Mad Men, Season 4 Review.

Madmen Season 4 kicked off last night. And I thought it was good (granted I was still riding the high fro Trueblood). But, still...it was a great first episode. We know that "the dudes" split from Sterling Cooper to open their own shop, and this episode gave us a glimpse of what it takes to do such a thing. It showed the free-for-all pitches. The internal arguments between management. But most of all it showed us that good creative is not the "be all and end all" to running a successful business. They had the name, "Draper" and they had the creative talent. But they didn't have the reputation. They didn't have the agency culture. They were missing...the swag.

And without that...they are just another small shop that does nice work. And that's a truth that holds true today. Which is why I watch the show. To see the parallels in advertising from back then to now. That...is what is so genius about it. I really could give two sh*ts about Don's personal life. It's the fact that they nail timeless agency truths left and right. That same swag that makes young creatives today fixated on shops - it has to be established. Are you a "fuck off, we do creative shop" or are you a "Yes maaam shop"? The quality of work will always follow once agency figures out - their personal swag.

And as for the women of Madmen: Betty is still a soulless bitch who hates her children. Peggy had got a new haircut to match her new found confidence. And Joan is still the hottest red head chick I have ever seen in real or made up world since Wilma Flinstone. And she's got her own office now. Zing!

P.S. I tried to do a review without spoiling anything, for those of you who are too cool to watch premiers on their actual premier days.

New Artist Alert: B.o.B

So, I'm here to review the B.O.B album. Something I would have never thought I would do. After I heard that Beautiful Girls song 10 thousand times on the radio, I took it off my ipod and thought I'd never hear from this guy again, willingly. Well, it turns out I spoke too soon. Stuck in someone elses car driving from NJ, I heard the whole album. And it is truly refreshing. Apparently he is multi-talented artist....sings, raps...plays instruments too. Above is his lasted video for the song Airplanes which features Kyley Williams (???).

What I like is that he isn't afreiad to mix sounds on his album. He clearly is an urban music head at heart....but his album still manages to feel like every song is different- featuring artist from Weezer, Janelle Monae, Eminem Lupe Fiasco, TI and more. It's good sh*t mang (and womang). Below are a few of my favorites from what apparently is his freshman album: B.o.B: Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray. Get on it.

You are welcome.

The Linkdown.

1. So, The Situation has his own song. It sound like a gay club anthem. But on another note...can you guys believe how "famous" this cast is getting. They get way more fame cred than even the Real Worlds in the early 90's did.

2. Pin-Up calenders for radiologist. Mmmmm, sexy pelvic bone.

3. Megan Fox, f*cking a Megan Fox Mannequin makes my loins confused. Creepy or Hot?

4. Gay Couple win Prom King and Queen (King) at NY high school. Strides.

5. BP Executive spill Coffee. And handle it in the same way they did with that oil stuff.

6. F*ckin dept collectors. Take that...take that...take that.

7. Mr. T is getting that steady paycheck Good for him.

8. Sex in the City 2....the best review of anything I've read to date.

9. Obama's "official words on BP." Is it a little too late? Mayhaps.

Movie Time: Like 5 months worth of Movies.

Phew....I havnt done a movie review in awhile huh? Let's see....I guess I'll just jump right in.

Clash of the Titans- For those of you who read/watch this blog regularly, you know that I am some what of a Greek and Roman mythology history loon. Proof you say? Well, It's the only class I got an A in throughout all 4 years of college. I have written atleast 25 papers regarding any given mythical story at any given time. I have also been know to ask my significant others whether they could handle dating someone who worshipped Zues on a daily basis. That's three, and they say three is a magic number. Needless to say, I was excited for this movie. It's a classic. I remember watching the claymation action as a kid and think, "It cant get any better than this." And quiet frankly...after barely 2 hours.....it didnt.

I'm not going to say it's a bad movie. But I am going to highlight a few points:

1. It was far too short. The point of the Original Clash of the Titans (dont correct be if I'm wrong- cause I'm not) is to highlight the plight of a journey. There should be multiple separate scenes joined together by multiple separate shots of people traveling. It's a Trek. An epic Trek, if you will. Instead they gave the viewer crazy ridiculous CGI scene, after crazy ridiculous CGI scene, after crazy ridiculous CGI scene. At one point in the movie, I literally had no idea how many bad guys there were and who was fighting who. They were simply trying to wow us, instead of telling us a story. And if we are talking about the Greeks and the Romans, we are talking about stories. Nothing more...nothing less.

