Kuuntelin taas American Pie -kappaletta, josta kirjoitin aiemmin, ja aloin pohdiskella sanoituksia lisää. Alkoi tuntua siltä, että kappaleessa olisi myös viittauksia Vietnamin sotaan ja sen aiheuttamiin reaktioihin. Niinpä otin googlen kauniiseen käteeni ja löysin Don McLeanin nettisivut, joilla kerrotaan kiinnostavasti kappaleen yhteyksistä Yhdysvaltain lähihistoriaan, eikä pelkästään Vietnamin sotaan:

http://www.don-mclean.com/americanpie.asp

Nyt vaikenen. Hyvää joulua.

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I listened again to the song American Pie of which I wrote before. I started to ponder over the lyrics some more. It began to feel like there were also indications to Vietnam War and to the reactions it caused. So I used google like a good girl does and found Don McLean’s website. There is an interesting article about the song’s connections to USA’s recent history, not only to Vietnam war:

http://www.don-mclean.com/americanpie.asp

Now I shall fall silent. Happy Yule.

Alright, now, this requires a lot of thinking. OK. My 10th favourite movie is Shawshank Redemption. This is a great movie about hope and redemption. It depicts the prison life of a falsely accused man, and how he finally escapes. 9th favourite is American Pie part II (please don’t stop reading). This must be the funniest sex comedy of all time. 8th favourite is Aviator. Starring Leonardo DeCaprio, it is the story of american industrialist and aviator, Howard Hughes. 7th favourite is Shakespeare in Love. Tom Stoppard’s screenplay was fantastic. But it required great actors to act it, and Gwenyth Paltrow, my non-existing God, she acted it well. The 6th favourite is Braveheart. It’s impossible to remember this one without remembering its soundtrack. One of the best ever. And remember that last scene when Wallace is finally beheaded? Just magnificent. The 5th favourite is Legends.Of.The.Fall. Again the soundtrack is great, but who steals the show is Brad Pitt. The storyline was fantastic. The 4th favourite is The English Patient. Well, lots of people found this movie to be slow and boring, but I didn’t. The cinematography was just outstanding. Those desert scenes are priceless. The musical score was dreamy and beautiful. And Ralph Fiennes makes Almasy his own. I can’t imagine any actor who’d act it better than him. The 3rd favourite is Before Sunrise. For me, this is the most romantic movie ever. All there is, is one long conversation between two young man and a woman while walking on the streets of Vienna. But it is so beautiful. That scene in the studio, both too embarrassed to look directly at each other, is one of my all time favourites. The 2nd favourite is Donny Darko. I’m sure that most of you haven’t even heard of it. This is probably the least commercially successful movie on this list. But it’s a strange, strange movie, combining several different genres. It’s kind of philosophical too. And finally, my fovourite movie is, papparapaaa… The Godfather Part II. Al Pacio is having the time of his life. It’s the perfect mafia movie. It’s dark and (well, not violent if compared to the ones we see nowadays) cruel. And it’s amazing how Michael Corleone gradually loses his soul..It’s interesting that no movie since Aviator (which I think was released in 2002) has made it to this list. There had been great movies like The Lord of the Rings and Crash and so on. But they are, for me, not that good. It seems that the period between 94 to 97 were the best days ever.

by Nicholas Robinson

Buy It

(500) Days of Summer

Reason: I saw this movie in theatres and it just blew my mind!  This movie was so amazing. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt were perfect.  It is a must buy for anyone who loves to laugh and/or cry (not necessarily at the same time) during this movie

DVD: Yes

District 9

Reason:  When I watched this movie in theatres, I was once again blown away. The visuals, story and acting were amazing.  It brought a whole new spin on the apartheid in South Africa and did it with action, some comedy and some form of romance.

DVD: Yes

Rent It

Extract

Reason:  I have heard good things about this movie, but I have also heard bad things about it.  I have not had the opportunity to see this myself so I cannot vouch for either of those view.  My advice to you is: check it out yourself without commiting. Give it a rent.

DVD: Yes

Family Guy Presents – Something Something Something Dark Side

Reason:  Family Guy is one of the funniest sitcoms running on television today.  Whenever I watch it I end up on the floor and in tears and pain from laughing so hard.  However, it is not necessarily one of those shows where you can watch episodes over and over again which is why it is only a rent.

DVD: Yes

It Might Get Loud

Reason:  Once again, I have heard good and bad things about this movie and have not had the opportunity to watch it so I say check it out for yourself and give it a rent.

DVD: Yes

Don’t Touch With A 10ft Pole

All About Steve

Reason:  I have always thought Bradley Cooper to be a good actor, but when I saw this trailer I said to myself “Dear God, what has he done???”  This movie looks utterly terrible.  If you see it in a shopping window, just walk away and don’t even think of buying/renting it.  However, if you like movies like I Love You, Beth Cooper, go right ahead and rot your brain with bad movies like this one.

