another year has gone by....

Yes, another year has gone by. Wow! that's all I seem to be able to say at this point. I'm getting ready to go home for the holidays tonight. I leave in a few hours. Just wanted to say to everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hopefully, there will be more in 2007.

so, summer's over??? random thoughts for a sunday

Where the heck did the time go? Summer is over. Right?

What have I been up to.....? Hmmm....

I've been busy working a lot. A big project of mine at work is almost wrapped up. Hopefully that will give me some more time once that's wrapped up. Until then, here's some random thoughts for a Sunday.

My Buffalo Bills won today. Yeah. 1-1.

I haven't been spending much time on my computer these days either. Just not. I get tons of spam lately too. Is there a direct coorelation?

Checked out some of the new TV shows. Vanished -- blah. Justice - eeh. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (courtesy of Netflix) - awesome! check it out. The Class (courtesy of TiVo) - not so funny. Kidnapped (netflix too). -- pretty good. The premieres keep coming though.

Hollywoodland, is a decent movie. Well acted, well directed. interesting story. Not a great ending. But worth seeing. Not much is interesting me lately. I wonder why?

Getting into to watching reruns of shows I liked a lot on DVD. Is there not enough good TV, that I have to re-watch old TV? I do like some shows a lot though, which makes them more re-watchable. I guess. Seinfeld, Buffy. Only good stuff. Also, old stuff like Greatest American Hero has been making the rounds of the DVD player lately.

Watched Shaolin Soccer the other day. Good flick. Very funny.

Will I ever read anything besides the newspaper and magazines again. I haven't read a book in months. Am I getting dumber?

Stopped watching "Smallville" last year. Started watching it again this summer. Watching it again all the time now. Good show.

Apple finally unveiled movie downloads. Now they need the sexy new iPod to go with it. These new ones are just to hold you over. But cool stuff. Check out the site.

Sexyback by Justin Timberlake is a great song. Who Knew? I like the new Timberlake i think. Barenaked Ladies brought out a new album too. Same old BNL.

Jon and I talked about trying to get some stuff done. I promise to have something, anything, before the end of the year. I refuse to redo the website again, unless I have some new stuff to show. Am I losing it? Is getting older sucking the drive out of me? Am I just a slacker/loser? Only time will tell, I guess.

I'm done for the day. I'm sure I've got things to do. Catch you later.

no clue movie review: Nacho Libre

I must admit from the trailers I'd seen, I figured this movie would be a laugh riot. I also just assume that seeing Jack Black on screen will compel me to laugh histerically. Add to this director Jared Hess, of Napoleon Dynamite fame, and I was really expecting to just roar. Unfortunately, this movie didn't live up to expectations. It was fun, funny at times, but not a hilariously funny movie as I expected.

This movie features Jack Black as Nacho, a friar in an orphanage, who also serves as the cook. He is enamored with a new nun and wishes to become one of the famous Luchadores (wrestlers). Nacho goes around for food for the orphans, rarely having any type of ingredients, and then goes off to wrestle at night. He gets money for the orphans and feeds them more than the slop that they've been getting. There are many funny scenes mostly belonging to Black. The other actors do a fine job, but none of them are really breakouts. None of them has the quality of a new actor that I would love to see in another movie either.

The movie has the look of a lower budget movie which is fine. It fit with the locale and the story. But since the cinematography and the acting aren't really what it's for, it needs to be really funny. Many of the funny scenes that you saw in the trailers are there and make you laugh hard. But the movie was missing many of the big belly laughs that I so desperatley needed to be able to recommend this movie. In fact many of the really funny parts are really bathroom type of humor, which wasn't overused I don't think, so it's pretty funny.

To sum it all up, the movie has some funny spots and overall left me with a good feeling. It's not a big laugh fest like I thought, so I would recommend waiting on video for this one. Maybe it will be funnier sitting in my living room, rather than a big movie theater.