2. They rewrote significant parts of the movie. Yeah, so plot points in the original where glossed over. I bet your saying "So what Shaun, get over it....it was suppose to be a block buster." Well, how do you explain them changing the story? Yep, that happened too. I dont want to get too geeky about all the things they changed or left out (and that's the worst...the left out parts), but Pegasus was not a negro flying horse. Okay....let's get that right. I know we have a black president but come the f*ck on.....(and I'm allowed to say this cause I'm black).

3. The Kraken was not crack'n. It looked like something I saw back in 2003 in the Lord of the Ring movie. Not even the second one. But the first one. Remember that fight scene when the first went underground through dwarf land and Legalas shot that big ass evil know in the eye. Yeah...the kraken was it's CGI twin. No originality points. They should've just left it the way it was. But I will give the CGI points for the Medusa work. It was very cool to see how she evolved onto the 2010 screen.

Now, I know it seems like I'm going in on this movie. But I was truley disappointed. I did that thing where I pirchased tickets for friends ahead of time, and then they paid me back. I havn't done that since the 2nd Matrix movie. I guess I just really loved the original. I dont wan't to get into the casting all that much....but that dude from the last Terminator movie who played Perseus can not act for his life. Combine that with a half-assed script and no character development at all...and 1981 wins this round.

Iron Man 2. This review will be shorter, I promise.

I think that this Iron Man movie is the best sequel I have seen to a comic book based movie franchise since X Men 2. Yep I said it. It is better than the original one. More action. The same about of intrinsic wit. Graet acting on every one's part....especially Mickey Rourk. His performance made me want to give The Wrestler another chance (I've tried to watch it like 3 times now). I;m still a little sore that they pulled an "Aunt Vivian" on Terrance Howard with Don Cheadle....but I got over it. Another point...Scarlette Johasen, I could actually stand her in this movie. And her little action sequence was impressively cool. The only hitch, was Samuel "I'm tired of these mother fucking snakes, on this mother fucking plan" L. Jackson. I legitimately can't take him seriously any more. And then he does movies like The Spirit, where he dressed up in a Nazi Uniform and calls himself The Octopus. Yeah. Robert Downey Jr also allegedly made a new element in like 10 minutes....this seemed to rub the group I was with in the wrong way. Everyone is a physicist these days, jeeezzze....gosh. On another note, they also set up the Thor movie at the very end, and hinted at a possible Avengers movie. I had to school a girlfriend when she snickered at the name. Anyway go see it if you havn't already. And see it in the theater. I'm telling you...it's worth it.

Kick-Ass. Now this was a treat. Late one Friday evening it came down to this movie, or that recent action flick that my movie wife, Zoe Saldana was in. I choose Kick-Ass to avoid STDs(Spontaneous Torrential Droolings) whilst at the movies with the significant other. And I was really pleasantly surprised. I kind of assumed since that nerdy kid was in it, that is would be like Super-Bad. And you know...you have to be in a certain mood for that type of funny (penis jokes). But it was actually more like Kill Bill meets...I don't even now. The writing was great. The movie always took me someplace I would not have expected. And the plot was truly interesting. No lagging at all. But the clincher, I think was definitely that little girl slicing and dicing people up. But it was funny too. Fresh. I even talked about it at the office. Definitely a DVD own. I hope the sequel is as funny.

Other Good Watches: The Fantastic Mr. Fox (surprisingly adult oriented humor with a quirky new style of stop motion animation), Julie & Julia (Meryle Streep is just a fucking great actress, no matter the role, she alone made that movie worth watching) and The Crazies (though not quiet crazy enough for my tastes...it will do).

I'm not even going to get into the bad ones. I know you are tired of reading my pitch patchy writing style. So.....

-Fin

The LOST finale.

