Patience really is a virtue
Martin Scorsese finally won that elusive Oscar the other night, and while it may not have been for his best film, he has certainly earned it with his body of work. This is a man who has directed the likes of Casino, Good Fellas, Raging Bull etc. and had not much to show for it. But now he has gotten his prize, received the recognition he so rightly deserves. This is bitter sweet in a way because it has been so long in coming, but, I am glad nonetheless. The Oscars are often predictable, and political, and this year had a few surprises but on the whole nothing to shocking. I am glad that Martin won, and it goes to show patience really is important in the long run. He has dedicated his whole life to film, and has received the industries top honour for his tremendous work. I thought it was interesting to see all three big name directors present him with the award, and fitting as well. In another note, this year wasn't huge for film, so I hope the future holds more interesting entertainment.
Money Talks...
So, I have come to the conclusion that money is all that matters in the world at this point and time. Weather in business or sports, which can be the same thing at times, money is the bottom line. The Ryan Smyth trade today solidifies this for me. My buddy Scott remarked that it was disgraceful that it came to this, and I agree. This guy was the face of this franchise for years, and was a popular figure not only on the team but in the community as well. This is the kind of thing that should come into play more often in life, knowing and respecting people not only for what they do but for the kind of people they are. This was a move that the Oilers should not have had to have made, they should have singed Smyth for whatever he wanted and been happy to have a world class player and person in their organization. This is likened to the Joe Thornton trade for me, and look at San Jose now...they added Bill Guerin today and are poised to make a cup run - The best move of deadline day. Back to my point, the Oilers should have bit the bullet because the sum of the parts is greater than the individual, and Smyth was a huge part of this team, and the city. He lead them to game 7 last year, and though this season wasn't going as planned the team shouldn't have given up on him. For shame Edmonton. I feel for the Oil faithful. True, Kevin Lowe was not in an enviable position having to risk getting nothing for him, but still, why did it come to that? I will wonder that for a long time.
What was your opinion of deadline day?
Some things shouldn't be missed
Living in Ottawa I have the good fortune to be able to skate on the Rideau Canal, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Where else is the length you skate measured in kilometers and not feet? It seems like you can go on forever and ever. There are many things to check out when skating here during winterlude, such as the sculptures downtown, or the snow sculptures at Dow's Lake. There are thousands of people who flood the city every year to enjoy this one of a kind experience. There are plenty of great views of the Parliament buildings, and you can stop and grab a beaver tale if you get hungry. If you have never been, I suggest you get out there and have a great time while you still can.
Marvel vs. DC
DC or Marvel....that is the question. OK, not many people put a lot of thought into this except die hard fans, so this one is for you. I know I seem to have comics on the brain lately, so deal with it. If you have time to read a blog, you're life can't be so exciting you can't appreciate comics. If you look at the numbers, Batman Superman and the rest of the justice league really consume the majority of the DC world. These are very popular superheroes, but there aren't that many of them. The comics are very entertaining, as are the graphic novels, or the few I read as a kid, but on sheer numbers alone, Marvel seems to be the far superior company. Their ranks include the likes of the Fantastic Four, the X-men, Spiderman, The Avengers, and many, many more. The list is almost a whose who of comic books, with the exception of the Justice League. Stan 'the man' Lee is a legend in the business (Although a God to some...) and the reason is the number of quality characters he has developed. The numerous story lines, and character interactions in the Marvel Universe are second to none. The numerous films that have been developed from the Marvel universe, though not always good, outnumber the DC counterparts by a wide margin. And the fact that these films haven't always been good is no fault of the name being used, or the characters that they have chosen. The Batman man and Superman franchises aside, DC has very little on the big screen, though there is a Wonder Woman movie in the works. Anyway, the fact remains as a company Marvel is my choice, not that I have a beef with DC, the facts just speak so clearly in favour of Marvel that its hard to ignore. Let me know what you think.
Buffalo Brew-haha
So, as I had a comment about it, here are my thoughts about the dust up last night. - Game of the year. Bar none. It had everything, good goals, and thanks to Gerber, some not so good ones. Hits, fights, and an all around sense that these guys wanted to play this game. The league could use more games like this, not necessarily all the shenanigans, but the heart and passion. The league has become apathetic at times, but apparently fighting majors are up 8% this year, and I think its good for the game. Its entertaining, and shows character. I know some fights are staged, but the majority still aren't, and this shows that these guys want to play this game. And take it seriously. The game showed old time hockey and i loved it. The shootout added even more drama, and both teams deserved at least a point for a hard fought game. Stay tuned for part 2 Saturday.
