There are things in life we are always going to remember. Things like your first day of school, your first kiss, and your first child’s birth. These are moments that will flash in your head from time to time, and that you have a permanent mental picture saved in your memory bank. One such moment like that for me was the first time I heard N.W.A.’s album “Straight Outta Compton”.
With one annual exception, I rarely spend much time watching reality shows on television. That exception has arrived this month, as I feast upon a slew of food- and cooking-themed programs.
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What happens when the day you have been breathlessly anticipating finally arrives? You start to think it will never happen, and then just like that, you are sitting in a dark theater surrounded by gaggles of other like-minded women (and a few men). You and the other women just know that you will love Sex and the City 2, because you have loved these characters for years, and you would follow these four women anywhere. Those who never cared for the television series may not care for the film, but the filmmakers made this film for you, and other devotees of the television series. But while I loved the experience, Sex and the City 2 needs a clearer story and stronger writing. Like many sequels, Sex and the City 2 is not as satisfying as the first film. [Read more →]
This week I am devoting my column to one amazing clip I saw from an upcoming movie. Please allow me to explain. Now that I am a dad, I am soon going to be suffering through movies made for kids. And everyone knows the formula to a great kid’s movie- talking animals, dancing animals, sunglass-wearing animals, groin shots, and fart scenes. This clip takes the beloved, always funny, always painful, and always crowd pleasing shot to the groin to a whole new level. [Read more →]
Lost is dead. Long live Lost. And so it ends, in much the same way it began: with a close-up of Jack’s eye, staring straight up past the tall stalks of bamboo that circled the sky above. This time however, that eye would close, and with it, our six-season journey that took us right back to where we started — with questions about a mysterious show that seemed to parallel the mysteries of life. For some, the journey was far more compelling than the destination. For others, it was the perfect resolution and they can walk away feeling fulfilled. Whatever you thought about the conclusion, the one thing most viewers can agree on is that the show challenged us to think in ways we might not have otherwise. In short, Lost was a real trip. And what a long, strange trip it’s been.
I enjoyed the first Iron Man so much that I was really looking forward to Iron Man 2. I should have known better. I would watch Robert Downey Jr. in anything and Tony Stark is a compelling character, but Iron Man 2 falters under the weight of Justin Theroux’s bloated screenplay. Even able director Jon Favreau cannot recreate the magic of the first film. [Read more →]
I’m sick and tired of reading about liberals attacking Rand Paul as a racist ( 1, 2, and 3 ) when his views could just as easily be seen as advocating for the freedom and the rights of Morehouse College, and other historically black colleges and universities, to serve whomever they wish to serve. It’s the kind of hypocritical political nonsense I think we’ve all come to expect from the Two Main Parties. It really makes me want to vomit.
So I’m going to discuss some thoughts I had that were generated by a quote from a book that came up in conversation. It’s from Edward “Father of PR” Bernays’s Propaganda (1928).
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized.
I know I have been M.I.F.A. I apologize… life happens… shit happens… and things in between happen. But it’s finale season and while this marks the end of good television and the beginning of crappy summer fillers, I live for these weeks in May. I recently acquired a completely legitimate prescription for Valium (Dude, I swear it’s kinda legit) and it came just in time for highly intense TV goodness. Let’s pop a pill and dive right in. [Read more →]
In the penultimate episode of Lost, “What They Died For,” Jacob tells the surviving Losties why he chose them as candidates: “I chose you because you were all alone. You were all looking for something that you couldn’t find out there. I chose you because you needed this place as much as it needed you.” This explanation really resonated with me, on one hand because it provided a mythologically sound answer to the main question I’ve always had about Lost: why do all these characters have major issues? And having that answer provided the other reason I really liked the explanation: I immediately understood that while Jacob was addressing the remaining candidates, he was really speaking to us. [Read more →]
While waiting in line for a preview screening of Letters to Juliet, I overheard an exchange between two twenty-something females in front of me. “I think this is going to be one of those romantic movies, and that is bad. Real life isn’t like that.” They were right of course. Real life is rarely like Hollywood romantic films. So if you do not like chick flicks, stay away. But in the category of chick flicks this one is not so bad. It looks gorgeous and has strong performances from charismatic actors. [Read more →]
No, this is not a Lost commentary, though I’ve done my fair share of those in the past. This is a post about that other famous “Smokey”, the bringer of mass-transportation Gotterdammerung, Iceland’s Mount Eyjafjallajökull. I flew into London the day after the big ash-cloud flight ban was lifted earlier this month, and escaped a few hours after another shorter ban was instituted earlier yesterday. You could say I narrowly escaped the wrath of Smokey. [Read more →]
10. “My money’s on Wolfman to win the Palme d’Or.”
