Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game

This post is inspired by events that take place in Lost, season 1.

At the end of episode 4, John Jock stares at his wheelchair going up in flames with the dead bodies and rotting innards of the Lost group's crashed airplane. Him smiling at the engulfed chair symbolizes his joy of not being limited anymore. He can now walk and no one can tell him what he "can't do."

I have a problem with his emotion over the melting wheelchair. I could not help but think...poor wheelchair. Lock had been crippled and rather than crawl around in the dirt, elbow over elbow, the ol' reliable chair of wheel contraption allowed him to maintain some sort of respect and mobility.

Apparently Phillip II of Spain had a wheelchair made for him in 1595. This invention was truly a tool built for kings! To scoff at Phillip II chair would be an act of dishonor to the king and would surely result in the loss of one's head.

But I understand John. Losing the ability to walk in a world on the move is devastating. You can't dance, kick bums, or go on "Walk-About" trips. It sucks. But consider not being able to even get around. Having to hire someone to carry you is cool for about a week, but then it just gets embarrassing...even if it's a midget. The thing that really takes the cripples' hand and supports them through a tough time is a wheel.

While some views may have watched and cried for Lock's freedom of the chair, I cried for the chairs lack of respect or a thank you. The wheelchair is truly the "Velveteen Rabbit" of the cured.

Just Give Mel Gibson the Oscar Now

In one of the most anticipated movies since The Empire Strikes Back, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Beverley Hills Cop 3, comes a film about a man and his...beaver?

Mel Gibson will star in The Beaver as a man coping with his problems by having a beaver hand puppet be his friend. The film reunites Jodie Foster and Gibson. This duo produced the classic poker western Maverick. The two actors chemistry was so enjoyable it is strange a follow up film has not been attempted until now.

Reportedly the film was originally going to star Steve Carell, but he backed out for unknown reasons. Once Mel Gibson came on Foster was not immediately sold. Later she was told the film would have plenty of Beaver in it. She immediately signed on.

For early pictures of Mel Gibson with his beaver click here. To refresh your Maverick memory take a look at the video below.

See This Movie!

I just got back from a limited showing of the new Michael Moore film "Capitalism: A Love Story," and I am still in awe of Moore's film making ability. This movie cements Moore as one of the great documentary film makers of our time.

Through small private incidents to large public problems, Moore reveals the effect of Capitalism on the United States. He is able to capture heart felt raw family emotions, humor through sarcastic and real imagery, and mix them with video of experts, politicians, religious leaders, young people and old to produce a discussion. A discussion about what is right, just, and fair...to everyone.

Moore's villain, Capitalism, is lit in a light that shows it's main flaw: greed. Republicans and most certainly Democrats are not spared in this murder mystery where 95% of the population is the victim. "Capitalism" tries to expose the real Professor Plums and Col. Mustards by revealing capitalism's candlesticks. The film comes off as a "who done it?" and the film watcher leaves with the intent to bring capitalism and greed to justice.

I reccomend this film to everyone. Unless your ideology centers around greed or hate, this film is for you. I would also recommend "Sicko": Moore's documentary on the health issues in the United States (namely care and insurrance). Enjoy the trailer below.

Try Asking Politely

It's football season once again and I think we all know what that means...commercials. Football games have more commercials than any other sporting event. Soccer, though annoying and bad, only has commercials during the half-way break. Baseball shows the whole half inning (excluding pitching changes) and Basketball plays until a time out is called or the end of the quarter.

Football is a game of constant stop and go. There are commercial breaks when there is a timeout, a change of possession, an injury (due to the nature of the game, there are many), the end of a quarter, a timeout, and an occasional television timeout. At a certain point the commercials start repeating...

...and the hate begins!

My current most hated commercial is actually a campaign of commercials: the Carfax commercials.

This series of commercials does not bug me because of the sheer stupidity (Car Fox), but rather because of how rude and mean the potential car buyers are. The customer basically picks a car they like and then impolitely says, "Show me the Carfax." Not, "Please, show me the Carfax" or "Would you be so kind to show me the Carfax details." They rudely, and repeatedly (this is key to my annoyance level), demand to see the Carfax like a Nazi looking for hidden Jews.

"Show me the Jews!"

"Oh, you mean the Jew Fox?"

Kanye "Drama Queen" West

Kanye West was on the first episode of Jay Leno tonight and I could not help but laugh. He had his head down and was in the apologetic frame of mind of a murderer or drunk driver who injured someone.

Anyone who saw what happens agrees he was an idiot, but this is exactly why we hated what he did. When he ran on stage and took the microphone, he did so because he thinks he is the most amazing artist of all time. When he apologized on Leno, he was so down on himself because he thinks everyone recognizes him as the greatest artist of all time. He let everyone down in his mind. You are why the terrorist hate us, Kanye.

The best part was when Leno asked Kanye, "What do you think she (Kanye's mother) would say about this?" Kanye sat in silence and starting getting emotional. Here's the answer...

Who cares?! What about Taylor Swift? Is Kanye's mother going to disown him? No. Who cares about what your mother thinks of you? Shouldn't you be mannered and a good person towards others, too? Maybe Kanye should think about others insteed of how his interections with others sit with his mother. How does that sit with Swift?

The truth is he is just another artist. He isn't a bad artist, just another. Most musicians come and go. Hopefully this will lead to Kanye's time passing a bit quicker.