I might be spending my New Year's Day checking out the first and third parts of Chan Woo Park's Vengeance "trilogy". After Oldboy and now Thirst, I'm definitely a fan of his work. I know a lot of people are vehemently opposed to remake but in the cast of "Thirst", I think it makes for a perfect candidate for an American version. The movie's core could easily be sold to the subtitlephobic set and it's not like the film is perfect. The pacing is a bit slow, the struggles could definitely be heightened.

I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen the movie yet so I'll just end this portion of the post by saying that I recommend the film. It's a slow burn but I think most people will find it engrossing and entertaining.

Continue reading to get my thoughts on how an American marketplace remake should be handled. (Spoilers ahead)

For starters, I think that the dark comedy needs to be maintained. This movie definitely should not take itself too seriously, however I also wouldn't want to see it turn into a campfest. I'd like it to be more like a Coen Brothers film than a Sam Raimi flick.

I think the most obvious edit would be with Kang-Woo. I probably wouldn't show that he wasn't abusing Tae-Ju; I'd have that be more of a shock. Also, I'd completely cut out all of the stuff of him reappearing in visions and all of the psychological stuff with him. I'd also probably lose the fact that Sang-hyeon was a priest. I don't think you can tread lightly with religion and leaving the priesthood in an American film.

The biggest issue in an American version, and an issue that I didn't really think of until typing this, is that they kind of need to explain why the doctors just let Sang-hyeon go. It seems really odd that they fed him vampire blood and then just let him off into the world. I kind of like the idea of switching it so that the main character did go to the clinic as a sort of suicide attempt but there needs to be some kind of reason why the doctors let him go. I'm sure the obvious American option would be for one of the other patients to also have vampire blood in him; he goes crazy and starts killing everyone, the main character saves the day but it is too late - everyone is dead. It would add an early action scene which producers would love. It would also cut down on the time of him realizing that he's a vampire, which isn't that bad. The focus could be more on how the main character, who couldn't find a way to fit in the real world, is now trying to find a way to survive as an unreal being. (Maybe it's here where he "finds" religion or, at least, tries to use it to help him find a place in this world.)

Another issue with the religion/hospital angle is that he would probably be a celebrity if he was the only person to survive a test like that. Once a few people learned of the healer, I'm sure the word would spread like wildfire. Granted, you could maybe go into reality TV as the new religion but that's the kind of approach that I think would take the film off in a completely unnecessary direction. It might be interesting for another film but not for a remake of "Thirst".

I also think the theme with the girlfriend could follow along the lines of "Revolutionary Road". She could be trapped in a marriage she never wanted and sees the vampire as freedom. Of course, once he frees her, he then starts trying to keep her from preying on humans. Like DiCaprio's character in Rev Road, the man who once symbolized freedom has become her latest captor. In terms of supernatural storylines, it's kind of a tried and true issue - the one person trying to fit in and another superperson trying to take advantage of their new found superiority but, off the top of my head, it's the best angle to be able to have the main character and love interest be adversaries yet still remain close. (For instance, I'd probably have him wander in to his apartment and find his friends sitting around for a poker game. It might be the girl's attempt to out the main guy as a vampire and force him to either kill or be exposed.)

In a smaller switch, I might have the Priest kill his mentor AFTER giving him the gift of sight.

I'm just spitballing ideas here but I'd be interested in hearing any other ideas or options for a remake (or just reactions to the ideas I threw out there).

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, the year is almost over so it's time to check ITunes to see what songs I listened to the most this year. Of course, this list doesn't factor in my IPod so it's not really a perfect indicator of the year that was but it's good enough (and easy). Obviously, albums/songs that came out earlier in the year have a major advantage over late releases but I get in such grooves of listening to one album over and over that those albums can usually catch up. I haven't had The XX album for long and a couple of their songs made the list.

Apparently my Jen & Abby kick was pretty overwhelming since they captured three of the top spots, including the #1 song "Lazy Angels". Anyway, here's the list:

As for my IPod, I think it was probably dominated by Radiohead, Rachel Yamagata, and Tegan and Sarah. The video I watched the most was probably Pearl Jam's "The Fixer" although I was disappointed that the video version of the song was much better than the actual album version.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The blog will be back full steam ahead in the New Year but for now I'll post up the latest tryout, a band that is one of my favorites of the year. I'm not a huge fan of We Were Promised Jetpacks but I do think that they have one of the better band names out there. Granted, it doesn't come close to The Sweatpants Boners but I don't think anything could.