For more information, visit the official site

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll try to watch as many movies as possible....without going broke....

no clue movie review: Brick

I saw this movie a few weeks back and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised and confounded at the same time. It's a different type of movie to watch and it's worth seeing for its original vision. Hats off to the filmmakers, because I would never have thought of this one.

Directed by Rian Johnson, the movie is essentially a detective story. It's told in that detective style "i met this dame..." sort of way, but it's set in modern times in a high school setting. I think setting it in a high school actually helps to get this story going and bring you into this world of drugs, underworld dealings and the like. It's a familiar setting and high school has its share of clicks. It's also what throws you off, because the language doesn't seem to fit the characters at all. I thought it would be more of a creepy movie, but it's not. It's really just a guy, Brendan, played by Joseph-Gordon Levitt ("3rd Rock from the Sun", Mysterious Skin), looking for this girl who he found was killed. He had cared for her and they had dated previously before the film started. What's really kind of clever though, is that the kids in this world, really function almost without any adults and they are acting like the old time adults like a Humphrey Bogart kind of character.

The movie looks fantastic and was shot really well. The camera work is inventive and serves the story in a great way. I was truly impressed since in a lot of independent films, the camera work or sound isn't that great. This movie really stands out in this respect. The camera work helps to create the aura of the movie and I think complements the movie as a whole. It almost acts as a character at times.

The actors are all respectable and do a fine job. The cast is quite large for an independent movie and Gordon-Levitt has a ton of screen time which must of been demanding. He really carries the movie. Other actors that you may know are Lukas Haas, Emilie De Ravin ("Lost") and Richard Roundtree. A stand out among the newcomers for me was Nora Zehetner. She's a real find and plays the femme fatale character really well. She's sexy, dangerous and also a girl next door at times.

All in all, I found the movie to be uneven. At times, it seemed to drag and just got a bit weird when we found out more about "the pin" and "the brick". But it was entertaining and I feel for the inventiveness alone, it's worth checking out. I'm curious to see what the filmmaker does next.

For more information, visit the official site

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

Sabres coach wins Coach of the year

Check out these articles for news on Lindy Ruff, the coach of the Buffalo Sabres, who just won the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year at the NHL Awards. Congratulations Lindy!

#1
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no clue movie review: The Da Vinci Code

I know that this movie had a lot of controversy surrounding it, but that part didn't bother me. I was just hoping for a great film. Based on a worldwide best seller, it seems that everyone in the known world has read this book but me. Not sure if that would have made me enjoy this movie more, because I was a little disappointed.

For those of you who aren't yet familiar, The Da Vinci Code is about a secret organization inside the Catholic church that is hiding a religious mystery, and clues are found in Da Vinci paintings. It is based in reality, but it is fiction. Controversy aside, let's take this flick at face value. I will say it has a great beginning. Chilling and exciting at the same time. But for me, it lost steam about halfway through and never recovered.

Tom Hanks plays Robert Langdon who is the man seeking out the clues to uncover this mystery. He is joined by Audrey Tatou, Ian McKellan, Jean Reno and Paul Bettany among others. The actors do a fine job. Directed by the masterful, but conservative Ron Howard. I can't say that the movie was bad, poorly directed or boring to watch. At times, I found it to be downright exciting. The problem I had is that the movie has some real slow spots. I just found myself saying "so what" at times and not getting into the movie. Maybe it's me, I just didn't feel transported to a new place enough. I was too aware that I was watching a movie.

The movie is slick and looks fantastic. It runs all over Paris and has some great location shots. The movie for the most part, has a good pace, but like I said at times, it does seem to drag. I found myself looking at my watch quite a bit and I didn't have anywhere to go after I was done. I didn't really feel like I knew the characters very well and I didn't feel like I was connecting with them very much. Maybe some of it has to do with my inability to suspend enough disbelief. Whenever movies involve religion it's tough. People come to the screen looking for holes or just have their own set of beliefs up front that are hard to shake.

