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"Top 5 Movies of 2006"
Before I get into this week's column, let me give everyone a chance to hammer me into the ground for taking so
much time off of writing the weekly blogs. No excuses, but allow me to apologize and let you know that things are
back on track with all of our Midnight Entertainment projects for the coming year. That will give me a small bit of
free time during the week to focus on writing both "What Do I Know...?" and "Speeding Bullets." You have no idea
how excruciating it has been to not have the time to write about Rosie and Trump, Rosie and Kelly Ripa, Rosie and
the Chinese, and now, the new developments with the Duke rape case. Free not, gentle readers, because both
columns will return to regular pop culture goodness after the holidays. Until then, let me remind all of you what the
Midwest's Lord High Master of All Things Trivial and Pop Culture brings to the table.
Everyone else in the media is bringing out their version's of the ten best movies, music, books, etc. Well, to close
out the column for two-double ought-six, let me give you my take on the 5 best "movies" I saw over the previous 12
months. See what I have to say and then bring your own lists and feedback to the Pop Culture Thunderdome,
Midnight's entertainment smackdown of a message board. Join the verbal jousting by clicking the Forums link.
Film #5: X-Mex III - To all of the Brett Ratner haters out there, let me just say that he did a great job of not screwing
this one up. While not the best comic book movie ever (that one would be Batman Begins) or even the best X-flick
(that honor goes to X-2), X-3 didn't try to do too much (Are you listening, Superman Returns?) or remake earlier
films in the series (Superman Returns, I'm still talking to you...). While I still had comic book geek-like issues with
this movie (such as the short shrift paid to Cyclops), Kelsey Grammar was awesome as Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast
and they did a great job of giving Halle Berry a larger part of the mythos as she has whined about for years now.
The franchise was set up perfectly to not only spinoff Wolverine, Magneto, or whoever into solo films, but also
ended in such a way as to allow for another "team" film focusing on the younger X-characters. I would definitely pay
money to see X-4 with Iceman, Angel, Kitty, Colossus, and Rogue. Unlike the previously mentioned Superman,
X-Men III left me wanting more.
4. Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang - (Okay, I know this was released theatrically in '05, but I'm just now getting around to
seeing it) Where to start with this very witty, stylish, noirish, self-referencing, mystery, buddy flick? Shane Black
(who wrote Lethal Weapon 1 & 2, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and a personal fav...The Last Boy Scout) made his
directorial debut with this serpentine mystery that just blew me away with how good the cast and their characters
were. Anyone who knows me realizes quickly how turned on I am by good dialogue. I don't want "realism" or
whatever. I want to live in a world where everyone quips their way through life...where characters are smart in how
they communicate with each other. This is one of those worlds. The actual mystery at the heart of the movie
becomes irrelevant very quickly as you are sucked into Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer's performances as Harry
Lockhart and Gay Perry. I saw this shortly after Downey was cast as Tony Stark in the upcoming Iron Man and this
only confirmed for me that he is back on his game and ready to commit to any role he plays.
3. The Omega Man - Okay, Okay. I know I stretched things by choosing Kiss, Kiss, etc. at #4, but it's my list and my
rules. Therefore, I choose at #3 a film I've never seen uncut as I always watched it as a kid on a local station's
weekend movie. The only real bonus to seeing the theatrical version is that the sexy, black chick that Charlton
Heston puts the moves on gets naked for a brief scene. Even without the gratuitous nudity, how can you go wrong
with Moses fighting religious, albino zealots (and this was 30 years before The DaVinci Code) while trying to find a
cure for the plague and still finding time to explore his jungle fever. Okay...enough of the nostalgia...I promise the
final two will be more current...
2(Tie). Heroes/Battlestar Galactica - Ha! Just when you think you know the answer, I change the question!!! Two of
the best "movies" I've seen actually were on TV. The first few episodes and the last few episodes of the rookie
sensation Heroes have caused me to fall in love with a show more than I've ever fallen for a show before. Some
shows lead you on and on without ever giving you the anticipated payoff, like X-Files or Homeboys in Outer Space.
Heroes could lead me on like that for years and I wouldn't care. The characters are so rich and the cast is so large
that I never feel cheated at the end of each week's hour. This IS what it would be like if suddenly people around the
world discovered they had powers. I love Hiro and Peter and Ando and Matt and Mohinder like brothers. I love and
care about Niki like a sister. And I'm developing a very unhealthy feeling for a certain cheerleader from Union Wells
High School. They had me at "Chapter One."
Battlestar, on the other hand, has spent the first half of this season causing me to rethink my love for most of the
characters. This show is never about logic or "Prime Directives." It's about survival on a personal level. The
opening episodes showing life on a harsh planet with the bulk of the fleet under Cylon dominance was brutal to
watch and yet very real. I hate Adama for allowing everyone to forget the Cylons and try to build a new settlement. I
hate Baltar for just being Baltar. I hate Apollo for letting Starbuck go and I hate Starbuck for leaving. I hate Laura
Roslin for lying about Sharon and Helo's baby. And I hate the Cylons for making me sympathetic to their plans.
