My Tonys Coverage

There are so many excellent analytical websites out there regarding movie awards, but the same cannot be said about the theatre award community. And as a theatre fanatic, it seems my luck has changed. A starter site, Tony Awards Haven, was launched recently. Though it is still the simpler stages, the administrators promise in depth coverage as the award season come into high gear (Drama Desk! Outer Critics Circle! Drama League!). It's enough to keep me salivating until the nominations. 

One thing is for sure, I don't know how people are counting out 'Young Frankenstein' so early. It's not like there are 70 original musicals out there and I doubt the Tonys Committee can ignore such a big show despite its many, many flaws. 

My Number One Bracket

So I got two of the four finalists right for this year's NCAA Basketball Tournament. Even though I got Kansas in there, I was hoping that Davidson would pull off the upset this afternoon. History was also made in the process by having all four #1 seeds entering the Final Four weekend in San Antonio. Hmm... if I have take a stab it, I'm going with North Carolina winning it all. I think it's because I like me some Psycho-T. (ESPN)

My Higginbotham Pilot

Though it's advertised as a Jason Bateman-directed pilot, I'm more excited about creator Abraham Higginbotham's new series called 'The Inn' starring Reno 911's Niecy Nash. Most of my favorite 'Arrested Development' episodes were by Higginbotham. I wonder what he can do with an 'Upstairs/Downstairs' type of scenario. (EW)

My T-Takes

In midst of the webisode popularity, New York Times recently began a series of short films under their 'T-Takes'. The theme seems to 'stick a single character in a snowy motel and see how ordinary this brief moment in his life is'. While some are intriguing (Jason Ritter), some are downright boring (Lukas Haas). The particular one I personally likes involves Josh Lucas. Even though Lucas doesn't speak a word in this 3-minute short, the amount of emotion he puts into the piece speaks volume. Check Lucas and the rest of the T-Takes here. 

My New Coke Flavor

Coca-Cola has come out with a new healthier flavor currently being test ran in Japan. I'm kind of hoping it sticks around just so I can taste carbonated cucumber the next time I go to the Coke Museum in Atlanta. So who's going to make this beef flavor ice-cream I've been going on about for years? (MSNBC)

My Plea To MTV

Please don't let it happen. (Joblo)

My Obese Jailmate

Don't know why it has got so grim in the past few days here, but this one is bit hilarious (on the grim side, if possible). An obese woman is convicted of beating a 2 year-old to death, after the mother of the child was warned not to leave the child with the obese woman. But here's the kicker, they can't put the woman in jail because she weighs 500 pounds and the police would need to "punch a hole in the wall, get a forklift with cushions" to bring her to the jail cell. This is just sad on many counts. (CNN)

My Top Five List: Supporting Performances?

I love lists. I love movies. So of the course the first list on this blog is going to be about movies and more specifically, awards. Many performances in the past were considered as supporting roles but really should've been placed in the lead. Some of those demoted their rank translated into award recognition, some have not. Since there are way too many of these performances to choose from, I'm going to break it down to those that stood out from this century (2001-current).

5. Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), is it because of Brad Pitt's star status that bumped the equally dominant character to supporting ranks?

4. Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind), this one was a no-brainer. It was an instant Oscar as soon as she categorized herself in the supporting actress since she had stiffer competition in 2001 with Sissy Spacek, Nicole Kidman and the eventually winner, Halle Berry.

3. Scarlett Johansson (Lost In Translation), this one was iffy. The film itself was billed more as a Bill Murray vehicle, but Johansson's Charlotte had an equally nuance self-discovery in Japan. 

2. James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland). Not that it would have resulted in anything, but the entire film was Nicholas's story from the get-go.

1. Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls). Unlike Catherine Zeta-Jones in 'Chicago', where her performance dominated to the point where some people were convinced CZJ was the lead, I blame Hudson's misplacement on the script and editing. It should've been the eventual Oscar winner in the lead and Beyonce in supporting, not that it would've helped Beyonce at all with awards. 

So did I miss any? The only other one I considered from this century was Ethan Hawke in 'Training Day'. 

