Proper Training

"Meow, I'm a cat" said Styrafoam.

I am picky with my books, real picky. Not just with the stories they contain or the writing style of the author. I am very finicky about buying a new book. I want the cover to be in pristine condition, no dents, no bends, and no rips. Also (here is where it gets weird) I am picky in the way a book smells. That's right smells! I can tell you the publisher of the books I read just by the smell alone. I know you are jealous, but its a gift.

That being said my sister has a cat. Not just any cat, but the most insane cat in the 48 continental United States (I here there is a cat in Alaska who is much more crazy). It is not strange for a cat to nip at you when you are petting or rough housing with it. This is even more true with young cats like my sisters. Young cats tend to bite hard. One time I was sitting on my couch petting "Kitty Lumpkens" and he nipped at me pretty good, nearly breaking the skin. So, I gave him a loving tap on the bum to let him know that I don't welcome his nips. He jumped from my lap over to my coffee table. That's when the unthinkable happened. Lumpkens turned around, and started creeping ever so slowly closer to me. He worked his way up to my lap, looking very cute. I thought he was coming over to say he was sorry. I could not have been more wrong. Just when Lumpkens was looking his cutest, he leaped at me and sunk his teeth in to my FACE! MY FACE! Do you see how this could be a problem?

My sisters cat loves to drink out of other peoples water glasses. He also has a tendency to knock them over and spill the contents over everything in a two foot radius. On more than one occasion he as spilled water over a few of my books sitting on my coffee table. This may not be a big deal to you, but to me its like he is ruining my books. Someone somewhere taught their cat how to drink out of a glass the proper way. Look at the good kitty. He is a good boy drinking all by hims little self. I have an offer to make to the owner of this cat. If you are willing to trade you well behaved, child safe, kitty for an insane, most likely drug influenced, cat let me know.

Six months!

Today is my sixth month anniversary with my girlfriend. She is the only one who reads this blog and is endlessly encouraging to me and my writing, what little writing I have actually done. Tonight we are going our favorite restaurant and celebrating. I love you babe.

Expectations and Disappointment

"No quote for you!" said Fedge.

Next week the newest of superhero movies comes out, Superman Returns. I have very high expectations for Brian Singer's latest film. I MEAN BIG! If you have read my blog you know that I really liked the last X-Men movie. While most of the professional critics ripped the film apart with true statements about real issues that the film actually had. I agreed with most of thier comments, but I still enjoyed it none the less. The reason was because my expectations were so low. Allow me to illustrate using MS Paint!

I would put my expectations for X-Men 3 at 6. What I got was an 7. A six means I think the movie won't be very good but I will enjoy it none the less. A 7 means that the movie was good. I went in expecting a 6, got a 7, and there for it felt like an 8. Get it? Yeah, neither do I.

But I digress. What I am expecting from Superman Returns is a 9. Pretty lofty. So the only way that I will leave the theatre satisfied is if I get a nine or a ten.

Now you may ask the question, "Why don't you just go in to every movie expecting a one? Then you will like almost every movie you see!" You answered you own question. I went to see Doom. The film adaptation of a gory video game. I expected a 4 and got a 3. Needless to say I was disappointed. Do you realize how embarrassing it would be to tell everyone I know that I liked Doom? I can see it now.

"Hey Jeff, what did you think of Blade 7?"

"Oh I loved it, I like how they picked Chris Tucker to fill in for Wesley Snipes as Blade!"

Or...

"Yo Jeffro, How did you feel about Stay?"

"I really enjoyed how they made it so you couldn't follow the story."

or even...

"Hey J, I just saw Teletubbies take on the Nazi's in 3-D! I know you had to like that!"

"YEAH! Hitler never saw Tinkie Winkie coming!"

Do you see how this could become a problem? If I said every movie was good, then no one would respect my opinion on a movie. Not that they do now. Although, that Teletubbies/Nazi movie does sound pretty good.

We Got the DS Goin' Nuts! and more...

"Eat that you dirty turd burglar!" said Fedge.

Yesterday, I spent the evening with Scott and Raf playing Nintendo DS. Not a big deal you say. I beg to differ, I bought the DS when it came out in 2004. I have only once before yesterday played any multi-player that was not through Nintendo WI-FI. Don't get me wrong it is fun to play over the internet, but when I throw down on Tetris, Mario Kart, and Bomberman, I want to talk some trash. Unfortunately, you can't talk trash over Nintendo WI-FI.

It was so nice to tell Scott to "Stick it!" when I dropped the bomb that killed him in Bomberman. Don't worry though it was all in good fun, when I talk trash all I am doing is enjoying playing with good friends. I am never trying to hurt anyone's feelings. If it makes you feel better Scott told me that I suck a few times last night.

Scott's buddy Richie came over (who is planning on getting a DS Lite when it comes out) as well as Brian, who bought a DS that night.

Yes, people are starting to listen when I say that the Nintendo DS is great. The DS fever is spreading faster than an airborne case of diarrhea. I don't really know what that means but I am sure it is good.

Perfect Cast: Part II

I forgot to mention a few perfect Superhero/Villain castings... so here we go.

Ioan Gruffudd/Mr. Fantastic
I don't know who he is, I have never heard of him before Fantastic Four. The thing is that he is a dead ringer for Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic.

Colin Farrell/Bulls Eye
Bulls Eye was the best part of the Daredevil movie. I don't really have anything else good to say about Daredevil!

