Trainwreck

I've been a bit of a trainwreck lately.

In the best possible way, of course. But my blogging time has been directly affected. The more The Candy Bar's numbers go up, the less time I have to blog. These are good problems to have because when all is said and done, I gotta devote my time to the thing that pays the bills. All week I had plans to blog, yet I never seemed to find any time. Like this week I had plans to blog about:

• "Don't Discount the Discount"-I went shopping with my high school girl friends on Monday afternoon. We went to a Nordstrom Rack and while there I found at least 6 things that I liked that were cheap. Normally I don't buy cheap items, but these were fashionable and fit well. The price made me think twice? Really? Expensive items don't make me think twice but the cheap ones did? Were they not good quality? Would they last? I bought them anyway and I'm glad I did. I have received lots of compliments on my discounted clothing and heck, if they don't last, it's not like I paid a bundle for them.

•  "Stop and Smell the Success"-As I stated earlier, I'm getting busier and busier at the store. This is great, and it's about time but I have to remember I am not superwoman. Some days I forget to eat both breakfast AND lunch. Not good when come quitting time I'm so stressed out and I have a headache that I can't even enjoy my down time. I gotta take a moment. I've got to breathe, and let someone else do it. I don't have to always be the one doing. I already am the one worrying about it so I might as well let someone else do it.  

• "Trainwreck"-After an especially stressful day, which resulted in a headache, I took two Advil, ate dinner and watched the movie "Trainwreck". It was just what the doctor ordered. It was a dumb-ass movie, but I loved it! Amy Schumer is hilarious. Who knew LeBron James was funny and a surprise cameo from John Cena made it worthwhile. The sex scene with Cena was worth the two hours alone! He was hysterical! The laugh was a great release and much needed.

Yeah...It seems like I woke up and it was Friday already. Where did the week go?

For now, I'm ok, great in fact. But I've got to remember that this train I'm on will NOT be a wreck.

El Jefe And The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I recently watched the movie "Chef" on On Demand. It was good and I recommend it highly for a light fun movie watch, BUT I will caution you....DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE HUNGRY. This movie is food porn at its highest degree and after viewing it I found myself absolutely ravenous!

Since watching the movie, I can't stop thinking about the grilled cheese sandwich the chef cooks for his son. I have watched the clip below from YouTube about 6 thousand times and I think I got it down, but I'm literally guessing on the type of cheese he uses. I'm thinking the orange cheese is sliced cheddar mixed with some Gruyere, to make that yummy, cheese pulling goodness. It's just about all I can do to not make it grilled cheese night every night in our house! 

I recommend the movie, but the grilled cheese and Cuban sandwiches are the reason to watch. 

And do yourself a favor and have something with you to eat. Something you really like because your are going to need it.

This is the clip from You/tube. I couldn't get it to embed for some reason. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BTfctEmg5w

Let The Sunshine In

• With such a warm and gorgeous, sunny Saturday, I was struck by how many of us were "amazed" by the warm weather. It has been so cold here for so long that we forgot what good weather felt like....

• Frick and Frack spent the weekend together in NYC. Yes, I know they are old enough to handle it without Mama and the fact that I called and texted them both six thousand times has nothing to do with the fact that they ignored 90 percent of those calls and texts. Does it?

• Busy week for me. I have one of the biggest days ever at The Candy Bar on Wednesday..,wish me luck!

• I can hardly believe it has been a year since the Boston Marathon bombings. This week the news media of the world will descend on our fair city to tell the amazing stories of the victims and survivors. I pray God will keep the city safe and watch over us as we commemorate the tragic events of last year. I personally believe that this year's Boston Marathon will probably be one of the safest places in the world to be during the race. 

• I baked two incredible pies for Easter yesterday. Jus sayin...

• Looking forward to seeing "The Other Woman". Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Brooklyn Decker all team up to bring down Leslie Mann's cheating husband. I have a personal interest in infidelity since I have experienced it first hand. Cheating men are scum and deserve everything bad that happens to them because karma is a bitch and you don't want to piss off a bitch who is pissed off. I love it when Hollywood dramatizes the sweet vindication!

