What I Like Right Now: The Walking Dead

Hey there.

Since I'm getting back into the world of blogging, I figured I'd do something I haven't done in a while.

I'm gonna talk about stuff that I'm liking nowadays.

First off, I'm a TV addict. Born and bred. I love good TV shows that don't turn one's brains till mush.

The majority of things I like are usually stuff that come across on the tube.

There are several TV shows that I watch religiously. Fox's Fringe, Smallville and Supernatural on the CW, Sons of Anarchy on FX, and Showtime's Dexter are just a few of the shows that I tune in to.

But the one I'm addicted to nowadays is the newest show from AMC, The Walking Dead.

Now, first off, I'm not a full on fan of zombie films. There have been a few instances, like 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead. But I've never been a fan of the genre.

However, I'm a fan of this show.

I was hooked into this way back in July, when I saw the premiere trailer for this at Comic Con in San Diego (I'll talk about my time out there at a later post.)

As I stood there, surrounded by hundreds of others, transfixed by the images of this upcoming television show. I knew that I had to see this show.

Then when it premiered, on Halloween night no less, the show got my attention. The first five minutes of it alone blew me away, and from then on, I've found my latest TV show addition.

The one downside of this show is the fact that the first season is so short, six episodes in all. But they've put together a good blend of the scare factor with the zombies and the human drama of the survivors trying to make due in the aftermath of the apocalypse. The show will be back for a longer second seasson, 13 episodes, but more than likely it won't return again till next Halloween.

In any event, this show has become one of my faves. From the haunting theme song to the performances of the cast to the downright gory look of the zombies themselves, it has hit all the buttons. I can't wait to see where this goes next.

That's the latest with what I'm liking right now. From time to time, I'll touch on other things I like. It can range from movies and other TV shows, to stuff that I pick up at the stores.

Blog at you soon.

Getting Back into the Blog

Hey there, it's been over a year since I last made an entry here. It's a bad habit I have, getting distracted by work, other projects, and life in general that I sometimes don't have the time or the energy to go to this site and update things on my life.

In fact, I've been lately posting things on my Facebook page rather than here.

But this time, I'm gonna change that.

Starting with this post, I'm gonna get back to writing things on the blog. In fact, from now on this will be my main site. So, over time, I'll start moving things from my inactive website here and posting things here.

My goal -- and I'm going to do my best to stick with -- is to update the blog at least once a week. Probably over the weekend, when I can best put my thoughts together, or if events warrant, like a trip or checking out something cool, I'll have more than one entry a week.

But right now, this is me, getting back in the game, getting back to blogging about my life.

I'm also going to update and refresh this blog, putting some new stuff in and giving links to my other projects as well as my friends' blog/web sites. So, over time, you'll see changes to the look.

So, that's it for a start. Like I said, I'm gonna try my best to stick with it this time.

In closing, I just have one thing left to say:

It's good to be back.

Sports Page Blog: The Stanley Cup Finals!

Quick blog to talk about the Stanley Cup Finals, which begin tonight.

The Pittsburgh Penguins may have their two superstars in Crosby and Malkin, but my hometown team, The Detroit Red Wings, have shown to me that they have enough depth and experience to hold them off.

Wings in 6.

Go Wings!!!!!!

Comic Con 2008; Looking Back, Part 4

Hey again.

Again, it's been ages since I've posted here, but I'd at least owe you guys the chance to finish up the recap of my trip last year to San Diego for Comic Con. So here's Part 4:

On Friday (July 25), me, Lance and Tim again made the trek out to the Convention Center, not as early as was the case the day before, but still made an early start. After grabbing something to eat, I made it out to the Film School panel for Day 2. After learning some more of the tricks from those who've been able to make their independent movies, I again headed down to the exhibit floor to check out some of the booths.

Then, after grabbing some lunch, came the first highlight of the day: attending the panel for the big screen remake of "The WolfMan" movie. It was cool to see not only the film's stars, Benicio DelToro and Emily Blunt, talk about the film, but also seeing Rick Baker, who's not only one of the greatest makeup effect artists ever (An American Werewolf in London, The Nutty Professor flicks, Planet of the Apes, etc.) but he's also doing the effects work for this movie as well.

Rick Baker, Emily Blount, and Benicio DelToro talk about the WolfMan remake.

As an added treat, we got to see the trailer for the movie as well. One thing I can say about this, based on what I saw from the trailer, this won't be like the original flick as far as carnage goes. Now the original film, even though it's cheesy by today's standards, was the first werewolf film I've ever seen and I hold it in a very high regard. So I'm looking forward to seeing how this remake will pay homage. Since I've seen this panel, the film's been pushed back not once but twice, to where it'll hit theatres in November. Hopefully the delays will be worth it.

After that panel ended, I stayed in the same room as the panel for "The Spirit" movie took over. Now, at the time, this was a very highly anticipated film, b ased on the classic comic with Frank Miller, the man behind "Sin City" and "The Dark Knight Returns" comics, directing the big screen version. He was there, along with many of the cast, including Samuel L. Jackson, Gabriel Macht (who plays the Spirit) and Jamie King.

