It’s funny how a few recommendations from close friends and family make reading a book that much more important. When the book is 1984, however, it makes you wonder why they want you to go through such torture. Now I will admit that at times it was quite enjoyable to read (the love story and the internal struggle to understand the WHY), there were just as many times I wondered why I should go on (the reading of THE BOOK, the drudging of day to day activity with no purpose, the torture through which the book began to end with at the Chestnut Tree). At the point when I thought I was halfway through the book, I knew there was no way that there was going to be a way to make it out of Oceania, to get away from the Party and any chance just to survive. It was dystopian in nature and I guess that was the plan the whole time. It just hurt. A lot.
On the other hand; before reading 1984, I read an amazing graphic novel collected from the monthly Batman series called Hush. A testament to what can still be done with a much storied history, this series (started sometime in 2002) combined that history with subtle change that matters. (I just almost made the mistake doing an outline of the story like I did for the Godfather trilogy; I need to stop doing that) The story does something most new stories can’t pull off which is bring in a new character into the universe smoothly while making it believable within the structure of the character web (the lines drawn between and within characters within the universe). Take the Batman/Bruce Wayne character for instance; a solitary character with little history or connections to the outside world, and for good reason. The story is not only able to bring a new character from Bruce’s past into the existing universe; it’s able to exploit it without seeming too obvious. The other part of Bruce’s character, his interdependence, is taken under question as well. Batman, no matter how much he doesn’t want to admit it, isn’t alone. And it isn’t the typical ‘He has Robin’ argument. In his time as Gotham City’s most important protector, he’s had a small group of heroes’ spring up around him. Nightwing, The Oracle, Robin, Catwoman (the hero part can always be in question), Black Canary, Huntress; the list goes on if you go outside of that boundary. He’s always had Alfred. And then there are certain members of the JLA. These are big parts of the story, not to mention the huge force working against Batman that he can’t pinpoint right off the bat (not a pun, I promise). A great read and I’m glad that my local library carries graphic novels now. XD
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Incessant bitching about nothing, really.
I have a not so secret confession to make. I am a smoker and a drinker. I enjoy these vices within controlled means. No matter how many alcoholic jokes I make about myself, I barely drink 3 times a month. I don't even think I smoke a pack a week. And when it comes to drugs like marijuana, cocaine and heroin; I wouldn't dare touch them. (OK, I have toyed with the thought of trying LSD once, but I probably don't have the balls to do it.)
THE POINT BEHIND THIS POST IS: I have a query to get off my chest here without fear of being made fun of by my peers of the smoking/drinking communities. See, while back I got sick, hence the fact that I wasn't writing all that much (or working for that matter; I was REAL sick). During that time, I wasn't smoking. Had something to do with the fact that I would PUKE when I tried. Anyho, now that I'm 'healthy' I can continue my habit again. Problem is I'm having trouble doing that because of a thing called "wet tip." Wet tip occurs when the saliva in your mouth seeps into the filter of the cigarette.
Let's get this out of the way; I'm not licking the damned thing! I have really bad saliva build up. It had gone away a few months back, but now it's back. It seems not smoking for a while has killed that 'immunity' my body had built up to odd substances that enter my throat. See kids, I had always had this problem when I smoked or drank. The spit in my mouth would flood pretty badly. Therefore, I would have to resort to spitting after every puff or every drink (kinda like Alan Rickman's character in Dogma) I took. I did it in secret for the most part or the people around me didn't take note in the spitting I would do. So this never really became a real problem.
I'm just choosing this rant to bitch about something else I've noticed about the "artistic" community lately. What happened to the sophisticated smokers and drinkers? Using vices to fuel your art? I mean, its like I'm so bad for enjoying a smoke here and there. No body gave a crap more than a decade ago. Now everything is Non-Smoking.
Does anyone remember who the greatest guitarist is? Jimi Hendrix. And how amazing was he? FUCKING AMAZING. Yeah, he died at a young age; but he was so far above any guitarist before and after him. Kurt Cobain lead a generational battle cry. Yeah, the heroin did him in; but... STILL.
OK, my points are becoming a bit mute. The point I'm trying to get across is if Edgar Allen Poe can write stuff that stands the test of time and he was on Absinthe at the time, shouldn't we not take smoking at least a little less seriously? I mean, jeez. Cancer isn't that easy to get, right?
(looks up the percentages)
50% of smokers die from a cigarette related disease. Hmm, I can still play those odds. Of course, we're all gonna die anyways, right?
(The reason why I wrote this was to ask the question "Why is my saliva build up increased with smoking and drinking." If anyone still wants to answer that still can, I just realized half way through writing this that it wasn't as funny a premise as I had hoped it would be. Grr...)
THE POINT BEHIND THIS POST IS: I have a query to get off my chest here without fear of being made fun of by my peers of the smoking/drinking communities. See, while back I got sick, hence the fact that I wasn't writing all that much (or working for that matter; I was REAL sick). During that time, I wasn't smoking. Had something to do with the fact that I would PUKE when I tried. Anyho, now that I'm 'healthy' I can continue my habit again. Problem is I'm having trouble doing that because of a thing called "wet tip." Wet tip occurs when the saliva in your mouth seeps into the filter of the cigarette.
Let's get this out of the way; I'm not licking the damned thing! I have really bad saliva build up. It had gone away a few months back, but now it's back. It seems not smoking for a while has killed that 'immunity' my body had built up to odd substances that enter my throat. See kids, I had always had this problem when I smoked or drank. The spit in my mouth would flood pretty badly. Therefore, I would have to resort to spitting after every puff or every drink (kinda like Alan Rickman's character in Dogma) I took. I did it in secret for the most part or the people around me didn't take note in the spitting I would do. So this never really became a real problem.
I'm just choosing this rant to bitch about something else I've noticed about the "artistic" community lately. What happened to the sophisticated smokers and drinkers? Using vices to fuel your art? I mean, its like I'm so bad for enjoying a smoke here and there. No body gave a crap more than a decade ago. Now everything is Non-Smoking.
Does anyone remember who the greatest guitarist is? Jimi Hendrix. And how amazing was he? FUCKING AMAZING. Yeah, he died at a young age; but he was so far above any guitarist before and after him. Kurt Cobain lead a generational battle cry. Yeah, the heroin did him in; but... STILL.
OK, my points are becoming a bit mute. The point I'm trying to get across is if Edgar Allen Poe can write stuff that stands the test of time and he was on Absinthe at the time, shouldn't we not take smoking at least a little less seriously? I mean, jeez. Cancer isn't that easy to get, right?
(looks up the percentages)
50% of smokers die from a cigarette related disease. Hmm, I can still play those odds. Of course, we're all gonna die anyways, right?
(The reason why I wrote this was to ask the question "Why is my saliva build up increased with smoking and drinking." If anyone still wants to answer that still can, I just realized half way through writing this that it wasn't as funny a premise as I had hoped it would be. Grr...)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
American Sports: Cheaters Love Cheaters.
If you couldn't tell already, I love sports. I love the Dallas Cowboys. I love stat crunching for baseball (an ERA under 2.50 and an OPS over .800 makes me cream my pants). I love the NBA trade deadline and March Madness. I don't love the BCS, but that's for another blog post.
And I know loving sports has caught me a lot of flack with my peers, bunch of D&D lovers (I kid, I kid). But, my love of sports knows no bounds as this past decade was probably a dark period in the history of athletic competition. But I'm here to convince all of you the reasons why you should love these games, even though they are full of.. [shh] CHEATERS.
Baseball is still balls deep (hehe, I made a funny) in the Steroid Era. Sure, dudes get caught and get punished. Literally. You get caught doing PED [Performacne Enhancing Drungs] like steroids once and you get suspended 50 games; a second time, 100 games. Third time, you're out like Shoeless Joe and Pete Rose.
The problem with this system? Most of the "major offenders" are retired. Let's press the rewind button back to 1994. The strike that wiped out a World Series. These were dark times for the MLB. Now, this isn't the beginning of the steroid era. This is the catalyst for why it blew up. The Bash Brothers (Jose Conseco and Mark MacGuire) in Oakland were the fore runners of the steroid movement; but after the strike, everyone did it. Ken Caminiti, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez were all great players. Also, they all did steroids at some point in their careers.
Now, some of these players were very sorry about their use of steroids. Some; including Sosa, Palmeiro, Ramirez and Barry Bonds; refuse to admit they did it. Good for them. I like the guys that unabashedly used and repeatedly said that they'd do it all over again. Jose Canseco, self proclaimed "godfather" of the steroid era, said he mixed his drugs to amazing effect to become the 245 pound slugger with 0% body fat and did it for the love of the game and fandom. Ken Caminiti never apologized for his use and said that if that's the way the game has evolved, why should he not encourage players coming up to use if it'll get them a contract. They're the heroes. If not for Canseco's discovery of the gym rat's best friend back in the day, baseball would be in the same position as hockey was for a year for the 2004-2005 season, locked out and not playing. The 1998 home run race would have been non existent without Canseco and steroids. The season that saved baseball wouldn't have happened.
OK, so you're asking yourself, "Damon, what about the integrity of the game?"
THE GAME? You do realize what you just inquired about, right? A game? Fuck integrity, I wanna see moon shots going over the St. Louis Arch or the Golden Gate Bridge. I wanna see pitchers blow through a catchers glove with 105 mph heat. Steroids saved baseball and we should all personally thank Jose Conseco for that.
(Oh, and on a little side note, gambling is a terrible vice and should be nipped in the bud as it has been by baseball. Bulging muscles that result in testicles shrinking to peas and retracting near the lower intestines? Perfectly fine, but keep betting away from the kids. We can't be animals about this game, right?)
I also love the fact that basketball players making millions of dollars more than real star players are bringing guns to locker rooms as apart of pranks. You remember that one episode of Jackass when Bam shot Novak in the shoulder with his scoped M16. Fuckin' hilarious.
But, on a serious note about basketball, the owners are making the game less about players and more about economic strategy. And that's great for us. We need the owners to think ahead. We need better arenas, better choice in seats, and two crappy teams to play each other. Who cares who they are? They need to dribble, shoot and steal the ball to sub par effect for the game to continue at least. That's all I really need. Dunking is overrated.
And don't even get me started on football. Same situation, no salary cap looming, great years ahead. I mean, there could be a Yankee's football team! How amazing would that be? You could sign anyone you want, as long as you pay the luxury tax. An all star team with a combined 300 million pay roll. Could you imagine Jerry Jones passing up the chance to do that?
Yes, and it'll happen soon. Owners cheating fans and players cheating the game, isn't it all wonderful?