Most of all, I hate Ron Moore from creating the most human Sci-fi show ever and making me care about these
people.
Numero Uno. The Grindhouse Trailer - After the outpouring of emotion about my second choices on this list, you'd
think I'd have nothing left. How could anything top that? Well, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino have done
it. And this is just a trailer that's a few minutes long!!! The concept of Grindhouse is pure genius...take RR and
QT...let them each make a full-length movie that is a throwback to those cheesy, Samuel Arkoff-type, exploitation
movies from the '70's. Those of us in the midwest would have seen these flicks at a drive-in double feature.
Tartantino saw them in the dank, musty, smelly, sticky kind of theaters that became known as grindhouses. So, RR
is doing a zombie picture called "Planet Terror" while QT has created "Death Proof" starring Kurt Russell as a
psycho who kills women with his muscle car. The trailer hits you from the opening beats of the soundtrack. Great
images (such as Rose McGowan getting her amputated leg replaced with a machine gun), scratches and burn
marks to give the film that worn look that a print gets after hundreds of showings, a look at footage from some of
the fake trailers which will be interspersed throughout (with film titles such as A Man Called Machete), splatter-fied
gore, zombies, and even some martial arts kung-fu fighting to keep the Carl Douglas fans happy. I know 2007
promises bigger event movies. But, this could be the coolest movie of next year. Mark down April 6, my friends. I'll
save you a seat at the grindhouse.
So, that's what I dug in 2006...2007 is shaping up to be another big year. Spidey 3, Danny Ocean's getting the
band back together, and finally, Homer Simpson will be doing stupid things on the BIG screen. Can't wait for that
and everything else that is on tap. Hope you'll join me for the ride. It looks good so far. Of course, What Do I
Know...?
Before I get into this week's column, let me give everyone a chance to hammer me into the ground for taking so
much time off of writing the weekly blogs. No excuses, but allow me to apologize and let you know that things are
back on track with all of our Midnight Entertainment projects for the coming year. That will give me a small bit of
free time during the week to focus on writing both "What Do I Know...?" and "Speeding Bullets." You have no idea
how excruciating it has been to not have the time to write about Rosie and Trump, Rosie and Kelly Ripa, Rosie and
the Chinese, and now, the new developments with the Duke rape case. Free not, gentle readers, because both
columns will return to regular pop culture goodness after the holidays. Until then, let me remind all of you what the
Midwest's Lord High Master of All Things Trivial and Pop Culture brings to the table.
Everyone else in the media is bringing out their version's of the ten best movies, music, books, etc. Well, to close
out the column for two-double ought-six, let me give you my take on the 5 best "movies" I saw over the previous 12
months. See what I have to say and then bring your own lists and feedback to the Pop Culture Thunderdome,
Midnight's entertainment smackdown of a message board. Join the verbal jousting by clicking the Forums link.
Film #5: X-Mex III - To all of the Brett Ratner haters out there, let me just say that he did a great job of not screwing
this one up. While not the best comic book movie ever (that one would be Batman Begins) or even the best X-flick
(that honor goes to X-2), X-3 didn't try to do too much (Are you listening, Superman Returns?) or remake earlier
films in the series (Superman Returns, I'm still talking to you...). While I still had comic book geek-like issues with
this movie (such as the short shrift paid to Cyclops), Kelsey Grammar was awesome as Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast
and they did a great job of giving Halle Berry a larger part of the mythos as she has whined about for years now.
The franchise was set up perfectly to not only spinoff Wolverine, Magneto, or whoever into solo films, but also
ended in such a way as to allow for another "team" film focusing on the younger X-characters. I would definitely pay
money to see X-4 with Iceman, Angel, Kitty, Colossus, and Rogue. Unlike the previously mentioned Superman,
X-Men III left me wanting more.
4. Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang - (Okay, I know this was released theatrically in '05, but I'm just now getting around to
seeing it) Where to start with this very witty, stylish, noirish, self-referencing, mystery, buddy flick? Shane Black
(who wrote Lethal Weapon 1 & 2, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and a personal fav...The Last Boy Scout) made his
directorial debut with this serpentine mystery that just blew me away with how good the cast and their characters
were. Anyone who knows me realizes quickly how turned on I am by good dialogue. I don't want "realism" or
whatever. I want to live in a world where everyone quips their way through life...where characters are smart in how
they communicate with each other. This is one of those worlds. The actual mystery at the heart of the movie
becomes irrelevant very quickly as you are sucked into Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer's performances as Harry
Lockhart and Gay Perry. I saw this shortly after Downey was cast as Tony Stark in the upcoming Iron Man and this
only confirmed for me that he is back on his game and ready to commit to any role he plays.
