President Barack Obama

Today was a great day in American history.  Something that many thought they'd never see.  A black man on the steps of the Capitol taking the oath to become the leader of the United States.  It is an incredible story.  Only a few decades ago, everything was divided by white and color.  For someone that grew up in the MTV and Nickeloden generation of everyone could be whatever they wanted to be, it's no surprise to me that this happened.  But I am sure for all those people today that were affected by the racial wars, this day was for them.  Something they'd never thought would happen.  

Today was special as it united everyone no matter what color, religion, democrat/republican, everyone was united together for the celebration of Barack Obama becoming President.  It was nice to watch two million people come out to watch him speak and to watch him parade down to the White House, everyone coming out to the inaugural balls, everyone was there to celebrate this time in American history.  When kids read the history books, and they read about the first decade of the new century of the new millenium, it will seem like there was no positive with 9/11, Iraq, an economy in turmoil.  The end of this decade brings the 44th President, the 1st to be an African American.  A special day for him, for America, for the world.

As fate would have it, today was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, although it was cold.  President Obama and First Lady Michelle got out of their limosine to wave to the people that were gathered to see them.  Screams that made it sound like the first time The Beatles arrived in America.  Go back to 2001 when Bush had his inauguration.  It was a rainy, brutally cold day. They were no screams of joy, but shouts of protests, they did not get out to walk.  The point of it all is today, the country was united behind one man, his lady, and their two darling kids.  For the youth right now, we learned about the Kennedy family, young, Camelot, fashion statements, hope.  This is our Kennedy family, the modern day, MTV generation Obama family.  We all have hope for the next four years.  We hope that Obama will bring change and he promises to do so.  But he tells us all that we have to help bring change to ourselves as well.  To have a President have faith in the American people, to have  a President talking to everyone.  It is something that many of us growing up are not used to.  Our minds were still growing when Clinton was President.  Many of us just remember him most for the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the impeachment.  We all know all to well living with George W. Bush as President.  Obama is our man.  We brought change and now he must help bring change.

President Obama will wake up tomorrow as President for the first time.  I wish him luck.  I hope that he will bring the changes that he promised he would.  He wanted to unite the people and to give them all hope.  He has done that and it showed on Inauguration Day.  But tomorrow is Day One of his Presidency, where there is no more campaigning, no more promises, only actions.  I just hope that he is able to deliver.  It will be a hard task, and it may take some time.  Obama has brought hope to me and to many that there will be a better day, hope for a better tomorrow.  Yes We Can elect him, and hopefully we'll be able to say Yes He Did change America and the world.  Here's the famous moment, and of course the botched oath

Thirteen (2003)

This will i'm sure be the only time I ever watch a movie on Lifetime.  But this was a movie i've heard about and never actually seen, so I watched.  The movie stars Evan Rachel Wood as Tracy Freeland, a troubled teen seeking acceptance in the 7TH GRADE.  She is 13 years old.  When i was 13, I was having my bar-mitzvah and I was feeling pressure about fitting in.  I wasn't sure who I wanted to hang out with.  I wasn't sure who to invite to parties.  I wasn't really friends with girls.  And at my party, all of my "friends" at the time we're telling me i should've invited all these girls from school, which made me feel bad about myself.  The point of that little story is, watch this movie and try to understand what its like to be a 13 year old.  I'd say most of the time it's not as bad as this movie depicts.  But for Nikki Reed, who plays Tracy's new best friend Evie Zamora, this was pretty close to the truth.  Reed starred in the movie and also co-wrote it with director Catherine Hardwicke.  Pretty amazing to think she wrote this and only being 15.  

Evie introduces a world to Tracy that she's never seen before full of alcohol, drugs, sex, crime, self-harm, and hip-hop.  It's troubling to think that there are teenagers going through this everyday.  And to watch Tracy's mother, Mel played by Holly Hunter, to see her have a feeling that something is wrong, but feels there is nothing she could do to get her daughter to talk.  She feels helpless.  Granted, she isn't the best role model, smoking, dating a former cocaine addict.  Living in the house, with a father that feels it is more important to work and make money to help his children, the problems for Tracy start inside the house and then the troubles inside of school and dealing with everything that Evie brought into her life.  It's hard to watch a kid start cutting themselves to deal with the stress.  It makes for the ending to be a real heartbreaker.  