Alright...so I had some time to take it all in. Six years of my life (roughly 120 hours give or take a accidental nap) devoted to one show, all came down to a single night inwhich I was promised answeres and a conclusion. The funny part I guess was that I was no surprised at all by the ending of it all. You know when you go to movies to see the sequal to a flick that was awesome when it first came out? That's the mindset I went in with. And my expectations were met. No alternated universe. No alien abduction. No Vincent the doggy god puppet master (my own theory). No abrupt wake up from a horrible nightmare. It was as simple as "that all really happened, oh and that other part was purgatory."

But as logical and next step-y as the ending was, when the episode was over, I couldnt help but think that something else should've happened. The first season revolutionized primetime tv shows. The writing was stellar. The seamlessly weaved the past and present together to make you care about each and every character. Yeah, crazy sh*t was happening, but that was ok. That's a feat in and of itself, to allow the audience to accept that. The problem is that every seasons after that was merely fodder to keep us tuned in. Questions where layered ontop of questions and coincidences where made to look like destiny. We traveled through time with those unanswered questions. More characters where introduced only to muddy up the plot. But we were always promised answers. So we kept watching.

So I guess it all comes down to this: After the over the top plots that twisted and turned in more ways than a well tipped hooker at the Bunny Ranch, I simply expected more from the ending. The writers showed no discrimination in taking the viewers on whatever f*cked up ride their little minds wanted us to go on, but when it came to wrapping it all up....they simply went the route " well this is this and that is that." The island is really a time traveling carrier of a glowing water cave that really needs one person to look over it for the rest of time and that sideways world you you were looking at was just purgatory for a select few of the people you have seen over the years. Somehow, the same umph and charisma they had with getting us to this point, was ended in what could only be described as a meh, okay then.

Wrapping this thing up, I gave a few questions and points on contention I need to get off my chest:

On the Season final:

-When Locke and Jack were fighting, and Jack got cut on the neck, why did he start bleeding in sideways world?

-Was Jack getting stabbed in the side, a Jesus reference? :::side eye:::

-How did Ben get from underneath that tree that was "too big" to move?

-Hurley and Ben spent the rest of eternity together watching the island? Really (SNL skit "really")?

-I think we would've spread out the "I Remember" visions in sideways life. Like 2o people had them in the finale. It was really iffy when that had that 3 for 1 when -------Juliet was giving the ultrasound to Sun and Jin. And by we, I mean you.

-Mr. Ecko, Michael and Walt in sideways world??? Nonexistent? If we are keeping track of Rose and hubby, we can keep track of, what some would call a major plot point.

-Hey you, whoever was in charge of the dog casting, should consider and early retirement. Vincent the dog casting was really bad.

-I saw the whole Jack opening his eyes in the bamboo forest with Vincent in the finale and in the premier connection. And???

-Really nothing about the island itself in the show finale? Really (SNL skit "really")?

Overall questions:

-We never totally explained the numbers. Why were some many people from all different walks of the show (Dharma initiative, Hurly's lotto, the hatch, Jacob...) centered around the same set of numbers? I can even begin to explain this oversight and how much it bus me.

-Remember when Clair was told by a psychic that bad things would happen if she didn't raise that baby? What's the deal with evil baby Aaron? Never explained....

-Why did the Others want Walt so badly back in the day?

-Why could no one have babies on the island? And why did that not interfere with Clair's baby? And what does it have to do with anything?

-The countdown that Desmond messed up with the hieroglyphic countdown. And we saw the black light map....I mean....

-The four toed statue that was a constant on the island? Who built it and why?

Oh wait...you know what would be easier...if there was a video with all the unexplained questions.....

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

That's alot of question right? None of which were explained in the ending. Please feel free to chime in with any of these answers if you know them.

Just to be clear. I am not debating the merits of the season finale. I'm not even sure I truly get it. I will miss it. It was what is was. And I appreciate the show for what it turned out to be (but more of what it was before it turned out to be)...haha, if that makes any sense. Which is shouldn't. Cause this is a LOST finale recap.

Archandroid. Janelle Monae.

Wow. I cant even begin to tell you guys how fresh this album is. Janelle Monae has done it again with her sophmore album, Archandroid. Talk about new music. She hit us early with Tightrope and Coldwar just to wet our whistles, but the album as a whole needs to be discussed. Every. Single. Song. Is different and unique. I cant even classify this in a genre. I want to say it's R&B, but that's like saying Aretha is only the princess of soul.

