A Geek At Heart
Why, yes, I do have a Wii. And though I hounded my mother to send it up to college with me (after forgetting to include it with my original box of stuff from home), I rarely play it. It just solemnly sits next to my roommate’s tiny 18-or-so-inch television. However, recent findings on Entertainment Weekly’s guide to holiday gifts for geeks have moved me to want to dust off my system and get back to playing.
Particularly, the new Super Mario. for Wii.
I love Super Mario. Always have. Super Mario Bros. III is up there on my list of the greatest 2D games ever created. With multiplayer settings added—so friends can join in the fun on screen—and classic side-scroll gameplay, what more could a college kid with a 10-year-old complex ask for? Maybe rims.
What Some People Will Do For FAME
Michaele Sahali with the Big O, Courtesy of the White House
Bravo is in the process of casting and compiling the Real Housewives of D.C. So, of course, this means crazed fans looking for their shot at fame. Enter, Michaele and Tareq Salahi. The Virginia couple apparently crashed Barack Obama’s first White House state dinner honoring the Prime Minister of India and started going Facebook profile pic-crazy—getting shots with Vice Pres. Biden and Rahm Emanuel.
Why…why in the world would a couple just be able to traipse into a high-class White House gala unnoticed by authorities? Chances are, the place was seriously guarded—I’m picturing bouncers at the door with an intense-looking guest list. But no, they were just able to walk right in. Also, why would you post those pictures to Facebook? There’s no word as to whether the pictures are still up, but the couple’s presence at the dinner sparked a full Secret Service investigation that will extend into next week.
I’m guessing this won’t help their chances to get on the show. Or, who knows? The drama might bring Bravo more viewers—a prospect I’m sure fits in with the network’s goals.
“Although these individuals went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely,” Mark Sullivan, director of the Secret Service said. “That failing is ours.”
The Muppets and Bohemian Rhapsody
I just found this video of The Muppets performing their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Not only was I reminded of my childhood, but I was also reminded why the Muppets scared me half to death as a child. I also love the edited lyrics and underlying social commentary. “Mama, mama, mama!” …Because any instance of the actual lyrics in that part of the song (or most, for that matter) would have parent’s associations all across the country pounding on Jim Henson’s door.
Gaga Reveals Her Demons
In a recent interview with E! News, Lady Gaga expressed her innermost fears. As a rising pop icon, the Lady of Pop (yes, I called her that) revealed that other inhibitions and insecurities stemming from things she calls “sex monster, fame monster, love monster, myself monster, etc” have come to the forefront in her life.
But that didn’t stop her from buying $1000 worth of pizza for her hundreds of fans that showed up to a Los Angeles Best Buy. While waiting outside for hours, Gaga ordered up some fresh pies for her anxious little monsters. As E! Online puts it, she may be scared of all these other things in her life…but she isn’t afraid of carbs!
Hey, Precious
*Spoiler Alert*
The first few minutes of “Precious” forces you to reach inside yourself, rip out your guts, twist at the very epicenter of your soul and sit there, mangled in an uncomfortable movie theater seat. As a broken, flabby piece of human being, you can only wait while film prepares to take its toll.
“Precious” is the story of a 16-year-old obese African-American girl living in 1987 Harlem and is a testament to the unfortunate condition of many people living in the ghetto. It recruits those who have experienced the life to pay close attention and, at first, makes the audience feel untouchable by the circumstances. Halfway through the film, however, you realize that no one is holding your hand through what is unraveling on screen—you’re a bucket of mangled guts trying to piece together gripping socio-economic commentary. And it hits all-too-close to home.
For starters, the cast of “Precious” was meticulously chosen and successful. Mo’Nique, an actress I connect more to playing loving, caring women, epitomized the hateful scorn of a woman who has lost everything. Gabourey Sidibe, who plays the title role, is not a conventional actress. Instead, she is a person who completely envelops her character. Her total embodiment of Precious makes her the undeniable star of the movie and each word she speaks adds to the overwhelming beauty in her role.
Mariah Carey seemed like a strange choice to play Mrs. Weiss, Precious’ social worker (a role originally filled by Hellen Mirren). However, she sheds herself of her usual glamour to play the role and her homely attitude struck something recognizable through the screen.
The film relies on a certain balance between shock and raw reality to reach its ultimate goal. Many of us have seen movies with children being abused, raped and verbally attacked, but the triumph of “Precious” is its ability to make this more of a realistic representation of these occurrences. When she is beat and raped, Precious doesn’t go running outside at first, only to be happily reunited with her mother at the end. Instead, she lingers in the home that brings her so much pain. This pain resonates in the audience and the flashbacks and fantasies that her strife triggers bring poignancy to each moment of despondent recollection.
