Month: February 2004

Okay.. it looks like no one sees movies as much as I do..I am a loser with no life.

SO.. here’s what I want to know.. what are your “MOLDY OSCARS” for the year. As suggested by Matt, What are your top pics for movies you’ve seen this year – even if they are on DVD, or if they are really old. Just that you’ve seen them this year. Only rule: They are not nominated for oscars.

Mine: Best picture: LOTR: The Two Towers Special Edition. WOW BEST Director: Peter Jackson, Same. Best Actor: Bruce Campbell, Bubba Ho-Tep Best Actress: Famke Jennsen x2, Xmen United Best Supporting Actress: Carrie Fisher, Empire Strikes back.. I still watch it, it still rules. Best Supporting Actor: Marc Alaimo on Deep Space Nine (Dukat) – I know its not a movie, but I spent a year watching it, and he was great. Honorabel Mention: FREDDY VS JASON!! In every category.

A couple years back, McDonald’s and its marketing agency were successfully sued for rigging the Monopoly sweepstakes game. This broke my heart because my college time was spend like this:

5% Academic Studies 45% Girls 50% Collecting McDonald’s Monopoly board pieces in the hopes of winning a Dodge Viper, the Grand Prize, and driving it with Weed across the country.

So last week, McDonald’s announced that as a stipulation of settling the class action lawsuit (I know I wrote that McDs was successfully sued but everyone knows they were guilty regardless of whether they settled or received a verdict) they are holding a new Instant Prize Giveaway to reconcile with the unhappy people who were cheated before. This new game gets rid of board pieces. The new Giveaway says that we could be one of 15 lucky winners to receive $1M. All we have to do is show up and be standing in a McDs between 3/5-3/7. That’s it. No board pieces.

An “Entry

Okay, all.. let’s post our oscar picks. Who do you think will win.. and who would you like to win! Whoever is closest gets an official Barnson.org “NOTHING AWARD”. It is an award with no value whatsoever except our amazement at how close you came.. that being said.. I am hoping it will be me, since I am posting on oscar day, and because I really want a “NOTHING PRIZE”.

Here are the nominees.. Best Picture LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING LOST IN TRANSLATION MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD MYSTIC RIVER SEABISCUIT

Achievement in Directing Fernando Meirelles for CITY OF GOD Peter Jackson for THE LORD OF THE RINGS Peter Weir for MASTER & COMMANDER Sofia Coppola for LOST IN TRANSLATION Clint Eastwood for MYSTIC RIVER

Best Actor in a Leading Role Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Ben Kingsley in HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG Jude Law in COLD MOUNTAIN Bill Murray in LOST IN TRANSLATION Sean Penn in MYSTIC RIVER

Best Supporting Actor Alec Baldwin in THE COOLER Benicio Del Toro in 21 GRAMS Djimon Hounsou in IN AMERICA Tim Robbins in MYSTIC RIVER Ken Watanabe in THE LAST SAMURAI

Best Actress in a Leading Role Keisha Castle-Hughes in WHALE RIDER Diane Keaton in SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE Samantha Morton in IN AMERICA Charlize Theron in MONSTER Naomi Watts in 21 GRAMS

Best Supporting Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo in HOUSE OF SAND & FOG Patricia Clarkson in PIECES OF APRIL Marcia Gay Harden in MYSTIC RIVER Holly Hunter in THIRTEEN Renee Zellweger in COLD MOUNTAIN

Best Original Screenplay THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS DIRTY PRETTY THINGS FINDING NEMO IN AMERICA LOST IN TRANSLATION

Best Adapted Screenplay AMERICAN SPLENDOR CITY OF GOD THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING MYSTIC RIVER SEABISCUIT

If you don’t have oscar picks.. or if you are reading this after Sunday.. what DID you want to win. (Or if you haven’t seen these.. what ones did you like this year.. even on video.)

Here I go: BEST PIC: It will Be LOTR I want LOTR

BEST DIRECTOR: PETER JACKSON I wans Peter Jackson

BEST ACTOR: Sean Penn I want Johnny Depp

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Tim Robbins I want Ken Watanbe

BEST ACTRESS: Charlize Theron I haven’t seen these movies.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Renee Zelwegger I havent seen these either

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Lost in Translation I want Lost in translation

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Mystic River I want LOTR

Okay.. That is the end of the ones contested (the ones most people care about).. here are the rest I care about..

Best Original Score LOTR I want LOTR

Animated Feature: Finding Nemo I want Finding Nemo

Original Song “Into the West” – THE LORD OF THE RINGS That is what I want

Cinematography LOTR I want LOTR (I would love Lance Acord for Lost in Translation, but he’s not nominated – Still. loved those shots of Japan, and the use of handheld stedicam photography in a sweeping way..)

Sound Editing MASTER & COMMANDER I want PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN

Best Visual Effects I think that Pirates might dominate here.. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN I still loved LOTR, but I’m torn on what I want.