Just when you think you know how a song is going to play out, she switches it on you- makes it better. She is truly an original artist with her own approach to music. Below are a few of my favorites...but the entire album is beautiful. The type of music that artist just dont make anymore.... I might just buy this album. Yikes!

"U will not be disappointed. Ms. Monae has conquered undiscovered territory. This album will go where none have gone before. U might not be ready for it now...but when it hits and we are awakened all our lives will change and our eyes will be opened. Our nostrils will flare to that funk that we have been all been missing."
-Android62789

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

I finally saw it. The documentary on Black comedy and how it evolved and fueled the changing and ever expanding black culture. It's really interesting. It breaks down black comedy, comedians and comedic endeavors intensely. The great, the limiting, the bad, and the ugly. Produced by Robert Townsend for Sundance in 2009 and commentary from the likes of greats like Bill Cosbey, Whoopi, the Wayans Clan and much more. Check it out when you can (you know the month is almost over, right?.....and you want to be in the know. Just in case your caught up). 



Go ahead. Watch it. It's smart and well made.

"In less than a Century black America has covered more social and psychological ground than any other people in American history. From slavery to President on the United States...."

-Why We Laugh: 

Black Comedians on Black Comedy

The Jersey Shore: An Intro Lesson on "GUIDOS".

At this particular moment in my life, there is nothing (or very few things better) in the word than sitting on the couch and discovering a surprise episode of the jersey shore on my dvr. It's like finding money in your coat pocket, when you didn't know it was there.

I know. I know. I only post really intelligent and interesting posts about intelligent and interesting shows. I mean....I have told you guys about my love of Real World- no matter how boring the particular cast*(*ahem-Real World DC). But what you don't know, is that I dabble in an array of trashy reality tv shows. I am somewhat of a....professional. And as a professional, I am HIGHLY recommending MTV's The Jersey Shore.

Now, somewhere between 2002 and now, it became cool to use the term "GUIDO" in a positive light. I recall the days when calling someone a "GUIDO" was the best way to start a fight in the tri-state area. But this show embarrasses it. The set up is pretty much like Real World, but they have found seven, count them seven individuals who love the following: Hair Gel and therefor spiked hair, GTL (Gym Tanning Laundry), Hair Bumps, the Italian Flag, Techno and therefore Fist Pumping and Graphic Ts. They put them all in a house on Jersey Shore and literally let them run a muck for like a month and a half. Every episode/bar fight is a learning lesson in...what it men a to be a GUIDO. Every minute brings to light new terminology and childish cultural endeavor.

An introduction to the cast:

Pauly D- Pauly is 29 and his only life goal is to become a DJ. Now, I'm not knocking becoming a DJ- but when you're almost 30 you have to start getting your life together? Does he have any money in his 401k? I mean...life priorities. The other interesting thing about him is his spiky hair-do (which is a complete throwback to my high school days) which literally does not move. In the water, sky diving, lawn mower attack. Not a hot damn strand moves out of place. Annnnd he has the word "Cadillac" tattooed up the side of his body. Isn't that nice? But despite all these things....I kinda want to be his friend.

Nicole "Snookie"-Snookie is the reason I started watching. She is the one who got KO-ed by a guy, and like the rest of America...I became addicted. She's small. A little chubby. She's not all that bright. She's also loud and fiesty. Much like the first episode I ever saw in my life, her claim to fame is that she cam take a punch to the face. I've seen 4 episodes and she has been hit dead in the face twice. What she needs to do is learn the eight point blocking system asap.

J-Wow- J-Wow is just the typical wild ass slutty chic with a boy friend. She's got like 15 different hair colors going on all at once and every piece of clothing she owns has the potential of a probable nip slip. Oh and she has this boyfriend who is smitten with her. But of course she's cheated on him already. And when he found out about it, she sent her flowers. Yep....cause 1+2= Flowers.