3. The Omega Man - Okay, Okay. I know I stretched things by choosing Kiss, Kiss, etc. at #4, but it's my list and my
rules. Therefore, I choose at #3 a film I've never seen uncut as I always watched it as a kid on a local station's
weekend movie. The only real bonus to seeing the theatrical version is that the sexy, black chick that Charlton
Heston puts the moves on gets naked for a brief scene. Even without the gratuitous nudity, how can you go wrong
with Moses fighting religious, albino zealots (and this was 30 years before The DaVinci Code) while trying to find a
cure for the plague and still finding time to explore his jungle fever. Okay...enough of the nostalgia...I promise the
final two will be more current...
2(Tie). Heroes/Battlestar Galactica - Ha! Just when you think you know the answer, I change the question!!! Two of
the best "movies" I've seen actually were on TV. The first few episodes and the last few episodes of the rookie
sensation Heroes have caused me to fall in love with a show more than I've ever fallen for a show before. Some
shows lead you on and on without ever giving you the anticipated payoff, like X-Files or Homeboys in Outer Space.
Heroes could lead me on like that for years and I wouldn't care. The characters are so rich and the cast is so large
that I never feel cheated at the end of each week's hour. This IS what it would be like if suddenly people around the
world discovered they had powers. I love Hiro and Peter and Ando and Matt and Mohinder like brothers. I love and
care about Niki like a sister. And I'm developing a very unhealthy feeling for a certain cheerleader from Union Wells
High School. They had me at "Chapter One."
Battlestar, on the other hand, has spent the first half of this season causing me to rethink my love for most of the
characters. This show is never about logic or "Prime Directives." It's about survival on a personal level. The
opening episodes showing life on a harsh planet with the bulk of the fleet under Cylon dominance was brutal to
watch and yet very real. I hate Adama for allowing everyone to forget the Cylons and try to build a new settlement. I
hate Baltar for just being Baltar. I hate Apollo for letting Starbuck go and I hate Starbuck for leaving. I hate Laura
Roslin for lying about Sharon and Helo's baby. And I hate the Cylons for making me sympathetic to their plans.
Most of all, I hate Ron Moore from creating the most human Sci-fi show ever and making me care about these
people.
Numero Uno. The Grindhouse Trailer - After the outpouring of emotion about my second choices on this list, you'd
think I'd have nothing left. How could anything top that? Well, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino have done
it. And this is just a trailer that's a few minutes long!!! The concept of Grindhouse is pure genius...take RR and
QT...let them each make a full-length movie that is a throwback to those cheesy, Samuel Arkoff-type, exploitation
movies from the '70's. Those of us in the midwest would have seen these flicks at a drive-in double feature.
Tartantino saw them in the dank, musty, smelly, sticky kind of theaters that became known as grindhouses. So, RR
is doing a zombie picture called "Planet Terror" while QT has created "Death Proof" starring Kurt Russell as a
psycho who kills women with his muscle car. The trailer hits you from the opening beats of the soundtrack. Great
images (such as Rose McGowan getting her amputated leg replaced with a machine gun), scratches and burn
marks to give the film that worn look that a print gets after hundreds of showings, a look at footage from some of
the fake trailers which will be interspersed throughout (with film titles such as A Man Called Machete), splatter-fied
gore, zombies, and even some martial arts kung-fu fighting to keep the Carl Douglas fans happy. I know 2007
promises bigger event movies. But, this could be the coolest movie of next year. Mark down April 6, my friends. I'll
save you a seat at the grindhouse.
So, that's what I dug in 2006...2007 is shaping up to be another big year. Spidey 3, Danny Ocean's getting the
band back together, and finally, Homer Simpson will be doing stupid things on the BIG screen. Can't wait for that
and everything else that is on tap. Hope you'll join me for the ride. It looks good so far. Of course, What Do I
Know...?
Thursday, August 15
For someone who has typically embraced the cutting edge with a gusto usually reserved for intimate occassions with
my wife, you may be asking yourself why it took so long for me to join the blogosphere as well as becoming part of
the MySpace crowd.
Well, whatever the delays and reasons...you finally have a chance to hear sarcastic, thought-provoking, funny, and
creative thoughts on a regular basis. And when you're done reading other people's blogs, you can come here for my
opinions and feelings on a myriad topics. (Get used to seeing big words like myriad as well as others such as
plethora. Subterfuge and shenanigans will also be used liberally. Have any favorite "ten-dollar" words? Let me know.)
Unlike most people who start blogs or "opinion" websites, I actually plan on being a more or less regular blogger. I
don't know what kind of pace I'll keep up, but I'm hoping to be here with my thoughts at least once or twice a week.
Enough explanation...if you're here, you know I'm one of the creative forces behind Midnight Entertainment LLC, a
St. Louis-based producer of all sorts of great media projects. Our two major projects currently are the Sci-Fi
adventure The Swindlers of Doom and the superhero drama Extra Ordinary. I'll not bore you with details of these
projects here when you can just pop over to our website at www.midnightentertainment.net for more info, previews of
upcoming graphic novels and books. To continue the cheap plug, check out our cool merchandise while you're there.
