Saw Up earlier today - will review in the next day or so but until then, there was a very special trailer before the movie...
2009-05-30
2009-05-29
Top 25 Songs EVER!
A few days ago, I launched a project that I expect to take quite some time.
I decided that I would attempt to create a list of my Top 25 favorite songs... EVER!
For most, this would be a near-impossible task. For me, it gets even worse because of my OCDish tendency to want to make all "mixtapes"/lists the same way. Start with every possibility and work my way backwards one by one by one. So, couple that insanity with a library that currently hits over 7000 songs - you can quickly sense my problem.
But I've only been working at this for a handful of days [okay, maybe a week or so] and I'm already down to 5000 so progress is being made and being made rapidly.
Even at this early stage though, I've already encountered tough choices.
Cut Pearl Jam's "Last Kiss?" Really? It seems like a painful thing to do but when I actually stop and think about it, there's likely 25 Pearl Jam songs ALONE that I like better than "Last Kiss" so it's almost impossible that it'd actually crack the 25.
Then there was the decision to eliminate all Christmas music from consideration. It just didn't seem a fair comparison to make. I almost made the same choice with classical/score type music but I've opted not to... for now.
It is, however, giving me a chance to hear songs that I haven't heard in a long, long time. I'm constantly surprised to see the low play counts for songs that I really, really like. And likewise, I'm surprised to see the high play counts for songs that I barely know although some of that we can blame on having a shared library, I'm sure.
It's a fun project though. In the 30 minutes before I started writing this, I knocked off an additional hundred plus songs so as long as I can get a chance to knock down a heaping handful a day, this should be done... oh, sometime this summer at worst, right?
Right?
Please?
I decided that I would attempt to create a list of my Top 25 favorite songs... EVER!
For most, this would be a near-impossible task. For me, it gets even worse because of my OCDish tendency to want to make all "mixtapes"/lists the same way. Start with every possibility and work my way backwards one by one by one. So, couple that insanity with a library that currently hits over 7000 songs - you can quickly sense my problem.
But I've only been working at this for a handful of days [okay, maybe a week or so] and I'm already down to 5000 so progress is being made and being made rapidly.
Even at this early stage though, I've already encountered tough choices.
Cut Pearl Jam's "Last Kiss?" Really? It seems like a painful thing to do but when I actually stop and think about it, there's likely 25 Pearl Jam songs ALONE that I like better than "Last Kiss" so it's almost impossible that it'd actually crack the 25.
Then there was the decision to eliminate all Christmas music from consideration. It just didn't seem a fair comparison to make. I almost made the same choice with classical/score type music but I've opted not to... for now.
It is, however, giving me a chance to hear songs that I haven't heard in a long, long time. I'm constantly surprised to see the low play counts for songs that I really, really like. And likewise, I'm surprised to see the high play counts for songs that I barely know although some of that we can blame on having a shared library, I'm sure.
It's a fun project though. In the 30 minutes before I started writing this, I knocked off an additional hundred plus songs so as long as I can get a chance to knock down a heaping handful a day, this should be done... oh, sometime this summer at worst, right?
Right?
Please?
2009-05-28
Some Random Thoughts
Just sneaking in before the witching hour with some random thoughts about random stuff...
*** Lakers heading into Game 6!
It's not like I don't have absolute faith in the Purple & Gold but... well, let's just say that when I found out that Game 7 was scheduled for Sunday evening, I had to put in quite the effort at work today to get them to switch my schedule so I worked in the morning instead. Gotta be prepared, you know?
*** Prop 8
I know, I know. After all the fuss I raised back in November, you expected some huge diatribe on my part but I don't think I have it in me this week. Suffice to say that with all the riots, all the crime, all the jokes about pollution and earthquakes and fake breasts and all that jazz, I can honestly say that I can only recall two times in my life where I've been embarrassed to be from California and they both were because of this issue. It's a crime, it's a travesty, and until it's righted, it's a wrong that Californians shouldn't just accept. Oh, and for all those religious folks out there crying "Morality prevailed" - you can come pay me a visit and we'll discuss your morality and what it means to real people.
*** Remakes! Remakes! Remakes!
I know everyone's GOT to be as sick of the remake trend in Hollywood as I am. It seems like every week has a half dozen remakes greenlighted but this week scraped the bottom of the barrel. "Hey, I know. Let's make a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie but not involve ANYONE that actually saved that creative concept the first time around." God forbid they actually make money on something.
*** Twilight At Comic-Con
I'm disillusioned, I must admit. I can not fathom any earthly idea why there would be a Twilight panel at Comic-Con. Not one. Not a single hint of one. I know it's popular, I know it appeals to horny teenage girls. But come on... really? This is almost enough reason alone to make me not want to go this year.
*** Battlestar Galactica Lives On
And I'm not even talking about Caprica. Between receiving the soundtrack in the mail, last night's post about the live concerts of the score, and the super-fantastic amazing board game that the Missus and I just finished a rousing game of, I'm more in love with BSG than ever.
