Matt Carstens

Post Movie Bullet Points: 2001: A Space Odyssey

I just finished 2001, and I thought I’d share my experience through a series of bullet points. These thoughts may or may not be in chronological order and may or may not have to do with the movie.

These monkeys rock.
Whats with that black thing?
These monkeys are bad ass.
I wanna see space chimps.
Wait, no I don’t.
Where the hell is Buster?
How come these two douches aren’t sleeping?
HAL is a little bitch.
This score rocks
The Superman theme rocks.
Not really about the last half hour of this.
That first ship kinda looks like an escape pod.
This looks sweet.

All in all pretty sweet movie. See you next time.

CAW: Boston

Boston-Boston

Boston’s self titled debut album is among one of my favorite classic rock records. From start to finish it is filled with classic hits and shows of one of the most talented rock bands in their era. From an engineering stand point this album came out with some very unique guitar sounds.

Tom Scholz was playing around with future members Barry Goudreau and Brad Delp, and then was like, “you guys suck.” So he broke up the band and recorded the entire album by himself in his basement with Delp on vocals. It attracted attention from Epic records and they were like, “Hey, you guys gotta record this in a legit studio.” And then Scholz was like, “Syke, this rocks.” So they compromised and a studio band recorded most of the instruments in LA, while Scholz did the rest of the overdubs in his basement studio. Only two tracks include all of the guys that would tour under the name Boston, Foreplay/Long Time and Let Me Take You Home Tonight.

In 2003 the album went 17x platinum establishing that was an instant classic and will continue to be for along time to come.

Look at those F**king Stars.

Batweek Conclusion

It’s been a hell of a week leading up to the most anticipated movie of 2008, and boy it was worth it. I’ve never spent so much time away from Wookiepedia for such an extended period of time. Instead I was over at Batman Wiki, trying to soak up as much Batman knowledge as I could in preparation. Reading the guys’ lists and posts was great and not being as much of a comic book guy myself I really enjoyed learning all the stories and Remy nightmares. Who knows what they’ll do next, because the more and more I think about it, the more I don’t want another Batman for a while. I really felt that there was enough material in The Dark Night for about 3 movies, and with Heath Ledger gone, I just feel like I don’t want anymore. Hopefully they’ll start production on WombatMan. I think the Dentist needs a little more character development though. All we can do is pray.

So while we wait and debate about what is coming next, I’ll leave you with this:

T3: Most Hated Mariners

In lieu of quite possibly the worst Mariner season in franchise history, I thought we’d go back and look at some of the worst and most hated players in the M’s 31 years.

10. Richie Sexson
All in all I think Big Richie gets a bad wrap. He played pretty well for us for several years, and though he may not be worth the money he was paid, that is not necessarily his fault. It was not til this past season when he started getting booed nearly every home stand because of is dangerously Valle-like batting average. I expect him to be cut from the team soon, but I wish him well in his future endeavors if any team is stupid enough to sign him.

9. Bob Melvin
Even though he isn’t the worst manager of our generation, he most certainly is the most hated.
After inheriting a steller ball club from Lou Pinella in 2003, the team went 93-69 but just missed the playoffs. Unluckily Melvin’s stellar ball club reached that drop off age, and stars like Edgar, Olerud, and Wilson dramatically declined in 2004. He was fired after the second worst season in Mariner history and has gone on to great success in Arizona.

8. Jarrod Washburn
Probably one of the worst free agent signings in the history of competitive sports, Jarrod Washburn has turned out to be 37 million dollars worth of 85 mph fastballs and excuses. He’s complained through out the years of the weather, the catcher, and how he is just really bad. I hope he goes and rots in the National League so we never really have to hear about him ever again.

7. Heathcliff Slocumb
This one forced me to do a little bit of research, and it turns out that he was not really that bad. It was just revealed some years later that the guy we traded for him was none other than Jason Varitek, All-Star Catcher and captain of the 2004 and 2007 World Series Champion Boston Redsox. Looking back at this guy, he really was not worth making the 1997 playoffs if we could have kept Varitek and had a decent successor to Dan Wilson.

6. John Halama
Despite being the number 1 pitcher in the Atlantic Coast League right now, and throwing a perfect game for the Tacoma Rainiers, his mediocrety in the big leagues forced Seattle fans to develope a mild hatred for the man.

