Talking About Stuff, with Mike and Christiana

So did you hear about this guy Richard Leigh who was suing Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code, claiming that Mr. Brown copied elements of an earlier non-fiction book?

If not, you should know that it was a ludicrous lawsuit to the begin with. It was a non-fiction book that Mr. Brown used for some source material in writing his fiction novel! The guy didn't have a chance under any interpretation of copyright law. Clearly, (to me, anyway,) he was filing the lawsuit with the hope one or both of two things would happen:

1) Dan Brown and Random House would settle the lawsuit, thus paying Mr. Leigh a ridiculous sum of money to go away.

2) Mr Leigh's book would receive lots of publicity, thus selling more copies.

#2 kinda happened. It's estimated that almost 30,000 copies of the guy's book have been sold since the whole thing hit the media.

As for #1, Well, the lawsuit is over, and Mr. Leigh is SCREEEEEWWED!

The judge not only ruled in favor of Dan Brown (of course!), but also ordered Mr. Leigh to pay 85% of Dan Brown and Random House's court costs! That's 1.1 MILLION Pounds! (Suit was filed in the UK) And that's not even including Mr. Leigh's own court costs of around 800,000 pounds!

Wow. He completely brought it on himself. This is one of the most spectacularly awful missteps I've ever heard of. That's what he gets for filing a lawsuit complaining that a bestselling novel used information from your non-fiction book, which isn't even illegal! What an idiot!

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Um, okay. They're going to make a Crash TV Series.

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) – The Oscar winning racial drama “Crash” will be adapted for the small screen and appear on nationwide television next year.

The film version starred Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard, Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle and won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in March.

Producer Cathy Schulman says, "I hope it will air in the next year. The actors from the film will show up. Don Cheadle is a producer and will also be on at least a few episodes. We'll see about everyone else."

Let me go on the record here as saying I think this is a terrible idea, and not merely because I didn't enjoy the movie.

I've softened on the film considerably, not because I've changed my own personal opinion of it, but just in realizing that it's all about disagreement on a matter of taste, rather than any kind of objective quality. So it's not that it was a bad film, or that it "sucked", only that, personally, I really didn't like it.

My guess then, is that I wouldn't like the show either. But even if I had enjoyed the film, I would still think a TV Series spinoff is a bad idea if only because the nature of a TV series and of a film are very different. The film was a message-piece, about the capacity for racism in all of us, and how the interactions among people can surprise us with the same person acting as both victim and aggressor in the same day.

That's just not going to transfer well to an ongoing series, which needs to be about character, not concept. A concept can be enough to make you watch a show once or twice, but you'll only stick around if you like the characters. The whole story in the film hung entirely on the coincidental and unexpected connections between all these characters. What are they going to do in a series? Are they going to all meet each other? On what basis?

A TV series develops based on the relationships between the characters, but the entire theme and plot of the film hinged on the characters not really knowing one another. That was the whole point! That you see someone on the street and have a brief interaction with them, and you make a snap judgement about them, a judgement that can have lasting impact on both of you. If you were to have the characters get to know each other better, it changes all of that.

The only way I could see it working (maybe) is by focusing on the cop characters, only because they are the most likely to interact with a lot of very diverse people (in both race and class) on a regular basis.

I'm not saying that it can't possibly be a good show, only that the film itself will not transfer well, and the only way it could be a good series would be to change it enough that calling it "Crash" will only be an attempt to draw an audience of people who liked the film.

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Man, this guy is charming! I need to go take a cold shower or something.

In the meantime, you should go read this interview.

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The music of Jonathan Coulton.

He writes geek songs. Funny ones!

He's a really talented singer/songwriter to begin with, but how many love songs have you ever heard about an evil genius singing to the girl he has kidnapped and is holding prisoner in his secret lair? Coulton's: "Skullcrusher Mountain" is just that sort of love song. It contains the lyric: "I made this half-pony-half monkey monster to please you."

Then there's the bittersweet lament of a sea monster, determined to stop destroying the pretty pretty ships that float above him in "I Crush Everything", which contains the lyric: "The dolphins are all phonies."

