Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
25 years young!
Hooray for turning 25!
Hooray for still looking like a 12 year old. I totally got carded for an R rated movie today. at 4 pm on a Sunday.....I asked the ticket lady if she was serious.....she was
Friday, July 11, 2008
Can't Smile Without You....
I wanted a live version, but this was the best sound...
Great duet in Hellboy 2
Oh barry manilow...you crazy whore!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
"Want to go to McDonald's in the morning?"
"It will be like old times....in June. You remember early June right? When the bar exam was still more than a month away?" - Pat (7/09/08 around 10:00 p.m.)
3 weeks from now I will be done with the torture that is the bar exam. Hooray!
Now....back to that Massachusetts practice essay question
Friday, July 4, 2008
5 backgrounds and counting...
Finally somewhat happy with the background, so I am leaving it for a while. It's calming,
Like Sydney Australia....
TV Theme Songs
How many can you get? Hopefully not all in the first 2 minutes. (although some are really easy) I blame it on slim pickings around the internet
2. Funny, Funny television, subtle
3. Still watch today...
4. One of my all-time favorites
5. I have no idea why I watched this show, blame it on being a child
6.
8.
9. I loved this show as a precocious 9 year old watching reruns
10. This one set me up for a life of loving Richard Pryor, Queen Latifah, and Chris Rock
BONUS:
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Bold Predictions for 2008
Because Troy Pieper is giving us the exact notes we got in February, I am going to predict outcomes and final scores for the 2008 Florida Gators football season.
(Note: fall practice has not started and fingers are crossed that there are no arrests or serious injuries)
August 30 Hawaii: Even though June Jones and Colt Brennan are gone, Tebow and Company will look to get the season started off right and show Hawaii just what kind of "System QB" he is... By the way think the 12:30 pm Gainesville start isn't on purpose. As if the Gators needed another edge (Hawaii has a horrible record on the mainland) they are going to feel like it is 6:30 in the morning and it will probably be over 90 degrees.
Final Score: Gators 52 Warriors 24
September 6 Miami (Fla.): I am one of the believers in the culture Randy Shannon is building in South Florida. These new look 'Canes will have plenty of young talent and I expect to see a better showing from them then when they were flattened by Boomer Sooner in 2007. That said, the Gators will be looking to flex their muscle in front of the home fans on National TV against the old rival. Lets get back that War Canoe Trophy! It has been in Miami since 2002.
Final Score: Gators 35 Hurricanes 17
September 20 @ Tennessee: Back to Rocky Top for another showdown on the River. Look for this game to be returned to its famed 8:00pm CBS prime-time spot this season (unless Tennessee goes out and chokes @ UCLA on week 1) in a matchup of what should be undefeated teams. This series has been tight for the past 15 years and during the 90s was the deciding factor in who would represent the East for the SEC crown. The Vols will be looking to exact revenge for their beatdown they took in Gainesville last year, too bad fat Phil and the Cream-cicles are a joke these days (who's playing QB?) and their fans rally for 8 win seasons. Plus the Gators have an extra week to prepare for Phil, not that they would need it. Meanwhile Verne Lundquist calls a Tennessee player by an Alabama player's name at least once...
Final Score: Gators 38 Volunteers 24
September 27 Ole Miss: The Rebs should show immediate improvement under Houston Nutt and their genteel fan base will enjoy the show at least for the first 3 or 4 seasons. That 3rd trip to the Liberty or Independence Bowl though and they will be screaming for a coaching change.
Final Score: Gators 41 Rebels 21
October 4 @ Arkansas: The famed trap game for the Gators. The early October road game to an SEC West opponent. Why do the Gators struggle when they go out on these rotational games in the middle of no where? Anybody's guess, but since 1992 the Gators are 5-6 against non-regular SEC West opponents on the road (Note: record against LSU and Auburn [1992-2002] not included because they were yearly opponents). Two of the wins though: blowouts against Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1996 and 2003. If Ron Zook can win there, so can Urban and Tebow. Double bonus if the game is on ESPN2, where the Gators are 8-0.