Star Gabriel Macht and director Frank Miller at the Spirit movie panel.

"The Man" himself, Samuel L. Jackson.

We got to see clips of the movie and some interesting feedback from the cast. Samuel L., of course, was very very funny. And even though the panel was good, it wasn't enough to make me see the film when it came out over the holidays last year. And as it turned out, the movie bombed big time. So, maybe it was a good thing I went with my first instinct.

After grabbing some lunch and hitting the exhibit halls again, I tried to check out some other panels, first for Fox's 24 and then for SciFi's Sanctuary, but the lines were too long and both were filled to the rim, so I couldn't get in. I did luck out though and checked out the panel for another show I watch, Fox's Prison Break. That was cool, hearing the cast talk about what turned out to be the show's final season.

Afterwards, I met back up with Lance and Tim and we grabbed some dinner at a unique little place that had a 50's diner setting and menu. The food was great and the chocolate milkshakes, made with real ice cream, were to die for.

Overall, another good day at the Con.

Coming up: getting lost at the Con, getting left and meeting up with Chuck.

Comic Con 2008; Looking Back, Part 3

Hey there.

I know it's been forever and a day since my last post here. But I haven't forgotten my recap of my time out in San Diego for Comic Con back in July.

So here's part 3, recaping my second full day out on the coast (July 24):

The day started off pretty early, as me, my online friend Lance and his mate Tim all were heading out to the Con on that day. We wanted to get an early jump, since this was the first full day of the Convention and we knew the crowds and the traffic would be brutal.

After driving down there and getting a good parking spot inside the Convention Center, we had some time to kill before the Con opened up for the day, so we decided to grab some breakfast. We all grabbed some donuts and rolls and made our way to Petco Park, the home stadium of the San Diego Padres baseball team. The place had a park like setting around the field area that was open to the public during non game days, so we got a chance to sit down in the park to eat. This blew me away because this would never happen where I am. So this was pretty cool. This wouldn't be the last time I'd be at Petco, as you will read in a future update.

The morning view from my position at Petco Park.

After having breakfast, we made our way down to the Center for the day's activities as we split up and went our separate ways. My first stop was the CC Film School 101 panel. This was a four day session where those who attended would learn some of the ropes about putting together your own film through those low budget filmmakers who've been there. As a fledgling filmmaker, I definitely made it a point to check it out.

While I was at the panel, I noticed someone across the room from me who looked familiar. As it turned out, it was my good online friend Chase Langley from Plus One Pictures. Chase, if you're not familiar with MarkOne Films, was my partner in my first film effort, "Vanishing Act". He co-directed the film that I wrote and also starred in it. In spite of our collaboration, we had never met in person until that day. So, of course, we talked a little bit after the panel was completed.

It was cool to touch base with him and to know that we'll be working together in the near future.

When MarkOne met PlusOne: Me and my online friend and collaborator, Chase Langley from PlusOne Pictures.

After chatting with Chase, I went down to the exhibit hall and walked around a bit, getting some cool toys and swag until I met up with Lance and Tim, where we grabbed some lunch and dropped off our stuff in the garage. Then I made it back out to the Center to check out some more panels.

First one I caught was the Doctor Who/Torchwood panels. I had missed out on the first part of the panel, but was able to catch some trailers of what's planned for Doctor Who's annual Christmas special (which we won't catch here in the States till later in 2009). I did get to see the cast of Torchwood talk in their panel. I like this show, which reminds me of the early days of the X Files with a wicked sense of humor. And the cast was very funny in person as they talked about their characters, the show and what they are like off camera.

When that was over, I made a mad dash to another panel, this time for ABC Family's The Middleman. This was a quirky little show based on a comic that had a lot of humor and inside jokes to pop culture references. However, since the show was on this channel, the ratings for it weren't so hot and all of us in the room wanted to know if this would get the chance for a second season. An exec from the network was there and did notice that the place was packed. But as I type this now, I doubt that this funny, quirky comic book show would be back for another year. I hope I'm wrong.

After that, I walked over to the autograph area where stars from various shows and movies were there to naturally sign autographs. By the time I got there, there really weren't many stars around, but I did see some people that I wanted to meet.

The guys from one of my all time favorite shows : "Mystery Science Theater 3000" were there signing autographs, so I definitely had to meet them. Now the last time I had met these guys was over a decade ago when I had attended the MST3K convention in Minneapolis. So it was cool to see them again, as they naturally made fun of me telling them about the last time I had saw them (you were just a "wee lad" back then, one remarked) and they then signed a poster from one of their new ventures, Rifftrax, where they make fun out of hit movies through CDs you can play on while the actual movie is playing. They signed a poster of their spoof of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", which was hilarious. I look forward to getting that CD.

Then after that, I saw someone else from a show I watched when I was a kid, "Superboy". I met the star of the show's first season, John Haymes Newton. which was pretty cool. I had asked him if they had any plans to release any of the other seasons on DVD, he said it was doubtful, but you never know. Still it was pretty cool to meet him nonetheless.

Me with Superboy himself, John Haymes Newton.