Sammie and Ronnie- These two decided to date. Individually...they are not all that interesting. Ronnie is a meat head man child, and Sammy is clearly the "hot girl" in her crew at home, but in reference to the rest of the world....she is not- and she knows it and therefore makes everyone around her feel awful about everything all the time. The only interesting thing about them is that as a couple, they fight all the time. They fight about the stupidest of things, but they always get back together. There is alot of "man tears" shed-on both parts.  But at the time you watch it, it's like the most totally interesting thing in the world. 

Vinny- Vinny is pretty normal. There-fore, this is all the characters that are allotted to him (and he gets no image).

Mike "The Situation"- This guy is a special breed of human. But he is definitely one of the show's stars. Mike has got wash board abs and calls himself "The Situation." I am convinced that he is completely socialy inept. He totally lacks the ability to recognize all social ques, and therefore is the most douchiest of oblivious douche bags known to man. This guy is in love with himself and expects everyone else to be in love with him too. He has no game, but thinks he does.  He spends literally 70% of his time trying to get girls to come over the house and get in the hot tub aha "creepin". Best quote to date: “....I necessarily didn’t want to bring home any zoo creatures whatsoever. These broads probably smelled the food at the house.”  I love the guy.

The Duck Phone- For some odd reason, MTV decided to make these kids talk on a phone....shaped like a duck. Lol. Friggin duck phone.

Now, I am the first to admit that this show is perhaps the most pointless show on earth. But hot damn it is entertaining as all hell. These guys represent a subculture that is as unique and yet useless as a Lady Gaga outfit. Evey time I talk to someone about this show, I remind them that the kids they have on-air now, are not the old Italian culture we see on the street everyday. You don't see any 45 year old "Juice Heads" at the grocery store, do you? These kids and thier "GUIDO-tude" are a fad. So you might as well be entertained by their willingness to put their ignorance out there for the world to see. 

So, all in all. Will this show make you any smarter? No. Will it make your life any better? No. But will it make you want to write a blog post about the stupidity of humanology and how it can simultaneously become the most entertaining ploy of American entertainment to date? Yes. 

Avatar Review: Spoiler alert (but not really).

So I put aside the title hate I had for the new movie, Avatar. Besides coming out of nowhere and being everywhere and seemingly about nothing, I also did not appreciate the fact that it was named after one of the best cartoon series I have seen since 1999 (Avatar: The Last Airbender). And it's from the same dude who made Titanic. And the thing about movie directors and producers is that they aren't very versatile- generally speaking(and he hasn't had a "hit" since 1999).

But I watched it (illegally-blame the russians) and despite the pixelated quality I did and do realize the points inwhich I should be visually amazed. In a nut shell, it's a cowboy and indians movie. The cowboys being the dieing human race and the indians being the indigenous Avatars on the thriving planet of Pandora. There is sometype of natural resource on Pandora that the humans want, and ofcourse this certain tribe of Avatars live in a tree right on top of it. So in the traditional/historic struggle of diplomacy vs. bombing the shit out of them, the humans try to take on the Avatar form and come to an agreement. But the Avatar people are highly spiritual and connected to the land in an unatural (or perhaps what should be natural) way and dont need anything humans have to offer...yada yada yada 45 minutes later, one dude infilterates the clan in a way that no one else has. He goes through and passes all thier tribal trials...and mentally and eventually becomes one of them.

So after like 2 hours of visual effect and internal battle, the war starts when it becomes evidident that the Avatar people will not willingly leave thier home. And that's about it in a nutshell. Pretty point blank. Not a bad movie. It's not deep. There's some interspecies love making- even though halfway through the movie I had convinced myself that noone had private parts....eh. I'm debating whether I want to pay to see it in 3-D. I heard a few people got naucious off of it...and that kinda excites me. 

Conversation before seeing the movie:

3rd Party: I heard Avatar was gonna be good

Girlfriend: Yeah? What's it about...it came out of nowhere.

Me: I tried to ask myself 'why I should care.'

3rd Party: I heard Zoe Saladana was in it.

Me: Re-he-heally....

Girlfriend: Oh so you want to see the movie now that she's in it.

3rd Party: I think she's an Alien...like all blue and sh*t.

Me: Oh...never mind then.

 

Anyway...go see it if you want to. It's a good movie to spend $12 on, but I think you can wait to see it on HBO and still get the same effect. Unless you see it in 3-D. Which I just almost brought tickets to do.