Final Score: Gators 35 Razorbacks: 21
October 11 LSU: We owe the Tigers this year again and they have no QB. Their defense is always tough though. This year I think there will be a recommitment to the Swamp though and the Gators are going to protect home turf!
Final Score: Gators 21 Bayou Bengals 10
October 25 Kentucky: Homecoming! The departure of Andre Woodson and several receviers who seemed to be at UK for the better part of a decade will lead the 'Cats back to their usual 5th place SEC East slot. This should be ugly and Timmy will get to peace out by the start of the 4th Quarter. Wait for basketball season (oh wait, they suck at that now too....)
Final Score: Gators 49 Wildcats 13
November 1 Georgia (Jacksonville): Cocktail Party the day after Halloween. Gators have won 15 of 18, but Dawgs probably like their chances with their supposed new found confidence and swagger under the "new" Mark Richt (who wears black and goes for 2...oh my). Do they win 2 in a row for the first time in almost 20 years? I have to admit this is the hardest game to pick. I've seen the Gators beat better Georgia teams, I've seen Ron Zook win 2 of 3, I've seen wins with defense, offense, and in the rain. Somehow, someway, we found a way to win. It was a foregone conclusion for so many years that it is suprising how much last year changed my view of Georgia. Unlike previous victories in 1997 and 2004 Georgia didn't lose its best players this year, and in fact should be markedly stronger than last year's team.
Final Score: Gators 24 Bulldogs 27
(Editor's Note: I would trade a loss to LSU or Arkansas or even both if the trade off is to beat Georgia and knock them out of the NC race. I'm just saying)
November 8 @ Vanderbilt: Pissed off at losing to Georgia for the second straight years and being thrown out of NC contention by the pundits, the Gators come out flat against a hyped, frisky Vandy team. Vandy frat guys and gals hold up signs reading "you gotta believe!" and for a quarter and a half they do, then they realize they are Vanderbilt and Tebow decides to win the game himself.
Final Score: Gators 34 Commodores 21
November 15 South Carolina: SOS returns for the second time to Gainesville, will the dirty birds pose a legitimate threat to the Gators? Not a chance in hell. That team is a mess and Spurrier needs to get out of the shitshow that is "the place where head coaches go to die" Rumors swirl about SOS leaving after yet another mediocre 7-5 season.
Final Score: Gators 41 Gamecocks 28
SOS Visor Tosses: 3
November 22 The Citadel: Um so it will be fun to see the Gators that will be the core of our team in the coming seasons.
Final Score: Gators 63 El Cid 13
November 29 @ Florida State: F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E! Trash, complete trash. Gators go for the win for the thumb and their 3rd straight in Tally. There is no reason why the Gators who will essentially have had 2 weeks to rest up and recover from injuries to extend their dominance over these chumps. FSU finally learned how to score field goals last year, though we were poppin in for touchdowns each time. Expect more of the same as FSU won't get out of this funk until St. Bobby exits. He's done a lot for the 'Noles and college football. I have even met him and he seems genuinely nice, but the train has left the tracks. The game has changed and he can no longer beat his son Tommy...and when you are regularly losing to Tommy Bowden either you play football for the University of South Carolina or your head coach needs to retire....Better luck in 2010 (predicted year two of Jimbo Fisher in which the 'Noles will get back to a 10 win season and the ACC championship game).
