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
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
A Week Off And No Definite Plans
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
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
Friday, May 16, 2008
Darcey Busse: 1961-2008
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
Monday, May 5, 2008
Riding With The King...
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
Friday, April 18, 2008
Brooks & Dunn & Jackson
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
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
Friday, April 11, 2008
A Rock God......Well, Sorta...
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
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
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
In A Word....Perfect!
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
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
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