DRAMATIC REVOLUTION

It's about the Journey

2010-05-30T02:08:36Z

I can't believe Lost is over. I would love to know how the creators, writers and cast feel these days. This was like no other TV show ever made, both for them and for us. There was something special about it. I realize today, after a week of watching the finale, that I loved every minute of it. If you have never watched it, I suggest you stop reading this and go get the DVDs. You'll thank me later.

A lot of people are pissed off about how it ended. I admit that I'm not very happy about the last few scenes and revelations of the finale, but I always look at the big picture. Who cares how it ended? The past six seasons have been fantastic, and the most important thing about this show was how they managed to do something amazing, keep all of us interested, keep these characters interesting, and do that all the way until the last minute of the show.

It's not about the ending alone, it's about everything else we went through together as an audience, with these people who we did not know before, who are not even real people, and who we care about like if we knew them very well. And we know them well now, because we have been watching their lives, like Jacob, and have seen them in their worst times, looking for something that made sense, for meaning, for the same things we all look for in our lives.

If you were waiting for something that made sense at the end, you're an idiot. There were smoke monsters, cursed numbers, eternal life, time travel, alternate realities, four-toe statues, and hundreds of reasons why this show did not make sense from day one, and we were not watching to get answers. If we just wanted answers we would have stopped watching years ago. We wanted to be part of the unpredictable journey these people were on.

A lot of people laugh at Jack's doofus face for not understanding what the hell is happening all the time, but have you ever looked at your face in the mirror while watching the show? There are lots of shows that have suspense, and there are lots of great shows on TV that keep you hooked, but nothing like this. I will miss Lost and Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Ben, Jin & Sun, Miles, Lapidus, Michael, Claire, Charlie, Faraday, Rose & Bernard, Desmond, Richard, Hurley, Juliet, Sayid, and the others.

Being a creative person, working in the entertainment business, one can only wish to create something as amazing as this show. I thank everyone involved for multiple hours of great joy, fun and lots of mixed feelings. It was incredible. LOST.

Shut Down American Idol

2010-05-28T01:53:00Z

It's time. Why wait until ratings tank completely? Just shut it down now while it's still huge, and that way if Simon decides to come back in a couple of years you can do an amazing reboot and get more people than ever.

Let me start by saying that I don't watch this show. I never have. So it doesn't make much sense that my first blog post in over a month is about this and not about Lost or 24. I'm probably getting to that soon, but in the meantime I felt it was important to tell Fox to stop making this ridiculous show.

Simon was the only good thing of the show. The other judges are worthless, and I have no idea who they could bring on board to make it interesting again. I would have to say that unless they have Madonna, or Donald Trump, or Howard Stern, or Lady Gaga, or even Eminem replacing Simon, they should end the show.

My biggest problem with this show and the reason why I watch it is the following. These contenders are horrible!

There is no talent. Nada. And the reason why is because nobody goes after the talent. They sit at their studio and wait for talent to come to them. And most people with real talent will not go audition for these clowns. They mock people. And there is a billion people waiting in line. People with real talent who believe in themselves look for other avenues to be famous, and this is why there are very few people in that show who are talented, and most of them probably don't make it far for one reason or the other.

I like Kelly Clarkson and I had a chance to meet her briefly years ago after she won. She was incredibly nice and down to earth, but also super talented. I guess they were more picky during the first season, and people with talent gave it a shot. It has been a disaster ever since, and nobody else coming out of there made it. Perhaps Carrie Underwood did ok, but who else?

Simon is smart enough to get the hell out of there while he can. Now he leaves and as the show goes down, he stays away from the sinking ship. If Fox was smart they would end it, take some time off for people to miss the show, and come back in a couple of years offering Simon a shitload of money to return and bring two brand new judges with him. That would take Idol back to the record ratings it used to have, and perhaps bring some credibility to the contestants again and make people believe that they can be real superstars.

Oh and now one thing. Perez Hilton? Stop fucking campaigning for yourself to take Simon's place. You're nobody. You're part of the problem!

Microsoft: This is Pathetic

2010-03-28T03:41:13Z

I tweeted the other day how amazing it was (ironically) that Microsoft decided to update their Messenger application for Mac and included audio and video chat. They are years late to the game considering that most Mac users have switched to other all-you-can-eat messaging programs or simply use iChat and Skype. I've always been a creature or habit when it comes to what software I use, so I continue to use Microsoft Messenger in addition to iChat, Skype, and as of recently GChat.

As soon as I download the application however, all my photos disappear from the Messenger. Then I realize I'm unable to see my own photos, or my friends profile photos while I'm chatting. I tried fixing this by reinstalling the application and deleting all the previously saved preferences from old versions. Nada.

When you download something from a company like Microsoft and it doesn't work like it should, it is normal to assume the problem is yours. "I must have installed something wrong" or "My computer is having problems". Considering that the Messenger is such a basic program that has been around for years, I found very hard to believe that Microsoft could not get this new version right on such simple features like displaying your photo.

