The Fab Five of Moviedom

Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. I have had ideas, then not posted them or put them on the back burner...and now it's June. My friends and I have agreed on movie characters who have 'moved' us the most. We aren't necessarily going for the leads (sorry Tom Cruise) or the epics (sorry Brando, Pacino, DeNiro), but instead the ones who 'steal' the movies. To quote Jim Lange on the Dating Game, "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere they arrrrrre!"



Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) National Lampoon Vacation series

This one is pretty easy, as his popularity grew with each movie. Eddie is easily the most quotable character, moreso than Clark. He is the cousin no one wants to talk about. He always tries to kiss Ellen on the lips, brings his dog Snots to family gatherings, and is still holding out for a management position. Of course, he won't go sledding, either (for good reason). His fierce loyalty to Clark shines through in every movie by giving Clark his boss with a big bow, and taking him to 'his' casino (which featured such games as "How many fingers am I holding up?") in an attempt to help Clark win his money back.



Doyle Hargraves (Dwight Yoakam) Sling Blade

He owns his own construction company and sings in a band part-time. He has aversions to antiques and midgets. People remember this movie for Billy Bob Thornton's character, Carl Childers and his unforgettable voice (MMMM HMMM). Doyle, on the other hand, was hateful and politically incorrect. Doyle went on one of the best movie rants ever on his own band when Randy mentioned practicing more. He may have made it known clearly that he didn't adjust well to those around him, but all he wanted was some stability and food from the Chicken Shack. Of course, Doyle got his comeuppance in the end.



Uncle Rico (Jon Gries) Napolean Dynamite

"The older I get, the better I was." This saying accurately describes Uncle Rico, who came to live with Napolean and Kip as their mom was injured because she "broke her coccyx." Apparently back in '82, Uncle Rico's not playing cost him the good life and his team from winning State. According to him, he could throw the pigskin a quarter mile, a feat Manning, Brady, Elway, or Favre could never do. Between that point and thinking a vest would make him professional, it's easy to see why his character is so hilarious.

Dudley Dawson (Curtis Armstrong) Revenge of the Nerds series

You may not know him by the given name, but instead his nickname "Booger." He may have taken advantage of his fratmates (I have 2 7's- that beats your flush) early on in the film, but he knows how to spice up their party with the Omega Mu's! He was more of an outcast in the fraternity, but he went on in subsequent 'Nerds;' movies to be a lawyer. Most guys their freshman year of college make Booger look like Pierce Brosnan.

Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) The Big Lebowski

Sure, John Goodman gets second billing here, but the Brothers Coen could have easily wrote a movie based on his life. Walter is a very patriotic person, as he is proud to relate almost everything to his experience in Vietnam, even while eulogizing his friend Donnie, who he regularly told to "shut (sic) up" or that he was "out of his element." Walter is also very loyal to the Dude throughout the movie, as he is ready to make the nihlists enter a world of pain. Walter is also loyal to his ex-wife of five years, as he still babysits her dog, and brings it to the bowling alley with him. Walter is especially loyal to his ex-wife's religion- "Shomer Shabbas!" is all that needs to be said for those who have seen the movie.

That's all for now; comment if you wish!

I'll Never Catch the Dragon!!

I hope that everyone had an excellent holiday season! This year, my son got 2 versions of Guitar Hero for Christmas this year: II, and II, the 80's edition. I have referred to it before as a 'guys version of DDR,' and I will stand by it. This, of course, isn't intended as meaning that only females play DDR and males play Guitar Hero. I had heard of it and seen the game played. I laughed so hard at the South Park episode that parodied the game, as well as the father getting hooked on it, too. I have heard that if you don't really know much about playing guitar that you may be good at it, and I have messed up on songs that I know, not always hitting the right part on the beat where I think it will be.
The first night we played, it wasn't long, but when I went to sleep and close my eyes, I saw notes coming at me like I was still playing the game. There is something kind of funny and almost disturbing watching your 8 year-old son playing Van Halen, or your 10 year-old daughter playing Nirvana. Anyway, we played on Easy Mode for a good bit, on and off, until a week ago Friday. My 13 year old nephew came down for the evening, and we played on Easy Mode. My son got very tickled playing "Psychobilly Freakout" by Reverend Horton Heat. Of all the sentences ever uttered in the English language, I never thought that I would put my son in the same sentence as Reverend Horton Heat. We got to the last 'tour stop' on the game, which you have to beat all 4 songs. Since we took turns, it was up to me on the 4th song. It was around midnight, and I thought my eyes were bleeding. Somehow, though, I made it through, and there was a letter at the end saying that we unlocked the 'fish' guitar.
We decided to play the 80's edition this past weekend, and my eyes didn't bleed this time. We beat the Easy mode (just the kids and me), and we then went to 'Medium Mode,' which isn't to be confused with 'Mean, Median and Mode.' I haven't been hitting the high 90% accuracy like the easier level. A few times, I have been hoping for the song to quickly end so I won't see "FAILED" come up to booing fans, as well as booing children. I just tried 'Seventeen' by Winger, and I have a little more respect for Kip. I was given the double 'boos,' and a "Thanks" from my supportive son. I also find my forearm needing a rest after making through. After playing the game, though, I definitely need something to 'take the edge off,' and I don't mean the guitarist for U2. Any suggestions? Please comment, and thanks for reading!

