Jonathan Marko

Top Ten Favorite Scary Movies

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:24:24 GMT

I decided to come up for air in honor of my favorite holiday, Halloween.

We're not having our party until next week, but I've already been spreading the word that people should bring a scary movie that they really want to watch, a favorite or otherwise. I'll be making Trick 'r Treat my choice for the evening, but since I haven't actually seen it (just really longing to), I figured I'd put some time into making a list of my actual favorite scary movies.

Note that this isn't an all-time list, just my personal favorites. Here's the Top Ten:

10. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

I've been a fan of zombie movies for a long time (likely since seeing Romero's Night of the Living Dead which made the HM list), and it was very hard to pick just one. But as of late, I've been really enjoying Zack Snyder's remake/revision of Romero's other classic. It's fun, gore-filled, and has everything a great zombie movie needs—including a look at the effect an outbreak would have on the survivors.

9. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

I actually read all of the Thomas Harris books in the series back in college (with the exception of Hannibal which I started, but gave up on). While Red Dragon was my favorite book, it's really hard to top the craftsmanship involved in Demme's classic film. Revenge, catharsis, and well...cannibalism never tasted so sweet. Sidebar: how did "It puts the lotion in the basket" become so mainstream? It used to be creepy.

8. Frailty (2001)

I often find scariest the films that have some kind of basis not only in reality, but also religion and the nature of good vs. evil. That kind of supernatural stuff freaks me the most. Naturally, then, Bill Paxton's little film about a serial killer and his family's attempt to purge the "demons" of the community rattled me more than a tad. If you're a fan of Paxton (who also stars), you have no excuse for not seeing this movie.

7. Psycho (1960)

I'm pretty sure this is the movie that got me hooked on Hitchcock. Also pretty sure that I watched it with my Dad many years back, almost before I could really understand the depth of the film. Each scene is crafted with care and precision that defined the masterful director. And perfect casting in Anthony Perkins; with his boyish good looks, you really believe he wouldn't harm a fly.

6. Scream (1996)

A staple of my high school years, and the cause for my first celebrity crush: Neve Campbell. Not so scary by itself, but a wonderful take on the state of the scary movie and a herald of the next generation of slasher film. Lots of fun, and very quotable to boot.

5. Se7en (1995)

I saw this and have been a fan of David Fincher ever since. Pitch perfect casting all around, dark and deliberate directing, and more twists than a pretzel. John Doe is a wonderful villain, but I'd argue that he's not the only one. So would he. To this day, the scariest sin is the one we don't get to see—lust. Shit still gives me chills.

4. Rosemary's Baby (1968)

I remember the first time I saw this, staying up late one night with a girlfriend. That was a mistake. It succeeded in keeping me awake nights, fearful that my nightmares would actually be reality. Some argue that it's too slow or cheesy to really be scary, but as I mentioned, it's the stuff with basis in reality or supernatural aspects of religion that really affects me on a deeper level. And it's the people here that are, in fact, the most frightening.

3. The Descent (2005)

Easily my favorite scary movie of the last ten years. Cave diving with six hot chicks almost sounds like the premise for a porno, but what follows is a claustrophobic nightmare where what you can't see is scarier than what you can. People that focus on the creatures are looking for fright in the wrong place. Watch it unrated (i.e. the original UK ending) in the dark for the full effect...if you dare.

2. Halloween (1978)

One of the most recognizable horror movie themes ever sets the tone for this holiday classic. All the right scares (the "sitting back up" one is my favorite), an unstoppable, nightmare of a villain, and a hottie in the lead role may be staples of the genre now, but this movie is the reason for it. Slashers wouldn't be the same today without John Carpenter's masterpiece.

1. The Exorcist (1973)

It tops horror lists every year for good reason. This movie is so scary to me that you really have to twist my arm to get me to sit down and watch it. Chilling in every regard, it throws the viewer into Hell with reckless abandon. There's no going back home after this one—the images are burned into your mind. And that subliminal shit fucks with me for reasons I can't begin to comprehend.

Honorable mentions (in no order):

The Shining (1980)
28 Days Later (2002)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Funny Games (1997)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Grindhouse (2007)
Saw (2004)
The Ring (2002)
The Mist (2007)
Cube (1997)

Reminiscence.

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:01:09 GMT

Wow, Livejournal. I almost totally and completely forgot about you. That's kind of sad.

But I'm reminded of it this weekend, one spent with old friends in new environments, inside of photos that come alive with memory, and, most of all, recreating the past with new and fresh words.

This is what it feels like to be a writer, and I kind of forgot that at some point.

I think it's time to get back to work.

Top Ten Relatable TV Characters

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:15:54 GMT

I've been spending a good chunk of time this week trying to catch up on Chuck (a very seriously underrated show...it had better not get cancelled). While in the midst of this today, I had a moment where I connected to Chuck Bartowski's character and found him intensely relatable—this kind of thing happens often while watching that show. It's a big reason I enjoy watching it.

This led me to wonder...what other television characters do I find relatable?

So I made a list.

I don't imagine there'll be too many, but be mindful there may be minor *SPOILERS* ahead.

10) TIE: Dr. Jack Shephard (Lost)/Alex Rieger (Taxi)

As much as I hate to admit it, given that I'm not even a fan of him, I do find myself having a lot in common with Jack. I often find myself thrust into a leadership role like he does. He's always trying to fix things and save people, one of my less admirable qualities. I often find myself criticizing him for not staying out of other people's problems, and trusting that people will be able to fend for themselves, when in reality, I have the same tendency myself.

On the flipside of the coin, everyone's always going to Alex, hoping that he'll intervene and help solve their problems. I feel like part of the reason I get involved in other people's business is that they trust me and ask for the help. However, where Alex always wants to stay out of it, I most times am eager to do what I can.

9) Xander Harris (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

This one is part of a trend that you'll notice over the course of this list. If I were on a show with lots of action and heroes, I'm the geek on the side who's cracking jokes (often bad ones). This isn't to say he doesn't have his moments of bravery and heroism, but it's a little more subtle. I like that. He's also very self-sacrificing, and that's something I know I at least aspire to.

8) Chandler Bing (Friends)

Again, with the bad joke type sense of humor. Also, he started dating and eventually marries a close friend. Too early to tell on that stuff, but he also values friendship (durp), which is something very important to me. I'd like to think I'm not as much of a dork as him, but I have the feeling I am.

7) Dawson Leery (Dawson's Creek)

I haven't seen enough of the show (really only maybe a disc or so of the first season) to know if the comparisons hold up, but I remember in college when we all first made this connection. He loves movies, the girl next door, and optimism/romanticism. Based on that, I can totally connect. Note: I'm starting to get a hankering to go through this series after researching it a bit.

6) Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

While I rarely find myself in bizarre situations like Larry, his mundane and often annoying observations are the kind that I make on a seemingly hourly basis. I don't envy you if we're close enough of friends that I say them out loud; I get the feeling they're only funny half the time, if that. He also has just enough self-loathing to keep me interested. But just like Larry, my world seems to operate with its own societal rules. We just wish the rest of the world knew them.

5) Dexter Morgan (Dexter)

Dexter for me has always been a show about our darker natures, the side of ourselves that we hide from the rest of society. I've always been really tapped into that side of myself, so naturally, the show's protagonist preaches directly to that. I love the front that he puts up for everyone else; there are days when I feel like that's all I'm doing.

4) Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld)

The same mundane observation reasons as #6, but he's also an absolute neat freak with a lot of goofy characters for friends. Spot on.

3) Chuck Bartowski (Chuck)

A geek working a mundane job is in love with the girl next door type who just so happens to be a complete badass. Chuck also has problems dealing with responsibility, but, just like some others on this list, often rises to the challenge and forces himself to be courageous for the sake of others. Again, I really hope this show gets renewed.