Then there's "Chiron Beta Prime", a Christmas greeting from a family in exile on an asteroid, where they sing "where we are working in a mine for our robot overlords... did I say overlords? I meant protectors."

And what makes this all even cooler is that he releases his songs under creative commons, which means you can listen and share them all you want for free. But hey, he's super-awesome, so if you like his songs, make sure you purchase some of his songs so he can keep putting out the awesome.

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I don't know if you have been watching the new Battlestar Galactica or not, but if not, you should seriously make an effort to catch up on it on DVD. It's the best science fiction television show in... Hmm, not sure I can think of a better one. (Firefly maybe, but I don't really compare the two to each other)

Anyway, if you have been watching, then I don't know if you've been listening to Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Podcast. (He's the creator and head writer of the show.) It's an excellent insight behind the scenes of the show, and I've really been enjoying it. (It was one of the first podcasts I ever listened to.)

But the reason I bring it up today is that, in lieu of a new episode to give commentary on, the most recent podcast presents a recording made at one of their writer's meetings, back when the episode "Scar" was in the script stage. I think it's a fascinating example of how effective collaborative writing can be when it's done with a group of talented people who share a good chemistry.

Neat stuff!

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Don't worry, though. They're (much) cooler than me too.

Cooler in fact, than most of the planet. That's because of Spaced, and Shaun of the Dead.

Well, they haven't done much that we've been able to see for a while, except of course for this music video that Edgar directed: Bastardo (Simon has a cameo in it, as does Lucy Davis aka Dawn from the British The Office)

Now, however, they are starting to release a video diary about their next film: Hot Fuzz! (Watch the video and bask in the awesomeness!)

In other media news...

The first footage from Snakes on a Plane is online!

The first new episode of Southpark this season will feature: "The triumphant homecoming of school chef Jerome McElroy. While Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman are thrilled to have their old friend back, they notice that something about Chef seems different. When Chef's strange behavior starts getting him in trouble, the boys pull out all stops to save him." (No doubt made in response to Chef voice actor Isaac Hayes's decision to leave the show.)

UPDATE! Is it possible that Isaac Hayes didn't quit at all, but that someone else quit for him?

Alan Moore was apparently so upset with the film (scroll to the bottom) version of V for Vendetta that he asked to have his name removed from the credits.

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See, this explains everything.



I propose that we impeach Paul Haggis.

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I'll have more to say about this when I post show #61 tonight, but I want to clarify my last "announcement" just a little bit.

The harshness of my statement "Crash sucked" was created out of anger, based on my feeling that an undeserving film had won best picture over one that I thought truly worthy.

So, while I will not apologize for disliking the film, (and will go into more detail why in show #61), I will apologize to anyone who felt insulted by my tone. It was not my intention to disrespect anyone who did like the film, only to disagree.

(More detail tonight when I post #61)

*ahem*

Crash sucked. That Best Picture win is bulls#!t.

That is all.

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UPDATE:

Brokeback Mountain was a far-superior film, and like so many years past, the actual winner will fade in people's memories while a losing film will stay powerful.

And if you needed any proof of that...

I present (by linking to them anyway...) The 30-Second Bunnies Adaptation of Brokeback Mountain (WARNING: Contains spoilers for that film!)

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Hey everybody!

Got a couple more films to see before the awards on Sunday, but here's my current Oscar Marathon Status!
(Download my Current Oscar Spreadsheet)

Total Percentage: 69.5%

Best Picture: Seen 5/5. Brokeback Mountain should and will win.

Best Animated Feature: Seen 3/3. Howl's Moving Castle just barely edges out Wallace and Gromit as my favorite, but won't win the statue.

Best Director: Seen 5/5. Brokeback Mountain should and will win.

Best Actor: Seen 5/5. Heath Ledger gets my vote (just barely), and the statue will go to him or Phillip Seymore Hoffman.

Best Actress: Seen 3/5. I liked Kiera Knightley the best, just by a little, but Huffman will win and that doesn't really bother me.

