The Rants Of Ruttle

The State Of The WWE: Part Two

2008-12-23T15:23:00.003-06:00

Last Friday, I got to talking about the current state the WWE is in. The Armageddon PPV had just passed and Jeff Hardy became the new WWE Champion, pinning Edge in a Triple Threat match that also featured Triple H. Today, as my Christmas holiday is set to begin in about an hour, I'll dive right in and share thoughts on the Royal Rumble, No Way Out and the biggest show of 'em all, Wrestlemania 25.

Batista is apparently injured.

WWE has yet to confirm this, but from what I've read on the dirt sheets (I know, they're a joke 90% of the time, but once in a blue moon....), he has a torn hamstring muscle and will be on the shelf for 6-8 months. Of course, this means he's out of Wrestlemania and the Raw brand is missing a major superstar for the next while. One of Mania's many rumored matches was a rematch from Summerslam, Batista vs John Cena, possibly for the World Heavyweight Title. I sympathize with his situation, but this leaves a huge window of opportunity for other guys on Raw to step up to the plate. It'll be interesting to see what direction Raw takes in the coming weeks.

Speaking of Raw, there were 4 matches held last night to determine the participants of a Fatal Fourway match coming next week. The winner of that match will face John Cena at the Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Title. The quick results were as follows:

1. Shawn Michaels vs Kane: HBK made Kane look like a huge monster in this one, which I really liked. Shawn took a beating but squirmed his way out a chokeslam attempt, hitting a superkick out of desperation for the win.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels

2. JBL vs Rey Mysterio: I was surprised at how long this one went, considering it's only TV and JBL isn't known for long-winded matches. Must've reached the 15-minute mark at some point. JBL got the DQ win when Shawn Michaels saved him for a 619 and slapped him. See, HBK is in a storyline with JBL where he "works" for him because Michaels is "broke" due to the crappy economy in the States. He saved his employer so that JBL would advance to next week's match.
WINNER: JBL

3. Randy Orton vs Batista: Didn't happen. Batista wasn't there to sell the skull kick he got from Orton last week. Except now that Big Dave is apparently hurt for real, that kick's gonna get sold a whooooole lot longer! Orton cut a great promo after he was given the win. WINNER: Randy Orton

4. Chris Jericho vs CM Punk: Awesome match. Very back and forth with the Toronto crowd cheering Jericho, causing Jerry Lawler to once again call Canadian fans strange and different. Man I hate when he does that. Wow, a crowd cheering for the wrestler they love, who ever heard of THAT?!? Jericho got the win with the Codebreaker when Punk came off the top rope. Great counter.
WINNER: Chris Jericho

So the Fatal Fourway next week will consist of Shawn Michaels vs JBL vs Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho. Should make for some good TV. As for a winner, I see Orton taking it and facing Cena, which then tells me he won't be in the Rumble match itself. THIS in turn makes me think that Edge is a top contender to win the 30-man battle royal.

So now, let's talk Wrestlemania matches. A while ago, I discussed four bouts that I'd love to see at the biggest show of the year on the WWE Universe page on Facebook. Two matches for the respective World Championships and two "Special Attraction" matches that could only happen on the grandest stage of them all.

That was a few weeks ago. Now that certain storylines have taken place and other guys are now Champion on Raw and Smackdown, these matches may not be a reality. Well, one of them definitely won't take place because we saw it for free on TV last night! I'll give you my take on each of them as we count them down, so let's begin.....

1. WWE Championship match
Edge (C) vs Jeff Hardy

Months of build up finally lead to Hardy getting Edge one-on-one. Very back and forth until Edge focuses on Jeff's head and neck, applying various holds and eventually busting him open. Match gets taken into the crowd, near the entrance ramp ala Rock/Austin from their 1999 feud. Ref bump at about the 20:00 mark, Edge's cronies run in and beat down Hardy, prompting brother Matt to make the save with a steel chair, taking the Champ down in the process. Edge and Jeff are laid out and eventually make it to their feet. Edge, getting desperate, lunges at Hardy but takes out the ref again with a spear. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, but Edge counters with an Impaler DDT. He grabs the WWE Title and gets ready to hit Jeff when CHRISTIAN darts from the crowd, hits the ring and nails Edge with the Unprettier onto the gold. Hardy is up, hits the top rope and Swantons Edge as the ref counts 1............................2.......................................3. Brother Matt comes back down, they celebrate and Christian smiles at Edge from the entrance.
WINNER: Jeff Hardy, NEW WWE Champion

So here's the thing - Hardy's already won the WWE Title. This match could still be a possibility, though I think they'd probably do a gimmick match like TLC or something. Maybe have the Title vacated for some reason and these two fight for it. However, if Hardy hadn't won at Armageddon and maybe won the Rumble, that's how I'd have the match come out.

2. World Heavyweight Title match
Chris Jericho (C) vs CM Punk

Feud heats up when Punk loses the IC Title at No Way Out to former partner Kofi Kingston in a face vs face match. Backstage at NWO, Jericho runs into Punk and jokes "Hey, at least you were CONSCIOUS and lost the belt this time", refering to Unforgiven when he was taken out of the match and Jericho ended up winning. Punk is irate and attacks Jericho after his World Title defense that night and on Raw the following night. The match itself is superb and given a lot of time, roughly 25 minutes. Lots of submission moves and technical wrestling here, folks. Punk nails some serious kicks but ends up killing his leg on the ringpost outside the ring. Jericho works on it from there and keeps the Liontamer on for a good while. Punk makes the ropes and when Jericho tries a Lionsault, he hits Punk's knees face-first. Both men make it to their feet and Jericho hits a knee clip in desperation. He tries a Lionsault again but Punk snatches him mid-flight and hits the Go To Sleep. Both men are laid out again, exhausted and the fans are on their feet. Punk makes the cover but Chris kicks out. Punk goes for the knee/bulldog combo but Jericho shoves him into the ref and hits the Codebreaker, finally followed by the Lionsault. He covers but when the ref finally awakens, Punk kicks out. Fans are chanting "THIS IS AWESOME" and nearly 30 minutes have passed. They do a slugfest and Jericho hits an enziguri kick. He props Punk on the top rope and goes for a superplex but Punk falls on him and applies the Anaconda Vice to a huge pop. Jericho wiggles and tries to roll out of it but Punk stays on. Eventually, much like HBK/Angle from WM21, Y2J taps out and Punk is once again World Champ.
WINNER: CM Punk, NEW World Heavyweight Champion

I always thought the WWE needed a great PPV match between these two to settle what happened at Unforgiven this year. They've since fought a few times on Raw (like last night) but if they were given a good 25 minutes or so on PPV, I see a contender for Match Of The Year at next year's Slammy Awards. Thinking about it, this one may not be so impossible, seeing how Batista is injured. Below is what I think the WWE could do with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin heading into Wrestlemania. If the rumors are true and he struck a deal to have one more match, I figure it'd have to be against someone with HUGE heat, and Orton's a top heel. Although Jericho would make a good opponent, as well. This one features the return of two former WWE Champions, Mick Foley being the more far out chance, seeing how he's with TNA now.

3. One Night Only, No Disqualification match
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Randy Orton

Austin returns for one more match after 6 years away from the ring. HUGE buildup for this. Austin makes an appearance at the Rumble and runs into Orton backstage, where they have a 'verbal exchange'. Orton ends up spitting in Austin's face and security have to hold Steve back from destroying Randy. At the end of the Rumble match, Orton is the 2nd last man eliminated after Austin drives his truck through the entrance and Orton is distracted. From there, the challenge is made by Austin, who says he'll "walk that aisle one more time to stomp a mudhole in Randy Orton's ass!!!" Orton manages to sneak attack him and hit an RKO. When Austin tries to retaliate the next week on Raw, Orton says he got a restraining order against Steve which says the match at Mania will be off if Austin attacks him. Mind games are played for weeks between both men and on the last Raw before Mania, Orton pisses off the Raw GM and the order is lifted. Austin beats the shit out of Orton to a massive pop but gets a low blow when he tries a Stunner. Orton hightails it and the match at Mania is on. Austin gets the ring rust out of his system eventually and the match opens up a bit, with Austin hitting clothelines, footstomps and the Thesz Press/front elbow combo. The match is taken outside and into the Texas crowd, where they fight on some steel rigging ala Taker/HHH at WM 17. Austin backdrops Orton off of it for a HOLY SHIT moment. Orton is busted open after a chair shot, but counters a Stunner attempt in the ring into his backbreaker trademark for a 2 count. He then focuses on Austin's neck - choking him, stomping him, multiple clotheslines and holds. He then hits a neckbreaker onto a chair and signals for the RKO. Austin counters and hits the Stunner before making the cover. Before the win though, PRICELESS hits the ring and Rhodes, Manu and DiBiase work Austin over. Suddenly, MICK FOLEY charges the ring, barb-wire bat in hand and takes them down. Orton low blows Foley and hits an RKO onto the bat. The four of them beat down Foley and Austin when..................IF YA SMEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, THE ROCK bolts to the ring as the crowd explodes, taking out all four in a frenzy of energy. Clotheline here, spinebuster there. DDT here, Rock Bottom there. Foley makes it to his feet and they take out Priceless, who run away in the process. Orton tries to RKO The Rock but gets a Rock Bottom. Austin and Orton eventually make it to their feet and Austin tries a Stunner, but Orton nails the RKO. He drapes an arm over Stone Cold but the Rattlesnake kicks out just barely. Orton is speechless and desperately stomps away at Austin before grabbing the chair again. Austin grabs the barb-wire bat and clobbers the chair away before hitting the Stunner to a giant pop. He makes the cover but pulls Randy's head up, choosing to hit TWO MORE Stunners before hooking the leg 1........................2...............................................3.
WINNER: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

I admit, I totally marked out for that ending, especially with The Rock appearing to help out his greatest Wrestlemania opponent. But hey, it's the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania, Austin's having his first match in 6 years and it's in Texas. It'd HAVE to be that huge. This last one is the most possible, in my opinion. It's a basic Smackdown vs Raw match but with a lot more history. These two had interactions at the 2007 and 2008 Rumble matches, and they'll probably tear into each next month at the 2009 one.

4. Interpromotional match
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker

The history of these two plays a huge part in the buildup, including their encounters during the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Royal Rumble matches. Michaels is forced to play the tweener role here, reminding people that the Dead Man has never beaten the Heartbreak Kid, citing his wins at Bad Blood 1997 and Royal Rumble 1998. The two invade each others' shows in the weeks until Mania and all Hell breaks loose during on official contract signing, which ends with HBK superkicking Taker and taunting him, only for Taker to rise up, snatch Shawn by the throat and chokeslam him through the table, before he then signs on the dotted line and drops the contract on Michaels' prone body. The match itself is excellent and fans are divided, though they seem to be more for Taker seeing how Houston is his hometown. Michaels has a counter for almost all of the Dead Man's arsenal, slipping out of chokeslam attempts and clipping his knee after a Tombstone attempt. HBK works over Taker's bad knees for a while before he misses an elbow drop. Taker then works on Shawn's back - bashing him against the ringpost, dropping several elbows, and keeping him in a backbreaker submission. He hits the Snake Eyes and goes for the big boot but HBK meets him with some Sweet Chin Music. He crawls over for the cover but Taker locks on the gogoplata. Shawn moves around alot in the move and flips over, looking for a jackknife cover but Taker kicks out. HBK is up before Taker and launches another superkick at him, but takes out the ref when Taker dodges outta the way. Shawn hits a low blow when he sees the ref is down before bringing a chair into the ring. Before Michaels tries to bash Taker's head in, he gets a chokeslam and Taker now has the chair. He waits until Michaels is up and swings. Shawn ducks and superkicks the metal into Taker's face. Seeing the ref still down but starting to stir, Shawn veers up for another superkick but Taker ducks the leg before snatching him up and hitting the Tombstone. The ref is up and makes the count 1............2...................3. The streak continues. Taker does his usual celebration routine but stares at HBK who is starting to get up. They look at each other and Taker offers his hand. The crowd in Houston pops huge when they shake and the two get a standing ovation.
WINNER: The Undertaker

So those are dream Mania matches. I think if done correctly and in the right order, those bouts, coupled with the rest of the undercard would make for arguably the greatest Wrestlemania of all-time. I've got my fingers crossed on at least two of them happening. Then I'll be happy.

Anyway, that's it for now. I've gotta take off and run some errands before getting home. I'm headed to Calgary tomorrow morning for Christmas and we'll all be back at work here on January 5th, 2009. Hope you all have a great Christmas season and a memorable New Year.

See you next year,
D.

The State Of The WWE

2008-12-19T14:57:00.002-06:00

With the Armageddon pay-per-view now history, 2008 is coming to an end and soon it'll be Royal Rumble season. So with that in mind, I wanna take the rest of this Friday afternoon to rant, rave and generally express my feelings on the past year in WWE and where the company is headed as Wrestlemania 25 plans loom closer than ever. Let's call it The State Of The WWE......

Like I said, Armageddon has now come and gone, and the big thing everybody is talking about is the fact that Jeff Hardy finally won the big one, surprising millions across the world and defeating Edge and Triple H in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship. Hardy's long journey to championship stardom came to an end when he hit the Champion, Edge with a Swanton Bomb after Triple H connected with the Pedigree and covered Edge. The momentum of Hardy's off-the-top-rope move knocked the Game from the ring and Jeff had finally grabbed the brass ring after three seconds.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see Jeff finally get a chance to run with the ball. He's had his personal demons in the past, including two past suspensions for violating the WWE's drug policy, but to me it seems he's really cleaned himself up and is more focused than ever on being the best in the ring. However, MY problem with Hardy winning the gold is that the WWE missed a golden opportunity to show the conclusion to this journey at Wrestlemania.

If it were me calling the shots over on Smackdown, I would've had Edge win this match and go on to face Triple H at the Royal Rumble. He'd retain the Title there, too, while Hardy would almost win the Rumble match itself. Edge would prevent him from doing so and from there, the feud would get really hot, with Hardy winning a #1 Contender match at No Way Out. They'd fight at Wrestlemania with Jeff THEN winning the belt. I have no idea what the plan is at this stage, with Jeff now the Champion, but I can't help but feel the WWE jumped the shark on this one.

The quick results from Armageddon were as such:

1. Matt Hardy vs Vladimir Kozlov: When this was announced as a non-title match, that pretty much told everyone Kozlov was going over. And he did. He pinned the ECW Champion after some new powerslam move he debuted.
WINNER: Vladimir Kozlov by pinfall

2. CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio: This was the final match in the Intercontinental Title contender tournament. Haven't seen it on YouTube yet but I've read this was a good one, with some saying this was Punk's best WWE match ever. He beat Rey with the GTS, giving him a bloody nose in the process. Good, cuz I'm really starting to dislike Mysterio. The whole "I'm-the-underdog-but-with-the-heart-of-a-lion" thing is getting old.
WINNER: CM Punk by pinfall

3. Finlay vs Mark Henry: Billed as a Belfast Brawl. It's nice to see the ECW brand get some attention and not just a once-in-a-while ECW Title match. I don't watch the show but I read good things. Finlay took this one after cracking Henry with his shillelagh.
WINNER: Finlay by pinfall

4. Batista vs Randy Orton: I'd like to YouTube this one, too. I read good things about it as well, which is rare when it's a match involving Batista. I still like the big guy, but he can be really hit-and-miss with his performances sometimes. Anyway, he put Orton away with a Batista Bomb which didn't surprise me. Orton got a clean win over him at Survivor Series and on Raw before the PPV, so it was time to return the favor, I guess.
WINNER: Batista by pinfall

5. Eight-Woman Tag match, Maria/Michelle McCool/Kelly Kelly/Mickie James vs Maryse/Natalya/Victoria/Jillian Hall: Your standard women's match. Plus they were dressed in sexy Christmas costumes so you've got the T&A factor. The good girls win when McCool hits her "new" finisher on Hall (pssst! It's just the Styles Clash from TNA Wrestling!)
WINNERS: The first team I said by pinfall

6. World Heavyweight Title match, John Cena (C) vs Chris Jericho: Was hoping they'd put the belt back on Jericho, seeing how he won the Superstar of the Year award on Raw. Oh well. Cena retained after making Chris tap to the STF. Yes, I know it's billed as the STF-U, but that's just plain......well, idiotic. Especially when Cena is marketed towards kids.
WINNER: John Cena by submission

7. WWE Championship match, Edge (C) vs Jeff Hardy vs Triple H: You already know the result.
WINNER: Jeff Hardy by pinfall, NEW WWE Champion

So now, where does the WWE go from here? Well, the Royal Rumble is next month and rumors are flying all over the place as to the winner. Myself, I see 3 possible candidates:

Chris Jericho - He can carry the momentum as the WWE's hottest heel and after his failed attempt at winning back the World Title from Cena, fans would go ballistic if Y2J managed to sneak a Rumble victory.
Edge - I'd like to see him win simply because it's the only thing he hasn't done in his wrestling career. He's won every belt there is several times, won the King of the Ring, main-evented both Wrestlemania AND Summerslam (both against the Undertaker) and has had memorable feuds and matches with the best in the business. Besides, he's won battle royals on TV before, who's to say he couldn't do it on PPV on a bigger scale?
Randy Orton - Out of all 3 choices, I think Orton's got the better shot at winning it, seeing how Jericho and Edge have been so close to the title scene lately. Orton has stayed outside the championship picture so I think he's the smarter move on WWE's part.

Of course, when it comes to the Rumble, the rules have changed over the years. Now the WWE says that the winner can challenge for ANY World Championship, so maybe somebody will be jumping to another show. Anything's possible when Wrestlemania starts creeping up on us.

Well, time has seemed to jet by for me actually, so I'll have to cut this short for today. Next week, I'll delve into possible No Way Out matches and of course, possible matches for the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania, including a Smackdown vs Raw match that's been hinted at in the last 2 Royal Rumble matches and the highly-rumored return of the Texas Rattlesnake, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

For now, I've got a weekend of hockey and Christmas celebrating to do, as well as my holiday shopping.

Until then,

TO BE CONTINUED... D.

Fanboy Fantasy Absolutely KILLER!

2008-12-15T15:48:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading a graphic novel last night that I'd been meaning to finish for the last few months. This is odd, because it's a book that I'd been waiting for to hit shelves and was able to grab it at 8th Street Books & Comics in September - Freddy vs Jason vs Ash.

Like I said, it took me a long time to finally sit down and finish it. I guess life just got in the way, as well as my stubborn temperament. This was a book that I felt had to be enjoyed in the right atmosphere:

- Had to be read at night;
- Had to be read with complete silence; and
- Had to have my full, undivided attention.

So last night, I sat down and zipped through the last 50 pages or so. And I gotta tell ya, this book doesn't disappoint. It lives up to the legacy and credibility of each character's respective franchise, and cements a new future in possible sequels. A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger is just as evil and corny as ever, Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees has never been more skull-crushing and unstoppable and Evil Dead's Ash Williams is still the blue-collar wise-ass we all love. The story keeps a solid balance between all three and borrows from each character's past on-screen adventures.

A little background info on this tale............

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash was originally issued as a 6-part comic series starting in October 2007. When the series wrapped this past spring, the entire adventure was compiled into one kick-ass looking graphic novel, which is really what I prefer. To be honest, I just don't get to the comic shops that often so I look like a moron trying to decipher what order the $3.00 paperbacks go in. For all I know, I could be buying Issues #5 and 9 of 12, then I'd be REALLY confused. Also, it's just not worth my time to buy ONE 32-page comic when I know I'll just be done in maybe a half-hour. I'd rather wait until a series is over and released as a WHOLE in graphic novel form, like some of the others I have. Anyway......

This war between three of horror's beloved icons was originally going to end up as a sequel to the smash hit 2003 movie, Freddy vs Jason. Jeff Katz, then an executive at New Line Cinema, wrote a treatment of the script that soon hit the Web and fans were hooked (myself included). Sadly, the film deal fell through for whatever reason and FvJvA was trapped in development limbo. In early 2007, Katz made the announcement that his treatment would see new life, this time in comic form. Later that year, the issues started hitting the stands and fans loved it. Talk of a sequel hit the Web just a few weeks ago.

I'm disappointed that FvJvA will never be a movie, but at least the idea still hit the mainstream public. Things could've turned out worse and this three-way fight to the death could still be in the minds of the writers, so I'm glad we at least have it in some form. And that's the amazing thing about comics and graphic novels - you can make anything happen to anyone. Freddy vs Jason vs Ash? Sure. Leatherface vs Michael Myers? OK. Batman vs Predator? Why not? (I've actually read that last one, not bad! Very out there, but not bad.) It gives new hope to aspiring writers, filmmakers and artists who get their ideas shot down by executives in designer suits, who say the idea isn't marketable or doesn't have mainstream appeal.

This story goes as such: After the events of Freddy vs Jason, Krueger is locked away in 'dream demon purgatory' while Voorhees is content in his surroundings at Crystal Lake. Meanwhile, Ash makes the move from Michigan up to Jason's turf to take a higher position at the new Super Duper S-Mart (inside joke to dedicated Ash fanatics), or so it would seem. Ash is really on the lookout for the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead, and he believes it is hidden away in the old Voorhees home. Ash wants to get the book in order to destroy it once and for all, while Freddy uses what little power he has left to manipulate Jason once more, regain his strength and use the book's power to take control of not only the dream world, but reality as well. All of these elements make up a recipe for one of the coolest showdowns in (almost) cinematic history.

Indeed, this story was truly written for the fans. In a nod to the previous film, the main characters from Freddy vs Jason, Will and Lori make a return in the first few pages of this tale, only to **SPOILER ALERT** meet their fates at the hands of machete-swinging Jason. It's true horror movie cliche but it's only fitting.

The artwork on FvJvA is incredible. Everything from the Crystal Lake location to the guts spilling out of innocent victims looks bold and beautiful. It really stands out and you can tell this project was close to the artist's heart. You'd have to be a fan of these characters to give them justice in a comic form, and it shows on these pages.

I love the idea of this story taking place in the winter, too. That's never been done before with Freddy, Jason or Ash and it's really quite genius in how they pulled it off. In fact, the cold winter setting plays a large part in the final battle these guys engage in.

For my money, Freddy vs Jason vs Ash is one of the most well-written, excellently-drawn graphic novels I've seen in a long time. The concept is simple but very satisfying in the end.

My fingers are crossed that another series does in fact see the light of day. And judging by the final page in FvJvA, I'm sure they'll be back for more.

Keep 'em laughin',
D.

The Slammys

2008-12-09T16:14:00.004-06:00

So 2008 is coming to a close, and the WWE handed out Slammy Awards for the first time in 11 years last night on Raw. I thought most of the big ones were right on the money, though I'm curious as to what the voting process was, seeing how there was no mention of fan voting on WWE.com. What, a room full of executives dining on Chinese take-out decided on the best wrestlers, matches and moments of 2008? Isn't that OUR job as loyal fans? Whatever.

Here are the winners of the big Awards, along with the other nominees and my own analysis on each:

1. Superstar Of The Year
Chris Jericho - WINNER
Edge
Triple H
Jeff Hardy
Batista
John Cena

This definitely belonged to Jericho, though Edge would've been a fine choice as well. After Jericho made his return to the WWE in November 2007 after over two years away, things sorta fizzled out after his short, one-month program with WWE Champion Randy Orton. A lot of people said the momentum from his return nose-dived after that, especially when he was part of a boring but brief feud with JBL, who was also making his return to in-ring competition at the Royal Rumble. Thankfully, Jericho was used better around the time of Wrestlemania 24, where he came this close to winning the Money in the Bank ladder match and was then inserted into the Batista/Shawn Michaels feud. Afterward, the seeds were planted for one of the most heated, emotional and violent rivalries in WWE history, as Jericho began an eventual heel turn against Michaels. The two fought in PPV matches at Judgment Day and The Great American Bash, where HBK's eye became "injured" and Jericho reveled in nearly destroying the Heartbreak Kid. By this time, Y2J was the biggest heel in the entire company, next to fellow Canadian, Edge over on Smackdown. He capped off 2008's most bitter feud by winning the World Heavyweight Title twice, in September and early November. Now, he's in a main-event feud with current Champion John Cena and meets him at the Armageddon PPV on Sunday night.

2. Match Of The Year
Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair @ Wrestlemania 24 - WINNER
The 2008 Royal Rumble match
Money In The Bank ladder match @ Wrestlemania 24
The Undertaker vs Edge, Hell In A Cell match @ Summerslam

For me, the best match of 2008 isn't even on this list, though it involved the same two people. The main event of this year's Wrestlemania, Edge vs The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Title was my favorite match of 2008. I loved their Cell match from Summerslam and it'd probably get my vote if I was stuck with these four choices, but I see no reason why the MITB ladder match was on this list. To win an award for Match Of The Year should mean that you told a great story in the ring opposite your opponent, in a lengthy, tension-rising 1-on-1 match. The ladder match concept is a crash-and-burn fiasco; sure it's entertaining and very physically demanding, but when 7 wrestlers are involved you really aren't telling a story - you're going spot after spot and giving the fans a series of "OH MY GOD!" moments to remember. Call me old-fashioned but that's how I feel. The Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair match is certainly deserving, because emotion was the definitive name of the game with that program. Everyone knew Flair was gonna lose and he'd be retiring so the "telling a story" aspect is covered. The match itself in my opinion was pretty even between the both of them. Not HBK's best but one of Flair's better matches in recent years. Not a match I would've chosen but a respectable choice when paired with the rest of the nominees.

3. Best Finishing Maneuver
Evan Bourne's Shooting Star Press - WINNER
Big Show's Knockout punch
Randy Orton's RKO
Undertaker's Hell's Gate

I don't watch ECW so I haven't really seen much of Evan Bourne, let alone his finishing move. I think the voting on this one was based purely on the athleticism involved, because the shooting star press is probably the most dangerous move to try and do in wrestling (just ask Brock Lesnar). Kudos to the young rookie, though I would've voted for the RKO, seeing how Randy Orton was WWE Champion for the first quarter of 2008. The RKO always gets a big pop from the crowd and it's lightning-quick - Orton can hit it from out of nowhere.

4. 'OH MY GOD' Moment Of The Year
CM Punk cashes in his Money In The Bank contract, wins World Title on Raw - WINNER
Floyd Mayweather punches Big Show and breaks his nose @ No Way Out
John Cena's surprise return @ the Royal Rumble
The Undertaker sends Edge to "Hell" @ Summerslam

Couldn't agree more on this one. I remember that particular episode of Raw; Edge, then-World Champion came out bragging about beating Batista at the Night of Champions PPV the night before. Batista came out, beat the crap out of Edge and powerbombed him in the middle of the ring. Punk came out, gave the referee his MITB briefcase, hit Edge with the GTS and won the belt as the crowd exploded. It's just too bad that the WWE higher-ups didn't push Punk hard enough as Champ.

5. Extreme Moment Of The Year
Jeff Hardy splashes Randy Orton off the Raw scaffolding set on Raw - WINNER
Undertaker falls through several tables off a ladder in a match with Edge @ One Night Stand
Chris Jericho smashes Shawn Michaels face-first through a TV screen on Raw
JBL throws John Cena off the stage onto a car windshield @ the Great American Bash

Right choice again here. Hardy hitting Orton with the biggest Swanton Bomb ever was all the way back in January, and its managed to stand the test of time. I agree with the presence of two of the other nominees, but what the Hell was that JBL/Cena match doing on here? That wasn't "extreme" at all! Did you see that match?? Cena is "thrown" maybe 6 feet onto the windshield, where he still lands pretty gingerly on his side. Oh WOW! Way to take a bump, John! It's one thing if maybe he landed head-first or took a solid back bump, but c'mon! Whatever.....ANY reason just to have Cena on most of the lists, eh Vince?

So there were a few surprises and a few predictable ones, but enjoyable overall. Still wish Edge and Taker's Wrestlemania main event was at least on the list instead of filling it up with gimmick matches. But what are ya gonna do, right?

Check back here soon where I'll discuss where WWE is headed as the Royal Rumble and even Wrestlemania loom around the corner.

Keep 'em laughin,
D.

Comedy Duo Hits Most Cylinders

2008-12-02T14:28:00.000-06:00

"Step Brothers" (2008)
Directed by: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen
Running Time: 98 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

The actor/director team of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay return with "Step Brothers", an R-rated comedy co-starring John C. Reilly about two childish adults forced to co-exist after their parents fall in love and get married. It's new on DVD this week, and marks the third time Ferrell and McKay have collaborated on a comedy, following the 2004 classic "Anchorman" and 2006's "Talladega Nights".

"Brothers" definitely isn't for everyone. As mentioned, it does carry an "R" rating as there is a lot of four-letter words spoken by the characters. But if you liked movies such as "Old School", "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Superbad", then this one may be up your alley.

Brennan Huff (Ferrell) is 39 and unemployed. He lives with his mother. Dale Doback (Reilly) is 40 and unemployed. He lives with his father (Richard Jenkins). When their respective single parents start dating and get married, Brennan and Dale struggle to get along and the pair begin a series of pranks and jokes against each other to mark their territory. Eventually, the two find common ground and their minds revert to child-like states as they build forts, play sports and become close. However, when the pair is given an ultimatum by their parents and told to find jobs, they realize that they have to start acting their age and grow up.

I liked "Step Brothers". The movie doesn't try to be something more than it is and pretty much revels in it. I'm also glad to see Will Ferrell having to share the screen with John C. Reilly, someone who has just as much comedic talent. I got tired quickly of Ferrell's past on-screen antics, which pretty much consisted of the same role; an overly-macho, self-loving individual who usually is a superstar in some random sport (I'm still trying to get "Blades of Glory" out of my head.....*shudder*). Here, Ferrell is shy and docile in some parts and when he does become loud and bombastic, it doesn't come off as being overly obnoxious.

Reilly was my favorite in the film, though. His antics had me laughing out loud at most parts and his domineering behavior towards Ferrell's character shows off his comic timing very well.

The movie is geared for those who prefer adult humor and 90 minutes to kill. "Step Brothers" may not be in the comedy Hall of Fame with the likes of "Anchorman" or "Caddyshack", but it should provide a few big laughs, even if the toilet humor sometimes goes on too long. Overall, it's an ideal choice for those with a comedy craving and an empty Friday or Saturday night.

