HBO on the reg

Christmas was kind to me. Mostly because I got a first season of Eastbound and Down and Bored to Death on DVD.

Wine sounds great, actually.

Both are fantastic. I mean, HBO have the TV comedy series nailed. I don't ever remember any other comedy series/s having that much bite compared to the rest since early seasons of Simpsons. But HBO have more than a couple of good shows to bank on. Add to the mix shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, Entourage and the recently ceased Flight of the Conchords (a personal favourite of mine).

I think all of the critical and mainstream success that Home Box Office is garnering should serve as a wake-up call to the other major American networks to think outside the run-of-the-mill sitcom or crime investigation program. Looks like I'll be tuning in to HBO programming on the reg...

Oh Danny McBride, you crack me up.

This will most likely be my last post of the year. Thanks guys for all your support, and remember to subscribe for all of the latest views and opinions on music, film and pop culture from me... a guy you've never met.

Counting down to nothing.

Why do things, people, songs, events get stuck in your head for no particular reason? I keep dreaming the same dream, humming the same tune, thinking about the same things.

This song just suddenly started to play in my head recently.. and I think I know why.

Just make sure you click the play button. Metaphor? Literally? You decide.

 

I lost my religion once. 

Don't keep holding out your hands

Choices.

Simple.

Thanks for everything. Maybe one day, I'll come visit you.. but maybe not. I'm sure you understand now.. or maybe you don't.

The Tron-ster Mash. It was a grid-yard smash.

Has anyone seen the movie Tron?
Inquires one, Mr. Homer Simpson. Stuck in the '3rd' dimension (spawning from the classic Twilight Zone episode depicting a 4th dimension), Homer feels the best way to describe his presence in this strange world is through the sci-fi, 1982 cult film Tron. Well.. I call it a cult film, but the fact that it made over 18 million at the box office back in it's heyday suggests it was at least moderately successful.

Anyway, the film Tron is about a game. The games name: Tron. It's named after one of the characters; the characters name happens to also be Tron. Anyway, I don't want to get into epic detail about Tron the film, or even Tron the arcade game that followed. Today, I'm doing a movie review (been a while) on the sequel to Tron, the 3D adventure that is... Tron: Legacy.

Tron is a pretty cool word. Just rolls of the lips nicely.. Trrrooonnn.

I hate reviewing the actual plot of movies. I think it just ruins the excitement of seeing a movie and having no clue what the story is going to be like. That's what Wikipedia's for. So I'm going to make it simple, the ups and the downs.

The ups! :D

:: amazing visuals, like seriously good

:: thinking film - not your typical storyline

:: brilliant soundtrack - Daft Punk do the music for the entire film

:: great cast - Jeff Bridges is good reprising his two roles and both Kevin Flynn and Clu from the first Tron film. Watch out for Michael Sheen (Frost vs. Nixon) and Beau Garrett as the incredibly attractive Gem

Beau Garrett aka 'Gem'. She works the Disney 3D rather well, I must say.

The downs! :(

:: The film has an incredibly fast pace, so it might not be a good idea if you don't think you could keep up

:: They tried to make it a family movie. The story is far too complex for kiddies to fully get the grasp of. I had difficulties of my own. Plus if they made it a more strict rating they could have had more swearing, sex scenes, violence and drug use, you know.. all that fun stuff!

:: They fucked up Jeff Bridges face with CGI. Trying to make him look 25 years younger just makes him look like a character from Beowulf (i.e. not good)

It just looks so weird.

The verdict...

:: Good movie, which puts the 3D to a good use. Probably the best visuals in 3D I've seen since Avatar

:: The music runs seamlessly with the film, and kudos to Daft Punk. The beats are immaculate throughout and truly set the scene and make the movie

:: A tad bit detailed for us Tron n00bs, but hey.. I'll get over it

7.7/10

Yeah, they're in the movie too!

Not losing out

Not this time anyway...
Long walks back home in the pouring rain get me thinking. Thinking about.. well everything really. I don't really know all that well where to go from here. 'Tis truly the road less followed.. for me anyway. Mostly because everything feels so nice, pure and simple. Like pink marshmallows.

Disinterested? Shy? Inhibited? I'll crack down the walls sooner rather than later.

Looks like I do have a soul.

Combination of creepy and magnificent.