Beyond the really cool things happening with Midnight, I am very happily married to the wonderful and beautiful
Sonya and we have two girls, Andrea, 5, and Jamie, 2. My life revolves around my wife, kids, creative projects,
Cardinals baseball, and enjoying various Movies, TV shows, comics, music, and books. Get ready because all of
these will be fair game here at the Blog. Can't wait to share my thoughts. The seat belt sign is on. Make sure your
tray tables are in the closed, upright position. We're pulling away from the gate and getting ready for takeoff. It's
going to be an exhilarating ride. Thanks for coming along.
Saturday, August 26
You Will Believe a Vulcan Can Cry
"Lost", "Alias", and "Felicity" mastermind J.J. Abrams has taken the reins of the Star Trek franchise and is currently
working on a script for the 11th feature film. The internet is abuzz with rumors and heresay about Mr. Abrams plans
for the project. Will it be the long-discussed "Starfleet Academy" concept with Kirk and Spock meeting as
youngsters? Could it be a reimagining of the whole series a la Sci-Fi's Battlestar Galactica? Or does J.J. plan on
something else???
Many would think that as much of a Trek fan as I am that I would have an opinion on this. I'm very much a stickler for
continuity and have hated the idea of a Kirk/Spock Academy flick since it was first proposed towards the end of the
Shatner/Nimoy films.
Something I have been a supporter of was taking Trek in a new direction as a film series. A new ship...new
crew...strange, new worlds...evil, bold, new enemies...and a high caliber cast that could reinvigorate interest in the
franchise. I'm talking A-list movie stars. While the films' producers have always cast top-notch acting talent, such as
Christopher Plummer, Ricardo Montalban, Alice Krige, and F. Murray Abraham, in supporting roles, none of the
actors in any of the films could be considered A-list.(Care to debate the point with me? Join the discussion over at
the Midnight Entertainment forums...www.midnightentertainment.net.)
A Battlestar-like reimagining is interesting to think about. As talented as Abrams is, do any of us want to spend the
next year listening to hardcore, longtime fans moan about changes he makes. What if he makes Spock a female?
That is something that could happen. The film will most likely have a strong female as one of the leads. The original
Trek has always been an old boys club. They'll need to beef up the female parts and switched a major character
from male to female would bring huge amounts of free publicity...if it happens, remember where you heard it first.
So, this brings us to my current feelings on the direction of the series. I DON'T REALLY CARE as long as new fans
flock to the new movie and make it a hit. There...I said it. Something we all need to realize is that the current Trek
fanbase is not the biggest concern for Paramount or J.J. Abrams. The current fanbase is responsible for the low
ratings of Enterprise and the horrible box office of the last TNG film. Here's how bad things are: I'm a big Trek fan, I
paid to see the last movie in a theater, and I can't even think of the title off of the top of my head. In my circle, I'm the
pop culture trivia king and I don't know what the movie was called.
If you are a fan of Trek, the one thing you should want is more Trek. This new direction, whatever it may be, could be
the series' best chance at avoiding the undiscovered country of no more movies or T.V. series. I want J.J. Abrams do
write a kick-ass, take no prisoners, action-packed, thrill-a-minute movie. Not a two-hour big screen television
episode. I want movie stars as the captain, trusted crew, and as the villains. I WANT A STAR TREK MOVIE!!! If he
can deliver that and bring a huge number of NEW fans to the series, then he can do whatever he wants...up to and
including having Spock(played by Angelina Jolie) cry and Kirk(Matt Damon) involved in a previous relationship with
McCoy(Reese Witherspoon). That's it, J.J., the triumvirate of friends needs to become a love triangle!!! It's box office
gold, I tell you!!!
Oh, well...what do I know...
Saturday, September 9
Confessions of a TV Junkie
The summer is fading from view and that means only one thing...the NEW FALL TV SEASON!!! Now that the
creativity pendulum has swung back to hour long dramas and away from comedy, I am more hyped up about the
coming storm of premieres than I have been in a long time.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is getting the most critical buzz as this season's best new show. For me, this show is
the television equivilant of some sort of cosmic planetary convergence. Matthew Perry, consistantly the single
funniest thing about Friends, stars with Bradley Whitford, of the late, lamented West Wing, is a show created and
written by Aaron Sorkin, a guy who should be on the Mount Rushmore of television writers. I've been excited about
this show since first hearing the premise (a behind-the-scenes, slice-of-life at a ficticious SNL-type late night show)
and got even more excited when I saw the cast. And in an effort to make me explode in excitement over this thing,
they are even going to tackle an issue that came up here in Missouri that angered me to no end.