Really? It's Been THIS Long???

2008-12-01T10:01:00.002-06:00

Can't believe I haven't posted anything here since July. Now look at us, we're all preparing for the holiday season as Christmas is mere weeks away (it IS December 1st, after all).

Well, I won't abandon this blog completely. New editions of Ruttle's Reviews are on their way, that is if I can't get them published in our actual paper. People tell me all the time that they like reading them so why not give the readers what they want? So, just in time for its DVD release next Tuesday, I'm hoping my archived review of The Dark Knight will hit the pages of The Outlook. Undoubtedly my favorite review I've written, simply because TDK was my favorite film this year.

Speaking of that, this high-definition media market is really starting to annoy me. Seems every movie these days, new and old are getting the Blu-ray treatment. And conventional studio releases are forcing the consumer to open that wallet a little wider. Now when you choose to go Blu-ray, your DVDs come with extra bonus content and featurettes. WHAT GIVES?!!? Not that regular DVD sets don't come with a lot of cool features, but studios and companies are dangling that proverbial Twinkie in front of people with the promise of more. More behind-the-scenes footage, more cast and crew interviews, more production analysis, ARGH!!! And you know what the real kicker is? I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!

Some day I hope to own a high-definition TV with some surround sound speakers. I'm already half-way to enjoying the "Blu-ray experience" as I own a Playstation 3, which costs an arm and a leg because it's a Blu-ray Player (thank you, tax refund cheque). Until that TV is hauled through my door though, I'm sticking with regular DVDs.

Though I'm still buying the Blu-ray Limited Edition set of Dark Knight.

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Knight-Limited-Digital-Blu-ray/dp/B001J53X9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1228148395&sr=1-1

The Dark Knight Returns...

2008-07-25T14:41:00.002-06:00

Movie Event Of The Year Doesn't Disappoint

"The Dark Knight" (2008)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan (Insomnia, The Prestige, Batman Begins)
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Running Time: 152 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

The cinematic event of the year has arrived. Audiences have waited for it, fans have stayed up all night blogging about it, and the most dedicated Bat-fans made custom trailers and posters for it. After much hype and critical praise, "The Dark Knight" is finally here.

Here's the thing about this movie - its not just a movie. Its as much of an attraction as your favorite rock band coming to your city or the circus rolling through town. You plan for it, you make all the necessary arrangements and you don't hide your excitement. Standing in line for over 90 minutes just to get into the screening room (where you wait another half-hour) should be the norm with acclaimed blockbusters such as this, which is what I ended up doing.

I'd been looking forward to "The Dark Knight" since the ending credits rolled on the previous installment in this new, grittier Batman franchise, "Batman Begins". So, in the three years and one month since that film's release, I've been witness to - and enjoyed - all of the hype, discussion and marketing surrounding the new film. Leaked on-set photos, YouTube videos and secret web sites and games orchestrated by the studios peaked my interest and raised my excitement to near-catastrophic levels. Finally, on July 19 I was witness to "The Dark Knight".

And my expectations were blown to smithereens.

This film not only works as an incredible super-hero adaptation, its also just an amazing crime epic. Films such as "Heat", "The Departed" and even "Once Upon A Time In The West" sprang to my mind after I left the theater. If the film hadn't been about a guy dressing up as a bat to fight crime, it'd work as a simple cops and robbers flick. At a time when comic book movies are becoming the summer norm, this one has come along and set the bar to a sky-high level. And I truly don't believe another super-hero film will ever come along that matches the intensity, excitement and emotional overdrive as "The Dark Knight".

Director Nolan takes what he did in "Batman Begins" and simply turns the crank way up. He delves further into the world of Gotham City, where crime is still rampant and citizens are more scared than ever to walk the streets. Nolan has cemented his legacy with this film and I don't think another director could make a Batman film as brilliantly as he has. What I like most about Nolan's vision of Batman is his sense of reality. Things never become too far-fetched and Gotham City's decaying state and criminal masterminds are reflections of the society we live in. Its this ability that Nolan has that has made him and his films hugely popular with the movie-going public.

The dream cast that makes up the Batman universe will impress many who see the film. Too often, actors in comic adaptations don't seem to take the roles as serious as they should, but this isn't the case with "The Dark Knight". Returning cast members from "Batman Begins" include Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Lt. Jim Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, while Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes from Katie Holmes. The new players in Gotham City include veteran character actor Eric Roberts as crime boss Salvatore Maroni, Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent and of course, the late Heath Ledger as Batman's most famous enemy, The Joker.

The story, inspired by events in Batman graphic novels such as "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" goes as such: With crime starting to slowly decrease after the events of "Batman Begins", Batman intends on finally ridding Gotham City of its mob bosses in order to bring peace to the streets. But when a new criminal mastermind known as The Joker begins killing crime bosses and vows to continue his slaying until Batman reveals himself, the dark knight comes face-to-face with his greatest challenge and fights to stop the psychotic clown with help from Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, before chaos breaks out in Gotham once again.

Bale's second outing as Batman really caught my attention. In the first film, we're witness to him eventually becoming the Caped Crusader. In "The Dark Knight", he's full-fledged super-hero. He cuts down thugs with a flick of his fist and outsmarts entire gangs with intimidation and fear tactics. While all of it is impressive, throwing himself into a role is normal for Bale, who pushed his body to the limit in films such as "The Machinist" and "Rescue Dawn". The action sequences and fight scenes show that Bale will do whatever it takes to make it believable and exciting for the audience, of which it undoubtedly succeeds in doing. But the emotional side of Batman was what I liked the most. There are things that happen in this film that will show another side of the Gotham defender most people haven't seen, and I was caught up in the emotion of it myself.

Gary Oldman's performance is much more noticeable than it was in "Begins". His role as Jim Gordon is a favorite of mine; he's sympathetic, endearing and so darn trustworthy. Yet at the same time, he's frazzled and almost helpless in keeping the order in Gotham City. Oldman is one of my favorite actors and too often he's cast as the antagonist of a film. Its new to see him as a respectful police officer but its an impressive performance. He sees Batman as perhaps the only person he can trust, but at the same time can't afford to rely on just one man in a costume to bring balance to a corrupt city. Gordon knows what his responsibilities are and Oldman shoots this character full of emotion.

Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent was arguably the most impressive. As even the most casual Bat-fan knows, Dent eventually transforms into the disfigured, split-personality sociopath known as Two-Face. And from start to finish in this 2 1/2 hour epic, we're witness to his fall from grace. He goes from a public-defending, widely-respected official in the Gotham court rooms to a horribly-burned, depressed soul with violent mood swings. All of this is very believable. Eckhart gives Dent a sense of realism that's hard to avoid, and his descent into madness is heartbreaking, even though knowledgeable movie-goers know its coming.

Of course, the thing that all the critics and fans are talking about is the late Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. Ledger, who passed away suddenly from an accidental overdose of prescription medication last January is definitely the scene-stealer of "The Dark Knight". His interpretation of Batman's greatest nemesis is nothing short of a complete transformation and a testament to the powerful ability that the young actor had. His Joker is psychotic, intense and funny in that 'Is he joking or is he gonna kill me?' sort of way. Ledger has given the audience a gift; he reportedly checked himself into a hotel room for 30 days in order to study The Joker's character and perfect his mannerisms. The result is something that will be hard to top, if not impossible. That unstable voice, the unnerving body language, violent outbursts as sudden as a shark attack. Ledger's final completed performance is arguably his greatest, and perhaps no scene shows that more chillingly than his final confrontation with Batman, telling his foe "I think we're destined to do this forever, you and I". The Joker will always be there in Batman's mind. He's finally met his match after taking on crime bosses and gun-toting thugs. In The Joker, Batman sees the very thing that made him don the cape and cowl. With a performance that's being called Oscar-worthy, its a sad shame that Heath Ledger isn't here to enjoy his much-deserved success.

"The Dark Knight" is one of those rare gems in Hollywood. It fires on all cylinders and the resulting product is virtually flawless. An engrossing, expansive script, a visionary director, a top-notch cast, amazing cinematography, and a beautiful and sometimes haunting musical soundtrack. I bought advance tickets for the film online, waited out a thunderstorm in the theater parking lot and then sat in line for an hour and a half just to get my seat in the screening room.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

There's no such thing as the perfect film. But "The Dark Knight" comes closer than most.

Movie Event Of The Decade? In History?

2008-07-18T13:46:00.004-06:00

Three years ago, the Batman franchise at Warner Bros was saved by director Christopher Nolan and his dream cast of actors, including Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. The previous two films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin were highly criticized and even despised by moviegoers and especially by hardcore fans of the Caped Crusader. Under Nolan's vision, the superhero's origins were stripped down and brought back to its dark, tragic reality, showing us the man behind the mask who eventually chooses to defend a decaying society under a black cowl and mask.

Batman Begins, released in June 2005 was widely loved, and though its softer-than-hoped opening weekend of $48 million could have been higher, strong word-of-mouth carried it to over $200 million, a feat that hadn't been accomplished since Tim Burton's Batman in 1989. The film reinvigorated the Batman legend, and a whole new army of fans were born.

The closing moments of Begins provided audiences with a teasing glimpse of things to come. As Lt. Jim Gordon discusses crime escalation with Batman on the roof of the Gotham City Police Department, he hands the crimefighter with an evidence bag before telling him of a "bank robber, convicted of a double homicide, with a taste for the theatrics" much like Batman himself. When Batsy turns the bag over, its a joker card, in a cinematic moment for the ages as theaters full of people must've been gasping in delight and immediately discussing it with their friends. The Joker was about to have the spotlight shone on him, and Batman had met his next and possibly deadliest foe to date.

Now, three years and one month later, the most anticipated movie in perhaps the last decade or even EVER has been unleashed on cinemas across the world - The Dark Knight. Once again, Chris Nolan is the director and he brings back old faces and new ones for Batman's newest and most challenging adventure yet. Christian Bale is back as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. A few new faces are among the players - Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes from Katie Holmes, Aaron Eckhart stars as Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent, who everyone knows will ultimately and tragically morph into the twisted, disfigured villain Two-Face, and of course, the late Heath Ledger is Batman's most famous enemy, and many have said steals the movie as The Joker.

The hype machine behind this film has been nothing short of gargantuan. It started over a year ago, when production on the film started in April 2007. Soon enough, on-set photos popped up online, shaky and far-away videos were uploaded on YouTube trying to spoil certain plot points, and much debate was discussed on characters such as The Joker and Harvey Dent. By the time an audio-only teaser trailer was released in August, the hype monster had gone into overdrive. Warner Bros engaged in viral marketing, setting up multiple websites that allowed visitors to decipher clues and play games in order to view exclusive photos from the film. The first official trailer, released in December when Warner Bros film I Am Legend came out showed footage of key events in the film, and the discussions continued. Warner also released the entire first scene of The Dark Knight, in a 6-minute prologue that showed The Joker and his henchmen robbing the Gotham City Bank.

Since then, more tireless efforts from Warner Bros have engaged thousands and thousands of fans in the film's marketing campaign. Personally, I didn't take part in any of the viral marketing, as I knew a lot more people with a lot more time on their hands would crack all the mysteries and puzzles that the studios gave them.

Doing all of this was, in my opinion a great move by the studios. It shows a real dedication to the film and gives people hope that there's still some fun to be had in the movie industry.

However, Heath Ledger's sudden and tragic passing in January of this year put a shadowy overcast on the film. The studio wasn't initially sure what to do, as Ledger's Joker was obviously a massive part of the marketing campaign for The Dark Knight. Encouragement from his family and loved ones enabled the campaigns to continue, in more of a celebration of his performance than simply showing viewers that he's "the bad guy" in the film. It was another smart move by the studio, as even Heath's most dedicated fans are anticipating his final completed performance in what many critics are already calling Oscar-worthy.

As for myself, I've been waiting for this film the moment that the ending credits rolled on Batman Begins. When I read in 2006 that Ledger was chosen as The Joker, it caught my attention and I knew right away he'd be a great choice. Then when I heard that Harvey Dent was included in the story, I became excited to see the events unravel that transforms Dent into Two-Face.

Through every photo, trailer and TV spot, The Dark Knight has fast become a priority in my life. Which is why I bought advance tickets online on Monday for Saturday's showing at Galaxy Cinemas in Saskatoon. I am absolutely ecstatic and the fact that the film's running time is 152 minutes almost makes me salivate in anticipation.

To celebrate, I plan on watching all 3 of my favorite Bat films - Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992) and Batman Begins (2005). That's over 6 hours of Bat-tastic action and I'm definitely lazing it up tonight.

Yes, its excessive.

Yes, its even a little insane.

But dammit...

IT'S BATMAN!!!

Keep 'em laughin',
- Derek

A Week Off And No Definite Plans

2008-06-27T14:40:00.003-06:00

Summer is in full swing around here, even if it doesn't look like it at the moment (its been raining all day and is currently very windy), but you can still tell its summer. The schools are closed, the grass is greener and everyone is making Canada Day or just general vacation plans. Yours truly included.

After today, I have the next week off. I figured I may as well take some of my holidays now so I can recharge my batteries and enjoy some R&R, which everyone needs now and then. I'm looking forward to it, even though I have nothing in particular planned other than Canada Day celebrations and some fishing. But whatever. There's nothing wrong with that. I'll throw my mind into my writing and come up with fresh new screenplay ideas and storylines. I'll bury my head in a book or two - maybe I'll finally read The Godfather or No Country For Old Men (I keep forgetting those are in my car!). I'll likely take in a new movie or two - Wanted just hit theaters today and that superhero flick Hancock comes out next Wednesday so I may partake in a screening of those. Who knows? Whatever I find myself doing, I'm sure I'll be satisfied.

I am a little disappointed my friend Kyle isn't coming home this weekend, as he has to work tomorrow and Monday. It'll be the first time in six years that The Gang hasn't celebrated our nation's birthday together. Oh well, that's just another thing about getting older - job responsibilities will sometimes get in the way and cramp your plans. It'll be different watching the fireworks without a cigar in one hand and a beer in the other, but that's life, haha.

Speaking of life, I recently sat down and looked through my old high school yearbooks. Sometimes there just isn't anything better to bring a smile to your face than sifting through old memories of old times and old friends. There were so many photos and quotes that brought back so many memories for me, and it makes me think that time flies by way too fast. One day you're getting ready for your high school graduation, and the next you're writing stories on nuclear energy and hob-knobbing with politicians and media personnel. It baffles me sometimes.

For instance, some of the things I love about the yearbooks include:

- Photos of Brock and I as Jay & Silent Bob: I told my fellow grade 10'ers that I would stick to my word and character, and stay silent throughout the entire school day unless asked a question by a teacher in class. I stayed true to that word.
- The "Remember When?" sections
- Our grad photos and captions: I think Kyle's caption summed up our life in high school the best, even if it was a bit confusing to the non-Seinfeld demographic...

Kyle Kemppainen: "These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty!"

The second I read that last week, I thought I was gonna break one of my ribs from laughing. I completely forgot that he had written that. Most people try to write a few footnotes of great memories and wish their fellow classmates well, but leave it to Kyle to blow them all away with six words of pop culture brilliance.........these pretzels are making me thirsty.........my friend, I bow down to your photo caption abilities. All I wrote was a couple verses from Pearl Jam's song "Given To Fly". IDIOT!

Guess I'm just feeling a bit "in the past" lately. I tend to do that when summer rolls around because I still get that certain feeling when the end of June comes and school is out, even though I graduated 4 years ago. As time goes on it'll likely fade away but I choose to believe its a good thing to remember your school years. The good, the bad and the in-between.

Anyway, that's it for me. Get out there and enjoy Canada Day on Tuesday. Yes, I know its lame that it fell on a weekday, but suck it up. Celebrate the country's birthday and I'll be back in 10 days! I'm outta here!

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Darcey Busse: 1961-2008

2008-05-16T14:22:00.003-06:00

If you're from Outlook, Conquest or the surrounding area, then you probably know it by now - Darcey Lee Busse, a beloved teacher, coach and human being passed away last Sunday, after a brief but brave fight with cancer. He leaves behind numerous family and friends, including wife Cindy and sons Matthew and Eric.

Mr. Busse came to this community in 2000, and after a short feeling-out process, quickly became a friend to many people. I myself had him as a teacher for three classes - study hall, Psychology and Work Experience. He was an amazing guy and I know there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of former students, colleagues and friends who will miss him.

I felt a need to write a tribute to his memory, as well as his life. So, in this week's issue of The Outlook, Darcey has taken his rightful and much-deserved place on page one, as well as page three. My story was emotionally draining to write, but at the same time incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. I truly feel it may be my best work, though it didn't feel like "a job" at all.

I was honored to know him, and honored to have been so involved with the football program in my senior high school years. Mr. Busse's encouragement and words of praise lifted my spirits and made me strive for perfection in everything I did.

We mourn his loss, but celebrate his life.

Goodbye, Coach...
- Derek

Riding With The King...

2008-05-05T13:31:00.004-06:00

So I broke down and finally bought a new vehicle, after being in limbo for the past 6-7 months and driving the old diesel truck pretty much everywhere. I'm very happy with my purchase and believe I've made the right choice.

As you can see, my car is a 2008 Ford Fusion SE. Light grey, looks almost white at first glance. I got it from Jubilee Ford in the Saskatoon Auto Mall last Friday, and I'm very satisfied. I did my research on the Fusion model over the past few weeks, and I knew it was what I wanted - I wasn't gonna settle for anything else. Too often in my life, I've settled. "Oh, this is good for now." "We'll see what happens down the road." "I'll see where I'm at in a few months."

NO MORE!

Some cool features, too. CD player, front and back speakers, and six months of free Sirius satellite radio. Right now I've got my dials turned on Howard Stern, so there's no doubt that by the end of the six-month period, I'll be hooked and have no problem paying the $14-15 a month to keep it. As well, its got a 2.3 litre, 4 cylinder engine, and gets 28MPG in the city, and 40MPG on the highway.

So I'm happy. Pumped is rather the best word. I'll be getting plenty of use out of it this spring and summer. When the boys and I hit up Pratt Lake again (our third year), I'll gladly drive, seeing how my trunk space is big enough to fit a small army.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Brooks & Dunn & Jackson

2008-04-18T12:07:00.002-06:00

I remember buying tickets to the show back in December, shortly before Christmas. They came in the mail the same day my co-workers and I were finished for the holidays. December 21, to be exact. A Friday.

Now, finally, after nearly four months, the day has arrived.

Tonight, at Credit Union Centre, Brooks & Dunn take the stage, along with Alan Jackson as a special guest. I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this forever.

I've read a couple show reviews to kinda "feel out" the show and to see what we can all expect. From what I've been reading, Alan Jackson has been the main crowd-pleaser, which doesn't really make B&D look all that good. Not that they've been playing bad shows, just that a few equipment glitches have taken away from the experience. Though one reviewer from the show in Edmonton last night said that B&D "just didn't have their full heart in it". I dunno, I still expect a great show tonight, well worth the ticket price.

As for the rest of the weekend, it looks solid. The Outlook Trade Show is all day tomorrow, so I'll be over there taking pictures and looking around. Should be interesting. In the city today though, before my brother and I head out to Rory and Brent's place, I'm planning on renting another PS3 game or two. Just have to see what they got.

Anyway, such is my weekend. Brendon's taking his camera so I'm hoping we get some good shots at the show. I may even write a review of it for next week's issue of the paper.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

A Rock God......Well, Sorta...

2008-04-11T11:15:00.003-06:00

The weekend is mere hours away, as the team and I are putting the finishing touches on another issue of The Outlook. I feel its a good read this week. I felt like a chicken running around with my head cut off yesterday. I went from the courthouse, to the Keg Agro building in Broderick, to the new jewellery shop in Sears, to the RCMP detachment. But it was fulfilling when all was said and done. And yes, loyal readers, The Court Report is featured inside. I found something rather amusing yesterday afternoon, as I talked with Constable Bob Anderson at the cop shop. Unbeknownst to me, there was a court date on March 27 that I didn't attend. I wasn't aware that there WAS one to begin with. So when the paper comes out on Monday and there's no Court Report, the RCMP are getting phone calls left and right from people asking where the report went! Hehehe, I guess I never really took into consideration the sheer volume of people who look forward to it every couple weeks. That's human nature at its best, though. People eat that stuff up. Being given access to information like that is sure to be construed as gossip, and this I'm fully aware, but I get stopped all the time and commended by people in stores and on the street who think The Court Report is not only good reading material, but also helpful in making people aware of certain individuals. I never really thought of it that way. I'm just a Joe Blow doing his job, even if I have fun doing it much of the time. :)

Not entirely sure what I'm gonna do with this weekend. I do have a lot of DVD watching to accomplish, though I've never been known to get it all done in one sitting or even a whole weekend. There's a couple movies I'd actually like to rent, as opposed to watching from my own collection. I hope to rent "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story". That'll probably be tomorrow night, because I'm currently planning on cruising up to Saskatoon tonight for a movie or two at the Galaxy. The main reason for that is because my mother is hosting a jewellery party tonight. Some friends and neighbours are coming over to the house and the focus of the evening is a presentation on selling jewellery and signing up new clients. Mom's looking forward to it. The men of the home are evacuating the premises so I guess its "ladies only". Not entirely sure what I plan to see at the Galaxy, though I'm thinking "21" and "Street Kings".

As for the rest of the weekend, its just more movies to watch. That, and honing my skills on Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock. Last Saturday I went up to the city with my mom and decided to reward myself for a job well done in the last year here at The Outlook. I was able to do so with the fat income tax refund I got, and bought myself a Playstation 3 system. I also got a deal on it, as the London Drugs clerk knocked off 10%. Later at Blockbuster, I rented two games. It took a while to get the whole thing set up. I thought I'd ran into a problem when I tried ejecting the disc tray to put my game in and it didn't open up. But, as I had yet to learn, the PS3 doesn't use a disc tray system. You just slide the game in like a CD changer in a vehicle. Needless to say, I felt like an ass. However, I was soon very impressed with the system when I got Guitar Hero going. I like the aspect of wireless controllers, because there's nothing I used to hate more than getting my controller cords tangled up. The graphics and audio are also very well-done. Everything looks smooth and sounds crisp and clear.

As for my mad skills on Guitar Hero 3, they're second to none, lol. Its really fun and I recommend it to anyone. It also doesn't hurt that a lot of classic rock songs are featured, including "Slow Ride", "Barracuda", "Paranoid" and "Welcome To The Jungle". Tons of fun, and I still have a huge number of songs to unlock as I keep playing along. One odd thing about it, though, is that Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" is featured in the European Invasion bracket? What the Hell? They're from Seattle! But I digress. Everyone young and old would love the game. Its even, dare I say it, educational? Teaches good hand and eye coordination and makes you stay focused on the task at hand.

Was also in Saskatoon on Tuesday. I picked up "Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again", "The Sopranos: Season Six, Part 2" and "There Will Be Blood". I'm very happy I have the final Sopranos episodes, and finally have a chance to watch Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar-winning performance in "Blood". I'm in for some gooooood watchin'.

This, my friends, is my weekend. And on top of everything else, I'm gonna be doing more research on vehicles. When in the city last Saturday, I took a look at some cars at Jubilee Ford. Originally, I just wanted to go off on my own and browse around, but a helpful salesman named Evan showed me around and asked questions. At first I didn't want the pressure of having a salesman grill me, but he was only doing his job, and I was actually very glad he showed me around and talked things out with me about different vehicles. He understood where I was coming from finance-wise, and knew that I needed something very fuel-efficient because I'm a reporter. So he showed me a few Ford cars, notably the Ford Fusion. I gotta say, I've never been a car guy before but I was very impressed with the Fusion. It was roomy, comfortable, gets 42 MPG and has a trunk the size of a walk-in closet. It was also near my price range, but I wasn't exactly ready to commit just yet. The Fusion is heavy on my mind, but I'm still gonna shop around and see what else I can come up with. The Ford Taurus looks impressive to me, too, so we'll see what happens with that. I may just wait until the end of the month to see where I stand.

Anyway, that's what the next 48 hours looks like for me. Hope everyone has a good weekend, and remember, spring IS here, even if it doesn't exactly look (and feel) like it!

Keep 'em laughin',
- Derek

In A Word....Perfect!

2008-04-01T13:42:00.002-06:00

WrestleMania 24 has now come and gone. Its in the history books and the general consensus among fans is that it was a home run. Awesome event. My entire weekend was based on WrestleMania. I made my predictions on the show Friday, and enjoyed the Hall Of Fame ceremony on Saturday before the actual event on Sunday. The HOF was amazing. The Rock returned for one night to induct his father and grandfather, and looked to have a good time being in front of his former colleagues for the first time in years. And of course, Ric Flair's induction was the highlight of the night. Emotional, touching and at times humerous, the Nature Boy wore his heart on his sleeve and was visibly humbled as Triple H introduced him. On Sunday, the event was on the minds of millions of WWE fans. In the end, it was a solid card, and the matches were well-paced and told some great, emotional stories in the ring.

My brother Brendon and I saw the show in a packed theater at the Galaxy in Saskatoon. If you've never seen a WWE PPV at a theater, you're missing out. Unless you happen to own an HD home theater system of your own, there's nothing like it. We got in the city at about 1:30 in the afternoon, hit up Blockbuster and then drove to the theater, where we picked up our tickets early before going to Midtown Plaza. Later, we went back to the Galaxy and took our seats, with well over an hour before WrestleMania was to start at 5:00. Luckily, the one hour pre-show came on at 4:00 so that was a good time-killer.

Finally, 5:00 hit and the show began. Let the games begin...

I loved the show. I can honestly say it was the best WrestleMania I've seen since WM20. The Citrus Bowl looked incredible and the setup was amazing. And for the first time in years, the match order FINALLY made sense and Smackdown got the main event slot for the first time since Angle/Lesnar at WM19.

As for the matches, these were the results, and they're in order along with the approximate length of each one.

1. Belfast Brawl match, JBL vs. Finlay: Solid opener. In a packed multiplex theater, the smack of those weapons was crisp and clear, lol. Nice torpedo through the ropes by Finlay, never seen him do that before. Thought Vince would interfere in it but glad he didn't. This was just a straight-up fight that JBL won with the Clotheline From Hell. Good match, wise choice for an opener. WINNER: JBL with the Clotheline From Hell at about 9:00

2. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. MVP vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. Carlito vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin: Incredible. I think it managed to top the previous 3. People whined and moaned about Jeff Hardy not being it cuz he got suspended. But really, what else could he do with a ladder that we haven't seen before? John Morrison became the new daredevil with that moonsault. That was incredibly brutal! And the look on Carlito's face when he and Kennedy dumped Benjamin onto that ladder outside was priceless! "Oh my God, we killed Benjamin!" Amazing spots and I hope nobody was seriously hurt. CM Punk winning was a pleasant surprise. WINNER: CM Punk at about 14:00

3. Smackdown vs Raw match, Batista vs. Umaga: With the time these two had, I think they made the best of it. I didn't expect a 5-star classic. Wasn't a huge fan of the finish, thought Umaga would maybe kick out of the Batista Bomb, making Dave hit another one to finally win, but whatever. Decent, but could've used a couple more minutes. WINNER: Batista with the Batista Bomb at about 8:00

4. ECW Title match, Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero: What was that, 7 seconds? Looking back on the show overall, obviously they didn't have time for a planned-out match so they decided to surprise everyone with a title switch. Reminded me of Diesel beating Bob Backlund in 8 seconds for the WWF Title back in November 1994. I'm curious to see what they got in store for Kane, and I'm glad the WWE finally gave the big man a title. WINNER: Kane with a chokeslam in about 7 seconds

5. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels: Wow. Just wow. What an emotional story. Flair, the wily veteran bringing his A-game in what could be his final dance, and Michaels, the life-long fan given the task of putting his idol out to pasture. Great action that got the fans really into it. Though Flair botched the moonsault outside the ring. HBK basically moonsaulted onto the mat cuz Flair sure as hell didn't catch him! That other moonsault onto the Raw announce table had to hurt like hell, planned or not planned! Some people think Flair was already out of it 10 minutes in, but I didn't think so. It went at a good pace and was a good see-saw contest. Incredible moment at the end when HBK said "I'm sorry, I love you" and then BAM. Sweet Chin Music. Wonder if we'll ever find out what he said to Flair right after the pin. Reminded me of Rock and Austin at Mania 19 when Rock pushed Hebner away and said something to Austin. Amazing match. Thanks for the memories, Nature Boy! WINNER: Shawn Michaels with some Sweet Chin Music at about 21:00

6. BunnyMania tag team match, Maria/Ashley vs. Melina/Beth Phoenix: Honestly? Better than I thought it would be. It was fun, light entertainment, and that clotheline Snoop gave Santino was hilarious. Really made the fans pop. I also gotta give the girls props for continuing to fight despite the entire Citrus Bowl going dark for a few moments before the backup lights came on. WINNERS: Beth Phoenix & Melina with Phoenix pinning Maria with a fisherman's suplex at about 7:00

7. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena: What was with that marching band? Did the WWE think fans would cheer Cena more if they got some high school kids backing him up? And is it just me, or does anyone else think Randy Orton only has one pair of tights? He's been wearing those black and red ones forever! Anyway, this was a good match but I thought it needed 5-7 more minutes. Some great spots and nice back-and-forth action between all 3. All 3 looked great and you really couldn't determine who was gonna win. I was surprised that Orton kept the Title but I fully support it. As long as Cena didn't win, lol. Was also glad Cena was the one pinned, too. WINNER: Randy Orton, pins John Cena after Triple H gives him the Pedigree at about 14:00

8. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather: Wasn't huge on this one. I knew Mayweather was winning because he wouldn't have agreed to do it if he wasn't. Some entertaining moments, though. And where was this supposed "shocking swerve" we were gonna witness? Mayweather's entourage said something like that in an interview. If he meant the brass knucks, oh wow, I'm completely shocked! *sarcasm* Now take your millions and get lost, Mayweather. WINNER: Floyd Mayweather by knockout at about 11:00

9. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker: My favorite match of the night. Awesome main event. Was surprised at the amount of punishment Edge dished out to the Dead Man, but then it turned very back-and-forth. Loved how Edge kept avoiding the old school forearm until the fans went nuts when Taker finally hit it. And who doesn't love the classic "let's trade finishers" climax? Edge hits the Impaler, Taker kicks out. Taker hits a chokeslam, Edge kicks out. Edge bashes Taker with a camera, Taker kicks out. Taker hits the Last Ride, Edge kicks out. Taker hits the Tombstone, Edge kicks out. Charles Robinson running for all he's got down the aisle, just priceless! People in the audience where I saw it were screaming "RUN CHARLIE RUN!" Lol. Finally, Edge hits the spear and Taker kicks out. After the second one, Taker locks on the triangle chokehold and we got a new World Champion. I loved the match and was pleased it was the main event. WINNER: The Undertaker wins the World Heavyweight Title with a triangle chokehold at about 24:00

Overall, WrestleMania 24 lived up to my expectations and exceeded them. The venue, the atmosphere, the setup, the matches, the storytelling, just amazing. Couldn't have been booked better in my opinion. One for the books, and I'm definitely picking it up on DVD.