Well, apparently they couldn't get it right. I was so frustrated that decided to search around for answers and very quickly found a document called "Known Issues" with the new Microsoft Messenger 8. This issues and document are officially released by Microsoft on their Downloads site, and they state that the photos are not working, some of the emoticons are not working, and the ability to send and receive files is not working.

SERIOUSLY? They added one stupid new feature and broke everything else? And instead of fixing it first they decided to release this anyways? They waited years for a new version of Messenger, what was the rush now? How can they fuck up with something so simple?

I give up on this company. I used to be a big supporter, even after switching to Mac years ago I continued to buy Microsoft products and software, but this is too much. Their operating system already sucks, their Hotmail service is SPAM Heaven, their Office applications are obsolete, and their TV commercials make me want to vomit. I still love my XBOX 360, but I wonder how long that will last.

So Microsoft, good luck getting your groove back and winning back loyal customers like me, because you are going to need it. That plus some creative people and good engineers.

Now or Never

2010-03-25T23:14:55Z

My buddy Aaron Burns, who is getting ready to film his first feature this year, made this excellent and hilarious short film called 'Now or Never'. The short was in the lineup of the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.

I've embedded the short below. It's really funny and well done so I hope you enjoy it. You can follow this guy on Twitter after or check out his blog at http://www.urbanarson.com.

Now or Never - A Comedy Short from Aaron Burns on Vimeo.

Stay Indoors, Watch Movies

2010-03-25T23:07:16Z

This is one of the 2010 South by Southwest Film Bumpers that play before each film during the festival. I liked this one a lot.

"Stay Indoors, Watch Movies", created by Joe Nicolosi. I think it's really funny and well done. If you missed the festival this year, here is a chance to watch it below.

Tiger Comeback

2010-03-24T00:09:17Z

OK people. Time to stop talking about Tiger Woods and his private (or public) affairs. This country needs a new public scandal and someone else to humiliate and prosecute. Plenty of shady people in politics, entertainment, sports. Why is everyone focusing on Tiger? Maybe because they were envious of how amazing and successful he was and now realized he wasn't perfect after all.

I don't defend him or his actions, but seriously people in this country have no shame. You see these TV shows like the Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, The Hills, Jon & Kate, and all these bullshit celebrities and retarded people who have become the icons of today's American culture and it's impossible to say that Tiger Woods is worse than them. He is definitely not.

Yes, the guy got a little carried away with his affairs. I can imagine that most people in this country secretly wanted to be him. And others were happy to see him fall because of jealousy. He is a black dude who became the biggest Golf Superstar of all times. He made golf fun and exciting for people who didn't know what golf was before. And he was young, and he was cool, and he won everything and had a lot of money and his own video game. And now people know he has a huge penis too. Fuck, that would make anybody jealous.

Tiger Woods is one of the best athletes in the world. Period. Whatever happens behind closed doors is his own business, and the media in this country thinks that 'the truth must come out' always. The fact that you are famous doesn't mean your life is public. And this is where this country is fucked. Being in the spotlight for being the best golf player in the world doesn't mean that everything else about his life is public domain. He is not Paris Hilton or Jon Gosselin, who do nothing but get attention for no reason. The media here thinks it is their right and their obligation to expose everything, and that is bullshit.

I'm glad Nike stayed behind Tiger. He will bounce back stronger than ever. He fucked up. So what? Lots of people do and some never get caught, but that does not make them better than Tiger. He is still an amazing athlete and he has donated millions to charity and participated in many world-changing events. He is not the bad guy here. He made a mistake, and it was a big one, but it can happen to anyone. The media and the people who are desperate for attention are the problem.

I hope he wins the U.S. Masters and gets his confidence back. The only one who should be pissed of here is his wife, and of course the girlfriends if he lied to them, but this is not for everyone else to judge and criticize him. Most people breakdown with a lot less attention and would do crazier things if they had 1% of his money or fame.

I'm still a big fan and supporter of the way he handled this whole mess. Not easy to come out of your house or go out and play golf with everything that has happened. I respect him and I hope he gets his shit together and prove everyone how great he can be.

Fortune Cookie Greatness

2010-03-23T22:48:35Z

Ever got a fortune cookie at an Asian restaurant and thought it seemed like it was written exactly for you? Well maybe it was. Check out this brilliant short called "Table 7" by Marko Slavnic and Andrew McDonald, that premiered at SXSW this year and it was filmed at my buddy's C.K.'s restaurant Imperia in Austin, TX (which BTW is the best restaurant in town).

Enjoy!

Update: I tried embedding the film but it was not working, so here is the link.

Air Sickness

2010-03-23T20:32:08Z

For someone who travels as much as I do, there is nothing more annoying than the process between arriving at the airport until you are actually in the air. A one hour flight turns into five hours of wasted time easily.

