CosmicBills

Being tough on big Hollywood films is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel with a bazooka, though isn't it? The big, tent-pole movies are for the eyes and senses first and the mind second. That's not to say that there aren't amazingly well done popcorn movies, because there are, but the big event films like the Aliens, True Lies, Avatars, Star Treks, Gladiators etc are not really meant to be much more than a fun ride. Obviously they have to work on basic fundamental story levels (and the worst of the popcorn movies don't). But if you're looking for layers or dramatic fireworks, you aren't likely to find much ... unless it's a very, very rare film.

This is the BEST Sports Story in the history of the world. They bring guns WITH them into the locker room!!! Why?!?! In case a reporter gets out of line? REPORTER: "Gilbert, they were double teaming you all night, how did that affect your shot?" GILBERT ARENAS: "What'd you say motherf*%^er? My shot is perfect! Let me show you!" Jesus. And it was on CHRISTMAS EVE! How much funnier could you get? I LOVE it.

I'm fairly certain this is incorrect. In fact, Cameron ONLY wanted to do this movie in 3D. It's how he envisioned it, how he blocked it, and how he wanted people to see it. It was a big risk on his part because in today's Hollywood, Studios are (almost) making movies more for DVD sales than actual Box Office performance. But Cameron designed this to be an in theater, in 3D experience. DVD, HBO be damned. I did not work at ALL on this movie and have zero inside insight or anything, but I did get to go to set for a few hours and overhear a conversation with Cameron and my old boss about the making of. It was pretty cool to see how passionate he was about it.

100% correct. But, in my defense, Cloverfield was never meant to be anything other than a cool, new perspective in the cheap monster movie genre.

I can't believe this is still going on. It's kind of fantastic. ... in the most pathetic usage of the word.

I'm still not sure what I think about it yet. It was fun for sure. It was beautiful. But the story was so ... meh. It was a hodgepodge of Biblical parables, Dances with Wolves and Braveheart. Not that those are bad things ... it just was lacking that cool (story) factor and instead was just Cameron showing off his new toys -- albeit quite spectacularly. The story didn't give me any chills or swelling of tears or even a kick ass applause moment -- but for maybe when the evil Colonel escapes the plane crash. A couple of nitpicky, screenwritery story issues kept bugging me -- though I doubt most "normal" audiences would notice (failure to describe the rules, very low stakes through much of the first 2 hours etc). It just shows the one thing that Cameron is really missing -- he's not much of a writer. He's a brilliant director and came up with a couple super cool ideas. Terminator was a fantastic concept that carried both movies through some dodgy storytelling. Aliens was terrific, but not an original story (he rewrote it). The Abyss is another cool concept (UFO's that live under the ocean) but is so chalk full of cheese that the concept is JUST barely able to carry our attention. True Lies is a favorite, but it's almost beat for beat the same as the foreign film it's based on -- just with some great action sequences. Titanic ... can't say cause I never saw it, but it's another great concept (a love story on a sinking ship). Then with Avatar, he doesn't have that cool new concept. No killer robot, no great husband/wife spy story, no famous acid blooded aliens. Instead, his new hook is HOW the movie looks. And that's fine ... but at 2:30+ running time, I'm not sure it's enough to carry it into the same, rarefied air as his other hits. Really, at many points, it was a Pixar movie for adults. Both are gorgeous, both are fun, just Avatar cost a whole **** ton more to make. When it was the Na'avi on screen, there was very little tension or fear because ... they weren't real. This stood out really for me when we suddenly switched to the real actors running from the base to the helicopter (where SPOILER: Sigorney Weaver gets shot). That moment was VERY cool because it was real. I think in Pixar type movies the tension works because EVERYONE in the world is animated ... so your mind goes along for the ride. But with this, because it was half and half, it was very difficult to make that FULL leap and suspend your disbelief. SPOILERS: When the warrior brother died? Meh. When the flying banshee died? Meh. When Sigorney Weaver died? That felt like something. Because she was real. The rest of the action ... was just a lot of very pretty lights and sound -- the best looking video game ever made. All that said, I respect the hell out of Cameron for sticking to the stories he wants to tell. This is a story he's wanted to do for over a decade and he did it the way he wanted to do it. That's cool and awesome. It's kind of like Lucas and Cameron are opposite sides of the same coin. Lucas did the same thing creatively with Star Wars (the prequels) ... he told a story he wanted to tell how he wanted to tell it, and got mascaraed for it because it tampered with a cultural touchstone -- regardless of the fact it was a touchstone he himself created. But Cameron is doing the same thing ... just with an original story. And, because he's Cameron, he can do it without flack whereas Lucas can't. Of course, Cameron is a WAY better director than Lucas so that probably has something to do with it. Just interesting to me. Not sure why. But as a storyteller I was jealous watching the movie because it's clearly very personal and cool story for Cameron. There were a couple good lines that were typical Cameron. There were some spectacular sequences in conception and execution -- just not enough meat on the story for me to really hold up and say "this is the best movie of the decade -- or the year". Though I will say, if I was 8 years old and this movie came out -- it would be a seminal movie for me because I'd be unaware of a lot of the story issues that bugged me and I'd be way more pure as far as my cinematic slate goes (I wouldn't be aware of Dances with Wolves, Braveheart, etc etc). Still, I took my father to this movie and he said it was the best movie he's ever seen. Period. He was "in it" the whole way.

