So It Begins

I’ve written a few things about the “Missing Pieces” shorts that the Lost creators have put up on abc.com thus far. There’s only been two that were really worth watching, but this week’s (the final webisode) is a must watch.

[flv:http://jeff-fischer.net/media/soitbegins.flv 426 240]

Wha-?! I’m still guessing that’s Black Smokey the Wonderdog.

The Find 815 game is just about to wrap up the afternoon before the premiere, and if there’s anything relevant to report, I’ll add it to my recap later today. For now, bed calls.

The Beginning of the End

Here we sit on the eve (or near-eve…close enough) of the season four premiere of Lost, eagerly awaiting the fate of our now homeward-bound castaways. You need not just sit around and wait, however, as there’s been an alternate-reality game (ARG) underway, much in tune with the “Lost Experience” ARG from a couple of seasons ago. This time around though, the “Find 815” campaign is much more closely linked with the show itself.

Oceanic

Continue reading “The Beginning of the End”

Feel Alright

I was born my papa’s son
A wanderin’ eye and a smokin’ gun
Now some of you would live through me
Lock me up and throw away the key
Or just find a place to hide away
Hope that I’ll just go away

I feel alright – I feel alright tonight

I’ll bring you precious contraband
And ancient tales from distant lands
Of conquerors and concubines and
Conjurers from darker times
Betrayal and conspiracy
Sacrilege and heresy

I feel alright – I feel alright tonight

I got every thing you wont or need
Your darkest fear, your fondest dream
I ask you questions, tell you lies
Criticize and sympathize
Be careful what you wish for friend
Because I’ve been to hell and now I’m back again

I feel alright – I feel alright tonight


Steve Earle
The Wire: …and all the pieces matter
Release: 2008
Lyrics: Steve Earle
Music: Steve Earle

Californication: Part Three

Chapter 3: Communing with Nature…and Sushi

When last we left our hero (me), I was dreaming of the deadly redwood squirrel that no one has ever before glimpsed without ending up dead. Waking in a cold sweat, I showered and left the hotel to take another brief walk through Fisherman’s Wharf on my last day in San Fran. Nothing new to report there, aside from the fact the seals at Pier 39 were engaged in an epic struggle to see who could yawn the most. After breakfast, I checked out and met up with Martha for a day full of sight-seeing and tomfoolery.

Our first stop before leaving metropolitan San Francisco was the Palace of Fine Arts, a park/arboretum/museum situated near the Presidio (or at least I’m guessing it is, what with my “extensive” knowledge of Bay Area geography).

Palace of Fine Arts

Continue reading “Californication: Part Three”

Cloverfield | A

director: Matt Reeves
writer: Drew Goddard
starring: Michael Stahl-David, Lizzy Caplan, Odette Yustman, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

CloverfieldIf you haven’t seen this yet, stop reading now, close your browser, shut off your computer, and get to the theater to see Cloverfield. Don’t read or watch anything about it. Three pieces of advice, though: if you couldn’t handle the shaky-cam style of movies like Bourne Ultimatum, you probably won’t make it through this flick (much to your loss); watch everything in the movie carefully; and stay after the credits.

Here’s some filler text so the formatting of this post doesn’t get screwed up before the “Click here to continue reading…” link. Blabbity blah blah blah, look at how sweet nonsensical text can be. Here’s my impression of Miss South Carolina in that Youtube video in my last post: “I personally believe vacuum cleaner, dishrag, chocolate pie, catnip, PVC pipe.” A true inspiration to America. If you haven’t seen the movie and are still reading, then you’re being foolish and might also be the type of person that enjoys conversing with the aformentioned beauty queen. “Duffel bag, stove, dial-up modem.” There; that should do it. Enjoy the review.

Continue reading “Cloverfield | A”

Why bother?

Some reading to take care of first: Campbell won’t negotiate with Sabres until after season.

Sound familiar? It should, as you could substitute Brian Campbell’s name with Jay McKee, Danny Briere, or Chris Drury’s. Let’s take a look at Larry Quinn’s resume in his two stints as Buffalo Sabres managing partner:

  • Mishandled a feud between top GM John Muckler, beloved coach Ted Nolan and all-star goalie Dominik Hasek, running the first two out of town and alienating the third before losing him for next to nothing (all apologies to miscreant Slava Kozlov, the lone compensation we got from the Red Wings for Hasek).
  • Served as lapdog to corrupt Rigas ownership group; perpetuating myth that owner John Rigas would actually “give (the Sabres) the tools to succeed.” Mercifully for the fans, he was booted along with the Rigases.
  • Lost top defenseman and locker room leader Jay McKee to free agency because they didn’t think he was worth negotiating seriously with during the 2005-06 season.
  • Continue reading “Why bother?”

Ocean's 13 | B+

director: Stephen Soderbergh
starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, Matt Damon, Eliot Gould, Andy Garcia, Carl Reiner

Author’s note: I wrote this several months ago and it got lost in the shuffle of all my other wildly popular posts. So, here’s my review to prep you for catching it on DVD.

Another fun jaunt through Vegas comes courtesy of the all-star cast and crew of Ocean’s 13, the third flick telling the tale of Danny Ocean (Clooney) and his misfit crew of lovable criminals embarking on a revenge heist at the newest, most lavish hotel on the Strip.

After the (relative) misfire of Ocean’s 12 and its European locale, it’s nice to see the crew back in Vegas. The city’s a character in and of itself, and adds the kind of ambiance that makes these movies work so well. It’s a call-back to the heyday of the Sinatra Vegas–the Vegas populated by charismatic mobsters, no-nonsense gamblers, crooning showmen, and high-class style. Today, we’ve got screaming kids and overweight couples in spandex populating the casinos. It ain’t quite the same. The look and–more importantly–the style of Ocean’s 13 is a bittersweet reminder of how it used to be in Vegas. (Take it from me; I’m 68 years old.)

Enough about that; the movie itself has the same hip style the first two did, with the focus directed more towards the “fun” of 11 than the dry and sometimes unwanted sarcasm of 12. Returning to Vegas has a lot to do with that, as that town is where these characters are truly in their element.

Pretty good; better than the second, but the first is still the gold standard. Some of 13 felt like they were just going through the motions–fun motions, mind you, but still in the “old hat” category of motions. Let’s all do the locomotion.