Posted by Greg on Apr 29, 2011 in
Websites 
Over at the day job, I get all kinds of zany press releases about new upstart companies, very few of which are worthy of sharing. That is until the German firm Style Your Garage sent along their press kit. As their moniker so easily indicates,
Style Your Garage, founded in 2009 by 47-year-old Thomas Sassenbach, is a design firm committed to personalizing the garage doors of homeowners worldwide. As indicated in the pictures below, there’s an array ––– 250 to be exact –––of 3D billboard images to choose from, few of which are boring or dull. Sizes expand to 5 meters long and 2,450 meters high.
But is styling your garage really the pathway to uniqueness? Isn’t a car choice, a haircut or a set of clothes enough? Leave your thoughts in the replies. For more information on the company, head over here. Style Your Garage also has a sister firm Style Your Door. Seriously.
Posted by Greg on Apr 12, 2011 in
TV I watched House for the first time in maybe a year. I’m not even kidding. I think the last episode I watched all the way through was when they killed off Kal Penn. I realize that’s been a long time but I’ve been waning on the show ever since Chase and Cameron started hooking up. Yes, it’s been that long.
The fact of the matter is there have been a handful of (and probably more) good episodes since I watched the show regularly, but I just can’t commit myself to it anymore. Mondays which used to be must-watch House days just are now reserved for something else.
But last night I decided to tune in. To be honest, I wasn’t that disappointed. The plotline about House and the spudgun competition was just plain stupid, as was Taub hooking up with his ex-wife. Just over-the-top sexual banter that is not needed. I like Taub as a character and I really dig Jacobson as an actor, but just no. No need for frank sexual dialogue. The writers of House do it all the time and think they are being cheeky and its just off-putting and sophomoric.
The reason for this editorial is mostly to laud the show’s writers for the plotline with Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) and House. Just great stuff all the way around. To boot, the medical case itself was intriguing and thought-provoking. Shockingly enough, the trailer for next week, which focuses on newcomer Amber Tamblyn and her moral compass actually looks somewhat appealing.
Am I back on board the House bandwagon? Not exactly. Will I watch with a bit more consistency than the last two or three years? Probably.
But don’t hold me to it.
Posted by Greg on Mar 30, 2011 in
Music NOTE: This was written in summer 2010, much like the previous two entries, but I’ve been sitting on them and decided why the heck, why not post them now. So here goes.
Everyone knows of my undying love for country music. I grew up listening to it, listened to it relentlessly in college, listened casually since moving back to Long Island, and since summer 2010 have embraced it full-time. But as much as I love it, one can’t help but notice what’s passing for country music these days? The entire genre has been gearing towards pop for the last decade or so, and crossover stars like Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney to name a few, don’t help the cause. All that being written, the current state of the genre has hit an all-time low.
On the charts currently are the piano-pop song “Pray For You,” by Jaron and the Long Road to Love; the Ke$ha inspired “Boys in the Summer,” by Jessie James; the hard-rock leaning “Lately,” by supergroup Brother Clyde featuring King Phaze; the folk song “Sunshine,” by Steve Azar; the coffeehouse jam “Lover Lover,” by Jerrod Niemann; “Smile,” by former bad-boy Uncle Kracker; and a country remix of Train’s “Hey Soul Sister.”
So, the question is, has country music become the new adult contemporary? Are record executives and singer-songwriters looking to country stations to play the songs that won’t pass the buck on Top 40 stations? Has country become a haven for rock music’s castoffs? The verdict on that remains to be seen, but if this current trend continues, one would be hard pressed to find reason against said argument.
Posted by Greg on Mar 30, 2011 in
Music Are Georgia and North Carolina the new Nashville? Currently Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson, to name a few, are on the country charts. All of them hail from Georgia. Two-hundred miles north Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Eric Church and Jimmy Wayne have all made a dent as well. Their commonality? Calling North Carolina home. Now its no secret, country music is widely popular and borne of the South, but that so much talent comes from just two states is worth noticing. Which leads one to wonder…….why is South Carolina slacking? Darius Rucker alone can’t make all the noise.