Reed went back to high school and then had to drop out because of parents telling her how inappropriate the movie was.  It was a controversial movie.  But it's here to show the truth of what some teenagers are getting involved with.  I believe it was shot to make a statement to parents to pay attention to your kids.  To teach them right from wrong so they could determine a good and bad crowd.  If you don't prepare them for it, they won't be able to make the right decisions.  So parents in the world, keep an eye on your kids, they grow up real fast, you have to do your part to help them make the right choices.  Even with the controversy, even though it was on Lifetime, it doesn't have the feeling of a Lifetime movie.  The mother isn't the main story.  She's a background story to the troubled 13 year olds.  

A few award nominations to note, Holly Hunter received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globes nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  Evan Rachel Wood was nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globes.  Check this movie out, and hell, let your kids watch.  Show them what can happen.  Here's the trailer:

24 FAN ALERT:  If you're a fan of 24 like I am, this movie has two 24 connections.  Brady Corbet, who plays Mason, Tracy's brother played Derek Huxley, the son of Diane, Jack's new girl in Day 5.  Also Sarah Clarke plays Birdie, who of course played Nina Myers, the killer of Jack's wife Teri.  In real life, Clarke is married to Xander Berkeley who played George Mason, Jack's supervisor.  And Mason is the name of Corbet's character on Thirteen. Well, how 'bout that.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Little Miss Sunshine was the debut movie by directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.  Where have those names been heard before?  They are the team that has brought many incredible music videos to MTV.  The movie was released in 2006 and starred Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, and introducing the adorable Abigail Breslin.  Together they are a dysfunctional family, the Hoovers.  It is a lovely story of a family dealing with drugs, homosexuality, suicide, teenage angst, and a family near bankruptcy.  They all must go on a road trip from their home in Albuquerque to Redondo, California where the Little Miss Sunshine Pagent is being held.  On the trip they ride their Volkswagon T2 Microbus which hasn't been made since 1979.  It is clear they have little money.  The car becomes one of the stars of the movie which everything going wrong along the ride.  Along with the car, the family must also overcome death and realizations of their own lives.  Road Trip movies are great for bringing families together as this movie does.  Through all of their problems they come together in a wonderful dance routine.  

Alan Arkin, Edwin, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role playing the Grandfather that got kicked out of a retirement home for having a heroin problem.  He doesn't have a care in the world, but he does have a close relationship with his granddaughter, Olive, played by Breslin, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.  She was the fourth youngest in the Academy's history (Tatum O' Neal in 1973's Paper Moon was the youngest.)  She plays the seven year old girl that qualifies for the beauty pagent, although she clearly doesn't have the look of a child beauty queen.  But, from his grandfather's advice, she understands that she has to be herself.  The other relationship in the movie is had by Steve Carrell, playing Frank, a homosexual, who after a failed attempt at love also failed at attempting suicide.  After coming to stay with the family, he forms a relationship with the silent Paul Dano, Dwayne.  He declares he hates everyone and has stayed silent until he can accomplish his dreams of being a jet pilot.  The two of them both lack enthusiasm of this trip, but are able to make a connection.  Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette play the husband and wife team of Sheryl and Richard.  I loved Kinnear in the role as a father whose persuing to be a life coach.  Something that in the beginning of the story doesn't seem like a good idea considering his family.  

It's a great story with excellent casting.  It also has a great soundtrack featuring DeVotchka, Surfjan Stevens, and of course, what movie would be complete without Rick James.   Along with Arkin's award, the movie also won a well deserved Academy Award for Best Screenplay to Michael Arndt, this being his first.  Look out for him as he is also working on the screenplay for Toy Story 3 in 2010.  Can't wait for that!  