(In honesty, steroids are one of the worst things to happen to baseball, regardless of the strike and the Home Run Race of 98. Basketball is going down the road of union strikedom and the owners deserve it for running the league into the ground. Football, eh, I was gonna do the Spygate joke, but it's not that funny and just a blemish on the letterman jacket that the Patriots owned the decade wearing.)
(And in respect to Ken Caminiti and his family, he had nothing to hide when he admitted to doing steroids. He was a respectable teammate who never quit on his team. Rest in peace, Ken)
And I know loving sports has caught me a lot of flack with my peers, bunch of D&D lovers (I kid, I kid). But, my love of sports knows no bounds as this past decade was probably a dark period in the history of athletic competition. But I'm here to convince all of you the reasons why you should love these games, even though they are full of.. [shh] CHEATERS.
Baseball is still balls deep (hehe, I made a funny) in the Steroid Era. Sure, dudes get caught and get punished. Literally. You get caught doing PED [Performacne Enhancing Drungs] like steroids once and you get suspended 50 games; a second time, 100 games. Third time, you're out like Shoeless Joe and Pete Rose.
The problem with this system? Most of the "major offenders" are retired. Let's press the rewind button back to 1994. The strike that wiped out a World Series. These were dark times for the MLB. Now, this isn't the beginning of the steroid era. This is the catalyst for why it blew up. The Bash Brothers (Jose Conseco and Mark MacGuire) in Oakland were the fore runners of the steroid movement; but after the strike, everyone did it. Ken Caminiti, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez were all great players. Also, they all did steroids at some point in their careers.
Now, some of these players were very sorry about their use of steroids. Some; including Sosa, Palmeiro, Ramirez and Barry Bonds; refuse to admit they did it. Good for them. I like the guys that unabashedly used and repeatedly said that they'd do it all over again. Jose Canseco, self proclaimed "godfather" of the steroid era, said he mixed his drugs to amazing effect to become the 245 pound slugger with 0% body fat and did it for the love of the game and fandom. Ken Caminiti never apologized for his use and said that if that's the way the game has evolved, why should he not encourage players coming up to use if it'll get them a contract. They're the heroes. If not for Canseco's discovery of the gym rat's best friend back in the day, baseball would be in the same position as hockey was for a year for the 2004-2005 season, locked out and not playing. The 1998 home run race would have been non existent without Canseco and steroids. The season that saved baseball wouldn't have happened.
OK, so you're asking yourself, "Damon, what about the integrity of the game?"
THE GAME? You do realize what you just inquired about, right? A game? Fuck integrity, I wanna see moon shots going over the St. Louis Arch or the Golden Gate Bridge. I wanna see pitchers blow through a catchers glove with 105 mph heat. Steroids saved baseball and we should all personally thank Jose Conseco for that.
(Oh, and on a little side note, gambling is a terrible vice and should be nipped in the bud as it has been by baseball. Bulging muscles that result in testicles shrinking to peas and retracting near the lower intestines? Perfectly fine, but keep betting away from the kids. We can't be animals about this game, right?)
I also love the fact that basketball players making millions of dollars more than real star players are bringing guns to locker rooms as apart of pranks. You remember that one episode of Jackass when Bam shot Novak in the shoulder with his scoped M16. Fuckin' hilarious.
But, on a serious note about basketball, the owners are making the game less about players and more about economic strategy. And that's great for us. We need the owners to think ahead. We need better arenas, better choice in seats, and two crappy teams to play each other. Who cares who they are? They need to dribble, shoot and steal the ball to sub par effect for the game to continue at least. That's all I really need. Dunking is overrated.
And don't even get me started on football. Same situation, no salary cap looming, great years ahead. I mean, there could be a Yankee's football team! How amazing would that be? You could sign anyone you want, as long as you pay the luxury tax. An all star team with a combined 300 million pay roll. Could you imagine Jerry Jones passing up the chance to do that?
Yes, and it'll happen soon. Owners cheating fans and players cheating the game, isn't it all wonderful?
(In honesty, steroids are one of the worst things to happen to baseball, regardless of the strike and the Home Run Race of 98. Basketball is going down the road of union strikedom and the owners deserve it for running the league into the ground. Football, eh, I was gonna do the Spygate joke, but it's not that funny and just a blemish on the letterman jacket that the Patriots owned the decade wearing.)
(And in respect to Ken Caminiti and his family, he had nothing to hide when he admitted to doing steroids. He was a respectable teammate who never quit on his team. Rest in peace, Ken)
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Love of H
I love Hentai. I really do. Hentai manga, hentai games, hentai pictures, hentai anime. All of it. Am I a pervert? Well, of course I am. Duh
I just wanted to get that out in the open, I don't think enough people know that fact. Also, boobies.
Love those too. Like a lot. *starts to walk away, mumbling about breasts and their glory*
(I thought I had something relevant to say with this, but it escaped me and I really need to go to bed if I'm to wake up at 10. It's 2:30 here. Night.)
I just wanted to get that out in the open, I don't think enough people know that fact. Also, boobies.
Love those too. Like a lot. *starts to walk away, mumbling about breasts and their glory*
(I thought I had something relevant to say with this, but it escaped me and I really need to go to bed if I'm to wake up at 10. It's 2:30 here. Night.)
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Story of Manhood, Part II
Now that I've finally had the chance to watch the second movie a few times, let me get a few things off my chest in what should be the longest blog post I've written. (SPOILERS GALORE)
The Godfather Part II is about Vito Corelone's rise to power. It's also very representative of the themes of the series, respect and revenge. He grew up in a village near Sicily named Corelone, a town run by the power abusing Don Ciccio. This Don asked Vito's father for more tribute, which he could not afford. This cost him his life. Vito's brother swore revenge. During the funeral preceding of his father, gunshots were heard and everyone there scattered. Then a voice screamed bloody murder that his brother was, in fact, murdered.
Vito's mother, now all alone save Vito, decided to go to the Don to beg for her child's life. This request was rejected in fear that the boy would grow up to seek revenge as well. She pleaded that the boy was weak and couldn't even speak much less be violent. Again, he refused. She took the last action she saw fit buy pulling a knife on him to threaten for a better answer. She was shot and Vito was on the run. The people of Corelone, who lived under the Don's tyranny, felt the plight of this boy was worth risking their lives for and helped him immigrate to America.
This background helped Vito become a strong young man. It gave him the strength to push through his small pox scare (of which me and my girlfriend interpreted to him having weak vocal chords, explaining his raspy voice through out the series), learning to live on his own before marrying and eventually taking power into his own hands. I know the last part of that sentence makes little sense, but if you interpret it after watching the movie, you'll know I meant becoming the head of a "family" through taking it from another black-handler, Don Fanucci. Thus the Corelone family became the power it became in the 50's.
What I've gathered through watching the movies a few times backs up my theory's on the themes of the series. Respect can be earned "legitimately" (and you will hear that word a lot in these movies) through good business practices and kindness to whom respect you. Revenge is a bloody path that never ends.
Michael is a prime example. Towards the end of the first Godfather, he took revenge on anyone involved in the killing of his brother and led to the shooting of his father. Going into the next movie with this overthrow of the "five families" and Moe Green in Las Vegas, the Corelone family had all it needed to run two bases of operations. Mike moved the family to Nevada to attempt to be legit and underbosses ran the fronts in New York.
But, of course, the cycle of revenge didn't just stay in New York. After the baptism of first child, Anthony, there was a party similar to the party in the first movie. While the festivities were being held outside on his estate on Lake Tahoe, he was conducting business in his office. This is where you are introduced to the name Hyman Roth, a Jewish investor who did business with Vito years ago. They are working on a deal (with Johnny Ola acting as the in between) that could set up the family for years, ever closer to becoming legitimate. But what you learn in the long run is this could never happen.
What about the video to Today by Smashing Pumpkins makes sense? Sex plus a disgruntled ice cream truck driver picking up a man in drag that go to a semi-abandoned gas station, start painting the truck with the two people working there only to have the truck stolen from him and being stranded in the middle of a plains orgy. *shakes head* Lets get back to the story.
Michael also hears from his underboss running New York, Frank Pentangeli, that he's having trouble with a rival mob that's under Roth. Michael attempts to tell him to make peace because he and Roth are working together. He very reluctantly agrees.
Later that night Mike gets attacked from outside his window. This hit obviously puts things into perspective for him because 1) he makes Tom Hagen, his adoptive step brother and family lawyer, the Don after basically telling him at the end of The Godfather that he's out of the "family business"; 2) goes to Roth's home in Miami to talk to him about the deal, his underlings giving his family trouble, that he was attacked at his home and that Pentangeli was behind it; 3) only to tell Pentangeli that it was really Roth whom put the hit on him.
This excites Pentangeli to try to talk Mike into giving him the order to take out Roth's men. He says again to try to work it out by saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemy's closer."
Pentangeli, confused enough as it is, gets tricked at the meeting to make peace with Roth's NY goons by being told "Here's a message from Michael Corelone." (Don't quote me, I don't feel like finding this scene again. I done sent the DVD's back)
OK, most of you have seen the movie, Mikey goes through the movie, getting revenge on anyone in his path. The point I learned about Michael is hes a mix between his father and his brother. Don Vito was a fair but firm man who knew when to draw the line between business and senseless killing. Don Sonny was a ruthless killer, especially when his temper flared at the drop of a hat.
Don Michael was a business man with the power to take out the opposition if need be. He killed off the heads of the five families to the chord of a corporate take over. He took revenge on his sister's husband (we'll get to her later, trust me) for setting up the murder of Sonny. He even had his own brother killed for accidentally giving Roth information enough to put a hit on him and cut his wife off from her children for many years just for having an abortion out of fear of being in his world anymore. He couldn't let things go. Revenge was his fucking middle name. HE WAS AN ASSHOLE.
Which brings me to the third installment of the series. Deemed the worst of the three, rumor has it that writer/producer/director Francis Ford Coppola was still having money problems stemming from having to put his own money into the production of Apocalypse Now and lack of blockbusters in the 80's (save The Outsiders, though it was nearly enough to cover his losses). Paramount had been hounding him to make a third instalment, but he felt the series was closed after the second one having Michael living with his life the way he made it. He finally accepted an offer to make it after all of his financial troubles.
The Godfather Part III is set at the end of the 70's, with Michael doing his best to fully end his career in the mafia world. Being honored by the Vatican Church for contributions in helping the church restore Sicily, he has a very awkward reunion with his family. Kay, his ex-wife from the first two movies, still resents him for the world he forced her to live in. His son want's to forgo his college degree in Law to become a singer, primarily in opera. His daughter, Mary, blindly loves him dearly, not able to distinguish the truth of his life as head of the family business and her upbringing as daddy's girl.
