The Hungry Hungry Writer

Annie Hall (1977)
My Rating: 10/10

1978 OSCARS
Won – Best Actress in a leading role – Diane Keaton
Won – Best Director – Woody Allen
Won – Best Picture
Won – Best Writing
Nominated – Best Actor in a leading role – Woody Allen

For $7.95 at Costco, you can’t go wrong. I mean this movie was Best Picture in 1978 and its selling for eight bucks at Costco. A bittersweet romantic comedy. Yeah, bittersweet. And I loved it. LOVED it. Or still LOVE it as I’ve LOVED it since I first watched it in College. Yeah, love. Not like. I “LUFF” it – as Alvy says to Annie because the word “LOVE” is not enough. HA! Loved the cocaine scene when Alvy sneezed and blew it all away. Loved the Lobster scene when Alvy tried to recreate a ‘special moment’ he ad with Annie with someone else who, ‘didn’t get it’. Loved the spider killing scene at Annie’s apartment. Loved the California scene when Alvy played sick so he didn’t have to present an award. I loved the ending… when Alvy and Annie went their separate ways.

DAMN! What a movie.

And I identified with it on so many levels. Levels upon levels, up to the penthouse and down to the basement level. So many. Levels.

Favorite line in which I totally identified with was when Alvy went back in time and was in grade school and the teacher gets mad at him for kissing a girl.

Teacher: Six year old boys don’t have girls on their minds.
Alvy: I did.
Little Girl: For God’s sake, Alvy, even Freud speaks of a latency period.
Alvy: Well, I never had a latency period. I can’t help it.

Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
My Rating: 9/10

A simple yet wonderful feel-good film. Watch it with the family. I did. Jake, who has his third spelling test today, found interest in it. Bella, although just learning colors and the seven continents, doesn’t know anything about spelling but there were interesting things throughout the movie that kept her attention. This is a good example of conflict and how it keeps the attention of the audience. Without it, Bella would have been bored half to sleep… and she fights sleep at night. The acting was good and the twist at the end was enough to make this movie less predictable than you think it is.

Watch it.

Inside Man (2006)
My Rating: 6/10, no 8/10, no 5… 7? I don’t know. 7/10 and that’s my story.

Uh… Um… Uh… it was okay I guess? I just didn’t feel it. It didn’t hit me. Denzel Washington and Jodi Foster’s character seemed so… like… well… like there was no jeopardy at stake. Not until late in the film when something happens does Denzel feel like he screwed up. Then he was taken off the case and it was like… so what? There seemed to be a lot of holes, like how many people were actually robbing the bank, why were there only 4 in the truck waiting… there were more than that… er… wasn’t there? Like the people in line at the bank – the ‘inside’ people, then the painters that came in, etc… then Clive Owen… I mean, there were at least 8… wasn’t there? I couldn’t stand Jodi Foster in this movie. Maybe it was just her pretentious, I’m better than anyone else, I am invincible and can get anything done confidence that just didn’t go well with me. Give me some sort of real shit in there like… uh… fear maybe? Yeah, it was entertaining, but there was just something missing. The story maybe? The drama? Maybe it wasn’t dramatic enough. Maybe they should have killed someone brutally at the very beginning instead of waiting and waiting to do it later? And fake it too? Just kill someone and make it real? I don’t know. It just didn’t completely work and I’m talking too much about it. Rent it if you’re bored and have nothing else to watch.

One of my favorite actors is John C. Reilly. I fell in love with his performance in Boogie Nights and of course in Magnolia. He also had a small part in Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise and was great in smaller films like, The Good Girl and Hard Eight.

He’s an all around actor. An actors actor. A director’s dream probably. Wow. John C Reilly.

Well, the other day I was at my local Sports Chalet – my favorite kind of ‘chalet’ fyi. I was shopping for extra small baseball pants, a baseball workout shirt and sliding pants for Jacob… and who was shopping there as well? John C Reilly.

I knew it was him right away. But when he asked a worker, “Do you sell tether ball sets?” I knew for sure. That high pitch falsetto type voice is unmistakable. Tether ball set though? Who plays tether ball now-a-days? Apparently John C. Reilly knows someone who does.

So I went up to him and asked him to lunch. He was a little put off at first but said, “What the heck – we all need to eat.”

He followed me to a local sushi restaurant on Honolulu Avenue in Montrose and we got a table right away. 11:30 is a perfect time to eat sushi by the way. Nobody is there yet.

I don’t usually drink in the afternoon, but if John C Reilly wants a beer, you have to get one too right?

We toasted two large Soporo beers to the wonderful store – Sports Chalet - and ordered a boat load of sushi.

We laughed, we talked about his role in Boogie Nights, we discussed family, the Valley, the weather, hot chicks and movie making.

Then something remarkable happened. Out from the back came a group of waiters with a birthday cake. They came up to our table and J.R., as he likes to be called, goes, “Happy Birthday, Glenn!” I was floored. Only one person in the world knew it was my birthday.

I blew out the 24 candles and everyone in the restaurant applauded with a loud cheer! They lifted my chair into the air and paraded me down the street singing “Happy Birthday”.

