Well, "Ultimate" might be a strong word, especially for ME, considering I don't care for 1st person shooters much, but with the 2 mega games franchises - Halo and Call of Duty - releasing their next big installments within a week of one another, the big ad campaigns are unavoidable, so lets look at BOTH commercials and see which one moves you!
First - Halo 4, now developed by 343 Industries hit store shelves this past Tuesday, the 6th (election day)
... meh! ...
Next - Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, from Treyarch, comes out next week on the 13th of November.
Yeah, man! Fun, Catchphrases, Guest Stars, Explosions ... ZOMBIES?!? ... Now THAT is a commercial! ... Right on par with the original Cod:BLops "noob" commercial with Jonah Hill and Sam Worthington!
Needless to say, this is HUGE for videos games, particularly for the Microsoft X-box(the only place you can play Halo), especially now with the holiday season and people .... "asking for things" ... But the REAL winners will be the Game Stops, Best Buys, and Toys R' Us of the world. But, whatevz! I'm gonna lean towards Call of Duty, if I had to choose one, but I say - crack open those change jars and go out and get'em BOTH! You KNOW you deserve it!
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Have you heard about this new Football Phenom? Single season stats - 25 Touchdowns, 1,911 yards, averaging 8.2 yards per carry ... Ridiculous, right?! Someone get Sam Gordon on the New York Giants roster, stat! ... Oh, and did I mention? - Sam Gordon is a girl.
In the Salt Lake City, Utah area junior football league for kids in her age group (mostly 9 year olds), Sam plays against the boys, and just destroys the "competition". Usually the smallest person on the field, she's easy to spot. Her speed and agility is unmatched by any of her peers, running circles around everyone, breaking tackles left and right.
Check it out here!
Seriously - Just give Sam the ball and get the HELL out of her way!
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Get ready, and hope you enjoy cuz this is as "political" as I'll ever get on this thing!
Its not possible to NOT know that President Obama was re-elected last night to a round of joyous celebration, the country and the world over!
It all started with this little voters ballot ... Over the course of an entire November 6th and an entire nation, people were filling them out feverishly to ... well ... for whatever personal reasons motivate them ...
Afterwards, later on in the evening, many congregated wherever a drink and television set were available. I wound up at 230 5th in NYC (god help me), and it was a crazy scene! Felt like we were watching the Superbowl or something, they way everyone was into it, which was pretty cool. In the past, I've always just stayed home on Election night, and watched anything on TV that WASN'T politically related. Who KNEW this was a thing to do??
As much as people cheered whenever they showed Obama ahead or officially "winning" a state, (and maybe this was just a New York thing), nothing compared to way the roof blew off when CNN announced him as their projected winner.
Here's a little taste of what the ol' camera caught:
And of course, not EVERYONE was happy ... Plenty of sour grapes and disappointed faces to go 'round ... But whatever. Can't let their angry tweets, excuses and nonsense spoil an awesome day ... And I think we could all use one!
So - Yay!! 4 more years!! I for one am thrilled! The only thing I'll miss about Mr. Romney is his awesome nickname ... So, with the utmost respect for a hard fought election, here's a classy little "goodbye" note I put together for our ALMOST 'President Mittens' ... Later!
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Happy Halloween!! Here we are! We've finally arrived at the ultimate finale for the Top 10 Horror Movies of All-Time! Its been a great 10 days, and so much fun counting down with you to see what ranks on EWLYD as thee greatest Horror movie ever made ... Thank you, and your patience has been rewarded, my friends ...
You should understand I'm talking about the original 1978 release of Dawn of the Dead, written and directed by George Romero ... I said it before and I'll say it again - EJ loves zombies ... And as far as zombie movies go - Dawn of the Dead is the best. For those that don't know, it is essentially Romero's follow up to Night of the Living Dead. The movie starts off with the zombies already up and running and doing what they do. And as one of the few remaining television broadcasts is on the air, discussing the turmoil and trying to keep the public informed, chaos ensues and 2 reporters find themselves teamed up with 2 SWAT team members attempting to hide out in an "abandoned" shopping mall in order to fight for their lives ...
How does it make the top 10?
Horror movies don't come any better than this. The strength of ANY movie is how much it can resonate with an audience, making the 'character connection' the most vital aspect. Therein, the weakness many horror movies suffer from is their limited characterization. They are too bogged down in their own premise or the 'horror figure' itself to truly connect to viewers. Some make weak attempts or try to compensate for the lack with shock, flash, and gimmickry, but its only the very BEST movies can effectively create that connection. And like I mentioned with Night of the Living Dead, zombie movies aren't about the zombies, they are about the survivors, which gives this type of horror film the perfect pallet to create something meaningful.
