This is for every day you have woken up and knew it was going to be a bad day at work.
Quick Hits!
1. I got to watch Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen today…
If you ever wondered what is the best way to simply waste two and a half hours of your LIFE away, I first found it two years ago in the first Transformers, and have rediscovered it today with its sequel. This film not only managed to bring back the cruel thoughts I had of the first movie, but also managed to surpass them. More plot holes than a slice of Swiss cheese, an almost consistent misogynistic attitude towards the very few females in the film (everyone can’t help but comment on how Megan Fox was hot, and I counted two female robots in the film: one a whore who gets ran over by a car and the other who uttered one single line near the end of the movie, only to be cut off by a blast to the back of her head), and noise, noise, and more noise. If the film had a run time of say, 90 minutes, surely anyone can handle an hour and a half of sheer noise and mayhem. However, if you have the run time of 150 minutes to create the illusion that serious work was attempted here, then the film deserves the harsh criticism it is getting. I do not mind the “controversial” twins too much due to the film’s numerous other shortcomings. I do mind, however, stupid plots and stupid characters, and you would think with all the noise and spectacle on display I would at least have been able to stay awake. I never would have predicted I would be falling asleep while “experiencing” a summer action blockbuster. Utter trash.
1 out of 10
2. Not sure what to do about dinner yet… must resist the easy, faster way out…
3. My agency called today and asked me how well I played basketball (for an audition). The only decent answer I could come up with was “I’m okay,” and even with that answer I had trouble accepting that.
4. Almost through I Love Lucy Season 2.
5. I miss cable television. On the plus side, I have become a fan of daytime court TV. Part of me wants to believe it is scripted, the other half of me knows that there are actually people like this in the real world.
6. Parents return home tomorrow!
7. Running at the local park in the morning tomorrow. Come and join if you can wake up at 6 AM.
8. As the old saying goes, “do as I say, no as I do!”
For those of you wondering, Wonder Woman is my favorite super heroine. Few are more iconic and VERY few female leads can maintain their own title in the long history of the industry. This is also (partly) in retaliation to Megan Fox’s comments on how she was not interested in playing Wonder Woman and is, in her humble opinion, a “lame super hero.” I agree, her invisible jet plane was questionable, but that is like saying the years of Batman smiling while punching out the Joker were what defined what makes Batman attractive to readers. On a side note, I am simply thrilled that she has no interest in playing this role as I can only take Fox in small doses (if any at all). It is no secret I have little love for both her and her Transformers co-star who, by the way, does not want to star in Y the Last Man (does happy dance).
Quick Hits!
1. I found “sweet tea” at “Wienerschnitzel,” a very exciting discovery (as the cashier noted by my response). I remember seeing “sweet tea” available at a McDonalds in Pasadena, but deemed it too far for me to frequent for the nectar of the gods. Maybe the neighborhood McDonalds will have it…
2. …however, it’s not quite the same as the sweet tea of the South, as this drink didn’t make me thirsty.
3. Been hitting the gym regularly, hopefully it will stay that way.
4. A car accident just happened outside my door. I happened to see it and ran out to check to see if everyone was alright. Thankfully, no one was injured, save someone’s wallet in the near future. This serves as another reminder why my street needs a traffic light installed.
5. Just watched Definitely, Maybe, and was delightfully entertained. Good comedic leads, sharp dialogue, and a fresh and different approach to evaluating relationships (especially if you have watched Disney’s typical “daddy-daughter” offerings); highly recommended if you enjoy romantic comedies. Similar to how I enjoy Jack Black’s Nacho Libre, here we get to see Ryan Reynolds, not as snarky as he usually is, but rather toned down, reserved, and still every bit as witty as the rest of his resume is built on.
8.5 out of 10
6. Had my first debate cabinet meeting of the summer and it served as a reminder that “hope springs eternal.” Good job, kids.
7. I am supposed to watch the new Transformers movie this week…
8. …on a lighter note, I’m making way through my I Love Lucy Collection and am loving every minute of it.
