The (new) final frontier

Believe what you've heard about the new Star Trek movie, folks ... s'all true.

This move ROCKS.

I'm a passive Trek fan at best and don't know much more than the iconic stuff and I've been hearing that the buzz about the movie is that you don't have to know anything about the Star Trek world to like this movie.

This is an amazing movie. Great story, great actors, great special effects.

Kell and I went and she's a kinda sorta sci-fi fan at most and even she thought it was "awesome".

I don't want to give anything away, but I'll just say more than once I thought to myself, "Hmm, didn't see THAT coming." I love when that happens.

Great, great movie. It was so good that I wanted to buy tickets for the next show tonight as we were leaving. Also thought on the way home that I can't wait for it to come out on DVD.

Damn, what a great start to the '09 movie summer season.

Wolverine

Three words for you ... oh ... my ... gawd!

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE HD

A darker knight

Just got back from seeing the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight" and on my way home, I was trying to think of a succinct way to put into words my thoughts about this flick.

Then I remembered a favorite expression of a good friend of mine, Kelly McLinden, which goes something like, "Holy CRAP!"

Personally, I haven't seen this movie get a bad review so you can believe everything you've heard about it. Simply put, this movie is amazing. It's definitely dark (both in the way it looks and in tone).

Two things stand out: this was a hell of a role for Heath Ledger to have as his final appearance on the silver screen. As far as I'm concerned , there's no comparison between Jack Nicholson's Joker and Ledger's ... Ledger's is much more realistic. If you know anything about the Batman comics, you know that the Joker character is a psychopath and a criminal. While Nicholson's Joker was psycho, he didn't really have the edge that Ledger gave the character. Tim Burton's two Batman movies were good, but they were a little too campy.

Chris Nolan's Batman movies (the last two made thus far), however, have much more of an edge and again, Ledger stole every scene he was in. He was already a star, but I really think this role would've catapulted him as made him a major film star.

The other thing that stood out was that during the last 1/3 - 1/4 of the movie, things happen (no spoilers here) that, for a change, do not leave it obvious that there will be another movie. The way this movie was written, there's a distinct possibility that this incarnation of Batman could be over, which would be kind of disappointing because Nolan has really done the Batman character justice.

So glad I saw this in the theater ... it's big, loud and a lot of fun to watch on a large screen.

Talking with a friend of mine last night and he said this movie was the best super hero movie he'd ever seen ... I totally agree and will take it one step further by saying this is one of the best movies I've ever seen, period.

Update: I've seen this movie twice now (can't remember the last time I did that) and if I could have, I would've bought tickets for the next show. I went with another couple and my wife, Kell ... she's not really into these kinds of movies but the next day out of no where she said, "Man, that movie really stays with you, doesn't it?" Yeah, it does.

Sweep the leg, Johnny!

Even if you've ever only seen "The Karate Kid" once, this video is brilliant. The band is called No More Kings and apparently they're fans of the movie juuuuuust a little. Well worth seven minutes of your time ... and every time you watch it, you see something new.

Sage advice

A flute with no holes is not a flute ... a doughnut with no hole ... is a danish.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of a Really Bad Movie

A friend of mine and I went to the see the new Indy movie last Friday ... neither of our wives were interested in seeing it, so we decided to go because we're both fans of the franchise.

So we head the to theater all excited at seeing (an albeit older) Indy again ... over two hours later we walked out shaking our heads and wondering what in the hell we had just watched.

Ye gods, it was bad. When the lights came up after the credits starting rolling, my friend and I just sat there then looked at each other and were at a loss for words.

As we walked out of the theater, my friend summed it up well: "Dude, that movie sucked ass." Indeed. It was so bad, I actually nodded off a couple of times. It felt like a bunch of different people made parts of the movie which were then mashed together.

I've been trying to come up with a list of problems I had with this movie, and then my friend sent me this link and the writer sums up my feelings perfectly.

