Year of 2008: A Look Back

This year has been the new of the 'comebacks.' Britney Spears, Robert Downey Jr., Guns & Roses, the Miami Dolphins, and Kamen Rider. It has also been the year of 'Change.' The Best has been Barrack Obama being voted President of the United States and one of the worst is the state of the economy and the second to worst but workable is banning gay marriage. The movie blockbusters this year even lived up to the hype such as Iron Man, Dark Knight, etc. While gas prices have lowered, everyone is not so trusting. For those not familiar with the 'comebacks' I mentioned earlier, Britney Spears got a hit record and people have been more forgiving to her. No one wnated to see a movie with Robert Downey Jr. until now with Iron Man and Tropic Thunder. Axel Rose finally released his Chinese Demogracy but no one really cared. The Miami Doklphins are now the play-offs, with a new Quarterback and coach, both who used to be in the NY Jets and beat the NY Jets in which could be Brett Favre's last game ever. And Kamen Rider, a popular 38 year-old Japanese action series was once adapted in Masked Rider in 1995 by Haim Saban and now has returned to the CW4Kids by Adness Entertainment and Steve Wang as Kamen Rider Dragon Knight.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Jetsons Dreamcast

Even though I love the Flintstones, I love the Jetsons much more. Even though most of the things predicted for 'the future' have been surpassed these days, the show is still rumored to be in the works for a movie. Robert Rodriguez is rumored as the director but I heard he has a project he is currently working on and still playing to do a sequel to Sin City, so the Jetsons might still be deep in the future. But it is still fun to dreamcast.

George Jetson / Bryan Cranston
Now, many would have though maybe Jim Carrey or Will Ferrell but I think Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle") would bring more depth and heart to the role. He is unconventional and all in all, the all-american dad. He 'goes' there for his roles, evidence by "Breaking Bad." George was a seemingly spineless button pusher who was often pushed by his boss, Mr. Spacely.

Jane Jetson /Patricia Heaton
I think Robert Rodriguez would agree with me that Jane Jetson should be a modern woman and have her own business other than being a housewife like in the original cartoon. Who else is more progressive and modern than Patricia Heaton?


Judy Jetson / Taylor Momsen
Her real hair is brunette but how they dyed her hair for Jenny Humpries for "Gossip Girl," she is a platinum blonde ringer. Judy Jetson was your typical boy-crazy gossiper mall-hopping teenage girl.


Elroy / Angus T. Jones
It seems many fans have thought of him for the role. He is 15 now but he can play young. For those who don't recognize him, he is the kid from "Two and a Half Men." Elroy Jetson was the youngest but also the most intelligent and invented many things and sometimes more logical than his dear old dad who he looked up to. He had an open heart for animals like Astro and Orbity (from the 80's episodes).


Mr. Spacely / Danny Devito
It is either from a lack of imagination or it is just a no brainer to cast Danny Devito as Mr. Spacely. He looks just like him... except for no glasses and hilter mustache. Mr. Spacely was an employee's worst nightmare in the 1960's, a screaming, narrasastic, angry, insecure, uncaring and ignorant owner of Spacely Sprockets.

Rosie
The robot maid of the Jetsons. Plenty of people have a broad idea of who should play her... from Queen Latifah to Megan Mugally to Joan Rivers, who played a robot in Spaceballs. I think Bender Rodriguez should play her boyfriend Mac.

Astro
For Astro, I think they should just get a good enough voice actor like they did for Scooby-Doo.


Cogswell / David Koechner
When you need a douche, you go to Koechner and I think he would make a great Cogswell, the rival of Mr. Spacely.

The Simpsons Seasons: Good and Bad

UPDATED 7/9/14
Many people love The Simpsons, but now that it is getting older, there are fans of the old seasons who no longer see the show and are unaware of the newer changes (Selma has a daughter?! Patty finally came out of the closet?!) and those newer fans that are unaware of the earlier seasons. So here is my guide of the eras.

Early Days

 

First Season
We all know that in our favorite animated shows, the first season always look awful, but there is a reason this show was not canceled by the first season (because it is great!). There are good episodes like "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," "Bart the Genius," "There's No Disgrace like Home" (where the Simpsons goes through electric shock therapy), "The Telltale Head," "Life on the Fast Lane," and "Homer's Night Out" (the one with the stripper and the picture). Of course, there is the notorious Some Enchanted Evening, that had problems since the beginning but in the end, turned out memorable.

