December 31st, 2009 by Max
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
How long will it take for you to call it twenty ten, instead of two thousand and ten? Remember 1910?
Twenty ought nine really sucked the big cabooski.
Let’s hope twenty ten is better. I’d say there’s a good chance that it will be considering the significant suckage of this soon to be past year!
Posted in Changes in the World In My Lifetime, Max's Theories, Social Commentaries | 1 Comment »
December 30th, 2009 by Max
I watched UP again on Christmas. I think this was my favorite sequence:
Dug: I am a great tracker. My pack sent me on a special mission, all by myself. Have you seen a bird? I am going to find one, and I am on the scent. I am a great tracker; did I mention that?
[Dug is suddenly attacked by Kevin, who shrieks in Dug's face after pinning him to the ground]
Dug: Hey, that is a bird! I have never seen one up close, but this is a bird. May I take your bird back to camp as my prisoner?
Carl Fredricksen: Yes, yes, take it! And on the way, learn how to bark like a real dog!
Dug: I can bark.
[barks]
Dug: And this is howling.
[howls]
Dug: [Kevin screeches]
Russell: Can we keep him? Please, please, please?
[Carl says "No."]
Carl Fredricksen: No.
Russell: But it’s a TALKING DOG!
Posted in Arts, Capsule Reviews, Max's Movie Reviews, Video Rentals | 2 Comments »
December 29th, 2009 by Max
Good podcast.
You should listen to it. They have a new crisp format and the same great guests.
http://www.csapodcast.blogspot.com/
Maqz and TFabP [The Fabulous Penguin] are at it again with vistors like Manhattan Man, Denali and some rules to live by in an internet age. Listen for ‘em on iTunes. Vote for ‘em on Podcast Alley!
http://www.podcastalley.com/search.php?searchterm=Countless+Screaming+Argonauts
Posted in Arts, Podcast Reviews | No Comments »
December 24th, 2009 by Max
I wish Christmas was yesterday. I guess, maybe it was.
Posted in Changes in the World In My Lifetime | No Comments »
December 23rd, 2009 by Max
Every year I like to bring this one out.
Every year I think about “The Christmas we get we deserve” and other bits of this lyric. Below I’ve include just a snippet of the discussion of the meaning of this song. It means a lot to me, and it means something to my old friend Tom Ranger, where ever he is, who once told me it was his favorite Christmas song. Mine too.
If you think about it, let me know what it means to you. If not. Just listen and enjoy.
They said there’ll be snow at Christmas,
They said there’ll be peace on earth,
But instead it just kept on raining,
A veil of tears for the Virgin birth.
I remember one Christmas morning,
The Winter’s light and a distant choir,
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell,
And eyes full of tinsel and fire.
They sold me a dream of Christmas,
They sold me a silent night,
They told me a fairy story,
‘Til I believed in the Israelite.
And I believed in Father Christmas,
And I looked to the sky with excited eyes,
Then I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn,
And I saw him and through his disguise.
I wish you a hopeful Christmas,
I wish you a brave New Year,
All anguish, pain and sadness,
Leave your heart and let your road be clear.
They said there’d be snow at Christmas,
They said there’d be peace on earth,
Hallelujah! Noel!, be it Heaven or Hell,
The Christmas we get, we deserve.
——————————————————————————-
The beauty of this song lies in the fact that it can be interpreted by an atheist or a believer – in the same way, but from opposite directions. Think about it. This is pure genius.
- Keith, Seattle, WA
*** I don’t think Greg was calling Jesus a fairy story.I feel he meant his parents fed him a fairy story until he believed in Jesus & realized the true meaning of Christmas.I personally love this song.
*** Well, you can personally believe whatever you like, but that’s clearly a brain-dead interpretation. The lyric is “And they sold me a fairy story until I believed in the Isrealite.” They lyrics are carefully constructed (not by Greg Lake by the way, but by his lyricist). If he’d meant what you clearly want him to mean it would have been something more like “until I STARTED to believe in the Isrealite.” Obviously that doesn’t fit, but it’s also obvious that your interpretation is a stretch and a half.
- mark, atlanta, GA
Posted in Arts, Other People's Theories | 2 Comments »
December 20th, 2009 by Max
Health Insurance companies stocks are at a 52 year high after the Senate vote. Yes. That’s year.
We can’t have a health care reform bill that helps Big Business more than it helps poor people.
