Unofficial Trilogy… “Who Arted?” Edition

Posted on by sgottahurt

This was another situation in which I happened to watch three films in order, and each subsequent film made me re-evaluate the prior one.  If this sounds arty as fuck, that’s because I watched three “documentaries” about the nature of art:

Aren't posters art unto themselves?

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Watch this film first.  It’s imperative to do so.  Plus, it’s the most accessible.  It unfolds as a documentary by a man obsessed with street artists, that unfolds into a documentary about that very same man.  Director and street artist Banksy examines what makes art “art” via this romp that also asks what makes a documentary “a documentary.”

Catfish

Like ETtGS, this film received a lot of slack about whether it was real or a setup.  I sit on the sidelines and commend it for making me think not only about the events in this film (which though not surprising are still somehow shocking), and Banksy’s effort.

My Kid Could Paint That

I’m not big into abstract art, but I do have to admit that the artwork presented in this film was appealing… no matter the artist.  Again, I don’t want to give away too many details, but this film really shines a light on aspects of the first two films, by asking:

Are we admiring art or the artist?

Or as I titled this Unofficial Trilogy:

Who arted?

In Defense Of… The NBA Staying On Strike

Posted on by sgottahurt

I might be writing this completely prematurely, but I hope the NBA never comes back… this year.  And I’ll tell you why.

  • REASON 1 – THESE THREE PRICKS

Crybaby 1- Crybaby 2 - Crybaby Who?

When LeBron James and Chris Bosh met secretly with Dwyane Wade to discuss plans to join the Miami Heat, they essentially spit in the face of basketball.  And they didn’t even win the championship!  The tarnish they left on the game is comparable to the corked bat and steroid scandals in Major League Baseball – it changed everything, and definitely not for the better.  (Well, in the case of baseball, the game is improving with those cheats removed.  That’s why there have been more no-hitters the last few years.)

Now couple their brazen attitude with them pushing for a shortened season.  They think they can win if it doesn’t take as long to get to the finals, but doesn’t that mean there would always be an asterisk next the their victory?  The thing is – they don’t care.  And therefore, neither do I NBA…

  • REASON 2 – OUTGROWING THE GAME

Son to mother: "Look Ma, I'm slam dunking!" Mother to son: "You should be able to do that, dear."

As humans, we’re all getting bigger, and not just in the positive ways.  Whereas basketball courts and rims have stayed the same size.  In no other sport do I see this as of much as an issue, except perhaps one day in hockey.  Does this mean the sport should never come back?  No.  But while they’re on strike, I think they should take a look at this.

  • REASON 3 – THE TRUE REASON

Okay, this is pretty cool.

(image via)

No offense to the Detroit Pistons, but the last time all three Detroit teams won championships in the same year was 1935 – when the Pistons weren’t around!  (For the record, we’re the only city to do that.)

The Lions won the NFL Championship (no Super Bowl until 1967); The Tigers won the World Series; and the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup!

Other cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Pittsburgh (!) and Baltimore (!!) have had multiple championships in one year.  We deserve another one.

SIDENOTE: I don’t count the Drive and the Shock match-ups with the Pistons and the Red Wings disrespectively.  And in 1952, the Lions and Wings won, but the Pistons were around by then.  I want all three!  (Check out the list here.)

JusWondering… Why Is There Still No Film About Moe Norman?

Posted on by sgottahurt

I don’t read as much as I should, and I don’t follow as many sports now as I may one day in my life.  But the convergence of those two facts lands as straight as one of his shots on Moe Norman:

That's Moe, mo' or less...

He’s a Canadian golfer that has a couple of books written about him, but the Wayne Gretzky-produced movie based on his life has yet to see the light.

Check out this video about him:

It’s supposed to be titled Dance the Green, but I have some other suggestions:

  • “Pipeline” (that’s his nickname, so it’s an obvious one)
  • “Teed Off” (sounds like too much of a comedy, although the film would likely be comical)
  • “UnderMoe” (underdog pun meets undertow rhyme)
  • “Golden Tee” (people might think it’s based on the video game, ergo, go and see it)

My best suggestion would have to be this one:

  • “Who is Moe Norman?”

Musical Musings… Come On, Get Higher, Dude

Posted on by sgottahurt

A little pretentious, but sufferable.

That guy is singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson.  You may know him from his first overplayed song, Come On Get Higher.  Or you might know him for his latest-to-be-overplayed song, Your Body is a Wonderland II Faster:

Notice anything different?

Oh shut up.