9. The first steps into what was, in retrospect, a short week.
10. Finally, the world has sadly lost (as of today) FOUR individuals who were all in our lives at one point or another. I am speaking of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and (just this morning) Billy Mays.
To be perfectly honest, I will be frank and say that the former two did not have as much an impact on my life as they have had on others. I am not minimizing their efforts or rediculing their contributions to entertainment, but this is for the simple fact that I was not born in the era in which they made their mark on the world. However, I will miss the enthusiasm of Mr. McMahon in the countless cameos and commercials I have had the pleasure of viewing during my childhood. He always came off as kind, sincere, and above all, generous, things I would like to aspire to.
I had the pleasure of watching “Farrah’s Story” on NBC Saturday Night, an intimate documentary that followed her three year battle with cancer. It was raw, frank, but always hopeful, an invitation (and I stress “invitation”) to her private thoughts and moments. Truly inspirational in several ways, heart-breaking and warming in all ways (especially for me, having a mother who survived cancer). A great documentary, especially for anyone from my generation who would like to get to know who she really was rather than just her body of work. It is people like her that remind me why I long to have been born in a different era; a younger, more innocent era.
Billy Mays: for every kid who grew up with two working parents; for every kid who spent his day off watching television; and for any individual who stayed up late nights searching for something to watch, Billy Mays has always been welcome company. Thanks for the countless hours of friendship, sir.
Michael Jackson, however, has had a direct and profound impact on my life. It IS cliche to say, true, but it is cliche because it is true. I bring this up because it was his music, moves, and superstardom that brought my older sister and I as close as we possibly could have been during my childhood.
There exists a twelve year age gap between my sister and I. By the time my developing self required attention, support, and acceptance, she was in her latter years of high school and getting ready to move on to an exciting college life, so there was very little in the way of her actually being involved in my upbringing (time-wise, anyway), let alone any incentive on her teenage-self to be that figure in my life (much less my parents who, as I have noted before, were both working parents, hence my spending much of my childhood alone with the television).
What I do remember, and in many ways it is still the same today, I have always sought her acceptance. She is, after all, my older sister, and despite what it may sound like, I love her very much even if our time together, then and now, is not as much as one would like. So, during her teenage years, guess who she was fixated on? Yes, a young Mister Michael Jackson. As a result, me being young, impressionable and eager to please, I spent a lot of time listening to as many of his songs as I could find on the radio and watching as many videos of him as I could find on MTV. I would then, when she got home from school, perform in front of her, much to her delight and, if I remember correctly, laughter. I was not perfect, probably not even close to being synchronized and probably more akin to Charlie Chaplin, but for what it was worth, it brought us as close as we possibly could have been at the time and for that, it remains a memory I fondly look back on and possibly the seed to our close relationship today.
More recently, however, my older sister revealed something to me that I had thought I had already cleared up with my father and on this website: my name.
According to my sister, she was in fact the one who named me (ironically, much like how I named my younger sister). My name, “Michael,” has now been clarified as being derived from, yes. “Michael Jackson.” Her explanation?
“They (the parents) asked me for a name, and I suggested ‘Michael,’ like ‘Michael Jackson.’ Apparently Dad wanted to connect that to The Godfather rather than Michael Jackson (hence the “Michael Corleone” explanation), and Mom referred to Michelangelo the painter as the origin of your name. Neither of them liked Michael Jackson, I guess.”
Thanks to Michael Jackson, I have a name, and I have a relationship with my sister that he helped bridge.
Here is what I am trying to say: beckoning back to something a friend of mine said earlier this week: “there is something about celebrity deaths.” Celebrities, whether they accept it or not, upon receiving “celebrity status,” they inherently give up their rights as an individual and suddenly become “ours.” We hear and see various news vignettes of celebrities lashing out at the paparrazzi for invading their privacy but, to an extent, the very notion of “celebrity privacy” is an oxymoron. When you are seen or heard by millions around the world, everyone instantly develops a relationship with you: they relate to you, they suddenly “know” you, and, for many, they start to grow with you. The celebrity becomes apart of your personal life, affecting you through their work and personal trials and tribulations, becoming a confidante of sorts, and something about losing one of them (much less four in a week), whether you ever met them or not, something about that particular lost feels more than just a personal loss: it feels like the world has lost something. And for that, I have lost four people who I have shared something with, big or small, be it: a generous smile; a charming and inspirational personality; a thankless but caring friend; or an everlasting tune. The world has lost something special this week, but in retrospect: those are the only things worth losing and mourning for.