Enter Vincent, the son of Sonny through one of his many flings documented in the first movie. He works for Joey Zasa, the man who now runs what used to be the original neighborhood the Corelone family had resided over. He hates the way Zasa had run the Little Italy into the ground with drugs and the way he talks about the family behind Michael's back. At the after party for the ceremony, Zasa and Vincent confront Michael in a round about way about their problems with each other. The civility of this meeting doesn't last long as Vince is brushed the wrong way by Joey and bites his ear.
Is it just me, or are record companies shooting themselves in the foot by removing their music that's put up by other people on YouTube? They should be happy with the publicity they get from people putting those videos up. I mean, not everyone does it because, well, they're smart. But come on, remove all of the CKY off my playlists? Really? (FOCUS DAMN IT)
This leads Michael to be touched by Vincent loving and respecting the family name. Thus, he takes Vince under his wing to groom him to be a more intelligent, calm, collected and competent mafia hood. He has his father's blind rage, which leaves Mike in a compromising position every time he's around when he talks business in the family. (I mean, seriously, he pulls the same shit Sonny did around his father with outbursts and then has to be scolded, "Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking." Boy o boy.)
When Michael makes the big power play to buy control of the Vatican owned International Immobilare, in an attempt to gain power plus bail out the Vatican Bank from a 700 million dollar deficit, he finally lets go of his last vestiges of being in the mafia biz by spreading the profit and ownership of his last casino in New Jersey to the don/underbosses left. This angers Zasa, because he wasn't invested, his group was the muscle and runners for the casino. The meeting at which this all takes place is broken up by a hit performed by Joey himself and kills off most of the remaining dons. This leads to Michael to have a diabetic stroke, agitated by Vincent repeatedly saying they need to knock off Zasa. (My girlfriend oversaw the scene where Al Pacino acts out having the stroke and said, "Al Pacino doesn't have [heart attacks,] he's Al Pacino!" Not to add the fact that Al does some of his best over-the-top acting in this scene, with lines like, "I try to leave, but the keep PULLING ME back in."; "Fuck Fucking Joey Zasa!"; and screaming, "Fredo! Fredo!!! FREDO!!!" while being taken off to the hospital. Loved this scene.)
Meanwhile, the worst part of this movie is focused on. Mary and Vincent, cousins if you connect the dots, begin to have a relationship. This is shown with some of the WORST dialog reading I have ever heard, seen or been witness to in my entire life. It's like a computer with voice box read the script with out any knowledge to what punctuation marks are for. If you told me that happens in the scene where Mary visits Vincent at his bar and they talk in the dark, I'd believe you.
Now, mind you, I respect the Coppola family. I've loved all of their works, but Sofia is no actress. (Loved what you did with Bill Murray in Lost in Translation by the way) She speaks with such a lack of emotion in these scenes she's in with Andy Garcia that the lines, "Did my father really kill his brother," and, "I love you, cous," HAVE THE SAME EMOTE!!! (shakes his head) WHAT THE FUCK?!?
A bit of plot exposition after Mike gets out of the hospital, they go to Sicily to see Anthony in his opera debut. Vincent, at the behest of Mike, switches sides to the don that had defended Joey Zasa (who's dead now, Al Pacino was pissed at that knock off). He finds out that a secret organization of Mafia heads in Italy are trying to stop Michael's deal to control Immobilare. One of the more anti climatic parts of this film is where Anthony sings a song to the tune of the theme for The Godfather. During the song, he remembers his first wife that he married when he was in exile in Sicily (this is from the first movie, KEEP UP). After crying, he tells the children later about the relationship and they have a diatribe about how violent the people of Sicily are (and I am using the third definition of the word diatribe, cause that's how the film made it feel to me).
(I almost forgot to talk about this scene, one of my favorites) Michael needs to find out whom in the Vatican to talk to in order to get deep into the situation that is keeping him from getting that Immobilare deal done. The don who gave him shelter during the first movie tells him to talk to Cardinal Lamberto, a priest high in the rankings of the Vatican. He meets with Lamberto, who councils Michael in the dealings of the world while trying to give him insight in his life as well. Hell, he even talks Mike into giving a confession. After having a diabetic attack where he drinks a glass of OJ and is the messiest chocolate eater I've ever seen that's not a female, he agrees. After struggling a bit, he finally confesses (after admiting that he's 1) killed people, 2) had people killed, 3) betrayed his wife whom he wasn't married to when he did marry another {I added that last part}, and 4) betrayed himself {???}) to having his brother Fredo killed. He bursts into tears and the cardinal tells him that he deserves to suffer and, although he has no doubt he won't change, blesses him after it's all said and done. (One of the best scenes in the movie, shows Michael regrets some of the bad thing's he's done)
After Mike beats a dead horse (try's to get Kay to forgive him), the momentum switches to the fact that an assassin, who has been hired to kill Michael, killed the don whom protected him when he lived in Sicily so many years ago. He gives up, tells Vincent that he's done with that life and tells him to call himself 'Vincent Corelone.' When he askes Mike to advise him now that he is the don, Michael tells him to stop seeing his daughter, because she is not to be apart of that life ever (although, in retrospect, you kinda failed that task yourself, Don Mikey).
Vincent makes plans to kill off anyone making the Immobilare deal difficult to finish while the family watches the opera. The assassin, disguised as a priest, sneaks in and kills off the security that Vincent had placed through out the opera hall. By the time he did all of that and came back to the balcony he planned to use as his sniper's nest, Michael had gotten up from his chair to talk about Pope John Paul I (originally Cardinal Lamberto) and the attempt on his life that would be eminent.
Durring the opera, one of the investors who stole money from the Vatican Bank, the don whom Vincent came into contact under cover, and the head of the Vatican Bank were killed; as was the Pope, but not before giving the go ahead on the Immobilare deal earlier in the day. After the round of applause given to the opera, the family attempts to leave. Vincent wants it to go smoothly after hearing that his men were killed. During the exiting of the opera house, Anthony and his fellow opera actors/singers greeted with the public. The assassin took this opportunity to take two shots at Michael. Vincent, seeing the other priests accost the assassin in their garb, shoots him. Michael checks him self, noticing the brush wound on his arm, then turns to see Mary shot in the chest.
So, after all the attempts to keep his family safe since his rise to power and finally stepping down to further protect them, he loses another loved one.
Maybe if Michael had more time to spend with his father so he could learn more of what his father knew, or maybe if he had never went after the drug dealer and the crooked cop in that diner, maybe he'd never had to have to be the don. No one knows, but because of everything he did to burn bridges, he died alone.
I have forgotten about someone through all of this and that's his sister Connie. She was the most RANDOM character in this series.
At first she's a teeny bopper who gets married *turn*
She's a defenseless housewife *turn*
who gets all uppity when a mistress calls the house *turn*
gets beat again *turn*
who gets upset when Mike kills her husband for setting up the death of her BROTHER *turn*
(next movie) Is disillusioned to the world after losing her husband *turn*
who comes back with a changed heart and begs her brother to take her back *turn*
then cares that he's not talking to Fredo *turn*
(next movie) She stands by Michael's side during his twilight years as a don *turn*
whom is weak in his eyes now for not taking care of Joey Zasa *turn*
has the balls (or ovary's in her case) enough to tell Vincent to kill Joey Zasa while Mike's in a diabetic coma *turn*
refuses to bow to Mike's authority *turn*
cries in Michael's arms over Fredo dying so many years ago while not knowing that he didn't drown but that MIKE PUT A HIT ON HIM *turn*
tells Vincent that he's the first person to remind her of her father Vito's strength as a don (even though she had no idea how important HE WAS up to this point) *turn*
feeds Don Altobello poisoned cannoli *wait, that last one wasn't really a turn*
She took more turns in this than a wrestler does in a career. If she was a wrestler, I don't think the crowd would know whether to cheer, boo, or stare blankly.
OK, now for that shocking revelation I had mentioned a while back about all of this.
I actually like Part III more than II.
Ironic seeing as how (semi)serious I treated the review for II but had a lot of jokes and gripes to say with III. I think it has a lot to do with how human the third one was while the second one was down right evil. I loved [most] of the actors in these movies. Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Robert Duval all did an amazing job. And for as much as I gave Sofia Coppola shit for her performance, well... as a minimalist, she worked?
The Godfather Part II is about Vito Corelone's rise to power. It's also very representative of the themes of the series, respect and revenge. He grew up in a village near Sicily named Corelone, a town run by the power abusing Don Ciccio. This Don asked Vito's father for more tribute, which he could not afford. This cost him his life. Vito's brother swore revenge. During the funeral preceding of his father, gunshots were heard and everyone there scattered. Then a voice screamed bloody murder that his brother was, in fact, murdered.
Vito's mother, now all alone save Vito, decided to go to the Don to beg for her child's life. This request was rejected in fear that the boy would grow up to seek revenge as well. She pleaded that the boy was weak and couldn't even speak much less be violent. Again, he refused. She took the last action she saw fit buy pulling a knife on him to threaten for a better answer. She was shot and Vito was on the run. The people of Corelone, who lived under the Don's tyranny, felt the plight of this boy was worth risking their lives for and helped him immigrate to America.
This background helped Vito become a strong young man. It gave him the strength to push through his small pox scare (of which me and my girlfriend interpreted to him having weak vocal chords, explaining his raspy voice through out the series), learning to live on his own before marrying and eventually taking power into his own hands. I know the last part of that sentence makes little sense, but if you interpret it after watching the movie, you'll know I meant becoming the head of a "family" through taking it from another black-handler, Don Fanucci. Thus the Corelone family became the power it became in the 50's.
What I've gathered through watching the movies a few times backs up my theory's on the themes of the series. Respect can be earned "legitimately" (and you will hear that word a lot in these movies) through good business practices and kindness to whom respect you. Revenge is a bloody path that never ends.
Michael is a prime example. Towards the end of the first Godfather, he took revenge on anyone involved in the killing of his brother and led to the shooting of his father. Going into the next movie with this overthrow of the "five families" and Moe Green in Las Vegas, the Corelone family had all it needed to run two bases of operations. Mike moved the family to Nevada to attempt to be legit and underbosses ran the fronts in New York.
But, of course, the cycle of revenge didn't just stay in New York. After the baptism of first child, Anthony, there was a party similar to the party in the first movie. While the festivities were being held outside on his estate on Lake Tahoe, he was conducting business in his office. This is where you are introduced to the name Hyman Roth, a Jewish investor who did business with Vito years ago. They are working on a deal (with Johnny Ola acting as the in between) that could set up the family for years, ever closer to becoming legitimate. But what you learn in the long run is this could never happen.
What about the video to Today by Smashing Pumpkins makes sense? Sex plus a disgruntled ice cream truck driver picking up a man in drag that go to a semi-abandoned gas station, start painting the truck with the two people working there only to have the truck stolen from him and being stranded in the middle of a plains orgy. *shakes head* Lets get back to the story.
