zombie wrapping

In honor of Black Friday (of which I am not participating), I bring you the best commercial of the holiday season (thus far). Here is Game Stop's new advertisement, and I have to say, I kind of want a zombie for Christmas now.

HIMYM: 50 reasons to have sex

On Monday night's episode of How I Met Your Mother (read Alan Sepinwall's review here), Ted and the others are introduced to the philosophy of The Naked Man -- where, if you haven't a chance for a second date, you should lose your clothes because your date will just laugh and half sex with you -- and, of course, Robin sleeps with The Naked Man creator, Mitch. Marshall "calls slut" and believes that the only reason to have sex with someone is for love. Well, his lovely lady proves him wrong with "50 Reasons to Have Sex." Here they are below for your viewing pleasure.


Some highlights:

#8: Nothing good on TV.
#13-14: Diet/exercise, and then to celebrate recent weight loss.
#23: Just shaved legs.
#30: She wants to.
#39: Damn, your calves look good in those cargo shorts. (I wish this one had been explained on the show!)
#40: Called/texted the wrong person but she was into it anyway. (This is totally an addition from Barney.)
#50: Love. (Aww, Marshall and Lily are so cute.)

episode: chuck, "chuck vs. the gravitron"

There was a lot to recommend about this episode, though it's probably one of the weaker episodes of the season (but it's been a really awesome season). Here, Jordana Brewster's three-episode arc ends, and I have to say, I appreciated her casting as Chuck's ex-girlfriend Jill because I really did believe that Jill would leave being a Fulcrum spy for Chuck. Brewster did a good job deceiving me convincingly, and I think her being carried away in handcuffs allows for her return in later episodes, though hopefully not any time soon. The episode was too much plot and not enough dorkiness, but I did enjoy some smaller moments of the episode like Morgan's subjective slo-mo of Ellie cutting the turkey (is fantasizing about Ellie or the turkey?) and Chuck's note reading "Unleash the Casey." I can picture that line sprawled on t-shirts.

One question about this episode: Was Jill's text message about "Uncle Tobias" a reference to Arrested Development's Tobias Fünke? The writers are certainly dorky enough (they had a Vogon poetry reference last week!), so I hope this was intentional.

I am worried about the Sarah-Chuck storyline, though, because Chuck intelligently showed the audience that Chuck and Sarah both realize they can't be with each other, despite their feelings. But it seems like Sarah's feelings are starting to compromise her job, and I fear that the will-they-or-won't-they dynamic will come back. The they-can't-but-they-want-to dynamic is much more interesting, namely because it's character-driven rather than plot-driven. If the story is going where I think it's going (and hope it's going), Sarah will be put on a leave of absence to get her act together (which allows for Tricia "Number Six" Helfer to appear as Sarah's temporary replacement). This will be good so that Chuck and Sarah can have relationship issues outside of one another. They've been handled appropriately this season with Sarah's high school identity and now Jill, but there should always be an outside source that causes each other to pine for the other.

Quotes were scarce, but here are some highlights:

Ellie: The Awesomes are coming, and they make their son look Mildly Impressive.

Chuck: (to Jill) You already broke my heart. Do you have to shoot it too?

Chuck: You're under arrest, Jill, and I'm breaking up with you.

Morgan: (after wishing for Chuck and Sarah to patch things up, Chuck and Sarah walk through the door together and he realizes his "Christmas miracle" powers) I can ask for anything... (looks at the door in anticipation) a DeLorean, a flying DeLorean...

pics from luhrmann's australia

The following images are from Baz Luhrmann's upcoming film Australia, and the images are courtesy of Glam, which I can only assume is a fashion magazine.

Australia is an epic and romantic action adventure, set in that country on the explosive brink of World War II. In it, an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) travels to the faraway continent, where she meets a rough-hewn local (Hugh Jackman) and reluctantly agrees to join forces with him to save the land she inherited. Together, they embark upon a transforming journey across hundreds of miles of the world's most beautiful yet unforgiving terrain, only to still face the bombing of the city of Darwin by the Japanese forces that attacked Pearl Harbor. With his new film, Baz Luhrmann is painting on a vast canvas, creating a cinematic experience that brings together romance, drama, adventure and spectacle.

