Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts

Friday, January 7, 2011

Some Random Takes...



In addition to the regular blog every week, I'm also going to provide a blog of some quick takes on sports and movies I've seen and observations in general of the things I see around me.

Blyleven is in
I say good for Bert. Baseball for years has made their hall of fame about statistics. They talk about benchmarks like 3000 hits and 500 home runs and 300 wins. If it's about statistics, it's pretty hard to ignore the numbers. 242 complete games, 5th on the all-time strikeout list, a no-hitter, and 2 world championships. Impressive to say the least but I'm still rubbed the wrong way about the manner Blyleven has gone about this. I have a problem with people who openly campaign for an award or an honor. An honor is something that is granted to you, bestowed upon you and it shouldn't be something you have to lobby for. Bert's squeaky wheel has finally gotten the grease and again I say he deserves it but next time maybe some humility. If you wanna keep campaigning maybe shine a light towards Jack Morris.

The Kings Speech & The Fighter
I have seen some amazing films this year. I have stood firm all year that "Inception" and "Toy Story 3" were in a fight for Best Film of the year. I've been forced to amend my statement. First, I saw "The Fighter". A powerful true story based on "Irish" Micky Ward and his brother Dicky. The movie is a gritty depiction of their once strained relationship in the early parts of Ward's boxing career. While Mark Wahlberg is his traditional, likable self, he is carried by his supporting cast. Christian Bale as his brother and Amy Adams as his girlfriend. Both should and probably will receive Oscar nominations and should have a good chance to win. I then saw "The Kings Speech". The profoundly interesting story of King George VI and his fight to cure his speech impediment with the help from a commoner speech therapist. Impeccably acted from top to bottom with tour de force performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.  It's an acting clinic from beginning to end and it makes you laugh while offering you insightful characters to study. It could be the best film I have seen in years.

Vikings Dead.
And not a moment too soon. Is it me or did this season take an ice age to complete. They say smoking takes 3 minutes off your life every time you burn a heater. Well if that's the case this season was liking smoking a carton of Parliaments! I swear to you that I have lost years from my life the past few seasons with this team. They were like that girlfriend in high school that was just a drama machine and wanted to argue about everything and turn everything into a production that eventually you are just driven to the point where you holler at her and swear your going to break it off and move on but you can't because she starts crying and whaling about how she will change and be better and you cave because you're a pansy ass and can't bear to be the douchebag ex that she talks about to her friends for the remainder of time. There. Now I feel better.

More quick takes next week along with some bold playoff predictions.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

A Break from Sports.....Temporarily!

This is a sports blog I know but every now and again its important to divert oneself from the sports meat-grinder and broaden the horizons. I saw a movie but not just any movie. I finally saw the one movie that everyone else has seen. That's right Avatar! For the 28 years of my life I've been told myriad times to see a movie because quote "Its Amazing!" or "It's the greatest movie ever made" and very rarely has said film delivered the goods. Same for this film except this time they might actually be right. There are movies that transcend generations. This is one of them.

I know it sounds like Hyperbole but I have to say that I have never enjoyed my in theatre experience like I enjoyed this one. It was easily the most visually stunning film I have ever seen. It seems about every 10 years or so a movie comes along and pushes the visual envelope. From Jaws to Star Wars to Jurassic Park to Saving Private Ryan to Lord of the Rings to Avatar.. It vaulted into my top 5 all time along with Field Of Dreams,Annie Hall,American Beauty and Young Frankenstein.

I'll take others top 5 in the comments.