Posted in Politics | No Comments »
December 20th, 2009 by Max
I’m with Howard Dean.
Months ago I told my old roommate Kevin that I was in favor of competition for health insurance companies. He told me the insurance companies only competition is to see if they can drop more sick people!
I thought about it and he’s right.
Then I learned that only Major League Baseball and the health insurance industry have an exemption from Anti-Trust laws. If you don’t know what an Anti-Trust law is … well it means they don’t have to compete with each other, they can work together.
I want to repeat that. The health insurance companies don’t have to compete with each other by law. That’s WAY too big an advantage for them.
And how would an insurance company compete anyway? Their job is to take in as much money and pay as little money out as possible. The best way to do that is to insure the healthy and dump the sick!
Health insurance is something that everyone should have. Something everyone needs. Where we all pool money together to insure that we can get well if we get sick. 100% of people need it.
So why should there be competition. Its not like everyone has a choice. You will get sick, or injured or your family will, at sometime, you hope it is a while away, but you want the opportunity to get well when you do. The problem is, insurance has an incentive to take your money, and an incentive to not pay it out.
And I believe in incentives.
I believe that everyone has an incentive to pay health insurance, and I believe that people should receive service for the money they pay.
The insurance company has an incentive to NOT pay for your medical treatment.
Along comes this bill.
In it is a mandate, that’s MANDATE, that 30 million more people sign up for health insurance.
In it, insurance companies can charge up to 300% more to sick people, who, remember, are mandated now to join at the rates for which the insurance companies have requested (read lobbied).
The insurance companies get 30 million new subscribers.
The people get no public option. The public option would be an insurance pool run by the government to compete with the for-profit insurance companies. It would provide competition.
As it is configured today in the Senate, the insurance companies have gotten what they lobbied for, 30 million more “must pay” clients. But they don’t have the same “must pay” obligation.
Lobbyists win again. Insurance wins again.
Howard Dean says this Health Care bill is fatally flawed and the Congress should start over.
I agree.
Howard says “The House bill is quite a good bill”. So maybe they can resolve a bill in conference committee where the “public option” is IN the final bill. Cuz right now, as Howard says “The insurance companies essentially wrote the bill” in the Senate.
Posted in Arts, Economics, Other People's Theories, Politics, Social Commentaries | No Comments »
December 19th, 2009 by Max
Watch “Smart People”. I’m probably not smart enough to pick up on the references and symbolism of “Smart People” but I know a good movie when I see it and this is it.
“Smart People” is a gentle, subtle small story of a regular American family. Set in Pittsburgh smart people introduces us to a family of mostly exceptional people, and then sets about proving that they are just like us. Along the way however it never gets preachy and it never clobbers you over the head.
You slowly come to the realization that these people, exceptional though they are, are just like you. Except maybe that you like them more.
Dennis Quaid, whom I thought over acted in “The Rookie” which I just saw on TV, really shone as a young-ish widower with an exceptionally intelligent, but achingly alone daughter, who is emotionally detached but dedicated to her dad. This child, winningly, charmingly, subtly played by Ellen Page is the caretaker of a disfunctional, if kind, typical American family of intellectuals – if such a bear exists.
Thomas Haden Church puts on a fine performance as Quaid’s adopted, neear-do-Well brother, who’s own intelligence falls in the plane of human understanding and kind of brings the family back to a grounded state. The movie begins sometime after the death of Lawrence Wetherhold’s (Quaid’s) wife. And Quaid is sufficiently understated and crumudgenly to be likable while still being so gruff.
Sarah Jessica Parker is a little low energy but still good as the one time student of professor Wetherhold, who is now a doctor, but who once had a crush on her professor.
Ellen Page is phenomenal, if someone so reserved can be a phenomenon. Everything is understated, held back, reserved in her performance, and it makes her bust out of the screen. As in Juno you can’t wait for Ellen Page’s next scene.
The movie moves gently, crisply and wittily through the character’s unveiling of their flaws and demons which are small and easily forgiven and their charms and successes which are substantial and which ultimately win our hearts and make us root for these people. This is a character driven movie which moves gently from mild accommodation of the general miserableness of people toward a place of acceptance and a hope for hope. Its a small film, gently made and smart.
Watch it. Love it. Its ok for the kids who will probably be bored with it because it is written for people older than 11 and there’s just enough (bum) nuditiy and sexual suggestiveness to keep it from a G rating anyway.