2) Hank Moody (Californication)

First of all, he's a writer, so I'm a sucker for that and all the issues that come with it (writing about real life experiences, writer's block, feeling inspired, etc.). Secondly, while I'm not as much of a ladies man as he is (but seriously, who is?), it seems to me that the reason he sleeps around so much is that he does, on some level, fall in love with every girl he meets. Fortunately for him, he's charismatic enough to bed each one. I wasn't so lucky. Finally, his issues with overindulgence hit home in that "darker side" kind of way that I mentioned earlier.

1) Dr. John Dorian (Scrubs)

He has a goofy sense of humor. He has a bromance with a best friend. He's in love with his other close friend, and they've had a back-and-forth/are-they-aren't-they type relationship. He can be insecure and indecisive, but he's got a heart of gold. He genuinely cares about other people. The darker side is there too, but it's just below the surface and a little harder to see. Oh, JD...I raise an appletini in your name.

Honorable Mentions

Tim Bisley (Spaced)
Hiro Nakamura (Heroes)
Tara Gregson (The United States of Tara)
Topher Brink (Dollhouse)
Lee Adama (Battlestar Galactica)

I now encourage you all to form similar lists. Not only was it a lot of fun, but it made me feel a lot better about the ridiculous amount of television that I watch. I guess it turns out I'm learning things about myself while doing it.

Up for Anything, Down on Everything

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:11:38 GMT

When I decide to put together a new mix/playlist of songs, it's usually after a longer period of time during which I'm absorbing copious amounts of new music. Eventually, I'll hit a breaking point, and have to lump the best of the best into a list. It always works out the best when it coincides with something in my life.

This time, it's the fact that I rarely go out to bars anymore. And the few times that I have, it's completely different from what it once was. But one thing that hasn't changed is the fact that before going out, I'll take some time at home, shower, get ready, maybe have a couple beers, and, of course, listen to music that gets me pumped up for a night on the town.

This weekend, I'm going out much more than usual, and I decided to finally work on a mix that'd capture this. I wanted to have a general mix of classic favorites with contemporary hits. I tried not to use too many of the latter so it wouldn't date the mix, but I'm not sure that happened. You can be the judge of that. There were a couple things I had to leave off however:

1) "With Love and Squalor" by We Are Scientists. Probably my favorite pre-party album. Puts me in just the right mood for a night out. Problem is that every track is great for it, so I just decided to leave them all off and keep on using the album as it is.

2) Girl Talk. I've recently gotten into Girl Talk (DJ Gregg Gillis) who, if you're unfamiliar, specializes in mash-ups with parts of various songs used to make new music. His latest, "Feed the Animals," is amazing; it's literally a party on a disc. It has something for everyone. But again, because each track is so good, I just chose to keep enjoying it as it is.

That being said, here's the tracklist for "Up for Anything/Down on Everything."

Up for Anything

01 - "No You Girls," Franz Ferdinand
02 - "Roth BOYS," Asher Roth
03 - "Fancy Footwork," Chromeo
04 - "Heart Throb," Be Your Own Pet
05 - "Shakedown On 9th Street," Ryan Adams
06 - "Rock The House," Gorillaz
07 - "Ruby Room," Foxboro Hottubs
08 - "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," AC/DC
09 - "Nuthin' But A G' Thang (Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg)," Dr. Dre
10 - "Try It Again," The Hives
11 - "Shake a Fist," Hot Chip
12 - "Heads Will Roll," Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13 - "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," George Thorogood & The Destroyers
14 - "Hypnotize," The Notorious B.I.G.
15 - "Dawn Of The Dead," Does It Offend You, Yeah?
16 - "Crawl," Alkaline Trio
17 - "Shake That (Feat. Nate Dogg)," Eminem
18 - "From The Ritz To The Rubble," Arctic Monkeys
19 - "Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet," Fall Out Boy
20 - "After Hours," We Are Scientists

Down on Everything

01 - "Manhattan," Kings of Leon
02 - "Hella Good," No Doubt
03 - "I Can't Stay," The Killers
04 - "Get Fucked Up," Saves The Day
05 - "The Air Near My Fingers," The White Stripes
06 - "Let's Get Fucked Up And Die," Motion City Soundtrack
07 - "Be By Myself (Feat. Cee-Lo)," Asher Roth
08 - "Mind Reader," Silverchair
09 - "Live Young, Die Fast (Acoustic Version)," Alkaline Trio
10 - "Dashboard," Modest Mouse
11 - "Punch Drunk Love (Feat. Kanye West)," Common
12 - "Note To Self: Don't Die," Ryan Adams
13 - "Something Is Squeezing My Skull," Morrissey
14 - "Many Shades Of Black," The Raconteurs
15 - "Murder," The Virgins
16 - "Thirty One Today," Aimee Mann

Top 25 Albums of 2008

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:29:45 GMT

I know it's been a while. Twitter has taken the place of LJ lately. But for something longer like this, I guess LJ will have to remain the venue...for now.

I selected albums for this list closer to the end of the year, but hadn't gotten around to ordering them until today. (Just in time for Jeffapalooza!) I'm going to do it in the same format as last year. And just like last year, the movies list is on its way soon as well.

2008 was defined by what is slowly becoming my favorite genre of music: dance rock. Alternative/rock based, but with electronic/dance beats. The kind of music to which one can easily bob one's head or shake one's ass. It makes me wonder why more clubs don't play that kind of music. Though since I don't really go to clubs anymore, how would I know?

Dishonorable Mentions

Albums which, for one reason or another, I was greatly anticipating that wound up letting me down. Not to say they were necessarily bad, but they definitely weren't what they should have been.

“Loyalty to Loyalty” – Cold War Kids
“Last Stop: Crappy Town” – Reggie and the Full Effect
“You Are My Sunshine” – Copeland
“Wanderlust” – Gavin Rossdale
“Hard Candy” – Madonna

Honorable Mentions

Once again this year, I found myself listening to many new artists, and plenty of mainstays as well. So much music, yet only 25 spots on my list. These got slotted out, but are definitely worth a listen.

“Oracular Spectacular” – MGMT
“Vampire Weekend” – Vampire Weekend
“H.A.A.R.P.” – Muse [Note: No new material, but the experience of Muse live is definitely worth it.]
“Universal Mind Control” – Common
“Ghosts I-IV” – Nine Inch Nails
“Circus” – Britney Spears
“Elephant Shell” – Tokio Police Club
“Raise the Dead” – Phantom Planet
“Partie Traumatic” – Black Kids
“808s & Heartbreak” – Kanye West

Top 25 Albums of 2008

25. “Modern Guilt” – Beck

Standard Beck, but his standard is still well above most of what comes out these days.

24. “Dear Science” – TV on the Radio

This got "album of the year" all over the place, and while it's definitely good, it's not necessarily my cup of tea, hence the low ranking. But don't get me wrong; it's solid stuff.

23. “Made in the Dark” – Hot Chip

Dance rock was big for me, but this is definitely more on the techno end of things. Good if you're in the mood for it, and "Shake a Fist" had me doing just that many times last year.

22. “Intimacy” – Bloc Party

I think it's their best yet, but still not quite good enough to get any higher up on the list. Super electronic and dancy, though. We will watch their progress with much interest.

21. “Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings” – Counting Crows

What a great welcome back for this band. Always one of those bands I've enjoyed peripherally, this may be the first one by them that I truly enjoyed from start to finish. And with rock in the first half, and acoustic country-esque stylings on the second, it has something for every type of Crows fan.

20. “Tha Carter III” – Lil Wayne

The best rapper alive! I hadn't heard much from him before this, but it served as a very solid introduction. The backlog will take forever— he's prolific on a level like Ryan Adams. More of a thug though.

19. “The Slip” – Nine Inch Nails

Speaking of prolific, not only did Trent drop the epic masterpiece "Ghosts I-IV" on us last year, but he released this for free to the fans. These days from NIN, we could expect nothing less. It's dark, rockin', and easier to swallow than 2007's "Year Zero." I can't wait to see what he does next.

