Went to see Tropic Thunder last night at the Showcase Cinema in Lowell, Mass. with some friends and family, and I gotta tell you, you really shouldn't see that film.
You must see that film. The plot is intricate enough, so I won't go into detail, but it's about different kinds of actors that come together to do a film based on a book about the Vietnam war. Ben Stiller leads and directs, but it was Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise that stole the show. Downey's character is a five-time Academy Award winner from Australia, named Kirk Lazarus. In a controversial move, he was handed one of the lead roles in the film being made, but, his character in that film is black. To accomodate that, he goes through a skin pigmentation process, and now, he looks like a black dude. Him and Ben Stiller's character (Tugg Speedman) have a really funny discussion about retards on film, and Kirk's lines are probably the best of the year; I don't read the script, the script reads me.
The script and the characters are really well written, Tom Cruise wears a fat-suit as Hollywood exec Les Grossman and Stiller does a great job directing and being his regular half-stupid character. Downey Jr. convinces and the jokes are well timed and outrageously funny. I haven't laughed as heartily since I saw Borat for the first time. An easy 6-of-6 stars.
søndag 31. august 2008
fredag 29. august 2008
Freshmen moving in
All of the freshmen at Eastern moved in today. My first thought at convo was "what a bunch of kids". Maybe I'm getting old. Luckily, no freshmen in my apartment. I am reporting from an undisclosed location in West Hartford, and I will head north in the morning, before returning to school on Sunday.
The last couple days have been packed with orientation and information, and it looks like I will be able to study now. Still waiting for a reply from the SELF, I hope they can speed up, so that I can pay my tuition.
Coming this Monday, I will present to you the picks for the first week of NFL action. These will not include New England Patriot games, as I am a bit superstitious regarding sports. The picks will probably be done at Wednesdays the rest of the season, but I've got this Monday of, so, there you go. I will also try to provide a small season forecast for every team, if I have the time. On that note, I'll say goodnight and go watch a preseason game.
The last couple days have been packed with orientation and information, and it looks like I will be able to study now. Still waiting for a reply from the SELF, I hope they can speed up, so that I can pay my tuition.
Coming this Monday, I will present to you the picks for the first week of NFL action. These will not include New England Patriot games, as I am a bit superstitious regarding sports. The picks will probably be done at Wednesdays the rest of the season, but I've got this Monday of, so, there you go. I will also try to provide a small season forecast for every team, if I have the time. On that note, I'll say goodnight and go watch a preseason game.
tirsdag 26. august 2008
Placing the placements in their right place
I'm up early today, just for my Norwegian audience! That, and I have a couple of placement tests in an hour, one in English and one in maths. After that, I've got the day off, so I might go down to the city centre and see if I can find a few items. And my room definitely needs a poster or 4. If you want to make a donation to the "Poor Norwegians in New England college fund", feel free to contact me and I will happily provide you with an account number. Breakfast now, I'll catch you later.
mandag 25. august 2008
Checking in from the 'D'
It's quite nice here in 635 D. The walls are white, the floor is carpeted and the furniture is green and made mostly out of metal, which makes it heavier than Ingars mom. I'm almost done arranging all my stuff, but I'm not sure what to do with my jackets, as there are no coat hangers near the front door, and the ones in my room fall off if I stress them with more than a t-shirt. We may have to collect a few items come tomorrow, if we find the time.
As I promised yesterday, I will list this summers best concerts. Sadly, last night saw me fall asleep minutes after the Bills-Colts game, so I guess we'll have to do the list now. In descending order:
1: Drive-by Truckers, Storås
I may be biased because they are my favorite band, but I thought this was a really great concert. They started off strong, and maintained the pace through-out the set, which due to this being at a festival, only lasted one hour. Patterson did an OK job of interacting with the crowd, but since they're not a well known band in Norway, only about a 1000 showed up. Still a great show to remember. Higlights: Zip City, Homefield Advantage, Dimes Down
2: Animal Alpha, Storås
Playing in the rain at festival in the middle of nowhere can cause artists to whine and complain. I haven't spent much time listening to AA until I saw this concert, and their energy blew me away. The lead singer took control of the audience and she seemed like she enjoyed herself on stage, despite a smaller crowd than DBT, and the aforementioned rain. This was one of those shows that makes you think "maybe I should buy their CD".