A mid-Missouri high school had their production of The Crucible cancelled because a previous production of Grease
had received complaints from TWO PEOPLE. School officials thought the "controversial" Arthur Miller play could
possibly offend people and pulled the plug. How great is it that closed minded people caused a play which is an
allegory for the Communist paranoia of the 1950's to be blackballed? Sometimes irony is so....ironic. Well, guess
what...Studio 60 is using this as a plot thread in an upcoming episode. Now, I'm sure that Sorkin will be even handed
and spark a lively debate amongst the characters to show both sides of the arguement. Which is why his shows are
soooooo goooood....Can't wait...Can't Wait...CAN'T WAIT!!!
Sorry, I get carried away with the exclamation points sometimes. Anyway, what else am I looking forward to...well,
back when the movie Unbreakable came out, I remember saying, "Wow, I figured out the ending before the movie
even started." But, after that, I thought that I'd love to see a serious, dramatic series looking at superheroes in a
realistic, real-world setting. No flashy costumes or scenery-chewing villains. Just real people with extraordinary
abilities trying to make the world a better place. Well, my series idea is called Heroes and will premiere on NBC.
Unfortunately, I don't have anything to do with it.
Beyond that fact, I'm interested to see how this show plays out. I think it could either be a great show or devolve
quickly into a jumbled mess. Smallville walked the thin line between "real world"-reality and "comic book"-reality for
the first few seasons before jumping the shark in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the producers handle
the more fantastic elements of the concept.
I've had people ask how something like Heroes effects Midnight's upcoming graphic novel series "Extra Ordinary"
since they tread on similar ground...ordinary people with extraordinary powers. Well, since you asked, I'll answer. I
think Heroes is going to lean more toward the real world elements in the beginning, while our series embraces the
reality of "comic book" worlds. With "Extra Ordinary", I wanted to tell a specific story about heroes coming together as
a team and saving the world. I do want it to be more realistic, but without losing the inherent traditions, etc. of comics.
Do I think it's possible Heroes will trump ideas I have planned for "Extra Ordinary"? Absolutely...great minds think
alike. If they do it better than I could, great for them. If not, then great for us in the long run.
The bottom line is that they will be two different series with similar ideas behind them. Heroes is about these ordinary
people discovering their extraordinary powers and becoming heroes. "Extra Ordinary" is about ordinary heroes
discovering their extraordinary heroism and becoming even greater heroes. Heroes premieres in a few weeks. The
first volume of "Extra Ordinary" will be published at the beginning of 2007 and then, you can all judge for yourselves.
So, enough about Midnight...out of all the new shows, these two will get my valuable viewing attention. There are
others I may sample, but this will be my new appointment television. Why so few??? Because, there are too many
returning shows that I must watch...next week, I'll get into why Smallville has jumped the shark(and yet I still have to
watch) as well as the reasons Battlestar Galactica is the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION!!!
Oh, crap, there I go again with the exclamation points...oh, well. What Do I Know???
Speeding Bullets: Talking Points for the Pop Culture Obsessive in us All..
Somtimes things crop up during the week and they really don't fit into my weekly "What Do I Know?" blog. Random
things from the Pop Culture-verse that don't need too much intellectual discussion or high brow pontificating. That's
where this new mid-week update comes in. As the name implies, "Speeding Bullets" will contain rapid fire
commentary on multiple issues styled as bullet points. It might not happen every week, although hardly a week goes
by that several things don't crop up that I find funny. Alright, let's literally load the figurative six-shooter for this week:
#1- WHITNEY HOUSTON AND BOBBY BROWN...geez, if this two wacky kids can't make it work after 14 years of
alledged adultry, drug use, failed comebacks, and the worst reality show this side of Britney and K-Fed...what hope
do the rest of us have??? For those of you keeping score, Bobby Brown's stock just nosedived. But, the stock is on
the rise for that guy with the "SBM seeks cracked-out, washed-up DBF diva for fun and possible LTR" personal ad.
#2- NEW VIDEO:SUICIDE BOMBER LOOKING FORWARD TO 72 VIRGINS IN AFTERLIFE...A new terrorist
propaganda video shows a suicide bomber preparing to give us life for the cause. As he talks about his beliefs on
camera, the bomber mentions how he is looking forward to his eventual reward to spend enternity with 72 virgins. I've
never understood the whole deal with the 72 virgins. Now, I have never been with a virgin in "that" way, but I'd rather
have four or five women who know what they're doing, wouldn't you?
#3- IMPROVED STAR TREK DEBUTS THIS WEEK...They've cleaned up the picture quality, re-recorded the original
music cues, and replaced the clunky, '60's-era special effects with cool, new CGI effects. Now...if...only...they...could
fix Shatner's...acting...
#4- "THE CROCODILE HUNTER"...Okay, I need a ruling on this one. Apparently, some people find it in bad taste to
make a joke at the expense of Steve Irwin. Now, this guy used his jacked-up, public persona to build an
entertainment empire. Read that last part again...He was definitely a naturalist and explorer. No question. But, the
guy was every bit the showman and knew how to use his character to great effect. I think the "Crocodile Hunter"
would have laughed at jokes made at his expense. For the record, in a personal conversation with a close friend, I
made the comment that, unfortunately, Irwin died underwater because you know his last words, if on land, would
have been "Crikey, I'm dying." Done with the proper accent, this remark got a huge laugh. Yes, it is in bad taste and
wrong in so many ways. But, I think if done before his death, Irwin himself might have chuckled. Remember the man
in death as you did in life...as a very entertainment and funny personality.
