Check out this new band that has received a lot of buzz recently.
Could 2011 be the year of the sequel at Disney? That's the rumor coming from Ain't It Cool News, which claims there'll be not only a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean adventure in 2011 but a follow-up to Cars, a third entry in the Nicolas Cage National Treasure series and a TRON 3-D remake. Regarding a potential fourth Pirates flick, AICN reports that there are conflicting rumors about the plot, with one suggesting it would be "far more contained than its predecessors, allowing for a budget-friendly downsizing," while another suggests it would be even more big-budget than the first three, as in "ultra fantastical (dinosaurs, Jules Verne-esque floating fortresses, etc.)." No one is confirmed for a fourth Pirates flick, including star Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski, though Depp has claimed he'd be up for it if, as they say, the story is right.
LOST (ABC)
CURRENTLY AIRING For 10 episodes
INSIDE SCOOP Lost will take a break in mid-March before resuming the next month; the 16-episode season arc will be told in 13 episodes.
THE OFFICE (NBC)
RETURNS April 10
EPISODES TO AIR 5 or 6
30 ROCK (NBC)
RETURNS April 10
EPISODES TO AIR 5
INSIDE SCOOP What's in store? Spills Tina Fey via e-mail: ''Liz has a pregnancy scare.'' Even better, ''Jack may get called to serve his country.''
24 (Fox)
RETURNS Early '09
EPISODES TO AIR 24 (duh!)
INSIDE SCOOP For once, Jack Bauer isn't running out of time. Eight eps are done, and production will resume soon for an uninterrupted '09 season.
The Bourne Legacy
Veteran thriller maestro Lustbader (Black Heart, etc.) seizes the reins of Robert Ludlum's bestselling Jason Bourne series, proving that even Ludlum's death can't stop the ex-CIA operative. David Webb, a mild-mannered
The Bourne Betrayal
In Lustbader's workmanlike second novel to continue the saga of Robert Ludlum's amnesiac assassin and spy (after 2004's The Bourne Legacy), Jason Bourne joins the war on terror. Troubled by visions of a woman dying in his arms, Bourne seeks psychiatric help, unaware that the doctor is an imposter who has tampered with the rogue agent's already messy and incomplete memories. That mental sabotage is part of a diabolical plan by Islamic terrorists to strike at Washington, D.C., led by Karim, a human chameleon who has fooled the CIA—and Bourne—into believing that he's actually deputy CIA director Martin Lindros. Aided by an attractive fellow agent who manages to overcome her distrust of Bourne, he races the clock to uncover the traitor within the intelligence community. Lustbader is less successful than Ludlum in dramatizing Bourne's inner torment—a feature that distinguished the character from many similar thriller heroes.
Though he's doing it rather quietly, it's hard not to be impressed with what Hess and co-conspirator (and very funnyman) Mike White are doing here. Their comedies will never be as racy (or probably as funny) as the stuff coming from Camp Apatow, but I'm glad there's room in the world for directors who can make clean (Hess is a Mormon, in case anyone didn't know) but still solidly entertaining flicks without preaching to us about the filth that too often makes up the rest of our entertainment slate. 'Nuff said.
Yesterday I watched the Oscars. It was okay. I really enjoy watching the Oscars, and I especially enjoyed watching them with the help of my DVR, but I guess I wasn’t totally into them. I think the reason is that I haven’t seen a lot of the Oscar films this year. I don’t know what it is—maybe it’s just the fact that all the main films dealt with serial killers, greed, and death.
However, I still get geeked out from all the
With that being said, I can’t help but congratulate myself for guessing the Best Picture winner, No Country for Old Men, in our small little Oscar party last night. In fact, I actually tied with Emma and got 11 categories right in our Oscar pool. That’s not bad really. We planned a big Oscar party, but a huge spring snowstorm put the kibosh on it, so we only had a few friends over—but it was still fun. We also had some Oscar-themed food. Check out the pictures.
A few observations:
Here's the new trailer for the most amazing piece of television in the history of the small screen. Even though there's only going to be 6-8 episodes coming out in January, I'm totally excited. I was thinking too, that Lost is sure to be a ratings giant since there won't be a lot of alternative programing going on due to the writers' strike.
So, my Lord of the Rings geekiness was confirmed yesterday…yet again. I was talking to this guy about how The Hobbit was going to be made by Peter Jackson in the next couple of years. He asked me if Elijah Wood was going to be in it. “Oh, no” I said, “he played Frodo; it was Biblo who was in the first book.” I guess that that’s not totally geeky, but I was surprised at how quickly and with such passion that I responded to his question. You see, I’ve been a huge fan of LotR since I first read the books back in third grade. I’ve read the books several times now, and even watching this fake Hobbit trailer gives me the chills. Aren’t you guys excited!!
