tv: I've been struggling to find the right words about the Glee season finale in straightforward sense that will keep the first person out of it. I don't think I can. The Glee finale, like most of the season, was about saying goodbye to the cast members who will be graduating and thus leaving the show. It was an episode centered around the notion that with nothing left to do, the assignment was for the underclassmen and upperclassmen to sing songs to each other to say goodbye. While the cheese was thick, the standout from the story was seeing Kurt sing I"ll Remember by Madonna. A beautiful song that he sang with grace given his unique range without forcing the issue of his range. It was quite impressive and moving.
Beyond that there was a lot of more or less sappy musical episodes about saying goodbye and graduation. There was even a song during graduation. Despite the fact that I am making fun of that, it kind of fit. But it was still, in typical Glee fashion, goofy and cheesy.
The real story of the this final episode was the story of where certain characters were going. The biggest certainly being Kurt, Finn, and Rachel, and their pending futures in New York. The only one to get in was Rachel. Despite her totally awesome performance at Nationals of the Celine Dion song It's All Coming Back To Me, it was a shock to see. At very least Kurt not get into to NYADA (I really don't remember what that means but it has something to do with theater in New York) given his performance of I'm Not The Boy Next Door was a surprise. Also given the love and attention the creators showed his character, failure was a huge surprise. I can't believe it was a shock to see that Finn lacked the chops to get into Inside The Actors Studio.
What came from that though was, in congruence with the rest of season three, truly heartbreaking. Finn let Rachel go to New York without him to pursue her dream, saying that if they were truly meant to be together they would find each other eventually. Having been through that moment in my own life, only with a girl with world class intellect instead of a Broadway voice, it is so painfully clear and sad to say that that moment will never come for the two of them. Finn will probably never know if his decision worked out for Rachel. I still have no idea what happened when I said goodbye. I just believe I was making the right decision.
Not to mention that as insane as it began, Finn and Rachel's engagement really did end up bringing out the best in their relationship. They acted, for the most part, with maturity and equality beyond their years that made the fact that they were going to get married straight out of high school seem almost realistic.
In the end, Finn set Rachel free to pursue her Broadway dreams. There are some unsettled question about he and Kurt and their futures that, despite my loving their characters, I hope doesn't bleed into next season too much after the fun and heartbreaking goodbye that has been the season. Sometimes just cutting ties and going cold turkey is easier.
Everyone else more or less got a fitting send off. And the passing of the torch to the new class was well done.
I really hope that this is the last time I say anything about my own life when writing about anything, let alone something as insane and goofy as Glee. I couldn't help it though. I have watched the final episode a few times trying to find an objective way to talk about setting someone free and the emotion that it brought about. I couldn't do it. As Glee showed, saying goodbye is hard and letting go is even worse. I can't help but say that my life has proven it. And I am sure I'm not alone.
High school is a singular experience. That moment of saying goodbye, especially when love is involved is particularly singular. I have no regrets about what I did. I am sure that Finn (if he were a real person) would, in the future, have regrets. But when you are young, that drama is so totally heightened. If nothing else, that drama and insanity is what Glee got right.
It is why I wonder if they can capture that magic again after saying goodbye to so many main characters. After all, as Rachel Berry said, "Being a part of something special makes you special." They were, and she was.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Saying Goodbye To House
tv: Tonight House had its series finale after eight long years on the air. The show has been marked by consistency. A consistency in the format of the show with the super-doctor, Gregory House, solving cases that would mystify lesser mortals. A consistency in the rationality of its philosophy. A consistency in the stellar performance by Hugh Laurie as House. These are things that made it a hit. These are the things that won it recognition. These are the things that will keep a favorite of viewers of syndication and on Netflix for years to come.
The end of the series brought much more than that consistency out of the show and out of its actors. It also brought more out of the story of House than anything we had ever seen. Towards the end of the series (its final eight episodes or so) the show broke format from its typical case of the week stories with underlying stories dealing with the characters to tell one singular story. That story became that of House's best friend James Wilson, played always brilliantly but yet underapreciatedly by Robert Sean Leonard. About eight or ten episodes before the end of the series Wilson was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Not only was this devastating to House but also hugely ironic as he has been the head of the oncology department at the hospital the two work at for the duration of the show. Not to mention the fact that of the two Wilson has been the more virtuous, making his character less likely in typical situations to be the one to meet an untimely end.
This story ended up, however, being the perfect choice. The effect of Wilson's mortality on House, as his only friend, was a total joy to watch. Seeing someone both struggle through the tragedy of losing their best friend while reveling in their presence portrayed a true friendship. The effect on the character of Wilson was pretty awesome to watch as well. Watching a man be diagnosed with the illness he has spent his life treating was quite a fascinating turn for Wilson. His denial and sense of irony and awareness of the pain he was going to go through in his final few months made for a truly heartfelt and brilliant portrayal by Leonard.