• Nurse Jackie on Showtime is BACK....speaking of bitches who you don't want to piss off..

The Art Of Story Telling

So I watched Lee Daniels' The Butler last night and I give it a Daily Dandy two thumbs up! While I thought the story was compelling and thought provoking, what's really amazing to me is that segregation of that kind took place during my lifetime. It's so hard for me to fathom. I guess it's a good thing that today I live in Dr. Martin Luther King's Dream....

In any case, let's talk for a moment about the acting in this movie.

What I really loved was the who's who game that was played throughout the story. From Mariah Carey, Robin Williams, James Mardsen, a prosthetic nose-wearing John Cusack as a young and old, battered Nixon, it was almost like a Cracker Jack surprise in every box! Then there was Alan Rickman, (Prof. Snape himself), Jane Fonda and a commode sitting Liev Schreiber, (My Ray Donavan) I kept calling out the names of the actors like a rousting game of "who's who?" Lenny Kravitz??? Brilliant casting. Cuba Gooding Jr once again making me fall in love with his talent. Oprah Winfrey was a joy to behold and for someone who doesn't act for a living, she was fantastic. Then there's Forrest Whitaker, who absolutely takes a role and wraps it in his hands like a modern day Rumpelstiltskin then spins the straw into gold. His compassionate portrayal of Cecil Gaines, based loosely on a true story, is a testament to the significance of the subject matter and the moral fiber of the character he portrays.

Now let's talk for a moment about the civil rights movement.

For me, I couldn't help but be enthralled by the character of Lewis Gaines, Cecil's son, the freedom fighter. The courage and dedication of a man to fight for what he believed in almost cost him his relationship with his father. He was a hero but at what expense? The scene in the Gaines dining room when Lewis comes to dinner with his afro wearin' girlfriend was one of my favorites. The moral struggle between father and son played out between blacks and whites and society serves to highlight the courage it took to become a freedom fighter and to stay one. I couldn't help but think about where we would be today if people like the character Lewis Gaines hadn't found the strength and courage to fight to end segregation.

Now I'd like to talk for a moment about Cecil Gaines himself.

Although Cecil Gaines is a character written for the big screen, Forrest Whitaker's elegant portrayal of a man who served eight presidents during his tenure as a White House butler exemplifies that this character represents so much more about being a black man in a white world. The character represents pride. Cecil took pride in his job and his family and while he may not have agreed with the politics that were taking place around him, he continued on. While he served, his goal was to be "invisible" in every room he entered, and he contributed to his world with the best of himself. But that same pride and invisibility later came around to haunt him and the passion he had been suppressing for years by being "invisible" is what ended up saving him.

Of all the questions that this cinematic treat left me pondering, there is one left to ask here:

Who is Lee Daniels?

Blow-n Away

After a long day at work, I was sitting on the sofa in front of the TV flipping through the channels. Everyone else had retired to bed. I was savoring the last few moments alone when I came across the movie Blow. I had remembered seeing the movie a while ago and remembered liking it, so I figured I'd watch on for a bit. I became mesmerized with the story again.

Blow, described as a "biopic docu-drama" based on the true life story of George Jung, a huge cocaine trafficker in the 70's and 80's, stars Johnny Depp and Penolope Cruz. Jung in his heyday, was responsible for over 85% of all of the cocaine brought into the United States. The real George Jung who more likely resembles Bella Ligosi than the handsome Johnny Depp, was a major player. The American Part of the Medellin Cartel, Jung started out selling marijuana and was smuggling huge amounts to the US in airplanes he stole from private airports in Cape Cod and other locations. He was arrested in Chicago in 1974 and was sentenced to prison where he served in Danbury, CT. His cell mate while there, Carlos Lehder, was a small time criminal with some big time connections. Upon their release, Lehder introduced Jung to the Columbian Cartel and Jung taught Lehder how to smuggle. It was then that their very profitable cocaine business began.