It's funny, even though I was disappointed in the movie and I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, I can't put my finger on precisely what is missing in this movie. I can't seem to find a technical flaw that says "oh, that's why I didn't like it". I guess it just happens sometimes. The movie left me blank. It left no real impression on me, except for some harrowing and disturbing scenes with Paul Bettany. You'll know them when you see them. I can't recommend the movie, but I can't say don't see it. I say, if you're interested and you can't get into anything else you have a bigger interest in seeing, then see it. Otherwise, wait for video.

For more information, visit the official site
watch the psp compatible movie trailer

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

site updated

hi,
check out the updated website.

more to come soon including a new web series and a new short film.

stay tuned....

We have a winner!!!

I think these pictures say it all, but here's the story.

CONGRATULATIONS CAROLINA!!!! You did it. A really great series. I don't normally keep watching hockey once my team is out, but it was so entertaining this year. I really look forward to next season. Oilers did a fantastic job too and it's too bad you didn't come out on top. I was rooting for you, but Carolina was the better team tonight. Now that hockey is over, I guess I have no more excuses, but to get some work done.

no clue movie review: Cars

First, I need to say that I work for Disney and got to see a free screening of this flick. I am also a huge fan of Pixar's previous films and continue to be impressed with their storytelling techniques. This movie had me worried since last year when I first saw a teaser trailer. I thought, here's the one that ends Pixar's streak and they make a dud. I'm pleased to say that isn't the case and whatever they are feeding their animators and storytellers up in Emeryville, CA, they need to continue to do it.

This movie marked a return to the director's chair for John Lasseter who was the man behind Toy Story. He also had the help of some great voices like Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Paul Newman. These voices helped embody these cars and help to make them more human. The storyline also helps. It shows a kid who is good, but feels destined to do well. He also doesn't think that he needs the help of anyone and can do it alone. Over the course of the movie, he finds himself and discovers that having friends and being kind and helping others is what makes a person great. Sounds simple right? It is. The plot is so simple that I'm sure you've seen hundreds of these types of movies before. It's not the plot in this movie, it's the characters that really get you in this movie. It surprised me. At the beginning of the flick, I'm thinking how cute, this movie is all about cars and they are the only characters in the movie. It's like a world of cars. Then, by the end of the movie, I can easily say that didn't even enter my mind. I was viewing these cartoon characters as living breathing people whom I cared deeply for. I even teared up a bit at the ending.

This movie is touching and is great for kids and adults. There are tons of laughs too. In fact, there is a scene about tractor tipping that is really hilarious. I laughed pretty hard at that one.

The animation in the movie is top notch. The computer animation of Pixar is leaps and bounds ahead of others, or it may be that computer animation is really coming into its own as an art form. But I found the animation striking, the colors fantastic and I didn't even get to see this movie in digital projection where I'm sure it really shines. This movie also begs that you stay behind to watch the entire end credit sequence. It has some great moments and is really hilarious. It really also takes the idea of this world of cars into a whole new realm. I was roaring laughing during it.

All in all, this is a great movie. It's filled with laughs, tears, touching moments and above all great characters. Pixar has done it again with Cars. You really need to rev up your engines and go see this movie. You'll thank me for it.

For more information, visit the official site
watch the trailer

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

no clue movie review: X-Men: The Last Stand

I really enjoyed both of the first two movies in this series. I was pretty excited to see this movie and also a little nervous since director Brett Ratner was taking over the reins from Bryan Singer. I wasn't disappointed in the movie at all. I'm not sure it lived up to the first two movies though.

The movie chronicles Jean Grey's rise to the Dark Phoenix. The plot also involves a cure for mutants. You see some mutants enticed by the cure since they are feeling like they're powers are a curse, like Rogue. You also see some who don't want the cure because they feel like that is what makes them special, like Storm. Finally, some see the cure as a way for the government to control and destroy the mutant race, like Magneto. The plot wasn't too involved from what I could tell, but it did make for a jam packed movie. We also got our first looks at new mutants like Angel and Beast. Jean Grey's Dark Phoenix also takes one of the core members of the X-Men team from the first two movies and turns her evil. I really liked that, because it forced characters like Storm and Wolverine to fight against their friend and find a way to help her at the same time. There is a final battle scene that was spectacular to watch, with some out of this world effects.

