Zombie Apocalypse... A Current Event... Like Actually!

Remember that one time when we all thought that it would be really cool to have a zombie apocalypse?? I know I do, and boy do I feel foolish now. Recently there have been strange reporting’s of zombie-like attacks. 

Zombie Walk 2009 Photo by Katja Sarajeva & piak

Now don’t get me wrong. I would still love to have a zombie apocalypse, mainly due to Hollywood’s portrayal of it. In movies and television shows we have all the bad ass survivors shooting zombies in the head all the while running for their lives. They also glisten in the sun from all their perspiration and they have rippling abs. 

The reality of the situation is that those of us who dreamed of a zombie apocalypse would most likely be the first to go. We wouldn’t be the 15% that survive the attack; we would make up of the 85% of people that are now considered the walking dead. However, if you are lucky enough to be among the 15% of survivor, then you must remember the following tips to prepare for your future of inevitable death (tips courtesy of the movie Zombieland).

1. Cardio (pretty much if you out-run the slowest one you’re golden) 
2.  Beware of Bathrooms (worst way to go is when you’re going #2 )
3. Buckle Up (Just plain ol’ driving etiquette really)
4. Double tap (Better to be safe than sorry!)
5. Be quiet (Zombies are dead, not deaf)
6.  Don’t be a hero (This isn’t a movie, the hero doesn’t always live)
7.  Limber up (don’t want to pull a hammy right?)
8. Check the back seat (Nothing is worse than a zombie taking you from behind)

Being a survivor seems great right? WRONG.  If you do happen to be a survivor there are a few things that might be troubling for you to process. Such as the fact that you have to watch the people around you die (like your mommy and daddy). Another thing is your pets: What happens to little Sparky the dog and Mittens the kitten? Don’t worry about them, the movie Dawn of the Dead taught us that zombies don’t like little puppy brains… Cats… never mentioned them in the movie so I wouldn’t know. Instead, worry about how you are going to have to put down your parents when they chase you around wanting your brains and flesh instead of chasing you around to do your chores. 





Screenshot/ Heading by: Fiona Ho

Now, onto why this post is relevant to our daily lives. As I mentioned earlier, there have been reportings of zombie like attacks all around the United States. I don’t just mean regular boring old reports about stupid kids on drugs walking around aimlessly destroying things. When I say attack, I mean real blood and gores kind of attack. There is an article from The Sacramento Bee, dated May 30, 2012, that deals with exactly what I am talking about. A naked man on the MacArthur Causeway was attacking another man and eating his face. Despite the warnings that the police gave to the face eater, he just stood up and growled at them. Needless to say, the possible zombie was shot dead.

Speculations are that he was suffering from a “cocaine psychosis,” which is a drug induced craze that bakes the victim internally. Despite the fact that it could have been a drug related situation, it still doesn’t stop people from saying that it was the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. 

A few things to read and watch to prepare you for the possibility of a zombie apocalypse are listed below:

1. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
2.  World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
3. Zombieland
4. The Walking Dead  (comics and TV series)
5. Dawn of the Dead

I kind of hope that there is a zombie apocalypse at the same time I don't. Let me know in the comments below what you think about the article I linked as well as your thoughts on the possibility of a zombie apocalypse. 

You're 16 & WHAT!?!?!

** Disclamer: The contents of the following post will be slightly offensive. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.**

Dear society,

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?!?!

Photo By: Arna Gudmundsdottir

I'm not one to judge (yes I am, but only silently and in my head), but since when did our society revert back to the olden days when popping out kids at 16 was okay and socially acceptable?? Not that I can remember personally, but didn't there use to be a time when a child that was born out of wedlock it was pretty much considered a dungeon baby?? Oh and of course the mother of the said baby would be shunned from the family.

Back in the olden days when dinosaurs and your grandparents roamed the earth, a situation like that was something to be ashamed of and not anything to be proud of. However, this is where I am baffled beyond all belief. Shows like Teen Mom and 16 & Pregnant on MTV are glorifying teen pregnancy! It is ridiculous, and I am so ashamed that I even know of those shows.

