Hero Inc.

…by that much.

On Friday, it was the coldest it has been all year (and past few months) in Atlanta.  The temperatures dropped below freezing and this can mean many things to many people.  To me and my roommate, it meant the fear that a pipe bursting at our apartment complex could destroy our prescious belongings.

I arrived home Friday with news from my roommate that an apartment near ours was suffering water damage.  When I arrived and saw the multiple carpet cleaning vans and large pools of water, I was quite scared that the problem had grown since my roommate was at the apartment last.  Thankfully, our apartment was unarmed (not sure how truly).  Here are a few pictures (click for enlargement) I took of the damage.

	This is directly outside our door. Notice the large amount of salt laid out to prevent freezing.
	This is the apartment you see directly across from our apartment. We originally thought about moving into this apartment. I guess it was a smart move not to pick this one.
	Here is a zoomed in shot of the apartment from the picture above. Notice the standing water in the kitchen.
	Here is another shot at the apartment across from us.
	Here are the steps that lead to the front of our apartment building. You can see the carpet cleaning van and vacuum tube that is running for the top floor apartment. Even more salt.
	This is the bottom floor apartment. Two floors removed from the actual pipe. More standing water and fallen light fixtures.
	Here is a closer look at the same apartment from above. Man, I hope if anyone lived here that they had renter’s insurance that covered this problem.
	Even the parking area under the apartment building was harmed. When I walked down here to take this picture, water was steadily dripping from the ceiling.
	Another shot of the parking area under the apartment building. This is just bad.

These pictures are compliments of my new camera. Hopefully with more time, I can take pictures with better quality.

Several posts ago, I mentioned a movie that I was truly looking forward to seeing.  Today was that day and it lived up to everything I expected from it and more.

The Wrestler follows the end of the great career of Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Rourke).  Once at the top of his game in professional wrestler, he has now fallen to nothing more than a minor draw at small venue wrestling events.  The Ram is a man stuck in the glory days of the 80’s as the rest of the world continues to move forward.

Besides the appeal of my old love I had for professional wrestling, Darren Aronofsky (Pi, The Fountain, Requiem For A Dream) was the man behind this film.  However, you would have never known this from watching it.  There were no quick cuts/edits that are typical from his past work.  The only signature was the “unsteady” cam that was used to follow The Ram wherever he went.  The film seemed to be shot more as a “documentary” visually than as a movie telling the tell of a man.  You almost started to believe that Randy was real (although there are real men like Randy) and this was his life crumbling before your eyes.

All of the performances here will tug at your hearts, but Rourke just rips you apart.  When he cries it is real and you feel it.  You cheer when his body gives it his all in every match even though he should have stopped years ago.  You cheer when he somehow finds the ability to enjoy the simple moments in his regular job.  You cry when his daughter wants nothing to do with him and he is left with no one.  I’m hoping this really is the return of Rourke because he is true talent.

Most people will enjoy this movie, but those few of us who watched wrestling back when it was “real” love it.  This isn’t the glitz and glam.  This is the days where heels and faces could not be seen in public together.  The men in the ring really hated each other and would stop at nothing to win the match.  Each match is perfectly executed in the film.  Seeing a man destroy his body by his own choice (blading) or via his opponent, the audience feels the pain.  The scene after the hardcore match where the camera pans across Ram’s body is intense.  Every scar, bruise, cut, drop of blood is shown.  You start to wonder if he can actually feel anything other than pain at that moment.  Heck, I even noticed The Ram using an uncharacteristic move in his final match (vs Ernest The Cat, Thanks James for pointing it out) before it was pointed out on film  (That’s just sad).

[Rating: 4.5/5]

This movie review will be the exact opposite of the Curious Case of Benjamin Button in everyway:  short and crappy vs long and good.

When I say that Benjamin Button is long, I’m not sure if you truly understand what I mean.  It clocks in at 2 hours and 47 minutes.  To me, that was just way too long.  I would say that the time starts to wear on you about halfway through the movie.  It could be that you start to understand the life of this movie will match that of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) and at this point he is still fairly young. The movie is good, but I think the length is just too much for me to overcome to state it is more than just good.  I was reminded of Forrest Gump because of the way the movie moves across different life events that shape the story.

[Rating:3.5/5]

Yes there is a delay on this post, but after a loss, I’m generally not a happy individual.  I am in a bad mood and usually vow to never watch a game again with whoever is with me (sorry for those that had to hear that from me this weekend).  In order to close out the season right, I’d like to pass on the following playoff review as well as what I’ll be looking for in the offseason.

There are many things to take away from the playoff game (Falcons 24, Cardinals 30).  These things can be both on the field and off the field as well as listed below here for your reading pleasure.  Here are my quick thoughts that I had during the game.

