Did you know the Head of the Charles was this weekend? Yeah, neither did I.
Didn’t this event used to be a big deal around these parts? (I said the same thing two years ago.) Hmmmmm …
Quiet Down, Kids
17 Oct
Over the past two months, I’ve been in touch with my building management company a couple times about the increase, not just in noise, but in the lack of respect for neighbors in my building.
First there was the flute and violin playing next door, then there were the doors constantly being propped open, and then there were the parties two weekends in a row where college students would hang out right outside the front door of the building until early hours of the morning, talking loudly and smoking.
And it’s not that I have a problem with them smoking, per se, it’s just that the weather was nice those nights and my windows were open, and the smell of the cigarettes wafted up to my apartment.
And worse, on Columbus Day, I left the building and found all kinds of trash — cigarette butts, empty cigarette boxes, crushed cans of beer — in the flowerbeds outside the front door. Continue reading
It’s Torture
17 Oct
The tagline for the movie Rendition is “What if someone you love … just disappeared?” Well, it seems apt to paraphrase it for this review: What if a movie starring Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Meryl Streep … one that dealt with a topical subject like torturing suspected terrorists … one where the two apparent leads apparently fell in love off-screen … suddenly disappeared? I mean, did you know the movie was being released this Friday? I haven’t seen a single ad, article, TV spot, or heard anything about it. It’s almost as if the New Line doesn’t even want you to know it exists.
Well, you should thank them. Rendition is actually a pretty awful movie. Reese’s Egyptian husband is taken into protective custody and shipped off to North Africa after he’s suspected of being involved in a terrorist bombing. Jake’s on the team that does the torturing, but apparently he’s conflicted about it (I say apparently because he doesn’t show any emotion at all). Streep is the apparently Southern CIA agent who orders and then covers up these torture interrogations, known as extraordinary rendition. (Oh, and I say apparently in Streep’s case because it took about half the movie for me to realize she was speaking with a twang in her voice. It’s definitely the worst accent she’s ever done.) Peter Sarsgaard plays an aide to a Senator (Alan Arkin); apparently, Sarsgaard’s character went to school with Reese’s. (Again, apparently because they don’t look at all like they’re the same age — in fact, Sarsgaard is five years older than Reese.) Oh, and did I mention that Reese’s character is pregnant and at one point when she goes into labor after a tense confrontation (you knew that would happen, didn’t you?), someone actually stops to ask her, “Are you alright?” And all this is without mentioning the film’s chronology of events, which is totally confusing and jumbled up just to make it seem more “artsy.” (And if you’re interested, Reese and Jake never once act together here. It’s like they’re in two different movies.)
Reese’s husband is the one being tortured, but really, it’s the moviegoers who are enduring the worst of it. I’ve definitely seen worse movies, but this one surely ranks as one of the worst of this year. No wonder you’re not hearing anything about it. I give Rendition a D.
Enough Is Enough
16 Oct
It’s bad enough we gave up seven runs in one inning, had our third straight pitcher unable to pitch five full innings, and we’re now down 3 games to 1 in the ALCS. But did Joe Buck and Tim McCarver have to bring up — not once or twice but at least three times — that today, October 16, is the fourth anniversary of the fateful ALCS game seven against the Yankees? After winning the World Series in 2004, it’s safe to say that wound has healed (maybe not completely, but it no longer stings). It’s amazing that even when the Yankees aren’t even playing, the guys on Fox still show their loyalty.
As for me, I’m already thinking back to the good old days of spring training. I’m hopeful that Beckett will pick us up on Thursday and shift the momentum back our way. But at this point, it’s just not looking good. It’s not that I’m giving up; I’m not. But this isn’t 2004. I think the season may actually be coming to a close this time.
It’s Not Over
15 Oct
Sure, I could blast Dice-K for giving up four runs and six hits over just four-plus innings (again), but I’m feeling generous tonight for some reason. After all, his six strikeouts were impressive. Maybe it’s Post-Gagne Syndrome, but to me, even Dice-K didn’t look so bad tonight. (I’m not going to say he was good, because he wasn’t. But he didn’t suck.) And I could also lament the fact that we had plenty of scoring opportunities but couldn’t get anything in. But I won’t.
Yes, for a change I’m going to stay positive after a Sox and Dice-K loss. I’ll say it looks like we’re actually going to need six games to win this thing. We can do that. I hate that we lost the game tonight, but there’s still a lot more baseball to play and we’re not out of it yet. Go Sox!
A Real Bang Up Job
14 Oct
Jesse James was like the evil Brad Pitt of his day, and with no US Weekly or Perez Hilton around to immediately document his exploits, his legend only loomed larger because of how stories of his crimes were passed on.
So it makes perfect sense that in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, James is played by the male half of Brangelina himself, Mr. Pitt.
In this very Terrence Malick–esque film, Robert Ford (the very good Casey Affleck) works his way into his idol’s gang and attempts to befriend James. But Ford learns that the legend and the man are two very different things, and soon he’s plotting against James to bring him down. Continue reading
F’in Gagne!!!
14 Oct
Eric Gagne, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: YOU SUCK!!!!!
Other than that … uh, um, ah, what the hell happened in game two?
A Tale of Two Cities
9 Oct
As a Red Sox fan, it should come as no surprise that I’m real psyched about the Yankees loss in the ALDS. Even though it would have been nice to play a beat-up team like the Yankees, it’ll be even better to play the Indians in the ALCS for a change and to not have to hear the same ole same ole hyped up rivalry talk. And to not have to deal with A-Rod’s weasly antics or any of that crap. I think we’ll beat the Tribe in six. Either way, I’m really looking forward to the series. It’s going to be a good one.
Game Over
8 OctAnd that’s three! The Yankees are done.
Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…!
I Found My Thrill
7 Oct
For almost as long as I’ve lived in Boston, I’ve wanted to go to Six Flags New England (formerly Riverside Park).
After Sunday, I can take that off my list.
Barry, Berk and I headed out to Agawam to ride some rides, and though Superman was not running, a good time was still had by all.
My favorite ride? Batman, even if it was actually, probably, the weakest of those I went on. Flashback and Cyclone both had me saying “Thank you, Jebus” when they were over. The bumper cars were weaker than those at Playland, but the wooden coasters here — Cyclone and Thunderbolt — were scarier than the Dragon Coaster because they felt more rickety and unsafe (amazingly enough). Continue reading
Martin's Musings 