It's not exactly common knowledge, but it should be. I am a die-hard Battlestar Galactica fan and the premiere of season 4, the final season, is only weeks away. If you haven't hopped on the frakking band wagon yet, you still have a good amount of time to cram in all three seasons before the April 4, 2008 premiere date. And if you simply don't have the time the SciFi Channel has just put together a short 8 minute summary of all three previous seasons to refresh our memories. Appropriately titled "What the Frak?" this summation takes a quick and fairly comical run through the entire story arc of the series. Check it out at IMDB or just click below...
Season 3 of Battlestar Galactica comes to DVD on March 18. Buy it or "die in a fire!" Kudos to Aaron for turning me onto that phrase.
One more thing...today I received the high honor of all SciFi geekdom, I was featured in a blog written by Charlie Craig, the Executive Producer of Eureka (watch it on SciFi).
It might be old news to you video game heads out there, but I just found out about the new Guitar Hero video game that is set for release this coming June. This time game developers have put a unique twist on this fifth installment of the GH franchise.
Being a fan of this highly addictive game, and knowing the popularity it has around the world, I always thought it would be a great idea for a popular band to release a version of the game that featured only their music. It seems that I was not the only one that had the idea.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith puts players in the shoes of the entire band as they rock out alongside frontman Steven Tyler. It takes gamers on a autobiographical journey through Aerosmith's legendary career, from their first gig to becoming rock royalty.
As players progress through the game, they can rock out to scores of Aerosmith's greatest hits, as well as songs from celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way (Rumors are circulating around RUN DMC).
I have been a long time Aerosmith fan, AND own every Guitar Hero game to date, so I am ecstatic with "Sweet Emotion" for this to arrive in stores, and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."
What a juicy day in movie news. Today, I was overjoyed to read about the rumblings of three different action movie "sequels" that will be coming to theaters in the not too distant future. And I must admit people, that I am getting pretty giddy about it.
First up is Warner Bros. reinvention of the highly popular Terminator series.Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, starring Christian Bale and rumored to also star Josh Brolin, has been set for release in May 2009. According to Variety, the film will begin shooting in New Mexico on May 5 and should go for about two months. The storyline is under tight wraps, but the plot is only the first part of a planned trilogy. Salvation is supposed to take place after the nuclear holocaust that concluded Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, with John Connor (Bale) leading a renegade band of human survivors in the fight against Skynet. Terminator fans everywhere rejoice, there might actually be salvation for us after Terminator 3's shortcomings.
The second bit of juicy news, although not nearly as cool, is that my British look-alike, Jason Statham, is officially repeating his role, for the third go, as the edgy, gun-slinging, kung fu-fighting, driver/delivery man also known as The Transporter. The buzz-cut-having Brit will again play Frank, the mercenary delivery driver who will transport any package, anywhere, no questions asked. Plot details for the third installment haven't been released yet, but according to Variety, Transporter 3 will maintain its European flair with shooting scheduled for 16 weeks in Russia and France.
The third and final bit of juiciness is all thanks to a mundane and otherwise boring article that was posted on Variety (yes, all of my source material is from the same website in this entry). The article eludes to, but does not confirm that a fourth chapter of the Jason Bourne series could be reality. Can the series be BOURNE AGAIN? Word for word the article states:
"More recently, Shmuger and Linde landed Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon for a fourth "Bourne" movie, even though the director and star seemed ready to wrap it up after three pics."
You may recall that at the beginning of the year I laid out several goals that I wanted to accomplish each month. I must say that January was a very successful month, but February was very different, my goal-accomplishing skills were much "less effective." Thinking back I see my main mistake was not starting the month with any specific goals in mind. And without any concrete aspirations, it is nearly impossible to accomplish anything.