18. “Agony and Irony” – Alkaline Trio

For a band that is getting up there in years and has long since "sold out" in terms of their devoted indiegoth fanbase, I still enjoy Trio. They know what they are and they embrace it; I enjoy most bands that do this. This album is a suitable follow up to "Crimson"— it just makes sense.

17. “The Age of the Understatement” – The Last Shadow Puppets

Been a big fan of Arctic Monkeys since they popped on the scene, and as a side project, this is amazing. Fills the void of not having a new album by those rockin' Brits. Less rocking by a tad, but more accessible I think. Try it out.

16. “Accelerate” – R.E.M.

Easily my favorite album of theirs since 1994's "Monster"— makes sense since it's their most rock-influenced one since that as well. Plenty of killer tracks, great hooks and riffs. These guys have been perfecting alternative rock since the 80s. This comes close to completing that ambition.

15. “Folie a Deux” – Fall Out Boy

A little late listening to it, but I'm definitely on board. It doesn't get much more pop-punky than this, and I swear that's not a complaint. If you want to rock out and you don't care about being judged by your peers, put it on. The lead single ("I Don't Care") couldn't be more appropriate.

14. “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” – Coldplay

I'm so anti-Coldplay hype that I have to wait until it dies down before I give any new album of theirs a listen. Too many elevate them to a level where it's blasphemy if you don't like them. In their defense, their newest album may be their best yet. (They're still no Radiohead though.)

13. “The Bedlam in Goliath” – The Mars Volta

Talk about epic; the story for the album came from their experiences with a Ouija board. Creepy as hell, and incredibly layered. I get more out of it with each listen.

12. “Way to Normal” – Ben Folds

I was late getting on board with this one too, but it's phenomenal. Probably my favorite album of his since he split with the Five. He's only getting better as time goes on.

11. “You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into” – Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Now this is true dance rock. Most stuff in the genre dabbles in dance beats while keeping a rock sound; this is the other way around. And it's all the better and more original for it. Sad I missed them at Lolla last year.

10. “X” – Kylie Minogue

I hope it's not a surprise to most I know at this stage of the game that I enjoy a good pop album. Intensely danceable, wonderfully poppy, and a twinge of emotion to boot. Every time I hear a track off it, I want to either strut down the street or jump on the dance floor.

9. “Weezer” – Weezer

Their third self-titled album to date, this one stands out as their most rebellious yet. Hell, "Pork and Beans" was written as a strike back at the studio who wanted a more radio-friendly single. The rest of the the "Red album" branches out from their normal fare, but just enough to leave you wanting more. In an age where everyone is about reinvention, we can still trust Weezer.

8. “Stop Drop and Roll!!!” – Foxboro Hot Tubs

No new album from Green Day last year (that's for 2009), but this kept fans at bay...provided they knew about it. Going under a different moniker with a more rockabilly sound, the boys laid down a disc that was truly more punk rock than most mainstream fans of theirs even knew what to do with. Try not to skank to it.

7. “Off with Their Heads” – Kaiser Chiefs

Each album that passes, these guys have only gotten better. I saw them open for Foo Fighters back when they were touring their first, and their second made my list last year. This is my favorite so far— lyrically it's just oh so much fun.

6. “Day & Age” – The Killers

After the experimental mess (but not necessarily failure) that was "Sam's Town," The Killers return to form with their third album. It's everything you wanted after you were done listening to "Hot Fuss." They sound like themselves again, and hearing this album, I remember why I liked them in the first place.

5. “Cardinology” – Ryan Adams and the Cardinals

My love for the music Ryan Adams has been quite a roller coaster. The ups and downs of relationships, growing up, and everything in my life for the last four years or so, I can associate with some song of his. For the place I'm at these days, this is definitive. It's nice not being in the dark anymore. If this is truly his last album, I think I can live with it.

4. “Only by the Night” – Kings of Leon

Maybe it's a late bias, but this album has gotten better with each listen. "Sex on Fire" is a single that I think everyone I know has heard, but it should be known that it's not even my favorite track by any stretch of the imagination. His voice is so amazing, raw, guttural even— there's a desperation in their music that makes me feel like I'm reaching for a higher plateau.

3. “Fucking Smilers” – Aimee Mann

I've been a fan since her music for Magnolia captured the film's spirit. Her latest— dark, brooding, and...well, the title says it all— is just another reminder of the dark I've left behind. When you're down, it helps you stay there, if that's what you want. "Looking for Nothing" may be one of my favorite songs of 2008.

2. “Consolers of the Lonely” – The Raconteurs

Jack White's side project's sophomore album is anything but a slump. Hearing them do songs from this live at Lolla last year made me party too hard. The level of rock is simply unparalleled. People will still look back on this one twenty years from now. Trust me.

1. “Brain Thrust Mastery” – We Are Scientists

They're the best band you're not listening to. If you've ever gone out in public with friends for a night on the town, this album is for you. Since its release, it has been a mainstay of mine for when I'm getting ready to go out. It just puts me in that hopeful mood of a night full of possibility— even if none of it comes to fruition. Memories of these times are everything, and this album gets that.

Thoughts? Did I leave something out? Rank some too high, while others too low? Let me know what you think!

On Fixing It

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:03:43 GMT

I don't know what's been up with me, but I've been moody/depressed more than usual for at least the last few days. Maybe I'm thinking too much about the future— the word futility comes to mind more than I'd like.

Am I doing one of those What does it all mean? things? I'm not sure. I'm feeling anxious to do something bigger, more important. But then when I think on it for too long, I realize how much time it will eat up, and I worry that it'll be for nothing. So why bother?

What's the point?

Money's tight, Christmas is next week, and I'm finding myself more bored with my life with each passing day.

Ever get the sense that things aren't turning out the way you once imagined? What are things going to be like in another ten years when we look back? What about another five? What about next year?

Just how do I feel about the disappointment in my day to day life? Are my expectations for happiness too high? Where is the threshold and is it reasonable?

I found myself earlier today considering watching Vanilla Sky this evening. I can't decide if this is a good or bad idea, but it'll probably happen.

I'm hoping this, like all things, will pass. And I know it will, and then things will be fine again. But without a resolution of some kind, this feeling will just come round again in time.

I'd fix it...if I could.

On Blossoming

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:56:47 GMT

I was watching some DVDs last night as I lay sick on the couch, and I feel some clarifications needs to be made. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is filling the void left by Seinfeld, not by Arrested. I think my comparison for Pushing Daisies was better for the latter, though I don't think much will come close to replacing the wit it used to have. That is until Mitch Hurwitz drops some new shows: Sit Down, Shut Up and an untitled Jason Biggs project. I've heard of some remakes of british shows he's working on, namely Absolutely Fabulous and The Thick of It, but not much known about those yet.

I've been wanting to start playing guitar again lately. I picked it up for the first time in a long time, and realized I couldn't remember how to play certain chords. That was very sad for me. Also, I've been feeling very poetic/lyrical lately (maybe feeling the influence from reading Infinity Blues), so maybe I'll try my hand at something in that arena:

I am sick, but on the mend
I am finding new ways to rend

I've also been getting back into watching RiffTrax. I want to download them, but seeing how many movies I'd actually want to get, it could put a heavy dent on my already tapped bank account. We'll see I guess, though I don't think I'll be able to keep myself from getting the new one for The Dark Knight.

I'd better get back to work.

On All the Television I Watch

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:22:04 GMT

So I watch a lot of television. I did the math on it once earlier this year and figured that it amounts to give or take 15 hours a week. Naturally, I've been falling behind.

But at the moment, I'm only about one week behind in each of my shows. Some have ended their run for the fall, and some will shortly. I'm not sure what all of you are watching, but I can say that (with a few noted exceptions) for the most part, you should be watching these shows. Check 'em in your downtime, if you have any.

