Gossip Girls Has Figured Out Art Imitating Life Is Easier Than Paying Writers

I have never been interested in the "O.C" or for that matter any teen, post teen, or thirty something prime time dramas. I have always felt they were to forced and over the top. If you are going for the drama route why not go all the way and end up with a incredible TV show like Passions? I have been forced to watch Gossip Girl with Kara, and was pretty disappointed the first half of the season, but since the show has come back after its break, I have to say it is damn entertaining. The show has figured out that websites like Perez Hilton and other celebrity blogs get millions of page views just reporting on the personal life's of celebrities and rich people. So why not lift most of those stories out of the blogs and make it into story lines of a prime time drama. I would normally think that the story lines on Gossip Girl are over the top, but when you read about things that are exactly like what happens on the show, it is more believable. Add the fact that it takes place in New York, which automatically makes it more hip, and you have a decent show. The problem with the "O.C." was that it took place in California which is fake and the story lines dragged. Gossip Girls keeps the story fast paced mimicking the day to day updates of gossip blogs. It drops references to the real world of Manhattan, and basically turns the whole Gawker website into a TV show. I have finally realized that it works and watch without the protest and disgust that I did in the past. I recommend getting into the show. It is not as great as people say, but is definitely worth watching. I still think that they should add Chric Crocker as Serena's brother. It would complete the art imitating life gimmick, and add a tongue a tongue and cheek aspect. 

All Those Tornados are Nothing To Worry About...

I remember this time last year thinking that there were an usually large amount of tornadoes across the country. I even remember news stories talking about records being broken, and havoc being reeked. Well, this year things are even worse. There have been more tornadoes than any year in the last ten years including 47 over the weekend. Tornadoes have been historically drawn to white trash. They often ravage trailers parks and are responsible for millions lost in make shift meth labs being destroyed, but recently they have been touching dawn in the downtown of major cities and parts of the country that have never seen twisters. The country was basically detroyed by twisters this weekend leaving many people to say "We are not in Kansas anymore," Ba Dum Cha! I think most people need to admit that there is climate change and move on to figure out some answer. Read about the destruction here.

Penguins Win Extending Their Lead To 2-0

The Penguins won their second game against the Flyers a couple minutes ago. Crosby, Hossa (who doesn't score in playoffs huh), Talbot (with the game winner), and Stahl (empty net) all scored for the 4-2 victory. I really don't know who is going to be able to beat this team. The Pens are going to win the cup. The second and third periods were pretty weak for Pittsburgh and Philly still couldn't manage to beat them. There was some fighting, but this series has been kind of tame compare to what I thought it would be. The Flyers are going to be desperate and frustrated in game three, which could translate into violence. Yeah! There was also some kind of mushy story going on during the game between some kid with cancer and the Penguins. They kept showing him when they scored. Blah blah blah. Pittsburgh will do anything they can to make the story of the Penguins more dramatic and emotion filled. It just goes with the territory when a sport team starts winning in the Burgh.  I am just waiting for Mike Lang to break down and start saying things like "this team is a true inspiration" and what a "great story". The Pens are a solid team that are arguably the most well rounded team in the league. They have a great goalie that looks even better because of the team's ability to block shots. They have incredible power play killing ability, and they probably have the MVP of the year Malkin. They don't need a back story or some kind of inspiration behind there wins. They are just a solid team. Period. Now that I look like a complete heartless asshole, I'll at least say its nice to see the team giving back. Did that do anything for anyone? Recap here. I was too lazy to do it today. You know mothers day and all.

No, Speed Racer, No!

There is nothing like a movie bombing when a studio has dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into its production. There is something about failure that it highly entertaining to me. Calling a movie a piece of crap, and seeing it as an utter catasrophe is often better than it being a success like Iron Man. Whether its Waterworld, Gigli, Howard the Duck, Battlefield Earth, Catwomen, or Electra, when Hollywood makes a turkey I laugh. Well, the latest disaster that will cause heads to roll on Monday, is Speedracer. The movie cost over 100 million to make and is projected to gross just over 20 million. The first 8 minutes was released to get people interested and apparently it came across worse than David The Gnome at a prison movie day showing. The movie looked like a cartoon made with crayons aimed at five year olds. Some reviews were actually good though, others accused Chim-Chim of writing the script. Box Office Mojo gave it a B-, and Movie Crypt.com said the Wachowski brothers delivered a movie that should be number one at the box office. From what I understand the movie is not really as bad as the 20 million makes it seem. It is very stylized and quite entertaining. I would have much rathered this movie to be terrible. It is way better when a movie flops AND critics have a verbal field day describing how bad the movie is. Have no fear, there are bad reviews for this movie. Here are some of my favorite:

"An extravagant, pathetic pageant"; "All in all, I'm pretty sure Hunter S. Thompson had hallucinations better than this."; "The brutal sensory overload is coupled with a plot that starves the brain, a recycling of the silliness of the TV show unleavened by any saving hint of postmodern irony." ; "Imagine if the pod race in Star Wars Episode I was as bad as everyone said it was, and took itself twice as seriously, and went on for more than two hours."; "The race for worst movie of 2008 starts here. Go Speed Racer GO!"

