Preparing For The Premiere: Part One

Quick, pop quiz !

The quote:

"I would love to buy a house there, and spend as much time there as I possibly can. The people are so kind — just the generosity and the warmth, the extended hugs and the long handshakes and the eye contact and the sincerity. It’s just very specific to West Virginia and I think the world could use a lot more of it."

would be correctly attributed to:

A. Rich Rodriguez, during his "I- ain't- going- to- 'Bama- after- all" speech

B. West Virginia's Governor Manchin, discussing his plans for life after he leaves The People's Mansion

C. We Are Marshall director McG, during a recent interview with the Associated Press

D. A resident of eastern Pennsylvania, spending his holiday vacation in the Mountain State after reading about the Slaw Line on the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog

(It is, after all, all about the slaw.)

Huntington is crazy today, with all the We Are Marshall hoopla and goings-on. The green carpet is down, and 4th Avenue is sparkling.

The stars will be out this evening, sure.

But I'm hoping to get a glimpse of Coach Jack Lengyel, the man Matthew McConaughey plays in the film. By all accounts Coach Lengyel is special, the sort of coach who understands that life is more than football, boosters, X's and O's and how many perks are contained in a contract.

I wish there were more Jack Lengyels.

Answer: C. We Are Marshall director McG, during a recent interview with the Associated Press

Flushed Away

Me: "Hey kids, are you tired of shopping for Mommy's Christmas gifts yet?"

Kids: [all together, and with looks of annoyance]: "NO !!"

Me: "Oh...Well then, wanna take a break from shopping for a while?"

Griffyn: "We just took a break for lunch."

Me: "Oh, yeah...I guess we did. Hey! I have an idea. How about we take a break to see a movie. Flushed Away starts in 15 minutes."



Kids: [all together, arms waving excitedly] "YEAH!!"

Me: Flushed Away it is, then. Let's get the popcorn."



Kids are suckers...

Film Geek

I am nothing--and this is my hand, to God--like Scotty Pelk, the main character in James Westby's supposedly semi-autobiographical movie, Film Geek.

I finally had a chance to see the flick which, Sitemeter reported, was one of the biggest referral sources to this blog last Spring. In fact, some folks who regularly visit The Film Geek do so because they found it first while searching for Scotty Pelk.

I'm not sure why...

I mean, first of all, I'm much more attractive than this guy. Clearly.

If you don't believe it, find my picture on the web and see for yourself. Yep, I'm so confident in my hunk-dom, I've passed my mug all over the 'net for months. It's not as widespread as Britney's panty-less limo exits, but it's worth the search, baby.

But, my looks are not only what separates me from this loser. Scotty Pelk has no social life, and fills up that personal wasteland with film trivia and savant-like ruminations of odd movie facts. He even goes on irrelevant tangents about movies while engaged in conversation with other people.

(By the way, I've been reading a lot lately about the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie, Blood Diamond, and pondering DiCaprio's chances at an Oscar. Two meaty roles at the end of the calendar year often plunges actors into the Best Actor category. Watch for it!)

I was saying...

Sure, I like a good movie as much as the next guy, and I do recall a lot of useless trivia about them. But, my interests are far broader and much more functional than that goofball Pelk's.

Ask me anything about comic books or professional wrestling, and watch the conversation flow.

Pelk is so geeky and socially awkward that he can't hold onto jobs. That so isn't me...I've been steadily employed for 23 years! They even gave me my own, private office. It's at the end of the hall, near the copy machine. It's far away from co-workers, just the way I like it, so I don't have to listen to all the blah blah blah-- you know, all that stuff no one really cares about, but pretends to.

Isn't it neat how things like that seem to just work out?

And although I'm sort of far removed from co-workers in my own private Shangra-La-Office, I'm not so far away I can't trot down the hallway during break time and talk up some movies with Helen, Bob or Tom. I bet we do that eight or ten times a day!

Pelk also spends a lot of time on his website, which is devoted to film and film information. He writes reviews about movies, essays abut movies and makes unusual and obscure personal connections between movies and his day-to-day life.

What a loser!

Truth be told, I didn't care much for Film Geek. It was just too--unrealistic, I think is the right word here--to be believable.

Have a nice weekend! Gotta take off and check my Sitemeter!

Freebird!

AOL Music lists today the 89 Most Redundant, Repetitive Cliches In Music.


I'm sad to report I've done the #1 Cliche on more than a few occassions.

(I've never, however, done #4...)

Sizin' Up The Competition

A recent review in Ain't It Cool News describes We Are Marshall as having the feel of "a very small indie film about a very small concept - survival." While the reviewer known as "Rubber Band Man" says he liked a lot about the film, he suggests it is too small a flick "at it's core," and won't be a hit at the box office.