 

Second Season
One episode that many fans that don't know is "Simpson and Delilah" where Homer gets hair and a inspirational gay secetary Karl who kisses him. He might have been thought of a character to be recurring since he appeared in the "The Bartman" music video. This is the first season to introduce the Treehouse of Horror. This season is mostly slow and kinda boring, but it did get exciting by mid-way to end. Some gems include "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish," "Bart the Daredevil," "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge," "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" (Homer thinks he will die), "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Old Money" (Grandpa inherits money from girlfriend), "Brush with Greatness" (Ringo episode) and "The War of the Simpsons" (Homer hunts a catfish during a relationship-fixing weekend). "The Way We Was" showing how Marge and Homer met is the real standout of the season.

Good Old Days
These are the defining moments of the Simpsons.

Third Season
A real golden season, all are great. Many gems like: "Stark Raving Dad" starred Michael Jackson, "Bart the Murderer," "Homer Defined," "Flaming Moe's," "Like Father like Clown," "Radio Bart" (inside the wishing well), "Bart the Lover" (to the right), My favorites: "When Flander Failed" with his Leftroium and "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" (The last formal appearance of Herb voiced by Danny Devito). I remember seeing all these episodes when they first aired as a kid, I was 9. Good ones but forgetable: "Lisa's Pony," "Homer at Bat," "Seperate Vocations" (Bart and Lisa flip sides), "Colonel Homer" and "Lisa the Greek."

 

 

Fourth Season

"Kamp Krusty" was going to be the movie. "A Streetcar Named Marge" is my favorite and the best, which might have influenced "Rugrats." "Homer the Heretic" is the best (to the left). Other gems: "Lisa the Beauty Queen," "Itchy & Scratchy the Movie," "Marge Gets a Job," "New Kid on the Block" (Bart's first love with Sara Gilbert from 'Roseanne"), "Marge vs. the Monorail," "I Love Lisa," "Whacking Day," and "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show." "Last Exit to Springfield" is one forgettable episode where Lisa gets braces and conviently hides them behind her teeth and everyone laughs. My favorite? "Brother from the Same Planet," where Bart attempts telepathy to call Homer to pick him up from practice.

Fifth Season
Here is where things got iff-y. Starting out with a questionable episode: "Homer's Barbershop Quartet." But followed by a golden gem "Cape Feare", the Simpsons go into the Witness Protection Program with wonderful vintages such as "The Thompsons" opening, Homer coming in to Bart's room like Jason, Santa's Little Helper 'walking' in the water, Sideshow Bob's ride with the Simpsons, Homer's utter stupidness to know his name is now Thompson and of course the musical ending. Goods: "Bart's Inner Child," "Rosebud" (Mr. Burns' bear Bobo), "Marge on the Lam," "The Last Temptation of Homer" (Michelle Pfeiffer guest stars), "Homer the Vigilante," "Homer and Apu," "Bart gets Famous," "Homer loves Flanders," "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," and Milestones: "Barts Gets an Elephant," "Deep Space Homer," and "Burns' Heir." Forgettable but awesome: "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy," "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song" and "Secrets of a Successful Marriage" (which featured what could have been Carl Carlson's never-before-seen Wife.) Not so Great: "Lady Bouvier's Lover," "Homer Goes to College," and "$pringfield."

Six Season
Here are some golden classics. Great and Awesome: "Bart of Darkness," "Another Simpsons Clip Show" (Love episode), "Itchy & Scratchy Land," "Bart's Girlfriend," ""Lisa on Ice," (hockey) "Homer Badman," (to the left) "Grandpa vs. Sexual Inadequacy," (reverse vampires) "Fear of Flying," (Marge's) "Homer the Great," (Stonecutters) "Bart vs. Australia," "Homer vs. Patty and Selma," "Lisa's Wedding," "Round Springfield," (Bleedinggums Murphy dies) "A Star is Burns," ("The Critic" cross-over) "The Springfield Connection" (Marge is a cop), "The PTA disbands," (Marge as Bart's teacher) and "Lemon of Troy" (Shelbyville vs. Springfield kids). Forgettable but great: "Lisa's Rival," "Homie the Clown," "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds," My all-time favorite Treehouse of Horror episode is "Treehouse of Horror V," the one with "The Shining" parody and time traveling toaster.

