...Did I just watch the crystal skull again?

As the night transitioned to late, I found myself unable to rest these eyes. So, at the behest of the Big Bad Baseball Gypsy (who, after he saw the NY premiere of The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, left a message telling me to be very disappointed with it) I put the DVD into my computer ready to give it another shot. I hadn't seen it since it opened (I can't believe it's been 5 years), and the ridiculousness of it had come around to the Voodoo Guy, allowing him to have a blast with it recently. So I figured, "What the feck?" (Clearly, though, I should stop watching baseball games with the guy; something I failed to mention about Friday night.)

...I'm not exactly sure where to begin with this one. I guess we should all start with the control for bad movies: The Star Wars Prequels. So, where does The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull rank in terms of Star Wars Prequality? Not....really close to there, but by no means ranking near the Originals, or a good movies in general. But when you throw all concern of not having a good time out the window, you don't feel like you've wasted your time, and you could even come close to enjoying yourself (rather than sleeping.)

Let us then start with the good, and preface it by saying that I watched it through the credits (if only to give John Williams his due.) 

Automatically, Steven Spielberg at this stage of his career is far and superior to George Lucas in terms of execution. This immediately is evident and is thankfully there throughout. The acting holds up (to an extent, with the script given [though it's not TERRIBLE]). My man Ray Winstone is always awesome, and of course there's Harrison Ford, who has an absolute blast being back in the Indy role. And Shia Labeuf is actually a pretty good actor, and unlike other young actors in other shitty movies, because Spielberg has honed his craft over the years (unlike Lucas) he actually knows how to take care of business in that regard. AND he is mostly (relatively) using real sets or locations, and you can feel the actors interacting with things that are actually there. The Indy portion of it is good as well (to an extent.) Ya know, all the archeology stuff and what not. Though it wasn't necessarily at it's best, you mostly got a feel you were in the Indy universe, and it wasn't totally disgusting (though South Park may think otherwise, and I generally agree with them, especially 'cause it's hysterical. I'd link it...but it MIGHT be a little to early in the morning for what I would link...) 

And there's plenty of over-the-top stereotypes that...let's face it...we American moviegoers have eaten up over the years (or have been spoon fed...)

There were other good things...liiiiike.....illustrator Rudolfo Dimaggio...

But it was mostly over lit. In that modern oversaturation of white light that can be found in CBS dramas quite a lot. And yeah, the Russians were the natural place to go in the story of Indiana Jones, and since they've established long ago it was a supernatural universe, aliens were actually a "natural" place to go too since the 50's were big-time into space and sci-fi and all that shit. And hey, I like aliens. I even believe pretty firmly there is no way there ISN'T life out there. But the way it was delivered, especially the climax, didn't really punch me across the face the way a good climax punches you across the face and you're all like, "Whoa! Thanks, wow. I wasn't expecting that but I'm very glad you punched me. Wow. That was GREAT," and was more like, "Wow. You punched me. What the hell?- Asshole." 

...And they kept clearly dying (in real life.) You know what I mean? I know I've already established that I've excepted the Indy universe as being supernatural. But there were TOO MANY close calls after all these years of us being ok with every hero escaping all those bad guys' bad shots and falling off waterfalls THREE times and shit like that. When it happened in this installment, everything just felt TOO unbelievable, and I just....it just didn't work.

At least NBC gave them the rights to Howdy Doody...

Anyway, I've made it this far. I might as well watch Japan and the Netherland Kingdom at 6...

Enjoy waking up everyone.

Here's some Random Thieves in the Night.

SLEEP. WILL. COME. SOON.
LET'S. GO. METS.

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Can We Stop With All the Delirium?

Whoever says that the players currently on this roster will equate to a "disaster" is ignorant, foolish and laughable.

And can we stop calling players "soft" please?

They made the pros, whatever their sport. And the ones people keep calling "soft" have stayed there...

It's not all black and white, folks.

