Whackadoo

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Yesterday, my dad & I drove to spend the day with my brother. His neighbor Harold (not Kumar) stopped by occasionally because apparently we sounded like we were having fun playing "Rock Band" and we were. That's what I love about that game. My dad hasn't SEEN a video game in many years…nor has he cared. However, if you ask him to start singing "Mississippi Queen" while you play instruments, he will gladly do so…or any of the other songs that he knows from the 70's and 80's. He even tried a few newer ones…and a little guitar. He liked it. We liked it. We also saw "Jumper" and it was disappointing. Well, not really disappointing…as just bad. When the stars are Hayden Christiansen & Samuel L. Jackson and it's NOT about Jedi Knights, then it's probably going to suck. Long story EXTREMELY short, this movie is 69 minutes long…and is very similar to "Next" where it shows the first two acts…but then rolls credits. Now, I know they're already planning sequels and all that stuff…but frankly, I could care less. The movie wasn't that good…and Hayden Christiansen can't act. Period. Spend your money elsewhere. That's my suggestion. I kept expecting for him to find out that his girlfriend was his sister & for Sam Jackson to be eaten by a shark...but we'll just hold onto that possibility until Jumper 2 comes out.



On the drive back to Slick City, my dad & I talked about my job and what my plans are for the future and all the other usual fatherly advice stuff. He seemed to really like my plans…and was confident that I was doing okay in the dating game…which was really weird…because I didn't feel the same way. "Dude, you've got a good head on your shoulders, a kind heart in your chest, and my genes in your jeans. You're already further along knowing about this stuff - life, love, responsibility, fun, all that stuff - than I was at thirty. Keep your head up and eyes open." That's my dad. Now you know where I get it from. Oh…and we talked about a possible trip to Vegas because my stepmom went to Cali for the weekend. He hasn't been there in over a decade…so I'll have to show him around.



When I got back into town, I went to meet up with JL Clyde & Filly to have some fun. They apparently had a few drinks before I showed up…but I was the designated driver, so it's okay. We watched "Cool World" at Filly's house…and I have to say that we've come a long way in moviemaking since that movie…as has Brad Pitt. It stars Brad as a soldier from WWII who returns home and gets in a motorcycle accident with his mom…and then is immediately pulled into a cartoon world by a scientist's spike. (Wait, it gets crazier) Fifty years later, a felon cartoonist (Gabriel Byrne) has these daydreams where he visits this world and meets Holly Wood (Kim Basinger), a sexy doodle who he wants to doodle (and how). Holly wants to become real and go into the real world. She's able to do so by getting buckwild with Gabriel Byrne…and now Brad (being a detective in the cartoon world) has to go chase them down before it's too late. That's the story…mostly. The movie's a mixture of questionable acting (though occasionally really really hot), cardboard cutouts, animation, and a plot that…well, you just read it. It's still kind of cool. You may wanna check it out. Kim Basinger is really hot.



After the movie, we watched some PBS special about Yellowstone (complete with our own narration…because I can do a ridiculously good British narrator accent from years of watching that stuff) then headed out to Brewvie's to watch "Sweeney Todd" and have some beer and nachos while we do it. The movie was pretty good, I guess. As you may know, Musicals are not always my cup of tea…but as the song goes, there's nothing you can say that can't be sung…when done correctly and with passion. Now, I basically knew nothing about the story…other than it was a revenge tale…and Tim Burton directed it, so it had to be kooky, and Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter had to star in it. It delivered. It's a comically bloody tale about a barber who gets coldcocked by a judge who wants his wife, thrown in prison for 15 years, and then returns to seek vengeance. "Veeeengeaaaance, I want veeeengeaaaaance." Yeah, it was a musical…but gory enough to peek my interest…and pasty bosoms were aplenty. It was very easy to laugh about too…because I kept saying to myself (out loud, of course) "People. The pies are made of people" like it's Soylent Green…but then I realized that if they were going to hear me on the screen, that I would have to sing it. "Peeeeopllllle. People eating peeeeoplllllle." Now for some news...



Great Steve Dies - Comic book writer Steve Gerber died in a Las Vegas Hospital last week due to complications from pulmonary fibrosis. Steve is most famous for being the creator behind the "Howard the Duck" comics. Now, the movie was one of my favorites growing up as a kid (because it was a duck with a foul mouth…and Lea Thompson's hot, even with 80's hair) but the comics are much better. I've read only a few but they're quite original and worth a gander if you get the chance. My condolences to his daughter Bernice and the rest of his family.




Electric Slide - Scientists here in the U.S. have developed a microfiber fabric that generates its own electricity, making enough current to recharge a cell phone battery or keep your MP3 from running out of juice. Basically, it takes the energy created from your walking (or really moving in any way) and turning it into electrical energy by using the semiconductive properties of zinc oxide nanowires, which are a thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair. The wires are formed into pairs of microscopic brush-like structures, shaped like a baby-bottle brush. One of the fibers in each pair is coated with gold and serves as an electrode. As the bristles brush together through a person's body movement, the wires convert the mechanical motion into electricity. For more details, you can check out the link…but this could revolutionize clothing if it ever becomes cost effective. Remember Back to the Future II and the cool talking jackets that self-dry? Oh yeah, it's only seven years away…and with the amount of remakes being done…it's only a matter of time before we get to Jaws 19.



Terminator Update - Well, Christian Bale has some more star power aboard for the forthcoming "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins". Remember when there was mention earlier of a "Riddick-esque" character named Marcus and I prayed that Vin Diesel wouldn't show up? Well, thankfully that role (the lead of the movie) went to Sam Worthington. Now, I haven't seen him in anything…but I hear good things. He was in that latest modern-day remake of "Macbeth" that I keep walking past at Blockbuster and he's currently shooting with James Cameron for "Avatar" so he has to have some credibility as an actor. Perhaps I'll check out Macbeth…but I've been disappointed before with modern-day Shakespearean remakes (thank you "Hamlet"). Anyway, so yeah, three-movie deal (because everything's better & more profitable as a trilogy) for the new Terminator series. Still can't wait to see a few more episodes of the TV series though. I need my hot robot fix.

Anyway, that should do it for today. I've got work to do, I guess. Have a great night everybody!!! Just to make sure, here's a link to the new Indiana Jones movie trailer, courtesy of the Mad Scientist!!!