Over at Lala, they have a page with all of the Best Albums of the Year. Haven't had a chance to look at it but I'm sure there's some good music to be discovered there. As for me, I'll be posting my ITunes Most Listen to Songs of the Year later in the week.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm still a fan of Ty Lawson but the Denver Nuggets without Chauncey Billups are one of my least favorite teams to watch. It's 'Melo and the Mad Bombers with everyone resorting to jumpers. This team desperately needs to move supersub J.R. Smith and bring in a shooting guard who they have some faith in and who will take it to the hole every so often. Then again, trying to get a more dependable low post option might be better because, while Nene is OK, he's hardly someone I want as a main low post threat. Denver needs to figure this out or else next year they could find themselves facing the question of "Where's Melo gonna go?" over and over again.

I still can't help but see Kevin Durant as the Nuke Laloosh of the NBA. All of his quotes come off as something that someone told him he's supposed to say and I never feel like he really gets what he's supposed to mean. Still, the kid is undeniably talented and has a chance to be an all-time scorer. I still don't see him as the kind of guy that takes a team onto his shoulders or finds a way to help his team win when his shot isn't falling but he's still young.

Ty Thomas might be about to make the leap that people have been waiting for and that will get someone to overpay for him. I have no doubt that Thomas has a half-season of good basketball in him; whether he'll go back to his inconsistent ways once he gets paid remains to be seen. I'd bet on him settling into mediocrity.

I haven't had a trade of the day for a while so I'll throw this one out there: Brad Miller and Jerome James for Tracy McGrady. The Bulls bring in a 2-guard who can move John Salmons to the bench where hopefully he'll remember how to play basketball. The Rockets save some money, grab a big man who should add some size to their bench, and don't add any salary to their 2010 payroll.

The Magic lost the Christmas game more than the Celtics won it. One issue was Pietrus's horrific play and another is that the Magic refused to acknowledge that Dwight Howard shouldn't be plan A whenever Orlando meets Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett (and now Rasheed Wallace as well). I almost feel like they would have been better off if Gortat or Brandon Bass had gotten some of Howard's minutes.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I probably won't be posting much until around the New Year so Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone. For the Tryout, I'll put up my favorite Christmas album of all-time.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So what are the best NBA draft of the decade? Looking over it, I think the answer for #1 is obvious. After that, it's tough because you have to weigh the potential of the later drafts versus the production of the earlier ones. There are some tough choices and, honestly, I'm not completely committed to some of my rankings but for now (since, you know, I'm supposed to be working right now) I'll throw out this list.

#1. 2003: In almost a perfect mix for a draft, 2003 was top heavy with Hall of Fame talents (LeBron, Wade, 'Melo, Bosh) and had one absolute bust in the middle (Darko). The draft definitely had a bit of a hiccup in the late lotto/mid first but it came back strong with Josh Howard, Kendrick Perkins, and Leandro Barbosa at the end of the first and then even has an All-Star out of the second round (Mo Williams) along with some other guys who have hung around the league. Nevermind this decade, 2003 might be one of the best drafts ever.

#2. 2009: Obviously, it's early but this is looking like one of the best PG drafts ever, a very deep draft, and we still haven't seen two of the top prospects play (Blake Griffin and Ricky Rubio). Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans are legit threats for All-Star consideration as rookies and a number of other players are showing signs that they could, at the very worst, be key role players for winning teams. Also, the draft has shown some amazing depth with a number of 2nd rounders, led by Dajuan Blair, Jonas Jerebko, Marcus Thornton, and Chase Buddinger, looking like they'll be in the league for years to come. Granted, a lot of this ranking is based on potential and some of these guys could crap out but right now, the 2009 draft is looking like the second best draft of the decade.

#3. 2001: The year the high schoolers took over turned out to be a disappointing draft for teams with lotto picks but a night of nice finds for teams in the end of the first round. Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas, picks #28 and 31, outshined most everyone in the lottery except for maybe Pau Gasol and Joe Johnson. Richard Jefferson wasn't too shabby and Shane Battier's been a nice role player but this draft seemed to be lacking in Grade A superstars and the lotto was packed with too many busts to really challenge for the top spot.

