post this week). Let's hit the highlights.

Plot: A creature attacks NY. The movie is the footage from a personal camera found in Central Park.

Starring: A bunch of people you have never heard of. However, I didn't argue with this casting (Jessica Lucas).

Review: The film starts at a going away party, and the camera is used for "testimonials" and "documentation". After about 15-20 min. of character introduction and development, the poop hits the fan. From this point on, the next hour or so is nothing short of a tense, edge of your seat ride. Despite the overall serious mood, the person doing the camera work (a character known as Hud) serves as narrator and might be one of the most socially inept people ever. This serves for some funny lines in grim situations. The creature is very interesting and certainly scary. In one of the featurettes on the DVD, the use of the monster was treated as playing "peek-a-boo" with a 30 story monster. That's an accurate description of how the monster makes appearances in the film.

I do have some complaints though. The characters decision making is certainly questionable. I forgive this to a point. Seriously, if you buy a monster attacking NY, then 20-somethings not thinking straight is certainly more believable. The dialogue is questionable, but again in the situation (real-life) it can work. My biggest complaint is true for nearly all movies with this film style (aside from shaky camera...which wasn't terrible on my TV...certainly worse for those that saw it in theaters). [Potential SPOILER] That complaint is already knowing the fate of characters whenever footage is "found".

Final Analysis: 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend viewing, certainly one of the most unique films I've seen in a while.

Want to see the monster? Scroll down for a pic.

Did you really think I would give that away? I wouldn't want to ruin the suspense. Check out the movie.

Because I Just Don't Know What to Post

2008-04-15T16:47:00.002-04:00

I often get all these grand ideas for posts during the course of any given day/week. The problem being, the ideas come to me when I'm not in a position to actually make a post. Sometimes it's something someone (that's a lot of "some" compound words...hmmm...interesting) says, something I read, something I see on TV. Sometimes it's current events, sometimes funny, sometimes random. But it all comes down to not ever being posted about. It's not really a busy thing. I frequently take 15 minute breaks at work that could easily be used to type up a post. For that matter, I spend a lot of time watching TV, movies, and playing video games (and my TV is awesome!!!), of which a short break would also be easy. Regardless, all of these great posts just disappear. Occasionally I'll think of the same topic multiple times, but still never actually post on it. Is it possible that I actually procrastinate doing an activity that serves partially as procrastination itself? Wow, am I really that bad...it is certainly a possibility. Anyway, here are a few of the things that I've thought about as topics:

Tiger Woods - must be rough when you finish second in a major and everyone talks like it's the end of the world...insane, isn't it?

Star Wars - over the past two weekends, I've watched the entire saga either on DVD (Episodes III and IV) or on Spike (the rest). It truly is one of the best stories ever put to film...classic.

Confronting the Controversies - This is the book that my Sunday School class has just started going through. It's by Adam Hamilton (if you were curious), and should be decent. For the most part, many members seem to be of similar mindset...which can make learning difficult, but should lead to good discussion without bitter arguments.

The Prayer of Jesus - This is the book that I've just finished reading by James Mulholland. It describes what the Lord's Prayer should mean for our lives. Certainly a challenging book, but excellently written with phenomenal points.

Movie Reviews - I still have my Blockbuster thing going on, so I get several movies a week. I've made it a habit to comment on the movies I've seen on Facebook, and I give a star count on the Blockbuster website, but I've not posted a movie review for a while. Then again, I've not watched anything that has been super-awesome.

Politics and other things - There are always current events happening that might pique my interest enough to post about. However, I'm always hesitant to do so. I'm pretty sure most people who read this know what I think about most things, and therefore, I don't really need to express myself. On the other hand, they might not, which could make for some good posts. I never like just laying my views out there, because I hate to flat out offend someone, or not fully present an issue.

Oh well, one of these days I'll actually make a habit of posting. As of now, I'll try and stick with the once weekly aspect of things. Hope all is well for you out there.

How Did I Do in March Madness?

2008-04-11T13:06:00.007-04:00

Well, the basic answer to the question is: NOT good. I finished next to last in the pool that I ran, but enjoyed the tourney and most of the games. The real fun will be seeing how my predictions (several posts back) fared...also not good...but let's take a look.