The movie looked great. The effects were spectacular. It really blends in well with the look and feel of the other two movies. In that respect, I think Ratner did a great job. I do feel like there were so many characters and my one complaint was that with so many characters it was hard to spend much time with any of them, so getting more into character development wasn't possible. But we did get to see Storm taking a larger leadership role and Wolverine conflicted with his feelings for Jean. We got a little information on Angel, but didn't get to spend much time with him. Too bad, I find him a fascinating character.

That being said, I think there was a real emphasis on the part of the filmmakers to make a purely action driven film. In this regard they succeed. It was thrilling to watch, engaging and very action heavy. I feel it was the best popcorn type of movie that I've seen so far this year. I know I've said it already, but I can't help myself. I must say it again. The final showdown in the film is spectacular. It's high octane action between all sorts of mutants and humans. It's huge big screen pleasing effects. For this reason alone, I recommend seeing this flick. The action moments are well worth it.

Finally, just a tip. Stay for the entire end credits. Don't leave the theater until the lights come up. There is an extra scene at the end of the movie that is great and really brings up ideas for future movies. You don't want to miss it. Then you can tell all your friends about what they missed as they were rushing out of the theater just to get to their cars a few minutes earlier.

I know that this movie will make all kinds of money, but I really hope that the filmmakers when trying to make a new X-Men movie will go back to the character driven plots of the first two flicks. This is the bread and butter of this franchise. Yes, the thrilling effects and action are great, but the caring about these characters is what I loved most about the movies. Next up though, I hear they are making a Wolverine movie. That could be really interesting. Getting into detail into one of the more intriguing characters of the first three movies would be a fantastic way to get into new territory. Whatever they decide to do, I hope that they keep the movies coming.

For more information, visit the official site

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

no clue movie review: Poseidon

Hmmm....Not sure if anyone was looking forward to this movie or not. I know I didn't much care. But I knew it would have a killer special effect wave since it was being directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the man who brought us The Perfect Storm. What I didn't know is that to fill out the large cast we'd have a group of TV actors, some older more established actors, an ex-Real Worlder and some up and coming Hollywood types. It must have been because the wave and the destruction cost so much money. Too bad no one budgeted for a story and script.

Here's the skinny. I saw this movie in IMAX, which I think added to my enjoyment of the film. That saying, it was bad. I mean the acting was pretty flat, the dialogue was absolutely awful, which made me feel bad for the actors for having to say the crap. Then they were submerged for most of the movie running around in dirty water. I thought you got treated better on a big movie set. Oh well, they got paid. Too bad no one paid me to watch this awful flick.

The thin plot concerns a luxury cruise liner that sets sail for a New Year's Eve cruise. The guests are all decked out and having fun and then BOOM, a massive wave capsizes the ship. This causes mass destruction and then some people try to get out. It's tragic I know. But the flick is far from riveting. I couldn't believe it. I thought that there was no way to make this not riveting. People spend most of the movie trying to escape death. There's a big cool wave, which is well done, the destruction is marvelous. It really is. It's just back to this very bad dialogue and the whole time you just know you are watching a movie. I mean the sets are so extravagant, that they don't feel real. This movie reminded me so much why I really enjoyed Titanic. That movie had heart, it had real characters that I got to know before they were in mortal danger.

The good parts of this movie are definitely the special effects. They are truly spectacular. The other good part is the pace. It moves very fast. I didn't need to look at my watch to see when it would be over, because it moved so fast. The whole time I watched the movie, I felt so bad for the actors. Petersen seems more concerned with all the cool effects that he almost seems to forget to direct these poor actors. Reminding me of the poor players in Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

I will say that I saw this in glorious IMAX projection which was out of this world. It did reveal some flaws in some of the opening computer animated sequences, since I felt like I was watching a bad nintendo game. But I attribute this to the enormous size of the screen. It envelops you and didn't hurt my eyes like I thought it would for a long flick. I hope to see more movies this way, since it seems to add to the moviegoing experience for me, and only for a few dollars more than a regular movie.