My Joke For A Gloomy Day

Perhaps it's the weather, but I'm feeling a little down and mellow today. So to cheer myself up without the help of Pixar animation, I reminded myself of a joke my friend Kyle told me once. I don't know why, it's silly and elementary, but it always put a smile to my face.

Two muffins are placed into oven, evenly spaced from the heat so it can be baked proportionately with even favor. After 10 minutes or so, one muffin turns to the other and says "Hey buddy, it's getting hot in here, huh?", to which the second muffin is stunned and responds, "What!?! A talking muffin!?"

Feel free to point and laugh. 

My Yankee Gang

In more gang related news, Major League Baseball is surprised some of their merchandise is still on the market- particularly Yankee hats and jersey with designated 'gang colors and patterns'. First of all, I always thought it was just a hip, ghetto thing and had no idea each gang had its own color. Second, what if some innocent guy came into Modell's asking for one and mistakenly joined a gang by accident? Geez. (NYD)

My Tupac Revelation

Fourteen years after the murder of Tupac Shakur, news come about Sean Combs' involvement with his the incident. Can the new documented evidence be as a hoax as some websites claim it is? Or is it actual evidence in unravelling one of the close knit murders in recent history. So, I'm assuming Sean 'P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Diddy, Puffy' Combs is going to stock up on his bodyguards now. (LATimes)

UPDATE: That didn't take long. LA Times apologizes for the article. (NYT)

My Open Letter To Jose Canseco

Dear Mr. Canseco,

Congratulations on the release of your second book, 'Vindicated'. I'm sure it'll be a good profit you and hope you'll end up on the short list of the Pultizer Prize. I'm more than grateful for your 'exposes' for the sake of baseball, but please don't use that as your excuse to release this book. You needed the money, plain and simple. Also, how do you feel about Alex Rodriguez's response to your allegations of steroid use. "I really absolutely have no reaction." Perhaps that's the approach the rest of us should take with your book. (ESPN)

Sincerely,

Peterio

P.S.- I want my copy of 'Moulin Rouge!' back, it's an out-of-print edition. 

My Family Feud

From its success of 'American Gladiators', NBC is fast tracking a prime time version of 'Celebrity Family Feud'. Other than pitting Hollywood families against each other, the producers are also thinking of pitting cast from various shows against each other. Everyone knows the game show is rigged nowadays where only the last round before bonus land matters. (EW)

My Polaroid Extinction

The Kodak Polaroid, a long staple of instant photography, is going to be discontinued at the beginning of next year. I'm personally saddened by this news because I'm one of the few people who shelled out $40 bucks to buy this camera last year. I guess I'm going to have to start stocking up on the film, but I haver competition.

Polaroid cameras are a long staple on film sets. Many aspects of filmmaking prefers using polaroids instead of the digital cameras. From make-up artists to script supervisors (shameful self-nod), from casting directors to wardrobe supervisors, it's much more time efficient then digging through digital slides in midst of the chaotic process of shooting a film, television series and definitely the vicious world of commercials. 

We'll see where it goes, but as of right now, both the photography fanatic and the work aspect of me are not happy with it. (ABCNews)

My Dark Knight Thrill Ride

I won't say I'm a theme park enthusiast, but I do like my fair share of roller coasters. This summer, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey is debuting a ride called 'The Dark Knight Coaster', no doubt to tie in with the release of the upcoming film. I, for one, is excited to see some new rides coming to that park.

I'm definitely going to go in April to beat the kids to it. Who's with me? (SixFlags)

My Gattaca Retrospective

I fell in love with Andrew Niccol's 'Gattaca' as soon as I laid eyes on it. The stoic crime drama set in 'not the distant future' pits identity theft against a world where genetics is key to all things variable. Minutes from meeting Ethan Hawke's Jerome Morrow, a successful astronaut in a Neo-NASA like environment, we learn he's not Jerome Morrow. Like a school kid who just witnessed their favorite cartoon character killed, my head cocked a little to the right.