As for Shia LaBeouf, who plays a Indy's son (c'mon, I'm not spoiling anything for you if you haven't seen the film yet ... in one of the thinnest plot lines in the movie, you know this kid is going to turn out to be Indy's son minutes after he's on screen for the first time) I just can't stand this guy as an "actor" (and I use that term loosely). I thought I didn't like him in Transformers because of his character. Nope ... turns out, he sucks as an actor. To say he's one dimensional is being kind.

Spielberg and Lucas really blew it with this movie. What kills me is that all we've been hearing prior to the film's release is that it took 19 years to come to fruition because everyone was waiting for the right script. Really?!? This was the "right" script?!?

As I was watching the movie, I kept realizing that it was making little sense and I was trying, really trying to like it. That's when I knew I was in trouble ... when I have to will myself to like a movie.

And what really astounds me is that this movie is getting good reviews, even from reviewers that are notoriously tough on films.

I can't remember the last time I was this disappointed in a film. At least "The Dark Knight" comes out soon,

Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge

Every year atomfilms.com hosts the Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge in which fans post movies they've made celebrating all things Star Wars.

Check out the site for this year's entries.

My personal fave? The Eyes of Darth Tater ...

AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

Iron Man

The official beginning of the summer movie season kicks off with Iron Man and what a way to do so.

Believe everything you've heard, folks, this movie rocks. Great cast, great special effects, excellent story ... s'all good.

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man was a stroke of casting genius. I've always liked RDJ as an actor and he absolutely nailed this part. And Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane was excellent. Reminded me how much I like him as an actor, as well.

And, of course, Gweneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts ... well, you can't go wrong with Paltrow being in a movie, IMO. Man, she is beautiful.

Best of all, there's a great "Hmmm, didn't see that coming" moment about two-thirds of the way through the film ... very cool and cleverly done.

If I had one complaint about this movie it's that once Stark becomes Iron Man, there's really only one sequence in which he does the superhero thing (other than the big fight at the end). It would've been great to see him flying around doing more good deeds. But then again, Stark addresses in the movie his motivation for becoming Iron Man, so the story line does make sense.

I found it interesting that the ending also didn't make it blatantly obvious there would be a sequel (usually, movies like this bash you over the head and scream that Part II is in the works). Still, I can't imagine them not doing a sequel. The Iron Man comic provides tons of story possibilities and there's one very strong hint in the movie at what a sequel could include ... stay 'tooned.

That and this movie no doubt is going to make a boat load of coin, so does anyone really think the studio isn't going to greenlight another potential blockbuster?

The countdown is on ...

... to May 2.

Three orange whips!

A friend of mine (who's also a Chicago native) sent me this link to the The Blues Brothers - Chicago Filming Locations ... a very cool Google map showing where in Chicago many of the scenes for the Blues Brothers was filmed.

This movie is one of my all-time favs and the cool thing is that my friend, Craig, says that as a kid he used to go to the Dixie Square Mall (the one that's destroyed in the movie by the car chase).

"We're on a mission from gah-d."

Witless movie making

Not sure if you've seen the commercials for the new Larry the Cable Guy movie, Witless Protection. As soon as I saw the commercial, I knew this movie was going to be panned ... badly.

One of my favorite websites, DVDTalk.com, features reviews of new films and DVD releases. What I like about them is that their reviewers pull no punches and the review of this movie is no exception.

The appeal of Larry the Cable Guy (LTCG) absolutely escapes me. I've seen the Blue Collar Comedy Tour movie and have watched the show and the best parts of both are when LTCG isn't in them.

He's the true definition of a one trick pony and, IMO, gets really boring, really fast. If you've been unfortunate enough to see his act once, you've seen it a million times.

And I'm not being an anti-redneck snob about LTCG, either. I have friends who are proud to call themselves rednecks and they are rednecks (well, as much of a redneck as you can be in the Northeast, anyway) and even some of them don't think LTCG is that funny, either.

Kell and I were watching TV the other night and the movie's commercial came on and I started ranting about it saying it probably won't even take in what it cost to make the movie. "That's the problem," Kell said, "it'll probably make a lot of money."