Leach is known for making injured players "practice" when the team does. If a guy has a bum leg, he makes them do pushups on the sideline while the team practices. So it's not a ridiculous comparison. That's what this is all about. That sort of thing is fine. Pushups on the sidelines is one thing. Locking a kid in a storage closet during practice is just silly. At least pushups have some value. But locking the kid in a closet where he can't observe the practice, can't learn, can't do anything is just asking to be fired. That's not being tough. That's being stupid. And that won't work in the NFL.

There is a huge difference between discipline and hate. Not being able to freely say racial or homophobic slurs has zero to do with parents over-protecting their kids. Zero. That's just being a decent, accepting human being. Is locking a kid in a closet (or equipment shed) really a big deal? No. It's not life or death and not necessarily inhumane or cruel. It's just stupid and childish on Leach's part. As a leader of men, he has to know better. Do you really think he would be able to do that with a grown, professional athlete? Try telling someone like Mitchell that he has to do push ups on the sideline during practice because he has a bum wheel. Right. This story, if true ... which based on his firing appears to be the case ... reflects poorly on Leach. Not the kid. The kid may well be a wuss. Leach may have been trying to teach the kid a lesson about toughening up. But he is a first rate moron for doing it this way. It's ASKING to be fired. You have to know the rules.

I don't think that link says he's coming back to Tampa at all. In fact, it makes it quite clear Dungy won't be returning to the NFL in any form in '10.

Seriously? A punt? Ugh.

Kid's got a great, quick release.

That wasn't a good throw.

I never said it did.

I will say this. Brohm has an arm. Way better than Trent and Fitz and seems to be as good as JPs (though that's IMPOSSIBLE to tell after a handful of throws). I'm not saying he's the answer. We won't know that even after this game. But it looks like an NFL QB throwing the ball for once.

It was a benign brain cyst if I remember correctly. I don't have the article in front of me, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I know it was brain related. But as Lori and others have pointed out, it seems as if it's a new heart ailment that is forcing him to step down. That probably puts a big, sinking hole in my idle conspiracy theory. Not that it was based on anything other than a hunch and baseless gossip in the first place

Sports Illustrated had an article a few weeks ago about his health issues. Apparently he learned how to cope with it and changed his attitude and coaching style to keep healthy. According to SI, he has lived with it fine for years. That said ... My own (worthless) conspiracy theory take is that he's NOT stepping down for health reasons. Rather, he's stepping down before the NCAA hands out some heavy duty sanctions against Florida. How many players have been arrested during his tenure? How many times has he been accused of recruiting violations? Might not happen this way. I have ZERO proof of this. Just call it a hunch. Men like him don't walk away unless they are looking to preserve their legacy. By saying it's health related, he gets off the hook ... until the NCAA comes down that is. But at least he won't have to deal with the ramifications of these (alleged) violations by coaching a team on probation. Just my two cents.

Really? Another one?

More than that -- it was a movie about race relations set during a very volatile time in our nation's history ... yet it was totally Disney-fied. PG rated, no racial slurs, no real dialogue, no real conflict. The entire point of the movie is neutered by Bruckheimer trying to be PC.

Some Of My Favorite Films of the Decade (That haven't been mentioned yet ... unless I missed some) Comedy: Old School (in my opinion, both Will Ferrel and Vince Vaughn's finest work), Wonder Boys, Snatch Drama: In Bruges, Unbreakable Mystery/Thriller: Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, Memento Action Adventure: Casino Royal Western: Open Range Doc: Anvil Remakes: Ocean 11

;) But ... didn't Star Trek make up for it?!

So true.

YESSS!!!! ... ****. Nevermind.

Great grab by Lee. Good toss too.

Wow, Josh. Just wow.

Hey, I'm with you there. 100%.