In the end House's practice takes a back seat to his friendship. The cases still exist for no better reason than that that is what the show is. But these cases are no longer what is meant to be interesting. Where we were once hanging on the tension of diagnosis from House and his team, it no longer really seemed to matter. As it became less important to House what was going on in the hospital, so it became less important to the viewer. What was important was his friend.
Let it not be understated how rare that friendship is. There may not be a true lifelong friendship between grown adult men portrayed on television the way we have seen with House and Wilson. Eight years of the two of them playing pranks and helping at work and through brutal relationship problems and trying to figure out how to deal with each other as polar opposites that balance each other perfectly. And that friendship, the one stable relationship in the title character's life, was what should have been brought to the foreground at the end of the series. The one lasting relationship throughout the series. The relationship between friends. And what better way to bring the most out of it than by dealing with death and loss? Through that experience their friendship is amplified to the point that you see a true love between these two men. Not a romantic love, but the love of friends.
The story takes a somewhat unexpected turn in the final episode that makes the episodes leading up to it more the emotional high point of the show than the finale itself. It is, however, ultimately satisfying and fulfilling.
It would be unfair to not be impressed by the run House had and the job its actors and writers have done. Sure it seemed like it was always Lupus, but it was still fun to watch. And despite all the snarkiness and abrasiveness, it was, in the end, about something as important as the rare diseases House investigated. It was about friends.
The end of the series brought much more than that consistency out of the show and out of its actors. It also brought more out of the story of House than anything we had ever seen. Towards the end of the series (its final eight episodes or so) the show broke format from its typical case of the week stories with underlying stories dealing with the characters to tell one singular story. That story became that of House's best friend James Wilson, played always brilliantly but yet underapreciatedly by Robert Sean Leonard. About eight or ten episodes before the end of the series Wilson was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Not only was this devastating to House but also hugely ironic as he has been the head of the oncology department at the hospital the two work at for the duration of the show. Not to mention the fact that of the two Wilson has been the more virtuous, making his character less likely in typical situations to be the one to meet an untimely end.
This story ended up, however, being the perfect choice. The effect of Wilson's mortality on House, as his only friend, was a total joy to watch. Seeing someone both struggle through the tragedy of losing their best friend while reveling in their presence portrayed a true friendship. The effect on the character of Wilson was pretty awesome to watch as well. Watching a man be diagnosed with the illness he has spent his life treating was quite a fascinating turn for Wilson. His denial and sense of irony and awareness of the pain he was going to go through in his final few months made for a truly heartfelt and brilliant portrayal by Leonard.
In the end House's practice takes a back seat to his friendship. The cases still exist for no better reason than that that is what the show is. But these cases are no longer what is meant to be interesting. Where we were once hanging on the tension of diagnosis from House and his team, it no longer really seemed to matter. As it became less important to House what was going on in the hospital, so it became less important to the viewer. What was important was his friend.
Let it not be understated how rare that friendship is. There may not be a true lifelong friendship between grown adult men portrayed on television the way we have seen with House and Wilson. Eight years of the two of them playing pranks and helping at work and through brutal relationship problems and trying to figure out how to deal with each other as polar opposites that balance each other perfectly. And that friendship, the one stable relationship in the title character's life, was what should have been brought to the foreground at the end of the series. The one lasting relationship throughout the series. The relationship between friends. And what better way to bring the most out of it than by dealing with death and loss? Through that experience their friendship is amplified to the point that you see a true love between these two men. Not a romantic love, but the love of friends.
The story takes a somewhat unexpected turn in the final episode that makes the episodes leading up to it more the emotional high point of the show than the finale itself. It is, however, ultimately satisfying and fulfilling.
It would be unfair to not be impressed by the run House had and the job its actors and writers have done. Sure it seemed like it was always Lupus, but it was still fun to watch. And despite all the snarkiness and abrasiveness, it was, in the end, about something as important as the rare diseases House investigated. It was about friends.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
once upon a time
tv: The ABC drama Once Upon A Time ended this past weekend. I can't help but say I was pleasantly surprised. The show is based on the premise that all of the fair tale characters we have grown up with have been cursed and now are trapped in our own world in a town called Storybrooke in Maine(Stephen King would be proud).
The show was created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, two veterans of Lost. This show more or less directly takes the template from Lost of having their characters trapped in a foreign setting, in this case Storybrooke, and filling in their characterization and informing the plot with flashbacks to a different world, the fairy tale world. The parallel stories do well to give us insight into what these characters have the potential to bring to the table, whether it be magic or romance or treachery based on what we see of them in each side of the story. And while it must be noted that this storytelling device is not nearly as effective as in Lost, it is a fun way to see things unfold.