With a cast who has yet to reach their peaks, Andrew Niccol uses them to unravel the near-perfect society. Though charisma is not endorsed in performances by Niccols, I couldn't help but see hints of Jude Law breaking out into the actor he is today. The scene in which is he was 'random searched' by a police officer showed great poise. Speaking of the cast, I checked out Loren Dean's IMDB profile because I wondered what happened to him- apparently nothing did since he is consistently working.

The twists and turns of this story echoes people who are trapped in bodies and wants something more than they are destined for. To borrow a line from Tom Ripley, "Isn't it better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody?"

My Sympathy For Bullied Billy

I was never bullied when I was a kid in school, but I've always been sympathetic towards those who are bullied. Most of the time, it's because the parents of bullies usually think it's "just a phrase" and shrug off the situation, while the victim is continuously getting the crap beat out of him. Case in point, meet Billy Wolfe, a kid who has bullied throughout his childhood and usually given blame because he's taller and bigger than his bullies. New York Times has a great article chronicling his story and struggles in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (NYT)

My Britney Spears Cameo

As a fan of 'How I Met Your Mother' from the get-go, I was very weary of the much hyped Britney Spears cameo on tonight's episode. But after watching, I know I should've trusted the producers more. You see, unlike the malicious CBS promos for this episode, the show itself didn't glorify their tabloid-magnet guest star. In fact, her role was written perfectly and did not subtract from the plot. And you know what? Britney was actually kinda funny. 

My Smart ForTwo

I'll admit it. I want one of those compact cars. If anything, they're cheap and would be insanely to find parking spots for the 9-foot long vehicle. Critics of the vehicle says it has no horsepower and it's not safe on highways. New York Magazine has done a fun study, weighing the pros and cons for readers who are sold or on the fence on the pint-size, cute alternative to the Volkswagen Beetle. (NYM)

My Olympic Lighting Ceremony

It surprised no one that protesters would emerged at the Olympic Lighting Ceremony this morning regarding the Tibet situation. What did surprise people was that the protesters were from a French-based media group, Reporters Without Borders. Over 1,000 police officers were called on to patrol Ancient Olympia as the ceremony began, but as Chinese Olympic Committee president Liu Qi began his commencement, the protester rushed behind Qi, wearing a the Olympic rings as handcuffs and waving a banner. Of course, the live telecast was cut away in Chinese household. This is going to long few months before the ever-doomed Olympic games in Beijing. (NYT)

My Bad Magician

Who says there is no evil magic? A magician in Italy hypnotized a cashier into giving him cash! One of my college buddies was under hypnosis once and boy, they got him to do some interesting things. Watch the video:

My Urban Dictionary

Patti told me about the funniest website today- Urbandictionary.com. It pretty much gives you sarcastic definitions to modern terminologies such as metrosexual, fierce and emo. But by a mile, my favorite definition so far is for 'hipster'.

1. Hipster

Listens to bands that you have never heard of. Has hairstyle that can only be described as "complicated." (Most likely achieved by a minimum of one week not washing it.) Probably tattooed. Maybe gay. Definitely cooler than you. Reads Black Book, Nylon, and the Styles section of the New York Times. Drinks Pabst Blue Ribbon. Often. Complains. Always denies being a hipster. Hates the word. Probably living off parents money - and spends a great deal of it to look like they don't have any. Has friends and/or self cut hair. Dyes it frequently (black, white-blonde, etc. and until scalp bleeds). Has a closet full of clothing but usually wears same three things OVER AND OVER (most likely very tight black pants, scarf, and ironic tee-shirt). Chips off nail polish artfully after $50 manicure. Sleeps with everyone and talks about it at great volume in crowded coffee shops. Addicted to coffee, cigarettes (Parliaments, Kamel Reds, Lucky Strikes, etc.), and possibly cocaine. Claims to be in a band. Rehearsals consist of choosing outfits for next show and drinking PBR. Always on the list. Majors or majored in art, writing, or queer studies. Name-drops. May go by "Penny Lane," "Eleanor Rigby," etc. when drunk. On PBR. Which is usually.

