Weekly Random Thoughts: 4/23/10

1. My buddy Parker called and left me a message the other day. He said, “I’m soooo glad you didn’t pick up the phone.” Thanks Parker. Love you too.

2. I won one free ticket to the 2nd and 3rd round of the NFL draft on Friday. Now I don’t know if I should go, since it’s only one ticket. Am I supposed to go by myself and just watch the draft unfold? That doesn’t sound too fun. Plus; isn’t that why they invented the TV, so you wouldn’t have to go watch these types of events by yourself?

3. Speaking of the NFL draft, I hope the New York Giants get Rolando McClain. We desperately need a leader on defense to replace Antonio Pierce. Signing Antrel Rolle was nice, but this would be much sweeter.

4. Speaking of New York sport teams. Thank god the Mets have Mike Pelfrey. He’s basically the team MVP so far leading the team in practically every category (wins, ERA, innings pitched, saves, and he’s even batting .500). Pelfrey’s won or saved in four or the teams’ six wins, that’s accounting for 67% of the wins for the year.

5. Is there any worse feeling that getting old? I was playing basketball the other day and I basically stood there the entire time with my brain wanting to do one thing, but my body saying, “No, can’t do it.”. And my body is still hurting from playing.
a. Sidenote – “Where did my jumper go?”

6. Is there a hotter black woman right now than Zoe Saldana?
a. PS – I want to see “The Losers”.

7. Ever watch “Human Target” on Fox? I think that show has potential to replace “24”.

8. I think “Glee” might be suffering from becoming too popular, too fast. The first two episodes of the season have been inconsistent. Seems like they are picking the songs first, and then writing the story around the songs. But shouldn’t it be the other way around?

9. This Saturday is “Hands on New York Day” (www.handsonnewyorkday.org). I would really like to join, however I would have to pay money unless I’m part of a corporate sponsored team. This bothers me, because isn’t the point of volunteering to help out for free. You don’t get paid and you don’t have to pay. I mean I understand that the sponsors of the program have expenses (shovels, plants, etc), but isn’t that why they have corporate sponsors and other donors? Why should someone who wants to participate be forced to pay – shouldn’t it be optional? If I want to donate, I will. If I don’t, then I’m donating my time.

10. This must be the year of the blogs. Two buddies of mine are starting up their own blogs. I suggest you all check them out.
a. Hidden as a favor to the blogger...
b. http://brockangeles.tumblr.com/
c. And for the man who has been at this blog thing for awhile
(http://retiredorangemen.blogspot.com/)

Butler Didn't Do It

Two chances.

Gordon Hayward had two chances.

And both times, I was certain he would make that game winning basket to send himself and Butler into legendary status.

But it didn't happen.

And that makes me very sad.

Why? It's not because I'm a Butler alum. I'm also not a huge Duke hater. Yet for some reason I wanted nothing more than for Butler to win. Not entirely because it would have been a great story or because they were the underdogs (C'mon who wouldn't love to see those stories). But I wanted it so bad, because if they won then I would have believed the happy endings you see in movies are possible.

The moment the final matchup was set everyone starting making the comparisons to the movie, "Hoosiers". And now that the outcome has been determined, all anyone can say is there was no hollywood movie ending for Butler. Jimmy Chitwood didn't walk through the door that day. Gordon Hayward had a chance to do a Chitwood impression, but it wasn't meant to be. And that's where this story sticks with me the most.

I know that movies are meant for entertainment and an escape from real life. That real life doesn't mirror movie life. But I love movies so much and they mean so much to my life, that I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish that this wasn't the case. I want to exist where the Butler's of the world can win on a last second miracle shot. Because wouldn't that be the world where you can have a meet-cute with the girl (or boy, for the female readers out there) of your dreams on your way to work. That their is love at first sight. And you do get to be the one or the hero at the end.

Now, you can call me naive or say I'm someone who doesn't want to seperate fantasy from reality. But isn't the point of some movies also to provide hope. To find something that moves you to follow or go after your dreams and believe in yourself? And I guess that's why I wish Butler was able to win. So that I could say, "See, sometimes life does imitate art." And that'll give me another moment to hold on to while I try and be the movie star in my own world.

Movies that would have been awesome in 3D

If you've been to the movies in the past four months, then you've most likely watched a movie featuring the next big craze in Hollywood...3D movies.

From Avatar to Alice In Wonderland to How to Train Your Dragon (and even the shamelss 3D showings of Clash of the Titans), the third dimension of film has dominated the box office. And the movie industry is quick to capitalize on this success. Theater chains are hustling to build as many 3D capable screens as possible. And take a look at the upcoming 3D movies on your "must see" slate.