Final Score: Gators 45 Seminoles 24
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Florida vs. Auburn: That's right, I'm calling it and I'm being a homer, isn't that allowed? Well here is the deal: While I predicted a Georgia win, no way they run that schedule unscathed and will end up with 2 conference losses (including a potential embarrassing loss in week 1 against South Carolina, Spurrier will have a singular focus during fall camp of knocking off the Dawgs, after that victory they will subsequently tank though!) Why Auburn? Well they have the continuity and defense to be in the best position in the west. Alabama is still a year away, LSU will rack up one too many losses with another tough schedule, and Arkansas and Ole Miss are breaking in new coaches. Therefore the old rivals meet up for the first time in the SEC championship since 2000, plus this is a ridiculous attempt to play out the 2008 season in July
Final Score: Gators 28 Tigers 17
SUGAR BOWL: Florida v. West Virginia: I don't have high hopes for WVU as a legit National Title contender, but with that talent there is no reason why they should not win the Big East and return to the BCS for the 3rd time in 4 years. With the National Championship shifting to the Orange Bowl, the Sugar will regain its SEC/Big East auto tie in assuming neither conference sends its champion down to Miami. Rematch of the Sugar from the mid nineties but this time around WVU has an offense and plenty of experience in big Bowl games. Potentially the best game on the BCS schedule, just for the offensive star power.
Final Score: Florida 38 West Virginia 35
Note: If Georgia does run the table or UF loses a 2nd game and doesn't make it to the SEC championship, then I think that they would be a prime candidate to still go to the Sugar as an at-large, or if a team suprises in the Midwest, then the Sugar could pass and would set up my fun time matchup on January 1st against the ACC champion Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl !
Happy College Football Season
Great Season: 13-1, SEC Champions, Sugar Bowl Champions
Alternate Good Season: 11-2, Second in SEC East, Orange Bowl Champions
Dissapointment: 9-4, Outback Bowl losers
Whatever happens I am predicting this season is a prelude to a 2009 National Championship season with a Senior Tebow and favorable home schedule.
(Note: fall practice has not started and fingers are crossed that there are no arrests or serious injuries)
August 30 Hawaii: Even though June Jones and Colt Brennan are gone, Tebow and Company will look to get the season started off right and show Hawaii just what kind of "System QB" he is... By the way think the 12:30 pm Gainesville start isn't on purpose. As if the Gators needed another edge (Hawaii has a horrible record on the mainland) they are going to feel like it is 6:30 in the morning and it will probably be over 90 degrees.
Final Score: Gators 52 Warriors 24
September 6 Miami (Fla.): I am one of the believers in the culture Randy Shannon is building in South Florida. These new look 'Canes will have plenty of young talent and I expect to see a better showing from them then when they were flattened by Boomer Sooner in 2007. That said, the Gators will be looking to flex their muscle in front of the home fans on National TV against the old rival. Lets get back that War Canoe Trophy! It has been in Miami since 2002.
Final Score: Gators 35 Hurricanes 17
September 20 @ Tennessee: Back to Rocky Top for another showdown on the River. Look for this game to be returned to its famed 8:00pm CBS prime-time spot this season (unless Tennessee goes out and chokes @ UCLA on week 1) in a matchup of what should be undefeated teams. This series has been tight for the past 15 years and during the 90s was the deciding factor in who would represent the East for the SEC crown. The Vols will be looking to exact revenge for their beatdown they took in Gainesville last year, too bad fat Phil and the Cream-cicles are a joke these days (who's playing QB?) and their fans rally for 8 win seasons. Plus the Gators have an extra week to prepare for Phil, not that they would need it. Meanwhile Verne Lundquist calls a Tennessee player by an Alabama player's name at least once...
Final Score: Gators 38 Volunteers 24
September 27 Ole Miss: The Rebs should show immediate improvement under Houston Nutt and their genteel fan base will enjoy the show at least for the first 3 or 4 seasons. That 3rd trip to the Liberty or Independence Bowl though and they will be screaming for a coaching change.
Final Score: Gators 41 Rebels 21
October 4 @ Arkansas: The famed trap game for the Gators. The early October road game to an SEC West opponent. Why do the Gators struggle when they go out on these rotational games in the middle of no where? Anybody's guess, but since 1992 the Gators are 5-6 against non-regular SEC West opponents on the road (Note: record against LSU and Auburn [1992-2002] not included because they were yearly opponents). Two of the wins though: blowouts against Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1996 and 2003. If Ron Zook can win there, so can Urban and Tebow. Double bonus if the game is on ESPN2, where the Gators are 8-0.
