Bob

Man, if you are a Celtics fan, how are you an Eagles fan? Philly vs Boston in basketball is legendary...aka absolute hatred. It's impossible to cross in sports between the two cities.

Ahem, I am really enjoying this.

Amen.

This movie was great! I connected with Will Smith's character because I'm quite OCD about past actions. I've even pondered how I'd deal with the death of someone if I felt responsible. Many people would have a tough time living with themselves if they felt they were the cause of someone else's death. I can also understand the reasoning that as much help as you give, it is never enough if you're still fortunate to live while others have died. Plot-wise: Solid. I don't have any complaints. Although I was surprised his character let himself dream about a possible relationship after the accident. Character-wise: Great. I think his brother and Holly were perfectly minimal in use. Enough to bounce off of you as something worth noting, but not too much to distort the movie's focus. As to why so many people didn't like the movie: 1.) I think people pick and choose early what they like in a movie, and I believe many were turned off by the marketing. They felt snubbed that the trailer gave little to the audience to go spend $10. 2.) People took kind to POH, but I think they worried and came in with preconceived ideas that the director would just duplicate the same style. Which he did, but I think it works. 3.) The movie was the reversal of the past few Will Smith movies: The start is not as good as the end. I think people were turned off early, and expected the end to flop ala I Am Legend and Hancock. 4.) We've got such a bleak economy and maybe people weren't looking to dampen the holidays. Although I will say this ending was a happy ending all-in-all. And finally...the biggest, which I think this forum's discussion further proves: 5.) Our society is still not at all comfortable with suicide as a rational end. It's a really unusual conversation to have, but for centuries, certain suicides were deemed honorable. Shakespeare spent time expressing the human condition where suicide seemed only logical to release the guilt and depression a person had. We've had the better part of a century learning otherwise: That suicide is selfish, dishonorable, and a crime. I can understand his character's decision. What further offends audiences is that the film presents his decision as truly brave and quite selfless. In fact, a case can be made for that idea. So I think many people just don't want to believe that such an action is ever justified or reasonable. I'd suggest this premise is more for the classical societies, whether early America or Renaissance Europe.

(cough) product of the system (cough)

..... (just felt like reminding you what city is home of the most recent World Champions) ....

Hi! I was at the Eagles game, just like I was at Game 5 of the World Series. Just pointing that out...

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!! (that's for you visqo, using that 'x' in the other Christmas thread)......

BUT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET so how could you have any opinion on it? I haven't seen it yet, so I don't have an opinion on it.

There are two movies opening that will work against him and possibly keep his numbers lower than expected: 1.) Yes Man: Jim Carrey has come back to the proven formula of Liar, Liar and it seems long enough since that movie and refreshing considering his pursuits away from his 'typecast' role. I think Carrey will hit big numbers this weekend and extend through the holidays. 2.) The Wrestler: This movie is being praised by critics left and right as something universally appealing. Apparently it has won awards already and Mickey Rourcke is being tapped by USA Today to get an Academy nomination. I love this idea since I'm an avid professional wrestling fan. According to critics and wrestling fans alike, this movie pleases the most scrupulous fan and also the most skeptic observer due to the drama and reality based emotion of a has-been discarded by the industry he so eagerly served. Also, with the economic times, I have reservations against the idea that people really want to be depressed by a movie like Seven Pounds. I even question which of the three movies comes first for me. I love Jim Carrey, Will Smith, and wrestling. ...(waiting for the cheapshots on wrestling fans)...

Wow. Can he do what Chamillionaire did? Turn me from a hater to a person who enjoys his stuff from time to time? ...

It's tough for me to put Paper Trail out there as one of the best. There's a few catchy songs but it feels all over the place. My opinion though, doesn't mean it's awful.

You do know Nas had nothing to do with either track right? Here Comes Escobar is some DJ taking Nas's Vocals from "Surviving the times" (off his Greatest hits CD) and putting on different instrumentals. Real Hip Hop has a clip of a Nas interview as an intro and then some random dude (who isn't Nas) rapping after KRS's verses. Allhiphop.com can be good, but sometimes they really get fooled by internet dj's putting up their own mash-ups.

Lil Wayne sold quite a few records, but that didn't mean it was quality music. I know I went back on what I said, but I just finished listening to all of Kanye's album. Verdict: painful. I can't stand auto-tune, nor beats that are just pounding for the sake of pounding. He whined the whole time, and was quite obnoxious. I thought I was listening to a 7th grade emo wannabe. Kanye would just string out awful rhymes into what he considered singing. I would rather listen to Tony Yayo (and THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING) than put myself through the T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Fallout boy inspired slapdash garbage. I can't say enough negative things to offset the time I wasted. Oh, and here's what is going to happen...mark my words: Kanye is going to go back to some straight up rap, with no one really expecting much. Follow me: The last three albums have increased upon one another's expectations of lyrical ability and beat-making. He needed to release from this pressure, so he went avant-garde. Now people will welcome a return to rap without as much pressure. I'm not saying this hasn't been done before: Common did similar in the early part of this decade. What was different, is he went political afterwards. He had always been socially conscious but he was able to change enough to not just revert. I doubt Kanye will go political or do anything noteworthy. In fact he may relegate to average hip hop. Sorry everyone if I sound angry, I just feel dirty having listened to this album.