3: Deep Purple, Steinkjer
Steve Morse is in his mid-fifties and the youngest of the five that make up Deep Purple. Still, they manage to deliever heavy rock in its original package: cool bass play, hard-hitting drum play, epic guitaring and screaming vocals. The new material, particulary the songs from "Rapture of the Deep" can hold its own against classics like "Smoke on the Water" and "Fireball", and when Roger Glover does the bass-intro to "Black Night" you know you've gotten your moneys worth! Yours truly would have liked to hear both "Child in Time" and "Burn", but it was still a very good show, even without those two. Highlights: Perfect Strangers, Highway Star
4: Bruce Springsteen, Valle Hovin
The Boss entered the stage at 8pm and didn't leave until 11. A three hour Tour de Force by probably the biggest rock star alive, Springsteen manages to make a stadium rock show as intimate as your regular club concert. The E Street Band is holding up, and you feel like you are part of something special, when you are hanging with Bruce. Few (of 40,000) hardcore fans makes the concert seem like somewhat of a football game, with beer and small-talk, and Bruce had to struggle to get the crowd going on several occasions. Highlights: Atlantic City, Glory Days, The Rising
5: Iron Maiden, Lerkendal
I came to hear "Run to the Hills", and I got much more. The vocal of Bruce Dickinson really suites Iron Maidens music, and he is an excellent entertainer as well, knowing when to tell stories about Smith not catching any fish while they were there and when to jump up and down. This was actually a working gig for me, so I had to leave FOH around 10.15pm, just when "Run to the Hills" started. The rest of the show was observed from the backstage area, but it was still a great experience. Majestic sound and a great audience created the kind of atmosphere you would want at a show.
...and the worst concert I attended this summer:
WE, Steinkjer
This metal-band from Oslo played before Deep Purple, so I only caught their last 6 or 7 songs, but it felt like an eternity. The lead singer could not get the crowd going (they were there for Deep Purple anyway), when he spoke to the crowd he sounded like he played the oboe or some other classical instrument (nothing against the oboe, but this was supposed to be a rock show) and he tried to balance the microphone stand in his hand, making him look like a complete jerk. And you know you've come to the wrong show when we start comparing the skill of the musicians to that of those in Sex Pistols. Highlights: It ended, so that DP could enter stage.
This was kind of a long post, but I guess you deserved it, after me falling asleep last night. I have gotten myself a cellular now, so if you feel like you need my American number, let me know and I will share it with you. (For obvious reasons, I'm not posting it here.) I will go and put sheets on my bed now, I'll see you guys after my placement tests tomorrow. Good night!
As I promised yesterday, I will list this summers best concerts. Sadly, last night saw me fall asleep minutes after the Bills-Colts game, so I guess we'll have to do the list now. In descending order:
1: Drive-by Truckers, Storås
I may be biased because they are my favorite band, but I thought this was a really great concert. They started off strong, and maintained the pace through-out the set, which due to this being at a festival, only lasted one hour. Patterson did an OK job of interacting with the crowd, but since they're not a well known band in Norway, only about a 1000 showed up. Still a great show to remember. Higlights: Zip City, Homefield Advantage, Dimes Down
2: Animal Alpha, Storås
Playing in the rain at festival in the middle of nowhere can cause artists to whine and complain. I haven't spent much time listening to AA until I saw this concert, and their energy blew me away. The lead singer took control of the audience and she seemed like she enjoyed herself on stage, despite a smaller crowd than DBT, and the aforementioned rain. This was one of those shows that makes you think "maybe I should buy their CD".
3: Deep Purple, Steinkjer
Steve Morse is in his mid-fifties and the youngest of the five that make up Deep Purple. Still, they manage to deliever heavy rock in its original package: cool bass play, hard-hitting drum play, epic guitaring and screaming vocals. The new material, particulary the songs from "Rapture of the Deep" can hold its own against classics like "Smoke on the Water" and "Fireball", and when Roger Glover does the bass-intro to "Black Night" you know you've gotten your moneys worth! Yours truly would have liked to hear both "Child in Time" and "Burn", but it was still a very good show, even without those two. Highlights: Perfect Strangers, Highway Star
4: Bruce Springsteen, Valle Hovin
The Boss entered the stage at 8pm and didn't leave until 11. A three hour Tour de Force by probably the biggest rock star alive, Springsteen manages to make a stadium rock show as intimate as your regular club concert. The E Street Band is holding up, and you feel like you are part of something special, when you are hanging with Bruce. Few (of 40,000) hardcore fans makes the concert seem like somewhat of a football game, with beer and small-talk, and Bruce had to struggle to get the crowd going on several occasions. Highlights: Atlantic City, Glory Days, The Rising
5: Iron Maiden, Lerkendal
I came to hear "Run to the Hills", and I got much more. The vocal of Bruce Dickinson really suites Iron Maidens music, and he is an excellent entertainer as well, knowing when to tell stories about Smith not catching any fish while they were there and when to jump up and down. This was actually a working gig for me, so I had to leave FOH around 10.15pm, just when "Run to the Hills" started. The rest of the show was observed from the backstage area, but it was still a great experience. Majestic sound and a great audience created the kind of atmosphere you would want at a show.