#5- SURVIVOR: RACE CARD ISLAND...Well, as I write this, we are 30 minutes away from the premiere of the
segragated Survivor. In case you've been under a rock or are named Osama Bin Laden, this season's Survivor
features four tribes divided along racial lines. But, the network and producers think this is a good thing. I saw host
Jeff Probst interviewed and he said something along these lines:"Before, if there was an out of shape, lazy white guy
who couldn't swim, you could just find another white guy to root for. Now, things are more interesting for the
audience." Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with Survivor's slowly declining ratings over the past few
go-rounds. If a TV program shows racial insensitivity and general cluelessness and no one is watching, does it still
make a sound?
#6- SURI CRUISE EXISTS...I've seen the pictures and now, truly believe Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' bundle of joy
is a living, breathing child and not a figment of Hollywood gossip columnists' collective imaginations. We have
photographic proof. Evidence beyond reproach. Of course, I've seen that grainy Bigfoot footage too. My biggest
problem was never whether the kid existed or not. What the hell kind of name is Suri? Is it really too much to ask
these celebrities to give their kids a normal name?
Wow...the bullets have all been fired for this week. Hopefully, you'll be back for the weekend "What Do I Know?" blog.
I'll be finishing my look at the new TV season with a rundown of which returning shows I'm anxious for. Until then...
For someone who has typically embraced the cutting edge with a gusto usually reserved for intimate occassions with
my wife, you may be asking yourself why it took so long for me to join the blogosphere as well as becoming part of
the MySpace crowd.
Well, whatever the delays and reasons...you finally have a chance to hear sarcastic, thought-provoking, funny, and
creative thoughts on a regular basis. And when you're done reading other people's blogs, you can come here for my
opinions and feelings on a myriad topics. (Get used to seeing big words like myriad as well as others such as
plethora. Subterfuge and shenanigans will also be used liberally. Have any favorite "ten-dollar" words? Let me know.)
Unlike most people who start blogs or "opinion" websites, I actually plan on being a more or less regular blogger. I
don't know what kind of pace I'll keep up, but I'm hoping to be here with my thoughts at least once or twice a week.
Enough explanation...if you're here, you know I'm one of the creative forces behind Midnight Entertainment LLC, a
St. Louis-based producer of all sorts of great media projects. Our two major projects currently are the Sci-Fi
adventure The Swindlers of Doom and the superhero drama Extra Ordinary. I'll not bore you with details of these
projects here when you can just pop over to our website at www.midnightentertainment.net for more info, previews of
upcoming graphic novels and books. To continue the cheap plug, check out our cool merchandise while you're there.
Beyond the really cool things happening with Midnight, I am very happily married to the wonderful and beautiful
Sonya and we have two girls, Andrea, 5, and Jamie, 2. My life revolves around my wife, kids, creative projects,
Cardinals baseball, and enjoying various Movies, TV shows, comics, music, and books. Get ready because all of
these will be fair game here at the Blog. Can't wait to share my thoughts. The seat belt sign is on. Make sure your
tray tables are in the closed, upright position. We're pulling away from the gate and getting ready for takeoff. It's
going to be an exhilarating ride. Thanks for coming along.
Saturday, August 26
You Will Believe a Vulcan Can Cry
"Lost", "Alias", and "Felicity" mastermind J.J. Abrams has taken the reins of the Star Trek franchise and is currently
working on a script for the 11th feature film. The internet is abuzz with rumors and heresay about Mr. Abrams plans
for the project. Will it be the long-discussed "Starfleet Academy" concept with Kirk and Spock meeting as
youngsters? Could it be a reimagining of the whole series a la Sci-Fi's Battlestar Galactica? Or does J.J. plan on
something else???
Many would think that as much of a Trek fan as I am that I would have an opinion on this. I'm very much a stickler for
continuity and have hated the idea of a Kirk/Spock Academy flick since it was first proposed towards the end of the
Shatner/Nimoy films.
Something I have been a supporter of was taking Trek in a new direction as a film series. A new ship...new
crew...strange, new worlds...evil, bold, new enemies...and a high caliber cast that could reinvigorate interest in the
franchise. I'm talking A-list movie stars. While the films' producers have always cast top-notch acting talent, such as
Christopher Plummer, Ricardo Montalban, Alice Krige, and F. Murray Abraham, in supporting roles, none of the
actors in any of the films could be considered A-list.(Care to debate the point with me? Join the discussion over at
the Midnight Entertainment forums...www.midnightentertainment.net.)