DVD:Yes

American Pie – The Book Of Love

Reason:  The first one was good, but like most franchises and series, this has gone on way too long and needs to be amputated like a leg with an infectious bite from a zombie.  But once again, if you like movies like I Love You, Beth Cooper, go right ahead and rot your brain with bad movies like this one.

DVD:Yes

Stuff I Haven’t Heard About

• Beyond A Resonable Doubt
• Staten Island
• Subway
• Dinner Game
• ICHI: The Movie
• Grizzly Man

by Nicholas Robinson

Buy It

(500) Days of Summer

Reason: I saw this movie in theatres and it just blew my mind!  This movie was so amazing. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt were perfect.  It is a must buy for anyone who loves to laugh and/or cry (not necessarily at the same time) during this movie

Bluray: Yes

District 9

Reason:  When I watched this movie in theatres, I was once again blown away. The visuals, story and acting were amazing.  It brought a whole new spin on the apartheid in South Africa and did it with action, some comedy and some form of romance.

Bluray: Yes

Taxi – The Complete Series

Reason:  In its day, Taxi was the greatest sitcom ever.  In fact, if it weren’t for the Cosby Show and Seinfeld, it would hold that title still.  Anyone who loves Danny DeVito and knows how to laugh needs to buy this.

Bluray: No

Rent It

Extract

Reason:  I have heard good things about this movie, but I have also heard bad things about it.  I have not had the opportunity to see this myself so I cannot vouch for either of those view.  My advice to you is: check it out yourself without commiting. Give it a rent.

Bluray: Yes

Family Guy Presents – Something Something Something Dark Side

Reason:  Family Guy is one of the funniest sitcoms running on television today.  Whenever I watch it I end up on the floor and in tears and pain from laughing so hard.  However, it is not necessarily one of those shows where you can watch episodes over and over again which is why it is only a rent.

Bluray: Yes

It Might Get Loud

Reason:  Once again, I have heard good and bad things about this movie and have not had the opportunity to watch it so I say check it out for yourself and give it a rent.

Bluray: Yes

Don’t Touch With A 10ft Pole

All About Steve

Reason:  I have always thought Bradley Cooper to be a good actor, but when I saw this trailer I said to myself “Dear God, what has he done???”  This movie looks utterly terrible.  If you see it in a shopping window, just walk away and don’t even think of buying/renting it.  However, if you like movies like I Love You, Beth Cooper, go right ahead and rot your brain with bad movies like this one.

Bluray: Yes

American Pie – The Book Of Love

Reason:  The first one was good, but like most franchises and series, this has gone on way too long and needs to be amputated like a leg with an infectious bite from a zombie.  But once again, if you like movies like I Love You, Beth Cooper, go right ahead and rot your brain with bad movies like this one.

Bluray: Yes

Kyle XY – Season 3

Reason:  Another crappy ABC family show has come to destroy our Christmas with another DVD release of its 3^rd season.  This show looks horrible like most other ABC family shows that people rot their brains with.  However, if you like to watch vampires glitter in sunlight with their shirts off, then go right ahead.

Bluray: No

Secret Life of an American Teenager – Season 3

Reason:  Once again, a crappy ABC family show has come to ruin Christmas.  This show looks horrible.  However, if you’re a teenage girl who reads Gossip Girl, then once again, go right ahead.

Bluray: No

Stuff I Haven’t Heard About

• Beyond A Resonable Doubt
• Staten Island
• Blind Date
• The Philadelphia Experiment
• ICHI: The Movie
• Flowers in the Attic
• Shattered Lives
• Ghost Machine

New DVD’s that will be added to our shelves on Tuesday December 22nd.

• District 9 (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• 500 Days of Summer (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• All About Steve (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• Extract (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• Pandorum (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• American Pie: Book of Love (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• The Other Man
• Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
• It Might Get Loud (Also Available in Blu-Ray)
• Shattered Lives
• Call of the Wild
• Ghost Machine

For more information on these movies such as ratings, synopsis, reviews, and video trailers click on the movie title above. This will open the NewThisWeek.ca website.

To be notified of new releases, sales, and contests > Sign Up to our E-Newsletter.

Not trying to sound elitist or anything, but it’s unavoidable that we here at Gold Standard wouldn’t at least once broach this subject.

It has nothing to do with movie snobbery. When we see simple gimmicks like sex or fart jokes propel an idiotic movie to the top of the box office, it infuriates thousands like us all over this fine continent.

Mainstream movies are already pretty trashy, but we still see them and tolerate them. However, some pictures go out of their way to just destroy the medium.