5.Dave Valle
Although he is one of our most beloved color analysts on television, there was a time where no one wanted him near the Kingdome, let alone the press box. Looking at this baseball card that Sean gave me, I can understand why my dad is still frustrated to the day when he hears his voice on tv. He was afraid of confrontation at homeplate, unlike Wilson, a former hockey goalie, who would block the plate with his legs and not allow any one to get anywhere near that plate. He hit right at or below .200 most of his career w/ the Mariners, and sometimes local bars would have Dave Valle Specials, selling hard drinks at the price of his batting averege.

4. Horacio Ramirez
This man solitifies why Bill Bavasi is and was a terrible general manager. In the winter of 2007 Bavasi traded one of our premier relievers, Rafael Soriano, for veteren suckbag Horacio Ramirez. The front office kept talking through out the season how Horam would turn it around and start pitching like he used to. The problem was, he always sucked. Ever since his reconstructive elbow surgery he has been terrible, and there was never any sign of him getting better. Then last off season the Mariners signed him again, striking fear into any fan, but then thankfully released him before the season started.

3. Jose Mesa
I can remember sitting on my couch begging my parents to stay up and watch the rest of the thrilling Mariner games on tv that would go past 10:00. But it seemed like whenever they would let me, Mr. Mesa would come in, walk the bases loaded, then just keep walkin them in like they needed excersise. It is a memory that is engrained in my head, and I will never get it out. So for that, I hate Jose Mesa.

2. Jeff Cirillo
It seems like whenever the Mariners sign a free agent like a Jeff Weaver or a Pokey Reese, I am always optomistic. Cirillo’s numbers in Colorado were great. He batted .313 with a good OPS for Colorado in 2001. But we soon found out why his numbers would not transfer over to Safeco Field. 1. He was playing in the National league, 2. He was playing in Colorado, where AJ could probably hit a home run. In his 2 years as a Mariner he batted .227 and was one of the most disapointing Mariners of all time.

1. Bobby Ayala
What can we say. The man, the legend, the goatee. He was possibly the worst Mariner pitcher and most hated man in the Pacific Northwest, yet he managed to stay on the team for several years after he should have been booted. I’ve heard everything from he was Lou’s stepson to he had dirt that he would reveal on Lou. But if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have the hilarious Almost Live jokes or this phenomanal list.

Retrospecticus: My Morning Jacket

Seeing as though My Morning Jacket have seemed to just be getting better and better ever since their debut album, I’m very excited for their new album Evil Urges, which drops this Tuesday. Now here’s a look back at their discography so far.

The Tennessee Fire (1999)

My Morning Jacket’s debut does a pretty good job of establishing what would define MMJ’s early sound: Alt-Country/Southern Rock complemented by Jim James’s mesmerizing voice drenched in reverb. It definitely has a much more subdued sound, with a good dose of acoustic guitars being prominent on The Tennessee Fire. James’s songs are simple but enjoyable on this album, even if they don’t have the amount of energy that would come to define their more recent work. It’s ultimately a solid debut, but you certainly wouldn’t think of My Morning Jacket as anything particularly special after listening to this album.

Favorite Tracks: Heartbreakin’ Man, Evelyn Is Not Real, I Think I’m Going to Hell

At Dawn (2001)

My Morning Jacket’s sophomore effort finds them building on the sound of their first album with a much more lush and expansive sound. It definitely has more of a feel of being a band recording than just a Jim James solo effort, which is essentially what the first MMJ album is. However, it’s still James’s voice and songwriting that drives the record. At Dawn has a number of my favorite MMJ tracks from their earlier years, and the album really shows Jim James starting to grow as a songwriter. However, at 74 minutes I would say it’s a lot longer than it needs to be, which is a problem for me on all three of MMJ’s first three albums, and there’s at least 2 or 3 songs on At Dawn that I could’ve done without. It’s nice to see that they’ve begun to keep their albums at under an hour long on Z and Evil Urges.

Favorite Tracks: Low Down, X-Mas Curtain, Just Because I Do

It Still Moves (2003)

My Morning Jacket’s third album shows them taking on a less dissonant, more polished sound. Also, with songs like “Dancefloors” and “One Big Holiday”, it rocks a lot more than their previous efforts. I think this probably would have do at least partly with the addition of drummer Patrick Hallahan, whose Bonham-like drumming gives a kick to MMJ’s sound that wasn’t present on their previous albums. It also shows them taking on more of a jam band mentality with longer cuts like “I Will Sing You Songs” and “Steam Engine”. The more straightforward classic rock sound of It Still Moves probably makes it MMJ’s most accessible album, however at time this makes the album feel a little bland. It Still Moves shows that My Morning Jacket still weren’t ready to tamper too much with their signature sound, but Jim James shows that his abilities as a songwriter just continue to blossom.