Final Score: Gators 35 Razorbacks: 21
October 11 LSU: We owe the Tigers this year again and they have no QB. Their defense is always tough though. This year I think there will be a recommitment to the Swamp though and the Gators are going to protect home turf!
Final Score: Gators 21 Bayou Bengals 10
October 25 Kentucky: Homecoming! The departure of Andre Woodson and several receviers who seemed to be at UK for the better part of a decade will lead the 'Cats back to their usual 5th place SEC East slot. This should be ugly and Timmy will get to peace out by the start of the 4th Quarter. Wait for basketball season (oh wait, they suck at that now too....)
Final Score: Gators 49 Wildcats 13
November 1 Georgia (Jacksonville): Cocktail Party the day after Halloween. Gators have won 15 of 18, but Dawgs probably like their chances with their supposed new found confidence and swagger under the "new" Mark Richt (who wears black and goes for 2...oh my). Do they win 2 in a row for the first time in almost 20 years? I have to admit this is the hardest game to pick. I've seen the Gators beat better Georgia teams, I've seen Ron Zook win 2 of 3, I've seen wins with defense, offense, and in the rain. Somehow, someway, we found a way to win. It was a foregone conclusion for so many years that it is suprising how much last year changed my view of Georgia. Unlike previous victories in 1997 and 2004 Georgia didn't lose its best players this year, and in fact should be markedly stronger than last year's team.
Final Score: Gators 24 Bulldogs 27
(Editor's Note: I would trade a loss to LSU or Arkansas or even both if the trade off is to beat Georgia and knock them out of the NC race. I'm just saying)
November 8 @ Vanderbilt: Pissed off at losing to Georgia for the second straight years and being thrown out of NC contention by the pundits, the Gators come out flat against a hyped, frisky Vandy team. Vandy frat guys and gals hold up signs reading "you gotta believe!" and for a quarter and a half they do, then they realize they are Vanderbilt and Tebow decides to win the game himself.
Final Score: Gators 34 Commodores 21
November 15 South Carolina: SOS returns for the second time to Gainesville, will the dirty birds pose a legitimate threat to the Gators? Not a chance in hell. That team is a mess and Spurrier needs to get out of the shitshow that is "the place where head coaches go to die" Rumors swirl about SOS leaving after yet another mediocre 7-5 season.
Final Score: Gators 41 Gamecocks 28
SOS Visor Tosses: 3
November 22 The Citadel: Um so it will be fun to see the Gators that will be the core of our team in the coming seasons.
Final Score: Gators 63 El Cid 13
November 29 @ Florida State: F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E! Trash, complete trash. Gators go for the win for the thumb and their 3rd straight in Tally. There is no reason why the Gators who will essentially have had 2 weeks to rest up and recover from injuries to extend their dominance over these chumps. FSU finally learned how to score field goals last year, though we were poppin in for touchdowns each time. Expect more of the same as FSU won't get out of this funk until St. Bobby exits. He's done a lot for the 'Noles and college football. I have even met him and he seems genuinely nice, but the train has left the tracks. The game has changed and he can no longer beat his son Tommy...and when you are regularly losing to Tommy Bowden either you play football for the University of South Carolina or your head coach needs to retire....Better luck in 2010 (predicted year two of Jimbo Fisher in which the 'Noles will get back to a 10 win season and the ACC championship game).
Final Score: Gators 45 Seminoles 24
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Florida vs. Auburn: That's right, I'm calling it and I'm being a homer, isn't that allowed? Well here is the deal: While I predicted a Georgia win, no way they run that schedule unscathed and will end up with 2 conference losses (including a potential embarrassing loss in week 1 against South Carolina, Spurrier will have a singular focus during fall camp of knocking off the Dawgs, after that victory they will subsequently tank though!) Why Auburn? Well they have the continuity and defense to be in the best position in the west. Alabama is still a year away, LSU will rack up one too many losses with another tough schedule, and Arkansas and Ole Miss are breaking in new coaches. Therefore the old rivals meet up for the first time in the SEC championship since 2000, plus this is a ridiculous attempt to play out the 2008 season in July
Final Score: Gators 28 Tigers 17
SUGAR BOWL: Florida v. West Virginia: I don't have high hopes for WVU as a legit National Title contender, but with that talent there is no reason why they should not win the Big East and return to the BCS for the 3rd time in 4 years. With the National Championship shifting to the Orange Bowl, the Sugar will regain its SEC/Big East auto tie in assuming neither conference sends its champion down to Miami. Rematch of the Sugar from the mid nineties but this time around WVU has an offense and plenty of experience in big Bowl games. Potentially the best game on the BCS schedule, just for the offensive star power.