Seventh Season
The Epic season 6 left us 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' which confused and angered many with its result in this season. This is where it started getting tangy. This is one season that its Treehouse of Horror is super great (3-D Homer and Donut boy coming alive) but in syndication doesn't get repeated alot. The Good: "Radioactive Man," ""Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily," "Bart Sells his Soul," "Lisa the Vegetarian," "King-Size Homer," "Mother Simpson," "Marge Be Not Proud," "Team Homer" (Pin Pals), "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular," "Two Bad Neighbors", "Homer the Smithers" (my favorite), "The Day the Violence Died," "Bart on the Road," and "22 Short Films About Springfield." Forgetable but great: "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" (air show), "Lisa the Iconoclast," "Bart the Fink," "A Fish Called Selma," "Much Apu ABout Nothing," "Homerpalooza," and "Summer of 4 Ft.2." In the first "Simpsons Trivia" blurb, the announcer claims the cash register which scans Maggie in the opening credits gives a digital readout of "NRA4EVR". In fact, when paused, the cash register readout is $847.63 (which was the monthly cost of raising a baby in 1989). And the great episode of them all that should have been a movie? "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish"

Season Eight
This is one damn good season. This season was the first to start off with the Treehouse of Horror VII, which featured Bart's siamese evil twin brother Hugo. Good: "The Homer They Fall," "A Milhouse Divided (Milhouse's parents split)," "Lisa's Date with Density," "The Springfield Files (Monty is an alien)," "Mountain of Madness," "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show," "Brother from Another Series (Sideshow Niles)," "Homerphobia (John Water guest stars)," "My Sister, My Sitter," "Grade School Confidential," "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment," and "The Canine Mutiny." Bad: "Burns, Baby Burns" (I love Rodney Dangerfield but this episode got no respect), "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" My Favorites: "Bart After Dark," "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer..." (which was meant for Season 3), "You Only Move Twice" that introduced Hank Scorpio, who was going to be the villain in the Simpsons Movie, but many many villains were thought of, "Homer's Enemy" (my all-time favorite episode), "The Old Man and the Lisa," "In Marge We Trust," "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase," "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" and "Hurricane Neddy." Favorite but forgetable: "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" (Pretzels).

Very Very Zany
When things got really crazy. Some episodes went to areas that may have not been allowed before by Matt Groening--for good reason and way more wacky. It was like if Groening took a few years off (Futurama?).

Season 9
This was a great season but after the first episode--the New York episode, the season started getting hints of the zany, when anything went. Good: "Lisa's Sax," "The Cartridge Family," "Bart Star," "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons", "Lisa the Skeptic," "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace," "All Singing, All Dancing," "The Joy of Sect" (The Leader), "Das Bus" (Lord of the Flies parody), "Lisa the Simpson," "The Trouble with Trillions," "Trash of the Titans," and "King of the Hill." Favorites: "The City of New York Vs. Homer Simpson" is a masterpiece. "Lost Our Lisa" and "Natural Born Kissers" are good too. Forgettable but Brilliant: "Dumbbell Indemnity" (Moe and Helen Hunt) and "The Simpson Tide"; Iffy: "The Principal and the Pauper," and "Realty Bites."; Too Zany (but doesn't mean I don't like them): "Bart Carny," "Girly Edition" (Bart and Lisa in Kidz Newz), "This Little Wiggy" (Ralph and Bart ep), and "The Last Temptation of Krusty." Also, in this season Homer becomes more like the 'Homer the jerk' fans have dubbed him like. An uncaring Homer.