Afterwards, I hung out at the Exhibit Hall some more and then I got into check out a world premiere. This was for the made for DVD movie, "Hulk vs. Wolverine" that's supposed to be out early next year.

Let me tell you flat out, this is a kick-ass movie. It's funny, action packed, and has some good wicked fight scenes between the Green Goliath and Logan himself. It's bloody, gory and damn good. It's not for the kiddies (with the violence and the language) and it doesn't disappoint. As a fan of both of these heroes, I know I'll be getting this bad boy when it's released.

After that, I met back with the guys and we went out to dinner at a good 50s style restaurant nearby. The burgers and especially the shakes were to die for. A perfect way to end the day.

Next up: Getting in The Spirit, getting lost in the crowds and meeting up with the WolfMan.

Comic Con 2008; Looking Back, Part 2

Hey there, back with the second installment of my Comic Con adventure in San Diego. Today, a look back at my first full day in San Diego (July 23)

After heading out of my friend Lance's place, I was driven out to the train station nearby to head downtown and the Convention Center. This was the unofficial first day of the Comic Con, where we could pick up our credentials for the event and get a sneak peak of the floor for Preview Night before the Con opens up for everyone else the next day.

Since registration wasn't going to be open for a few hours, this gave me the chance to get my first look at the city, which I was looking forward to. Unfortunately, I had missed the train that would've taken me downtown and the next train wasn't going to show for a couple hours.

However, the time I waited down there wasn't a complete loss, because not far away from the train station was this:

:

The beach, which I had never been to as far as the coast was concerned. Very cool.

One of my favorite shots from my trip.

After hanging out there for a few, I boarded the train and made it downtown and then hopped the trolley to the Convention Center. Let me tell you, the Convention Center in San Diego is freakin' huge! It's probably the biggest place I've been to as far as convention centers go. It's two levels high and has a ton of open space and rooms, places that I will soon discover as the Con went on.

After getting in line to get my credentials, I hung around the area for another hour or so before the Center opened up for Preview Night. Trying to get in at that time, along with everyone else, was brutal, but I did make it in and saw how insanely huge the main floor with all the booths and exhibits was. I was told going in that the place was big enough for a football field and they were right. I would find out later during my time there that to cover all the exhibits it would take roughly 3 hours. Crazy.

I then checked out the floor for about an hour or so, staying in line for one of the events that was going on. Then, I headed upstairs to check out the marquee event of the night: a first look at the pilot episode of Fox's Fringe.

Now, this new show, from J. J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) had me hooked from the first minutes on. It was very creepy, very cool and had some good humorous moments. It reminded me of the early days of the X Files with a touch of Lost thrown in. From what I saw a month and a half ago, this made me a fan of the show that now airs Tuesday nights.

As I left the room, I was approached by an online web site to give my impressions of the Fringe pilot. I gave them my two cents in a favorable review. (I won't give you the site name cause my comments didn't make the final cut for their report) Then, as I tried to make my way out of the Center, the place again was a zoo. I barely made it to the trolley station in time to catch the trolley out of the area. My last memory of Preview Night: Being literally pinned to the doors of the trolley as it rode out as I caught the very last available spot.

Overall, a pretty good day and night. Would've loved to had spent some more time around the area, but that's for another day.

Coming up next: The first full day of Comic Con, where I met an online friend, some TV stars and some superheroes.

Comic Con 2008; Looking Back, Part 1

Hey there, it's been about a month and a half since my first ever visit to San Diego and Comic Con. And to say I had a good time while I was out there is an understatement.

I had an amazing time. One that I will never forget.

So for the next seven entries, hopefully one a day, I'll recap my time out there. The good, the bad, and the other stuff as well.

First up: the journey out there.

Unlike my last major trip, going to Indianapolis for Star Wars Celebration III, this time I didn't fly out to San Diego. There were two reasons. One, I'm still not a fan of flying, especially a three plus hour flight. Second, even if I were to fly, the prices to fly out there was expensive. And I didn't want to blow as much money as I did have for the Con on the trip, so I decided to take the bus route from Michigan to California. The price was reasonable enough, plus it gave me a chance to see the US, which I hardly have seen. It would mark my third ever cross country bus ride, the last being almost 15 years ago when I went to Minnesota.

So, on July 20, I made my way to the bus depot near my place and began my trek. A 3,000-plus mile, two day journey that would take me through several states.

It was fun at first, going through the country, seeing new areas I've never been to. But as the hours wore on, the bus ride got very very cramped and uncomfortable. Especially trying to get some sleep. It got very tough during the overnight hours, but mercifully I pulled through.

But again, the trip wasn't too bad, especially once I got out West, an area I've never been to. Seeing Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and eventually California, was pretty cool and the scenery was impressive. It made the anticipation for finally arriving out in San Diego all the more exciting.

On July 22, about 50 some hours after I had left Michigan, I had finally arrived in San Diego. It was a very cool moment. I was met at the bus stop by my good online friend Lance, who happened to live out in the area and offered me a place to stay during my time out there. As we rode in his truck out to his place, I took in checking out the West coast landscape, taking it all in as he told me about some of the landmarks and areas around San Diego.

