The Good, the Bad, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Boy, was today an "up and down" day for me. Trying to get to work on time was a real challenge as people seem to always forget how to drive when it snows and putter around at 10 to 20 mph under the speed limit. I barely got into to work on time by the skin of my teeth.

Loads of work came in and at first we had a real good grasp on it. In fact we even started to get ahead of it a bit. Then, as usually a poop-storm of it hit all at once at the very end of the day and we found ourselves scrambling to make sure it was all done and gone on time. But, we persevered and got through it all and hopefully did well at the end of the month.

Then I got an ecstatic call from my mom. Apparently, she scored a couple of tix to go see Billy Joel this Sunday! I'm not a huge Billy Joel fan, but free tix are free tix and I'll whore that offer up fer sure! I've heard he always puts on an excellent show. I remember being a kid in grade school and his album, 52nd Street came out and that was one of those albums that you just had to own!

Then my mom drops a little bomb of news that made me not even want to go see Billy. Apparently a very, very close relative went in to have a physical and the doctor found "something" that will have to be further tested. Lets just say, it's something that most women dread finding. It could be nothing, but until the further testing ensues and we get results, I'm going to be a bit worried. Let's hope all goes well. Keep my relative in your thoughts this week.

I then finally get home from work (yippee) and find that my rent is being raised again in under a year (boo-hiss). Can this day just frellin' end, please?


It's been awhile since I delved into any movie reviews, so here are a few for you....

Shoot 'Em Up - It's a no holds barred, non-stop action flick that barrows a lot from Robert Rodruigez's uber-acrobatic, gun play action movies. The silly twist to it is that it tries to apologize for the uber-violence being depicted by ending up with an anti-gun message. that's kind of frackin' lame, isn't it? The movie is a lot of fun and both Paul Giamattti and Clive Owen are both good in it and a lot of the gun play / choreography is top notch. It just loses its nards with the whole anti-gun stance. Seems a bit hypocritical. "Lets make a insanely violent movie with lots of guns, and bloodshed, but then excuse ourselves with a blatant anti gun stance towards the end of the film." Even though their morals are a bit messed up and silly its' still a fun as hell film to watch. And Monica Bellucci is very nice in it. It's a total bubble gum, action, escapist romp.

Live Free or Die Hard - Here's another fun as heck action thriller that is also the 4th installment of the Die Hard series featuring Bruce Willis as Detective John McLane who always finds himself in odd situations that deal with terrorists trying to take over buildings, airports or cities. I had a lot of fun with this one, even though it wasn't exactaly as popular as the other three films. I really enjoyed the villain as well as his beautiful side kick. The action was over the top. Would you really want to settle for less? this was also a fun as heck action flick that needs to be viewed by all.

Believe it or not, when it comes to genre films, those are the only ones I have really viewed in recent weeks. I gotta get back on track. I've updated my on-line video club with a few more that I will review in weeks to come. So hold tight.


I've been looking at past blogs and have found that I've been pretty much on the attack about some things I've recently found unjust. I figure it has something to due with the S.A.D. I'm dealing with as the winter weather has no hint of letting up any time soon. So I apologize to the Wienstein Company for my rant about how they're trying to frell up the movie Fanboys in my last blog. I guess I'll wait 'till it comes out to pass judgment. I just hope they don't screw it all to hell and back for the almighty dollar.


I'm still working on BioShock and Mass Effect ....... and Resident Evil 4. ...as well as reading My Boring Ass Life by Kevin Smith as well as Storm Front... and Sister of the Dead... and Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. ADD can really take the pizz outta me.

Speaking of ADD. have you been catching LOST lately. Time travel!!! WTF? I'm lovin' it, even though it's really cheesing off my friend Iris Von Beaverhousen. No answers, but more questions. Still gotta love it!

Oh, yes! I recently found out that my friend Dave is in the process of procreating for the first time! His seed has successfully inhabited his wife's egg and in several month's time he will be a proud poppa! Congratz to Dave and Stacey! If anyone deserves this blessing, it's the two of you!!!


And in major geek news, it appears that the latest edition of D&D won't be anywhere near as bad as rumored to be. Though, I haven't played the game in over a decade (I'm in CoC mode right now), I'm wondering how the rest of the RPG community will accept it. Here's a pretty stellar review of it.


Until next time, I'm outta here. Stay vertical!

Zangz.

The Greed Machine Rolls On....