Season 10
The most zany 'who cares?' season of them all. So many way out there premises. Many fans that didn't follow the show religiously had left by this point. Good: "Lard of the Dance" (Lisa Kudrow is Lisa's cool classmate), "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace" (Edison), "Bart the Mother" (lizard eggs), "Lisa Gets an 'A'" (Lisa cheats), "Homer Simpson in 'Kidney Trouble,'" "Viva Ned Flanders" (Vegas wife), "I'm With Cupid" (Elton John guest stars) and "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken" (the Kids Know all your secrets); Iffy: "D'oh-in in the Wind" (Homer the hippie) and "The Old Man and the 'C' Student" (Bart and Grandpa on a yaht); Forgettable but Brilliant: "Mayored to the Mob" (Homer as the Mayor's service agent), "Maximum Homerdrive," "They Saved Lisa's Brain" (Mensa meeting) and "Mom and Pop Art"; Too Zany: The Treehouse (Bart and Lisa meet Itchy & Scratchy), "When You Dish Upon a Star" (Alec Baldwin), "Homer to the Max" (when a TV character has Homer's name), "Marge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"" (Marge has a big car), "Make Room for Lisa" (Homer tries new age-y stuff); Bad: Sunday, Cruddy Sunday (Super Bowl foul), "Monty Can't Buy Me Love" (Lockness Monster); Favorite: "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo;" First non-Treehouse vintages: "Simpsons Bible Stories" is the first episode to have 3 stories like the Treehouse of Terror and will be repeated in later seasons for various reasons. Update 5/13/09: I recently listen to the commentary of the Lockness ep and they felt bad throughout the commentary, ironically in the episode they have Kevin Cosner doing the same for one of his movies.

 

 

Season 11
This the second coming of the wacky episodes. The Treehouse of Terror is the most wacky and one of my favorites, with Ned Flanders as a werewolf, Lucy Lawless being kidnapped and the Y2k glitch ending up with Homer and Bart blowing up their heads in space. Best: "Eight Misbehavin'" (Apu and Manjula have 8 kids), "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily" (right, when Maude dies, the one last episode fans really felt effected by, some say the one last good one.), "Faith Off" (Bart has the healing hands), "Pygmoelian" (Moe gets a new face), and "Behind the Laughter" (The Simpsons as actors); Zany: "Beyond Blunderdome" (Mel Gibson and Homer teamup), "Brother's Little Helper" (Bart gets help for his ADD), "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner" (Homer is a food critic), and "Grift of the Magi" (Funzo); My Favorite: "E-I-E-I-D'oh" (Tomaco and Glove Slap) and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge" (Parker Posey tries to ursurp Marge); Bad: "Take My Wife, Sleaze" (John Goodman as a motorcyle punk who kidnaps Marge), "Bart to the Future" ('Nuff said) and "Last Tap Dance in Springfield" (Tapa-tapa-tapa); Brilliant but forgetable: "Little Big Mom" (Lisa tricks the guys in thinking they have leprosy); Homer the Jerk: "The Mansion Family" (Bart and Homer on Burns' yaht), "Missionary: Impossible" (Homer becomes a Missionary),"Days of Wine and D'oh'ses" (Barney is no longer drunk!), "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" (Homer scores the perfect score and tries to be a better father for Maggie), and "Kill the Alligator and Run" (Spring Break!)

Season 12
Many die-hard fans had left by this point because of growing up and being busy. This is when Treehouse of Terror is unreedemable, when once creative, is just plain weird... Killer dolphins? Stand-outs: "Lisa the Tree Hugger," "HOMR" (Homer has a crayon lodged in his brain and becomes smart?), "Hungry, Hungry Homer" (Homer skinny?), "Bye Bye Nerdie" and "I'm Going to Praiseland." Bad or Boring: Too many... "The Great Money Caper," "The Computer Wore Menance Shoes," "Trilogy of Error" (Run Lola Run parody), "Day of Jackanapes," "A Tale of Two Springfields," "Insane Clown Poppy" (Krusty a dad?),"New Kids on the Blecch" ('Nsync!), and "Simpsons Tall Tales." Strange: "Pokey Mom" (Marge befriends an inimate?), "Simpson Safari," "Children of a Lesser Clod" and "Worst Episode Ever" (The Comic Book guy and Skinner's mom?!)

Season 13
This is the harbinger season, a warning to true fans, don't stare directly at the TV. Standouts: "Half-Decent Proposal" (for me, one of the last good episodes--Artie Ziff is back!) , "The Parent Rap" (The mom from "Maclolm in the Middle"), "A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love" (Burns and a young lady), "The Blunder Years" (Smitter's father), "She of Little Faith" (Lisa the Buddhist, right), "Brawl in the Family" (Bart can drive?), "Little Girl in Big Ten" (Lisa in College and Bart in a bubble), and "Papa's Got a Brand New Badge."; Bad or Boring: "Jaws Wired Shut," "Sweets and Sour Marge," "The Bart Wants What It Wants" (Reese Witherspoon is Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter), "The Latest Gun in the West," "The Old Man and the Key," "Tales from the Public Domain" (ghostbusters ending?), "Blame It on Lisa" (Brazil got angry at this), "Gump Roast" (bad bad clip show with worst musical ending), "The Sweetest Apu" (Apu got married in Season 9 and had kids in Season 11 and now they are splitting?), and "The Frying Game."; Homer the Jerk: "Homer the Moe" (Homer takes over Moe), "Weekend at Brunsie's" (Marijuana), and "I Am Furious Yellow" (Stan Lee guest stars).

