Sunday 8/28/16

I always thought Tracey would make our local newspaper before Tommy. The picture above was on the front page of the 8/14/16 Sports section. The boy in the back row looking away from the ball is Tommy. I was thrilled not just because Tommy made the paper but because this event, Dream Soccer, is a special needs soccer event with three age groups, and the group above are the kids I coach. In fact, I am probably just out of range of this picture. Trying to tell the kids to turn around because they are headed to the incorrect goal.

***

Meanwhile, Tracey made the sports page today for exactly the reason I expected he would. He scored his first high school goal for his soccer team yesterday. He is a senior, but has primarily played defense so hasn't attempted many shots in the first three years.

Of course, it helped that the statistician who calls in the scores to the newspaper knew that it was his first goal at the high school level and added a tidbit to the paper. Because the statistician for the soccer team is me.

Sunday Scribblings 7/31/16

This is a partial article posting. I'm not done, but I have done a lot of work and I need a nap.

Analyzing box office: let's look at the box office for the first half of this year, to see what lessons can be learned. I'm going to take the predictions from Box Office Prophets, and the box office from Box Office Mojo. I take the predictions not to point out how many mistakes were made, but to show how expectations were missed so frequently this year. Films are listed in order of release.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Bengazi
predicted: $48 million opening; $125 million total
actual: $16 million opening; $52 million total
     Bengazi has become so politically charged that many were skittish about this film. While I believe there is space in the market for an intelligently made political film, no one expects intelligently made from Michael Bay.

Norm of the North
predicted: $15 million opening; $43 million total
actual: $6 million opening; $17 million total
     Moviegoers have caught up with how bad these cheaply made cartoons are.

Ride Along 2
predicted: $37 million opening; $87 million total
actual: $35 million opening; $90 million total
     Unlike many sequels this year, people were ready for the future adventures of the Brothers-in-law.

The 5th Wave
predicted: $13 million opening; $29 million total
actual: $10 million opening; $34 million total
     The Young Adult novel adaption craze is flickering out. As yet another project underperforms, it appears that Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are the outliers and the audience for the rest is limited.

Fifty Shades of Black
predicted: $14 million opening; $27 million total
actual: $5 million opening; $11 million total
     Moviegoers have caught up with how bad these cheaply made Wayans comedies are.

Jane Got A Gun
predicted: $8 million opening; $24 million total
actual: $835 thousand opening; 1.5 million total
     Proof there is such a thing as bad publicity.

Kung Fu Panda 3
predicted: $38 million opening; $131 million total
actual: $41 million opening; $143 million total
     A surprise January release, this mild success suggests that the assumption that family animation only works at certain places in the calendar might be a false assumption. This may be seen as a disappointment to some, but is in line with the drop from the first installment to the second.

The Choice
predicted: $10 million opening; $30 million total
actual: $6 million opening; $18 million total
     The assumption seems to have been that if the film adapts Nicholas Sparks, it is money in the bank. This film suggests that some star power might be needed in the cast. This film sure didn't have any.

Hail, Caesar!
predicted: $18 million opening; $58 million total
actual: $11 million opening; $30 million total
     The Coens may be beloved by critics, but this one may have been too inside Hollywood for general audiences.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
predicted: $13 million opening; $32 million total
actual: $5 million opening; $10 million total
     If you want to make a one-joke movie, you need a better joke.

Deadpool
predicted: $58 million opening; $151 million total
actual: $132 million opening; $363 million total


How to be Single
predicted: $20 million opening; $48 million total
actual: $17 million opening; $46 million total

Zoolander 2
predicted: $45 million opening; $105 million total
actual: $13 million opening; $28 million total

Gods of Egypt
predicted: $21 million opening; $43 million total
actual: $14 million opening; $31 million total

Triple 9
predicted: $11 million opening; $23 million total
actual: $6 million opening; $12 million total

London Has Fallen
predicted: $35 million opening; $83 million total
actual: $21 million opening; $62 million total

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
predicted: $7 million opening; $21 million total
actual: $7 million opening; $23 million total

Zootopia
predicted: $54 million opening; $215 million total
actual: $75 million opening; $341 million total

10 Cloverfield Lane
predicted: $20 million opening; $45 million total
actual: $24 million opening; $72 million total

The Brothers Grimsby
predicted: $10 million opening; $25 million total
actual: $3 million opening; $6 million total

The Bronze
no prediction
actual $386 thousand opening; $615 thousand total
     Here's the list of 1000 screen openings with worse per screen averages: Transylmania, Delgo, Creature, and the grand champion, Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure. That's it. Sometimes, you got to know your audience. This was always going to be a cult film but nothing more.