So, who do you think should direct?? (Peter Jackson probably won’t direct, but serve as an executive producer.) I’ve offered some suggestions here - ew.com has said that there’s currently three directors under consideration, all of which seem pretty apt for the job: Sam Raimi (Spider-man), Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), and Alfonso Cuaròn (HP: Prison of Azkaban, Children of Men). Personally, I think Cuaròn would make the best director for this type of franchise.
Also, they’re going to shoot two films simultaneously. This is interesting since The Hobbit or There and Back Again is only one book. The first movie would capture all the events that occur in the first tome. The next would link the conclusion of Tolkien’s prequel with The Fellowship of the Ring. I’m not sure what that would entail, but there’s actually an entire history out there of happenings outside of Tolkien’s original four books. I’ll have to mine my The Book of Lost Tales 1 that I bought in junior high but never got around to reading.
See also: Poems by J. R. R. Tolkien.
See Tolkien research for essays and text fragments by Tolkien published posthumously in academic publications and forums.
Are you tired of hearing about the writers’ strike? Or are you just mad that everyone is so selfish and can’t resolve their differences? It makes me so mad that I want to do something about it! So, in honor of those striking I’ve decided to grow a beard just like Conan O’Brien. Sure, it doesn’t really make sense, it’s more because I’m lazy and don’t go to BYU anymore and, well, maybe a certain someone likes how it feels; but it’s on my face and I’m posting a picture of it. So there. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you enjoy not watching your favorite shows on TV. It’s actually quite liberating. Go out and see the world (Discovery Channel), learn something new (History Channel), follow current events (C-Span), or catch up with an old friend (reruns?). Either way you’re not watching TV, er, TV that you normally watch. Or you can just grow a beard or not shave your legs. Something that demonstrates your frustration with the whole system through some lack of personal hygiene is all that’s really required and appreciated by writers who have no one to write for.
This title was inspired by the movie ‘Dan in Real Life’ starring the always funny Steve Carrel. I’ve yet to the see movie, actually, but I was watching ‘Ebert & Roeper’ (sans Ebert) and it was recommended on the basis that it would make you feel good. Kind of a like a comfort-food type of movie that still deals with real life. Also of note, the guy that directed it, Peter Hedges, directed and wrote one of my favoritetest movies of all-time: ‘About a Boy.’ Anywho, this post is dedicated to the prosaic and mundane little things that happen to us daily—the sum of which make up our lives.
I was at Wal-mart the other day, buying a DVD with a PG-13 rating. As the DVD went through the scanner, instead of a happy ding, there was a grumpy ‘err’ sound. The clerk then looked at me and asked me if I was over seventeen years-old. Really? Do I look like I’m still in high school? I’ve got to stop wearing my ‘I Heart Hanna Montana’ t-shirt.
Here’s the picture of Pres. Hinkley knighting Elder Eyring. I know this was innocent and all, but Mormons are funny about tradition and ceremony. I remember on my mission when a branch president in a really small rural area of
Here’s a picture of what my boss wore at a Halloween costume party yesterday. If you can’t tell he’s wearing a white trash can outfit, with sunglasses, and a sign around his neck that says ‘recycling.’ Get it? I didn’t. Either did my fellow judges when we voted him ‘worst costume.’ Apparently, he was a little offended that we bestowed this dubious honor upon him. Later, I had kind of a Michael Scott moment with him when he tried to explain to me that it was meant to be ‘cool trash’ and he looked at me for validation, and I just shook my head and said ‘hmmm, no.’ I don’t think that’ll help my impending performance review.
I always have gum and chap stick with me for some reason. Today, I picked up my gum and chap stick at the same time. I unwrapped a piece of gum and placed it in my mouth, then, while still holding the wrapper, I took off the cap to my chap stick and lubricated my lips. I then walked over to the trash can and threw the lid into the trash, while still holding the wrapper firmly in my hand. I just starred at the trash can for awhile before I got up the nerve to fish around in the trash to find my lid. This just confirms my sneaking suspicion that senility will be a smooth transition for me.
Finally, my sister sent me this picture of my cute nephew dressed as a lion for Halloween. When I was in kindergarten I was Lion-o from the Thundercats for Halloween. (Yes, I already know I was supercool.) So, I decided to call this picture Owen-o, because my nephew’s name is Owen. The end.
Apparently, Ron Howard and Tom Hanks have decided to fast-track ‘Angels and Demons,’ the prequel to ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ due to the looming writers’ strike. I’m excited for the second movie, because I thought that ‘A & D’ was a better book and more suited for a movie adaptation. Of course, I’m not excited to see Hanks’ faux mullet again.
Watch the mullet catch wind and carry Tom to safety!