This device also allows for something in the show that for better or worse does exist. That is cheese. The acting, particularly in the fairy tale world is cheesy at best, but it is still fun and enjoyable to watch, and you can tell those involved had fun. It is also fun to watch how the common fairy tales that we have read and watched (mostly via Disney) have been used, and sometimes manipulated, to create relationships within the show that can be used to drive the story. Despite the fact that the cheese does exist, there are a few standout performances. Particularly by Sebastian Stan, who plays The Mad Hatter (Jefferson in Storybrooke) and is truly scary in his insanity. The other standout performance is by the always spectacular Robert Carlyle. He plays Rumpelstiltskin in the fairy tale world and Mr. Gold in Storybrooke. As Mr. Gold he is a dark, backhanded businessman who walks the fine line between good and evil in a way that makes one revel in knowing that they don't know which way he'll turn next. As Rumpelstiltskin, Carlyle seems to have been given free reign to be able to go as broad and insane as he wanted, which not only makes for great performances but also gives a nice change from the cheese of the limited performances of his fellow cast members. His is a cheese of greatness.
In the season finale Emma Swan, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming who was sent to our world before the curse that sent everyone here was performed, has to save her son, Henry (the only one in Storybrooke who knows about the curse holding them their) from eating an apple, intended for her, made with the same dark magic that once felled Snow White. Once she finally realizes that true love, in this case between a mother and son, is the only way to break the curse she kisses her dying son. It not only frees Henry, but also frees the people of Storybrooke. and allows them to realize their true identities. They, however don't get the chance to go home because something his wrong.
What happens next is surprising enough and confusing enough that the previous paragraph is the end of the spoilers. All that can be said is that the end was reminiscent, like the format of the show, to the end of the first season of Lost. The writers and creators clearly planned for one season and then ended up with a hit on their hands and went, "Shit, lets do something insane to keep this going and make it so no one understands and has to come back."
Once Upon A Time definitely had its ups and downs during its opening season, but overall did a solid job with nothing short of a difficult premise. As the questions as to how the curse can be completely broken and what the hell just happened in the season finale continue to mount, and they will I am sure, the intrigue and fantasy of the series will only increase.
The show was created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, two veterans of Lost. This show more or less directly takes the template from Lost of having their characters trapped in a foreign setting, in this case Storybrooke, and filling in their characterization and informing the plot with flashbacks to a different world, the fairy tale world. The parallel stories do well to give us insight into what these characters have the potential to bring to the table, whether it be magic or romance or treachery based on what we see of them in each side of the story. And while it must be noted that this storytelling device is not nearly as effective as in Lost, it is a fun way to see things unfold.
This device also allows for something in the show that for better or worse does exist. That is cheese. The acting, particularly in the fairy tale world is cheesy at best, but it is still fun and enjoyable to watch, and you can tell those involved had fun. It is also fun to watch how the common fairy tales that we have read and watched (mostly via Disney) have been used, and sometimes manipulated, to create relationships within the show that can be used to drive the story. Despite the fact that the cheese does exist, there are a few standout performances. Particularly by Sebastian Stan, who plays The Mad Hatter (Jefferson in Storybrooke) and is truly scary in his insanity. The other standout performance is by the always spectacular Robert Carlyle. He plays Rumpelstiltskin in the fairy tale world and Mr. Gold in Storybrooke. As Mr. Gold he is a dark, backhanded businessman who walks the fine line between good and evil in a way that makes one revel in knowing that they don't know which way he'll turn next. As Rumpelstiltskin, Carlyle seems to have been given free reign to be able to go as broad and insane as he wanted, which not only makes for great performances but also gives a nice change from the cheese of the limited performances of his fellow cast members. His is a cheese of greatness.
In the season finale Emma Swan, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming who was sent to our world before the curse that sent everyone here was performed, has to save her son, Henry (the only one in Storybrooke who knows about the curse holding them their) from eating an apple, intended for her, made with the same dark magic that once felled Snow White. Once she finally realizes that true love, in this case between a mother and son, is the only way to break the curse she kisses her dying son. It not only frees Henry, but also frees the people of Storybrooke. and allows them to realize their true identities. They, however don't get the chance to go home because something his wrong.
What happens next is surprising enough and confusing enough that the previous paragraph is the end of the spoilers. All that can be said is that the end was reminiscent, like the format of the show, to the end of the first season of Lost. The writers and creators clearly planned for one season and then ended up with a hit on their hands and went, "Shit, lets do something insane to keep this going and make it so no one understands and has to come back."
Once Upon A Time definitely had its ups and downs during its opening season, but overall did a solid job with nothing short of a difficult premise. As the questions as to how the curse can be completely broken and what the hell just happened in the season finale continue to mount, and they will I am sure, the intrigue and fantasy of the series will only increase.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
a true smash
tv: This begins what will be the first end of the TV season finale runs. We start with a somewhat pleasant surprise in Smash. This is an NBC show about the making of a musical. It was a premise I was hesitant to get on board with but I watched because I am a sucker for a good musical. It did not disappoint.
Smash is the story of the making of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and the people involved in the making of that musical. It sounds like a rather mundane story. It wasn't. There was plenty of drama both about the musical itself, from cast changes to creative problems to love triangles to the sheer difficulty of finishing a large scale production. There was also tons of personal (soap opera) drama. There were budding and broken relationships and affairs and old lovers and stars and newbies stealing spotlight.