Unfortunately, she's probably right and more of these idiotic movies will get green lighted. Yeesh ...

I find your lack of hot air disturbing ...

Best hot air ballon ... EVER!



From yahoonews.com:

Darth in the sky : A hot air balloon in the shape of Darth Vader from the Star Wars films rises at the Tours and Taxis site as part of the Star Wars exhibition in Brussels.

Why I love scathing movie reviews

So Paris Hilton apparently has a new movie coming out called, "The Hottie and the Nottie" and, shockingly, it sounds perfectly awful.

I've read four reviews and none have been at all kind. But, I think my favorite is by the Boston Globe's Ty Burr, who wrote a review for today's paper. I've always loved Burr's writing style, especially when he hates a movie and he really didn't like Hilton's latest offering. The highlights include:

The problem with "The Hottie and the Nottie" is - wait, let me start again. The most crippling of the many problems afflicting "The Hottie and the Nottie" is the radical disconnect between the title and our perception of the movie's star. I'm not sure on what planet Paris Hilton is considered "hot" - one that involves hazmat suits and tongs, possibly - but it hasn't been Earth for some time.

Then there's Hilton. She delivers her lines in an unmodulated near-whisper and keeps her head lowered, gazing up at Nate as if she'd learned Acting Position #1 and then dropped the class. The film poses her in a succession of bikinis, mini-tops, and short shorts, none of which give her the presence necessary to actually hold the screen. Her head seems too small for her body and stuck on at an odd angle. She resembles nothing so much as a tiny blond velociraptor.

No question where Burr stands on this one!

The most random list you'll ever read

I'm not ashamed to say I got the idea for this post from a fellow blogger. To me, that's a compliment when fellow bloggers borrow each other's ideas. Disagree? Well, it's my blog, so there.

The following is a completely random list about ... me.

1. I was born July 22, 1969 … the story goes that my mom went into labor as Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon. She wanted to go to the hospital but my dad couldn’t take his eyes off of the TV. She won.
   
2. My son, Joey, is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Seeing the world through his eyes is indescribable.
   
3. When I worked in Boston, I used to commute 20 hours a week. Fun.
   
4. I’ve never been sued.
   
5. If there's one person in my life that I trust more than anyone else, it's my mom. She absolutely would never BS me.
   
6. I am a huge golf nut and love playing. Well, if you call having a handicap over 20 "playing".
   
7. My favorite color is navy blue.
   
8. One of my most favorite things in the world is the way Joey prefaces almost every sentence he says to me with, "Dah-dee".
   
9. Nothing beats walking in the door and Joey comes running up to me saying, "Dah-dee, Dah-dee, you're home! I missed you!" I fall in love with him every day.
   
10. I’m not a fan of sodas like Coke or Pepsi … I can’t stand the way it feels like your teeth are covered in sugar after you drink them.
    
11. If I drink soda, it’s soda water (lemon and orange are the favorite flavors).
12. That being said, Jack + Coke = always good.
    
13. I’m proud to be a Jack Daniel’s Squire.
    
14. My favorite beer is Cape Ann Brewery's "Boston Tea Part Ale", followed closely by Boddington's and just about anything Sam Adams makes, especially Sammy Light.
    
15. I have one sibling, a younger sister, Beckie.
    
16. My all-time favorite book is “To Kill A Mockingbird” … I’ve read it over a dozen times.
    
17. I try not to use the word "hate", but I have to say that I really hate being late for anything. As far as I'm concerned, if you're ten mintues early for something, that's being on time.
    
18. I’ve only owned five cars in my life (in order): metallic blue 1980 Pontiac Sunbird, black 1991 Nissan NX 1600, 2001 green Dodge Stratus coupe (man, I loved that car), a 2004 Subaru Impreza RS sedan, and my current car, a 2010 Subaru Impreza.
    
19. I graduated from Fitchburg State College in 1993 with a degree in Journalism and a double minor of Political Science and U.S. History. I had a GPA of 3.1.
    
