Recap: Two Weeks of Zaniness
[mood: 
Chatty about everything from BTR and Castle to work and the Onion Sportsdome]
[music: The Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love]
Helloooooo, Everyone! I feel like that's only an appropriate greeting if you picture me saying that in a loud Victorian accent while wearing a black top hat, a ridiculously large monocle, and a fake, exceedingly hairy handlebar mustache. All of which I'm totally wearing. Right now. Just kidding!
How was your weekend? I spent most of mine hating 1920s Britain. I wish I could say that was new...actually, it is new, I just thought it'd be funnier if I always had this professed hatred.
Why? Why so much retro hate? I watched The Wind That Shakes the Barley over the weekend, and I hereby present the most accurate non-spoiler summary of this film ever: The O'Donovan brothers jointly yanked my heart from my chest and proceeded to trample it for two hours.
Also, The Lookout is a very good film, and I highly recommend it. The story revolves around a young, former athlete (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is left bitter and troubled following a serious car accident that leaves him with significant brain damage. JGL was very convincing in his struggle with his brain trauma, especially when his emotions get the better of him due to a synaptic or frontal lobe issue he can only partially control with medication and therapy. I liked the particular attention paid to sequencing at the beginning and at therapy, as well as the wonderful companion he has found in Louis.
Even though Matthew Goode will shock you by being an utter bastard as Gary, he's a right slick bastard with a charm all his own. A slick bastard that looks amazing in a tight black tee and facial hair, a gun in each hand, and jeans made for his ass. So, that last part will make up for the first part just a tiny bit.
To recap my time away:
1) The Onion has exploded onto television with not one, but two shows (OSN News on IFC & Onion Sportsdome on ComedyCentral). There are no words for my joy, except, well, JOY. The Onion is one of my all-time favorite humorists, and I'm thoroughly psyched that they're bringing some of their video segments to the air.
The Onion Sportsdome has The Onion sense of humor in spades, and the humor isn't even that reliant on being familiar with the players. If you have a casual knowledge of the main sports/figures, you'll be laughing along and OSN news has the same brutal sense of humor as you can expect from the books/website.
Both sportscasters are lovely, but I'm kind of in love with Onion Sportsdome announcer Mark Shepard (Matt Oberg, pictured left; P.S. I can't remember why they're touching in this shot, but I want it to happen always). I'd send more than a "shout out to Glasses." Actually, I'm kind of in love with Oberg. I didn't put it together until today that I loved him in several different places, seemingly unconnected. *ahem* That sounds dirty, let me clarify: he's the voice of Mark Lily in Ugly Americans, one of my favorite shows. He's also the crazed vampire hunter in the only New York lotto commercial I've ever really liked, and he played a role in my favorite Chappelle Show sketch. Oberg, I want to be on you, mostly like a virile young woman and only a little like a spider monkey.
2) The Daily Show's January 11th show addressing the horrible events in Arizona a few weeks ago was very touching. I thought Jon Stewart handled it deftly and seriously; he brought tears to my eyes.
3) Big Time Rush was bringing serious "lulz" factor to the table in their recent Ustream. The boys were genuinely happy and being themselves by the end of the chat, something I haven't seen them do in quite some time. They wasn't any tension or jockeying for time/being the one to announce things. There was a sprinkling of that at the beginning, but it quickly devolved into Carlos being spastic, Kendall being charming, and James and Logan being a snarky married couple.
KJ bonus points were awarded for:
• Logan leaning against James's shoulder to blow a kiss at the camera (pictured above)
• James hitting Logan up with some sarcasm about being impressed with him ("I was almost impressed with you for a minute." "I know.")
• Logan insisting that he was the only one with chocolate eyes (and trying to convince James of this while Kendall talks over them)
• All the random "Guess ___'s favorite ___" hilarity happening, mainly spurred forward by Kendall.
• Logan softly singing James's makeout song ("Banana Pancakes") in the background.