#4. 2008: Debating between this draft and 2004 is tough, especially since I don't think this draft has anyone at the level of Dwight Howard. Still, I like the overall talent of this draft better. Rose, Mayo, Westbrook, Love, and Lopez look like they all could fight for All-Star spots in the near future (followed closely behind by Gordon and Beasley) while a lot of the projects (Speights, Randolph, Hibbert, Batum) seem to be closer to flourishing than falling out of the league. This is an interesting group to watch and right now, I'd rather bet on the promise of the Class of 2008 over the progress of 2004's players.

#5. 2004: Dwight Howard shined head and shoulders above the rest of this draft. Still, there are a lot of good names in here although I think most of them haven't been able to pull themselves together. Josh Smith looks like he might finally be breaking through but others like Al Jefferson, Kevin Martin, Luol Deng just don't seem to be able to put it all together. Still, they are legit talents and the emergence of Trevor Ariza helps salvage one of the weakest 2nd rounds of the decade. It was a tough call between this draft and 2001 but until some of the other players can break out of the Good Players on Bad Teams category, it's hard to give this class more credit.

#6. 2005: The final year for high schoolers is an underwhelming draft that is saved from being terrible by the emergence of late first round picks like David Lee, Monta Ellis, and Lou Williams. Obviously, this draft is anchored by Chris Paul and Deron Williams with Danny Granger adding to its All-Star resume and the Andrew's (Bynum and Bogut) starting to look like legit All-Star caliber centers. The lack of depth keeps this draft near the bottom of the list but it has too much top line talent to be considered the worst.

#7. 2007: Greg Oden and Brandan Wright can't stay healthy but Kevin Durant and Al Horford can carry this draft while those to heal. Most of the lottery has panned out to be at least servicable players and the later draft produced some solid talent (Rudy Fernandez, Wilson Chandler, Marc Gasol). '07 has some decent young talent but until these guys start showing more than just potential, it's hard to rank them any higher. I doubt that these guys will bottom out enough to fall behind the 2002 draft but, as of now, this is a year with limited depth and not enough top flight talent.

#8. 2002: This draft was ravaged by injuries to Jay Williams, Dajuan Wagner and even Yao Ming and Amare Stoudemire haven't been the healthiest of pros but that doesn't excuse this year for being void of talent. This draft is filled with names that completely dropped off the map (Marcus Haislip, Ryan Humphrey). Still, Yao, Amare, Caron Butler, and Carlos Boozer save it from being the worst draft of the decade.

#9. 2006: I always considered 2002 to be the second worst draft of the decade but looking at 2006, it's no contest. Brandon Roy is a star and Rajon Rondo is becoming one but after that, what is there? A soft 7 foot shooter in LaMarcus Aldridge? Rudy Gay is finally stepping up his game but he has a ways to go to be a legit first option and who knows if he'll keep it up once he gets his new contract. Paul Millsap is one of the few second rounders who have shown much of anything. Not only is this a bad draft but there doesn't seem like there's much hope in the horizon (unless Andrea Bargnani learns how to play defense or Ty Thomas learns how to play basketball). From top to bottom, just a terrible draft.

#10. 2000: When Kenyon Martin is the #1 pick and you could make an argument that that wasn't that bad of a choice, you know that you've had a weak draft. The best player in the draft went #43 (Michael Redd) and while a number of the players have come on of late (Hedo, Jamal Crawford), this is still an abysmal draft. When one of the highlights of a draft is Jamaal Magloire, you've had a bad year.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The transcript of the whole interview is available at the THR site.

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Michael Haneke is, according to most critics, one of the best filmmakers out there right now. Unfortunately, I haven't liked either of his films. I saw the American version of "Funny Games, a film that apparently you aren't supposed to like. And I didn't. Another one of his critically acclaimed films is Cache, which also went by the title Hidden. After reading the film, I've read up on it but I can't say that it's helped me like it. I was hoping that there was a Mulholland Drive element to it but there really isn't. Critics talk about the authenticity or realism of the film but, personally, I saw two people acting somewhat cooly and making strange choices. I never was really able to connect with any of the characters and that deadened the tension. In fact, it almost put me to sleep.