I don't what else to say. I thought this flick was bad. Really bad. Good special effects. The only reason to go see this movie is to see the big wave and boat capsizing.

for more information, (if you care) visit the official site

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

new movie reviews coming very soon: Brick, XMEN 3: The Last Stand & more

no clue movie review: Mission Impossible III

I haven't been the biggest fan of these movies. They are fun, but that's about it. I will say that I was very excited about JJ Abrams taking over the directing duties on this movie. I thought he would bring a very fresh take on the film, maybe a little more character oriented. I'm a big fan of his TV work like "LOST", "Alias", & even "Felicity" (season 1 at least). I was entertained, so let's start there.

The movie is a big non-stop roller coaster ride. It has twists, turns, and loop de loops. I mean it. There's so much action in fact, that you have a hard time looking away. But with saying that, it always starts to feel a little stale. So much action, so much noise and so many explosions that you know that you are watching a movie. I felt entertained, but not taken away to a new reality like I do with Abrams TV work. There are some nice scenes in the beginning with Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) hanging out with family and friends celebrating his engagement. They reminded me of scenes from "Alias". I mean they even include Greg Grunberg who we say in all of Abrams TV shows. But that was another problem. I felt like I was watching a big screen "Alias" at times. "Felicity" star Keri Russell, plays a female agent reminding me of Sydney Bristow too. I felt like many of those action scenes had been done almost shot for shot but on a smaller scale. Maybe there are only so many ways that you can blow stuff up and put secret agents in trouble.

Acting was decent. I mean I don't think anyone did a bad job. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays one of the best villains in this series of movies. I loved his character. So bad ass. My only complaint was that I wanted to see more of his character. I felt like he was on screen for very short periods of time. Keri Russell, whom I mentioned, did a very good job kicking ass as a secret agent holding the keys to a conspiracy. The rest of the cast acquitted themselves nicely as well. Which brings me to mr. big movie star Tom Cruise. He was good, don't get me wrong. He struck me as very committed and it looked like he did many action scenes on his own, because they looked extremely believable and many close ups were shown. But I couldn't shake the idea that I was watching Tom Cruise the movie star and not Ethan Hunt. He's on screen in almost every scene and it was a bit distracting. I mean I realize it's his movie, but I can't help it. I think that some of his off screen antics contributed to my liking of this movie.

All being said and done, the movie looked great. There was tons of action and it was fun to watch. I like secret agent type stuff. But it was popcorn big studio blockbuster fun. Not transport me to another place fun. But it was FUN!

I recommend seeing this movie if you're in the mood for some fun over the top action. Otherwise, maybe you should wait for something else.

for more information visit the official site

Got comments or suggestions? email me

Come back soon for more, until then I'll probably be at a movie....

Stanley Cup Finals go to a Game 7

WOW! Who would have thought this would happen huh? Edmonton was down 3-1 in this series against Carolina. Oilers had another great game tonight and beat the Hurricanes 4-0. And they scored 3 goals on the POWER PLAY! Amazing. But, now it goes back to North Carolina for the deciding game 7. Good luck to both teams and thanks for great hockey.

I guess I'm pulling for Edmonton still, but really I don't care. As long as it's a good game and the team that wins deserves it.

edmonton forces another game

I must say that I was impressed to see Edmonton play so well tonight. They were fierce and punishing. It was great to see them score on their anemic power play and my boy Michael Peca and others had their best games of the series so far. I was really assuming Carolina was going to take this game tonight and win the cup on their home ice. I will also say that Carolina has been playing some downright entertaining hockey. As much as I'm still mad at them for beating my Sabres, Stall played amazing. But it was Edmonton tonight. We'll see if Edmonton can pull out another one and push it to a game 7. Regardless, this is still some entertaining hockey this year.