My Laura Benanti

New York Times has an excellent article about Laura Benanti, a Tony Award nominee who is currently starring in 'Gypsy' with Patti LuPone. Laura first caught my eye when I heard her on the 'Into the Woods' recording. Unfortunately, I was never able to see the show when it was still on Broadway.

But two years ago, at the height of my Stephen Lynch obsession, I went to see Laura (and Stephen) at 'The Wedding Singer'. Not only was I engulfed with the '80s tribute musical, both Stephen's and Laura's voices instantaneously became embedded in my iPod for months to come. So is there any doubt I'm going to try to catch her in 'Gypsy' before it goes away? You can also catch Laura on upcoming episodes of 'Eli Stone'. (NYT)

My Generous ATM

Why doesn't this stuff ever happen to me? An ATM in London started giving out twice the amount it should- for free! I'm surprised it took as much as three hours before it ran out of cash. Authorities are trying to hold those who benefited from the mechanical error with charges, but only if the operator of the machine complained. Okay, so who's going to be the first village idiot to be honest about it so they can be arrested? (Yahoo)

My Duke Lost

Despite having them much deeper in the tournament, I am ecstatic that Duke and perhaps the most hated college basketball player, Greg Paulus, lost in the second round this afternoon. Now Paulus can take the off season to practice his acting skills to perfect that "flop". (ESPN)

My Sex for Passport

Isaac Baichu, an immigration agent, was arrested for requesting oral sex from a female client in exchange for a green card. It angers me to no end and it's something I feel strongly about. Baichu, an immigrant from Guyana, pleads not guilty. I've heard of many corruption tales regarding the immigration process, but most of them concerns monetary gains one way or another. This is another unexplored problem in this country, primarily because the victims has no voice on the matter since most of them do not speak the language. 

I'm glad Baichu is charged with a possible jail sentence. People who take advantage of others in a weaker situation should not be tolerated and be punished- especially in this matter. Thanks to Moni for the article relay. (NYT)

My Racist Claim

I can't stand it when people resort to "the race card" when things aren't going their way. I've used this said "race card" once for personal gain and I couldn't feel worst about it. Here comes Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena, claiming the women's tennis tour is prejudice and has never accepted his daughters. Where were these claims ten years ago when his daughters were dominating the game? Why now?

The men full of controversy continues to say that he is "black and prejudiced, very prejudiced" and "little white no-good trasher in America like Tracy Austin or Chris Evert" can't hit the ball but the media adored them anyway. I understand that speaking out is a good thing, but when Williams spoke out feel the need to knock someone down to make himself better, it's not okay with me- it never will be. (Yahoo)

My Doggie Blog

A new trend has started. Having your dogs blog! I was thinking of creating a Myspace page for Cody a little while ago (as I run in shame), but never got around doing so. But a blog... hmm.... (CNN)

My Cold Mountain Retrospective

I re-watched ‘Cold Mountain’ recently as my personal tribute to the late Anthony Minghella. Though never a fan of ‘The English Patient’, I was engulfed with Minghella’s 1999 thriller ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, so much to naming it my top film that year and currently holds a place in my top ten list of all time. With 'Cold Mountain' being his next film along with another personal favorite, Nicole Kidman, I was ecstatic when I heard of its production.

I always thought ‘Cold Mountain’ was treated unfairly by both critics and audiences because of its pre-release hype. After all, this was the film that was supposed to derail ‘Return of the King’ and its path to immortality. Much to the ‘haters’ that year who were angered by Renee Zellweger’s Academy Award, I was delighted. She light up the screen with every scene she’s in just as Catherine Zeta-Jones did the year before in ‘Chicago’.

Perhaps the only problem why this story didn’t connect with the most people is due to its parallel storytelling. Even five years later, I didn’t necessarily believe Jude Law’s Inman and Nicole Kidman’s Ada as destined lovers. With only letters interlacing their stories, it could’ve easily been two separate films. If anything, a decision could be made that Inman’s stories could’ve cut short and made Ada a more prominent character.