Sad Sad World
When things just got sad. It was bad and boring. This is era is reminder of the shadow of the show that was once great.

Season 14
With a lackluster Treehouse of Terror (the gang as animals), there were gems like "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation," "Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade" and "Helter Shelter" (reality show with Squiggy). The one saddest episode is try to reedeem themselves with info from the past like "Large Marge" with a cameo from Stampy the elepehant and Frank Grimes' "son" in "The Great Louse Detective." Plus, the animaiton wasn't so hot. While this season celebrated its 300th episode, it seemed to forget its history. While it had been showed that Bart could drive, in "Barting Over" he lived by himself but was scared out of his wits like any other little kid, like he wasn't Bart. Anyhoo, I am a pety fan, didn't you notice? While the episode aired, Bravo aired a special with the voice cast and that got more ratings. And they mostly spoke of Season Eight and down.

Season 15

A bit of a reedemable season, but Skinner and Krabpel don't get married? Come on, even Apu got to get married and Barney got rehab, so why couldn't they get be married for a while? It's an okay season, but wasn't the 'homeruns' they were before.
The Good: 'The President wore pearls" (Lisa as Eva Peron), "My Mother the Carjacker," "Marge vs. Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays" and "The Way We Weren't" (adding more to the Homer and Marge past in a good way).

Season 16
The animation has gotten more 'squishy,' and looking clay-like, I guess because they switched to digital. Tom Brady, 50 Cent, Kim Catrell guest star but at this point, who cares? And Patty finally comes out the closet? Some parts of the episode "There's Something About Marrying" felt like it had been written years ago but too much relationship stuff had been squeezed in such a small time such as Patty and Marge's relationship and Patty and Selma's relationship. While Bart going to Catholic school, Homer becoming a snitch in a Frank Gehry's prision, Selma adopting and yet another creepy trip to the future are forgettable and not that attractive to old fans. And do new fans even remember this?

Season 17
The first episode "Bonfire of the Manatees" was thought of as the movie? Good it wasn't, it was so boring. "The Italian Bob" introduces Sideshow Bob's wife and son is sort of interesting but everything else was blah. Even though "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" with stories within stories gets an emmy, yawn... Okay the other episodes I have to honest I haven't seen, maybe I have but I block them out. I probably saw a bit because I changed the channel. Most of this season I saw in syndication.

Reedeem-ringa-ding-didly

 

Season 18
Season 18 gave us Fat Tony a son, Crazy Cat Lady a stable early alias, Selma and Granpa get romantic, a 24 parody, Santa's Little Helper as a cop, Homer as a paparazzo (left) and Homer poses as a carpenter while Marge really is one. Storywriting got a bit better. Most of this season I saw in syndication.

 

Season 19
Brian Tallerico of UGO gave the episode a mixed review (a C), expressing disappointment after the well received The Simpsons Movie. He felt the writers went "right back to their old clichés and sadly repetitive jokes". This season after the movie. Some memorable episodes such as Sideshow Bob's supposed death, and Milhouse being cool. But, the one Doh! is a total middlefinger to fans with "That 90's Show" totally destroying the past.

Season 20
I have gave it a chance and seen a couple of episodes and they feel like mini movies, that iPod ep was great ("MyPods and Broomsticks"). Also good was Marge being a bridezilla in a third wedding for Homer and Marge ("Wedding for Disaster").

HD New Beginning

With a new HD beginning opening sequence and new digital look, they have a new beginning with better writing and funnier episodes.