Best Supporting Actor: Seen 4/5. Oscar to Jake Gylenhall.

Best Supporting Actress: Seen 2/5. Michelle Williams will ride the BBM sweep.

Best Original Screenplay: Seen 4/5. Should go to Syriana's deliberately and purposefully overwhelming script.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Seen 4/5. Brokeback all the way, though Munich was top-notch too.

Best Foreign Film: Seen 0/5. I suck. No wait, nominating only films that haven't been released anywhere but film festivals in New York sucks.

Best Original Score: Seen 3/5. I don't often notice film scores, but I kinda liked the one in Pride and Prejudice.

Best Original Song: Seen 3/3. (Why only three?) Hard Out Here for a Pimp had better win.

Best Art Direction: Seen 4/5. King Kong. Gorgeous. 'Nuff said.

Best Cinematography: Seen 3/5. Brokeback Mountain got the colors right for once!

Best Costume Design: Seen 3/5. My vote goes to Pride and Prejudice, but the judging in this category is always weird.

Best Makeup: Seen 2/3. Why on earth is Star Wars Ep III nominated here and not Visual Effects? I vote for it just because it was snubbed for the one thing it actually did really well.

Best Documentary: Seen 1/5. Only saw March of the Penguins and it may win, but Grizzly Man was better and didn't even get a nomination.

Best Sound Mixing: Seen 4/5. I don't even know what the difference is between this and Sound Editing.

Best Sound Editing: Seen 2/3. I don't even know what the difference is between this and Sound Editing. (UPDATE! D'oh! I meant to say "between this and Sound Mixing." That's what I get for trying to be clever.)

Best Visual Effects: Seen 3/3. King Kong, baby!

Best Film Editing: Seen 3/3. This is the other one Spielberg might get for Munich.

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Hey everybody!

King Kong... in 30 seconds... re-enacted by bunnies!

And check out all their other movies too at AngryAlien.com!

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Only a very short post right this minute, but here is my tracking spreadsheet for my 3rd Annual Oscar Movie Marathon!

Oscar Spreadsheet

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Hey everyone!

Remember to sign up for the Survivor Panama: Exile Island Fantasy League

It adds an extra layer of fun to the show! Just follow that link, create a login, and select four of the Survivors on the show!

Then, you get points based on how well those players do in the upcoming episode!

Like last season, I'll be forming a private tribe as well, but that can wait a little. For now, just make sure you get your own team selected and I'll send out invites to the private tribe to anyone who is interested!

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Who?

The Night of the Living Dead Bunnies of course.

That's right, those clever folks over at AngryAlien.com have got another movie up, this time: Night of the Living Dead... in 30 seconds... re-enacted by bunnies.

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Hey everyone! The Oscar noms come tomorrow, and so that means it's just about time for my 3rd Annual Oscar Movie Marathon! More details about that coming soon. In the meantime, why not check out the Nominees for the Razzies, given out every year to the WORST films of the year.

Worst Screenplay
Bewitched
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Dirty Love
Dukes of Hazzard
Son of the Mask

Wow, I haven't seen any of these. From what I hear though, all pretty crappy.

Worst Director
John Asher - Dirty Love
Ewe Boll - Alone in the Dark
Jay Chandrasekhar - The Dukes of Hazzard
Nora Ephron - Bewitched
Lawrence Gutterman - Son of the Mask

None of these either. Both Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers) and Nora Ephron (You've Got Mail) have done good work in the past though.

Worst Remake or Sequel
Bewitched
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Dukes of Hazzard
House of Wax
Son of the Mask

Okay, finally, one I've seen. House of Wax. It really wasn't very good, but it had some actual good stuff going for it, so I'm not sure it really deserves this. I think Paris Hilton is why it's here.

Worst Screen Couple
Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman - Bewitched
Jamie Kennedy and "Anybody sharing the screen with him" - Son of the Mask
Jenny McCarthy and "Anyone dumb enough to befriend or date her" - Dirty Love
Rob Schneider and His Diapers - Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Jessica Simpson and her "Daisy Dukes" - Dukes of Hazzard

Yet again, another category where I haven't seen anything. Still, I do not ultimately consider that a bad thing.