Michael also hears from his underboss running New York, Frank Pentangeli, that he's having trouble with a rival mob that's under Roth. Michael attempts to tell him to make peace because he and Roth are working together. He very reluctantly agrees.
Later that night Mike gets attacked from outside his window. This hit obviously puts things into perspective for him because 1) he makes Tom Hagen, his adoptive step brother and family lawyer, the Don after basically telling him at the end of The Godfather that he's out of the "family business"; 2) goes to Roth's home in Miami to talk to him about the deal, his underlings giving his family trouble, that he was attacked at his home and that Pentangeli was behind it; 3) only to tell Pentangeli that it was really Roth whom put the hit on him.
This excites Pentangeli to try to talk Mike into giving him the order to take out Roth's men. He says again to try to work it out by saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemy's closer."
Pentangeli, confused enough as it is, gets tricked at the meeting to make peace with Roth's NY goons by being told "Here's a message from Michael Corelone." (Don't quote me, I don't feel like finding this scene again. I done sent the DVD's back)
OK, most of you have seen the movie, Mikey goes through the movie, getting revenge on anyone in his path. The point I learned about Michael is hes a mix between his father and his brother. Don Vito was a fair but firm man who knew when to draw the line between business and senseless killing. Don Sonny was a ruthless killer, especially when his temper flared at the drop of a hat.
Don Michael was a business man with the power to take out the opposition if need be. He killed off the heads of the five families to the chord of a corporate take over. He took revenge on his sister's husband (we'll get to her later, trust me) for setting up the murder of Sonny. He even had his own brother killed for accidentally giving Roth information enough to put a hit on him and cut his wife off from her children for many years just for having an abortion out of fear of being in his world anymore. He couldn't let things go. Revenge was his fucking middle name. HE WAS AN ASSHOLE.
Which brings me to the third installment of the series. Deemed the worst of the three, rumor has it that writer/producer/director Francis Ford Coppola was still having money problems stemming from having to put his own money into the production of Apocalypse Now and lack of blockbusters in the 80's (save The Outsiders, though it was nearly enough to cover his losses). Paramount had been hounding him to make a third instalment, but he felt the series was closed after the second one having Michael living with his life the way he made it. He finally accepted an offer to make it after all of his financial troubles.
The Godfather Part III is set at the end of the 70's, with Michael doing his best to fully end his career in the mafia world. Being honored by the Vatican Church for contributions in helping the church restore Sicily, he has a very awkward reunion with his family. Kay, his ex-wife from the first two movies, still resents him for the world he forced her to live in. His son want's to forgo his college degree in Law to become a singer, primarily in opera. His daughter, Mary, blindly loves him dearly, not able to distinguish the truth of his life as head of the family business and her upbringing as daddy's girl.
Enter Vincent, the son of Sonny through one of his many flings documented in the first movie. He works for Joey Zasa, the man who now runs what used to be the original neighborhood the Corelone family had resided over. He hates the way Zasa had run the Little Italy into the ground with drugs and the way he talks about the family behind Michael's back. At the after party for the ceremony, Zasa and Vincent confront Michael in a round about way about their problems with each other. The civility of this meeting doesn't last long as Vince is brushed the wrong way by Joey and bites his ear.
Is it just me, or are record companies shooting themselves in the foot by removing their music that's put up by other people on YouTube? They should be happy with the publicity they get from people putting those videos up. I mean, not everyone does it because, well, they're smart. But come on, remove all of the CKY off my playlists? Really? (FOCUS DAMN IT)
This leads Michael to be touched by Vincent loving and respecting the family name. Thus, he takes Vince under his wing to groom him to be a more intelligent, calm, collected and competent mafia hood. He has his father's blind rage, which leaves Mike in a compromising position every time he's around when he talks business in the family. (I mean, seriously, he pulls the same shit Sonny did around his father with outbursts and then has to be scolded, "Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking." Boy o boy.)
When Michael makes the big power play to buy control of the Vatican owned International Immobilare, in an attempt to gain power plus bail out the Vatican Bank from a 700 million dollar deficit, he finally lets go of his last vestiges of being in the mafia biz by spreading the profit and ownership of his last casino in New Jersey to the don/underbosses left. This angers Zasa, because he wasn't invested, his group was the muscle and runners for the casino. The meeting at which this all takes place is broken up by a hit performed by Joey himself and kills off most of the remaining dons. This leads to Michael to have a diabetic stroke, agitated by Vincent repeatedly saying they need to knock off Zasa. (My girlfriend oversaw the scene where Al Pacino acts out having the stroke and said, "Al Pacino doesn't have [heart attacks,] he's Al Pacino!" Not to add the fact that Al does some of his best over-the-top acting in this scene, with lines like, "I try to leave, but the keep PULLING ME back in."; "Fuck Fucking Joey Zasa!"; and screaming, "Fredo! Fredo!!! FREDO!!!" while being taken off to the hospital. Loved this scene.)
Meanwhile, the worst part of this movie is focused on. Mary and Vincent, cousins if you connect the dots, begin to have a relationship. This is shown with some of the WORST dialog reading I have ever heard, seen or been witness to in my entire life. It's like a computer with voice box read the script with out any knowledge to what punctuation marks are for. If you told me that happens in the scene where Mary visits Vincent at his bar and they talk in the dark, I'd believe you.
Now, mind you, I respect the Coppola family. I've loved all of their works, but Sofia is no actress. (Loved what you did with Bill Murray in Lost in Translation by the way) She speaks with such a lack of emotion in these scenes she's in with Andy Garcia that the lines, "Did my father really kill his brother," and, "I love you, cous," HAVE THE SAME EMOTE!!! (shakes his head) WHAT THE FUCK?!?
A bit of plot exposition after Mike gets out of the hospital, they go to Sicily to see Anthony in his opera debut. Vincent, at the behest of Mike, switches sides to the don that had defended Joey Zasa (who's dead now, Al Pacino was pissed at that knock off). He finds out that a secret organization of Mafia heads in Italy are trying to stop Michael's deal to control Immobilare. One of the more anti climatic parts of this film is where Anthony sings a song to the tune of the theme for The Godfather. During the song, he remembers his first wife that he married when he was in exile in Sicily (this is from the first movie, KEEP UP). After crying, he tells the children later about the relationship and they have a diatribe about how violent the people of Sicily are (and I am using the third definition of the word diatribe, cause that's how the film made it feel to me).
(I almost forgot to talk about this scene, one of my favorites) Michael needs to find out whom in the Vatican to talk to in order to get deep into the situation that is keeping him from getting that Immobilare deal done. The don who gave him shelter during the first movie tells him to talk to Cardinal Lamberto, a priest high in the rankings of the Vatican. He meets with Lamberto, who councils Michael in the dealings of the world while trying to give him insight in his life as well. Hell, he even talks Mike into giving a confession. After having a diabetic attack where he drinks a glass of OJ and is the messiest chocolate eater I've ever seen that's not a female, he agrees. After struggling a bit, he finally confesses (after admiting that he's 1) killed people, 2) had people killed, 3) betrayed his wife whom he wasn't married to when he did marry another {I added that last part}, and 4) betrayed himself {???}) to having his brother Fredo killed. He bursts into tears and the cardinal tells him that he deserves to suffer and, although he has no doubt he won't change, blesses him after it's all said and done. (One of the best scenes in the movie, shows Michael regrets some of the bad thing's he's done)
After Mike beats a dead horse (try's to get Kay to forgive him), the momentum switches to the fact that an assassin, who has been hired to kill Michael, killed the don whom protected him when he lived in Sicily so many years ago. He gives up, tells Vincent that he's done with that life and tells him to call himself 'Vincent Corelone.' When he askes Mike to advise him now that he is the don, Michael tells him to stop seeing his daughter, because she is not to be apart of that life ever (although, in retrospect, you kinda failed that task yourself, Don Mikey).
Vincent makes plans to kill off anyone making the Immobilare deal difficult to finish while the family watches the opera. The assassin, disguised as a priest, sneaks in and kills off the security that Vincent had placed through out the opera hall. By the time he did all of that and came back to the balcony he planned to use as his sniper's nest, Michael had gotten up from his chair to talk about Pope John Paul I (originally Cardinal Lamberto) and the attempt on his life that would be eminent.
Durring the opera, one of the investors who stole money from the Vatican Bank, the don whom Vincent came into contact under cover, and the head of the Vatican Bank were killed; as was the Pope, but not before giving the go ahead on the Immobilare deal earlier in the day. After the round of applause given to the opera, the family attempts to leave. Vincent wants it to go smoothly after hearing that his men were killed. During the exiting of the opera house, Anthony and his fellow opera actors/singers greeted with the public. The assassin took this opportunity to take two shots at Michael. Vincent, seeing the other priests accost the assassin in their garb, shoots him. Michael checks him self, noticing the brush wound on his arm, then turns to see Mary shot in the chest.
So, after all the attempts to keep his family safe since his rise to power and finally stepping down to further protect them, he loses another loved one.
Maybe if Michael had more time to spend with his father so he could learn more of what his father knew, or maybe if he had never went after the drug dealer and the crooked cop in that diner, maybe he'd never had to have to be the don. No one knows, but because of everything he did to burn bridges, he died alone.
I have forgotten about someone through all of this and that's his sister Connie. She was the most RANDOM character in this series.
At first she's a teeny bopper who gets married *turn*
She's a defenseless housewife *turn*
who gets all uppity when a mistress calls the house *turn*
gets beat again *turn*
who gets upset when Mike kills her husband for setting up the death of her BROTHER *turn*
(next movie) Is disillusioned to the world after losing her husband *turn*
who comes back with a changed heart and begs her brother to take her back *turn*
then cares that he's not talking to Fredo *turn*
(next movie) She stands by Michael's side during his twilight years as a don *turn*
whom is weak in his eyes now for not taking care of Joey Zasa *turn*
has the balls (or ovary's in her case) enough to tell Vincent to kill Joey Zasa while Mike's in a diabetic coma *turn*
refuses to bow to Mike's authority *turn*
cries in Michael's arms over Fredo dying so many years ago while not knowing that he didn't drown but that MIKE PUT A HIT ON HIM *turn*
tells Vincent that he's the first person to remind her of her father Vito's strength as a don (even though she had no idea how important HE WAS up to this point) *turn*
feeds Don Altobello poisoned cannoli *wait, that last one wasn't really a turn*
She took more turns in this than a wrestler does in a career. If she was a wrestler, I don't think the crowd would know whether to cheer, boo, or stare blankly.
OK, now for that shocking revelation I had mentioned a while back about all of this.
I actually like Part III more than II.