I'm still a little wary about Season 7, but I kind of got the chills watching the trailer. So, here's hopin'
I know this title doesn’t really make sense unless you’re a Brian Regan fan, so here’s a little clip explaining this. Anyway, I did see a flock of moosen today at work! I know right? Awesome. There were actually only two of them. (I’m not sure how many you need for a flock?) We saw them first in the parking lot; it looked like they were coming right up to the front door of City Hall to complain. Fortuitously enough, right next to me looking out the window was a newspaper guy, and so I told him this: “Hey, this would be a great title for a front page story: ‘Even the Moose Come to City Hall to Complain!’” He looked at me like I was an idiot, which is exactly how I felt after his condescending non-response. Still, what a great place to work and live! Here are a couple of pics that I took after I saw them in the parking lot before they scampered off into the woodsen.
Monday
I guess last week was premier week on many of the networks. I decided to check out a couple of shows that had appeal to me. The first was ‘Chuck.’ This show is billed as an action/comedy. It’s getting great reviews, but I was kind of left with a ho-hum feeling. That’s not to say it was bad—the action sequences were amazing—it’s just that the comedy fell a little flat to me. I will say that the main character is very likable, and I think the show has a lot of potential.
That same night I watched another sitcom called ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ I wasn’t expecting much since the critics kind of panned it. I was also a little wary since it plays like a traditional sitcom: laugh track, situational humor, set up, joke, set up, joke, etc. But I must say I came away pleasantly surprised. It’s an extremely well-written sitcom and I found myself laughing out-loud many times. Also, Jim Parsons (Sheldon) plays out the nuances of his character with nerdlike perfection and wit. Check it out.
Tuesday
It was “old movie night” at my house…I was the only one invited. (Sidenote: sad). I watched this movie called The Apartment, which happened to be on my very long list of movies I need to watch. The premise of the movie was actually somewhat seedy for a movie that came out in 1960. It’s hailed as a comedy classic, but I would label it under the somewhat new moniker of ‘dramedy.’ It actually deals with some very serious issues that I thought were very ‘hush hush’ during this time period, of course, this was the beginning of the 60s…Anyway, I just wanted to say that the comic genius of Jack Lemmon was evident as he embodied the everyday man caught in extraordinary situations with bumbling ease. (See Some Like it Hot). Also, I kind of fell in love with Shirley MacLaine a little.
Wednesday
My sister and I decided to go to the circus on opening night—neither one of us had ever been and we thought it would be fun. And, well, we actually did have a good time, but I was kind of thrust into sensory overload with all the music, noise, clowns, lights, animals, etc. Have you ever seen the sequence in Dumbo when he (gasp!) gets drunk and starts dreaming of pink elephants on parade? To be honest, I couldn’t get that out of my head the entire night. The highlight, for me, was the Asian performers that would contort their bodies together into extravagant corporal pyramids that any cheerleading squad would drool over.
Thursday
Yes! The return of the ‘The Office’ was a sublime, life-affirming, feast of comedy. Ok, it wasn’t perfect, but it was good to see the characters I love back on the small screen. I’ve been watching this sitcom since it debuted. I remember telling people about it after the first season’s six episodes came out and no one had heard of it. So, I downloaded the episodes onto my laptop and carted them around, showing them to anyone that would watch. (I think I’ve seen the first season’s episode like twenty times or something—they’re still my favorite.)
Michael was, of course, beautifully annoying as usual and the PB & J scenes were played out to perfection; not too much and just enough that everyone I was with ‘aaahhhed’ when the TV crew caught the slight kiss in the car. It was a seamless resolution to last season’s cliffhanger.
P.S. Hayley - thanks for facilitating on ‘Office’ party at your apartment. I was especially fond of the green jell-o garnished with miniature staplers. Christian - again, I still don’t understand why you left with ‘six-pack chick’?
Oh, and btw...Creed's turning into on of my favorite characters:
Creed: I've been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower. But you make more money as a leader.
Friday
I went to see David O. McKay presents ‘The Smashing Pumpkins’ at the
Anyway, they really rocked the casbah with their 90s-defining alt-progressive rock. My favorite part, however, was when Billy did a couple of acoustic takes of some of his biggest hits. It was especially touching to hear him talk about a mother backstage telling him, before the beginning of the concert, about her daughter who recently passed away—she was a huge fan of their music. He dedicated the acoustic version of ‘1979’ to her. It’s my favorite Pumpkins song; in fact, it’s now my video wallpaper on my phone.
WeekEnd
-Radiohead’s giving away their newest album….should we still buy CDs Aaron?
-New Dashboard Confessional is streaming on MySpace and it’s all acousticked up.
Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone have a lot in common, both being aged action stars who had trouble playing anything but themselves (advantage Stallone). However, there is a big difference between Stallone’s gamble with “Rocky Balboa” and Ford’s “'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Here's the setup: My brother and his wife just got pregnant and they wanted to tell everyone before we took a picture to capture their reaction. Since I already knew this, I decided to shoot a video instead with my camera. You only need to watch the first 30 sec. of this video to catch their underwhelming response.
Andy: I am a great interviewee. Why? Because I have something no one else has: my brain. Which I use to my advantage, when advantageous.