Season 21
Memorable or Good: "Homer the Whopper" is where the Comic Book Guy makes Everyman and Homer is made the lead in the movie. Lisa befriends Wicca girls ("Rednecks and Broomsticks") and Bart gets a unrealistic cool sub ("Bart gets a Z"). Krusty marries Anne Hathaway--or rather Princess Penelope ("Once Upon a Time in Springfield"). Also Homer and Marge become curlers ("Boy meets Curl") and Moe becomes an American Idol Judge ("Judge Me Tender"). "Pranks and Greens" has Jonah Hill as a guest and is a good ep. Bart gets a little brother in "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?" is my favorite.

Season 22
Memorable or Good: "Angry Dad the Movie," "The Real Housewives of Fat Tony," (Selma marries Fat Tony) and "The Ned-liest Catch" (Krabappel and Ned hook-up).

 Season 23
Bad: "Holidays of Future Past"---back to the future but a bad episode. Great: "The Food Wife" -- Marge becomes a foodie with the kids to be the 'fun parent.' Okay: "Beware my Cheating Past" - Jimbo's girlfriend is introduced and made a friend of Bart's. "Ned n Edna's Blend" is where Ned and Edna marry. The last ep is "Lisa Goes Gaga" where Lisa calls Lady Gaga out on her sh--take Mushrooms.

 Season 24
Bad: "Penny-Wiseguys": For some reason, Steve Carrell is made a main character involved with the mob in this strange episode. Good: "Homer goes to prep school" -- Homer prepares for Armageddon. "The Changing of Guardian" -- Homer and Marge look for guardians for their kids. "A Tree Grows in Springfield" -- Homer becomes obsessed with a MyPad.

Season Five
Good: "Steal This Episode" -- Homer makes a home theater of pirated movies. "Yellow Badge of Courage" -- Bart feels guilty after he wins the annual "last day of school" race around Springfield Elementary School, with help from Nelson, who beats up the frontrunner, Milhouse. "Brick Like Me" -- Lego episode.

Amy Poehler's last show

Tonight was the great Amy Poehler's last show on SNL! We will miss her!

Yay! John Stewart defending Gay Marriage against Huckabee

John Stewart was tough on Mike Huckabee over his book saying that everyone is equal. He compared it and asked if Hispanic people shouldn't vote, he said they should vote and then he asked why gay people can't marry. Mike Huckabee brought up marriage not changing since bible days, John Stewart brought up that marriage has evolved, it used to that men could marry many women and women were considered as property. Mike Hukabee said that marriage is about having a penis and a vagina in order to make babies. What he said was often: Religion is more of a choice than being gay; that Religion is a lifestyle! Awesome! "Semantics is cold comfort when it comes to humanity." Mike Huckabee brought up one good point that just because you are against gay marriage doesn't mean that you are homophobe or filled with hate. John Stewart brought up the good point that he standing behind his wall of institution and not bringing up a good reason. Why? Why? Thank you, John. You got it. And funny enough, I still don't find you sexy. I think you would consider that a compliment!

Plaxico Rant

It's a long time since I have ranted on sports, let alone football, mostly because what concerns me, I put on Caramelitos Varonlies. Anyway, everyone knows about Mr. Giants Wide Reciever Plaxico Burress who took a gun in his sweatpants to a club and shot himself and now has been suspended and going to jail. I may get in trouble for this, but that hasn't stopped me before, that these football players are so dumb, they throw everything away for nothing. He was earning mad money and now his whole career is down the drain. It didn't hurt NY Giants loosing him, because they are a-okay with yesterday's events.

Dreamcasting: Wizard of Oz -- Why Should Be Made

Many people are against me on this notion but I highly highly believe there should be a new Wizard of Oz movie. Yes, like everyone else, I love the 1939 MGM movie. I also love the book and the 1985 movie Return to Oz which was very close to the book in tone and delightfully dark. That movie stuck to me more than the 1939 one. In fact, everyone knows the 1939 version more than the book. My main problem with the 1939 movie is that, it is not like a conventional film---I say conventional and not modern because films have look like how they do now modernly since the 60's, a rather long time. The movie in question, which I will now nickname "Goldy," was on just sets, nor outdoors, all set to one 180 degree view. It upsets me on how it was shot. Yes, it inspired a lot but it is nowhere near the book in tone nor in accuracy. Now, many say "I don't go see the movie based on the book to have everything from the book in it." But if the Lord of the Rings (1937) can have a decent movie, why can't an oldy like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) have one? I also suggest calling it L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to not confuse it with old Goldy. William Shakespere's Romeo + Juliet (1996) got away with it. Plus everyone thinks Goldy is the law and is the book, but it is nothing like it.