9. “I wonder if Tim Burton had any influence in creating that new category, Best Weird Johnny Depp Movie.”
8. “Look, it’s Jabba The Hutt!… Nope, just Kevin Smith.”
7. “I’m confused. I thought all these films were supposed to be about cans.”
6. “I hear that new movie, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, is very derivative.”
5. “Our flight was almost cancelled due to the plume of smoke over Woody Harrelson.”
4. “Is Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience being shown out of competition this year?”
3. “Uh-oh, Woody Allen’s headed for the nude beach!”
2. “I was hoping some Na’vi would show up this year.”
1. “All About Steve– c’est magnifique!
Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.
I received the bad news today. A loved one had died. The body had been found by an early morning jogger. The police were called and the Morgue’s office was determining time of death, and most importantly, the cause. Detectives were searching the scene making ironic comments tinged with dark humor based on their observations. I’m not exactly sure where in NYC the crime took place, but I know a large part of the story will play out in February, and if the cause of death turns out to be murder, then it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be down on Centre Street. The name of the deceased is Law & Order.
In “Across the Sea,” Lost finally gives us the origins story for Jacob and the Man In Black. The episode was pure, 100% mythology. Those who watched the episode based on the surface story alone were probably disappointed. Let’s face it, taken literally, myths are silly: talking snakes, little boys defeating giants, jealous gods, immaculate conceptions, mortals with superpowers, a sword stuck in a stone, the Force, Never Never Land, Wonderland, Oz, the Matrix, the Island. On the surface, all myths seem like children’s stories. It’s only when we dig deeper that we find the truth worthy of a wise old soul — a soul that knows where it really came from. [Read more →]
I’ve seen both Iron Man movies and for the most part liked them — any films where Gwyneth Paltrow does not annoy the hell out of me deserve respect — but even by superhero blockbuster standards they are impressively implausible. In no particular order, things about the Iron Men that just don’t track:
1. In the original, Jeff Bridges arranges to kill Robert Downey, Jr. in Afghanistan because…why? To this point Downey has taken no interest in the company beyond occasionally inventing things that earn it gazillions of dollars. (It’s only after the near-death experience he loses interest in weapons.) I don’t care how evil you are: this is not sound corporate policy. [Read more →]
About a month ago I posted a short piece about one of my all-time favorite comic books, The Gormandizer. Response to that was overwhelming; I was inundated by a deluge of people telling me that I should scan some more Gormandizer pages, because the few scans I did post were AWESOME.
I fully intended on scanning more Gormandizer. However, as I was going through all my old Bronze Age comics I discovered the following gem from the first issue of Senator Surprise. This story, “How a Spell Becomes a Law!” is eerily prescient, with its warning about the dangers of the United States Senate taking on financial reform, especially as it relates to demons from other dimensions. [Read more →]
I am loath to criticize Babies, lest anyone misconstrue my comments about the film as criticism of the actual babies in the film. The babies are adorable and wonderful, and perfectly cast as adorable and wonderful infants. At times this film is exciting, moving, funny and provocative. Although the film has many wonderful moments, in its totality it is a bit dull. It would make an interesting PBS television special, but it doesn’t really succeed as an entertainment experience requiring the purchase of a ticket. [Read more →]
On Facebook, a friend recently asked the all-important question, “Why do people insist on writing songs about wild horses? What the hell do we know about wild horses anyway? Has anyone here ever seen one?”
She then noted some lyrics:
“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away” — The Rolling Stones
“Who’s gonna ride your wild horses?” — U2
“All the wild horses / Tethered with tears in their eyes” — Ray Lamontagne
“Wild horses could not drag me away from you” — Gino Vanelli (whoever he is, he’s an original [expletive])
“Wild horses keep draggin’ me away” — Garth Brooks (at least they succeed here where the Stones’ and Vanelli’s wild horses failed)
Aside from the tired, lazy, copycat songwriting (one song has a bit about wild horses and then in subsequent years everyone has to write about wild horses any time they want to indicate how strong their love is), there are some logical problems here. [Read more →]
Sometimes a film, for all its length and breadth, contains for me a singular moment, a brief cinemagical gem that becomes — for me, at least — a keystone, or a pivot point for all the sights and sounds, the words and actions that precede it, and follow it. [Read more →]
Today is Mother’s Day, and what better way to celebrate my mom than by comparing her to others who fall short? Here are five famous (or infamous) mothers whose DNA I am grateful I do not share. [Read more →]