How they get funding is beyond our knowledge. They certainly didn’t deserve it. And making them #1 every weekend only convinces studios that you want more garbage on your screens. To see just 10 of movies that made us scream “OMG NO WAI”, and flame us afterwards, read on. This is another unranked list:

American Pie 2 (2001)

This really goes for all the American Pie films, not just the 2nd, though why you guys made the second a hit is beyond any of us at The Gold Standard. The Stifler got his stiffy in the first one. They all did. Was there really a point to this film? Oh right – they’re gonna get more nookie in college. Let’s see what happens! This movie raked in $287 million on a $30 million budget, ensuring that we would have to tolerate the even more diarrhetic direct-to-DVD sequels, which PEOPLE STILL BUY. This movie also seems to have poisoned everyone’s career that was involved with it, except Alysson Hannigan and Sean William Scott, which aren’t really doing great right now either.

The Jackass Movies (2002)

“Hahaha! Did you see Steve-O staple his yoo-hoo to his groin? Oh come on, you’re missing out.” This is inevitably what you heard if you were of age when “Jack-ass: The Movie” pulled down its pants and let loose a dookie in our minds. But THAT imagery just can’t compare to the fantastic stunts you will see here, including a number of objects inserted into another man’s rectum. This also helped get Johnny Knoxville a short-lived acting career, but we would have been happier if it had never taken off for him to begin with. On a micro-budget of $5 million, MTV Films pulled in $80  million dough, which guaranteed the world another ludicrous sequel in 2006, and a 3D one coming in 2010. God help us all.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

“You’re such an idiot, gosh!” are among many of the fine catchphrases this film spawned, as well as those annoying shirts you wanted to tear up that said “Vote for Pedro” or had a sketch of a liger on them. To be honest, I never laughed once when I saw this movie. Even when the crowd was going at it. There was really nothing spectacular about this movie. We can’t really talk about the story because…well, it didn’t have one. “No, man! Pedro like, moves into town, Napoleon’s uncle stays with him, his brother buys a time machine on eBay”. This is how we defined a PLOT in the 2000s? Really? Really? Just…don’t.

Saw (2004, after the first one…)

Here was a promising horror flick for the new millennium that was actually a pretty graphically intense mystery and psychological thriller as well. Jigsaw’s cruel actions only highlights the hypocrisy lurking under the surface in our society. The first movie, helmed by James Wan, appropriately earned critical buzz, despite some of the most gory displays of violence ever put on film. The sequels progressively eschewed what made it a success and made blatantly political statements piled on top of elaborate death scenes, turning off critics but apparently not audiences. I’m reluctant to say even the first one didn’t raise a warning flag, because quite frankly, that’s the nature of films like these, particularly those that spawn their own genre, as “Saw” did with torture porn. And “Saw” is as close to a blockbuster snuff film as we’ll probably ever get.

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle & Harold Kumar 2: Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2004 & 2008)

Harold and Kumar was a minority-themed Cheech and Chong for the new millennium, pure and simple. Why White Castle chose to associate their name with such unrepentant toilet humor is beyond me. Remember when this stuff used to be sorta funny, when it was still edgy and taboo pioneered by comedians like George Carlin and Bill Hicks? Nowadays, any idiot can walk out and scream “semen” or “shart” from a corner sidewalk and they will be famous. They say any publicity is good publicity, but I can’t see how being associated with this film was good for White Castle. Certainly the second didn’t do anything to popularize Guantanamo Bay. It’s not like I hate the concept. A simple stoner com, kinda like what “Pineapple Express” would become except with two young, ethnic stars, would have been a hit on its own. Did they really need to take it that far though?

Everything with Will Ferrell in it, except Stranger than Fiction (2004-Present)

Adam knew this was coming and promised me he wouldn’t censor it. I know I’m in the minority here when I say I unequivocally hate Will Ferrell. If you haven’t yet exited out of this page and banned this blog from your reading list, allow me to explain why: not only is he the most overpaid actor in Hollywood, his movies aren’t really that good, but for some reason he’s the latest Hollywood golden boy of comedy.

I could tolerate him on SNL, as his depressed Alex Trebek openly mocked idiotic celebrity guests and quarreled frequently with Hammond’s “Sean Connery”. He was great as Dubya too, but I suppose he knew he couldn’t do this impression forever. So when it seemed America would vote the idiot out of office, Ferrell left to make people laugh on the silver screen. And you guys most certainly did, making cult hits out “Anchorman”, “Talladega  Nights”, “Blades of Glory,” “Stepbrothers” and more.

I’ve asked if someone could explain what is just so funny about Will Ferrell. Other SNL alumni had better talent than he did. Ferrell’s legacy will be popularizing a childish sort of  humor you outgrew in elementary school (Example: “You’re stupid!”, “Well you’re a Zanzabarian assmonkey kinda stupid!”). If he can get paid $20 million dollars for touching himself and spewing off nonsensical insults like that, where do I sign? Fortunately, audiences may have begun to realize how truly awful his films are. “Land of the Lost” totally bombed the box office this past summer, but it still remains to be seen if he will fade into obscurity in the coming years or not.

