I have a mini-vacation coming up due to that I need to use up my vacation days before the new year (they don't carry over) and I know that I won't be able to use them during sweeps and the holidays. I figured that I'd get some stuff done/fun during my four day weekend. In lieu of a day planner, I'll just use this blog space.
Saturday, October 25th
10:00am- Get free from work.
11:30am- Get last minute items.
12:30pm-4:00pm- Eat and nap.
4:00pm- 6:30pm- Last minute cleaning.
7:00pm- ?- Bru-ha-ha.
Sunday, October 26th
8:00am- Wake up in order to work out.
8:01am- "Who am I kidding?"
10:30am- Actually getting out of bed with the intention of working out.
10:35am- Realize that I need breakfast, cooking some, wolf it down, and realize that I need to wait an hour for digestion.
11:40am-2:30pm- Working out.
3:30pm- Reading comics, writing comedy, drinking coffee at a cafe.
4:30pm- Cross out any comedy ideas that I have second thoughts about, call my brothers.
5:45pm- Go to MovieStop and make an exchange for new (at least to me) movies.
7:30pm- Go to Hooters, ignore the hooligans, tolerate the food, being extra patient with the wait staff, and enjoying WWE Cyber Sunday while calling Cincy buds.
11:30pm- Arrive home and go to sleep.
Monday, October 27th
8:00am- Wake up and work out for real.
11:00am- Go to Coldstone and get a pint of a customized flavor and get some Yuengling beer.
11:30am-2:00pm- Cook and eat breakfast while writing my script.
2:00pm-4:00pm- Explore other opportunities.
4:00pm-5:00pm- Send a mass email update and email my anchor friend, Raoul.
5:00pm-8:00pm- Have dinner, watch Fox shows online that I missed from the night before.
9:00pm- Watch WWE RAW while taping Heroes.
11:08pm- Watch the taped Heroes.
12:00am- Download Wrestling Observer Radio and fall asleep listening to it.
Tuesday, October 28th
8:30am-11:30pm- Wake up, download Wrestling Observer Radio and the Bryan and Vinny Show onto my MP3 player, and work out.
11:30am-11:48am Go to Autozone and find out what's broken in my car (it takes 1-9 attempts to start it).
11:49am-12:00pm- Cuss and not get it fixed because I can't afford it.
12:30pm- Explore opportunities. Realize that they are still harping on the Last Comic Sitting contest at the Why Not Lounge and decide not to go this week because I wouldn't get on stage until probably 11:30pm.
2:30pm- 4:00pm- Write some of my script.
4:00pm- 4:29pm- Order a Papa John's Pizza with a side of bacon cheesy bread.
4:30pm- 11:59pm- Gorge on pizza, beer, and ice cream while having a Kurosawa one-two punch viewing of Seven Samurai and Yojimbo.
12:00am- Bed.
Wednesday, Oct. 29th
8:30am- 12:00pm- Breakfast and work out.
12:30pm-3:29pm- Make a lunch, get a book, get my comedy notebook, and go to Loch Haven park to read, write, eat, and meditate.
3:30pm-4:29pm- Head home to beat traffic.
4:30pm- ?- Nap, dinner, and putz around the internet before bed.
Thursday, Oct. 30th
3:15am- Get up and get back to work.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Barnes at the Movies: W.
"What'd you think?"
"I liked it."
"Me too."
"It didn't really bash Bush."
"I know, he was a goof at some points, but not a total moron. I'm pleasantly surprised."
"Actually, it made me feel sorry for the guy."
That exchange was between me and one of my co-worker friends (who is a hardcore Obama supporter) after we saw the film, W. I include this exchange because I think it best describes what the film's depiction of our 43rd president was all about. However, I believe that the film will still get flack from both sides of the party line. Many republicans will hate the film because they think the president was depicted as too much of a buffoon. Numerous democrats will criticize the film because they'll feel that the movie sympathizes with Bush too much and doesn't portray him as an evil idiot. In the film a young Laura Bush (Elizabeth Banks) tells W. (Josh Brolin) when they first meet that he's "a devil in a white hat." Not pure good. Not pure evil. Sounds like a human, doesn't it?