It's all over the spectrum between Orange and Blue...

And that's all I have to say for today.

Unless I post a Star Wars song later.

Which is what I'm about to do right now.

CALM. THE. F. DOWN.
LET'S. GO. METS.

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How Did I Miss This Information?!

It would appear the news that J.J. Abrams is directing the next Star Wars went completely over my head. I loved his Star Trek, so this would appear to be coming together nicely, and also prompts the next Star Wars Track of the Day.

Think about it like this:

People make fan films of Star Wars all the time. 

Now, a fan, who also happens to not only have sharpened his filmmaking skills over time, but his science fiction chops as well (though I could care less for Lost) is going to make a Star Wars fan film...

But he's being given LUCASFILM MONEY to do it.

Fans know exactly what they want.

Fans want more of the last thing they read and they liked.

That's what fans want. They liked that thing you did...

They would like another one of those, please.

 Neil Gaiman, British Author, interview in The People Vs. George Lucas

NOW. BOUT. HAMILL.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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The First Ted's Quote of the Year

Hey!!! There was some actual news yesterday!!!

As we were learning of the Shaun Marcum signing and I was inspired to question the knowledge the rest of the NL East has on our Mets rotation, I decided to text my Phillie Friend Ted to tell him what I thought of the Michael Bourn rumors.

A warning to all of you: Some of the symbols that replace letters may be inappropriate for young readers...

Me: I think Michael Bourn seriously may become a Met. This is a move I endorsed weeks ago so I so hope they follow through even though its another lefty.

Ted: I don't really care
It'd be better for me if he didn't
But in general there is a lot of other shit that concerns me way more

Me: I can tell you as a friend you *$^@#ing asshole. I could give two &%$# when u send me phillies stuff
%$#& u haha

Ted: Honestly it's the braves and the Nats division.  We're both looking up

Me: I don't expect to win the division

Ted: So who cares if we're even with you or better there is no prize for 3rd
That's my logic

Me: I only care in the season starting. And enjoying 162 games.
Your logic allows for less fun no matter what happens

Ted: My standards are higher based on recent successful years.  Do we return to relevance or fall further from it.
That's the unfortunate story line of our upcoming season
Our team is in a tough year age wise

Me: (Nothing to do with standards. everything to do with loving baseball.) You could easily win the division, btw. But probably Nats. And u are one of wild cards. I fully believe in what I see on paper from ur team.
And u will probably do a better job bouncing back from nagging age injuries.

Ted: Hopefully.

Me: Ur the phillies. U finished 3rd and almost squeezed ur way back in, then in offseason made nice moves.

Ted: It's just the Nats are good and Young

Me: Yep. They prob take division.
But I'd bet on you in playoffs.

Ted: But the other teams made better ones

Me: Justin upton is sick

Ted: Yeah

Me: We could have packaged something. There's was bull

Ted: And I bet he makes inconsistent BJ much better
Not to mention heyward

Me: Yeah oh $%#& that's right!!!!!
The braves
They both make each other better. Including better lineup

Ted: And thats what I'm saying.  The braves are %&$#ing scary

Me: Both uptons protected better

Ted: So sign Bourn...I still think we're both kind of in trouble

Me: Creepin' and crawlin' like a sniper in the null...

YEAH...MORE. STAR. WARS.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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Wakin' Up With The Cantina

Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villiany.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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I Just Can't Help This Star Wars Feeling...

LET'S. GO. METS.

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Random Ramblings about Star Wars and Stuff

Last night, my nerd self put in A New Hope Pandora station, and...(the nerdiness is making me sigh)...went off to a galaxy far, far away. Other movie themes and soundtracks were abound too, but so were the Prequel soundtracks, which I hadn't really partaken in. Written by John Williams as well, his brilliance couldn't quite make the entire prelogy work when sampling soundtrack and screentrack merged together. On its own, however, it brings out how awesome the prequels could have been.

