We went and saw "Weird Al" last year at the River Rock so when I heard he was coming back so soon, I was kind of like "Awesome! Let's get tickets!". And so we did!
I've been an avid fan of Al since I was about 14 years old or so and my friend Scott and I often interrupted the cafeteria in high school with our two-man rendition of the latest polka melody (mix & match of various rock songs, double-timed). If you're going to sing in the car, it may as well be a "Weird Al" song because you're going to belt it and he has such a wide vocal range, it's a fun, constant challenge going through an entire album!
Al's best songs have always been his self-written tunes, though he's obviously famous for his parodies. My personal favourite? Frank's 2000" TV (which anyone who rode in my parent's van in high school can confirm).
His biggest hit to date, surprisingly, is his most recent: White & Nerdy, which just went platinum! Seeing this incredibly fast-paced song performed live is indeed something to behold.
Speaking of performing live, I've see Al live three times now and he's the only performer/band that I've actually enjoyed seeing. No other singer has ever sounded like they do on the album as Al does, this is a huge selling feature for me and I'd go see this show again tomorrow night if I could.
One more night, August 23rd at the Red Robinson theatre!
Test 1 - If you can watch this entire video and not smile, you're an asshole. Test 2 - If you get tired of this video and don't watch to the end, you're an asshole. Test 3 - If you recognize the video and just muttered "Bah, I've already seen that", thinking seeing it once is enough, you're an asshole.
I highly recommend watching the Hi-Def version on his website directly: www.wherethehellismatt.com under "Dancing 2008" right on the main page.
This film is a worldwide phenomenon that I watch at least once a month and it always makes me smile.
First we get the first steps toward microbe and potential illness protection with the affectionately nicknamed Tri-Corder ala "Star Trek" fame, and now it's time to consider the possibilities of inter-stellar travel and invisibility!
I couldn't possibly write the article any more gooder than they do here at Universe Today so I'll just send you there to check it out.
Pretty neat stuff, though most likely decades in waiting.
The opinionated and the ignorant are assuming Burt Ward or Chris O'Donnell are going to be asked to reprise the role of Dick Grayson/Robin in the new Batman movies and have the realistic series be suddenly camped up. An informed opinion would see the reality and trust the new film-makers to add the central character in a mature and realistic fashion.
Jeph Loeb (who I've met in person, yay me!) correctly defends the boy wonder. Loeb's books "Dark Victory" and "The Long Halloween" were inspirations for the new Batman movie series and Dick Grayson is a central, necessary character.
Anyone insisting there is no need for a Robin/Richard Grayson character clearly doesn't, or has never, read the source material. Batman is a central character to a grand storyline that he set into motion and ignoring his impact on the world, including Grayson's origin, is being ignorant. Robin is as essential as Commissioner Gordon or Alfred. He is the lifeline that keeps Bruce from falling into an abyss of darkness and if the movies keep going the way they are, he'll be more needed than ever.
I'm not saying he has to show up in this movie series at all, but getting all up in arms about speculation and writing off the very idea of Robin is ridiculously stupid. Even Batman: The Animated Series introduced the character in a believable way. I get very angry at the outrageous opinions of people who never read the comics but insist they're opinion is an educated one. Robin is Batman's better half and should never be brushed off because of one horrible 60's tv show's version of him.
There's nothing completely outlandish about The Dark Knight (TDK), which is a little frightening. Easily the best thriller of the year, it's a morality play for the new century with the backdrop of a superhero film.
We still get Batman beating the crap out of bad guys and jumping off of rooftops (Batman isn't Batman if he doesn't do either of those) and we get his insane arch-enemy The Joker being as crafty as he is in the comics. This movie is the second best nod to comic book storytelling this year (Iron Man being the first) in which we get to see how fun and thrilling their stories can be while drawing completely different stories from the same genre. Batman Begins was almost there but origin stories are origin stories.
Is a comic book movie that doesn't feel like a comic book movie still a comic book movie? It is now, thank the gods. It would be insulting to file this movie under a 'comic book movie' due only to the stereotype that horrible films like Daredevil and the early Batman failures have set up in people's minds for "those types of movies". These new movies should wipe those thoughts from the general public's mind soon enough. Iron Man, Batman Begins and Spider-Man 2 showed us these heroes can still be relevant today and are, in fact, more needed than ever. I look extrememly forward to next year's "Watchmen" (to which we get the trailer before TDK) which should be the best thriller of NEXT year. Not once during this movie do you think "Well this is just silly", it's just too damn fun and interesting, not to mention the constant distraction of your brain asking yourself "What would YOU do in this situation, smart guy"?
Dark Knight isn't as action-packed as some reviews might make you believe (one review I read said 'constant action from start to finish', and there wasn't) but there is plenty enough of it during the 2.5 hour story. There's just so much else going on that you don't need it, nor miss it. The plotline is almost that of Die Hard: With a Vengeance, with everyone on their toes wondering what the next problem is going to be. Though unlike Die Hard, there is no secondary distraction here, The Joker simply wants to watch the city squirm. But then the story changes, then it changes again until you have no idea who's going to do what.