I was curious to see this movie because of three reasons. One, Oliver Stone's past conspiracy-laced films (JFK anyone?) intrigued me to see how biased he'd portray one of the most polarizing presidents in recent history. Two, with the correct makeup, Josh Brolin looked so much like W. that it creeps me out. And three, unless I am mistaken, this is the first film about a president being released while still being in office. Curiousity had beaten my wallet.
W. follows the adult life of our current president, George W. Bush, Jr., going from his college days to weeks after the "Mission Accomplished" speech on the aircraft carrier following the successful occupation of Iraq. The character of W. is toiling with what to do with his life while not getting the best grades and engaging in rowdy drinking. While struggling with his alcoholism, Jr. is trying to juggle the problems of trying to win the favor of George "Poppy" Bush, Sr. (James Cromwell), competing for parental affection with his more scholastic brother, Jeb, and trying to live up to the high standards that the Bush family clings to. We see George W. Bush struggle and grow from being "Junior" to "W." to "Mr. President."
The depiction of W. is a man of simple pleasures, simple desires, simple education, and poor speaking skills with big ambition, never back down attitude, and big faith. In any other family, this W. would be on the ranch during the day, drink beer all night, and fish on the weekends when not making time with the missus rather than be a politician. In fact, he'd be much happier that way. The crux of the film is that W. is a man that didn't know what he wanted as a young man, tried to live up to his family's idea of what success is rather than finding his own definition, and finding himself in over his head and unhappy when he rises to the top. All of this while trying to do what he thinks is the right thing and what God wants him to do.
The plot is about George W. Bush, the man. The Iraq conflict and 9/11 are referenced, but are backdrops not plot points. The snafus during the 2000 election aren't referenced at all. This movie is not focused on his politics. It focused on the man. That's why I liked it. It didn't preach loudly towards the right or left.
Josh Brolin does a fantastic job as the president and deserves an Oscar. His portrayal is dead-on in both delivery and even body movement. When W. is supposed to be charming and befuddled, he does it well without going into a cartoony-SNL-sketch comedy vein. When W. is supposed to be serious and smart, he pulls it off and makes it believable.
The rest of Bush's inner circle are portrayed very well. Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell comes off looking like a hero and makes the audience wonder "why didn't he run for president." If there are any villains in this film it would arguably be Scott Glenn's Donald Rumsfeld, but definitely Richard Dreyfuss' Dick Cheney. In many scenes, Cheney is depicted as cold, manipulative and the little devil whispering in W.'s ear while the angel on W.'s other shoulder stutters.
The soundtrack and look of the film do it justice. Nothing dark and dreary, nothing goofy. It all fits the mood. There are parts in which we laugh at W. (remember when he choked on a pretzel?), but ultimately the audience will look at Bush as not an evil mastermind nor a great man. Not a pure idiot, not good stock from an affluent American family. Just a...human. This human just happens to be the president. The focus of the next generation is to surpass the previous ones, sons to surpass their fathers. This one did what he could to do that, but was ultimately unhappy.
So check out it. It won't share space on my DVD shelf once it leaves theaters, but it is good story. Fact? Debatable. Story? Definitely.
"I liked it."
"Me too."
"It didn't really bash Bush."
"I know, he was a goof at some points, but not a total moron. I'm pleasantly surprised."
"Actually, it made me feel sorry for the guy."
That exchange was between me and one of my co-worker friends (who is a hardcore Obama supporter) after we saw the film, W. I include this exchange because I think it best describes what the film's depiction of our 43rd president was all about. However, I believe that the film will still get flack from both sides of the party line. Many republicans will hate the film because they think the president was depicted as too much of a buffoon. Numerous democrats will criticize the film because they'll feel that the movie sympathizes with Bush too much and doesn't portray him as an evil idiot. In the film a young Laura Bush (Elizabeth Banks) tells W. (Josh Brolin) when they first meet that he's "a devil in a white hat." Not pure good. Not pure evil. Sounds like a human, doesn't it?