After arriving at his place and grabbing something to eat, I hit the showers and crashed for the night. It was a long day and an even longer trip. Now I was in San Diego and the fun was about to begin.

Coming up next: My first full day in San Diego, registering for Comic Con and checking out the Fringe.

On My Way to Comic Con!!!!

As I type this, I'm just a few hours away from heading out to San Diego to attend Comic Con, the mack daddy of comic book conventions. I'm looking forward to the trip, meeting up with some old friends (and possibly new ones) taking part in as many activities as possible and basically just trying to squeeze in as much fun as I can in five days.

When I get back from SD, I'll try and recap things as best I can, through words, pictures and possibly video. It should be a good time and I can't wait to check it out. Talk to you soon!

Getting Ready for the Dark Knight

As I type this, I'm about twelve hours away seeing what I think is probably the most anticipated movie of the year: the Batman sequel, "The Dark Knight."

I can't remember at all any movie with this much hype, buzz and attention as this movie has garnered over the past several months. Of course this all started with the great and well recieved attention "Batman Begins" movie that started it all back in 2005. Then came word on who will play opposite Christian Bale's Caped Crusader as the Joker. Heath Ledger would be taking on the role and I can remember a lot of my friends, myself included, were skeptical that he would take on such an iconic role.

That is, until we saw a glimpse of what his portrayal was going to be about when the first full trailer came out late last year. What he showed in that few moments gave us an indication that he was going to be very good and the hype intensified.

Unfortunately, all the positive vibes we had about this movie would be replaced by profound sadness when we learned in late January that Ledger had died due to an accidental drug overdose. I remember being hit in the gut when I first heard the news and a lot of my online friends shared the grief with me as we chatted about it later that day.

As time wore on, and we got closer to the film's release, we soon realized that director Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. would honor Ledger's memory by keeping his performance intact in the film. And soon word got out that Ledger's work in this would be enough to not only earn him an Oscar nomination, but possibly win it as well.

Between that and the viral online promotions and the ads and posters and various other entities associated with this movie, everyone I know from friends at work to my online buds can not wait to see this film. Some plan to see it at midnight late Thursday night. And I have done something I rarely do: I ordered my tickets online way in advance so I can be there for this.

Which brings us to today, the day the film opens across the country.

At about 7:35pm, I'll be seated in a theater, emersing myself in the goodness that is TDK. And from the glowing reviews to the record number of theatres (both regular and IMAX) that plan to show it, every intention is that "The Dark Knight" will not only break box office records, but shatter them. Many even think this might wind up being the highest grossing film ever.

High praise indeed, but from what I've read and seen, they just might be right.

About three years ago, just as I was about to see Batman Begins, I posed a question here in this blog:

Will It Suck?

It was a valid question, considering that at the time, the film franchise for Batman was on life support.

Turns out it didn't, and was one of the best film adaptations of Batman that I've seen.

Now, I'm just hours away from finding out if the sequel can even surpass that.

Will it?



I'll let you know later on tonight.

Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Hey there.

Back again with another movie review. This time, it's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", the second of the Five Films That I Want To See this summer.

Now, before I give you my review, let me take you back. I was about 9 or so when I was first introduced to Indiana Jones, with "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I was blown away by this movie as a kid and to this day, it ranks up pretty high as one of my all time favorite movies. Of course, I loved the other films in the series (Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade) as well.

At the time Last Crusade ended, I was content to believe that this was it, the last movie of the series. And, as time went on, it was becoming more and more apparent that it would be it.

Until now.

Since Indy 4 came out, there's been two camps: those who absolutely liked it and those who flat out hated it.

My verdict?

I liked it.

Here's why. First of all, it's not the Indy films of the past. And I feel many of the haters came in expecting it to be like it was some 27 years ago.

It's not.

Harrison Ford is in his mid sixties now. He's not the guy we know from the original trilogy. Yes, he can still kick your butt without blinking an eye, but he's older so you gotta accept that going in.

Second, the story's changed. We're in a whole new landscape now, especially since the movie takes place some nineteen years after Last Crusade. This time, the Soviets are the bad guys and we're dealing with some new more mystical badness in the case of the crystal skulls that serve as the centerpiece of the film.

The film's beginning, complete with a 50s style soundtrack, was a definite hook. And then seeing Ford back in the fedora and the whip was just like seeing an old friend. From there, the story is off and running with some nice action sequences. Another nice touch is how those sequences play into how Indy is now.

The middle part was a bit slow, but then a couple of factors come along to pick things up. When we get introduced to Indy's new "sidekick", Mutt (Shia LeBeouf), who gets on Indy with several zingers about his age and the like, and then later when Indy's reunited with Marian (Karen Allen) his love interest from Raiders, the film becomes the thrill ride that all of us Indy fans are used to, with witty banter, some well done action sequences and the creepy crawlies thrown in.

The one weak link in this has to be Cate Blanchett as Agent Spirko, the Russian in charge of finding the coveted crystal skulls for their own gain. Compared to some of the other villians in the series, she wasn't much of a worthy foe, especially with her accent. And the eventual climax didn't have the epic feel as compared to the others.