There are several reasons I am trying to challenge myself. For one, I really want to become a better person, and I feel like I have been much too stagnant for the past year. And two, I like a good challenge and I feel like if I make a "to do list" every month, I will feel like I am being successful once I accomplish those goals. It's not easy breaking old habits. It's almost like my new self is fighting my old self to the death. Most of my old habits are lingering around, while my new self wants to break through and take over. In a sense, it's just "Old" Kristian vs. "New" Kristian.
"New" Kristian vs. "Old" Kristian
Battle Statistics:
Round 1 (January 2008): Victory to "New" Kristian
Round 2 (February 2008): Victory to "Old" Kristian
Round 3 (March 2008): The final round, TBD
As you can see, the score is even, "old" has defeated "new" and "new" has defeated "old." Next month is a big month, it will truly determine if I really do want to change. I'm hoping for a "New" Kristian victory. If that happens then I am on my way to change. Stay tuned...
For those of you who didn't see the return of Saturday Night Live this weekend, you missed some pretty funny sketches. The Milkshake sketch, which pays homage to this years Best Picture nominees, was by far the highlight of the night. Properly titled "The Will Be Milkshake for Old Men." Check it out...
Ever since I posted the entry about my ideas for a new car I have been getting a lot of people "hating" on my idea of possibly getting a MINI Cooper. All I have to say is, if you thinkthe MINI's too small, then I have made up my mind...this is the car I'm getting. The P50...
How do you like them apples? Thanks to my little brother Kyle, for the video.
So I am completely and underly fed up with my car. Granted, I haven't had too many problems over the course of my ownership, but lately I have been hearing strange noises from the front wheel on the passenger side. I have taken it into the shop multiple times, they say they have fixed it, but the sound remains. Believe me, it doesn't sound good. It sounds like a small animal is jammed behind the tire and its precious little bones are GRINDING against the wheel all while its screeching in dire pain.
As many of you know, car issues are one of the leading causes of stress across the country, especially for those of us who don't have a lot of money (Oh, how I wish I was a billionaire). At first, I would let the sound stress me out, but I've gotten to the point that I don't even care anymore. I mean, my Toyota is a first generation Rav4, a 1997 model, so it is as old as Methuselah. The good news, I am literally weeks away from paying it off, so I have boldly decided that I am going to purchase a new car. I am going to have to hang tight for about a month, but I will definitely pick up my new ride then. Right now I am torn between The MINI Cooper S hardtop and the Scion tC. Both get very good gas mileage, the MINI is a bit more expensive, but its small size make it ideal for city life in LA. The Scion tC is a Toyota product and everyone knows Toyota makes some of the most reliable cars in America today, AND they get great gas mileage and have very few mechanical problems. That is really what I need right now, something that is reliable and sleek. I'm at a time in my life where I need to be driving something that I actually want to drive. More to come on this recent development in the life of Kristian with a "K."
In the meantime, check out this clip from yesterday's the Ellen Degeneres Show. Thanks to my coworker for sending me the link. I am eternally indebted. It instantly made me feel better, I hope it has the same affect on you!
I'm telling you, seriously unbelievable! Who would have thought that Christina Aguilera having a baby would turn out to be the best news for men across America in recent memory.
As a fan of heist films I couldn't resist checking out Focus Features newly released In Bruges(pronounced \bruezh\). This comedy, the opening film at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, pits Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two British Hitmen who are sent to Bruges, Belgium to hide after a job in London goes very wrong. Gleeson's character is very enamored by the medieval city, while Farrell is miserable and wants out. Several things complicate their stay while the two contract killers lay low, from a midget movie being shot in the city streets to an ill fated romance that one of them gets caught up in. In the spirit of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsand Snatch, first time writer/director Martin McDonagh, keeps the laughs coming all while the suspense continues to develop. Ralph Fiennes makes a superb villain. Without ruining the plot of the film, I will say that not only is Ralph's performance outstanding, but his dialog and accent are noteworthy. Easily one of the best villains in film this year.