In the height of their cocaine reign, they were said to be making millions and millions of dollars. Jung lived a life that was enviable by even Hollywood standards and he showed it off. He married Mirtha Jung, played by Penelope Cruz, a beautiful Columbian who had a taste for cocaine and money, and they had a daughter Christina. During that height Jung charged $10,000.00 per kilogram and had 5 planes a day carrying 300 kilograms from Columbia to California. Jung would make $15 million a run. Jung needed to launder that crazy drug money , so he kept it in the National Bank of Panama City.

Then, as the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end", (it's also questionable if this was a good thing) and Jung's wealthy house of cards came tumbling down. The bank in Panama City siezed his money and his wife ratted him out to the cops during a drug-induced traffic stop that sent him to prison. While he was in prison, his wife divorced him and took away his one true love, his daughter. Upon his release, Jung allegedly tried to get clean and worked odd jobs, then decided to reconnect with his old contacts and get back into the business. He was betrayed by his old associates and was arrested for drug trafficking yet again, this time he was sentenced to 60 years.

Jung is scheduled for release in November, 2014, and here's the investing thing: at 71 years old, the guy stands a good chance of making some serious money. In some circles he is considered a celebrity and get this, he has a legitimate website. Check out georgejung.com if you are interested because I think this guy has nine lives for real.

As I said, I was captivated by this story and while doing my research, I found that I am not alone. It's a fact, according to georgejung.com, that interest in this story always spikes when the movie airs on television. To say that he's an interesting character is an understatement. Some believe him to be a legend, others see him as a criminal . I'm not quite sure what I think other than he is fascinating.

And I truly believe that this is not the end of the Goerge Jung story.

Django Is Off The Ch-IZ-ain

Bad ass.

Those are the words that came to mind while watching Django yesterday. Quentin Tarantino is one bad ass Muther F*#ker. His entire Django world is bad ass and through all the gore, the blood and violence, twisted justice managed to prevail. The blurred lines in the battle between good and evil are at the core of the adventures of Dr. King Schultz and a black slave named Django.  Bounty hunting is their game and Django and Schultz form a profitable partnership in exchange for Django's freedom. These boys always get their man.





The all star cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson had me riveted from the opening seconds, and I seem to have a hankering to now watch Inglorious Basterds. Who is this Christoph Waltz? Where did he come from? Christoph Waltz is Badass. This academy award winning  performance lies at the center of the movie's moral conundrum with bounty hunting as a profession. This movie is no Midnight Run, although you will laugh at it's irony.

And shall we talk about Leo? and Samuel L?

Badass. Both of them.

And if you are in to bloody shootouts, then this movie is for you. I HATE violence, but the violence in Django was somehow necessary and brilliantly executed. Quentin Tarantino, in a cameo appearance, even blows himself up! Ingenious and fun and I can hardly believe I just typed those words. But I did. And that's what a gifted writer does for a story. We are fully vested in his characters and the world in which he creates. Unpleasantries like extreme violence become a vehicle to move the story along.

Talk about poetic justice. Django is one hell of a ride....

Into the smoke smoldering, last man standing, bloody sunset.

Game Day

 Play Video and read on.

So I watched "Silver Linings Playbook" a few days ago.

I thought it was good. Adorable, actually but Oscar worthy? I guess the Academy answered that question. But here's the thing, this movie has actually stayed with me. I find myself thinking about things that happened in the movie. Like today, I heard this groovy song from Train and I actually envisioned Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence dancing at that contest thingie to this song. Weird right?

I though about psychosis.
Bradley Cooper's performance made his character's mental issues palpable. I nearly felt his pain and I'd call that Oscar worthy but I guess it was a bad year to submit this work to the Academy against Daniel Day Lewis and a presidential performance. Either way, I found his character Pat Solitano as sympathetic and teetering on the edge of sanity completely believable. The Chris Tucker cameos were brilliantly amusingly heart-felt.

I thought about family.
When I think about family I also have think about dysfunction and there was plenty of that going on in this movie. Robert DeNiro played Pat's estranged father as a Philadelphia Eagle obsessed gambling addict, who insulated his own psychosis using his doting wife and his sacred ritualistic "game day".