Worst Supporting Actress
Carmen Electra - Dirty Love
Paris Hilton - House of Wax
Katie Holmes - Batman Begins
Ashlee Simpson - Undiscovered
Jessica Simpson - Dukes of Hazzard

Katie Holmes is only here because of the whole tabloid-fodder thing with her and Tom Cruise. She wasn't great, but she wasn't that bad either in the movie itself. Paris Hilton played herself, so whether you like her performance or not pretty much depends on whether you like her or not. Haven't seen the others.

Worst Supporting Actor
Hayden Christensen - Star Wars III: No Sith, he's supposed to be Darth Vader?
Alan Cumming - Son of the Mask
Bob Hoskins - Son of the Mask
Eugene Levy - Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and The Man
Burt Reynolds - Dukes of Hazzard and The Longest Yard

Hahahahahaha! Now, I liked Ep III, but Hayden wasn't why. The rest I haven't seen.

Most Tiresome Tabloid Targets
Tom Cruise and his Anti-Psychiatry Rant
Tom Cruise, Katie Holms, Oprah Winfrey's Couch, the Eiffel Tower & "Tom's Baby"
Paris Hilton and... Who-EVER!
Mr. & Mrs. Britney, Their Baby, and Their Camcorder
The Simpsons: Ashlee, Jessica and Nick

Wow, double nom for Tom. He totally deserves it. So do the rest of them.

Worst Actress
Jessica Alba - Fantastic Four and Into the Blue
Hilary Duff - Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and The Perfect Man
Jennifer Lopes - Monster in Law
Jenny McCarthy - Dirty Love
Tara Reid - Alone in the Dark

Once again, haven't seen any of these.

Worst Actor
Tom Cruise - War of the Worlds
Will Ferrel - Bewitched and Kicking & Screaming
Jamie Kennedy - Son of the Mask
The Rock - Doom
Rob Schneider - Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

Again, Tom Cruise is here because of his personal life and publicity, not because he was especially bad in the movie. But then, so what? Haven't seen the rest of these either!

Worst Picture
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Dirty Love
Dukes of Hazzard
House of Wax
Son of the Mask

Only one I've seen is House of Wax, which again, is only here because of Paris Hilton. It wasn't great, but it wasn't one of the five worst films of the year by any stretch.

Sometimes, I think to myself that I would be better off if I didn't read so much about movies before they come out. Occasionally I stumble across spoilers that I wish I hadn't seen, or I find that I wish I had gone in knowing less about what to expect from a film.

That said, the fact that I haven't seen hardly any of the above films suggests that maybe my approach isn't a bad thing at all.

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ABC News has an interesting article about a new documentary called: This Film Has Not Been Rated, all about the MPAA ratings board.

Sundance Producer Examines Film Ratings

PARK CITY, Utah Jan 24, 2006 — Kirby Dick has rated the movie-ratings board and come to a blunt conclusion: This panel is not suitable for any audiences.

His documentary "This Film Is Not Yet Rated," premiering Wednesday at the Sundance Film Festival, is a harsh indictment of the ratings system overseen by the Motion Picture Association of America, the trade group for Hollywood's top studios.

Dick calls the ratings process a form of censorship carried out by unqualified film judges who operate in secrecy, their procedures favoring big studio fare over movies from independent and overseas filmmakers.

"Independent film tends to focus more on sexuality. Studios tend to put out films that have more to do with violence," said Dick, a 2004 Academy Awards nominee for his documentary "Twist of Faith." "Violent films get through almost unscathed, but the ratings have this excessive focus against sexuality that puts independent film at a disadvantage."

Hey everybody!

Remember that Turner Classic Movies continues to show the work of animation master Hayao Miyazaki on Thursdays all this month!