All of this, in the case of Smash, revolved around the cast. The show is gifted with stage performers and Broadway stars and Emmy and academy award winners. The main characters of the show are played by Megan Hilty, a Broadway veteran, and Katherine McPhee, formerly known as the hot girl on American Idol, now clearly the real thing. Hilty and McPhee bring realism and legitimacy to their roles as a vet of theater and a newcomer respectively both looking to break into the big time. This is essentially who they are. They are surrounded by a seemingly tyrannical director portrayed elegantly by Jack Davenport, a producer looking to make this musical to prove she can stand on her own after a divorce, played by Angelica Houston, and a composition and lyric writing team dealing with tons of personal baggage that finds its way into their work, played by Debra Messing and the truly charming Christian Borle. The cast delivers time and time again in big and small ways that give nothing but pleasure that hearkens back to when Brian Fuller looked to stage actors during the writers strike to make Pushing Daisies.
On top of this cast, the show was given a legit Broadway musical to work with. All of the music was created in the vain of a true musical and was performed within the context of a real musical trying to get made. The show itself was not a musical. It was actually, as advertised, a show about a musical.
The season finale, was a stunning bringing together of all the personal and professional drama. Everything came to a head at the same time, and in a way that was realistic(somewhat of a surprise) in order to get you to the final moment where either Karen (Mcphee) or Ivy (Hilty) has their star born. The biggest moments being infidelity by Karen's boyfriend with a fellow cast member, the doubt that Karen, as a newcomer to the Broadway scene can pull off the job required of her, which is that of playing Marilyn, and the pressing deadline of getting and actually good show on the stage. All of the drama presses together in a way that builds the question of success to a dramatic boiling point.
The finale was also something of a showcase for its actors. There is a large amount of long single takes in the style of Doug Elin in Entourage in order to give the actors an opportunity to show their true chops. The music was soaring and beautiful to allow the performers to show that they are the real deal.
Smash has been renewed for a second season and deserves it. Its actors are great, the music is fun and enjoyable, and the weird drama is oddly compelling. Watching this show gives an appreciation for the theater community not just because that is where the story is founded, but where the actors in the show come from, and that allows you to see how great that venue is.
Smash is the story of the making of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and the people involved in the making of that musical. It sounds like a rather mundane story. It wasn't. There was plenty of drama both about the musical itself, from cast changes to creative problems to love triangles to the sheer difficulty of finishing a large scale production. There was also tons of personal (soap opera) drama. There were budding and broken relationships and affairs and old lovers and stars and newbies stealing spotlight.
All of this, in the case of Smash, revolved around the cast. The show is gifted with stage performers and Broadway stars and Emmy and academy award winners. The main characters of the show are played by Megan Hilty, a Broadway veteran, and Katherine McPhee, formerly known as the hot girl on American Idol, now clearly the real thing. Hilty and McPhee bring realism and legitimacy to their roles as a vet of theater and a newcomer respectively both looking to break into the big time. This is essentially who they are. They are surrounded by a seemingly tyrannical director portrayed elegantly by Jack Davenport, a producer looking to make this musical to prove she can stand on her own after a divorce, played by Angelica Houston, and a composition and lyric writing team dealing with tons of personal baggage that finds its way into their work, played by Debra Messing and the truly charming Christian Borle. The cast delivers time and time again in big and small ways that give nothing but pleasure that hearkens back to when Brian Fuller looked to stage actors during the writers strike to make Pushing Daisies.
On top of this cast, the show was given a legit Broadway musical to work with. All of the music was created in the vain of a true musical and was performed within the context of a real musical trying to get made. The show itself was not a musical. It was actually, as advertised, a show about a musical.
The season finale, was a stunning bringing together of all the personal and professional drama. Everything came to a head at the same time, and in a way that was realistic(somewhat of a surprise) in order to get you to the final moment where either Karen (Mcphee) or Ivy (Hilty) has their star born. The biggest moments being infidelity by Karen's boyfriend with a fellow cast member, the doubt that Karen, as a newcomer to the Broadway scene can pull off the job required of her, which is that of playing Marilyn, and the pressing deadline of getting and actually good show on the stage. All of the drama presses together in a way that builds the question of success to a dramatic boiling point.
The finale was also something of a showcase for its actors. There is a large amount of long single takes in the style of Doug Elin in Entourage in order to give the actors an opportunity to show their true chops. The music was soaring and beautiful to allow the performers to show that they are the real deal.
Smash has been renewed for a second season and deserves it. Its actors are great, the music is fun and enjoyable, and the weird drama is oddly compelling. Watching this show gives an appreciation for the theater community not just because that is where the story is founded, but where the actors in the show come from, and that allows you to see how great that venue is.
Friday, May 11, 2012
ufc finally gets a break on fox
sports: On May 5th the UFC had its third fight card televised nationally on FOX. After two less than stellar showings, it finally seems that the stars have aligned. I am not about to say that either FOX or the UFC got it right because I am not entirely sure that that is what it comes down to. The stars however certainly did align. A few modifications were made as well.