My 2008 Baseball Predictions

I bleed baseball... along with films, boardgames, tennis, awards... and so on. So as the new baseball season is upon us, I'm obligated once again to give my 2 cents. And once again, many stories emerged before the season even begins. Can the Red Sox repeat as champions despite their early injuries? Can the Mets come back from last year's disastrous late season collapse? Can the Yankee play a graceful final season at Yankee Stadium despite all the steroids controversies? We'll find out, but until then... here is my outlook. 

American League:

1. Boston Red Sox (AL East Champions)

2. Detroit Tigers (AL Central Champions)

3. Los Angeles Angels (AL West Champions)

4. New York Yankees (AL Wild Card)

ALDS: Boston over Los Angeles, New York over Detroit

ALCS: Boston over New York

- Joe Girardi will give a new jolt to the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry, but I think Boston will ultimately power over the Yanks.

National League:

1. New York Mets (NL East Champions)

2. St. Louis Cardinals (NL Central Champions)

3. Arizona Diamondbacks (NL West Champions)

4. Philadelphia Phillies (NL Wild Card)

NLDS: New York over Arizona, Philadelphia over St. Louis

NLCS: New York over Philadelphia

- The Mets made the best off-season moves. They should handle it easy, if they don't collapse again.

World Series: New York Mets over Boston Red Sox

My Flashback Photo (2001)

... more laundry.

My Very Brady Musical

It's a sunshine day! Now for some much deserved theatre news. A satire of the popular '60s sitcom will be adapted for the stage for a LA premiere this June. Unlike the campy film versions, the stage adaptation promises to be raunchier and not appropriate for kids. Raunchier? I thought having Greg and Marcia's sexual attraction in 'A Very Brady Sequel' was pretty creepy already, how can they top that one? (Playbill)

My Madonna-Mariah Showdown

I'm usually slow when it comes to radio hits. It takes me about few weeks before I really "get" the song. So with the releases of heavyweights Madonna's '4 Minutes to Save The World' and Mariah's "Touch My Body", I was patient before giving final judgment. Well, the waiting period is over and I'm really to judge the divas. 

While '4 Minutes' gets some outside help from Justin Timberlake and producer Timbaland to help Madonna venture the R&B world, the signature Timbaland beats and thumps overwhelm Madonna's vocals.

At first, I hated 'Touch My Body', but after multiple listens, a SNL performance and a music video featuring Kenneth the Page (Jack McBrayer), I'm hooked. I believe Carey is only three #1 singles away from taking that record away from The Beatles. 

So, the opening round goes MC. But there is one thing Madonna has over Mariah... that album cover and album name. E=MC2? Boo. 

My Thousand-Words Picture

A protest rally in Washington for the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq included protesters participating in "The March of the Dead", with men and women wearing masks and a sign of victims around their necks. What a powerful photograph courtesy of Getty Images. 

My Cartoon Ambassador

Japan might be the only nation in the world to have a cartoon department in government to promote animation in other countries. The annointed ambassador for the newly created department is none other than Doraemon- a giant blue cartoon cat. So there you have it, a cartoon in government.... and I thought we had it bad. (Yahoo)

My NC-17 Rating

One of my favorite directors, Ang Lee, received the freedom of expression award shared with producer James Schamus at this year's ShoWest convention for their explicit film 'Lust, Caution'. Along the way, Entertainment Weekly spoke with them regarding their decision to maintain the taboo rating and Lee's next project.

'Lust, Caution' is such an exquisite film with heavy emotional baggage that rivals 'Brokeback Mountain'. It's ashamed it hasn't found an audience in this country because they are missing the continual growth or mature filmmaking Lee is going through. When asked what his next project will be, Lee replied, "I've made six tragedies in a row, what's wrong with me?" I'm smelling a slapstick comedy with Will Ferrell and Jack Black. (EW)

Sidenote: Ang Lee's mid-90s classic 'The Ice Storm' has just been added to The Criterion Collection. 

