Elizabeth:The Golden Age was...

Decent. I wasn't turned off by it, but I can't seem to put my finger on exactly what it was that was missing. I understand that the story obviously isn't going to be the same. But where the first relied on intrigue and subtlety, The Golden Age went for more flamboyant set pieces, scenes, and the like. Believe me, there was plenty of intrigue throughout her life. Clive Owen does well as Sir Walter Raleigh, Geoffrey Rush is consistent as ever, and Samantha Morton provides a quiet, constant simmer to Mary Stuart. Still, it never reaches its potential. B-

Being a die-hard Bengals fan for 25 years...

Oh my god! What has happened to me? I have been cheering at volume level 11 for...THE BROWNS!!!!!!!!!...the last two weeks!

Let's just say my level of disgust for Cincinnati has reached an all-time high...and this is the result.

Halloween 4/5 Double Feature...Give Me the Reel Thing

Okay, so watching these and Saw IV in the theatre within days of each other is definitely no credibility play. That's okay. Horror films may be my guilty pleasure per se. And there is no doubt that the original Halloween was one of the best of all time. In addition to that, there is some back story, as from what I can recall, Halloween 5 was the first horror movie I ever saw in a theatre...many moons ago.

I will tell you up front that in comparison to the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series, I think the Halloween franchise has held up better. This by no means make the sequels masterpieces, but they have had their moments (Knocked Up co-star Paul Rudd getting his start in part 6), the lowest being Halloween Resurrection with Busta Rhymes among others stellar actors. Busta is a supporter, not a main player, I assure you.

But anyway, I won't drag this out. Besides the college boy making weird breathing/nervous laugh (I shouldn't really be at any horror movies cause I can't deal with it) noises and obnoxious constant side comments to the only girl that would have him, the other thing that really pissed me off about this one-off showing last Tuesday was the fact that it was the dvd being super-imposed onto the screen. Not the actual print. Meaning, the sound was so-so and the the picture was actually about 70% of the screen. Now...I admit, there is a chance that I still would have gone to this showing and paid my $10 (oh my god did I really pay that?) knowing what I do now. Maybe. I'm just saying it would have been nice to know. And as we all know, knowing is 1/2 the battle. Just like GI Joe said.

You know the temperature in hell is dropping quickly when...

This is what's selling in America this late in the game. What's even funnier is trying to imagine how the oh-so-progressive Don Henley and Co. could explain their exclusive arrangement with Wal-Mart of all places. And as the "The Dude" once said, "I hate the fuckin' Eagles!" (I'm pretty sure he would have included Britney in there as well)

Yes, It's True...David Mead agrees, Maritime's new one is the shit!

Though I frequently lament the fact that Paste generally doesn't view punk/hardcore/metal/etc. as viable genres or has simply decided that they don't fit into the all things indie/oldie-but-goodie categories; occasionally they agree with me. Such is the case with David Mead's review of the new Maritime album in the new (November 2007) issue. I have to find it online yet, but I assure you it's in there.

(With the exception of Peter Travers) I really wish Rolling Stone would cease to exist

For real. Jan Wenner, give it up for god's sake. Your black/white politics (oh so noticeably absent before 2001) are laughable. Your features are ridiculous. You are so far behind publications like Alternative Press and Paste that every time you do an ass-clowned feature like "Indie Rock Universe" you look like an even bigger out-of-touch douche than you already did (no small feat). In fact, why don't you get together with the owners of Spin and give us a 2-for-1 sale and both take a dirt nap.

"Rendition" and "We Own the Night"

Rendition raises a debate that we have heard before...is it okay for us to torture those that are suspected of being terrorists based on our fears for our own national security? Honestly, I still don't have the answer to that question. I mean I do in my heart, just not in my gut. (That would be a "no" by the way). Well, Rendition really isn't going to answer that for you either. Jake Gyllenhaal isn't bad as an agent forced into his first "interrogation" by circumstance; and Reese Witherspoon pouts, cries and whimpers at all the right moments while of course showing "strength" the whole time. The excellent Peter Saarsgard is there and then he's not. And Meryl Streep plays cool calculation to perfection as she has done numerous times before. But in the end, not a whole lot is answered and while it's done well you can't exactly say, "at least it was fun getting there". B-

We Own the Night is also a thriller in nature, though more of a standard cop/drama kind. It is also a solid flick if never quite rising above that standard formula. Joaquin Phoenix reminds us of his versatility. Mark Wahlberg reminds us he can play a hardass. Robert Duvall reminds us that he can be quietly stoic. And of course Eva Mendes reminds us that she is hot. In between all of this is movie that is pretty well put together and moves at a steady pace despite delays in the timeline even though director James Gray has kind of been here before with Wahlberg in "The Yards". B