Batman....Super Hero?
So, I got to thinking about superheros the other day, what with the rash of superhero movies coming out, and what makes them great, and eventually I came around to thinking about Batman - aka. Bruce Wayne, and came to the conclusion that he really isn't a superhero per-say. When you think about it, all he possesses is a lot of cash, and a lot of training from great fighters. He has no physical abilities that differentiate him from any other human being. Maybe he's a real nice guy, I don't know, I've never met him. But one thing is clear, he is a fighter, a warrior, and has many of the selfless and brave attributes attributed to superheroes, but none of the other characteristics that make a superhero. He is a hero, but what makes him super? He has no 'powers' to make him unique. So, as much as I enjoy the early and latest films, and the comics, sorry Bruce, but I can't put you in the same category of many of the other superheroes out there. Though I respect you more than many of those whose powers seem useless, or laughable.
Who is your favorite superhero? and what makes a hero?
Movie - 2
So, my last post talked about movies to look forward to this year, while this is a list of movies you should see, but may not have. While many of them, in fact most, are very mainstream, or classics this in no way detracts from how good they are. These films were ground breaking, innovative and more importantly creative. Here they are in no particular order. Enjoy.
1. The Godfather - While it is often considered the greatest film of all time, it is one of my personal favorites and is great film-making at its finest. The story, the characters, the direction, everything comes together so well in this movie that it's hard to point out any glaring errors.
2. The Usual Suspects - A movie that was captivating, entertaining and full of twists and turns, it remains a classic, and is not soon forgotten.
3. Memento - Another very innovative movie, it was very well thought out, played out and brought together. Director Christoper Nolan has yet to top this, though Batman Begins is a solid film, this one was so well done and so creative that it is up there with the best of thrillers.
4. Pi - This is a small budget film by the director of the Fountain, Darrin Arronofsky, and it is a very entertaining, and extremely trippy movie that makes you feel everything that the character is going through, and leaves you thinking about what you just saw for a long time.
5. Pulp Fiction - This is still my personal favorite of the Tarintino movies, and deserved its Oscar. It is creative, innovative, and so odd and eratic that you can't help but love it. The characters are memorable, and the plots, though somewhat strange, come together very well.
6. Casablanca - One of, if not thee all time classic, other than Citizen Kane, it is memorable, heartfelt, engaging and always quotable. The characters and the way it was carried out have been copied but never duplicated to the same effect.
7. Being John Malcovich - This movie truly is one of a kind, and is so crazy at times you wonder what they were smoking when they wrote it, but it really is a cool movie, and the idea behind it is so unique and original that you can't help but love it. It is acted out very well, and is defiantly worth seeing.
8. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - While it is not for everyone, I think that is only because it carries a certain stigma and they haven't given it a chance. While this is a newer film and shows what a buttload of cash can bring you, it is truly great art, and a very brilliant set of films. The extended editions and features on the dvd's show you how remarkable this movie really is.
9. Sin City - Arguably the coolest movie I have ever seen, it is funny, smart, dark and clever all at the same time. And yes, smart and clever are different things. This movie was innovative in what it tried to do, and in how it came to be. As noted in my last post 300 is attempting to use the same techniques to make its mark. This film was brilliant, and hopefully so will the next one.
10. American Beauty & Forrest Gump - It seemed criminal to leave either of these of the list so they will both go here. The writing, direction and Acting in these films is second to none, and they both were well deserving of all the awards they garnered. They are memorable in every way and are movies that make you think.
What are some of your favorites. Let me know.
1. The Godfather - While it is often considered the greatest film of all time, it is one of my personal favorites and is great film-making at its finest. The story, the characters, the direction, everything comes together so well in this movie that it's hard to point out any glaring errors.
2. The Usual Suspects - A movie that was captivating, entertaining and full of twists and turns, it remains a classic, and is not soon forgotten.
3. Memento - Another very innovative movie, it was very well thought out, played out and brought together. Director Christoper Nolan has yet to top this, though Batman Begins is a solid film, this one was so well done and so creative that it is up there with the best of thrillers.