Originally I had not planned on seeing this flick, but we were offered the opportunity to screen it at work, on the Universal lot for free, so I checked it out. And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I would even go so far to say that it is one of the best movies I've seen this year. Not only is it very funny, it has a bit of a spiritual theme and the characters are very likable. I recommend that you don't just take my word for it, go see In Bruges it for yourself...
I'm not going to lie, when the NBA announced who would be participating in this years Sprite Slam Dunk contest I didn't expect things turn even come close to what they did. This was in my opinion the best dunk showcase since the 2000 contest in which Vince Carter performed three mind-boggling dunks.
From the get go, Moon and Gay had nothing to show, but when Howard stood BEHIND the backboard threw it off, caught it and dunked it in the hoop. I knew we were in for a treat. Green answered back with something he called "the Birthday Cake." he brought out a small cupcake with a candle on it. His teammate climbed a ladder, placed the cake on the rim, lit the candle and cleared the area. Green then ran, jumped, blew out the candle and threw down an powerful two handed slamma jamma. You know it's really not enough to just write about it, so check out the highlights...
From this day fourth Dwight Howard shall be known as Dwight "Superman" Howard.
As you read a few blog entries below, the time has come for me to officially take off the old beard. As stated, I have been growing my facial strands of protein since just before Thanksgiving. And besides a bit of trimming on the sides, I have not stopped or hindered the development of the facial bristles since then.
So last night, much like a surgeon does in preparation for an intricate operating procedure, I laid out my tools to tackle the challenging feat. A trusty pair of hair clippers and a fresh unused Gillette Mach 3 Razor was all I needed to get the job done.
A few exhausting hours later, the job was done. It was strange, seeing myself for the first time in months with a hairless chin. It freaked me out a bit, I didn't recognize myself. Well, see for yourself...
I don't think I realized just how dramatic this change really was until I got to work today. Right off the bat I was getting comments from people like I was wearing a T shirt that said "Tell me what you think about my face." I was getting good and bad, actually MOSTLY bad. Here are a few that I recall:
"That's much better!'
"Oh you look so cute, like a 12 year old boy."
"Wow, your face is REALLY pale."
"Wow, I didn't recognize you, your chin looks so much smaller."
"Why did you do that? You look way better with a beard."
"You look freakish!"
"EW!"
That's right someone I work with actually put there hands up in there face, as if to block me from their line of sight, while exclaiming "EW!" You would think I was the Elephant Man based on that reaction alone. Not exactly what I was expecting, but I will say that at that point I was beginning to regret ever trimming my whiskers in the first place. And I am also beginning to wonder what will be in store for tomorrow since I cut my hair down to a very short length tonight. Hopefully, I don't get any shrieks . But alas, I am certain that it will only be a matter of days before everyone is over the shock and I will be recognized for the "handsome young man" that I am.
The is a rumor going around today and if it turns out to be true could be super AMAZING. It's no secret that in the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace, 007 will be in pursuit of the head of the terrorist network established in Casino Royale. Most fans had expected that big man to be Dominic Greene, the villain played in "Q of S" by Mathieu Amalric. But what if Greene isn't the top dog? Well, Ain't it Cool News, broke this rumor today that Oscar winner, Al Pacino will make a climactic cameo in "Q of S" as the boss of the terrorist network. Although this has not been confirmed I wouldn't rule out the possibility completely. It would definitely make for a great "OH SNAP!!" moment in the movie, as long as he doesn't insist on making Bond "say hello to his little friend." In reality, chances are that someone just overheard something that was incorrect and passed it on. You know how some rumors can grow into outrageous but ever entertaining falsehoods. My fingers are crossed for the "OH SNAP!" moment to be a truth.
I have been on edge for the past few months and for good reason. As many of you know the Writers Guild of America has been on "strike" since November 5th 2008, virtually shutting down all TV and feature productions overnight. For me this strike was extra nerve-racking because picketing began on the VERY same day I started my new job as a Production Coordinator at Universal Media Studios. So you can see why I thought coming into this job that I could very well be out of work in just a matter of months. That idea was awful knowing that it took a considerable amount of time and effort to finally get the Production gig.
