Saturday, November 5, 2022

To Best Friends

I don't have a lot of friends. The end.








Just kidding. About it being the end, not the friends part. It's true, I don't have a lot of friends.

I can count on one hand the amount of truly close friends I have. I'm a league leader in acquaintances, but when I consider how many actual close friends I have, it's a number lower than this 90s boy band name.

However, if you buy into the "quality over quantity" argument, I'm all set.

I have some really great best friends. And this is a thank you to them.

***

The Three Amigos (Brian, Jake, Me)

The day is September 29 and I just returned home from a productive day of teaching. Sort of. I had this mandatory training to go to and was out of the classroom all day. Because of the sub shortage, my fellow staff members had to take turns covering my classes throughout the day while I was away.

When I got back, this note was taped to my desk. (Click any photo to enlarge.)

"Rowel" = Raul

I returned to school to coach the 7th grade basketball game. We had our first road game of the year and came away with a win, improving to 4-0 on the season. It was a good and productive day for yours truly.

After getting home, I cleaned up and microwaved an underrated Lean Cuisine meal. (Trust me, I know about the sodium. I still love Lean Cuisine. The price is right.) I plopped myself on the couch, opened YouTube, and pulled up some fan recordings of a Killers concert from earlier in the week in Verona, New York.

Jake and I at the NBA All-Star Game in 2010 (excuse the low res - it was 2010)

I've always dreamed of seeing The Killers live, but concerts aren't really something I go to. Between the cost of a ticket, nobody to go with and my general disdain for loud crowds, it wasn't a natural fit.

My best friend Jake goes to a lot of concerts. I'd happily go to one with him and we did plan as much when we found out another one of my favorite bands, Green Day, was coming to Dallas Arlington in 2020.

Then Covid happened and the show was rescheduled for July 24, 2021. The night my sister got married. (I went to the wedding.)

The next potential opportunity came when The Killers visited Ft. Worth on September 10th in 2022. Now the problem was I no longer lived in Texas. Going to see The Killers, Green Day, Maroon 5, or a concert of any kind with Jake seemed unlikely in the near future.

So, I enjoyed my concerts through the internet, singing along to every word from the comforts of my own home. I did this all the time and enjoyed it. Still I thought, "How amazing would it be to see one of my favorite bands live one day?"

The only concert I had ever been to was *NSYNC with my mom on March 20, 2002. So long ago that it was at Reunion Arena in Dallas, which had been demolished way back in 2009.

***

The Killers open with "My Own Soul's Warning"

On September 30, the morning after a business-as-usual day for me, I was doing something I had never done before: going to New York City.

My other best friend, Brian, was getting married that Sunday in the "city that never sleeps." Apparently, it never takes a bath either.

I was completely blown away by New York. It is both the most remarkable, fascinating, scenic place I've ever been to. It's also dirty, smelly, overcrowded and loud.

You look up in New York, you see bright lights and beautiful buildings. You look down, you see garbage and used needles on the ground.

Still, it was a great trip, and the highlight (outside of Brian getting hitched) was a moment only made possible by the power of a best friend.

***

You only let a best friend posterize you in your own home

It didn't even occur to me until the weekend was over that The Killers concert I was watching the night before I arrived in New York was, in fact, in New York. A city called Verona that I had never heard of. A bus ride from this mysterious place to Manhattan would be about four hours.

But I digress. And also would digest some New York pizza with Jake and his girlfriend Lianna.

After landing in New York, I planned to meet up with Jake and Lianna at our hotel in Times Square. (I feel like such a big shot describing all the famous New York destinations.) While sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in my $100 Uber ride, I get a text from Jake.

(Side note: Brian covered the cab ride because he's a banker or something and I'm a teacher. He didn't even ask, just Venmo'd the money. What kind of person outside of a BFF does this?)

I opened my phone and text from Jake read: "Lianna and I just walked past Madison Square Garden and apparently The Killers are in town! Should we go?"

My first reaction was, "How did I not know this?!" My second was a chuckle, treating the proposal as a joke. My third was goosebumps when I realized Jake is exactly the type of person to say, "f--- it, let's do it!"

I looked at my watch phone and checked the time.

6:15

The concert was at 7:30, but Jake says an opener usually plays for about an hour.

We had time.