The Divergent Series: Allegiant
predicted: $38 million opening; $85 million total
actual: $29 million opening; $66 million total
     Don't split the final book of your series unless you are absolutely sure your audience will follow you. This was a series which needed to complete and get out of the way before starting to lose money. Now it is an incomplete series with a sure money loser left in its final film. Whoops.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
predicted: $200 million opening; $575 million total
actual: $166 million opening; $330 million total

God's Not Dead 2
predicted: $15 million opening; $48 million total
actual: $7 million opening; $20 million total

The Boss
predicted: $27 million opening; $73 million total
actual: $23 million opening; $63 million total

Hardcore Henry
predicted: $10 million opening; $28 million total
actual: $5 million opening; $9 million total
     If your film is supposedly groundbreaking, first make sure it isn't headache inducing.

Barbershop: The Next Cut
predicted: $33 million opening; $71 million total
actual: $20 million opening; $54 million total

The Jungle Book
predicted: $34 million opening; $101 million total
actual: $103 million opening; $362 million total

The Huntsman: Winter's War
predicted: $29 million opening; $81 million total
actual: $19 million opening; $48 million total

Keanu
predicted: $8 million opening; $22 million total
actual: $9 million opening; $20 million total

Mother's Day
predicted: $12 million opening; $43 million total
actual: $8 million opening; $32 million total

Ratchet & Clank
predicted: $6 million opening; $15 million total
actual: $4 million opening; $8 million total
     See: my analysis of Norm of the North

Captain America: Civil War
predicted: $199 million opening; $458 million total
actual: $179 million opening; $406 million total
     While apetitites

Money Monster
predicted: $13 million opening; $30 million total
actual: $14 million opening; $40 million total

The Angry Birds Movie
predicted: $35 million opening; $140 million total
actual: $38 million opening; $106 million total

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
predicted: $41 million opening; $100 million total
actual: $21 million opening; $55 million total

The Nice Guys
predicted: $21 million opening; $51 million total
actual: $11 million opening; $36 million total

Alice Through the Looking Glass
predicted: $68 million opening; $172 million total
actual: $26 million opening; $76 million total

X Men: Apocalypse
predicted: $115 million opening; $264 million total
actual: $65 million opening; $155 million total

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
predicted: $14 million opening; $38 million total
actual: $4 million opening; $9 million total

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
predicted: $73 million opening; $200 million total
actual: $35 million opening; $81 million total

The Conjuring 2
predicted: $41 million opening; $90 million total
actual: $40 million opening; $101 million total

Now You See Me 2
predicted: $43 million opening; $100 million total
actual: $22 million opening; $64 million total

Warcraft
predicted: $45 million opening; $101 million total
actual: $24 million opening; $47 million total

Central Intelligence
predicted: $45 million opening; $125 million total
actual: $35 million opening; $125 million total

Finding Dory
predicted: $133 million opening; $399 million total
actual: $135 million opening; $469 million total
     Pixar still rules.

Free State of Jones
predicted: $8 million opening; $32 million total
actual: $7 million opening; $20 million opening
     People don't want to do homework in the summer.

Independence Day: Resurgence
predicted: $100 million opening; $255 million total
actual: $41 million opening; $101 million total
     While not paying Will Smith whatever he wanted was a big mistake, it wasn't the biggest. The biggest mistake was casting two new pilots without the charisma of Harry Connick Jr, let alone Smith.

The Neon Demon
no prediction
opening: $589 thousand opening; $1.3 million total
     Nicolas Winding Refn may be an intriguing topic for critics, but mainstream audiences don't care.

The Shallows
predicted: $12 million opening; $29 million total
actual: $16 million opening; $53 million total

The BFG
predicted: $32 million opening; $125 million total
actual: $18 million opening; $52 million total

The Legend of Tarzan
predicted: $24 million opening; $59 million total
actual: $38 million opening; $121 million total

The Purge: Election Year
predicted: $35 million opening; $78 million total
actual: $31 million opening; $78 million total
     Even though it isn't my cup of tea, I admire how writer-director James DeMonaco has taken this idea and come at it in three different ways. These are sequels that are not just retreads, which is why they succeed. Also, the film was well marketed.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
predicted: $14 million opening; $42 million total
actual: $16 million opening; $43 million total

The Secret Lives of Pets
predicted: $53 million opening; $162 million total
actual: $104 million opening; $296 million total
     Illumination Studios is now up in the level with DreamWorks animation as hitmakers, just behind Disney and Pixar.

Sunday Scribblings 6/12/16

Today is my parents' 51st wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, mom and dad.

***

In two days is my 19th wedding anniversary. I love you, Laura.

***

Yikes. Read this.