Favorite Tracks: Dancefloors, One Big Holiday, Run Thru

Z (2005)

Z saw My Morning Jacket taking their already likeable sound in many different directions in what is without a doubt their best album to date. They almost sound like an entirely different band on this album and in some aspects they are, guitarist Carl Broemel and keyboard player Bo Koster were added to the band after two members quit prior to the recording of Z. Also, Z’s unique sound can also be attributed to the presence of accomplished producer John Leckie (Jim James produced MMJ’s first three albums). There’s more of a heavy alternative rock sound to songs like “What a Wonderful Man” and “Anytime”. They also mix in Prog-Rock on “Wordless Chorus” and “Dondante”, and then there’s “Off The Record”, which sounds like reggae crossed with the Hawaii Five-O theme song. Z seems as if it’s only the beginning of My Morning Jacket’s exploration of their new sound, so I’m very excited to see what this band will do in the future.

Favorite Tracks: What a Wonderful Man, Off the Record, Anytime

Okonokos (2006)

Over the years, My Morning Jacket’s reputation as a live band has continued to grow, and Okonokos, their first live album, does a pretty good job of showcasing the band’s live sound. The album was recorded on their Z tour, and all of the songs off of Z are just as good live as they are on the album. However, what really makes this album interesting is hearing many of their earlier songs like “One Big Holiday” or “Lowdown” blown up to gigantic arena-rock size proportions. The band really sounds tight throughout the whole performance, although I guess the only minor problem is that a lot of the band’s earlier songs that are performed aren’t quite at the level as My Morning Jacket’s more recent material.

Favorite Tracks: One Big Holiday, Lay Low, Mahgeetah

Evil Urges (2008)

I’ve already listened to most of their new album, seeing as though they posted every song off of it on their myspace. They definitely continue to explore many new sounds on it, especially on my favorite track on the album so far, “Highly Suspicious”. It’ll definitely take me a few more listens to really absorb it, so I’ll probably have a review of Evil Urges by the end of the week.

T3: Lightsaber Battles

Since I’ve been in such a Star Warsish mood lately I got to thinking about my favorite lightsaber battles. Every time that phrase comes to mind I automatically think of Phantom Menace, but this most recent run through of the series changed my perspective.

Disclaimer:
The following list does not represent Cat Fancy’s opinion as a whole. This is only Nancy’s opinion and personal lists are encouraged in the comments.

10. Participants: Qui-Gon Jinn Vs. Darth Maul
Location: Outskirts of Tatooine
Episode I

This fight introduced Darth Maul to the series and made whiny kids all like, “WTF? I thought he had a twin bladed light saber, ah man this is lame.” I enjoyed this particular fight despite it being one of the shortest. Qui-Gon also appears to be a little out of shape.

9. Participants: Mace Windu & the Little Bitches Vs. Darth Sidious & Anakin Skywalker
Location: Supreme Chancellor’s Office
Episode III

I found the other Jedi in this fight to be extremely weak and laughable, but Mace Windu proves to be pretty bad ass. This fight has everything from Force Lightening to hideous bone deformities. It is also an intrical part of the plot, as we see Anakin become Darth Vader.

8. Participants: Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Vader
Location: Death Star Hallway
Episode IV

As I write this I keep hearing AJ yelling at me, “Ahh wtf, you dumb-ass. That should be mass-high on the list.” Well besides the fact that it is the first lightsaber battle we have the liberty of witnessing, it is rather dull and even the dialogue makes me drowsy. At this point in the movie I am more interested in how Luke and the gang are going to escape than watching these two geezer’s duke it out.

7. Participants: Yoda Vs. Darth Sidious
Location: Grand Convocation Chamber
Episode III

This fight was hyped up a little too much by Tim and I was a more emotionally preoccupied with the other fight that was going on during it. None the less, it is a pretty visual one with the representative’s booth’s being tossed around like lawn furniture and Yoda just telling that Force Lightening who’s boss. Though I would be pissed if I was a Senator who came in for a vote the next morning to find that my booth and all its important contents was missing.

6. Participants: Obi-Wan, Anakin, & Yoda Vs. Darth Tyrannus
Location: Hanger on Geonosis
Episode II

This of course is the worlds first look at Yoda’s saber wielding abilities. The crowd at the theater roared as he used the force to unleash his weapon and go postal on his former apprentice. But preceding Yoda is Anakin’s impatience, which leads him to having his arm cut off and Obi-Wan injured.