So in defiance of the strike, that possibly meant the utter demise of my new career, I decided to grow my facial hair to symbolize my struggle to survive. I compare it to Tom Hank's same struggle in the filmCast Away. We are both stuck in a situation that we didn't choose, but are forced to survive. No, I didn't find myself talking to blood-stained volleyballs, and I did keep the sides of my man-mane trimmed (for shallow narcissistic reasons), but I was driven to similar extremes a la the strike. The killer was not knowing how long the studio would go until starting to lay people off. But now, the end of the strike is finally in sight, like a passing oil barge for Tom Hanks, and it's time to think about losing the face fuzz.
Although its not officially 100% over, rumors of the strikes end have been all over the news in recent days. Today, the membership of the Writers Guild of America is expected to vote (Tuesday) to end the strike. But nothing is guaranteed. Apparently an organizer for the WGA-West told the Daily Variety that the tables, canopies and thousands of red-and-black picket signs have not been put away yet. But on the brighter side, several showrunners started working on Monday and ABC renewed nine series for the fall (yes, including Lost). As far as my beloved NBC goes, Daily Variety says the peacock is expected to bring back "most of its Thursday laffers," namely "My Name is Earl," "The Office," "and "30 Rock." All good signs that these horrid three months could be well over.
With all these encouraging rumors (and some pressure from an uncountable number of females) I will officially be removing the beard in a matter of hours. That's right, the time has come, to say farewell. And lets hope for the good of my cause and the entertainment business that the WGA follows through and finally puts this strike to bed.
We are only days away from the NBC reincarnation ofKnight Rider. Set to air this Sunday at 9/8 Central, the 2 hour movie (that's right, it hasn't become a series yet people. If you want it to be a series, tell all your friends to watch.) stars Justin Bruening as our hero, Mike Tracer, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, the beautiful Deanna Russo, and Val Kilmer as the voice of KITT.
Having been a part of this project from the beginning, I must say that I am VERY excited for the show. Initially, I assumed it would be loads of fun, but when I attended the Knight Rider publicity event I knew it was going to rock. I urge you to tell all your friends, family and coworkers to tune in. You WILL have fun watching...in the meantime check out this BRAND new segment from Jay Leno's Garage featuring our very own KITT.
Don't forget to set your DVRs or park your rear in front of your TVs this Sunday, and enjoy...let me know what you think!
More goodies for all you Double O Seven fiends. Here is a new featurette that was posted on IGN.com last Friday. I'm telling you, I think we are in for another surprise this time around.
"I'm sorry. That last hand... it nearly killed me." -James Bond, Casino Royale
I had a major failure today, and it was hilarious. I was supposed to set up a conference call for my boss and I accidentally sent out the wrong phone number late yesterday. Out of sheer habit I put an 818 area code instead of the 866 area code. And this morning, one minute before the call was to begin, I dialed the number, and some guy named "Victor" answered. A wave of panic came over me as I realized that ten other people were about to make the same mistake. I took a deep breath sent out an apologetic email to all attendees saying that I sent out the wrong number and added the correct one. I then dialed the correct number and everyone joined the line in a matter of minutes. Just as business was about to begin, one of the attendees mentioned poor old "Victor." My boss then joked that we might as well ask him to be on the show since we had all called him. Everyone on the line was laughing by this point, including me. Although the whole experience was quite embarrassing, I was relieved that everyone had taken my ROYAL FAILURE so lightly. I am really lucky that my boss is so great. He is by far one the best Executives in my department.
After that moment of great dignity, I realized that I am not being so good with my goals this month and I know it's mostly because I have not written them down. This is proof that an integral part of accomplishing any goals is actually writing them down. I'm not about to make excuses, but part of the reason is because of my recent move. Things have been pretty hectic, but I am still doing my best to keep up on my goals.