I didn't want to dreamcast, because this would be my dream project and for me to do it, it would be 20 years from now and hence a different cast entirely. I like the idea of casting newcomers, because not attaching any actor's previous roles with a staple role. I mean, how do you feel about casting Steve Carrell as the Cowardly Lion? Exactly. I like better to hire kinda-known actors but not big wigs. Now it's been 69 years since Goldy and no remake or 're-imagining' has been made, but plenty of kiboshing of it. There has been Sci-Fi's recent Tin Man and the Muppet's version (which was somewhat accurate), where they spin it around and make it 'better.' This is twisting around things from Goldy than the original book. There is a reason why people find Goldy boring an able to mold it into something 'better.' And has spun two popular inspirations: The Wiz and Wicked. Anyhoo, here is my dreamcast...

Abigail Breslin / Dorothy
Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Signs) is everywhere and sure the 'flavor of the month,' but sure in a few years, there will be other young talented girls whenever my dream project is made. So, but if it would be made now, she is roughly the age and I am sure she will love this. Basically Dorothy was 8-12 and that's what age she should be. She should have silver shoes like in the book.


Zack Braf / Scarecrow
A bit of no brainer, no pun intended. One would pick Jim Carey, or some would pick someone skinny like John Leguizamo (Spawn) or Alan Cumming (X2: X-Men United), but he already played a type of Scarecrow in Tin Man. Zack Braf ("Scrubs") does a good balance of playing dumb and sweetness and a light of intelligence. Or John Kransinski.


Hugh Laurie / Tin Woodman
Sure, Hugh Laurie ("House") is a big name, but I think he can bring a good balance to the character. Tin Man is a mostly warm and caring character and of course stiff. Now, they could do the same as Goldy with him in a suit and facepaint or a puppet like Return to Oz. Could be possible to do special effects with CG and just use his face on to a tin man with super thin arms and legs.


Eric Bana / Cowardly Lion
I think Cowardly Lion should be like the CGI Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia, a 4-leg walking lion but no Scooby-antics please. Who should do the voice? Definitely not Jack Black (Shallow Hall), but it has to be a soft but funny voice, maybe Seth Rogan (Zack & Miri) or Will Ferrell (Bewitched). Who did a real funny voice was Eric Bana (Troy, The Hulk) in Finding Nemo as the voice of Anchor the hammerhead shark.


Helen Mirren/Wicked Witch of the West
Roseanne Barr (Home on the Range)? No, too much on tack. W.W. Denslow's illustrations for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz depict the Wicked Witch as a hunchback old woman with three pigtails and wearing an eye-patch; her good eye gave her the visual powers of a telescope. And in a parody in "That 70's Show," Donna is dressed as her and looks like this illustration. I think since the book didn't have her name, the movie shouldn't. Making up a name would add to the pantheon of new names from other sources and would be a disrespect to Wicked and the original book. So who should play her? Cate Blanchett (Hot Fuzz)? Angelina Jolie (Hackers)? Or someone older and more poise and utter force like Helen Miren (The Queen)?


Julie Dreyfus / Glinda, Good Witch of the South
Kristin Chenoweth played her in Wicked, she's great but I picture a more somber witch. One of great power, but responsibility, she knows stuff that she is not revealing right away. Julie Dreyfus (Kill Bill) has that. In Goldy, they merged roles of the Good Witch of the North and the South, because it is an old trick in adapting books to movies, if one character can do what another did, they merge them. If they need to get rid of the Good Witch of the North, great, just don't merge them like in Goldy. By leaving the names the same like the Tin Woodman, it enforces that this movie is not like the other one sand stays true to the original story.

I picture a trilogy, the first three books: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. The Marvelous Land of Oz was never probably made into a movie, it was mixed with Ozma of Oz into Return to Oz, which was great, but like the merging of characters, I like Ozma/Tip's true story to be told. For those who don't know, Ozma was the true ruler of Oz, the princess who was given to a witch named Mombi by the Wizard and turned into a boy. The Marvelous Land of Oz was adapted in 1986 anime series and Ozma of Oz followed afterward, even though Dorothy was not in The Marvelous Land of Oz, she was merged into it.

Even this fellow blogger wants a reimagining and gender-switched Dorothy to let Michael Cera vehicle it.