All Those Dance Flicks that Came Out (2004, 2006, 2008, Present)

If one thing was more annoying than the wave of classroom humor that was surging in popularity, it was the teen dance flicks. You know the offenders: “You Got Served!”, “Bring It On!”, “Stomp the Yard!”,  and “Step Up” to name a few. Fans of “Save The Last Dance”, I’ll leave you out, because it wasn’t terrible. You notice how these movies also were fond of using exclamation points in their title? Further reason why they can’t be told apart. “Bring It On” defied the pack, by being more of a generic high school film that wouldn’t totally embarrass your parents, but its cousins on the list aren’t so lucky. C-walking isn’t hard to do: if you watch the monkeys at the zoo for two or three hours, they’ll show you how it’s done. They’re the best.

The films as a group are nothing special and hardly deviate from each other except they all have different names for urban style. If only someone could go back in time and warn Kevin Bacon (“Footloose”) and the late Patrick Swayze (“Dirty Dancing”) what would become of their beloved genre, maybe we could delay it another twenty years.

Borat (2006)

Remember at the height of this movie’s popularity, every fool you met was practicing their Kazahkstani accents so often that you just wanted to punch them in the face?  That’s ok, I’m sure you did it too.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s wildly popular character brought a new wave of attention to his critically-acclaimed “Da Ali G Show”, which had previously appeared on HBO and was not as well-known to audiences. “Borat” did have a point that was easy to be obscured in between the lines: Americans are way too easy to offend, and view way too many things as taboo. I don’t particularly agree with this view, seeing as the theater I was in thought it all terribly funny. It made more than twelve times its $18 million budget back, saddling many with guilt and guaranteeing an even more despicable profile for Cohen’s next character, Bruno. But with “Borat”, the joke really is on the poor nation of Kazahkstan, which lies sandwiched between Russia and Afghanistan. If you want to “make benefit the glorious nation of Kazahkstan”, ignore this shoddy film.

The House Bunny (2008)

There aren’t many mainstream actresses these days that have fared well on their own in comedies before (except Reese Witherspoon), not to belittle the several young girls that definitely have comedic chops. Anna Farris tried to break this sexist monopoly with a half-chick flick, half-raunchy com, “The House Bunny” but boy, were we not amused.

There was something particularly irritating about Anna’s voice in this movie, and unless you really got a thing for her and need to see her nearly naked, you’re better passing on this movie. Though she is by far not the worst attempt we’ve seen during the decade( Sandra Bullock and Kate Hudson are far worse), if it weren’t for the fact that Farris produced this flick, we wouldn’t bring it up at all. Now that’s it done, we have little recourse but to use the facepalm.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)

How appropriate that this is how we end the aughts. Kevin James, you’re no longer the “King of Queens”, but that doesn’t mean you’re dead in the water. You’re a comedic sidekick, a la John Candy. Relish in it; it’s not a shameful role at all. But whatever you do, do not make another “Mall Cop” movie, or we will stake you out with torches and pitchforks.

The first half of 2009 saw at least 3 different movies related to “mall security” come out, including the forgettable “Observe and Report” with Seth Rogen. But by far the biggest and a surprise hit on everyone’s radar was “Paul Blart”, a man whose name was so obviously intended to rhyme with “fart”, it’s not the least bit clever. Like “Borat”’s underlying victim, the people who will never live this down are the real mall cops. This film was completely asinine and as far as it being a breakout hit – in JANUARY- Kevin James must have been owed a favor from the man upstairs. However, when you notice the “Happy Madison” production bumper before the movie, it hits you: this wasn’t God, it was Adam Sandler. Sigh.

Dishonorable Mentions:

You know the drill by now. We included these films but will spare you the commentary- not that we care about you, the reader, very much at all, but because it is far too much a pain and would be extravagantly redundant to bash these films for the same reason the others are on the list. Some are obvious. For instance, “Starsky and Hutch” would have been on this list if it had not been for Snoop Dog’s Huggy Bear, and really- a two-and-a-half-hour disaster flick is begging to go here. Hope you aren’t too angry at us. This post was a sort of cathartic release. Our next “top 10″ won’t be so indulgent. We promise.

The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)

High School Musical & High Musical 3: Senior Year (2006-2008)

Ghost Rider (2006)

The Twilight Saga (2008-Present)

2012 (2009)

Don McLeanin hieno klassikkokappale kertoo elävästi 1950-luvun nuorisokulttuurista ja Buddy Hollyn, Ritchie Valensin ja J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardsonin kuoleman aiheuttamista, ehkäpä kollektiivisista, tunnoista. McLeanille “American Pien” eli turmakoneen matkustajien kohtalo edusti päivää, jona musiikki kuoli. Vaikka varsinkin lahjakkaan Buddy Hollyn uran olisi suonut jatkuneen pidempään, kertoo kappale vain tuosta onnettomuuden synnyttämästä kokemuksesta, ei tietenkään kaiken musiikin kuolemasta.