For more Stanley Cup coverage, visit nhl.com

sabres are still in it!

They did it. They are still alive and now have forced a game 7 in Carolina on Thursday night. We'll see what happens. WOW!!!!

memorial day weekend thoughts

It's memorial day weekend. I'm trying to see movies and I have already watched my sabres lose their second game to Carolina. We'll see how that goes. It's been a really great series regardless. But I WANT BUFFALO TO WIN!!!

I will write some new movie reviews in the next couple of days.

Catching up on my TiVo watching. Watched some Invasion today and Smallville. Smallville was the first episode of this past season and Invasion I'm watching the end. Invasion kind of sucked for awhile, but then is getting good at the end of its run. LOST was a fantastic season finale!

Watched the first few episodes of Wonder Woman on DVD today. Rented it from Netflix. AAh, the old shows. How I love DVD.

Did some site updating. Going well. Feel free to browse and check it out. "special night" is online now to watch in its entirety. DVD's still for sale.

played world of warcraft a bit the other day too.

i'm tired now. Going to bed. Later.

buffalo sabres await their next opponent

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators 4 games to 1. Now, they await to see if they will play Carolina or New Jersey. I'm guessing Carolina. Good luck either way. The Sabres have a real shot at getting into the Stanley Cup Finals. This is the most exciting year to be a Sabres fan since 1999, when they went into the finals, but lost to the Dallas Stars. GO SABRES!

site overhaul begins

I started the site overhaul today. I've revamped the no clue movie reviews which are now just archives. I will continue to review movies, but like I said before, they'll be on the blog. I added a link to the old no clue movie reviews in the links section of the blog.

I also revamped the look of the blog too.

I'll be updating one page at at time, but the completely all new site should be active by June 30th. Thanks

test video posting

I'm testing a video posting. click here to see the video. or click on the picture on the left.

idol shocker!

check this out

I can't believe it. I am in shock. I wanted Chris to be the winner. I can't believe that he was the one who had the least amount of votes. I think it just shows that this year is extremely competitive. Who knows who will win.

I really hope that Chris still gets a record deal. I would be interested in buying his album. Good luck Chris!

apple wins lawsuit

check it out. Does that mean that Beatles tunes are coming to iTunes soon?????

no clue movie review - Thank You For Smoking

Yesterday I went to the movies. I didn't plunk down my $10 for "Mission Impossible III" (although I plan to later this week), but instead for "Thank You For Smoking". This indie is a so wrong it's right film and was directed by Jason Reitman. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It has some great performances lead by Aaron Eckhart. This is probably his best role sine "In the Company of Men".

This movie is unapologetic and a fierce satire. It features the main character Nick Naylor (Eckhart) as a spokesman for big Tabacco companies. He's able to spin BS in a way that no one else on this earth can. In the opening, he gets a talk show audience on his side, by saying that Big Tabacco doesn't want this kid with cancer to die, because he's a good customer. I found myself laughing quite loudly at many scenes that I felt bad about laughing at first, but I quickly got over it because it was so damn funny.

Nick shows a tender side when dealing with his son Joey, played by Cameron Bright, and worries about what his job says to his son. There is a scene where he goes to this career day type of thing at Joey's school urging the kids to think and not just accept that their parents say smoking is bad. I almost peed my pants during that one.

Nick also has an idea of putting cigarettes back into movies, to make them sexy again. He even goes to Hollywood to meet with a mega agent Jeff, played by Rob Lowe, and his assistant Adam Brody of "The OC". Brody is hilarious and it's too bad he's in the film for such a short time.

There are plenty of other great performances that keep the laughs coming. Maria Bello as an alcohol lobbyist , Sam Elliott as the original Marlboro man, William H Macy as Senator Finistirre leading a crusade to get a poison label on cigarettes. Even Katie Holmes as a sexy journalist Heather Holloway. Everyone in the movie is despicable, pushing their own agendas and flat out funny.