Is our security and intelligence so fragile? I understand that 9/11 shocked the world, but after almost a decade shouldn't we be more prepared? It takes so long to go through security, and it's annoying, and people have their shoes off, and I have to get my laptop out of the laptop case and into the tray, and the liquids into a Ziploc bag, and the metal detector, and so much bullshit for what?

Then after all that we still have to turn off electronic devices for take off. What kind of shit is that? The flight attendants get dead serious about it. TURN IT OFF! NO AIRPLANE MODE! OFF! Seriously? What will happen if I don't turn it off? Cause most people don't give a crap about FAA regulations these days. I would understand that a cell phone is sending and receiving signals that can cause interference in communications, but an iPod? And what is stopping a couple dozen of terrorists from getting on the plane with a Blackberry, an iPod, a Kindle and a notebook and turn them on for take off? Are they going to disable the planes communications device? Give me a break.

With the thousands of flights everyday across the world it should be a little bit more simple. The flight delays, the boarding delays, the same process again and again. Taxi takes forever, from the moment when the plane pushes back until you take off is another 25 minutes if you are lucky.

Air travel became a very annoying and unpleasant experience for anybody. That is why you didn't win an Oscar, Jason Reitman, because there is nobody like George Clooney out there who is really excited about going to the fricking airport. I flew almost 150,000 miles last year and have all the perks, know the tricks, whatever you want, but this still sucks and makes me waste a lot of time and energy.

Now I have to turn this off for landing. Good bye!

The Game of Life

2010-03-01T02:49:05Z

Jesse Schell, Carnegie Mellon professor, shares with us his vision of the future of video games merging with our daily lives. The mind-blowing keynote covers everything from the phenomenon of Farmville today, Wii, Guitar Hero, Club Penguin and how a variety of "psychological tricks" and sensors will change everything about the way we live.

Not sure why I didn't post this before. I've been sharing the link on Facebook and Twitter, but I should have posted the video here below. Well, here it is. Enjoy!

Thanks @patojutard for sharing.

Best of 2009 - Films

2010-02-28T18:09:06Z

It's that time of the year again, and like last year, I will pretend that you guys care about my opinion and recommend the films that I liked the most during 2009. After this one I'll do one for TV shows, books and music as well.

So here we go with the Films...

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: Some people think I'm nuts, but this is my favorite Tarantino film.

- UP: Only Pixar can make an incredible movie where the hero is an old man, and be one of the best animated films of all time. I'm worried about Pixar's creativity now with Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 coming out, but so far they are incredible.

- WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: This film was underrated and misunderstood. Maybe because it's a little scary for kids. Regardless, it captures the book and the imagination of kids and even adults. It's also visually incredible.

- AVATAR: Duh. I don't know why I recommend this because everyone has seen it twice already. If you did not see it, you should be watching it now. Double points to Cameron for bringing some original content to the world instead of another remake, reboot or sequel.

- MOON: I went to see this at last years South by Southwest having no idea what it was. I loved it and was even more impressed after I learned more about how it was done, met the Director Duncan Jones and heard him talking about the film and what he wants to do next. He will be big.

- UP IN THE AIR: This was getting a lot of attention, then it faded away with all the talk about Hurt Locker and Avatar. It's a great film, very well written. George Clooney is at his best. For someone who spends so much time traveling all over the place, I love the concept of being surrounded and isolated at the same time.

- 500 DAYS OF SUMMER: It was about time someone made a film about how relationships really are. Complicated and ever changing. This was hilarious and sad at the same time.

- THE HANGOVER: Funniest film I've seen in a long time.

- DISTRICT 9: Talking about originality...

- WORLD'S GREATEST DAD: Bobcat + Robin Williams + Daryl Sabara = Genius. This is one of the funniest and underrated films of the year. I don't know what failed with the marketing strategy and letting more people know about this film because it's really great.

- FUNNY PEOPLE: Apatow was hoping for an Oscar with this, but unfortunately the film was not a hit commercially or critically. Nobody even talked about it since it came out last summer. Too bad because it's a good movie, solid writing and really good performances by Adam Sandler and especially Eric Bana (who only gets about 20 minutes of screen time). I think being too ambitious killed its chances.

- THE HURT LOCKER: I don't know if this will win Best Film at the Oscars over Avatar. Both of them were fantastic in their own way. If it was up to me, I would have given Kathryn Bigelow the Oscar for Point Break :) But this is also a must see film and I suggest that if you cannot watch it in the theatre, watch it with a great television, surround sound and the lights off.

- THE INFORMANT!: This film is on the list because Matt Damon is brilliant and hilarious on it. Trust me.

- EL SECRETO DE SUS OJOS: Unfortunately this is one of the few foreign films that I was able to see this year, but it was one of the best I've seen in a while. It's not out in the U.S. yet, but the film is nominated for an Oscar so hopefully there will be a release here soon.

- WHATEVER WORKS: Woody + Larry = Gold.