Final Score: Florida 38 West Virginia 35
Note: If Georgia does run the table or UF loses a 2nd game and doesn't make it to the SEC championship, then I think that they would be a prime candidate to still go to the Sugar as an at-large, or if a team suprises in the Midwest, then the Sugar could pass and would set up my fun time matchup on January 1st against the ACC champion Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl !
Happy College Football Season
Great Season: 13-1, SEC Champions, Sugar Bowl Champions
Alternate Good Season: 11-2, Second in SEC East, Orange Bowl Champions
Dissapointment: 9-4, Outback Bowl losers
Whatever happens I am predicting this season is a prelude to a 2009 National Championship season with a Senior Tebow and favorable home schedule.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Happy Gym Time
"You always seem happy when you come back from the gym." - kerri
Thanks Kerri, it's because I am! Happy Endorphins even while studying for the bar exam!
"I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." - elle woods, legally blonde
(so good... if I keep going to the gym I won't shoot anyone, that is a good trait to have!)
Thanks Kerri, it's because I am! Happy Endorphins even while studying for the bar exam!
"I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." - elle woods, legally blonde
(so good... if I keep going to the gym I won't shoot anyone, that is a good trait to have!)
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Vance didn't give me notice like the rules stated.....
Vance didn't give me notice of being tagged so that I may play the quiz game. And in studying for the Bar exam you find out that notice is really important, whether it is actual or constructive!
1. What was I doing 10 years ago? June 25, 1998 was a Thursday so probably I was at the house. The only other thing would have been if I was at church camp...but I don't remember
2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today?
Study for New York Bar Exam
Study for Massachusetts Bar Exam
Go to class
Go to gym?
Ignore the laundry
3. Snacks I enjoy: I don't snack, I love meals! but if I had to choose sour cream & onion chips are my favorite
4. Places I’ve lived: Richmond, VA; Fernandina Beach, FL; Greenville, SC; 3 indiscriminate villages on Long Island, NY
5. Things I’d do if I were a billionaire: Buy lots of fun stuff! Invest! Never get a real job!!! Buy Furman the biggest video replay screen in college football. Take that App. State
7. Name two things you have in common with Oprah: We both like to give people things and we both think we should be on television!
8. You can tell a lot about a person by: how they interact with your family
9. Are you a yeller when you get angry? Depends on who I am angry at....most people would be surprised to hear me yell, it normally scares someone if they have never heard it before. case in point: losing my voice yelling at the refs following them up and down the sideline during the Wofford/Furman 2004 game and their bush league calls and non-calls! (it was so pass interference in the corner of the endzone, but i'm not bitter)
10. Have you ever danced in public? I mean why not....of course I have
11. What did you do to deserve your first detention? First and only detention was a result of being tardy too many times. I got it taken off my record though and got a permanent hall pass for being vice president of the school. I did get all my homework done at detention though, it was awesome.
