A Buncha' Bull

We're all a product of our environment. All of us. That's how the world keeps changing. Sometimes change is for the good. Sometimes not so much. But as much as we consider ourselves to be unique, free-thinking individuals, we are ultimately shaped by the radical, unpredictable elements of the world in which we live.

The actions of one does not dictate the beliefs of many. One bad egg shouldn't spoil the whole dozen; yet most people out there would just assume toss the rest of the carton rather than take the time to check each egg individually. As human beings, if we hold ourselves in such high regard as an advanced species, why have we not advanced beyond stereotypes, false generalizations and racial profiling?

Le Mischa De Violin

This tangy lil' morsel was part of the 30th birthday video o' fun we put together for Brian Hall. We're posting it because - - well - - who doesn't want to see a blue sock puppet play the violin?

Most Interesting Zaki

The clip below was part of a grander project - - The Zaki Hasan 30th Birthday & Celebration of Awesome Extraveganza. It was so much fun to put together, we saved it in high-def.

(When you get to the YouTube page, don't forget to hit the 360p button to access the high resolution options)

Journey Not Lost

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” Mel Gibson as William Wallace (Braveheart)

It is the simplest way to sum-up the phenomenon that was Lost. The smash ABC drama ended its 6 season journey in the most ambiguously specific manner imaginable - - a last-call perfectly befitting of the 120 plus hours Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse & Co. have spent engaging our brains in a rousing game of Who’s Your Daddy?

For a show founded on the principle that, for every question there are five-hundred other questions, the mystery of Lost had a pretty straight-forward explanation. Everything was real and everybody died - - sooner or later.

Brave.

For those in search of deeper meanings about smoke-monsters, polar bears, and four-toed statues, the Lost finale may leave you with the unsettling taste of all-too-convenient in the back of your throat. In my opinion, the final Lost was a fitting tribute to the many engaging characters whose whirlwind journeys have kept us dangling at the edge of WTF since the fateful crash of Oceanic 815.

But if you’re still in search of answers, I, like thousands of other Lostonians, have a theory.

Suckerpunch'd Again!

“Good artists create. Great artists steal.” ~Pablo Picasso

Well iff’n there wasn’t a better motto for the everyday day-to-day of the Hollywood machine. An industry founded on dreams and imaginative storytelling, the forefront of the entertainment business now survives on the lifeblood of market research and the oversaturation of flash-in-the pan faces and trends - - quality of work be damned.

I could go on for a hefty fortnight about the disintegrating quality of the majority of programming exported by Hollywood to silver and plasma screens across the globe; as could I stifle your blogger brains with pie charts and 12-syllable words proving that every studio meeting begins with the phrase, “uh. . . let’s do what those guys are doing,” - - but I haven’t quite figured out how to use antidisestablishmentarianism as a metaphor for the once-was partnership between Hollywood and great ideas.

Blast from the Past

Here's a tasty morsel of hand-crafted nostalgia.

Anyone remember the old HBO intro where, in mid popcorn crunch, you'd find yourself soaring through a city and then up into space where you would then come face-to-face with a giant, chrome HBO logo in a galactic game of chicken?

To me, the following clip is as much a part of my early childhood recollect as Saturday morning cartoons, Clancy Brothers records, and watching All in the Family with my parents and laughing every time Archie said "Meathead."

Much like a smell or a song can hit you with the ol' wayback machine and transport you to, not just a time, but a feeling in time where you were at your most - - smiley - - this video is forever tagged in my memory blog for a seven year stretch when it introduced some of my favorite films for viewing from the comfort of my parents living room floor - - before it was updated in 1987 (and ultimately replaced by the time the 90's rolled around) for a more pastel, neon, uber-hip approach.

It is forever associated with movies like The 'Burbs, The Empire Strikes Back, Beetlejuice, and Back to the Future, reminding me of how important movies used to be.

And for you geekier geeks, here's how that lil' nugget of movie magic coolness was made:

Cinema of the 00's

As we open the doors to 2010 we lock up an entire decade’s worth of movies from the new millennium. As a fan of all things cinema, I am one of many who feel that the last few years have seen a rapid decline in the quality of filmmaking in favor quantity, gimmicks, and cashing in on flash-in-the-pan no-talent “celebrities.” Really? Channing Tatum? Megan Fox? REALLY!?!?!

Though recent history has soured my passion for the theatre experience, when I put down my rage, stood back, and really breathed in the decade that was - - I was reminded of not one, not ten, but dozens of truly terrific films that graced the silver screen.

In a decade that, personally, delivered oodles of bundles in the way of life changes, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate, in fashion of the ol’ “best of” list, the films that helped me weather the 10 year whirlwind of the 2000’s.

So put the kettle on and slip into your comfy pants because this might take a while.

Without further ado, I give you Mr. Boy’s Top (Ten) Films of the ‘Aught Decade.

Requiem

This is our spectacular conclusion to the Mischa & Me trilogy.

Please enjoy responsibly.