Half your meal is on us
As unbelievable as it may sound, Paul McCartney has been traveling America’s most iconic stretch of road in a Ford Bronco with girlfriend Nancy Shevell. Over the course of his trip, the cute Beatle has been spotted strolling an Illinois museum, asking for a map from a Missouri convenience store, shopping for antiques and snapping pictures in New Mexico, just like a tourist. Except this tourist wrote “Hey Jude” and “Yesterday.”
In today’s St. Pete Times, political columnist Adam C. Smith says it’s time for Gov. Charlie Crist to forget about any vice presidential aspirations he might still be harboring, citing the “return $50,000 of suspicious campaign donations [to John McCain] funneled through Charlie Crist’s pal and top fundraiser, Harry Sargeant III of Boca Raton.”
Earlier today, Crist appeared on CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer and probably did little to boost his chances in McCain’s veep-stakes. Right out of the gate, when Blitzer asked Crist if he’d been through the vetting process for vice president, the governor said he was unable to comment. Blitzer then said, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’”
After a brief, awkward pause, Crist responded, “You can take that anyway you want to.”
The balance of the interview consisted of Crist giving his support to McCain, calling him a “maverick” (where have we heard that before?) who opposed President Bush’s 2005 energy policy while Barack Obama voted for it. As he spoke, Crist looked and sounded like he was on autopilot.
When the topic of nuclear energy and Crist’s support for it came up, the guv smarmily pointed out that Blitzer’s mother is a Florida resident. It was a meaningless, patronizing reference (and one that Blitzer quickly moved past) in an otherwise Stepford Wives-like performance. Crist didn’t embarrass himself, but he also didn’t do anything to steal the limelight from Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
So this much seems clear: Brett Favre won’t be playing for the Green Bay Packers this year.
Aside from that, the whole situation is more than a bit murky. The Buccaneers and Jets have been named in news reports as teams Favre might get traded to. And perhaps by the time you read this blog, a trade will have already been completed.
But for now, it’s all just talk. In a press conference this afternoon, Packers coach Mike McCarthy had this to say on his talks with Favre over the past two days:
We agreed to disagree. … The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want.
Apparently, not a single reporter could get clarification on the issue, as the report cited above quoted McCarthy as saying that Favre was not in the “proper mindset” to lead the team. I can only assume that means Favre’s feelings were sufficiently hurt that the Packers did not immediately welcome him back as their starting quarterback once he announced his desire to return to football, and that his appearance at the Packers’ training facility on Monday was little more than a formality in order to expedite a trade. Or perhaps it means that the Packers were not willing to give him his job back without competing for it against Aaron Rodgers, something Favre might not have been willing to do.
Regardless of who is being more intractable, it seems that Packers fans are on Brett’s side and holding the Packers’ brass accountable, if the comments on the Green Bay Press-Gazette are any indication.
Queen of Grunge: Just close your eyes and try to imagine Chris Cornell singing “Fat-Bottomed Girls.”
Venomous: As if Spider-Man 3 weren’t bad enough.
Does this mean the next Austin Powers won’t be shag-a-delic?
Mighty shield, yeah, sure: But who will wear that ridiculous costume?
The votes are in: Dark Knight is the greatest movie ever!
More to meet the eye: Superbabe Megan Fox ordered to gain weight for Transformers sequel.
Wanna go to a poetry slam next Monday?
I said yes, as I wasn’t going to disappoint a friend, even if it meant (as I thought it might) having to suffer through self-absorbed poseurs with limited knowledge ranting about how fucked up the world is while having little in the way of honest answers or solutions. But because I’d never been to a poetry slam – or any other kind of reading – before, I was honestly intrigued.
When we arrived at Studio@620 a little after 8 p.m. last night, only two or three people were in the audience, sitting patiently in front of a stage bearing two microphone stands. The host for the evening, David, didn’t bother using either mic as he circled the chairs and delivered a brief history of poetry slams (they apparently emerged as a response to the academic beats like Kerouac). He then warmed up those in attendance with a poem titled “Fuck a Poet,” which brought a smile to my face as it addressed all of the unspoken prejudices I harbored about spoken-word artists — self-styled tortured artists articulating their unfathomable ennui. As I listened, the thought crossed my mind, “Was this just irony designed to pander to close-minded first-timers?” No, I decided. David had admitted that spoken-word poets are, by the nature of what they do, egotistical. And so his words rang sincere as he knocked himself and his fellow artists down a few notches with an honest reality check.