As I am writing this, I am all fired up and slightly annoyed as hell. Of all the girls that I (knew on a personal level) went to junior high and high school with (totaling about 20)... Of that 20, there are 11 girls who are pregnant or already mothers into their second or third or fourth year. That is not okay, I'm only 20 (technically almost 21) and it is NOT okay when half of the people my age or younger are already mothers. Oh and I went to a nice Catholic school in Calgary for anyone who is wondering, so it isn't like I grew up in a hick town or anything.


Photo By: Heike Geisler



What happened to FINISHING high school, going on to university and establishing a career and getting MARRIED and then having kids?? Is that a trend that is in the past now?? It seriously boggles my mind how stupid teen age girls are. From my own personal knowledge... Those girls I went to school with are mostly single mothers now. There are probably only 2 that are still with the baby's father. The 9 are single mothers who didn't even finish HIGH SCHOOL. It's high school for the love of God. It's not rocket science, it's not the hardest thing in the world to complete.

It's garbage television shows like 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom that makes me so angry. It's as if this generation of teens aren't already stupid enough with their drugs and alcohol and sex, they have to throw babies into the mix! What happened to educational television shows like Barney and Friends or Sesame Street?? 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom is almost promoting teen pregnancy; the girls on that show get so much media attention. Little girls who don't understand what contraception or the morning after pill is are probably jumping up and down giddy as fuck.

I can just see it now... "mom! MOM!!! I'm pregnant!! Call MTV!!!" I'm just kidding I didn't make that up I saw it on a meme comic somewhere on Facebook. But dear God in heaven, please for the love of all that is holy... gift these girls with some common sense and appreciation for their futures. Oh and while you are at it... Please strike the MTV show producers dead... PLEASE. This is not okay for them to continue to make seasons after seasons of this rubbish.
P.s. I am not religious, I was baptized Catholic, but I am a self proclaimed Atheist. Please don't refer to me as the religious nut, that is all.

Yours Spitefully,
Fiona Ho.

Dancing like a LMFA-PRO

I'm sure by now, most people have heard or seen a LMFAO song or music video. The song Party Rock Anthem, also known as "Everyday I'm Shuffling", is just one LMFAO song that has been a chart topper for months. Some people might be wondering who is dancing with them in the video and may be surprised to find out that the dancers are actually more well known than they may think. 

Photo By Michael Mandiberg

Quest Crew is the name of the group that dances in all of the LMFAO music videos and real life performances. They became a group years ago and have had an interesting career throughout the years.  The first appearance that I saw them, was on the show So You Think You Can Dance back in 2006 when Hok and a few other members of the group tried out for the show. Hok made it through the elimination rounds and did well until they found out he did not have a Work Visa and was removed from the show. During his short time on the show, Hok did great break dancing moves and adapted to the other dance styles really well. Little did we know then the powerhouse dance group Hok and his crew would become.

The second television appearance I saw Quest Crew in was on the show America's Best Dance Crew or ABDC when the entire team tried out. From week to week I watched as the Crew astounded the crowd with amazing stunts and really well thought out performances. I remember their finale when one of the members did a back flip starting off from a crossed-leg sitting down position and landing on his feet without any assistance. Quest Crew won winning ABDC and that was the last I saw of them. At least, it was the last I saw of them, until last year when LMFAO released the music video for Party Rock Anthem.

Currently, Quest Crew is working with LMFAO and we see them all over as their popularity has increased. Overall, I have really enjoy watching Quest Crew do their routines and innovative moves.  They were the first dance group that I have actually went out of my way to see, even if it was only on television. I am not sure how many people realize that they are a group and I wanted to spread the word which is why I posted this blog.

Now that you guys know who they are, check them out and watch some of there ABDC routines.  They are really sweet!  Also, post a comment after you watch and tell me what you think of their dancing.

New Metric Album Around the Corner

Okay, so I'm not to sure about everyone else but I'm actually getting excited for this one! That is, getting excited about Metric releasing their fifth album, Synthetica, on June 12th.  I have never been the type of person to get excited about a CD release before, but I have always really enjoyed Metric and have been a fan since junior high.  I have gone through music phases and generally have always enjoyed music from every genre, except country, but I have always listened to Metric. I have even dipped into rap here or there to balance the pot, but Metric has always been on my playlist.

