Random updated-ness: I’ve been super-busy, still, but this time around doing a ton of writing for fanalyze, which, don’t even bother clicking just yet, because it’s not up yet. But for those of you wondering, it’s the same fantasy baseball website I wrote so much for last year. I did the middle reliever rankings 1-20, which aren’t so valuable if you don’t have a holds category in your fb league, but hey, it’s writing. There’s also depth charts of the entire major leagues, which, by now are a little out of date, but there’s some valuable information in there, too. Lastly, I’m going to be doing a portion of the starting pitcher rankings (30-60), which should be fun since all I have to do is write the blurbs on the pitchers, which include some good names that I’m thinking maybe should have been ranked higher, but has a lot of risk due to injuries.

I’ve also been able to finish my law school essay and submit my only application, which is to Seattle University. I don’t know when I’ll find out if I’m accepted, and I’m mostly trying to forget about it.

We went to the bike expo last weekend, which I totally confused with the bike swap, and I would have known if I had decided to go on Sunday rather than Saturday. A mere 24 hours away from cheap mustache bars and some gloves. Instead, we watched guys on seatless mountain bikes jump on 6 ft. of stacked pallets.

I just used the phrase “searing with anger” while can techinically be correct, it kind of makes me look like an idiot, and boy is my face red. Other than that, I’m sure I don’t have much else to update on, and this has been sitting in the post queue for a while now, so perhaps something exciting will happen later that I will be able to post on.

Also on the horizon: the long awaited Part II to 2005 music favorites; only two months late.

here’s the second part of ben’s netflix list. this is pretty fun. if you think i’d have something funny to say about your netflix list, you’d be right.

The Office Special - this special is as good, but probably better than most of the romantic comedies out there today. somehow gervais redeems every important character in the show.

Lewis Black: Black on Broadway - remember sam kinison? lewis black reminds me a little of him, except that he doesn’t have long hair and isn’t fat. but he sure does yell a lot.

Lost: Season 1: Disc 1 - j.j. abrams knows exactly what people want. the modern-day aaron spelling. jiggly, if you dig. i liked the first season, but my brother had it right when he said this was going to be exactly like x-files. hot for a long time, but with no end in sight.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - jason loves this movie because everything they blow up is real. the acting is horrible. ben lee should have played john conner, maybe it would have save his and claire’s relationship.

Richard Pryor: Here and Now - r.i.p.

House of Flying Daggers - i saw hero, instead.

Ikiru - means “I go” in japanese (edit: actually means “to live”, as kevjones so graciously pointed out. so much for two years of japanese). if i remember correctly, this is kurosawa’s last flick, and is quite fitting, if not also very depressing. i remember learning somewhere that the japanese believe they have a limited amount of artistry in them, and one it’s gone, it’s gone. i think that’s why kurosawa tried to commit suicide.

Papillon - uh, papi what?

Aliens: Collector’s Edition - james cameron reminds me of a dude i’d meet on the street that wants to make kick ass movies and spend tons of money on them. bill paxton’s second-best character ever. if you have to ask, his best is from weird science.

The Thing - i really wish was about the thing from the fantastic four, but it’s not.

Spellbound - kids are hilarious, especially the nervous ones. too bad when high school will be hell for them. this is probably my favorite of the little-kid docs, though mad hot ballroom is another you’d probably enjoy.

Born Into Brothels - i know this won an oscar, but i can only take so much ugliness in the world. calcutta’s red light is damn fucking ugly. this is the part where i say the kids are awesome, which they are, but the world just really pisses me off sometimes.

Raw - ICE CREAM!

Labyrinth - david bowie’s in this, right?

Wall Street - ah, the 80’s. i wish this movie was actually breakin’ or breakin’ two: electric boogalo, rather than wall street, although i do hear the entire sheen family is in this movie.

Life Is Beautiful - if you like roberto and don’t mind slow movies, he’s also great in down by law, written and directed by jim jarmusch, with extra bonus guys jim lurie and tom waits. “the world is sad and beautiful place!” “yeah, good one, buddy. now buzz off!”

An Evening With Kevin Smith: Disc 1 - i’m pretty sure i watched this but didn’t make it to disc 2. i probably got bored.

An Evening With Kevin Smith: Disc 2 - see above.

Dark Days - i borrowed this from jonas for like three months, but never watched it. i do that a lot. he loves it, though.

Empire of the Sun - how come all empires are empires of the sun? how come the moon never gets any props? (haven’t seen this).

The Transporter 2 - whenever i think of this guy, i think of lock, stock and two smoking barrels. i didn’t see the first one, either, but am somehow interested in seeing the second one. i can’t explain it any better than i can explain why love cheese so much.