12. What did you do deserve your first paddling? Lied about something.... Lying is bad! I didn't get paddled too much after that though
13. Name three things you like about the town you live in. 1. It is not Hempstead, 2. train to NYC is a block away, 3. close to school
14. Name four things that you love to do. 1. hang with the family on vacations, 2. video games, 3. go to the movies in the theater, 4. studying for the bar exam..... (ok that's a lie, don't paddle me)
15. Name something unusual you carry with you wherever you go. I have a piece of notebook paper I carry in my wallet from China where Jason, Peter, and I attempted to write down in Chinese the train that we wanted from Nanjing to Shanghai. As it turned out the only word we could write in Chinese was san (which means 3) and is simply three straight lines on top of one another and was the number of tickets we needed. The rest of the piece of paper is in English. We took it to the ticket counter and held it up to the glass, at which point the ticket seller asked in perfect English: "So you want 3 tickets on the D440 express from Nanjing to Shanghai tomorrow?" oh globalization......
16. What’s your favorite website? I don't have just one. phinfever, espn.com, cnnsi, gatorzone, facebook, and yahoo fantasy baseball
17. Where and when was your first kiss? Church Bus probably in 5th grade....man those church trips. First real kiss was later on in 9th grade after the braces came off....
18. What would an enemy have to say about you? "He really thinks he is smart and funny doesn't he?" well I am...
19. Favorite childhood memory. family vacation to aspen, colorado. Also pop warner football...
20. Any regrets? Law school? does that count. No seriously, no regrets have to live each day as a new one, can't go back only forward.
and that is all the procrastinating for now. back to evidence multi-state questions
1. What was I doing 10 years ago? June 25, 1998 was a Thursday so probably I was at the house. The only other thing would have been if I was at church camp...but I don't remember
2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today?
Study for New York Bar Exam
Study for Massachusetts Bar Exam
Go to class
Go to gym?
Ignore the laundry
3. Snacks I enjoy: I don't snack, I love meals! but if I had to choose sour cream & onion chips are my favorite
4. Places I’ve lived: Richmond, VA; Fernandina Beach, FL; Greenville, SC; 3 indiscriminate villages on Long Island, NY
5. Things I’d do if I were a billionaire: Buy lots of fun stuff! Invest! Never get a real job!!! Buy Furman the biggest video replay screen in college football. Take that App. State
7. Name two things you have in common with Oprah: We both like to give people things and we both think we should be on television!
8. You can tell a lot about a person by: how they interact with your family
9. Are you a yeller when you get angry? Depends on who I am angry at....most people would be surprised to hear me yell, it normally scares someone if they have never heard it before. case in point: losing my voice yelling at the refs following them up and down the sideline during the Wofford/Furman 2004 game and their bush league calls and non-calls! (it was so pass interference in the corner of the endzone, but i'm not bitter)
10. Have you ever danced in public? I mean why not....of course I have
11. What did you do to deserve your first detention? First and only detention was a result of being tardy too many times. I got it taken off my record though and got a permanent hall pass for being vice president of the school. I did get all my homework done at detention though, it was awesome.
12. What did you do deserve your first paddling? Lied about something.... Lying is bad! I didn't get paddled too much after that though
13. Name three things you like about the town you live in. 1. It is not Hempstead, 2. train to NYC is a block away, 3. close to school
14. Name four things that you love to do. 1. hang with the family on vacations, 2. video games, 3. go to the movies in the theater, 4. studying for the bar exam..... (ok that's a lie, don't paddle me)
15. Name something unusual you carry with you wherever you go. I have a piece of notebook paper I carry in my wallet from China where Jason, Peter, and I attempted to write down in Chinese the train that we wanted from Nanjing to Shanghai. As it turned out the only word we could write in Chinese was san (which means 3) and is simply three straight lines on top of one another and was the number of tickets we needed. The rest of the piece of paper is in English. We took it to the ticket counter and held it up to the glass, at which point the ticket seller asked in perfect English: "So you want 3 tickets on the D440 express from Nanjing to Shanghai tomorrow?" oh globalization......
16. What’s your favorite website? I don't have just one. phinfever, espn.com, cnnsi, gatorzone, facebook, and yahoo fantasy baseball
17. Where and when was your first kiss? Church Bus probably in 5th grade....man those church trips. First real kiss was later on in 9th grade after the braces came off....