I thought about adultery.
Cooper's Pat was a man wronged by his wife and discovered her in his shower with another man.  This event triggered his downward spiral.

I thought about fear.
The fear of thinking outside the box and that Tiffany, Jennifer Lawrence, represented all of those things to Pat, yet he somehow felt safe and continued to pursue the dance routine he agreed to perform in exchange for a favor. A dance routine performed by jock, ex teacher,  ex-mental health patient at a regional competition?

I though about love.
And the power of love. And how love makes us do things we would never even dream that we were capable of. And that if we believe in love, it just may work out for us, like it did for Pat and Tiffany.

And if a movie can make me think of all these things in the days since I watched it, then I wouldn't call that too weird. I would call that a silver lining.

I Was Just Thinking....

• Real men don't cry. Real men don't lie either. Roger Clemens was acquitted yesterday of all charges that he lied to Congress when he denied using performance enhancing drugs to extend his baseball career. What the? I can't believe it. We all know he lied about using so how could the jury not know? His friends, his trainer, those closest to him all took the heat to protect The Rocket and his good name. They admitted, under oath, to being injected with steroids, but we are expected to believe that Roger wouldn't? And for that matter, what good name? Clemens has tarnished, torched and blew up that name so that he can pretend that he never used steroids.  And that's the thing with liars, their lies become truths in their own minds. And now those blurred lines have a verdict to fuel their fire. Still won't get him into Cooperstown.  
• It's five o'clock somewhere. Actually, it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon in Uganda where Frack is now spending day one of his three week mission. They arrived early this morning about 12:40 am EST and are halfway through day one of the expedition. I pray he takes good care of himself and the group, as he was voted Team Leader. Wouldn't it be great if I could get him to "Team Lead" his homework this fall? I miss that kid so much already and it's only day one. One day at a time, mom.
• Long live Rock! So I'm watching TV last night and I see this Pet Smart commercial about the new Brett Michaels Pet's Rock collection for your pets. It's an exclusive line designed by the rocker that offers, bowls, beds, toys, leashes and apparel for that Rock Star pet in your life. Brett Michaels? Isn't that the guy that won the Celebrity Apprentice a while back? Is this what that trophy gets you? Somewhere the Gods of Rock and Roll are having a good, hearty laugh about this one. And speaking of Rock and Roll, I'm thinking I'd like to go and see the "Rock of Ages" movie this weekend. The theater geek in me will not be denied, but the Tom Cruise fan, even though I think he's a douche, wants to watch Cruise make history. Rumor has it there are some stellar performances from Cruise, Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin. Worth the take, I say. 
• Forever a Townie. I watched "The Town" last night. I had never seen it and dang, if that wasn't a great movie. Jeremy Renner was fabulous but Ben Affleck??(be still my heart) was HAWT! Who knew a Boston accent could be so sexy? This guy could steal my heart any day, and I didn't even know I liked him. The movie, based on the novel, "The Prince of Thieves" is set in Charlestown, MA and Affleck and his group of thugs are major bank thieves. This one never stops delivering from start to finish and if you haven't seen it, like me, I highly recommend it. Two Daily Dandy thumbs way up!

The Master Of Macabre Disguise

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that the gorgeous creature above, Johnny Depp, can effortlessly morph himself into the most interesting of characters so masterfully that he makes you forget how gorgeous he is. His character creations are legendary, beginning with Edward Sissorhands right through to The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka, Sweeny Todd, no one can quite do just what Johnny does which is make the mundane become intriguing and macabre.

But it's his latest creation that's got me all a flutter, and here's the thing, I didn't even know I liked the guy! With this newest collaboration with Tim Butrton, "Dark Shadows" Johnny Depp has me intrigued and asking myself, "Who is this guy?"

Maybe it's because I remember the Dark Shadows TV shows from some where in my youth, and to see Johnny as Barnabus Collins not only took me back to my childhood, it intrigued the HELL out of me. Again, "who is this guy?"