Ironic seeing as how (semi)serious I treated the review for II but had a lot of jokes and gripes to say with III. I think it has a lot to do with how human the third one was while the second one was down right evil. I loved [most] of the actors in these movies. Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Robert Duval all did an amazing job. And for as much as I gave Sofia Coppola shit for her performance, well... as a minimalist, she worked?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Just So You Know, I Never Finished Those Dishes.
(This is a continuation and conclusion to the post, I Guess Washing Dishes Comes First...)
(And if you're wondering where the links have gone, just go back to the previous post. Any new names will come with posts, of course)
Does Randy Moss have it in him to go after Jerry Rice? If he wants that Super Bowl, he will. I, personally, think his time in Boston (New England Patriots, for those not in the know) is done. Plus, the dynasty died sometime between these events: Tom Brady's injury and every defensive player after the age of 28 no longer being on the team, culminating with the retirement at the beginning of the 2009 season of defensive leader and team captain Tedy Bruschi.
So there's no real reason to stay with the team when his contract is up, except maybe to repay them for giving him a second chance at a pro football. Because, seriously, before that trade happened (in which NE gave up a much needed 5th round pick to OAK for him, oh noes!) most football experts deemed him washed up and without motivation. Enter the 2007 Patriots. OTHER THAN ALL THAT, there's more motivation to go to a team where he can be a bit more than a role player on a contending team who could make it to the playoffs with ease.
The question becomes, if and when he leaves NE, is there a market for a 33+ year old receiver (his contract lasts until the 2011 off season)? Well, lets compare him to a few players who were just as good as he is at a similar age, based on Pro-Football-Reference.com's by-year comparison of him and Jerry Rice at certain stages of their careers.
OK, the two most prevalent names are Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens. The only two names that could match or eclipse Moss during the last decade (Harrison for being the most consistent receiver for Peyton Manning, T.O. for grabbing media attention for being T.O.). Again, lets compare some numbers *first being why they even compare statistically*:
Randy Moss (current totals at three year intervals)
Rec.
226
525
676
926
Rec. Yards
4163
8375
10700
14465
Rec. TD
43
77
101
143
And now on to the competition (again, the same format of 12 years, 3 year intervals):
Marvin Harrison
Rec.
196
522
845
1042
Rec. Yards
2468
7068
11175
13961
Rec. TD
21
62
98
123
Terrell Owens
Rec.
162
412
669
882
Rec. Yards
2553
6170
9772
13070
Rec. TD
26
59
95
129
While it is true Harrison had a bit of a late start because he didn't have Manning for his first two years then needed their first year together to gain that famous chemistry they had together; and T.O. actually had to fight for touches with Jerry Rice himself on the same team in his first four years before he became a perennial #1 WR, it's what these stats tell you in longevity.
Marvin has more receptions after 12 years, which makes sense with Manning there. Other than that, Randy Moss' curve peaked early and often. And whats more amazing is that Harrison and Owens came into the league 2 years before Moss did, plus had at least 2 years over him when they were rookies. Next is the comparison between each receivers 32 year old season:
Randy Moss: 83 Rec., 1264 Yards, 13 TD
Marvin Harrison: 82 Rec., 1146 Yards, 12 TD
Terrell Owens: 47 Rec., 763 Yards, 6 TD
Oh yeah, TO was suspended halfway into that season for trash talking his organization. That comparison doesn't completely count. Lets try the 12 year in the league:
Randy Moss: (same as above)
Marvin Harrison: 20 Rec., 247 Yards, 1 TD
Terrell Owens: 81 Rec., 1355 Yards, 15 TD
And Marvin had an injury in 2007. Great, this isn't working out as well as I planned.
Are the three comparable? Kinda, but the difference is in the pudding. Randy is a tremendously fast athlete while Harrison is a workaholic known for his hands and route running. TO just wants the ball. He's a jack of all trades; great at everything, not the best at any key attribute you need to be a top notch receiver (speed, agility, acceleration off the line of scrimmage, hands, leaping ability, route running intelligence, toughness).
I guess since this is about Randy catching Jerry, lets compare their 32 year old/12th season in the league:
32 year old season:
Randy Moss: (same as before)
Jerry Rice: 112 Rec., 1499 Yards, 13 TD
l2th season:
Randy Moss: (do you even care anymore? check up top again)
Jerry Rice: 108 Rec., 1254 Yards, 8 TD
Jerry's 32 season was two years before his 12th season, so he hadn't had the workload on his legs at that point, but his 12th season was still exceptionally good. What isn't so good (per se) is that after his 12th season, he was injured for his next season, only starting in one game, played in two, for only 7 receptions and a touchdown. Just on that alone, Randy Moss could bend the curve in his favor, but you still gotta worry that it could happen to him as well.
I've danced this pole for as long as I can. It's starting to chafe.
To answer the question "Can anyone touch Jerry Rice's records?"; well, yeah, its possible. Randy Moss just has to persevere for at least 8 years more on his career average of 77 rec. 1205 yards and 12 TD and he'd beat him in yards and TDs alone. And he'd only be behind him in receptions by 7. I'll root for Randy as long as I can and welcome him with open arms if he comes to Dallas in a year, cause we could certainly use him.
Just saying.
(And if you're wondering where the links have gone, just go back to the previous post. Any new names will come with posts, of course)
Does Randy Moss have it in him to go after Jerry Rice? If he wants that Super Bowl, he will. I, personally, think his time in Boston (New England Patriots, for those not in the know) is done. Plus, the dynasty died sometime between these events: Tom Brady's injury and every defensive player after the age of 28 no longer being on the team, culminating with the retirement at the beginning of the 2009 season of defensive leader and team captain Tedy Bruschi.
So there's no real reason to stay with the team when his contract is up, except maybe to repay them for giving him a second chance at a pro football. Because, seriously, before that trade happened (in which NE gave up a much needed 5th round pick to OAK for him, oh noes!) most football experts deemed him washed up and without motivation. Enter the 2007 Patriots. OTHER THAN ALL THAT, there's more motivation to go to a team where he can be a bit more than a role player on a contending team who could make it to the playoffs with ease.
The question becomes, if and when he leaves NE, is there a market for a 33+ year old receiver (his contract lasts until the 2011 off season)? Well, lets compare him to a few players who were just as good as he is at a similar age, based on Pro-Football-Reference.com's by-year comparison of him and Jerry Rice at certain stages of their careers.
OK, the two most prevalent names are Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens. The only two names that could match or eclipse Moss during the last decade (Harrison for being the most consistent receiver for Peyton Manning, T.O. for grabbing media attention for being T.O.). Again, lets compare some numbers *first being why they even compare statistically*:
Randy Moss (current totals at three year intervals)
Rec.
226
525
676
926
Rec. Yards
4163
8375
10700
14465
Rec. TD
43
77
101
143
And now on to the competition (again, the same format of 12 years, 3 year intervals):
Marvin Harrison
Rec.
196
522
845
1042
Rec. Yards
2468
7068
11175
13961
Rec. TD
21
62
98
123
Terrell Owens
Rec.
162
412
669
882
Rec. Yards
2553
6170
9772
13070
Rec. TD
26
59
95
129
While it is true Harrison had a bit of a late start because he didn't have Manning for his first two years then needed their first year together to gain that famous chemistry they had together; and T.O. actually had to fight for touches with Jerry Rice himself on the same team in his first four years before he became a perennial #1 WR, it's what these stats tell you in longevity.
Marvin has more receptions after 12 years, which makes sense with Manning there. Other than that, Randy Moss' curve peaked early and often. And whats more amazing is that Harrison and Owens came into the league 2 years before Moss did, plus had at least 2 years over him when they were rookies. Next is the comparison between each receivers 32 year old season:
Randy Moss: 83 Rec., 1264 Yards, 13 TD
Marvin Harrison: 82 Rec., 1146 Yards, 12 TD
Terrell Owens: 47 Rec., 763 Yards, 6 TD
Oh yeah, TO was suspended halfway into that season for trash talking his organization. That comparison doesn't completely count. Lets try the 12 year in the league:
Randy Moss: (same as above)
Marvin Harrison: 20 Rec., 247 Yards, 1 TD
Terrell Owens: 81 Rec., 1355 Yards, 15 TD
And Marvin had an injury in 2007. Great, this isn't working out as well as I planned.
Are the three comparable? Kinda, but the difference is in the pudding. Randy is a tremendously fast athlete while Harrison is a workaholic known for his hands and route running. TO just wants the ball. He's a jack of all trades; great at everything, not the best at any key attribute you need to be a top notch receiver (speed, agility, acceleration off the line of scrimmage, hands, leaping ability, route running intelligence, toughness).
I guess since this is about Randy catching Jerry, lets compare their 32 year old/12th season in the league:
32 year old season:
Randy Moss: (same as before)
Jerry Rice: 112 Rec., 1499 Yards, 13 TD
l2th season:
Randy Moss: (do you even care anymore? check up top again)
Jerry Rice: 108 Rec., 1254 Yards, 8 TD
Jerry's 32 season was two years before his 12th season, so he hadn't had the workload on his legs at that point, but his 12th season was still exceptionally good. What isn't so good (per se) is that after his 12th season, he was injured for his next season, only starting in one game, played in two, for only 7 receptions and a touchdown. Just on that alone, Randy Moss could bend the curve in his favor, but you still gotta worry that it could happen to him as well.
I've danced this pole for as long as I can. It's starting to chafe.
To answer the question "Can anyone touch Jerry Rice's records?"; well, yeah, its possible. Randy Moss just has to persevere for at least 8 years more on his career average of 77 rec. 1205 yards and 12 TD and he'd beat him in yards and TDs alone. And he'd only be behind him in receptions by 7. I'll root for Randy as long as I can and welcome him with open arms if he comes to Dallas in a year, cause we could certainly use him.
Just saying.
Bloated Media
Does anyone really understand that having this massive of a entertainment mass communications is just bogging it down? It hurts itself by being so big. You have to shift through so much shit to find anything worth its salt. There was a time when there was a few bands, a few writers and a few film makers that were any good. Now there's so much of it that its hard to see whats good and what the industry just shoves down your throat and presents it as marketable.
I avoided the Super Bowl just because I hate the commercials now.
It makes me think about why I want to do all the things I want to do. I want to play music I love to show my appreciation for it. Music has always been a big part of my life, even when I was young and didn't know what exactly I was listening to or what it meant. Now I think about the day when I will play this all and saying to myself, "When the music doesn't matter anymore, do I even want to play it?"
It's hard to find people who care as much as you. Yeah, you'll find fans who agree with you on certain things (Led Zeppelin being 'kinda' like that, but lack the full MPFH of saying "They literally are the best ever, really"); but you'll really be hard-pressed to find that person who say's, "Yes, I completely understand. [Insert song title here] really moves me and makes me want to start a band just so I can cover it."