Despicable Me (Does anyone have a clue what this movie is about based on the trailer?)
Piranha 3D (If only Snakes on a Plane could have been made four years later)
Toy Story 3 (Will be awesome in any dimension)
Shrek Forever After (I'd watch it only for the dragon)
Cats vs. Dogs 2 (As much as I hate to admit it, I'll probably watch it and go "Aww" at least four times.)
Tron Legacy (Would the sequel have been greenlighted if 3D wasn't an option?)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (getting the Clash of the Titans converted to 3D treatment)
Resident Evil 4 (Keeping Milla Jovivich employed)
Cowboys and Aliens (Anything with Aliens works in 3D)
Zombieland 2 (I can totally see this being slick)
Transformers 3 (Optimus Prime in 3D...ridiculous)
Underworld 4 (Double feature of Resident Evil 4 and Underworld 4...matinee baby)
Spiderman reboot (Look out...it's Spiderman's crotch flying in your face)
Avatar 2 (A total shock)
The Smurfs 3D (Does this mean we'll get an Alvin and the Chipmunks threequel in 3D?)
The Green Lantern (starring Ryan Reynolds) - rumored, but not yet confirmed
Sucker Punch (Zack Snyder's next flick)
Ridley Scott's new Alien film (Two words. In. Sane.)
Step Up 3D (What exactly will be in 3D? The Fox Trot??)
Scream 4 (To be followed by a rush of cheap horror movies made in 3D)

Whew...that's a long list. Now a few things stick out for me as I read this list:

1. A lot of sequels. It's like the 3D technology revived a whole bunch of stagnant franchises.
2. A wonderful way to use 3D for the third feature in said franchse. The 3 is already there.
3. Only a handful will truly be worth paying the extra money for to watch in that extra dimension.

But if you follow the movie industry, you know all this already. This future of 3D has been beaten to death, which is why I got to thinking about the past. As in what movies from our personal favorites would have been awesome to see in 3D?
So without further ado, here's my list grouped into four categories: The obvious, the classics, Sci-fi flicks (because no genre was made for 3D more than science fiction), Action movies with weapons (that would be enchanced in 3D), and a couple of my own surprises.

THE OBVIOUS:
1. Any of the Star Wars movies. Just imagine the light sabers popping out at you in 3D.
2. Titanic - you could probably put any James Cameron film here. The guy had been dreaming of making Avatar for about 15 years. You think it didn't pop into his head when he was making Titantic?
3. Any Pixar Movie - Toy Story, The Incredibles, Wall-E. Actually, I'm glad 3D didn't ruin these beloved movies.
4. Any disaster movie - Armageddon, Deep Impact, 2012, Poseiden, Towering Inferno. You get the point. Special effects and things blowing up were made to be shown in 3D.

THE CLASSICS:
1. North by Northwest - Just for the plane sequence alone.
2. Wizard of Oz - Only missed it by 70 years.
3. Singin In The Rain - Raindrops and splashing all in 3D. Count me in. Musicals actually lend themselves to 3D quite well.
4. The Birds - the thought of all those birds flying in my face would scare the crap out of me.

SCI-FI:
1. The Matrix - Bullet time in 3D...I think I just swallowed the red pill.
2. ET - ET Phone home in the third dimension.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey - just for the flashforwards and backwards in time.
4. A Clockwork Orange - Kubrick would have loved 3D (I think).
5. Blade Runner - If there were a 3D, I fear how much more time Ridley Scott would have spent on making this film.
6. Godzilla - Just to see the monster in 3D would be pretty sick.
7. Independence Day - Aliens would work well in 3D. So would blowing shit up.
8. 2012 - Because blowing up 90% is getting boring to watch in plain old 2D.
9. Back to the Future - Marty, we have to go back. Back in 3D!!!

ACTION MOVIES WITH WEAPONS:
1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Bows and arrows were made to be shown in slow mo and in 3D.
2. Braveheart - I think Mel Gibson weilding an ax would work in 3D.
3. Gladiator - Russell Crowe would have kicked ass in 3D.
4. Sin City - I believe the sequel (if it ever gets made) will be made in 3D.
5. 300 - Those abs would have been bursting out in 3D.

MY TWO SURPRISES:
1. Ghostbusters. Three things worth seeing in 3D: The Streams, Slimer, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
2. Basic Instinct. Admit it; the beginning and the ice pick would be pretty cool in 3D.

What do you all think? Feel free to add any others you think I missed.

Until then, see you all at the movies. Can't wait for when they actually can go back in time and convert movies into 3D. You know it's going to happen. And it'll make a ton of money...