Win Some; Lose Most - A Team's Path To Glory

I take hockey seriously; well, I’m a Leafs fan, so maybe I don’t take it that seriously. But, I do enjoy playing the game and my competitive nature really shows in game situations. For the first time in nearly 8 years, I’m playing league hockey…beer league, yes, but… that’s the best kind isn’t?

Anyway, there’s nothing I can’t stand more than losing – except maybe this – and the team I play for, the 20/20 Club Ice Dogs (Oromocto Men’s League) has become quite adept at the art of throwing away points. Up until Christmas Break we’d managed only two wins and two ties (one of those wins came by forfeit) so, needless to say a fella can get some anger brewing when we go down. The Ice Dogs; we go down in a big way (7-0 is a familiar score), but the anger quickly subsides in the dressing room afterward; it’s a great group of guys. Plus, did I mention it’s a Beer League?

When we do win, though, it’s a joyous occasion and last night we snagged a W against the Mooseheads. It was a 6-5 final that saw us playing our hearts (and lungs) out for a full 50 mins. (our league does two 25 min periods). The team's beer-per-game (BPG) stats soared - as did our confidence. We’ll be looking to have our first ever win streak when we play again on Monday against the Flyers. We can do it! And if we don’t...

…it’s a Beer League.

Good job boys!
-Crash-

**On a personal note: I’m known by some on the team as “Phantom” for my shot blocking attempts that never actually block shots – effective in that it keeps the shot from happening, but not a true shot block. Last night, I had an epic shot-block while on the Penalty Kill that resulted in puck-sized bruise forming around my belly-button (Bullseye!). It’s tender today…and hurt like a mother— last night, but it sure looked good. And could've been worse (re: Picture above)

It’s moments like this that I come off the ice proud of my commitment, but quickly realize…I’m an idiot. Speaking of idiots, check this out:

It's How Cold?

Yeah it’s cold…but it’s Winter and it’s Atlantic Canada.

Still, one can’t help but feel the cold, soulless hands of the winter blues wrap around your heart, which tends to happen this time of year; especially when you have a Cuban vacation planned. (66 Days to go!)

The Winter Blues, blahs… or your job - whatever it is you call it – can really make your day drag on without much to make you smile. Fortunately, there’s YouTube; a powerful window to the outside world that taps directly into our need for a good laugh to drown out the mundane and keep our focus away from the task at hand (for me: that would be playing another Nickelback song…)

Anyway, yesterday I touched on two of my great passions: music & movies. Well, I also have a great affection for laughing whole-heartedly at the misfortune of others. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I know I’m not alone…which is while you’ll enjoy this winter-related compilation, below, that will not only make you laugh, but make you forget about whatever it is you’re really supposed to be doing right now.

(my favourite part is the red car at 1:20 – why they bail is beyond me, but it sure made me laugh.)





Be careful out there..or you could wind up on this blog ;)

-Crash-

The Best a Passion (of mine) Has to Offer

Two of my great passions in life are music and movies; I blog about them regularly. I enjoy the emotional connection I get from music when it’s done right; when I really get invested in the stories and the atmosphere of a song or a whole album. I’m a rock guy, so there’s usually not much room for bubbly pop stuff…but there are times when that music is certainly welcome…it’s almost a guilty pleasure.

Movies are the same way for me. When the story is engaging and the performances are so flawless that I’m drawn into the world of the film and experience the emotions the characters project, I consider it a home run. There is also room for fun-filled, mindless entertainment; Dumb & Dumber is still one of my all time favourite comedies.

But I still don’t like 3D.

*Mixing my two great passions can certainly make for an entertaining bit of video, too - more on this below*

Anyway, music has the Grammys – which are kind of a joke if you ask me (or The Simpsons); they tend to award based on popularity it seems – and movies have the Oscars. The Oscars, for the most part, award the industries best for doing exactly what I’ve described above: great acting, intriguing script, as well as some entertainment value – although popularity doesn’t always factor into it. For whatever reason, I watch the show every year – even though it always feels long – and I’m generally pretty satisfied with the outcome (How Shakespeare In Love beat Saving Private Ryan in 1998 is beyond me.)