4. Pi - This is a small budget film by the director of the Fountain, Darrin Arronofsky, and it is a very entertaining, and extremely trippy movie that makes you feel everything that the character is going through, and leaves you thinking about what you just saw for a long time.
5. Pulp Fiction - This is still my personal favorite of the Tarintino movies, and deserved its Oscar. It is creative, innovative, and so odd and eratic that you can't help but love it. The characters are memorable, and the plots, though somewhat strange, come together very well.
6. Casablanca - One of, if not thee all time classic, other than Citizen Kane, it is memorable, heartfelt, engaging and always quotable. The characters and the way it was carried out have been copied but never duplicated to the same effect.
7. Being John Malcovich - This movie truly is one of a kind, and is so crazy at times you wonder what they were smoking when they wrote it, but it really is a cool movie, and the idea behind it is so unique and original that you can't help but love it. It is acted out very well, and is defiantly worth seeing.
8. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - While it is not for everyone, I think that is only because it carries a certain stigma and they haven't given it a chance. While this is a newer film and shows what a buttload of cash can bring you, it is truly great art, and a very brilliant set of films. The extended editions and features on the dvd's show you how remarkable this movie really is.
9. Sin City - Arguably the coolest movie I have ever seen, it is funny, smart, dark and clever all at the same time. And yes, smart and clever are different things. This movie was innovative in what it tried to do, and in how it came to be. As noted in my last post 300 is attempting to use the same techniques to make its mark. This film was brilliant, and hopefully so will the next one.
10. American Beauty & Forrest Gump - It seemed criminal to leave either of these of the list so they will both go here. The writing, direction and Acting in these films is second to none, and they both were well deserving of all the awards they garnered. They are memorable in every way and are movies that make you think.
What are some of your favorites. Let me know.
Movie - 2007
So, while 2006 was not over memorable as far as film was concerned, 2007 is shaping up to be an interesting year, so here are a few to look forward to.
300 - Based on the Epic Graphic Novel by Frank Miller, this tale surrounding the Spartans looks visually spectacular, and promises to entertain even the most unwilling action fan.
Grind House - Tarintino and Rodriguez - need I say more? While this does not exactly look like a thinking man's piece, it promises to be entertaining, and memorable.
Spiderman 3 - This great superhero series looks to take a darker turn, and be a little more real, (If you can say that about a superhero movie) a little more adult, and promises to offer up a lot for the adamant spidey fan.
The Simpsons Movie - This long running series finally hits the big screen, and while the show hasn't been what it once was the last few seasons, this film looks like they have worked on it a great deal, and hopefully it will deliver, or the show itself may be tarnished forever.
Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer - OK, so the first one wasn't the best marvel movie, but I am a big silver surfer fan, and the comics looked cool, and so does this movie, even if it mostly cg.
What are you looking forward too? Let me know.
300 - Based on the Epic Graphic Novel by Frank Miller, this tale surrounding the Spartans looks visually spectacular, and promises to entertain even the most unwilling action fan.
Grind House - Tarintino and Rodriguez - need I say more? While this does not exactly look like a thinking man's piece, it promises to be entertaining, and memorable.
Spiderman 3 - This great superhero series looks to take a darker turn, and be a little more real, (If you can say that about a superhero movie) a little more adult, and promises to offer up a lot for the adamant spidey fan.
The Simpsons Movie - This long running series finally hits the big screen, and while the show hasn't been what it once was the last few seasons, this film looks like they have worked on it a great deal, and hopefully it will deliver, or the show itself may be tarnished forever.
Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer - OK, so the first one wasn't the best marvel movie, but I am a big silver surfer fan, and the comics looked cool, and so does this movie, even if it mostly cg.
What are you looking forward too? Let me know.
Super Bore - No More
So, I had though about the Super Bowl for the last few days, and here's my thought. This was actually a game worth watching. Not Earth shattering I know, but it is more than can be said for a few of these games of late. The less than ac clement weather in Miami meant that anything could happen at any time, and at times it did. Rex Grossman bumbled and fumbled his way around the field and while I don't think he's a terrible quarterback, he proved he's no where near ready to lead a team to a Super bowl win just yet. And yes, I am a Colts fan, so I realize there is a bit of a bias here, but the better team did win. The defence of both teams was pretty solid with the exception of a few big plays, and Payton Manning while not lighting the field on fire had a very effective game, and lead his team to a win, thus getting a monkey that would make King Kong look like a midget off his back. The game had lots of momentum swings, some Super Bowl firsts, and some unexpected moments. All in all it was entertaining, and even if I watch it with one friend who was half asleep, one who was more into the chips and dip than anything else, and one who didn't know a thing about it, I had a good night, and enjoyed the game immensely. Can't wait till next year.