20. My first job out of college was as a newspaper reporter for the Concord (MA) Journal.
    
21. I worked in the Public Affairs office of Brigham & Women’s Hospital and then at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
    
22. My two favorite expressions (and I use them all of the time) are: "Not for nothing, but ..." and "It'll look good from my house!"
    
23. To put myself through college, I was a chef at a restaurant.
    
24. All told, between high school, college and post-college (when I had to work two jobs to support myself), I was a chef for almost 16 years.
    
25. My favorite type of food is steak, followed closely by Italian cuisine.
    
26. I am a great cook and can make almost anything, but I’ve never tried making soup.
    
27. I used to own and wear a black leather motorcycle jacket. I thought I was cool. I was wrong.
    
28. I'm so not a fan of gore in movies. I like being scared as much as the next person, but I don't like being grossed out. And no, the sight of blood doesn't bother me. There's just no need to see people's entrails in movies.
    
29. I hate seafood. Lobsters look like giant cockroaches and I just can't see how anyone can eat them. Nasty .... just, nasty.
    
30. When it comes to creamy vs. super chunk, I'd have to go with super chunk.
    
31. I think the greatest condiment ever created is Frank's Red Hot sauce.
    
32. I like white wine and red wine (although red doesn’t like me as much … it’s the nitrates).
    
33. I’m a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation and a hard-core fan of the New England Patriots.
    
34. I love watching baseball and football in HD.
    
35. I’ve known my best friend for 26 years and I’ve known he’s gay for 20 of those years.
    
36. I'm very good at figuring out who the actor is doing voice overs for commercials and movies. If I can't figure it out, it drives me nuts.
    
37. When I was a pre-teen, Star Wars was my life. I’m still a tremendous fan and have loads of collectibles in the attic to prove it.
    
38. I used to collect and read comic books, but can't really afford the 12+ titles I used to regularly read a month now that I'm an adult (sort of). If I could afford it, I'd still read them.
    
39. I don’t believe in god.
    
40. I absolutely bombed my SATs but was accepted to all five colleges to which I applied.
    
41. I’m an editor by profession but am one of the worst spellers you’ll ever meet.
    
42. I used to smoke cigarettes but quit after a few years. Nasty.
    
43. I love smoking a good cigar now and then, especially in the summer.
    
44. I used to speed, but since my son was born, not so much.
    
45. I could give up cigars and Jack Daniel’s in a heart beat … but never coffee … especially Starbucks.
    
46. I finally have all speeding tickets off of my record and am paying the lowest insurance rates available.
    
47. It doesn't bother me to chew on tin foil.
    
48. My favorite place to take a summer vacation is Martha's Vineyard, MA.
    
49. To me, driving in Boston is fun, not scary.
    
50. I absolutely abhor roller coasters.
    
51. Almost as much as roller coasters, I hate being in the water, like a pool, lake or ocean.
    
52. I can drive a manual transmission car (my Subaru is 5 on the floor).
    
53. I’m a registered Democrat.
    
54. I’m pro-choice.
    
55. I can’t cross my eyes.
    
56. For me, the "Big Three" was Larry, Kevin and The Chief.
    
57. I have little to no patience for people who cannot drive. The idiotic things people do on the road never ceases to amaze me.
    
58. I’m obsessed with getting achievements on Xbox 360 games.
    
59. I believe gay people have as much right to marry as straight couples do.
    
60. I’m not a fan of country music.
    
61. I love hard rock/heavy metal music … the harder, the better (if I can air guitar to it, I’m in!)
    
62. Sometimes I get the heebies and the geebies.
    
63. I played Little League baseball as a kid (short stop).
    
64. I'm a very sarcastic person.
    
65. I’m an amateur photographer … digital photography is great.
    
66. I once had a photo published in USA Today.
    
67. I had a hernia operation when I was 11 years old.
    
68. I’ve only ever broken one bone in my body … a bone in my left foot in karate class.
    
69. Speaking of which, I studied Kempo karate for a few years and was three belts away from black when I stopped (I had to get a job to make money and it left me with no time for anything else). I was even an instructor for a while.
    