This morning, the nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards (Oscars) were announced and I wasn’t really surprised by the list. There has been lots of talking leading up to it and the Golden Globes are usually considered a good indication of who will get the nod come Oscar time. I will say, though, I was surprised the Town didn’t get a little more love - Jeremy Renner got a much deserved Supporting Actor nod (which he’ll lose to Christian Bale) but that’s it – I was pretty impressed with it. (My Review). Also, Chris Nolan got snubbed in the directing category.

Anyway, I’ve included a list of nominees in the 8 major categories is below. I’ve also included links to my reviews of the ones I’ve seen…hopefully I’ll catch up on the rest before February 27^th. What are your thoughts? What was your favourite movie of 2010?

Best Picture:
Black Swan, The Fighter (My Review), Inception (My Revierw), The Kids Are All Right, The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network (My Review), Toy Story 3, True Grit (My Review), Winter’s Bone.

Best Actor:
Javier Bardem - Biutiful; Jeff Bridges - True Grit; Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network; Colin Firth - The King’s Speech; James Franco - 127 Hours.

Best Actress:
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right; Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole; Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone; Natalie Portman - Black Swan; Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine.

Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale - The Fighter; John Hawkes - Winter’s Bone; Jeremy Renner - The Town; Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right; Geoffrey Rush - The King’s Speech

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams - The Fighter; Helena Bonham Carter - The King’s Speech; Melissa Leo -The Fighter; Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit; Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom.

Best Director:
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan; David O. Russell - The Fighter; Tom Hooper - The King’s Speech; David Fincher - The Social Network; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - True Grit

Best Adapted Screenplay: Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, - 127 Hours; Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network; Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich - Toy Story 3; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - True Grit; Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini - Winter's Bone

Best Original Screenplay: Mike Leigh – Another Year; Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson and Keith Dorrington - The Fighter; Christopher Nolan - Inception; Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg - The Kids Are All Right; David Seidler - The King's Speech

If you want to see a full list of the nominees, go here.

Cheers,
-Crash-

*My chocie fro best score would be Hans Zimmer 's score for Inception..that music is just killer...and goes well when used with other films too...case in point: Ghostbusters...Inception style; enjoy:

A January Jam Companion

The January Jam has been going on all month, which has me pumped to see some shows; especially some big ones. I have a few at the top of my “Concert Bucket List” that I’m eagerly hoping to cross off: Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Tool…and many more. Thankfully I was able to cross off Alice in Chains last April – what a show*.

The Foo Fighters are bound to be touring to support their new album which is out this Spring (check out a preview here) so, I’m hoping this is the year I finally run my pen through their name. They’re my favourite band, so they’re definitely at the top of my list. However, it’s a spot they share with another favourite: Pearl Jam.

I missed Pearl Jam when they played Halifax in 2005, and I still kick myself as much, if not more, for missing that show as I do for missing The White Stripes when they played Moncton…stupid schedule conflicts. Anyway, the beauty of Pearl Jam is they have hundreds of Official Bootlegs of their shows, so even when you do miss a show, you can experience it to an extent with one of those. I have the Halifax Show…it makes missing hurt all that much more, too. With all of these bootlegs available, it’s easy to question the necessity of a live compilation album.

Live on Ten Legs is a companion to the band’s previous effort, Live on Two Legs (1998), and features 18 songs on a single disc, taken from various performances during their 2003-2010 tours. Pearl Jam are known for marathon shows which covering material that dates back to the band’s debut, so the single disc is short by comparison to the bootlegs, but, much like their most recent studio effort it makes for a punchy, concise listen.