I was curious to see this movie because of three reasons. One, Oliver Stone's past conspiracy-laced films (JFK anyone?) intrigued me to see how biased he'd portray one of the most polarizing presidents in recent history. Two, with the correct makeup, Josh Brolin looked so much like W. that it creeps me out. And three, unless I am mistaken, this is the first film about a president being released while still being in office. Curiousity had beaten my wallet.
W. follows the adult life of our current president, George W. Bush, Jr., going from his college days to weeks after the "Mission Accomplished" speech on the aircraft carrier following the successful occupation of Iraq. The character of W. is toiling with what to do with his life while not getting the best grades and engaging in rowdy drinking. While struggling with his alcoholism, Jr. is trying to juggle the problems of trying to win the favor of George "Poppy" Bush, Sr. (James Cromwell), competing for parental affection with his more scholastic brother, Jeb, and trying to live up to the high standards that the Bush family clings to. We see George W. Bush struggle and grow from being "Junior" to "W." to "Mr. President."
The depiction of W. is a man of simple pleasures, simple desires, simple education, and poor speaking skills with big ambition, never back down attitude, and big faith. In any other family, this W. would be on the ranch during the day, drink beer all night, and fish on the weekends when not making time with the missus rather than be a politician. In fact, he'd be much happier that way. The crux of the film is that W. is a man that didn't know what he wanted as a young man, tried to live up to his family's idea of what success is rather than finding his own definition, and finding himself in over his head and unhappy when he rises to the top. All of this while trying to do what he thinks is the right thing and what God wants him to do.
The plot is about George W. Bush, the man. The Iraq conflict and 9/11 are referenced, but are backdrops not plot points. The snafus during the 2000 election aren't referenced at all. This movie is not focused on his politics. It focused on the man. That's why I liked it. It didn't preach loudly towards the right or left.
Josh Brolin does a fantastic job as the president and deserves an Oscar. His portrayal is dead-on in both delivery and even body movement. When W. is supposed to be charming and befuddled, he does it well without going into a cartoony-SNL-sketch comedy vein. When W. is supposed to be serious and smart, he pulls it off and makes it believable.
The rest of Bush's inner circle are portrayed very well. Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell comes off looking like a hero and makes the audience wonder "why didn't he run for president." If there are any villains in this film it would arguably be Scott Glenn's Donald Rumsfeld, but definitely Richard Dreyfuss' Dick Cheney. In many scenes, Cheney is depicted as cold, manipulative and the little devil whispering in W.'s ear while the angel on W.'s other shoulder stutters.
The soundtrack and look of the film do it justice. Nothing dark and dreary, nothing goofy. It all fits the mood. There are parts in which we laugh at W. (remember when he choked on a pretzel?), but ultimately the audience will look at Bush as not an evil mastermind nor a great man. Not a pure idiot, not good stock from an affluent American family. Just a...human. This human just happens to be the president. The focus of the next generation is to surpass the previous ones, sons to surpass their fathers. This one did what he could to do that, but was ultimately unhappy.
So check out it. It won't share space on my DVD shelf once it leaves theaters, but it is good story. Fact? Debatable. Story? Definitely.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
An Open Letter to Those Who Lead Contemporary Worship at Church
Dear Worship Leader(s),
Don't take this as an attack, but there are many things that you might be doing that throw off/put off people when they come to worship God. Here are a few notes, which may or may not apply to you:
1. Your mic does not need to be that loud. When you belt out the high notes you are drowning out everything else and (if you are female) you are killing my eardrums. Yahweh no longer requires blood sacrifices, especially trickling from human orifices.
2. WE are singing. WE. ALL OF US. You are privileged and given the awesome honor to lead all of us in praising God. We are not here to see your concert.
3. When you have a giant projection with the lyrics of the song on the wall it is totally unnecessary to quickly, verbally announce the upcoming verse before singing it while in song. Example: A-ma-zing grace, how-sweet-the-sound, how-swee-t the sound, that-saved-a-wretch, that say-ved a wretch, etc. We know how to read and it disrupts the flow.
4. It is unnecessary to stretch a four minute song to ten minutes. It's not just a time thing, but after repeating the same chorus over and over it turns from an intentional thought of praise to God into a mindless mantra we chant while wondering where to go out to eat after the service.