The movie's pace is fast and it never seems to slow to a lull. I enjoyed this movie a lot. Go check it out. It will make you laugh, even if you hate yourself for laughing.

It's not a huge wide release, so you may have to look around a bit. Here's a link to the trailer.

original versions of STAR WARS movies coming to DVD

take a look at this story

All I can say is FINALLY!

buffalo sabres advance to next round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Buffalo Sabres are moving on into Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They play Ottawa. I wish them a lot of luck. I'll be watching them as much as I can. GO SABRES!!!!!!

vegas baby

Almost forgot. I'm off to vegas for a couple days. Fast trip. Going to check out NAB to see some graphics and automation stuff for work. I'll check out Apple's booth too while I'm at it. Later.

check it out - justin ipock fans

Hey,
Justin Ipock fans. You know him from our little "special night". You can rent two movies that he has been featured in. One is "Starkweather" and the other is "Day of the Dead 2: Contagium". Contagium is probably the better of the two, neither really showcases Justin's talents properly, but it's fun to see him in a full length motion picture. He practically stars in Contagium. (not affiliated with George Romero). Just watched Contagium the other night. Shot in HD, I think. It's worth a look if you can stomach it.

happy easter

since i'm still awake. I just got done playing world of warcraft for a few hours. got a lot of stuff done today. really need to start going back to the gym this week.

Well, Happy Easter!

random thoughts

TiVo won their lawsuit today. Maybe now they will be able to license their technology to the sucky cable company DVR's and everyone can enjoy TiVo. I think everyone should have one. They are out of this world.

Work seemed like a long day.

I recently got some comments back on my latest script. I'm afraid to read them. I have to get into them this weekend.

Playing World of Warcraft every now and then. It's a fun game. Although the other night, I was challenged to a duel and I declined. Twice. Then the online dude called me a pussy. That was weirdly annoying.

I still can't believe Mandisa was voted off American Idol. I want her back. I predicted Bucky's exit this week.

DId you see LOST. Wow. Great show. I don't wanna ruin it if you haven't watched it on your TiVo yet.

My apartment is a bit messy, but at least I can see the floor now.

Watched Survivor tonight. GO TERRY!

New Goo Goo Dolls album drops April 25. Here's a photo from their website. Later.

site overhaul in the works

I know that I haven't updated the site in a while. I think it's due for another overhaul. I have started planning the overhaul, but it will take awhile. Be patient, but I'm working on a more slimmed down and easier to navigate site. I need to get back to stressing the films and get back to making some more videos for the site.

I'm moving the movie reviews to the blog. They will be much shorter for now, while I plan what I want to do with the site in general.

Thanks for stopping by to check it out even if I haven't updated in awhile and I'll keep you posted once the overhaul is finished or at least when I'll have a date to be finished.

no clue movie review - inside man

Hadn't seen a movie in a while and I went to see "Inside Man" directed by Spike Lee. It was a good little flick and way more mainstream a film that Spike has ever made. It stars Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen. It's a heist movie at the surface, but it's a bit more than that. I don't want to ruin it. I will say that like all of Spike's movies there are references to racial tensions. There are also tons of hidden secrets that are alluded and how the characters choose to keep and reveal the secrets is the most intersting part of the flick for me. I do feel that it gets bogged down a bit in the middle, but overall it was a fun picture. I enjoyed it a lot. Go check it out. Here's a link to the trailer.

seeing movies

I haven't seen many movies lately at the theaters. Is it me or is nothing really good looking is out now? I may check out Inside Man this weekend. I've been renting more and catching up on TV. LOST, 24, ER, SURVIVOR, and AMERICAN IDOL of course. I'm rooting for Chris and Mandisa at the moment. But lots of good talent this year. Recently watched Ordinary People on DVD. Didn't realize what a good movie that was. Saw it so long ago. I recommend that you check it out again or see it for the first time if you've never taken a look at it. Right now, I have Rope, Dark Harvest 2: The Maize (thriller done in my hometown of North Tonawanda, NY) and the first season disc of Greatest American Hero out from Netflix. Maybe I'll check some out this weekend. I'm reading scripts for class mostly this weekend and hopefully working on my script some more. I'm plowing through, but i'd like to be further along. Later.

