Halloween just isn’t what it use to be… October 31, 2006

-Rant-

What has happened to the classics? I remember coming back from a night of trick-or-treating, emptying my loot onto the living room floor, and watching Halloween specials and movies. I would watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown every year. Did it even come on TV this year? I know they have it online to watch but it just isn’t the same. I would beg my mom to let me stay up late so I could watch Night of the Living Dead, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and many others. Now I see advertisements for movies and shows that just don’t seem to cut it. I was watching ABC Family today (don’t judge, it is where I get my Gilmore Girls re-runs.) and they were showing movie advertisements for their original films for Halloween. They looked awful! Then I thought, well it is cable television so I don’t expect Citizen Kane or anything, but the commercial break brought an advertisement for The Grudge 2. I just don’t get it. There have been a few films lately that have had a similar effect like those of the past, but it just isn’t the same anymore.

-Rave-

Speaking of classics, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead will soon be remade and released in 3D. I really liked what they did with the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead so I am keeping my hopes up for, “Both an homage to and a re-imagining of the original 1968 film, this update follows a group of survivors trapped in a farmhouse battling a siege of undead zombies….in 3D!” Hopefully those hopes will not be shattered. I couldn’t handle the disappointment. I do not know what has brought on this fascinating rebirth of 3D movies, but I’m really not going to complain. First Nightmare Before Christmas (see The Directing Box…) and now Night of the Living Dead – it’s like they are reading my mind. There are so many films I would like to see done in 3D. I should make a list. A girl could get use to this.

-hearts and whatnottery-

fame through hate October 27, 2006

-Rant-

Mr. Britney Spears, aka Kevin Federline, said in a recent CNN article, “If you want to hate me, cool, hate me…You know why? Because all it is going to do is help me.” I never thought I would say this, but ladies and gentlemen, K-Fed is right. Stop talking about him. Stop thinking about him. Pretend like he doesn’t even exist. As long as he is getting attention, good or bad, he will be around. He will never go away. I know it is hard to do. We live in a media saturated society and it is hard to ignore anything that is given a spotlight (even if that spot light is on your partner and you are standing beside their shadow). He is not only vomiting lyrics onto our airwaves, he is appearing on shows like CSI. He has four fans people…his wife and his two children. Once the children are old enough to realize what they are having to listen to, I’m sure they will be trying to stick their legos in their ears.

-Rave-

In a recent epsiode of South Park, Satan hosts a My Super Sweet 16 party for himself in Hell. Guests included Biggie Smalls, Princess Diana, Hitler and Steve Irwin, among others. The phrase ‘too soon’ does not really hold much presidence with the creators of South Park, which is why so many people watch it each week on Comedy Central. Television watchdog Mediawatch (based in the UK) seems to disagree with their choice of showing Irwin on this weeks epsiode. “This is such bad taste and the makers of ‘South Park’ should review their decision to show it. Steve’s family are still grieving. To lampoon somebody’s death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive.” You call yourself a media watch dog and you do not expect something like this from South Park? I am actually surprised they didn’t take it any farther than they did. This episode was pretty mild compared to some of their ‘shock value’ stunts in the past. South Park fans expect these things each week. Mediawatch should just grab a tissue, wipe their tears, and find someone else to pick on. It’s just like K-Fed said, “If you want to hate me, cool, hate me…You know why? Because all it is going to do is help me.”

-hearts and whatnottery-

she should be stopped… October 26, 2006

Sorry for the days without updates ladies and gents, but I was out of town for a few days. I’ll try to make it up to you all I promise. For now…enjoy the Paris Hilton hatin’!

-Rant-

The latest Harris Interactive survey shows that Paris Hilton is the celebrity that people would like to watch get killed in a horror movie. When Hilton was told that she had topped the survey (21% above second place finisher Lindsay Lohan), she took the news as a compliment. “My death scene is really cool. It’s the coolest death scene in [House of Wax].” Seeing Paris Hilton get a metal pole through the forehead was a very exciting moment in my life and I would get a lot of enjoyment seeing it happen again. Of course the downside would be seeing her try to act again. Only she could ruin one of the greatest moments ever! Seriously, is nothing sacred anymore? Why can’t Paris Hilton just be a hotel location like it was 30 years ago?

-Rave-

I love VH1’s Best Week Ever Blog. Recently Michelle Collins wrote a letter to PETA demanding that they concentrate more on live animal torture and less on old ladies with fur coats. These live animals she wishes to protect are those that have become celebrity accessories. When did it become okay for someone to carry around a live animal in a bag? I really hope Collins sent this letter to PETA. If they are actually for the ethical treatment of animals, they will spray paint Paris Hilton the next time she walks down Rodeo Drive. Now that’s hot!

