Highs & Lows since 8/8/08

Olympic Opening Ceremony
Great, beautiful, skillful, etc.

My favorite part was the raising of the Olympic rings.

NBC's Olympic Coverage
Horrid. Tape delays are ridiculous in a modern world. I said it last Olympics please show each event live on one of your 7 NBC channels and if I choose to TiVo it then I will. If not I'll just not watch the events and go online for the results.

Bernie Mac
50 years old when he died! This guy was funny I watched nearly every sitcom he was on.
He had a reality show, another sitcom, and 2 movies coming out next season. That is such a shame.

BBC America
So many interesting shows on this channel and freakin' Cablevision/Optimum does not carry this channel.

J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!
Yes we got an old, semi-retired, crybaby, with more bumps on his head than dimples on a golf ball. I do think it's a good thing. Welcome to NY/NJ Brett Favre .

So your remaking my childhood...

Fine then I want more candy and a TV in my room.

Wait you just remaking my favorite shows and movies, never mind.

Robert Englund has been out promoting his new movie Jack Brook: Monster Slayer and let it slip about his older productions which as far as he knows he will not take part in.

First he reveals that the newest Freddy Krueger movie will be a remake with a budget. Oh yeah Billy Bob Thorton is in line for Freddy Krueger.

Second he reveals V the great sci-fi series is being remade. The script has already been partially leaked here.

He did make the point that hardly anyone watches the original King Kong but that the remake by Peter Jackson was awful with a nice ending.

I haven't watched any of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, or other horror remakes because they look so bad.

I saw The Hills Have Eyes both remake and original on the same day. While both are B level the original is far superior.

Got Brick'd

˙sǝlʎʇs puɐ sǝɹuǝƃ dılɟ sǝıʌoɯ uǝɥʍ ʇɐǝɹƃ ʇ,usı

Finally saw the movie Brick recommended by Dani. I agree with her assessment it was like walking through a 1940's detective novel. I do recommend it but then again I've been deep into crime-dramas over the last two months. Love the posters.



If you like this one then I suggest Fresh starring Sean Nelson and Giancarlo Esposito it is the ultimate kid turn vigilante/detective movie.


Moving to my lack of TV reviews.

Well simply put they're awful. Plus other sites like TV Squad and AOL get the shows up to a month in advance and ruin any hope of posting a fast review. So unless something catches my eye I won't bother. My original hope for this blog was to visit movie sets like Amy but my lazybones and scholastic goals shut that down. So while I'll try to keep this site TV related it may transform.

Doctor Who: Journey's End
Fantastically sad.

Gone Baby, Gone

Finally a decent flick. Don't worry I won't ruin the plot or even try to review it but since it is so rare that I enjoy a movie I'll just say if your a fan of crime stories or a Boston hater this movie is for you, effing A.

This is not a mind bender but very well acted and of course it's less about the crime and more about the people. Now I want to read the book which is even more rare for me.

Reality Bites Now Your Wounded

One reason I hate reality shows, besides the obvious, are the lack of updates.

I'll admit to watching While You Were Out, What Not to Wear, Moving Up, and others. The problem with these shows is that they have no follow-up.

I loved the PBS documentaries because after a few years they would always add an update, granted is was to say that the subject/animal/environment of the documentary is now dead.

This Old House, Hometime, and New Yankee Workshop were good with updates but the episodes were never played in order.

Extreme Home Makeover

The joke of home remodeling shows. It's where they take unstable households and give the ridiculous homes, it's like Pimp My Ride for houses. You know that it can't end well but we never see what happens.

A year or so ago we heard of one girl who had a house built for her then the family kept the house after the gave her up.

Now comes the Harper family.



Given a house, no mortgage, scholarships for the kids, and community support. So what did they do the got a loan for the same value of the house started a construction business and then lost both.

What I want is regular updates. I'd watch these shows on a regular basis if I knew I could see stories like the Harper's. This is real life. People are given a chance and either they succeed, fail, or stay the same but at least we get a drama.

I want every episode of these reality shows updated. Where is Justin Guarini or that chick who got a new wardrobe in season 1 of What Not to Wear.

I give the idea for free. Make a blog with every reality show and full in depth updates.

Tripping

The farthest I'm getting away this summer involves the subway, a bus and whatever ferry happens to be free. Plus I'm still on the hunt of local filming.

Going to lower Manhattan I saw the pink fliers indicating they were filming around The National Museum of the American Indian but didn't stay long enough to find what it was named.

I went to an art exhibit above the ferry landing and also to Governors Island. Why? Because they're free. Rescue Me, 9 1/2 Weeks and a few other movies and TV shows have been filmed on or around the island.

Enjoy...

The Waterfalls #1

The Waterfalls #2

The Waterfalls #3

Leaving the slip.

Love the brick homes.

The entrances just fascinate me as I imagine coming home to my own private island.

You know I took a semester of architectural history.

Snapple machines may not be authentic to the time period.

The gym inside the arch.

Ye olde abandoned theatre and emergency shelter.

What's that in the distance? Zombies?

Oh no! Zombie babies!

Must...escape...island!

Safe back on the main land of Manhattan Island.

I get it your playing the building through the organ, yeah very artsy.

Finally safe on the subway. I can go home and watch some TV. A real New Yorker knows what train this is. Care to guess?

Outside There's Sun

Made a little trip to Governors Island in NYC so while I sort through the 259 photos I leave these two videos to enjoy.

Here is one in the maritime building above the ferry landing. It is an art project called Playing the Building: An Installation by David Byrne.

Exclusive: On the set with Pierce Brosnan

I am not the paparazzi or is it paparazzo? Either way I'm bad at it.

Either way I found out that the movie The Greatest staring Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon was being filmed near me. It is a Shana Feste film about two parents dealing with the death of their son when a young woman comes into their lives and causes more problems. It's a drama.