I voted for Bernie Sanders, because I am a liberal and his political positions are closer to mine. But I was always clear that I would support the Democratic nominee. This race was essentially over a few weeks ago, and now it is mathematically over. I have already donated to Hillary Clinton's campaign. I always thought Bernie was a realistic politician. I may have to rethink that.

***

The ad for this product made me laugh the hardest I laughed this week. Oh dear.

***

Summer is here, so one of the best reasons to be a Springfield resident has arrived. Friday was the opening night of the Summer Arts Festival, now in its 50th year.

As usual, Phil Dirt and the Dozers opened. They have played the festival more times than any other act, and I have seen them in concert more than any other act. They are an oldies act founded in 1981, delivered with a sense of fun, musicianship and humor.

Their trademark song is Only You, delivered as they learned it, from an old record with scratches and skips. They do pull out some classics (they lean on the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys a lot) and some more obscure songs. I have never heard the original of Cara Mio, but I know it well due to it being performed by the Dozers every year.

So, as usual, a fun way to kick off the season. I'll be back at Veterans Park tonight for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.

Sunday Scribbling addition (Allison's video)

This is what my daughter made when she was on vacation:

She said, "That took forever!"

Sunday Scribblings 6/5/16

When I saw my first Trump for President bumper sticker, it was on a BMW illegally parked in a handicap spot.

***

My daughters just came back last night from a trip to the North Carolina coast with my in-laws. My oldest daughter brought home a lovely collection of peeled skin from her sunburned legs.

***

My youngest daughter received a labeler for Christmas last year. Labels have popped up all over the house with unique labels. The microwave, for example, has been labelled "FOOD ZAPPER". I was not prepared for the latest label. Our toilet is now labelled "POOPING VESSEL".

***

When I was 2 1/2 years old, my family spent the summer at my grandparents' second home near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The house was right on a lake in a heavily wooded area. I discovered the joys of hiking that summer. I had not yet discovered the joys of speaking English.

One day I decided to go for a hike with my favorite hiking partner, my grandparents' dog, Thor. All of a sudden my parents realized I was gone. It was resolved when people down the lakeshore called to let my parents know I was standing on their dock throwing rocks into the lake. I had hiked around a half mile down the lakeshore. And I did not yet know how to swim. 

I saw a video this week of a small child who decided he wanted some of the stuffed toys in a giant claw machine. So he climbed up the exit and was sitting in the machine calming throwing the toys he wanted down the exit.

These are both stories of children disappearing when the parent looked the other way for a brief time. There are many other stories like it. Young children are naturally inquisitive but do not yet understand real life dangers. It is so frequent the Animaniacs TV show built an entire bit around it. Mindy's inquisitiveness gets her into trouble, and Buttons the dog gets clobbered while saving her.

Yet when this circumstance results in tragedy, as it did with the loss of a gorilla's life at the Cincinnati Zoo, all of sudden the child's parents are the Worst Parents Ever in the eyes of many of the genius parenting experts on the internet. I would bet none of these anointed experts know the parents or know anything about them other than that their child wandered into a gorilla enclosure.

One awful development on the internet is the quick judgment on the internet from people. What doesn't seem to process is the possibility of a tragic situation. Someone must be at fault. Someone must be to blame. Someone must be punished.

Wrong. Sometimes it is just an awful set of circumstances. Sometimes the natural inquisitiveness of a child leads to an awful situation. Its sad, but not the time where a child should automatically be taken from his parents. That would make a bad situation worse.

Sunday 1/10/16

I am writing this during the Golden Globes. The is the final indicator before making my Oscar predictions. No, not who wins the awards -- they are irrelevant. But most years I tweak one or two predictions based on audience reactions. Besides, with Ricky Gervais hosting, it is bound to be entertaining.

*****

As a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to Adam Pac-Man Jones just for being you. And to the Cincinnati Bengals, I would like to send a heartfelt HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.

*****

I actually did not get to see the Bengals hand the game to the Steelers. I was one my way home from a unique experience that does have a movie connection. Maybe there are more opportunities in New York and Los Angeles for unique movie experiences, but I had one last night only available in the Midwest.

My cousin, Barak Coolman, is the head coach for the Valparaiso (IN) High School basketball team. Last night, I got to go see his team play and win. The location was the unique part. They played in the gym used for Hickory High School in Hoosiers. The gym is actually in Knightstown IN, it only holds 600 people, and the court is not close to regulation length or width. It was like a trip back in time, and boy was it fun.

*****

Sunday 11/8/15

Hey Jose Cuervo, you keep running an ad bragging that The Rolling Stones brought you on tour in 1972. Do you realize that "Miss You" which plays on the ad, did not get released until 1978?