To list the bands whom influence me would be arduous to complete. Bands like Metallica, Tool and Nine Inch Nails only begin the diversity of it, but also Rush, Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd show how far back I could reach. I want to play something that moves me and others but still honors these great bands. (I also hate it when people hate on older bands just for that reason alone, 'Cause they're old.' FUCK THAT, they lose little meaning with age. What I hate is people professing their undying love for shit that has NO MEANING what-so-ever. Whatever happened to good music?)
Even with movies, I have influences that make me want to be a director. A huge one being Kevin Smith. I know that's kinda masturbatory and trite, but it's still true none the less. I am big on dialog, just read my stories. Plus my 'sense of humor' tends to be dark in nature, so it fits. I'm not yet versed enough behind the camera to direct epics akin to movies I love like Apocalypse Now and Batman, but I'm guessing that comes with experience, so I shouldn't be worried about those things yet.
But when it comes to literature, I lack any real inspiration from any tangible source. The only literary works I remember reading as a kid was Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain series. I draw more influence from movies and anime/manga when I write. I visualize and write, to semi-quote an inauspicious movie. I am a writer of dialog through and through. What comes after the dialog is my attempt at being an autor on paper. I've had some decent stints with action scenes, but I think I'm best suited at scripting screenplays-turned-novels.
I guess what I wanted to say here was I don't want to become empty as an artist, going from project to project for a paycheck. Don't let me become that which has no life. Abort me if my time comes.
I avoided the Super Bowl just because I hate the commercials now.
It makes me think about why I want to do all the things I want to do. I want to play music I love to show my appreciation for it. Music has always been a big part of my life, even when I was young and didn't know what exactly I was listening to or what it meant. Now I think about the day when I will play this all and saying to myself, "When the music doesn't matter anymore, do I even want to play it?"
It's hard to find people who care as much as you. Yeah, you'll find fans who agree with you on certain things (Led Zeppelin being 'kinda' like that, but lack the full MPFH of saying "They literally are the best ever, really"); but you'll really be hard-pressed to find that person who say's, "Yes, I completely understand. [Insert song title here] really moves me and makes me want to start a band just so I can cover it."
To list the bands whom influence me would be arduous to complete. Bands like Metallica, Tool and Nine Inch Nails only begin the diversity of it, but also Rush, Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd show how far back I could reach. I want to play something that moves me and others but still honors these great bands. (I also hate it when people hate on older bands just for that reason alone, 'Cause they're old.' FUCK THAT, they lose little meaning with age. What I hate is people professing their undying love for shit that has NO MEANING what-so-ever. Whatever happened to good music?)
Even with movies, I have influences that make me want to be a director. A huge one being Kevin Smith. I know that's kinda masturbatory and trite, but it's still true none the less. I am big on dialog, just read my stories. Plus my 'sense of humor' tends to be dark in nature, so it fits. I'm not yet versed enough behind the camera to direct epics akin to movies I love like Apocalypse Now and Batman, but I'm guessing that comes with experience, so I shouldn't be worried about those things yet.
But when it comes to literature, I lack any real inspiration from any tangible source. The only literary works I remember reading as a kid was Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain series. I draw more influence from movies and anime/manga when I write. I visualize and write, to semi-quote an inauspicious movie. I am a writer of dialog through and through. What comes after the dialog is my attempt at being an autor on paper. I've had some decent stints with action scenes, but I think I'm best suited at scripting screenplays-turned-novels.
I guess what I wanted to say here was I don't want to become empty as an artist, going from project to project for a paycheck. Don't let me become that which has no life. Abort me if my time comes.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wherever I May Roam
I'm going home tomorrow. That means no internets for me. For the time being, I'll not post something for a few days. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten what I'm working on:
The Story of Manhood: I should have the next part worked on soon, I just wanna watch the whole trilogy with my dad (hopefully).
Stand Up Jokes: I got a few I need to work out, so expect a few here and there.
Jerry Rice vs. Randy Moss: I was lost in the argument for a moment there, but I've straitened myself out now. There will be comparisons to Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens in there, so expect a lot more stat crunching, which I absolutely LOVE.
And I haven't forgotten about my dA account stories either, for you true followers out there. (At the moment that's like 2):
J + J Inc. Part 9: It's coming along very slowly. Don't expect anything for another month. Sorry about the delay.
Deth Game: I almost did forget about this one. Once I find the time to pull out the old manuscript, I should have a little diddy posted.
I also am working with a friend (my only "follower" on this blog so far) on a project on twitter, so expect some things coming soon from that.
Nothing to worry about, but I'm the only source of income at my apartment; so if it seems like I haven't been around for a while, it's cause I'm pretty busy with surviving in the real world. Peace.
The Story of Manhood: I should have the next part worked on soon, I just wanna watch the whole trilogy with my dad (hopefully).
Stand Up Jokes: I got a few I need to work out, so expect a few here and there.
Jerry Rice vs. Randy Moss: I was lost in the argument for a moment there, but I've straitened myself out now. There will be comparisons to Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens in there, so expect a lot more stat crunching, which I absolutely LOVE.
And I haven't forgotten about my dA account stories either, for you true followers out there. (At the moment that's like 2):
J + J Inc. Part 9: It's coming along very slowly. Don't expect anything for another month. Sorry about the delay.
Deth Game: I almost did forget about this one. Once I find the time to pull out the old manuscript, I should have a little diddy posted.
I also am working with a friend (my only "follower" on this blog so far) on a project on twitter, so expect some things coming soon from that.
Nothing to worry about, but I'm the only source of income at my apartment; so if it seems like I haven't been around for a while, it's cause I'm pretty busy with surviving in the real world. Peace.
Monday, February 1, 2010
I Guess Washing Dishes Comes First...
I was thinking about my overabundance of links in my last post. I went back and asked a question I've asked myself many times over and am sure plenty of others have as well. Emmitt Smith broke all the major rushing records (rush. attempts, rush. yards and rush. touchdowns) and Brett Favre broke all the major passing records (pass att., pass completions, pass yards, pass t.d.), including a record he probably isn't too proud of (pass interceptions); all in this decade. So the question is:
Will anyone touch Jerry Rice's records?
And you may be asking yourself, who is Jerry Rice? Or who are these Emmitt Smith and Brett Farve guys? Well, SHAME ON YOU! They are some of the great football players of all time (Plus, has your head been under a rock or something? Brett Farve is still playing!).
Let's just stick to Jerry for now, Emmitt would be a post all by himself. That's right, I'm a Cowboys fan.
Jerry Rice is recognized as the greatest receiver ever to play the game of football. He set many milestones with the San Francisco 49ers. He revolutionized the position in the vaulted west coast offense coach Bill Walsh implemented with his team. Rice was the master of the slant route, a route designed as a safe pass over the middle to the effect of a small rushing gain. But what made Rice dangerous was his ability to take a catch at about 3 or 4 yards reception and turn it into a large gain and possibly touchdown catch.
Jerry had this receiving thing down. So well, in fact, that he set many records over his twenty year career. Too many to try to copy/paste here.
The question was could anyone get near or even break Jerry Rice's records? The answer is not as easy as it sounds.
As we all know, records are meant to be broken. For the longest time, people thought Jim Brown's rushing yardage record would never be touched. Enter Walter Payton. And then it was the same for him; his record would be unbreakable. Enter Emmitt Smith.
The lesson for today, anything is possible.
Jerry Rice set the bar pretty high, to his credit. Let's run through some stats (be prepared for a lot of these number crunching moments in this post):
Jerry Rice's Career Stats (all NFL records):
Rec.: 1,549
Rec. Yards: 22,895
Rec. TD: 197
Records before Jerry Rice broke them:
Rec.: 940 (Art Monk)
Rec. Yards: 14,004 ( James Lofton)
Rec. TD: 100 (Steve Largent)
Wow, just wow.
Now, lets look at where his competitors stand today, that is to say who's in second place of him and who has the most out of current players:
Rec: 1,102 ( Marvin Harrison, retired 2008), 1,024 (Isaac Bruce, 37)
Rec. Yards: 15,208 (Issac Bruce, still 37)
Rec. TD: 148 (Randy Moss, 32)
From that, we know that Issac Bruce, while a sure fire Hall of Famer, is probably too old to make a run at ol' Jerry's records. He's just shy of 8,000 yards and 500+ receptions behind him. So he isn't our guy.
Hmm, Randy Moss? Young for his touchdown numbers. Lets compare him to his contemporaries at touchdowns. Current players, of course:
148 Randy Moss, 32
144 Terrell Owens, 36
91, Issac Bruce, 37
82, Tony Gonzalez, 33
78, Hines Ward, 33
77, Joey Galloway, 38
That's pretty striking, especially considering that the next closest players younger than him are:
63, Reggie Wayne, 31
62, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, 31
And even more remarkable is the next closest on the list under 30 are:
59, Antonio Gates, 29
59, Larry Fitzgerald, 26
But what does this all mean? Other than Larry Fitzgerald, who has his whole career ahead of him, most of these players are out of the running to catch Jerry's 197. Moss trails only 49 touchdowns. Where does he stand at the other two stats? Let's see:
Rec.: 926
Rec. Yards: 14,465
That makes Randy's road to greatness a harsh and long one.
(Next comes my compelling arguement on how Randy Moss can and should break Jerry Rice's career records.)
Will anyone touch Jerry Rice's records?
And you may be asking yourself, who is Jerry Rice? Or who are these Emmitt Smith and Brett Farve guys? Well, SHAME ON YOU! They are some of the great football players of all time (Plus, has your head been under a rock or something? Brett Farve is still playing!).
Let's just stick to Jerry for now, Emmitt would be a post all by himself. That's right, I'm a Cowboys fan.
Jerry Rice is recognized as the greatest receiver ever to play the game of football. He set many milestones with the San Francisco 49ers. He revolutionized the position in the vaulted west coast offense coach Bill Walsh implemented with his team. Rice was the master of the slant route, a route designed as a safe pass over the middle to the effect of a small rushing gain. But what made Rice dangerous was his ability to take a catch at about 3 or 4 yards reception and turn it into a large gain and possibly touchdown catch.
Jerry had this receiving thing down. So well, in fact, that he set many records over his twenty year career. Too many to try to copy/paste here.
The question was could anyone get near or even break Jerry Rice's records? The answer is not as easy as it sounds.
As we all know, records are meant to be broken. For the longest time, people thought Jim Brown's rushing yardage record would never be touched. Enter Walter Payton. And then it was the same for him; his record would be unbreakable. Enter Emmitt Smith.
The lesson for today, anything is possible.
