This is from the very first episode of The Chris Rock Show on HBO in 1997
Beat that, Miss Cleo
Archive for November, 2006
Random Thoughts Part III
November 27, 2006Another day of ranDUMBness…
* I saw “physical” because I still keep in touch with many people via Instant Messenger, MySpace and e-mails.
That quote perfectly describes how I feel anytime I go my parents’ house in Long Island. My mother has completely redone the house since I moved out. Actually, it started as I was getting ready to leave. This isn’t the first time she’s done this but this time, it’s like House 3.0. The floors are different, the carpet was removed, the kitchen replaced. There are even new TVs. It always felt weird but yesterday I was walking around this place I called home once and it felt like I had no childhood, like any evidence that I ever lived there has been systematically removed. It’s weird to go to the same address you called your own for the better part of your life and having no memories.
** George was a close second with that whole sleeping with Meredith thing being the only blemish on his character.
Movie of the Week Part II: Stranger Than Fiction
November 26, 2006
I don’t think I will ever be able to accept Will Ferrell (Harold Crick) as a serious actor
Not that this was a serious movie because it was a comedy.
It’s not because I don’t think he’s a good actor because he is.
But there were stretches during this movie where I thought to myself that this feels like a great Saturday Night Live sketch.
Or maybe SNL is that bad that I’m thinking of ways to make it better during my not watching SNL time?
I feel the same way about Mike Myers.
Anyway, this was a good movie. Not great. Cute even.
I still don’t know how I feel about the end though. I kinda wanted it to end the way it was intended to end* but Kay Eiffel’s (Emma Thompson) reasoning about her book’s ending (and the movie as a whole) was true so what does that say about me as a person?
* This will make sense when you see the movie.
Movie of the Week: The Fountain
November 22, 2006
This is probably the hardest movie I’ve ever tried to review.
I can totally understand someone seeing this movie and hating it. I mean, not just hating but possibly walking out of it.
The movie is not perfect. Some of the script is hokey and some, you can argue alot, of the movie is conceptually silly.
But I loved this movie.
I think I loved this movie more than this movie was actually good.
I see (I think) what Darren Aronofsky was trying to achieve. This movie is grand and ambitious. The cinematography was amazing and you would expect no less.
I think what it comes down to is how you feel about the 26th-century parts of the movie. The present day and the 16th-century Spain are pretty straightforward when all is said and done. But the future, much like life, is definitely left up to interpretation. At first, I thought it was a metaphor and then I thought it was real but as the credits rolled, I didn’t know what to think. It didn’t take away from how I felt about the movie.
Hugh Jackman was amazing in this film. He really carried this movie alternating pain and passion for his “quest”. I think he should be nominated for an Oscar but the critical reception this movie has gotten might hinder that cause. Brad Pitt was originally cast as he lead until he dropped out. I don’t know if he could have done what Jackman did but it would have been interesting to see him try.
In my heart, I want to give this movie but I cannot deny its imperfections.
This is one of those movies I wouldn’t recommend or at least I would selectively recommend because it’s not easily accessible and requires an OPEN mind. Regardless, you are unlikely to see a movie like it in a long time.
Finally, A Useful Application of Science
November 21, 2006‘Beer goggles’ effect explained
Scientists believe they have worked out a formula to calculate how “beer goggles” affect a drinker’s vision.
The drink-fuelled phenomenon is said to transform supposedly “ugly” people into beauties – until the morning after.
Researchers at Manchester University say while beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder, the amount of alcohol consumed is not the only factor.
Additional factors include the level of light in the pub or club, the drinker’s own eyesight and the room’s smokiness.
The distance between two people is also a factor.
They all add up to make the aesthetically-challenged more attractive, according to the formula.
The formula can work out a final score, ranging from less than one – where there is no beer goggle effect – to more than 100.
Nathan Efron, Professor of Clinical Optometry at the University of Manchester, said: “The beer goggles effect isn’t solely dependent on how much alcohol a person consumes, there are other influencing factors at play too.
“For example, someone with normal vision, who has consumed five pints of beer and views a person 1.5 metres away in a fairly smoky and poorly lit room, will score 55, which means they would suffer from a moderate beer goggle effect.”