Before I start out with the excuses why my pictures are awful lets start with how to find a film shoot.

I saw this pink flyer.
This is taped to all the post and street lamps when a film crew decides to take over the streets.

For filming on the streets you would see one like this...


Know I saw nothing of the Pippa Lee movie but still found their flyer.


So I know the movie The Greatest is being filmed near me but it will not be on the streets most likely be at a local medical facility.

Here starts the excuses

It is hot in NYC over 90 degrees and with the humidity it feels like 100+. So I decide instead of waiting outside in the heat I would be indoors and just look out the window.

Film shoots are long and boring since I have no access to the set I must wait for hours so I start taking random pictures to set my shot when a celebrity approaches.

I was waiting at the window when Pierce Brosnan comes out and walk to his trailer but I had my camera off and next to me and nearly killed my self focusing and clikcing buttons but only got this shot...


Yes that really is my exclusive first on the scene photos of Pierce Brosnan in The Greatest.

So I learned I must be more professional, since he must come out of the trailer soon I leave my camera on and practice taking photos of moving objects.


After 45 minutes I get a bit tired and my camera automatically shuts off and wouldn't you know Mr. Brosnan comes out so I hurry to turn on my camera, focus, turn off the flash, and point and shoot. Well the result was one shot that was less then stellar.

Honestly that is Pierce Brosnan.

I gave up after this even though they kept filming until midnight and Pierce showed up once more but again I was too slow to set my camera to night mode.

There has been other movies I was privileged enough to watch in person and equally legitimate excuse that I have no pictures.

Ransom = I didn't own a camera.
Malcom X = I wasn't near any cameras.
Keeping The Faith = It was filmed indoors and I saw nothing.

Movies On TV

It is common knowledge that most modern movies are horrible. Thanks to over hyping, internet spoilers, and the worst special effects since Jason and the Argonauts. Come to think to think of it most special effects these days are worse then Jason and the Argonauts, this is thanks to CGI.

Image Source: http://www.tomsgames.com/us/2006/08/30/cgi_gone_awry/page2.html

So since I'm not paying for a movie and I have the Gold Package on my cable box I wait to see them. Here are the best and worst that I've seen, of course this my opinion so that means little. Please feel free to agree or disagree. I've just seen these movies in the past 6 weeks even if some have been out for years this my first time watching them.

Best:
An American Crime: It has to be the best piece of drama in years. Ellen Page is beyond brilliant in this crime-based docudrama. The horrible nature of people is on full display .

Resident Evil: Extinction: Reminded me of the last episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Simpsons Movie: Sure it's just a very long episode but I did laugh out loud.

Surf's Up: It was cute.

Smokin' Aces: Only on the best list for the crazy violence.

28 Weeks Later: Good enough but still depressing.

The Game Plan: So The Rock is not the best actor I still found this movie enjoyable.

Knocked Up: It wasn't that good or that bad so since there is no blah category I'll keep it here.

Worst:
Superbad: I waited for this young couple to fall in love and kiss at the end instead they go their separate ways. Plus to much cursing.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: I fell asleep twice during this magically awful sequel. They're just not cute anymore. Add to the fact that unless you read the books you will be lost with all these pale characters.

Premonition: I love time traveling flicks but this one had such a huge hole that is throws you out of the plot.

Freedom Writers: Isn't great when a the privileged come down from their high horse to rescue the troubled youth. Exaggerating to make your point is fine but the little hoods in this story took it to a whole 'nother level.

Hot Fuzz: It is no Shaun of the Dead.

The Number 23: A crime-drama falsely elevated to a mythic status.

Rush Hour 3: Chris Tucker could have carried this movie by himself but he was teamed up with dead weight.


If you have any suggestions of movies to either watch on cable or TiVo for later just leave a comment I give all movies an equal shot.

Fireworks Just Missed My Eye

I use to have window view to the Macy's Fourth of July Celebration for years without a camera then I got one. This year I finally perfected my night time photo shooting and then...Kaboom.

They moved the fireworks closer to the Brooklyn Bridge and I lost my view. Since my neighborhood has new condos this building I'm in is no longer the tallest and going to the roof will not help.

Either way Happy 4th y'all.

Here are some of pictures that aren't mine.

Allergic to the Sun

I've been home relaxing and doing nothing of any importance when suddenly I realized I have a TiVo. So quickly I enable TiVo suggestions to automatically record anything that pops up.

One month later I'm still bored with TV.

The last few years there 6 to 10 summer shows worth watching, now there is nothing.

I'm so desperate for TV I started watching Law & Order: Criminal Intent, CSI: Miami, Cold Case, all are TiVo suggestions. Apparently my TiVo thinks I'm a cop show freak.


I do enjoy these shows, except for CSI: Miami the acting is just horrible.

It got so bad I started watching Life on Mars online the British version because the upcoming U.S. version is not officially out yet. This time traveling cop show reminds me of The Odyssey a Canadian kids TV show about a boy who falls into a coma and enters a mysterious world and searches for his missing father.

TiVo also recorded Weeds for me which turned out to be nicer then when I originally tried watching this show.

Then after words they have Secret Diary of a Call Girl which is about the worlds most boring hooker. She starts of the series by saying she does not do drugs, was never touched by an uncle, and is just horny. That statement alone turned this show from fiction to fantasy. I wonder if these women were any other ethnicity would they still be comedies.

Either way during every episode we are treated to Belle the hooker's different trysts. Each one more boring then the next. In the "all-nighter" she had to go to we were treated to a two minute montage of her being bored.

Where are my shows? My sci-fi, my mid-season replacements, and even reruns.

Sure I could go out and interact with real people but that is too much work.


Minisodes are not enough.