I give it a 9.5/10. For the first time in a long time, WrestleMania was simply......perfect!

*UPDATE* Now with WrestleMania having come and gone, last night's Raw showed that the WWE is heading in new directions with fresh feuds and new angles. It looks like Randy Orton has a new challenger for the WWE Title, and that's JBL. I like the idea, because its rare to see a heel vs heel program. Makes the fans cheer for SOMEBODY, and that someone would likely be the Champ himself. Orton's an awesome heel, but JBL just has that natural ability to make people hate him. Orton at least is more athletic and younger. If this is a possible match for the Backlash PPV at the end of this month, I'm all for it.

The Big Show also has a new opponent in front of him, The Great Khali. Two behemoths. I loved the camera angle they used on Raw last night when they stood face-to-face. Also looks like a Backlash match.

Shawn Michaels was depressed on the show last night because he now has to live with the guilt of being the man who ended Ric Flair's career. He was shown in the backstage area collecting his thoughts, when the camera veered and showed Batista glaring at him. Of course, Batista and Flair were close friends in the stable Evolution a few years ago, so maybe the idea is to have Batista go after HBK in some sort of revenge angle. Who knows. I like the idea of it.

Speaking of Flair, the final segment on Raw was his farewell address. Once again, the Nature Boy was emotional and soon had tears in his eyes, as did many fans in the audience. Suddenly, just when it looked like he was ready to leave the ring and the minds of pro wrestling fans forever, Triple H came out and said his thanks for everything Flair has done for the business. The Game then introduced dozens of other superstars, past and present, to come to the ring and give thanks to the legendary grappler. The highlight of the evening was definitely when the original Four Horsemen, Flair's iconic stable from the 1980's, made an appearance and gave homage to their former leader. Soon the entire WWE roster surrounded the ring and led the fans in chanting "THANK YOU RIC, THANK YOU RIC!" Simply incredible. Its moments like these that live on in the minds of fans for years.

An incredible WrestleMania weekend, capped off with an emotional farewell on Raw. So now, we move on to Smackdown, which will be taped tonight and then air on Friday. I'll be curious to see where that brand goes from here.

This is for you, Naitch...

WWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

The Greatest Show On Earth...Is HERE!!!

2008-03-29T17:56:00.002-06:00

It's here. It's finally here. WrestleMania Weekend! The stage is being set, the superstars are in Orlando, and fans anxiously await the biggest show of the year. This year's Mania has the chance to be one of the best, in my opinion. There's a greater emphasis on wrestling and I think a lot of fans will go home happy.

With that, its time to make my predictions for the big show (pun intended)...

I make my WrestleMania predictions the night before every year's broadcast, when all the final TV shows have aired and you can really sit back and think about who has the most momentum, who looks like the underdog and who is likely to be walking out of the big show (pun very much intended) as winners and losers.

And if my predictions are correct, we're in for one Hell of a show tomorrow night....

1. 24-Man Battle Royal, Winner faces ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero: I think this will be entertaining, and I'm glad to see an over-the-top-rope spectacle return to the biggest show of the year. Makes me think of WrestleMania 2 when Andre won. I could see a couple swerves happen with this one. I read in an autograph session report that fans were told Hardcore Holly was injured, so that opens up a spot. Whether or not he actually IS hurt is beside the point. If there is a vacant spot, maybe Matt Hardy will return and take it, even though he fits best in the Money In The Bank Ladder match. Hell, maybe even Rob Van Dam will return and win it. If the WWE has an opportunity to please fans with a surprising return, they better take it. As for a winner? Well, if Hardy or Van Dam don't return and win it, then I think I'm gonna go with Kane. His character has been really stale for the longest time and he deserves the Mania exposure. WINNER: Kane

2. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Kane: If Kane wins, then I'm not too sure if he'll be pushed further into winning the ECW Title. But I don't see Chavo winning cleanly, or even at all. OK, I'll call a messy finish. WINNER: Kane by DQ or count-out, Chavo retains

3. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP: This one is hard to call. I could see a surprise return in this one too. Seven is a mismatched number for this match, and we all know its only that much because Jeff Hardy was suspended. Maybe brother Matt or RVD once again will return in THIS match. But if it really comes down to these 7, then I'm leaning towards either Jericho or MVP to take it. I think it'll be close and I'm sure we're gonna be witness to some major crash-and-burn moments, but I'm gonna go with Y2J. His return went flat after Armageddon and he hasn't had much momentum until recently winning the IC Title from Hardy. WINNER: Chris Jericho

4. The Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather: It may be getting the most promotion, but its the one I care the least about. Yes, I even care more about the Playboy BS more than this publicity stunt. At least with that we're looking at hot chicks. This is gonna be a meticulously choreographed farce, but its done its job of promoting the hell out of WrestleMania, which is what Vince always wanted anyway. Floyd is gonna be protected like Show's life depends on it, so its not gonna be very long. And as for this supposed "swerve" we're gonna see? No idea what its gonna be, but Mayweather's winning this one. He wouldn't have signed up for it if he wasn't guaranteed the win. WINNER: Floyd Mayweather

5. Belfast Brawl, Finlay vs. JBL: Won't be a match-of-the-year candidate by any means, but it'll be brutal and hard-hitting. I'm glad the whole Hornswoggle angle didn't lead to Vince himself fighting at Mania. Going with a singles match between these two was a better idea. No doubt Vince is gonna interfere, and probably little Horny himself. And is it just me, but does anyone see a heel turn by the little guy, causing Finlay to lose? I dunno, I just see something happening with this one that most wouldn't expect. Either that or it'll be all sunshine and Lucky Charms for the two Irishmen. WINNER: Finlay

6. BunnyMania tag team match, Maria/Ashley vs. Melina/Beth Phoenix: Mostly see this one being about comedy, with Snoop Dogg and Santino probably getting into some sort of scuffle. Your average women's match, and I see Melina/Phoenix winning, most likely setting up a Title program with Maria and Beth. WINNERS: Melina & Beth Phoenix

7. Smackdown vs. RAW, Batista (S) vs. Umaga (R): I've personally wanted to see these two go at it for a long time, and WrestleMania is the perfect stage for it to happen. It'll be physical, that's for sure. Probably a good back-and-forth match with a lot of power moves, and I see Batista taking the win. Though if they wanna keep Umaga's character in good standing, it should take 2-3 Batista Bombs to put him away. That or a spinebuster off the top rope or something. WINNER: Batista

8. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels: Really looking forward to this. Flair has his detractors, but if there's anyone that can make him look as good as he was 15-20 years ago, its Shawn Michaels. The guy can make a match with a dildo look good. Hell, he made Hogan look half-ass entertaining, and Flair is/was 10 times the wrestler he ever was. It's definitely gonna be a great story in the ring. It'll be all about respect at first, then a few counter moves, then the emotions will run high and it'll be on. I hope this gets the time it deserves, because I'd like to see it go about 25 minutes, if not 30. I went back and watched the match they had at Bad Blood 2003, and was pleased. Anybody else remember the match Michaels had with him when he was still a Rocker? Didn't think that was so bad, either. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this went on last. As for a winner, about 99% of the earth thinks Flair is going down. I'm not entirely convinced, but then again one has to think about the forced retirement angle. If I gotta choose, then....WINNER: Shawn Michaels

9. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena: This is likely the one to go on last, since Vince is obsessed with keeping Raw in the limelight. Doesn't matter that Edge and Taker's feud dates back to last May, its all about Raw. Smackdown hasn't main-evented Mania since 2003, but NOPE! Doesn't matter! But I digress. Despite the presence of John Cena, I'm looking forward to this a lot. We're definitely gonna see all 3 finishers, maybe multiple times. Blood, a broken announce table, most definitely. I'm interested to see who the Orlando crowd cheers for. Everyone seems to think we're definitely in store for a Title change, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the crowd cheering for Orton as he'll be seen as the underdog nobody expects to win. Honestly? I wouldn't be shocked if Orton walked out still WWE Champion. In fact, I'd be supportive of it. Cena and HHH don't need the Title in the picture to have a good feud. But yet I also see HHH having a good chance at winning. He hasn't held a World Championship since Mania 21. And yes, I know he won the WWE Title at No Mercy, but I personally don't count it because he only had it for about an hour. I'm talking long-term, people. As for Cena? Lord, I hope he doesn't win, because he JUST DOESN'T DESERVE IT!!! I'm so sick of Vince shoving him down the throats of fans. He's NO STONE COLD, VINNIE MAC! So just stop it already! WINNER: Triple H

10. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker: The match I'm the most excited for. And good God, if they place this match in the 4th or 5th spot, I am just going to snap. They made that mistake with last year's Batista/Taker match, and it was the one many said saved the show. At least let it go on SECOND last. I'm really anticipating the story this one should tell. Two Mania streaks on the line between two of my all-time favorites. I see a lengthy feeling-out process and Edge is likely gonna stall for awhile. Hey, that's what being a heel is about, isn't it? Making the fans wait for a showdown? I hope the Edgeheads are kept out of this one because I just wanna see these two go at it without any interference. I also wanna see it go at least 20 minutes. As for a winner, I see another Title reign for the Deadman. As much as I love Edge, I just don't see him being the one to end Taker's winning streak at WrestleMania. Also, Taker's injury last May put a damper on the long-term reign that was in store for him, so I'm thinking this is to make up for that. Don't see the Edge/Taker program ending with this one, though. Probably a rematch or two at Backlash and Judgment Day. Either way, we're in for a hell of a match. WINNER: The Undertaker

Short Week, Long Weekend

2008-03-19T13:48:00.002-06:00

It's Wednesday afternoon and the crew and I are feverishly producing this week's issue. Its our annual Ag Week paper and its 28 pages. Of course, what happens when we're trying to compile a newspaper that's bigger than the average issue? It falls on a short work week. Friday is Good Friday, so tomorrow is doubling for Friday and today is doubling for tomorrow. But things are really falling into place and its gonna be a great issue.

Of course, you know what this certain holiday means if you're from around these parts. The Shrimp Feed. The decades-old, time-honoured tradition that takes place every Thursday night before Good Friday and the Easter long weekend. The Conquest Merchants throw the bash in order to give thanks to fans, well-wishers, and.........well......just to party. And its highly-anticipated every year. So if you're in the Conquest area and feel like some shrimp, steak and a cold one (or ten), stop in and have a good time. There's gonna be music from Rory Jones (#22 on the Merchants) and the non-stop, small-town hospitality you can only find in a place like Conquest. (Well, I guess you could throw some other towns in there, but you get where I'm going with this...)

Should be a good time. I'm told there's even a "skit" to go along with the award presentations. I'll be armed with my video camera to capture all the action, as well as any other shenanigans that some people may get into.

But that's tomorrow night. As for tonight, I'm headed to a wind energy showcase and development conference in Beechy. I'm sure it'll be a trip down memory lane, because I'll be taking the old route that my family used to take when we ran the mail from 2001-2004. Just hope I remember it. :P

So with that, I bid you good day. And if I don't post again before the long weekend takes effect, hope everyone has a gooder and enjoy all the extra sleep.

Keep 'em laughin',
- Derek

WrestleMania Finalized & The Week Is Done

2008-03-14T14:42:00.002-06:00

Its Friday afternoon and the work week is less than two hours away from being done. The team and I have produced and uploaded one Hell of a paper this week, if I do say so myself. With that, I thought it was time to hit the old blog and share some thoughts on the weekend, the WWE and WrestleMania.

So lets start with Mania. Seems that with each post I write, the WWE creative team reveals a new match or two. But now, after weeks of storyline development and exposure, the card for WrestleMania 24 is completely finalized. The only thing left unknown at the time of this writing is who will be taking the 8th spot in the Money In The Bank Ladder match. That vacant spot was already filled by Jeff Hardy, but as you've read in my last entry, he's been suspended for 60 days for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. I have my vote on who'll take that spot and you'll see it below.

Once again, here is the card for WrestleMania 24, updated and (hopefully) finalized:

1. World Heavyweight Championship match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
4. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
5. Smackdown vs. Raw match, Batista (S) vs. Umaga (R)
6. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. MVP vs. John Morrison vs. 1 more wrestler to be announced
7. Bunnymania Lumberjack match, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
8. Belfast Brawl match, Finlay vs. JBL
9. 24-Man Battle Royal, Winner faces ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero immediately afterward
10. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Battle Royal winner

So there you go. That is the card for this year's extravaganza. I gotta say, this has a chance to be one of the best Manias in the last few years. I felt that Mania 23 had the wrong main event, which hurt its overall grading in my opinion, and that Mania 22 underdelivered in many aspects. People can debate, argue and blog all they want about how WrestleMania will "suck", "fail" and "be ruined cuz of John Cena's lack of ability", but there's no denying that the WWE is looking to put the "wrestle" back into the show. As for the addition of a Battle Royal, how can you go wrong with that? The earliest editions of WrestleMania featured them, and it always brought fans to their feet. I like the reward of the winner facing Chavo Guerrero for the ECW Title. It may come off as an excuse to have the ECW Title featured on the card, but at least its being done in a creative way, as opposed to just some random one-on-one match. And though many die-hard loyalists look at the WWE's version of ECW as a glorified farm league, I'm personally glad that they're giving the brand, and its World Title, the opportunity to perform at the biggest show of them all, even though I myself don't watch ECW.

The other thing I was going to touch on was the last participant for the MITB Ladder match. In my last entry, I left a cliffhanger of sorts by indicating that Rob Van Dam should return and fight the match. However, due to the events of ECW and tonight's (taped) Smackdown, the 6th and 7th wrestlers now in it are CM Punk and John Morrison. Good choices, because this is obviously a crash-n-burn match that will have a number of spectacular moves on display, and Punk and Morrison are young, athletic and deserve the exposure. On the other hand, I had originally thought that Punk would face off against ECW Champion Guerrero, while Morrison would be featured in a WWE Tag Team Titles match with his partner, The Miz. The spots would then be filled by Matt Hardy and Kane. But now that Jeff Hardy is suspended, and there's only one spot left remaining, I'm pretty sure that it'll still go to Matt Hardy because he's ready to return and it'd be a good opportunity to reignite the feud he had with MVP, which would spill into the MITB match and lead to a singles match at the Backlash PPV for the United States Title. Yeah, I'd love it if RVD returned, and so would millions of other fans, but it won't be at WrestleMania.

Anyway, since it IS Friday, I'm not too sure what to do with this weekend. Well, I know what I'm doing tonight, just not sure about Saturday and Sunday.

At my lunch break, I rented two movies that I've been wanting to see for a long while. "Hitman" and "Into The Wild". I've heard mediocre things about "Hitman", which is an action flick that was adapted from the video game series, but I'll judge for myself. The problem that most people have about movie criticizing is that they refuse to understand the specific genre that a movie is aiming to live up to. General comments like "That movie SUCKED!", "What a waste of time!", and "It wasn't what I thought it was" drive me nuts. Whenever I watch a movie, I'm not expecting to be satisfied all the time. I'll watch it, turn the TV off (or leave the theater), and make my own judgment on it. The only difference is, I back up what I say and I'll always give you reasons as to why I found it either uninteresting, boring, or "sucky". Do I expect to like "Hitman"? Yes. I'm a fan of the game franchise and I was genuinely interested when I saw previews and trailers for the film. But time will tell.

As for "Into The Wild", this is one that I've been dying to see for months. Its directed by Sean Penn, and is the true story of a young man named Christopher McCandless (spelling?), who made a choice to explore the Alaskan wilderness and live there. The entire soundtrack is by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, so right there I'm hooked. I've heard a lot of good things about the film, and a friend of mine said that he almost cried in the end. Wow. That's good enough for me. I'm not afraid of watching a film that may induce tears. Hell, I nearly welled up in the final scenes of "Man On Fire" with Denzel Washington. I can't wait.

As for the rest of the weekend, I may hit the city tomorrow to buy some clothes, and maybe a couple movies. One thing that I am upset about is that "There Will Be Blood" is now finished playing at the Capitol Theater. Just when I have time to finally see it, it's OVER. Dammit....

Anyway, those are said plans for the next 48 hours. Hope everyone has a gooder.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Hardy Suspended, 3-Hour RAW and Mania Looming

2008-03-11T09:51:00.002-06:00

I was pretty impressed with the 3-hour Monday Night Raw last night. Lots of time to push the big matches at WrestleMania, some good in-ring promos, and a new Intercontinental Champion. Though I do think there were some missed opportunities with the show. Granted, not every Raw or Smackdown is perfect (though the 15th Anniversary Raw was pretty close) but I would've liked to see things done a little differently than they were.

Today, the big news making the rounds on the web is that Jeff Hardy has been suspended by the WWE. He violated the WWE's Wellness Policy and is being sent home for 60 days. The Policy has been the subject of much scrutiny but I think this suspension is showing people that its for real and that nobody is "protected" from it. You fail a drug test, you're suspended. I believe there's a 3 strikes rule with the Policy and this is Hardy's second violation. This is really a damn shame, because he's been on such a huge roll in the last few months and was a heavy favorite to win the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania. So on one hand, I'm disappointed, but on the other, I'm glad to see the WWE stepping up and reinforcing their policy, regardless of how popular Jeff is and that fact that he was *this close* to becoming a solidified main eventer. The media and any other naysayers can try and come up with their own "facts" and info on the Wellness Policy, but in the long run, a lot of guys are gonna live longer and clean up their act.

So since nobody except Jeff and his co-workers knew of his impending suspension, it was a pretty big shock to see Chris Jericho beat him for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a great match with a ton of close near-falls, but nobody expected a new Champ. When Jericho hit The Codebreaker and got the win, there were a lot of dropped jaws. Not that Jericho isn't deserving of it (I for one think its a step down for Y2J), but with the roll Hardy had been on lately, nobody expected him to lose his IC Title. I just chalked it up to the WWE keeping Hardy belt-less so he could go for the big gold, the WWE Championship. But it was obviously because of his suspension. Its a shame he won't be in the ladder match at Mania, but that's the price you pay. As for Jericho holding the IC Title, I hope he defends it often with some great matches because the belt has lost some of its prestige in the last while.

As for the rest of Raw, I was pretty much satisfied. I really liked the opening promo between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. Gotta admit, I half-expected HBK to turn and superkick Flair down, but he's most likely gonna stay a babyface and it'll be Good Guy vs. Good Guy at Mania. Still, nothing builds a great match like a little tension now and then. Michaels is heading to Smackdown this week to team up with Flair in a Steel Cage match against World Heavyweight Champion Edge and the Edge-Heads, so we might see some tempers flare (pun intended). I also liked the confrontation between Umaga and Batista. I hope this match gets more hype and exposure leading into WrestleMania, because I'm getting more and more excited for it with each week. Sure, one can look at it as a quick solution to ensure these two have a match at WrestleMania, but I think there's also a huge number of fans who've always wanted to see Batista and Umaga collide, and what better stage is there to do it? The Animal vs. The Samoan Bulldozer. Should be a gooder.

I couldn't help but feel there were a few missed opportunities here and there, though. Like with the Money In The Bank match. Why not have the last remaining wrestlers confirmed for it? Yeah, there's still 2 weeks worth of TV shows left, but it could've been fit into this special 3-hour Raw. Why not? And I was waiting for some sort of confrontation between Edge and The Undertaker. They both had singles matches last night. Where was Edge during Taker's Casket Match with Mark Henry? No interference from the World Heavyweight Champion? And where was the Phenom during the Champ's match with CM Punk? No mind games or dimming the lights? I know Raw isn't "their show", but for a main event match that's as anticipated as this, there should've been some sort of altercation between the two.

And the WrestleMania Rewind matches. How many were there? Three. Three matches out of eight. And the US Express/Shiek & Volkoff segment doesn't count, because there was no match. Wow. What a slap in the face that was. And of course HHH wasn't gonna fight John Cena, because that match is being saved for a PPV showdown, likely SummerSlam. Why spoil it with free TV? Yeah, we could've seen him fight Batista or the Undertaker, but we (once again) see him battle Kane and win. I could swear these two fought on a Rewind night before. Was it before Mania 21? 22? I'm not complaining about it, I just thought they didn't put their "best foot forward" with the concept this year. As for the rest of the night, it was pretty so-so. Cena and Michaels do the main event thing and it ends in a DQ win for HBK. The show then ended with Cena hitting the interferer, WWE Champion Randy Orton, with an FU. HHH then announced that on Raw next week, Cena and Orton will team up to face the entire Raw roster. Could be interesting. We'll see where it goes.

In short, a pretty good Raw but I would've done a few things differently. Like maybe have a contract signing between Umaga and Batista that obviously ends in chaos, have Edge and Taker interfere in each other's matches, and maybe throw in a surprise appearance by Stone Cold or something. Its a 3-hour Raw, so you need to have something special.

Going back to the Money In The Bank match, the US Champion MVP qualified for it at a house show over the weekend, so we're not going to see him defend the belt against a returning Matt Hardy. In that case then, I'm about 90% sure the remaining two spots will go to Hardy and Kane. I guess it makes sense for Matt to return in a match with 7 other guys, so he can take his time and shake off any ring rust he has without many fans noticing. I hope he's in it, anyway. Then we can finally see Hardy vs. MVP for the US Title at Backlash in April.

So now, what to do about Jeff Hardy's now-vacant spot in the ladder match? Well, there's only one man I have in mind for the job, and if the WWE is smart they'll try and get him back no matter what.

Take your thumbs, lift em high and point down at yourself in a cocky, swaggering manner.

Can anyone say ROB.........VAN..............DAM???

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

WrestleMania Looking Better Every Week

2008-03-07T14:17:00.002-06:00

As every week falls off the calendar in March, we're just that much closer to WrestleMania 24. I'm starting to get excited, and can feel the anticipation in the air. But this is nothing compared to the feeling I'll have when watching those final episodes of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown, when all the high profile feuds will be at an all-time peak and mayhem is sure to ensue.

Right now, the number of matches that we'll see has been bumped up to 8, which is a good, round number. Manias 21 and 23 had that same amount and they were satisfying shows. Though I can see one or even two more being added. Here's the current card:

1. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
4. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Chris Jericho vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Carlito vs. 3 more participants to be decided
5. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
6. Playboy Bunnymania, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
7. Raw vs Smackdown match, Umaga (Raw) vs. Batista (Smackdown)
8. Finlay vs. JBL

That eighth match came as a result of the ongoing Vince McMahon/Finlay feud over Hornswoggle. As it turns out, the little leprechaun isn't McMahon's son after all, and is actually Finlay's. JBL put the boots to the little guy in a steel cage match two weeks ago on Raw and Finlay was livid. So now these two will collide, and I'm actually looking forward to it. Sometimes my love of a great display of technical wrestling takes a backseat when I want to see two guys just beat the holy Hell out of each other, and this is one of those times.

Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if there was one or two more matches added, and I can definitely see those as being:

1. U.S. Title match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
2. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. CM Punk

I'd really like to see these matches, especially the MVP/Hardy battle. Those two had a great feud going last summer and into the fall, but Hardy ended up having a health-related emergency and has been on the shelf since. I've read house show reports that said he's returned to the road, so there you go. Let's finally see these two go at it for the title. Make it happen, WWE. As for the ECW Title match, I just think that belt needs PPV exposure. The whole "reinvention" of ECW has really missed the mark and I don't watch it, though I do keep track of what's going on. All I'm saying is that if the WWE wants ECW to be taken seriously and not looked at as the "farm league" of the WWE brands, then have the title defended at WrestleMania.

That'd bump the match number up to 10, which isn't so bad. As long as they cut down on the backstage segments and the prerequisite "Hey it's a celebrity, we better talk to them" routine, then the matches will have ample time to display a good performance. Obviously, some matches will be much longer than others, but that's just the nature of the beast.

In my view, WrestleMania 24 is really looking special. I think I'll enjoy it more than I did last year's, because I won't be so shocked to see a feature match go on before an undercard one. Its all about keeping the fans attention without going into overkill, and I understand that.

Here's what I mean by that...

Last year, there were 8 matches at WrestleMania 23. One of the main events, and the one I was most excited about, was Batista defending the World Heavyweight Title against The Undertaker. In my opinion, it should have been the match that goes on last; this was a battle that millions were anticipating, and beyond that, it was something NEVER SEEN before, which is what WrestleMania is really all about. So you can imagine my shock and anger when it was revealed as only the FOURTH match of the night! Smack dab in the middle! I was outraged and held onto my Irish stubborness that it should've been the last match of WrestleMania. It was a great match that the 80,000+ in attendance loved, and the Dead Man won the World Title, kicking his Mania winning streak to 15-0. Instead, John Cena retaining his WWE Title against Shawn Michaels was the main event, in a match that Shawn carried and the audience booed when Cena won. The main event of WrestleMania should never end with WWE's top babyface being booed, but he was. Just like he was at WrestleMania 22.

However, I'm used to it now. The match order at the last few Manias has never made any sense to me, because I judge a match and its feuding wrestlers on how much momentum and exposure they've received, as well as how the audiences react to it. Obviously, you'd want the hottest and most anticipated match to end the show, right? Well, I guess not in WWE's view.

Again, I don't agree with it but I'm used to it now. In my opinion, Edge and The Undertaker's match for the World Heavyweight Title should go on last. It would keep the fans guessing as to whether or not Edge might just be able to give the Phenom his first loss at WrestleMania. And if not, then at least there'd be a new World Champion. Frankly, I don't have a favorite in this match, because these two are my absolute favorite wrestlers and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.

Anyway, that's my Mania rant for this week. Looking forward to Monday's Raw, because its 3 hours this week and all the brands are coming together for WrestleMania Rewind, where we'll be witness to rematches of classic Mania battles. Should be a gooder!

As for this weekend, I'm finally seeing "Juno" tonight, and I'm dying to see what virtually everyone is talking about when it comes to this film. I then plan on renting "Into The Wild", the Sean Penn-directed drama about a man who chooses to live in the wilderness. If there's time, I might try and sneak in "American Gangster", since I bought the incredible 3-disc Collector's Edition last week in the city.

Keep it real, homies! (Man, I am white...)

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

File Under Fiction: "Land Of No Law"

2008-02-29T11:12:00.003-06:00

When I was a kid, I loved reading those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. I collected them like crazy. Choices like, 'If you want to follow your friends into the cave, turn to page 45. If you want to stay back and await their return, flip to page 31'. I loved that. I loved the format. You never knew what was going to happen. So I was thinking about it one night, and decided that something like this would make for a cool, interactive feature in my blog. I hope you will too.

Each story will be told over a period of three weeks. After each installment, I strongly encourage readers to email yours truly and give me your thoughts, opinions, and general comments on where the second and third parts of the story should go. My hope is that you'll enjoy the cliffhanger I leave you on enough to come up with some different scenarios that the characters might find themselves in, or ones to get themselves out of!

Reach me through email at druttle@theoutlook.ca. You can also check out our website at www.theoutlook.ca.

Thanks for reading! And now, I give you...

Land Of No Law

Jack Owens shoved his thumb in his mouth and dropped his hammer, no doubt to block the curse words that would've easily flown out. He had taken his eye off the nail for a split second and brought the heavy hammer down on his own flesh so hard, it was numb.

This was the second time in a month that the fence keeping the cattle in was purposely broken, and Jack knew just who it was.

"Johnson...." he muttered under his breath.

William Johnson was the bank manager in town, and was a man who didn't reason with anyone. Jack had originally thought he was square with the bank, having made several payments on his land, but Johnson just couldn't be swayed to give a guy a break. Granted, Jack still owed him about $150 out of an original $500 loan, but they had mapped out a payment plan that, until recently, Johnson had honoured. But that time was over.

Jack finished up his work on the fence and gathered his tools. Slapping dust off his legs, he wiped his brow under his hat and headed into the house. His wife Alice looked at him almost sternly, and all he could do was shrug.

"You told me that you paid him," she said.

"I did. Last month I handed him 35 dollars. I suppose that just wasn't enough," said Jack.

"When is it going to be enough?" Alice asked. "For God's sake, Jack, we've got two kids to feed! Henry is gonna be almost 12 years old soon, and Emma just turned seven!"

Jack looked at her and could tell she was getting upset. He wrapped his arms around her and tried consoling her, but what could he really do? He couldn't make the rain come and force his crops to grow, along with the vegetables that Alice and little Emma enjoyed planting. They were in debt, but were still able to feed their kids, put clothes on their backs, and get them to school every day. It just seemed that they were only able to scrape by, and just when they thought they could get their heads above water, they would sink under.

Jack washed up and grabbed his hat again, heading out the door. Just as he was saddling up, Henry spotted him and ran up to him.

"Where you headed, Pa?" he asked.

"Just into town for awhile; I got some folks I gotta talk to," replied Jack.

"Can I come too?" asked Henry.

"No, you better stay here with your mother and Emma. Keep 'em company and give Ma a hand around the house, OK?" said Jack.

With that, Jack rode into town, tipping his hat and nodding to people he saw along the way, including the blacksmith, general store owner, barber, butcher, and the school teacher. Finally, he stopped at the bank and walked inside, looking for William Johnson. When he saw him sitting at a desk, feet propped up and counting money, Owens was furious.

"Johnson!" he yelled, marching straight to the desk. "We had a payment plan! I gave you 35 dollars last month and was fixing to hand you another 20 by the end of next week!"

Johnson sat up straight and put the money away.

