Saturday, July 08, 2006

"Biggest Movie Ever!"


55 Million and Counting it is not even Saturday Night Yet. That is in one day. Biggest Movie Ever....

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

"Hot Dog Talk"

So, my dad was at a charity event recently, and at the end they had hotdogs out for refreshments. Anyway he put some ketchup on his dog, and the guy behind him, was like "Are you really going to put Ketchup on your dog?!?!". My dad did, and it got me thinking is ketchup not as a common dressing for a hotdogs as I thought. I am a ketchup and mustard guy myself. But, if I had to pick one of the two it would be ketchup easily. I would think the most common dressing for a dog would be as follows. Ketchup, Mustard, Relish, chopped onions. What does everyone else put on their dog?

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

"10 Reasons Why Jaws Still Rocks"

I finally got around to screening Jaws on the bigscreen.

For that reason alone I decided to post 10 reasons why the movie still rocks after over 30 years.

1. You can say what you want about the fake shark, but honestly the shots of the shark are so few and far between it doesn't really matter. Also, it looks a hell of a lot better than most of the CGI images used in the Star Wars Prequels.

Anyway, if they movie was shot today. I doubt they would have had the film shot the same way. The 2nd act of the movie out on the water, was shot on actual water. They had another boat with cameras and a crew on it. If they made this movie today, it would be 3 actors sitting in front of a bluescreen in a soundstage, with awful CGI water added later. Having the movie shot on actual water made you feel as if you were there.

2. The music score. I mean it's just truly classic. Something lacking in the blockbuster films these days. Can anyone actually tell me how the X-men, Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings themes go?

3. All the extras, and some of the small speaking roles were all cast with residents of marthas vineyard. Since it was supposed to be a small new england town. This worked great. Too often you have extras that just seem fake and mostly just people that hang out in LA all day waiting for their big break.

4. I have seen the movie countless times. Honestly, every time I have watched it. I pick up something different. That is the sign of a truly great film

5. The acting. Roy Scheider is truly on top of his game in the movie as are Robert Shaw and Richard dreyfuss. Scheider playing Brody is great at the anti-hero. Most of his flaws are not brushed with broad strokes that they would be as today. It is clearly implied he has a bit of a drinking problem, and his fear of water is a nice touch given what he has to do. But his fear is never blown up into a huge deal. Robert Shaw is full of energy (and from what I read about the making of the film booze during most of the filming) with his random singing, disdain for richboy know-it-all Hooper(Dreyfuss). The exchanges of the three make the movie tense as much as shark looming.

6. The lines. Very quotable movie.
7. The fact that it is created as the first blockbuster ever.

8. The dinner scene. Truly one of my all time fav. Scenes. You got Quint and Hooper comparing battle scares from run ins with various sea life. Than poor Brody tries to chime in with what looks to be an appendix scar, than decides "man that's too lame to bring up, they are talking about arm wrestling injuries and shark tails cutting them"

After that is Quint's powerful WWII story, followed up by "Show Me the Way to Go Home" which in an instant turns back into action when the shark starts slamming his head into the side of the ship.

9.
Mayor Vaughn (played by the Murray Hamilton) is a great villain of sorts. Just trying to great a big smoke screen in his little summer town. Hoping that no one gets hurt, but at the same time people don't really fear for their lives enough not to spend money in order for his "summer town" to get their "summer dollars". This is most evident when he tells a reporter (mind you after a girl, a little boy, a dog, and a fisherman were all killed) that a shark supposedly "injured some bathers"

10. The movie is paced perfectly. Never a slow moment, and the action doesn't drag forever like modern movies. It ends enough time that you almost wish it was longer, which means they did their job. I also love the final scene of the movie. Which I always think is key to wrapping up a great film.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

"Flyers Lose Johnsson to Wild"

Kim Johnsson has the Flyers for the Wild. Making the Philly blueline, even worse. In order to try to make up for his loss the Flyers have signed Nolan Boaumgartner who played for the Cancucks last season and had 5 goalds, 29 assists for 34 points. Who knows if Johnsson will ever return to form after getting his bell rung really bad last season. However, I am pretty bummed to and mildly shocked to see Johnsson walk like this. Meanwhile Blake went back to LA and Weight went back to St Louis. Read more here.