Its fine, its fun and its a little movie that you’ll be glad you watched.
5 of 5 Smiling Maxes for “Smart People”.
Director:
Noam Murro
Writer (WGA):
Mark Poirier (written by)
Release Date:
11 April 2008 (USA) more
Awards:
1 nomination
Cast Dennis Quaid … Lawrence Wetherhold
Sarah Jessica Parker … Janet Hartigan
Thomas Haden Church … Chuck Wetherhold
Ellen Page … Vanessa Wetherhold
Ashton Holmes … James Wetherhold
Christine Lahti … Nancy
Posted in Arts, Max's Movie Reviews, Video Rentals | No Comments »
December 18th, 2009 by Max
Slumdog Millionare won the academy award for best picture. That’s a little like Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace Price. You root for him, but you know he didn’t deserve it.
Slumdog has its moments. Too many moments. But many of them are good. The story follows the format of how could this “Slumdog” kid know all the answers to the India version of “Who Wants to Be A Millionare”. Jamal, a desperately poor Muslim minority child from the worst parts of Mumbai follows the format of the TV show with explanations of how he learned the answers to all of the questions in the show. Improbably answers he seemingly shouldn’t have known, such as who is on an American $100 bill. And who invented the revolver.
Each question is followed by a flashback of some impossible, torturous moment in the lives of Jamal and his brother and a girl they met as they struggle to survive in the filthy and desperation of this overpopulated biggoted city.
The points are clear, if a bit obvious, and you kind of get hit over the head with the moralizing of the story. The whole thing lacks subtlety and pace, however the actors are compelling and the drama builds.
It kind of reminds me of an old American Western with the good guys and the bad guys. There’s something comforting about that lack of grey (though the brother Salim belies this – his character never warms the cock-ells of your heart).
And in the end it just takes to long to get there.
The violence is not great, but it is way too much for children to watch which is too bad because Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, 
the child who plays youngest Jamal is just perfect, really charming. Steals the show is not too strong to say. And Freida Pinto as oldest Latika could easily win the title of most beautiful girl in the world.
There’s much to like about Slumdog … the problem is it is too much.
3 of 5 Smiling Maxes. Who could disparage a happy ending?
Directors:
Danny Boyle
Loveleen Tandan (co-director: India)
Writers:
Simon Beaufoy (screenplay)
Vikas Swarup (novel)
Awards:
Won 8 Oscars. Another 95 wins & 45 nominations
Cast
Dev Patel … Jamal K. Malik
Saurabh Shukla … Sergeant Srinivas
Anil Kapoor … Prem
Rajendranath Zutshi … Director (as Raj Zutshi)
Jeneva Talwar … Vision Mixer
Freida Pinto … Latika
Irrfan Khan … Police Inspector
Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail … Youngest Salim
Ayush Mahesh Khedekar … Youngest Jamal
Posted in Arts, Max's Movie Reviews, Video Rentals | No Comments »
December 17th, 2009 by Max
First, that’s a dumb name for a show. It just doesn’t feel right.
“acapella Rocks” might have been better. But whatever you call it. NBC’s new week long show “Sing Off” is only the second reality show that I let myself watch. (American Idol is the other).
Sure it has competition and judges and that forced awkward artificial drama as the group about to be dismissed is waiting to hear the pronouncement of the judges.
But if you like music, especially acapella music, then you really should watch this show.
Strangley I find myself liking Nick Lachey. As a detached pop culture observer I think that I know that he was married to Jessica Simpson and they had a reality show together and that she was a … not too bright. Which kinda made me think he was not too bright. I believe I heard that he sang with the boy band 98 degrees.
Despite all that he seems reserved, professional, deferrential and not at all self absorbed. He makes a good host.
The judges all come with some real chops, singers in their own right. A little gentler than Simon Cowell and that’s cool. It makes the harshness more mellow. You begin to listen to what they don’t say.
The now already whilttled down groups are good and getting better.
And I just want to go back and hear more. I even switched between the Rangers v Islanders and “Sign-Off” and THAT I would not have thought I’d ever do.
I’m a “Gleek”.
I think with the judges, watch the show like a reality show, waiting for a disaster, but just end up rooting for all the contestants and the form itself.
If you sing in the car, or in the hall, when people are around or when you’re alone – you’ll love “Sing-Off”. Its fun.
Listen!