If you enjoy post-modern art films then you should check it out because you might find something in it that I didn't but if you aren't a fan of foreign films, this isn't a film that is going to sway you. For that, check out "The Lives of Others".

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's time for the year end review of the best and worst GM's in the NBA. In what may seem a bit strange, one of the best teams in the league has IMO the worst GM out there while a team that just set a record for ineptitude might have one of the smarter bosses in the league.

16. Danny Ferry (Cleveland): How hard is it to figure out that you should surround LeBron James with players who can spread the floor for him? Ferry seems to refuse to add a legitimate shooting guard alongside LBJ, instead adding one big man after another. Even when one of his picks starts to come through like JJ Hickson's started to, it's a case of too little, too late. I'd love to see James stay in Cleveland but I can't blame him for leaving since I wouldn't want to have my career in the hands of Danny Ferry.

15. Ernie Grunfeld (Washington): The bottom line is that it's hard to find a great move that Grunfeld's made that doesn't include Caron Butler. Making matter worse, Butler seems to be one of the biggest problems in the Wizards locker room. The move that probably should get Grunfeld fired is the fact that he just traded the #5 pick for Randy Foye, who is now backing up Earl Boykins, a guy who was signed off of the street after not playing in the NBA for a year. The Wizards are a team going nowhere and it's all on Grunfeld's shoulders.

14. Larry Bird (Indiana): It's almost like he's trying to make this team embody the word "vanilla" in every way, shape, and form.

13. Bryan Colangelo (Toronto): The supposed savior of the Raptors, Colangelo has built a team that's likely going to chase the other savior, Chris Bosh, out of town. The Hedo signing is going to haunt them while Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon are nice offensive players but are negatives on the defensive end. Colangelo's had top picks and spent lots of money and has nothing to show for it. The bottom line, though, is that if he doesn't trade Chris Bosh, he should be fired. The writing has been on the wall that the Texan was going to leave Toronto. The only reason he's still there is Colangelo's belief that he could build a team that would convince Chris to stay. He hasn't so it's time to bite the bullet and make a deal while they can still get something (although they won't get as much as they should) for CB4.

12. Jeff Bower (New Orleans) : Bower is an example of why I wait until three years to list people in the ranking. After a year, Bower looked like he was doing a very nice job. Now he's turned the Hornets into a bit of a mess. I have no idea why he thought adding Emeka Okafor's contract to a stingy payroll was a wise move. He rushed out and signed some people as final pieces even though the team didn't have a reliable second fiddle (I've always seen David West as a third star, at best). Some of the bad contracts becomes expiring deals next offseason so the Hornets might be able to make a move but right now, they don't have much hope of improving much.

11. Donnie Nelson (Dallas): Donnie Nelson seems to have built his team like I draft my fantasy baseball team - with a lot of big names who really aren't good anymore (and may never have been as good as their hype). Luckily for him, Dirk and Mark Cuban seem to love one another or else we might be talking more about whether or not Dirk was going to fly the coop in 2010. (For all of the talk of Bosh, I think Dirk would be the best addition in Miami. He could take a KG discount which would allow the Heat to sign another top of the line player.) Right now, Donnie will be judged on what he does with his expiring contracts. If there was a team that could eat a big contract, like Gilbert Arenas's, it's Dallas.

10. Joe Dumars (Detroit): Dumars was near the top of this list for years but he's basically looking to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time. The first Detroit team was built with a lot of luck. Ben Wallace went from afterthought to All-Star, Chauncey Billups emerged, they got Rasheed for nothing. This new lineup isn't as enticing. Ben Gordon is good but he's no Billups. I'm not a big fan of Charlie Villenueva. They re-signed Rip Hamilton who doesn't seem to fit in the Pistons 2.0. Dumars is going to have to find takers for Rip and Tayshaun Prince (which shouldn't be bad since he only has one more year left on his deal) but even then, it's going to take a lot of luck to land the type of players that will get the Pistons back to being contenders.