 

So what do we learn from Little Miss Sunshine?  If your family is nuts, the best think to do, get a van, throw everyone in, and drive somewhere.  And when you get home, the family will be closer than ever...until the next day when everything is back to normal.  Here is the trailer:

And here is the music video from DeVotchka.  The song is "Till The End Of Time"

Giant Dissapointment

I did everything I could to support the Giants yesterday.  I came back home to a cold New Jersey after being poolside in Florida, I flew JetBlue so I could have DirecTV so I could watch the game.  And I thought of a great idea, lets see where it goes.  "FAN FLIGHTS"  It seemed like most of the screens were on the game and it felt like a Sports Bar without any drunks and more crying babies.  Curses when there were dropped passes, applauding after a good rush, I was thinking a chant was gonna start.  So my idea is we fly a bunch of fans to watch a game and then go somewhere after the game.  Just an idea.  Anyways, I watched the first half and the first part of the third quarter.  I listened to the rest of the third quarter and the first part of the fourth on the radio coming home (where the game ended) and then I got home to watch the official end of the game.

What a tough loss.  It's disappointing when a team plays so hard to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  They went 11-1.  Then Plaxico Burress shoots himself in the leg, and the season goes downhill.  Eli Manning wasn't the same.  I heard a stat, in the last four games of the season and the one and only post season game, Eli only threw two touchdown passes.  And they were both to tight ends, not to wide receivers.  The coverage to Plax aloud other receivers like Steve Smith and Amani Toomer to get open.  Ward and Jacobs were able to get open for short passes.  Eli lost his big target.  A 6'5" wide receiver is tought to replace.  And it showed.  I like Domenik Hixon, but he's not ready to be a #1 yet, Steve Smith can be real good, but he's not there yet.  They lost their #1 WR and it showed.  Look at Eli's numbers without Burress....

• 12/7 vs PHI LOST 20-14 - 13/27, 123 yards, 1 touchdown (Darcy Johnson - TE) 
• 12/14 at DAL LOST 20-8 - 18/35, 191 yards, 2 interceptions
• 12/21 vs CAR WON 34-28 - 17/27, 181 yards, 1 touchdown (Kevin Boss - TE)
• 12/29 at MIN LOST 20-19 - 11/19, 119 yards
• 1/11 vs PHI LOST 23-11 - 15/29, 169 yards, 2 interceptions
  

The numbers are just not good enough, He didn't have a wide receiver he was comfortable.  The young receivers were not ready to put big enough numbers up after Burress was done.

But, granted, even without Plax, I still felt this team was good enough to win.  But, what hurt the Giants yesterday was a lot.  What went wrong?  I could tell you that.  Here's the offense low moments 

1. The game opens up with an Ahmad Bradshaw kickoff return for 65 yards, Giants start at the PHI 35.  And they can't score.  They were down to the 9 on third down.  It would be great if they could do a play action pass to Burress.  But, there's no one there that could do it.  Manning has to do a short pass to Ward and they don't get enough for a first down and only get a FG by John Carney to make it 3-0 Giants
2. The Giants start on their own 13.  They should be running the ball, cause its a dangerous area to be throwing, especially against the wind.  What happens?  Eli throws a floater To Asante Samuel for an interception.  McNabb scores to make it 7-3 Eagles
3. Two drives in a row end on long passes, one to Toomer the other to Smith.  Both are close to being grabbed, but the wind takes the ball too far and they can't complete the catches.  
4. In the second quarter, Manning tries on 2nd and 3rd down to pass, but both are incomplete.  Instead of running and going for a closer Field Goal, Carney has to kick a 46 yarder which goes wide right.  7-5 Eagles still.  They had two kickers, Carney and Lawrence Tynes, the hero from last year's NFC Championship.  Tynes was supposed to do kickoffs and long FG's.  This should have been kicked by Tynes in my opinion.
5. The last drive, the FG opportunity was made possible by Kevin Boss who got a 21 yard reception.  This drive, another opportunity set up by Boss with a 25 yard reception.  Jacobs then runs for 21 yards.  Then after a penalty, the Giants have 1st and 5 on the PHI 25.  1st down, pass incomplete.  2nd down, pass incomplete, 3rd down, pass to Ward for 4 yards.  No first down.  Giants have to settle for another FG.  1st and 5, i don't see how you can't run Jacobs there after he just had a huge run.  But, still 8-7 Giants
6. Third quarter, a great interception by Fred Robbins sets up the Giants on the PHI 17 yard line.  Jacobs runs for 11 first down.  He then runs for 5.  2nd down, pass incomplete.  3rd down, pass incomplete.  2nd and 5.  Run the ball again!  Passing didn't work the first half.  Keep the run game going!  They settle for ANOTHER Field Goal by Carney.  11-10 Giants
7. Fourth quarter, with the Giants down 20-11.  Still plenty of time to play.  Giants have a 4th and 1 on their own 44.  With Jacobs, Ward, and Bradshaw, anyone that could get a yard I'd say.  They try a QB sneak, Eli doesn't get it.  Next drive, 4th and 2.  Jacobs can only get 1 yard and they turn it over.  And both drives they had 3rd and 3 and 3rd and 5.  And they can't do anything.  Eagles get the ball back and kick a field goal to get ahead 23-11 and win the game.