Photo by Brennen Schnell

 I don't believe I'm like most people when it comes to music. I have never been a fan of torrenting music and have bought most of my music. I feel that when you torrent thousands and thousands of songs you never really give any of them a chance therefore never really stay with a band or a type of music for long. On the other hand, I do waste tons of money on buying CD's.  Another reason I'm probably not like other people when it comes to music is that I don't tend to stick to a single genre and enjoy going to live performances no matter what the genre.

Now when it comes to Metric, I remember the first time my friend introduced them to me back in junior high.  I remember, even then, really enjoying both the music and the lyrics, although some times it took me a while to decipher the words. I found that as I listened to the songs more often I found discovered the story and really got to know the song. Later on, I had gone to see them live and I was impressed. This is why I am excited about the CD release as I have enjoyed listening to Metric on my IPod since I was young.

Metric has released two songs from the CD as spoilers to get the hype up and have also made a scavenger hunt on the Internet to offer their fans an opportunity to hear the whole CD prior to release. I've listened to both songs and although they are different from the style Metric normally plays they do have the same charm that enchanted me before. I am hoping that this new CD is as good as their last one, which was different then their other ones, but gave the listener something new to experience while still providing the same thrills as the previous CDs.

I am thinking of participating in the scavenger hunt or I might wait for the CD release. What do you guys think? Should I do the scavenger hunt or wait for the release day?

While your at it, if you have not heard of Metric before, here is some videos you can check out.

Top 3 Meme Songs and their origins

An argument could be made that memes are not part of popular culture. That would be wrong But the argument could be made. The first MEME (in this list) "Nyan Cat" and its tune has, on ONE of its YouTube videos, over 75 million hits. I think I personally count for just under 2 million .

Nyan Cat:
I'm so sorry if I just brought this pestilence into your life. The  nyan cat was named such as "Nyan" is the sound Japanese folk think cats make where we say "meow" the song was posted by "daniwell" and the image is credited to a fella "prguitarman"

Link...And Agian Im so sorry.

Leek Spin:

The pics from a Japanese "anime" (cartoon) Bleach Preforming a polka sung by the Finnish group "Loituma"...Naturally

Link

Boxxy and her Trolls:
Catherine "Catie" Wayne...defending her non-troll ways

:

Link..and Im..Sigh*"not trollin".

Top 3 reasons The newspaper is gonna' Die soon

1. Obsolete Hours After Creation

 "Hey did you read this article?"

'Archduke feeling fine'  (-Headline  28 June 1914)

MEANWHILE:

Ouch! You shot me right in the World War I. (link)

2. It Hurts the Environment

"We need to get the message to the people to save the environment. Quick! Put that on paper and make 100,000 copies."

...and that's where that goes. (link)

3. It's a S&*T Medium

"I know! Let's make it swim in ads...print it on grey paper that stains your hand...AND let's also make the paper super crinkly and thin so it rips and is uncomfortable."

Promote that man! (link)

All images from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/ are marked (link) and attributed as required.

Top 3 Reasons you want to be in Mad Men And why you're wrong.

        I watch it...I love it and want to be in it....but........       

 

          Top 3 Reasons you want to be in  Mad Men  

                               And why you're wrong.

1)Thought:

Smoking and drinking all the time! hooray!

"I... look ...AWESOME!" (link)

Reality:

Ya, you would die super quick. If your liver doesn't  quit, your lungs would, and supplying they don't the lungs/liver would team up to make you have a very bad exit of the life stage.

"We need to talk Mr.Johnson...cigarette?" (link)

2)Thought:

I'd be rich!

(link)

Reality:

What ya going to buy? an ipod? its the damn 60's.

Bitchen' stereo system bra' (link)

3)Thought:                                                                                                            
I'd be respected!

"YTMND!" (link)

Reality:

Only in the office!...You'd be in advertising..you know those asinine commercials on TV?..those would be your gift to the world...should I punch you in the face now or later?

"Thanks Don Draper" (link)

Extra wow lash Rimmel London mascara

So, I decided to get a new mascara mostly because my other ones were super old and starting to dry out and that kind of looks gross on one’s eyes.  Every girl/ guy wants to have flirty lashes right?