Really, dude?  You’re already married.  You don’t need to try that hard.

He doesn’t listen.

On top of that, have you really paid attention to Faster’s lyrics?  This part’s a tad risqué:

You’re so delicious
You’re so soft
Sweet on the tip of my tongue
You taste like sunlight
And strawberry bubble gum

But it really creeps into lame-o territory, right John Mayer?

One mile to every inch of
Your skin like porcelain
One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue
(Lyrics from Your Body is a Wonderland)

But Faster can’t get any worse, can it?

It’s the way you swell, slow
Pushing right out your seams
It’s the way you smile, baby
When you’ve got me on my knees

It can.  And that lyric will forever make me think about his wife Bridget’s vagina.  Now I just need to see what Bridget looks like…

A Handful Of… Former Soap Stars You Didn’t Know You Liked

Posted on by sgottahurt

I would guess that except for two people I know that read this blog, no one that reads this blog watches soap operas.  (While in all actuality, no one I know reads this blog…)

Anyboohoo, there are probably some Actors! you like that you didn’t realize were on soap operas earlier in their careers.  And these appearances weren’t just cameos or extras work… legit characters were given life by these fan favorites.  Let’s begin with one that you may know about:

  • Sarah Michelle Gellar – Kendall Hart, All My Children (1993-95)

She played Buffy. She played Daphne. Who can't she play?

WHY YOU LIKE HER: On one hand, the background in the above photo should be a clue.  On another hand, this.

  • Tom Berenger – Tim Seigel, One Life to Live (1975-76)

City Mouse and, um, Country Mouse

WHY YOU LIKE HIM: Come on… he was a bad ass.  Not only was he in both Major League films, he was in Platoon, the first The Substitute, and three Sniper films.  Grant it – I’ve only seen the baseball comedies.  Did you know there were three Sniper films?!

  • Richard Dean Anderson – Dr. Jeff Webber, General Hospital (1976-81)

All he needs is a paper clip, a gum wrapper... and a mullet.

WHY YOU LIKE HIM: It should be a mantra – MacGyver, Stargate SG-1, MacGyver, Stargate SG-1, MacGyver, Stargate SG-1, MacGyver, Stargate SG-1…  You get it.

  • Alec Baldwin – Billy Aldrich, The Doctors (1980-82) / Joshua Rush, Knots Landing (1984-86)

Everybody used to look like this eventually.

WHY YOU LIKE HIM: This is my controversial entry.  Not just because you may have never heard of The Doctors soap opera (there’s a stupid talk show starring a Bachelor reject with the same name) nor because Knots Landing was a nighttime soap, but because some people don’t like him!  This blows my mind, just like the fact he was on TV waaaay before Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock.  (P.S. Check out Malice if you’ve never seen it.)

  • Christopher Walken – Mike Bauer, Guiding Light (1954-56)

So many choices... I chose this.

WHY YOU LIKE HIM: I was going to close with Rick Springfield until I made this discovery.  I mean, Jesse’s Girl is the never-dying, one-hit wonder I’ve always wished joked that wished I could write, but how many movies would have never made it to production if Walden didn’t get involved?  Blast From the Past, The Stepford Wives, Joe Dirt, Excess Baggage, Balls of Fury, Envy, Country Bears… I should have went with Springfield.

(more here)

Coinkydink Or Coinkydonk? I Have To Get Ready Of “That” Shirt

Posted on by sgottahurt

Here’s this guy in that shirt:

Here’s me in that shirt:

I look badass. I look like a watermelon samurai...

In My Brain While Sleeping… Charlie’s Angels’ High Tech Secret

Posted on by sgottahurt

This dream probably occurred because of the new show starting, but this was about the original cast of Charlie’s Angels:

Jaclyn Smith - Kate Jackson - Farrah Fawcett

Somehow I was privy to a little secret about some top-secret technology they used.  Top secret technology they used down below.  They would simply press a little button:

Well, one little button on a clunky device.

And… well… something would suddenly disappear.

Why don’t I let Mickey Mouse explain:

InASense, Lost… It’s Already Been A Dozen Years

Posted on by sgottahurt

The 1990’s.

They finished twelve years ago.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Some of the stuff in this video happened twenty years ago:

Microchips, microwaves, faxes, airplane phones, Hammertime, monthly visitors, witches were women, Cinderella would talk deals on her cellular phone and throw her wicked step sisters into the pool, people kissed, girlfriends had girlfriends, parents discussed sex with their children – or not, you would say something cool before you hit someone in the face, unnecessary litigation…

Anybody miss the hair?