Overall, Eli couldn't pass in the wind, they didn't use the run enough, and they don't use the Field Goal kicker they brought in for long kicks....for long kicks.

The defense was good most of the game.  They should have held them for the last 1 minute 24 seconds of the second quarter.  Instead they let them get down the field to get another Philly Field Goal which got them the lead 10-8.  And Of course they should have taken care of business on 3rd and 20.  Which led to a Philly Field Goal and made it 13-11.  Two big drives for the Eagles that gave them back the lead.  The latter lead they never lost.  But, i can't blame the defense, they did their job.  This loss is on the offense.'

So, a dissapointing loss at home in the playoffs against a rival.  It hurts, it does.  But, the Giants did better than were expected this year.  They weren't expected to win the division.  They weren't expected to be a 11-1.  They weren't expected to finish the season with 12 wins.  This was the Cowboys division this year and they didn't make the playoffs.  The Eagles, a team that there was a possibility they could make the playoffs at the beginning of the year.  Donovan McNabb, who didn't know there were ties in Football.  Andy Reid who was coaching terribly.  They tie the horrible Cincinnati Bengals.  McNabb gets benched after playing so poorly against the Ravens.  At 5-5-1, there was no way they'd make the playoffs.  They get hot, McNabb gets the starting position against Arizona on Thanksgiving.  Can you even believe that was even a debate?  They beat the Giants in the Meadowlands.  They beat Cleveland.  They lose by a yard to Washington.  They were 8-6-1.  A small possibility they could make the playoffs.  They needed Oakland to beat Tampa Bay (who had to win to clinch a playoff spot), they needed either Minnesota (who was playing the Giants) or Chicago to lose in Houston, both teams were playing to win the NFC North.  Oakland beats Tampa Bay and eliminates them.  Minnesota beats the Giants to win the division.  Houston beats Chicago to eliminate them from the playoffs.  Then they had to beat the Cowboys, a team that was expected to win the NFC East, possible Super Bowl contender just to make the playoffs.  And the Eagles destroy the Cowboys 44-6.  They go to Minnesota and win 26-14 in the Wildcard.  And then yesterday, they go to the Meadowlands and beat the Giants 23-11 to advance to the NFC Championship.  It is their 5th in 8 years.  As much as I hate the Eagles, you have to give them credit for battling into the playoffs and now they are road warriors, much like the Giants were last year in the playoffs.  

Now the Eagles play the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship in University Of Phoenix Stadium, where the Giants won Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots only 12 months ago.  And they will face a Cardinals team with Kurt Warner, the same Warner that was benched by the Giants so that the Eli Manning era could start in 2004. 

And what an Era it has been.  4 straight playoff appearences, 3 dissapointing losses (2 of which were at home), 4 playoff victories (all on the road), 1 Super Bowl victory.  That victory will always stay.  