• The boys thinking that standing up where the camera could see them would help people gauge their height at all to answer the "how tall are each of you?" question.
• James saying something in Hebrew that turns Logan into a grinning, giggling goof. I have a feeling he didn't say anything funny. I have a feeling Logan is laughing because when their sex is really great, James starts panting in Hebrew.
4) I went into a hard hat construction zone for the first time. I've been photographing our hospital's expansion project for a construction archive since June, and for the first time, I got to don a hard hat and head into the actual construction zone.
It was awesome, and I mean the actual definition of awesome here--I looked on in awe. These shots were taken by one of the foremen on the second floor (I was down in the basement/sublevel). I'll be doing another post with some additional photos that I took.
A few of my coworkers asked if I received any wolf whistles, but they were all polite. I only got lascivious smiles. Perhaps because I was standing with their supervisor 99% of the time...one of my co-workers laughed, "It probably made their day" to which I retorted "Hey, a few of them made my day." One of the young men was digging a ditch with a pick axe in short sleeves. Two tickets to the gun show. It may have been frigid outside, but inside, it was pretty darn hot. *grins*
5) Castle's "Poof, You're Dead" episode had me eyerolling like Mitchell from Modern Family. It didn't sting as badly as its predecessor, though the quality was just as poor, especially in the "out of nowhere" department. The writing was so bad for the episode overall that I just couldn't take it seriously, which left me feeling less enraged and more "Really? That's how you're handling this?" The sad part? It could have worked if they'd made the effort with the right characters: Javier and Kevin. Spoilers: In "Poof, You're Dead," Javier and Lanie were introduced as a couple that is making eyes at each other so badly you'd literally have to be blind not to see it. All of this tension is after entire seasons (including all of this one) where they don't so much as shoot a charged glance at each other or interact playfully. There was no hint dropping whatsoever. Poor writing. For a twist to be ultimately effective, it has to surprise the audience while still feeling real--it needs to have very subtle support in the story so that once it happens your audience says, "Oh! I see it now!"
Pet Peeve for this episode: I'm sorry, but you never shoot "Ooooo, I'm going fuck you!/I just did!" eyes at someone out of the blue after years of working with them on a semi-daily basis. Our limbic system controls what we find attractive and either you had that spark when you first met or you didn't. Some people can build chemistry, but this chemistry did not build. It went from nonexistent to a secret relationship. There is one, count it one, interaction to be perceived as flirty between them in a past season, and it was made less so by another character jumping in with a better quip.
How were they introduced? We see Lanie in bed, naked, answer her phone and say "I have to go." Then Javier's phone rings, he reaches across still mostly out of screen (just visible where he's sprawled across Lanie), checks it, and says "Me too" and it's revealed by the voice that it's Javier she's sleeping with. Then he gets up, naked, and goes into the bathroom after a few words are exchanged. The only real positive to this scene was that the camera work was very well-done.
The opening shot for introducing us to Lanie and Javier would have been perfect if it had been Kevin and Javier because they have had all the sexual tension, the subtext, the comments, the gestures, the intimate moments to make a secret reveal a twist that still. felt. REAL. It could have been, "OMG, they're finally a couple!" without coming out of nowhere and given Castle and Beckett's consistent comments about Javier and Kevin being couple-y throughout the series, it'd be a hell of a lot more believable for those two to be the ones saying, "They really think we don't know?" It could have worked. Instead, the whole episode was so bad overall--the crime, writing, twists, etc.--that it didn't hurt/enrage as much as the engagement because you just couldn't take it seriously anymore.
6) Very glad Tosh.0 is back. I didn't know I'd missed watching drunk Irish men having a dance off that ends in a handjob, but apparently, I really have. My only beef was with some of the clips included in the premiere. Hammering knives into someone's head was pretty awful, but at least we saw he was OK at the end. What was disturbing was that they chose to play clip of a man almost certainly plummeting to his death down an elevator shaft. Not cool. I don't watch snuff, thanks.