Buddy Holly

Don McLeanin kappale muistuttaa kuitenkin siitä, miten populaarimusiikin ja sen tuotannon rakenteet ovat muuttuneet sitten vuoden 1971, jolloin American Pie -albumi julkaistiin. Vai soitettaisiinko useimmilla radiokanavilla muka nykyään lähes 9 minuuttia kestävää folkrock-biisiä?

Tiedämme, ettei populaarimusiikille kuulu nykyään kovin hyvää. Kaipailu 50–70-lukujen “aitoon” musiikkikulttuuriin perustuu tietenkin nostalgiaharhaan, mutta kyllä jonkinlaisista popmusiikin kuolonkorahduksista on kyse, kun kuuntelee tätä kappaletta. Vai mitä mieltä olet?

Opetin tällä viikolla lukio-opiskelijoilleni parodian käsitettä siten, että analysoimme Jon Lajoien kappaleita. Tämä biisi kiteyttää hienosti, mistä massamusiikissa tai “kaupallisessa paskassa”, kuten yksi opiskelijoistani ilmaisi, on kyse.

“That’s how it works / in the pop music industry / 2009 mother fucker / that’s just how it be.” On surullisella tavalla ironista, että vaikka Lajoie onnistuu tässä pureutumaan täysin asian ytimeen ja vaikka hänen “Pop Songinsa” muistuttaa aika paljon “Sexy Bitchiä”, se jää kuitenkin esikuviaan kesymmäksi.

Ehkä se on ihan hyvä. Vain pahojen setien kuuluu osata musiikkiteollisuuden raadolliset pelisäännöt.

(Lue myös The Day the Music Died II)

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Don McLean’s classic song American Pie tells vividly about youth culture of the 1950’s. It focuses on feelings (perhaps collective) caused by the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson in an aeroplane accident in 1959. For McLean, the death of the passengers of the unfortunate plane or “American Pie” represented “the day the music died”. Although I would’ve allowed especially talented Buddy Holly to have a longer career, the song tells only about the experience arised from that particular accident, not about the death of music in general.

Don McLean

McLean’s song reminds us however, how the constitutions of popular music and the pop music industry have changed since the year 1971 when the American Pie album was released. Or do you think most radio stations would play an almost 9 minute long folk rock song nowadays?

We know that pop music isn’t feeling very well these days. Longing for the “genuine” music culture of 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s is of course based on a nostalgic fallacy. Nevertheless, cry of the dying pop music can be heard when listening to this. Or what do you think?

This week I taught my upper secondary school students the concept of parody by analyzing Jon Lajoie songs with them. Lajoie’s “Pop Song” (see above) crystallizes what the mass music or “commercial shit”, as one of my students put it, is about.

“That’s how it works / in the pop music industry / 2009 mother fucker / that’s just how it be.” It is sadly ironic, that while Lajoie totally manages to get to the point, and though his “Pop Song” resembles “Sexy Bitch” a lot, it remains tamer than its paragons.

Maybe it’s a good thing, for it is only the bad men who should know how to play the depraved game of the pop music industry.

(See also The Day the Music Died II)

Who is Cerina Vincent? Vincent is an American film actress best known for playing the Yellow Ranger Maya in the television series Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy and a naked foreign exchange student in Not Another Teen Movie.

Vincent was born February 7, 1979 in Las Vegas, Nevada of Italian descent. In 1996, she won the Miss Nevada Teen USA title and competed at Miss Teen USA. Though she made it to the top 15, she failed to place at the pageant (televised live), which was held in Las Cruces, New Mexico and won by Christie Lee Woods of Texas.

In 2001 Vincent appeared in the feature film spoof Not Another Teen Movie as the foreign exchange student Areola, and spends the entire film nude. The character was a spoof of Shannon Elizabeth’s character, Nadia, in American Pie (1999). She says that being nude in the movie made her feel much more comfortable with her body.
Vincent also starred in a R-rated horror film called Cabin Fever (2003). In 2006, Vincent appeared in the Sci-Fi Channel Original Movie Sasquatch Mountain, alongside Lance Henriksen, and got her first leading role in It Waits. She was also in the recently released Return to House on Haunted Hill which made its debut straight to video.
Vincent has written some movie scripts, but by her own admission in a recent interview whether or not they will be produced into films remains to be seen.


Vincent wrote her first book in 2007, How to Eat Like a Hot Chick, with co-writer Jodi Lipper.
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To see more Who Is click here.

