Dammit...another anticipated movie 'semi-letdown'

For months now, I have been awaiting the release of "Balls of Fury" for a loooong time now...from the first time I saw the trailer. Recently, both "BOF" and "Halloween have been getting the obligatory hard sell in commercials - both TV and radio - and in print advertisements.

This just built my anticipation further, to a fever pitch. And tonight - tonight was the night I was gonna go see this movie that promised laugh after laugh. Well it did...IN THE TRAILER.

Don't get me wrong, the movie did have it's funny parts, but most of them were the same ones from the trailer - it's as if they took the best jokes and beat them to death in the advertisements. I really despise when movie companies do that. If you put the only funny parts in the trailer, wouldn't that be a big red flag that MAYBE someone should do some re-shoots, or get someone to 'punch up' the script a bit? I don't blame the actors one bit - Christoper Walken was especially hysterical, lampooning himself, more or less...

Anyways, I am not giving a review for this, except to say that if you are into tired slapstick, physical comedy movies, then run out and see "Balls Of Fury". If you are a Christopher Walken fan, it's a must see, but walk in 1/2 through the movie. If neither of these appeal to you, then go see "Superbad" instead, I guess...

For now, I am going to overdose on my Walken fix by watching "The Deer Hunter".

Mike's (kinda) review - "Balls Of Fury" ** 1/2 (out of *****)

When it rains...

Ok, so I admit to having a MySpace profile, but I don't really go all out to 'collect' friends or any inane shit like that. For me, MySpace has a specific purpose - besides freezing my computer up every time I log in.

I use it to stay in touch with friends, check out new music, see when bands are playing, etc. It used to be where I would blog - but I blogged so friggin infrequently that I decided to start one here to pay attention to.

Now, however, it has a new purpose - to see how many women from my past hunt me down.

This has been an interesting in my MySpace travelsm and not one that I ever planned on happening, but now it seems like the floodgates are opening. It's kinda cool!

First, about a month ago, my first true girlfriend found me on there - and I hadn't spoken to her in about 15 years...

Tonite, a girl that I was absolutely INFATUATED with during my high school years sent me a couple of messages.

The person who helped lead her to me was another girl that I was ...ahem... 'involved' with in my youth.

But really, it's not like I think these people are looking for me to climb on top of me while smearing peanut butter all over my...um, oh...sorry...lost train of thought - where was I? Oh yes...forgive me... It's not like I think these women want to be with me now or anything - they have their own lives - but the cool part about it is that they look upon me kinda fondly.

And that makes me feel good about myself and how I carried myself, and contiue to do. For the most part, I don't have the greatest self-esteem. Yes, I hide it with bravado and loud words, but in the end I am pretty friggin' insecure at times. Over the years I convinced myself that there was something wrong with me - I mean, I'm 34, single, but I am told I am a 'great catch' - then why the f**k am I single?!?!?!?!

So basically, kind words made me feel like shit. Now, however, I look at things much differently, and I am proud to know that people from my past think fondly of me. It's nice to know that people (men or women) looked at you in a positive light. To me, that says that I am NOT a bad person, that I left a good impression, that I meant something to them at one point - and they never forgot that.

Either that, or time has clouded their vision and they all have Alzheimer's... heehee!

- M

The Year of the Rat...

So, I just looked at my profile that I have created here, and it says that I was born in the Year of the Rat...

Now, I am not one to pay much mind to astrology, religion, the stars, moon, whatever... but out of curiosity (and the stigma that goes along with the rat) I was curious to see what traits were inherent in those born in the Year of the Rat...

F**king amazing...the description fits me almost perfectly...there are a couple of things that are off, but here, read for yourself. Those of you that know me well enough will KNOW how close this is to being correct...

http://www.holymtn.com/astrology/rat.htm

I mean, really now...waaaaay to close...

Anyhow, I just found that incredibly interesting. Does your Chinese Astrological thingy fit you? Check it out...

On another note - I seem to have touched a nerve with my last blog post. That's fine, it's the reaction I wanted, because it seems to have reopened lines of communication that were seemingly shut down. Those of you that left a comment here or on myspace, email me and we'll chat about it.

For the record, I must say that the whole 'stop talking thing' - I have done it too...I have never shied away from that fact, but at the same time its not something that I condone nor accept as being the right way to go through life. There were a couple of people that responded in kind that I have done this to them, and I feel bad, but those that expressed this are people I would talk to again...so you'll be hearing from me... :-)

- M

Who has the time for this??

It has occurred to me recently that being the ultimate 'nice guy' is a really good way to make a woman want to have nothing to do with you. I mean, I DO try to treat women with respect, I am chivalrous, and in the end it really gets you nothing. you can bring flowers daily...massage feet...cook every meal to exacting specifications...do everything you can to make someone know how you feel, and yet it all just gets flushed away heartlessly.

The women that I know that I am just not interested in (in a romantic sense) are all over me like white on rice in this same kind of fashion that I described above. I guess its a yearning for something that you can't have that really drives the human psyche to do such strange things, to act in such strange ways - all of them very unattractive and reeking of desperation.

Now, I am also guilty of feeling that way toward women that don't want ME. It's very much a 2 way street - this isn't just limited to one gender.

You know what, though. I really really hate when people just stop calling you and you are sure you did nothing wrong. This happens too frequently for my taste - not like its an every day or every month (or even every year) occurrence, but at the same time, it's too many times for my liking.

The worst part of it all is that when that does happen, something snaps inside and makes me become something that people really hate. Then again, it's a direct result of being rejected silently. There is almost nothing in this world that irritates me more. No one likes being rejected...but to be rejected without explanation, damn, I wanna scream!

What I wanna know is: What it is about me that they may have found so unattractive that they would be compelled never to tell me. I mean, I am always striving to be a better person...always...but you can't get there without constructive criticism sometimes. Its sad, because a word from someone that rebuffs you can be more motivating than encouraging words at times.

So, a word of advice to all you women out there...let the guy know what you feel...yes, he may not like it, but at the same time, you'd be doing him a favor. Inadvertently, you could change someone's life completely.

And for all the women that might be reading this (not) and have pulled the 'no contact' thing on me: email me and let me know why you decided that I was not even worth a 'goodbye'. Thanks.

The Beginning is a Great Place To Start...

All great events have one thing in common - they all had a 'beginning'. For me, this is my first formal 'blog' ever. I mean, there is that crap on MySpace, but it is not a true 'blog' in the more conventional sense.

So what do I expect to bring to this whole 'blogosphere'? I really have no clue. Maybe some insight as to how I think the world works - or should work. But at the same time, does anyone really care what I think? I don't know. Frankly, I don't care. I'm putting it out here - an open letter to the world updated on a frequent basis - and it's up to you readers to decide whether or not you agree, disagree, commment, don't comment, whatever... It's a free country and you are free to 'do what thou wilt', to put it in Shakespearian context.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoy what you see here... and if you don't, that's ok too...

- Mike