*********

Actual promo on ABC yesterday. "at 3:30 Florida State at Clemson, brought to you by Kay Jewelers, followed at 8:00 with Minnesota at Ohio State, brought to you by Wal-Mart." Trying to tell us something with the sponsors?

*********

I am enjoying this season of Amazing Race more than any I can remember. I am sure part of it is not dealing with that stupid Blind Date premise of the previous season. The primary reason is the casting of Justin and Diana. Justin is loud and obnoxious. He also is a huge fan of the show, smart and very, very good at this game. Watching other teams reactions to him and getting flustered at Justin's confidence. It's truly entertaining and I can't wait to see how it comes out.

Sunday 10/18/15

...and we are back. I've been without my own computer for most of the fall, and been doing some soul searching this year, so I haven't been writing. But I miss writing, and the best way to start writing is to start writing.

I have put together a list of the best movies for the past 25 years. But that is for another post.

I also plan to start writing about my other entertainment passions in TV and music. In music, I have a bit of obsession with the music charts, so that might inspire some columns. But let's talk about my TV interests. Here are the shows that interest me at this time:

I wrote a column earlier this year about the state of ESPN. I'm not sure I want to take that on further. It has gotten worse since that column. If it weren't for Pardon The Interruption, I'm not sure how much I could watch anymore. The air talent at ESPN is the weakest it has been since the 80s.

There are three reality shows I watch regularly: The Voice, Survivor, and The Amazing Race. I'm not sure I will write much on The Voice, as the singers are a matter of taste. I am fascinated by the politics of Survivor. And the more genuine competition of The Amazing Race is actually my favorite.

There are no current dramas that I watch regularly. One older comedy in The Big Bang Theory consistently makes me laugh, and as a longtime fan of The Muppets I have enjoyed the new show.

But for regular laughs, I look to late night. I have been a big fan of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for years. I figured I would jump to CBS with Colbert, But a funny thing happen in the 6 months between Colbert leaving Comedy Central and him premiering on CBS. Larry Wilmore appeared.

So my loyalties stay with Comedy Central's shows. Trevor Noah is still finding his footing on The Daily Show. But the show kept its writing staff and some of his correspondents. Jessica Williams in particular in still comedy gold. The Nightly Report shows off Larry Wilmore, who has found his footing and is covering Jon Stewart's territory.

So that's TV. Now for the next column, back to the movies ...

Sunday 1/4/15

I awoke this morning to the news Stuart Scott had died.

For me, Sportscenter's heyday on ESPN was in the 90s. Before the commercialization of ESPN led to stupidity like a 6 pack of questions brought to you by Coors Light, before management led to mixing up the teams and anchors so there was little connection of personalities, before ESPN had celebrities show up who don't have anything to do with sports events, there were two shows and four anchors who I loved following. Dan and Keith were on at 11, and Stuart and Rich were the late show.

The magic was not just the personalities that each of these unique anchors brought to the table, but that they were true teams. Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann clearly made each other laugh. They entertained us because they entertained each other. Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen clearly worked together even though they were complete opposites.

I heard a lot of references to Stuart's lines like "boo-yaa" and of course "as cool as the other side of the pillow" but I really enjoyed his interactions with Rich, when they would say together "MMMMMillion" whenever that ridiculous number came up. Then they added Raul MMMMondesi" to the lexicon.

They guys felt like my friends, felt like guys I would talk sports with. It shouldn't be taken serious. It should be fun. There were references to Scott today and how he brought a hip hop lexicon to the sports, and that was resisted by many. There were some that attributed that to race, but I think it was more generational. Stuart's three years older than me, but he was the first anchor who felt to me like my generation. And last I checked, I'm not black.

Journalistically, I am supposed to refer to people by their last name. But Stuart Scott -- who I never met -- felt like a friend. I will indeed miss him.

*****

It says something on how ESPN has lost its hold on me that I did not find out about Stuart Scott through ESPN. I found out through my preferred football show in the morning, The Other Pregame Show, on CBS Sports Network. I then searched the internet, saw ESPN's excellent tribute {they obviously prepared for this) narrated by Robin Roberts.

ESPN drummed the personality out of Sportscenter, and it is much the worse for it. Rich Eisen bolted for NFL Network, and Dan Patrick basically was overworked until he had no choice but to quit (although his radio show is entertaining) and Keith Olbermann is back, although it is not on Sportscenter, but his own highlight show.

I would note entertaining personalities get me coming back, not more gimmicks. What shows do I continue to watch on the ESPN channels? PTI is number one, because of Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Mike and Mike, because of Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. And Olbermann. That's about it. All due to personalities.