Rob, Nathan and Lube are three friends at Great Falls High determined to succeed in their mission of manhood and score with the ladies of their dreams. After some uproarious attempts with less than successful results, they accidentally discover a legendary guide to seduction hidden in the school library. It turns out to be a rarely-seen, often-sought manual about the secrets to sexual success, penned by some of the school’s previous generations. But a few missing pages leads to hilarious surprises for everyone….Including the alumni.

There’s something I dread when I watch comedies, and it’s even more prevalent in certain black comedies where they are played seriously, dead-pan. I like to term it “Sympathetic Viewer Awkwardness”, which happens both when the character feels awkward, but much more commonly, when we feel awkward for the character.

Take for instance the American version of The Office, starring Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the boss at a small office where they sell paper. Michael will not miss an opportunity to be rude, racist, sexist, and offensive. His staff obviously pays him no mind, and don’t take him seriously. I do remember the scene where he asked every person in the office to talk as if they were someone from another “group”, and he drew the “Indian” card (India, not Native American), and then Kelly, the Indian worker, had walked in and had slapped him, since she thought he were mocking her.

The thing is, watching The Office is almost a physically painful experience for me, as I can’t help but go, “Oh gawd, he didn’t just do that, did he? He did!” and of course the show actually plays and gives social commentary, by showing you these ridiculously offensive things, and having a character who truly means well, he just really doesn’t know any better. If you watch the show with people who think Michael’s behaviour is legitimate, BTW, know that you are not in Kansas anymore ;)

In American Pie 2 there’s a scene where Jim takes a special ed kid’s trumpet (I think he was autistic, but it’s been nearly a decade since I’ve last watched the movie), and walks towards Michelle (Alyson Hannigan’s character) in a public show, trumpeting, with a complete lack of ability on the trumpet. The thing is, the scene went on and on, with him sounding so bad, and looking so stupid, that I literally half-covered my eyes while it all went on.

Likewise, in last week’s episode of The Big Bang Theory, where Howard first proposes to Bernadette in the middle of the Cheese Factory, and then goes and performs a number on stage there. I watched it on my own, so I actually stopped the video for a bit.

So what is this “Sympathetic Viewer Awkwardness”? It’s when the characters are acting so outrageously bad, that you feel ashamed, you feel ashamed for them, you feel the shame you would have felt in their place, you feel the shame you’d have felt if you were in public with them and related to them. You feel awkward, because it’s something you can’t stomach, and you care for the characters, and you feel the pain, the shame, of their actions, even as far removed as only seeing them happen on TV.

It makes watching comedies somewhat painful, but I brave it. It may show that I identify too strongly with characters, but who knows.

P.S. I’m sorry last week had no updates, I actually meant to write an entry several times, but something always came up.

I have performed in a talent show once before. The James Buchanan Middle School First Annual Talent Extravaganza. I got roped into it because I was the second-chair clarinet in the eight-grade band. First chair had to join the jazz ensemble, and second chair had to join the Dixieland ensemble. Mrs. North decided that the talent show would be a good way to get a concert for both groups out of the way without having to go to the trouble of actually organizing a full concert on her own, so it was smart from her standpoint.

Part of the stated purpose of the Talent Extravaganza was to boost the student body’s self-esteem by “letting” us perform in front of our peers. That meant that the show had to be held during school hours. Whoever was in charge of it realized, at least, that no junior high school student would come to school after hours to watch a talent show solely to boost his classmate’s self-esteem. So it had to be held during school hours.

The school was also going through one of its instruction time-counting kicks, though, so it was pretty much impossible to have any assemblies or special events that would impinge at all on those 47 minutes of classroom instruction that each teacher received and guarded with their life, even if they used it for teaching us how to fill out word searches or something like that. So, because the administrators had not even the tiniest understanding of how junior high school brains work, they scheduled the talent show to run in the lunchroom, during lunch.

They took out one of the long tables to accommodate the stage area, making everyone angry: other tables had to accommodate the displaced kids, and depending on social status, some of those tables developed refugees of their own who had to nurse their hurt feelings at seeing how tenuous their hold on their social standing was. They tapped Mr. Nichol, the lunchroom attendant, to emcee the event, leaving no other rule enforcement in the room.

And most blindingly: By performing at lunch, we were facing a captive audience heavily armed with goulash, chili, peas, applesauce, and half pints of milk.

The Dixieland ensemble was up second. First was Jamie, our heroic mentally challenged special-needs kid who really, really liked performing “American Pie.” The catcalls were mocking at first, but, well, it’s a long song and by the end, the crowd was pretty riled up. (Jamie didn’t realize this, of course. He thought he did quite well.)

We were the first and last of the non-special acts. The food started flying before we had even gotten our music stands set up. By the time we’d made it through “Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey,” word had somehow made it to the principal, who shut the show down with a stern lecture at the performers about how being pelted with food could cause the school serious liability.