Prediction: All 4 number ones won't make the final four. It's never happened, and it won't happen this year.
Reality: All 4 number ones made the Final Four...for the first time ever.

Prediction: First rd upsets: 11 St. Josephs over 6 OK, 10 Davidson over 7 Gonzaga, 11 Kentucky over 6 Marquette, 10 St. Marys over 7 Miami (FL) [8-9 matchups don't count as upsets]
Reality: Wrong on St. Joes, Kentucky, and St. Mars; Right on Davidson

Prediction: 12 over 5 upset special (it seems to happen every year), Western Kentucky over Drake (partially out of spite, but it isn't a bad choice)
Reality: Western KY beat Drake on a buzzer beater...great game, and I got this one right

Prediction: The Big East is overrated and crazily got 8 teams in the dance. However, the Big East will be out before the Elite 8. (potential exceptions being Louisville and Georgetown, but I have them losing).
Reality: Only Louisville made the Elite 8 out of the Big East. Wrong, but oh-so close.

Prediction: Surprise Sweet 16 appearances: 7 Butler, 6 Purdue
Reality: Butler lost to Tenn is OT in the 2nd rd (should've won though); Purdue lost to Xavier in the 2nd rd (good game)...Wrong on both accounts.

Prediction: Surprise Elite 8 appearances: 7 Butler, 4 Vanderbilt, 3 Wisconsin
Reality: Butler, see above; Vandy lost in the first round...ooops; Wisconsin made the Sweet 16, but fell to Davidson; Wrong on all three accounts.

Prediction: My Final Four: 1 UNC, 3 Wisconsin, 2 Texas, 1 UCLA (NOTE: I never, ever, get the final four right)
Reality: Since only number 1s made the FF, I got 2 right...therefore this one sorta counts.

Prediction: National Championship: UNC defeats Texas by 7
Reality: Kansas over Memphis in OT...clearly I was wrong again.

Prediction: First number 1 to lose: Kansas, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Memphis.
Reality: These were the last two teams standing...My bad.

Prediction: I'm guessing that 80% of these predictions are wrong (including this one).
Reality: Of the preceding 9 predictions, I only go 19% correct...which means 81% wrong. However that means, I go number 10 right, which puts me at 27.5% correct...therefore I got number 10 wrong...if you know what I mean. Fun with math, huh?

It was a good tourney. Solid upsets in the first round, a few buzzer beaters, a Cinderella to root for (Davidson), and a great Championship game. Anyone taking bets whether Memphis focuses on free throws in practice before next season? Until next year...I'm out.

T-Shirts I need....

2008-04-03T18:37:00.005-04:00

I enjoy a good funny shirt. I own several and am always on the lookout for a few others. In the past day or two, I've bummed around on the internet and found a few shirts that just really seem to fit me. So, I've opted to post the picture and describe why I need said shirt. Without further ado...

Shirt #1From SnorgTees.com. You might remember from several posts ago (click here if you don't), that I like DeLoreans. Plus, I often will randomly quote Back to the Future. All things put together mean that this shirt is cool.

Shirt #2

From PhDcomics.com. If you can't read it, it says "GRAD SCHOOL, It seemed better than getting a real job." Now this wasn't my full reason for attending grad school, but still it's funny and still kinda works.

Shirt #3

From the site xkcd.com. I'm trying science here at grad school, so it fits what I'm doing, and is humorous. This one (and the previous) are more specific to what I'm doing and not as overall funny, but hey, still good.

Shirt #4

From Bowlingshirt.com. This one works for several reasons. 1) I like the Lord of the Rings, 2) I like puns/word humor, and 3) It's on a retro bowling shirt. Ok, I guess you could sum all those up with I'm a bit of a dork, but I already have 2 shirts that claim that one.

What? No pharmacist shirts? Well, there are a boatload on cafepress.com, but I do own two pharmacy t-shirts, so I'm exactly lacking in this area. Plus, it wasn't worth digging through cafepress to find the coolest ones.

There you go. Some funny shirts that I think are awfully humorous. Have a great weekend, my cool and most awesome readers

Doctors, Medicine, and Prayer...