But you know what? I still liked the film. I went into this movie with an open mind and knowing that this wasn't going to be like the trilogy. As far as I was concerned, this was a new chapter in the Indy saga, with some new twists and turns and some new additions, especially with Mutt and Marian.

Once you go into that, the film was a great ride. Ford didn't miss a beat with the wise cracks and fight scenes that we've come to expect from our globe trotting archeologist. Sure he's older and wiser now, but he hadn't changed one bit. And as far as I was concerned, knowing that made the film worthwhile.

Was this the best of the series? Of course not, and it would be unfair to compare them to the classic movies. But, on its own ground, its own merits, I wasn't disappointed by this at all.

Now, if this is the last we'll see of Indy, this movie ends on a good note for us longtime fans. And, if there's a chance for a Indy 5 ( and with the huge amount of money it's taken in worldwide, that may not be out of the question), it has the possibility taking on a whole new dynamic. Note to Spielburg and Lucas: if you do make another one, don't wait nineteen plus years next time.

So in the end, I liked it. The man in the hat is back and like an old friend who you hadn't seen in a while, it was good to see Indy one more time.

Movie Review: Iron Man

OK, it's been awhile since I done one of these, but I figured I'd get back to doing my movie reviews. Now, I'm no movie critic, I'm just a guy who watches movies and tells you what I think of them, nothing too technical there.

Time to talk about IronMan, the first of the 5 Films I Will See This Summer.

Now, as you all know, I'm a huge comics fan. Love them since I was young enough to read. But out of all the characters I know (Superman, Batman, Spidey, The Hulk, etc.) Iron Man is kind of low on the list.

Don't get me wrong. I'm familiar with the character and all that, but I don't buy the comics, get the action figure, have the cartoons on tape or DVD, that type of thing. Pretty much, I didn't much care for Iron Man.

That is, until last summer, when I saw the trailer for this movie. Needless to say, that peaked my interest.

After seeing the movie, which basically tells the origin of how billionaire industrialist Tony Stark becomes the titanium clad superhero, I have to say, I was totally, flat out, blown away.

First off, I have to say that I give mad props to Robert Downey, Jr. for playing Stark in this. I'd admit, when I first heard that he was going to play the lead, I was a bit skeptical. He was not the person I had in mind for the role.

But I tell you what, he absolutely, positively hit it out of the park with his portrayal. He was cocky, sarcastic, arrogant, witty and downright serious when need be. He was also funny when the moment called for it as well as noble as well when he saw the error of his ways and realized that he needed to be the hero instead of being a playboy. Overall, in my mind, Downey was being himself in this. And when you're playing yourself, it makes the performance even more realistic. So hats off to him for doing that.

I also gotta say that the effects in this movie rocked. The flying sequences alone would be enough to make this a hit in my mind, but there were a lot of well done action sequences, as when Stark got captured by the terrorists early in the film (ironically enough, thanks to the very weapons that his own corporation developed) the scene is jarring, scary, and real. When Stark manages to escape with the first crude version of his suit, it's very well done with a lot of firepower. And then, there's the suit up sequence where Stark gets into the red and yellow suit that Iron Man is known for, and I have to tell you that is one of the coolest looking suit up scenes that I've ever seen.

As for the others in the cast, Terence Howard was good as Stark's friend, Rhodes. Gweneth Paltrow did a fair enough job as Stark's secretary and possible romantic interest. And even though I think he'd be better off not being in the suit at the end, Jeff Bridges was a good villian as Stark's business associate and eventual enemy.

Director Jon Favreau, who also has a small cameo, did a very good job putting this film together, again with the sequences, the storyline, which is very true to the comic book origins, and finding the good balance between humor, action and drama. And he's also aware of the character's history, even using in a couple instances the theme music to the old cartoon show, which was my first exposure to Iron Man.

Overall, I'd say this was one of the better comic book movies I've seen, right along with Superman, Batman Begins, Spider-Man1 and 2, and X-Men 1 and 2, and the potential for this character as far as movies go is huge. Heck, they've already planned the sequel for 2010 after kicking some serious butt in the box office so far (Oh, and a heads up if you see this, stay for a bonus scene immediately after all the closing credits roll)

For a character that I didn't much care about growing up, I can definitely say after seeing Iron Man, I'm going to keep an eye on this one from now on.

Summer Movie Plans: The 5 Films That I Will See This Year

Well it's that time again. The summer movie season is upon us. And between now and Labor Day, there will be a ton of movies coming out.

And this summer, there's a buzz about the slate of films on tap this year.

After looking over the list, drooling over the online trailers and reading over things online, I've narrowed the summer field down to five. Five films that I will see no matter what.

Here they are, in reverse order.

5. The X-Files: I Want to Believe ( July 25) -- I've been a fan of the X-Files since the TV show debuted several years ago. I was there for the first big screen movie as well a few years back. Of course, the show kind of waned in the latter years of its nine season run, but I always hoped that they would do another movie for the fans. Now that time has come. So, I'm looking forward to seeing Mulder and Scully together again, solving a case that's not part of the long standing mythology, but rather facing the "monster of the week", which is where they had their best episodes.that's my plans.