9. Pat Riley (Miami): The Miami brain trust is basically the line between good and bad. And that's because they haven't really done much but are in a position that could turn them into a champion or the worst team in the league. If Dwyane Wade leaves, this team is in trouble. I'm a big believer in Michael Beasley but there will be some growing pains if Wade heads to NYC. On the other hand, this team seems like the leading candidate to land a couple of major free agents this offseason. The Heat aren't in a position to be great this year but they could be a dynasty or dismal in the near future.

8. Mark Warkentien (Denver): Warkentien has done a solid job with the little he has to work with. This isn't to say that the Nuggets aren't talented, they just don't have many players that are trade assets. Kenyon Martin's contract is finally becoming more movable, Nene's deal is easier to move now. There's only so many times that an Iverson for Chauncey Billups deal presents itself. He's done a solid job but it's the next year or so when he'll have to prove his worth.

7. Kevin O'Connor (Utah Jazz): Like Bryan Colangelo, O'Connor loses points for potentially losing his prized power forward for nothing. There HAS to be a team with a shooting guard that would be interested in Boozer and his expiring deal. Sure, I wouldn't be wild about taking on Rip Hamilton's contract but there has to be something out there. The Jazz also have the Knicks #1 pick so they could use that in a trade to land someone (and so far, this draft isn't all that exciting IMO so trading it now might be the better option). The biggest issue is that the Jazz have kind of sunk into a Spurs-like neutral, in which they show up for some games, take others off. It feels like a team that needs someone to breathe some life back into them. Can O'Connor find that player?

6. Geoff Petrie (Sacramento): I often question Petrie and he usually proves me wrong. Petrie has done a solid job rebuilding the Kings so I'm sure he'll figure out a way to make it work.

5. Rod Thorn (New Jersey): I know it seems odd to list the GM of the team that just had a historic losing streak as one of the best GM's but Thorn's done a great job of collecting young talent and clearing up cap space, all without the luxury of a top 5 pick. The Nets are primed to make a run at LeBron but even if they miss out on him, they'll be in one of the best situations with cap space, young players, and a top draft pick. One reason he isn't hire is the Vince Carter deal. I thought he could have done a bit better than he did or, at the very least, not given up Ryan Anderson in the trade.

3. Danny Ainge (Boston): I wanted to put him higher since I really liked the Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels signings (and it seems like Clifford Ray is working his magic with Shelden Williams) but the Celtics still have some of the same questions nagging them. Still, third place is more like a #1c. He's still the cream of the GM crop

2. Otis Smith (Orlando): See, this is how you build around a superstar. Not only in terms of having complementary players like Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis but also in terms of backups like Jason WIlliams, Ryan Anderson, Brandon Bass, Marcin Gortat. The scary thing about the Magic is that they have the type of bench talent that they could package to add another very good player.

1. Mitch Kupchak (LA Lakers): Trevor Ariza's play in Houston will raise some eyebrows but I don't think he would have done as well trapped in the triangle. I also think that Artest is a better player and the kind of guy who will, at the very least, keep his teammates from resting on their laurels. The Andrew Bynum pick (and following contract) are looking better and better.

As for the rest of the GM's who haven't been around long enough to make the list...

Rick Sund (Atlanta) is tough to judge because he inherited a team of young guys and hasn't done too much since taking over. I was skeptical of the Jamal Crawford signing but it has worked out. The key will be how he handles Joe Johnson, who is going to be a free agent this off-season. Does he overpay to keep him? How does he replace him if he leaves?

Gar Forman (Chicago) took over a bit of a mess and nothing has really changed. Unfortunately, it's becoming painfully obvious that they desperately need a real coach and to make some trades. Ty Thomas's value is basically nil but they could still get something for Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich, and John Salmons. They'll make a run at Dwyane Wade with their cap space but I can't see him being all that interested in joining this squad. That's not to say that they should rush out and add salary before testing the waters this offseason but they need a very strong plan B, in case that doesn't work out.

Kevin Pritchard (Portland) was the belle of the ball but then he let Raef LaFrentz's contract go off the books when most people expected him to use it (and the young talent the team has stockpiled) to bring in another superstar. He also presided over the Oden over Durant decision which is finally starting to look like it might not be a complete landslide. The Andre Miller signing was a mistake but it's a short deal so Pritchard still has decent contracts and young talent to deal. The question is if and how he's going to turn his assets into stars.