The first UFC on FOX was a total disaster. There was one fight booked for an hour long time slot. That fight was the UFC heavyweight title fight between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez. The fight lasted less than a minute and you had about thirty minutes of build up and twenty eight minutes of post fight coverage. The one punch in between that floored Velasquez not only didn't do the UFC justice, it was a tragedy of programming that bored viewers and left the casual fan and newcomer wondering what the big deal was. It was also the perfect condemnation of non-viewers that it was goons. Drop a huge fist and dudes will go down.
The second UFC on FOX offered a little bit more giving you two main card fights. One was a highly anticipated match-up between Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen. The other was between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. While both of these fights had title implications, neither lived up to the billing. Bisping and Sonnen both fought a high energy fight. It was undermined, however, by the fact that Sonnen ground out a decision in a fight he didn't control, nor in which he failed to inflict damage but merely won by scoring a takedown in the third round and holding it while inflicting no damage whatsoever to score a more or less controversial win. The Evans and Davis fight was more disappointing. The two spent five rounds trading jabs that wouldn't have phased Jo Schmo off the street. Evans won the fight decisively thanks to his aggression and Davis's total ineptitude. Given that these were both supposed to be fights to determine title fights, one at middleweight(185) and one at light heavyweight(205), neither fight was particularly exciting. And neither fight inspired confidence in their would be contenders. Especially since Sonnen at 185 would have to fight Anderson Silva, arguably the greatest pound for pound fighter ever, and Evans fighting John Jones, arguably the only person who has a chance to challenge Silva as the best ever.
This brings us to UFC on FOX 3. I have no idea what the network and the fight promotion were saying, but this had to be a make or break fight card. Lucky for them it delivered. The fight card was filled with excitement and violence; the two things the UFC thrives on. In the first fight, striker extraordinaire Alan Belcher fought jujitsu master Rousimar Palhares. Despite the clear advantages of the two opponents, Belcher won the fight by TKO due to his willingness to go the ground and finish the fight with his fists from the mount after a brilliant display of jujitsu defense. The second fight was a heavyweight slug fest between Pat Berry and Lavar Johnson in which both men declared before the fight that the fight would not reach a decision. The didn't disappoint. Johnson and Berry battled it out with their fists flying and heavy until and uppercut from Johnson ultimately ended the fight. The third fight was a well fought and decision between welterweight(170) contenders Josh Koscheck and Johnny Hendricks. While the fight didn't provide the fireworks of the first two fights, we got to see to of the UFC's best go to war for three rounds in a very close decision. Then there was the main event.
This was a fight between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller to see who would be next in line for a title shot a lightweight(155). This match-up proved to be a dream as Diaz schooled Miller in every way possible. His striking was masterful. His effectiveness in the clinch was devastating to say the least considering how unexpected it was. And Diaz's guillotine choke to finish the fight showed anyone watching how truly beautiful and effective the ground game in MMA can be. It was a dominant performance that would have been worthy of pay per view. Not to mention the fact that the attitude affliction both Diaz brothers (Nate in lightweight and Nick in welterweight) seem to suffer from makes for great tv.
I am not sure where I stand on everyone finally getting it right. Certainly, FOX's coverage of the events has improved. The UFC has also improved its dealings with national television by booking a full night of fight cards. Its one fight debacle was certainly a lesson it learned from. Its not booking exciting fighters in UFC FOX 2 was also a learning experience. This night gave us the two things we wanted: lots of fights and exciting fights. The former we got thanks to good planning, the latter we got thanks to luck. The good fights will always be lucky. Lord knows there have been a handful of shitty fights on pay per view. At least UFC finally got a few on national tv so that they can justify more.
The first UFC on FOX was a total disaster. There was one fight booked for an hour long time slot. That fight was the UFC heavyweight title fight between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez. The fight lasted less than a minute and you had about thirty minutes of build up and twenty eight minutes of post fight coverage. The one punch in between that floored Velasquez not only didn't do the UFC justice, it was a tragedy of programming that bored viewers and left the casual fan and newcomer wondering what the big deal was. It was also the perfect condemnation of non-viewers that it was goons. Drop a huge fist and dudes will go down.
The second UFC on FOX offered a little bit more giving you two main card fights. One was a highly anticipated match-up between Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen. The other was between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. While both of these fights had title implications, neither lived up to the billing. Bisping and Sonnen both fought a high energy fight. It was undermined, however, by the fact that Sonnen ground out a decision in a fight he didn't control, nor in which he failed to inflict damage but merely won by scoring a takedown in the third round and holding it while inflicting no damage whatsoever to score a more or less controversial win. The Evans and Davis fight was more disappointing. The two spent five rounds trading jabs that wouldn't have phased Jo Schmo off the street. Evans won the fight decisively thanks to his aggression and Davis's total ineptitude. Given that these were both supposed to be fights to determine title fights, one at middleweight(185) and one at light heavyweight(205), neither fight was particularly exciting. And neither fight inspired confidence in their would be contenders. Especially since Sonnen at 185 would have to fight Anderson Silva, arguably the greatest pound for pound fighter ever, and Evans fighting John Jones, arguably the only person who has a chance to challenge Silva as the best ever.