And yet …
While the topics from the seven poets who took the stage over the course of two hours hit upon subjects I might have expected — the Iraq war, religious hypocrisy, former lovers — the quality of their work far exceeded my expectations. I could tell the performers had spent considerable time honing their prose, and I was left admiring this rather unassuming, brave and decidedly unpretentious group I never would have pegged as “artists” had I met them under different circumstances.
So to David, Brian, Patrick, Jimmy, Emma and Ozell (hope I spelled that right) — thank you for an enjoyable, intimate, mind-opening and artistically satisfying evening. While I’m not a poet, I felt I was among friends. Something tells me I’ll be back next month.
Reunited and it feels so good: A pair of well-known duos make their returns to multiplexes this weekend. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly (Talladega
Nights) team up as middle-aged sibling rivals in Step Brothers (read Lance Goldenberg’s review). 
Meanwhile, Mulder and Scully are together again after a 10-year layoff in The X-Files: I Want to Believe. If the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are any indication, this may be the last go-round for the FBI agents with a penchant for investigating the supernatural.
Wanna get Joe Bardi to exclaim “Damn it!”? Do what loyal commenter David Jenkins did on our blog post about the best superhero flicks and mention the “Ninja Rap” song from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze. In case you’ve conveniently forgotten this lost classic, here’s the video:
With The Dark Knight raking in monster box-office and critical raves, and this week’s CL cover story focused on what our superheroes say about who we are as a culture, Joe Bardi and I were inspired to each make our lists of the best superhero flicks of all time. Joe offers 10 films in eight entries, while I give a traditional top 10 list. Enjoy!
Joe’s Picks:
1. Batman Begins/The Dark Knight: The new kings of the comic-book castle. Begins sets the table, and then The Dark Knight redefines the genre for the 21st century. I don’t see how anyone — not even director Christopher Nolan and his team — will top Knight for a long, long time.
2. The Matrix: Though not based on original graphic novel source material, there is no denying that The Matrix set the standard for all the modern comic book/superhero franchises. There is no Dark Knight without Keanu and Co’s reality-bending excursion into virtual reality.
3. Die Hard: Sure, Die Hard might seem out of place on a list of flicks about guys dressed as insects and flying rodents. Still, how can a list of superhero movies not include NYC cop/terrorist-killer John McClaine? In the original Die Hard, Bruce Willis tries his best to make McClain an everyman, and winds up creating one of the quintessential superheroes of the 1980s.
4. Superman/Superman 2: Really more of one big movie than two individual films. Superman and Superman II were both the babies of Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon, Goonies). After Donner had completed Superman and was halfway through shooting Superman II, the studio replaced him with A Hard Day’s Night director Richard Lester, causing Superman II to suffer a bit from the lack of consistency at the helm. Still, I find the sequel more fun to watch than the original.
5. Iron Man: 2008’s other excellent comic-book movie, and the first one from Marvel’s new production company. Iron Man manages to combine a terrific performance by Robert Downey Jr. with a plot that carries weight in these over-militarized times. It’s also damn funny.
6. The Incredibles: A Pixar animated feature about a family of superheroes, The Incredibles manages the difficult task of satirizing the superhero flick while delivering an excellent take on the genre that appeals to the whole family. Can’t wait for the sequel.
7. Spider-Man 2: I was never a huge Spider-Man fan, though I do appreciate what director Sam Raimi brought to the web-crawling franchise. Spider-Man 2 is easily the best of the Spidey flicks, primarily because of the villainous Doc Ock and his amazing tentacles.