I am still suffering from jetlag. For those of you who do not know, I was away in Alabama for a week. Although, I shouldn’t blame the time difference for my lethargic mood, as sleeping between 12AM and 1AM has not been helping the recovery process all that much.
I am going to try something new, which is really not all that original and not altogether new as it’s an old idea I have always wanted to start: I am going to start a “Sketch of the Day” run on the site. The reason I was never too keen on this idea is that I never really enjoy showing a “work in progress” or anything not very clean. Be that as it may, it will be good for me to draw SOMEthing every day and keep the arm from getting stiff. So, let’s get started!
Sketch of the Day
Mixed results. I am sure a lot of people can relate: I find I strike good fortune with subject matter and, especially with drawing, characters I do not have much of an affinity towards. Here, in contrast, with a character such as Batman (of whom I am a big fan), I always struggle getting it right. The ears always get me, especially in profile. Never can settle on where they should go… Played with the cape a bit, very Spawn-ish (which can be either a good or a bad thing, depending who you speak with). I had a great time sketching “Happy Hour Batman.” The guy works too hard.
Quick Hits
1. I had no idea that Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen came out yesterday. This “film” is going to make so much money that I am going to be in a foul mood come box office results. The world is a sadder place as of yesterday.
2. Be productive, be productive, be productive.
3. I have recently become a fan of Bed, Bath, and Beyond. More so the “Beyond” part than anything else.
4. Summer isn’t what it used be when you’re old.
5. Having been to both Alabama and North Carolina, two places in America I never dreamed of ever going to, I have decided that I shall take a road trip (at some point in the near future) around America to discover the Norman Rockwell in me.
6. I had a healthy diet of BBQ and all things butter for a week…
7. …only to come home to a diet that is pan-fried and all thing MSG.
8. High cholesterol SUCKS.
9. Justin: I cannot accurately rate Pixar films, as I haven’t seen all of them. I have yet to watch Finding Nemo, and I need to re-watch A Bug’s Life as I remember falling asleep through that one. I will make it a point to put both of those on my Netflix so that I can give you a more accurate account. As of now, though, I can honestly say Cars is my least favorite (though I have come to the realization that it was geared towards, whether consciously or not, a very specific audience of America) and that Up might very well be my favorite. I feel it offers up the perfect balance of fun and adventure, while also maintaining a SUBTLE emotional anchor without ever feeling forced. Wall-E would be my number one if not for Up, but even that film shoots for too much in the second half and crams in too many messages (obesity, global warming, etc.) for its own good, whereas the first half was cinematic gold. I am a huge fan of subtlety, and creating a connection with body language (along with sound bites and quirks) was beautiful to me. Check out The Triplets of Bellville. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it’s worth a look for creativity alone.
10. Alabama was fun. Much more fun than I had anticipated. This weather is easy now that I have escaped the humid air of the south. Stay tuned for pics from the trip. Here is me performing magic at a local BBQ pit:
I miss the ability of ordering “sweet tea” wherever I go. I am suffering from withdrawal.
So, many thanks to my quasi-webmaster, Victor, I believe that I am now able to embed videos on LORDHERO.COM! What this means is that I can directly post videos I come across that I feel are worth a look and, more importantly, videos that I am directly involved with!!!
Cefiore - Breaking Point
This was for a contest sponsored by Cefiore. Regrettably, we came in second place, cited as too “dark” for the yogurt franchise. In retrospect, I can see why they made the choice they made (the winner was far more commercial), but I feel our entry would have been far more interesting to watch as you chomped Cefiore’s tasty yogurt…
Lord Hero: Chapter 1
This was an experiment to see how the Lord Hero series would come off on film. Overall, I can see where it worked and where it needs work. The Lord Hero universe is near and dear to my heart, and I would love another crack at improving my contribution to its growth.