This brings us to UFC on FOX 3. I have no idea what the network and the fight promotion were saying, but this had to be a make or break fight card. Lucky for them it delivered. The fight card was filled with excitement and violence; the two things the UFC thrives on. In the first fight, striker extraordinaire Alan Belcher fought jujitsu master Rousimar Palhares. Despite the clear advantages of the two opponents, Belcher won the fight by TKO due to his willingness to go the ground and finish the fight with his fists from the mount after a brilliant display of jujitsu defense. The second fight was a heavyweight slug fest between Pat Berry and Lavar Johnson in which both men declared before the fight that the fight would not reach a decision. The didn't disappoint. Johnson and Berry battled it out with their fists flying and heavy until and uppercut from Johnson ultimately ended the fight. The third fight was a well fought and decision between welterweight(170) contenders Josh Koscheck and Johnny Hendricks. While the fight didn't provide the fireworks of the first two fights, we got to see to of the UFC's best go to war for three rounds in a very close decision. Then there was the main event.
This was a fight between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller to see who would be next in line for a title shot a lightweight(155). This match-up proved to be a dream as Diaz schooled Miller in every way possible. His striking was masterful. His effectiveness in the clinch was devastating to say the least considering how unexpected it was. And Diaz's guillotine choke to finish the fight showed anyone watching how truly beautiful and effective the ground game in MMA can be. It was a dominant performance that would have been worthy of pay per view. Not to mention the fact that the attitude affliction both Diaz brothers (Nate in lightweight and Nick in welterweight) seem to suffer from makes for great tv.
I am not sure where I stand on everyone finally getting it right. Certainly, FOX's coverage of the events has improved. The UFC has also improved its dealings with national television by booking a full night of fight cards. Its one fight debacle was certainly a lesson it learned from. Its not booking exciting fighters in UFC FOX 2 was also a learning experience. This night gave us the two things we wanted: lots of fights and exciting fights. The former we got thanks to good planning, the latter we got thanks to luck. The good fights will always be lucky. Lord knows there have been a handful of shitty fights on pay per view. At least UFC finally got a few on national tv so that they can justify more.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Avengers
movies: I, along with every other human on earth apparently, went to the opening weekend of the summer's first official blockbuster, Avengers. It was just announced earlier today that Avengers smashed the previous opening weekend record held by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, becoming the first movie ever to hit the 200 million mark on opening weekend. Blockbuster indeed.
Avengers is a movie that has been years in the making. This is the sixth Marvel movie to be released in the past five years, all of which have been made aiming at the ultimate goal of making Avengers. The heroes of these movies, who make up the Avengers are Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America, along with Nick Fury, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, who all had appearances in those movies. And let me say it did not disappoint one bit. It was an extravaganza of stars and action and humor and special effects and heroes fighting for their moment in the sun (much like the actors themselves a little bit I am sure). All ego joking aside, it was a thoroughly entertaining movie with a story that tied together the previous movies together very nicely into one coherent story.
And despite the fact that the action takes center stage for a large portion of the movie, the credit for the actual quality of the movie has to go to its actors and its writer/director, comic book ubernerd Joss Whedon. Whedon's success has largely been on tv shows or labor of love projects such as the recently released horror romp Cabin In The Woods. It was questioned whether or not he could make the jump to being a summer tentpole director. Not only did he do a fine job, but he also seemed to separate himself from the more established hollywood directors to helm comic book movies (Christopher Nolan notwithstanding of course) thanks to his love of the genre. His love of comic books bled through the movie and made it as fun anything in the Avengers franchise. He also realized that because this movie was supposed to be fun he was also able to inject the movie with his trademark quippy humor and uniquely silly use of the English language. This linguistic trademark was also a concern. People feared it would sound a little too cheesy coming out of "real movie actors". This concern was put to rest with some of Robert Downey Jr.'s and Samuel L. Jackson's funniest work in years. The only person who unfortunately didn't get to take part in the comedy too much was Chris Evans who plays Captain America. While I understand that would have been a huge departure I kind of wish it could have happened. Chris Evans is just so damn funny. I swear he is the best meathead comedian out there. Even Scarlet Johansson got to show that she can play a legit hero, no thanks in part to Whedon's love of pretty young girls with superpowers.
Avengers is loaded with memorable moments and thrilling action. There are also a few surprise. I know there are apparently more Avengers related movies to come but this still felt like the culmination. It was the biggest and the flashiest and the funniest and had the most awesomely insane threat that there is no way anyONE could take it down. It had to take seven superheroes to defeat the insanity of this movie.