I was a little disappointed, at first, with the lack of banter from Ed between songs; it’s something that makes any live album worth having – beyond love of the music. That said, it’s strictly about the music on this one. Pearl Jam are celebrating 20 years together and this collection showcases some of the best they’ve had to offer over the years and shows they have no signs of truly slowing down. They seem to be as energetic and passionate about what they do now as they’ve ever been. Plus, it’s great to have recent hits The Fixer & Just Breathe in a live format…especially during The Fox January Jam.

Overall, Live on Ten Legs is a great collection for a casual fan – it acts as a kind of “greatest hits” – and, if you’re one of the die-hards…well, you already know how good it is, don’t you? It’s been getting lots of love in my stereo, so I’d recommend it for yours too. It’s a nice addition to the collection. (Go out and get a copy)

On the disc, PJ does a great cover of Arms Aloft by Joe Strummer, so as a bonus, I thought I’d share the original below:





-Crash-

*That's a link to the blog I had prior to getting space on foxrocks.ca

P.S. What's on your Concert Bucket List?

Cobain's Favourite Band Coming To NB

A band that inspired Kurt Cobain – a self-avowed fan – and many other emerging artists of the early 90’s is making its way to the Maritimes. On April 10^th, the Pixies will play the Casino NB in Moncton. They’ll be playing Halifax on the 9^th, as well.

On the 'Doolittle' tour, the first major Canadian Tour since 2004, the Pixies will perform all the songs from their 1989 classic with an imaginative cinematic production specially created for the tour. It’s bound to be both visually and aurally pleasing. I love that shows like this are coming to NB…it gets me all excited about other potential tours that could stop by our province…hopefully even in Fredericton.

Anyway, Tickets for the Pixies stop in Moncton will go on sale January 29^th at 10am. Here are the details:

Tickets: $61.28 (taxes and service charges included) on sale at Casino New Brunswick Gift shop.

Charge by phone 1 866-943-8849
Online at www.evenko.ca or www.casinonb.ca

When I first saw the press release about this show, it immediately brought Sleepy Driver to mind. Well, first I thought: “sweet!” then I thought of the Nirvana connection…and then I thought of Sleepy Driver…

…Anyway…

The Fredericton band does an excellent cover of The Pixies song Cactus (which is on the album before Doolittle), which is below, followed by The original.

Sleepy's version:




And Now The Pixies' original:



-Crash-

What do you think? Gonna check it out?

Awards Hit Close To Home

The nominations for the 2011 East Coast Music Awards were announced this morning. The awards, which are taking place April 13-17 in Charlottetown, celebrate the best that the year had to offer in the way of East Coast talent…and as you know, we harbour a ton out here!

Fredericton’s own David Myles leads the way with five nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, and two bands from my list of Top Albums of 2010 (#4 & #2 respectively) are here too. The Stanfields are up for four awards, including single of the year for The Dirtiest Drunk, and Fredericton’s Ross Neilsen & The Sufferin’ Bastards are up for Blues recording of the year for their album Redemption.

Below are some highlights of Fox artists who are up for awards (Click Here for the Full list* of nominees). Below that is a video from one of my favourite musicians** (it just so happens he’s also from the East Coast) and a link to download his recent iTunes Sessions.

ECMA Nominee Highlights:

The Trews
- DVD of the Year (The Trews Acoustic – Friends & Total Strangers)
- Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year
- Fan’s Choice Video of the Year (Highway of Heroes)
- Single of the Year (Highway of Heroes)

Slowcoaster
- Alternative Recording of the Year (The Darkest of Discos)
- FACTOR Recording of the Year (The Darkest of Discos)
- Group Recording of the Year (The Darkest of Discos)
- Single of the Year (War on War)

The Stanfields
- Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year
- FACTOR Recording of the Year (Vanguard of the Young and Reckless)
- Rising Star Recording of the Year (Vanguard of the Young and Reckless)
- Single of the Year (The Dirtiest Drunk In the History of Liquor)

