Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Prep for the Oscars or Play Russian Roullete?

Gotta love Chuck Lorre, the mad genius behind the hit CBS comedies "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men". For those of you not familiar with Mr. Lorre or his shows, he always runs title cards at the end of every episode of scripted TV that he produces. They are only on the screen for 2, maybe 3 seconds max and usually take the aid of a DVR in order to read what is written. Usually they are funny, sometimes controversial (and censored by the network), and always opinionated. No exception this week as the title card from "The Big Bang Theory" had the wife and I rolling.

Before you read, be forewarned that there are many spoilers for Oscar-buzz movies to be found within:
CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #235
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION(spoiler alert)

It's that time of the year when movie studios seeking Oscar nominations for their films start asking for my consideration. Every trade ad and mailing begins with the words, "For your consideration." It's kind of a Hollywood tradition. Anyway, this is what I've considered so far: Milk (a well-meaning gay guy is shot to death by a homophobe), Doubt (A really mean nun accuses a really terrific priest of being a pedophile), Revolutionary Road (a married couple fight a lot, cheat on each other, then the wife bleeds to death following a botched abortion), Slumdog Millionaire (incredibly poor kids subjected to unthinkable evil, but with a happy ending), Defiance (starving Jews fight Nazis in the woods), The Wrestler (a broken-down, over-the-hill wrestler on steroids has a tough life), Changeling (a woman's son is abducted and the police put her in an insane asylum), Gran Torino (a dying widower commits suicide to help his neighbor), Benjamin Button (a guy grows old in reverse and then dies), Rachel Getting Married (a drug addict kills her baby brother and then pisses off her family during a wedding), and The Reader (Nazi atrocities, under-age sex and illiteracy prove to be a lethal combo). So, what am I considering? Well, for a moment or two I actually considered hanging myself. But then I thought, if I do that, the movies win.

1st Aired: 12 January 2009
There you go - I couldn't have summed it up better myself. If you wish to read more, click here to go to Lorre's website.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Something New


Yeah, I know - it's been three months - 3 MONTHS! - and no phone call, no email - what, we can't even post anything to let you know that we are alive? What's the matter with us?

Well, it's called life and, for my part of the story, a new little baby girl that was introduced to the world on 12/30. As she slept today, I came across something that I absolutely had to post about. It's called the Black Cab Sessions (www.blackcabsessions.com). The premise is quite straightforward and simple. A London cabbie (hence black cab and not the typical yellow cab found here in the States) drives around the grand old city while his famous passengers play acoustic versions of their song(s). What a wonderful intimate window into the music that we love with great scenery to boot.

Here is how the site describes itself: "THE SESSIONS ARE ALL ABOUT GREAT MUSIC AND THE VENUE STRIPS THIS TO ITS ESSENCE. WE AREN'T PICKY ABOUT GENRE AND WILL HAPPILY OPEN THE CAB DOOR TO ANYONE WHO BLOWS US AWAY."

And blown away I was. Especially by some of my favorite artists like Bon Iver, Ryan Adams, and My Morning Jacket. Do yourself a favor a check the site out here.