Whew, I made it through this without getting into specifics just in case anyone who reads this happened to not see it opening weekend, which maybe impossible since it made the totally outrageous sum of 200 million dollars.
I forgot to mention when talking about the cast that Mark Ruffalo did such a fine job stepping for Edward Norton as Bruce Banner that by the end of the movie he is the only Hulk. That was a great choice that possibly made the movie, given his status as the only unknown entity.
Avengers is a movie that has been years in the making. This is the sixth Marvel movie to be released in the past five years, all of which have been made aiming at the ultimate goal of making Avengers. The heroes of these movies, who make up the Avengers are Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America, along with Nick Fury, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, who all had appearances in those movies. And let me say it did not disappoint one bit. It was an extravaganza of stars and action and humor and special effects and heroes fighting for their moment in the sun (much like the actors themselves a little bit I am sure). All ego joking aside, it was a thoroughly entertaining movie with a story that tied together the previous movies together very nicely into one coherent story.
And despite the fact that the action takes center stage for a large portion of the movie, the credit for the actual quality of the movie has to go to its actors and its writer/director, comic book ubernerd Joss Whedon. Whedon's success has largely been on tv shows or labor of love projects such as the recently released horror romp Cabin In The Woods. It was questioned whether or not he could make the jump to being a summer tentpole director. Not only did he do a fine job, but he also seemed to separate himself from the more established hollywood directors to helm comic book movies (Christopher Nolan notwithstanding of course) thanks to his love of the genre. His love of comic books bled through the movie and made it as fun anything in the Avengers franchise. He also realized that because this movie was supposed to be fun he was also able to inject the movie with his trademark quippy humor and uniquely silly use of the English language. This linguistic trademark was also a concern. People feared it would sound a little too cheesy coming out of "real movie actors". This concern was put to rest with some of Robert Downey Jr.'s and Samuel L. Jackson's funniest work in years. The only person who unfortunately didn't get to take part in the comedy too much was Chris Evans who plays Captain America. While I understand that would have been a huge departure I kind of wish it could have happened. Chris Evans is just so damn funny. I swear he is the best meathead comedian out there. Even Scarlet Johansson got to show that she can play a legit hero, no thanks in part to Whedon's love of pretty young girls with superpowers.
Avengers is loaded with memorable moments and thrilling action. There are also a few surprise. I know there are apparently more Avengers related movies to come but this still felt like the culmination. It was the biggest and the flashiest and the funniest and had the most awesomely insane threat that there is no way anyONE could take it down. It had to take seven superheroes to defeat the insanity of this movie.
Whew, I made it through this without getting into specifics just in case anyone who reads this happened to not see it opening weekend, which maybe impossible since it made the totally outrageous sum of 200 million dollars.
I forgot to mention when talking about the cast that Mark Ruffalo did such a fine job stepping for Edward Norton as Bruce Banner that by the end of the movie he is the only Hulk. That was a great choice that possibly made the movie, given his status as the only unknown entity.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Rivera's Injury
sports: On May 3rd during batting practice before a game in Kansas City, Mariano Rivera tore his ACL shagging fly balls in center field when he tried to climb the wall to make a catch ending his season. Let's start with the more mechanical part of what is going on.
First and foremost, Rivera routinely is in the field during batting practice and has been for the duration of his now seventeen year career. This is an important thing to establish because blame otherwise gets put upon coaches and managers allowing him to do something irresponsible. That just isn't the case. Rivera has always been a superb athlete who takes care of his body not to mention the fact that he was originally looked at by major league scouts as a center fielder. It really was just a fluke accident that occurred while he was doing something that is part of his day to day activities.
The other thing to consider about Rivera's injury is its effect on his ability to pitch. It was pointed out by Bill Simmons, who writes for ESPN, how rare this injury is for a pitcher. A pitcher usually has arm issues. This is more an injury for people putting undo stress on their knees, whether that means running the bases or in the field. Most often though you see ACL injuries in football or basketball where stop and go movement along with the twists and turns evading contact can tear up ones knees. This is a pitcher. Also the knee in question is the one on the leg Rivera uses to push off from the mound. It is just really hard to say what kind of effect this will have on Rivera's pitching when he returns given the small, if not nonexistent, sample size we can look at as a barometer.
So now that it has been established what happened to Rivera, I would like to talk about it from the standpoint of what it means to me as a fan of baseball. I have spent most of my days both as a child and adult watching the Yankees turn themselves into and actively embrace the role of the Evil Empire. They have gathered high priced players and won a ton of World Series and been to a handful more. This is something that has always made me quite angry. And Mariano Rivera has been a huge part of that success for the past seventeen years. He has been there closer for sixteen straight seasons. Easily the most feared ninth inning pitcher in baseball and force of nature in the playoffs with a career 0.70 era going 8-1 with 42 saves after the end of the regular season. He essentially turned games into eight inning games because if you were losing after eight the game was over. Knowing he was coming into a game was the kiss of death for so many teams I have rooted for. Some of these teams I rooted for just to root against the Yankees (Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, to name a few that I have no true allegiance to). Sometimes I would even say to myself and to anyone who would listen, "Can't he just get hurt so I have some hope that someone will beat the damn Yankees."
