At the Cinema - October 2008

Some quick reviews. Think I'll use a 10 point scale. 10 points will be a masterpiece. 1 point will be a disaster. For example Rear Window would be a 10. The Black Dahlia would be a 1.

W. I give it a 7. Surprisingly sympathetic story of George W Bush directed by Oliver Stone. Interesting insights into his motivations. Funny in some parts, and riveting in others. The scene in which he and his advisors decide to invade Iraq was superb. Good movie.

Religulous. I give it an 8. While it was as funny as I thought it would be, it was also scarier than I thought it would be and actually contributed to my understanding of the middle east. Here's the bad news - doubt you'll ever see it in Mississippi. Like Al Gore's movie - you'll have to take a trip.

Eagle Eye. 7 points. Went to see this in an Imax theater just so I could see what an Imax theater would be like for a normal movie. The movie, which had gotten mixed reviews, was better than I expected. First, you have to concede that all action movies are basically ridiculous. Then you can appreciate them for what they are - a suspension of all universal laws, starting with gravity. I just ask that they be partially conceivable. (Like the last Indiana Jones movie for example, which lost me when they went over the 3rd waterfall, although it apparently lost most people when they "nuked the fridge," now the movie version of "jumping the shark.") So, I enjoyed Eagle Eye - I fell for everything hook, line, and sinker. As for the Imax experience, I was more impressed with the audio than the video - but I'd do it again. Price a little inflated - kind of like buying Premium gas vs. Regular.

Burn After Reading. 7 points. Very funny. Lest you think Brad Pitt can't act, see this one. An entertaining piece of fluff. That's all I ask

Trouble the Water. 7 points. Documentary built around actual camcorder footage of a family riding out Katrina in the 9th ward, then being moved around the south until returning to their damaged home, a lot of incredible footage. Unfortunately, the preponderance of hip-hop music, while understandable, begins to wear down the ear drums and keeps it from elevation to the next level.

Confederate States of America. 8 points. Caught this mockumentary on IFC channel and it shocked me at times, infuriated me at times, but mostly had me rolling on the floor. It's a phony British documentary that tells the story of what would've happened had the South won the Civil War. Can't believe anyone had the balls to make this one.

Let me also comment on a TV Show. What am I really enjoying? Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This show interweaves its story between the two Terminator movies that took place before and the one that took place after. I don't know how they do it, but other than someone else playing (in flash forwards) the father of John Conner (instead of Michael Biehn) it is note perfect. Great stories, great action for TV. And dare I say this, but it may be elevating this story to the rarified Lord of the Rings/Star Wars air. Well done. If you've missed it, the first season is out on DVD, and you ain't seen nothing yet - the second season is even better. 8 points and moving toward 9.

I once watched Dancing with the Stars. I pretty much threw in the towel on it because like most of these shows there was too much yacking and not enough action. And I hated the result the year Emmit Smith beat Mario Lopez, a far superior dancer. Well, I would have voted early and often for Mario if I had known it would lead Emmit and his admitted appeal to his current gig on ESPN where he murders the English language every time he opens his mouth. Shame on ESPN. We can't raise the educational standards in this country when we lower the broadcast standards. Emmit isn't the only one on ESPN that garbles his syntax, but he is almost painful to listen to. ESPN is too influential - they've got to set a higher standard. Just my opinion.

Saints route to Super Bowl detours through London

So the Saints took a European Vacation (Technically, Is England in Europe?) and surprised me with a win. They kept alive a decades-old strategy (that has resulted in at least 2 losses that I can remember) of giving the opponent one last Hail Mary attempt. It's kind of like Final Jeopardy. The first half is Jeopardy. The second half is Double Jeopardy. The last minute is Final Jeopardy. No matter what's happened previously in the game - the score can really change.

Meanwhile the Presidential Election nears and I've decided to write in a vote for Drew Brees. No one on the planet is doing their job better right now, so I'm sure he can solve the economic crisis during the bye week.

Interesting things about this game: 1) I really didn't like the safety call. If the coach really understood what we've been through he never would've got the other team within 5. At the 2 minute mark I had reconciled myself to overtime. At the 1 second mark I had reconciled myself to a loss.
2) Good to see Deuce running well. 3) Does anyone else think that Reggie's absence isn't all that big a deal. Yes, he's a great weapon, but we seem to run these crazy plays for him that are as likely to produce a big loss as a big gain. 4) It will be a shame if we lose 3 players to suspensions, but lets face it - while the front 4 are doing better at stopping the run, we haven't seen a pass rush since the last Hurricane whizzed through. Which brings me to

Things you have to give credit to Sean Payton for: 1) He holds out players that he doesn't think are healthy. Pressured early to bring back Deuce, he didn't listen to us. Deuce seems to be the Deuce of old - well maybe a step slower - but no less powerful. He may have brought Colston back a week early, and it might be time to just sit Shockey up in a luxury box, but you've got to give him credit - in general. 2) The safety. No I wouldn't have done it, and it wouldn't have been necessary if we hadn't all been napping for the on-side kick, but we got out with a W. 3) You have to give him credit for going to a 3 man line right before Vilma's interception. The way we were pressuring the QB we might as well of gone to a 2 man line.