So, the Giants will take time off and think about this game this lost season.  After the perfect ending from the year before to the lost season of this year.  They have some decisions to make.  Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward are both free agents.  They should definately resign Jacobs.  Ward, unfortunately I think will look for more money elsewhere and want to be a #1.  If he can stay, that would be great, but I don't expect it.  Will Plaxico Burress come back to the team or will he go to jail?  Will the Giants allow him back.  Personally, I don't think they should after he destroyed this season.  The Giants should go sign a #1 Wide Receiver, my choice being TJ Houshmandzadeh.  He's the biggest name on the free agent market in 2009.  Go after him.  The defense will stay strong.  Osi Umeniyura will come back and he will be healthy, and hopefully stay healthy.  So what advice to I have for the Giants in the next season?  Let someone else win the NFC East, win a Wildcard position and be road warriors again.  I expect them to be good again, and they should be able to win the division again.  If they do, make sure not to have a bye. 

So football season is over for me.  I hope the Cardinals win it all.  But my pick is the Steelers.  And now, it's 32 days until pitchers and catchers report in Florida.  And this could be a big year for the Yankees.  So I say, PLAY BALL! 

And for you sad Giants fans out there today.  Just think, we'll always have that 17-14 victory over the Patriots destroying their perfect season.  It happened, we'll always have it.  

10 Items Or Less (2006)

10 Items Or Less is an independent movie directed by Brad Silberling.  It stars Morgan Freeman and Paz Vega.  It has some humor and not much drama.  It's not one of the greatest movies ever made, but for what it is, it is a nice independent movie.  It was shot in only 15 days and it stars Freeman as "Himself".  He is dropped off by Jonah Hill, who can't go a minute in a movie without saying blowjob, manages to be in this movie for just a minute and gets to say blowjob.  Bonus points for getting Morgan to say it too though.  The movie has nothing to do with blowjobs though.  It is actually a movie about Freeman not shooting any movies for 4 years and gets dropped of at a market to perform research for his next role.  There he meets Paz Vega (Spanglish) and they hit it off and get to know each other throughout the film.  He wants to help her get off her feet, to stop settling with the job she has, with the man she has, he wants to show her that she can do what she wants.  She just has to learn how to act that way. Freeman enjoys talking to her as he sees a reflection of himself in her.

It's a nice little indie-movie.  If the actor was anyone else it may not be as cool.  It has the feel of a reality show, dropping off a celebrity at some random place and then getting to know who is there.  Networks, come on, I got a hot idea here!

And speaking of ideas, Freeman had a great one with this movie.  The movie became the first film to premiere in theatres and then be able to be downloaded only two weeks after.  It was put on Clickstar, a site Freeman founded.  I'm not sure what is going on with the site right now, but it appears they have a deal with Intel to make it a larger venture, but it seems like a good idea to me.  

Here's the trailer:

Runnin' Down A Dream (2007)

If you have about four hours to kill, I would recommend watching the Rockumentary Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers.  It was first released in 2007 and directed by Peter Bogdanovich (best known for The Last Picture Show and also as Dr. Elliot Kupferberg on The Sopranos)  The band may possibly be the greatest American Rock Band.  Their story doesn't make for wonderful drama, but for the music lover it is a wonderful story of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers.  From their early start as Mudcrutch in Gainesville, Florida.  The band left to Los Angeles and signed with Shelter Records.  But the band was just not ready for the big-time.  And ended in 1975.  Petty, Mike Campbell(guitar), and Benmont Trench(piano) went on to form To Petty And The Heartbreakers along with Ron Blair(bass) and Stan Lynch(drums).  They released their self-titled debut album in 1976 and had hits right away with "Breakdown" and "American Girl".  It was the beginning of a great music journey.

