Saturday, November 28, 2009
Top 10 Of 2009: TV
Over the next month I plan to share my Top 10 personal favorite's in categories such as movies, songs, albums and TV shows of 2009. Today it's television! My Top 10 Television Shows
1. 30 Rock: Hands down the best sitcom on TV and perhaps one of the all time greats. It's non-stop laugh-out-loud moments on this show and the cast simply couldn't be better.
2. Lost I'm eagerly awaiting the final season of my choice for the best drama on TV at the moment. The whole last season was excellent and the gut-wrenching season ending episode was tough to take.
3. Glee From the insanely good "Don't Stop Believin'" that was in my head all summer to Jane Lynch's scene stealing Sue Sylvester, this show is quirky yet still full of heart. 
4. Cougar Town Had no intention of watching this show until I stumbled upon it channel-surfing and laughed my ass off. It's like Scrubs was when it first started: a fantastic cast and a super quirky, fun feel. Really one of my new favorites.
5. Modern Family ABC has a golden hour of comedy with Cougar Town and this show. Has the feel of Arrested Development with a bit more wholesome yet hilarious family. Who knew Ed O'Neil could be in something good!
6. True Blood This show is engrossing, exciting and always entertaining. My only quibble is the horrible and horribly long opening song. 
7. Family Guy Family Guy is sometimes hit and miss (it always has been), but when it's good it's irreverant and wickedly funny.
8. Project Runway It took me a while to warm up to this show but I really do enjoy it now. Even though the judges are a-holes and Heidi and Tim are predictably robotic, I'm always entertained.
9. Late Show w/ David Letterman My go-to late night show for over 15 years, I love Dave's sense of humor and his newfound heart and bleeding-heart liberalism.
10. Beautiful People Another unexpected find on BBC America this summer. This sitcom is silly, quirky and fun.
Posted by soft rock star at 8:45 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Precious
Although everyone in the country sounds like they are seeing New Moon in it's record shattering opening weekend, we decided we actually wanted to see a good movie so we checked out Precious. It's a movie that we've wanted to see for some time and it's getting justifiably rave reviews. The movie was powerful, gritty and terribly sad. It's not the kind of movie I need to see again but I am definitely glad I saw it once. The film is crushingly sad in it's realism of a life lived under terrible conditions. 
The performances by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe and comedian Mo'Nique are incredible and Oscar-worthy. Both convey intense, gut-wrenching emotion and the violent scenes between them are terrifying to watch. Their emotional, tear-jerking scenes are just plain impressive. Paula Patton and even Mariah Carey turn in fantastic performances too. Sometimes the movies are not about escape. Instead, they make you realize how very blessed you are to be given the childhood and parents you have. Precious is definitely that kind of movie.
Posted by soft rock star at 9:47 PM
Thursday, November 19, 2009
America Loves To Work! (Subtitled: Gosh I love cheesy stock photography!)
Our country is messed up. We are obsessed with working (well, at least the companies we work for are). But seriously, other countries have 35 hour work weeks and employees get 4-6 weeks off a year. They have free health care and extended maternity leave. So you'd think a country that is so work-crazed would actually like their jobs. After all, if you are gonna spend half your waking hours five days a week at your job and hardly ever get any time off you should enjoy it. Well think again! I had read ages ago that something like 95% of Americans don't like their job. Now, I certainly understand people who don't have a college degree not liking their job. A lot of people are forced to work thankless retail and customer service jobs and deal with rude, thoughtless idiotic customers all day, but what excuse to people with a college degree have? 
You hear people complain about their jobs all the time and I always wonder... if you hate your job so much, why don't you find a new one?
Well, according to a new survey released today it sounds like Americans are going to do just that! Sixty percent of employees polled "intend to leave" their jobs and 21 percent said "Maybe, so I'm networking," according to the survey by Right Management, a talent and career management consulting firm. 
Just 13 percent said they planned to stay in their current jobs. THIRTEEN PERCENT!! The remaining 6 percent said changing jobs was "not likely, but I've updated my resume." I find that fascinating. That's a LOT of people who don't like their job, and I'm guessing, are giving less than their best.
I think Americans need to change their priorities. We are too focused on things that don't bring us happiness. But, the realist in me doesn't see that changing anytime soon!
Posted by soft rock star at 11:07 PM
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
alphabeat!
Danish pop band Alphabeat first came to my attention in 2007 with their wickedly catchy single "Fascination." Their sophomore album has yet to be released overseas (it was supposed to be released this month but was just pushed back til early 2010... who knows when it will receive a release in the pop-loathing States). I've heard the whole CD and although I can't claim to love all of it, these two songs in particular kick my ass pretty thoroughly. First single "The Spell" leaked first and has gotten tons of iPod love from these two ears. And since the full CD was passed my way "DJ" has joined it's ranks. Pop doesn't get catchier and more fun than this. These songs would be the very definition of a guilty pleasure if I felt even a tinge of guilt for liking them. I always find it odd that people in indie circles have to apologize for liking catchy pop songs. What's wrong with catchy pop? I think it rules! Thank God for bands like Alphabeat, who wear their sugary sweet hooks prominently and proudly!
ALPHABEAT THE SPELL.mp3 -
Dj - Alphabeat
Posted by soft rock star at 11:47 PM
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Dogs Are THE BEST!