4. Iron Man (May 2) -- I'm a huge fan of comic books, especially Marvel. But I have to admit, Iron Man's not on my list of heroes. I'm familiar with some of his stuff, but compared to the big ones, he's kind of off the radar to me. Still I was curious about the big screen version of this character. But when I saw the footage they showed at last year's Comic Con online, I was blown away. (In fact, it was after seeing this that the idea was sparked for me to plan my trip to this year's Comic Con.) I'm also curious to see how Robert Downey, Jr. does playing the role.

3. The Incredible Hulk (June 13) -- I am a huge Hulk fan. Been a fan for as long as I can remember. I love the character, and to say I was disappointed when the first Hulk movie came out about three years ago was an understatement. It was more psycho babble than action flick in my opinion. So, to hear that they're trying yet another big screen version gave me hope, but still I had my doubts. Will it suck yet again like the last one? Well, with Edward Norton playing Banner, the presence of a true villian with the Abdomination, and paying homage to both the comic as well as the old TV show, I'm crossing my fingers that it won't.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22) --To be honest, I never thought I'd see this happen. A new Indy flick? Heck, it's been almost 20 years since we last saw him in The Last Crusade. So I was pretty much convinced that was the final film. But it's not. We're going to see Harrison Ford back in the hat and whip one more time. And as a fan of Indy for nearly 3/4 of my life, that's very very cool. Until I saw the trailer, even I had my doubts as to whether we see Indy being, well Indy or being... well, old. I'm so glad, it's the former. Can't wait to see one of my favorite movie characters of all time back on the big screen.

1. The Dark Knight (July 18) -- Without a doubt, this is the most anticipated film not only of the summer, but of the year in my opinion. Many of my friends feel the same way. The Batman film franchise was successfully revived with Batman Begins over two years ago, and the buzz on this sequel has been on high ever since filming began. Especially with the news that Heath Ledger would be taking on the role as The Joker, Batman's top villian. The first trailer, which showed Ledger in action, sent the hype to another level over his performance. Then came the sad news in January over Ledger's tragic death due to an accidental drug overdose, news that stunned me and just about everyone else. Thankfully, director Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. are doing the right thing to honor Heath's memory and legacy by showing his performance the way it was intended to be, which even adds to the buzz. Not only will I look forward to seeing Christian Bale back as the Caped Crusader after doing a absolutely incredible job on Batman Begins, I'm interested to see how Aaron Eckhardt does as the latest character in the universe, Harvey Dent, aka Two Face.

Others in the mix this summer include Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Speed Racer, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and a few others that I may or may not see. But the five films I listed above are the ones that I'm focusing on.

It all begins today, when I'll check out Iron Man. I'll let you know how it is on my next post.

2008: The Big Trip

Well, 2008 is underway and one of the things I want to do this year, more than anything else, is to go somewhere.

Not just anywhere. Not to my friend's place or to my old high school or the the mall or the movies.

But actually go somewhere.

Go on vacation.

Get out of town.

Heck, get out of the state even.

And in July, that's what I'm gonna do:

I'm going to San Diego for the biggest, baddest convention of them all.

That's right, I'm going to Comic Con.

Now, this has been in the planning stages for a while. Ever since me and one of my online friends started talking about it last year. But it wasn't till recently that I was finally able to sign up and register for it.

I've always wanted to go to this, ever since I started going to the conventions near my home. For, this is the biggest and the best convention for comic book geeks.

Like myself. ;)

But the convention is all the way out in San Diego. A place where I have never been, in a state I've never been. In fact, the farthest west I've ever been is Minnesota almost 15 years ago.

But somehow, after talking with my friend about this, I felt determined somehow to do whatever it takes to make it out there. Especially for my first, true out of state getaway since me and my friend Rob went to Indianapolis for the Star Wars Celebration back in 2005

So I'm looking forward to this. Which means I'll be saving every nickel and dime I can to be able to afford this. Because, hey, nothing says pathetic more than going to a convention without at least buying an item or two.

Or in my case, probably twenty. :)

I'm also deliberating whether to go by air, meaning my second ever trip on a plane, or by bus, which means I'll be literally going cross country and marking the third ever bus trip.

And then, there's the matter of where I'm gonna stay. But, I'll deal with that another time.

But right now, none of that matters.

Because for five days, July 23-27, I'm going to be in the granddaddy of comic conventions. The epicenter of the fanboy universe. Where all kinds of events, movies, comics, stars and other cool stuff will be headquartered. And as the days draw closer, I'm going to document everything. Every photo, moment, note and cent even.

So there it is. That's my plan this year. My big trip for 2008.

I'm going to San Diego.

I'm going to Comic Con.

And I can't hardly wait.

Super Bowl XLII: A Great Game!

It's been a day now since Super Bowl XLII ended, and all I got to say is one thing:

What a game!!

Of course, all the hype going in was whether the New England Patriots would complete their perfect undefeated season with another championship. For the last two weeks, the hype was also over not whether the New York Giants would lose, but by how many.