...and the worst concert I attended this summer:
WE, Steinkjer
This metal-band from Oslo played before Deep Purple, so I only caught their last 6 or 7 songs, but it felt like an eternity. The lead singer could not get the crowd going (they were there for Deep Purple anyway), when he spoke to the crowd he sounded like he played the oboe or some other classical instrument (nothing against the oboe, but this was supposed to be a rock show) and he tried to balance the microphone stand in his hand, making him look like a complete jerk. And you know you've come to the wrong show when we start comparing the skill of the musicians to that of those in Sex Pistols. Highlights: It ended, so that DP could enter stage.
This was kind of a long post, but I guess you deserved it, after me falling asleep last night. I have gotten myself a cellular now, so if you feel like you need my American number, let me know and I will share it with you. (For obvious reasons, I'm not posting it here.) I will go and put sheets on my bed now, I'll see you guys after my placement tests tomorrow. Good night!
søndag 24. august 2008
The calm before...
I'm sitting here on Plato's wireless now, we have been at their house in Vermont since last night, but now we are in their CT home. I'm moving in at school tomorrow morning, the only thing happening before that is phone-purchasing. (AT&T closed at 5pm, bastards) I'm surprisingly awake today, I actually got up before 8am.
The flight from Amsterdam was not too bad, I caught a few hours on the eye in between all the snacking, and I got an extra cup of ice cream. Score!
I will try and provide you guys with some more entertaining reading later on, and if I have the time to night, I will give you a list over this summers best concerts, and maybe a few more travel notes.
The flight from Amsterdam was not too bad, I caught a few hours on the eye in between all the snacking, and I got an extra cup of ice cream. Score!
I will try and provide you guys with some more entertaining reading later on, and if I have the time to night, I will give you a list over this summers best concerts, and maybe a few more travel notes.
torsdag 21. august 2008
Icecreams
So our fantasy draft just ended, and I think I'm pretty satisfied with my team. I may have some injury concerns, but let's cross our fingers for the misters Leinart and Galloway. For your information, we are starting 1 QB, 3 WR, 2 RB, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF, 1 D, 1 DB and 1 DL. Our bench is seven players deep.
Your 2008 Icecreams:
QB:
Drew Brees
Matt Leinart
Kurt Warner
WR:
Randy Moss
Greg Jennings
Joey Galloway
Bobby Engram
Devin Hester
Kevin Walter
RB:
Maurice Jones-Drew
Earnest Graham
Warrick Dunn
Julius Jones
TE:
Owen Daniels
K:
Kris Brown
DEF:
Jacksonville
DB:
Rodney Harrison
DL:
Jared Allen
Justin Tuck
Your 2008 Icecreams:
QB:
Drew Brees
Matt Leinart
Kurt Warner
WR:
Randy Moss
Greg Jennings
Joey Galloway
Bobby Engram
Devin Hester
Kevin Walter
RB:
Maurice Jones-Drew
Earnest Graham
Warrick Dunn
Julius Jones
TE:
Owen Daniels
K:
Kris Brown
DEF:
Jacksonville
DB:
Rodney Harrison
DL:
Jared Allen
Justin Tuck
Zip City
So we're up and running, in English, as I hope to reach some of my fellow students at Eastern as well as those sitting at home in Norway. I haven't moved quite yet, but I'm definitely close to leaving. Not done packing yet either, so I should probably get to that as well. I'll try to report later today, as we are holding the Third Annual Domers Fantasy Football Leage Fantasy Draft today at noon eastern time. Yours truly is repeating as League Commissioner and looking to claim his second title in three years. Stay tuned...
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