I’d recommend “Precious” to anyone. Not only because it sheds light on a situation facing many unsung people in society, but because it remains truthful to them. The ending is not a particularly happy one, even though it may seem so. But it leaves you questioning the truth in beauty, the meaning of love and the disillusionment of the privileged masses.
Dodging Silver Bullets to a Silver Screen
Once shirts come off, you know things are about to get serious. But then shirts keep coming off and you realize what could have been a collection of sporadically and strategically placed shirtless shots of Taylor Lautner has become an abdominal-centric film. Because in the Haus of New Moon, no one can survive without pecs and delts.
That’s just what New Moon was for me.
I have lots of Thanksgiving Break relaxation to catch up on, so I’ll make this quick:
The ever-present cheesy dialogue, awkward kissing moments (the less you know about the female anatomy, the better, Robert Pattinson) and underused talent (I wanted Dakota Fanning to have more lines!) didn’t make the movie terrible—as it was definitely a step up from the first. However, New Moon is nothing more than buffer for the hopefully epic Eclipse. With such a swiftly approaching release (June 2010), there is almost no wonder why this sequel felt empty and superficial.
Most of what I remember from the movie was Taylor Lautner. That’s it. He definitely stepped up to the challenge of his role. Though he appropriately overshadowed the pale, lipstick-laden and gross-looking RobPatz, Lautner did, however, seem a bit too dolled up for the part. But that didn’t stop me from laughing every orgasmic yelp from teenagers in the theater.
Supporting characters, specifically the wolf tribe were poorly cast. I felt no sense of family among the clan and their strange CGI wolf forms left much to be desired. I would have liked to see Where The Wild Things Are-type weres. Maybe next film? More humanism and less special effect glamour.
Aside from that, as usual, Kristen Stewart was just dumb.
Boom Boom Pow, Black-Eyed Perez
Anybody remember the drama in June surrounding Will.i.am and Perez Hilton? E! News does. I was actually going to use the incident for an ethics paper I had to write earlier this year. For those of you who don’t know what happened, basically Will’s road manager punched Perez Hilton at a Toronto night club after Hilton called Will.i.am a “f—-t”
The road manager, Liborio Molina finally issued an apology, saying, ”I apologize for what I did on June 22, 2009, even though you engaged in highly offensive comments, including a homophobic slur to my clients.”
Homophobic? I dare call it that, as Perez Hilton is one of the most out and proud gossipers on the scene. Hateful, yes. But the man is, by no means, homophobic. Maybe now the two parties can go on in peace…after waiting a few good months for a small apology.
Lady Gaga’s “Little Monsters”
I don’t follow Lady Gaga on Twitter, but I do check it occasionally (strange, huh?) But I’ve realized a funny/weird/funky trend of hers. Instead of always addressing her Twitter followers as the usual “fans,” she tends to call people her “little monsters.”
It definitely goes along with her whole “Fame Monster” get-up, but for some reason, whenever I read a tweet of hers, I can’t help hearing a strange Bjork-style accent. Here are some examples:
THE FAME is the first album in history to have four #1 radio hits! i wish i could wrap my arms around my little monsters, the reason is u.xx
Have an important announcement tonight on german tv Wetten Dass…watch little monsters…
Get the idea? I find it just a little bit creepy. Then again, it’s Gaga we’re talking about, here.
I’ve Got The Golden Ticket!
A few days ago, I bought my ticket. I went to Fandango and searched the Ithaca Mall Regal Stadium and spent 11 dollars online to print out the ticket that would save my life. As it printed from my computer at work, I felt a seething passion burn from within my gut, rising up to my ribs, gliding through my shoulders and reaching my eyes as I held it in my hand—glistening pupils abound.
I held, in my very hands, a ticket to the November 20th midnight showing of New Moon.
I can’t believe it’s finally here. I’ve been feeding my craving for vampire cinematic splendor with True Blood, but in a deep crevice of my pulmonary artery, I know I need Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner back in my life. As usual, I’ll be back with the verdict next Saturday. Hold your fangs.
Bad Romance, Great Video
Lady Gaga’s video for her newest single, “Bad Romance,” definitely topped my feeling for Shakira’s “Did it Again” masterpiece. Crazy costumes, emphatic symbolism and fierce dance moves decorate the flashy presentation. Her full-body white suit in the beginning even looks like Max from Where The Wild Things Are…on drugs.
For all of you that are gaga for Gaga, this video will please. Again and again.
Feed for All That Jazz