A Battlestar-like reimagining is interesting to think about. As talented as Abrams is, do any of us want to spend the
next year listening to hardcore, longtime fans moan about changes he makes. What if he makes Spock a female?
That is something that could happen. The film will most likely have a strong female as one of the leads. The original
Trek has always been an old boys club. They'll need to beef up the female parts and switched a major character
from male to female would bring huge amounts of free publicity...if it happens, remember where you heard it first.
So, this brings us to my current feelings on the direction of the series. I DON'T REALLY CARE as long as new fans
flock to the new movie and make it a hit. There...I said it. Something we all need to realize is that the current Trek
fanbase is not the biggest concern for Paramount or J.J. Abrams. The current fanbase is responsible for the low
ratings of Enterprise and the horrible box office of the last TNG film. Here's how bad things are: I'm a big Trek fan, I
paid to see the last movie in a theater, and I can't even think of the title off of the top of my head. In my circle, I'm the
pop culture trivia king and I don't know what the movie was called.
If you are a fan of Trek, the one thing you should want is more Trek. This new direction, whatever it may be, could be
the series' best chance at avoiding the undiscovered country of no more movies or T.V. series. I want J.J. Abrams do
write a kick-ass, take no prisoners, action-packed, thrill-a-minute movie. Not a two-hour big screen television
episode. I want movie stars as the captain, trusted crew, and as the villains. I WANT A STAR TREK MOVIE!!! If he
can deliver that and bring a huge number of NEW fans to the series, then he can do whatever he wants...up to and
including having Spock(played by Angelina Jolie) cry and Kirk(Matt Damon) involved in a previous relationship with
McCoy(Reese Witherspoon). That's it, J.J., the triumvirate of friends needs to become a love triangle!!! It's box office
gold, I tell you!!!
Oh, well...what do I know...
Saturday, September 9
Confessions of a TV Junkie
The summer is fading from view and that means only one thing...the NEW FALL TV SEASON!!! Now that the
creativity pendulum has swung back to hour long dramas and away from comedy, I am more hyped up about the
coming storm of premieres than I have been in a long time.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is getting the most critical buzz as this season's best new show. For me, this show is
the television equivilant of some sort of cosmic planetary convergence. Matthew Perry, consistantly the single
funniest thing about Friends, stars with Bradley Whitford, of the late, lamented West Wing, is a show created and
written by Aaron Sorkin, a guy who should be on the Mount Rushmore of television writers. I've been excited about
this show since first hearing the premise (a behind-the-scenes, slice-of-life at a ficticious SNL-type late night show)
and got even more excited when I saw the cast. And in an effort to make me explode in excitement over this thing,
they are even going to tackle an issue that came up here in Missouri that angered me to no end.
A mid-Missouri high school had their production of The Crucible cancelled because a previous production of Grease
had received complaints from TWO PEOPLE. School officials thought the "controversial" Arthur Miller play could
possibly offend people and pulled the plug. How great is it that closed minded people caused a play which is an
allegory for the Communist paranoia of the 1950's to be blackballed? Sometimes irony is so....ironic. Well, guess
what...Studio 60 is using this as a plot thread in an upcoming episode. Now, I'm sure that Sorkin will be even handed
and spark a lively debate amongst the characters to show both sides of the arguement. Which is why his shows are
soooooo goooood....Can't wait...Can't Wait...CAN'T WAIT!!!
Sorry, I get carried away with the exclamation points sometimes. Anyway, what else am I looking forward to...well,
back when the movie Unbreakable came out, I remember saying, "Wow, I figured out the ending before the movie
even started." But, after that, I thought that I'd love to see a serious, dramatic series looking at superheroes in a
realistic, real-world setting. No flashy costumes or scenery-chewing villains. Just real people with extraordinary
abilities trying to make the world a better place. Well, my series idea is called Heroes and will premiere on NBC.
Unfortunately, I don't have anything to do with it.
Beyond that fact, I'm interested to see how this show plays out. I think it could either be a great show or devolve
quickly into a jumbled mess. Smallville walked the thin line between "real world"-reality and "comic book"-reality for
the first few seasons before jumping the shark in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the producers handle
the more fantastic elements of the concept.
I've had people ask how something like Heroes effects Midnight's upcoming graphic novel series "Extra Ordinary"
since they tread on similar ground...ordinary people with extraordinary powers. Well, since you asked, I'll answer. I
think Heroes is going to lean more toward the real world elements in the beginning, while our series embraces the
reality of "comic book" worlds. With "Extra Ordinary", I wanted to tell a specific story about heroes coming together as
a team and saving the world. I do want it to be more realistic, but without losing the inherent traditions, etc. of comics.
Do I think it's possible Heroes will trump ideas I have planned for "Extra Ordinary"? Absolutely...great minds think
alike. If they do it better than I could, great for them. If not, then great for us in the long run.