And from Film School Rejects, here are some more images -- but I have to wonder, is the cinematographer Steve McCurry? (Answer: No -- but the styles are certainly similar.)

movie blog's top 100 movies based on books

John at The Movie Blog took on the daunting task of listing the Top 100 Movies Based on Books. The list is quite extensive, but below are a few of the notable picks:


#96 - THE SHINING
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 86%
Synopsis: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.
John’s Thought: Iconic film with some of the most quoted one liners from a horror film in history.
My Thought: The movie's fantastic, but it's not very close to the book...

#79 - FULL METAL JACKET
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 96%
Synopsis: Full Metal Jacket begins by following the trials and tribulations of a platoon of fresh Marine Corps recruits focusing on the relationship between Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Privates Pyle and Joker. We see Pyle grow into an instrument of death as Hartman has forseen of all of his recruits. Through Pyle’s torment and Joker’s unwillingness to stand up against it the climax of part one is achieved with all three main characters deciding their fates by their action or inaction. The second chapter of Full Metal Jacket delves into Joker’s psyche and the repeated referal to the fact that he joined the Corps to become a killer. When his mostly behind the scenes job as a combat correspondant is interfered with by the Tet offensive he is thrust into real combat and ultimately must choose if he really is a killer.
John’s Thought: Not many people agree with me, but I think this was easily Stanley Kubrick’s best movie.
My Thought: If by "easily" the best John means most accessible, then I can agree. But 2001, The Shining, Spartacus, and Dr. Strangelove are all classics in their genre for a reason.


#75 - FORREST GUMP
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 72%
Synopsis: Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His ‘mama’ teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone
John’s Thought: A movie of a less than ordinary person who lives an extraordinary life. Great film, but no way in hell it should have beat out Shawshank Redemption for best picture that year.
My Thought: First, I didn't know this film was based a book, and second, I understand that Shawshank is sort of the new Godfather for men, but Forrest Gump is beyond brilliant.

#68 - THE ENGLISH PATIENT
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 84%
Synopsis: A burn victim, a nurse, a thief, and a sapper find themselves in each others company in an old Italian villa close to the end of World War II. Through flashbacks, we see the life of the burn victim, whose passionate love of a woman and choices he made for her ultimately change the lives of one other person in the villa. Not only is this film a search for the identity of the English patient, but a search for the identities of all the people in the quiet old villa.
John’s Thought: A lot of people found this dry and slow, but I thought it hit every note perfectly.
My Thought: Again, one of my favorite movies, but not that close to the book... the book is all about Hannah, who has very little screen time (compared to K, that is).


#44 - KISS KISS, BANG BANG
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 83%
Synopsis: A noir send-up. A narrator introduces himself at a Hollywood party: he’s Harry Lockhart, a thief from New York, in L.A. for a screen test. He meets Gay Perry, a glitzy private eye who’s to school him for his role; there’s Harmony Lane, a wannabe actress whose time has passed; the host is an aging actor who starred in detective movies, plus his daughter, with starlet looks and a choppy past. The next day, Gay and Harry stake out a house where Gay is to take surreptitious photographs for a client - what they find is a corpse. From there, twists and connections abound and bodies pile up. Who’s double-crossing whom? And, has Harry found Harmony too late to save himself from misery?
John’s Thought: This movie ranks right up there with Bubba Ho-Tep where the fact that it never got a wide release should be considered a crime against humanity. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer were both just amazing in this flick.
My Thought: Easily one of the best films of the 2000s. This was Downey's starring vehicle for his big comeback, and his performance here beats Tropic Thunder and Iron Man -- oh, yes, I did just say that.

#30 - 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 91%
Synopsis: This movie is concerned with intelligence as the division between animal and human, then asks a question; what is the next division? Technology is treated as irrelevant to the quest - literally serving as mere vehicles for the human crew, and as a shell for the immature HAL entity. Story told as a montage of impressions, music and impressive and careful attention to subliminal detail. A very influential film and still a class act, even after 25 years.
John’s Thought: There are parts of this film that still confuse the hell out of me.
My Thought: I've said this before and I'll say it again... the death of HAL is the saddest death in the history of cinema. "Daisy, daisy..."