"Jack, I know you're fuming and looking to take a swing at me for what my boys did to your fence, but I had to get your attention one way or another!" he said. "Now, I recently had a meeting with several other bank managers from around the countryside. We were told that a railroad is being built, and to collect any outstanding debts from farmers and cattle ranchers, because the construction foremen aren't gonna settle your debts for you!"

"So what does all that mean for my family?" Jack asked.

"It means that once you're square with me, the railroad builders are gonna try and buy you out. They'll take a look at what you got, money and collateral-wise, I mean, and make an offer," said Johnson.

"So how long do I have?" Jack inquired.

"Two weeks." said Johnson.

Jack let the information sink in before trying to come up with a plan. He still owed over 100 dollars to Johnson, and on top of that, now had to get a good crop going in two weeks, as well as buying more cattle. He left the bank and walked across the street to the saloon, sitting at the bar and nursing a drink. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he needed to feed his family and take care of them, one way or another.

Just then, Johnson walked into the saloon, with another fellow behind him. Frantic and in somewhat of a panic, the man was clearly trying to get the attention of Johnson.

"But Mr. Johnson, that box needs to get to Plainview! There's a lot at stake here!" he said.

"I know that, Billy! But our courier just backed out of the job and no one else in town will do it! Too much complaining over the long travel," Johnson replied.

Jack couldn't help but hear the conversation. He stood up and walked over to the two, standing behind Johnson.

"So what's in this box?" he asked, surprising Johnson and Billy.

"That's really none of your business, Jack! The point is that there's a box that needs to be transferred from here to Plainview, and..." Johnson trailed off. "Wait a second - why don't you deliver it, Jack?"

Jack's interest was peaked, but he was suspicious.

"I appreciate the offer, but if I gotta pay you back and get a crop going within two weeks, I better just stay put," Jack said.

"Jack, please, there's no one else! My job depends on this and I'm sure there's a way we can make this work on both our ends," Johnson pleaded.

Jack thought it over in his head. Was he really going to leave his family and deliver a wooden box all the way to Plainview, filled with God-knows-what? But then again, this worked to his advantage, seeing as how Johnson was now the one with his back against the wall.

"Alright, William. If I'm gonna go through with this, there's gonna be some conditions," Jack declared. "First, I want my debt wiped clean. Second, I want three of my good friends to come with me. And third, I want you to hand my wife $200 not five minutes after we've left. You hear?"

Johnson wiped his brow.

"Alright, Jack. I think that's fair. So you're gonna do it?" he said.

"Yeah, I'll do it," said Jack.

To Be Continued...

Who, or what, will Jack and his friends run into along the way? What's in the mysterious box? Are they headed for trouble? I'll let you decide, faithful reader...

Mania Card Is Taking Shape

2008-02-29T09:59:00.003-06:00

This year's WrestleMania is really starting to take shape. With this week's WWE TV now done (well, almost, since Smackdown airs tonight but is taped on Tuesdays, and everyone reads the spoilers) the big matches are now locked in place, but there's still room for 2-3 more under/middlecard ones. Right now there are seven, so there's thankfully gonna be a lot of hype and exposure since we're still a solid month away from this year's Granddaddy Of 'Em All. I think this year's WrestleMania is focussing on the "wrestle" part of that name, instead of a bunch of over-the-top storylines and gimmick matches. Sure, there's a mainstream celebrity attached to it in Floyd Mayweather, but that's become almost a required aspect of the biggest show of the year.

Right now, here's the current card for WrestleMania 24:

1. Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
2. The Title vs The Streak, World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
3. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
4. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. 4 other participants to be decided
5. Raw vs Smackdown match, Umaga (Raw) vs. Batista (Smackdown)
6. Playboy Bunnymania tag team match, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
7. The Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather

I'm super-pumped for those first 5 matches. The other two I can take or leave. The Playboy stuff is simply there to add a hot chick element to the show, when there really should have been a Women's Title defense. Fortunately, all four ladies involved know how to wrestle and should be able to show off their skills accordingly. As for the Big Show/Mayweather stuff, I'm really not all that into it, even though its a key match in promoting the show due to Mayweather's mainstream celebrity status as a boxing champion. Honestly, I could care less. Its cool that the Big Show is back, but I'm not all that interested in this program. Especially since Mayweather made the mistake of acting too cocky and arrogant and turned the fans on him, since he's supposed to be the babyface. And good God, he is annoying.

My prediction, and wish, of a Flair/Michaels match has come true, and I can't wait to see this one. This has a chance to go down as the greatest story ever told in the ring, and I don't think these two will disappoint. About 99% of the web is certain that Flair's going down in this one, and it'll be his last match, but I'm not entirely convinced. I won't make any predictions right now because its too early to tell. All I can say is this - whatever happens, it should be the main event. Granted, the focus of almost every WrestleMania has been on the World Belt, no matter how big or hyped any of the upper card matches are, but I think this needs to go on last. Just my opinion.

So with those seven matches in place, I could see 2 or 3 more added. And I have an idea of what those will be.

1. Vince McMahon/JBL vs. Finlay/Hornswoggle, OR a singles match between McMahon/Finlay
2. United States Title match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
3. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. CM Punk

Those are just an idea. If all 3 were used, that'd be a total of 10 matches at this year's show. Mania gets a span of 4 hours so I think that's enough time for all of them. Granted, 2 or 3 will have to be shorter than the rest, but that's always been the nature of the beast.

Tomorrow is the 1st of March, and we're then only 4 weeks away from WrestleMania Weekend. And the countdown continues...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

No Country: Four Gold Men

2008-02-28T13:09:00.004-06:00

The Coen brothers' violent epic "No Country For Old Men" was the big winner at the Oscars on February 24, taking the win in four of the big categories.

- Best Picture
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Direction
- Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh)

I thought the show was a lot of fun, and glad to see that it was entertaining since the writer's strike juuuuust ended a little while ago. I think a lot of the right people took home awards, even though there were a few surprises, such as "The Bourne Ultimatum" picking up the Oscar for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and best Sound Mixing, and then Marion Cotillard winning Best Actress for "La Vie en Rose". But that's what makes the show so unpredictable. You can make your picks and justify them all you want, but there's still gonna be a surprise or two when the show goes on the air.

Daniel Day-Lewis picked up the Best Actor nod for his portrayal of a greedy, insane oil tycoon in "There Will Be Blood". He was the odds-on favorite to win it in the first place, and "Blood" also nabbed the statue for Best Cinematography.

But it was "No Country" that garnered the most attention. Javier Bardem collected the first of four Oscars for the film that night, winning it for Best Supporting Actor in the role of sadistic, cold-blooded killer Anton Chigurh.

I wasn't surprised that "No Country" took the most wins. I was incredibly impressed with the film, and it was definitely one of the best of the year. I'm dying to read the novel, and hope to find it in a book store soon.

Its WrestleMania Season!

2008-02-22T14:36:00.006-06:00

January has come and gone, the weather is getting warmer, the SVHL season is coming to a close, and even February is gonna be gone in a few days. Yes oh yes, its that time of the year.

WrestleMania time!

The 24th annual Super Bowl of sports-entertainment takes place on March 30 in Orlando, Florida, where over 50,000 people will see it live from the Citrus Bowl, as well as millions around the world on Pay-Per-View. And just like every year before it, this one's sure to be a huge hit. People can roll their eyes and scoff at professional wrestling all they want, but there's no denying that WrestleMania is a major household name that everyone is familiar with, and it draws attention like no other event on Earth.

It debuted in 1985, the same year I was born. Right from the very beginning, the WWE (or WWF as it was known back then and up until 2002) made it a grand event for everyone to see, and attracted the likes of celebrities, Hall of Fame athletes and world-famous entertainers to appear in various roles and appearances.

Just a few of the names that have appeared at a WrestleMania include:

- Mr. T (appeared in the main event with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 1)
- Muhammad Ali
- Liberace
- Alice Cooper
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Jenny McCarthy
- Pamela Anderson
- Burt Reynolds
- Little Richard
- Pete Rose
- Mike Tyson
- Lawrence Taylor
- Aretha Franklin
- Gladys Knight
- Ray Charles
- Willie Nelson
- Robert Goulet
- Donald Trump

As of now, there are several matches locked in place, including the RAW and Smackdown brand double main events.

1. WWE World Heavyweight Title Match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship Triple Threat Match, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Money In The Bank Ladder Match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. 5 others to be decided

As well, there are other matches being discussed and predicted all over the web, such as...

a) United States Title Match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
b) Flair's Final Farewell, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
c) Finlay & Mick Foley vs. JBL & Vince McMahon

Personally, I'd love to see those other three, especially Flair and Michaels. Last week on Raw, Michaels made the announcement that the Nature Boy is (finally) being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, which takes place the night before WrestleMania. From there, I could see a great storyline play out where Shawn tells Flair that he'll be honoured to induct him into the HOF, but wants to tangle with him on the biggest stage of them all - WrestleMania. For those who aren't aware, Flair is involved in a storyline where he will be forced to retire the next time he loses a match, so every bout he's in is a must-win situation. Michaels doesn't need to turn heel to invoke a match with Flair, it could simply be one life-long fan wanting to know if he has what it takes to put his idol out to pasture. I'd love to see it, and if this turns out to be the direction WWE is headed, then it should be the main event.

I've seen every WrestleMania leading up to this year's edition, and there just isn't anything like it. It isn't just "another PPV". There's something in the air, something electric, that just brings a certain atmosphere to it all. Even if you don't follow wrestling on a regular basis, even if you don't follow it AT ALL, its something to be seen.

So I'm thinking, 'What are some of the greatest matches in Mania history?' Obviously, that's incredibly difficult to narrow down. But I've thought about this a lot this week, so here is my Top Twenty List of the Greatest Matches in WrestleMania History. It took a lot of time and effort to compile this list, as anyone who knows my love of wrestling knows that I'm articulate, precise, and sometimes very critical when it comes to breaking down a match. And that's because professional wrestling is an art form. Its an action movie playing out in real life, 20 feet in front of you in the first row at the local arena. It isn't just two guys in tights throwing fake punches and bodyslams. A great match between two wrestlers should tell a story in the ring, from beginning to end.

With that, here is what I've personally come up with. They aren't in any specific order, only the dates of the Mania events go from oldest to newest. I can't even begin to fathom what my absolute favorite Mania match of all-time is.

Away we go...

The Top Twenty Greatest Matches In WrestleMania History

1. WrestleMania 3 - WWF Intercontinental Title match, Randy Savage (C) vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat: Over 90,000 people packed the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. This match didn't disappoint any of them. What everyone remembers about Mania 3 is the much-hyped, uber-promoted clash between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant for the WWF World Title, but it was this match that left a lasting impression when it was all said and done. Savage and Steamboat gave the crowd all they had in a memorable match, and blew the roof off the place when Steamboat, believed to have the spirit and will beaten out of him, surprised the Macho Man with a small package pin to win the IC Title. It was wrestling at its purest, in a time where it was all about big men with freak physiques who looked like they could sell merchandise.
2. WrestleMania 8 - WWF Intercontinental Title match, Rowdy Roddy Piper (C) vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart: Another classic IC Title match at Mania. This time, it was a match between two guys who respected the hell out of each other. A great match that told an even greater story, and was a rare occasion that a wrestler (Hart) was split open on PPV. Back then, blood on WWF TV and on PPV was considered taboo and sort of a no-no, but a drenched Hitman still found the will to surprise Piper with a roll-up pin by countering a sleeperhold, winning his second IC Title.
3. WrestleMania 8 - WWF Championship match, Ric Flair (C) vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage: Awesome feud. These two hated each other. Flair got Savage's blood boiling by claiming he had been dating Miss Elizabeth, Savage's wife, and even had photos to prove it. They were obviously fake, but the Macho Man was still steaming. He pounded Flair all over the inside and outside of the ring, and it was only a matter of time before Flair was now busted open. But the Nature Boy's manager, Mr. Perfect, slipped the Champ a pair of brass knuckles that knocked Savage out cold. And yet, he kicked out of a pin attempt. Going to plan B, Flair focused on Savage's leg, softening him up for a figure four leglock. Miss Elizabeth then made her way down to the ring to cheer on her husband. With her and over 60,000 screaming fans on his side, the Macho Man reared back and blasted Flair in the face with a right hand. As the Champ staggered around, Savage rolled him up and listened to the 3-count that won him the World Title. Fans cheered, Elizabeth hugged him tight, and the Macho Man was king of the mountain again. Amazing.
4. WrestleMania 10, Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. "The Rocket" Owen Hart: Brother versus brother. The story going into this match was that Owen was jealous of Bret's larger-than-life status as one of the most beloved and respected wrestlers on the planet, and had viciously attacked him in a tag team match at the Royal Rumble two months before, turning on his brother when Bret's knee was in bad shape and the match was stopped. The back and forth action in this was incredible. Both were trained in the legendary "dungeon", where their father Stu trained many other wrestlers in their home in Calgary, Alberta. It also was the opening match of WrestleMania, and set the bar sky-high for the rest of the locker room in the rest of the card. Very mat-based in the beginning that escalated to hard-hitting moves. When Bret tried a victory roll, Owen countered it by tying Bret up in a pin and getting the surprise win himself. An awesome performance by two brothers who went on to have even greater matches as the months rolled on in 1994.
5. WrestleMania 10, Ladder Match for the vacant WWF Intercontinental Title, Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon: A definite must-have on any best-of lists. The story with this feud was that both guys were claiming to be the rightful Intercontinental Champ, after WWF President Jack Tunney stripped Michaels of the belt and held a tournament for it, which Razor won. However, Shawn returned to action with his OWN belt, and Tunney decided a Ladder match would crown the definitive Champion. And both guys left the crowd on their feet. The tide turned in both mens' favors at different points in the match, and their bodies each took a hell of a beating. The big moment in this match, which is always shown when Mania history is revisited, was when Michaels stood on top of the ladder, flew down, and flattened Ramon with a body splash. But I also loved the slingshot HBK took, as well as Ramon being crunched with the steel as Michaels rolled it over top of him from the top rope. Finally, Razor was able to shove HBK off the ladder, which resulted in Michaels' foot getting stuck in the ropes. Seeing his chance, the Bad Guy scaled the ladder and grabbed the title, winning the match and having his name etched in history books.
6. WrestleMania 11, WWF Championship match, Diesel (C) vs. Shawn Michaels: I always thought this one was underrated. Its rarely brought up in conversation when discussing Mania history, probably because it was overshadowed by the "main event", which was ex-football player Lawrence Taylor fighting Bam Bam Bigelow in what was nothing more than a publicity stunt, and a bad one at that. Diesel and Shawn must've seen that themselves, so they amped up the action and told a classic story in the ring. Two former best friends going at each other's throats for the WWF Title. Shawn and Diesel's matches always told a cool, spandex-laden version of David and Goliath, except in this particular battle, David was the bad guy (that'd be Shawn). These two made the notable size difference between them obsolete, and it was Shawn who did much of the damage to Diesel. I especially liked the bulldog off the top rope, as well as the flying elbow right into the Champ's back. Diesel got his second wind and wound up putting HBK away with the Jackknife powerbomb, but this match made critics take notice of Shawn's ability to perform at a main-event level.
7. WrestleMania 12, Iron Man match for the WWF Championship, Bret "The Hitman" Hart (C) vs. Shawn Michaels: Another match that's on every critic's list of great matches. These two had some great matches in the past, most notably at the 1992 Survivor Series, but this was a much-anticipated match between two men in their prime. Hart was the fighting Champion who took on all comers, whether they be big, small, brawlers, high-flyers, or a mat technician like himself. Michaels was the guy looking to "break the glass ceiling" and win his first World Title. The object of this match was simple - the wrestler with the most falls in 60 minutes would walk out with the win and the WWF Title. So for an hour, these two told arguably the greatest story ever told in the history of pro wrestling. It went from a feeling-out process, to a here's-what-I-know game, to a submission contest, and finally to a painful stage of hard-hitting action and excitement. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were two men who absolutely couldn't stand each other in real life, but when it was time to get it done, there might not have been two guys who could enthrall the audience more. When Bret had Shawn locked in the Sharpshooter when the final seconds fell off the clock, it was like time stood still. Everyone was still on their feet, and debates flew around the arena as to who might get a possible decision win. After it was decided that a sudden death period was needed, Hart went back to hammering HBK down, but made the fatal mistake of walking into a superkick. It took a second one to put the Hitman away, and Shawn Michaels had finally achieved his boyhood dream of winning the WWF Title.
8. WrestleMania 13, I Quit match, Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin: This match had an ever-lasting impact on the WWF and pro wrestling in general. Over the last few months, fans had been starting to silently root for the bad guys and boo the good guys, and it was the double turn that both guys did in this match that changed the landscape of wrestling forever. Hart went from the classic good guy to a despised heel, while Austin went from a law-breaking bad guy to a beloved outlaw - all in a span of 23 minutes. The match was non-stop, brutal action that resulted in Austin bleeding bad from the forehead. Hart never let up on his assault, but Austin came back with some moves of his own. Ultimately, Hart got the Sharpshooter locked in, and Stone Cold never once said "I quit!". He held on and clenched his teeth through the pain, but passed out as a result of blood loss. The Hitman got the win, but it was the Rattlesnake who got the glory. A definite classic that was responsible for the "Attitude" era, and it pretty much "made" Steve Austin.
9. WrestleMania 14, The Undertaker vs. Kane: A very anticipated match that really paid off, in my view. For months, Kane and manager Paul Bearer tormented the Undertaker, claiming that the Phenom had set fire to the family home and burned Kane's face, which was why he wore a mask. Taker kept refusing to fight his brother, but the final straw came at the Royal Rumble that year, when Kane interfered in Taker's WWF Title match against Champion Shawn Michaels, chokeslamming him into a casket and lighting it on fire! From there, a great set of mind games were played between the two "brothers", all leading up to this historic clash. The match didn't disappoint; it was a great display of two big men who had virtually identical styles. Whatever Kane dished out, Taker took. Whatever Taker could hand out, Kane felt. I think fans were really worried that Kane was going to beat his brother, because it seemed like he was impervious to anything the Dead Man did to him. One really cool spot happened outside the ring; Taker clothelined Kane over the ropes and ran off the other side, hoping to splash his brother and gain some momentum. Instead, when Taker vaulted over the ropes, Kane side-stepped him and sent him plunging through the announce table. Great spot. Taker eventually beat Kane, but it took three Tombstone piledrivers to put him away, and this was only the first of a nearly-endless list of matches between these two.
10. WrestleMania 15, WWF Championship match, The Rock (C) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: The first Mania encounter between these two that would eventually result in three of them. Sadly, this one really doesn't get recognized that often, which is very odd because it was an amazing match. The Rock was Vince McMahon's "Corporate Champion" and was cocky as Hell, but Austin had the support of millions and was mad as Hell. These two burned up the ring and quickly spilled to the outside, where they took turns beating each other senseless with TV equipment and guardrails holding the audience back. Eventually, Austin dropped an elbow on the Champ that sent them both through a table at ringside, and the action returned to the ring, where Rock hit Austin with a chair when the ref's back was turned. Eventually, Austin countered The Rock Bottom into a Stone Cold Stunner, and substitute referee Mick Foley counted to three. McMahon was in shock, and Austin gave him a Stunner as well before celebrating his third WWF Title win with a beer shower.
11. WrestleMania 16, Triangle Ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Titles, the Dudley Boyz (C) vs. the Hardys vs. Edge & Christian: Whenever historic ladder matches are talked about, everybody points to SummerSlam in 2000 as the start of the TLC match (Tables, Ladders, Chairs). People seem to forget that it was THIS match that started the whole "crash and bang" phenomenon of these types of matches. History says that the first TLC match was indeed at SummerSlam that year, but only because somebody stamped a different name on it. This match was, in my view, the ACTUAL first TLC match - it was just called a Triangle Ladder match until somebody came up with a catchy, clever name. This was definitely what people were talking about on the way home that night. Lots of great spots that took a lot of guts to pull off, including a Swanton Bomb on Bubba Ray Dudley that saw Jeff Hardy fly down a good 15 feet from below, straight through a table in the entrance way. Edge & Christian went on to win it, as well as the one at SummerSlam and WrestleMania 17 the next year.
12. WrestleMania 17, No DQ match, The Undertaker vs. Triple H: This was just a great, no-holds-barred, classic brawl. The build-up to this was simple but exciting. HHH basically came out on TV and said, "Hey, I've beaten everyone here, so where's my Title shot?" Undertaker shows up and says, "You've beaten everyone, have ya? You wanna beat someone, beat ME!" Simple, yet effective. And fans were just pumped for it. They wanted Taker to beat HHH down so badly. The Game destroyed Taker's motorcycle, he split him open with a sledgehammer, and really got under his skin. The match was awesome and kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Taker pounded HHH into the audience, and fought with him in the technical area, where the Game found a chair and beat the Dead Man down repeatedly. A big "Holy $&%!" moment occured when Taker grabbed HHH and chokeslammed him off the scaffold before dropping a big elbow down. Back in the ring, HHH countered The Last Ride powerbomb by snatching a sledgehammer on his way up and bringing it down across Taker's skull. Eventually, HHH tried hammering him again, this time with right hands in the corner, but Undertaker picked him up and finally drove him down with The Last Ride for the win. Very cool.
13. WrestleMania 17, No DQ WWF Championship match, The Rock (C) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: Out of all three of their encounters, from WrestleManias 15, 17 and 19, its usually this one that people say is their favorite. And its hard to argue, because this one tells a great story, especially in the last 10 minutes or so of the match. At this point, both of these guys were huge fan favorites, although Austin had the bigger fanbase on this night because this year's Mania was in Texas, his home state. This battle was 10 times better than their one at Mania 15, particularly because it was given more time. It didn't take long for blood to be shed, as both guys were busted open and clearly getting exhausted in the last part of the match. Soon, they were stealing each other's finishing moves, with The Rock first hitting Austin with a Stunner, and Austin later replying with a Rock Bottom. To me, things like that help keep the audience excited and it tells more of a story, because it shows the two are becoming desperate for a win. Later, Austin locks Rock in the Million Dollar Dream, which was really cool to see because it showed the Rattlesnake's obsession with winning the WWF Title, and almost foreshadowed the final moments of the match. Vince McMahon, Austin's long-time nemesis, actually helped him win the Title by giving him a steel chair and watching him bludgeon The Rock over and over and over again with it, before he made the cover and listened to the ref count to three. Incredible match, and an amazing story.
14. WrestleMania 18, The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan: The new generation vs. the old generation. Cool angle, and a great money-making match. I've never been a fan of Hogan, but there's no denying this match was anticipated by millions, and I think it paid off. The Rock did more than enough to make Hogan look good, and I was glad to see Rock drop The People's Elbow on him and get the win. The only gripe I had with the match was it's position on the card. It was the third to last one, and was BEFORE the Women's Title match. Now, no offense to the women wrestlers, but why was this one AFTER Rock/Hogan? It should've been the main event, because I'm not sure that the actual main event between Triple H and Chris Jericho lived up to its potential. Whatever. Small gripe. Though I've never agreed with the match order at most WrestleManias over the years.
15. WrestleMania 19, WWE Championship match, Kurt Angle (C) vs. Brock Lesnar: Awesome match, and Angle has to be commended for being as good as he was, considering his neck was in horrendous shape and he was actually risking paralysis by going through with it. You know that had to be on his mind the entire match. Lesnar, on the other hand, was only in his rookie year and was already main-eventing WrestleMania. The amount of butterflies and knots in that guy's stomach had to be huge. But despite the nerves and the mangled neck, these two gave the Seattle audience a great wrestling clinic. Plenty of submission moves, technical holds, and suplexes in all ways and directions. Of course, as anyone who saw this match can attest to, the big "Uh oh" in this match was when Lesnar went for a shooting star press from the top rope. This move involves jumping forward, doing a backflip, and landing square on your opponent. Well, Lesnar got the height but he didn't make the complete flip, and his head jammed into the canvas pretty hard. I remember seeing that and just going "Holy crap! Is he dead?" Amazingly, Lesnar finished the match with Angle silently coaching him, putting the Champ away with an F5 and winning the WWE Title. Unfortunately, Lesnar got a bad concussion because of the botched move and there was some concern for his health immediately after the show. He probably doesn't remember the ending of the match, but take it from me, it was good. Damn good.
16. WrestleMania 20, Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Title, Triple H (C) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels: I know what Chris Benoit did in the last few days of his life was horrendous, unforgivable and emotionally painful, but this match was at a time when Benoit was happy, loved by millions and on top of the world. He had just won the 2004 Royal Rumble, and switched over to Raw to challenge HHH for the World Title. Shawn Michaels interjected, stating he had "unfinished business" with The Game and eventually was put into the match, too. So for the first time ever, a World Championship match at WrestleMania was decided under Triple Threat rules. And from the get-go, things were heated. Bodies flew all over the place and the action soon got heavy, as Benoit attacked HBK and HHH with everything he had, wearing them down. HHH took a breather as Michaels and Benoit went at it, each looking to take the other guy out so the focus can be shifted to the Champ, Triple H. Soon, Michaels was busted open and bled profusely, as his entire body was nearly covered in his own blood. The Game was then split open by Benoit as the action continued on the outside. In a rare act of team work, both HBK and HHH suplexed the Rabid Wolverine off one announce table and through the other. The remaining two then tore into each other, with Triple H hitting the Pedigree for a close 2-count. Benoit got back in the match, and locked a Sharpshooter on HHH. Michaels hit him with a superkick just before the Champ was about to tap out, and then lined up another. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as Benoit launched him from the ring with a backdrop. When he turned, HHH went for another Pedigree. This time, Benoit countered it into the Crippler Crossface, and a new World Champion was crowned. Definitely one of the best endings to a WrestleMania ever, especially when then-WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero came out and celebrated with his best friend. Now, four years later, its hard to look at that match without thinking of Benoit and his family's tragic deaths.
17. WrestleMania 21, The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton: Some people might read this and go "Huh?" But I really liked this match and was anticipating it a lot, because I for one thought that Orton was finally going to be the one to end the Undertaker's winning streak at WrestleMania, which at this point was 12-0. Two things told me that he might win it. They're little, subtle things but they raised a few eyebrows. For one, Undertaker was introduced FIRST. That's incredibly rare on regular WWE television, let alone WrestleMania. His opponent is introduced first and then has to see the Dead Man make his way out, getting psyched out and having his mind played with. But this time, it was Taker seeing Orton make his way out - the cocky, arrogant fighter who had all the momentum he needed to knock off the Phenom. Second, it was the offense that Orton displayed in the beginning moments of the match, hitting several hard right hands and launching Taker in the air with a back body drop. How often does THAT happen? The match itself was really good. I think they had great chemistry and really clicked. Orton countering a chokeslam with the RKO, in MID-AIR, was really cool to see. Eventually, Orton made the mistake of going for his own Tombstone and Taker reversed it, hitting it himself and racking up another Mania win.
18. WrestleMania 21, Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels: Not even two seconds after this amazing match was over, wrestling analysts and fans around the world were calling this an instant classic. Two very different styles that fell into sync right away, between two guys who could make a match with a coffee cup look good. I loved everything about this match. The timing, the pacing, the counters, the reversals, the brawling, the high spots - it was all done perfectly. I don't know if even Angle or Michaels knew it would turn out that great. The last 5 minutes of this match is, in one word, incredible. Angle, who's getting desperate after failing to put HBK away with an Angle Slam off the top rope, screams at Michaels to give it up and just tap out. Shawn replies by winding up and knocking Kurt out with a superkick as the fans are screaming on their feet. Both men are laid out after tearing into each other for nearly a half hour, but Michaels manages to cover Angle for a VERY close 2-count. While HBK tries to get to his feet, Angle recovers and snatches his ankle, clamping on an ankle lock and not once letting go. He wiggles and rolls around, trying to pry Angle off, but HBK just can't do it. Finally, after being locked in this vise-like hold for nearly two minutes, Michaels taps out and Angle gets the win. Of course, its the fans who ultimately win for being witness to this match, which will no doubt go down in history, right alongside the Iron Man match from Mania 12 and Hogan/Andre from Mania 3.
19. WrestleMania 22, Hardcore match, Edge vs. Mick Foley: Best match of the night. These two worked their asses off and put their bodies through Hell, in what was IMO a pretty disappointing WrestleMania overall. I think Edge wanted to have the best match of the night so that he could show WWE management, "Hey, you wanna put the belt on Cena? Well, then I'll show you who the DESERVING Champion is!" Edge had won the WWE Title from Cena at New Year's Revolution, only to drop it back to him at the Royal Rumble. Many fans saw his 3-week reign as a fluke of sorts, but not me. Edge has always been a huge favorite of mine, and I was mad as Hell when they decided to mess with his character's dignity by having him "keep the Title warm" for Cena. And while Cena may have won the main event against Triple H that night, he DIDN'T win the best match of the night. Mick Foley really helped Edge and worked with him to create an awesome spectacle, which saw these two just beat the crap out of each other. Barbed wire, baseball bats, steel chairs, the ring steps, these two used everything BUT the kitchen sink. In the end, Edge speared Foley through the middle rope and off the apron, straight through a flaming table, in arguably the biggest "Holy $^%!" moment of the last 10 years, and gets the win. Awesome match, and one that I was still thinking about long after this so-so Mania.
20. WrestleMania 23, World Heavyweight Championship match, Batista (C) vs. The Undertaker: I was so disappointed that this was only the fourth match of the night, out of eight in total. THIS should have been the main event, because the anticipation to this one was huge. The Animal vs The Phenom. The Title vs The Streak. Instead, the main event is pretty much a rehash of Mania 22's main event, with John Cena this time making Shawn Michaels tap out to keep the WWE Title. But Taker and Batista excelled in this one to make up for the crappy match order. Hey, when the very first move of the match is a big spear to the Dead Man by the Champ, you know its gonna be good. And there was no disappointment here. A lot of critics had their mouths shut when all was said and done. Those who said it was just gonna be a bunch of "clothelines and headbutts" were sorely mistaken, because this one left the fans on their feet as these two bulls tore into each other. The Champ powerslamming Taker through the announce table was really cool, and thousands of jaws hit the floor when they both kept kicking out of each other's signature moves. Batista hits a spinebuster, Taker kicks out. Taker hits a chokeslam, Batista kicks out. The Animal hits the Batista Bomb, the Dead Man incredibly kicks out. The Phenom drops the Champion with a Last Ride powerbomb, and he kicks out. Finally, Undertaker nails the Tombstone, his Mania record is 15-0, and he wins the World Heavyweight Title. Awesome match, and its been said that this one "saved" WrestleMania 23. Not sure if I believe that entirely, but it was my personal favorite.