Oh, and potential SPOILERS ahead—but I'll try to keep them to a minimum.

24

The recent "Redemption" TV movie was fun, and it was good to have Jack back, even though it was pretty much just good for a bit of action. We all know Jack Bauer at this point, and the movie really played up the badass angle. I got a major Temple of Doom vibe the entire time I was watching it. At any rate, I'm very excited for the new season (mostly for the characters that will be returning...), though I still have that bad taste in my mouth from Season 6. And that was over a year and a half ago.

30 Rock

Still one of the funniest shows on TV. Consistently well-written and funny. My only complaint this season is that I've noticed we're focusing more on the personal lives of Liz, Jack, etc. and less on TGS and the behind-the-scenes hilarity of a live sketch comedy show. I miss that.

Battlestar Galactica

Okay, haters, calm down. I used to be one of you. You can't even mention the name of this show to someone without them casting nerdy judgment. But seriously, everything you've heard is true. It's the best show on television. I'm currently in the middle of Season 3, trying to catch up before the series finishes its final run starting January 16th. I've gotta get cracking.

Californication

I no longer see Fox Mulder when I look at David Duchovny—he's just Hank Moody to me now. By far, one of my favorite characters ever on television. I find him insanely relatable (maybe it's the writing thing), and it's an incredibly funny show. Scathingly so. I'm impressed that the second season has managed to keep up the vitality of the show given the events of the first season's finale.

Chuck

At times I think I watch this show because I miss Alias. I really say that to excuse the show's predictability, but really it's more the whole potential for the geek-gets-the-girl story line that I love. The Buy More subplots are usually good for a laugh, and that's to say nothing of the great Adam Baldwin (Jayne!) who bounces between a bully, badass, and buddy so effortlessly.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

A seventh season is officially on the way! Now I've only got to finish watching the fifth and sixth on DVD. I only fell behind because I didn't know if the show was ending and I didn't want to watch all of what I had stored up with no new episodes to look forward to. But I used to plow through these like nobody's business. I've gotta get back into that.

Dexter

When I first heard about this show (pre-Season 1), I read the books to get a sense for it. After the first season, the similarities end. The show has come into its own, forging ahead of the books and giving Dexter Morgan a life that is also very relatable...you know, for a serial killer. Jimmy Smits as Dex's potential best friend Miguel Prado (the current Season 3 storyline) is inspired, and exactly what I'm talking about when I say that the show has evolved past the books.

Flight of the Conchords

Haven't heard anything about the upcoming second season, but I'm very excited. The first one was a home run. And I miss Murray. God bless that man.

Fringe

J.J. Abrams has done it again. Take The X-Files and mix it in with Lost and a dash of Frankenstein, and you've got Fringe. And even that description doesn't do it justice. The omnipotent "Company" (used way too often in TV these days: Prison Break, Heroes, Lost, even Terminator lately) angle is a little convenient, but only a minor complaint. John Noble's Walter Bishop is a brilliant portrayal of a mind gone mad with science—who cracks me up at every turn.

Heroes

Remember when this show used to be good? I'm comparing it more and more to Prison Break these days—amazing first season that finds characters wandering around aimlessly in the seasons to follow. Very little of interest seems to happen on the show nowadays—the two-part "Eclipse" episode was decent in concept (almost an alternate universe story you see in comics regularly), but was poorly executed. Hopefully if Bryan Fuller returns for the end of the season (current speculation has him entering around episode 20 for the finale if contracts go as planned), they can set things up to be good again next year. But I feel like we've been saying that since the end of Season 1.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

My brother has been saying that the show has started to wander into "caricature" (every character becomes boiled down to one trait, which is then blown up to grotesque proportions—The Office does this a lot) territory in the recent fourth season. He's right, but honestly, I'm okay with it. It's still consistently hilarious and even self-aware (the opening scene of the finale was perfect), and for me, it's still filling the void that has existed since Arrested Development was cancelled (even that wandered during it's final season).

Kitchen Nightmares

My one reality show guilty pleasure (well, Hell's Kitchen as well in the spring, but you get the idea). I allow it because it seems so absolutely not steeped in reality. Gordon Ramsay just keeps cracking me up, and I really wish someone would give him a sitcom. A remake of Mr. Belvedere is long overdue.

Lost

Season 4 came out on DVD yesterday, and I'm almost wishing I hadn't asked for it for Christmas so I could go out and get it now. That's how much I loved it. After suffering through some contrivances during the second and third seasons, the fourth really hammered home how fun and exciting the show really is. And how about a cliffhanger! Season 5 can't come soon enough.

My Name is Earl

When I recommend this show to people and they ask me what it's like, the only one I can even remotely connect it to is The Simpsons. I know! It's that good. Very clever and very in touch with its universe and characters, this one manages to find morality in half hour installments. Sure it seems crass and rough around the edges for audience it's aiming for, but people said the same thing about The Simpsons back in the day.

My Own Worst Enemy

Another pretty good one cancelled before it found an audience. It now joins the ranks of Blind Justice, Smith, and Raines in the category of Career Revival Fail. Shame because they were all pretty decent.

Prison Break

This show is proof positive that it's hard for me to quit watching television. Consistently cheesy since the end of the first season, it's now shuffling its way through its fourth. I've learned lately to appreciate it in a fun, almost B-movie kind of way, but oh how the mighty have fallen. And I'm sorry, Michael Rappaport, but I just can't see you as a badass. Maybe it's because the first thing I saw you in was as a bad actor (Dick Ritchie, True Romance), but you're just too cute for a real role.

Pushing Daisies

Let's all just get this out of the way: Why did this get cancelled? *cries* I know, I know, ratings, blah, blah, blah. But really it suffered the same way Arrested did—it's too smart for television. I haven't seen such snappy writing since that show left us. Such a shame. And from what I've heard they got canned after they'd wrapped on the 13th episode—so no sort of series conclusion is in order. They might do a direct-to-DVD movie to resolve things (also happened for Fuller's Dead Like Me series), but I'll believe it when I see it.

Real Time with Bill Maher

Insanely biased, but it's the only political type show I watched leading up to the election. Hey, at least it was funny. I know everyone's go-to on this subject is The Daily Show/The Colbert Report, but I just can't get into those. Maybe I just have trouble to committing to a nightly show.

Reaper

One of my favorite new shows from last season (and there were a lot of those), I'm very interested to see how it finds an audience in the post-writer's strike season. It's been hard for a lot of sophomore shows, and I really hope this one gets off the ground. It's too good not to—and it's good having a show like Buffy back on the air.

Scrubs

Thank you, ABC, for letting them just end it already. Hopefully the time they've had to prepare this final eighth season will lead to a non-disappointing ending. Hopefully.

South Park

Now here's where I really go for my social/political commentary. People that still think it's dick and fart jokes need to get out from under the rock and start watching the best animated series (and possibly the best satirical series) currently in production. I can't say enough good things.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Easily the worst show I actively watch. My love for the Terminator franchise is that dedicated. The glaring changes to the mythology and God-awful dialogue occasionally part to reveal a cool action sequence or two. I sometimes think that the only reason I still watch is that I'm waiting for teenage John Connor to hook up with his hot-bodied cyborg protector. Is she a pleasure model?

The Office

The show has indeed adopted the "caricature" syndrome over the last couple of years, but it's still relatively funny. I miss the dry british wit of the original, but I have to admit that the American remake is still fresh and funny, and one that I manage to keep up with week-to-week. Really excited to see how the marriage plotlines work themselves out by the end of this season.

The Unit

Remember when Dennis Haysbert left 24 and you thought he only went on to do ads for Allstate? Well, here's where he really went. He went from helping Jack Bauer to being him in this brilliant military special ops program. He's the leader of the team, but rest assured, all of the members are like Jack as well. It's like a whole team of them. Yeah, the show's that badass. One of the few shows I watch that isn't as much a serial—you can kind of jump in on any episode for self-contained story goodness.