The only positive to come of the show was that my second key got irrevocably stuffed with applesauce, so I could finally quit the stupid instrument.

I don’t do talent shows. I don’t perform in them, I don’t attend them, and I try not to even think the words.

*****

A lot of my fiction has some spark of inspiration from a true story, but not this one. Inspiration from this passage from Exile Issues, a monologue by Carla bemoaning the talent show that she is about to be required to perform in, comes from two true stories.

First was the band-playing-at-lunch-at-school part. That happened in 8th or 9th grade (although I played trombone) and the results were only slightly better than you would expect from a performance by unpopular kids in front of junior high school students armed with poor-tasting but aerodynamic foodstuffs.

The second part comes from high school. Periodically—homecoming and things like that—we’d have an afternoon-long celebration with activities miscellaneous and varied. I think it was senior year when each of these started to include karaoke, and every time, the mentally challenged kid did perform the classic and extremely long “American Pie.” As I recall, the audiences were rather supportive for him in real life, but in fiction if the characters are treated well it’s not comedy, so there you go.

Why is there a talent show in the book in the first place? Well, Nathan, the titular transdimensional exile has enlisted the support of a pair of humans to help him get home. It’s a long process, and so he believes he’s being thoughtful by planning entertainment such as this for the little band to take part in.

The seventh installment, (yes it’s really been that long) of the American Pie series brings together another group of friends in East Great Falls High who are all obvious hapless virgins. The film, as a whole, was supposed to revert back to the original feel of the first three American Pie films, and pulled it off with moderate success. With scenes which involve a promiscuous peanut butter sandwich, a 70 or so year old prostitute, and a randy moose, presumably the last in the series guarantees a couple of laughs.

The cast of The Book of Love is an unusual one, throwing together a beautiful young Brit from ‘Eastenders,’ (Louisa Lytton) a youtube comedian (Brandon Hardesty), the ever lovable Eugene Levy and a guy called Bug. You really can’t beat a line-up like that, can you? As per usual with the American Pie franchise, there is the typical mound of attractive American women (but kudos to John Putch for including someone for the Brits), crude and often unappreciated humour, but also a feeling of nostalgia beaming us back to the  first American Pie.

However, American Pie 7 does exactly what it’s supposed to. You watch it, you laugh moderately throughout, and by the end of the film you’ll want to place it on your shelf with your other DVD’s and not watch it for an excess of several months. There isn’t much to say in regards to the film, possibly because of its pointless plot, adequate acting, and let’s face it, it’s an American Pie film. It won’t leave you pondering the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Although if you’d like to hear Brandon Hardesty’s view on the film, you can do so here. Provides a well needed laugh, I’d buy it to complete the collection. If you’re a hardcore American Pie fan, you’ll love this.

]]> http://bowdogblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/disturbed-thought-4-2day-4/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:58:27 +0000 Bowdog http://bowdogblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/disturbed-thought-4-2day-4/

Another American Pie Movie. Remember the guy playing the lead? He was Alfalfa in The Little Rascals.

So what’s it about?: The same Stifler cousins and side kicks from Naked Mile are back for more ensuing overblown raunchy frat house chaos.

The Good: This movie is better than Naked Mile in that it’s not only funnier but it also is a little more true to the spirit of the original American Pie trilogy.   In other words, it felt like it belonged.   And it was nice to see a returning cast of characters.   Not to mention the most sexual characters were overweight in a refreshingly non-mocking way and one was female, which like never happens in raunchy teen comedies!

The Bad: Well, it is a direct-to-video movie and it has the quality of a direct-to-video movie.  Most of the plot is taken from better, funnier movies and some of the jokes just fall flat.

The Verdict: Great for a late night drunken movie in college or to hold all you GrΣΣk fans over till the new season starts.

Okay, so I figured I’d seen the first four, I might as well finish the franchise, right?

So what’s it about?: Another Stifler who just so happens to be a high school virgin gets a guilt free pass from his girlfriend as he goes visits his college cousin in time for the Naked Mile.  Oh, yeah, and chaos ensues.

The Good: Well, it’s sufficiently funny and entertaining, and for a direct-to-video movie labelled under one of the raunchiest teen comedy franchises to date it’s not half bad.  And the characters are definitely a step up from those in Band Camp (which is probably why these were brought back for film 6).  Oh, and this wins for probably the only film that depicts a little person as sexy, so props.

The Bad: Um… how many Stiflers are there?  Were the other characters just not cool enough to have a never ending supply of cousins?  And the whole thing was reused.  The characters, the plot, nothing was original.

The Verdict: A fun film, but nothing more than that.

Veja os cartazes do novo filme da série ‘Crepúsculo’

‘Lua nova’, de Chris Weitz, tem estreia marcada para 20 de novembro.
Longa é baseado no segundo livro da série criada por Stephenie Meyer.