I think I love him.

Not only is Johnny Depp the man a fine chunk of man candy, but his characters tend to incite a feeling from deep inside that is both exciting and exhilarating. If Johnny is in character, it's going to be worth the price of the ticket. And if it's been done right, "Dark Shadows" out May 11th will be a great ride.

Love him or hate him, you can't deny his talent. He is truly a Master of his art.

Matthew McConaughy Is Still Hot

So last night I watched The Lincoln Lawyer with good old boy Matthew McConaughy, and I gotta say, I really liked it. I would recommend it on a simple, exciting, not too violent level because it was a good story that kept you guessing. But for me , the biggest surprise was Matthew McConaughy.

Matthew has become somewhat of a caricature of himself in recent years. If you read the rag magazines like I do, Matthew has been the poster boy of douchebaggery. He, of the jogging on the beach shirtless, living in a trailer on the beach, impregnating a hot Brazilian model, twice, and his cheezey "I'm all that" attitude left me completely uninterested. I even balked at the movie of choice last night saying, "I'm really not a Matthew McConaughey fan."

After the movie I realized that Matthew McConaughy just my have been the reason I liked the movie so much. He worked that douchebaggery into cinematic magic. He's also smokin' hot which didn't hurt, but he didn't use his bare chest to gain my interest. He played a hard living, cocky, criminal defense lawyer to perfection and he won me over. Now I'm thinking he's not such a douche after all.

The casting on this movie was great too. Marissa Tomei and William H. Macy both cast well in supporting roles and Ryan Phillippie plays a convincing villain. The movie opened to little fan fare, but I think it may have new life with On Demand and positive word of mouth. I give it a Daily Dandy two thumbs up, and I give Matthew kudos for getting me to take a second look.

That Texas good old boy still has some magic left in his Stetson.

Last Play At Shea

So I'm riding in my car this morning to a Zumba class, that didn't happen, (a whole other story) listening to Howard Stern. He's interviewing this guy and they're talking about Paul McCartney and the Beatles. While I'm listening to the interview, I'm trying to figure out who this guy is that Howard is interviewing. He sounded much like a kid from Long Island, and at times a bit humble. Howard was asking him what it was like to be a rock star and why he closed each concert with, "Don't take any crap from anyone." He replied it stemmed from his childhood and how he was pushed around as a kid and he kept referring to himself as Willie. Willie got picked on because he played the piano and had his books knocked out of his hands and such. I'm thinking it's Billy Joel, but then I decided no. The piano man could never be a Willie.

Howard asked him about the people who sang at his concert; this last concert at Shea. Artists like John Mayer, Steven Tyler, Garth Brooks, and Sir Paul. Stern went on to call this man insecure, because he admitted to not knowing exactly who would show up at his concert and why they would. Willie told the story of how McCartney called him the day before the show, and he didn't know who it was at first, to tell him that he didn't think he would be able to make it. Something about a flight and not being able to get into town in time. Willie, ecstatic that Sir Paul even considered making it, said he went on stage content that Paul McCartney had almost made it. He was floored when the legendary Beatle, indeed, showed at Shea to close out the show. The New York Times is quoted as saying about Joel when McCartney came on stage,

"The sold out crowd of 55,000 people let out an ear splitting roar as Mr McCartney sang the Beatles, "I Saw Her Standing There. Mr Joel, playing back-up fitting his reputation as a self-deprecating rock star, looking on from his piano as if he were just a fan himself."

It was confirmed that my suspicions that Willie was Billy Joel, when Howard asked him what his favorites of his music were and he replied, "New York State of Mind, Vienna, Summer Highland Falls, to name a few. The entire process was filmed for his documentary that opens tomorrow called, "Last Play at Shea".

I'm thinking that's a documentary I would like to see in the theaters and that that interview alone was worth my $23.00 subscription to Sirius Radio.

Who Knew Beaver's Mom Was A Bad-Ass?

Inspired by my blogger friend Scott over at Zodi's Blog, I recalled this epic piece of cinematic history.