Batman/Bruce Wayne is portrayed more human in this film than I think I've ever seen Batman handled (and I've been reading comics for 15 years). Though he never questions his mission, he questions the methods through which he may have to go by to get the job done.
Harvey Dent is The White Knight of Gotham, giving Bruce hope that Batman may no longer be necessary with such a good man as district attorney. Harvey is truly likeable and is a Batman of the real world in the truest sense of Bruce's definition. He can do legally (and in broad daylight, no less) what Batman can't.
This movie features The Joker how he should be done, completely unpredictable but always with an underlying motive while seemingly having no idea he's doing any of it. He's insane but gets more done in a day than anyone.
Minor characters are well used in this film, Lucious Fox and Alfred Pennyworth are always a treat but we see a wide range of people in the Gotham Police Department as well (yet another possible nod to "Gotham Central", an award winning comic series surrounding the Gotham Police Force working in a city with Batman making them look bad). Everyone has a role to play and as the story unfolds, it's amazing how everything goes like clockwork in this intricate tale. There are definitely a few moments where it could have used an extra pause to let the emotion of the scene sink in but there was always something else to get to.
The Dark Knight is the best thriller of the year as much as Iron Man is the best Action/Adventure of the year. I wouldn't be surprised to see The Dark Knight reign supreme at next year's Oscars as one of the nominees for Best Picture. It's a brilliantly told story that speaks to our core motivations as human beings performed by great actors who wear white face paint and a bat costume as if they were jeans and t-shirts.
If you don't understand the significance of "The Watchmen" then you need to go to a comic shop or Chapters and buy a copy of the 12-issue collection immediately. If you plan on seeing the movie next year, I beg you to read the book first, so this is plenty of time to plan. You'll be sitting through a 3+ hour movie so you'll probably want to have a bit more of a stake in what's going on, you'll thank me later. The attachment to this book and story is historical, political and emotional for millions of people and with good reason. Released in the 80's, it quickly got the reputation as the anti-comic book, displaying a 3 decade span of the trials and tribulations of costumed superhero wannabe's, inspired by Superman's comic book debut. Having no super powers other than a passion to fight crime (aside from the later arrival of "Dr. Manhattan"), they all discover that they are all too human after all. With sexy results.
To the rest of us: Holy shitballs, Dr. Manhattan looks awesome! He's the one thing I didn't think would look right but there he is! I sold a furniture set to the lead sound mixer working on the film and I picked his brain for a good hour about the movie. He couldn't answer a lot of my questions but he assured me it was being true to the book from front to back.
If you missed the imbedded link above, here is the bitchin' trailer!
World Youth Day (WYD) in Australia is being blessed, if you believe in that kind of thing, by a visit from Pope Benedict XVI. Generally, I'm a 'to each his own' kind of guy but there are times when I just can't understand people's devotion to mass religion. An article regarding the upcoming "WYD" I've read have really got me shaking my head that the subject of sexual abuse is being reported on so casually.
The article opens with: "Pope Benedict has begun a nine day visit to Australia, where he is due to apologize for decades of sexual abuse of children by priests." Now read that opener again and emphasize the word 'decades'. The story continued that "Climate change will also be a leading theme...". Are we that de-sensitized by the church being full of sexually perverted old men that all that we can think to consider is 'an apology is in order'?? Is that it? 'I think the Pope himself should apologize. You know, when he's here. He doesn't need to make a special trip or anything but definitely an apology if he's in town'. On a flight down to Australia, the Pope was bold enough to say to his mass of reporters, "It must be clear that being a real priest is incompatible with sexual abuse because priests are in the service of our Lord". A very open-ended, non-apologetic comment which I think he was basically trying to say "Priests aren't supposed to fuck young boys". Yeah, Pope, I think we were all kind of thinking the same thing already. And speaking of climate change, "We have to face up to this great challenge and find the ethical capacity to change the situation of the environment for the good," said Pope Benedict. He also "made it clear he had no intention of addressing any specific political or technical questions about climate change". Well sure! That way, once generation after generation of the common man repair the damage that has been done, the church can say "Ooh look what our Lord has done for us!". In the meantime, thousands of little boys will have been sexually raped.
One priest making a big mistake is one thing but sexual abuse simply being commonplace is completely fucking ridiculous. I'm anything but religious, though I believe religion has it's place for personal peace, meditation and community...but this is just bullshit. Tomorrow someone will probably call me immature because I read comic books and like cartoons. At the same time, a man twice my age who believes "God" made everything (just as we see it today) in a week will convince an innocent young boy of the same thing...and then get that boy to suck his dick. This man will be well respected by his followers and make far more money than I will ever see. Meanwhile, I read my comics and people shake their head and wonder how I got to be this way. Perhaps I need guidance...any suggestions?