29/09/09 – 17h37 – Atualizado em 29/09/09 – 17h56

A produtora Summit Entertainment divulgou nesta terça-feira (29) os cartazes do filme ‘Lua nova’, que tem estreia marcada para o dia 20 de novembro. Um deles traz em destaque o casal Kristen Stewart e Robert Pattinson, que vivem os protagonistas Bella e Edward. O outro coloca em evidência o ator Taylor Lautner, que interpreta o personagem Jacob Black. Baseado no segundo livro da série ‘Crepúsculo’, de Stephenie Meyer, ‘Lua nova’ tem direção de Chris Weitz (de ‘American pie’). (Foto: AP)

O terceiro pôster do novo filme traz em destaque Dakota Fanning, que interpreta a personagem Jane. (Foto: AP)

http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Cinema/0,,MUL1322967-7086,00-VEJA+OS+CARTAZES+DO+NOVO+FILME+DA+SERIE+CREPUSCULO.html

First off, I am not writing this as an environmentalist, tree hugger kind of person. I do like the environment and think there is so much beauty out there that we don’t appreciate.

The air I speak is in public restrooms. Yes I really am writing about the issue of noxious fumes that many of us just can’t stand when you walk into a public facility.

What I would like to see is a mandatory automatic air freshener required to be in all public facilities and port-a-johns. Seriously. Who hasn’t walked into the work loo only to be knocked on your heiny from the previous person’s use?

Maybe Finch from the American Pie movies had it right to not use public facilities. I don’t know. But I am tired of walking into someplace where it smells like the kids were dropped off at the sewer not the pool.

Please, please, if there are any EPA or health inspectors reading this get some new regulations in place and soon. I and my nose thanks you.

Ecco due scene dedicate agli ultimi due film di American Pie:

Scena per msn American Pie Nudi alla Meta

Scena per msn America Pie Beta House

1 decembrie

Am ajuns si eu ca Corbu’, sa folosesc oamenii?
Vreau o relatie de durata, vreau tot ce n-am putut sa am si ce eram cat pe ce sa am cu Iulia. Eventual cu Andreea. Nu pot sa uit cum am dansat cu Iulia pe American Pie la ziua mea. N-o sa moara niciodata amintirea asta in mine. Dar vreau acea relatie. O merit. Si Andreea la fel. Dar poate ca semanam prea mult. Nu stiu. Mi-a zis Andreea ca a fost bine ca a chiulit si ca a vorbit cu mine: la ea in clasa a iesit scandal la franceza si toti o sa aiba media scazuta la purtare, in afara de aia care au chiulit… stiam ca-s omul evenimentelor, dar nici asa… Oricum, ideea e ca tipa si-a bagat ghiarele pe mijlocul meu. Cand am luat-o spre Hasdeu impreuna cu Iulia, era SUPER-catranita si a trebuit sa-i zic vreo doua glume s-o invelesc.
N-am inteles-o pe Iulia la timp, si sunt un tampit. Mesajul era ca s-a terminat totul intre noi. Bineinteles, cum se terminase prima data nu era cuser. Life goes on. Of course I don’t know what to do, what am I other than a fucked-up (not even that), miserable teenager who can’t say I’m sorry or I don’t know because he does not know who to tell it to. Nu stiu cat si ce ma mai atrage la Iulia, sau daca mai exista ceva. Stiu ca a vorbit cu prietenii ei despre mine (i control all the sources…), dar ca nu are curajul sa faca ceva. Eu am obosit – cu fiecare zi tin la ea din ce in ce mai putin. Sa vedem ce se intampla (intotdeauna modul tampit de a incheia o inscriere intr-un jurnal, pentru ca data viitoare cand te uiti te pufneste rasul: nu se va intampla nimic nou).

Comedy is important to the way we live, it keeps a light feeling in our hearts and shines on the darkness of our realities. There have been many different kinds of shows that showcase talents of the comedy kind, and lately I have been witnessing one of the greats. No, not SNL, though a hilarious show in its early days, but instead, SCTV. A Canadian show with some fantastic people, who you will come to realize you know more than you’d think. Remember the dad from the American Pie movies? Yes, Eugene Levy, he is on it, and one of my favorite parts is one of his, Mel’s Rock Pile. Then you have the wonderful John Candy, which if you don’t know who he is, you probably need to dig yourself out of that dumpster you’ve been living in the past decade. Some other great actors, like Rick Moranis, yes, the dude from Ghostbusters, (and speaking of Ghostbusters, you’ll notice a young Harold Ramis on the show occasionally), you can see him as Gerry Todd, on the Gerry Todd Show, and other characters as well. With them you have Catherine O’Hara, a super funny lady and some other really great people who make this show one you should really check out, since I doubt most of you have ever heard of it. I even hear Martin Short is on the show but I haven’t quite made it that far, but I’ll keep you posted.

sas