So, once again, I went to check out what was the best of the best that I could find at my favorite shopping spot, Walmart.  After 20 minutes of googling,  I had a good idea what was there and headed out. (I had to get shampoo and an avocado as well -so great to get all these unrelated things in one place.) After I fought my way to a parking spot, dodging death more than once in the parking lot, I got to the entrance and finally made it inside. After a quick stop at the veggie and shampoo aisles, I arrived at the makeup center. Because at Walmart, it's not just an aisle,  it’s a center. I spent several moments walking up and down the aisles looking at the many choices of plumping, lengthening, filling etc that all the different brands promised to do.  This led to the decision to buy the Extra Wow Lash by Rimmel London.

Why, you ask? Well, because I wanted extra wow on my lashes. That was basically the deciding factor - the name. Show me a catchy name and I'll buy it. And for 5 dollars I thought it was a calculated risk.  So I got home, talked to Paul and headed into the bathroom pulling Paul safely into the sink so he didn't run amok while I was holding something that would hurt if I got it into my eye.  In case you've forgotten (or were getting concerned), Paul is my beloved guinea pig.

So the mascara container is black, pink and silver, with a rounded top. The brush Itself is pretty close to the standard mascara brush. I think the difference is that the bristles seem to be smaller. The mascara itself provided a nice coat though it kind of clumped, but I used my little eye lash brush and just combed them out.  And so far, it has lasted without flaking. The lashes are long though not as much volume as I would have liked. Maybe a mini wow. But, overall, it's solid for the price

 Three and a half eyelashes out of five.

The Cats Meow

Meow - so this past Saturday, May 12, I went to see the play Cats with my mother and father at Theater Calgary.

Cats is the play about cats by  Andrew Lloyd Webber, which is based on a book by  T.S. Eliot called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

            So the play itself was great. I had been waiting a long time to go and see it and it lived up and beyond all expectations I had. The set was wonderfully built, there was interaction with the audience, and there was tons to look at and be interested in. The actors/singers costumes were all colorful and interesting; each was unique and special just like every cat is an individual with its own personality. And that was shown and explained throughout the play by several of the characters like Magical Mr, Mistoffelees, the magician cat. (He’s one of my favorites.) 

            Basically, the musical is about a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice." This is when they decide which cat will go to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. Without giving too much away, they pick a sad but wonderful old cat who seems to be an outcast.

                Overall, it's one of those things that is hard to explain but it's definitely something that everyone should experience at least once. Even though it's about cats, the situations and at least one of the characters are relatable. The music is beautiful and the whole play is enchanting from the moment the lights dim till the curtain falls.

            It almost made me purr!

Joe nail polish review by a foot phobic

So toenails and feet - some people like feet and some people really like feet and others, like myself, don’t like feet. Not even my own feet, why is that? I don’t know, I just don’t like them. So my logic told me that if  I made them fancy and colorful, then maybe they would be more appealing to me. I followed through on this, bought some Joe Fresh nail polish and it somewhat worked. 

So whyJoe Fresh nail polish? One, I'm a student and I can’t afford fancy nail polish that I'm probably going to use twice and then lose to the black hole that is the bathroom.  Secondly, the Joe Fresh line has lots of interesting colors and names. Their gray isn’t just gray, it's 'Storm'; their pink isn’t just pink, it's 'Petal Pink', 'Neon Pink', Violet etc..

So what color, you may ask, did this feet phobic use on her nails to make them more appealing more eye catching, tolerable even?

Nude, yes, nude. Why I have no idea, that’s just what happened.  Just like the pulled hamstring that occurred while painting them. These things just happen. The color itself is close to a nude with a pinker undertone than yellow. Just for reference, I didn't use an undercoat  because it's lost somewhere in the bathroom black hole and I didn't use a clear topcoat for the same reason. So it's just the paint on bare nails.

How is it holding up? I have been wearing flip flops all week, and this takes me through all types of terrain from the gravel covered parking to the grass at the east gate. The paint hasn’t chipped, pealed or dulled. They look almost the same as when I first painted them. I’m quite impressed with the quality and lasting power of the paint, the price also makes it more appealing - at the moment they are 3 colors for 10 dollars. Though they seem smaller than a regular nail polish amount, I know that most of my nail polish either gets lost or dries out before they are finished.  The actual painting of the toes wasn’t a treat but the paint came with a nice brush that so far hasn’t shed, and the polish itself went on smoothly and gave a nice rich color in two thick coats.  Overall, I think it’s a good product. It provides good quality and quantity for cheap, what more could one ask for?