At 6:23 and 11 seconds, Jake sent me a screenshot of the tickets.

It was happening. I was going to see The Killers. At Madison Square Garden. In an hour.

***

If not for Jake walking by Madison Square Garden --the venue also known as "The Mecca" despite the New York Knicks playing there-- and seeing the promo, the three of us would have ended up having a very nice dinner. Instead, I had one of the greatest nights and best memories of my life. Because of him. Because of a best friend.

I was in such a euphoric mood I could barely get out of my Uber. The driver literally started pulling away before I had my wedding tux out of the trunk.

After arriving at the hotel, I quickly checked in, threw my bags down and hustled to Jake and Lianna's Honeymoon Suite room. Apparently, marijuana is legal now in New York and a lot of people were taking advantage. Including at concerts. The smell had attached itself to Jake and Lianna like a tick and was painful, obvious, and painfully obvious.

But nothing could bring me down on this night.

We grabbed a slice of New York pizza, one of the countless pizza places within walking distance of the hotel, got on the Subway (which was exciting for me but not the locals) and by 7:15 we were at Madison Square Garden.

Jake was right about the opening act, and we made it in plenty of time. We grabbed three drinks --for a whopping $37.95 and I got a soda-- and eagerly awaited for The Killers to take the stage.

When they did, it was magic. I sang, I danced, I hugged strangers. I took photos. I took videos. I followed every word to every song. I was ecstatic to simply be in the same room as (lead singer) Brandon Flowers, someone I admire so much as a musician but even more as a human being.

It was an out of body experience that I will never forget and always struggle to describe. It was --to quote the other band I hope to see one day with Jake-- the time of my life.


***

All thanks to Brian. About 48 hours later, he got married. That was pretty cool, too. :) 

Those closest to me call me "Ace"              Brian had a good time at his wedding                      Jake, Lianna & NY Pizza             
***
The Killers' #1 hit, "Mr. Brightside"

***

***
Tres Amigos

Thursday, March 24, 2022

2022 CGI Fridays Oscars

After taking the 2021 Oscars off due to the pandemic but moreso the lack of quality motion pictures, we are back in 2022 with a slate of slightly improved movies from the cinematic wasteland that was 2020.

2021 was better (I guess) and the Oscars are back to a live format after going sort-of virtual last year in an awkward, lowly rated ceremony which showed that people don't really care about the Academy Awards anymore. I'm not even sure I do.

But yeah, let's do this Oscars thing again. Friendly reminder about the CGI Fridays Oscars: I'll pick from the Academy's honorable candidates, but also from the entire cinematic field, regardless of real-life nominations.

For previous reference, the link to the 2019 CGI Fridays Oscars is above and my 2018 picks can be seen below:

Actor

Academy: Will Smith, King Richard
CGI Fridays: Will Smith, King Richard

Worth Mentioning: Tom Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jeremy Irons, Munich - The Edge of War, Michael Keaton, Worth, Mads Mikkelsen, Riders of Justice, Daniel Craig, No Time to Die, Winston Duke, Nine Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins, The Father & Benedict Cumberbatch, The Courier

For all of his notoriety, the Fresh Prince has never won an Oscar. He's nominated this year for a third time, and it's his best chance to win based on the magnificence of King Richard as well as an anemic opposing field.

The rest of my honorably mentions are personal selections, not from the actual Academy field. Some are from blockbuster films (Holland, Craig) and never had a chance. Others flew so far under the radar (Keaton, Mikkelsen, Duke) that they didn't either, one isn't technically from a movie this year and already won (Hopkins), and the other (Cumberbatch) is nominated, but for something else.

Actress

Academy: Kristen Stewart, Spencer
CGI Fridays: Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place Part II
Worth Mentioning: Jodie Comer, The Last Duel, Keira Knightley, Silent Night, Mila Kunis, Four Good Days & Juliah Sarah Stone, Come True

Kristen Stewart has always been near the top of my crush list, and I'd love to see her get awarded for her portrayal of Princess Dianna. Comer stars amongst many stars in The Last Duel while Knightley anchors the heart of the lesser-known Silent Night. Kunis doesn't do many films, but makes them coun, and Stone's starring turn in Come True is one of the best acting jobs of the year.