This week we have:

My Neighbor Totoro An incredibly charming adventure of two little girls who, after moving to a new house in the country, meet and befriend some wonderful magical creatures known as "Totoro". Suitable for ANY age, and delightful for any age as well. (English dub (The new dub!) at 8:00, Japanese with subtitles at 1:15)

Porco Rosso A thrilling, funny, haunting tale of a reclusive flying ace in an alternate pre-WWII Europe. He saves the helpless from air pirates, battles his obnoxious rival Curtis, and keeps making friends despite himself. Oh yeah, and he has the head of a pig. (English dub at 9:30, Japanese with subtitles at 2:45)

Whisper of the Heart The only one of the three I haven't seen, it is written by Miyazaki, but directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. A young girl finds that all the books she chooses in the library have been previously checked out by the same boy. Later she meets a very infuriating fellow... could it be her "friend" from the library? The boy's grandfather has a violin sales and service shop. The boy wants to be a violin maker like his grandfather. (English dub at 11:15, Japanese with subtitles at 4:30.)

I love the first two and can't wait to see the third. You should check them out too! Movies like these make your heart soar.

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Hey everyone,

CBS has just put up the website for the newest iteration of Survivor; Survivor Panama: Exile Island

Stranded on an island off the coast of Panama, 16 strangers must live together and compete for the million-dollar prize. This time, the castaways will begin their competition as four tribes: older men, older women, younger men and younger women. At least one Survivor each week will be banished to a separate island miles away from camp. How will this change the game? Who will outwit, outplay, and outlast all others? Don’t miss a single episode of SURVIVOR: PANAMA--EXILE ISLAND, premiering Thursday, February 2 at 8 pm ET/PT, only on CBS.

I have to say, after reading the biographies for these contestants, I have to say that they seem (in general) like a more interesting group of people than the last bunch. (Not that an interesting bio always makes for an interesting person or that an uninteresting bio has to mean a boring person.) So head on over and check out the new batch of contestants!

I have looked over all of them, and I have decided to pre-judge each and every one of them based solely on their taste in TV and Movies.

Aras - Yoga Instructor
TV Shows No favorite
Movies Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring; The Big Lebowski

Aras loses points for not having any favorite TV shows. It's fine for people to not watch much TV, but to not even be able to identify a favorite smacks to me of a pretentious person who loves saying things like, "Oh, I don't even own a TV," as though that's a badge of honor or something. That said, he regains an awful lot of ground with his movie picks. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring is a relatively obscure foreign film that is really quite beautiful and philosophical. His profession as a yoga instructor is likely what brought him to the film, as its Buddhist theme meshes well with yoga. Further, the choice of the Big Lewbowski demonstrates first that he has an appreciation for many different types of film, but also that he can understand and enjoy the brilliant humor present in that film. I predict that his mellow philosophy and sense of humor will help him do well in the game.


Austin - Author
TV Shows Seinfeld, SURVIVOR
Movies A River Runs Through It, the Shawshank Redemption, Braveheart

Ouch. Dude, he's an author, and that I like, but these choices. It's not that any of them are bad shows or films per se, it's just that they are all too easy. There's no real imagination involved in any of these picks so I can't really give him much credit for them. That said, at least he doesn't lose points by naming anything really awful. Just bland choices, like he had to really think about the question to come up with anything and then just named the first ones that came to mind. Another brief note about choosing Survivor. Sure, for an actual contestant, it should be a given, but in my opinion, anyone who's on the show should name this one automatically before even thinking about any others. It's all gain, nothing to lose. I don't think he'll do well. He doesn't put enough thought into things before he answers. Then again, he is an author, so maybe he'll have some long-term story in mind. He'll need to pay attention to the little details though.


Bobby - Attorney
TV Shows SURVIVOR, The Daily Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Tick, Deadwood, The Discovery Channel
Movies Pulp Fiction, Friday, Airplane, The Godfather, The Godfather II, Raw, Delirious, Braveheart

Nice. I especially give him props for The Tick, Deadwood and The Discovery Channel. The inclusion of Real Time could foretell a tendency toward political discussion which might get him into trouble, but on the whole, I think this is an excellent selection. First of all, he named lots of different kinds of shows and films, from comedy to drama to educational. And some of his choices are truly excellent. Delirious is an odd choice, but as a part of an otherwise quirky and fun selection, it doesn't bother me at all. Top marks.