Turns out, as expected, the hype was way overrated. as the Giants knocked off the mighty Patriots, 17-14 in a classic game.

Now, I've seen a few Super Bowls, and I can't remember when the last time the game was actually that, a game. Usually, it's either a blowout or the game is so boring that you'd usually watch just for the commercials. This time, this wasn't the case.

The fourth quarter alone was definitely worth it, as the Pats made a great drive to the end zone, as QB Tom Brady threw a TD pass to WR Randy Moss to take a 14-10 lead with 2:39 remaining. But, then the Giants answered back with a tremendous drive of their own, scoring the winning TD with :35 seconds left in the game. The drive was highlighted by one of the best plays I've ever seen, as Giants QB Eli Manning alluded at least three Patriots defenders, coming within seconds of being sacked as they grabbed at his jersey. Then, Manning had the presence to recover from that near sack as he fired the football at WR David Tyree, who leaped to make an incredible catch, pinning the ball to his helmet as he went to the ground.

A great game, probably the best Super Bowl I've ever seen and one of the best plays ever. Congrats to the Giants, for pulling off the incredible and winning their 3rd Super Bowl title.

Catching Up: Looking Back at 2007, Part 2

OK back with part 2 of my look back at last year.

I already told you the good moments and highlights, now it's about some of the other stuff.

-As was the case back in 2006, I met a lot of online friends last year, some from where I live and even a few that live overseas. So I want to give a shout-out to Chas, Michael R., Andrew, Jon, Brad (a friend from over in England), Sterling, Michael H., James, Thomas, Hal, Sam (an online bud from down under in Australia), Sonny, Omar and Chris C. It's been good getting to know you this past year. I also want to extend a shout out to Dusty, an old classmate from college who I lost touch with over the years, but by sheer luck we reconnected online last year, so it's good to catch up with an old friend.





-Got to see some good movies over the past year, but unfortunately hadn't had much time to do the movie reviews which I normally do. I hope to rectify that this year.


Anyways, here's my film breakdown from last year:


My annual Movie of the Year pick: Transformers. A great, action packed movie, especially for us fans of the old cartoon and toy sets. 2. The Bourne Ultimatium: Excellent spy thriller with enough action scenes that made it a thrill ride. I hope it's not the last we see of Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. 3. I Am Legend: Didn't think too much of this film, but I have to say, Will Smith impressed me as the last man on Earth surrounded by a lot of vampires. Scary, sad and thought provoking at the same time. 4. The Simpsons Movie: Great funny movie, especially from a fan of the long running TV show. Definitely had some great moments and it didn't over play the big screen card like some TV show/movie versions have done. 5. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. A good little sequel, nowhere near what the first film of the trilogy, but still a good epic and a nice way to wrap up the trilogy. Something tells me though, that we haven't seen the last of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, hands down one of the most unique characters in film.


Biggest surprise: I Am Legend. See above for the reasons why. Biggest disappointment: Spider-Man 3: It was OK, some of the action scenes were great, but after the success of the first two movies, this one let me down. First it played the multiple villian card, which hardly ever works (remember Batman & Robin). Then it relegated Venom, one of the best villians in the Spidey universe, to a bit player, which was a major disappointment. I hope they do make a Spidey 4, because the way this one ended was no way for a movie franchise to go out. Worst movie of the year: Ghost Rider. Without a doubt, one of the worst comic book movie adaptions I've seen. Nicolas Cage's performance was dull and boring. The other actors in the movie were even worst. The storyline was pretty bad, plus they made the hero almost unbeatable, which never works because it insults the audience. It may have had a chance had they kept the prelude going with the younger unknown actors, but this film was a lost cause.



TV Review: The best shows I saw this year were BBC America's Torchwood, NBC's Chuck, Showtime's The Tudors and NBC's The Bionic Woman, although that show tailed off towards the end of the year.

Well that's it. My look back at 2007. Next time, I'll talk about what I have in mind for the new year, including a big trip I'm planning.

Catching Up: Looking Back at 2007, Part 1

Hey there.

It's been a long time since I last posted here. Almost five months to be exact. Just been too lazy or preoccupied to update my main blog. Which I apologize, especially to the few who check on the blog.

Well, since this is the new year, I'm going to rectify things. Hopefully update things here at least once a week if I can.

Speaking of the new year, I'm going to get started with a look back at 2007, which was a very interesting year for me. A lot of things happened, some good, some bad. But overall, very interesting indeed.

First the good, got a chance to work with a sports team, through my stint as a team operations intern for the MISL's Detroit Ignition indoor soccer team. It was a chance to work in a sports environment, which was one of my dreams growing up. I also got to meet some cool people and made some good friends as well.

Now this gig started back in November of 2006, but in '07, the team made it all the way to the league championship game. That's quite an achievement, especially for it's first season. Unfortunately, we lost that game, but still it was a good experience to witness it. And I'm back working for the team again this season in the same capacity, with some new roles as well. Hopefully in '08, we'll be able to win it all.