Posted by Greg on Mar 30, 2011 in
Music Former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page has landed on country radio. Is he country? Not exactly. So why is he on the charts? The same reason Jaron and the Long Road to Love, Jessie James, Jewel and Uncle Kracker are on country radio. They can’t find placement anywhere else. Anyone that has listened to BNL, knows that Page’s vocals were the band’s anchor. Certainly his coke charges have tainted his reputation for the long haul, but everyone deserves a second chance and lead single “indecision,” is a positive step forward. Is it “The Old Apartment?” Not quite. Is it “Shoebox,” not really, but it is certainly more akin to those two than say, “One Week.” Head on over to his Web site for more listens. Cheers!
Posted by Greg on Mar 30, 2011 in
Music I like country songs that don’t take themselves too seriously. Some that spring to mind are “Chillin,” by Blaine Larsen, “Pontoon Boat,” by Sonny Ledford, “Redneck Yacht Club,” by Craig Morgan; “Pound Sign,” by Kevin Fowler; “Pants” by Walker Hays, and “It Happens,” by Sugarland. I’m not sure why but as a whole, the genre of country music seems to understand that humor and levity are essential to the human experience. These days mainstream radio just takes itself too seriously.
Posted by Greg on Mar 4, 2011 in
Movies Last week I watched the Ryan Murphy-directed film Running With Scissors, loosely based on the Augusten Burroughs memoir of the same name. Though it was critically panned and a box office bomb, there’s a certain charm and quirkiness at work in the film that’s quite charismatic. Veritable newcomer Joseph Cross as Augusten has a wide-eyed optimism and a teenage whimsy that’s easily relatable and even easier to root for.
Brian Cox as the oddball therapist that adopts Burroughs is certainly at his best, even if he is a bit over-the-top. Gwyneth Paltrow and Evan Rachel Wood as Cox’s daughters are decent, with the younger Wood overshadowing her elder. Paltrow, who goes opposite her usual role, certainly feels a bit forced. But whether that is the screenwriter’s fault or just Paltrow trying too hard is anyone’’s guess. Either way her placement in the film is a bit askance.
The true standout though is Annette Benning, who gives a near flawless performance as a delusional mother whose mental instability suffocates her marriage and limits her abilities as a mother. While Murphy often chases down the absurd, there are certainly enough scenes of value and merit to help Running With Scissors from collapsing on top of itself. Equal parts Hotel New Hampshire and The Royal Tennenbaums, it’s a winning film, if not an under-appreciated charmer.
Post-script: Murphy is now a media darling given the rampant success of Glee. But one has to wonder if Running With Scissors was released this month, would it still get ripped apart? Methinks it wouldn’t, but what do I know?
Posted by Greg on Feb 28, 2011 in
Movies,
Op-Ed Every year I look forward to the Oscars and every year I’m let down. Maybe I’m just hard to please. Don’t get me wrong I’m thrilled with all the awards The King’s Speech won ––––it deserved them –––– and I was happy Christian Bale finally won, that’s not really the problem. The problem is….well, allow me to explain.
Kirk Douglas is an icon and a true legend, but does he really need that much time in the spotlight? Call me cold-hearted, cruel and insubordinate, but his rambling monologue was a few minutes too long. Sure it was funny and yes it was nice to see the old guy still doing his thing, but for the life of me, it was painful to watch. If you think I’m being unfair to a stroke victim and a geriatric, then I’ll take the time to pick on someone else. Namely Aaron Sorkin. Seriously dude that acceptance speech needed to be a lot shorter. We all know you’re smart, we all know you think the world of yourself, but just shut the hell up and get off the stage.
As for the winners. Everything went as planned. Well, except for Best Supporting Actress.
Someone please explain to me how Hailee Steinfield is billed as a supporting actress. True Grit is her story, and she is the fulcrum on which the entire script moves. I understand she’s a newcomer and a no-name, but the Coen brothers trusted her enough to pit her in the lead role, and the awards committee should honor their decision. As for the winner, Melissa Leo was great in The Fighter, and performed her role flawlessly, but that being written, the performance was not really the stuff of Oscar legend.