I think it's time to shake things up. Rattle a few cages. Andy Warhol was certainly good at that. Why am I thinking of Mr. Warhol? I'm not sure. He was certainly a cool guy though. I'm need to get making my own little piece of pop-art some time soon before uni kicks in and I completely have no life again. I'll be an artist one day, one day...

I've got the glasses down-pat. Now I just need the artistic ability.

Let's do it again soon... but minus the facade.

Cold, wet and lonely.

Are you dreaming of a wet winter holiday too?
I've been dreaming of a wet winter holiday with you

And if the summer wants to come
Can't we push it back, just a week or two?

I've packed my bags, I've bought my ticket
I've thought it through, you smell terrific
I'm ready babe, so please don't make me wait.

Refill.

Better Homes and Djembes

I love Christmas.

I think I like to give presents to the people that mean the most to me more than I do getting presents.

But this year, I got a djembe.

Yep, a djembe.

Made with real goat skin!

Well that's a bit more 'tribal' than my djembe, but for the un-informed I guess you get the idea. In my opinion, better than bongos. Yeah, I went there.

Djembes have been used by loads of popular musicians. My personal favourite is in the Queens of the Stone Age (best band ever) song 'Better Living Through Chemistry'. Enjoy! 

Shitty quality. Oh well. The djembe still sounds good.

All I want to do

.. is do nothing with you.
Yeah, a reference to the Descendants. But I'm not writing about them today. In fact, once again I'm simply writing about nothing. Instead I'll treat you to some Electric Six, one of the most under-appreciated bands of the 21st century.

There's something very wrong with us, so let's go out tonight.

It gets me every time when you just see him standing there. I can't help but to laugh.

It has to be noted. Dick Valentine (lead singer) looks particularly like a young Cary Elwes in the clip, no?

Just me?

Check Czech Cheques.

Famous Czech's
Eva Herzigova
Pavel Nedved
Martina Navratilova
Czech em' out!

Affairs and prostitution isn't arousing, Mitch. You so sleazy.

Where would you travel to? 

I just don't know what to do with myself..

I just woke up. It's been such a long week. I'm exhausted. But fun has been had so it's all good, right?

I was going to write about Sophia Coppola or Shaggy from 'Scooby-Doo'.. but ceebs.


ceebs (v).
1. derived from cbf, acronym for 'couldn't be fucked'
2. ceebs writing definition 2


I think I've just been a dick lately. Like I'm better than everyone else. Well, I probably am..

I want my stuff back.

Damp n' Crazy.

The last few days have been fun, I bought my lil' bro and I theme park passes so we can gallivant around a tad more this holiday season.. and gallivant we have.

Three of these theme parks in just two days. Fun fun fun.

I'm a bit worn out right now, I must say. I've got work in 2 hours. But I doubt that'll stop me from going again very soon.

Bit disappointed in a couple of things though...


1. Nickelback
Nickelback, you ask? Well of course Nickelback is disappointing, but the fact that they had a song of theirs on repeat at the ol' water park was quite a let down.

No, I didn't make this myself. I do not have the time and if I did, it would be of higher quality.

You probably all have your own reasons for hating N-Back (as the cool kids call them): all the songs sound the same, Chad Kroeger is a douche, etc etc etc.

My most hated thing about Nickelback starts at the name. Nickelback. Where did it come from?

Well, guitarist Mike Kroeger used to work at Starbucks before the band started. Coffees at Starbucks usually cost 'x' amount of dollars and 95c, so when giving change back he would say "Here's your nickel back.". Yes, very lame.


2. James Franco
At this stage you're probably thinking "I love James Franco! What's this guys problem with James Franco!?" Well.. nothing. My disappointment comes from a trip to Sea World yesterday where I swore this guy from his side profile was James Franco, but front on he clearly wasn't. Hence my disappointment.

Don't lie, you'd be disappointed too.

:)

A shout out to me? 

Bizarro crap

Just because she likes the same bizzaro crap you do, doesn't make her your soul mate.
- Rachel Hansen


Elaine: He's reliable. He's considerate. He's like your exact opposite.
Jerry: So he's Bizzaro Jerry?

Monty: So are you going to talk to her or are you just gonna hope you're never forced to make an actual decision?

Dean: I'm going with option B.