18. What would an enemy have to say about you? "He really thinks he is smart and funny doesn't he?" well I am...
19. Favorite childhood memory. family vacation to aspen, colorado. Also pop warner football...
20. Any regrets? Law school? does that count. No seriously, no regrets have to live each day as a new one, can't go back only forward.
and that is all the procrastinating for now. back to evidence multi-state questions
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Movie List 2008
Almost to the halfway point of 2008 and I have already been to 16 movies in the theater. Some good and some great and some named Sex and the City. Here is my brief rundown and ranking of the movies that I have been to from least enjoyable to best.
Note: the criteria is completely subjective and I am not a harsh movie critic. But I do measure by number of times I look at the time on my cellphone...
15) Tie: Doomsday and Sex and the City : Sex and the City was painfully long and while I did have a few good laughs, there were inordinate dead spots. I checked my phone every 15 minutes to see if we were closer to the end. If they would have tightened the movie to an hour and forty minutes it definitely would have scored higher than Doomsday. Doomsday had an awesome premise (evil plague that kills the population so lets build a 25 foot wall around Scotland) but in reality it was a mishmosh of action that had a sketchy plot. Where the hell did that medieval castle come from anyway?
14) The Happening : I have seen all the previous M. Night movies with Lance in the theater so we had to go! It was entertaining while in the theater and immediately thereafter, even if we did laugh at inappropriate times (cue the large girl with the tiny backpack trying to outrun the wind) That said, after discussing the movie later there were several plot holes that annoy me, which is why this doesn't rate higher. Still better than The Village or Lady in the Water, I don't know that that means much though.
13) 10,000 B.C. : seemed like it would be a great adventure movie in a particularly dead time for movies in early March. However the plot was pretty sophomoric and the battle scenes were ok, but we have seen them before, and better.
12) Horton Hears a Who : I did look forward to this movie, and enjoyed it, but after all the hoopla and the ballyhooed celebrity voices, there wasn't much that the film did to add to the book. You can read the book in 15 minutes pausing to let children see the pictures and somehow the movie was an hour and a half.
11) Harold and Kumar - Escape from Guantanamo Bay : Stupid plot, stupid movie, but tons of fun. Including more Neil Patrick!
10) Rambo : Complete gratuitous violence. Amazing. Set in Thailand/Cambodia it is Sly Stalone running around killing people. Hundreds of ways to die in this awesome action flick
9) You Don't Mess with the Zohan : Typical Sandler romp. complete fun! Inordinate amount of cameos...
8) The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian: Better battle scenes than the first movie, but the story fell flat in some areas. Not a bad sequel, but not exactly LOTR's inspiring either
7) The Incredible Hulk: Smashed Ang Lee's Hulk and good summer popcorn fun. Ed Norton makes any movie watchable
6) Kung Fu Panda: Jack Black and crew did a stellar job with this interesting take on kung fu and typical kid's message of believing in who you are, even if you are an outsider. Question though, is anyone in hollywood truly an outsider? How can people who have all their hair, have perfect teeth, incredible skin, toned bodies, and hot better halves really comment on what its like to be the screw-up ugly duckling...over and over again....
5) Charlie WIlson's War: Although this came out in 2007, I saw it in 2008 so it gets added to the list. Especially since it was smart, well written, and incredibly witty. Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Tom Hanks, and Phillip Seymor Hoffman worked great together and the end result was a fantastic telling of a "true" story.
4) Cloverfield: Did it match the viral hype? I don't know, but it was a cool movie and was the standard bearer for me for the first 5 months of 2008!
3) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: The old man still has got it and Shia didn't completely piss me off in this movie. It was really good throughout although the end got a little weird for me, but as far as action movies go, Indiana did not disappoint
2) Juno: Endearing, funny, different. Juno was quirky and perfect. Soundtrack was really new and fresh as well. Everything about this movie was so good that I forgot that I saw it in 2008....(silly me) but I did see it in January, so it was early in the year.
and finally you should be able to guess number 1. It was a the surprise hit to many and kicked off Hollywood's summer...