Remember this?

I guess I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue....

Marry The Geeks

So if the old saying is true, "Be nice to the geeks in high school because one day they will probably be your boss," would it be WRONG to tell my daughter, "Honey, you can date the jocks while you're still young, but you want to marry the geeks."

Heck, geeks are chic! They even have their own fleet of pimped out, black and white "Geek Squad" Volkswagen's and are the savvy, technological superheroes who make house calls! The super geeks even make serious bank, like the dude who pioneered Facebook. With the dawn of the movie which tells the story of the mega-social networking-vehicle that changed the world, "The Social Network", which opens this Friday, Geek Chic, is certainly in the main stream.

Mark Zuckerberg, the whiz kid at the helm of Facebook, co-founded the billion dollar conglomerate from his Harvard dorm room on February 4, 2004. According to wiki":

"The idea for Facebook came from his days at Phillips Exeter Academy, which, like most colleges and prep schools, had a long-standing tradition of publishing an annual student directory with headshot photos of students, faculty and staff known as the "Facebook".

There are those who would disagree. Many of those, claim that Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from them. Many who filed law suits and received multi-million dollar settlements. But the one thing they all agree on is the irony that Zuckerberg, who was known to be more than socially handicapped, created the vehicle that revolutionized the way people interact with one another, and the world. And it has made him a ridiculously wealthy man at the young age of 26.

Geek's tend to stick together too. Like the guy who co-created Napster, Sean Parker. Napster is arguably one of the reasons that record companies are no longer rolling in the dough, which arguably signaled a new era of how we buy and share music. After the Fed's shut down Napster, Parker went on to become VP of Facebook. See how geek attracts geek? Which leads me to the point of my post here, which is; geek is chic. I tell my daughter all the time: date the football players but marry the crew guys.

Seriously, and even though she looks like a mini-movie star and acts and sings like one too, she's got the brains and the grades to be a geek with the best of them. I tell her to embrace her inner geek. Who knows? She just could end up piloting her own media empire, all by her geeky, little self.

This Movie Kicks-Ass!

Have you ever had a movie experience so unexpected that you ended up loving every minute of it? That's exactly what happened to me on Saturday night. Frack, My Guy and I found ourselves home on a lazy Saturday evening. We decided to choose a movie that would give us some fun, family time together. After we viewed the previews for all the choices, we settled on three movies. The final decision culminating with a little film called Kick-Ass.

We all thought it looked cute, and that it fit our criteria of a family film. The plot seemed to be about a group of misfit kids who decide that they are going to fight real crime as superheroes. It even looked funny. Boy were we wrong.

And that's what made this film so great. It turned out to be completely unexpected.

Kick-Ass is NOT a family film. Thank goodness Frack is 14 because Kick-Ass's content is for the mature viewer and because Kick-Ass turned out to be so much more. Without giving away any plot details I will say that Kick Ass simply kicked ass.

I highly recommend it.

My Brother And Iron Man

Remember I told you a while back that everybody tells me I look like Mariah Carey? Well my moms must have some super power genes, because another one of her spawn has a celebrity look alike. The man underneath Robert Downey Jr. is my brother. Almost every time I watch a Robert Downey Jr. movie, I feel like I'm looking at my brother on the big screen. Seriously, they have the same mannerisms and everything.

In honor of today being the opening of Iron Man 2, I thought I'd do a Top Ten List on Why My Brother Is Better Than Iron Man.

10. Everybody knows that Iron Man and My Brother both enjoy a few drinks every now and then. Iron Man let drinking almost ruin his life. My Brother, on the other hand, has perfected a good drunk, turning it into a fine art, there by enhancing his social status.

9. Iron Man went to MIT and was always fascinated with building and controlling machines. He built complicated weaponry for his country. My brother went to State College and can recall any New England Patriot statistic from any year or any Boston Red Sox stat. The man is a walking sports encyclopedia and is in the wrong profession. He should be saving the world from boring play by play commentators. Fox Sports has no idea what they are missing.

He also raised me on home grown sports.