And because of your obsession with the Yankees and the Red Sox, during the summer I've stopped watching Mike and Mike, because the MLB Network actually covers the entire league.



 

Looking at the past year

So much for my grand plans in 2011 of making a great blog. Not enough posts. So to recap the year, I am setting a goal to post every day or two a review, working my way up over the next month to my best of the year list, which is not yet finalized. These review will be marked as I saw them. If it is tagged movie review, I saw it in a theater. Tagged video review? Caught up with it at home. First off, I will review the biggest surprise I had in the theater this year. Wish me luck on my goals...

summer 2011

This summer burnt me out on first run movies. For the first time since high school, I went three months without going to a single first run theater. Nothing got me interested enough. So after seeing Kung Fu Panda 2 on opening night, I did not see another first run movie until Contagion.

Wait, isn't this a movie blog? Three months without a movie? Well, no. I saw several movies in Columbus and Dayton in their classic film series. I did go to a second run theater for a couple of films. And then of course there is home video and TV.

So now I'm playing catch-up. Let the second run viewings begin. And reviews based off that.

Recession 101

"Recession 101: Stop worrying about the economy. You're scaring the children." I passed by a billboard with this message going home from work every day this spring.

Maybe the children should be scared. I know I am.

Of course, if you have enough money to take out an ad like that, the economy probably doesn't scare you. Nice for you. So you can waste money attempting to get people to accept this lousy economy, and maybe not looking at how we got this way.

This year has been unique for me, because I'm in a group that has been targeted. I am a government employee, and I live in Ohio. And we've become one of the targets of the republican government in this state.

Because of course when the economy is used as an excuse, unfortunately enough people can be conned into supporting what is actually an assault on the working man. So instead of focusing on rich people getting fat off the work of others, and not paying their fair share, the focus is one someone like me, who makes less than $30,000 a year and works to try and improve people's lives.

Because apparently me receiving medical benefits is the drain on the economy.

And I'm not supposed to be worried?

Whenever it is pointed out that the rich are not paying what they used to in taxes, that person is accused of class warfare. Make no mistake, there is class warfare. The rich are attacking the poor with regularity. And it hard to believe anything other than the system has been broken and is helping the rich fleece the poor more and more and more.

Today is Labor Day, which means more to me than it has in past years. Usually it meant the end of summer. Or just a day off from work. But it means more to me this year.

Now it means to remember the working class, who are under siege like never before. And to not keep quiet when the working class is being attacked. And I won't/ I hope anyone reading doesn't either.

Happy Labor Day.

So now what?

I don't really do New Year's resolutions. I do think it is a logical time to reassess my life, and to figure out what I need to change.

The two things I am focuses on is my fitness and this blog, niether of which have been getting the attention I've wanted. I say my fitness because though I am indeed overweight, and not happy about that, the basic problem is I have not been exercising enough. So this week I have started the PTI workout, which consists of trying to do as much distance on my exercise bike while watching the show PTI on ESPN.

As for this blog, I chose to try and write every Sunday, but that hasn't worked. I wanted to provide myself the chance to comment on whatever, and I wanted to try and do that in a weekly column. But that became a restraint. So I won't just try to do posts just on Sunday. If an idea hits me, I'll write on it and that time. I am still going to refer to it as Sunday Scribblings. And if I succeed in writing more, I'll move it back to Sundays.

So not what? First, Golden Globe predictions, since the show is this week. Soon after, Oscar nomination predictions. And after that, I'll post my 2010 top ten list. In between, I'll start posting reviews. While posting reviews of the movies I'm currently watching, I'll start posting reviews of the movies I saw last year but never provided comments, beginning with my list movies and Disney movies seen.

I hope.

Yes, I am alive...

The odd thing is I started this blog to kind of goose up my film watching. And I definitely saw more films this year than in the past few years. But then I was going to write about them. And that didn't go so well.

Right now, I am trying to catch up with the films I missed to put together my 2010 Top Ten list. I might put up a few posts of movies that won't make my list. But I want to get up this year's list ... and maybe get last year's list explained.

But until then, I still need to see The Town, A Prophet, True Grit, The King's Speech, Black Swan, Unstoppable, 127 Hours, and maybe a couple more. It should be a busy week or two.

Sunday 5/30/10

PIXAR'S GREATEST

I purchased Pixar's Greatest Hits album, a compilation of its greatest music through Up. A few random thoughts:

1. There are nine songs. If you listened to them, I think most people would need four or five picks before idenitfying the one that won the best song Oscar, If I Din't Have You from Monsters Inc. I think all of the other nominated songs are better (You've Got A Friend In Me, When She Loved Me, Out Town, and Down to Earth).

2. The score for a bug's life is underrated. There's some really good score cues from that movie. So is the song Our Town. It beautifully sums up the themes of the film.