Movie Time: Let's review Ninja Assassin.

I saw it. I loved it (for what it was...a bloody gore fest of blood). I love Ninjas. I love Ninjas vs everyone else. I could give you a real review, but instead I will discuss a few Ninja truths that I walked out of the theater with. 

Ready. Seta. Go:

1. All ninjas are not Asian. However, the good ones, are.

2. Ninja have an unlimited supply of ninja stars.

3. Ninja clans roll very, very, very deep...like unlimited.

4. You cannot do Ninja moves, when your fingers have been cut off. Fact.

5. Ninjas dressed in white cannot beat ninjas dressed in black. Studies show.

I warn you, do not doubt these Ninja truths. Or it may cause you your life.

Watch It.

"When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman, and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled..."

It's one of the smarter TV shows I watch. It's based on a book. And like the description says, it's about the entire world blacking out at the same time for 2 minutes (aka Havoc) and waking up with the realization that they all had vision of the same day and time in the future. I'm not sold on the fact that it's actually the future...but it's a show about mankind and how it adapts based on the what it believes to be true. Multiple story lines. A bad guy. An FBI agent. An interracial relationship. Harold from Harold and Kumar. I'm not too enthralled with the main character from Shakespear in Love. But if you like the show LOST, this has the same feeling (and alot of the same actors, lol). But the key selling point of interest is that J.J. Abrhams has nothing to do with it. Which means questions should eventually get answered. 

Go ahead...Do it. Do. It. 

BluePrint 3...eh, you knew it was coming.

You knew I was gonna talk about it. Eight albums after his supposed retirement (sorry, still a little heated about that). But I have listened to the whole CD multiple times so I could post my favorite tracks this morning. The CD is....different from what he ususally puts out. But whereas I was totally not into it, which is partially the fault of tracks that have been getting out to the public as singles...now I realize that there are indeed some gold nuggets in the mix. Here are a few.

That last track, Venus vs Mars really make me put my head down and do what I call "the NY sway."  If you live in NY...you know exactly what I'm talking about. That kinda slow head bob side-to-side, mean muggin cause no one can touch you when Jigga is on. All in all, a good album. Is it the Black Album? No. But is it better than Kingdom Come? Yes. And if you ask me....the entirety of life should be weighed on this scale. 

And to end this post off, I leave you with one of most favoritest Jay Z tracks of all time....

P.S. You don't know how annoyed I am that I couldn't find matching youtube videos.

Movies Time: Ninjas Are Cool (Oh yeah, and GI Joe).

Who saw GI Joe this weekend? I did.
Who loved it? I did.
Who wants to quiet his job and become a specials ops Ninja? I did...I mean, do.


Thats all.

Side note....Storm Shadow did have some fly ass jackets though, unfortunately all in white. And...he did not win.

Movie Time: Knowing is Half the Battle.

A little GI Joe love before the movies drops this Friday. I saw Transformers 2 and Harry Potter (ummmm, order of the Phoenix, Azkaban, Monkeys) and sofar nothing has beat Star Trek. Transformers was very entertaining. When you mix in shots of Megan Foxx running in slow motion in between explosions and gunfights and then add in  2 slightly stereotype robots that make you say "I'm slightly offended" in your head and then briefly make the faint innuendo of robot testicles...all in 2hrs and a half, you get a fairly decent flick that was better than the first. 

About Harry Potter. Well...the actors are like 85 years old now and still in that f*cking school saving the world. Don't get me wrong. I liked it. The actors are learning how to act now, and aren't just kids who read lines. The special effect were on par. But I just cannot wrap my head around the lack of Magic police. I mean....if there is this whole magical society...school, careers, industries....where the hell are the police? And why does this one bad guy keep getting away with stuff with no help from the police. Anyway...

On a different note. Disney has got a new project in the works. I never quiet understood the love for this story. Girl with a weave lives in a tower. Dude climbs weave. And that's it. But hey...I'll see it. 

Speaking of weaves, it seems as if Chris Rock was just sitting around one day, watching School Daze, and got an idea. And of course...HBO would support him. Check out the promo for Good Hair. 