Monty: That's my boy

Can't Stand Me Now

I wish I could just not care about anything, and throw caution into the wind sometimes. Just the ol' 'not give a shit about anything or anyone' treatment. Start a drug addiction, become an artist, date a supermodel, record music.. and just be a general prick. Man that'd be cool, you know? Just to live that over glorified rock n' roll lifestyle...

After writing that paragraph, it's clear to me who this blog is about today.
One, Mr. Pete Doherty. 

For the blissfully uninformed, Pete Doherty is a man. An English man. An English man who was lead singer/ guitarist for The Libertines, until his drugged-up rock star lifestyle caught up with him.. robbed his band mates house.. and started a cocaine-infused relationship with supermodel Kate Moss. Since leaving the band he started a new band Babyshambles, published a book of poetry, released his own painting collection at the Chappe Gallery in Paris... aaand did modelling for a Roberto Cavalli collection.

But now he's back with The Libertines and golly gosh I'm happy. To me, Pete is the real-life Aldous Snow.. except with better music.

A radio DJ once was asked the most intriguing live music performance he'd ever seen, and answered a Libertines gig just before they split took the cake. Our dear friend Pete was absolutely plastered off god-knows-what, came on to the stage stumbling everywhere with whiskey bottle in hand. 

He said it was like "watching a car crash in slow motion... except the car crash was hitting every single note perfectly."

Fuck forever? Sounds good in theory Mr. Doherty.

Kermit Crimes.

I can't believe I dogged out on partying last night to stay home and do nothing. It's not really me to just not want to spend time with friends. But here I am. Choosing not to go out on a Saturday... gosh. A teenage crime?

It's pretty disappointing the people I consider my friends I see the least of, while others that I'd hardly consider close I see almost every day.

I wish I could be a bit more like Andy Hull, you know? Have friends in all the right places.

I think I need to travel, just by myself. Have an overseas experience. I was planning to go to China for a year to do study, but that looks like it's not on anymore. Sigh. I just need to have something to look forward to...

New York? I wish.

Not easy being green? Try being me, Kermit.

Superheroes?

So here I am, doing everything I can. Holding on to what I am, pretending I'm a superman.

Now in the past day or two I've watched some great movies. I've watched the Godfather, Godfather II and The Great Gatsby. All (as the Sicilian's put it) supewb.

But I'm not going to blog about those great movies. No, I'm going to choose to blog about a film based on superheroes.

Watchmen.

Note that the guy in the top right corner's superpower is to smoke Cuban cigars 24/ 7.

The overall moral of the film is that sometimes the hardest option is the right one, and the right option is the one that makes you (or the people around you) happy.

It also boasts a great soundtrack. Possibly one of the best movie soundtracks I've ever heard. Particularly surprising considering the genre. Simon & Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix, Nat King Cole and Bob Dylan - all there.

I'm not going to ponder too much.. so.. enjoy some music, have a cup of tea, and smile. :)

Trying too hard

I hate early morning starts. Mostly because they ruin my holiday sleeping pattern - which is to sleep all day. Getting up at 4am certainly changes things up.

Even the most energetic of us get tired.

It relaxes me to write down words.. anywhere really. In a notebook, on someone's windshield.. or on my super-dooper awesome blog. I guess the good thing about blogging on pop culture, music and film; is that I'll never run out of things to blog about. I could be blogging my whole life (literally) and still not have scratched the surface of pop culture, let alone keep up with it.

So today's blog post really has no theme, except the theme of blogging itself really. I literally have about 20 things swimming around my head that I'd love to do a post about.. but that can all wait.

Sigh.

I need someone, a person to talk to. Someone to care, to love. Could it be you?
- Gordan Gano

A long December

... and there's reason to believe that maybe, this year will be better than the last.
- Adam Duritz

This year has gone too fast, plain and simple. I've done a lot. Had a lot of 'firsts', which I wouldn't take back. But it still seems like yet another wasteful year for me to some extent, and there is still so much I want to accomplish in the one remaining month I have left. I don't want to get into too much detail though, this is a blog about pop culture, and if I've learnt anything from the movie Julie and Julia; it's not to mix your blog with your life. Man I hate that movie. Cooking + Meryl Streep = not my thing. But Amy Adams' pretty smile makes it worth the watch if anything.

We're almost done with the year, and I just want to be happy. Is this it?