-hearts and whatnottery-

cartoon comebacks October 21, 2006

-Rant-

Any Simpsons fan knows that is that time of year again…time for Treehouse of Horrors. The ending segment of this years show includes some obvious references to the conflict in Iraq. Treehouse regulars Kang and Kodos make plans to attack the town of Springfield before they find the “weapons of mass disintegration.” My problem is with Al Jean, executive producer, who has said, “the line may be too obvious and not make it into the episode.” There are multiple shows on television that parody parts of the conflict. Why should it matter who does it? There are going to be jokes and parodies about anything our government does. I trust the writers of The Simpsons more than some of the other media outlets using their show to get their opinion across. Considering how long The Simpsons have been on television, I’m sure anyone who watches this episode will not be so easily offended by it.

-Rave-

I present to you, the moment every child of the 80′s has been waiting for…Fraggle Rock, the movie. This full-length film is being developed by the Jim Henson Co. and Ahmet Zappa. All of the Fraggle regulars will be featured in this live-action film. “The Fraggles didn’t really get into the human world on the series, so we plan to make the movie more about the intersection between the Fraggles and the humans,” Lisa Henson, co-CEO of the Jim Henson Co., said. I really don’t know if I could be anymore excited about a pre-production film. With the original shows being released on DVD now, I’m sure we will be able to witness a whole new wave of Fraggle fans. Dance your cares aways…*clap, clap*.

So, does anyone have a favorite Treehouse of Horror episode or favorite Fraggle?

-hearts and whatnottery-

cost of relationships October 20, 2006

-Rant-

I know that a celebrity’s life is never their own.  Someone is always telling them what they need to wear, where they need to go, and what they need to do once they get there.  Therefore, they are never safe from the media eye.  Recently a photo of Anderson Cooper has made its way into the tabloids.  It is a picture of Cooper walking down the street in close proximity with another gentleman.  Websites like gawker.com are asking their readers to help them figure out who the mysterious man is.  My question is, would it be so bad if Anderson Cooper were homosexual?  Would his sexuality actually somehow discredit him as a journalist?  He is one of the most respected reporters on television and I find it very difficult to believe his sexual preference could really change that.  If people would just stop assuming things then maybe they would get the answers they are trying so hard to find.

-Rave-

AOL Salary Center has made a list of the salaries television characters would make (on average) if they held these positions in real life.  There are a few numbers I would double check because I just don’t know if I believe some of them.  The biggest one is Alison Dubois from the show Medium.  If a stay at home mom can somehow make over $130 a year, sign me up!  I like that they took the time to compile the list though.  They chose a good variety of characters and I love that they included Homer Simpson.  Some others I think they could have included: Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls), Jordan McDeere (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), Peter Griffin (Family Guy), Liz Lemon (30 Rock), John Stewart (The Daily Show).  Okay, so that last one is a little different situation, but wouldn’t you like to know?

So, who would you guys add to the list?

-hearts and whatnottery-

journalism at its finest… October 20, 2006

-Rant-

Only in America can a football star be tried for murder twice and end up with a $3.5 million book deal. According to the MSNBC article, OJ Simpson has been given a book deal that is tentatively titled If I Did It. The book will begin with details of the relationship between Simpson and his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. From there he will go into what he feels is the “hypothetical” scenerio in which Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. Again I say, only in the good ‘ole USA can a man like Simpson be found innocent only to turn around and make millions of dollars off of it.

-Rave-

Lucky for me, I found an article that is a total gem. In the same MSNBC article , Jeannette Walls quotes the National Enquirer article about the new OJ Simpson book with the following – “Simpson can never be retried for the murders because of double jeopardy laws, according to the Enquirer…”. Wait, did you just read that right? Yes you did.  Instead of quoting the fifth amendment, I guess Walls just found it easier to quote the National Enquirer. I know this might sound like a rant but I can assure you it is not. This is a good thing. If she can write for MSNBC and quote a tabloid instead of the US Constitution, I am going to do just fine.

So…does anyone know if MSNBC is hiring?

-hearts and whatnottery-

whatever happened to smart and simple? October 19, 2006

-Rant-

I like pretty things. I enjoy looking at a website that someone has spent time creating. Because of this, I tried to make my site pleasing to the eye. Then there is the opposite of that…the website that is overdone. Take mtv.com for example (WARNING: do not go there unless you have an ultra fast computer or the patience of Job). I look around online for ranting and raving inspiration. I got to mtv’s website because they are a music news outlet. It takes the website forever to load and once it does, it is the hardest thing I have ever tried to read. Then it crashed Mozilla and I had to start my search over again. Also included in the website design annoyance department are all the people on Myspace who add a million and one different things to their page. What is the point people? You could take two seconds and type “I heart Pugs” but instead, you go to glitterupmymyspacepagerightnow.com and make us wait. Enough is enough people. Simple. Smart. That is all a website needs to be.

To those at mtv.com – maybe you should be more about the music and less about the clutter.