8. Batman: The Tim Burton/Michael Keaton original holds up today largely on the back of the amazing production design and Jack Nicholson’s inspired performance as The Joker. I’m partial to Batman Returns, actually, as I find it a much more entertaining experience than this brooding original, but I fear villagers with pitchforks might show up at the Loaf office if I rank Returns over Batman. So I won’t — but you’re all wrong!
With Amy Winehouse apparently out of the running to sing the theme for the upcoming Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, I’ve been giving some thought to who should have that privilege.
Based on some Internet surfing and my own personal preferences, here’s my list of the top 10 candidates for becoming a part of 007 trivia and lore:
In no particular order:
1. Chrissie Hynde (a personal favorite of mine, she performed a track for the 1987 Bond film, The Living Daylights, but it was not the title song (that honor belongs to A-ha)
2. David Bowie (How Bowie hasn’t recorded a Bond theme thus far is a mystery to me; his voice is tailor-made for it)
3. Scissor Sisters (came at the suggestion of a poster on commanderbond.net. After listening to a couple of their tracks, I can hear why).
She’s Helen Wheels: Helen Mirren caught in a red bikini on a beach in Italy. Yeah, Wade Tatangelo would hit that!
Well, they’re sure acting like Canadians: Paul McCartney to give free concert; apparently “free” isn’t good enough for Quebec sovereigntists.
Time heals all wounds? Former Beatles drummer Pete Best to release first solo album, chronicling his dismissal from the band over 40 years ago.
Just know this, Benny: Pierce Brosnan was never in ABBA.
They’ve got an Axl to grind: Chinese Democracy track to be featured in Rock Band 2
Dear Green Bay Packers,
After a long, illustrious career with one of the most storied franchises in NFL history, I’ve decided that now is the time to hang up the cleats.
I’m 38 years old, a three-time MVP winner, and the career league leader in yards passing, touchdowns and victories, including a triumph over the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. There’s really nothing left for me to accomplish, and so, (chin is trembling) on the heels of a successful 2007 campaign, I feel now is the time to leave on a high note, ride off into the sunset and possibly open up a car dealership in my hometown of Kiln, Mississippi. Thank you for allowing me to serve the Packers organization and its fans (what is this salty liquid stinging my eyes?) for the past 16 seasons. Rest assured that my retirement will not in any way affect my close relationship with the team or city I’ve grown to love and which has shown so much love and loyalty in return. Whenever you need me, (oh, geez, I’m bawling like a baby) I will always be available for promotional appearances, scouting advice and the obligatory honorary coin toss.
Ever your humble quarterback,
Brett Favre, Packer for life
The Bank Job: Jason Statham (The Transporter, Snatch) stars in director Roger Donaldson’s account of a real-life 1971 London bank robbery. Saffron Burrows costars.
Penelope: Cutie-pie Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Buffalo 66, Speed Racer) is the title character in this modern-day fairy tale about a girl born with a porcine snout. Reese Witherspoon and James McAvoy (Wanted) costar.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Milos Forman’s 1975 classic gets the Blu-ray treatment. Jack Nicholson stars as a free spirit who enters an insane asylum to avoid prison work detail, butting heads with the icy Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). Also stars Will Sampson, Brad Dourif and Danny DeVito.
The St. Pete Times is asking readers to choose from among its picks for the top 25 Super Bowl plays ever, with the results to be announced over the course of the season, culminating with the top vote-getter the Friday before the Super Bowl, which will be held this year in Tampa.
Allow me to skip ahead lo those many weeks and cut to the chase. (more…)
Ah, the perks of working at the Loaf: I’m listening to a review copy of Mamma Mia! movie soundtrack that cubicle buddy/Bar Tab-ber/music critic Wade Tatangelo was kind enough to pass on to me, as he knows I’m a big ABBA fan (and, more importantly, had no intention of reviewing himself).
My first impression of the CD is that the arrangements are very faithful to the original versions. No surprise, since Benny Andersson, one of the group’s original members and architects of its sound, also produced this album. (more…)
The Obama smear campaign continues. OK, it’s only a wackadoo blog commenter, but isn’t this how lies spread in the digital age?
Former Sen. Jesse Helms died today at 86.
Sweet 16: The Oakland A’s sign a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republican for $4.25 million.