Chatty about everything from BTR and Castle to work and the Onion Sportsdome]
[music: The Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love]
Helloooooo, Everyone! I feel like that's only an appropriate greeting if you picture me saying that in a loud Victorian accent while wearing a black top hat, a ridiculously large monocle, and a fake, exceedingly hairy handlebar mustache. All of which I'm totally wearing. Right now. Just kidding!
How was your weekend? I spent most of mine hating 1920s Britain. I wish I could say that was new...actually, it is new, I just thought it'd be funnier if I always had this professed hatred.
Why? Why so much retro hate? I watched The Wind That Shakes the Barley over the weekend, and I hereby present the most accurate non-spoiler summary of this film ever: The O'Donovan brothers jointly yanked my heart from my chest and proceeded to trample it for two hours.
Also, The Lookout is a very good film, and I highly recommend it. The story revolves around a young, former athlete (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is left bitter and troubled following a serious car accident that leaves him with significant brain damage. JGL was very convincing in his struggle with his brain trauma, especially when his emotions get the better of him due to a synaptic or frontal lobe issue he can only partially control with medication and therapy. I liked the particular attention paid to sequencing at the beginning and at therapy, as well as the wonderful companion he has found in Louis.
Even though Matthew Goode will shock you by being an utter bastard as Gary, he's a right slick bastard with a charm all his own. A slick bastard that looks amazing in a tight black tee and facial hair, a gun in each hand, and jeans made for his ass. So, that last part will make up for the first part just a tiny bit.
To recap my time away:
1) The Onion has exploded onto television with not one, but two shows (OSN News on IFC & Onion Sportsdome on ComedyCentral). There are no words for my joy, except, well, JOY. The Onion is one of my all-time favorite humorists, and I'm thoroughly psyched that they're bringing some of their video segments to the air.
The Onion Sportsdome has The Onion sense of humor in spades, and the humor isn't even that reliant on being familiar with the players. If you have a casual knowledge of the main sports/figures, you'll be laughing along and OSN news has the same brutal sense of humor as you can expect from the books/website.
Both sportscasters are lovely, but I'm kind of in love with Onion Sportsdome announcer Mark Shepard (Matt Oberg, pictured left; P.S. I can't remember why they're touching in this shot, but I want it to happen always). I'd send more than a "shout out to Glasses." Actually, I'm kind of in love with Oberg. I didn't put it together until today that I loved him in several different places, seemingly unconnected. *ahem* That sounds dirty, let me clarify: he's the voice of Mark Lily in Ugly Americans, one of my favorite shows. He's also the crazed vampire hunter in the only New York lotto commercial I've ever really liked, and he played a role in my favorite Chappelle Show sketch. Oberg, I want to be on you, mostly like a virile young woman and only a little like a spider monkey.
2) The Daily Show's January 11th show addressing the horrible events in Arizona a few weeks ago was very touching. I thought Jon Stewart handled it deftly and seriously; he brought tears to my eyes.
3) Big Time Rush was bringing serious "lulz" factor to the table in their recent Ustream. The boys were genuinely happy and being themselves by the end of the chat, something I haven't seen them do in quite some time. They wasn't any tension or jockeying for time/being the one to announce things. There was a sprinkling of that at the beginning, but it quickly devolved into Carlos being spastic, Kendall being charming, and James and Logan being a snarky married couple.
KJ bonus points were awarded for:
• Logan leaning against James's shoulder to blow a kiss at the camera (pictured above)
• James hitting Logan up with some sarcasm about being impressed with him ("I was almost impressed with you for a minute." "I know.")
• Logan insisting that he was the only one with chocolate eyes (and trying to convince James of this while Kendall talks over them)
• All the random "Guess ___'s favorite ___" hilarity happening, mainly spurred forward by Kendall.
• Logan softly singing James's makeout song ("Banana Pancakes") in the background.