Video Games: 2007
OK, 2006 was a pretty awesome year in video games. The Xbox 360 came to fruition and the PS3 came out (unfortunately with no games really). As good as 2006 was, 2007 is going to be just as good, if not better. There are some kick ass games on the horizon, and I'm just going to list 10 games that I am really looking forward to. I'm going to keep this restricted to Xbox 360 games because I've kind of given up on PC Games, and the PS3 I probably won't be getting anytime soon. Keep in mind though that some of these games will come out on PS3 also.
10. Virtua Fighter 5
SEGA was the best video game company to ever exist. Well, I really liked them anyways. Virtua Fighter 5 just looks sweet. I'm not really a big fan of fighters anymore, but this has got me excited. Maybe that's why I'm looking forward to this, but I've liked the previous games in this series also.
9. Guitar Hero 2
This game is just damn fun. It comes with a guitar controller! Actually the only reason this isn't further up my list is because I actually know how to play a real guitar, which actually takes the fun out of playing a fake guitar.
8. Project Gotham Racing 4
I'm a big car fan, and thus also a big racing game fan. The Project Gotham Racing series of games have just been great. It's not the most realistic driving game out there but the graphics are always sweet and the gameplay is just fun. It's also the only racing game I've played to date that is actually fun to play with others online. Watch the trailer.
7. Forza Motortsport 2
Again, because I'm a car geek, but where Project Gotham is fun and arcadey, Forza is realistic and more a driving simulator. This means lots of real cars, lots of real tracks, and lots of useless realistic stuff, like tire temperature affecting how your car handles and being able to change every part on the car. Basically, it's Gran Turismo for the Xbox.
6. Unreal Tournament 3
This game is being made by Epic studios, the same people who did Gears of War. It uses the same game engine. Enough said. Even though I was never really a huge fan of the previous games I did play them and this does promise to be a good shooter.
5. Resident Evil 5
Well the RE series has been awesome and I am really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, this might not be released this year, but here's hoping.
4. Mass Effect
This is an RPG coming from the same people who did Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, which I loved. Other than that though I haven't really gotten into RPGs, but this game looks great and might be one of, if not THE, best RPG in 2007. Videos and stuff here.
3. Assassin's Creed
This game looks bad-ass. If you have ever played games like Prince of Persia, this is in the similar vein. I'm really hoping this turns out to be a great game. Watch the little video on the game's website, it's cool.
2. Half-Life 2: Orange Box
1. Halo 3
OK, I'll be honest, a part of me is hesitant to put this as my most anticipated game this year. The first Halo was a great game, especially the first time I played it. Halo 2 was technically a better game, but to be honest if the multiplayer wasn't there it wasn't all-that, since the single-player left me a bit empty. And after seeing what next-gen games like Gears of War have done, I'm really hoping Halo 3 lives up to the hype and what not. I have enough trust in Bungie, the people making the game, that they will make a great game. But at this point I think myself, and pretty much everyone else that wants to play this game, is hoping that it will be more than a great game. Check out the trailer.
This list doesn't include a lot of stuff, and there are tons of great games coming out this year. The video game industry is a huge place now. Gears of War, which had a budget of about $15 million, has already sold more than 3 million copies in about 10 weeks.
Xbox also has their "live arcade" games which are basically simpler games you can download onto your Xbox, or old games like the original Doom. Some of these are incredibly fun and only cost a few dollars. One game coming out for download is "Worms", the turn-based strategy game where you control a team of worms and try to destroy the other team with all manner of weaponry. Yup, fun.
And if anyone is reading this and cares, comment on some games that you want to play this year.
10. Virtua Fighter 5
SEGA was the best video game company to ever exist. Well, I really liked them anyways. Virtua Fighter 5 just looks sweet. I'm not really a big fan of fighters anymore, but this has got me excited. Maybe that's why I'm looking forward to this, but I've liked the previous games in this series also.