True Blood

Probably my favorite new one this season (to be fair, there wasn't much to pick from). It's done now, but it was truly a stellar season. They've created a very rich universe, though I'm not sure how much of it comes from the novels. From what I've heard of all the Twilight business, this show seems to be a much more grown-up version of a vampire romance with other elements of the supernatural. I love that they humanize the creatures without foregoing their bloodlust and biological needs. The show has a very real feel, and I think that's what I like the most.

Whew! I think that's everything. 25 shows altogether, since I decided to include ones that are currently on hiatus. Thank God things are going to cool down for the next month or two—I need a rest.

On Being So Serious

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:35:37 GMT

Determined not to give up on Livejournal despite the ease of Twitter.

I watched The Dark Knight last night, my fourth-ish viewing. And I'll still go see it when the IMAX rerelease happens in January. Can't wait for that, incidentally.

Thinking about it as I opened up the DVD (BTW, came with a digital copy—I love how mainstream that's gotten), I realized I have to be careful when making my Oscar picks this year (provided The Dark Knight gets as many nominations as I think it will).

My love for the film really transcends comic book fandom; in fact, most of the ways I appreciate it are purely cinematic. I honestly think it has a shot at Best Picture. It's just so incredibly well-rounded. I'll still have to scope some of the competition in a lot of categories, especially this one, but upon watching it again, Heath Ledger really does seem to be a lock for Best Supporting Actor. You watch The Joker, and you forget there's a real person under there.

This entry is boring me, so I'm going to work on that TV one I've been talking about.

On Most of November

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:56:20 GMT

Wow. I can't believe it's been a whole month since I last updated. That's a long time. But I've been very busy. Here are some things that have happened while I was away.

* Kat and I participated in NaNoWriMo as a team. Technically, I think it's against their rules, but we didn't care. The difficulty of the collaborative process more than makes up for the lesser word count. We did win (clocked in at 56Kish words), and we're both very proud of the work. I'm very excited for people to read it, but first, we must edit. I hope my ridiculous standards of perfection don't keep people from reading it, you know, before I die.

* World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King dropped, and I spent about four days straight playing it starting the 19th at midnight. The Death Knight story (only played Alliance so far) and first few levels were fun as hell. But I'm not going back to Outland just yet. For now Northrend is great, and I'm leveling my Warrior, currently 74. I love all of the new content (most of which was available from the pre-expansion patch), but I've noticed that the whole game has become more of a side project for me lately. That's a good thing.

* Went to three Thanksgivings. Fake Thanksgiving in Iowa was very fun; I haven't been that drunk and not simply passed out in quite some time. I think I have "Pass the Shoe" to thank.

* Fell way behind in TV shows. I'm only now catching up now that NaNo is done, but there were a few (Sunny, Office, and True Blood) that I managed to keep up with week to week. I still plan on writing an entry that details which shows I watch and what I think of them.

* Upgraded to the New Xbox Experience. It's hella, especially if you have Netflix. I realized the other day that all five slots in my DVD player were empty because I'd been watching that many movies streaming through the Xbox 360. Gamertag = jonathanmarko (natch).

* Bought Chrono Trigger DS and fell in love with it again.

* Started playing a gig a night in Guitar Hero: World Tour in an attempt to finally unlock everything—had to start over since I'm doing a single campaign instead of a band one. I really don't like the new gig format, nor do I like the drum set. I have to contact Activision about the stupid red pad not picking up nearly 4 out of 5 hits. It really ruins the experience.

* Received Ryan Adam's Infinity Blues in the mail, about four months before it's being made available in stores. Still wish I'd gotten the signed copy with the chapbook of poetry, but I'm already a ways into the book itself, and it's really, really good.

Since it's been so long, I feel like I'm forgetting something. But everything else in life is going well. I hope to update more frequently, but you know how that goes.

Now who's ready to do some Christmas shopping?

In the News: November 6 & 7, 2008

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:45:55 GMT

It's been so busy at work that I've gone and missed another day! While I'm glad things are keeping busy at work, between that and NaNo, I'm honestly thinking I'm going to have to cut back on these for a while. Also, I've been finding myself wanting to make my other LJ updates more than this, so I think I'm going to try to focus on that for a while. This has gotten me updating again, though, so that's a good thing.

Nevertheless,

Michael Crichton died Tuesday from a private battle with cancer. I watched Jurassic Park last night to honor him.

Jack Black starring as Gulliver in a "contemporary re-imagining" of Gulliver's Travels? No, thanks.

There's a new trailer for Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" and it seems different in tone. I guess this is what they're going for now that Whedon's been forced to retool it. I smell another unjustified Fox cancellation.

Fox also announced that they'll be premiering "Dollhouse" on Friday, February 13th. As if that unlucky day weren't bad enough, Ain't It Cool News has a list of 13 other Fox sci-fi shows that have been cancelled from failing to find an audience in a Friday night slot—Firefly was one of them. And "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," whose ratings have dropped since last season, will be joining the show on Fridays. The same article has a breakdown of Fox's midseason schedule; they seem to be shuffling everything around.

Official trailer is back up for Monsters vs. Aliens. I really don't know why more studios don't leak this stuff as soon as it's ready to movie news websites. It'd be really good marketing.

Reiko Aylesworth ("24"'s Michelle Dessler) will be joining the cast of Lost this upcoming season for a run of episodes.

Been wanting to buy 24, but fearful of spending a ton of money? Amazon has all six seasons for under $100.

A first look at Kevin Smith's new Batman story! I knew this was coming, but Walt Flanagan drew it? I had no idea! That's awesome!

Steven Spielberg and Will Smith may be taking over the American adaptation of Oldboy which has since the release of the original been in talks with various people. But Will Smith? He'd better not be starring, or I know they'll change the ending. An ending which I still say American mainstream audiences aren't ready for. Just look what they had to do with Hancock. Once an R-rated script, it got cut up for a PG-13 delivery as a Will Smith summer blockbuster. I really hope he's only producing.

The stars of Twilight are coming to a Hot Topic near you!

A cool Watchmen behind the scenes video that gets into the character of Malin Akerman's Silk Spectre II is up over at MySpace.

An outstanding article is over at IGN discussing six writers who could be brought in to fix "Heroes." They really need to call any of these people.

Paramore is releasing a CD/DVD of what I'm presuming is a leg (possibly the final show?) of their recent tour. Called "The Final RIOT!" it'll release November 25th.

A 30 Days of Night sequel has been greenlit, and it won't be based on the comic sequels? As if the first one wasn't bad enough....

A trailer is out for Disney/Pixar's Up and the early raving buzz seems to be on target. I can't wait for this one.

Some new promotional art is up for the new retelling of Dorian Gray.

George A. Romero's new film is simply called ...of the Dead? Really? I guess they ran out.

It looks like the long planned Heroes video game won't be happening. I'm guessing it's because of the crap ratings these days.

The Foo Fighters album "The Colour and the Shape" will be hitting Rock Band in its entirety November 11th for Xbox 360 and November 13th for PS3. Jealous!

For you non-DLC Rock Band folks: the second volume of the track pack series will be hitting stores November 17th (less than two weeks away!). 1UP has a look at the very nice looking track list.

Halo Wars, the real-time strategy installment of the series, will release in February. And, of course, there's a massive collector's edition. When did this become standard with high profile video games?

Now a few funny articles:

Lara Croft model doesn't know her archeology.

Dennis Hopper finally talks about being King Koopa.

Man sues Blizzard over his WoW addiction.

On the Election

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:09:37 GMT

I'm really hoping to have time later today, or perhaps this weekend, to do the TV shows update I've been planning in my head for a while now. I also have two movie reviews to write and post; that's the last thing I want to get behind on. And some of you may be interested in knowing what else is going on in my life lately (you know, besides the Lich King's impending arrival next week).

For now, I have something else to discuss.