It was cut short due to the sudden rainfall. We ducked under a store’s awning and just when I thought it would let up, frogs started to land on top of cars, pounding them, blood, guts and frog legs splattering all over everyone.

We ran back to the restaurant, I grabbed an old lady who had fallen and frantically, desperately carried her back in.

J.R. screamed, “Let’s get the fuck outta here, Glenn!”

We got into his truck and tore down the wet, frog flooded streets and back to Sports Chalet to pick up the tether ball set and some paintball guns.

Then…

Uh…

What happened again?

I get stuck at the paintball guns part of my story.

Okay… I confess… none of that really happened. Except for the part about John C. Reilly requesting a tether ball set at the Sports Chalet in LaCanada. He grabbed a couple of cheap kiddie baseball gloves and I think a volleyball. I didn’t want to bother him but if I did I would have taken him out for Sushi or whatever he wanted to eat. I didn’t want to bother him. I’m not a ‘star-struck’ individual. I don’t like to bother people. Let them live their lives uninterrupted by crazy fans… Although he’s one guy I would have loved to chat with, or even take a phone pic with him and send it to Dale and say – ha-ha, look who I ate Sushi with why didn’t you answer your phone? That would have been nice… But I didn’t. I just called Dale and said… guess who’s at Sports Chalet?

Sushi with John C. Reilly. Damn… I missed my chance to ask him out.

Seriously. I would have.

J.R. email me at glenn@squint.tv and Sushi in Montrose is on me.

Seriously.

Email me.

What did I do on Monday? I ran and ran and ran… I didn’t run 26.2 miles… but I did run.

Read about it on my Triathlon Blog: “I ran…”

A map:

Click for larger map.

Please post your Team Name and Name here!

Thanks!

Glenn

Scream (1996)
My Rating: 8/10
The first of the teenage slasher blockbusters of the late 90s… it set the tone for sequels and parodies. And… it was extremely well written, it was tight and… the murderer didn’t need a motive. Finally. Just a murderer… or is it? I saw this movie twice – within a year – and the second time I was like, ‘who’s the murderer’? I didn’t remember who it was and I still had no clue watching it the second time. I’m not sure if this means the movie is not memorable (because it is) but at least it got me fooled twice so shame on me. The script, the directing, the poking fun of horror movies really made this movie worked. They nailed it. And I really enjoyed it.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
My Rating: 7/10
Good. Kinda unclear unless you really talk about it… it had some flaws which bugged me… but overall a pretty good slasher movie without enough slash. It hit all the beats for a horror movie, there were enough twists and turns to make you second guess who the murderer was… and it ended with a bang… or a slash… or a scare which of course leads to part II which I’m not in a rush to watch. Thrilling, fun, mysterious… a money maker. If you like teen-age horror flicks like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, etc… this should be on your list. Well written and fun.

Harold and Kumar go to White Castle (2004)
My Rating: 7/10
It was funny! How else can I explain it? It’s about two guys who get high after work and of course get the munchies. And it gets specific… they WANT White Castle Burgers and will do whatever it takes to get some. Even if it takes all night! Even if they get side tracked by ‘Doogie Howser’ hitchhiking, get thrown in jail for assaulting a cop, getting bit by a raccoon and have to go to the ER, flying on a hang glider or riding on the back of a cougar. Their ultimate goal – to get a White Castle Burger!!!

Watch it when you’re high. It probably will be funnier than it already is.

The Family Stone (2005)
My rating: 8/10
Pretty good movie I must say. I’m a sucker for Christmas themed movies – especially comedies. I love em. The snow, the decorated tree, the warmth of the fireplace… the family. They did a good job incorporating the Christmas Holiday in this movie. I still do not like Durmont Mulroney at all. He makes no impact on the screen. Anyone can play the part. Too bad they don’t cast someone with more character to play the character. Someone who can give the character life. He has yet to do anything like that in any movie. From Angel’s in the Outfield to My Best Friend’s Wedding to Friends… he’s basically been blah… And unlikeable. Give me something to hold on to… Anyway, back to the movie. It started pretty basic, pretty simple, pretty obvious. It was on-the-nose, I knew what would happen BUT… the dialogue and character development was NOT on the nose. That was the best part of this movie. The characters that surrounded the boring Mulroney character, and the dialogue. Not that the dialogue was brilliant, it just was clean, tons of subtext, things didn’t need to be said to explain what was going on… it made you feel smart like “OH… the mom is sick and people are keeping it a secret.” Or from the very beginning – Those two guys are a couple – and they didn’t do anything like hug, kiss, hold hands… they just took Christmas presents out of the car and you knew! And of course when Rachel McAdams cried when she got the Christmas present… and Sarah Jessica Parker just says, “I just assumed…” I mean… perfect dialogue. Not brilliant… just right. And it was directed by the writer. Hmm… that’s a good sign isn’t it?

Anyway – watch the movie for a simple, feel good, Christmas themed romantic comedy.