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/29455771]

(via)

monkeyFLASHmonkeyBACK… The Toys That Got Away

Posted on by sgottahurt

The year is 2006.  The 20th Anniversary Edition Optimus Prime has just been released.  Upon hearing this, something else might have been released… in my pants…

When I was a child, there was nothing I wanted more than Optimus Prime.  The problem was that he cost $20, and I had a difficult time saving up a score of buckeroos.  There was always something else I wanted that cost exactly what I had, so alas… no Optimus Prime.

UNTIL NOW:

Hellz yes.

My dream has been not only met, but exceeded.  This celebratory edition may not include the weapons base trailer, but he looks just like the cartoon – in robot and vehicle form!  It’s an insane representation!

So what broken dreams are left floating around my adolescent heart, you wonder?

They are, in no particular order:

  • Centurions – Wild Weasel

This went to Sam Rockwell, right? It was Jake Rockwell? Oh well.

You might not remember Centurions for their cartoon or toys (there were 65 episodes produced!), but I will never forget this cool vehicle idea.  In retrospect, the real world application of it wouldn’t fly roll past production, and in further analysis, I probably liked it because it reminded me of TRON (you probably don’t remember that old 1982 movie either).

  • Star Wars – Tatooine Skiff

Everybody wanted this; nobody had it.

This one still didn’t live up to the Desert Skiff we all wanted with every fiber of The Force, but it was better than what was originally offered.  And too bad it came out after I started collecting M.A.S.K.

  • M.A.S.K. – Razorback

This car could arch its back. For some reason.

I still consider M.A.S.K. the best toy collection of my youth (StarCom was a close second), plus I was blessed in prolonging my longing for the vehicles I missed the first time around when they were getting dumped in KayBee Toy Stores years after they were gone from store shelves… on clearance.  I never got a second chance to get Razorback, but I still have dreams about finding them still (this is 100% true).

  • Transformers – Grimlock

Me, Sean, want Grimlock badly.

Perhaps there’s a 20th Anniversary Grimlock on the horizon?  How about 25th?  30th?

Awful Battle… The One In The V-Neck Shirt Vs. The One With Feathers In His Hair

Posted on by sgottahurt

Schadenfreude’s a bitch.

Sometimes finger earplugs just aren't enough.

Simon Cowell’s American Idol X-it strategy, The X Factor, feels more like America’s Got Talent mixed with The Voice than the ratings juggernaut, and the ratings are proof.

The tenth season of American Idol debuted with 26 million viewers, minus Cowell, whereas The X Factor debuted with only 12 million, with Cowell.

Has he gotten too big for his britches?  Or are people burnt out on singing competitions at this time of the year, having just finished with the two mentioned above?

Perhaps timing has everything to do with American Idols success.

Or maybe, it’s the people.

Icon vs. Icon

With Simon Cowell, you get no bullshit, and that’s a bonus.  But he thinks no bullshit don’t stink, so that cancels out his assets.  With Steven Tyler, you (seemingly) had quite a genuine and caring individual that contrasted everything Cowell represented, and there was no looking back.   It probably has something to do with the amount of tail each has had, and the way it was had.

  • Tyler + groupies (+ drugs?) = Crazy, Amazin’, Love in an Elevator
  • Cowell + some woman who passed or accepted all his criticism and cynicism = dollar-sign-eyes sex

WINNER: Steven Tyler

Former Diva vs Former Diva

We already had enough of Paula Abdul before she left Idol, but Jennifer Lopez sounded like a self-entitled nightmare.  Turned out J. Lo was about as nice and pleasant as could seem (she’s not that great of an Actor!), and a hell of a lot more intelligible in her insights.

WINNER: Jennifer Lopez

Insider vs Insider

Randy Jackson seems like the cool, approachable guy in the band, and he probably was when he was in Journey.  L.A. Reid, on the other hand, comes across as a corporate incubus, seeking out the next talent whose life-force he could siphon.  Or a RuPaul impersonator.  Mostly, I judge the new judge based upon the immortal lyrics of P!nk:

LA [Reid] told me, “You’ll be a pop star,
All you have to change is everything you are.”

She’s done a hell of a lot better since being herself, so…

WINNER: Randy Jackson

Tits vs Twit

Okay, this isn’t the proper match up, but who is that British guy taking Ryan Seacrest’s role as announcer or interviewer or host or whatever his role is called?  And Idol wisely gave up the notion of a fourth spot, so why did The X-Factor go with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger?

WINNER: Nicole Scherzinger… tits always win.