We all fail, in fact some of the funniest stories of our lives come from our own major screw ups. Coincidentally, I stumbled across this website today that is nothing but examples of people failing at life. The Fail Blog is a collection of photographs of undignified moments from others lives. It will be sure to pull you out of any bad mood. Even in the wake of one of the biggest failures in NFL history, this could even help Patriots fans realize that it's not over after failure. You can always get up, dust yourself off and try again, right? Kind of like this guy....
If you can't already tell, this is an image that is supposed to directly reference the final scene of Casino Royale. From what I hear this installment is supposed to pick up RIGHT where the last one left off. Settle down Bond fans...we're still 9 months out. "Well, I understand double 0s have a very short life expectancy... so your mistake will be short-lived." -James Bond
The highly popular but fictitious character John Rambo seems to be creating some ruckus in reality. According to IMDB several Bootleg copies of the latest Rambo movie have been popping up all over Myanmar (Burma - where the film is set.), despite efforts by authorities to prevent the film from being circulated.
A report from Yangon said that the movie, in which the country's military junta is portrayed as the enemy, is "fast becoming a talking point among a population eager to shake off 45 years of military rule." Reuters indicated that a paraphrased line from the movie, "Live for nothing, die for something," has become a rallying cry within the country and has buoyed the resolve of opponents of the military regime.
You go John Rambo! This is the whole reason movies are made, to inspire! I'm not condoning senseless violence, nor am I supporting any act of war. I'm just saying that I've seen this movie twice already and know that there is some serious power behind it and I'm NOT surprised that it is inspiring the Burmese (Mayanmarian) population to revolt against their current military leadership. Again, I am not claiming that Rambo is an epic film that deserves awards. I'm just glad to see that this testosterone packed action fest is doing more than entertaining people. Here is just a taste of what you're missing out on, if you haven't seen it yet, GO...
Indy fans hold onto your Fedoras, I've got some news that will surely get you excited. A couple of new pictures have been released for the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and they give much more insight to the actual plot of the May 22nd release.
The first, which was released to MTV News.com a few days ago, shows Dr. Jones standing on a pile of crates (see right). It appears that Indy will end up right were he started - or, at least, right where he ended in Raiders of the Lost Ark, at the government warehouse where the Ark of the Covenant was stored. For all we know the archaeologist will be trying to locate the Ark once again. Or possibly need one of the Ark's contents: (The Ten Commandments, the Rod of Aaron, Manna from the Israelite trek). Who knows, I am just speculating, but it sure gets you thinking about where the story line can go.
Now, to my other point, I have read many an article and have had several conversations with people who think the whole underlying mysticism of the franchise will change a bit in this one. Let me explain a bit, to make my point easier to understand. All three previous films involve some sort of religious artifact that contains unexplained mystical powers. And Indy somehow gets pulled into an evil scheme by the Nazis, or a group of greedy Hindu extremists. Then he is forced to use his archaeological knowledge to fetch the powerful artifacts. You've seen the movies you know how the rest goes...
After watching the Lost Season 4 premiere last night I began to realize that I have some pretty good taste in television shows. And with the miracle of technology, I want to share with you my top five shows that are on right now (writers strike pending).
1. Dexter - This crime/drama adds a twist by making the protagonist a psychotic serial killer. Dexter, who's foster father recognized his killer tendencies at an early age taught Dexter how to use those cravings for good. By day Dexter works with the Miami police department as a forensic scientist, by night he hunts down those that have dark pasts and rightfully kills them. Just wrapping up its second season, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my favorite complex character makes a bloody comeback.
2. Battlestar Galactica - I'm sorry to say that this masterpiece of a television series gets a bum wrap. When most people hear the name, they automatically think cheese ball Star Trek-type television series. When in fact, this show is one of the most emotionally charged, political dramas that is on television today (it just happens to be set in space.). I will admit that it wasn't until I started to work for the production executive of this show, that I even considered watching it. And I probably would have never even thought about it based on the name alone. But this is EASILY my number two. If you have not seen this show, you HAVE to jump on the band wagon. I guarantee you that you will get hooked. There is only one more season remaining so get in before it's over...