5. Participants: Obi-Wan & Anakin Vs. Darth Tyrannus
Location: Trade Federation Battleship
Episode III

Starting off the movie with a visually stunning space battle leading to one of my favorite lightsaber duels was a great way to kick off Revenge of the Sith. This definitely set the tone for this to be one of the darker installments of the franchise.

4. Participants: Luke Vs. Darth Vader
Location: Cloud City
Episode V

Three rounds of intense fighting and dialogue, this particular fight will always be ranked atop of any fans list. Starts off with Vader trying to encase Luke in carbonite. Then down to a lower level where Vader uses the force to knock Luke out the window, and finally onto the perch where Darth Vader’s true relationship with his foe is revealed.

3. Participants: Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Maul
Location: Naboo
Episode I

Basically my only argument that this is a film not worth skipping, this is finally where we see what life was like in for Jedi in the Old Republic. Before they were extinct, the Jedi were very agile and had to know their opponents next move if they were going to last any longer. A very visually stimulating performance by whoever was actually fighting, and one of the better endings to a lightsaber battle.

2. Luke Vs. Darth Vader
Location: Second Death Star
Episode VI

Basically the reason I rank Return of the Jedi as my favorite of the series. So much happens during the span of this fight. In perspective of the original trilogy, we finally find out who this emperor guy is and how he fits into all of this. In perspective of the whole series we finally see Anakin fulfill the prophecy of the one that brings balance to the force. So much hate, suffering, and pain is poured into one scene. A great conclusion to an epic tale.

1. Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Vader
Location: Mustafar
Episode III

As for my generation, this is the scene where it all come together. The whole series is tied up to this one battle. We all knew what was going to happen and who was going to fight. But we didn’t know how it would finally fold out. After Obi-Wan discovers that Anakin has turned to the dark side, he is forced to confront his old apprentice on the volcanic system of Mustafar. The setting makes for an intense fight and John Williams score just reminds us what is going through Obi-Wan’s mind at this point. He has to overcome the fact that his best friend and apprentice Anakin Skywalker is no longer alive, and that this Dark Lord of the Sith must be destroyed before he harms too many more former cast members of Cheers. This scene was so emotional it made Steven Spielberg cry. I still get shivers every time I watch it.

Honorable Mention: Obi-Wan Vs. General Greevus, Luke Vs. Vader Dagobah Acid-Trip, Luke Vs. Sphere thing, Star Wars Kid.

Well we know it’s not Lando…

So it’s 3:14 AM, I just finished watching episode’s 1 and 2 w/ ben because he hasn’t seen any star wars, and the same troubling thing came up. Every time I watch episode II, I am can not for the life of me figure out who the hell Jedi Master Sifa-dias is. I’ve spent the last 3 hours of my life looking up all this random stuff on forums to see if I could learn more about this guy. I’ve read everything from “Oh it’s Qui-Gon!” to its Count Duku. I’m pretty sure I’ve talked to Sean about this, but I can’t remember so I thought I’d bring it up at least one more time.

Now it can’t possibly be Qui-Gon, because thats just dumb. The guy’s logic is that they say that Sifa-Dias died 10 years before AOTC, and that is when Phantom Menace took place. But this guy also says that Qui-Gon is a sith, and lots of people make fun him on the forum so he can not possibly be credible.

It also can’t be Dooku, because he is totally oblivious to the clones being made. Even though Jango is recruited by Dooku? And he is the clone blue-print?

The only plausible option I can think of is that Darth Sidious went by the name “sifa-dias” which is really just an alternation of “sida-dias” which evolved to “sidious”. This makes sense sorta because he needed the republic to have an army to fight the separatists, and we all know he was masterminding both sides of the war. The thing that doesn’t make sense is how Obi-Wan seems to know who this guy was, and knew that he had died. But when you go back and look it seems like Windu and Yoda haven’t a clue who he is.

Well either way you can go back and look at it from a million perspectives, and none of them seem to be completely air-tight. It just seems strange to me that there would be such a huge plot hole in such a big movie franchise. I also read that Lucas was intending to wrap up this part of the saga in Revenge of the Sith, but he must of been distracted by all of his piles of money. I was then referred to some Star Wars novels where it was explained, and I was like, “What do I look like, some kind of Star Wars nerd?”