Steve Kerr (Phoenix) and the Suns started fast but I think that win streak was a mirage and that they should have tried to deal their core and start over. Amar'e Stoudemire still needs to be traded or re-signed; losing him for nothing will be a waste of the Suns best asset. Staying the course is just delaying the inevitable; the Suns need to rebuild.

Ed Stefanski (Philadelphia) signed Elton Brand and now needs to figure out a way to move him because he obviously doesn't fit in with the Sixers. Outside of that, the maturation of Mareese Speights and Jrue Holiday will probably define his tenure so far.

Sam Presti (Oklahoma City) replaced Pritchard as the new fave GM du jour but he's not without his own question marks. Had he selected Brook Lopez in 2008, the Thunder would have had the pick of the litter of the amazing PG crop of 2009. The current Thunder squad is nice but Brandon Jennings, Lopez, and Kevin Durant? Still, hindsight is 20/20 and Presti's done a solid job so far. How he handles his cap space and young talent (I still think they should move Jeff Green sooner than later) is his focus for the next year

Donnie Walsh (New York) has done a good job of dumping contracts and waiting out other deals but I'm not quite sure how he rates beyond that. He's probably going to lose David Lee and Nate Robinson for nothing. His draft picks are suspect. Jordan Hill was a terrible pick and Danilo Gallinari looks OK but why are you taking a SF when you're going after LeBron? Speaking of The King, the Knicks have little going for them besides location, location, location. And even that might be trumped by the Nets, who, despite their record losing streak, have much better young talent and a better roster fit for James.

David Kahn (Minnesota) made a splash in this year's draft but I really think the Rubio decision is going to haunt him. The longer he waits, the less likely it seems that they'll get top dollar for Rubio. And I really don't think Ricky is going to come to play with the Wolves. Of course, all he had to give up for the pick was basically Randy Foye so Rubio could never come and the deal would still be a wash. All told, Kahn made some solid deals and seems primed for a big move in a year or two. One of those deals should IMO feature Big Al Jefferson because he is the key to the Timberwolves and I just don't see him as a leading man on any team.

John Hammond (Milwaukee) made the right move with Brandon Jennings and has a nice little squad on his hands. They should look to deal Michael Redd, if they can. Honestly, I think he should probably move Bogut as well because this team seems destined for mediocrity.

Chris Wallace (Memphis) is still the worst GM in the NBA. The Iverson debacle, Thabeet at #2, and now he could possibly lose Rudy Gay for nothing. He's built a team that has to overachieve to be mediocre.

Mike Dunleavy (LA Clippers) might be #2 on the worst GM list. He gets a reprieve from the main list because he wasn't "officially" the GM until a year ago but he was the guy that signed Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. The Baron Davis signing was terrible and the Clippers are, once again, looking towards rebuilding. Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin are nice cornerstones but I have no faith in Dunleavy that he can put it together. Perhaps the biggest thing going against him is that he'll never fire his head coach, which might be the main thing holding back Baron and Co.

Daryl Morey (Houston) was someone that I was originally against since he's a numbers guy who subscribes heavily to Hollinger-esque statistical formulas. Still, he's done a decent job rehauling the Rockets. He has a lot of pieces to play with in trades but he also has to figure out how to handle Luis Scola's impending free agency. The Ariza signing looks great but this team needs a lot more help to make the next step.

Larry Riley (Golden State) basically has to wait another year until Don Nelson's contract is over before he has any real hopes of shaping this team. The team also needs to sell high on most of its young talent, and that includes Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, and especially Anthony Randolph. I still like Randolph's talents but he reminds me of Ellis Burks - a guy who won't ever really reach his full potential and will need a change of scenery to even get 3/4 of the way there. I'm usually a fan of rebuilding through youth but the Warriors might be in a situation where they are better off dealing their young guys for veterans and making a small window run at the conference finals.