Over all, I'd rate this 8 foot phobic toes out of 10.

Cavy care : major health issues that cavies face : Obesity

Before we get started into the wonderful world of obesity and using words like fat deposits and calories, you must be wondering what exactly is a cavy? Well, let me tell you, a cavy is your standard Guinea pig, yes a Guinea pig. Those large rodents that are sold in pet stores beside the rabbits and just down from the hamsters;  I, personally, don’t like to look at them as rodents - why? Because rodents are kind of gross.  When I think of rodents, I think of rats and mice creeping through my walls and stealing my food, filled to the brim with things like the plague and listeria.

Now, there are lots of websites out there about proper Guinea pig care. I, personally, like things that are connected to well known organizations like theASPCA  – you can also adopt through them. As well, the web page provides lots of information about care , feeding etc that is provided by experts.  They will also not try to up sell you treats and other things  that taste good but aren't all at good for the health of the Guinea pigs. Treats from pet stores are mostly  filled with sugars and empty calories, which, just like people, lead to one of the major health problems - aka BEING FAT.  Now being fat isn’t in itself deadly, but the problems that come along with it can be.  Things like Bumblefoot, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease as well as muscle atrophy and general weakening of the muscles result because of the Guinea pig's extra weight .   

One of the ways to check to see if there is to much cushion on the pig in question is to rub your hands along the back of the pig. Starting from the ears down the back, things to feel for are the ribs and backbone.  According to Guinea Lynx you should be able to feel them but they should not be sharp. We want healthy pigs not supermodel pigs. 

Now this post is about my fat Guinea pig.His name is Paul or Paulikins as I like to call him. He meeps, he sleeps, and he eats and that’s about it. So getting him to move and wander, run and frolic often involves food and eating; slightly defeating the purpose of making him walk.

 So, I, like many other concerned pet parents,  went to extremes and took to Google. After searching and searching for the best and safest solutions, I ruled out exercise balls(like the ones you get for hamsters). They can lead to spine, foot and leg injuries. (link) So, the next best thing was that I got a body harness and lead to take Paulikins outside.  The lead and body harness come in 3 different colors -red, yellow and green.  So I made the most fashion forward choice and got the green one.   So now, as a regular exercize and health routine, we try to get out to walk on the lawn everyday. For those days that are colder or rainy, we play hide and seek in the house- though on flooring that is pee proof. A healthy piggy is a happy piggy.  Exercize and good eating - in both pigs and people - promote a long and healthy life.

Does Anyone Still Watch Survivor?

With the conclusion of the 24th season and 12th year of the reality television show Survivor, for the first time ever, the person who I was routing for walked away with the million dollar prize. 

I must say, my relationship with Survivor has been in flux. When the show first came out in the early years of the new millennium I was completely enthralled. I can remember specifically the horror of being in the sixth grade and having a school fine arts night on the same evening as the survivor finale and rushing home to see Richard walk away with the million. The first few years of Survivor I was an avid fan, then my interest started to dwindle. 

More recently, thanks to the invention of the PVR, I have been able to reconnect with Survivor. There is something so terribly appealing about reality television, especially when people are experiencing such extreme emotions under extreme conditions. Also, my interest in psychology gears me towards analyzing the different interactions and interpersonal relationships that exist when people are all trying to achieve one goal, being the ultimate survivor.

Last nights season finale offered an interesting twist on what I have seen of Survivor throughout the seasons, the most deserving person actually won! Kim, a bridal shop owner, dominated virtually all of the challenges as well as the social game. She intricately figured out a way to have five women left at the beginning of the finale episode, eliminating all of the men. 

Not only did Kim call all of the shots, and win the majority of the individual immunity challenges, she made the respectable decision to bring Chelsea and Sabrina to the final three. She could have taken an easy win by bringing two less likeable players, Alicia and Christina, but instead decided to fight like a competitor and win fair and square. A decision that most likely gained respect from a jury whom had all been burned by Kim in the past.