3. Someone needs to explain to me again why The Incredibles was not nominated for score. That may be the best music on the album.

4. I love Slumdog Millionaire, but listening to the beauty of the arrangements in the score for Wall-E, it clearly in my ming should have beat Slumdog Millionaire for the Oscar for original score.

5. Yes, Pixar's writing is better than anyone else in animation. But listening to the care put into the music, well, there's a reason they are the best.

SEASON ENDERS

All of my fiction TV shows finished the season this week. I enjoyed two of them as normal (Parenthood and The Big Bang Theory) but it was Chuck that packed a wallop. They really know how to finish a season.

ANOTHER SEASON ENDER

The Springfield Thunder U-11 boys season concluded its season 7-1 with a 6-4 vistory over SC Alliance, winning its division this year. As assistant coach, it has been fun to see the players improve this year, and I look forward to the fall season. I also note the one game we lost was the one game I missed this season, so obviously I was the key to the season. Right?

Sunday 5/23/10

I'm back and posting after awhile off. One day I'll look back at all these stops and starts in the past year and laugh. I hope.

A SHREK FAILURE

Did anyone want to see Shrek 4? Really? Because I thought the first was OK but overrated, the second was mediocre at best. and the third watchable only for the body switch antics between Donkey and Puss in Boots.

It amazes me that Hollywood so frequently forgets the rule of sequels, that the film generally performs in relation to the goodwill toward the last installment. Did Dreamworks not realize no one liked the third Shrek? With all the hype, and the tie-ins, they won't lose their shirts, but I am completely amused by the revelation that Shrek 4 will almost certainly not earn as much as How to Train Your Dragon (at least domestically). And that amuses me.

WHILE ON THE SUBJECT OF FAILURES...

Did anyone see McGruber failing as miserably as it did? I guess everyone else is as sick of Saturday Night Live spin-offs as I am. There's Blues Brothers, Wayne's World, and after that, don't bother me.

THE BEST PART OF SURVIVOR

If you watch Survivor and haven't been to the CBS website, you haven't seen the best part of the season. The Ponderosa clips, showing the jury out of the game, has been a lot of fun this season. Coach actually comes across like a nice guy, not the pompous fool he's been in the game. Courtney, Coach, and JT started a band, and the first video is also on the site. It's much more entertaining than the actual show, especially since Russell hasn't been there. If you are a fan of the show, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

SOCCER SEASON CONCLUDING

My son's soccer team, the Springfield Thunder U11 team, which I also assistant coach, concludes its season today. We are 6-1, and have clinched a tie for first place. We play the second place team, Shelby County Alliance, today at their place, and a win or a tie gives us first alone.

Both teams were 5-1 going into last week's game at our place, but we saved our best effort of the year for the biggest game. We were up 4-0 at half, and coasted to an 8-2 victory. To put that score into perspective. It is the biggest margin of victory of any game in the division this year. To do that against the second place team, a good team, is impressive.

Maybe part of it was we were motivated after a disappointing result at the Marietta tournament last week. And speaking of that...

I WILL NEVER USE HOTWIRE AGAIN

I used Hotwire to book my room in Marietta, Ohio. Never again. I booked a room for two adults, and ended up with a single double bed. Ever tried sleeping with your father in a double bed? I ended up on the floor. I also ended up walking around the streets of Marietta at 4 am.

My anger at Hotwire is that they reported when I booked (and paid) that I had a $95 roon. I did my homework. The $95 room is a double. Singles are $80. I was told I had a $95 room. I did not get one. When I attempted to point this to Hotwire, they defended themselves by saying two adults could sleep comfortably (yes, they actually said comfortably) in a double bed. Well, not these two adults.

The kicker is, all Hotwire needed to do was say, "Why yes, that is a $15 difference. Let us make that up to you by offering you a coupon for $15 off your next purchase." Would have kept me as a customer. But they obviously don't understand customer service.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Hotwire won't get that chance.

POST #50

According to the counter on my blog, this is my 50th post. While not quite what I was hoping for, I guess the best thing I can say is that that is 50 more posts than the eight years before it. If you don't count all my comments on my friend Eric's blogs.

Sunday 3/14/10

THE OSCAR SHOW

Well...

That was painful.

A year after what I would rate as the single best Oscar show I have seen, comes one of the worst.

Part of what made last year special was the theming, but lots of interesting choices made for facinating viewing. This year, it just seemed like slapdash decisions.

The opening monologue was painful, the decision not to perform the songs stupid, the deision to perform the score nominees with street dancers stupider, and the horror montage with such notable horror films as Edward Scissorhands stupidest.