As Craig so eloquently put it... "This film is rated: FDLS for fried, died and laid to the side (White friends ask Bernadette in accounts receivable what that means... use your friendly voice)."

LMAO. It's funny because there is always one black lady in accounting. But really...who knew that India's main export was human hair. That's really gross. 

Ok, I'm done. 

-FIN

Movie Time.

A quick review. I just saw Terminator 4. And it sucked. Like...within the first 20 minutes I knew it was going to suck. Fatal Flaw #1: Overacting, underacting and no acting. At one point Christian Bale was screaming into a walkie talkie and all I could think was "why the f*ck is this dude screaming." Like wise...the new half robot character could not act. Fatal Flaw #2: Explosions plus action do not equal a plot. Now I like a good bang em' up man movie as mush as the next guy, but this movie is nothing but 2 hours of blowing up machines and machines blowing up...and that's it. Fatal Flaw #3: They are getting too wrapped up in this time traveling thing. I know that it was the premise of the original movie and maybe why the franchise is so hot in general...but now it's just getting ridiculous. If I was watching the future, that means nothing you or the machines can do can change the future (or the present in this case). But if that is not the case at least try to connect the plot points. You cant keep adding to the time travel story and not explainyourself. Also....here's a spoiler...there is a CGI Arnold in the movie...and when I saw that I completely gave up on the movie all together.

Popular animated series Avatar The last Airbender is being made into a movie. The show itself is really well done. Smart plot and well drawn. But unfortunately, M.  Night Shamamlalon has his hands in the mix. Did anyone see Lady in the Water? Yeah....exactly.....

And that's kid. Summer flicks are still being dropped left and right, and though I hit a bit of a road block with Terminator, I am still excited for Harry Potter, Transformers 2 (Megan Fox) and GI Joe. Let's get it.   

Thank You For Things.

So I got a new blog for you guys. Things I'm Thank You For. It's airy. It's light. And it's unstoppable. Unlike this blog, all of it's post are completely original from content to aesthetic. It's what I like to call light-deep reading. And it's written by a designer/art director (designer first) that I actually know. Above all...it's always good to have a new blog to pimp out. 

If it's too designer-y and completely above your head....that's ok too. Check him on the blog roll. 

Movie Review Time.

Ok....remember those reviews I promised you? Well...herrrreee we go.

1. On X-Men Origins: Wolverine. What a grave disappointment. I had such high hopes. X Man 1...was like a failed first attempt. I was just happy to be alive and see the Xmen franchise come to fruition. X-Man 2 was ridiculously awesome. First 10 minutes had me drueling in my seat. But unfortunatly...it met it's tipping point. Just when I was getting use to accepting Halle (Hot as Hell, wanna be my baby momma) Berry as a plausible Storm, X-men 3 was far from acceptable for being the "last" movie. I will not expose how much of a Marvel geek I am/was, but lets just say that I had been awaiting the movie franchize like a moth awaits a flame burning by the fire. But this movie was more like a moth awaiting a porch bug zapper in the deep south. It sucked me in. It made me want it. It mesmerized me with cool commercials and flashy scenes and talks of a Gambit (possibly the coolest mutant charachter every made) appearance. And Gambit did not dissappoint. All 10 minutes of him was almost worth $5 of the $12.50 I paid to get in the movie. The rest of my money... I knew it was gone, after seeing Wolverine's metal claws for the first time in the movie. At that exact moment I thought to myself...."Are they Fucking Kidding Me." It's 2009 and his gaddamn claws looked like a cross between Space Jam, Spong Bob and someting my 3 year old nephew would make using twigs and his snot as glue. In the end however...I do not regret seeing it. Cause I am a official, unofficial fan boy. But I do regret seeing it on opening weekend (breaking my movie viewing vows.)