Rod Higgins (Charlotte) is just the front man for Michael Jordan and the Bobcats braintrust has built one of the most uninspiring teams in the league. Yes, they could fight for the playoffs this year but is anyone going to go? This is a mediocre team that doesn't have much to draw fans in and little hope to make a move to improve themselves. Not to mention that he's struck out in the draft.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Bulls show off their defensive intensity.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Up in the Air" is a very enjoyable film. I'd say it's one of the year's best films but that would be damning it with faint praise since this year has been pretty bad. The acting is great, the pacing is good, and there are a number of laugh out loud lines of dialogue. I'd argue that it's Jason Reitman's best but then again I wasn't blown away by Juno. Thank You for Smoking was a good film, Juno was very good, and this was very very good. Unfortunately, like all of his films, I think the movie is somewhat forgettable. The title is fitting because the film just kind of hangs there. It feels like a slice-of-life film but the characters are just too far out there in their philosophies so they aren't relatable. I just felt one or two steps removed from the whole process, which is kind of a problem with a coming-of-age/discovering one's self type of movie.

I'd say the film is worth a trip to the theater and, at the very list, is a definite rental. The acting and one liners alone are worth it. Anna Kendrick could be up for a nomination although the best supporting player was a tie.

To read the spoiler-filled response, click Continue Reading

My main issue with the film is that, in the end, the backpack theory was proven to be correct. The problem with how Clooney perceived it was that thinking that a person always had to tote the backpack around with them. The way to happiness was Vera Farmiga's approach - imagine your family is things you put in a backpack. Every so often you can take the backpack off, leave it behind, and do what you please. George didn't need to find someone who was like him, he needed the opposite - someone who liked to stay grounded and didn't always need him in her backpack.
When Vera's character called Clooney, I half expected her to break out a paraphrase of Clooney's line, "Every person like us who's ever found happiness has been in your position, and it's because they've been in your position that they were able to figure it out." Instead he ran off and flew to parts unknown.

In essence, instead of chasing his dream or trying to get back on the horse, Clooney's reaction to being emotionally fired was to jump off of a bridge

But there could never really be a satisfying ending to this film. If he just went on living his life, the movie would have had no point. A happy ending would have been too schmaltzy. Even the stuff with him suddenly realizing that he misses his family was already borderline. For instance, what happened to the Uncle? Why was the guy who was walking the girl down the aisle not available to help talk to Danny McBride? I really liked the scene in which the sister said she didn't need Clooney but to then suddenly, inexplicably have him be their only hope rang false.

All in all, this film is a very enjoyable ride to nowhere.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Ware could be my favorite journalist right now. Also, this video kind of shows one of the problems with television journalism. While Ware is focused on the facts, John King seems more interested in the fancy map and making sure we get a picture of Osama Bin Laden.

The bottom line is that President Obama had to choose between two bad options in Afghanistan. Personally, I agree with sending the troops and I am hopeful about General McChrystal's approach about trying to engage the people and focusing more on protecting citizens than chasing insurgents. Obviously, all of this is a temporary fix since nothing ever lasts in the Middle East but we just couldn't pick up stakes and high tail it out of there after we blew up so much of the country. That's a decision that we'd be regretting for decades (much like we're regretting not sending aid to Afghanistan after we helped them defeat the Russians). We need to get their police force up and get the government (which will always be corrupt) to at least be able to supply the people with the basic necessities before we leave.

In fact, the one mistake that I believe that the President made was giving a timetable. It's going to be harder to get people to work with us when they know that we are going to be gone in 18 months or so. It's kind of like when cops ask residents to snitch on local criminals; when the cops are gone, the criminals friends will still be in the neighborhood and will likely be seeking some revenge.

And while you hate to worry about this when the lives of American soldiers are at stake but, politically, this was what Obama had to do. He tries the surge - if it works, he broke from his party and did the right thing and looks like a great leader; if it doesn't, the Republicans were wrong and pretty much everyone will agree that we should just get the hell out of there. I know some people like Michael Moore talk about standing up to the military but now is not the time. Moore's own example of President Truman firing General MacArthur didn't even work. Truman wouldn't fire MacArthur until he could win over the Joint Chiefs because he knew that without their backing, he'd be done politically. (Also, the example REALLY doesn't work since Macarthur's firing was followed by counter-attacks by US/UN troops and roughly another 2 years in Korea).

It's also odd when people say that Obama sounds a bit like Bush did when announcing the Iraq surge. By all accounts, the surge in Iraq worked. Of course it's only a temporary fix but ANYTHING we do in that region will just be temporary. But the surge opened up a window in which things looked brighter and we could start leaving and not look like we completely abandoned a nation that we helped blow up. If it wasn't for Bush's surge, Obama wouldn't be able to be pulling troops out of Iraq right now.