Rock Gods and Greek Gods in the ATL

I hope that everyone had a Happy New Year! This is about my experience(s) with seeing one of my favorite bands of all time: The Police. Sherman, set the Way Back machine to the early '80's. When I was in high school, they were my favorite band, and everyone at school knew it. Well, my senior year rolled around, and they just happened to come to town (not exactly my town, but approximately 2 1/2 hours from the house). Synchronicity was my first concert, and it blew me away. Then, they went on hiatus for around 23 years. Still, though, I referenced "One World (not Three)" in my high school graduation speech.
Flash forward to about six weeks ago. I was on my way to the ATL, ready to go again! I was in somewhat of a shock that the day had finally arrived. I turned to Dave FM, wondering if they were doing 'all Police, all the time' like they had done when U2 had come to town. No dice. I then turned to hear the legendary radio voice of the Georgia Bulldogs call their game. You could feel the nicotine coming out of the speakers, kind of like feeling the alcohol in Harry Caray's voice when he did Cub games. Anyway, I get to my motel exit, and I find a rock station, and the dj starts introducing the song...it's "Message in a Bottle," and all of the sudden, I am ready to go NOW!
I take the MARTA to the arena, and I am informed that the person who killed 2 people at a MARTA stop had been caught. Boy, do I feel secure. I get to the arena safely with my camera. I saw online ON PHILIPS ARENA'S WEBSITE THAT NONPROFESSIONAL CAMERAS WERE ALLOWED FOR THE CONCERT. The security guard informed me that I would have to check my camera in for customer service to keep during the show.
What can settle the anger down, you might ask? Concert shwag, that's what! A hoodie and a t-shirt later, I was fine. I settled into my seat beside my actual seat, seat 3. The shwag was in seat 4, typical behavior until someone shows up with the ticket for that seat. A couple then walks up to my row, prompting me to stand up, inhale, turn my head to the left and do a backbend, your usual not-yet-crowded arena protocol. I will preface this by saying that I am very weak in Mythology, but, I swear, the man was half-man, half-mountain. I guess he would maybe be a Mountaur or something. He had to have been around 6'5, 280 lbs. He sat in seat 5, which prompted immediate prayer not to have anyone with tickets to seats 1,2, and 3 show up for the concert. Someone else came walked through our row, and the Mountaur grinned at me and said "These seats ain't too wide, are they?" I began more intense prayer, as I have somewhat of a pronounced girth myself.
The guy behind me, Dave, was there with his wife, and he had a small radio to try to listen to the Clemson football game. After he went off to find coca colas, he informed me that one of the kiosks had the game on their tv. Dave seemed pretty cool. After the opening band, Fiction Plane had played (and they played pretty well), Dave took me to the kiosk and we watched some of the game, and he bought me a cola as well. Dave is pretty cool.
I knew that the last song played before they come on is "Get Up, Stand Up." I heard it begin, and told Dave it was time. We hustled back to our seats, and right when he told his wife, "He said this is where they come out," the place went black and a roar came up. And a gong on a platform. And Stewart Copeland, with a huge mallet! He did an homage to T. Rex and The Power Station, and Andy Summers began playing those familiar strains of "Message in a Bottle."
The arena was going N-V-T-S NUTS! Two couples came up to me and asked if seats 1 and 2 were taken. I said 'no,' and they seemed happy to share the seats. I felt old, though, as they were in Kindergarten or first grade when the aforementioned Synchronicity tour came through. Sting and the boys tore through the set, and they still have 'IT.' They may not have been jumping on minitrampolines like the last time, but they were enjoying each other as they played. The anger wasn't there, but the musicianship still was. They got toward the end of their set, and the 'Can't Stand Losing You/Regatta De Blanc' was sounding incredible, and I wondered, whatever happened to the Asian kid who got shoved during this song on the Synchronicity concert DVD? Did he attend this show? Has he had a hard life being known as 'the kid who got shoved at the Police concert?' They also played 'So Lonely,' a great song live. Somehow, they worked in a Ska beat toward the end. The Ska spirit hit me, and I started doing something I hadn't done in years- the pogo. As the song ended, high 5's went all around to Dave, Mrs. Dave, the Mountaur and Mrs. Mountaur, the 2 younger couples sharing 2 seats. When they played their finale, 'Next to You,' everyone was jumping and singing, and the video screens were showing in superspeed all kinds of pictures of the band from the early days up to the present. A fitting ending to an incredible show! Sting was right when he said at the Grammys "We are the Police and we are back!"
When I got back to the motel, I watched espn to find out if Clemson had won or not. I could have went to the game, but 23 years is a long wait. I saw that Clemson's receiver couldn't catch a ball that was almost placed in his hands at the end of the game. That couldn't bring me down from the emotional high I was experiencing. A great time was definitely had.
Thanks for reading.