My Friendly Skies

A Woman who flew from Dallas to Los Angeles last year on American Airlines is suing the airline because she woke up from nap with semen in her hair. When she looked over, she noticed the passenger next to her had his penis out. Geez, what a rude awakening. Between this and the failed oxygen tanks earlier this year, you'd think American Airlines is taking a hit in their public relations department. (FOXNews)

My Yankee Effort

The New York Yankees played an exhibition match with the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg earlier today in commemorative to the Virginia Tech Massacre last year. I thought it was a classy move by Major League Baseball in giving what is a small gesture to the community compared to what happened there. 

I'm sure my friends, Jon and Jenny, are sure experiencing the hoopla there today. I've been to Blacksburg a few times prior to the shootings last year and it's a very, very small town. I'm sure having "celebrities" such as Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte visit the town and play their beloved Hokies was a neat experience. (ESPN)

My Day at Coney Island

Before the inevitable closing of the parks in Coney Island, I took my out-of-town friend Justin to visit the famed ghetto theme park in his continuing search of not-so-typical New York experiences. Looking at the empty boardwalks, the empty parks and the only place that seem to have people is the Nathan's. So of course, we ate there. 

It's a personal story what's happening to Coney Island. The city is trying to clean up the place, but both Astroland and Deno's Amusement Park wants to stay there. I mean, the least the parks can do is do some maintenance work to make it not as tragic and desolate looking. It's an odd New York experience visiting Coney Island this time of year, but nonetheless, it is one- especially in the cold. 

My Anthony Minghella (RIP)

I guess I was in shock and refused to believe it when I first read it, but as reports keep coming in regarding director Anthony Minghella's death- I'm forced to realize the man who gave me one of my favorite films of all time ('The Talented Mr. Ripley') had passed away. Thank you, Anthony. (NYT)

My Rivalry On Ice

It appears life imitates art this time. Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek are the top American figure skaters and they couldn't be more different. One is more rough and rugged, the other more elegant and graceful. Of course this mean they are public rivals- who eerily resembles Will Ferrell and Jon Heder in 'Blades of Glory'. 

Nothing like more drama at the rink. Let's hope it doesn't get to another Tanya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan before the 2012 Winter Olympics Games at Vancouver. (NYT)

Sidenote: Guess who's the rough and rugged one and who's the elegant and graceful one in the photo. 

My Dark Knight

Okay. Now for some non-governor, non-scandal and non-politic related news. New York Times wrote a story about the upcoming Batman sequel, 'The Dark Knight', and the many post-production decisions director Christopher Nolan have the encounter- particularly Heath Ledger's death. 

The article continues to confirm the ongoing speculations that Ledger was both physical and emotionally drained from the role of the Joker. The most eye-catching statement however was Nolan's comparison of the fictional Gotham to the modern day Baghdad. "When you’re dealing with questionable notions like people taking the law into their own hands, you have to really ask, where does that lead? That’s what makes the character so dark, because he expresses a vengeful desire.”

Well, there goes the non-political promise I made earlier. (NYT)

My Other Other Governor Scandal

The hits just keep on coming. Current New York governor David Paterson revealed today he and his wife had extra-martial affairs during the rocky periods of their marriage. Paterson had sworn in to become the 55th governor of New York earlier today. I guess it's better to reveal your secret before they come out scandalous, huh? (NYDN)

My Other Former Governor Scandal

Speechless. This is Teddy Pedersen. And Dina had no idea? 

(NYDN, Gothamist)

My Tibet Rally

And I thought driving on Sunday was safe. While going up the West Side Highway, I got trapped from 20th to 42nd street for 30 minutes. It was a little rough. So when I passed 42nd street, i had to take a picture of the Tibetan rally in front of the Chinese embassy. This picture didn't do the situation justice. With a quick glance, I saw at least 15 cops on horses, 30 Tibetan flags with at least 300 people. 

With this protest on the West side and the crane collapse on the East, this sure made it a rough weekend to navigate around the island. 