Jerry Rice set the bar pretty high, to his credit. Let's run through some stats (be prepared for a lot of these number crunching moments in this post):
Jerry Rice's Career Stats (all NFL records):
Rec.: 1,549
Rec. Yards: 22,895
Rec. TD: 197
Records before Jerry Rice broke them:
Rec.: 940 (Art Monk)
Rec. Yards: 14,004 ( James Lofton)
Rec. TD: 100 (Steve Largent)
Wow, just wow.
Now, lets look at where his competitors stand today, that is to say who's in second place of him and who has the most out of current players:
Rec: 1,102 ( Marvin Harrison, retired 2008), 1,024 (Isaac Bruce, 37)
Rec. Yards: 15,208 (Issac Bruce, still 37)
Rec. TD: 148 (Randy Moss, 32)
From that, we know that Issac Bruce, while a sure fire Hall of Famer, is probably too old to make a run at ol' Jerry's records. He's just shy of 8,000 yards and 500+ receptions behind him. So he isn't our guy.
Hmm, Randy Moss? Young for his touchdown numbers. Lets compare him to his contemporaries at touchdowns. Current players, of course:
148 Randy Moss, 32
144 Terrell Owens, 36
91, Issac Bruce, 37
82, Tony Gonzalez, 33
78, Hines Ward, 33
77, Joey Galloway, 38
That's pretty striking, especially considering that the next closest players younger than him are:
63, Reggie Wayne, 31
62, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, 31
And even more remarkable is the next closest on the list under 30 are:
59, Antonio Gates, 29
59, Larry Fitzgerald, 26
But what does this all mean? Other than Larry Fitzgerald, who has his whole career ahead of him, most of these players are out of the running to catch Jerry's 197. Moss trails only 49 touchdowns. Where does he stand at the other two stats? Let's see:
Rec.: 926
Rec. Yards: 14,465
That makes Randy's road to greatness a harsh and long one.
(Next comes my compelling arguement on how Randy Moss can and should break Jerry Rice's career records.)
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Trolls in WoW Look Like Klingons And Cows Are Sexy
The first snow of 2010 has been eventful. I got extra hours at work, so I guess that's a plus.
(I'm trying to find something to write about, I got nothing really.)
A little over a decade ago, my little brother Dylan and I were watching football on Sunday's like most kids in America do. And one day, a team played like most gamers did in Madden NFL Football. Dylan fell in love with the St. Louis Rams. With a powerful offensive nucleus of running back Marshall Faulk, a dual threat in the backfield with the running game and the passing game, he came to the Rams through trade before the 1999 season; Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, wide receivers crucial to the air attack known as The Greatest Show On Turf. Issac was the veteran and Torry was the rookie; Orlando Pace and Adam Timmerman anchored the offensive line as Pro Bowl caliber lineman; The defense wasn't bad either, with notable Pro Bowl players such as Kevin Carter, Grant Wistrom, London Fletcher, Billy Jenkins, Todd Lyght, Dexter McCleon and Dre' Bly.
But the most important piece of the puzzle was Kurt Warner, with his improbable comeback Hall of Fame career story. You know it and I know it, so I won't go through with copy/pasting the wiki file here. What I will do is tell you the impact he had in my little brothers and my life. He was living proof that anything can happen at anytime. That a player without a high draft profile pedigree can be an amazing player. That just cause a player is a 65 on Madden doesn't mean he can't be more.
To watch Kurt Warner in his prime was like watching a strategist perform a calculated plan down field. Should I do the obvious and bomb one down field for an instant touchdown to Az-Zahir Hakim or should I march down field with a strong rushing attack and short passes to Ricky Proehl. With as many offensive weapons as The Greatest Show On Turf had, you have to commend Kurt for using all of them to effectiveness while spreading the ball around for everyone to share. He was both the player's quarterback; someone who understood the tools around them without becoming distant and cold; and the fan's quarterback; a player whom doesn't alienate their fan base by being pompous and synonymous with mass market money making, he connects in both story and in person. Somebody that everyone can look up to as a player and a person.
Friday, he announced his retirement from the professional game of football. He will be missed, because there will never be another player quite like him.
I think when I go home to see Dylan, I'll share a moment with him about that 1999 year. That year, they were the greatest show in sports.
(I'm trying to find something to write about, I got nothing really.)
A little over a decade ago, my little brother Dylan and I were watching football on Sunday's like most kids in America do. And one day, a team played like most gamers did in Madden NFL Football. Dylan fell in love with the St. Louis Rams. With a powerful offensive nucleus of running back Marshall Faulk, a dual threat in the backfield with the running game and the passing game, he came to the Rams through trade before the 1999 season; Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, wide receivers crucial to the air attack known as The Greatest Show On Turf. Issac was the veteran and Torry was the rookie; Orlando Pace and Adam Timmerman anchored the offensive line as Pro Bowl caliber lineman; The defense wasn't bad either, with notable Pro Bowl players such as Kevin Carter, Grant Wistrom, London Fletcher, Billy Jenkins, Todd Lyght, Dexter McCleon and Dre' Bly.
But the most important piece of the puzzle was Kurt Warner, with his improbable comeback Hall of Fame career story. You know it and I know it, so I won't go through with copy/pasting the wiki file here. What I will do is tell you the impact he had in my little brothers and my life. He was living proof that anything can happen at anytime. That a player without a high draft profile pedigree can be an amazing player. That just cause a player is a 65 on Madden doesn't mean he can't be more.
To watch Kurt Warner in his prime was like watching a strategist perform a calculated plan down field. Should I do the obvious and bomb one down field for an instant touchdown to Az-Zahir Hakim or should I march down field with a strong rushing attack and short passes to Ricky Proehl. With as many offensive weapons as The Greatest Show On Turf had, you have to commend Kurt for using all of them to effectiveness while spreading the ball around for everyone to share. He was both the player's quarterback; someone who understood the tools around them without becoming distant and cold; and the fan's quarterback; a player whom doesn't alienate their fan base by being pompous and synonymous with mass market money making, he connects in both story and in person. Somebody that everyone can look up to as a player and a person.
Friday, he announced his retirement from the professional game of football. He will be missed, because there will never be another player quite like him.
I think when I go home to see Dylan, I'll share a moment with him about that 1999 year. That year, they were the greatest show in sports.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wow, Not Even A Week In...
I really didn't have the time to work on a post today, I was worried about the weather (so cold that when it rained, the car was frozen on the outside!) and work, so I can't think about what to write today. I do have the whole Godfather trilogy now so I should have all the movies watched and will finish the Manhood story soon. Have a safe night and keep you shotguns close.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Stand Up Material, Joke I
I fancy myself to be kinda funny at times, but I'm quite flattered every time someone suggests that I should do stand up. In fact, I've collected some of my best "wow, that was really funny, Damon" moments in my head and will share some with you over time in a segment dubbed, Stand Up Material. Enjoy:
"Didja ever notice that girls go to parties in groups? I always wondered about that. Why bring other girls to a party when they could possibly get in the way of you getting the hawt guy you've been flirting with at college.
Not that he goes to college, he's a rebel. He he.
NO, they don't think about getting laid. That's why they go in groups! They're afraid of getting taken advantage of by some dick heads. At a party.
So, lemme ask you girls in the audience a simple question, just to get it of my mind: WHY THE FUCK DO YOU GO TO PARTIES TO HAVE FUN IF YOU'RE TOO AFRAID TO HAVE FUN!?!
Isn't the whole idea of a party to have fucking FUN?! Why go to this danger zone if all you really wanna do is sit at home with friends and do the same shit you were going to do at a party?! Get rip roaring drunk, make an ass out of your self and pass out in some random place with a trash can to puke in. I do that shit all the time in the comfort of my own home. I call it alcoholism.
And honestly, most of the girls who go to these parties, who aren't the sluts by the way, need to get laid. Yet, they happily go in groups. And the funny thing this group dynamic doesn't always work.
Picture this:
One of these girls at a party falls off the wagon, so to speak. She's in the middle of getting laid. And the door to the room opens. Another of her group, naked and crying, asks for help. She's about to join her friend in relapsing and doesn't know what to do. The guy in the middle, and not in the good way as this story comes off, looses his stiffy to this bullshit and walks out on her.
Moral of the story, don't go to parties guys. Half the time the sex will be embarrassingly bad and awkward, and the other half is mindblowingly awesome and will probably get you herpes. Yeah, I'm talking to you, sluts.
Shit, I'd go to more parties if I didn't think that I was that guy that the girls were protecting themselves from. That and I hate people. Fuck people."
Yeah.
In defense of this joke, I discovered that girls do this kinda thing to themselves from a few female friends and made a joke similar to the "Why the fuck do you even go to parties?" tangent and they laughed. Needless to say, I took it a few steps further and added some other parallels.
I hope you laughed, cause that's the whole damned point. Fuckers.
(Next time I'll talk about the 5 for 5 deal at Arby's. Cause, you know, it can't all be about sluts.)
"Didja ever notice that girls go to parties in groups? I always wondered about that. Why bring other girls to a party when they could possibly get in the way of you getting the hawt guy you've been flirting with at college.
Not that he goes to college, he's a rebel. He he.
NO, they don't think about getting laid. That's why they go in groups! They're afraid of getting taken advantage of by some dick heads. At a party.
So, lemme ask you girls in the audience a simple question, just to get it of my mind: WHY THE FUCK DO YOU GO TO PARTIES TO HAVE FUN IF YOU'RE TOO AFRAID TO HAVE FUN!?!
Isn't the whole idea of a party to have fucking FUN?! Why go to this danger zone if all you really wanna do is sit at home with friends and do the same shit you were going to do at a party?! Get rip roaring drunk, make an ass out of your self and pass out in some random place with a trash can to puke in. I do that shit all the time in the comfort of my own home. I call it alcoholism.
And honestly, most of the girls who go to these parties, who aren't the sluts by the way, need to get laid. Yet, they happily go in groups. And the funny thing this group dynamic doesn't always work.
Picture this:
One of these girls at a party falls off the wagon, so to speak. She's in the middle of getting laid. And the door to the room opens. Another of her group, naked and crying, asks for help. She's about to join her friend in relapsing and doesn't know what to do. The guy in the middle, and not in the good way as this story comes off, looses his stiffy to this bullshit and walks out on her.
Moral of the story, don't go to parties guys. Half the time the sex will be embarrassingly bad and awkward, and the other half is mindblowingly awesome and will probably get you herpes. Yeah, I'm talking to you, sluts.
Shit, I'd go to more parties if I didn't think that I was that guy that the girls were protecting themselves from. That and I hate people. Fuck people."
Yeah.
In defense of this joke, I discovered that girls do this kinda thing to themselves from a few female friends and made a joke similar to the "Why the fuck do you even go to parties?" tangent and they laughed. Needless to say, I took it a few steps further and added some other parallels.
I hope you laughed, cause that's the whole damned point. Fuckers.