70. My favorite number is 7.
    
71. I have a pair of "hospital green" scrub pants that are one of, if not the, most comfortable pieces of clothing I own. If I could, I'd wear them every day, all day.
    
72. My driver’s license says I’m 6 feet tall, but I’m more in the 5’ 11” and ½ to ¾ range.
    
73. I've never flown in a helicopter but would really like to some day.
    
74. I can see why women think Tom Brady is good looking ... not that there's anything wrong with that.
    
75. I can’t swim and have absolutely no desire to learn.
    
76. I can whistle … not well, but I can.
    
77. I've never skydived before and have absolutely no plans of ever doing so.
    
78. I’ve never traveled outside of the US.
    
79. I love gmail and wish I could have bought Google stock when it was first offered.
    
80. If I could vote again for Bill Clinton, I would.
    
81. The farthest west I’ve ever been was Anaheim, CA for my ex-brother-in-law’s wedding in 2005. Awesome time.
    
82. My blood type is O+ and I try to donate whenever I'm eligible (every eight weeks).
    
83. I've never been arrested and I've never been in the back of a police car. (Front of the car, yes, but not in the back).
    
84. Aside from Fenway Park, the only other MLB ballparks I’ve ever been to are Wrigley Field in Chicago and Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
    
85. I think George Dubbya did more harm to this country than any other president in our nation's history.
    
86. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to Mohegan Sun just to see it … bizarre, but fun.
    
87. I have used a laser radar gun to clock people speeding on a highway.
    
88. In 1986, I was the only person I knew that had a CD player.
    
89. Mean people suck. I agree.
    
90. I don't care who beats the NY Yankees, the Indianapolis Colts or the NY Jets ... as long as they lose.
    
91. If I could, I would live in the Back Bay area of Boston.
    
92. My favorite Harry Potter book is the last one, “The Deathly Hallows”.
    
93. I listen to a tremendous amount of music, but if I had to pick one all-time favorite band, it would have to be Van Halen (David Lee Roth era).
    
94. I like Jazz and Classical music.
    
95. I have met John Glenn and actually declined to have my picture taken with him. I really regret that decision.
    
96. I listen to Howard Stern every morning on Sirius Satellite Radio.
    
97. Since I installed Sirius in my car in November, 2005, I haven’t listened to broadcast radio.
    
98. My all-time favorite TV show is The Sopranos.
    
99. I’m lactose intolerant.
    
100. My favorite ice cream flavor is Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
     
101. I’ve never stolen something from a store.
     
102. My current favorite show is The Daily Show with Jon Stewart...brilliant!.
     
103. Best Buy is my favorite store.
     
104. I used to be on MySpace and Facebook but deleted my accounts because the whole thing just got too obnoxious.
     
105. For as much as I love playing first-person-shooter games on Xbox like Call of Duty, I really suck at them.
     
106. I’m anal retentive about a lot of things.
     
107. I love Eddie Bauer clothes.
     
108. My favorite sneakers are Under Armour.
     
109. I used to be painfully shy.
     
110. I have acid reflux disease and can’t eat roughage (iceberg lettuce and popcorn are the worst for me).
     
111. I love Gulden’s spicy brown mustard.
     
112. I think OJ is guilty.
     
113. Aside from medical procedures, I’ve only been unconscious once … when I was 12, I tripped at the top of a flight of stairs and landed on my chin on the concrete platform at the bottom of the stairs. I still have the scar underneath my chin.
     
114. I have a birthmark on my left bicep.
     
115. The most I’ve even bench pressed is 190 pounds.
     
116. If I could do it all over again, I’d get a degree in something that has to do with fixing/building things, like an electrician or construction.
     
117. My favorite adult cereal is Wheaties … kid’s cereal is Capt’n Crunch.
     
118. I never missed an episode of Pee Wee’s Playhouse on Saturday mornings.
     
119. I think Dane Cook is way overrated.
     
120. When I vote, I try not to vote party lines, but I just can’t bring myself to vote for a Republican given the GOP’s intolerant, ultra-Christian conservative platform.
     