8. Does Iron Man have a 6 handicap?? I don't think so.

7. Funny dosen't begin to cover it.

Iron Man can go and save the world, defeat villians like Nitro and Scarlet Witch, but My Brother kills everybody with his comedy. When he is in attendance at a social event, buckle your seat belt because he almost always puts on a great stand-up show. Many of us have been known to go home with a headache and sore cheeks from laughing too much. No lie.

6. Iron Man is the head of Stark Industries, a company he inherited from his deceased father. Stark is a genius; however, he is also a playboy. Iron Man is the figurehead for his company while his father’s old partner takes care of day-to-day operations. My Brother is partners with our older brother in a super successful company that bears their name. While our older brother handles day-to day operations, My Brother handles his "real" job out on the 18 holes of his country club, day-to day.

5. Did I mention that My Brother has a 6 handicap?

4. Iron Man had no siblings, but I'm sure that Tony Stark treated his colleagues, friends and relatives with respect. My Brother treated me with the uttmost respect when we were little. Especially when he told me that we were going to play a game together. He always let me be the super star. I remember one game where he told me that I was "OJ Simpson, The Juice" and the object was to try to run past the defensive line (him). After the punishing hits I absorbed, he wiped away my tears ever so gently with, "Don't tell mom, ok?"

3. Without his suit, Iron Man has no special powers. When he puts on a suit of armor his superpowers give him the super strength to fight villians. My Brother puts on a suit and it gives him super chick magnet powers. He needs super powers to fight them off. Even without a suit, women, children, dogs, cats; they all love him. It's a curse.

2. Tony Stark decided to announce to the world, at a press conference that he is Iron Man. My Brother needs no press conference, media or anything else to announce to his two children that he is a super hero.

And the Number One reason why My Brother is better than Iron Man?

1. Because I said so.

Anyone who can party like Robert Downey Jr., look like Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chaplin and a movie star while doing it, is an Iron Man in his own right.

A Great Debate

Word is that studio execs are all in a flutter over what Robert Downey Jr. said to Dave about Holmes and Watson's "relationship".

You tell me, because I'm not seeing it. And by that, I mean all the panic.
I am DEFINITELY going to see the movie.

THIS IS what IT is

He wasn't the punchline of jokes, that he had become.
He wasn't creepy and freaky, wearing masks and funny costumes.
He was not at all frail and demure; he was awe inspiring.
And most of all, he was not gone; he was ever so present.
He was the Michael Jackson I remembered I had loved so much; the performer.

Regardless of what you may think about Michael Jackson and the choices he made, this documentary, chronicling the final rehearsals for his sold out London tour, leave the remaining piece of the crazy puzzle that has been his life. And in true to concert form, we were shown what would have been his final show. Nothing more.

That is what made this movie so great. I didn't need more. I saw exactly what I wanted, which was all Michael, all the time. Dancing, singing and doing his thing the way only Michael could. I forgot about the monkey, and I forgot about the Elephant man, and for a brief moment I remembered the magic. He was scary skinny, and his face was at times grotesquely absurd, but in those moments he was the pop music giant he used to be; in control and commanding with his undeniable talent.

And if This Is It, then it's ok by me. I felt like I experienced his final vision last night and it was as if I went to his concert with my friends. It was pure Michael without the gossip and the drama and it was music to my ears. We toe tapped, bee bopped, jammed and sung along with him, right there in the theatre; and so did everyone else who was there. You couldn't help it. The music was in you. Just before his tragic death, he was seen as somewhat of a joke, a freak and an enigma. There were those who wondered if this final tour was a desparate move by a desparate man on the brink of financial ruin. He even took the tour overseas; unsure if his homeland would pay one more time to see the King Of Pop. Sad, that it took his death for us to remember we used to love him. Really love him, his music, and the way he made us feel.

Kudos to Kenny Ortega for making it simple.
There wasn't much that needed to be done.
Michael stood all on his own.

And if you loved him for his song, then you will simply love This Is It.