Romero's 1978 Dawn gave us 4 characters and ONLY 4, which is important. This meant that they weren't just fodder for zombies to pick off one by one. These 4 individuals had to make a story, and that they did. From the point that they decided to clear out the mall of the undead roaming around, we got to ride with them as 'real people' making practical decisions. We got to see relationships form and friendships put to the test ... Sometimes it was lighthearted. Sometimes it was sad and scary.
Some fantastic scenes of the survivors doing something as natural as just shopping and trying to enjoy whatever type of life they can while trapped in a mall ... And of course, the political statements that abound in the film, from its views on consumerism, feminism, and social activism ... It was the 70's afterall .... There is just so much to take away from it. And although Dawn isn't all "horror" and "monsters" all the time, when it is, it is awesome. There's a measure of real fright and intensity in almost every scene, even when trying to accomplish the simplest of tasks. What's going to happen?Can they really keep the zombies at bay?? How much longer can they hold out??? These are the questions that keep viewers on the edge of their seat the whole way through and when you find out the "answer" at the end? ... Wow.
Best horror movie. Hands down. Period.
Love to hear your thoughts, criticism and commentary!
What shouldn't have been on the list? .... What was missing?
Take care and Happy Halloween!!
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We made it folks! We're at the front gates of the mega-grand finale for the Top 10 Horror Movies of All-Time Countdown! Today is the eve of Halloween, but before we get to that big day tomorrow with the big reveal, we still have the #2 or the runner-up for top horror movie of all time, and it may come as a bit of a surprise ...
Whoa! Wait! What?!?! Arguably the most famous and iconic holiday scream picture of all time only got the #2 spot?! Believe it. But that's not to take anything away from this classic picture. Halloween, written and directed by John Carpenter, began scaring the mess outa people back in 1978, making it the slasher flick that every OTHER slasher flick wanted to be like. Michael Myers was the psychopath's name ... And family slaying was his game, beginning with his sister when he was just a child, only to be institutionalized, escape 15 years later, return home to Haddonfield, IL, and pick right back up where he left off ... Stalking his long lost sister, Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, and murdering all her teen chums that Halloween night ...
How does it make the top 10?
Duh. This one isn't up for debate. The pacing and timing of Halloween can only be described as poetic ... Methodical in how Michael returns and begins his mini rampage. From the start of the film, its like a gradually accelerating car, and upon nearing the finale, that car is barreling down the highway, your heart-rate is through the roof, and there is no chance of slowing down. And that legendary haunting musical theme?! What?!?! Awesome.
Halloween doesn't force itself. The "slower" periods are used expertly to establish the tone. It FEELS like actual Halloween night all the way through. They spend a lot of time with that, and it's important.
And as solid as Jamie Lee Curtis is, the standout and REAL hero, is Michael's 'fake-no-jacks' psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, played by Donald Pleasance. He was Michael's doctor for 15 years, though, for a psychiatrist, Loomis constantly seemed to have trouble dealing with everyone, as nobody seemed to like or trust him throughout ... But that's ok. Loomis is the only one who truly understands that therapy is over for Michael, and the only form of medication left for his patient is a bullet to the head. Gotta LOVE a doctor like that.
From the host of talent that created the movie, the legitimization of the 'slasher movie' genre, the genuine frightfulness and impeccable pace and strength of storytelling in a premise that could have just as easily been a total wash, Halloween is a classic. Forget the crappy psychoanalysis and wasteful backstory of all the bullshit Rob Zombieremakes ... And forget all the sequels (except Halloween 2, which was fairly decent) ... Halloween is a work of art and makes itself thee film to forever define an entire holiday season.
Don't forget - "You can't kill the boogeyman! ..."
Tomorrow ... #1 ... the Finale. Oh what could it be?!?! ...
Want a hint? .... heh heh heh ... Nope! Tune in a find out!!!
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Can you FEEL the tension?! ... Is it Hurricane Sandy/Frankenstorm breathing down your neck?! ... Nope! We're closing in on the finale for the Top 10 Horror Movies of All-Time countdown!! The bad news is theres only 3 to go. The GOOD news is that everything left? - MASTERPIECES.
Directed by Tobe Hooper(who also brought us yesterday's Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and written by Steven Spielberg(that is QUITE a parentage for a film), 1982's Poltergeist is easy to be overlooked as a horror film. Why? Perhaps cuz a "PG" rated 'Spielberg' movie seldom falls into that genre? Well don't let that fool you. Poltergeist is the definition of horror. The story? A normal California family notices strange things happening around their home and its not long before monstrous spirits bridge a connection through the youngest child and begin a terrifying rampage over the entire household.