Now this movie may not be as bad as people are making it out to be, but we can only hope that it is. There is no worry though, I understand that the new Indiana Jones movie will make Speedracer look like Citizen Kane. Aint it Cool News has said this is "the Indiana Jones movie you were dreading." I think critics are already writing down caustic one liners in anticipation for this calamity.

Has Gawker Uncovered the Identity of Banksy?

I have been out of the game for a while because of finals. I officially have a J.D. with the completion my last final on Saturday. I take my bar in July, and then I am officially a lawyer, but whatever. In more important news, Gawker has reported that they have uncovered the identity of the guerrilla street artist Banksy. If you are unfamiliar with Banksy I am not going to fill you in. All you need to know is that he is fucking awesome. He is well known for his ant-establishment art work that often mixes themes of war and peace. He has tagged religious sites in Bethlehem, underground tunnels in London, and was responsible for replacing copies of Paris Hilton's album with doctored copies "remixed" with his artwork. Banksy is known for being secretive, keeping his identity hidden, rarely giving interviews, and making sure that his picture is not taken. Well, anyway Gawker says that a tip from multiple sources says that Nick Walker (another British stencil artist) was tagging a wall at the Thunder Jackson restaurant in Manhattan and confirmed that he was Banksy, presumably assuming that the waitress that asked him was not aware of who Banksy or Nick Walker's was. Of course most don't believe this, I don't even think Gawker is taking themselves seriously.  This all is all weird since Gawker has previously published a picture of Banksy, revealing his identity for all to see. The picture wasn't Nick Walker. Maybe Banksy is a bunch of artists like the Shakespeare theory, or it is just Nick Walker using a name to gain notoriety. Most say that there are subtle differences between Nick Walker and Banksy's work. Banksy has trouble painting feet, a la Beatrix Potter with hands. Some others think that this is all working toward some scheme Banksy has in the works, which includes copyrighting his work. Whatever he has up his sleeve, and if Nick Walker is involved it should be ground breaking like the rest of his work.

Iroman Did Really Good ...

I guess everyone went to see Ironman this weekend. It made $100.8 million. Thats nothing, wait until Lohan's ball room dancing movie Dare to Love Me comes out. This should really be no surprise to anyone. It did open against Made of Honor!!! COME ON, Waterworld could have done 100 mill against Made of Honor. The promo for this movie was pretty crazy, but I am still shocked that Gwenyn Paltro and Robert Deniro can carry a summer blockbuster. I mean we all remember Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow? Or have you force forgotten it? Well, I guess the promo was worth it, and also, this weekend was college and some high school graduation, so all the young people went out. Whatever the reason, the movie did good, and from what I hear it is well worth seeing. All the nerds are going nuts because I guess if you wait until the end of the movie, there is a teaser for a sequel involving Smuel L. Jackson, an eye patch, and the Avengers. Here is the video:

Pens Win Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

Pittsburgh won game five 3-2 in classic thrilling fashion with an overtime goal by Marian Hossa. The game was very much worth me missing my Sunday MTV reality show catch up. You could not ask for a better more thrilling game than this game.  The first period was scoreless followed by a second period dominated by the Pens. Marian Hossa scored first followed by a goal than none other than MVP (opinion) Malkin. In the third, the Rangers tied it up with a score by Korpikowski (whoever the hell that is) and one later by Nigel Dawes . We went to overtime and won with the best acquisition of the season Hossa (who many have said can't score in the post season).  Pens won the series 4-1, and will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now we will have the "Turnpike Rivalry Series" against the Philadelphia Flyers. It will be Pennsylvania's 2008 White Trash Fest (well until the Regatta hits). The Flyers are a very physical team, so this series will be pure insanity. It may be a 300 style bloodbath. It could be the setting for a new Mel Gibson movie. (Ok, have I gone too far? I'll stop). The media will have a field day with hyping this series up ( me included I guess obviously). Drunk Pittsburgh fans vs. drunk Philly fans could be better than the actual games. Games one and two will be in the "Igloo", but the days and times have not yet been announced. If a series could be better than the series that just concluded it will be a Flyers-Pens series for the Eastern Conference Finals. Hell, the Flyers are led by a Pittsburgher, R.J. Umberger. Umberger has said that it would be a dream to come
home and face the Pens before game 5 against the Canadians. This will be crazy. The Pens are so bringing home the Stanley Cup.  Now, I have to go back to studying for my finals. I squeezed an update in, but I have a 20 page paper due along with some other tests. 

Here is a dissapointing video of Philly v. Pittsburgh fans, and a video of the Laraque Cote fight from April right before the playoffs.