There you have it. My absolute Top Twenty. Sorry for the incredibly "War & Peace"-like post, but its not hard to see I'm a huge pro wrestling fan, and its easy to discuss, in length, the things you love most.

With that, Raw is on tonight and we might just see who else is going to tangle at WrestleMania 24, as well as who else is going into this year's Hall Of Fame.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Moronic Movie-Watching Moments

2008-02-04T14:27:00.000-06:00

I was thinking about this the other day, just while driving around town. I do my best thinking when I'm just out for a drive, and sometimes the most random things pop into my head.

Here's one for ya...

Do you ever think back, and remember your first viewing of a movie that you NOW consider one of your all-time favorites? And in doing so, do you remember the way you saw certain scenes, and completely missed the mark on what REALLY happened?

I thought this would be a good topic for the ol' blog here, so feel free to comment and leave a thought or two.

Here's a list of movies and certain scenes that I either:
a) Misinterpreted
b) Remember differently
c) Missed something very crucial
d) Had/Still Have no idea just what the Hell was/is going on

This list is in no certain order, and I'm not even sure how many I can come up with, in case you're thinking this is a Dave Letterman-esque Top Ten or something. Away we go.

1. Vito Corleone's death in "The Godfather": I can't remember how old I was when I first saw this masterpiece. Must've been about 11 or 12. You'll remember that this scene takes place in Vito's garden, and he's playing with his grandson. The kid has the pesticide sprayer and Vito shows him how to use it, where to spray, etc. So, after doing the orange slice in his mouth bit, The Don collapses and passes away. Only I didn't see it that way when I was a kid. I knew he was having a heart attack/stroke/whatever killed him, but I always thought the kid played an accidental role in Grandpa's death by playfully spraying him over and over with the pesticide. Hey, call me an idiot, but I don't think its that hard of a conclusion to draw when you see "Godfather" for the very first time.
2. The briefcase in "Pulp Fiction": Nobody has ever been told just what was inside the briefcase carried around by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson. All we know is that the two hitmen retrieved it for their boss, and it has a golden glow whenever opened. I guess you're supposed to draw your own conclusion, and I've heard ones ranging from diamonds to the soul of Marcellus Wallace to simply a 20-watt light bulb. I really don't have any conclusion myself, although I guess if I had to come up with an absolute answer, it would be diamonds/other forms of stolen jewellery.
3. The unborn baby's Daddy in "The Departed": When I first saw the film, the audience is told that it belongs to Matt Damon's character Colin Sullivan. But the more times I watched it, I realized that it might not be his baby and it could be the result of Madolyn's one night stand with Billy Costigan, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Further evidence of this is the scene in which Madolyn and Colin are discussing a certain "problem" that some guys have in a relationship as it pertains to sex, and near the end of the film, when she finds out Colin worked for Frank Costello, she remarks "And I thought I was the liar," meaning she was lying to Colin about the baby's father. Just my own observation.
4. The exact year it is in "Napoleon Dynamite": There's no indication as to what year the movie takes place in. I think its just one of those things where a certain family is behind the times and seem to be stuck in 1993 or something.
5. "I Heart Huckabees": That entire film. What the Hell was THAT?!? I've never seen a more pretentious film desperately trying to be commercial. I don't mean to woo myself here, but I'm pretty damn good at diciphering the message behind the medium. I tried watching this film with an open mind and I paid great attention, but I still do not know what that movie was about. A 5-star cast in a 0-star film.
6. "Mulholland Drive": Same thing here, and oddly enough, BOTH films star one of my favorite actresses, Naomi Watts. Just a shame that I'm ragging on her choice of work. David Lynch is a widely-respected filmmaker, and I myself applaud him for his success, but I'm not a fan at all. Experimenting with the material in ONE film is enough, but not when you've made a career of trying to confuse the Hell out of your paying audience. I'm not attacking director Lynch or his way of filmmaking, but there's a reason why studios stay away from his unproduced scripts and projects. If one wants to be known as mysterious but comes out looking pretentious, its his own fault. That's an important lesson I learned in film school in Victoria. In the end, your making a movie for THEM, not YOU.
7. Jack Torrance becoming part of the Hotel's history in "The Shining": I honestly still can't decipher the ending to this movie. I've read that we the audience unknowingly "Shine" Jack into the mysterious photo at the end, but I don't know. Maybe its just one of those movie mysteries that'll stay a mystery.

That's it for now. Feel free to comment on the ones I've written about, or tell me your own.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Good Weekend, And Hopefully More To Come

2008-02-04T13:44:00.001-06:00

Last week, I talked about the previous weekend, and how it had *almost* come out as I had planned. I say almost because I hadn't anticipated the flat tire that the SUV had on Saturday, and my overall tiredness over the ensuing 48 hours that resulted in taking the entire weekend to watch "The Godfather Part II". Still, it was better than most.

This past weekend, however, was a demonstration in the funnest times happening when you least expect them to.

On Friday, the paper was produced and uploaded, and I ducked over to the elementary school to watch a cheque presentation and snap photos. When I came back, I dumped the photos into a folder on my computer and Photoshopped them. At that point, everyone else had left for lunch, so I decided to take off at about 12:45. I ran some errands before grabbing some Subway and jetting home, where I relaxed all afternoon.

Later, my brother Brendon and I were able to acquire the services of the SUV and headed up to the city to see "Rambo", since we didn't see it last weekend because of the previously mentioned flat tire. Once again, I didn't pay for my ticket and just used the points on my Scene card. (Now I'm trying to accumulate enough points to see Wrestlemania 24 for free at the Galaxy, too).

"Rambo" was awesome. If you saw the original trilogy from the 80's, then there's no reason why you wouldn't love this updated sequel. Sylvester Stallone was fantastic, and the movie showed me just how much he's underrated as a filmmaker. The violence is brutal, savage, and outright shocking at times. I gasped at a few select scenes myself, but the ultra-violent imagery just mirrors real life. Stallone made sure that the film wasn't censored in any way because he told the studios that this sort of slaying and killing really happens in parts of the world. Despite the fact that its packaged and targeted at young males and action addicts, "Rambo" is somewhat educational, in a "good-God-did-he-really-just-do-that" sort of way. To censor the graphic nature of the film would be to shield ourselves from the events of real life, and sweeping things under the rug is something that filmmakers need to stop doing in their line of work.

After the film, Brendon and I watched and snickered as the car passengers in front of us noticed the ticket tucked in their windshiled wipers, and hit Blockbuster, where I bought "Hot Fuzz" on DVD. We left after grabbing a late supper at KFC. After getting home, I ended up staying up all night and eventually going to sleep at nearly 6:30 AM, watching movies and listening to music.

On Saturday, I watched "Executive Decision" on DVD. Its a good mid-90's action flick with Kurt Russell about a group of military men trying to disarm a bomb on an airplane while terrorists hold the passengers captive. I remember back in 1996, while on our school's last year-end trip before closing, all the kids from Conquest School went to Regina with parents, teachers and chaperones. We stayed at the Travelodge Hotel and while eating Pizza Hut for supper, we had tried ordering "Decision" on the PPV in our room. We missed the first 45 minutes so the rest of the film was tainted, as far as I was concerned. Funny how nearly 12 years later, here I am watching it again. This time I liked it.

Before picking Brendon up from work, I rented "Saw IV", and watched it after the Conquest Merchants/Central Butte Flyers game at the rink. I didn't like the first two "Saw" sequels, so high hopes for this one were non-existent. But I'm surprised to say that I really liked it. The writing had suddenly gotten a lot better following Parts Two and Three and I found myself immersed in the story. Yeah, its still torture porn in many scenes, but I've become so desensitized to on-screen brutality that I sometimes even curse the filmmakers when a death on-screen goes on too long. It has a great ending and for the first time in a few years, I'll actually be anticipating another "Saw" sequel. (There's going to be six of them overall, so we're in this until at least late 2009, people!)

Sunday was the Super Bowl, which saw the New York Giants take out the New England Patriots. I was glad to see that, because the Giants were the underdog and nobody was expected to beat the Patriots. I hate that arrogant attitude and I'm not much of a Tom Brady fan. Matter of fact, I think he's a pretty boy who's enjoying his 15 minutes of sports glory a little too much, so I was cheering for New York pretty hard, and was pumped to see them score a touchdown with only 30 seconds left. I thought it was really immature and unprofessional of the Patriots coach going to the locker room before the game was officially over, but I guess he had some screaming he had to do. Overall, it was a good game and I'm glad the underdog Giants took the victory, because sometimes a cocky undefeated team needs to get knocked down a peg or two. Good job, New York!

So yeah, it was a good weekend. Saw some good movies, watched some good sports, and discussed fun little video-making projects when spring comes and all this snow and ice takes a hike. I hope more spur-of-the-moment weekends like this come along.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Turned Out Almost As I Planned

2008-01-29T14:00:00.000-06:00

Last Friday, I wrote about my weekend plans and talked about how one should go about planning his/her end of the week break. Yes, its just a normal weekend, but as I said before, there's been one too many times that I've been sitting at my desk on Sunday night at about 9 or 9:30, wishing I'd done more with the previous 48 hours. So on Friday, I talked about my plans for the next two days.

Everything managed to turn out well, except for a couple of complications. (Hey, you can't predict a hitch or two in your plans all the time, am I right?)

Friday after work, I ran a couple errands before going home, where I played some video games and watched TV before having supper and going down to the rink, where the Conquest Merchants annihilated the Kenaston Blizzards with a score of 11-3. When I went home, I planned on staying up late and watching "The Godfather Part II" (yes, my mind had changed from the previous choice of "Heat"), but I fell asleep about 45 minutes into the film and when I awoke, the screen said "Please Insert Disc Two". I decided to call it a night after that. So that was kind of a bust. I absolutely hate it when I fall asleep out of nowhere. My mind is alert and wide awake but my body just shuts down. Some nights I'll be watching something on TV at 12:00 AM, and it'll seem like I just blinked and an hour passes! Very strange.

So, like I said on Friday, my brother Brendon and I planned on going to Saskatoon on Saturday to see a couple of movies, "Cloverfield" and "Rambo". Well, when the two of us were finally dressed and ready to go at about 11:00, we discovered the family SUV had a flat tire. So after pumping it full of air, we took it over to Outlook and got the guys at Tirecraft to fix it for $30. We were finally gone by about 1:00 PM, at which point the two of us knew we were going to miss one movie. So it came down to making a single choice. Ultimately, we decided on seeing "Cloverfield" at 3:35 at the Galaxy. Before that, we hit the Blockbuster, Superstore and Mac's Convenience. I picked up "3:10 To Yuma" at Blockbuster, as also rented "Jackass The Game" on PS2. Its fun and entertaining, worth the $9 rental price.

"Cloverfield" was really intriguing, and very different than a lot of things you would see at the multiplex. Its a monster movie taken from the POV of a small group of friends, all told through one of the friend's digital camcorders. The story was really well-written and had some great special FX. While standing in line, I noticed there was an advisory notice posted on the ticket counter that said the camera usage in the movie could trigger motion sickness. I was again told this as I bought the two tickets. Well, I really didn't buy them, as I used some of my "Scene" points that I've accumulated through my credit card to get mine and Brendon's tickets. Overall, I really liked the movie and definitely recommend it to moviegoers.

The only thing that annoyed me about it was that in all the hype and TV ads leading up to its opening, it seems the sole credit for "Cloverfield" belongs to JJ Abrams, the producer. Now, I get that he's the biggest name attached to this movie, but he didn't DIRECT it, did he? Ultimately, its the director who's vision hits the screen, not a producer's. Everywhere you look, whether its in TV spots, magazine ads, or posters, the Paramount executives make it seem like "Cloverfield" was made possible entirely by Abrams, and not the work of the writer and director. As an aspiring filmmaker myself, this frustrates me to no end. Why do the big studios think a certain movie needs a known name at the top of its ads as a producer? The film ITSELF isn't enough to get the interest of the audience? Take "Hostel", for example. Would that film have made $20 million opening weekend if Quentin Tarantino didn't have his name stamped at the top of the posters and ads for it? I don't think so. He even had his name attached to the sequel and that bombed last summer.

I know this may seem like just another one of my opinionated rants, but at least this is one that I have an emotional investment in. If I'm lucky enough to break into Hollywood, I'm not going to beg Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, or Martin Scorsese to pretend to produce just so my movie will make $20-25 million on opening weekend. The film, its actors, its writing, and its direction should be good enough, and if not, then too bad. So I just want to say that MATT REEVES, the director of "Cloverfield", did a Hell of a job and really made something unique and different.

Anyway, after the movie, we grabbed supper from The Peking restaurant and headed home, where we once again whisked off to the rink, this time to see the Merchants come THIS CLOSE to beating Delisle in a 3-2 shootout. Great game, and Conquest has really brought their A-game recently. At home, I once again tried watching "The Godfather Part II", but AGAIN fell asleep! So pretty much the second I woke up on Sunday morning, I threw it in the DVD player again and this time, finished it. My conclusion? The first one is still the best.

Sunday night I ordered the WWE Royal Rumble on PPV. The show didn't disappoint, and the two World Championship matches were great and really told a story. The Rumble itself was surprising and ended in a shock, as John Cena returned as #30 and threw Triple H out last to win it. WWE kept everyone in the dark about Cena's return, as it was widely believed he was going to be out of action until after Wrestlemania 24, leading into April. But I guess he rehabbed pretty hard and returned months early. Now as most people know, I'm not a Cena fan. I think he's overexposed, overrated, and that the WWE shoves him down our throats way too often. As well, he has never shown me that he can actually WRESTLE, and by that I mean a marathon chain-wrestling match with a lot of technicality and submission moves. Cena's arsenal includes a sloppy-looking side powerbomb, a fistdrop, an STFU hold, and a modified fireman's carry. Compared to the greats such as Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H and The Undertaker, this guy is just a backyard wrestler! Regardless of my feelings for his abilities, the crowd in MSG went nuts for his surprise return, even if they booed him shortly after. When he won the whole thing, my thoughts were that the WWE just wanted to end the show on a surprise note and it was something to get people talking.

Here are the quick results of the 2008 Royal Rumble...

1. Ric Flair vs. MVP: This was a Career Threatening match for Flair, as the current storyline is that the next match he loses, he will be forced to retire. This was a solid opener; short and sweet and made both guys look good. It ended about 7 minutes in, and the crowd at Madison Square Garden gave Flair a rousing ovation after he made MVP tap out to the figure four. WINNER: Ric Flair by submission at 7:00
2. JBL vs. Chris Jericho: I didn't expect this one to end cleanly at all. I knew it was going to be a messy ending because this feud will likely continue. Jericho looked strong against the bigger JBL, and after getting busted open, this match began telling a good story between these two, as the blood poured down Jericho's face like a broken faucet. It ended with Y2J cracking JBL with a chair, getting disqualified, but he could've cared less, beating on JBL and ending his assault by wrapping a TV cable around his neck and pulling, coming out of this battle as the last man standing. I fully expect to see more out of this feud, because there's some potential there. WINNER: JBL by disqualification at 10:00
3. World Heavyweight Title Match, Edge (C) vs. Rey Mysterio: This was my favorite match of the night. All too often, Smackdown is overlooked and all the attention is given to Raw, but there's no denying that Smackdown's roster knows how to put on a fantastic performance and tell a great in-ring story, which is what this match did. The underdog Mysterio was actually booed for much of this match, and the "bad guy" Edge cheered. The World Heavyweight Champion is one of my all-time favorites and I was also cheering him myself, but I've always had a respect for the smaller Mysterio, who hit some very impressive moves, including a somersault plancha over the top rope to the floor and a tornado DDT off the ring apron. Edge played the role of the animalistic opportunist as his usual self, focusing on Rey's injured leg and countering several high-risk moves, such as turning a 619 attempt into a powerslam. In the end, Smackdown General Manager Vickie Guerrero sacrificed herself and took a 619 instead of Edge, and Mysterio looked down at her in confusion. When he then tried launching at Edge with a senton splash, the World Champ speared him in mid-flight and pinned him to retain the Title.
WINNER: Edge by pinfall at about 15:00, retains the World Heavyweight Title
4. WWE Championship Match, Randy Orton (C) vs. Jeff Hardy: This was no doubt the most heated rivalry heading into the PPV, as the feud between these two really got the fans into anticipating this match, which didn't disappoint. Hardy was especially impressive and has definitely picked up his A-game in recent months. If he stays on the path he's on right now, there's definitely some World Championship gold in his future. Orton played the heel Champion role well, as he always does, hitting cheap shots, trying to maim Hardy and keep him grounded. Jeff hit some impressive moves near the end of the match, including a moonsault to the arena floor that nearly knocked both guys out. Back in the ring, Hardy went for a Twist of Fate, but Orton countered into the RKO with lightning-quick speed for the win. The match served both men well; it made Hardy look like a strong contender for the Title for the next long while, and helped Orton keep the image of the Champion who narrowly escapes defeat. I can't wait to see these two go at it again.
WINNER: Randy Orton by pinfall at about 17:00, retains the WWE Championship
5. The Royal Rumble Match: The annual over-the-top battle royal began with The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, the same two men who were the final two in last year's Rumble. From there, a new superstar entered the match every 90 seconds. This one was exciting and very hard to predict who was gonna win, especially when Michaels and The Undertaker were eliminated at nearly the same time. As mentioned earlier, John Cena returned out of nowhere and won it by throwing HHH out, which nobody saw coming. I guess that was the point in the first place, but I don't see the logic. I also don't like the fact that Cena was welcomed back into that comfy main-event status mere moments after returning. Far as I'm concerned, he should've been demoted to an upper card feud at best and worked his way back up to World Title contender status. But the suits in the office like his marketability so right back in the Title picture he goes. I say Batista should've won it, and kudos to him for lasting the longest in the match itself.
WINNER: John Cena last eliminates Triple H at about 56:00

Anyway, its back to work now, and thinking about next weekend's plans. Fortunately, they're coming sooner than most times because I stayed home from work yesterday because of this horrible weather we're having. -50 with the wind chill, can you believe it?!?

Still, tomorrow's already Wednesday and it'll be Friday again before you know it.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Busy Weekend, But That's What They're For

2008-01-25T12:05:00.000-06:00

Right now, I'm sitting in my office typing this after "the crew" and I have completed production on another week's issue of The Outlook. Pretty good issue, I'm proud of it. Very local-oriented.

So with that, the work week (pretty much) comes to an end. I now find myself having to fill the next two days with things to do and people to see. Which makes me glad that I've already figured out my weekend plans. So many times before, I'd find myself watching a movie or playing video games on Sunday nights, thinking I could have done so much more with the weekend. But most times I'm limited in the socializing department because my best friends live away from home. Chris in Saskatoon, Kyle in Swift Current. But I make do with where I am and what I have.

Luckily, Conquest Merchants games and having an extensive, ever-expanding DVD library work with me, not against. Its always great heading down to the rink on a Friday night, seeing the same people in nearly the same places, and watching the game, regardless if Conquest wins or not. And then going home and throwing a movie into the DVD player is always great. My problem is that I never seem to know what I want to watch. Comedy? Action? Documentary? Horror? If you've ever seen the collection, then you know what I'm talking about. My brothers will ask to borrow a movie and then spend five minutes standing in front of all of them, going through each shelf before finally deciding.

This weekend is planned out pretty well, IMO. Tonight, I'm seeing the Merchants play host to the Kenaston Blizzards and then watching either "Heat" or "The Godfather II". Yes, I still haven't decided. But I'm leaning towards "Heat" at the moment, though an hour from now I could be in the mood for some Corleone crime family shenanigans.

Tomorrow, I currently plan on going up to Saskatoon with my brother Brendon to do some window shopping, though I intend on picking up one of my favorite movies of 2007 on DVD, "3:10 To Yuma". From there, the two of us are planning on seeing two movies over at the Galaxy theater - the mysterious monster movie "Cloverfield" and Sylvester Stallone's return to ass-kickery in "Rambo". After that, we'll most likely grab some supper and head home, to once again see the Merchants play at the rink.

On Sunday, I'm hoping to order the WWE's annual PPV extravaganza, the Royal Rumble. Thirty men enter the ring, and only one man stands tall in the end. This is the first year in a very long time that I have absolutely no idea who is going to win it, though I'm leaning towards Triple H, the Undertaker or Batista taking it.

With that, the weekend will be over at that point, but at least I can say it was well-spent, unlike many times before.

Talk to you next week. Until then...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

"We're Back, Baby!"

2008-01-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

“Futurama: Bender’s Big Score” (2007)
Directed by: Dwayne Carey-Hill (TV’s “Futurama”, “Drawn Together”)
Starring: Voices of Billy West, Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio, Phil LaMarr and Al Gore
Running Time: 88 minutes
Rut’s Rating: 5/5

If you remember back about nine years ago, the Fox Network debuted an animated TV series called Futurama, where a pizza delivery boy named Fry accidentally winds up getting cryogenically frozen on New Year’s Eve 1999. He wakes up 1000 years into the future, where he quickly becomes acquainted with a very distant relative, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, and his group of employees at package delivery business Planet Express, including Bender the robot, one-eyed Leela, and the lobster-like Dr. Zoidberg. The show quickly became popular and in my opinion, stood out from other animated shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. Unfortunately, the show became a victim of ever-changing network programming schedules, pre-emptions and less-than-stellar promotion. After 72 episodes and five seasons, Fox dropped the axe on Futurama in 2003.

However, just as in the case of Family Guy, Fox has decided to resurrect the cult phenomenon - just not in the form of new weekly episodes. Instead, series developers Matt Groening and David X. Cohen have been given the green light to produce four feature-length Futurama movies, each debuting exclusively on DVD. The entire cast and crew are back, and this first one is entitled “Futurama: Bender’s Big Score”.

I had concerns about the quality of the movie at first. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be able to live up to or match the originality and humor of the TV series. Luckily, my fears were put to rest within mere minutes. The writers and voice-over actors haven’t forgotten what made the show so good in the first place, and I found myself laughing out loud a number of times throughout the movie.

In Bender’s Big Score, the Planet Express crew begin by taking some not-so-subtle jabs at Fox, renamed the Box Network. From there, the gang parties at a nude beach, where a group of aliens get all of them to sign a petition and its revealed that Fry has a tattoo of Bender on his buttocks. Unfortunately, the aliens were tricking the entire group into signing over the Planet Express business, which they then take over and slip Bender an “obedience chip” into his hard drive, making him a slave to do their evil bidding. Soon, its discovered that the tattoo on Fry’s body is really a code for time travel when looked at extremely close. The aliens, with their ability to sniff out information, get Bender to retrieve different treasures and artifacts from hundreds of years ago, but everyone soon discovers that when people travel back in time, they come back with a body double. This twin is ultimately doomed in order to prevent a potential paradox from occurring.

Also, Leela begins dating a man named Lars, which makes Fry jealous to no end. After Lars proposes to her and Leela agrees to marry him, Fry, heartbroken, uses time travel to go back to 1999, wanting to forget about his evil alien employers as well as his memories of Leela. What follows is a detailed series of events involving time travel and the use of many body doubles.

Bender’s Big Score doesn’t take itself too seriously, but at the same time it doesn’t get overly silly and over-the-top. The writers and creators look to have taken their time in writing the script, and have done a great job in keeping with the continuity of certain events that happened in the original TV series. I loved the movie because it simply was funny, creative and kept in tone with the same spirit of the show. It didn’t have that arrogant presence as if to say “Hey look! We’re finally a movie! Yay US!” like The Simpsons Movie from last summer. I strongly feel that if you loved the show, you’ll love this movie. Simple as that. As well, look for an extended cameo from former Vice President and Global Warming activist Al Gore, who has some pretty funny lines.

I’m also looking forward to the next three coming out on DVD, which I believe will have a span of several months between each release. Until then, Futurama fans just play the waiting game.

Heath Ledger: 1979-2008

2008-01-23T11:23:00.000-06:00

If you've seen the news in roughly the last 24 hours, then you most likely know. Actor Heath Ledger, only 28 years old, has passed away. His body was found in the bedroom of his New York apartment at around 3:30 PM on Tuesday afternoon, and investigators are saying that it looks to be an accidental overdose of sleeping pills, though an autopsy will show the final cause in the next few weeks. Ledger was to have had a massage appointment, and when the masseuse came, the housekeeper went to wake him, where he was found on his bed. Heath leaves behind a 2-year old daughter, Matilda, as well as legions of devoted fans and admirers of his work.

Heath Ledger left his native Australia for the US when he was 19, where he got his first taste of commercial exposure in the teen dramedy "10 Things I Hate About You". In 1999, Mel Gibson took notice of him and cast him alongside himself in "The Patriot", playing Gibson's son. After that film's success, Ledger soon started to receive leading roles, and became widely noticed by fans in the movie "A Knight's Tale" in 2001. From there, Ledger continued climbing the ladder of Hollywood success, bringing an uncanny realism to many roles he took and researching his characters inside and out. Many films which helped establish Heath's credibility and popularity include "Monster's Ball", "The Four Feathers", "Lords Of Dogtown" and "The Brothers Grimm", in which he co-starred with Matt Damon.

It was in 2005 that Ledger starred in arguably his greatest work, the Oscar-winning "Brokeback Mountain". Ledger received a Best Actor nomination for his role as Ennis Del Mar, a low-spoken farm hand who establishes a controversial gay relationship with fellow ranch hand Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Their relationship spans a course of roughly 20 years before coming to an end, and both actors were highly commended on their performances. A role such as Ennis Del Mar solidifed Ledger's status as an actor who wasn't afraid to push the envelope, and never one to back down from a challenging character study.

While "Brokeback" may have been his greatest performance, millions of fans have been eagerly anticipating Ledger's portrayal of The Joker in this summer's "The Dark Knight", a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins". While Ledger had completed his work on the film, it is still all the more sad that he will not be here to see its impending success, which would have no doubt propelled him into superstardom. Hopefully, Warner Bros will dedicate the film to Heath because its his presence as The Joker that has millions of us salivating for "The Dark Knight" to hit theaters in July.

Heath Ledger will be undoubtedly be remembered for his unselfish, giving nature, as well as his tendencies as a ridiculously hard-working, dedicated actor who always wanted to breathe new life into the characters he portrayed on the big screen.

My deepest condolences go out to Heath's family and friends. Fans everywhere are still absolutely shocked at this young, superstar-bound man's life coming to such an abrupt, tragic end.

I know I am.

R.I.P Heath Ledger
April 4, 1979 - January 22, 2008

He Came, He Saw, He Won, He Left

2008-01-17T11:21:00.000-06:00

So, as the entire province must know by now, Coach Kent Austin has decided to leave the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization in favor of his former alma matter, Ole Miss, where he has accepted the offensive co-ordinator's position. Through 1981 to 1985, Austin played quarterback there. There are those who support his decision in going home after an incredible first year of coaching the Riders, and those who say he should've honoured his CFL contract with the organization and stayed.

Both sides make good points, but I can't help but feel that this whole situation is incredibly poetic, and somewhat for the best.

Just hear me out before you start flaming me right away, fellow hardcore Rider fans. Let's look at this from a bird's-eye view for a few moments. Kent, in his very first year as head coach, took our team all the way to the Grey Cup final, and WON IT. In Toronto, at the SkyDome, and 18 years after Austin himself won it as the MVP quarterback for the Riders in the same venue no less. The definite end to a seemingly never-ending swan song for the long-troubled Riders. The team was proud, the club was proud, and the entire province of Saskatchewan was proud. The Riders win the Grey Cup after 18 years, and Saskatchewan elects a new government after 16 years. What a Merry Christmas it was.

So now, roughly two months later, Austin has now made the difficult decision to leave. While many in Saskatchewan are sad and distraught over the news, I for one see this as an opportunity for the Riders to step up, keep the momentum going, and not allow themselves to rest on their laurels after the Grey Cup win. Whoever assumes the position of new Rider Head Coach (many eyes are on defensive coordinator Richie Hall right now) may have some big shoes to fill, but I believe that what Austin did with and for the team will remain there for years to come, even if he was with us for only one season.

As the title says...

He came.
He saw.
He won.
He left.

On behalf of your legions of fans Kent, I'd like to take the opportunity to say "Thank You" and that Rider fans won't ever forget what you've done for the team. Good luck at your former stomping grounds of Ole Miss, and all the best in the future.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Glitz and Glamourless

2008-01-14T13:51:00.000-06:00

So the Golden Globes have come and gone; the best in acting, writing & directing for 2007 have all been revealed, and now people look forward to the 80th annual Academy Awards on February 24.

Only thing is: will we see it?

The Golden Globes "ceremony" was nothing more than a press conference that lasted less than 45 minutes, as the winners were revealed one after the other. This is because of the WGA writer's strike that has now been going on for over two months, and now people are left to wonder if the general public will even be able to see the undisputed King of All Award Shows, the Oscars. Right now, the plan is for it to air Sunday, February 24 on ABC, but if some sort of agreement isn't reached between the major studios and the WGA, it may just be another press conference instead of the excitement of wondering if your favorite actor/actress/writer/director/film won. I myself am a huge fan of the Oscars and have had a habit of making my picks on a score sheet for the last five years.

I guess you really have to be a huge fan of film and filmmaking to appreciate the yearly ceremony. Some people like sports, I like movies. I treat the Oscars like the Grey Cup, smiling and shouting when something good happens, like when Martin Scorsese finally got his first (!) statue for Best Director last year, and groaning when something I hate happens, like when "Chicago" when Best Picture in 2003. The movie wasn't even released until December 27, 2002, and that was only in select cities. It didn't get a wide release until mid-January, so in my mind, it does NOT count as a 2002 film! (Plus I thought it was incredibly overrated and boring...)

Though I am strongly in favor and on the side of the writers, my hope is that some sort of deal can be made so that the TV-watching public can be able to enjoy the show. Its one thing to water down the Golden Globes, but the "main event" should not be altered or tinkered with in any way, shape or form.