The bottom line is that they will be two different series with similar ideas behind them. Heroes is about these ordinary
people discovering their extraordinary powers and becoming heroes. "Extra Ordinary" is about ordinary heroes
discovering their extraordinary heroism and becoming even greater heroes. Heroes premieres in a few weeks. The
first volume of "Extra Ordinary" will be published at the beginning of 2007 and then, you can all judge for yourselves.
So, enough about Midnight...out of all the new shows, these two will get my valuable viewing attention. There are
others I may sample, but this will be my new appointment television. Why so few??? Because, there are too many
returning shows that I must watch...next week, I'll get into why Smallville has jumped the shark(and yet I still have to
watch) as well as the reasons Battlestar Galactica is the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION!!!
Oh, crap, there I go again with the exclamation points...oh, well. What Do I Know???
Speeding Bullets: Talking Points for the Pop Culture Obsessive in us All..
Somtimes things crop up during the week and they really don't fit into my weekly "What Do I Know?" blog. Random
things from the Pop Culture-verse that don't need too much intellectual discussion or high brow pontificating. That's
where this new mid-week update comes in. As the name implies, "Speeding Bullets" will contain rapid fire
commentary on multiple issues styled as bullet points. It might not happen every week, although hardly a week goes
by that several things don't crop up that I find funny. Alright, let's literally load the figurative six-shooter for this week:
#1- WHITNEY HOUSTON AND BOBBY BROWN...geez, if this two wacky kids can't make it work after 14 years of
alledged adultry, drug use, failed comebacks, and the worst reality show this side of Britney and K-Fed...what hope
do the rest of us have??? For those of you keeping score, Bobby Brown's stock just nosedived. But, the stock is on
the rise for that guy with the "SBM seeks cracked-out, washed-up DBF diva for fun and possible LTR" personal ad.
#2- NEW VIDEO:SUICIDE BOMBER LOOKING FORWARD TO 72 VIRGINS IN AFTERLIFE...A new terrorist
propaganda video shows a suicide bomber preparing to give us life for the cause. As he talks about his beliefs on
camera, the bomber mentions how he is looking forward to his eventual reward to spend enternity with 72 virgins. I've
never understood the whole deal with the 72 virgins. Now, I have never been with a virgin in "that" way, but I'd rather
have four or five women who know what they're doing, wouldn't you?
#3- IMPROVED STAR TREK DEBUTS THIS WEEK...They've cleaned up the picture quality, re-recorded the original
music cues, and replaced the clunky, '60's-era special effects with cool, new CGI effects. Now...if...only...they...could
fix Shatner's...acting...
#4- "THE CROCODILE HUNTER"...Okay, I need a ruling on this one. Apparently, some people find it in bad taste to
make a joke at the expense of Steve Irwin. Now, this guy used his jacked-up, public persona to build an
entertainment empire. Read that last part again...He was definitely a naturalist and explorer. No question. But, the
guy was every bit the showman and knew how to use his character to great effect. I think the "Crocodile Hunter"
would have laughed at jokes made at his expense. For the record, in a personal conversation with a close friend, I
made the comment that, unfortunately, Irwin died underwater because you know his last words, if on land, would
have been "Crikey, I'm dying." Done with the proper accent, this remark got a huge laugh. Yes, it is in bad taste and
wrong in so many ways. But, I think if done before his death, Irwin himself might have chuckled. Remember the man
in death as you did in life...as a very entertainment and funny personality.
#5- SURVIVOR: RACE CARD ISLAND...Well, as I write this, we are 30 minutes away from the premiere of the
segragated Survivor. In case you've been under a rock or are named Osama Bin Laden, this season's Survivor
features four tribes divided along racial lines. But, the network and producers think this is a good thing. I saw host
Jeff Probst interviewed and he said something along these lines:"Before, if there was an out of shape, lazy white guy
who couldn't swim, you could just find another white guy to root for. Now, things are more interesting for the
audience." Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with Survivor's slowly declining ratings over the past few
go-rounds. If a TV program shows racial insensitivity and general cluelessness and no one is watching, does it still
make a sound?
#6- SURI CRUISE EXISTS...I've seen the pictures and now, truly believe Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' bundle of joy
is a living, breathing child and not a figment of Hollywood gossip columnists' collective imaginations. We have
photographic proof. Evidence beyond reproach. Of course, I've seen that grainy Bigfoot footage too. My biggest
problem was never whether the kid existed or not. What the hell kind of name is Suri? Is it really too much to ask
these celebrities to give their kids a normal name?
Wow...the bullets have all been fired for this week. Hopefully, you'll be back for the weekend "What Do I Know?" blog.
I'll be finishing my look at the new TV season with a rundown of which returning shows I'm anxious for. Until then...
| In anticipation of the new blogs coming from Midnight's creators in the coming weeks, check out the best of Jim Yelton's "What Do I Know...?" and "Speeding Bullets" columns from the past. Enjoy the pop culture-y goodness that awaits... |
What Do I Know...? Blasts From the Past
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(Now Fortified with 8 Essential Vitamins and Minerals)