Oh, and I don't really have a comment on this but...
How 'bout them Dodgers?
*** Lakers heading into Game 6!
It's not like I don't have absolute faith in the Purple & Gold but... well, let's just say that when I found out that Game 7 was scheduled for Sunday evening, I had to put in quite the effort at work today to get them to switch my schedule so I worked in the morning instead. Gotta be prepared, you know?
*** Prop 8
I know, I know. After all the fuss I raised back in November, you expected some huge diatribe on my part but I don't think I have it in me this week. Suffice to say that with all the riots, all the crime, all the jokes about pollution and earthquakes and fake breasts and all that jazz, I can honestly say that I can only recall two times in my life where I've been embarrassed to be from California and they both were because of this issue. It's a crime, it's a travesty, and until it's righted, it's a wrong that Californians shouldn't just accept. Oh, and for all those religious folks out there crying "Morality prevailed" - you can come pay me a visit and we'll discuss your morality and what it means to real people.
*** Remakes! Remakes! Remakes!
I know everyone's GOT to be as sick of the remake trend in Hollywood as I am. It seems like every week has a half dozen remakes greenlighted but this week scraped the bottom of the barrel. "Hey, I know. Let's make a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie but not involve ANYONE that actually saved that creative concept the first time around." God forbid they actually make money on something.
*** Twilight At Comic-Con
I'm disillusioned, I must admit. I can not fathom any earthly idea why there would be a Twilight panel at Comic-Con. Not one. Not a single hint of one. I know it's popular, I know it appeals to horny teenage girls. But come on... really? This is almost enough reason alone to make me not want to go this year.
*** Battlestar Galactica Lives On
And I'm not even talking about Caprica. Between receiving the soundtrack in the mail, last night's post about the live concerts of the score, and the super-fantastic amazing board game that the Missus and I just finished a rousing game of, I'm more in love with BSG than ever.
Oh, and I don't really have a comment on this but...
How 'bout them Dodgers?
2009-05-27
Hey! That's Weird!
So, I was super-stoked when I got home to find my long-awaited copy of the Battlestar Galactica Season One soundtrack waiting for me.
And imagine my surprise [and pure joy] when I read this just moments ago...
Anyone else up for this?
And imagine my surprise [and pure joy] when I read this just moments ago...
(May 27, 2009- Burbank, CA) – Battlestar Galactica and Caprica composer Bear McCreary will have a busy summer, with the release of two soundtrack recordings and concert performances. On June 13 the music from Battlestar Galactica will kick-off the 2009 Grand Performances Series at California Plaza. Three days later, on June 16, La-La Land Records will release the soundtrack for Caprica.
Bear McCreary will again conduct the music from Battlestar Galactica for three nights at the House of Blues in San Diego from July 23-25th – during Comic Con! The concerts will celebrate the July 21 release of a special 2-CD set, Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.
Anyone else up for this?
2009-05-26
Blue's Reviews: Star Trek (spoilers ahead!)
I promised the review and despite the urge to address what happened in California today, I shall do so.
STAR TREK
DISCLAIMER: I write this review having seen only one Star Trek movie - the very first one. I saw it many, many moons ago as a child and remember nothing about it other than I fell asleep during it. I haven't seen a single Trek movie since then. I also have never seen The Next Generation or Voyager or...I think that's it, right? I was a fan of Deep Space Nine for 2 or 3 seasons but gave it up long before the end. So, with that in mind, I go into the movie with no love of the franchise to insult.
That being said...
I dug it. I really dug it. It was a fun, exciting, amusing sci-fi flick and J.J. Abrams outdid himself, IMO. It had just enough geek to stay sci-fi but not enough to drown in (although the Missus wasn't feelin' the time travel stuff.) As a non-Star Trek fan but someone familiar with some of the Trekisms, it was cool to see them effort to work in the, "Damn it, Jims" and "I'm givin' it all she's got, Captain!"
The appearance of old Spock caught me by surprise. I knew Leonard Nimoy was in the movie but I assumed it was just a cameo. That was no cameo. He played a major part in the movie and even as a non-fan, I got a little bit of a chill when he arrived on the scene. It makes me glad that the Shatner stuff didn't work out because I think that might have been overkill.
So, I liked the action, the humor, the effects... the acting was "okay." It wasn't Oscar-worthy but it doesn't need to be. It was good enough for what it needed to be and didn't distract from the movie.
What didn't I like?
There were a few Lucas-esque "Let's do this crazy creature/action scene just because we can" moments especially on the ice planet thing that as a Star Wars fan instantly reminded me of Hoth. Also, there were a couple of comedic sequences that seemed kinda... odd. Not quite Peter Parker in a dance sequence odd but approaching that level. I've read a few interviews where the filmmakers thought that humor was very important to the movie so... well, they accomplished that.