2008-03-28T12:32:00.002-04:00

Before I start, let me give you the link to the story that I'm referring to...Click Here. The gist of the story is a young girl (age 11) died when her parents did not take her to a doctor, but instead chose to pray for the girl. Her death was by diabetic ketoacidosis, a lack of insulin in the body resulting in use of proteins and other compounds as a source of energy instead of sugar. Harmful by-products build up and cause the body to shut down and death to occur. Completely avoidable and treatable. This kind of story really bugs me. I'm a full believer and supporter of prayer. And I truly believe that prayer aides the healing process...but it does NOT replace medical treatment.

My biggest problem with parents and people who believe God is the only healer is this. Why do we have doctors and medicine if not to help heal people? Did God allow the entire practice of medicine to come about as a test of faith (if so, I fail...miserably)? Clearly, since I'm a pharmacist and am seeking a degree that will allow me to investigate and develop new drugs, I think medicine is here to help. Without medicine, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't be here today (asthma attacks require medicine to breathe again). I think God blessed me with an analytical, scientific mind and I'm using that in the medical field. There is scene in the HBO movie Something the Lord Made (about heart surgery and race) where Alan Rickman (playing Dr. Blalock) is talking with a priest before doing surgery on an infant with Tetralogy of Fallot (blue baby syndrome). The priest pleads with Rickam not to tamper with God's plan, to which he replies, "Perhaps God is, as you say, trying to kill this child. I am not."

Doctors and modern medicine is not a pagan, heathenistic practice. It is not anti-God, and most certainly works best when used in combination with faith and prayer. I don't want to heap blame upon the parents who try and live a faithful life according to their beliefs, especially since the situation wasn't one they wished for, but shunning doctors and medicine just doesn't make sense. This isn't the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last.

I'm not sure the level of God's participation in daily lives. Does He actively play a role in every little thing people do? Does He gently nudge? Does He make every thing happen? Or did He put in place everything people need and allow life to occur as free will and people dictate? I'm not sure, but I know Doctors exist, medicine exists, and they aren't evil. God may be the healer, but I think he chooses to heal through the many MDs, RNs, and PharmDs practicing in the world.

A Weekend of Basketball

2008-03-24T12:00:00.001-04:00

I realize that the NCAA tourney was not the most important event over the weekend (that would be Easter and all its significance), but it was the event that took up most of my time. I'm hugely grateful that CBS allows viewing of games online regardless of local coverage. Thursday, I had games on my computer all day (since games begin at 10:30 AM here). I did however, actually get some work done on Thursday. Friday, was a different story. I didn't get any work done, and just watched basketball. Which is fine by me, since there were two buzzer beaters for upsets and Butler routed South Alabama. A fine day of basketball. Saturday and Sunday were similar in that I watched basketball and played video games. No complaints from me, a darn good weekend.

Now, previous I ranted about Butler's seeding, and I stand by that. In the end, though, they have to play where they are placed. After an amazing shooting performance against South Ala., they lost a heart breaker to Tennessee. It was an excellent game and I was glad to see Butler keep is poise and confidence despite double-digit deficits in both halves. They are the only team to push Tenn. to overtime all year, and just needed a little better execution down the stretch (missed layups and free throws). An excellent season and amazing team. A good note for Tenn. is that 3 of Butler's previous trips, the team that defeated them went on to play for the national championship.

As for how my bracket faired...well, not so great now that you mention it...thanks. A surprising event has occurred. I made it through the first weekend with my Final Four intact. However, I'm down to 5 of the Elite Eight teams, and I only got 9 of the Sweet 16. I'm pretty much going to hop on the little guy band wagon (go Davidson and Western KY). Best region for me: South, I've only missed 2 games and have the entire Sweet 16 there. Worst: West, only UCLA is left alive and I missed all the other Sweet 16 entries. Now, I have several days to sit back and not watch college basketball....booo....guess, I can do work.

March Madness Predictions

2008-03-18T11:41:00.002-04:00

First let me get the rant off my chest, and I know I'm overly biased, but...How in the world is Butler a #7 seed? Really, a 7? Are you serious? What was the committee thinking? Let me quickly play the numbers game (from the IndyStar). Last year, Butler made the tourney as an at-large team with a 5 seed. This year a 7. Here are their stats.