If you are hoping for me to review 808's and heartbreak, I have to apologize. I doubt I will even give the album a listen. Even as much as I love Luda's new album, I probably won't review that either since I have had zero time recently. All these final exams, projects, and presentations have been looming over my head. Plus I've been swamped getting prepared for my study in France come January.

I won't. Theater of the Mind is way too awesome to waste time with the vocoding-kanye.

(waiting for the ensuing back and forth: "He's just focused eslewhere, wait until he gets that few months off," "he's done, he said so," "what happened to that brand new funk 2k7 remix?") I think we just gotta let him do his thing...

People, you haven't heard of Trick Daddy?????? I mean, yeah he has his foot in his mouth, but you haven't heard of him? I couldn't escape him years ago.

wait whattttt? We went from Barack, to Nelly? AJ, are enjoying a plant of some sort?

Exclusively? No. It didn't help him that he wasn't nearly as collected as Obama. I take him as a Joe Biden or Howard Dean. He can go off message and cost himself. For example, his comments towards the Jewish in New York City cost him. Also, (and I can't take full credit for the following; Bill Maher made this point) the scrutiny of being "different" aka black in the United States is that you must, on the national stage, be near-perfect. Every gaffe you make means that much more. So Barack Obama exponentially helped his cause by performing near-flawless. The analogy was Tiger Woods. Tiger would have been shunned from golf if he showed up anyway but as calm and collected as he is. I'll go a step further and say we are still an overtly sexist country, of almost equal weight with the racism. Hillary Clinton's campaign is the model of what Obama's campaign could have been. She took the gender question by the neck and tried to turn it to her advantage, overtly. Her campaign was more closely scrutinized and eventually fell off-message. Obama let the race question simmer, and only addressed it periodically, rather than playing it as a card in his hand.

To answer, it is. Honestly, there is a strong under-current that was never squashed in the rural parts of America. If not for this election being a true referrendum on George Bush, I doubt we'd be talking of a President Obama today. McCain was the best candidate, but was strapped to the most hated President. It's a shame that both in 2000 and 2008, George Bush had an integral place in McCain's losses. Also, if not for Hillary and Barack being the two possible nominees at the time the Republicans picked a nominee, I doubt McCain would have won. It would have been Romney or Guiliani. Even the GOP realized they needed a non-conformist. Now they can blame their loss on the non-comformist, their scapegoat, in McCain. Then they can nominate a Neo-con again, in their hopes that Obama disappoints. Nonetheless, congratulations to President-elect Obama.

Oh my exams take a back seat. There has been no parade during my life. This is my bigger picture: I get a degree to get a job, to have a career, to provide for a family, to enjoy life. This is the pinnacle 'enjoyment' I can have. If I miss it now, then I will never let myself live it down. As a Philadelphian born after 1983, I have no reason to believe other championships will come. And none would be as sweet as the first, especially if we win it after this rollercoaster.

I'm sorry folks but I'm quite frustrated. I arrived at my house Saturday afternoon. Today, I drove into the City of Brotherly Love around 3pm. My friend and I absorbed the atmosphere, anticipating the first championship celebration in my lifetime. We were in the nosebleeds for Game 5 of the World Series, but quite frankly, we had every intention of living a dream. Instead, an act of God coupled with Bud Selig's blunder of a response, has left me dumbfounded. I also am skirting danger in my one course. I have an exam scheduled Thursday. If, and I do say if, Philadelphia does win, I will not miss a parade down Broad Street. The way these things work though, I may end up missing an exam to do so. My professor is a Phillies fan, and if he administered the test, I'd be safe. Unfortunately, there is an administration hold on the exam system, and thus my chances of rescheduling are slim. Oiy, this could be bad. What do you all think of this debacle? What's the (inter)national perspective on this historic absurdity?

It's a barrier for me to vote for Obama. I could possibly vote for Obama, but only if his opponent's policies were more 'pro-death' collectively. So if you can prove to me that McCain supports something that has lead to the death of 48.5 million people, I'd be more than willing to listen. I do agree with the above post... The fact Powell is going against his party shows there is a real problem with the Republican's platform on economic/war issues. .... Addendum: I would probably have voted for Obama/Hillary/Edwards if a Guiliani or Romney candidate was opposing them.

To justify killing a life because of another crime is highly objectionable.