But all in all, I really was happy with the movie and I have a feeling I'm going to be very glad this was my first movie of the summer instead of Wolverine or Terminator.
What does it take to get a non-Star Trek fan enthused enough to rush out to see Star Trek?
Four words: In J.J. we trust.
STAR TREK
DISCLAIMER: I write this review having seen only one Star Trek movie - the very first one. I saw it many, many moons ago as a child and remember nothing about it other than I fell asleep during it. I haven't seen a single Trek movie since then. I also have never seen The Next Generation or Voyager or...I think that's it, right? I was a fan of Deep Space Nine for 2 or 3 seasons but gave it up long before the end. So, with that in mind, I go into the movie with no love of the franchise to insult.
That being said...
I dug it. I really dug it. It was a fun, exciting, amusing sci-fi flick and J.J. Abrams outdid himself, IMO. It had just enough geek to stay sci-fi but not enough to drown in (although the Missus wasn't feelin' the time travel stuff.) As a non-Star Trek fan but someone familiar with some of the Trekisms, it was cool to see them effort to work in the, "Damn it, Jims" and "I'm givin' it all she's got, Captain!"
The appearance of old Spock caught me by surprise. I knew Leonard Nimoy was in the movie but I assumed it was just a cameo. That was no cameo. He played a major part in the movie and even as a non-fan, I got a little bit of a chill when he arrived on the scene. It makes me glad that the Shatner stuff didn't work out because I think that might have been overkill.
So, I liked the action, the humor, the effects... the acting was "okay." It wasn't Oscar-worthy but it doesn't need to be. It was good enough for what it needed to be and didn't distract from the movie.
What didn't I like?
There were a few Lucas-esque "Let's do this crazy creature/action scene just because we can" moments especially on the ice planet thing that as a Star Wars fan instantly reminded me of Hoth. Also, there were a couple of comedic sequences that seemed kinda... odd. Not quite Peter Parker in a dance sequence odd but approaching that level. I've read a few interviews where the filmmakers thought that humor was very important to the movie so... well, they accomplished that.
But all in all, I really was happy with the movie and I have a feeling I'm going to be very glad this was my first movie of the summer instead of Wolverine or Terminator.
What does it take to get a non-Star Trek fan enthused enough to rush out to see Star Trek?
Four words: In J.J. we trust.
2009-05-25
Holiday Greetings
Hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day!
Check back tomorrow for my review of Star Trek!
Check back tomorrow for my review of Star Trek!
2009-05-24
Glee
Sigh.
That's the best word I can use to describe my feelings after seeing the pilot for Fox's new show Glee (available at last glance for free on the Apple iTunes Store.)
I loved it. Absolutely adored it. No surprise for those of you who recall my "affinity for musicals", I'm sure. It was cute, charming, well-done, quirky, had likable characters that you could relate to, and all those little things that make shows so much fun. Plus, did I mention that it has musical numbers? Word.
A Facebook friend had opined that Glee was the most fun and engaging first show they've seen since Pushing Daisies. I'm not sure I'm ready to pour that much love on it quite yet but it's not far off the mark. How can you not love a show that drops a performance of Mr. Cellophane and I Kissed A Girl in the same segment?
But therein lies the sigh.
Because if Fox as a company has showed us absolutely anything at all, it's that they can't be trusted with a property worth having. See: Firefly, Arrested Development, Wonderfalls among others. And my immediate reaction upon watching this magnificent piece of television was...
"How the hell did they get Fox to approve this pilot and how the hell will it survive more than three episodes?"
My faith in Fox has never been lower [even after the Dollhouse renewal] so I'm not hopeful that this show will be around past the fall of 2009 so I'll opt to enjoy the time with it that I get and hope for the best.
If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go check it out.
That's the best word I can use to describe my feelings after seeing the pilot for Fox's new show Glee (available at last glance for free on the Apple iTunes Store.)
I loved it. Absolutely adored it. No surprise for those of you who recall my "affinity for musicals", I'm sure. It was cute, charming, well-done, quirky, had likable characters that you could relate to, and all those little things that make shows so much fun. Plus, did I mention that it has musical numbers? Word.
A Facebook friend had opined that Glee was the most fun and engaging first show they've seen since Pushing Daisies. I'm not sure I'm ready to pour that much love on it quite yet but it's not far off the mark. How can you not love a show that drops a performance of Mr. Cellophane and I Kissed A Girl in the same segment?
But therein lies the sigh.
Because if Fox as a company has showed us absolutely anything at all, it's that they can't be trusted with a property worth having. See: Firefly, Arrested Development, Wonderfalls among others. And my immediate reaction upon watching this magnificent piece of television was...
"How the hell did they get Fox to approve this pilot and how the hell will it survive more than three episodes?"
My faith in Fox has never been lower [even after the Dollhouse renewal] so I'm not hopeful that this show will be around past the fall of 2009 so I'll opt to enjoy the time with it that I get and hope for the best.
If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go check it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