-Rave-

If you all are really getting into the whole blog thing I am, you will be happy to learn about Bloglines.com . This site is amazing. It is very simple, easy to set up, and saves a lot of time. You sign up for an account (free!) and it will give you some popular blogs as suggestions. From there you can type in a specific blog address (example: http://rantsnraves.wordpress.com works just great!) or you can search for ones you enjoy. As far as I can tell there is not a limit to how many blogs you can add. It’s pretty amazing having the ability to access all of your favorite web blogs all in one place. It is a very smart and simple website. If I gave out gold stars for awesome, Bloglines would totally get one!

Does anyone have any blog sites you love? If so, leave ‘em in the comments. I need to read more entertaining blogs.

-hearts and whatnottery-
(NOTE- make sure you look around at the links in each of the posts…most are links to articles and other information…some are just for fun. look at the I heart pugs for example!)

the directing box: good or bad? October 18, 2006

-Rant-

What is the deal with directors no longer looking outside of what I call the ‘directing box’? Marie Antoinette, the newest film by Sofia Coppola, stars Kristen Dunst as the “let them eat cake” teenage queen. As some of you know, Coppola hit the spotlight when she wrote, directed, and producedThe Virgin Suicides, which stared Dunst. Then there is also Tim Burton, director of many films including Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, and so on. For anyone really up to speed here, they have noticed that all of these films star Johnny Depp. Now I have a a very strong love for Mr. Burton (say what you will, I don’t mind) and Mr. Depp, but sometimes enough is enough. I say this mainly because of the pre-production work that is being done on the 2007 release of Sweeney Todd. I think that Burton will do some really amazing things while transforming this musical into a film, but Johnny Depp should not play Sweeney. I am not even that big of a musical fan and I know that he should stay far away from the role of Sweeney. Directors – we understand that it is very advantageous for you to work with what works best. If using the same actors over and over…and over…are what you feel you must do to fully release your vision into the world, then so be it. Just don’t be upset when we wait to rent your movies.

*note* – I will go watch Marie Antoinette just because it looks pretty amazing (I’m a sucker for period pieces). I will also watch Sweeney Todd because I will watch just about anything Tim Burton has a hand in. It doesn’t mean I will ever agree with their casting decisions…or lack there of.

-Rave-

Now that I have slightly placed Tim Burton into a anti-creative light, I must say how excited I am about the release of The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D. Burton decided to release Nightmare in 3-D form because he wanted people to “just see it the way it was meant to be – completely dimensional.” Burton also said that he thinks seeing the film in this form will make it “weirdly better.” Now, even though I just ranted about how he doesn’t look to far outside of the directing box, I will say that his friendship with composer Danny Elfman has allowed for some really fantastic musical scores. I would say they are one of the best professional combinations in Hollywood today.

-hearts and whatnottery-

villians and heros… October 18, 2006

-Rant-

What better way to start out my rant blog than with my arch nemesis, Anna Nicole Smith. I believe that everyone is born with a natural enemy and I have declared her to be mine. No one embodies all that is wrong with this world quite like she does. From her battle with body image to her television shows and endorsements, we have had to endure the pain of her negative IQ and whiny voice. Now, with her need to reproduce, we have passed her trashy genes on to another human life form. The father of her child, who was also her lawyer, has stepped forward to claim the child as his own. Now, I will never understand how anyone could have sexual relations with this woman, but I guess if you play quiet as a mouse it isn’t that bad. Anna Nicole Smith gives a new light to phrase, “women should be seen and not heard.”

-Rave-

The next Batman movie, The Dark Knight, will pick up where Batman Begins left off. Now that the script has been written and handed off, actors are being assigned to key characters left and right. Christian Bale will be returning as the caped crusader. Michael Caine (Alfred), Gary Oldman (Lt. Gordon), and Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) will also be reprising their roles. The first announced new comer to the cast is Heath Ledger, who will be portraying The Joker. I am actually kind of excited by this casting decision. If nothing else, he has that unmistakable Joker-esq smile as well as the comic book character chin. Not that I believe anyone should cast on looks alone, but if they did…good job!

-hearts and whatnottery-

Welcome to the site! October 17, 2006

Ladies and Gents:

I have been in the mood to start my own blog for a while now. I have been using myspace and livejournal but it just hasn’t been the same. I think there should be a fine distenction between a personal life blog and a whatever else you want it to be blog. So this is my whatever else I want it to be blog.

When I like something, I know it, and I like to talk about it. When I do not like something, I know it, and I like to talk about it. Needless to say, I am a ranter and a raver. Therefore I wanted to have a place where I can do just that.

I recentally started a “Good News News Blog” for my friends to read because I think there is not enough good news being noticed out in the world today. So if you are interested in the “Good News Blog” head on over to my myspace blog – http://blog.myspace.com/punkrockriot .

If you have anything you would like to contribute to the Rants n Raves blog please let me know. We all have things we hate to love and love to hate.  Comment now, comment often.

-hearts and whatnottery-