Wintersleep
- Alternative Recording of the Year (New Inheritors)
- FACTOR Recording of the Year (New Inheritors)
- Group Recording of the Year (New Inheritors)
- SOCAN Songwriter of the Year (Paul Murphy, Tim D’Eon, Loel Campbell, Michael Bigelow - Preservation)

Matt Andersen
- Blues Recording of the Year (Piggyback w/Mike Stevens)
- Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year
- Male Solo Recording of the year (Piggyback)

Sleepy Driver
- Vibe Creative Group Single of the Year (Like a Weapon)

Ross Neilen & The Sufferin’ Bastards
- Blues Recording of the Year (Redemption)

Joel Plaskett & The Emergency
- Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year


**Here’s Matt Mays performing a new song (Chase The Light) - one I consider among his best. You can get a piano driven version from itunes on his iTunes Sessions, which came out last week and has been dominating my speakers.



-Crash-

*Anyone you think was left out of the nominations? Who's your favourite East Coaster?

Film Review: The Green Hornet

It’s been said The Dark Knight changed the way comic-book movies are made. That film is one of my favourites, and it certainly transcended general perception of what a comic-book movie should be. It was a dark, brooding crime film that just happens to have a comic book character as the main protagonist. I loved it. But sometimes, a “comic-book” movie needs to be just that; a comic book movie.

The Green Hornet stars Seth Rogen as Britt Reid, a rebellious, party-boy slacker who has reaped the benefits of his father’s LA newspaper empire. When the elder Reid (Tom Wilkinson) dies and leaves his paper, The Daily Sentinel, to his son, Britt passes off control to his father’s right-hand man – unwilling to accept responsibility. Britt, who holds resentment towards his father, bonds with Kato, the mechanic and coffee-maker of the estate and, after an evening of drinking, they decide to “go do something crazy”.

They go out, dressed in disguise to vandalize the statue that was erected in honour of Brit’s father and end up beating up some thugs in the process, saving a couple’s lives – which invigorates them. The next day, the news only focuses on the vandalism and Britt decides to use The Daily Sentinel to spread word about The Green Hornet, making himself appear to be a criminal, while he intends to take down crime as a vigilante. This soon garners the attention of Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), an LA mafia boss who seeks to control all of the crime in the city.

Seth Rogen also co-wrote the script, which is crisply paced and loaded with funny dialogue and gags. It teeters on the edge of parody, yet fully embraces the comic-book world in which it’s clearly based. There’s tons of action with gun fights, explosions and car-chases, yet it always has an underbelly of comic fun which makes watching it a blast. It’s a leave-your-brain-at-he-door popcorn flick. The movie wouldn’t be what it is, however without some strong characters.

Seth Rogen as Britt Reid isn’t entirely likeable – he’s kind of a jerk – but he makes up for it with his sense of humour, and he has charm as the bumbling “hero”. Jay Chou steals the show - and a good chunk of the laughs - as Kato, The Green Hornet’s sidekick, who is actually the one that gets things done in the partnership. He has the brains and the fighting skills that end up making Britt look good. Christoph Waltz is fantastic as Chudnofsky, the mafia boss with a “fear-me” complex; picture his character in Inglorious Basterds, only more comically zany.

The movie certainly isn’t perfect. It lacks a true sense of focus and the story really comes secondary to the action and comedy, but as far as having fun at a movie goes, I can’t complain. Although I will complain about it being in 3D; I’m not a fan of the oversaturation of 3D movies being released, especially when, like the Green Hornet, it’s done just to cash in on the fad – which usually only hinders my enjoyment. I didn’t get anything extra from watching the movie in this format…except maybe a headache from wearing the glasses.

3 Dented Bumpers*





*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

Getting Out Of The Cold

The weather has been all over the place lately - there could be something to this whole "Global Warming" thing. Anyway, now that we’re in the midst of our first true cold snap of the year (-20), the griping has begun and suddenly everyone is a comedian: “Cold enough for ya?”