Chip-tervention
This was our entry into Doritos’ super bowl contest. I loved the idea and am happy with how it turned out. It was also nice working with friends, old and new alike. I did not get to see who ended up being chosen, but I have no ill will towards them or this contest. It was a healthy project and we were amongst pleasant competitors. The entries ranged from hilarious to god-awful to the downright professional.
The Visitor
This was our entry into a Rob Zombie contest… it’s funny, as I write this I honestly do not remember what the contest was for. All I remember is that we were getting slammed by several people on the talkback at the contest’s site and it evolved from funny to ridiculous to flat-out irritating. This was one of the first things I collaborated on with Sean Uyeoka, and having just re-watched it, it’s wonderful to see how we have both grown and honed our individual crafts. As a plus, seeing Greg (my college roommate) on screen is hilarious.
When the Lights Go Out
This was a great experiment on lighting and mood and, as always, working with the resources we have. Overall, most agree is serves as a great introduction to a horror feature and several of my personal friends have gone so far as to say that they were freaked out. It’s quite flattering, as being so close to a project you tend to forget and take for granted what you DO accomplish versus what you missed. Making Sean’s apartment seem “empty” was also a fun experience.
Tibusec Cupid Ad
This was for one of Greg’s pharmacy classes. Essentially, the class has two groups contending to successfully promote this new heartburn medicine and Greg was in charge of designing the logo and commercial for his respective group, amongst other things. This time you get to see his face, sans knife. Fun little fact: the slap is real, and I am saddened that you can’t hear the slap sound she makes on his cheek. It came off beautifully in the park…
4: 8:56 PM - 9:00 PM
I am always impressed by what Sean comes up with. More importantly, I am envious and (in a weird way) proud of his progress as both a director and an editor. The small things that he does, especially in this short, just help make the entire project wonderful, and I can only hope that I aim high enough to match what he puts into these projects. A really fun shoot.
The Duel
I love this if, for nothing else, for how we managed to do this with the resources we DO have. Loved the concept, am happy I can watch myself without cringing (I am not saying I am perfect, I am simply saying I have GROWN comfortable…), and I got to learn how to play a new game to boot.
The year is winding down (for one aspect of my life, anyway) and I could not be happier. I feel like I’ve aged, horribly and rapidly, over the last year (and undeservedly so) and am in need of some sort of rejuvenation. Is anyone up for a vacation somewhere? That is not to say that I haven’t been able to have some fun as of late. The summer has begun (by Hollywood’s standards) and I have managed to keep up rather well. Here are my reviews on the… I suppose important films that have come up so far this “season.”
X-men Origins: Wolverine
A redundant mess. The plot lacks a lot of common sense, far too many redundant cameos, a lot of yelling, God-awful CGI (take a look a those claws), lots of yelling, bastardization of CERTAIN characters (cough Deadpool Sabretooth cough), and a hell of a lot more yelling. You could also see where Fox stepps in and goes control-freak on the cast and crew’s vision. Not to say that the latter’s choices in the script are stellar, but I truly believe if they were left to their own devices we MIGHT have had a better result. Enjoyable at parts, but it sure felt longer than its allotted time, and that is never a good sign. Ultimately a step up above X3, but that isn’t saying much, is it? Which is saddening, as I am always impressed by Hugh Jackman. The man consistently works his ass off and I cannot wait for the day when he finds the perfect balance between script, director, and personal acting choice(s) so that he would be able to truly leave his mark rather than three-to-six dull claw marks.
6/10
Star Trek
In a word: amazing. Abrams sought to make a specific movie: a movie that combined the best aspects of Star Wars and Star Trek, one that was for those who lost interest in the franchise and, more importantly, for those who never watched anything Star Trek-related to begin with. A great start to what is to be surely a successful rebooting of a franchise. Abrams is one of the smartest men (if not THE smartest man) in the industry today, as he carefully chose a franchise/project to officially make his directing debut and took everything he learned from ALIAS, LOST, Cloverfield, etc. to excecute with style. The cast was wonderful, Pine will be a HUGE star sooner than later. Was the film perfect? Not at all, but the hiccups were so few and minor that they do not come close to souring the experience. Excellent film.