"Last year, heading into the tournament, Butler was 27-6 with a No. 21 national ranking, No. 27 RPI, 7-3 record against the top 100 and 11-4 record away from home. This year's corresponding figures are 29-3, No. 12 ranking, No. 16 RPI, 10-3 and 15-2."

A better overall record, a higher national rank, a better RPI, better top 100 record (with all 3 losses in this group), and better away/neutral record. Yet somehow, the committee feels they are a worse team. I'm shocked by this. I can only hope that this gets Butler to play with a bit of a chip on their shoulder and they take care of business against South Alabama. Note, not only do they get a 7 seed, but they play South Alabama IN Alabama...wow. Then get arguably the best 2 seed in the field in Tennessee in the second round. Ok, I'm done complaining, I simply just don't understand it.

Here are my predictions:

1) All 4 number ones won't make the final four. It's never happened, and it won't happen this year.

2) First rd upsets: 11 St. Josephs over 6 OK, 10 Davidson over 7 Gonzaga, 11 Kentucky over 6 Marquette, 10 St. Marys over 7 Miami (FL) [8-9 matchups don't count as upsets]

3) 12 over 5 upset special (it seems to happen every year), Western Kentucky over Drake (partially out of spite, but it isn't a bad choice)

4) The Big East is overrated and crazily got 8 teams in the dance. However, the Big East will be out before the Elite 8. (potential exceptions being Louisville and Georgetown, but I have them losing).

5) Surprise Sweet 16 appearances: 7 Butler, 6 Purdue

6) Surprise Elite 8 appearances: 7 Butler, 4 Vanderbilt, 3 Wisconsin

7) My Final Four: 1 UNC, 3 Wisconsin, 2 Texas, 1 UCLA (NOTE: I never, ever, get the final four right)

8) National Championship: UNC defeats Texas by 7

9) First number 1 to lose: Kansas, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Memphis.

10) I'm guessing that 80% of these predictions are wrong (including this one).

There you have it. If you haven't filled out your bracket yet, go ahead and choose the opposite of these predictions...you'll do better, I promise. It's a great time of year.

What I Would Like to Do....

2008-03-11T16:35:00.002-04:00

So, there is this piece of equipment that is being a constant thorn in my side. It's likely older (or about as old) as I am. It runs in conjunction with a computer that only has a 5 1/4" floppy disc and a whopping 56 MB....impressive, huh? Well, the old school dot matrix printer had issues....then it worked, but the equipment hooked to the computer stopped working right...again it got working, but now the computer isn't talking with the equipment (communications error). However, as anyone who remembers old computers, they aren't exactly user friendly. No diagnostic, no right click, nothing to actually track down the issue...just communications error. Regardless, I've been fiddling with this machine for awhile. The video below shows what I'd like to do with it. Simply put, I want to go Office Space on it. (Parental Advisory for song lyrics...sorry that's how it is).

Houston, we have a problem...

2008-03-05T10:18:00.003-05:00

And the problem is summed up by the above picture. My Xbox 360 appears to be dead. I'm blaming this on my brother. His box died about a month ago, and pretty much the day he got his refurbished system back, mine went on the fritz. Now this isn't the dreaded red ring of death. That consists of three red lights on the system, whereas my error only has one. The RROD would actually have been preferred because that falls under a Microsoft extended warranty and the fix would be free. According to my brother, this type of error carries a costs of roughly $100 with it. Cheaper than a new system, but still you go without the console for a month. The thing that really annoys me though, is the apparent death of the Hard Drive. That means, I lose all my saved games. The ones that hurt the most are: Madden Franchise (half way into my third season), College Hoops 2k8 legacy mode (2nd year of career, and 1st of open), and Call of Duty 4 (final level on Veteran difficulty). Losing those hurts...alot. But, nothing I can do about it.

Well, the short of it is that I'm out of gaming for a little bit. I might think about picking up another console, then having my refurbed one as a backup. I might look to sell the refurbed version and apply that to the cost of getting fixed and also buying a new one. Lots of options, I'll sit back and weigh them.

Here's what I learned this weekend. Saturdays and Sundays can be very long without games, and that cable shows a lot of bad movies during those times.

Enjoy your week everyone and I'll keep you updated on my 360 issues.