So just what are some of my own Oscar picks, you ask? Well, I haven't had that much time to think about it, but I will share my own views on a few of the categories. I don't think I'll be able to conjure up a solid four for each of them, just the select few that really caught my attention in 2007.

Best Director
This is a tough one for me because as many movies as I've seen this year, many of them were sheer 'popcorn' entertainment that didn't exactly require someone with the experience and finesse of a Scorsese or Coppola. As well, there are directors being named Oscar-worthy whose films I haven't had a chance to see yet. Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" and the Coen Bros.' "No Country For Old Men" come to mind. But here are a select few who really impressed me in directing an emotional, gripping picture worthy of that elusive golden statue.

a) James Mangold, "3:10 To Yuma" - The western genre had really grown stagnant and absent as far as feature-length films go, continuing a life on TV mini-series' and direct-to-DVD movies. But Mangold took Elmore Leonard's source material, a story about a poor cattle rancher volunteering to escort a criminal to catch a train to prison (the 3:10 to Yuma, to be exact) and shot it full of life. Those who said Mangold's directing peak had hit with "Walk The Line" are sorrily mistaken. He creates characters faced with numerous conflicts, seaping through them like so many pieces of paper, and finding the courage to do what is right.

b) David Cronenberg, "Eastern Promises" - Canadian director Cronenberg made this film in England, marking the first time he's ever made a film entirely outside Canada. In this, we're immersed in the culture and dealings of the Russian Mafia, all taking place in London. Cronenberg gives us characters that we care for, but its almost as if we don't want to because "they're mobbed up and bad". He almost takes an approach to it like The Sopranos, showing you the inner workings of a Mafia family and giving you that sneak peak before the door closes in your face. Cronenberg is also a master of cranking up the tension, as shown in a violent brawl that takes place inside a bathhouse.

c) Ridley Scott, "American Gangster" - Scott is no stranger to the Oscars, as in 2001 Russell Crowe took the Best Actor statue for "Gladiator" and that film also won Best Picture. With "American Gangster", Scott uses a rotting New York backdrop and the unlimited acting talents of Crowe and Denzel Washington to tell us the story of Frank Lucas, a man who rose to the top of the drug trafficking game in the 1970's by offering a better product at a lower price. Scott gives us the ins and outs of each character. How Crowe's character is going through a messy divorce and is looked down upon by his fellow, crooked police officers. How Washington's character goes from a simple driver to a millionaire drug mogul in almost no time. Scott shows us two leading men with different complexities, yet doesn't confuse us with them.

d) Paul Greengrass, "The Bourne Ultimatum" - The third installment in the complex "Bourne" franchise was marketed last summer as an intense, smart action movie that delivers awesome special FX and great action sequences. That, I'm not arguing. But "Ultimatum" was more than just a $100-million summer action flick. Unlike most summer blockbusters, where everything seems to just happen for no reason, there's true motive and a deep story involved with this film that you really need to pay attention to. Paul Greengrass, who also directed the first sequel, "The Bourne Supremacy", returns to helm the third film, in which Jason Bourne is still searching for his true identity and running from the authorities in several countries. Greengrass differs from other blockbuster makers like Michael Bay by not having the film be one continuous explosion after another. You find yourself immersed in the story and the fancy FX take a back seat to character exploration.

Best Picture

Once again, there are several being talked about that I haven't been able to see yet. "No Country For Old Men", "There Will Be Blood", "Sweeney Todd", these are just a few examples. But again, I'll give you a few which I felt were very impressive and worthy of 'the nod'.

a) "3:10 To Yuma" - This is most definitely on my top five favorite films of 2007, if not my #1. It didn't break any box office records and it wasn't a $150-million FX-infused movie about pirates or robotic vehicles. "3:10 To Yuma" is an incredible piece of filmmaking that I believe was underrated when it was released in theaters last fall, opening to about $14 million on its way to a little over $50 million. But that doesn't matter, because what director James Mangold has created here is a film that reinvigorates the western genre and asks the viewer what their definition of courage is. Christian Bale shows just why he's one of the best actors of this generation as Dan Evans, a lowly cattle rancher who agrees to escort wanted criminal Ben Wade to catch a train to prison. Russell Crowe plays Wade with an alarming calmness that can turn to swift anger at the drop of a hat. Crowe and Bale complement each other well and thankfully share most of the screen together throughout the film. Its climax is emotional, intense, and even tear-producing. Nothing in your world will matter in this film's last 3-4 minutes and you won't be able to look away. "3:10 To Yuma" stays with you long after you've left the theater or turned off your DVD player.

b) "300" - To the normal moviegoer's eye, this violent, barbaric bloodbath about group of 300 Spartan warriors fighting the entire Persian army is just that: ruthless on-screen violence. And to a point, it is. There are severed heads, buckets of blood spilled, and plenty of sword-on-skin action. But I always thought it was more than that. Its a story of one man's fight for his people, defending their way of life and protecting whats their's from overlording emperors and snobbish royalty. King Leonidas, played by Gerard Butler, may be stubborn, but his way of thinking is that if the ship's going down, he's gonna stay on it with his men. In his mind, Spartans never back down and will always refuse to conform to any other King. Leonidas' fate may be sealed in the end, but that doesn't stop "300" from being one of the best films of 2007.

With that, I think I'm gonna stop with all this Oscar talk. I think we may as well halt that in case the entire show gets scrapped in the first place. As well, I still need to see a few of the potential contenders, which I hope to do in the next few weeks.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Merry Christmas, Everybody! Have A Good One!

2007-12-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

You ever notice that when you're thinking about the impending holiday coming up, you tend to reflect on the last one? It never ceases to amaze me just how fast the Christmas season can come and go. Of course, I say this every year, but every year it rings more true.

See, when Christmas is getting closer and closer, I think more and more about the last one. So when I think about Christmas 2006, several memories come back to me. Hanging out with the boys in the basement, playing Family Feud and watching "Christmas Vacation" with the family on Christmas Eve, heading up to Warman on Christmas Day to see my other brothers and sisters, and the Boxing Day dance in Outlook. That last one is especially a good memory, because I realize the same thing every year when I go to the dance; it's nothing short of a Class Of 2004 reunion. People have been away for so long - they're working, going to school, whatever, so its great to see them when they all come home for the holidays. Of course, I never forget to carry my trusty digital camera so I can snap some photos of my former classmates and I. All in all its always a fun night. Dare I say that I look forward to the dance more than Christmas itself? BLASPHEMY!! I CAST THEE OUT!!! (well there might be some truth to it...)

I'm not sure if I have a particular favorite Christmas, but here are some random years that I have fond memories of. You may have read these in my Christmas Memories feature in our December 17 issue of The Outlook, but nevertheless, here it is.

**THE HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHT REEL**

1992: My brothers and I get a Nintendo system from our parents, complete with the always-packaged-with Mario Bros/Duck Hunt game. Everything else becomes moot because its time for Mario to eat some 'shrooms, save the Princess, and defeat the evil warlord Bowzer. As well as shooting digital ducks and high-flying clay shells.

1995: My oldest brother Jim comes home for Christmas and hands out gifts to everyone, minus me. He tells me that mine will be coming in the mail, so I go into the living room and watch the WWF on TV. Dad, sympathetic to my disappointment, sneaks into the room and tells me what exactly is on the way - an authentic WHL Calgary Hitmen jersey, the team co-owned by one of my all-time idols, Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

1999: At first, I'm disappointed to learn that my parents didn't buy me the drum set that I hoped to get. I make a feeble attempt to not look devastated but soon learn that Santa must exist, and yet he must have mixed up his lists, because it sits in Ken Blixt's house a couple blocks away as Mom and I go over there. Its a noisy but happy holiday season.

2000: Overdosing on holiday spirit, I buy Christmas gifts for nearly my entire Grade Nine class. Where I got the money I still don't remember. Regardless, my act produces many smiling faces. As for myself, I'm more nervous than I've been in my life, because I have a gift for my crush Janine in my hand. Of course, procrastinating as I am, everybody is watching as I give her my gift. As a result of the unintended "show", I'm sweating like Roger Ebert and nearly pass out in front of my locker door.

2001: I once again buy gifts for people in my class, but drastically downsize the list. I wear a Santa hat as I stroll into English class with Mr. McPhail in our last period of the day, and hand out gifts as we pretty much forget about class and Mr. M reads us some Christmas jokes and stories. Don't really remember a whole lot about Christmas at home that year.

2003: My buddies Chris, Kyle, Mitch, Alex and I get together at Kyle's place after school's out for the holidays. We watch probably about 5 or 6 movies and spend most of the night joking and horsing around, as well as burning candles and seeing who can last the longest with hot wax dripping on them. Can't remember who won but I remember it hurt like Hell. My family celebrates Christmas in Calgary with Jim and sis-in-law Daniella, so we open our gifts the night before we leave. My parents give me the camcorder I asked for, possibly making it the most expensive gift my parents have ever given any of their kids. I guess I'm just that special. Nevertheless, I feel a little bummed that I don't have any more gifts to open on Christmas Day but that feeling goes away quickly. What we all don't expect is the fight that Jim and Daniella have the day before we leave, which sort of puts a strain on the rest of that holiday season. Regardless, its just a lover's quarrel and all is forgotten. Nobody's perfect.

2004: Mom is again in Calgary this Christmas with Jim and Daniella, this time helping in the birth of my now 3-year old nephew Curtis. I do the cooking and cleaning on Christmas Eve, making Shake 'N Bake chicken with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. Afterwards, family friend Curtis Read comes over and we all play Uno for most of the night, before watching "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and going to bed. We open our gifts the next morning before heading off to Warman, celebrating Christmas with the rest of our family at my sister Launa and bro-in-law Brad's house.

2005: On my way out to Victoria back in September, I buy my round-trip plane tickets home for the holidays in advance. When it comes time to use them in December, I find myself almost not wanting to go home. Strange. Regardless, I have fun on Friday the 16th, playing Scene It! in screenwriting class, having lunch at Boston Pizza with my entourage of classmates, and seeing "King Kong" at the multiplex downtown. I then get back to my apartment, confirm my ride to the airport, and pack my suitcases while watching Smackdown. Its a long day at two different airports the next day, but I get home at about 9:00 on the 17th, my brother Perry's birthday. We get home, I unpack, and jet over to Outlook where I surprise the Hell out of Chris and Kyle and show up at Kyle's place, walk in without knocking, and casually walk down to the basement, like as if I hadn't been gone for over three months. Christmas Eve is especially good, as I simply drive around Outlook for more than an hour and a half, listening to music and enjoying being home for the brief time. Its a great holiday, and I get a digital camera for Christmas. Saying good-bye on New Year's Day proves to be emotional again but I make it back to Victoria safe and sound.

2006: I pretty much went through last year's way above, but I guess the memory that sticks out the most was the Boxing Day dance. I went with my buddy Alex and we ended up being the absolute first two people there. Things got going quick though and it was a great time. I took a boatload of pictures and loved talking to my old classmates again. I look forward to doing the same this year.

So there you have it. More memories, more secrets revealed in the never-ending saga that is my life. I only hope that this year will prove to be one worthy of remembering.

With that, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Remember that our offices at The Outlook are **CLOSED** from December 24 - January 2. Take care of each other and make sure you have a happy holiday.

If you want something fun to do before your holiday traveling begins, then head on down to the Jim Kook Arena *TONIGHT* for Round One of the "Battle Of The Bridge", as the Ice Hawks play host to my Conquest Merchants. Round Two is going to be on New Year's Eve in Conquest. There's also a good supply of other SVHL games going on around the holidays that should keep you entertained.

Again, Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

See you NEXT YEAR, and in the meantime...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

I'm Already Standing In Line...

2007-12-19T14:47:00.000-06:00

Crave Online: Funny Videos, Sexy Videos, Music Videos, Movie Trailers, and More!

This is the newly-released theatrical trailer for next summer's "The Dark Knight", the follow-up to 2005's "Batman Begins", in which the entire franchise was reinvisioned and brought back down to Earth, where the Caped Crusader is more realistic and fighting with his demons as opposed to the loud, bombastic, Batcard-carrying installments "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Batman & Robin" (1997).

"The Dark Knight" has been hyped, anticipated and closely watched virtually ever since people left their theater seats after "Begins". Set for release on July 18, 2008, this is no doubt one of, if not THE most anticipated film of the year. Christian Bale returns as Batman, along with cast regulars from "Begins" Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. New faces along for this installment are Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart and of course, Heath Ledger as The Joker.

There's a lot to love in this trailer. For the first time, we're shown official footage of some of the characters in the film, not like the voice-over teaser that we got back in August. I think Warner Bros knew that people wanted a big helping of Joker footage and this does not disappoint. Yeah, Batman is the hero and the titular character, but ever since hearing of Ledger's casting as the Clown Prince of Crime, people have been talking, blogging, and imagining just what the Oscar-nominated actor could bring to the role. From the looks of it, he loses himself in The Joker, and finds a man so deranged that he thinks he's the sane one in an insane world. It also looks to be more of a grounded, less-flamboyant Joker, which is what relaunching the entire Batman franchise was all about in the first place. Yes, you can "go there" with some things that are a bit over the top, but you're not gonna see Ledger desecrating expensive art while dancing to Prince.

That's not to say that people still don't love Jack Nicholson's interpretation of The Joker in the Tim Burton-directed "Batman" from 1989. Far from it. I still love that movie, and I grew up watching it. That film had a dark tone to it, even if it was geared towards a younger audience than today's Batman is.

As well, people are looking forward to a possible glimpse at another favorite Batman villain, Harvey "Two-Face" Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart. To my understanding, Dent will simply be his normal, District Attorney self for most of "The Dark Knight", but he'll be scarred and burned near the end, turning into Two-Face. Based on what I've read, Two-Face would be the main villain in a third film if the millions of websites are correct. That leaves the fate of The Joker up in the air. I'm hoping that he isn't killed off in this one because The Joker is almost an immortal character. He'll always be there; lurking in the shadows of Gotham City and never leaving Batman's mind.

Another notable cast member is Maggie Gyllenhaal, playing Rachel Dawes. She takes over the role from Katie Holmes, who played Dawes in "Batman Begins" but left this film for whatever reason. Quite frankly I'm glad, because I wasn't at all impressed by Holmes in the first film. She has no range as an actress and was simply playing the generic damsel in distress. Gyllenhaal has the acting chops to give Rachel a few shots of emotion, and has a confrontational scene with The Joker, as shown in the trailer.

Yes oh yes, "The Dark Knight" is shaping up to be one heck of a film. This is definitely gonna be the one to beat for box office supremacy next summer, so I think that Indiana Jones and Iron Man have their work cut out for them.

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Isolation Epic Smarter Than The Average Blockbuster

2007-12-19T09:02:00.000-06:00

"I Am Legend" (2007)
Directed by: Francis Lawrence (Constantine)
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Emma Thompson (cameo)
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4/5

Isolation is the key factor in "I Am Legend", the third adaptation of the Richard Matheson story, originally published in 1954. It grips you from the start, with opening shots of a decrepid, rotting downtown New York. And this isn't CGI, folks. What you see is what you get. You feel that sense of loneliness right from the beginning, like you're the only one left on Earth. In Robert Neville's case, he is.

Will Smith plays Neville, a scientist who becomes the last man on Earth after a deadly virus sweeps across the world and wipes out the living. But soon, the living become the walking dead, turning into blood-craving mutants. Much like vampires, they stray from sunlight and hide in the dark. Neville barricades his home and has a supply of guns and ammo ready, and spends his days sending out messages to find any survivors, as well as trying to find a cure for the deadly virus. With him is his dog Sam, a German shepherd that's loyal and stays by his side. Sam is the only contact that Neville has with another living thing, and talks to her as if she were human. You may be wondering what happened to Neville's family. Well, you're just gonna have to see the film to understand. And its not what you're probably thinking, either.

Smith is no stranger to these $100 million epics. "Independence Day", "Men In Black", "I, Robot", we've seen him in all these types of movies where he's called upon to be the hero. But "Legend" is different. Yes, he carries a big gun and fights these mutants when he has to, but its more than that. Will Smith carries this film. In a movie where he's the only human on screen for two thirds of it, he displays an excellent, emotional performance. There's one scene in particular that I found amazing in which Neville thinks that a mannequin is alive in the middle of the street. See, having been alone for nearly three years, he talks to mannequins as if they were real, and even has names for all of them. So when he sees one in the street and can't believe his eyes, he starts to go a little insane. Especially since he didn't move it...

Comparing it to the original Richard Matheson story, there are obviously some differences. Major ones. Hollywood has a tendency to change things and condense material when it comes to adapting written works, and this one is really no different. But in the case of "I Am Legend", I don't see how they could have NOT done some changing. I've read the original story, and in my opinion, it was a little preachy and over-stuffed with scientific jargon. Let's face it: movie audiences don't want to hear that stuff. They want guns, explosions, and a hero. The movie gives them that, but it also doesn't consider the audience stupid. There are some really emotional moments in the film, and you might even need to try and hold back a tear or two.

That all being said, the one miss that I think this movie had was the last act. I won't go into specifics, but it involves Neville coming across two survivors and making a final stand against the virus-ridden mutants (in the film they're called the Dark Seekers). I just think there were some missed opportunities there, but I was still very impressed and pleased with the film. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big fan of horror films, but this one is more of a sci-fi thriller. It isn't gory, as it's rated PG-13. But that's OK because what you don't get in mutant attacks and a pile of bodies, you DO get a greatly-written story of one man's fight for survival, both physically and mentally. I really think that Will Smith was robbed when the Golden Globe nominees were revealed, because it takes a true actor to be able to unleash the performance that he does, especially when he's essentially the only character in the film.

With that, "I Am Legend" is already a record-setter, having made an incredible $77.2 million over the weekend, and breaking the original December record of $72.6 million set by "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in 2003.

It also didn't hurt that the highly-anticipated trailer for next summer's "The Dark Knight" was attached to prints of the film. More on that coming up...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Merchants Home Opener TONIGHT

2007-12-14T12:50:00.001-06:00

Head on down to the rink in Conquest tonight if you have some time, as the Conquest Merchants are holding their first home game of the SVHL season, playing host to the Loreburn 19ers.

As well, look for my review of the Will Smith sci-fi thriller "I Am Legend" next week, as well as a possible one for the movie that every critic has been falling in love with, "No Country For Old Men".

I'll also go into detail about the new teaser trailer for arguably the most anticipated film of 2008, "The Dark Knight", starring Christian Bale again as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker. Heck, I may even post the darn thing, because from what I've heard, anybody's who been looking forward for new footage of the "Batman Begins" sequel will not be disappointed with this trailer!

All of that, and much more, next week!

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

The Cutest Little Man You'll Ever Meet

2007-12-03T11:01:00.000-06:00

On December 1, the Conquest Merchants held their Casino Night Fundraiser & Silent Auction. The event turned out to be a blockbuster success, as people piled into the rink from all around. This night was for one special little guy, and his name is Owen.

Owen is 1 1/2 years old, and unfortunately, the little guy was diagnosed with bone cancer. His parents, Shayne and Helen, were teary-eyed and incredibly grateful as several organizations donated thousands of dollars to the family. When a microphone was brought to his little lips, Owen started blowing kisses to the packed rink full of people!

There is absolutely no doubt that nights like these are what the holidays are all about!

All the best go out to the Clarke family, and I've never been more proud to be from a small town!
FULL STORY IN THE DECEMBER 10 ISSUE OF THE OUTLOOK...

Saskatchewan Finally Does It!!!

2007-11-26T09:26:00.000-06:00

After 18 long years, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are once again Grey Cup Champions!

Coach Kent Austin had to be feeling a sense of deja vu when the Riders hit the field in Toronto. In a twist of fate, the '89 Cup was held in Toronto, the Riders had won it, and Austin was on the team as a star player!

The game was a tough one, and both teams came out to win, in front of over 52,000 screaming fans at the Rogers Centre. Winnipeg was especially impressive, considering their star quarterback Kevin Glenn was out with a broken arm and the rookie Ryan Dinwiddie was in.

By the time the first quarter was over, Winnipeg had 3 points on the board, but the Riders came back full-force with 10 in the second. Though the province was "bleeding green", many will likely point out that the Rider offense should have been stronger, and I agree with that. Yes, in the end we won the Grey Cup, but that's not going to stop people in Manitoba from letting us know that we got it just by the skin of our teeth! Still, it was a hard-fought war that I think the Riders wanted just more. Kerry Joseph was in tears as he handed his mother the game-winning ball at the end, while Coach Austin was splashed with Gatorade.

With a final score of 23-19, the 95th Grey Cup is sure to go down as a war between prairie neighbours. I'm sure that Regina is simply going ballistic right now, and rightfully so. No more jokes about Hell freezing over when the Riders take the Championship, or "I'll believe that when the Riders win the Grey Cup!" With our heads held high, we have the right to be proud. But so do the Bombers, because they impressed many when doubters said it'd be an easy win for Saskatchewan, which it wasn't.

Man, a new government in office, Christmas around the corner, and the Riders win the Grey Cup? What's next, a winning 6/49 ticket for yours truly? Jennifer Aniston, Uma Thurman, and Jenna Fischer all accepting my marriage proposals? Well, I guess stranger things have happened......(like us winning the Cup)

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Come Support Little Owen!

2007-11-23T12:26:00.000-06:00

On Saturday night, December 1, at the Rink in Conquest, the Conquest Merchants hockey club are hosting Casino Night & Silent Auction. This is an annual thing that the team does to raise funds for the club, but this year they are also raising money for Owen Clarke.

Owen is 1 1/2 years old, and he has recently been diagnosed with cancer. The poor guy is undergoing chemotherapy, something no person should ever have to go through, let alone a child who can barely walk.

There's going to be a cash bar, and lots of cool items to bid on in the silent auction, including autographed NHL memorabilia.

The Merchants are giving Owen and his parents, Shayne and Helen, a minimum 25% of all proceeds from the event. But if it results in a huge success, the more will go to help the little guy.

Let's do what we can to help the Clarke family. Now that we're in the holiday season, we should all feel the spirit of giving, especially in this trying time for Owen and his family.

So mark your calendars and come on down to Conquest. Good times, good friends, and for a good cause!

Conquest Merchants Casino Night & Silent Auction
"For Owen"
Saturday, December 1, 7:00 PM
Conquest Rink

Come one, come all!

Keep 'em laughin'
Derek

Just Before The Big Game!

2007-11-22T09:09:00.000-06:00

I found this lengthy gem on Rock 102's web site. Not sure exactly who wrote it, but it's very creative, no doubt about that!

Enjoy!

‘Twas The Night Before Grey Cup

Twas the night before Grey Cup, and all through the Dome,
Not a creature was stirring, but the gophers back home.
The players were nestled and snug in their beds,
While visions of Grey Cup Rings danced in their heads.

When out on the field, there arose such a clatter,
Kent sprang from his bed to see what was the matter,
Away to his window, he flew like a flash,
Threw aside the Green Curtains, and Silky White Sash.

And what did he see with his wondering eye?
But a sea of Green Revelers and a furry brown guy.
“That looks like Dominguez, and Flick and Fantuz!”
“Its way after curfew! Do they want us to lose??”

So, out of his room and down to the field,
Coach Austin stormed out with a fury to wield.
As he went through the tunnel, the ground shook with a beat,
From the dancing and prancing of ten thousand feet.

“Hey Coach,” cried a voice, “Whatcha doing down here?”
It was Szarka and Schultz, and they were handing out beer!
Chucky and Chick were grilling up Dogs,
With Burgers being served by O’Day and the Hogs.

Crandall cooked Hot Wings, Joseph grilled steak,
While Cates, Holmes, and Hughes helped Makowsky serve cake.
“This is nuts!” Austin shouted, “It’s one-thirty AM!”
“I expected some revelry, but this is mayhem!”

Eric Tillman tapped Austin, “ You’re not Eagle Keys -”
“But I’m not Berry, or Gotta, or Gregory – so PLEASE!”
“You’re all waddling around here like Wascana geese!”
“And in need of a dance coach like Donald Narcisse.”

“Now, you’ve all had your fun, so back to your rooms.”
But then Austin’s nose picked up the barbecue fumes.
Then Green Is The Color rang out through the air,
As Congi and Boreham played Banjos with flair.

On Davis, on Johnson, on Coach Ritchie Hall,
Even old Alex Smith flashed a smile after all,
On Lloyd, on McCullough, on Hunt and on Perry,
On Kornegay, Frazier, and yes, even Kerry.

The skydome then filled with a soft greenish glow,
And the whole Rider Nation set poised for a show.
An S and a wheat sheaf then formed in the air,
And a smile took the place of Coach Kent Austin’s glare.

Then everyone there, the players, the fans,
They formed a big circle by all holding hands,
Then right in the centre appeared the Grey Cup,
Which Fairholm and Ridway and Elgaard picked up.

They handed it over to Ritchie and Kent,
Who called Kerry and Eddie, and off the Cup went.
It was passed round the field, past heroes to present,
While Gainer dug holes for the Blue Bomber Pheasants.

That music was heard coast to coast people say
And they say Rider Pride grew three sizes that day.
Everyone left there dreaming of Blue Bomber doom.
And they sent all the Banjos to Troy Westwood’s Room.

GO RIDERS GO!
BRING HOME THE CUP!

Dedicated to every man, woman and child with a severe case of Rider Pride!

Gangster Flick Lights up the Screen

2007-11-21T11:37:00.000-06:00

"American Gangster" (2007)
Directed by: Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Running Time: 157 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Crowe. Washington. Scott. Crime premise. That was all I needed to know. I first saw a preview for "American Gangster" back in August, at the good ole Galaxy Cinemas in Saskatoon. Right away, I knew this was a film that I needed to see, and that I was likely to love it. As it usually turns out, which is about 98% of the time, I was right. I eagerly watched and fell in love with it. It was everything that I thought it would be, and more. I know I must sound really gushy right now, but there's just something about finally seeing a film after months of anticipation that erupts excitement out of me. Its happened many times before, with movies like "Freddy vs Jason", "Walk The Line" and "The Departed". I'd follow the movie for months, whether it was in the middle of shooting, post-production, whatever stage it was at. I'd look forward to it more and more until it was finally released, and I've never been disappointed. (I'm currently pumped for "I Am Legend", starring Will Smith and being released December 14)

"American Gangster" is the true story of Frank Lucas, a Mob driver who takes reign of the criminal operations in Manhattan when his boss dies, and is played deviously wonderful by Denzel Washington. Lucas thrives on the role of Mob Boss, he loves having the power that comes with the position. He begins a drug trafficking business that sees a better product hitting the streets but at a lower price, building Lucas an empire that soon sees him able to buy his own mother a mansion in the hills. Frank is cold, calculating and ruthless, but another side of him shows his integrity and pride he has for his family. He mirrors this somewhat split personality throughout the course of the film. He can relax with family on a Sunday afternoon, and at the same time *SPOILER* douse a man in gasoline and light him on fire before emptying several bullets into him, as evidenced in the very first moments of the film. Washington is an acting marvel here; its very interesting and enjoyable seeing his portrayal of morally-corrupt men of authority, such as in his Oscar-winning role in "Training Day". He doesn't just portray Frank Lucas, he becomes him, in a role that I wouldn't be surprised to see receive another Best Actor Oscar nod for Denzel.

Meanwhile, Lucas' operation is being studied and trailed by Richie Roberts, a New York cop who becomes an outcast with his fellow officers for not taking a bag full of unmarked cash for himself. He comes to believe that someone is climbing the ladder of organized crime, even above the Mafia families, and that a black power player has risen to the top of the drug underworld. Fellow Oscar winner Russell Crowe plays Roberts, and does so with maticulous authenticity. I've read that Crowe requested the use of audio tapes of the real Richie Roberts, in order to perfect his voice tone. I'm not sure what the real Roberts sounded like, but Crowe does a brilliant job. Even his body language told me, "This guy is a cop". Just by the way he walks and carries himself, he's a man of authority, even if he's surrounded by corruption and crooked police officers. Russell Crowe has really been impressing me lately, but his penchant for great method acting dates back to 1999, in Michael Mann's "The Insider".

The film is brilliantly directed by Ridley Scott, who knows his action and drama extensively. It's also shot wonderfully: 1970's New York never looked so authentic in its drab, everything-jammed-together atmosphere and environment.

"American Gangster" is an epic. With its ending credits hitting the screen at exactly the 2 1/2 hour mark, some may say it could've had maybe 15 minutes or so shaved off in editing, but I sincerely believe that it didn't need one cut or edit in its finished state. And the 2 1/2 hours flew by for me. Maybe that's because I was looking forward to it so much. That might be the case, but I was just so incased into the story, I never looked at my watch or anything like that. The mirroring image of Lucas running his drug empire while Roberts continued his investigation was enough to keep me from even think of getting bored. That is how good this film really is. If you're looking for an incredible story and great performances, then look no further. But if it's just a bang-bang, shoot-em-up flick you want, I can point you to the nearest Blockbuster. In all honesty, there really isn't that much shooting and killing in the film, but when it does occur, it grips you and sometimes comes out of nowhere.

This is, to put it bluntly, just one of the best movies that I've seen in awhile. The year 2007 has been fairly scarce as far as incredible, story-driven films go, but there has been a handful, albeit a small one. "American Gangster" is definitely one of those. I'm a huge fan of crime films (Scarface and The Departed, most notably) and this one now joins the list. I strongly urge you to see this in theaters, as I don't believe renting it can give you the whole experience, unless you have a $5000 home theatre package with a 60" TV and 12 speakers with surround sound. Nevertheless, seeing it in a packed house at a theater is a great experience, because you don't have any stupid kids talking or texting on their cell phones. Man, I hate it when theater owners let those kind of kids in, especially when its an R-rated film and these kids are 13 years old, at the most.

For a movie that almost never happened, "American Gangster" has turned out to be one of the best in years; see it for yourself and I'm sure you'll agree.