3. Heroes- Is great. A group of "gifted" people use their special abilities to save the world. Don't worry, no spandex tights in this show. As a kid, I loved the super hero genre and comic books, so maybe I am being a little biased on this one but it is a very entertaining show. It blends great action, a little bit of soapy drama, and some very impressive special effects. It gets the three spot because it can drag a bit at times, but like Lost, there are excellent cliff hangers. (by the way I was in a national Heroes promo CLICK HERE to see it.)
4. 30 Rock - In my opinion this is the MOST underrated comedy on television right now. With the likes of SNL greats, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, and Alec Baldwin, you are sure to find yourself laughing uncontrollably. Although the show doesn't pull very many viewers, each season has gotten lots critical acclaim. If this show isn't on your Tivo, add it. I promise this half hour will turn into your favorite half hour of the week. Here is one of my favorite moments from season 1...
5. Lost - see what I wrote about this show a few entries below, or CLICK HERE.
6. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - It's still a bit early to say this is my number 6 favorite show, but of the 3 episodes I've seen so far, I am hooked. The pilot, which aired on January 13, 2008, was jam packed full of above average CGI and action sequences. I am a true fan of the original Terminator franchise, and I really like where producers and writers have taken the story in this new Fox series. Set to take place after Terminator 2: Judgement Day, we follow Sarah and John Connor in their pursuit for survival. It seems that Skynet is aware of the fact that John is still alive and continues to send Terminators through time to annihilate the teen. This show can go in a lot of directions, with the combination of time travel and unidentifiable cyborgs, there is sure to be a lot of action. Take a gander...
Those are just a few of my favorite shows...you should check them out, if you haven't already, but you don't have to take my word for it...
I am happy to say that we have officially reached the 15,000 views mark. I know in terms of YouTube that number is relatively low, but it is the most popular video I have ever posted. And like a proud parent, I wanted to share this bit of fun with you one more time
January is official behind us, that means its time to review my monthly goals. You will remember that I laid out a few goals for the month with hopes of actually following through and accomplishing them. I figured setting them at the beginning of every month would make it easier for me to meet them. Here were my goals for the month of January:
1. Gym Membership & workout every weekday(drop weight approx. 10lbs) 2. Eat half as much & No soda for entire month. 3. Write in blog at least twice a week. 4. Read 1 book this month. 5. Spend money only on necessities.
Lets see how I did as far as meeting those goals. Here are the Results
1. Joined Gym, workout every weekday (partial check, the work out I'm doing has me resting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.) And I only dropped 2 pounds. 2. As far as I can tell I have been eating a lot better this month. And I think I only slipped 2 or 3 times when it comes to drinking soda. 3. My blog has NEVER looked better. I superseded my hopes on this one. 4. And I am pages away from finishing my book for the month. (I haven't been able to read as much as I would like due to my recent move.) 5. I have been extraordinarily good and watching my finances this month.
I wouldn't go as far as saying "Mission Accomplished," but overall I would say I was pretty successful. Time to think of some new ones, and I'll post them.
Producer for Attack of the Show (R.I.P.) / Husband & Papa / American Norwegian / Basketball obsessed / ZOMBIES! / BADNESS is not a word, its a lifestyle!
It's not exactly common knowledge, but it should be. I am a die-hard Battlestar Galactica fan and the premiere of season 4, the final season, is only weeks away. If you haven't hopped on the frakking band wagon yet, you still have a good amount of time to cram in all three seasons before the April 4, 2008 premiere date. And if you simply don't have the time the SciFi Channel has just put together a short 8 minute summary of all three previous seasons to refresh our memories. Appropriately titled "What the Frak?" this summation takes a quick and fairly comical run through the entire story arc of the series. Check it out at IMDB or just click below...