9/10
Terminator Salvation
This was just plain awful. Throughout the whole film you couldn’t help but feel that the film is being pulled at and stretched in every possible direction (which isn’t far from the truth, if you know what happened behind the scenes). To summarize, the original script (while not brilliant) went through a HUGE last-minute overhaul and the audience is left with two movies trying survive together in one flim, with an ending that feels completely tacked on, as well. The film sadly results in being irrelevant (nothing progresses the main story), lacking a lot (if not ALL) logic in its plot (for example: what “salvation” occurs, because I completely missed that!), and, ultimately, BORING (and who would EVER say that about a Terminator film?!). The first 30 minutes I could not help but look at my watch and wonder when I would start caring. Bale is at his worst here, just yelling at anything and everything, alive AND dead! The Arnold cameo was the best part of the film, yet is corny and almost B-movieish in execution. A great big disappointment, as I am really not sure if this will warrant a sequel (though I am sure the world will not weep).
3/10
Drag Me to Hell
Spider-man 3 is FORGIVEN!!! There, I said it! I never thought I would be able to wash the awful taste that that movie left, but Sam Raimi did it with this gem that I am afraid many people will overlook (it opens this Friday along with the Pixar money-maker: Up). I got the chance to catch an early screening of this with a good friend and I could not have been happier, save that I wish more of my friends could have watched this along with me. If you watch the trailer, it states this is a “return to true horror.” I could not help but feel the satirical nature of the trailer; for instance, just take a look at the TITLE!!! It hides NOTHING about the film and revels in its honesty. “Classic” horror comes in the form of a straight B-Movie plot, but with great production value and nice acting efforts from all involved. I was certainly surprised by how much I was entertained (and I tend to stay away from horror films) and I can honestly say I have NOT had this much fun watching a film in a VERY long time. Yes, there are scary moments, but the film is literally comprised of nothing but pop-scares followed by a period of laughter, similar to a rollercoaster: you have your build up, your fall, then a break until the next big drop. Would I have enjoyed this as much withOUT an audience? Certainly not, as this was MEANT to be a group film and is enhanced by a live audience. I certainly prefer this as a potential “cult film” as opposed to something like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I personally never liked. Plus, there is a lot less camp in this film than the latter film, and you do not have to sit through awful song after awful song. As a standalone film, it certainly isn’t bad by any means. It is a solid film, made that much sweeter with a fun audience.
8.5/10
I will be back tomorrow with a more personal update. Good night.
I know, I know… it has been a while, but things are looking up and I do believe my time and effort will be re-focused on my own aspirations for the foreseeable future. This will be a brief post, as it will serve more as a reminder as to where we are on the strip and where we will be going, starting with #88! Thank you, everyone, who have spent time constantly reminding me that dust is cluttering and art is waiting.
I know this has been a long time coming. Thank you for all of you who have stuck by me. I promise to be more on task from here on out in terms of shaking the cobwebs around here. And at the very least: I can now claim I was productive on my Birthday.
Thank you to all of you who sent me well wishes on my special day. I am only glad I have all of you to actually share my birthday with. With that in mind, a very small glimpse to come of a re-cap I will do in a day or two on what transpired over my Birthday. I think it’s pretty cool, as it’s not every year you get to say “I was a Chinese Military man for my birthday!”
First, a new song has bee uploaded to the site. “Still Alive” by Lisa Miskovsky from the game Mirror’ Edge. While I would not give the game the “Game of the Year” award, it was definitiely the most innovative and at the very least courageous at trying to create a new type of gaming experience. A fun tune to have playing in the background of any work-session.
Next, I received a tablet for Christmas and tried it out just a few minutes ago. Tell me what you think!
In commemoration of both the holiday season and for getting hooked on Bleach.