And the opening number? Yikes. A pale imitation of the wonderful Emmy number, complete with its host. One thing the Oscars shouldn't be is a pale imitation of the Emmys.

THE PROLEM WITH SURVIVOR

Not my first thing to complain about the show, but reading the interviews with the first five out, there is a major problem with this season. A good portion of Survivor contestants are still living in their past glory. Some contestants move on with their life. The people out so far, with the possible exception of Sugar, are not from the professional contestant file, These are the people who have moved on with their lives. And they don't have a chance against the professional contestants, who are working together. It does not work.

Sunday 3/710

THE PLAN FOR NOW

Well, that was a lousy month for posting. The first half of February was without a computer, and the second half I'll address below, leaves a month where the stop and start of me trying to create a habit of blogging was at full stop.

Thanks to the AMC Best Picture Showcase, I have in the past week revisited nine of the best picture nominees (and saw one for the first time). Over the next week I plan to write up reasctions to all ten.

I've seen three films off my Disney list, so I need to post thm, plus one of the worst concert films I've ever seen, which I inexplicably watched yesterday.

And then I might get around to the 2009 10 best list, which is now two months overdue.

OLYMPICS

I am a sports fan. Now when most Americans say that, they mean the holy trinity of baseball, basketball, and football. Well I will watch almost any sport. That's why I love the Olmpics. Every four years, I get to see one of my favorite summer sports, team handball. And in winter, I get to see curling.

So due to my enjoyment of multiple sports, I watch NBC's coverage of the Americans in the Olympics. IS the IOC watching? Do they realize NBC has little clue how special the Olympics are. Here's some of my problems:

1. There are other countries besides the US and Canada. I understand there needs to be some coverage of the Americans. But when your announcing team spends most of the first race telling us how much of a medal threat the top American is, and he finishes 41st, the focus is a bit off.

2. Medal ceremonies. Where are they? This is the Olympics. The medal ceremonies are part of what makes it special. NBC rarely shows them.

3. Shut up announcers! This especially goes for figure skating. There is a nice presentation, complete with music. To appreciate it, I want no announcing. Between the performace and the judges scores, you can tell me why it will or won't win a medal.

4. Polar bears. I tune in one night, and there is a segament on freaking polar bears. Not what I watch the Olmpics for. Too many of these pieces showing us how wonderful Canada is were shown. I already knew it is a great country. Air that stuff on the Today show.

I got my first DVR just before the Olympics. Made my life a lot easier. I watched almost nothing as NBC was showing it, so I could skip through all of NBC's non-sports Olympics coverage. It will be in use next time, as it was the only way to make NBC's mess tolerable.

Sunday 1/24/10

WHY I DON'T WATCH IDOL





I watched American Idol regularly for a few seasons. And the basic formula, in which only one singer is cut per week, is brillant because it invites rooting interests. That part of the formula still works.





But they lost me after the season Jordin Sparks. She was not the most talented singer that seaon. But she was the most marketable, and the not so subtle hands of the producers trying to get the winner they wanted, one year after having been stuck with a winner they hated in Taylor Hicks.





Honestly, that wasn't the main reason they lost me. I actually tried to watch the next season, and threw in the towel after half an hour. And I haven't been back. And the reason is on display right now.





In the Jordin season, there just wasn't as much fun throughout the season. And the reason was simple: the groundwork hadn't been laid. The opening episodes, in the tryouts, should be the establishment of the future stars. At that point, showing the tryouts of most of the contestants who make it, as well as a few who don't but just miss, would make for interesting television.





Then in the Hollywood sessions, the raw talent can start to shine, and the audience can develop its rooting interest. By the time the show is down to fan voting, the fans will know who they are voting for.





But we all know that is not what happens. Why do that when we can make fun of the pour untalented souls who dare to try out? There is a screening process to get to a televised tryout, so that make it even more ridiculous. They are sending through the weakest singers so America can point and laugh, and the judges can literally laugh.





This is high school behavior. The popular rich kids can sit on their butts and laugh at the others daring to gain their acceptance. So American Idol turns its first few episodes into insultfests, the real contestants get no airtime, and by the time the fan voting rolls around no one knows the majority of the contestants.





Well whatever, but I got tired of the bad taste in my mouth. And a funny thing happened when I stopped watching: I didn't miss it. I still don't. I'll probably never watch again.





USING OTHER AWARD SHOWS TO PREDICT OSCAR



Some analyses of the Oscar nominations have Golden Globe winners having an influence. Not really. They are not a true indicator. No one who votes for the Golden Globes is an Oscar voter. So why watch? Because most of the audience members at the event are Oscar voters. How the audience responds is the indicator.