How does it make the top 10?
Sure, we've seen this story before - Creepy kid? Check. (although Carol Anne is cuter than she is creepy)Annoying brother? Check. Spooky ghosts? Check. One parent that refuses to believe? Check and double check. Its the textbook that every single 'ghost' and 'haunting' horror movie has studied since then, but NEVER has it been done better and more scary than with Poltergeist. The movie was powerful cuz it was just so relatable. The trials and tribulations of the "average family", but then not SO banally average that we just didn't give a shit.
Great performances from every single character, particularly the children. Heather O'Rourke's (R.I.P.) legendary cinematic catchphrase - "They're heeere ..." Zelda Rubinstein as the psychic Tangina? Epic. She was like the 'Yoda' to The Empire Strikes Back, and remains today as one of the most iconic and unlikely horror movie heroines ever.
It forever changed the way we looked at our television sets, and anticipated a coming storm - "1-1,000 ... 2-1,000 ... 3-1,000 ... " ...
Poltergeist was one of the revolutionary proponents of change for Motion Picture Association ratings, as at the time a movie was either rated "PG" or "R". Being family centered, with no nudity or swearing, Poltergeist got a "PG", although as horrific as it was, it probably deserved the "R". Poltergeist and movies like it were instrumental in the creation of "PG-13".
Lastly, at the end of the day, Poltergeist was just frighteningly unforgettable. The clown doll? The tree? The ants? The face in the bathroom mirror? ... That creepy-ass movie anthem?! I don't want to spoil any of it, but if you've SEEN this film, you know what I'm talking about. And if you haven't yet? Then you are in for one of best and and most shocking movie watching experiences of your life. You'll definitely go and hug your family when you are done.
Tomorrow? #2! We're almost there!!!!!
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Almost there .... "Where?" you say? We are almost at the big finale of our Top 10 Horror Movies of All-Time countdown!! Today we serve up #4 on our list, and even without a big name writer, director, or cast ... This film gave birth to one of the most FAMOUS and iconic horror franchises ever ...
One of the original horror films to tease viewers with the notion of "this movie is based on accounts of a true story", The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in 1974 with that unnerving premise. Like countless others films that will eventually follow, it all starts with a group of young folks on a road trip. The poor lambs stop off in the wrong part of Texas backcountry only to find themselves being hunted and terrorized by an inbred family of cannibals and their maniacal chainsaw-wielding kinsman - Leatherface.
How does it make the top 10?
Let's face it. No, and I mean "NO" horror list can be complete without the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Leatherface predated Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers ... All of them, and he had a style all his own. No stalking, no teasing, no messing around ... Leatherface just came right AT you - brute force, bludgeoning, hacking, and chopping ... day or night. The tone of the film was impeccable. Taking time to get to know the doomed vacationers before the nightmare began ... the madness of not knowing who to trust ... And the 'lack of buildup'! These days - horror movies "tell" you when you are supposed to be frightened. The music score BUILDS to that big shock ... They tease with a fakeout or two and then REALLY let you have it ... *yawn* .... Texas Chainsaw didn't bother with that. One moment people are walking and talking, and then, before you even realize it, Letherface is out there in full view, doing what he does best.
I'm not a fan of "torturefilms" like Hostel or Saw, which people all too often lump together with real horror movies, but Texas Chainsaw Massacre floated that line between the 2 genres expertly, without even being aware of it. The menace was psychological as much as it was physical, and the abrupt, open-ended "What the hell just happened?" conclusion was nothing short of a cinematic work of art.
The remake had hot-ass Jessica Biel in it, but the effort, like most remakes, pretty much sucked. Forget that trash and all the sequels that followed the original ... Just stick with the 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre for a dose of horror movie perfection.
#3 tomorrow ... Want a hint? Just ask the tv people ...
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Well, "Ultimate" might be a strong word, especially for ME, considering I don't care for 1st person shooters much, but with the 2 mega games franchises - Halo and Call of Duty - releasing their next big installments within a week of one another, the big ad campaigns are unavoidable, so lets look at BOTH commercials and see which one moves you!
Needless to say, this is HUGE for videos games, particularly for the Microsoft X-box (the only place you can play Halo), especially now with the holiday season and people .... "asking for things" ... But the REAL winners will be the Game Stops, Best Buys, and Toys R' Us of the world. But, whatevz! I'm gonna lean towards Call of Duty, if I had to choose one, but I say - crack open those change jars and go out and get'em BOTH! You KNOW you deserve it!
Share on Facebook, click Follow or Join this Site! ... or get more insight and shenanigans on Twitter @DarkOcean