I am currently very under the weather and, gods above, am at times a little delirious. Not sure if it is the medication or that it is just a natural reaction to my body being a vessel for germs. So! While I toil away trying to muster a healthy comeback, I shall spend the next hour posting this, a Christmas Eve post! *Confetti* Though with none of the Christmas flair…
Review: The Wrestler
In a nutshell, I came out of the movie not really sure HOW to feel about the film. Mind you, I enjoyed it very much. However, my mind was wrapped in deep thought after the movie faded-to-black, as Bruce Springsteen’s song of the same name introduced and played throughout the credits. For those of you who were expecting Rocky Balboa but with wrestling: you will get much more than you bargained for.
All of the accolades and praise that the film has received (and will receive) is well deserved. Mickey Rourke gives one HELL of a performance. Much like Heath Ledger from Brokeback Mountain, Rourke simply immerses himself into a living, breathing man that is not performing for the camera or aiming for Hollywood money-shots. He does nothing singularly impressive or noteworthy, but rather, he simply IS. Marisa Tomei provides a great supporting role as his friend/pseudo girlfriend, and Evan Rachel Wood does a much better job as the estranged daughter than Milo Ventimiglia did in Rocky Balboa.
The critique that the film excels in that it feeds off of the real-life parallels between “Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson” and Mickey Rourke’s personal life is probably the most accurate statement that I can reference in explaining why I was perplexed after watching the film. See, the thing about The Wrestler is that it is very real. In fact…
it might be TOO real.
The film is brutally honest. On one side, the actual wrestling here is depicted as, yes, choreographed, but also in a way to show that the pain these “performers” endure and inflict upon one another is, in fact, very real and, at times, horrific. On the other side, the film is very honest in its depiction of everyday life. At times the film is blunt in depicting how horrible his life has become due to poor decisions and fading hope. Other times, the film is touching in depicting him as a very funny and real guy, the type of person each and every one of us becomes when faced with adversity and failure, having fun with the world while you can. Among the myriad of themes that run through the film are the effects of fame, regret, addiction, mistakes, hope, failure, survival, and change. The choice in having most of the film shot with a hand-held camera creates the illusion of a documentary, while at the same time makes the intimate moments of the film that much more intimate. We see a man who lives and, more importantly, we watch a man make desicions that allow him to live, both on a literal and a spiritual level.
What is key to understand, if you plan on watching the film, is that we are, quite literally, watching a man’s LIFE and how he copes with it to survive. You will not be getting a film that plays by the rules of Hollywood story-telling. There is nothing glamorous here, nor are there plot twists that try to make the film’s story more provocative or try to cater to the audience. The film is unapologetic in being a mirror of what reality is.
It is very easy to see why the masses will not like this film. For one thing, it takes its time in telling a story. Today’s average film-goer is the average junky: they need their payoff as soon as possible and it must be a BIG one. There are no Hollywood sensibilities here, nothing loud or profoundly epic as far as the plot is concerned. The story makes sense, possibly TOO much sense. Most people, as they leave a film, start discussing how “if the character just made this decision then it would’ve made a lot more sense and been much more realistic.” Here, the opposite, realistic options do occur, and you are left feeling unnerved by the film’s sheer honesty. The average viewer, for better or worse, enters the theater in hopes of escaping reality. Here, there is no escape, not even a heightened reality.
It might be that, somewhere down the line, I face the frightening possibility that I will face what the Ram faces in this film: change or die. That, in a few years, I may face the realization that my dreams will not come true, that I should stop clinging onto dying hopes and stop resisting the effects of time. However, I do not believe I am no alone in thinking like this. Our professions do not separate us as much as we believe them to, for, at the end of the day, as we age and as we grow old, we all, as human beings, will face a decision down the line that is as final as death itself. With that in mind, you cannot help but feel sympathetic to the trials and tribulations that someone as real as Randy “The Ram” Robinson must endure.
Whether it be through word of mouth, friendly ears, or simple chance, you have found your way here and for that: welcome. Everything you need to know will be found under Navigation. Enjoy your stay.
Cheers,
Michael
thebestmikeever@gmail.com