Supporting Actor

Academy: Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog

CGI Fridays: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Worth Mentioning: LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah, George MacKay, Munich - The Edge of War, Jannis Niewöhner, Munich - The Edge of War, Matt Damon, The Last Duel & Adam Driver, The Last Duel

Technically, Judas and the Black Messiah was part of last year's Oscars, but I follow a normal 12-month calendar when I make my selections, even if the Academy doesn't. Kaluuya and Stanfield share co-leads which relegates both to the supporting category. Both deserve recognition, as do a pair of actors from The Edge of War and The Last Duel.

Supporting Actress

Academy: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog

CGI Fridays: Glenn Close, Four Good Days

Worth Mentioning: Camille Cottin, Stillwater, Zazie Beetz, Nine Days & Cate Blanchett, Nightmare Alley

If Plemons and Dunst both win, I have to believe it will be the first time a real-life couple take home Oscars in the same year, especially for the same category. The two-handed nature of Four Good Days relies on Kunis and Close, who really sell the mother-daugther relationship.

Cinematography

Academy: Dune
CGI Fridays: The Last Duel

Worth Mentioning: No Time to Die, Fear Street Trilogy, The King's Man, Gunpowder Milkshake & Last Night in Soho

Dune is a sprawling epic and director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) has solidified his role in Hollywood as an artistic genius. I think The Last Duel is a better film, but the period piece has a better shot in costume design than cinematography.

International Film

Academy: The Worst Person in the World
CGI Fridays: Riders of Justice

Riders of Justice is a Taken-like gritty, emotional thriller from Danish writer-director Anders Thomas Jensen. Mads Mikkelsen can do anything.

Visual Effects

Academy: Dune
CGI Fridays: Dune
Worth Mentioning: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Free Guy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Black Widow, Finch,, The King's Man & The Tomorrow War.

I remember thinking around 2019 that visual effects had achieved a sense of realism like never before, especially in big budget films that could afford it. Since then, I've noticed some really lazy effects work in the movie industry, especially with CG backgrounds. The pandemic obviously hasn't helped studios and many VFX artists have been working from home. With that said, Dune still looks incredible in every scene.

Music

Academy: Hans Zimmer - Dune
CGI Fridays: Michael Giacchino - Spider-Man: No Way Home

Worth Mentioning: Joel P West -Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Lorne Balfe - Black Widow, Hans Zimmer - No Time to Die, Lorne Balfe - Silent Night, Matthew Margeson/Dominic Lewis - The King's Man & Sean Callery - The Marksman

A sequel technically doesn't have an "original" score, even if Giacchino mixes up the same sounds from his previous Spider-Man entry. This time there's more bells and choir, and sounds from previous generations of Spider-Man are mixed in nicely. The legendary Zimmer is back for Dune and No Time to Die, and hopefully wins even if the Academy doesn't think the category is important enough to televise.

Original Song

Academy: Somehow You Do - Reba McEntire
CGI Fridays: Second Nature - Bon Iver

Worth Mentioning: Michael Buble - The Christmas Sweater

"Second Nature" and its relevant lyrics are a sweet anthem for the end of the world. Buble's "Christmas Sweater" is a catchy jingle, and combined into Lorne Balfe's score for "All Is Calm."

Costume Design

Academy: Nightmare Alley
CGI Fridays: The Last Duel
Worth Mentioning: Judas and the Black Messiah, Fear Street Trilogy,The King's Man & The Harder They Fall

Both Nightmare Alley and The Last Duel flex their retro muscles and boast Oscar-worthy production value.

Production Design

Academy: Dune
CGI Fridays: Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: The Last Duel, No Time to Die, Gunpowder Milkshake, Reminiscence & The French Dispatch

I gave Dune a good-but-not-great B, but it deserves all the praise in every technical category. Since it's a book movie and not a comic book movie, it will likely be rewarded for its efforts.

Animated Film

Academy: Encanto

CGI Fridays: Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1

Worth Mentioning: Injustice & Batman: The Long Halloween Part 2

They're going to talk about Bruno, while I talk about Batman.

Sound

Academy: Dune
CGI Fridays: A Quiet Place Part II
Worth Mentioning: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Free Guy, Don't Look Up & Nightmare Alley

Dune, Dune, Duuuuune! Also, the lack of sound in A Quiet Place sounds nice.