Okay.. go to town!!

I don’t know that many of you know, I’m a Home Interiors Displayer. I’ve recently set up a webite with the company. You can visit my site at www.homeinteriors.com/cbarnson. What I do is decorating, floral arranging and gifts. So most of the posters and readers are guys, so let me tell you how this information can be of help to you. Many of you had some struggles with Valentines Day. With my help that won’t have to happen again. I can order whatever you’d like and have it shipped to you, or do the floral arrangement or greenery arrangement and send it to you. Your girl will love it. Matt has enjoyed the florals around the house and not having bare walls. So the next day that you should be planning for is Mother’s Day. This means you should be planning a nice gift for your mom, mother in law, wife/girlfriend. I’d love to help with those gifts for those special women in your lives.

Ted is a new discount air carrier that’s owned by United. I went to their website to see if they service Minneapolis. They don’t. So, since they’re new, I wondered if they have plans to expand here. I wrote their customer service the following simple, straightforward email:

“Message: Is Ted coming to Minneapolis anytime soon? Thanks!

Sam”

The following was their response. Raise your hand if you are wondering why United is going bankrupt?

“Dear Sam,

Thank you for contacting us. You ask about our route structures and schedules. Basically, this is what happens. Domestic and international route structure teams regularly analyze scheduling commitments with these questions in mind: Are we using prime resources effectively? Are airplanes and flight crews working in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible? If the route structure and scheduling teams determine that revised schedules provide greater opportunities for airplanes, crews, and United’s route structure, they make the required changes. For our customers’ benefit, United needs to work efficiently and cost -effectively, and remain competitive as well. We appreciate this opportunity to be of assistance and look forward to serving you.

Best regards, Nancy Castro Customer Relations”

Bunch of wack-mobiles.

— Sammy G

In reviewing the blog, I have realized, that with Matt’s change of beliefs, you only got half the story of our dear Joshua’s birth. He told you the part about Joshua breathing in tons of amniotic fluid and being born with double neumonia. The bad news was it was the worst that pediatrician had ever seen. She carefully tried to break the news to us in hopes to not upset us too much. The good news was it was not an infection. Obviously they kept him in the ICU to be carefully observed and poked.

During this same time, all the family began to arrive. I asked Matt’s stepdad, Dennis, and Matt’s brother, Jay to administer to Joshua by giving him a Priesthood Blessing. Matt obviously wasn’t thrilled, but at my insistance, they gave him a blessing. I was not there to hear what was said in that blessing, as there were only supposed to be two visitors at a time and we’d already broken that rule by having three.

The next morning they x-rayed Joshua again. Another pediatrician came in to check on him. She asked the nurses repeatedly if they’d x-rayed the right baby. Then she said, “Either they x-rayed the wrong baby or this baby received a blessing yesterday.” Now obviously this is Mormonville for a doctor to say something like that but when she came in to report Joshua’s health she let us know this not a normal circumstance. Joshua’s lungs were clear. Not clearing. They were clear. Obviously we needed to continue the antibiotics since they had started them right away. In fact, figuring out the correct dosage of antibiotics was the only reason Joshua stayed in the hospital an extra day.

We are all greatful for the touch of the Master’s hands in the hospital that night. Miracles do happen and we are truly blessed.

Today Josh is pushing 12lbs. and is probably an inch longer already. He is five weeks old tomorrow and is very healthy and happy. We’re glad to have him as a part of the Barnson clan.

Sunday I had a terrible sore throat. When I get them, the cold hits and it lingers for weeks. With a newborn in the house and no insurance, we really need to stay healthy, so I decided to try a “cure” a close friend of mine recommended….garlic. She said to swallow a clove of garlic when you first feel the cold coming on, and then one more the next day. I’m thinking HOLY COW that’s a horse pill and a half and I really don’t want to smell like garlic, but I decided to give it a try. I warned Matt of the possible ordor, and swallowed the garlic with a glass of chocolate milk. It went down easily (I chose a small clove) and I hardly tasted it. The trick is fill your mouth with the liquid, pop the garlic and swallow.

The next morning my sore throat was gone, but I still felt like a cold was threatening. At lunchtime I took the second clove with the last bit of chocolate milk I hid from my kids specifically for this purpose and swallowed. The cold never hit!

Are you brave enough to try it? You’ll have to ask Matt if I’ve smelled like garlic this week.

To top it all off, it’s my state House Rep that introduced the bill last week. The guy lives 1/2 mile from me.

I’m so excited, I already left voice messages with all DFL party members sitting on the Human and Health Policy Committee.

Please, please, please, please….ratify that sucker!

Of course, the Hospitality lobbyists are stepping it up, protesting the ban, saying it will depress sales.

Let’s get the big ones out of the way.

Is the movie all the positive reviews say it is.. the best ever made.. or even better than Braveheart? As a film, no. As a matter of fact, it is a film with flaws, it makes a couple odd decisions, and has at least one shot that I considered out there.