Ben Stiller Is A Funny Dude

Saturday night we were having a rousting debate over which Ben Stiller movie is the funniest. We had just finished watching 2007's Farelley brother movie, "The Heartbreak Kid". While I thought the movie was funny, I didn't think it was one of Ben's best and a debate ensued. It would seem that in the last decade, Ben Stiller has emerged as an everyman, funnyman and as such, he has appeared in some of the best known comedies in recent history.

I did a little research and sure enough, this is a topic that has been hotly debated on the internets. I found many lists ranking Stiller's movies from best to worst; problem is I don't agree with any of them. Here's why.

The majority of lists top with the number one movie as:

Zoolander- ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Derek Zoolander, a self absorbed male model who begins to question his shallow existence as finds himself suddenly "out of favor" in the fashion world, replaced by a younger modeling rival, played by Owen Wilson. Personally, I think this movie was RIDICULOUS, over-acted and insanely silly, (like almost all Ben Stiller movies, which is undoubtedly the point). The positive on this one is that I did manage to get through the entire movie. Just barely, but not without thinking that was two hours of my life that I wanted back. His greatest movie ever??? That shit is just whack.

There's Something About Mary- This is one I whole-heartily agree with and this would most certainly be second on my list as well. Classic, hilarious with a great supporting cast, Matt Dillon has always been a douchebag, but who knew he could perfect his douchebaggery in this movie. The icing on the cake: Brett Favre and the entire cast's rendition of "Build me up Buttercup" during the credits.

Tropic Thunder-A great comedic film, but I would say it was Robert Downey Jr. AND Tom Cruise that stole the show here. I may even go out on a limb and say that Tom Cruise's surprise role provided me with far more laughs than any other, rendering him the effective show stealer. A true ensemble cast effort, Stiller was good but I wouldn't say this was his 3rd best starring vehicle.

Meet The Parents- Personally, I would place this movie somewhere in the top three, as Stiller's somewhat goofy straight man played perfectly to Robert Di Nero's off kilter-ex CIA agent soon to be father-in-law. Meet The Fockers- was great as well, but I think Hollywood missed the boat with a spin off on Streisand and Hoffman's performances as Stiller's aging hippie parents. They were Jewish comedy gold.

Along Came Polly- This gets my vote for #1 top Ben Stiller movie. Two reasons: Ben Stiller and Phillip Seymor Hoffman. The shart scene alone is worth the price of admission, and the scene on the basketball court with Hoffman. Add to the equation, Alec Baldwin as his creepy, Jersey accented, foul mouthed, inappropriate boss and Hank Azaira as a hilariously accented scuba instructor who steals his wife on his honeymoon. Aniston plays spacey, flighty Polly who somehow manages to bring Stiller's wound up tight, Ruben back down to earth. The tug on my heartstrings and the fully belly laughs produced by this movie renders this Stiller vehicle my favorite.

Dodgeball- Again, a waste of two hours of my life, but Vince Vaughn's sarcastic humor saved face. Stiller?? Redonkulous.... along with a lovable cast of goofballs you end up cheering for. The best thing about Stiller here; his finely chiseled pipes. Not bad for a pukey little skinny man.

While there are many others to choose from, lets continue the debate here. What's your favorite Stiller movie?

This just in.....

Just saw the movie Role Models starring Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd. This hilarious, heart warming, grossly inappropriate, funny, laugh out loud film, written by Paul Rudd (and a couple of others) was a great way to carelessly spend two hours. Scott and Rudd are at their best. Paul Rudd rejoins with his 40 Year Old Virgin co-stars, Jane Lynch and Elizabeth Banks (Jane Lynch ALMOST steals the show) to create a true comic gem. Yes, it's stupid and at times silly, but none the less a fun ride and a leave-your-cares-at-the-door type film.
The kids in this film, Bobb'e J Thompson and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, both deliver break out performances in completely different ways. I haven't had this much fun at the movies since The 40 Year Old Virgin.
If you're looking for a great laugh and a little tug at your heart, this is the film for you.

My Guy and I give it a Daily Dandy two thumbs up!