5. Stop playing U2 songs. I do like some of them, but they were never meant to be praise music. Either that or give equal time to other mainstream bands with spiritual material. I have a couple of metal/hard rock songs in mind if you want suggestions. Otherwise, lose them.
6. Does the male worship leader have to sing tenor? And play an acoustic guitar? Nothing against those guys personally, but it'd be less homogenized to see the baritone drummer or harmonica player take the lead sometime. I'd like to match notes with the guy, not feel like I'm trying to mimic Jack Johnson.
7. Don't be afraid of silence. Maybe tell the band that prayer time doesn't always need a soundtrack behind it.
Thank you for your consideration and correction. Or thank you for praying for my, probably according to some of you, "bitter and unenlightened soul."
Peace.
Don't take this as an attack, but there are many things that you might be doing that throw off/put off people when they come to worship God. Here are a few notes, which may or may not apply to you:
1. Your mic does not need to be that loud. When you belt out the high notes you are drowning out everything else and (if you are female) you are killing my eardrums. Yahweh no longer requires blood sacrifices, especially trickling from human orifices.
2. WE are singing. WE. ALL OF US. You are privileged and given the awesome honor to lead all of us in praising God. We are not here to see your concert.
3. When you have a giant projection with the lyrics of the song on the wall it is totally unnecessary to quickly, verbally announce the upcoming verse before singing it while in song. Example: A-ma-zing grace, how-sweet-the-sound, how-swee-t the sound, that-saved-a-wretch, that say-ved a wretch, etc. We know how to read and it disrupts the flow.
4. It is unnecessary to stretch a four minute song to ten minutes. It's not just a time thing, but after repeating the same chorus over and over it turns from an intentional thought of praise to God into a mindless mantra we chant while wondering where to go out to eat after the service.
5. Stop playing U2 songs. I do like some of them, but they were never meant to be praise music. Either that or give equal time to other mainstream bands with spiritual material. I have a couple of metal/hard rock songs in mind if you want suggestions. Otherwise, lose them.
6. Does the male worship leader have to sing tenor? And play an acoustic guitar? Nothing against those guys personally, but it'd be less homogenized to see the baritone drummer or harmonica player take the lead sometime. I'd like to match notes with the guy, not feel like I'm trying to mimic Jack Johnson.
7. Don't be afraid of silence. Maybe tell the band that prayer time doesn't always need a soundtrack behind it.
Thank you for your consideration and correction. Or thank you for praying for my, probably according to some of you, "bitter and unenlightened soul."
Peace.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Random Thoughts Since 90% of My Blogs the Past Four Months Are Really Movie Reviews
- My new favorite debate show is Lewis Black's Root of All Evil.
- You will have to bribe me in order to go to the Holy Land Experience.
- I need to save money for a plane ticket to Japan.
- I need to save money for a plane ticket to California.
- I need to save money for a new computer.
- I need to save money.
- Or I need a better job.
- I need to investigate any Bible studies at my church.
- I need to attend services at my church.
- Fix the economy please.
- If I had the Hulk-like strength, I would powerbomb my car for all the frustration and wallet eating it has done the past month.
- I've never been so happy with politics then when Jim Lehrer forced both candidates to talk to each other as opposed to delivering speeches in front of each other like they did in the 2004 and 2000 debates.
- I said Sarah Palin looked like Tina Fey a two days before the press and SNL did.
- I need to finish my script.
- I never realized how disinterested I am in watching sports on TV.
- If I didn't have cable included with my regular rent, I wouldn't have it. I'd be able to watch all my shows on the internet...which oddly, is what I end up doing anyway.
- Every time I see President Bush on TV he looks like he is just repeating, "Only four more months to go, only four more months to go," in an endless cycle in his head.
- I wish I was back in Ohio just so I can register to vote and vote at the same time.
- I can't believe I just said, "I wish I was back in Ohio." *disclaimer- this excludes statements that have to do with visitation with family/friends.
- You will have to bribe me in order to go to the Holy Land Experience.
- I need to save money for a plane ticket to Japan.
- I need to save money for a plane ticket to California.
- I need to save money for a new computer.
- I need to save money.