For the record: no…I’m only bundled up like this to avoid being asked the question: “aren’t ya cold?”

…And once again we’re reminded that we live in Atlantic Canada. My solution: book a trip to go south; cold times like this remind me why Fidel built all those resorts in the first place.

Over the weekend, The Wife and I booked our first-ever winter-escape. I’ve been to Florida once – it rained most of the time – but that was with my parents while I was still in High School. So, this will be the first time, as an adult, I get to escape the snow, wind and frost-bite of New Brunswick, and embrace the sun, sand and unlimited free booze that all-inclusive resorts have to offer. I’m pretty excited.

There was a decision to make when we booked this trip, though: where should we go? The answer varied depending on who we asked. Some are staunch Dominican Republic ambassadors, while others say they prefer Cuba. (We had narrowed our choice down to the two…perhaps Jamaica or other places in the Caribbean will come in the future.) The one argument that seemed to pop up the most was over food.

Nearly everyone I’ve talked to (who has been to both destinations) has told me that the food is better in the DR. My response: “I’m not going for the food.” And neither is any one else. Fact is: the food is merely a secondary pleasure in a vacation such as this. I mean, if the food is great, that’s a bonus, but when you’re on the beach drinking a Mojito (I don’t even really know what that is) at 10am, the food is gonna taste pretty damn good…especially come Supper-time - pace yourself with those Mojitos. I mean, it’s the middle of winter and at this resort you’re surrounded by sun, sand, warmth and relaxation…I’m sold.

Besides, it’s my understanding you can tip with chewing gum…only Kevin McAllister could get away with that here.

-Crash-



We chose Cuba, by the way. We booked at Sears Travel, but there are various spots you could check out in the city if you’re thinking of taking a trip of your own. Check out a list here.

Film Review: Little Fockers

In 2000, we had the chance to see one of the greatest screen actors of our time- one known for intense, serious roles – issue the line: “I have nipples, Greg; could you milk me?” It’s one of several hilarious exchanges in Meet The Parents – a film about a nervous male-nurse meeting his girlfriend’s family for the first time – that made the film such a success. It was a riot watching Robert De Niro as Jack - the ex-CIA, over protective father - and Ben Stiller as Greg - the nervous boyfriend who tries too hard to impress - try to one-up each other. It was easy to relate because at some point, we’ve all been there.

And that’s the problem with the third film in the franchise; we’ve all been there.

In Meet The Fockers, Greg & Pam (Terry Polo) are engaged and their parents are meeting for the first time. Dustin Hoffman & Barbara Streisand are hilarious as the free-living Fockers, and the film offered up many new laughs as the parents’ personalities clash. It also relived some old favourites – especially Jack reverting back to his untrusting CIA tactics.

In Little Fockers, it just seems like we’ve already been there; done that. Pam & Greg are now married with 5-year old twins, Henry & Samantha, and they’re organizing a birthday party that will reunite the whole family in Chicago. Things come up, of course, which causes a rift in the happy little family life that Pam & Greg have achieved; The same characters are here - with Jessica Alba showing up as a perky, young drug rep who is meant to tempt and test Greg - and the same jokes are delivered. At this point, I’m over the whole “I’m watching you, watching me” routine and the whole film just feels stale.

Sure there are some funny moments (Dustin Hoffman steals the few scenes he has) and it’s an OK, if not entirely necessary, edition to the series, but overall it just lacks the overall squirm-inducing hilarity that the first, and to a degree, the 2^nd film offered. For that reason, I’d say it’s something you can check out if you’re a fan of the series, but it lacks anything that would deem it a must-see.

2.5 Dented Bumpers*





*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

The Escalating Buzz

As previously mentioned in Freddy Mac’s blog, Fredericton was ranked the 4^th best place to live in Canada. Not too shabs! We can now officially boast to being better than Moncton (re: Wullerton - Corner Gas).