9. Guitar Hero 2
This game is just damn fun. It comes with a guitar controller! Actually the only reason this isn't further up my list is because I actually know how to play a real guitar, which actually takes the fun out of playing a fake guitar.
8. Project Gotham Racing 4
I'm a big car fan, and thus also a big racing game fan. The Project Gotham Racing series of games have just been great. It's not the most realistic driving game out there but the graphics are always sweet and the gameplay is just fun. It's also the only racing game I've played to date that is actually fun to play with others online. Watch the trailer.
7. Forza Motortsport 2
Again, because I'm a car geek, but where Project Gotham is fun and arcadey, Forza is realistic and more a driving simulator. This means lots of real cars, lots of real tracks, and lots of useless realistic stuff, like tire temperature affecting how your car handles and being able to change every part on the car. Basically, it's Gran Turismo for the Xbox.
6. Unreal Tournament 3
This game is being made by Epic studios, the same people who did Gears of War. It uses the same game engine. Enough said. Even though I was never really a huge fan of the previous games I did play them and this does promise to be a good shooter.
5. Resident Evil 5
Well the RE series has been awesome and I am really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, this might not be released this year, but here's hoping.
4. Mass Effect
This is an RPG coming from the same people who did Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, which I loved. Other than that though I haven't really gotten into RPGs, but this game looks great and might be one of, if not THE, best RPG in 2007. Videos and stuff here.
3. Assassin's Creed
This game looks bad-ass. If you have ever played games like Prince of Persia, this is in the similar vein. I'm really hoping this turns out to be a great game. Watch the little video on the game's website, it's cool.
2. Half-Life 2: Orange Box
The Half-Life games are the best single-player first-person shooters that I have ever played. And even though I have played Half-Life 2 already, I want to do so again on 360. In addition to that, this "Orange Box" package will include the two expansion packs for Half-Life 2 and also the online multiplayer Team Fortress 2.
1. Halo 3
OK, I'll be honest, a part of me is hesitant to put this as my most anticipated game this year. The first Halo was a great game, especially the first time I played it. Halo 2 was technically a better game, but to be honest if the multiplayer wasn't there it wasn't all-that, since the single-player left me a bit empty. And after seeing what next-gen games like Gears of War have done, I'm really hoping Halo 3 lives up to the hype and what not. I have enough trust in Bungie, the people making the game, that they will make a great game. But at this point I think myself, and pretty much everyone else that wants to play this game, is hoping that it will be more than a great game. Check out the trailer.
This list doesn't include a lot of stuff, and there are tons of great games coming out this year. The video game industry is a huge place now. Gears of War, which had a budget of about $15 million, has already sold more than 3 million copies in about 10 weeks.
Xbox also has their "live arcade" games which are basically simpler games you can download onto your Xbox, or old games like the original Doom. Some of these are incredibly fun and only cost a few dollars. One game coming out for download is "Worms", the turn-based strategy game where you control a team of worms and try to destroy the other team with all manner of weaponry. Yup, fun.
And if anyone is reading this and cares, comment on some games that you want to play this year.
For Love of the Game
With the Super Bowl coming up this week, and people everywhere grabbing their cheque books and staying glued to the TV, I started to wonder just what makes sport so damn entertaining. What makes people go so crazy, and why do we love the game so much. No matter what game it may be...I won't get into the debate about how much money people spend, or what the athletes make or any of that stuff, as I would be writing for days, so we will stick to the question of why we love sport. Is it the world that we can create, control, and maintain within set limits? I mean, there are infractions, and penalties and rules, its all very structured, and supposedly fair...though this is often far from the case. Regardless, it may be the skill, and grace of professional athletes, the jaw dropping physical maneuvers they are capable of, or the thrill of the last second finishes. I think its the most enthralling things we can do, or watch. We have the ingrained notion of competition in our minds, a winner and loser, a competition that is played out on a field brings back that battle like mentality and gets the blood rushing. The warrior instinct emerges in even the meekest person. We will do anything to win, and often do. That's why we see the brawls and fights break out on a nightly basis. (Another note, they should never take the fighting out of hockey). So anyway, sport brings out almost any emotion you can think of, provides us with a release from what ever we need a break from, and is most importantly fun. It's good for you, and can help bring people together. It's always been meant to be enjoyable, and lets remember to keep it that way.
P.S. - Wonder where Aaron's been?...X-Box. Sure he'll write something soon, probably about video games, as that's his life of late.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)