Documentary

Academy: Ascension
CGI Fridays: Framing Britney Spears

Worth Mentioning: The Final Account & 'Til Kingdom Come

A couple political documentaries worth mentioning, but the Britney Spears story is too crazy -and the film does a good job telling it- not to give it my vote.

Adapted Screenplay

Academy: Dune
CGI Fridays: Munich - The Edge of War
Worth Mentioning: The Last Duel, Four Good Days & The Father

Turning a book as expansive as Dune into a movie made for a very bloated, crowded film, though it was certainly entertaining. Munich - The Edge of War isn't eligible for the actual 2022 Oscars, but I play by my own rules.

Original Screenplay

Academy: Don't Look Up

CGI Fridays: Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: Free Guy, Don't Look Up & Red Blood Sky

The words "original" and "Hollywood" don't really go together anymore. It's slim pickings from new IPs (intellectual properties) that are delivering original, quality content. Adam McKay's Don't Look Up is my pick for shining a (not-so subtle) light on what a joke society has become.

Best Director

Academy: Stephen Spielberg - West Side Story
CGI Fridays: Shaka King -Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: Jon Watts - Spider-Man: No Way Home, Christian Schwochow - Munich - The Edge of War, Ridley Scott - The Last Duel, Adam McKay - Don't Look Up & Anders Thomas Jensen - Riders of Justice

West Side Story might not even be a top 50 Spielberg film, but the field this year is so shallow. My pick and many picks this year go to Judas, but Jon Watts deserves praise for juggling all those spiders, as the messy script isn't on him. Best Picture
Academy: King Richard
CGI Fridays: Spider-Man: No Way Home

Worth Mentioning: Judas and the Black Messiah

My three A+ films from 2021 are all on display. I hope King Richard draws a royal flush on Oscar Sunday. No Way Home is a master class in fan service and saved the MCU from an underwhelming year. Judas and the Black Messiah is a social commentary film done right. More positive thoughts here.

Worst Picture
CGI Fridays: Coming 2 America
Worth Mentioning: Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Protege & Mortal Kombat

There are always going to be bad movies. But what makes a movie not just bad, but the worst, is when it's so bad it hurts. I didn't have any expectations for The Protege or Mortal Kombat, but I thought Ghostbusters would be serviceable and I assumed Eddie Murphy wouldn't let Coming 2 America be made without care.

Well... more negative thoughts here.

Sleeper Hit

CGI Fridays: Red Blood Sky
Worth Mentioning: Silent Night, Four Good Days & Nine Days

"Hit" is relative for 2021 as none of these films received at least an A- and therefore a place on the Infinity List. B+ is still a good score and these films went from off the radar to positively reviewed. Red Blood Sky gets the nod for being not just the most unknown, but featuring no big names in front of or behind the camera.

Biggest Disappointment

CGI Fridays: Godzilla vs. Kong
Worth Mentioning: Candyman, Venom: Let There Be Carnage & Eternals

Audiences are becoming more comfortable settling for mindless eye candy, and that's exactly what Godzilla vs. Kong is. The reason this is such a letdown is that the rebooted "MonsterVerse" starting out strong -Godzilla in 2014 and King Kong in 2017- and then went down a very steep hill after that.

Candyman isn't a good movie and worse, tries to shoehorn a political message into the final act. Venom: Let There Be Carnage is carnage, alright. And garbage. Eternals is the first MCU movie to ever get a negative score from yours truly.

Revisit the entire year with the 2021 CGI Fridays Rankings!

Saturday, February 5, 2022

2021 CGI Fridays Rankings

After the nightmare that was 2020, people welcomed 2021 with very eager and very open arms. Among the many reasons to be excited for the re-opening of the world in the second quarter of the year was the the return to the cinema.

When my BFF and certified fresh movie partner Jake and I saw A Quiet Place Part II on May 31st, it was our first trip back to the theater since we saw Invisible Man almost 15 months earlier, way back on March 7th, 2020. 

Movies that saw their release date delayed due to the pandemic - No Time to Die being the first blockbuster to get pushed  - finally got their long-awaited theatrical release.

With movies arriving left and right, there was a lot to see in 2021, not to mention the expansive library still available at home on name-your-streaming service. 

With so much content, how much of it would prove to be worth the wait?