Blog Archives
When a Babbling Brook Has a Narrator
It’s fascinating how everybody sleeps, yet each person seems to do it in their own unique way. You may be asking, “what do you mean? You just lay still and close your eyes.”
How we all wish it were that simple.
After countless nights in hotels, dorm rooms and many other similar situations, it’s truly mind boggling to witness and/or hear the variety of ways certain people sleep. Whether it’s keeping the television on, certain lights on, playing particular sounds of nature, spreading one’s body out diagonally or hogging all the blankets, sleeping lends itself to all sorts of normal and utterly crazy behavior.
Exhibit A: Frasier lets Niles crash in his room for a night.
We’ve all been here.
Hangin’ Out, Down the Street (Again!)
Apparently, the kids who were always “hangin’ out, down the street” together arranged a piano number this past Tuesday night at a quintessential LA pad to reminisce about those days from about a decade ago in real time and more than 30-40 years ago in sitcom time.
(Topher Grace’s Twitter: “Hangin’ out, down the street….”)
Clearly, the basement was just being renovated or something.
A reunion was groovy enough, but “the gang” decided to take it a few notes further…
The still photo above is evidence, as reported by a few of the former Point Place troublemakers, of a “That ’70s Show” sing-along to, you know…
The Addicitive Pull of “Gravity”
“Gravity” has been universally hyped (true story) for its spectacular imagery, filmography, acting and overall story.
Fortunately, October 4th has arrived and it’s now our turn to enter the local movie theater to sit down and prepare for what has been anticipated as a literal “edge of your seat” adventure.
Do seats come with tethers?
The story takes place in Space and the word to best describe its aura would not be epic, but grand. The depth of Space is infinite and unknown. This dynamic alone opens the curious mind to a myriad of unthinkable possibilities and cognitive wonderment.
For those of us who have seen the footage of astronauts in Space, there are undeniable elements of fragility, vulnerability and pure amazement. And it’s these restrictions and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that simultaneously attract and terrify us when watching the trailers and television spots for the star-studded journey featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
Just from the trailers alone, director Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” has captured our imaginations and sped up many heart beats. That doesn’t happen with every movie.
The following song is not part of the official soundtrack for “Gravity,” but it was used as music for an emotional trailer of “Zero Dark Thirty.” It is currently featured in the “What Amazing Looks and Sounds Like” section. However, this music fits with this major motion picture too, with its perfectly aligned notes of hope, haunting panic and something that feels bigger than us…
It sounds like something mysterious and grand is about to occur.
The time has come for us to hold onto our seats and experience what “Gravity” really feels like.
Back to the ’80s
Only two episodes in and “The Goldbergs” has already inspired me to search my local mall for a highlighter yellow (or orange) jacket that glows in the daytime.
“Science!”
Based in the 1980s, the story of “The Goldbergs” is told by the youngest child Adam “Wonder Years” style. Equipped with a shoulder rock (known then as a video recorder), Adam chronicles some of the funniest and strangest moments his family has to offer. The VHS quality recordings range from the mundane no-pants Father to the bizarrely hilarious Big Tasty: recognize!
Impressively, this sitcom successfully transports the viewer to the house and neighborhood straight out of the era when hover-boards on the silver screen and A-ha’s “Take on Me” ruled the day.
Oh, and as mentioned above, the clothes are very boss as well. Acid wash jeans? Yes, please!
And I think all sons can relate to shopping with our Mom at one point and hearing them infamously shout throughout the store about getting a pair of pants that better fit the, well, you know the region if you’re a guy.
Memories.
Beyond the great stereotypical roles of the rebellious, Daddy-wrapped-around-her-little-finger teenage daughter (Erica) to the stuck between a rock and a roller rink middle child (Barry) to the ready-to-see-the-world youngest son (Adam), The Goldbergs provide fun, eccentricity and just the right amount of heart for a totally awesome and strangely relatable family.
The Grandfather (Albert) humorously refuses to grow up (a Burt Reynolds twin anybody?), the Father (Murray) has a “Red Forman” dynamic upgraded for the ’80s by means of a floppy disk and the Mother (Beverly) is quite simply spectacular as she perfectly blends adorably embarrassing moments (trains are plenty dangerous!) with the amazingly lovable defense of her kid’s best interests. Who else could intimidate a store clerk to open a store after hours and convince the same clerk to honor a coupon that’s been expired for more than a year? Only a Mom on a mission.
Aside from the killer soundtrack at the end of each show, one of the best parts is when nostalgic home movie clips are shown of the real Goldbergs for whom the characters are based.
It’s surreal how familiar all those home movies look…
“The Goldbergs” will rap their way into your living room Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.
This show not only shows off some tasty fashion, but is also looking like it might become pretty big.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 