Keep em laughin',
Derek

Health (S)Care Doc Opens Eyes

2007-11-21T10:43:00.000-06:00

"Sicko" (2007)
Directed by: Michael Moore (Bowling For Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11)
Starring: Michael Moore, dozens of frustrated, angry Americans
Running Time: 123 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4.5/5

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is loved AND hated by many. Many see him as a guy who's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in, while others classify him as a loudmouth who makes films to just showcase his opinions on politics and the state of the world. As for me, I see him as a brilliant documentarian who has provided the world with gripping, emotional, sometimes funny documentary stories. Yes, the man has his opinions, but so do all of US! He's just the only one who isn't afraid to voice it, and if that means voicing them through critically-acclaimed and Oscar-winning documentaries, such as "Bowling For Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11", then so be it. He's not shoving his theories on the Bush administration down our throats, and he's not ranting and raving on the horrors of gun violence in America. With "Sicko", much like with his other work, Moore takes the story to the people that matter, and the people that are affected the most - American citizens.

"Sicko" focuses on the state of America's health care system, where ill people are denied health insurance and HMO horror stories run rampant. Moore talks to many people who have had a loved one die because big corporations have denied them coverage. These true stories are surprising, emotionally charged and terribly large in numbers. Workers who helped at Ground Zero on 9/11 talk to Moore about their health conditions and reveal that insurance companies won't cover them, which to me was horrifying. These people volunteered on the day that will forever be remembered as one of the darkest days in American history, and they can't have their medicine or treatment looked after? Insane.

But true. Sadly, sadly true.

Moore takes a look at the health care systems in other countries, such as France, Britain, and makes a stop in our neck of the woods, Canada. He meets a woman who drives from Michigan over the border to Ontario so she can get free health care; with the way the American system works, her actions seem justified. Moore discovers that the health care systems in these other countries is astounding, and wonders just what exactly is wrong with his own country of America. He also finds out that the only place on American soil with universal health care is Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where prisoners receive better treatment than the average American. So Moore loads up several boats with the people he meets throughout the film, including the 9/11 workers, and they set sail for Cuba. They don't receive care at the actual prison, but are flabbergasted when they're all more than taken care of by a local hospital. A 9/11 worker receives her medication at a cost of $0.05 US, compared to the $120 she pays at home. The rest of them are treated and taken care of with high-quality care, and needless to say, they are very surprised and impressed.

The question that Moore is asking is "What's wrong with us?", concerning the United States. In the richest country in the world, they deny people coverage and sacrifice essential health services in order to maximize profits. The film was eye-opening to me, and makes me proud to live in Canada. I think this is some of Michael Moore's best work, and I find it hard to believe that people will criticize it. Moore isn't lambasting George W. Bush, he's showing you the facts about his country's health care system. It's impressive and at times emotionally draining.

We may complain about our own health care system a lot, but I don't think people will do so as much after seeing this film.

- Derek

Costner Is a Multilayered Killer

2007-11-21T09:32:00.000-06:00

"Mr. Brooks" (2007)
Directed by: Bruce A. Evans (writer of "Stand By Me" & "Cutthroat Island")
Starring: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Marg Helgenberger, William Hurt
Running Time: 120 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

For years, people have seen actor/director Kevin Costner in many good-guy roles, much like in "Dances With Wolves", "The Bodyguard", "JFK" and "The Untouchables". Now, at age 55, Costner is only now starting to branch out, and flips that good-guy image upside down in "Mr. Brooks", a killer thriller about a man constantly wrestling with his inner demons and only kills because its a "disease" that he has.

Earl Brooks, played by Costner, is a top executive who receives a "Man of the Year" award. He's a loving husband and father, but he's tormented by the spirit of his alter ego, Marshall, played with calm and witty eeriness by William Hurt. Its this alter ego that drives Brooks to partake in his secret hobby, killing people. In doing so, he is calculating and flawless, never leaving a trail and having been successful in hiding this "illness" he has had for years. Suddenly, he's alerted that someone saw him commit a murder. A perverted photographer, played by comedian Dane Cook, is the witness and tells Brooks that he wants to accompany him when he goes out to kill again. Brooks reluctantly agrees. Now personally, I'm not a fan of Dane Cook. I thought he was a wrong choice for this movie, my point being proven when it seemed obvious that he was trying to be the "comic relief", in a movie where none of that is needed, nor should be allowed. You'll see what I mean.

Mr. Brooks tries balancing his home life, where he begins to have problems with his daughter, who's growing up too fast it seems, and his night life, driving around looking for more people to kill with his alter ego Marshall in the back seat and photographer Smith (Cook) up front. On the trail of his killings is Detective Tracy Atwood, played with a hard-nosed intensity by Demi Moore. Atwood follows a puzzle of clues and blood, looking for Brooks, who is known to authorities as the "thumbprint killer". She has her own problems to deal with, including the divorce she's going through and the fact that one of her prisoners has escaped from custody.

The movie keeps your attention, and Costner's portrayal of an emotionless man with many skeletons in his closet is the heart of the film, and at times brilliant. William Hurt as the alter ego Marshall complements Costner well; they play off each other greatly and its an interesting display of two minds becoming one. "Mr. Brooks" is arguably one of the most well-written screenplays I've seen come to life, and the performances of Costner, Hurt and Moore only help increase the emotion of it.

Its enjoyable, thrilling, and keeps you inthralled until the last shot.

"Mr. Brooks" just killed your weekend boredom.

Keep 'em laughing,
Derek

Phoenix & Wahlberg Own The Screen

2007-11-06T09:53:00.000-06:00

"We Own The Night" (2007)
Directed by: James Gray (Little Odessa, The Yards)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, Alex Veadov
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

Family loyalty is put to the test in "We Own The Night", a suspenseful drama that focuses on two brothers from opposite ends of the law, set against the backdrop of New York in 1988.

Bobby Green, played with scary-good intensity by Joaquin Phoenix, is a nightclub manager with dreams of making it big. He's confident, but not quite bordering on arrogant. Bobby may have a joint every once in awhile, but even he's oblivious to the drug dealers and violent criminals who hang out in the club. He loves his girlfriend Amada, played by Eva Mendes, giving an average performance. Phoenix is an acting machine; he didn't just play Johnny Cash in "Walk The Line", he became him. And its no different here. Phoenix shows a side of his acting ability that we don't see from most actors of his generation, and its damn impressive.

On the other side of the spectrum is Bobby's family. Brother Joseph Grusinsky, played by Mark Wahlberg, and father Burt Grusinsky, played by Robert Duvall, are police officers in the NYPD, and warn Bobby that there is a drug war going on, and that sooner or later, he's going to have to choose a side. Duvall is impressive in his role; he's a veteran and you really see that fatherly bond he has with Joseph, and the strained one he has with Bobby. Wahlberg is equally impressive, if not more, but I got the feeling he was pretty much playing the same role he had in "The Departed", minus the Boston accent. Granted, he was nominated for an Oscar in that role, but we don't need to see the same thing twice. Still, he's great and his scenes with Phoenix are fiercely intense.

"We Own The Night" sort of reminds me of "The Departed". It deals with the good versus the bad, betraying trust, knowing where your loyalty lies, Hell, even the theatrical trailer I first saw back in August had me thinking it was a secretly-made sequel. But it doesn't intentionally try to be that film. Director James Gray creates a tense, realistic atmosphere where you don't know who's around the corner and your closest friend could be your nearest enemy.

The only negative thing I have to say about this film is that its predictable at times. When one thing happens, I saw the next thing happening in my head. That's not to say that the film is terrible, far from it, because when something tragic happens it still shakes you. The other thing is that I would have liked to see Wahlberg more. You'll know what I'm talking about in the first 30 minutes of the film. A few more scenes with his character would have made for a more balanced view between Bobby/Joseph.

Besides that, the film is enjoyable. I especially liked the soundtrack, and Joaquin Phoenix is fast becoming one of my all-time favorite actors. He's dedicated and takes this role seriously. I read that between takes on the set, Phoenix would get into character by hurling insults at Robert Duvall in order to create a realistic tension between father and son. Duvall was upset, of course, but that just makes for a more tense confrontation on the silver screen.

You'll enjoy "We Own The Night" if you appreciate great, suspenseful performances by dedicated actors. The story is intense, violent, yet somewhat predictable, but that's not exactly a downfall. There's real drama in this film and I think that's missing from a lot of run-of-the-mill movies.

Til next time,

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

This Isn't an Election, It's a Steel Cage Match!

2007-11-02T12:23:00.000-06:00

This coming Wednesday's provincial election is the culmination of weeks and weeks of mud-slinging verbal abuse between Sask Party Leader Brad Wall and Sask NDP Leader Lorne Calvert. As shown in last Tuesday's debate on CTV, Calvert and Wall can't seem to get along and should probably never be kept in the same room together. Sask Liberal Leader David Karwacki, meanwhile, comes off as the little brother who wants to do what his older brothers are doing. While Calvert and Wall fight it out with accusing TV ads and smear campaigns, Karwacki simply takes his message to the voter and asks them to make a choice. Maybe that's the genius of it, maybe it'll be his downfall, I don't know. Personally, I think the Liberals will be lucky if they even get a seat on Wednesday night.

Let's take a critical look at that TV leader debate. First off, why did the producers of this think it was a good idea to put all three men in the same room? What were they going for? A distinguished version of Springer? When someone was able to get six seconds in to talk on his own, one or both of the others threw their 2 cents in and went on a separate rant. Karwacki looked like a well-dressed referee as Wall and Calvert traded verbal fists left and right. Overall, I thought the whole thing came off as unnecessary and childish at times. Don't get me wrong, it was one of the most entertaining things I've seen in awhile, but ultimately it didn't serve as a platform for voters to make up their minds before Election Day.

I'm not sure what's gonna happen on November 7. I'm still not sure on who I'm gonna vote for. I think the best thing for every voter to do is ask themselves, "What Saskatchewan do I want to live in?" Visit the websites, look through each party's respective platforms, and make your choice.

'Til next time,

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Zombie and Ozzy Please 12,500 Strong

2007-10-26T11:53:00.001-06:00

A huge crowd of 12,500 rock fans packed into the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon on Wednesday, October 24. I was among the die-hard fanatics and we were there for one reason and one reason only - to see what was hyped to be a monumental, pulse-quivering, earth-shaking rock concert. Rob Zombie and Ozzy Osbourne did anything but disappoint us.

The show started at about 7:20, 10 minutes early. Pretty taboo for a rock concert to start early. The opening act was In This Moment, a new heavy metal act with a blonde-haired goddess of a lead singer named Maria. She wore a frilly, Alice in Wonderland-type dress but was anything but innocent, headbanging with the best of 'em and armed with a screaming voice that could rival Axl Rose in his heyday. In This Moment were impressive and played for about 25 minutes before the tech crew came out and started assembling Rob Zombie's stage, which consisted of a 6-foot tall drum riser decorated in monster heads, as well as skulls and several ghoulish puppets. It was an incredible visual.

Zombie hit the stage shortly after, making his entrance through the mouth of a monster above the drum riser and launching into his setlist, which included songs like "Sawdust In The Blood", "American Witch", "Living Dead Girl", "More Human Than Human", and "Superbeast". Zombie was ANYTHING but a "supporting act" as the 12,500 strong went nuts for him. I was there more to see Rob than Ozzy myself and I wasn't left disappointed. Zombie played for over an hour and his show consisted of amazing visuals and hot women who danced to several of his songs. He even made his way into the crowd and the fans welcomed him with open arms. Clips of B-grade horror movies and some of Zombie's own material played across several monitors and the use of flame pots helped make the packed house go even crazier. At one point, Zombie talked a bit about his recent hit remake of "Halloween", stating that he was amped to be in the same city where Michael Myers is from. "You know why I'm f***in' amped? Cuz that motherf***er Tyler Mane is FROM Saskatoon, man!" Zombie said. This of course made the crowd go nuts yet again. A cheap pop, yes, but an effective one. Zombie continued to play, darting around the stage like a wildman and pretty much showing me my ticket price was worth it. He ended his set with "Dragula" as thousands sang along, bringing and end to an incredible set. I proudly wore my "ZOMBIE" baseball cap and chanted along as Zombie said goodnight. It was loud, it was explosive, it was incredible, and there was still Ozzy Osbourne to come.

When the Ozzman did hit the stage, the energy level picked up where Zombie left off, bringing all of us to our feet with "I Don't Wanna Stop". Osbourne actually looked genuinely excited to be there, as he launched into classics such as "Crazy Train" and "Bark at the Moon". He also did a few songs from his new album "Black Rain". They weren't very recognizable to everyone inside CUC but, really, we didn't care. Ozzy shows that he's still got it and looks to be enjoying the rock star life even as he approaches his 59th birthday in December. Guitarist Zack Wylde was a madman, shredding through Ozzy's songs and performing a solo that had me thinking of the likes of the late Jimi Hendrix and Dimebag Darrell. In the end, Osbourne had us all singing along with "Mama I'm Coming Home" and finally closed the show with "Paranoid".

Overall, the show was a blast. Worth the ticket price no matter where you were sitting, in my opinion. I'd love to go again if Ozzy decides to come back to Saskatoon, and definitely plan on seeing Rob Zombie the next time he brings his solo show to Prairieland Park.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give the entire concert an 8.5. Rob Zombie's fans were satisfied, Ozzy's satisfied, and the entire thing just made for a smorgasbord of heavy metal, the way it should always be.

Too Much Time On Their Hands

2007-10-19T09:26:00.000-06:00

For many, the SkyTrail in Outlook is a place that people can go to unwind. Take a walk, relax, snap some great-looking photos. Its especially beautiful in the summer, when you can walk across it as late as 9 or 9:30, and you'll still have the sun at your back and many fellow neighbours and town residents waving and saying hello as they pass you or you pass them.

Sadly, what happened on Wednesday night, October 17 was anything but friendly.

Vandalism was the name of the game, and the target was SkyTrail's entrance. More specifically, the brick structure on the right side of the entrance. Vandals with too much time on their hands decided to go Berlin and tear down the wall-like structure, which begs the question, what the Hell was the point? Do the people involved think they're "cool" for doing this? A real badass? Honestly, I bet they do.

"Hey man, we like TOTALLY brought that thing down!"
"TOTALLY, DUUUUDE!"
"Yeah man, so let's, like, go back to your house and listen to EMO while writing our pretentious, "dark" poetry!"
"GNARLY!"

Give me a break. You are not cool. This is not cool. All you've managed to do is upset your parents, grandparents, and many Outlook residents. If being a complete jackass with too much time on your hands is what you were going for with this, then let me congratulate you on a job well done.

We're all very proud of you.............hehe, RIGHT!

And they say children are the future...

A Balanced View of Present-Day Chaos

2007-10-15T09:43:00.000-06:00

"The Kingdom" (2007)
Directed by: Peter Berg (Very Bad Things, The Rundown, Friday Night Lights)
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Ashraf Barhom
Running Time: 110 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

With the times that we live in, one might think that a film like "The Kingdom" is in bad taste or the general public "just isn't ready for a film like this." In my opinion, you couldn't be more wrong. This well-told story of an unforgiveable act of terrorism grips you from the start and doesn't let go. It serves as a way of telling us, TEACHING us, that life is unpredictable and every second counts. Director Peter Berg has created a story that reflects society in all its brutal realism. This film could have easily taken the right-wing, white-people-good, foreigners-bad route, but it doesn't let itself become that. Instead, it shows two different nations struggling for peace and safety in a world that perhaps doesn't have it.

Jamie Foxx stars as Ronald Fleury, leader of an elite FBI team. When nearly 100 people are killed in a violent explosion, Fleury and his team travel to Saudi Arabia to investigate who is behind the brutal slayings. While there, the team partners with Saudi officials, led by Colonel Faris Al Ghazi, played wonderfully by Ashraf Barhom in a role that I believe could by Oscar-worthy. Both teams feel each other out at first, sometimes having a bit of conflict. Ultimately, both teams begin to unravel the mystery behind the bombing and work together. Foxx is born for this type of role. He's calm, collected, and his performance shows that. The rest of his team consists of Grant Sykes, played by Oscar winner Chris Cooper; Adam Leavitt, played by Jason Bateman. He's the somewhat "comic relief" in scenes that perhaps are deemed too dramatic. And Jennifer Garner as Janet Mayes. Honestly, I'm not a fan of hers at all, and it looked to me that Garner didn't have a clue what she was doing in this film. She does a lot of crying and covering her ears when guns fire. Do actual FBI agents do that? As well, Jeremy Piven plays a PR executive intent on keeping things going smoothly and without any troubles. I love Piven, but he's pretty much just playing Ari from "Entourage" here. But hey, that's probably what PR people are like anyway. And look for a cameo from country music heavyweight Tim McGraw as a grieving husband whose wife was killed in the bomb blast.

"The Kingdom" has a message, and usually I hate it when movies try to do that. People go to the theater and the multiplex because they wanna stuff their faces with overpriced snacks, kick up their feet and forget their everyday problems for an hour and a half, two hours, whatever. But I found the message in "The Kingdom" to be right. Almost accepting. This isn't a movie that shoves the issues or politics in your face. It just shows you that they're happening all around you, that the world doesn't stop because of your own problems. There's a scene in particular involving Foxx's character Fleury and the son of a man killed near the beginning of the film that I found incredibly emotional. It also isn't the only time Fleury encounters a father-less boy.

This film obviously isn't for everyone. If you like period dramas with guys in white wigs and women in puffy dresses, this isn't for you. But if you want a clenching, pulse-pounding story that doesn't pull the wool over your eyes and tells it like it is, then you'll enjoy the film.

Don't let the papers and CNN give you the news all the time. Enter "The Kingdom".

The Western Genre is Infused with Life Again

2007-10-11T10:17:00.000-06:00

"3:10 To Yuma" (2007)
Directed by: James Mangold (Cop Land, Identity, Walk The Line)
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda, Ben Foster
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

The Western genre has pretty much been dead for the past decade; the last great one IMO was 1993's Tombstone. Its managed to live on in TV movies and the occasional network mini-series, but feature film cowboy pics intended for theater distribution have been few and far between, until now.

3:10 To Yuma is an adaptation of the 1953 short story published in Dime Western Magazine, as well as a remake of the 1957 film of the same name. Directing this incredible film is James Mangold, a reliable storyteller who recently helmed the Oscar-nominated Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line. In my own opinion, 3:10 To Yuma should be able to get an Oscar nod for Best Picture, seeing as how 2007 has been pretty scarce for films worthy of the Academy's attention. The recent Summer of Sequels only produced a handful of entertaining films, but none really worth any major awards.

Christian Bale co-stars as Dan Evans, a rancher low on income and low on respect from his teenage son, William. Evans has his land raided by debt collectors and his barn burned to the ground for missing land payments. To ease his financial and family situations, Dan agrees to transport a prisoner to catch a train to Yuma prison. That prisoner is legendary outlaw Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe. Wade is a confident lawbreaker who plays mind games with Evans and his group while on the way to catch the train. Along the way, the group encounters deadly obstacles, including a band of Indians, other law enforcers who want to collect the reward for Wade's departure, and Wade's own group of thieves and murderers intent on rescuing their boss. This makes for some exciting scenes of suspense, as well as some great-looking gunfights.

Bale and Crowe hold the film together, as their characters rarely leave one another and the dialogue between the two is engaging and suspenseful at times. Its different seeing Crowe as the "bad guy", but he seems to revel in the role and takes it very seriously, in a performance that is Oscar-worthy. Bale should be nominated as well. His take on Dan Evans is gritty and emotional, and I really liked the chemistry he had with his on-screen son, especially near the end of the film.

Rounding out the cast is Ben Foster as Wade's right-hand man, Charlie Prince. Cold and conniving, Prince is almost trying to make a name for himself. And look for the legendary Peter Fonda as Byron McElroy, a man who has a past with Ben Wade. As well, comedic actor Luke Wilson has an uncredited cameo that has to be seen to be believed.

3:10 To Yuma is everything you could want in a western film. Its gripping, action-packed, well-written, and emotional. Those last 5 minutes are incredible and even left me nearly wiping a tear away. Call me a wuss all you want but this film suspends your disbelief like no other film this year.

For incredible story-telling and reinvigorating the American Western, I give 3:10 To Yuma a 5/5. It gave me so much more than I was expecting, and I believe it'll do the same for you.

Bullets, Babes and a Boatload of One-Liners

2007-09-27T09:43:00.000-06:00

"Shoot Em Up" (2007)
Directed by: Michael Davis (Monster Man, Eight Days A Week)
Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Belluci
Running Time: 86 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Explosive. Action-packed. Fast-paced. Hysterical. So ridiculous and tongue-in-cheek that the filmmakers had to have a smile on their faces every day on set. But here's the thing - this movie KNOWS that it's over the top. It KNOWS that audiences don't need to take it seriously. "Shoot Em Up" is a satire, almost a parody of all those bang-bang action flicks from the 80's and 90's. It needs no plot. Just a hero with someone to save, and a bad guy intent on killing that someone. Its almost a "leave your brain at the door" instruction for movie-goers. But if you love action, one-liners aplenty and bullets flying, "Shoot Em Up" is right up your alley.

The movie opens with Smith (Clive Owen) waiting for a bus in a crummy neighbourhood. He sits, munching on a carrot, (something he does A LOT of in this film), and waits. Just then, a pregnant lady walks past him, almost running, trying to get away from the man behind her holding a gun. Smith sees him, sighs, and comes to her rescue. What follows is a huge shoot-out with many cronies lead by Hertz (Paul Giamatti). Smith manages to deliver the baby but the mother dies shortly after. He's now thrust into the role of protector as he escapes the gun battle after having a staredown with Hertz.

Smith visits a friend, a prostitute named Quintano, (Monica Belluci). He tries to get her to take the baby off his hands so he can figure out why bad guys want the child dead. She refuses and ends up going with Smith. They pack up and retreat to Smith's hideout, and this results in yet another gun battle. It seemed to me that with each gun fight, more and more details were revealed about the plot. What it actually IS about I won't say, you'll just have to see it yourself. Either that, or you just won't care. I didn't find myself giving too much of a damn; all I saw was a man trying to protect a baby from bad guys, and that was good enough for me. And I think it was good enough for the filmmakers. The actual plot behind it seemed to be thrown together at the last minute while writing the screenplay, but that's OK.

"Shoot Em Up" is like watching your friend play a video game. The hero has his task, goes from Point A to Point B in order to unravel the informative details, and blows anyone in his path away. Its fun, mindless entertainment, just like a video game. Director Michael Davis must be a gamer, and had to be playing something like "GTA: Vice City" or "The Punisher" when he came up with his premise and ideas. Whatever he did, it works.

Clive Owen is very enjoyable as Smith. He has fun with the role and looks to be a great fit as a leading action star. Paul Giamatti is perfect as the hilarious bad guy Hertz. I don't think any other actor could have been used here except him. He's on-edge, spastic and quick with one-liners. Any scene involving Giamatti and Owen is full of chemistry and you can't wait to see what these two will do to each other next. You can tell that they're having fun and that makes the movie more enjoyable.

You'll enjoy "Shoot Em Up" only if you understand that its a satirical look at violence and action movies. There's no point in trying to blast the movie for being ludicrous and over the top, because everyone who had a hand in producing the film knows it already. See it if you love action. See it if you love the classic good guy/bad guy confrontations the way they used to be. Or see it if you just want to see a gun fight take place while sky-diving.

For whatever reason, just see it. You won't be disappointed. You'll be grinning by the time you leave the theater.

Finally, a teen comedy done RIGHT!

2007-09-25T13:05:00.000-06:00

"Superbad" (2007)
Directed by: Greg Mottola (TV's "Undeclared", "Arrested Development")
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader
Running Time: 114 minutes
Rut's Rating: A HUGE 5/5

In the last ten years or so, comedy has been sliced into about three categories. Each one has its ups and downs, depending on the material written and the actors cast. They are, in no particular order:

1. The low-budget, quirky, no-real-plot-but-it-will-attain-cult-status comedy, (Dazed and Confused, The Big Lebowski, Napoleon Dynamite)
2. The repetitive let's-pick-a-random-sport-and-throw-random-homoerotic-jokes-in comedy, (Dodgeball, Talladega Nights, Blades of Glory)
3. The R-rated youth coming-of-age comedy, (American Pie 1,2, & 3, Road Trip, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle)

Those are all well and good, in fact there are a few movies mentioned that I really love. But sometimes, a movie comes along and sets the bar higher. Or in the case of "Superbad", takes the bar and hurtles it into space.

Written and produced by the same guys who gave us "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and this past summer's "Knocked Up", "Superbad" takes a look at the last month of high school for best friends Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera). Virtually inseparable, these two spend their days day-dreaming about girls and college, and spend their nights hanging with their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). They're outcasts who choose to do their own thing and never attend parties. This might lead you to believe that they're losers but you'd be wrong. Seth and Evan define what it's like to be a teenager in this day and age, with their shared anti-social behavior and co-dependency on one another. To me, there were always several different groups of kids in high school. The party animals, the artists, the goody-goody A-plussers and the let-it-ride dreamers observing everything. Seth and Evan are the dreamers, the guys you see in the hallway just hanging by themselves. Sure, they're not at all the parties, they don't have girlfriends, and they may not be kings of the school, but they're not looked down on by everyone.

For me, "Superbad" gets high school right in that sense. Watching the movie, I definitely saw more than a few resemblances to my own days as a student at OHS. I saw a few faces that resembled my fellow classmates, but I won't mention names. The movie take a simple approach rather than throwing a bunch of ill-conceived jokes or gags in. What you see is hilarious, and yet believable at the same time. Feeling uncomfortable talking to girls? Check. Being a high school kid who's attending a 20-something bash and feeling way over your head? Yup. Mad that your friend is ditching you for college in the fall? Mmhmm. Its the little things in this movie that make it believable and hysterical at the same time. For Seth and Evan, their goal is simple - score liquor for a house party that just might ensure the affection of the dream girls in their lives. Sounds easy, right?

Jonah Hill and Michael Cera give funny, honest performances as Seth and Evan. Newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse is hysterical as Fogell, or "McLovin" as you'll see from watching. Seth Rogen and Bill Hader round out the male cast as police officers Michaels and Slater, respectively. After Fogell is injured in a liquor store robbery, the cops take a liking to him and he ends up hanging out with them for about 75% of the film. Rogen and Hader are hilarious and I love some of the one-liners they give. Rogen and his friend Evan Goldberg wrote the screenplay when they were 13, and the movie's lead characters are named after them.

You might love "Superbad", you might hate it. You might even connect with it as I did. In my opinion, this is the funniest and best comedy I've seen all year, even in the last few years. This makes anything that Ben Stiller or Will Ferrell did seem amateur and half-assed. Its a movie about teens, yet its smarter than most things involving adults.

See "Superbad". Release your inner "McLovin".

"Halloween" Remake a Fitting Tribute to Original Classic

2007-09-21T13:51:00.000-06:00

Ruttle's Reviews

"Halloween" (2007)
Directed by: Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects)
Starring: Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Sheri Moon, Daeg Faerch
Running Time: 109 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

In 1978, director John Carpenter introduced movie audiences to the slasher flick; a silent, indestructible psychopath named Michael Myers was arguably the first in a long line of horror film icons to adopt the "crush, kill, destroy" mentality. Myers is a mask-wearing mute who escapes from an asylum to return to his hometown, so he can find his baby sister.

Now in 2007, horror fanatic, musician and outlaw director Rob Zombie has taken the reigns of the franchise. His take on the story is different, but fitting. Zombie shows us the background of this future mass murderer, revealing a childhood immersed in disturbing surroundings. His mother is a stripper, his older sister neglects him, and his step-father is the very definition of sleaze. Michael doesn't seem to let his home life get to him, but its easy for the audience to feel sympathy for him. Yes, that's even knowing what obviously lies ahead in the film.

On Halloween night, young Michael finally loses it. He brutally murders his step-father, his older sister and her boyfriend. Yet he spares the life of his baby sister, holding her in his arms until his mother and then the authorities arrive. What follows is the next chapter in Michael's life; spending the rest of his days at a mental hospital. He has daily sessions with Dr. Samuel Loomis, played by Malcolm McDowell. Loomis has ease talking with Michael, there isn't any visible tension there, but when the subject of Michael's horrendous murder streak comes up, Michael seems to shrug it off or says he can't remember doing it.

For the next 17 years, Myers remains locked up, spending his days making masks and growing to a hulking size. Loomis gives up on treating him, and instead writes a book detailing the murders and his sessions with Michael.

Finally, while being transferred to another wing of the hospital, Michael escapes, killing all of the guards escorting him and making a break for it. He returns to his hometown of Haddonfield on Halloween day, intent on tracking down his baby sister Laurie. This third act of the film is an ever-constant tribute to Carpenter's 1978 original, complete with almost identical cinematography and the familiar score. While watching Michael kill person after person, I found myself only seeing the 10-year-old boy again, as opposed to the present-day, nearly 7-foot behemoth. You never see the adult Michael's face and maybe that's why I only saw the young boy. You just might find yourself doing the same thing.

"Halloween" is, in my opinion, a well-done tribute to the classic original. Obviously, some aspects are different and the tone of the story is altered, but that's the nature of the beast in this hyperspeed Facebook generation. Rob Zombie shows us that what's old can become new again, and that's a rare thing to do in Hollywood these days.

The performances are fitting, as are the actors who display them. Malcolm McDowell is a perfect fit as Dr. Loomis, and Daeg Faerch is scary-good as young Michael. Saskatchewan's own Tyler Mane is a great choice for the adult Michael. While he has no dialogue, Mane perfects the mannerisms and body language of this psychotic-yet-sympathy-enducing killer.