Big Brother strikes again: Judge orders YouTube to release data on the viewing habits of its visitors.
You read the familiar lament when critics review a surefire blockbuster: “It doesn’t matter what I write; people will go see it anyway.”
That’s mostly true for Hollywood’s big-budget releases, but as Erik Lundegaard points out in making the case that we need movie critics, these arbiters of taste have a measurable effect on box-office receipts.
Using basic math and the compendium of critical reviews from Rottentomatoes, Lundegaard shows that across the board — from art-house flicks to major studio releases — better-reviewed films earn more on a per-screen average than movies that are panned. Of 234 films released in 2007 and reviewed on Rottentomatoes, Lundegaard discovers:
While there were fewer “fresh” films (i.e., movies that critics liked) and they showed on fewer screens and took in less overall box office, they tended to make almost $1,000 more per screen than “rotten” movies (i.e., movies critics didn’t like). So, on a per-screen-basis, more people are following critics into theaters than not.
With that in mind, here’s a link to my review for Hancock.
It’s a high-concept premise that must have had studio execs seeing dollar signs: Will Smith stars as a surly, alcoholic superhero.
Sad to say, but that concept is all there is to Hancock, a Hollywood product in the worst sense — devoid of a compelling story, relying instead on star power, gimmicky direction and the de rigueur assemblage of CGI effects typical of would-be summer blockbusters.
As the titular hero, Hancock has a penchant for drinking excessive amounts of whiskey and causing millions of dollars’ worth of destruction during his rescues and crime-stopping endeavors. Some might consider his reluctant, clumsy superhero a novel creation — until one realizes that Hancock the character could just as easily be seen as little more than a profane update based on a nearly three-decade-old sitcom, The Greatest American Hero. (more…)
MSNBC and MySpace team up to turn citizen journalism into yet another popularity contest.
Only in baseball: The Angels no-hit the Dodgers — and lose.
It’s Earth vs. the Atom Smasher in the ultimate doomsday showdown.
Gene genie: Woman ensures her baby will be born free of hereditary breast cancer.
The $2.1- million lunch: That’s how much a Chinese investment fund manager has paid to eat with billionaire Warren Buffet.
Send in the clones: George Lucas goes back to the well once again for more Star Wars.
Maybe it isn’t the conservatives Obama should be fearing, but the liberal pundits.
Careful where you put the wasabi: The St. Pete Times reveals The Dirty Martini’s naked sushi night.
In keeping with the nautical theme, Beach Theatre is screening Jaws twice today as part of its 1970s weekend.
So that’s why John Kerry lost in 2004: A New York Times op-ed explains why we’re so gullible.
Because you love profanity-laced video-game reviews: It’s the latest Zero Punctuation!
Are you Baracktose Intolerant?
On the drive to work this morning, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Ian Beckles (of WDAE’s Ron and Ian Show) asked his co-hosts what they thought he’d be getting in pension per month once he turns 55 (for his 10 years of service in the NFL). The guesses ranged from $2,500 to $10,000. The answer: $240.00.
I’m not ashamed to say it: I love ABBA. And I was really hoping that Mamma Mia!, the upcoming movie based on the hit Broadway musical, would be good. But the trailer doesn’t leave me with much hope:
Will George Carlin’s recent death have the same media half-life as Tim Russert’s? And will those who got bent out shape over the Russert coverage feel the same about Carlin, or is Carlin’s antihero status a mitigating factor? And the fact that he could be really, really funny:
The reviews for Pixar’s latest animated release, WALL-E, have been overwhelmingly positive. Off-the-charts glowing, in fact. Take this one excerpt from Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times:
Daring and traditional, groundbreaking and familiar, apocalyptic and sentimental, “Wall-E” gains strength from embracing contradictions that would destroy other films. Directed by Pixar stalwart Andrew Stanton, who co-wrote and directed the Oscar-winning “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-E” is the latest Pixar film to manage what’s become next door to impossible for anyone else: appealing to the broadest possible audience without insulting anyone’s intelligence.
So I definitely have a film I’m looking forward to seeing this Friday.