Let's take a week off. We'll find something to do, like hold an election.

Throwing it in Reverse on the road to the Super Bowl

In Bob Newhart's classic skit "The Driving Instructer" his student driver tells Bob he can always use the "other way of stopping" which is "throwing it in reverse" to which Bob replies, "yea, I guess that would do it."

The Saints threw it in reverse Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in what was a crucial game, laying a 30-7 egg.

They immediately left the country.

I don't really know what else to say about the game. No matter what job you have, there are days you'd like to forget. So, let's just forget this one.

Meanwhile I noticed that the TV show NCIS is using the theme "the season that changes everything."

That's exactly what I thought 2006 was going to be. Silly rabbit.

I'll be sitting back and hoping that the Saints have gained some kind of time zone advantage because they crossed 2 less time zones than the Chargers in this London home game that fortunately was left out of my season ticket package.

Saints change their course to the Superbowl

October 13, 2008

 

Where did you watch the Saints game?

 

I took a ride to the beautiful National Harbor on the Maryland side of the Potomoc.

The National Harbor’s motto is “This Place Changes Everything.”

 

I parked in the garage next to a Toyota Tundra, “The Truck That’s Changing it All,” with an Obama bumper sticker that said “Change you can Believe In.”

 

I stopped in a phone shop to look at the new I Phone 3G. Motto: This is Going to Change Everything

 

The Saints had obviously spent their off days reading How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams

 

I feasted on my first Kobe beef hamburger for a mere $14 and thought about the book Money Changes Everything by 22 different authors.

 

As I watched the commercials that Fox runs for House MD I thought about their first episode of the new year:  “Dying Changes Everything.”

 

I wanted to hurry home and watch the Dodgers – Phillies matchup.  My main interest in this is of course that Manny Changes Everything for the Dodgers.

 

As I wondered if there is an orginal ad agency out there, The Saints obviously decided to change and add Duece to the game plan.  Brees was even hotter than usual as he sliced up a pretty good Oakland pass defense.

 

Maybe a Change Gonna Come.

Needing a Mapquest on the Road to the Superbowl

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

 

The Saints vaulted into last place in their division – that’s right - behind Atlanta (where Michael Vick played) – with their performance Monday Night.

 

When Reggie Bush ran back his second punt for a touchdown, I was kicking myself that I had sold my tickets.  An hour later I was glad I wasn’t there.  That horrible walk out of the dome after an idiotic loss – how many times have I taken that walk?

 

Of course, here’s the obvious – if I had told you Reggie would run back 2 punts, Brees would have his typical 330 yard game, we would kick a field goal of over 50 yards, Adrian Peterson would be held to little yardage, and Pierre Thomas would consistently run kickoffs for terrific yardage, you would assume a win right?

 

No, Saints do that voodoo that they do so well:

 

Lance Moore and Robert Meacham bobble passes and they both turn out to be critical.

A field goal would get blocked and bounce up right into the arms of a sprinter for a TD.

Brees would get sacked and lose a fumble – not on the 50, but the 6.

Grammatica would miss an additional potential game winner to match his Denver effort.

Bush would get tackled by the carpet on another potential punt return TD.

Bush would fumble after being the victim of a facemask yank that everyone in America saw except those holding yellow handkerchiefs.

Jason David gets in the game just in time for the Vikings to need him.

Another rookie, Tracy Porter goes down, when it was looking like he would be an all-rookie selection, joining Sedrick Ellis on the disabled list.   Calling Dr. House.  Cure the curse.  Send someone from Red Sox nation to explain this, or we’ll be matching the Cubs for futility.

 

I am now ready to support Tom Benson in his quest for a new stadium.  It has become obvious that after 30 plus years in the dome that the land is cursed.  The rumor of building this land on a cemetery is obviously true.  The only way we can get through this bad Poltergeist movie is to move the dome.  I vote for New Orleans East.  Move it to the swamp.  The drives home would be shorter, and when it sinks into the swamp – we’re done.

 

And here’s my real comment on the game – it’s awfully hard to say that a great offense that is so prolific doesn’t work – but here’s what I think.  We just don’t run the ball enough.  We never wear the defense out.  We wind them from chasing us, but we don’t grind them, and punish them.  We can’t throw it 40 times a game and win – nobody can.

No matter how great the quarterback is playing.