121. I’ve never listened to an entire “book-on-tape”.
     
122. I’m not much of an amusement park person … they just don’t amuse me.
     
123. I’ve been to Disney World twice and Disney Land once.
     
124. Edward Hopper is my favorite American artist.
     
125. I think full-figured women are more attractive than thinner women.
     
126. I once cut off the tip of my left index finger. It grew back.
     
127. I can recite word-for-word many skits from Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Cloverfield

Just saw Cloverfield ... very cool.

Heard it described as "The Blair Witch Project" meets "Independence Day" ... I can see that. At its essence, it's an old-fashioned monster/disaster movie shot on a hand-held Digi-cam.

I liked the fact that the cast is totally unknown ... just adds to the feeling that the movie is supposedly based on real footage from a video camera.

Of course, with any movie like this, you have to suspend some belief (aside from the fact that there's a 25-story monster destroying Manhattan). For instance, the movie takes place over the span of about 24 hours ... and everything is filmed on one hand-held camera ... with one battery. Ooookay. Actually, now that I think about it, the guy holding the camera ("Hud") could very well have had more than one battery with him and we just don't see him changing it ... no need to see that, I guess.

Anyway, I don't want to give too much away but it's worth a look in the theater because it sounds amazing ... when the National Guard/Army is walking down the street, guns and tanks blazing ... that scene alone is worth the price of admission. The scene just envelops you with sound.

Went with a friend of mine 'cause neither of our wives were remotely interested in seeing this movie. Just before the movie started, my friend said, "I hope that in this movie, our nuclear bombs finally work. Why does the Earth always get attacked by something on which our nukes never have effect?!?" Good point.

Again, I don't want to give anything away, the ending is ... unexpected. I kept trying to figure out how they were going to wrap up the movie and I didn't see the end coming. Gotta love that.

Oh, one other thing, the movie really isn't that scary. Yeah, there's some creepy stuff and some blood (but, thankfully, no real gore). I was expecting the needle to tip more on the scare factor, but it didn't.

If you see it, lemme know whatcha think.

Blue Harvest

Brilliant ...

Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD

So here we have another format war, Blu-Ray high def DVD vs. High Definition DVD ... sounds familiar, like the VCR format war of the late '70s and early '80s when it was Beta vs. VHS? Oy vey ...

In this case, major studios and media producers are lining up on either side of the debate by coming out and supporting only one format. Micro$oft and Paramount support HD DVD, Sony and Disney Blu-Ray. Some companies support both formats, while others (like Paramount) used to support both but now only back one format.

Here's a great piece about the on-going "format war".

But hooooold yer horses there, pardner ... it was just announced that Warner Brothers entertainment is now only supporting Blue-Ray. So, does that mean that this tips the scales in favor of Blu-Ray? Maybe ... even Mirco$oft has now said that it would consider looking at BR if there was a demand (currently, the high def. DVD player add-on for the Xbox 360 only plays HD DVDs).

Personally, I think a major tipping point could be when George Lucas and Fox release the Stars Wars trilogies in only in Blu-Ray (Fox supports the BR format). In the '90s, Star Wars fans were grousing that the Star Wars movies weren't available on DVD and word around the campfire was that Lucas was waiting for the Blu-Ray technology to made more commercially available and then he was going to release the movies. Well, the demand got to be so loud that he relented and released the movies on standard def. DVD. Now, in case you weren't aware, Lucas has some clout in Hollywood given the success of his two trilogies, so when Darth Vader, C3PO, R2-D2 and the rest of the gang are only going to be seen in all their high def. glory in Blu-Ray, well ... that could sound the official death knell for HD DVD.

That being said, HD DVDs aren't going anywhere if Blu-Ray does win the format war because there's been too many titles released in each format for HD DVD to just disappear.