Bruce - Karate Instructor / High School Art Teacher
TV Shows SURVIVOR, ESPN, sports
Movies Seven Samurai, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings

Okay, he's a sports fan. Some of my best friends are sports fans so I won't judge him too harshly for it, even though I think he's only hurting himself by not having some quality scripted shows on his list. As for the films, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings are relatively easy choices, but at least they demonstrate an affection for scifi and fantasy. I approve. Likewise, Seven Samurai is an excellent film as well. A classic of Japanese cinema and the inspiration for "The Magnificent Seven." He has good taste, but he needs to be checking out Battlestar Galactica on the Scifi channel, as well as some of the other great shows on TV. He's got a good head on his shoulders, but he needs to make sure he looks both ways on the street or he'll get bowled over from behind.


Cirie - Registered Nurse
TV Shows SURVIVOR, BIG BROTHER, The First 48 Investigative Reports
Movies Shallow Hal, Scarface, Cooley High

*blink* Did she really list Shallow Hal as one of her favorite movies? She tries to come back from that with Scarface, but I'm sorry, Cirie. It's too late for that. It was over with Shallow Hal.


Courtney - Performance Artist
TV Shows Real Time with Bill Maher, SURVIVOR, Entourage, Lost, Rock Star
Movies House of Flying Daggers, The Incredibles, Pulp Fiction

Some pretty good choices here too. She has an eclectic taste, which is very good, and she chose some nice films here. I'm less impressed with the TV shows, but they aren't bad on the whole. Lost in particular is a nice inclusion. High marks. It sounds as though she will be flexible in her interactions with people, and she could do well.


Dan - Retired Astronaut
TV Shows SURVIVOR, The West Wing
Movies Apollo 13, Dirty Harry, Speed

Hmmm... Apollo 13 is a good film, but given that he's an actual astronaut, he should have picked The Right Stuff instead. Dirty Harry and Speed suggest that he's got a relatively narrow lens as far as film is concerned, which doesn't make him a bad person, but I would recommend that he try to open his mind to some comedies or human dramas in the future. Maybe some good foreign films. Amelie is a good place to start. The West Wing, eh? I wonder if he means the early seasons when it was still good? He's certainly smart and has potential to be a leader, but I predict that his weakness may be tunnel vision.


Danielle - Medical Sales Representative
TV Shows Rescue Me, Desperate Housewives, Las Vegas, Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos
Movies The Bronx Tale, Scarface, Goodfellas

Ooh, I'm torn here. I approve of Rescue Me, The Sopranos, and her film choices, but Desperate Housewives and Las Vegas hurt her. Further more, I detect once again, a pretty narrow focus in her choices, which suggests to me someone who maybe isn't as rounded a person as I would like. I prescribe a period drama like Amadeus or a nice sweet animated film like My Neighbor Totoro. There's more to life than mobsters and housewives. I worry that her infatuation with those things may lead her to an oversimplified and inaccurate model of behavior for dealing with the game.


Melinda - Singer
TV Shows THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL, American Idol, NUMB3RS, SURVIVOR
Movies Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama

... Moving on.


Misty - Engineer
TV Shows 24 and SURVIVOR
Movies Gone with the Wind

I would have liked to see more selections here. Such a small number of favorites suggests she didn't think about the question very hard, which is disappointing. That said, 24 and Gone with the Wind are acceptable. A good start, but she needs to work harder. In the game, she needs to make sure that she plans more than just one move ahead or else she'll get blindsided.


Nick - Financial Sales
TV Shows Entourage, Nip/Tuck, The Daily Show
Movies The Big Lebowski, True Romance

*nods* Not bad, not bad. That said, his TV picks, while good shows, are not particularly known for their strength in characterization. He seems like a smart guy, but I'm not sure how well he'll be able to read people's hidden motives and emotions. His film choices are good, but again, there's a little bit too tight of a focus.