• The boys thinking that standing up where the camera could see them would help people gauge their height at all to answer the "how tall are each of you?" question.
• James saying something in Hebrew that turns Logan into a grinning, giggling goof. I have a feeling he didn't say anything funny. I have a feeling Logan is laughing because when their sex is really great, James starts panting in Hebrew.
4) I went into a hard hat construction zone for the first time. I've been photographing our hospital's expansion project for a construction archive since June, and for the first time, I got to don a hard hat and head into the actual construction zone.
It was awesome, and I mean the actual definition of awesome here--I looked on in awe. These shots were taken by one of the foremen on the second floor (I was down in the basement/sublevel). I'll be doing another post with some additional photos that I took.
A few of my coworkers asked if I received any wolf whistles, but they were all polite. I only got lascivious smiles. Perhaps because I was standing with their supervisor 99% of the time...one of my co-workers laughed, "It probably made their day" to which I retorted "Hey, a few of them made my day." One of the young men was digging a ditch with a pick axe in short sleeves. Two tickets to the gun show. It may have been frigid outside, but inside, it was pretty darn hot. *grins*
5) Castle's "Poof, You're Dead" episode had me eyerolling like Mitchell from Modern Family. It didn't sting as badly as its predecessor, though the quality was just as poor, especially in the "out of nowhere" department. The writing was so bad for the episode overall that I just couldn't take it seriously, which left me feeling less enraged and more "Really? That's how you're handling this?" The sad part? It could have worked if they'd made the effort with the right characters: Javier and Kevin. Spoilers: In "Poof, You're Dead," Javier and Lanie were introduced as a couple that is making eyes at each other so badly you'd literally have to be blind not to see it. All of this tension is after entire seasons (including all of this one) where they don't so much as shoot a charged glance at each other or interact playfully. There was no hint dropping whatsoever. Poor writing. For a twist to be ultimately effective, it has to surprise the audience while still feeling real--it needs to have very subtle support in the story so that once it happens your audience says, "Oh! I see it now!"
Pet Peeve for this episode: I'm sorry, but you never shoot "Ooooo, I'm going fuck you!/I just did!" eyes at someone out of the blue after years of working with them on a semi-daily basis. Our limbic system controls what we find attractive and either you had that spark when you first met or you didn't. Some people can build chemistry, but this chemistry did not build. It went from nonexistent to a secret relationship. There is one, count it one, interaction to be perceived as flirty between them in a past season, and it was made less so by another character jumping in with a better quip.
How were they introduced? We see Lanie in bed, naked, answer her phone and say "I have to go." Then Javier's phone rings, he reaches across still mostly out of screen (just visible where he's sprawled across Lanie), checks it, and says "Me too" and it's revealed by the voice that it's Javier she's sleeping with. Then he gets up, naked, and goes into the bathroom after a few words are exchanged. The only real positive to this scene was that the camera work was very well-done.
The opening shot for introducing us to Lanie and Javier would have been perfect if it had been Kevin and Javier because they have had all the sexual tension, the subtext, the comments, the gestures, the intimate moments to make a secret reveal a twist that still. felt. REAL. It could have been, "OMG, they're finally a couple!" without coming out of nowhere and given Castle and Beckett's consistent comments about Javier and Kevin being couple-y throughout the series, it'd be a hell of a lot more believable for those two to be the ones saying, "They really think we don't know?" It could have worked. Instead, the whole episode was so bad overall--the crime, writing, twists, etc.--that it didn't hurt/enrage as much as the engagement because you just couldn't take it seriously anymore.
6) Very glad Tosh.0 is back. I didn't know I'd missed watching drunk Irish men having a dance off that ends in a handjob, but apparently, I really have. My only beef was with some of the clips included in the premiere. Hammering knives into someone's head was pretty awful, but at least we saw he was OK at the end. What was disturbing was that they chose to play clip of a man almost certainly plummeting to his death down an elevator shaft. Not cool. I don't watch snuff, thanks.