I'm finally feeling a bit better after the plague strain that hit me, and many other co-workers and friends, has finally come to pass. This winter is just kickin' my ass. If I'm not sick, I'm shoveling a ton of snow to get my car out of my parking lot. If I'm not shoveling a ton of snow, I'm feezin' my dingle berries off in Hoth like temperatures. I'm totally hoping that the elements of spring come early as I have officially had it with this frackin' winter!


Another thing I've had it with is the Harvey Weinstein Company. Apparently some serious issues have come up with their upcoming movie, Fanboys. Originally this movie was about a group of major Star Wars fans who were going to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal a copy of SW, Ep. I: The Phantom Menace before it was released back in '99. It seems their friend is dying of cancer and they want him to see it before he passes on. Star Wars fans who've seen the original cut of it said that it hearkened back to Stand by Me as a feel good, fun filled, emotionally charged comedy. It was really something special. Sadly, the movie company that's producing it, The Weinstein Company, has decided to completely re-edit it and turn it into a stupid teen sex comedy romp in the tradition of American Pie. Instead of a bunch of caring Star Wars fans trying to help their friend, it will be about a bunch of Star Wars fans portrayed as dorks trying to simply steal the movie for their own selfishness. The whole terminally ill story line has been nixed for a more derogatory image of Star Wars fans feel. Harvey and his corrupt company want to make a quick buck off of the film rather than make a quality picture.

Ok, kids. It's time to educate yourselves. You can read all about the greed filled debacle right HERE! Time to educate yourselves!


In other greed filled news. It looks like the greedy bastages who moved GenCon out of Milwaukee are finally getting their come-uppence. Once they turned GenCon into a corporate entity rather than simply a RPG and gaming convention that was held in Milwaukee every year and moved it to Indiana so they could make more money are now not only filling for bankruptcy, they're also being sued by Lucasfilms for a bunch of reasons. Here's an email that a friend sent me that explains a lot of it......

"Here’s a synopsis of the lawsuit Lucasfilm filed against GenCon (gotten off of The Force.net):

There's some big news that just came onto the radar: Lucasfilm is suing Gen Con over issues with Celebration IV! While the case is stamped January 10th, this is the first I've heard anything about it. You can read the full complaint but here are the allegations.

1. Gen Con failed to uphold its legal obligations in terms of financial reporting, accounting and payments to Lucasfilm ($500,000 in damages)
2. Gen Con did not give auction proceeds to Make-A-Wish as they had agreed to do ($150,000 in damages)
3. Gen Con did not give Lucasfilm their share of the auction proceeds ($150,000 in damages)
4. Gen Con did this all unjustly ($150,000 in damages)"

Interesting. The plot thickens…"

Hah hah. The curse for leaving Milwaukee has finally bit GenCon in the ass! Serves them right! Whenever a stupid decision is made by greed, it always has it's karma consequences. Hopefully, The Weinstein Company will feel the same karma sting very soon.

Greed sucks ass!

Zangz.

I feel too oogie to think of a catchy title to this blog post....

Since it has been a stretch between my last two posts, I thought I'd double whammy you with two this week. In the last post I mentioned that I was sick on Valentines day but was cheered up the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (IJATKOTCS) teaser trailer that was posted on-line that dark, sad and lonely day.

Well, I'm still sick. I was able to drag my sorry ass into work on Friday. Towards the end of the day I actually felt a bit better. But, when I got home that night I started to feel all oogie again and ended up hitting the hay at 9:30 pm on a Friday night. Saturday I woke up with a huge sinus headache which lasted the entire day. I finally pushed myself off of the couch to attend my sister's birthday dinner. Unfortunately, my bro-in-law couldn't attend 'cause he was sick at home also. The dinner was phenomenal as lasagna and Cherry Berries on a Cloud were the order of the evening!

It's Sunday morning now and I'm still suffering from aches and sinus problems. So today's agenda will be to do wash, relax and catch up on my Kevin Smith book.


In more pleasant news, I've finally finished watching all of the episodes of Firefly and capped it off with the motion picture Serenity which ties up most of the story. It was a great, short lived TV series that could have rose to great critical acclaim, but FOX Network executive (read: d*****bags) pulled the plug on it way to quickly. The outer space western hardly lasted a full season.

What made this show so wonderful? For one thing the cast and characters all worked well together as an ansamble. Each had their own story lines, personality, quirks and attributes. You cared for all of them. Even salty Jayne Cobb brought some pretty funny moments to the show.

The show didn't try to be all dark and speak over the fans' heads like Galactica can do at times. There was a fun, pulpy feel to the series as well as a nice dose of drama they didn't try and cram down fans' throats.