Personally, while I don't care which format "wins", it would be nice if one format does come out on top because this two-format issue is just ridiculous. I just can't believe we're going through this again given the history of the Beta vs. VHS fiasco (for the record, Beta delivered better picture and sound, but VHS was cheaper to produce, hence the reason why it won).

As someone who looooooves movies and has almost 200 titles in his DVD collection, I hesitate to buy a high def. DVD player of either format because the format issue hasn't been settled. (To my wife's relief, I wouldn't replace all of our standard def. DVDs with high def. DVDs, anyway ... just the ones for which I'd want the best picture and sound).

And buying a DVD player that plays both HD formats isn't an option because A) it's too damn expensive and 2) word is that each HD format suffers because the player isn't dedicated to one HD format. Still not sure how true that is but from what I've read thus far, it seems plausible. I actually had a sales associate at Best Buy suggest that I buy a separate Blue-Ray and HD DVD player because a combo player was about $1000 and separate players were $500 each. I literally laughed out loud.

Be interesting to see if this gets settled anytime soon. Meantime, I'll watch my SD DVDs on our up-convert DVD player for now.

The WGA vs. ... well, just about everybody

So the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) strike continues and the latest victim is the Golden Globes awards ceremony. Instead of a full-fledged awards ceremony, the Globes this year has been reduced to a one-hour news conference-type format.

Honestly, I'm not much of an awards show fan, but I gotta admit that this latest bit of news was somewhat shocking. I mean, the Globes is a big deal and the latest word around the campfire is that the Oscars may be next ... zoikes! That's some serious coin ABC stands to lose as they are set to broadcast the event on Feb. 24.

And it really doesn't look good for the Oscars. The WGA has already denied a request by the Academy to allow them to show clips from past Oscar telecasts and the WGA won't grant a special wavier for the writers to pen material for the Oscars ... wow. Give the WGA credit ... they're playing hardball with some serious industry players.

Meanwhile, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are back on the air without their writers. (Actually, it's now called "A Daily Show" because, as host Jon Stewart explained, it can't be "The Daily Show" without the writers.) Anyway, Stewart and Colbert are taking shots now by media critics saying the shows aren't as funny without the writers. As a regular viewer of both shows, I agree that they aren't quite as funny since they came back on the air but, I have to give them credit ... at least they've put production people back to work and they are still funny. If you're a fan of either show, they're worth a look, IMO.

Of course, the other aspect of this is what will this strike do to regular shows like NBC's "The Bionic Woman". I really liked this show and was hoping it was going to get better as it progressed. But, like many other shows, it came to a screeching halt with the strike. NBC still lists it on it's schedule for Wednesday nights, but it hasn't been on for weeks and with less than a dozen episodes, how many times can re-runs really be broadcast? Makes you wonder if the strike will be the death of fledgling shows like this.

Still, I really respect what the WGA is doing here. As much as it stinks to see nothing but re-runs, the writers just want their fair share of the millions of dollars generated by the shows they write for. That's not too much to ask, IMO.

Iron Man movie

GEEK ALERT! GEEK ALERT!

OK, I'll be the first to admit that I was a comic book collector when I was in high school and college (that is, until I had to decide between paying for tuition or the dozen or so comics I read every month ... damn you higher education!) ...

I had heard that Marvel was coming out with an Iron Man movie and I just saw the trailer ...

Oh ...

My ...

God!

Iron Man was always one of my favorite comics and I was really psyched to hear they were making a movie. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (the lead role in Iron Man) is genius casting ... could not imagine anyone else playing that part.

As for other "comic book movies" ... loved the X-men (my all-time fav comic) and the Spiderman movies ... Fantastic Four? Meh, it was OK ... Daredevil? Yeesh. Hulk? Yeesh.

The first two Batman movies with Michael Keaton were good, the rest suh-huh-huh-ucked. But, the franchise made a huge comeback with Batman Returns with Christian Bale as the Dark Knight. Speaking of which, Batman 2 with Bale again is coming out next summer too ... giddy up!

Anyway, Iron Man comes out May 2, 2008 ... the countdown is on!