Okay, then, is it as bad as the negative reviews have said.. Boring, Fetishist, or just plain Bad? By no means. As a film, it is quite good – on about the level of “The Patriot” or “Amistad”.. but not quite “Schindler’s List” or “Braveheart”. As a film, it is comparable to “Return of the King” in that it makes some mistakes, overkills some moments, but is still tear rendering in parts, and in its entirity, equals more than the sum of its parts.

Okay then again.. Is the Film Anti Semetic? No.. but if I were Jewish, and looking for it, I would notice that Caphius, the Jewish High Priest, and the Crowd of his supporters, are really given the Black hat in this film. They are villians in the movie.. almost Mustache twirling, while Pilate is let off easy. That being said, every hero in the film is Jewish, the Roman Guards are the most brutal, and the only character in the film called “Jew” to his face, is a non-follower of Jesus who willingly puts his life on the line to try to save Christ. The movie is true to the Gospels, and does leave out some inflammatory moments, in order to be more friendly.

Is the film too Violent? No, but it is QUITE violent, in three points.. and, of course, Christ is bloody most of the film. That being said, Gibson pulls away a LOT, gives us a LOT of breaks, a LOT of out of focus shots and reaction shots. It is very like the scene where William Wallace is tortured in “Braveheart”, but three times, with a bit more blood. It doesn’t compare to “Kill Bill”, “Natural Born Killers”, “Freddy Vs. Jason”, or any of those. It is not for the squeamish, but it is an appropriate level of violence for a Rated R film.

Well, then, Justin, what DID you think, in your own words… AS A MOVIE: Well shot, well acted, well scored, well edited, well written film that makes mistakes, and runs the risk of alienating a Jewish audience. A Brilliant performance by Jim Caveziel as Jesus, and Notable performances by Mary, Satan, and Mary Magdelene. Much like watching Frodo bounce on the bed in “Return of the King”, there are oments I wish I could cut out or shorten, not because of brutality, but because they don’t belong or they are redundant.

3 and a Half Stars

PERSONALLY: I don’t think Gibson was trying to make a great movie.. and that is important. This is supposed to be a tool to slap complacent Christians a bit.. and say “Guess what.. it wasn’t a little mocking, and up he goes”. This movie made me cry twice (I don’t often really cry in movies), and made me relate to my faith in a closer way than I have in a while. There are things I believe, that I always have, that now, I better understand. It is harder to be complacent now.

As a message, it did more for me than most church services I have attended, and made me reexamine at times.. and at times had very visceral emotional moments for me. I believe that this man was put not put on a cross, but went there willingly, and by doing so, I have benefitted. Once the emotional mountaintop experience leaves (I dont put much stock in that anyway) I will be left with the contemplation, and that will stick with me long after I am done emotionalizing.

I am faced with a real man instead of just an icon, going through real stuff, instead of just ignorable words, that really really sucked to go through.. and he could have chosen not to.. and suddenly it is a LOT less about “hell”, or this whole “God will get you” mentality that gets criticized so often… its about gratitude, end of sermon.

Justin, WHO will like “Passion of the Christ” most believers will. most people on the fence will. Fans of artsy cinema will. Gibson (as a director) fans will. People with strong stomachs exploring Christianity will.

WHO WONT? Many Jews, Many atheists, People who have hosility toward Christianity and if you have a kid under 14, keep them away. People unaccustomed to violence will be turned off and find it gratuitous.. those who are used to it a bit more will handle it well.

Okay, lads and ladies.. what are your responses..

So I recently started listening to Don & Mike. For those of you from Washington, I know you may be wondering “Where has he BEEN?” Remember, I’m from nor-eastern Maryland and we didn’t get D&M until 105.7 started carrying them out of Baltimore. If you’ve been listening to talk radio at all, then you’ll probably know that the FCC cracked down on Viacom/Infinity radio stations after the Janet Jackson incident. D&M/Stern/The Junkies all were affected. No bad language, no sexual humor, pretty much back to the 60s.

Not that this is bad, but I’m kinda torn. Don & Mike were hilarious, but I couldn’t listen to them with my kid in the car. Now my kid can listen (kinda), but they aren’t as funny anymore.

My question is this: do we want (and need) the FCC (or government) to be the cops here? It seems that every generation has pushed the limit a little further than the one before. Now Bush wants to be the one who “restores” the morals to society?

Regardless of whether you condone same-sex marriages, that’s a religous choice. What possibly does it have to do with givernment? Bush is playing to his conservation base by pushing this amendment. Who is he (or the government) to say if that’s right or wrong. Murder, theft, rape, these all have clearly defined victims. Gay marriage & Janet Jackson’s breast, who’s the victim here? I can raise my kid to have the morals I believe in, I don’t need George Bush to tell me what they should be.

My $.02 Weed

UPDATE by matthew: There’s a sequel to this by Justin, and yet another update on the topic in October 2004 by Sammy G.