In the end, there was no right decision in this; it was a lose-lose situation for Obama. But shifting strategies in Afghanistan and giving the military what they need to meet their goals is the right call IMO. I do agree with Ware that the issue of the neighboring countries needs to be addressed but I don't think it's something that needs to be addressed in a speech. The continued conflict in Afghanistan is confusing enough for most Americans; I'm not sure if bringing that up or calling out the other nations would have really helped at all.

Obama made the right play here and this decision shouldn't make people forget about the work he's done so far to clean up America's image and to, most importantly, help prevent us from getting involved in another one of these quagmires.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I like coming up with trades that should happen in the NBA but I haven't been able to sit down and write up an entire piece about trades that need to go down. I have a few ideas but some of them change and there are a few that I'm not sold on. Anyway, I think I'll just throw one trade out there a week and people can chew on them or maybe just wonder, "Who even knows who these people are? Basketwhat?"

This week's trade is: Elton Brand to Charlotte for Boris Diaw and DeSagana Diop. Yes, Elton Brand's contract is pretty terrible but it's only one year longer than Diaw's and it runs the same length as Diop's deal which, although much cheaper, is probably worse since Diop never plays and is scheduled to make almost 8 million bucks in the final year of his deal.
Philly makes the deal because Brand just doesn't fit what they are trying to do while Boris Diaw has proven to be a great fit for running teams and he also helps improve their perimeter shooting. The deal works for Charlotte because they are desperate for a low post threat. I also think that a foursome of Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace, Elton Brand, and Tyson Chandler could give Larry Brown one of the best defensive units that he's ever worked with. The risk is greater for the Bobcats but that's only fair when they are getting the better player.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's almost a new year and that means times for resolutions. I didn't do so well with my resolutions this year so I thought I'd give my 2010 hopes a test run for a month. See how it goes.

Write More: I was doing an OK job but really got into a rut at the end of the year. I have a few ideas that I really like that I need to work on. I keep working on a few scripts that I just don't have a handle on and I just need to put those away and move on. I also have some ideas for shorts that I might just throw out there and post up here to get them out of my head.

Get Back to the Gym: Here's something else that I was doing but then I went to Vegas for a month and never went back to the gym. I definitely need to start working on this. I'm hoping to lose 20 pounds by April (or, at the very least, stop gaining back the weight that I've lost in the last year).

Watch Better Movies: The laziness in me (and there's a lot) would probably go to see Armored this weekend because I can sit back and not think. But if I do go to the movies, I should either check out The Road or Brothers or Up in the Air. Better yet, I could watch one of the many quality movies on my DVR or the Netflix DVDs that I've had for about three months now.

Remember Reading?: Because I don't. This is the resolution that I completely failed on this past year so I have to read at least one book this month.

Get Out: I've already started this one up. I've been trying to organize events for boxing or MMA fights and I went to check out Roller Derby. There's so much going on in LA and I've spent most of my time on one street. Not that I don't love the Cahuenga Corridor but I should see more than the local dive bars. It would also be nice if I went on a second date (or, in a lot of cases, an actual first date) once in a while. I might be the lamest lothario out there and my life would probably be best served with some evenings that didn't revolve around me either planning an escape route or trying to remember what the hell her name is (or both).

I'll come up with a more complete list but for now I'll stick with this.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wrote my whole Tryout entry and then my internet died and caused Safari to crash yet again. AT&T internet has been a disaster ever since I got back from Vegas. Very annoying. Annoying but not much of a loss because I wasn't really in love with any of the newish albums. Julian Casablancas, Regina Spektor (I'm way behind on this one, I know), Real Estate, and a few other bands have albums that, while good, just didn't do it for me. They were the types of albums that you might like to hear on the radio but would probably skip on your IPod.

In the end, I've decided to go with Splonge's new album as The Tryout. It's a very interesting listen; not sure if I'll ever care to listen to it again but it's worth at least one go 'round. Port O'Brien has still been holding down my attention although I think that the XX album is once again going to take over my IPod. It's an album that I listen to, like, but then move on from. But every time I go back to listen, I wonder why I stopped listening to it. Quality record.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)