Star Wars, frankly, has nothing to do with the Mets, but Star Wars, frankly has everything to do with the Mets. I'm not going to compare the Mets to the Rebel Alliance battling the Empire (.............?) or what not. All I know is that there are many a Metropolitan Star Wars fan out there in the universe, one of which happens to write for a pretty awesome blog. R.A. Dickey is a huge Star Wars nut and pictures like this exist. That's enough for this to actually not be that random of ramblings. I've rambled and posted some things on here that have infinite degrees of separation from the Mets, but this is, no degree or 1 degree or somethin'. Us Star Wars fans want to make Star Wars about everything. I'm not the type of Star Wars fan who dresses up and goes to conventions, but I don't mind walking through a Citi Field Star Wars Imaginationland. Star Wars Night should be an annual event.

Some of you may know I've proclaimed my full support for the Disney Acquisition of Lucasfilm. I am extremely excited for Episode VII, and its a good sign that the first big news announced after the merge had to do with the story. That's a writer I can get behind.

The prequels could have been soooooo good. And maybe one day down the road, 30 or so years from now, they will remake those things (no offense, George Lucas who might be dead by then, if he is not being kept alive in a Vader suit.)

Maybe they could just use the same soundtracks again.

John Williams did his best.

Some others, though, dropped the ball.

(Don't forget to listen to the The Rising Apple Report at 6:30.)

JOHNNY. WILLIAMS.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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Amidst the Wreckage, A Newer Hope

Since yesterday evening, many of us have been glued to coverage of this monstrous storm, not believing the images we are seeing. Devastating images of something New York City has never experienced. My cousin and his lady arrived in our Hell's Kitchen bubble, looking to charge their iStuff as they do not have power in their Lower-Manhattan apartment.

We know what's out there, but we certainly cannot comprehend it as of yet.

And through it all, by the end of today, all I want to know is what Mark Hamill's involvement in Episode VII will be.

Star Wars, like baseball, once again provides us an escape from the realities of the world. Just as in 1977, when this city was trying to dig itself out of a major fiscal emergency, George Lucas has provided New York and the world a reason to dream of a Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

The Walt Disney Company (a company I have an affinity for, not only because of the worlds Walt Disney imagined but because they employed my grandfather at Buena Vista Distribution Co. back in the day, which has been passed down to me in shares of the DIS) has amazin'ly acquired 100% of Lucasfilm LTD, and immediately announced Star Wars: Episode VII.

The timing of this announcement comes after I recently watched The People vs. George Lucas on my Doc binge, which is a great exploration of the Love-Hate relationship Star Wars fans have with "The Creator," and helped spawn my own idea for a documentary. I suggest you watch it, and think of the elation they must have all felt when finding out there will be more movies, and that George Lucas has surrendered control of it to a brand such as Disney.

I'm not really a "convention-type" Star Wars fan, if you will. I love the world George Lucas created and, at its best, is fantastic storytelling. The acquisition gives every Star Wars fan reason to believe this epic can once again be filmmaking at its best. Disney, at their best, are exceptional filmmakers and Marketeers, and have been making excellent creative and monetary decisions since the former CEO, Michael Eisner, got ousted in the middle of the last decade.

All I really want to know is: Where is Mark Hamill and how quickly can we sign him up for the new Trilogy?

Reading up on the history of the idea of a Sequel Trilogy after the news broke, it sounds like George Lucas really went back and forth on this idea. He more than finally relented; he must have had an epiphany based on what he said in January, and what he has said today:

"It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime."

He did own 100% of Lucasfilm. Now, 100% of Lucasfilm will be owned by Disney. I wonder how much of their revenue will be Star Wars when the absorption is complete...

In regards to the new films, George Lucas will stay on as a "Creative Consultant."

We all know what that means.

A Newer Hope than ever before.

BRING. BACK. HAMILL.

LET'S. GO. METS.

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