He could be right, but I hope he's wrong.

The review made me start looking at the film's competition for the box office buck. Frankly, I'm not convinced the movie about The Young Thundering Herd won't be the leader in quality, at least.

photo by: Gary Malerba, AP
Yo!-- Rocky: The Geriatric Years (or some such title) will be released the same day, December 22, 2006. My prediction: Rocky is faced with what seems like an overwhelming challenge, goes into serious training to overcome said challenge, comes up slightly short but shows tremendous heart while trying.

I could be wrong...





Oh, It's In A Museam. Now I Get It-- Night At The Museum stars Ben Stiller, a bunch of other people and Andy Rooney.

Next.





And The Oscar For Best Supporting Actor Goes To-- Eddie Murphy, for his role in Dreamgirls. Money in the bank!

This movie scares me, cause it has all the talent for a blockbuster, and all the buzz needed for an Oscar sweep.






Anyone Seen Kevin Smith?--Matt Damon not cracking (a) wise, (b) bones, or (c) jokes just ain't that appealing. The Good Shepard looks like (d) None of the above.




By Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

This Guy Gets It Done-- Will Smith's The Pursuit Of Happyness opens a week before the Marshall flick, on December 15. But this is my pick for heart-string-tugging movie of the year. Will Smith doesn't mess around, starring in only three flicks that earned less than $100 mil.

I'm guessing this one is still sticking strong in Week 2 of it's release.



Considering the line-up, I'm predicting We Are Marshall has a third-place Week 1, but follows up strong in weeks two and three after some positive buzz on the street.

SNL's Lost Sketch

Matthew Fox hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend, and was featured in a sketch about his show, Lost. For fans of the show, this skit hits close to home:

Happy What?

The "Santa's Butt" beer controversy in Maine reminded me that it's time to start my annual Holiday Period Of Angst.

Thanksgiving is such an enjoyable time. It's sort of holiday-ish, but mostly Fall's Turkey Day serves as a focus for reflection. I need that sort of focus to avoid becoming self-absorbed. I hate selfishness, particularly when it is me being selfish. Thanksgiving helps keep me on the straight-and-narrow in that regard.

But, not Christmas.

While I enjoy Christmas day (watching the kids opening their gifts, and Mrs. Film Geek putting the drawers together for her new, shiny filing cabinet I got her as "the" gift), the Christmas season, in general, brings out all sorts of angst and frustration.

First, I'm a terrible picker-outer-of-gifts. I buy gifts that are boring, and tend to reason that if I like it, the gift-receiver should too. Secondly, the whole rush of Christmas frightens and confuses me. It's become a feeding frenzy, especially when we get closer to the 25th. And thirdly, I hate the freakin' snow and cold weather. I hate the brown hills, the something-other-than-green grass and the dirty roadways after the snow melts.




I know. I'm Scrooge.



One of the most anxiety-producing parts of the yuletide season for me is knowing when to begin--and end--greeting people with the phrase: "Happy holidays." I always thought the phrase is acceptable right after Thanksgiving and through New Year's Eve. But without exception, when I begin using it in early December, I get odd looks from passers-by. Just this morning, while passing an acquaintance on the stairwell to my office, I shot him the greeting.

Me: "Good morning, happy holidays."
Him: "Hi."

No "Happy holidays," or other friendly, seasonal greeting. Just: "Hi."


I feel the angst creeping in...

Deck The Halls

A sign that Xmas is upon us:

I don't care what the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement says "Santa's Butt" beer is funny.

Damn funny!

I hope, though, that the stuff smells like, ...Well, beer.

Strangers With Candy

Strangers With Candy, a prequel to the comedy series of the same name on Comedy Central in the late 1990s, is a riot! Starring Amy Sedaris, the film was co-written by Stephen Colbert and directed by Paul Dinello.

Strangers tells the story of Sedaris' character, Jerri Blank, who is desperate to reconnect with her family after her release from prison. She discovers her father is in a coma, her mother is dead and she has a half-brother who is a twit. Convinced doing "something special" will help bring her Daddy out of a coma, Blank goes back to high school and enters the Science Fair competition. Her path to that competition is incredibly dysfunctional, weirdly warped and constantly entertaining.

Oh, yeah. It's also really, really funny. Like everything Sedaris does, Strangers is clever and smart, even when it looks like it isn't. Compared to other TV shows and skits that have been turned into movies, Strangers With Candy is a gem.

The Sunset's Just My Light Bulb Burning, Now

My thanks to Jackie for getting me listening to Ryan Adams. I'm obsessed with catching up with all his past work now, and especially like this song "Oh My Sweet Carolina."

There's something hypnotic and mournful about the tune, and the way he sings it.