Ruth Marie - Director of Retail Leasing
TV Shows SURVIVOR, CSI, Sex & the City
Movies Notting Hill, Gone with the Wind

Hmm, okay, she gets credit for diverse selections. I'm not a huge fan of any of her choices, but I can at least acknowledge good qualities in each of them. I think she'll make it a ways, maybe to the merge, but I'm not sure how much there's going to be to her once we get past the surface.


Sally - Social Worker
TV Shows SURVIVOR, THE AMAZING RACE, Law & Order
Movies Before Sunset; Me, You and Everyone We Know; Shakespeare in Love

Okay, including the Amazing Race as well as Survivor seems like sucking up just a little, and Law & Order... eh. That said, good taste in movies. Once again, a pretty narrow focus, but at least she's selected some non-obvious choices. That said, all of them are relatively recent. She seems like she might have a good sense of people and their interactions, but I wonder if she has much sense of history.


Shane - Owner, Entertainment Marketing Company
TV Shows SportsCenter, The O'Reilly Factor, History Channel
Movies The Shawshank Redemption, Kramer vs. Kramer

Ooh, sports, politics, and history. Between the three of those, that's two strikes as far as I'm concerned. He can talk sports with the guys, but what can he talk about with a 23yo woman? The movies are odd. Shawshank is, as I mentioned before, an easy choice, yet it IS very good. So why did he pick it? Because he really loves the message, or because it's an easy pick that everybody likes? And Kramer Vs. Kramer? I mean, it's a very good movie, but I frankly have a really hard time seeing how anyone could view it as a "favorite" film. It's depressing and disillusioning without any real sense of romance or hope, all about painful divorces and custody battles. I think this guy is cynical, masking some inner turmoil that he may not even be aware of. Under the stress of the game, I think he'll crack.


Terry - Airline Pilot / Retired Navy Fighter Pilot
TV Shows SURVIVOR, THE AMAZING RACE, ESPN, Fox News, Weather Channel
Movies Saving Private Ryan, Castaway, Top Gun

Fox News? The Weather Channel? Yikes. Castaway is a gimme, because of the theme, and the other two have a decidedly military bent. I think this guy may have difficulty dealing with people who aren't like him.


Tina - Logging Sports Promoter / Performer
TV Shows Law & Order
Movies Out of Africa

Okay, again, having only one choice for each strikes me as someone who doesn't care about the question very much. Choosing Law & Order seems to support that. It's probably just the first show that came to mind. I always thought Out of Africa was schmaltzy, but it's better than a lot of things she could have picked. Based on these picks alone, I'd have to say that she doesn't have much of an imagination, which could hurt her in the game.

Okay, now that I've finished ruthlessly judging people on seemingly irrelevant trivia, what would I have answered?


Christiana - Engineering Consultant
TV Shows Lost, Deadwood, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Mythbusters, The Office
Movies Moulin Rouge, Never Cry Wolf, The Big Lebowski, The Station Agent, Serenity, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

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Hey everybody, make sure you check out Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke on Turner Classic Movies tonight! Two excellent films from a genius filmmaker. You won't regret watching them, and stay tuned because a whole bunch more of his films will be on TCM all this month.

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Hey everybody!

Mike and I were not able to record our Survivor Finale podcast last night, but we're currently planning to do that Tuesday night, which can then incorporate today and tomorrow's editions of Survivor Live with Lydia, Rafe, Steph and Danni.

But just because the podcast isn't ready yet doesn't mean we can't talk about what happened.

So, what did you all think? I think it was the first time in a long time that I liked all three people in the final three and would have been almost equally happy with any outcome.

That said, Rafe was my favorite and so I can't quite believe him giving away a million dollars by releasing Danni from her promise! *Raise hand, smack forehead, Repeat*

The final four immunity maze was an awesome challenge, and I also thought the balancing act final three challenge was a nice sort of symbol of the balancing act that the entire game can represent.

Though I've liked Danni throughout the season, I was a little surprised by the 6-1 outcome, because frankly, I thought that Stephanie handled the Tribal Council better. Then again, the way that Danni overcame the numbers game was pretty damn impressive.

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