I think the new Convention Centre escalator helped us climb the list...

At any rate, we’re in the top 4, and that can bring on a great feeling of excitement...much like said escalator did this week. I’ve never seen so much online-chatter over a device designed to assist our own inherent laziness. It was kind of funny that the opening of a several Million Dollar construction project - which will boost tourism and revenue for the city - was overshadowed by the unveiling of Fredericton’s only escalator. I mean, it feels so new and advanced – even though Zellers had one years ago.

Anyway, while some will complain that the Convention Centre itself is a waste of money and valuable parking space - not to mention the fact it is responsible for the remodelling of the Lunar Rogue patio – I’m convinced it will be a good thing. It’s outfitted with lots of ballroom space, meeting space, a 700 soft-seat theatre, etc. Sure, it’ll mainly be used for conventions and business oriented gatherings, but there’s potential to host concerts - they’ve already mentioned they’re in discussions with Harvest to see if there’s a partnership available – and that is exciting.

Plus, y’know, there’s the escalator.

Congratulations to the City of Fredericton for: being ranked the 4^th best place to live; and for the new Convention Centre...I can’t wait to not use my legs to climb stairs.

-Crash-

Here’s what Rick Mercer has to say about escalators...and elevators; take heed:

Death of The Record Store

I was reading Uncle Rob’s recent blog post about Casa-Dia Vinyl Records, where he described how much he enjoys collecting vinyl: the smell; the sound; the art; everything, and how meaningful it still is to him. To him, buying a record offers a full experience and he still has a special place in his heart for the first record he ever bought. I’m the same way, except I didn’t grow up with vinyl (though I do have a few). Reading The Uncle’s post - that’s how I like to refer to him: “The Uncle” - brought to mind a conversation I had the other day about the death of the record store.

CD Plus in Regent Mall closed its doors for good on Dec. 24^th, and it will likely soon be that way for a lot more stores, judging by the decline in overall sales. As the music industry becomes more and more digitized, the need for record stores selling physical copies of a musician’s work is lessening; which bothers me. It feels like some of the magic of buying music is being taken away.

And it’s not that I’m against going digital...not really. I love the ease of access an MP3 (or the better quality wav.) has to offer; load it onto your iPod (or Mp3 player) and take your entire musical library wherever you go. It certainly makes attaining an album that much easier; you don’t even have to leave home. But that’s part of what I’m getting at; part of the magic of buying an album, as Uncle Rob mentioned, is actually getting the album.

I bought my first CD in 1997 – I’m 25, and this is a post about physical compared to digital, so spare me the “Vinyl is so much better” rant – it was Our Lady Peace’s Clumsy; I bought it on my own, using my money. The excitement I got from buying and owning my first record (yes, I call CD’s “records”), at the age of 11, was fantastic. It was the beginning of my collection and it sparked the evolution of my musical tastes. No longer did I have to listen to my parents’ music – which wasn’t bad, by any means; I grew up on classic rock – but this was mine.

I grew up in Cumberland bay; a 40-minute drive to the nearest record store. So, I remember picking up my copy of Clumsy and waiting with anticipation to get it home and listen to it (no CD player in my parents’ Astro). The minute I got home, I popped it into my player, took out the liner notes and began flipping through them; absorbing the lyrics as the music played. The artwork included within was a perfect companion to the post-grunge, alternative sound coming from the speakers. It was a full experience. Clumsy was on repeat for weeks in my room – my mom hated it. I still have a special place in my heart for that album; I’m so glad my first one wasn’t something totally embarrassing.

I still get a thrill out of going to the store , picking up a record and taking it home – only now I have a player in the car, so I get to hear it much sooner. The point is: I like having the music in my hands. I enjoy reading the liner notes; looking at the artwork. The whole thing is a piece of art. Call me nostalgic, or even pretentious, but there’s a magic to that experience that today’s digital download just doesn’t offer me. Even when I was in middle School and discovered Napster, I always used it as a preview before I could get the money (this was before I had my first job) to actually buy the disc and add to my collection.