The research was commissioned by eyecare firm Bausch & Lomb PureVision.
A poll showed that 68% of people had regretted giving their phone number to someone to whom they later realised they were not attracted.
A formula rating of less than one means no effect. Between one and 50 the person you would normally find unattractive appears less “visually offensive”.
Non-appealing people become suddenly attractive between 51 and 100. At more than 100, someone not considered attractive looks like a super model.
KEY TO FORMULA
An = number of units of alcohol consumed
S = smokiness of the room (graded from 0-10, where 0 clear air; 10 extremely smoky)
L = luminance of ‘person of interest’ (candelas per square metre; typically 1 pitch black; 150 as seen in normal room lighting)
Vo = Snellen visual acuity (6/6 normal; 6/12 just meets driving standard)
d = distance from ‘person of interest’ (metres; 0.5 to 3 metres)
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4468884.stm
I’m Sure He’ll Pull a Mel Gibson/Mark Foley and Say ‘I was Drunk’
November 20, 2006Report: ‘Seinfeld’ Actor Hurls Racial Slurs On Stage
N-Word Tirade At Black Audience Members Caught On Videotape
POSTED: 9:45 am EST
November 20, 2006
The actor who played Kramer on the classic sitcom “Seinfeld” reportedly hurled racial epithets at two black audience members at a Los Angeles comedy hot spot Friday, leaving audience members outraged, according to TMZ.com.
According to the celebrity news Web site, Michael Richards went off on two black audience members who were heckling the comedian during a show at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood.
In a video of the incident featured on the Web site, Richards purportedly screamed, “Fifty years ago we’d have you upside down with a f—ing fork up your a–.”
On the videotape, some audience members are gasping in disbelief.
Directing his anger at one of the men, Richards said, “Throw his a– out,” and said, “He’s a n—–!” five times.
Near the end of the tirade, Richards said, “They’re going to arrest me for calling a black man a n—–.”
In response to the tirade, one of men said, “That’’s un-f—ing called for — ain’t necessary,” TMZ said.
After the three-minute tirade concluded, several audience members hit the exits, the Web site said.
Richards played Kramer on “Seinfeld” from 1989 to 1998. He also starred in 2000’s “The Michael Richards Show,” which was canceled during its first season.
Movie of the Week: Fast Food Nation
November 15, 2006
What a good time to give up fast food.
This Richard Linklater film based on Eric Schlosser book (they both co-wrote the screenplay) was all over the place.
It covers:
- The fast food industry
- The meat packing industry
- Immigration
- Expoilted immigrant workers
- Misguided activism
All the actors were good especially Greg Kinnear (although his character was a little too naive), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full Of Grace) and Ashley Johnson (I can’t believe that’s the same little girl from Growning Pains). Also, cameos by Bruce Willis and Linklater staple, Ethan Hawke were great.
But again, this movie was ALL OVER THE PLACE. For awhile, it felt like a collection of scenes instead of a movie. Then Kinnear leaves the film (not a knock on him) and the movie hunkers down and gets better.
Now, for the warning, the last 5 minutes of the film are BRUTAL. Don’t eat anything especially red meat before seeing this movie because it may come back for an encore. It was just…disgusting. After we got out the theater, some old lady was handing out PETA flyers. Definately a smart move on their part.
Deep Discount DVD Sale Returns!
November 13, 2006
20% off all DVDs in addition to their already discount prices.
In the text box next to “Enter Promotion/Sale Code”, just enter one of the following codes:
* DVDTALK
* USATODAY
* NYTIMES
* SUPERSALE
* DDDCD
* DD1110
* DVDPRICESEARCH
* LATIMES
* ESPN
* YAHOO
* JIM
* WGN
Just make sure you are getting a deal on the DVDs. Some of them are overpriced so it’s good to cross check with Amazon or Overstock to make sure you are getting a good deal.
The sale ends Saturday, November 18th.
This time around, I bought Scrubs Season Three & Four, Justice League Unlimited – Season One, and Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series (finally!)