Posted by soft rock star at 11:26 PM
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Hipocrisy, Your Name Is Carrie Prejean
Nobody is perfect. It's something we all know. So I find it so funny that conservatives continue to judge the hell out of people they don't like and then deny the skeletons that invariably come out of their own closets when they try to use their holier than though perfection to advance their own agendas. The latest one I am enjoying is this clueless, vapid Miss California 2009 who first created controversy when she said she didn't think gays had the right to be married. She had 'pure' values and just didn't agree with such sordid things as two consenting adults of the same sex who love eachother, to share their lives together and enjoy the same benefits opposite sex couples receive under the law. 
But low and behold, a nude pictorial and sex tape later she has finally showed her true colors, lying all along until it's proven (rather easily I might add) that she IS a liar, and throwing a tantrum on Larry King Live when he didn't ask her all safe questions. I love this stuff.
When will conservatives learn? Time after time, they insist on throwing stones, judging others for standards they themselves can't live up to. It's clearly not wrong to want to live a good life. But don't tell others what rules they need to abide by and then turn around and live by a whole other standard yourself. It's idiotic. And it's a battle you can never win.
Posted by soft rock star at 10:12 PM
Friday, November 13, 2009
I <3 Sigourney Weaver
We watched Imaginary Heroes tonight and it made me want to blog about Sigourney Weaver. She is one of my very favorite actors. The variety of movies she's been in is so wide and varied. From action-adventure (perhaps the best female action character ever, the Oscar nominated Ripley in the Alien movies, Ghostbusters 1 & 2 & the goofy Galaxy Quest), to thrillers (Copycat), comedies (Dave, Heartbreakers, Baby Mama), to dramas (The Ice Storm, Prayers For Bobby), quirky indie fare (Tadpole, Be Kind Rewind) to mainstream favorites (Wall-E, Working Girl, Gorillas In The Mist), she brings her powerful, strong presence and dignified cool to role after role. I just find her so appealing, even when she's playing a bitch. It's never for no reason. Regardless of whether she plays for laughs and tears, she makes every movie she is in better. She's Oscar and Emmy nominated but has never won, which is a crime. She has won a couple Golden Globes. I hope she wins at some point and I hope she continues to find interesting roles and movies because I just love watching her perform.
Posted by soft rock star at 11:17 PM
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Mini-Update
I had a nice trip back home to visit family and friends. It wasn't as weird being home as I thought it might be. I hadn't been in Minneapolis since late June but it all felt familiar aside from the random new construction in areas I hadn't been in four months, especially Uptown. Stayed with Jesse Wednesday night. Good to hang out with Bryan and Lindsay that night too. We watched the Yankees wrap up their Game 6 win over the Phillies (see my thoughts just below on that) as we caught up. Thursday I worked and caught lunch with Mary at The Independent (who have an amazing veggie burger). Ronda picked me up after work and we headed to her and Seth's new cabin in Turtle Lake. It's a great place that I know they are gonna have a fun time making their own. It was great getting to spend that kind of time with Ronda. It really had been such a long time. We had breakfast Friday at a neat little local place that had excellent french toast made with apple cinnamon bread. Yum! Julie came up that morning too so we could all hang out. We really all enjoyed spending that time together.
We headed back to town early Saturday morning to get my moving truck and get to the storage unit. Ronda, Marshall, Nate, Lindsay and Jesse really came through for me showing up and helping me pack all of our stuff up. It went very smoothly and much more quickly than I had anticipated. I hit the road about 12:30 and after a bit of an adventure with an overheating truck (ugh!) I made it back to Columbus Sunday night.
Jared and I have moved into our new place and are relatively close to having the place unpacked and set up. It's definitely the coolest (and largest) apartment I've ever lived in. So, things are basically quieted down now for the most part. Definitely ready for that!
Posted by soft rock star at 9:54 PM
Mo' Money, Mo' Championships
A belated congratulations to the New York Yankees for the purchase of their twenty-seventh World Series championship. There must be great pride when your team of grossly overpaid players you pry away from smaller teams who can't hold on to them when you outbid them come contract time band together and gut it out against teams with payrolls sometimes one quarter to one third yours. I love the 'No one said they could do it' claims some of the guys on the team mentioned. They should do it! They should win the World Series every single year! That's what the Steinbrenners are paying for each year they cough up the luxury tax in order to asemble a seemingly limitless payroll. I don't quite see where the pride comes from. I don't see where the enjoyment of a job well job comes into play when you are the Goliath to another team's David. There is no rooting for the underdog when you cheer for the Yankees. Money rules and this year it bought New York another empty trophy.
Posted by soft rock star at 9:34 PM
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Entretaining, Funny Award Shows? What A Neat Idea!
News came a week or two ago that Ricky Gervais has been tapped to host the Golden Globes. That show hasn't had an actual host for some time, which, lately has seemed like a better idea than the parade of dreadful hosts these shows have been utilizing lately. Five realityy show hosts? That was a disaster. Ricky Gervais is irreverant and hilarious every time he is on these shows to present an award so it's high time he got a chance to host. He's hilarious and I'm curious to see what he'll do. Honestly all he has to do is laugh his high, unbridled laugh and I'm gone.
Hugh Jackman mercifully turned down an offer to host the Oscars again this year and speculation was high as for who will host the awards next time around. Well, I'm really pleased with who they have announced. Steve Martin is always a riot. Quirky, offbeat and witty, I've always liked his sense of humor and I think he'll do a fantastic job. 
The nice twist is Alec Baldwin co-hosting. I absolutely love him on 30 Rock and he's always a quqlity guest on Saturday Night Live and talk shows. He should be a great foil for Martin. It's nice to finally have hosts that will make me want to watch these shows when they air.
What a coup for aging, graying, growing, funny white comedians, lol.