Sure, they’re just discs on a shelf, or they’re just files on a computer; so long as you’re enjoying the music, what difference does it make, right? Well, yeah, I get that. The music is, and will always be, number one with me, but I guess I just have a special appreciation for the whole experience of owning the music: going out to get it; taking it home; struggling to rip open the shrink wrap…I’m gonna miss that.

-Crash-

**Below is one of my favourites from my first album purchase:

Film Review: True Grit **Originally posted Jan. 10, 2011**

Remakes are big business in Hollywood. A good majority of the “new” movies made these days are either remakes or sequels, and a good majority don’t live up to the greatness of the original. So a remake could also be risky; unless you name is Joel or Ethan Coen.

The Coen Brothers have made a name for themselves by delivering top quality work that is funny, dark, quirky, and filled with colourful characters and rich dialogue. True Grit, a novel written by Charles Portis in 1968, features themes, characters and dialogue which seems tailored to a Coen Bros adaptation. In 1969, the novel was made into a film starring John Wayne so, The Coens’ True Grit is technically a remake, however the films are really only similar in that they share source material.

True Grit is the story of Mattie Ross, a strong-willed 13 year old, hell bent on revenge; Tom Chaney killed her father and took off with his money and horses. Mattie seeks to hire Rueben “Rooster” Cogburn - a one-eyed, whiskey-swilling, quick-triggered US Marshall – to bring Chaney to justice (dead or alive). A Texas Ranger, named Leboeuf, is also on Chaney’s trail for the shooting of a Texas Senator and his dog; LeBoeuf seeks to collect the reward money associated with the outlaw.

The two film adaptations share the same basic story, and there is certainly some shared dialogue. The events are the same, with some slight alterations in the updated version (The Coen’s opted to stick a little closer to the original novel than the ’69 film). What the Coen Bros have done here is bring these characters and their world to life in a way that the original just couldn’t do, which is not only a credit to the filmmakers, but to the actors they’ve cast.

John Wayne won an Oscar playing Rooster Cogburn, but the character was overshadowed by the fact that he was John Wayne. The 2010 Rooster is a gruff drunk who speaks in a gargled mumble; Jeff Bridges totally embodies this character which you both despise and love all at once. Meanwhile, Matt Damon plays a better Laboeuf than Glen Campbell could have ever dreamed of playing. Campbell delivered a stilted, hammy performance of the law-man who talks a big game – and a bit too much – but Damon is much more subtle and plays LaBoeuf as a smarmy, cock-sure chatterbox that just may wel be in over his head.

As good as Bridges and Damon are though, the real standout is Hailee Steinfeld, who delivers an engaging, confident performance as Mattie. This is Mattie’s story, after all, so the film needs to rest on her shoulders and Hailee plays Mattie as mature for her age, but still with the glimmer and wonder of a child. For her first film, she really holds her own opposite the impressive talent this film has to offer; the fact she was only 13 when True Grit was filmed (Kim Darby, who played Mattie in the original was 20) just makes it all the more impressive.

The backdrops and scenery of the film are beautifully shot and add to the film’s late 1800’s setting. True Grit is a true Western as only the Coen Bros could do it: a story of revenge and redemption with colourful characters and dark humour; staying true to the original novel’s ending in the process. While it’s not quite as quirky, or even as bleak as one might expect from one of their films, True Grit is a nice addition to the Coen Bros catalogue of greatness and is one of the best films of the past year.

It's certainly the best remake I've seen.

4.5 Dented Bumpers*





*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

Film Review: The Fighter **Originally Posted Jan.5**

Sports movies, in general, have clichéd storylines: the star fights adversity on his way to becoming a champion. The climax is always a very important match which could go one of two ways: the main character wins or he doesn’t. The Fighter is no different, in this regard, but it does offer some interesting substance along the way.