If you didn't watch last night's episode of South Park, you really should. It's available free online (as are all of their past episodes) on SouthParkStudios.com. Why there are some people out there that still think this is a dick and fart joke show aimed at the lowest common denominator, I'll never know.

It really captured my thoughts on the whole election. I think it's great that Barack Obama won; I even voted for him. But on both sides, people were pretty vehement about their opinions. To a fault even. I suppose it says something about how people are finally taking the political process more seriously, but nevertheless...

To voters of Obama: Nobody likes a gloater. The opposition ran a fine race. Chill the fuck out.

To voters of McCain: It's very likely this will not be the end of the world. We've survived worse. Chill the fuck out.

If you didn't vote for either of those two, I can only imagine what you're making of all these partisan shenanigans.

If last night's episode of South Park reminded me of nothing else, it's that we all need to work together in order to move forward as a country. If we get caught up in bashing the other side, we'll distract ourselves from the bigger issues at hand: a struggling economy, war on multiple fronts, and, of course, jewel thieves.

Courtesy of another1stkiss, this is proof I'm not the only one thinking like this.

God bless America!

In the News: November 5, 2008

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:41:52 GMT

And today's a really slow one too.

Joe Carnahan's prequel to Smokin' Aces has been greenlit. He promises "cameos will abound."

The latest Guitar Hero: World Tour commercial is way better than the first two.

There's a sweet deal over at Circuit City if you're planning on getting Gears of War 2 this Friday.

World of Warcraft has updated to 3.03, providing a little more balance to some of the classes that got overpowered during the last patch.

In the News: November 4, 2008

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:38:46 GMT

Well, I missed my first one. It was bound to happen. But there were some pretty big things going on yesterday in the real news.

But here's what's been going on in my world

New trailers are out for Fanboys and Monsters vs. Aliens, though it looks like the latter has been removed. It wasn't that great anyway.

Bruno is at it again, this time participating in an anti-gay marriage rally in California.

The Farrelly brothers long-in-development Three Stooges movie is finally moving forward with them attached to direct for a November 20th, 2009 release.

Kevin Smith starred in a "raunchy male version of Sex and the City" pilot that never got picked up? Wild. It aired this morning on Showtime at 4:15AM. I'll be hitting up torrents tonight.

So that Wonder Woman viral website (which eventually revealed Megan Fox in the lead)? It's fake. Too bad.

Someone's been fired from Grey's Anatomy. Is this a big deal? I wouldn't know.

Plot descriptions and launch dates have been revealed for the upcoming season of 24. 24: Redemption airs Sunday, November 23rd, and the two-day, four-hour premiere is scheduled for Sunday, January 11th, and Monday January 12th.

In the News: November 3, 2008

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:09:09 GMT

When you're home sick from work, there's not much to do but lay in bed and read what's

Max Allan Collins, the creator of the graphic novel "Road to Perdition" that was the basis for the film, will write and direct feature adaptations of the sequels, "Road to Purgatory" and "Road to Paradise."

Netflix "Watch Instantly" is now available for Mac! You just have to opt in.

A little late, but Funny or Die has a good Halloween treat: What if Freddy Krueger moved to your neighborhood?

Entertainment Weekly has a closer look at what happened with the whole Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle debacle for Iron Man 2.

Jeph Loeb has been fired from Heroes!? I find it very hard to believe that the recent run of crap on the show is the fault of the man who wrote "The Long Halloween," "Hush," and "Superman for All Seasons." Way to go, NBC.

What's Bill Lawrence up to now that Scrubs is...well, moving to ABC for its final season? Making a new show with Courteney Cox, that's what.

Details and box art is up for the Smashing Pumpkins DVD "If All Goes Wrong."

The Samuel L. Jackson "thriller" Lakeview Terrace will hit DVD January 13th.

1UP has some impressions of the new Nintendo DSi which just released in Japan. I'm not really sure I care. (Though I think it's funny that they call the first iteration the "DS Fat.")

It seems the Harmonix/Rock Band Beatles game may only have 45 songs. The game's over a year away—can we wait on these kind of rumors for a while?

The Guitar Hero World Tour drum tuning app is now available through Activision's site, but you need a PC and a midi-USB cable in order to use it. Thanks for nothing, guys.

More Wii remakes of GameCube games? Come on, Nintendo, let's get some original stuff already.

Okay, time to nap.

In the News: October 31, 2008

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:08:31 GMT

I read everything pretty early today, but haven't had a free moment until now. TGIF.

In the third part of his interview with the LA Times, Christopher Nolan reaffirms in my mind why he's up there with some of the greats. He's like those comic book writers that redefined the genre in the last twenty or thirty years. He also discusses the possibility of Heath Ledger being nominated for an Oscar.

The final trailer for Bryan Singer's Valkyrie is out.

Sounds like some progress is being made on Bubba Nosferatu, the sequel to the awesome and underrated Bubba Ho-Tep. Apparently, Paul Giamatti is big fan of the latter and is involved. Also, Ron Perlman (Hellboy himself) may be playing Elvis since Bruce Campbell is no longer in.

The new Penny Arcade comic is a pretty accurate reflection of what my daily life is like. Only throw in, music, television, and movies.

The Kiefer Sutherland thriller Mirrors will hit DVD January 13th.

Apparently, Sony has some serious competition for the Wii motion controller in the works.

In the News: October 30, 2008

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:17:59 GMT

I'm starting this so late in the day (it's been that busy at work), I hope I even have time to finish it.

A new preview for the upcoming season of 24 (not for the 24: Redemption two hour event) is up and it actually has me pretty excited. The show honestly needs a reinvention, not a return to form at this point. Sort of like what they did with Season 4. I'm hoping the change of setting will help.

An interesting, though at times predictable, list of David Fincher's favorite movies of all time is over at Slashfilm.

The Wall-E "For Your Consideration" campaign has begun.

Some new photos from the set of the Matthew Vaughn adaptation of Mark Millar's comic Kick-Ass are up, and include a first look at Christopher "McLovin'" Mintz-Plasse as "Red Mist."

Mark Millar has an idea for a new take on Superman, and it sounds pretty dark. Let's hope it happens, though I highly doubt it. What's the deal with studios not allowing stories to finish for a franchise character? Isn't it clear at this point that someone else can just take up the character and reinvent the mythos later down the line? It's a big discrepancy between films and comics (in the latter, new takes and spins on a classic story are done all the time), and it's one that should be remedied now more than ever.

A five minute trailer is up for the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still and I can't bring myself to watch it. If anyone does, let me know what you think.

I actually had to do a double-take to realize that it was Sam Mendes that is taking on the comic series Preacher. Of all the comic properties being bought up lately (and lord knows there have been a lot—probably three times as many as I've been bothering to write about), I could actually be excited about this one. It seems akin to Nolan taking on Batman.

Speaking of Nolan, the second part of his interview with the LA Times is up, and he geeks out quite a bit over his favorite scene in The Dark Knight: the interrogation.

There's a new poster for the far-too-long delayed Fanboys, and it's incredibly reminiscent of the one for The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Though I do like the tagline.

Is a Wonder Woman movie announcement finally happening?

New trailers are also up for Slumdog Millionaire and The Da Vinci Code prequel, Angels & Demons.

The Coen brothers' latest, Burn After Reading, will hit DVD December 23rd.

MTV and Harmonix have gotten the rights to The Beatles for an upcoming music game. We don't know much beyond the fact that it won't be simply "Rock Band: The Beatles" like Guitar Hero did with Aerosmith, and that it won't be ready until later in 2009.

Apparently the Mirror's Edge demo will hit Xbox Live and Playstation networks this week. How did I miss this story earlier this week?

I have so many updates I want to get to before the weekend is out. And NaNo starts Saturday. As if my life weren't busy enough.

In the News: October 29, 2008

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:13:07 GMT

Slow day! They'll make a website over anything these days.