1) IRONMAN: I don't have much to say about this other than that Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark makes so much sense now that you can't even imagine anyone else playing him. I think that wraps up why the movie (which was carried by Downey and not the costume) played so well! It is number 1 on my list and I'm sure on many others. Great movie, you should see it in the theater if you haven't yet before it goes away....
Note: the criteria is completely subjective and I am not a harsh movie critic. But I do measure by number of times I look at the time on my cellphone...
15) Tie: Doomsday and Sex and the City : Sex and the City was painfully long and while I did have a few good laughs, there were inordinate dead spots. I checked my phone every 15 minutes to see if we were closer to the end. If they would have tightened the movie to an hour and forty minutes it definitely would have scored higher than Doomsday. Doomsday had an awesome premise (evil plague that kills the population so lets build a 25 foot wall around Scotland) but in reality it was a mishmosh of action that had a sketchy plot. Where the hell did that medieval castle come from anyway?
14) The Happening : I have seen all the previous M. Night movies with Lance in the theater so we had to go! It was entertaining while in the theater and immediately thereafter, even if we did laugh at inappropriate times (cue the large girl with the tiny backpack trying to outrun the wind) That said, after discussing the movie later there were several plot holes that annoy me, which is why this doesn't rate higher. Still better than The Village or Lady in the Water, I don't know that that means much though.
13) 10,000 B.C. : seemed like it would be a great adventure movie in a particularly dead time for movies in early March. However the plot was pretty sophomoric and the battle scenes were ok, but we have seen them before, and better.
12) Horton Hears a Who : I did look forward to this movie, and enjoyed it, but after all the hoopla and the ballyhooed celebrity voices, there wasn't much that the film did to add to the book. You can read the book in 15 minutes pausing to let children see the pictures and somehow the movie was an hour and a half.
11) Harold and Kumar - Escape from Guantanamo Bay : Stupid plot, stupid movie, but tons of fun. Including more Neil Patrick!
10) Rambo : Complete gratuitous violence. Amazing. Set in Thailand/Cambodia it is Sly Stalone running around killing people. Hundreds of ways to die in this awesome action flick
9) You Don't Mess with the Zohan : Typical Sandler romp. complete fun! Inordinate amount of cameos...
8) The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian: Better battle scenes than the first movie, but the story fell flat in some areas. Not a bad sequel, but not exactly LOTR's inspiring either
7) The Incredible Hulk: Smashed Ang Lee's Hulk and good summer popcorn fun. Ed Norton makes any movie watchable
6) Kung Fu Panda: Jack Black and crew did a stellar job with this interesting take on kung fu and typical kid's message of believing in who you are, even if you are an outsider. Question though, is anyone in hollywood truly an outsider? How can people who have all their hair, have perfect teeth, incredible skin, toned bodies, and hot better halves really comment on what its like to be the screw-up ugly duckling...over and over again....
5) Charlie WIlson's War: Although this came out in 2007, I saw it in 2008 so it gets added to the list. Especially since it was smart, well written, and incredibly witty. Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Tom Hanks, and Phillip Seymor Hoffman worked great together and the end result was a fantastic telling of a "true" story.
4) Cloverfield: Did it match the viral hype? I don't know, but it was a cool movie and was the standard bearer for me for the first 5 months of 2008!
3) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: The old man still has got it and Shia didn't completely piss me off in this movie. It was really good throughout although the end got a little weird for me, but as far as action movies go, Indiana did not disappoint
2) Juno: Endearing, funny, different. Juno was quirky and perfect. Soundtrack was really new and fresh as well. Everything about this movie was so good that I forgot that I saw it in 2008....(silly me) but I did see it in January, so it was early in the year.
and finally you should be able to guess number 1. It was a the surprise hit to many and kicked off Hollywood's summer...
1) IRONMAN: I don't have much to say about this other than that Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark makes so much sense now that you can't even imagine anyone else playing him. I think that wraps up why the movie (which was carried by Downey and not the costume) played so well! It is number 1 on my list and I'm sure on many others. Great movie, you should see it in the theater if you haven't yet before it goes away....
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