I was most pleased with the outcome of this season of Survivor because, unlike most reality television shows on the air, it showed women working together to achieve a goal. It seems all too common to watch any reality TV show where the women are absolutely evil to one another, which seems to only reinforce women in real life being cruel to other women. It was refreshing to see a little bit of good old fashioned girl power, and a deserving winner walking away with the cash!

Bieber Fever: Where do we draw the line?

Bieber fans beware!

Justin Bieber is arguably one of the most well known popular music artists surfacing over the past few years, with a predominantly female fan base. He's definitely a cutie pie, with big deep eyes and shaggy hair, he exudes a certain amount of boyish charm. It is completely understandable that teeny bopper girls lust over Bieber, the real mystery is his appeal to adult women....

An ever increasing amount of adult women are becoming obsessed with Justin Bieber, teenage pop sensation. I could guess that about 80% of my female friends (ages 20-25 approximately) would be willing to confess their undying love for JB screaming from the rooftops if there was some small chance of meeting him as reward for their insanity. One friend in particular has actually made claims that her "heart hurts" by the fact that she is unable to be with him, this friend is 23 years old. Might I remind you he is 18, and could easily pass for 15, is anyone else finding this weird yet?

I am completely baffled by this adult obsession with Justin Bieber. His music is okay at best, his lyrics are catchy but fail to convey any real meaning. As far as I am concerned he has no real appeal, and this is coming from a girl who spent the majority of her pre-teen life planning her wedding with Zac of the Hanson brothers.

Maybe it is bold of me to make this claim, but it seems if the gender roles were reversed, and instead it was men in their mid twenties in full blown obsession with some 14 year old female celebrity (Bieber's age when he first reached super stardom) there would be much more criticism from the public. This brings up interesting questions about existing gender roles and how they shape what society deems as acceptable.

As far as I'm concerned, I can never imagine myself as a Justin Bieber fanatic... but then again, Never Say Never

Avengers Review

Oh God this is happening:

I'm getting pumped up like a prize fighter heading into the ring...I feel that this is one of those moments that will define my life...there was my birth, there will be my death and right now...I am about to go to a movie alone.

Walking to theater...alone (link)

Is it just me, or is everyone looking at me as though I've just become a war widow.

F@#K IT! (link)

The Avengers!

I'm a nerd. The real kind, not some hot guy with glasses, but more so the nervous individual playing Dungeons and Dragons in his parent's basement. I mean, I grew up reading this stuff - I knew the Marvel family history before I knew my own! For example: You know the dude sitting in front of you in the movie theater who leans over to his girlfriend during...let's say, X-Men: First Class, and says "90% of this is movie is incorrect" and is all shitty about it? Yep, that's me.

NOT ME. (link)

ME. (link)

But so far I gotta say the film's in this recent comic book run, i.e. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, have check-mated my nerd nit-picking. So...that leaves me here in a very different situation. I went into all of those movies with my nerd-connoisseur nose in the air thinking "well, this is going to suck" attitude...and instead, this time, I'm super excited!


Okay calm down, seated, popcorn, commercials...stoked...ready...time to watch!

Watching...in a tie evidently. (link)

...WOW.
Awesome.
Funny and super awesome.
(But I'm so embarrassed for the girl that came to the theater dressed up as wonder woman.)

NOT MARVEL! (link)

ANYWAY...
So, no spoiler's here, it was really good (how's that for word choice?!)

To my nerd friends: there is the typical -not jiving with the comic book lure- but that's to be expected. This movie will still very much please hardcore and casual viewers  alike and, although it's not entirely necessary to have seen the aforementioned movies leading up to The Avengers, it's highly recommended not only because it will make you understand the movie in a better context but it's also like, when you see you favorite character finally busting in you get that..."sweet, I TOTALLY KNOW THAT GUY" feeling.

OMG! IT'S THHHHHHOR! (link)

Ok, so in a little more detail the movie breaks down like this:
Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is perfect as the quipping, playboy millionaire and is a great contrast to the regal Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, and the goody-two-shoes Captain America, played by Chris Evans. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is all kinds of kick-ass and his exceptional role will no doubt spawn a new, NEW reboot of the series.

Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is decent but...let's face it...Thor's a god, Hulk's a monster and Iron Man is like to coolest robot man sorta thing to ever exist...Hawkeye is basically just a guy with a bow and arrow so...yeah.

Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, was pretty good as a ass-kicking strong female, but falls just short of role model quality as her ass is in frame about as much as her face...no complaint's here mind you ;)

Pictured:Black Widow (link)

The rest of the cast is perfect (Loki, Nick Fury) striking just the right note of serious but maintaining the awareness that this is a movie about superheroes and, accordingly, they have fun with their roles.

The locations are great ranging from in the sky to underground and fighting throughout New York City.

Best of all, Captain America rarely wears his mask, you know, the one that looks like you could buy it in a Walmart toy aisle.

Overall I would say: Go see it, now-ish.
All images from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/ are marked (link) and attributed as required.

5 movies I had No business enjoying.

So many movies suck, but that's ok. Because they look like they are going to suck  - their cover's and titles loudly proclaim "here comes suck fest!" and they proceed to deliver on that lofty proclamation.

However, there are a select few movies which seem like they are going to suck but then end up kicking ass. T'is a rare breed of film indeed, but one that exists. So, on that note, here are my...

TOP 5 Movies I Had No Business Enjoying.

1.) Rise of the Planet of the Apes

(link)© Images copyright their respective owners Content under copyright of 20th century fox

This one may come as a surprise as the thought of an ape taking over the planet would presumably appeal to me, which it totally did. It was only when I found out that the ape (CGI) was to be the main character that terrifying fever dreams of Jar-Jar Bink's started to haunt me.


Why I Thought I'd Hate It:

Is it really cool to have a CGI monkey as your lead character?


Why I Loved It:

It is really cool to have a CGI monkey as your lead character!

2) RENT

(link)© Images copyright their respective owners Content under copyright of Columbia pictures

I have watched this so many times my homosexual friend attempted to award me "Honorary Gay" status.

Why I Thought I'd Hate It:

Musical. Campy. About aids. Depressing as all hell.


Why I Loved It:

The music was delightful and somehow, I was more upset when a transsexual street performer broke up with a down-on-his-luck MIT instructor, then when Bambie's mom died.

How I thought I'd watch RENT (link)

How I actually watched RENT. (link)

3) Pride and Prejudice (TV)

(link)© Images copyright their respective owners Image Copyright BBC and A&E Network

Perpetual watching by my girlfriend has made this a shameful favorite of mine.

Why I Thought I'd Hate It:

Olden times are lame. Romance is lame. It's about courting men...crazy lame.


Why I Loved It:

The cast is actually awesome and whenever this friggin thing is played in my home I find myself slowly gravitating towards the couch and getting caught up in a marathon of its 8 or so episodes. SO MUCH SHAME.

"WHY DO I CARE ABOUT THESE F*&%ING PEOPLE!" (link)

4) The Mothman Prophecies

(link)© Images copyright their respective owners Image under copyright by Sony

Why I Thought I'd Hate It:

...It's about a flying half-man, half-moth. And Richard Gere is in it, whom I don't care for...and not because of the fabled gerbil thing, but more because of the real Runaway Bride/Pretty Woman sorta thing.

Why I Loved It:

I never get scared of movies, Ya I'm macho like that, but this movie scared the shit outta me. I lived near a forest in Nova Scotia about the time this came out...heart attacks on the nightly.

"wait a second... THINKING ABOUT IT MAKES IT COME FOR YOU..DA F&*K?!" (link)

5) Every Micheal Moore Movie.

(link) Author David Shankbone

Why I Thought I'd Hate It (them):

The Guy deals in misinformation sometimes. And I'm not some dyed-in-the-wool right-winger or nothing, its just a fact that, when you have a predetermined position you will inevitably focus on producing films that back up your claims while ignoring facts that would refute them. Very reasonable, but slightly misleading when under the monicker of "documentary". Perhaps these should be called opinion pieces.


Why I Loved It (them):

Love him or hate him the guy can make some damn entertaining films! Captivating, controversial and important to starting dialog on touchy subjects.

So....there you have it, my top 5 movies I had no business enjoying.

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