So when Mo'Nique gets louder applause than her fellow nominees, that is an indicator the stories she isn't handling her campaign correctly are hogwash. She is still the heavy favorite to win supporting actress Oscar. The clear indicator from the evening was the standing ovation Jeff Bridges received. He is going to win the Oscar for best actor. That proved he is an absolute lock, and is also an indicator Crazy Heart could be a picture nominee.



However, there is crossover between the SAG awards and the Oscars. Like all guilds, they are an indication of strong candidates. The big news from last night was Sandra Bullock's win. I had her as barely in the actress race. Clearly, I was wrong. She will be nominated. I still don't think she will beat Streep, but for now, the nomination is the thing, and Bullock will get her first nomination this year. And this is also an indication The Blind Side is beloved, and has a shot at a picture nomination.

WHOOPS

I thought I had published this Sunday evening. I came back to my Dashboard to start preparing my Oscar prediction piece and saw it had not published yet. Sorry.

Sunday 1/17/10

GOLDEN GLOBES

The goofiest, most corrupt award show is upon us tonight. And I wouldn't miss it. The story about the Hollywood Foreign Press and its general worthlessness is one I believe -- these are not real journalists, they are hangers-on to Hollywood -- but they throw a good party, and are usually one of the most fun of the award shows to watch. When trying to predict, there are two things to remember: the HFPA likes to think they are hip and are genuinely starstruck.

Picture (Drama): This is where all the heavy hitters of this season lie. Nothing other than Precious would surprise me here. Nothing other than Inglourious Basterds would disappoint me. I can't quite bring myself to call an upset here, so I'll predict the big hit: Avatar.

Picture (Comedy): No big hitters here. I'm really surprised The Proposal is not nominated. I'll predict the one film I see in the Oscar race, Julie & Julia.

Actor (Drama): Jeff Bridges in a walk.

Actress (Drama): I think that Sandra Bullock's going to win somewhere tonight. And with no other major stars in ths category, this is where it will be.

Actor (Comedy): Not only is Matt Damon a big star, but he was great in The Informant! So he wins here.

Actress (Comedy): As with Damon, Streep wins both because of starpower and ability. I think it is for Julie & Julia.

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz. Inglourious Basterds has to win womething.

Supporting Actress: While I don't think campaigning is as critical for Oscars, it is for the Globes, and I think it will cost Mo'Nique this award. Vera Farmiga will benefit.

Animated Feature: Up. Because it's Pixar.

Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon has the most accolades out of this list.

Director: Here's where the want to be hip factor comes in, because a woman can actually win. In fact, I think Kathryn Bigelow will. Deserves got nothing to do with it (as one of her fellow nominees once said).

Screenplay: The big name here is Quentin Tarantino, and I think he wins.

Score: I think the retro score of Marvin Hamlisch for The Informant! has a lot of fans, and will win here.

Song: The Crazy Heart love works here, for "The Weary Kind".

I'm not going to go category by category in the TV awards, partially because I have never seen most of the shows, but I do think Glee is in for a big night.


THE OBVIOUS

I'm a big St. Louis Cardinals fan, so I have had several people ask my reaction to Mark McGwire's confession this week he used steroids. I made my peace with this fact five years ago, after he refused to discuss the past while testifying to Congress. It was clear to me then what McGwire said this week: he wanted to confess then, but his lawyers told him not to do it.

I also was expecting this story. When McGwire was hired last fall to be the Cardinals' new hitting instructor, I knew this announcement would come before spring training. I knew he decided it was time to face the music so he could come back to the game he loves. Now here it is.

To be angry at McGwire is to be angry at him because he was better than everyone else who was using (except perhaps, Barry Bonds). It is now widely believed steroids were all over the place in the '90s in baseball. How many people have confessed? Five, maybe? And everyone's angry at McGwire when he actually apologized? There are better places for my anger.


FOR EXAMPLE...

Roger Ebert just about nailed my reaction to Rush Limbaugh's deplorable comments this week involving Obama and Haiti. Go to his site and read it. I'll just add, ditto.


WHILE WE'RE TALKING POLITICS

What exactly is Fox News accomplishing hiring Sarah Palin? If you want analysis, this is not the person you hire. You hire someone behind the scenes at the campaigns who actually does analysis. Not her. I'm looking forward to her explanation of the best way to get rid of global warming is to cut corporate taxes.

I do have a question for Sarah Palin, since your answer for everything seems to be to cut taxes. Why did you go into government in the first place, if all you seem to be interested in is getting rid of it?


PERSONAL HEALTH UPDATE

No weight change. Blood suger at the doctor's this week was 163. Normal is 100. Though my daily readings are dropping after this latest medication change. Maybe there's hope for me yet.