Jacki Weaver on the other hand was unrivaled in the underrated and overlooked Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom. My take is Leo is getting the award for kicking ass in Frozen River a few years ago and getting snubbed there. But who am I to know? I’m just a crochety 20-something picking on Kirk Douglas.
Toy Story 3 is a great Pixar film and a true delight through and through, but did it really need to win two awards? Randy Newman is a terrific songwriter and a bonafide talent but come on, enough with the love fest. Did he really need a second Oscar? I realize he’s been nominated 20 times, but seriously, just no.
My only other complaint is how in the hell did Biutiful not win for Best Foreign Film? Every critic agreed Bardem was sensational and that the script was Gonzalez-Irriatu’s best. So why the disrespect? Yeah his films are dark, dismal and downright chilling, but No Country For Old Men wasn’t a laughfest either and it was decked out with Oscar gold.
A few other things. I’m glad Inception got a few wins, even if they were in the smaller categories. Christopher Nolan’s directing prowess is limitless and the film was a true high watermark, so it’s good to see the Oscars continue to respect his talents.
As for the show itself. Franco proved to be a capable and charming host, while Hathaway was anything but. The laughs were good and the show moved quickly. But when it’s all said and done, not even a F-bomb from Leo could cement this year’s Oscars as anything truly special. Then again, what do I know? I picked Kate WInslet over Natalie Portman and Exit Through the Gift Shop over Inside Job.
Posted by Greg on Feb 17, 2011 in
Op-Ed I don’t know what has happened to professional sports but it seems to have run amok and spiraled out of control.
I suppose it has been a long time coming but things really started tumbling when LeBron James hosted The Decision, a made-for-TV interview with Jim Grey, in which he announced his departure from Cleveland in favor of South Beach. While the event was listed as a charity grab, the truth of the matter was James just loves the spotlight and can’t stay away.
Flash forward a few months later and Carmelo Anthony is doing the very same thing after desiring a trade out of Denver. Rather than make a quick decision and help his team out, he’s putting the Denver organization and hordes of others in limbo by waffling back and forth.
But it’s not just basketball. In the NFL, owners and players can’t agree at all and the 2011-2012 season remains in limbo.
And oh yes, baseball too has the very same problem as Albert Pujols remains mired in contract negotiations with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Once upon a time recreation was sport and sport was entertainment. Enjoyable, unpredictable and worth spending an afternoon watching. These days, it’s a cash cow, a corporate power grab and everything sport shouldn’t be.
Posted by Greg on Jan 7, 2011 in
Uncategorized Whoops. Been awhile since I’ve written in this thing, so without further ado, here goes:
Roughly a year ago I found myself in Chesnut Hill, MA, just across the way from the reservoir killing time before embarking on a date with my then-girlfriend. In truth I was just looking for a place to park and unwind and listen to Boston sports talk radio. In the end I found myself on the grounds of the Boston Waterworks Museum and Apartments. Only I didn’t even know that’s what they were called. All I knew is the place seemed swanky, the architecture was stunning and I knew I was on the grounds of something special. The ever-curious, always probing journalist in me decided to tiptoe around and saw a sign indicating that I was on the grounds of the soon-to-be-completed Boston Waterworks Museum. I jotted down the note and came back from Boston and entered the title in Google.
Lo and behold the URL WaterworksMuseum.org, yielded a PowerPoint presentation describing the museum’s mission and plan of action for launch. I did some more Google searching and it sadly yielded very little. I was told it would open in the fall and remained quiet, hoping the new web site would be unveiled soon. August turned to September and September turned to December, and still nothing. But alas all that has changed now that the Web site is live.
All I’ll say is this. Having visited the museum in its infant stages, walked the grounds and looked inside the doors, this place needs to be seen to be believed. I truly feel like it could singlehandedly be a reason to visit Boston and I encourage all of ya’ll to check it out. If you’re ever in Beantown, do yourself a favor and visit. Please.
For those interested, head on over to the site