People will argue, people will debate, but see the film for yourself. For those who lost faith in the horror genre, "Halloween" is a blood-soaked miracle in disguise.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:31:00.000-06:00

Partners in Paris

"Rush Hour 3" (2007)
Directed by: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1 & 2,
X-Men: The Last Stand)
Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow
Running time: 90 min.
Rut's Rating: 4/5

Opposites still attract in the latest installment of the "Rush Hour" franchise. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker return to their respective roles of Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter, in the second sequel to a hugely popular and successful movie series. In their latest adventure, Lee and Carter travel to Paris to do battle with the Chinese Triad, a Mafia constituency. When the Ambassador of China is assassinated and the clues lead them to Paris, Lee and Carter get mixed up in the dangerous group and someone from Lee's past may be a part of it.
The formula in "Rush Hour 3" is simple, yet effective. Take a by-the-book, mild-mannered, Chinese martial-arts practicing officer, pair him with a loud, bombastic, wise-cracking African-American detective, and throw them both into a murder or kidnap plot. Audiences have obviously loved the pairing; the first two films in the series made over $350 million combined. These films may not exactly be on the level of something like "The Godfather" or "Heat", but sometimes you just want a movie that allows you to sit back, kick up your feet, and forget about all your problems for about 90 minutes, and that's what the "Rush Hour" movies give you.
You can tell that Chan and Tucker have fun with their roles; some of the dialogue comes off as being improvised, but it works because of the off-beat chemistry of both actors. Detective Carter is loud, over-the-top, and in my opinion funnier than ever. At times, it isn't exactly what Chris Tucker SAYS that's funny, per say, but HOW he says it. And Jackie Chan is, as always, a great straight man to Tucker's style. Also, the impressive stunts and action scenes that Chan still pulls off are a testament to his dedication and persistence. It would have been easy for Chan to suggest a stunt double, but a true professional, he decided to once again go his own. And the results are impressive once again; watch for a great-looking car chase in the streets of Paris, as well as a fist-fight at the top of the Eiffel Tower as just two examples of the action in this movie.
If anything, the only fault that I saw in "Rush Hour 3" was that it was too short. It clocks in at about 83 minutes when the end credits start rolling, as well as the pre-requisite blooper reel to accommodate them. I would have liked another 10 minutes or so put into it, maybe some character exploration or another cool car chase or action sequence. But maybe that's what made the franchise successful in the first place - they set up the plot, throw Lee and Carter into some crazy shenanigans, give us the action, give us the funny, give us the ending, and they're out. It's not a bad thing, really. I just really liked the film and wanted to see more of it.
If you've seen the previous two "Rush Hour" films, or just like mismatched partners in an action movie, much like Riggs and Murtaugh in "Lethal Weapon", then you just might like this third adventure. Funny, explosive and action-packed, the traffic doesn't slow down in THIS rush hour.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:26:00.000-06:00

Britain Gone Bad

"Hot Fuzz" (2007)
Directed by: Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead)
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton
Running time: 121 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4/5

Hard-nosed London police officer Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is a man always on the lookout for crime. A keen eye with an impressive arrest and conviction record, he is seen as a threat to the other low-profile, ho-hum members of the force and is sent to the quaint, sleepy little village of Sandford, where he is paired with a bumbling partner named Danny Butterman, played by Nick Frost. When a series of grisly "accidents" begin to claim the lives of village residents, Angel and Butterman take it to the streets and investigate what they believe could be murder.
"Hot Fuzz" is the latest film from the trio of director Edgar Wright, and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. These three brought us the instant classic "Shaun of the Dead", and fans of that film would definitely take a liking to this one. What they did for the zombie-flick genre in "Shaun" they do for the over-the-top action-movie genre in "Fuzz". The film is brilliantly written and you can tell that director Wright and actors Pegg and Frost are big fans of explosive, gun-toting action. As well, Pegg and Frost have that same great chemistry we saw in "Shaun of the Dead", a sort-of Abbott and Costello relationship. Frost's portrayal of Danny Butterman is believable and hilarious; the innocent, puppy-like enthusiast and the perfect opposite for the no-nonsense Nicholas Angel. Danny's love of gunfights and action movies, ("Bad Boys II", in particular) are dismissed by Angel as a childlike fantasy, but that may soon turn to reality when they investigate the supposed "accidents" happening around town.
The main suspect that Angel and Butterman investigate is grocery store owner Simon Skinner, played by Timothy Dalton. The former James Bond has fun with the role, and is a good choice in casting a possible murderer. As well, the legendary Bill Nighy (you know him as Captain Davy Jones from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films) has a neat cameo as the Chief Inspector of Angel's former precinct in London. It seemed to me that all the actors were actually enjoying being in this film, which is a rare thing in Hollywood these days, with all the over-wraught promotion, studio deals and lucrative contracts. These people just got together and made a movie that is entertaining, funny, and very well done. It actually seems to come off as a bigger-budget version of a student film, because of the laid-back-yet-dedicated feeling of it, instead of just some A-listers phoning it in.
There also just seems to be something about British humor that is so appealing to North American audiences. Growing up on Monty Python and Mr. Bean may have helped, but after watching a movie like "Hot Fuzz", something mainstream and undeniably American just doesn't seem AS funny as it was before. You laugh, but it's not a hearty put-your-whole-face-into-it sort of laugh. Writers and directors could learn a few things from these talented Brits; maybe something like Saturday Night Live would be funny again if these guys took a turn writing and directing sketches.
If the combination of great action & comedy is your thing (it's OK, raise your hand, it's my thing too), then "Hot Fuzz" is just for you. In an age of mainstream movies with A-list celebrities who like to think they're funny, this one actually IS.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:22:00.000-06:00

More Than Meets The Eye

"Transformers" (2007)
Directed by: Michael Bay (Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon)
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Jon Voight
Running time: 144 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Autobots and Decepticons finally engage in an explosive on-screen battle in "Transformers". It's a dream come true for any fan who grew up watching the animated TV series, bought the action figures, or simply engaged in some playground debate over who was the better leader - Optimus Prime or Megatron.
The story centers on a young man named Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LeBeouf. An independent outcast, Sam goes to an auto dealer with his father looking to buy his first car. He comes home with a yellow Camaro for $4000, and takes it out for a test drive. Coming across a party, he sees Mikaela, a girl he knows from school, played by Megan Fox. He offers her a ride home, and what we see is the usual movie cliche of loner-wants-girl, girl-sort of-resists-yet-thinks-he's-charming sort of thing. But it plays out nicely because both LeBeouf and Fox have great on-screen chemistry, and there's just something that's very likable about these two.
Meanwhile, higher-ups in the United States military forces have big problems on their hands. Mysterious machines and weapons attack bases and are assembling for a war against the human race. Scientists and experts are brought in from around the world to try and figure out what these things are, but they can't seem to wrap their heads around it. White House Defense Secretary John Keller, played by Jon Voight, issues very little information to the media, as everyone scrambles to determine what kind of threat they are facing.
Sam is sleeping, meanwhile, when his car suddenly comes to life and drives away. Sam chases after it, and Mikaela follows him as the chase ends up at a wrecking yard. Suddenly, a police cruiser transforms into a robot and chases after Sam, and out of nowhere, his Camaro also transforms and does battle with the evil robot before destroying it. Scared at first, Sam and Mikaela come to realize that this now 30' tall Camaro means no harm to them, and this is when the entire Autobot army assembles. Goose bumps appear on your arms as the robots you admired as a kid come to life on the big screen. Sam and Mikaela are speechless as these normal vehicles change shape in front of their eyes and stand before them. Finally, a blue semi truck appears and transforms, introducing himself as Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader then introduces the rest of the gang, and tells Sam and Mikaela the origins of their race, as well as the plans being formed by the Decepticons - a race of ruthless, human-destroying robots.
So with an army of robots that have their backs, Sam and Mikaela set out to stop the Decepticons from annihilating the human race. As you can guess, this results in some great-looking action and battle sequences involving good robots and bad ones. Director Michael Bay is known for loving explosions and special effects, so you can bet that both are in huge supply here. Personally, I'm not a big fan of him, because it seems like he substitutes story and character development with overblown effects and CGI. But yet, with "Transformers" he has finally hit a good balance. It's a great story and it's very easy to become immersed in it; you find yourself cheering out loud for the Autobots to win their battles with the Decepticons, and feeling a bit sad when one of the good guys have fallen. And for once, the CGI looks realistic, which helps you believe that its all the more real.
"Transformers" is the very definition of a summer action blockbuster. With a great human cast to complement the Autobots and Decepticons, as well as some great special effects and CGI, it's sure to please even the most hardcore fan base. Maybe heroes really do come as robots in disguise.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:14:00.000-06:00

Yippee Kay-Aye...

"Live Free Or Die Hard" (2007)
Directed by: Len Wiseman (Underworld, Underworld: Evolution)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Timothy
Olyphant, Justin Long
Running time: 130 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4.5/5

Returning to the movie franchise that made him a household name, Bruce Willis is back as Detective John McClane in the fourth installment of the "Die Hard" series. This time around, he finds himself battling a computer terrorist organization that is systematically shutting down the economic structure of the United States.
Any fan of the "Die Hard" movies knows that McClane has always had an on-again, off-again relationship with his estranged wife, Holly. Well, by this point they are now officially divorced, and John now has a rocky relationship with his daughter Lucy, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. After a confrontation at the beginning of the film between the two, McClane is summoned to pick up a computer hacker named Matt Farrell, played by Justin Long. Farrell may know some things about the terrorist organization, so the FBI sends McClane to get him. It's at Farrell's apartment that things get a little explosive, as terrorist enforcers burst into the apartment and start shooting up the place, looking to eliminate Farrell. McClane and his new sidekick escape and the action is only getting started.
"Live Free Or Die Hard" gives us that nostalgic feeling of what action movies used to be like. Pyrotechnics, stuntmen, and car chases that seemed to go on forever, but you never wanted them to end. And I think it's only right that a sequel to a beloved action franchise that started in 1988 use those kind of techniques. So many film crews and directors rely on CGI and other effects to pretty much MAKE the movie for them, and it always seems to come off as too over-the-top and unrealistic, not to mention expensive. There's no sane reason why a movie like "Evan Almighty" should cost $175 million, but it does. Less is more, people.
This is the first film in the "Die Hard" series to have a PG-13 rating, while the previous three were rated "R". Some die-hard fanatics of the franchise (pun INTENDED!) might be a little peeved at that, and to be honest I wasn't thrilled about it, either. John McClane is a regular, blue-collar every-man who can curse up a storm when things don't go his way, but that part of his personality is a little scaled back in this one. Yet when you think about it, it was the right thing to do for business. Having an R-rating can seriously hurt an action movie these days, and then there goes the box office dollars. Director Len Wiseman was smart with this one; he substitutes C-words and F-bombs with car chases, incredible stunts and very impressive action sequences. And the formula proved to be a huge success, as "Live Free Or Die Hard" has earned over $110 million since being released on June 27.
Like every "Die Hard" before, Bruce Willis gives a great, pedal-to-the-metal performance as the wise-cracking hero, John McClane. Willis has had a long, storied career and is a huge favorite among millions, so it's nice to see that he would return to this franchise instead of letting the studio pick some pretty boy in a remake. Uggghh, makes me shudder just thinking about it. As the wide-eyed, computer hacker sidekick Matt Farrell, Justin Long gets the job done. He's nerdy, spastic, and complements the jaded McClane well. Timothy Olyphant plays Thomas Gabriel, the leader of the computer terrorist organization. Olyphant is arrogant, vindictive, and a good choice to play bad-guy to Bruce Willis.
If you love action, Bruce Willis, that guy from the Mac commercials, or you just want to see a police car collide with a helicopter, then "Live Free Or Die Hard" is for you. It stays true to the feeling of the previous films, and still keeps that 1980's-90's action flick mentality. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:11:00.000-06:00

In celebration of this film's long-overdue release on DVD, this week's review is dedicated to a movie that I grew up watching. This is the film that made me a huge fan of mythical creatures and monsters, and no doubt played a role in turning me into the horror film fanatic and filmmaker that I am today. Ladies and gentlemen......The Monster Squad.

Dracula, The Wolfman, & Scary German Guy

"The Monster Squad" (1987)
Directed by: Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps, TV's Tales from the Crypt)
Starring: Andre Gower, Stephen Macht, Jon Gries
Running time: 82 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4/5

An assortment of monsters come together and plot to find a mysterious amulet that will grant them the power to rule the world, but not if a group of young teenagers have anything to say about it. Horror blends with adventure in "The Monster Squad", and while the dialogue and acting may be cheesy, this is simply a fun, straight-to-the-point movie that is easy to enjoy. Think "The Goonies", but with more of an edge.
Sean Cranshaw (Andre Gower) and his friends Patrick, Horace, Rudy, and Eugene spend their days reading and talking about monsters. Little do they know that Dracula, played by Canadian actor Duncan Regehr, has arrived in their small town and plots to rule the world with the power of a mysterious amulet. To do so, he recruits the help of legendary monsters Frankenstein, the Mummy, a lizard-like swamp creature, and the Wolfman. Actor Jon Gries is one of the more known actors in this movie, (you know him as Uncle Rico in "Napoleon Dynamite"), and he plays the innocent, tortured man who turns into a howling werewolf during the full moon. I have to say, even though this movie is 20 years old, the make-up effects used in making the Wolfman are top-notch and in my opinion, this is exactly the way a werewolf should look. The physical features of a wolf, but standing on two legs and wearing the ripped, tattered clothes of a man.
The gang finds out about this world domination plan with the help of a German neighbour, who helps translate the book that Sean brings him. It is the diaries of famed monster hunter Abraham Van Helsing, and it details the story behind the mysterious amulet and the battle of good and evil for control of the world. Banding together, the teenagers map out a plan and set it in action.
"The Monster Squad" is a movie that you either love or hate. There is no in-between. You either write it off as wasteful, teenage drivel or accept it for the cheesy yet enjoyable movie that it is. It doesn't take itself too seriously because it knows that its pure fantasy, but that's OK. Its horror for teenagers, so you aren't going to see blood and guts all over the screen, like you seem to in almost every supposed "horror" film in this hyper-speed Facebook generation.
As I mentioned before, this was a movie that almost raised me when I was a kid. I loved it back then, and I still do today. On July 24th, it is FINALLY being released on DVD, in a 20th Anniversary Special Edition package. Loads of special features, new interviews with the now-adult cast, and vintage behind-the-scenes footage. Being a fan of the film for as long as I have, this is one that I'm definitely picking up for my ever-growing collection.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:06:00.000-06:00

Have You Seen This Before?

"Deja Vu" (2006)
Directed by: Tony Scott (Top Gun, The Fan, Man on Fire)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel
Running time: 128 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

The title almost tells you to pay attention. "Deja Vu" isn't your typical shoot-em-up, blow-it-out popcorn flick. Sure, there IS a nice amount of that, but its the reasoning behind all of it that makes you pay attention, and it was this aspect of the film that I really loved.
Denzel Washington is Doug Carlin, an ATF agent who tries to uncover the mystery behind a horrific act of terrorism; a ferry carrying over 500 people, including sailors, crewmen and their families, explodes in New Orleans. Sometime later, Carlin is shown the body of a young woman who looks to have died in the massacre, but she was found an hour BEFORE the explosion. How can this be? Carlin tries to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, but something just doesn't add up. Meanwhile, he is joined on the case by FBI Agent Pryzwarra, played by Val Kilmer. Carlin's skills impress him, so he invites him to join Pryzwarra's special surveillance team.
At this point, "Deja Vu" sort of transforms from a crime drama into a sci-fi action film. The team's method of criminal surveillance is mesmerizing; a special program in which they're able to view events that have already happened. Think of your local convenience store's surveillance camera, only with the ability to view everything in a room at any angle you can dream of. But there's a catch; once something has happened, you can't go back and view it again, so there is no rewinding. The possibility of having such a program exist is interesting to think about. With this method, the team tries to track down the young woman, only in a time warp period of days ago, when she was alive. They link the woman's death to the person who planted the explosives on the ferry, and from this point, it's all about pin-pointing the fine details in how, where, and when it all goes down.
Denzel Washington relishes in this kind of role; mysterious, but yet down to earth. He doesn't try to pretend to understand this weird, futuristic surveillance program. His only concern is trying to prevent what happens, and finding the person responsible for it in the first place. Fans of his are sure to like him in this role, but I have to say that I liked him a bit more in director Tony Scott's other Denzel-starrer, "Man on Fire". Val Kilmer, meanwhile, has fun with his role, even if its pretty much the straight-and-narrow "play by the rules" kind of cop role. But Kilmer rarely disappoints in any role he takes and this is no exception.
Personally, the stars of this film aren't necessarily the actors themselves. Yes, they're a big part of it obviously, but it's the premise that takes centre stage. And anyone who knows me and my love of film probably knows my stance on CGI, but I have to say that the visuals in this movie are incredible. There's one scene in particular where Denzel's character is chasing someone on the freeways and roads of New Orleans that uses a split image, and it comes off really good on-screen.
Director Scott is known for his explosive yet personable films. With this one, he's created a story that simply leaves you thinking, "What if?" What if authorities could develop a technology to go back in time? What if murder could be prevented in this way? It may all seem a little over-the-top for some people, but "Deja Vu" is a film that simply asks for your attention. But don't worry; its not like its something you've seen before.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T10:01:00.000-06:00

Lifeless Eyes, Like a Doll

"Jaws" (1975)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Running time: 124 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

It's the original summer blockbuster. The film that made you scared to go in the water, wash your hands under water, or even drink a large glass of water. Decorated filmmaker Steven Spielberg was only starting to get his feet wet (pun intended!) when he made this legendary movie, and it ended up making him a household name. We all know the tale; a huge great white shark terrorizes the residents of a small island community called Amity, and it's reign of terror isn't ending anytime soon.
In what has been described as director Spielberg's "quintessential film", the use of underwater POV (point of view) shots is done very well. Using this technique, we're aware that this is the shark, moving slowly but destructively, looking for it's next victim. The numbing and brilliant score from composer John Williams (DUH DUH......DUH DUH DUH DUH......) only makes these shots all the more suspenseful. We may not actually SEE the beast, but we know it's there, simply waiting.
As for the human side of things, the film stars Roy Scheider as the Amity Police Chief, Martin Brody. He and his family are new to the island, having moved from New York, and ironically, he is afraid of the water. Scheider is a good fit for the role; Chief Brody is a man faced with a horrifying threat, and a community that looks to him for action. But he isn't alone. Richard Dreyfuss is Matt Hooper, a shark expert brought in by Brody to try and identify just how big of a problem Amity Island has. Dreyfuss is a fine choice for the role; a little nerdy, yet knowledgeable. He and Scheider have good chemistry and complement each other well. And finally, there is the hard-edged, moonshine-drinking shark hunter, Quint. He is without a doubt my favorite character in the film, and he is played with scary-good authenticity by the late Robert Shaw. Quint is a man who you can easily see has lived a hard life, yet his character doesn't command a "woe is me" attitude. Just wait until Quint's introduction in the film; you'll see that this man simply commands respect. Also, his story of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, (in which sharks killed over 700 men who were stranded in the ocean in 1945) is haunting and an incredible piece of storytelling.
And so, with the Fourth of July approaching and a town of people that live for the beach, the stubborn, greedy Mayor is dead-set against a full investigation into the shark attacks, for fear that people will run off and go somewhere else instead of spending their tourist dollars in Amity. Murray Hamilton plays Mayor Larry Vaughn, and with his cheesy suits and eyes filled with dollar signs, he is a great antagonist. Chief Brody and Hooper just can't seem to convince him that they have to close the beaches to ensure the safety of everyone. The Mayor only changes his mind when Amity's Fourth of July celebrations get cut short when the shark shows up and kills a man - all in plain view of everyone on the beach. From there, Brody and Hooper track down Quint and the three of them set sail, in search of the killer great white.
From there, it becomes almost a game of hide-and-seek. The three men sit, patiently waiting. Hooper steers the boat, Quint sits in his fisherman's chair, and Brody throws chum in the water for bait. When Hooper and Quint aren't looking, the shark suddenly springs up and shocks Brody nearly to death. Quiet and backing up slowly, he utters to Quint those infamous words that are synonymous with this film, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." At approximately 25 feet long and a weight of three tons, Brody's words ring true. The shark plays mind games with our heroes, showing up whenever it feels like it, seemingly coming from all directions, and dragging the boat further out to sea. It's only a matter of time before the beast does enough damage, ramming the boat and trying to leap onto the back end. When it starts to show signs of sinking, it's up to the three men to destroy the shark quickly before they become lunch, in a dramatic, explosive conclusion that keeps your eyes glued to the screen.
"Jaws" is the definition of a classic film. It may have been released over 30 years ago, but it stands the test of time. Steven Spielberg and crew may not have known it at the time, but they were setting the standard for any filmmaker who wanted to tackle the horror/suspense genre, myself included. For most of the film, you don't even see the shark. It's that old saying, "Less is more." All you need to get that feeling of welcoming dread is that POV shot and the infamous score. I know that for the longest time after seeing the movie, and even sometimes now, I can still hear it whenever I'm near a river or lake.
Duh duh........duh duh duh duh......

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T09:55:00.000-06:00

Jet boats, in-laws and bald-headed killer bears

"The Great Outdoors" (1988)
Directed by: Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink, The Replacements)
Starring: John Candy, Dan Akroyd
Running time: 91 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4/5

With the weather finally cooperating and holiday plans being made, I thought I would reach into the vault this week, and review a movie that my friends and I believe to be required viewing every summer.
"The Great Outdoors" is an easy-to-like story of a family's trip to the scenic views of a lakeside cabin. In one of his funniest roles, legendary funny-man John Candy is Chet Ripley, a suburban guy who just wants a nice, relaxing vacation with his family. Ruining that dream is wealthy loudmouth Roman Craig, Chet's brother-in-law, played by Dan Akroyd. Roman brings his family; wife Kate, played by Annette Bening in her feature film debut, and twin daughters Cara and Mara. What follows is anything but some trusty R&R, as Chet accidentally gets dragged across the lake on water skis, gets two black bears roaming on top of his vehicle, and is pushed into eating a HUGE steak, dubbed "The Old 96'er."
This movie is just simple, family fun. The thing I love about it is that the comedy in it appeals to all ages; I myself have been watching this movie since I was 7 or 8 years old, and I still find it funny today. John Candy is at his best here, and you're only reminded how sad it is that this Canadian comedy icon is no longer with us. Dan Akroyd is a perfect fit for Roman Craig; he's obnoxious, annoying, and he probably knows it.
However, the film isn't without it's faults; I could have done without the teenage-love storyline involving Chet's oldest son Buck and a local girl named Cammie. And there's actually a big goof you can easily notice that takes place inside the cabin. After the family return from the restaurant and Chet has just ate a 96-ounce steak, he gets sick and vomits in the bathroom. The rest of the family follows him, and the camera slowly pans to the right as they tend to Chet. What we're not supposed to see is Dan Akroyd giving a cue to the rest of the actors to run outside after seeing how sick Chet gets. It's a mistake, but a big one, and I don't know why the filmmakers didn't do one more take to get it right.
Nevertheless, this movie is an enjoyable classic, and it even makes you want to pack everything up and head to a cabin near you. Looking back on my own cabin excursions, I fondly remember going to Candle Lake every summer with my own family when I was a kid, and I enjoyed going to Pratt Lake last summer with my best friends, Chris and Kyle. I guess the only "Great Outdoors"-type memory we all took back with us was when Chris and I plowed a golf cart into the ground, scraping my right arm up pretty good, and later that afternoon, the golf cart died on us. After much deliberation and mistrials, we were finally able to get it back to the cabin. But enough about my own moments of idiocy - that's a subject for another time and another rant.
If you're looking for some light entertainment that's funny and enjoyable, then I'm sure that you'll love this film. In a time now where summer movies are computer-driven, long-winded schlock-busters that cost $150 million or more, a short, sweet and funny movie like "The Great Outdoors" is as relaxing as being in, well, the great outdoors.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T09:52:00.000-06:00

Resurrecting the Bat

"Batman Begins" (2005)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige)
Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Tom Wilkinson
Running time: 140 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Forget everything Bat-related from the last 18 years. Yes, that even includes Tim Burton's classics from '89 and '92, but especially the bombastic, unforgivable films "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin". Director Christopher Nolan strips away at the legendary DC Comics hero, and tells a story of one man's fight for justice in a city filled with corruption.
Welsh actor Christian Bale is the iconic title character, and is excellent at playing a dual role; one as the wealthy-yet-tortured billionaire Bruce Wayne, the other as the masked, crime-fighting Batman. Bale's portrayal of the Gotham City savior is arguably the best acting seen in any comic-book adaptation; this hero is mysterious, heartbroken and incredibly vulnerable. Bale is so committed to this role that in press interviews for the film's theatrical release, he spoke only in his character's accent, citing the deep history of this American icon as reasoning for doing so.
The film begins with young Bruce Wayne's terrifying first experience with bats. His father explains how fear made the creatures attack him. The emotion of fear is an ever-present omen in the film, most notably when Bruce's parents are robbed at gunpoint after attending a play. Things turn violent, and the young boy witnesses his mother and father being murdered. As a result of this tragedy, the family servant Alfred, played with a comforting presence by Michael Caine, is thrust into the role of guardian to a grief-stricken Bruce.
Years later, a grown-up Wayne returns home to Gotham City, present only to oversee the court hearing of the man who killed his parents. By this point, Bruce is seething with thoughts of brutal revenge, and jaded by what he sees as a corrupt and broken system of law. His childhood friend Rachel Dawes, played by Katie Holmes, tries to reason with him but to no avail. Bruce suddenly leaves his home, and ventures to the other side of the world, where he meets a mysterious man named Henri Ducard, played by Liam Neeson. Acting as a mentor to Bruce, Ducard trains him in combat, and teaches him that a heart filled with vengeance will ultimately destroy you in the end.
Wayne lives and trains in the cold mountains for what seems like years, and when he finally returns home to Gotham, he vows to instill fear into his enemies and fight for justice, not simply for his own personal gain.
Director Nolan wonderfully finesses the duality of the character; while Bruce Wayne and Batman are only but one man, they are both two very different personalities. You find yourself asking who the alter ego is at times. Is it Wayne secretly disguised as Batman, or Batman secretly disguised as Wayne? Nolan also shows the viewer a city in peril - Gotham's resident gangster Carmine Falcone, played by Tom Wilkinson, runs the city's underbelly and has a number of authority figures on his payroll. Meanwhile, criminal psychologist Dr. Jonathan Crane, played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy, terrorizes his patients with a mind-altering poison and a mask he uses to bring out pure insanity, earning the nickname of "the Scarecrow". Batman has his hands more than full with these villains.
Other high-profile names round out the cast in this film. Gary Oldman plays Jim Gordon, a good cop on the force at a time when there isn't many, who sees Batman as an ally when most of the city doesn't. It's a nice change of pace seeing Oldman as the good guy. He brings an easy presence to the screen and is actually pretty funny with some of his facial expressions. And Morgan Freeman is Lucius Fox, a weapons and equipment expert who unknowingly supplies Bruce Wayne with the tools and wardrobe he uses to become Batman. Freeman is his usual go-lucky self; it's different seeing him in a comic-book film, but it's more than welcome.
This movie stands out on it's own, far apart from the previous four, but they do give a nod to the Tim Burton-directed "Batman". When gangster Falcone shrieks in terror, "What are you?!?", our hero snatches him by the collar and growls, "I'm Batman!", in a moment that sends a shiver down my spine every time I watch it.
With an incredible, diverse cast and engaging, emotional story, "Batman Begins" is exactly how a super-hero film should be. It's powerful, exciting, and leaves you wanting more. As a matter of fact, the final scene will have you anticipating the sequel, entitled "The Dark Knight". And no............I am not joking.

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

2007-09-17T09:46:00.000-06:00

For those who haven't read them, or those who want to read them again, these are the archived copies of Ruttle's Reviews. It all started with Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning 2006 film, "The Departed".

Dissecting "The Departed"

Welcome to a new feature making its debut in The Outlook. As an obsessed, over-analytical movie buff and budding filmmaker, I want to share with you my thoughts, opinions, and overall reviews of the best (and worst) that Hollywood has to offer. Through the latest titles to hit DVD to my own personal library, I hope this feature is helpful when the weekend comes, and you're looking for something to rent at your local video store to go along with that tub of popcorn and 1-gallon Coke. And so with that, please enjoy.

“The Departed” (2006)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull, GoodFellas, Gangs of New York)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon
Running time: 151 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Think "GoodFellas" with a more-realistic edge. "The Sopranos" without the lasagna and cannoli. Scorsese's latest took home four Academy Awards, including the Best Direction statue that has eluded the filmmaker all these years.
"The Departed" is an American version of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller "Infernal Affairs". The film takes us to the crime-ridden underworld of Boston, owned and operated by Irish mob boss Frank Costello, played with welcoming intensity by the legendary Jack Nicholson. Costello ushers the viewer into his world, commenting through narration that when he was a kid, "they said we could either be cops or criminals. The question I ask is this; when you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?" These words seem to stay with you as the film progresses.
Meanwhile, Scorsese greatly balances the contrast between the film's two young stars. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, a troubled young man fresh out of police training, who is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate Costello's gang. Having worked with Scorsese twice before this film, DiCaprio has displayed his skills incredibly over the past few years, showing that he's come a long way since "Titanic" and Teen Beat magazine. On the other side of the tracks, Matt Damon is Colin Sullivan, almost a son to Costello, who joins the ranks of the Boston Police Department on behalf of his "father". Damon has fun with the role, showing a darker side to his acting chops that we normally don't get to see. Personally, I think that both actors were robbed of Oscar nominations.
The universal theme of "The Departed" is deception. Who can you trust? Is everything as it seems? Nicholson, Damon and DiCaprio give us characters that are anything but one-dimensional; they're haunted, mysterious, and at war with their own personal demons.
With roles by Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin rounding out the cast, as well as a unique and diverse soundtrack featuring the Rolling Stones and Van Morrison, Martin Scorsese has made a film that stays with you, and it only gets better with each viewing. After taking a break from his "bread and butter" crime sagas, Scorsese makes it hard for you to depart with "The Departed".

in the future, there will be news

2007-09-17T09:11:00.000-06:00

Welcome to The Rants of Ruttle, where as a news reporter for The Outlook community newspaper, I'll be posting portions of my articles, as well as the anticipated return of "Ruttle's Reviews". Many have asked me where that section had gone, and to tell the truth, there just hasn't been enough time for me to sit down and write a review the last few weeks. But now that we at The Outlook are looking to the 'net to reach you, the reader, you can expect new movie reviews, as well as news stories and the occasional commentary or two.

Feel free to email me your comments, opinions, suggestions. Enjoy the new reviews and make sure to read The Outlook each and every week.

"The Joker"
Derek Ruttle
druttle@theoutlook.ca

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Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

in the future, there will be news

Turned Out Almost As I Planned

Merchants Home Opener TONIGHT