Posted in Arts | No Comments »
December 15th, 2009 by Max
The other day I watched a silly movie called Sex Drive. Pretty much of a classic coming of age film. The thing is … I enjoyed it. It was predictable. It was silly. And yes, there were a few naked breasts, but not overly many and a really cool car. The weirdest part was that the kid who played the “player” was the kid who I picked out right away as the nerdy kid. But it had all the feel of a National Lampoon movie meets “American Pie”.
The best part of course, was Seth Green playing an Amish mechanic [spoiler] who fixes the cool car. And if you’ve never seen an Amish with a dry sense of humor then you have to check out this movie.
Its stupid, easy fun.
3 of 5 smiling Maxes for “Sex Drive”.
Overview
User Rating:
6.8/10 21,971 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sean Anders
Writers (WGA):
Sean Anders (screenplay) &
John Morris (screenplay) …
Release Date:
17 October 2008 (USA) more
Cast
Josh Zuckerman … Ian
Amanda Crew … Felicia
Clark Duke … Lance
James Marsden … Rex
Seth Green … Ezekiel
Alice Greczyn … Mary
Posted in Arts, Max's Movie Reviews, Video Rentals | No Comments »
December 6th, 2009 by Max
You’ve heard the accolades for years. Denzel. Denzel. For a spot on performance check out Denzel Washington in “The Taking of Pelham 123″.
For those of you too young to remember. “The Taking of Pelham 123″ is a remake of “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three”, the classic Walter Mathau film from 1974. And even though this Pelham 123 is top notch, do yourself a favor and watch the original.
That said Director Tony Scott’s Pelham is a wild ride. Scott alternates tension and drama on the train and in the control room with rapid fire cuts of the city up top pounding the life of the city against the slow increasing pulse of tension of a hijacked subway car in a tunnel under Manhattan.
Another counterpoint, John Travolta’s wise wildman bad guy leader of a group of hijackers is played against the calm decency of Denzel’s even tempered, yet equally wise family man.
This movie grabs your pulse and drags you up a hundred beats, but it invades your mind as well. Who are these guys? Why are they the same? Why are they different?
John Turturo as a hostage negotiator feels more like a prop than a necessary part, but James Gandolfini as the mayor has an all time moment in a subtle almost throw away scene. As the about to retire mayor Gandolfini isn’t too sure that he wants to invest his soul in what seems like a police matter. Yet he is convinced by an aide to make a comment about this still unraveling event that has gripped the city. So he stops on his way into the train center to speak to the press. After some reassuring words to the crowd he starts walking again. And in a perfect example of our gotcha culture, and misplaced civic priorities, some bozo reporter asks the major about an extramarital affair. Gandolfini shoots him a look that says more than any 1000 words ever could. Small part, great acting.
And getting back to great acting there’s Denzel. Demoted due to the accusation of bribery Denzel as Walter Garber decently goes about his business while the rumors fly and all the while knowing he’s being investigated. Great backstory, handled subtly.
Travolta as “Ryder” plays a crazyman, or is he? An angry vengeful person plotting an ranting against the city that hurt him. He’s cold, deadly and wild, but seems to feel an affinity for Garber whom he sees as also mistreated by the city.
The interplay and contrast between the two make the movie. They do, and director Scott does.
One criticism I have is that I wonder if Travolta’s character, who is so over the top, is wholly consistent but to delve into that would reveal too much of the plot and perhaps is mere nit picking anyway.
“The Taking of Pelham 123″ is fast, and gripping and well worth your investment of time. Some scenes are way too violent for small children whom no doubt could be frightened by this movie.
But after you put the kids to bed, take this movie out and watch it for its pace, its drama, its acting. Its a guy movie your wife will like. And after you watch it. Ask each other “Did he do it?”
4 of 5 Smiling Maxes
Director:
Tony Scott
Brian Helgeland (screenplay)
John Godey (novel)
Release Date:
12 June 2009 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Thriller more
Denzel Washington … Walter Garber
John Travolta … Ryder
Luis Guzmán … Phil Ramos
Victor Gojcaj … Bashkim
John Turturro … Camonetti
Michael Rispoli … John Johnson
Ramon Rodriguez … Delgado
James Gandolfini … Mayor
Posted in Arts, Max's Movie Reviews, Video Rentals | 2 Comments »
December 2nd, 2009 by Max
More podcast reviews.
Word Whore.
Say it again, Word Whore. The silky siren voice of a writer. Reading.