Unleashed - i looked this up to see if it was written by a french guy, like i remembered. it was; luc besson. i also found out the original title was danny the dog, which i totally thought was some disney movie about a shaggy dog, not a jet li kick-ass kung fu flick. besson writes good movies, i can’t imagine this is terrible.

Lewis Black: Unleashed - i looked this up to see if it was written by a french guy, but it’s not at all. jet li’s not even in it.

Finding Neverland - i wonder sometimes if depp has exhausted his repertoire of ideas for characters after hearing so many bad things about charlie and the chocolate factory. anyways, i’d rather think about that than watch this snooze fest. redeeming factor? kate winslet.

The Alien Saga - the “saga” part makes this sound like this is a soap opera. i liked most of the alien movies that everyone hated, including the very french alien: resurrection. even though david fincher directed the last one, i’ll still take james cameron’s take. i hear they butchered it, anyway.

The Station Agent - charming indy films are so common these days. that is a good thing.

The Constant Gardener - i don’t even remember who’s in this movie. what the hell kind of title is that, too? When I hear “The constant gardener” i think, “anne of green gables”.

Castle in the Sky - i like miyazaki’s films, but much like jarmusch: slow, slow, slow.

Samurai Champloo: Vol. 1-7 - champloo? more like, cham-POO! just kidding. i don’t know what this is.

Seven Samurai - my old boss at the metro has a poster signed by toshiro mifune. he makes this movie all by himself. he’s been in other good things, too, check ‘em out.

The Bridge on the River Kwai - i wrote this before i realized charles bronson isn’t even in this movie: my dad and brother both have certain moments where they look like charles bronson, which is cool, because he’s a badass. i mean, have YOU ever been in a movie called DEATH WISH?! cb’s been in like, 7 of ‘em.

Howl’s Moving Castle - what’s the deal with all the castles, miyazaki?

ben e-mailed his netflix queue for recommendations. here’s my rundown:

i’m gonna post this on my blog so people (s-dog) can stop looking at your poo-encrusted finger.

here’s my sentence long reviews, plus recommendations and alternatives where applicable:

Wedding Crashers - am i the only one that loved 40-year-old virgin more than this movie? and was still underwhelmed?

Glengarry Glen Ross - david mamet writes crazy plays, thus when he writes and directs films, they feel like plays. ggr was good, but i liked state and main is better, although his films do leave me with a wet, pretentious stench.

Batman Begins - christian bale is the best batman ever.

The Office: Series 1 - the reason i refused to watch the american version is because i love the adage, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. stephen colbert (uh, i mean, the dude from 40-year-old v. what’s his name?) does a good job, but ricky gervais status is unattainable.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - see above. martin freeman, pure english comic genius without the cleese-ian absurdity.

U-571 - the only thing that would make this movie better, is if jon bon jovi sang the young guns theme during the opening credits. note: i haven’t seen this.

Murderball - i don’t know how documentaries became so popular, but i’m glad of it. actually i could probably hypothesize several reasons for this, like michael moore and reality television. i haven’t seen this yet but expect it was one of the best movies of last year.

Star Wars: Episode III - haven’t seen it, but am not really interested, either.

The Comedians of Comedy: The Movie - i’ve never even heard of this. it must not be very good! j/k!

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - i think this rates in the top of my favorite movies ever. that’s huge.

Hotel Rwanda - what are you, too hapy all the time? want to be depressed? why don’t you just fill the list with holocaust movies?

Millions - i haven’t seen it, but if i recall correctly, it has something to do with transgender-ocity. if i’m entirely wrong, i guess that says where my mind’s been.

Shaun of the Dead - this is one of the funnest zombie movies ever. i watched it in the theaters by myself, and still cracked up laughing during the first zombie encounter and ensuing polaroid shoot. hilarious.

Kingdom of Heaven - joan of arc…william wallace… king arthur…balian of ibelin? i know ridley scott’s a great director and all, but color me disinterested.

Constantine - i read somewhere that this is keanu reeves entering his meta-neo phase. i don’t really care about that, i do care that this movie rules for all the religious pseudo-mythology and cigarette smoking. cheap fun, sure, but fun nonetheless.

Sahara - see last line of above. note: i haven’t even seen this.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - harrison ford’s latest movie is about internet security.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - raiders is possibly superior, but last crusade has the return of the jedi-ish vibe, but instead of muppets, they have sean connery.

Sanjuro - if you’re going to be watching movies about depressing japanese businessmen, at least watch kikujiro, which is much more modern and a little less artsy. both movies are good, but kikujiro is a little easier to like. edit: i totally confused sanjuro with ikiru. samurai movies rule.

The Office: Series 2 - i hear ricky gervais is writing another american office episode. best episode ever? the comedy drive.