My March Madness

I love college basketball this time of year- partially because I like brackets. With a quick look at the preliminary brackets, I have North Carolina, Kansas, Texas and Duke making it to the final four. Just one thing, How did South Alabama make it in when worthier teams such as Virginia Tech and Arizona State is left dancing in the NIT, the most overrated sports tournament ever to exist? (ESPN)

My Sound of Music Testimonies

I was more than delighted when I saw that Nathaniel over at the Film Experience notified his readers about 'The Sound of Music' playing at the Ziegfeld- and tonight, I went with two very unlikely candidates. First, my roommate, Carl, who has NEVER seen it and second, Justin, a buddy of mine from out of town who was just happy to have a NY experience. After watching it, the three of us couldn't have more different opinions. Here are our testimonies...

1. Carl, 23, roommate, never seen 'The Sound of Music', "Of course I've heard about the nostalgia surrounding this movie. I just never got around to see it. It's not my favorite musical, but it's definitely one of the better ones in the genre. I think it's partially because I didn't watch it as a kid."

2. Justin, 23, out-of-town friend, last seen 'The Sound of Music' as a kid', "I don't remember much from the what I saw as a child. I just remember the singing and some of the songs. Watching it again after all these years at this amazing theater was pretty cool. I'm glad there are some theaters still playing older classics."

3. Peter, 25, musical softee, last seen 'The Sound of Music' last week, "I wanted to be a Von Trapp kid growing up. I can only wish this was my first 'Sound of Music' experience. The perfect setting for a personal favorite. Seeing the large landscapes and production the way they were meant to be seen will be no doubt be near the top of my existing list of cinematic experiences."

Okay. That last one was a little bias. :P

My Bad Teeth

Men's Health magazine recently released their research for the American city with the best and worst teeth. Coming in at #1 is Madison, WI while those poor folks from Lubbock, TX ranked last at #100- while NYC came in at #34. While good teeth has never been a personal turn-on, while bad teeth has been a turn-off, I guess I'll avoid those southern states.. where apparently all the lower ranked cities were. (Men's Health)

My Snoop Dogg

File this one under weird promotion. Snoop Dogg is scheduled to re-record the theme song for the soap opera 'One Life To Live'. Of course, Snoop professed he loved the soap since he was a toddler when his mom had it on television while he was in his crib. I compare this one to JK Rowling rapping as the opening act for The Dixie Chicks. (TVGuide)

My Black Hawk Down Retrospective

Back during the 2001-2002 awards season, I went to see Ridley Scott's 'Black Hawk Down' a total of 7 times in the theater- a total no films has passed since. Needless to say, I was caught in the moment and it was named my picture of the year. Now, six years later, I rewatched a story that capture my being and realized what clicked with me. 

'Black Hawk Down' was the kind of film that is patriotic and not as the same time. Distincting America's failures (and eventual triumph), the film shows a lot of "what ifs?" in the setting of modern combat- something that is definitely relevant in today's headlines. The story of various soldiers with very different background becoming comrades in mission has worked in cinema for decades, but what sets 'Black Hawk Down' different for me is that there are no promise of light at the end of the tunnel until it actually reaches there. 

It also boasts, at the time, what is a very up and coming group of actors. Ewan McGregor, Hugh Dancy, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Ioan Gruffudd, Ron Eldard, Ewen Bremner and a pre-'Entourage' Jeremy Piven all carried the ensemble. Which brings us to Josh Hartnett. I believe 'Black Hawk Down' was his greatest film and greatest performance to date, but to see his resume and profile dropped significantly since then is a disappointment.

I do encourage others to go back and look at this film and see how it influenced Scott's later work, specifically 'American Gangster' and 'Kingdom of Heaven' with different results. You just don't need to watch it 7 times. 

My Fierce, Hot Messed Tranny

Even a week after it originally premiered, Amy Poehler's Christian Siriano still cracks me up. Though the show is still pretty rough, since its return from the writer's strike, SNL has managed to throw out some nifty catch-phrases (see: 'Bitch is the new black.')

My Five-Dollar Bill

A new $5 bill is set to make its debut later year. With each changing bill, I can't help but think our currency is beginning to look like Monopoly money. Perhaps that would increase the value of the dollar. (CNN)