2. On the new Star Trek. I almost didn't see it. Yes, I'm into dragons, magic, ninjas, vampires, period pieces and zombies...but when you start talking intergalactic sci-fi drama, you loose me. But I had to see it, cause I'm that type of person. I also was desperately trying to wash away the disappointment that was Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And boy, oh boy did this movie deliver. I was a little iffy at first seeing as how they seemed to just recruit any and every young budding (and not so budding) actor/acctress known to man. I felt like if it were the 90s I would've definitely seen Usher as a troubled inner city youth. But after a brief game of what where they in, I forgot all about their pasts (cutting off people's heads and stealing their powers/going to White Castle/running from Zombies/getting killed by Justin Timberlake/becoming Prima Balerina at Julliard and dating Ashton Kutcher...) and fell into the film completely. It is definitely the summer blockbuster. Think Iron Man. It was that enjoyable. I mean, I obviously missed a few trekky references, which I knew I missed only because the audience laughed and I didnt. Yes, I laughed with the audience. And that's something I dont do (because generally speaking, I think movie theater audiences suffer from a mild case of retardation). 

But the movie was that good. I gained alot of respect back for J.J. Abrams. It made me wonder when the second one was going to drop. Pure entertainment. Well made. Appropriate lack of "deepness." I think I may see it again. Oh...the only flaw...Tyler Perry has a cameo, which leads me to believe that in the second movie I will see Madea (Medea in: Medea Goes to Space). Whap whap. 

Oh yeah...and this movie also ignited a new flame. ew Crush Alert!

Is that French???

New Music alert!!! I was put on by TAN. You know about my love of finding anything "out side of the box" and this new artist/group Op Swamp 81 fits the bill, so to speak (since we are using cliches). I have no idea how to describe the group so I have stolen a passage from someone more experienced, with terms and such.  

"A collage of hip-hop inspired performances from newcomers Bless Roxwell & Ra the MC, electric funk band OP Swamp 81, funky hip-hop’s Eagle Nebula, and electro-hip Ms. TK Wonder (with Taylor McFerrin)."

It's very eclectic. It is what Gnarles Barkely was 5 years ago, before he went mainstream but way more soulful and....french. And you may not know how I feel about the French. But every time I hear the accent. I think of this guy. And I don't like him. And I feel no need to explain myself.

Give it a listen...

{OP SWAMP 81:PEAU NOIRE,MASQUES BLANCS}{2008}

Much like TAN...I cosign on this find.

Cudi did it.

I have posted a few songs by new artist Kid Kudi now...Day and Night, SuperBoo. But I wanted to take some time to really introduce this dude. I feel like music industry today is a giant joke. There isn't much we havn't heard or seen before. So when I find an artist that really has their own sound and their on being....I cant help but like them. Enter....Kid Cudi. After rumors of dropping out of the game (and it is a game) before his first album even dropped. he is back on the scene and hopefully...makes the best out of it. Check him out a little, below.











I love that last youtube video....that beat over Day and Night kinda makes my mind explode.

-FIN

Kings.

Let's talk about the new NBC series, Kings, shall we. I am ashamed to admit it, but I am about four episodes in (DRV time) and I did not recognize parallel of the show's plot to the Biblical story of David and Goliath. And that is sad as I used to be tested on the bible back in my hay day (heavy religous background...bet you wouldn't guess that about me). But in that...I think lies the true nature and quality of this show.

Point blank, the show is a little bold. It's beautiful and far too well written for primetime television. There is an air of magic to it. The viewer is transported into a modern day monarchy in which the people look and talk just like us but they are ruled by a King. The show's executive producer, Michael Green calls it "soft sci-fi"-which is probably why I like the show (yea, bet you didn't know I was a psuedo-geek either). In short, the main character (David Shepherd) is a soldier who rescues the King's son from enemy territory and allows the path to peace between the two territories. He returns home a hero and his new found celebrity status quiet literally throws a wrench into the royal court. The very nature of royal family and thier rule is outted to the viewer piece by piece as we unravel the mounds corruption, deceit and human frailty. Tie that in with a few misguided governmental decisions and you have a situation all too familiar to use today but at the same time eerily out of touch . 

Without a doubt there is an air of magic to this show. There is an aspect of luck and faith and bravery that keeps the left side of your brain guessing. And that's interesting. I will admit, the only reason I even tuned in to the show was because there were billboards for it all over the god damn subways. But now I'm a little addicted. And I care about these imaginary people more than I do about my family. I think LOST has finally met it's match.

I kid about the family thing. But really....  

*I feel like I just wrote a press release. Ughhh....what a dirty feeling.