The track list for the soundtrack for Friday's Zack and Miri Make a Porno is up and full of 90s hits. Oh, and some ignorant theatre in Utah is refusing to screen it.

Joaquin Phoenix may be retiring from film. I'm not sure I buy it.

Do they screen every movie early in Portland, Oregon? I may be moving. Reviews are in for early screenings of Disney/Pixar's Up, and they're saying it's up there with Wall-E.

Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle have signed on for The Avengers movie. I'm really concerned about this one for some reason.

Lists of scary movies come out all over the place this time of year. Here's one from a source you can definitely trust.

Ugh, another American Pie sequel (not a direct-to-DVD spinoff, featuring the name branding) may be in the works.

In the News: October 28, 2008

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:25:58 GMT

Crazy busy. Gotta make this quick.

Disney is going to push for a Best Picture nomination for Wall-E. While that nomination would not exclude it from being considered for Best Animated feature, some are worried that putting it up for the top prize will split the vote during the nomination process. If nominated, however, it'd be the first animated feature to be considered for Best Picture since 1991's Beauty and the Beast.

Script/plot details are finally up for Judd Apatow's Funny People. It sounds like it could be really good.

Somebody (The LA Times) finally cornered Christopher Nolan to ask him about a third Batman film. I love how cool and modest he is in his response.

I was kinda baffled by the lack of nudity of Dr. Manhattan in the Watchmen trailer, though I attributed it to the fact that it was a "General Audiences" trailer. Seeing that he apparently was nude in the SCREAM 2008 footage, I'm not sure it matters.

According to his YouTube Channel, Troy Duffy has finally begun production on Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day.

A new trailer for the spanish thriller Timecrimes is up, and it really makes me wish I'd seen it at the Chicago International Film Festival.

The Jonas Brothers will star in a movie called, I kid you not, Walter the Farting Dog. The plot "involves liberating a koi fish and thwarting jewel thieves." I couldn't have made that shit up if I tried.

The Footloose remake starring Zac Efron is going full steam ahead over at Paramount.

Amazon listed Eminem's new album "Relapse" for release December 23rd. The date has since been removed, but speculation is now running rampant.

I don't know how I missed it, but apparently Guns 'n' Roses' fabled "Chinese Democracy" is finally announced for release November 23rd.

The demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld is available on Xbox Live today.

Crossover, a Windows-enabling program for the Mac, is available free today until Midnight CST. It'll work for playing PC games on a Mac.

Activision has issued a statement regarding defective Guitar Hero: World Tour drum kits. I think mine are affected by this, so I hope they get more details to us soon.

Some guy hacked a copy of Chrono Trigger in order to propose to his girlfriend. Watch the video— it's so freakin' awesome. And surprisingly romantic.

In the News: October 27th, 2008

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:21:44 GMT

Pretty slow day, but there's some good bits in the news.

If you love the show, but haven't buckled down and bought the fancypants West Wing Complete Series box set, today's the day.

So much for Fanboys finally coming out in theatres this fall— it's been pushed back to February 6th, 2009.

Netflix has finally begun to make their "Watch Instantly" feature available to Intel Mac owners. It's rolling out today to select users, with service to all by the end of the year.

Joss has a little update post over at Whedonesque over the status of his new show "Dollhouse."

With the exception of the voice-over, I think the new international trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is outstanding.

Both Pineapple Express (which I've somehow still not seen) and The Wackness will be available on DVD January 6th.

50 Cent's new album, "Before I Self-Destruct," will hit stores December 9th.

Hitting the Wii Virtual Console this week is the classic Earthworm Jim for 800 points. Also, in the Wii Ware department, the third episode of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, subtitled "Baddest of the Bands," will sell for 1,000 points.

In the News: October 24, 2008

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:23:28 GMT

Crispin Glover has been cast as the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. I really want to watch Willard again.

Does anyone even care that there's a trailer out for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?

There's also a trailer out for the Friday the 13th remake. I definitely don't care about that one—it looks just like all of the other horror/slasher remakes lately.

What is this, the day for trailers I don't care about? New one up for My Bloody Valentine 3D. Yes, it's another remake. [Note: I just watched it, and you should too, actually, if nothing else than to see how they promote the 3D aspect—you know, for the person that has no idea what that means.]

So Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) has a new movie on the way called Gentlemen Broncos. The synopsis sounds funny: "A high school outcast who’s an aspiring fantasy author, who attends a fantasy convention and discovers that his supposed masterpiece 'Yeast Lords' was ripped off by legendary novelist Ronald Chevalier, who has in recent years turned desperate for ideas." The best part? In addition to the awesome sounding cast of Michael Angarano, Sam Rockwell, and Jennifer Coolidge, Jemaine Clement will be playing legendary novelist Ronald Chevalier. Check out the character's website—I barely recognized him at first.

The season premiere of 30 Rock is up a week early over at Hulu.

Ian McDiarmid, a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine, has suffered a heart attack on stage in London. He's okay, but the weird part is, he refused to be taken to a hospital until the performance was done. The force is strong with this one.

The full trailer is up for the Notorious B.I.G. movie Notorious. I think this one could actually be good.

A somewhat amusing political video by Ron Howard over at Funny or Die.

The new Killers album, "Day & Age," will be released November 25th. If you haven't heard the single "Human" yet, you should really do yourself a solid and check it out.

Lost: Season 4 hits DVD on December 9th, but the news today is that the set will include the series of "mobisodes," or shorts filmed for distribution via mobile phones.

1UP has an excellent analysis and discussion of the zombie event happening in World of Warcraft.

In the News: October 23, 2008

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:19:17 GMT

Ben Stiller is in talks to direct the Aaron Sorkin-written The Trial of the Chicago 7? I didn't know that Spielberg dropped out! A lot of people sound skeptical of the choice, but I think given the amount of comedy in the courtroom at the trial, this could actually work. And it'd be a challenge for Stiller who I'd like to see get back to the kind of comedic-dramatic mixed bag that Reality Bites was.

Seth Green will be adapting his comic series "Freshmen" into a film with friend and series co-creator Hugh Sterbakov.

McG has posted a new blog on the Terminator: Salvation website. They've wrapped principle photography, and things are looking good. I can't wait to see a new, more complete trailer.

New trailer for Season 5 of Lost! (SPOILERS for Season 4, natch)I guess I must have really liked last season, because I'm finding myself very excited for the upcoming one, which was not how I felt at the end of Season 3.

There's been a teaser trailer for a Flash movie making the rounds since the Watchmen screenings last week. Considering there's been no forward motion on the flick (it doesn't even have a director), chalk this one up to a fan creation. But a pretty solid one, I think.

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire has been rated R by the MPAA "for some violence, disturbing images and language." Apparently the move has no blood or graphic violence and no nudity, but the studio isn't appealing the decision due to the timeframe for its release. I now really wish I'd gone to see it over the weekend so I could decide for myself if the MPAA has made another horrible error in judgment. It wouldn't surprise me if they did. They seem to be blundering all over the place lately.

A new poster for Watchmen is out, and it uses a shot from the new footage from the other day.

A final trailer for Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Seth Rogen's delivery of the line "There's poo in there," gets me every time! There's also an exclusive clip up at Cinema Blend, but it's not as good.

Apparently Baz Luhrmann's Australia is still not finished? How is the studio not more nervous about this?

BIN-GOOOO!! Curb Your Enthusiasm is going back into production this December for a ten-episode seventh season to air next year!

A two disc special edition of the soundtrack for The Dark Knight will hit shelves December 9th—the same day as the DVD.

Panic at the Disco has a CD/DVD release "Live from Chicago" set for December 2nd.

The World of Warcraft pre-Wrath of the Lich King world event is underway. Zombies are beginning to take over Azeroth, city by city.

The news about E3 being public for a couple of days has been denied.