The band celebrated their 30th Anniversary in 2006, and amazingly the group is still almost together.  Blair left the band in 1982 and was replaced by Howie Epstein.  An interesting story in the movie is how he came to the band.  Petty was producing Del Shannon's Drop Down And Get Me.  Epstein was the bassist for Del's band.  Tom liked his look and sound and asked him to join the band.  Del was pissed, but Epstein joined the Heartbreakers.  Epstein died in 2003 from drug use unfortunately.  And Blair who reunited with the band for their 2002 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame re-joined the band.  Lynch was the drummer until 1994 when he left the band when he did not like the direction Petty was going.  He was replaced by Steve Ferrone who worked up a nice resume playing with the Average White Band, Duran Duran, and Eric Clapton.  He met Campbell at a George Harrison show in London.  

The rockumentary is filled with the facts that you may have missed that could keep a rock conversation going including Petty calling up Dave Grohl in September 1994 to drum with the band on Saturday Night Live after Lynch left the band.  In a shown interview with Grohl, he explains how it was the first time he really wanted to drum since Nirvana ended.  And then there are the stories of being invited to open up and be the backing band for Bob Dylan at Farm Aid which turned into tours around the world.  And then having the chance to be invited to be the backing band for Johnny Cash's Unchained in 1996.  The album included one Petty song, "Southern Accents".  On Cash's next album American III: Solitary Man in 2000, the band was invited again to play, and he covered "I Won't Back Down"

It is a great music story as Tom Petty, who grew up on the Beatles, who first wanted to play guitar after seeing them on the Ed Sullivan Show, much like many other musicians.  But, the explanation of how the Traveling Wilburys came about was interesting.  A bunch of coincidences brought together Petty, with Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne.  The supergroup made great music together.  The movie touches upon that as well as Petty's solo albums which weren't really solo at all as he had the Heartbreakers perform tracks.  

The band shows their passion for music, but also a passion for the history of the music with the music connections they have made.  With new and archived interviews with the band along with Stevie Nicks, Rick Rubin, Jimmy Iovine, Jackson Browne, George Harrison, Eddie Vedder, and even Johnny Depp who has his own connection with the band.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers started rocking in the 70's, became one of the poster Rock bands for MTV in the 80's, continued rocking in the 90's with 4 #1's on the U.S. Rock chart, and became Hall of Famer rockers in the new millenium.  They continue to tour today and still sound great.  Watch the rockumentary, and better yet, see them live.

Here's the Trailer

 

Adaptation. (2002)

So this is my first post in my new blog.  This is where I will be making daily reviews of something, anything, just where I can talk about something.  It's New Years Day,  went to a great party last night.  Open bar til 3 AM, all I wanted to do today was sleep and watch the Twilight Zone marathon on Sci-Fi.  And I did, but I was also able to manage to take some time and watch a movie that has been on my "To See" list for a few years now.

Spike Jonze's 2002 flick, Adaptation. starring Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper.  It is a great story of Charlie Kaufman in the process of having writers block, trying to write a screenwrite for Susan Orlean's book The Orchid Thief which is a book written about John Laroche, an orchid pocher on trial.  Cage and Streep both received Academy Award nominations for their performances.  Cooper won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Laroche.  I enjoyed this movie.  You always wonder what's on someone elses mind.  This movie gives you the opportunity to see what was going through the mind of a writer with writer's block.  And it seems like it was a great idea to have the movie Adaptation. instead of The Orchid Thief.  The story, I doubt, would have been very good.  From Kaufman's description of the story, the story was just boring, you won't care about the characters, theres no climax, there's just no reason for the movie.  Kaufman doesn't want to change the beautiful story of flowers, but he knows it sucks. He and his twin brother Donald (both whom received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay)  added more to the story and certainly made it more exciting with sex, drugs, and car chases.   Kaufman took the story and made a wonderful Adaptation.  And we owe this movie to his writer's block and depression.  Thanks for going through it all Charlie, a great movie came out of it.  And you have to thank Donald, he certainly had his part in it.  And once this was done, he was able to work on another project, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind.  

And if you find yourself in Hoboken, check out Willie McBride's, good drinks and friendly bartenders, good on New Years Eve and good any time!  Happy 2009! 

Here's the trailer for Adaptation.