One of my inspirations in running has started the Endurance 50. He will be running 50 Marathons in 50 days in 50 states! He started his first Marathon on September 17th and has 3 down… 47 to go. HOLY SHIT!

His name is NOT Dean Miyashiro… Although my friend Dean Miyashiro was an inspiration for other things like writing and filmmaking (just ask Dale).

His name is: DEAN KARNAZES - Ultramarathon Man

Did I say 50? In 50 days? In 50 States? Yes… I did! And he’s done three so far going from a beautiful run at the Lewis & Clark Marthon on Sunday, to torrential rains the next day at the St. Jude Memphis (recreated) Marathon on Monday. And yesterday he ran in ‘brutal’ 87 degree temperature with 95 percent humidity at the Mississippi Coast Marathon. How has he lasted three straight days of running marathons? How the heck will he do 47 more? I don’t know. He just will.

I ran 9.13 miles last night. I couldn’t move to go to the bathroom after getting into bed due to muscle fatigue. And I was complaining?!?

All I have to say… SOMEDAY I WILL NOT RUN 50 MARATHONS IN 50 DAYS!!! BUT… I will root Dean on and I promise NOT to complain about how sore or tired I am during my runs until after November 5th when he’s done with his 50.

Support Dean by reading his blog every day till he’s done: Dean’s Blog

Dean Karnazes is one of my “Endurance” inspirations along with Lance Armstrong as a cyclist, Faris Al Sultan as an Ironman Triathlete and John Blais - an Ironman Triathlete LIVING with ALS! These are the four people I want to be as an Endurance Athlete. Their drive, dedication, determination and their fight (Blais) through some serious obstacles like the ALS disease. Michael Phelps is a fast swimmer but my swimming inspiration is Jessica – if I can swim just like her, EXACTLY like her, with her endurance and form, Ironman Championships in Kona is just around the corner!

Track Dean – and show your support! (Dean’s Blog)

Did I mention I ran 9.13 miles last night? Yes I did. I was inspired, not by Dean believe it or not, but by Steve. My old friend Steve who basically got me into running. I’ve tried to get him into Triathlon but he won’t have anything to do with it. WIMP! LOL

Read about my 9.13 mile run here: “Hold that Whole Note”

The third season of Battlestar Galactica will premiere on October 6, 2006. I’ve been watching all the episodes on DVD (I’m starting Season Two this week) to recap everything in preparation for Season 3! This show is my favorite show on television. Nothing comes close to the intrigue, the story line (that parallels our society today), the drama and the adventure. The website also has web-episodes – 10 of them – which I will watch before the premiere! Check them out here: www.scifi.com/battlestar/

You can also catch up to the story so far in three minutes if you want. Just visit the site and be prepared to get hooked!

After WEEK FOUR ends on October 2, you MUST submit 2 (two) players on your team that you can KEEP for your team next year. You’ll have October 3 thru October 7 to submit them.

Your KEEPER has to be a draft pick after the 4th ROUND of the draft or picked up during Free Agency.

Any player picked in the first 4 rounds of the draft is ineligible as a KEEPER.

If you trade your KEEPER to a team that already has two keepers or more keepers, that team will now have an additional KEEPER. Thought was to designate only two for the team as KEEPERS but forcing a team to hold a KEEPER during a trade prevents the team from having flexibility during the draft. (this can be discussed).

If you drop a KEEPER you lose that KEEPER spot and cannot replace it unless it is through trade.

Please submit any other thoughts if you have them!

LIST OF DRAFTED PLAYERS
By Team

football virgin
NAME | ROUND
T. Barber | Round 1
S. Jackson | Round 2
A. Boldin | Round 3
Sa. Moss | Round 4

Itchy Footballs
NAME | ROUND
E. James | Round 1
B. Westbrook | Round 2
E. Manning | Round 3
R. Bush | Round 4

NickJacks
NAME | ROUND
L. Johnson | Round 1
C. Johnson | Round 2
C. Williams | Round 3
P. Burress | Round 4

Rebel Alliance
NAME | ROUND
S. Alexander | Round 1
M. Harrison | Round 2
T. Holt | Round 3
R. Droughns | Round 4

Saints
NAME | ROUND
C. Portis | Round 1
C. Palmer | Round 2
C. Chambers | Round 3
R. Wayne | Round 4

Silly Sycoph…
NAME | ROUND
R. Johnson | Round 1
L. Fitzgerald | Round 2
D. Davis | Round 3
J. Shockey | Round 4

Snakes
NAME | ROUND
T. Brady | Round 1
L. Jordan | Round 2
W. McGahee | Round 3
D. Jackson | Round 4

Socal
NAME | ROUND
P. Manning | Round 1
R. Brown | Round 2
R. Moss | Round 3
W. Dunn | Round 4

The Big Bang
NAME | ROUND
S. Smith | Round 1
A. Gates | Round 2
H. Ward | Round 3
J. Jones | Round 4

The Paradigm…
NAME | ROUND
L. Tomlinson | Round 1
T. Owens | Round 2
A. Green | Round 3
M. Hasselbeck | Round 4