2007 was also a chance for me to achieve something I wanted to do, become a filmmaker. My little company, MarkOne Films, officially got off the ground last year with the September premiere of the teaser trailer for my long standing pet project, "Mark of the Wolf", which recieved good reviews. That was then followed in October by "Vanishing Act" a joint collaboration between me and my friend Chase. I also helped out with a few other story ideas for some friends of mine and concluded things with the launch of "MOTW:The Web Series", an online short film extension with me and several friends of mine that will be related to the MOTW feature film. This was a great year in that regard and I'm proud to see that slowly becoming a reality.

Also in '07, I got a chance to return to my old high school, Cass Tech, for their anniversary celebration, visited Comerica Park for a Tigers game, checked out Ford Field for the first time ever to see a Lions game, and got to reconnect with some old friends. I also made contact with MySpace, joining the social online circle, where I made some more new friends as well. I'll give some shout out to the friends, old and new, in an upcoming post.

And while 2007 has been a year of good moments for me, there was one moment last year that wasn't. In fact, it was something that I never saw coming. I won't talk about it here just yet. But I'll talk about it later on this month, when the first anniversary of that moment is coming up.

That's it for now, but I'm not done with the year in review. On my next post, I'll look back at the friends I've met last year, talk about the best and worst movies and TV shows I've seen, and some other moments. Then after that, I'll look ahead at what's to come for me in 2008, including something very very cool that I'm planning.

Back to My Old School

Last weekend, I got a chance to return to my old high school, Cass Technical in Detroit, as part of the school's 100th birthday celebration. It was part of a weekend of festivities, but I was only able to attend the pep rally/school tour last week.
It was fun, got to check out the new building, where you see standing in front of in the photo to the left. Saw some of the old yearbooks and photos from the school's past, even my yearbook photo (and trust me, you will NEVER see that photo it's that bad) and got to mingle with past and current students.

The one downside of all this was that none of my old friends from my time in Cass showed up for the rally, which was disappointing because I was looking forward to reconnecting with them again. But, all in all, I had a good time and it was good to be a part of my alma mater again. I look forward to taking part in the next event that they'll have in the future.

Movie Review: Transformers

Hey there.



Hard to believe I haven't done a movie review here in ages. I think the last one I did was for Casino Royale last year. But I have been seeing movies the past few months ( so far I've seen Ghost Rider (worst film so far this year) Spider Man 3 (OK film, not as good as Spidey 2 though) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (another OK film, not as good as the original)



But now it's time for me to get back to reviewing films on the old blog. And I'll start with the film I just saw on the 4th of July: "Transformers"



Now, growing up, I was a huge fan of the old cartoon series and collected some of the action figures. Since then, the figures have since gone to that junkpile in the sky and the only remmants I have from the cartoon was the special anniversary DVD of the old animated movie.



So I was looking forward to seeing Transformers and how it would fare up.



What can I say? I was completely blown away by it.



First of all, the action scenes freakin' rocked!! There were way too many to mention here, but that was the fun part. There were numerous action scenes that covered everything and almost everywhere. From stuff in the air to some wicked car chase scenes and smashups, they did them big and they did them well.



Next, they had a ton of humorous moments. I can't begin to tell you how many times me and the packed audience that was at the theatre laughed out loud throughout that movie. From audio references to dead on sight gags, it had it all. A great balance of action and humor in a film earns strong points with me.



I also loved the characters and how they related to the story. It was a good touch to not only relay it to current times, but also made it realistic as to how the Autobots and Deceptagons came to be and why and how they can transform into cars (sweet looking cars too, especially that yellow Camaro) planes and even a cellphone and beat box. I also liked how they integrated like four or five seperate stories into the main storyline. And it all led up to the slam bang finale, which part of it was filmed in my hometown of Detroit. Kind of cool to recognize some of the areas there on the big screen.

Director Michael Bay did a great job balancing the action, the emotion and the heavy-laden effects that came with this movie. I also have to give props to Shia LeBeouf, who played Sam in the movie. He carried the movie very well, with a sense of humor and quick reactions that made him the definite catalyst for the adventure shown in this movie. I also give props to Megan Fox, who played Sam's girlfriend, Josh Duhamel, who played the Army captain looking into the invasion, and Anthony Anderson, who played a computer expert and had some of the best one liners in the movie. It also was a good feeling hearing the original cartoon voice of Optimus Prime speaking in the film as well.

Overall, this was a good film. I liked it a lot. Looking at the way things stand right now, I think this is my early pick for the best movie I seen all year.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!!

This is a rare blog, where mostly photos will dominate it. Recently, I got a chance to attend a Detroit Tigers baseball game. I brought my camera along and here are some photos from the day.

That's me in the last photo above. I had a great time, even though my hometown team lost the game. A great day at the ballpark. Can't wait to come back again.

Congrats Grads!!

Quick blog this time around. With the school year wrapping up, I wanted to take a moment to extend my congratualations to a few of my online friends who have completed either high school or college this semester.

Congrats to Eric S. and Chase for earning their high school degrees. Best of luck to you guys at the college of your choice. And congrats to Ron, for completing his college MBA program.

Great job guys!