- Or I need a better job.
- I need to investigate any Bible studies at my church.
- I need to attend services at my church.
- Fix the economy please.
- If I had the Hulk-like strength, I would powerbomb my car for all the frustration and wallet eating it has done the past month.
- I've never been so happy with politics then when Jim Lehrer forced both candidates to talk to each other as opposed to delivering speeches in front of each other like they did in the 2004 and 2000 debates.
- I said Sarah Palin looked like Tina Fey a two days before the press and SNL did.
- I need to finish my script.
- I never realized how disinterested I am in watching sports on TV.
- If I didn't have cable included with my regular rent, I wouldn't have it. I'd be able to watch all my shows on the internet...which oddly, is what I end up doing anyway.
- Every time I see President Bush on TV he looks like he is just repeating, "Only four more months to go, only four more months to go," in an endless cycle in his head.
- I wish I was back in Ohio just so I can register to vote and vote at the same time.
- I can't believe I just said, "I wish I was back in Ohio." *disclaimer- this excludes statements that have to do with visitation with family/friends.
Barnes at the Movies: Choke
Choke is a dark comedy based on the the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Choke follows Victor (Sam Rockwell) a recovering sex addict that works at a colonial theme park. Victor's mother (Anjelica Huston) lives at a pricey hospital, suffering from Alzheimers, and in order to pay the bills Victor goes to fancy restaurants and intentionally chokes on the food in order to be rescued by a rich person and con them into giving him money. Victor's problems explode when he finds out that his mother has been keeping a secret regarding his birth.
Sam Rockwell does a great job as Victor. He's good at being the asshole that Victor is and yet is able to pull off the sincere, likeable moments of Victor. This man needs to be prominent in more movies and his rapport with critics is similar to Paul Giamatti's swooning of critical masses six years ago. He's going to get noticed by more people sooner or later. Huston is wonderful as Victor's loving, but disturbed mom. She does a great job making the audience love her, but make them frustrated with her parental choices...in fact, the audience feels the same way about her as Victor does.
Choke's cinematography and dialogue make it a great work of film art. The film's mood is funny and dark. It makes you laugh, but laugh uncomfortably. After laughing at certain moments in this film, I wondered if I wrote my own ticket to hell. The story is weird, twisted, yet surprisingly heartwarming. Don't get me wrong, if you are bothered by sexual content and the f-bomb, then stay away. Otherwise, check it out.
Sam Rockwell does a great job as Victor. He's good at being the asshole that Victor is and yet is able to pull off the sincere, likeable moments of Victor. This man needs to be prominent in more movies and his rapport with critics is similar to Paul Giamatti's swooning of critical masses six years ago. He's going to get noticed by more people sooner or later. Huston is wonderful as Victor's loving, but disturbed mom. She does a great job making the audience love her, but make them frustrated with her parental choices...in fact, the audience feels the same way about her as Victor does.
Choke's cinematography and dialogue make it a great work of film art. The film's mood is funny and dark. It makes you laugh, but laugh uncomfortably. After laughing at certain moments in this film, I wondered if I wrote my own ticket to hell. The story is weird, twisted, yet surprisingly heartwarming. Don't get me wrong, if you are bothered by sexual content and the f-bomb, then stay away. Otherwise, check it out.
Barnes at the Movies: Tropic Thunder
I know that I'm over two months too late and most people have either seen this movie or gave it a pass, but you can check it out in the cheap-o theater (like I did) or on DVD in a couple months or so if you haven't seen it.
Tropic Thunder is a movie about the making of a movie. Ben Stiller plays an action movie star in the vein of Stallone/Ah-Nold whose career is floundering due to waning interest in the fourth installment of his action film franchise and a stinker performance as a mentally challenged boy in his last film. He is joined by an Australian, multi-Oscar winner (*cough* Russel Crowe *cough*) played by Robert Downey Jr., whose character undergoes a controversial surgery to turn his skin color from white to black for his upcoming role. They are joined by a drug addled, flatulence based comedian played by Jack Black that is definitely the imaginated love child of Chris Farley and Eddie Murphy. The three are cast in the Vietnam bio-pic, "Tropic Thunder," based upon a book by a 'Nam vet played by Nick Nolte. When the film is having trouble completing, it is decided that the movie be shot in thick jungles of Vietnam with hidden cameras. Hilarity ensues when the actors confuse a Vietnamese drug cartel as actors.