I know that most movie fans didn't like either Fantastic Four or Daredevil, but there were good parts to both films, and while we will most likely not see a sequel to Daredevil a Fantastic Four sequel is in the works. WOOT!

I am in a Band!
I just to let you know that you can check out our music at myspace.com/thestyleofstyrafoam.
I think most people who read this blog already know about us and how awesome we are.

Blogging for the Sake of Blogging

"Don't bother, it's a real yawner today" said Fedge.

Right now it is mid-afternoon and I am not doing much at the moment. Just thought I would update my blog that way it doesn't look like I am lazy.

I have been reading the July 2006 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction. You should go to your local bookstore, pick it up, and read Impossible Dreams right there in the store. It's not very long and really well written. It's also a good story if you like movies. There is an alternate reality where Enders Game is already a movie directed by Ron Howard. That alone gave me the willies.

My friend Scott just got a Nintendo DS. Too bad he is going to Atlanta till Thursday. I was ready to school him at some Mario Kart.

I also just read on filmforce.ign.com that The Silver Surfer was going to be in the next Fantastic Four movie. That was pretty awesome.

I am going to start reading House (not based on the TV show about the doctor) by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti. A book my sister described as a SCI-FI channel movie meets a competitive eating contest, so I am looking forward to that one.

I guess that's it.

In conclusion you should go do something more important than read this blog.

X-3

"Intense" said Fedge's sister.

The X-Men fans of America have now been split up into two groups of people. Those that hate X-3 for not going by any formula that can be found in the comics and those that love X-3 for being completely unpredictable.

Brett Ratner is not as good as a director as Brian Singer. The acting by the second rate characters is not as good as the previous movies. The music is not as good as the previous movies. The fact remains that the story in X-3 is better than any story in any super hero movie to date. Why? Because about half way through X-3 you realize that your precious little comic book heroes are not safe. X-3 separates its self from the comic books by telling the story it wants to tell. I have heard of fans ripping on the movie saying "It is not true to the comics." That is what is so great about it. I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn't feel safe thinking that they couldn't do this or couldn't do that.

The movie definitely has its issues. All the new characters except Beast are poorly developed. You see very little of Angel, Juggernaught, and Multiple Man. There is a good bit of Shadowcat, but not enough to really feel like the character is done as well as possible.

Then there is the dialog. Two parts of the film come to mind. When Xavier is explaining how Jean Grey survived what happened at the end of X-2 and Wolverines inspiring pep rally right before the final battle. I am reminded of Star Wars Episode 3.

The story is so good that even with all the bad things about the movie, X-3 still shines bright. If this is the last of the X-Men movies then I am very happy with what has been given to us. It helps that I went into X-3 with the lowest of expections.

A Perfect Cast

"I would make a great Wonder Woman!" said Fedge.

With X-3 coming out on Friday, I got to thinking about the perfect cast from previous superhero movies. A perfect cast to me is when you find the one person who can play a certain character better than anyone else. Lets begin with the X-Men Movies.

First is the no brainer.

Patrick Stewart/Professor Xavier:
I was thinking when I was 11 that there was no one better to play Xavier than Captian Picard. I mean the bald head, the well educated speech, and the fact that he looks just like Xavier. Again NO BRAINER!

Alan Cumming/Nightcrawler:
There might be someone else out there that could have played Nightcrawler, but no one I know of. Its just to bad he is not in X-3

Even though I haven't seen it yet I'm just going to say it,
Kelsey Grammer/Beast
Since no one really looks the part, it is easier to take liberties with who you cast to play Beast, all you really need to worry about is how he speaks, and Grammer is exactly who I would cast.

Moving on now to Spiderman.

Alfred Molina/Doc Ock
I mean just look at the guy! He talks like Doc Ock, he walks like Doc Ock, and he... uh... chews his steak... like Doc Ock.

J.K. Simmons/J. Jonah Jameson
I will never see Simmons act again and not think J.J.J.

Now Batman

Jack Nicholson/Joker
I don't think I even need to say anything else.

That is the only perfect casting from the Tim Burton/Joel Poo Maker era.

Christopher Nolan directed one Batman film so far and in doing so out casted them all.

Michael Caine/Alfred
I am a little biased, because Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is one of my favorite movies ever. That and Michael Caine can deliver a bad line like "Why do we fall down? So we can pick our selves up." better than anyone else.

Liam Neeson/Ra's Al Ghul
They didn't fool me. I knew Ducard was Ra's, just because Neeson looks the part.

Cillian Murphy/Scarecrow
Murphy plays dark and pompous as well has Cillian, plus he looks like Dr. Crane.

Christian Bale is the best batman yet, buy I wouldn't say he is perfect. Still, he is pretty close.

4400 Ways to Spend Your Tuesday Night

"Don't hate me because I invented the sponge!" said Fedge.

Today is May 23rd 2006. Not a big deal to most people. I mean what happens on Tuesdays? Most commercials I watch tell me that Tuesdays are the most boring day of the week. I would beg to differ. Anyone who enjoys music or movies know that Tuesdays are new release days. Today is a special day for new releases because 4400 Season 2 comes out. The first season was only 5 episodes long and left me wanting more.
I don't really watch television series until they come out on DVD. Then I usually rent them from Netflix. I am going to buy 4400 without seeing it because I have hope that it is going to be good. Since I have only seen 5 episodes, I know that the best parts of the story have yet to been told, and that the writers have not already used up all there good ideas (*cough* Alias *cough*).
So tonight my oldest friend Scott is coming over, and we are going to watch 4400 till our eyes fall out. Woot!