#19 - DIE HARD
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 96%
Synopsis: Tough New York cop John McClane finds himself in a tight situation when an office building in Los Angeles is taken over by terrorists. Apart from himself, everyone else in the building - including his wife - is held at gunpoint while their captors spell out their demands. The F.B.I. are called in to survey the situation, but John McClane has other plans for the terrorists…
John’s Thought: Betcha didn’t know this was based on a book. Yeah neither did I at first.
My Thought: Nope. I didn't know that. I wonder if the book is in first person?


#9 - THE PRINCESS BRIDE
Rotten Tomatoes Rating - 95%
Synopsis: When the lovely Buttercup is kidnapped by a ghastly gang intent on fermenting an international incident they find they are pursued by the Dread Pirate Roberts who just might be Westley, her one true love. Also after everyone is nasty Prince Humperdinck to whom Buttercup is now betrothed but who seems to care little for her continued survival. The stage is set for swordfights, monsters, and tortures - but will Grandpa be allowed to finish telling the story with all these kissy bits?
John’s Thought: One of the most special movies ever made that is nothing short of pure magic. Holds a special place in the hearts of a lot of people.
My Thought: The interesting thing about this film is that it's about a sick boy whose grandfather reads him a story. And yet this film replaced storytime for me when I was sick. This film about a book (and based on a book) ushered in a new medium for preferred imagination.

And then not surprisingly, John puts all three of the Lord of the Ring movies in his TOP 5, and puts The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption at numbers 2 and 3, respectively. LotR: Return of the King took the #1 spot... which underwhelms me... what a predictably masculine choice.

People in the comments have noted the absences of Jurassic Park, Gone with the Wind, Fight Club, To Kill a Mockingbird, and American Psycho, all of which I agree need to be on this list. But I don't recommend reading the comments because most of these people are idiots and do not know how to intelligently criticize a list. Also, where is Atonement?

more mad men illustrations

I am going through some major Mad Men withdrawals -- Season 2 doesn't come out on DVD until July 2009, so AMC better start showing reruns soon. In the meantime, I'm converting J&G and Chad to the show, so hopefully rewatching Season 1 will soothe my eager heart. But lately, I just can't get enough of these Mad Men illustrations from Nobody's Sweetheart. It may just be me, but I think the following illustrations have improved since the ones I posted a while back. These are more Mad Men-specific, and the blocking is really quite beautiful.






For those who might be interested (ahem -- J&G), the Mad Men calendar is for sale (and is 40% until November 27th!). I plan to purchase the calendar in addition to the Hotel Babylon print (last one above). It's such a beautiful and haunting image, matching the scene from the series.

arrested development movie in the works?

News broke out at the end of last week about Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard closing the deal on making an Arrested Development movie. This is one of those things that goes into rotation every six months -- along with a Serenity sequel or a Veronica Mars movie -- but now there seems to be concrete evidence that this will happen. According to Kristin at E!, someone's holding out on signing, and all signs point to Michael Cera, but truth be told, as much as I adore the character of George Michael and his glorious awkwardness, I wouldn't miss Cera terribly. This show really is about the adults. Would the movie be a hundred times funnier if Cera was in it? Yes. But the movie will already be ten thousand times funny, so what's another hundred added into the mix?

Arrested Development is one of my favorite shows -- in fact, I think it's surpassed The Office as my favorite comedy. (Sometimes having a shorter life can actually help benefit a program. No one ever tired of Arrested, and I'm getting tired of The Office, especially after this past week's episode.) So in honor of this mind-blowingly awesome news (and I do mean awesome in the Godly sense), here are some clips. If you have not been converted, perhaps these will bring you over to the side of awesomeness.


My favoritest scene from television. Seriously.


Mrs. Doubtfire meets Mary Poppins


"You're killing me, Buster!" My second favoritest thing.


Justice cannot be blind... Okay, my third favoritest thing.