The New Arrangement

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:18:08 GMT

One of the more inconsequential recurring discussions/arguments Kat and I used to have was over what we would watch on the tube. Mostly concerning DVDs here, I'm talking about movies and TV shows. She'd want to watch West Wing, I'd want to watch some freaky Korean movie. She'd want to watch Inherit the Wind and I'd be trying to get her into Alias or Seinfeld. You get the idea.

So we came up with a point system. For every half hour of TV/movie that the other person watched that was something they wouldn't normally be inclined to watch, that person would get a point. They could then spend that point on choosing something for us to watch that the other person might not watch on their own. So, for example, if I watched two episodes of The West Wing (4 points), I could sit down to watch a movie (also 4 points) of my choosing with Kat.

It was a pretty laborious, considering we both were up for watching all of this stuff anyway. But there's a difference, I find, between what someone says they'd be up for watching and what they will actually watch when the time comes to choose it. This helped us stay even, fair, and allowed us to both share in our unique entertainment interests.

I'm not sure when, but we kind of fell out of that system a while back. We were both fine with this, because we had gotten in the habit of letting the other person pick now and again. The system worked, and we learned from it. I guess it wound up being our "training wheels."

Lately we've instituted a new system. We'd kinda stopped watching The West Wing a little bit into the third season. It's not that I liked it any less; we just never got around to watching it. Never made the time. On the other end, my movies-to-watch list has been growing more and more since I've been going out to the theatre less and less. We needed to rectify this.

So we came up with a plan.

One night a week, we each get to choose our own thing. Kat really wants to finish The West Wing (we made an agreement that she wouldn't finish the series until I caught up to where she was—somewhere in Season 5 out of 7). So we're going to power through that by doing "Wing Nights" on Tuesday or Thursday every week. This is because this is the night that Buffalo Wild Wings has discounted wings, 40 cents and 60 cents for boned and boneless, respectively. Wing and wings. Get it? It's something we'd done before (and she'd done in college from what I understand), but now that we live like four blocks from a BWW, it's really easy. Though I guess she lived that close to one in Woodridge too. Hrm. Anyway.

For my night, we're going to watch a movie one night a week. But not just some random pick. These are to be a series of important films in cinema. Whether I think they're important or they've garnered some kind of critical acclaim, we're going to watch and deconstruct them, discussing and analyzing every aspect. This will help her knowledge of film as an art and allow me to embrace it even more.

And since I've been wanting to do them since I stopped back in college, I will be writing movie reviews for each one. I started last week with The Wrestler (which counted as my pick—we looked at it as a field trip). And last night we watched Trainspotting. I'll be posting a review for that sometime before next week's movie.

So now you know why that went up yesterday.

Review: The Wrestler

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:07:05 GMT

The Wrestler, 5.0/5.0

Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Writ. Robert D. Siegel
Starr. Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood

Growing up in the 1980s, I, like the rest of my male brethren, got excited by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, and various other cartoon/action figure properties. On the much shorter list of entertainment from my youth that involved actual live people was professional wrestling. And I wasn’t the only one. I can only imagine now what it must have been like for teachers in the heyday of the WWF, constantly separating kids on the playground attempting to bodyslam one another.

Those times full of chokeholds, vibrantly colored tights, and title belts are what fill the mind of Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Rourke), the protagonist of Aronofsky’s latest film. Randy may have been a superstar wrestler back in the day, but lately he spends his time doing local matches in high school gymnasiums and dabbling into the hardcore circuits (something I didn’t even know existed; it’s not for the kiddies).

Wrestling isn’t his only passion, however. He has become friends with an aging stripper named Cassidy (Tomei). They are both tradesmen whose craft is afflicted by the constraints of mortality. Kindred spirits, if you will. She convinces him to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Wood), whom we know he loves, despite his ineptitudes as a father. But try as he might to form his life around these other pursuits, he cannot quit his life’s calling.

What keeps the man wrestling? He’s old—hitting tanning beds and hair salons to maintain his image in the squared circle—and he’s physically falling apart—his body being held together by tape and drugs. Yet memories of the glory days of yesteryear keep him in the sport.

And a sport it is—the film does a great job of helping you understand the mechanics of the game, and the physical stress the players put themselves under. Throughout the film, we sense how real and true-to-life everything is, in spite of the scripted results professional wrestling has become known for. Aronofsky has said that he filmed the movie with a documentary crew. It shows. I’m eager to hear some real wrestlers comment about the film.

Were this a movie about wrestling, the way Rocky is about boxing and Rudy is about college football, it could have been incredibly one-dimensional. We’ve seen that kind of story before. Instead, Aronofsky tells the tale of a man who can no longer do what he loves to do, the way he loves to do it. What is it like for a scientist when his mind begins to slow, or a pianist when arthritis takes his hands? When the curtain is drawn back, we see a tragic, aging man, near the end of his career.

Randy’s story is one with which we can all empathize. We’re all human, and we all grow old. The difference is that Randy knows exactly the life he has lead and lead so passionately. And he’s damn proud of it.

In the News: October 22, 2008

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:34:51 GMT

An interesting list of demands for an Avengers movie, but I think they're asking for too much.

I'm not usually into Star Wars Extended Universe novels, but this sounds really, really interesting. It's kinda sad how I consider it almost more historical than fiction.

I've heard of this kind of thing being done before, but this one looks like it was particularly cool.

Some pretty fun geek-themed jack-o-lanterns. Kat, which one should we do?

An early script review for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes describes it as "escapist 'Pirates' adventure meets hilarious 'CSI' 1.0." Also draws comparisons to Indiana Jones and Zorro flicks.

Feel like a trip to Punxsutawney? Well, this'll have to do.

Showtime has ordered two more seasons (beyond the current third season) of their hit Dexter. If you're not watching it yet, it's time to jump on the bandwagon.

A new photo of Heath Ledger in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is up.

A new trailer is up for the long-delayed Trick 'r Treat. I've heard good buzz about it, and watching this trailer it could really harken back to movies like Cat's Eye and Creepshow. Unless they muck it up by making it more of an over-stylized modern-day slasher.

The Watchmen footage from last night's airing of the SCREAM 2008 awards is up. It's really freakin' good.

The creators of the game have panned the film adaptation of Max Payne. You know what I think Max Payne is? What I'd feel if I were to watch the movie. (I came up with that line last night and have since been excited to use it this morning.)

Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery have been working on the script for the film version of graphic novel Black Hole, but have since stepped off the project now that David Fincher is attached to direct. It has something to do with doing another rewrite they felt was unnecessary. But what I'm really curious about is if anyone out there has read it and can give me some feedback. It has always looked interesting.

They're making Big Momma's House 3 next year. Who do I mean by "they?" SATAN.

The new "Knight Rider" series has been picked up for a full first season. Why? I've heard nothing but bad things. "Fringe" was also given a full season, but that show is really, really good.

Wow, this movie came out on DVD just one month ago, and already they're double-dipping for the special edition. Not that I care, really. But I'm sure somebody out there is pissed.

A comprehensive list of what Battlestar Galactica fans have to look forward to over the next few months in terms of what and when for the second half of the fourth season and beyond. I didn't read the details since I'm not done with the third yet. You know, just in case.

Finally someone is talking about the God-awful packaging that The Simpsons: Season 11 DVDs came in. Such a good read, but it just infuriates me even more!

The rumors were true: Bioware and Lucasarts announced yesterday the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. It will take place 300 years after the KotOR games. This game sounds, well, massive. It really boggles my mind at the kind of work that it takes to get a game like this up and running. Anyway, read more on how the Jedi/Sith player choices will work over at 1up.com.

It should also be noted that while Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a PC game (seriously, we're still excluding Mac audiences?), it may have a life on consoles eventually.

The 20 free songs for Rock Band 2 owners have finally been revealed...but I don't recognize a one of them.

Shigeru Miyamoto has expressed his disappointment in developers who exploit violence in games. Let's wait and see how Wii Music does first, pal.

A very cool ad for Resistance 2 for PS3.