Tropic Thunder hits every note of what it is trying to spoof and satirize. There are many direct and subtle references to Vietnam war films like Platoon and Apocalypse Now in both dialogue and cinematography. The jokes are good and funny. The ha-ha's are not for everyone in that they are far from politically correct (Downey is in blackface after all and it does poke fun at the mentally challenged) and that there are buckets of blood and gore used for comedic effect. One out of every seven celebrities are in this movie, including a lot of people who probably wouldn't be involved in a comedy like this.
I enjoy Ben Stiller as a director and writer, but he essentially plays one of two characters in every movie. He is either an Nacissistic, healthnut idiot (Dodgeball, Zoolander) or a calm, nice, awkward fellow who later in the movie breaks into funny fits of rage (Meet the Parents, The Heartbreak Kid). In this movie, he's the former. It's a good performance, but I've seen it too many times. Jack Black is funny, but overshadowed by Stiller and Downey. He has great comedy potential, but he didn't seem to put a lot of effort into the performance. Downey stole the show with his great delivery, facials, and accents.
Tropic Thunder was the best comedy this summer, which isn't saying much for comedies in the summer of 2008. However, standing alone, the movie is a good, entertaining comedy that will provide good amounts of R-rated fun, but won't share space on the "Best Comedies" shelf alongside Dr. Strangelove, Young Frankenstein, and Airplane. Rent it when it's on DVD and get a few giggles.
However, in the movie's defense, it did make me hate Tom Cruise a little bit less.
Tropic Thunder is a movie about the making of a movie. Ben Stiller plays an action movie star in the vein of Stallone/Ah-Nold whose career is floundering due to waning interest in the fourth installment of his action film franchise and a stinker performance as a mentally challenged boy in his last film. He is joined by an Australian, multi-Oscar winner (*cough* Russel Crowe *cough*) played by Robert Downey Jr., whose character undergoes a controversial surgery to turn his skin color from white to black for his upcoming role. They are joined by a drug addled, flatulence based comedian played by Jack Black that is definitely the imaginated love child of Chris Farley and Eddie Murphy. The three are cast in the Vietnam bio-pic, "Tropic Thunder," based upon a book by a 'Nam vet played by Nick Nolte. When the film is having trouble completing, it is decided that the movie be shot in thick jungles of Vietnam with hidden cameras. Hilarity ensues when the actors confuse a Vietnamese drug cartel as actors.
Tropic Thunder hits every note of what it is trying to spoof and satirize. There are many direct and subtle references to Vietnam war films like Platoon and Apocalypse Now in both dialogue and cinematography. The jokes are good and funny. The ha-ha's are not for everyone in that they are far from politically correct (Downey is in blackface after all and it does poke fun at the mentally challenged) and that there are buckets of blood and gore used for comedic effect. One out of every seven celebrities are in this movie, including a lot of people who probably wouldn't be involved in a comedy like this.
I enjoy Ben Stiller as a director and writer, but he essentially plays one of two characters in every movie. He is either an Nacissistic, healthnut idiot (Dodgeball, Zoolander) or a calm, nice, awkward fellow who later in the movie breaks into funny fits of rage (Meet the Parents, The Heartbreak Kid). In this movie, he's the former. It's a good performance, but I've seen it too many times. Jack Black is funny, but overshadowed by Stiller and Downey. He has great comedy potential, but he didn't seem to put a lot of effort into the performance. Downey stole the show with his great delivery, facials, and accents.
Tropic Thunder was the best comedy this summer, which isn't saying much for comedies in the summer of 2008. However, standing alone, the movie is a good, entertaining comedy that will provide good amounts of R-rated fun, but won't share space on the "Best Comedies" shelf alongside Dr. Strangelove, Young Frankenstein, and Airplane. Rent it when it's on DVD and get a few giggles.
However, in the movie's defense, it did make me hate Tom Cruise a little bit less.
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