Speaking of Galactica, Firefly preceded Galactica's off kilter, shaky camera special effect space battles. By making the CG space scenes look flawed, it also gave a sense of reality to them. Something that Galactica has aped from since.

If you're a fan of the Sci-Fi genre and missed out when this show originally aired back in 2002, go rent yourself, or pick up, this fantastic and fun series!

For more information on the series you can check out......

ZANGZ'S WEBSITE OF THE MOMENT

BrownCoats.com

I may have made this one of my websites of the moment a while back, but since we're on the subject, I think I'll refresh everybody's memory. This website is for both fans and the uninitiated of the Firefly series alike. It has an insane amount of information on the series, characters, stars and story lines all placed in a relatively comprehensive set up. Do take time to check it out.

That's going to have to be it for now. I haven't seen any movies worth posting about and I'm still knee deep into Bioshock and Mass Effect. So until next time, Stay Vertical!

Zangz.

"...and though I hate to see you go, Oh No, it must be so. It's another lonely Valentines day"

Now don't get all concerned with the title of this blog. I'm not gunna hang my single, sorry butt or anything. It's just a lyric from Type O Negative's song The Dream is Dead. It just sums up my dislike of this holiday.

Let me tell you how I spent my holiday. It started with me waking up with a horrible cough. I get up anyway and go to work. Once I get to work I start to feel worse and worse with a looming headache and other achy body parts (think clean, people!). I then burn a half a day of paid time off to go home early and try and rest. I attempted a nap, but the achy parts kept me in a state of "in and out" sleep. I get up and watch a little day time TV which makes me a bit nauseous. So, I turn off the tube and try some more shut eye, which I'm actually a bit successful with this time.

I wake up in a coughing jag and go get some water. I decide to check some email and maybe a little web surfing. That's when I remember that both Mr. Salty and Spanky have reminded me about a little piece of loveliness that was revealed today.

My Valentines Day is not a complete bust. So all you happy couples in relationships who make the rest of us feel like plague victims every time this holiday comes around, feast your pathetic, lovelorn eyes upon a true Valentines day treat (hopefully you have high speed or DSL 'cause it took my cruddy dial up modem and hour to get this thing operational)..............

Click Here!

Now, how friggin' cool was that, huh? I can't wait! Happy Valentines Day mutha truckas!!!!

I'm going to catch a little more shut eye before Lost comes on. See ya!

Zangz.

Rediscovering Serenity....

I know, the title sounds like some sort of lame-assed, new age, hippie post, but it's not. I assure you.

It's just that I got some gift cards for my birthday a few weeks back and finally decided to cash them in. I decided to pick up the box set of the TV series Firefly, a brilliant sci-fi action show that was on FOX and lasted only one season (due to the pure stupidity of the number crunchers at the network). That one season is now a box set of DVD's that I'm slowly, but surely, going through. It's a very good time to do so with the writers strike and all.

It still blows my mind how Joss Wheden created such a wonderful show that was not given its fair due. It follows a rag-tag crew of smugglers who pick up odd jobs here an there throughout the galaxy several hundred years from now. They're housed in the space ship, Serenity which takes them from planet to planet in a galaxy that has a wild west feel to it rather than a more fantastical or futuristic driven motif. Joss created characters that you really care about (especially Inara... ehem, ehem). If you're ever looking for something that is completely different from all the other sci-fi shows on TV, pick up or rent the series Firefly. You will not be disappointed!!!


Since we're on the subject of genre television, I must also mention that I'm going through the second season of HBO's equally defunct, odd as frack TV series Carnivale. The show follows the exploits of an old 1930's midway carnival across the dustbin of America. Of course there are bizarre, creepy, paranormal things going on around the freak show folk. It's another series the was yanked before its time by network number crunching numb-nuts. Another series you all need to check out. Especially when the girls dance "the Hooch"!


Still on the topic of genre television, the phenomenal TV series LOST launched its latest season last night. And, as usual we get a few answers and far more questions. But, I still love this show! I hope the writers' strike commences before the eight episodes they've been able to shoot are done!


Hey, believe it or not, I actually won a game of Munchkin, much to the surprise of the rest of the players. I never frellin' win...ever! But, somehow my brilliance finally paid off. actually it was because a few of the players were shat-faced on red wine and I slipped right by them. Bahahahahaaha. Eat it, kids!


I think I'll be calling it a night here as I need to go fantasize about Inara from Firefly.

See you all later.

Zangz.