That's not The Word Whore ... that's the Air Out My Shorts girl
Maybe it takes a reader. Ya know, if you’ve watched American Idol, you know not everyone can sing. Well I’m here to tell you not everyone can read. Read out loud so that people get it.
And not everyone can write.
Those of us who can’t? Get our stories read on Air Out My Shorts.
AOMS doesn’t provide producer credits but Preston Buttons (really? Preston Buttons?) produces this show and the sound, like TTN, is brilliant. Buttons can also read. Together Buttons and The Whore bring you some of the best, worst writing (and hopefully once in a while some that are not wholly bad).
The thing is you just have to go with it. These two drunk Torontoites (Torontonians?) Indulge their predilection for potables while somehow managing to not mangle the English language. Air Out My Shorts has a good time at their own expense.
Which perhaps is why we just like to listen to them. They take nothing seriously. Well, there’s the booze.
Its just fun.
You just have to listen … and feel it.
Really. This is simply the most fun podcast to listen to (excepting episode 100 which, I hate to say, was godawful!) Its a fun fun show. And if they ever get the phone lines working again, could once again become a “call – out” show, where you could listen to Angry Phone Guy and others.
Preston Buttons and The Whore Whore make my day every time they post a show. Go on. Feel it.
Posted in Arts, Max's Theories, Podcast Reviews | No Comments »
December 1st, 2009 by Max
Unless you have no sense of humor, or you are very religious. [I know. Sometimes these two things go together.] You’ll love Total Talk Nonsense – the next podcast in my new world of podcast reviews.
Jon and Scott bring you a wacky world of Science News, Movie Reviews, Religious News and Perceptive Political Commentary, in a smart-ass, sarcastic, argumentative and often really intelligent kind of way.
The problem is they love to yap. Especially Scott. Whether it is blowing apart the rules of String Theory, or just plain making fun of the “W”, these two have something to say, that you’ll be glad you heard. Unless you’re a Republican. And if Obama does something that they think should be blasted, they’ll blast him.
And they’re from Chicago!
But they talk a lot. No. A LOT! This reviewer finds them perfect for a long drive in the country when you don’t have to get there in a hurry and you just want to put something on the podcastser and let it go.
1 hour?
Ha!
2 hours?
Ha Ha!
Typically they’ll run longer than two hours. Usually around 2:15, 2:30.
But its worth it. And its worth it because they’re both smart and funny. We know this because they love to laugh at themselves as much as they love to laugh at anyone else (well, except maybe the “W”).
Check this out. Funniest clip I’ve ever heard. http://totaltalknonsense.com/audio/stupid13.mp3
So here they are. Listen to Jon – who they claim was once up for producer of the year in the Parsec Awards for podcasts. Probably true too. [I didn't investigate] Jon’s always ready with a clip, a sound, something to punctuate the moment. And the sound on the show is consistently excellent. Jon knows his shit. And he’s the easy going big guy who listens to Scott grinding his points to their inevitable perfection. Though he occasionally wants to fight such idiots as Rush Limp-paugh.
Jon has his own opinions too and while their not honed to the point where they will slice paper, or dice tomatoes, they’re generally handed down with deference, grace and good humor.
Scott on the other hand, always knows what he wants to say, just, as we heard, has a tough time saying it sometimes. But whether he is commenting on Religion in general, Tom Cruise’s so called religion specifically or some Hollywood disaster (bimbo or movie) that is about to come to its public demise, Scott always has something pithy to say.
I really think he knows something about particle physics too, so unlike some fans and Richard Dawkins (who thinks he’s “smarmy”) I love to listen to Scott talk science.
Most episodes are closed out with The News from Phil McCraken Whitcomb, who typically shows up at about the 2 hour mark. Bob (aka Satan) and Alphie the Elf make occasional appearances as does God and several others.
Generally there is a musical break with recorded music from their band A Kangaroo Court. A Kangaroo Court is good, though mostly they just to pop speeded up and call it punky. Not too be confused with Punky Radio, a real punkcast that Jon and Scott often talk about.
Total Talk Nonsense is casual, fun, hilarious and it will make you think. Its way too long for most listeners but well worth the investment of time. Where else can you go for two and a half hours of entertainment that will make you laugh and make you think? At 2:30 to 2:45 even, TTN is too short!
Posted in Arts, Podcast Reviews, Science | 1 Comment »
Countless Screaming Argonauts