15 out of 24 for oscar predictions

not bad. 15 out of 24 categories. 6 out of 8 in the top 8 categories. CRASH as best picture I was very surprised. But who would've predicted that Hustle & Flow's "It's Hard out here for a Pimp" would be best song. Crazy. Show was OK. I wasn't feeling well, so I Tivoed it and watched it later that night and the next day. Later.

oscar time - predictions

It's time for the Academy Awards. I've seen all the Best Picture nominees this year, but I haven't seen all the other films nominated in all categories. But I'm making my picks anyway.

BEST PICUTRE - Brokeback Mountain
BEST ACTOR - Phillip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote"
BEST ACTRESS - Reese Witherspoon for "Walk the Line"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - George Clooney for "Syriana"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Michelle Williams in "Brokeback Mountain"
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - Howl's Moving Castle
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - CRASH
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - Brokeback Mountain
BEST DIRECTOR - Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain"
ART DIRECTION - Memoirs of a Geisha
CINEMATOGRAPHY - Brokeback Mountain
COSTUME DESIGN - Memoirs of a Geisha
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - March of the Penguins
DOCUMENTARY SHORT - God Sleeps in Rwanda
EDITING - Crash
FOREIGN FILM - Tsotsi
MAKEUP - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
ORIGINAL SCORE - John Williams "Munich" or "Memoirs of a Geisha"
ORIGINAL SONG - "Travelin Thru" - Dolly Parton for "Transamerica"
ANIMATED SHORT - 9
LIVE ACTION SHORT - Six Shooter
SOUND EDITING - King Kong
SOUND MIXING - Walk the Line
VISUAL EFFECTS - King Kong

Couple of notes: I didn't care for Good night and Good luck. I appreciated it, but I didn't like it. Loved Transamerica. Couldn't believe that it was so good. If Felicity Huffman beats Reese than I won't be disappointed. Best Actor category is filled with lots of deserving guys. I think if it was a different year than any one of them could win, so don't be surprised if the Oscar goes to someone other than Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Well, I'll be watching. Let's see how I do.

Expect to see many of the same contenders win Independent Spirit Awards, with Felicity Huffman taking Best Actress at those awards. You may even see a win for The Squid and the Whale at the Spirit Awards. Check those out on Saturday with the Oscars on Sunday. I'll give myself a report card on Monday or Tuesday.

late night chatter

It's nearly 3am and I thought I would write something fast. Starting a new writing class this week where I am working on a new script. Trying to carve out some time to get projects done. Watching a lot of movies since it's award season. Just saw "Brokeback Mountain" today and it is a wonderful emotional film. I also watched "The Apartment" with Jack Lemmon on DVD tonight. An old film, but a good one. Written by Billy Wilder. Good film. I encourage anyone to see it.

More another time.

macworld

Tomorrow is the Steve Jobs keynote at MacWorld in San Francisco. The rumor mills are buzzing this year with all kinds of new products. I'm hoping for a Media Center based Mac Mini with TiVo like DVR capabilities. I think that would be cool. I'd also like to see some new laptops, a bigger screen on a new video iPod with longer battery life, feature films on the iTunes Music Store (which should be renamed Media Store). Macworld is always filled with cool stuff and announcements. Can't wait to see what Apple has up it's sleeves for tomorrow. Check out the rumor mill. Then check out the apple site tomorrow.

happy new year!

well, a new year is here. i am attempting to keep my promise by offering more in 2006 to indenation.com. Let's see how that goes. I'm working on writing some scripts as we speak and coming up with some ideas to present on the site.

I've seen a healthy dose of movies. See "King Kong". Great movie. I just saw "Munich" too the other day. Not sure if it's a great movie, but it's a very good and entertaining one.

Well, that's all for today. Just checking in.