(Next time I'll talk about the 5 for 5 deal at Arby's. Cause, you know, it can't all be about sluts.)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Story of Manhood, Delayed.
I got The Godfather trilogy from Netflix, and every disc; The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II disc one and two, and The Godfather: Part III; all had scenes that skipped or were just unwatchable on DVD. I wanted to post the follow-up to A Story of Manhood by doing a review of The Godfather: Part II, but it skipped Don Vito's child hood!!! Lemme repeat that, the second scene of the disc was FUCKED UP BEYOND REPAIR. So, I (and you, the reader, as well) must wait for Netflix to send me a replacement in the next two business days. I am not upset, by the way. The very contradiction, I understand to the fullest. This is a trilogy in cinema that is well watched, almost more so than the first Star Wars trilogy. Of course the discs are going to have some wear and tear. That is to be expected. I just am impatient and was in the middle of the third movie; and yes, I did skip the scene and finish Part II, sue me.
This is me making sure I don't fall behind on scehdual as I am so apt to do. I want this to be as consistent as possible. And trust me, when I do post A Story of Manhood: Part II, you will all be in for a HUGE shock.
This is me making sure I don't fall behind on scehdual as I am so apt to do. I want this to be as consistent as possible. And trust me, when I do post A Story of Manhood: Part II, you will all be in for a HUGE shock.
Monday, January 25, 2010
A Story of Manhood
Today I felt like a man. I was cooking burgers, having a beer and smoking. I walked around the house with a true sense of purpose, no bullshit accepted. It felt as if I had all the authority and dignity of being an adult; added to the fact that I found out just hours earlier that I'd have to work all week on the morning shift that I hated and didn't feel any of the animosity towards it. I had the feelings of a red blooded male. Oh, not to mention the fact that I was in between watching The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.
The Godfather trilogy centers around the Corleone's family though the generations and their actions within the gangster underworld of pre-modern 20th century. It focuses on Michael Corleone's becoming the Don and his trailblazing road of bloodshed and vengeance.
The first movie is hailed as the greatest gangster movie of all time, 3 years after the novel had come out. And I thought at the time of reading that, "And I thought the Twilight series being rushed to theaters was an odd occurrence." But of course, we all know that there is a vast difference between the Ann Rice fan fiction of an excommunicated Mormon and the sheer powerhouse cinema that is The Godfather.
I found my self speechless in watching this movie a second time. (The first time had been in my ceremonious film class I had in my first and only year in college.) All the things I had loved about the movie: the superb dialogue and character development of Al Pacino's Michael, the award winning performance of Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, the supporting cast that featured Robert Duvall, John Cazale and Abe Vigoda; the strong sense of loyalty, respect and purpose combined with the Shakespearean tragedy that comes with losing all of that by becoming revenge driven, power hungry and lustful.
To be honest; this movie had it all, then never forgot the small details. The odd moments where you watch Luca Brasi(portrayed by Lenny Montana) practice his words before seeing his Don at his daughters wedding. The family bond that the mobsters have together during the scene when Michael comes home to find out what happens to his father to be taught how to cook for 20 adult males. The abuse that actress Talia Shire's Connie Corelone is subjected to by her husband, only to have it resolved at the end of the movie. Speaking of the ending, it is the most awe striking scene of all; in my opinion the best scene of the movie and obviously my favorite. I won't ruin it for you (I think I should have written SPOILERS, BEWARE all over this thing), but it is the movie for me.
Your faithful writer gets up to go watch the second movie while having his beers, burgers and smokes
(The second part to this will be posted very soon.)
The Godfather trilogy centers around the Corleone's family though the generations and their actions within the gangster underworld of pre-modern 20th century. It focuses on Michael Corleone's becoming the Don and his trailblazing road of bloodshed and vengeance.
The first movie is hailed as the greatest gangster movie of all time, 3 years after the novel had come out. And I thought at the time of reading that, "And I thought the Twilight series being rushed to theaters was an odd occurrence." But of course, we all know that there is a vast difference between the Ann Rice fan fiction of an excommunicated Mormon and the sheer powerhouse cinema that is The Godfather.
I found my self speechless in watching this movie a second time. (The first time had been in my ceremonious film class I had in my first and only year in college.) All the things I had loved about the movie: the superb dialogue and character development of Al Pacino's Michael, the award winning performance of Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, the supporting cast that featured Robert Duvall, John Cazale and Abe Vigoda; the strong sense of loyalty, respect and purpose combined with the Shakespearean tragedy that comes with losing all of that by becoming revenge driven, power hungry and lustful.
To be honest; this movie had it all, then never forgot the small details. The odd moments where you watch Luca Brasi(portrayed by Lenny Montana) practice his words before seeing his Don at his daughters wedding. The family bond that the mobsters have together during the scene when Michael comes home to find out what happens to his father to be taught how to cook for 20 adult males. The abuse that actress Talia Shire's Connie Corelone is subjected to by her husband, only to have it resolved at the end of the movie. Speaking of the ending, it is the most awe striking scene of all; in my opinion the best scene of the movie and obviously my favorite. I won't ruin it for you (I think I should have written SPOILERS, BEWARE all over this thing), but it is the movie for me.
Your faithful writer gets up to go watch the second movie while having his beers, burgers and smokes
(The second part to this will be posted very soon.)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Me in a Nutshell: Extended
This wouldn't fit in my blog's "About Me" column I renamed "Me in a Nutshell." Apparently my nut is too big for it's shell. Here's what the whole column should have read:
A hack writer, a bad musician, a z-list director and a chronic masturbater. I don't have anything published, but I should be changing that in a five year plan I cannot show you. Doctor's orders.
I also have a guitar which I am learning how to play and a few movies I have shot to comical effect. I plan on working on these hobbies as well and might post updates to those on this blog as I see fit.
I have a loving girlfriend/fiancee and the most awesome family known to man. My hero's are my Mother and my Nama (grandmother), Bill Murray, Emmitt Smith and Metallica.
I love a variety of music: metal (thrash, death, groove), alternative rock (grunge, industrial, progressive), classic rock (60's, art, stadium), hip hop (classic, gangsta rap) and video game music (nes, snes, genesis, soundtracks from modern games).
I love good movies. Great movies, actually. I am a Netflix addict on a 350+ movie queue. Some of my favorite movies include: Apocalypse Now, Chinatown, A Clockwork Orange, Whisper of the Heart, Samurai Rebellion, The Dark Knight. (Favorite guilty pleasure? Jackass: The Movie and Jackass: Number Two)
The only movie I have directed might have gotten me a failing grade in my final film class. Not because it's overtly bad or anything. I'd have to say it was the best thing I have worked on up to this point. It had cursing in it and drinking was implied. (It's a small junior college in the bible belt, so it's to be expected...) Arbor Day ran at almost 30 minutes; It's a horror movie in the vein of Halloween but with bad funny dialogue, bloody deaths and it all almost got me arrested. The credits ran over 5 minutes because I added the blooper reel and an even smaller short film to them. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to have my own camera so I can start filming bullshit with friends that will train me to actually become a director someday.
With the seriousness of this post, I feel that this is the only thing I can close it on:
( . ) ( . ) Boobies. Hurray Boobies.
A hack writer, a bad musician, a z-list director and a chronic masturbater. I don't have anything published, but I should be changing that in a five year plan I cannot show you. Doctor's orders.
I also have a guitar which I am learning how to play and a few movies I have shot to comical effect. I plan on working on these hobbies as well and might post updates to those on this blog as I see fit.
I have a loving girlfriend/fiancee and the most awesome family known to man. My hero's are my Mother and my Nama (grandmother), Bill Murray, Emmitt Smith and Metallica.
I love a variety of music: metal (thrash, death, groove), alternative rock (grunge, industrial, progressive), classic rock (60's, art, stadium), hip hop (classic, gangsta rap) and video game music (nes, snes, genesis, soundtracks from modern games).
I love good movies. Great movies, actually. I am a Netflix addict on a 350+ movie queue. Some of my favorite movies include: Apocalypse Now, Chinatown, A Clockwork Orange, Whisper of the Heart, Samurai Rebellion, The Dark Knight. (Favorite guilty pleasure? Jackass: The Movie and Jackass: Number Two)
The only movie I have directed might have gotten me a failing grade in my final film class. Not because it's overtly bad or anything. I'd have to say it was the best thing I have worked on up to this point. It had cursing in it and drinking was implied. (It's a small junior college in the bible belt, so it's to be expected...) Arbor Day ran at almost 30 minutes; It's a horror movie in the vein of Halloween but with bad funny dialogue, bloody deaths and it all almost got me arrested. The credits ran over 5 minutes because I added the blooper reel and an even smaller short film to them. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to have my own camera so I can start filming bullshit with friends that will train me to actually become a director someday.
With the seriousness of this post, I feel that this is the only thing I can close it on:
( . ) ( . ) Boobies. Hurray Boobies.
I'm here World, look at ME! (and other such ramblings)
I can't believe it has taken this long for me to venture into the blogs-sphere. I mean, this would be a perfect fit for me to ramble on for days and days. No one would listen, but of course, that changes nothing. There will be a few things for me to change with this blog, as such: explaining inside jokes, posting ideas that are scratching my head (giving me a headache, by the way!) just to get out and my wanton love of music, movies, gaming, sports and, to no surprise to anyone, titties.
(On a more recent note, I just watched Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson *He was a doctor of journalism, if you must ask*. A lot of things clicked with me, like the lack of bravery this country has compared to the sixties and the comparison of Richard Nixon to George W. Bush. But those are fairly obvious. Now to the one that is one of the many factors for me getting this blog, Hunter's drive to never quit writing. He was a constant typist. He was always working on the next big thing. He had no time to slow down, for if he did it would be the end of him. I want to use this blog to push me to do something semi-constantly. Maybe I'll use it to tire my hands till the brink of pain. Maybe I'll use it to make my ideas flow onto paper. Maybe I'll bitch about the Dallas Cowboys. I dunno. But I want to put forth the effort that is at least inspired by Dr. Thompson and his courageous career.)
(On a more recent note, I just watched Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson *He was a doctor of journalism, if you must ask*. A lot of things clicked with me, like the lack of bravery this country has compared to the sixties and the comparison of Richard Nixon to George W. Bush. But those are fairly obvious. Now to the one that is one of the many factors for me getting this blog, Hunter's drive to never quit writing. He was a constant typist. He was always working on the next big thing. He had no time to slow down, for if he did it would be the end of him. I want to use this blog to push me to do something semi-constantly. Maybe I'll use it to tire my hands till the brink of pain. Maybe I'll use it to make my ideas flow onto paper. Maybe I'll bitch about the Dallas Cowboys. I dunno. But I want to put forth the effort that is at least inspired by Dr. Thompson and his courageous career.)
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