The Fighter tells the story of real-life boxer “Irish” Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), and his attempt to make a name for himself by climbing out from behind the shadow of his half-brother and trainer, former pro (Dick “Dicky” EklundChrisitan Bale), who became the pride of Lowell, Mass (where the movie takes place) after going the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard. Since that bout, Dicky has fallen into a life of crack addiction and crime; merely a caricature of his former self. His character isn’t meant to be the main focus, but his is possibly the more interesting story of the film. Without him, Micky’s story may not be worth the paper it‘s written on.

A great acting performance is one where you forget about the actor and focus entirely on the character. Christian Bale has delivered such a performance and steals the show. Bale’s mannerisms, speech and appearance render him nearly unrecognizable, and you feel like you’re watching the real Dick Eklund - whether you know of him or not. The performance is equally comedic and heartbreaking as his drug addiction tears his life apart. Dicky is a larger than life character; one who struggles to support his family while attempting to put his life back in order. The best way to do that is to help his brother win the title.

Mark Wahlberg delivers a fine performance, considering what he has to work with. Micky Ward doesn’t say much and is often so overshadowed by the antics of his family (including his mother and 7 vengeful, catty sisters) it doesn’t really feel like there’s much connection with him. In the end, it’s almost as if you’re rooting for him because it’ll mean his brother gets a chance at redemption more than you’re rooting for him to win for his own reasons. Amy Adams does an excellent job playing against type as Micky’s girlfriend, who supports him and pushes him to be his own man - she holds her own against hiss disapproving family, offering some of the snappiest dialogue of the film in those scenes.

The story is based on true events, so the formulaic nature of the film is certainly excusable. The acting is impeccable and the fight scenes are some of the most realistic I’ve seen in a movie; they were actually filmed by HBO using the same equipment of the era, which adds an extra layer of grainy realism. It may not be the best film of the year (and I mean 2010…this year is too young to say things like that), but it’s certainly a good one; Bale’s performance alone is worth the price of admission.

4 Dented Bumpers*





*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

Making Sense of The Nonsensical**Originally posted Jan. 7**

Wow. It's Friday already…this year is flying by.

A new year (2011) offers a fresh start and brings about a few changes - of underwear (Thanks, Mom) -and you’re ready to make a difference in your life. However, by now (a week in) you’ve forgotten about your resolution – if you bothered to make one at all – and the idea of turkey probably makes you vomit. Unless you’re still eating leftovers, in which case that is what’s making you vomit…please stop.

Now that this first week of 2011 is over, I feel like I can begin to focus a little more on things – I’m getting glasses soon – and get out of that “holiday” mindset. A man gets used to sitting around in his PJs watching movies and eating only chocolate, candy and chocolate-covered candy. It’s hard to go back to work after all that; hell, it’s hard to do anything after that. Take this blog for example: I have no idea what I’m trying to write about; my mind keeps wandering….

Below are examples of posts I began, but have yet to finish because of the holiday lethargy (they show insight into my thought process with regard to writing):

“I had an interesting conversation this morning…*something, something*… computers make me sound smart, but feel dumb…”

“Remakes are big business in Hollywood…*something, something*…True Grit…”

“There’s a lot to look forward to this year: music; the Super Bowl; NHL Playoffs; summer….beating Russia at The World Junior Championship…”

…that last one turned into this post. I’m gradually gaining focus.

Anyway, here’s to a new year: may you figure out your goals before it’s 2012… that’s when the Mayans will make your goals for you.

Cheers,
-Crash-

Coming up: the completion of at least one of those “other” blog posts (mentioned above). Hey! That could be my resolution: I will finish those blog posts this year. Oh man, 2011 is gonna be productive.

P.S. Here’s 10 seconds of the music I’m most looking forward to in 2011: Foo Fighters - White Limo