Well, now he is hurt, badly. Rivera will miss the remainder of the 2012 season. And I have to say, I am actually sad about it. Yes, he has caused me a lot of baseball pain over the years. No I am definitely not a converted Yankees fan. But it is sad to me. Maybe its because Rivera is in the twilight of his career but I just feel bad for him. This has been the greatest closer of all time, greatest reliever of all time, and probably one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He has been remarkably durable and consistent. I think it is safe to say that watching Rivera pitch has actually been to watch history happen. Baseball has never seen a reliever of his caliber and may never again. And the best part about is he has done it with one pitch. That cutter at about 95 mph has been the ruin of just about everyone in baseball at one time or another. ONE PITCH! I just don't understand why anyone couldn't hit it. It had to have been some Yankee black magic or something. That's my only explanation. Regardless, watching someone that great get hurt in such a silly way has made me sad.
I want to make it clear though, I am not eulogizing Rivera. He has already told the press that he will pitch again and I believe him. His competitive spirit is legendary and his toughness, proven by how few games he has missed, is fact.
I will probably spend next spring up late nights in a cold sweat knowing that Rivera will be back and most of next summer back to hoping he gets hurt so my teams can win more. But I will be happy to see the best be back in action scaring fans and hitters alike. After all, the Yankees aren't as scary without the Sandman at the back of their bullpen. And lets face it, the villain has to be scary.
First and foremost, Rivera routinely is in the field during batting practice and has been for the duration of his now seventeen year career. This is an important thing to establish because blame otherwise gets put upon coaches and managers allowing him to do something irresponsible. That just isn't the case. Rivera has always been a superb athlete who takes care of his body not to mention the fact that he was originally looked at by major league scouts as a center fielder. It really was just a fluke accident that occurred while he was doing something that is part of his day to day activities.
The other thing to consider about Rivera's injury is its effect on his ability to pitch. It was pointed out by Bill Simmons, who writes for ESPN, how rare this injury is for a pitcher. A pitcher usually has arm issues. This is more an injury for people putting undo stress on their knees, whether that means running the bases or in the field. Most often though you see ACL injuries in football or basketball where stop and go movement along with the twists and turns evading contact can tear up ones knees. This is a pitcher. Also the knee in question is the one on the leg Rivera uses to push off from the mound. It is just really hard to say what kind of effect this will have on Rivera's pitching when he returns given the small, if not nonexistent, sample size we can look at as a barometer.
So now that it has been established what happened to Rivera, I would like to talk about it from the standpoint of what it means to me as a fan of baseball. I have spent most of my days both as a child and adult watching the Yankees turn themselves into and actively embrace the role of the Evil Empire. They have gathered high priced players and won a ton of World Series and been to a handful more. This is something that has always made me quite angry. And Mariano Rivera has been a huge part of that success for the past seventeen years. He has been there closer for sixteen straight seasons. Easily the most feared ninth inning pitcher in baseball and force of nature in the playoffs with a career 0.70 era going 8-1 with 42 saves after the end of the regular season. He essentially turned games into eight inning games because if you were losing after eight the game was over. Knowing he was coming into a game was the kiss of death for so many teams I have rooted for. Some of these teams I rooted for just to root against the Yankees (Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, to name a few that I have no true allegiance to). Sometimes I would even say to myself and to anyone who would listen, "Can't he just get hurt so I have some hope that someone will beat the damn Yankees."
Well, now he is hurt, badly. Rivera will miss the remainder of the 2012 season. And I have to say, I am actually sad about it. Yes, he has caused me a lot of baseball pain over the years. No I am definitely not a converted Yankees fan. But it is sad to me. Maybe its because Rivera is in the twilight of his career but I just feel bad for him. This has been the greatest closer of all time, greatest reliever of all time, and probably one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He has been remarkably durable and consistent. I think it is safe to say that watching Rivera pitch has actually been to watch history happen. Baseball has never seen a reliever of his caliber and may never again. And the best part about is he has done it with one pitch. That cutter at about 95 mph has been the ruin of just about everyone in baseball at one time or another. ONE PITCH! I just don't understand why anyone couldn't hit it. It had to have been some Yankee black magic or something. That's my only explanation. Regardless, watching someone that great get hurt in such a silly way has made me sad.
I want to make it clear though, I am not eulogizing Rivera. He has already told the press that he will pitch again and I believe him. His competitive spirit is legendary and his toughness, proven by how few games he has missed, is fact.
I will probably spend next spring up late nights in a cold sweat knowing that Rivera will be back and most of next summer back to hoping he gets hurt so my teams can win more. But I will be happy to see the best be back in action scaring fans and hitters alike. After all, the Yankees aren't as scary without the Sandman at the back of their bullpen. And lets face it, the villain has to be scary.
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