• The Cardinals stadium looks like it is inflatable
• Why do we get stuck with Cris Colinsworth?  He’s terrible.
• Larry Fitzgerald is amazing
• Is it just me or do the Cardinals have Ryan’s snap count figured out?  Maybe the Falcons will have that fixed in the second half.
• I’ve said it once and I will say it again:  The Van Gorder defense only works if you get to the QB.  We keep getting so close but not close enough.
• We just can’t win the field position battle.  Are we just trying to make our team go 90+ yards to score?
• Why does Roddy catch semi-difficult catches but can’t seem to bring in the ones when he is wide open and alone down the field?
• All year I have heard we need to get Norwood the ball more.  He is an impact and needs to be given the ball.  Did we forget this thought or just felt that Turner would eventually break through.
• Roddy don’t just stare at passes that are coming up short for you.  Become a defender and knock it away from the defense.
• I believe Michael Jenkins is still on this team.
• All season we have wanted a pass catching TE.  Marcus Pollard just now appears in this game?
• The media will state that Ryan ended up looking like a rookie in this game, but Sam Baker is the one looking the most like a rookie as he is getting blown up on the line.
• NFL, please stop coddling the QBs.  If a QB is wrapped up and still moving around, let play continue.  Don’t whistle the play dead because he might actually still be able to get the ball away.  The QB should be smart enough to weigh injuries vs additional penalties for certain decisions.
• Is it possible to have an onside kick after a safety?  I know many will scream at me for this move since you are already in terrible field position, but is it actually possible?  Or does the punt not have the same properties and rules as a kickoff?
• Keith!!!  We all knew it was going to be play action.  We all saw it coming but you and your veteran abilities did not.  Ahh!!!!!

The season has ended for the Falcons, but it is just beginning of looking towards the process for next year.  Here’s my quick guide for what I’d like to see this off season (draft, free agent) as well as next season.

• Last season we went out and spent for Turner and it paid off many times over.  However, I don’t really see any “big names” in this offseason that we should spend the money to get.  If anything we should pick up the quiet guys like we did last year with Coleman and Foxworth.
• On the defensive side of the ball, we need to look to fill Safety, OLB, DT, and CB.
• On the offensive side of the ball, we need to look to fill OL and TE (Pass catching)
• Keith should become more leader than player.  Teach the younger guys.  I don’t want to see Keith leave because he is always a Falcon and Georgia guy.  Let him stay here and end his career.
• Next season create more offensive plays around Norwood.  I see him as a Brian Westbrook style back that would excel best in screens and quick pass situations.
• To follow up offensive rookie of the year, let’s see if Thomas and Smitty can pick the defensive rookie of the year.
• A Pro Bowl for Koheonen in 09.  He had a pro bowl style season in Atlanta, but no one votes for punters often unless you are in the NFC East.
• Can we finally end the 43 year drought and finally get back to back winning seasons?

The process is complete.  It is now time to stay the course of action…

Another year is down and I’m just a little bit older.  With 2009 here and now, we take a quick look back across the board on the year that was 2008.

Music

I picked up several great CDs over the course of the year, but there has to be one that is a cut above the rest.  When I opened up Amarok to see which albums were listed for this year, I quickly and easily knew the answer.

Winner		Feed The Animals by Girl Talk This CD is a mix of everything you have heard and nothing you have ever heard. I’ve tried the other Girl Talk albums, but this one is where Girl Talk really found the right formula. The songs move from one to the next as a seamless transition. The album takes you back across your life as you pick out all of the songs used to make the mix. I’m personally a fan of “Hands In The Air” and “Play Your Part (Pt. 1)”.
Honorable Mention		Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows Let me start by saying James is going to kill me for giving this Honorable Mention. I guess I better now shy away from Bama jokes. Anyway, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is easiest to describe as an infusion of “August and Everything After” and “Recovering The Satellites”. Not really sure why I would review this item again, but “When I Dream of Michelangelo” and “Come Around” still top my list for great songs on this album. The more I have heard “Come Around” on the radio the more it has become a CC mainstay for me.

Movies

2008 was the year of hype and that usually leads to disappointment, but it seems that for once the hype was for real and we were all happy to fork over our 10+ dollars.

Winner		The Dark Knight TDK led the reviews for the year (both critic and consumer). The hype was a fear factor in my eyes but this movie went above and beyond so many other “comic book” movies that it stands as simply a great movie. I’m not sure I can say much more for Batman and the Clown Prince of Gotham.
Honorable Mention		Hellboy II and Iron Man The poster may be of Hellboy II but that is simply because I don’t believe it received as much praise as Iron Man did. Hellboy II was much better than the first despite any rumors you might have heard. Iron Man was great as well even if it included Gwyneth. Hellboy II may be ending its franchise (or it looks that way) but Iron Man is only the beginning (Iron Man 2 and Avengers already in the works). However, like I said before, TDK raised the bar significantly.

Television
Heroes. 30 Rock. ER (The final season). Fringe. The Simpsons.

There were many great episodes but I’m not certain if there were any great seasons. I’ve fallen behind on my Heroes watching but it did seem to pick up as I watched more. I will still state that Heroes is not a great show but a good show. I enjoy its theme (everyday people with powers), but I know it can only have a great episode here and there.

The Simpsons has had an amazing run, but I know that it needs to come to an end.  The family has performed every action and every job known to man.  It is starting to hit the moment where it is trying to tell the same story again in a different way (with bad results).  I have a new idea though that I believe everyone can enjoy.  The Simpsons should end after this season, but become a new generation’s Charlie Brown.  Only produce the Halloween special yearly.  It is the highest rated episode and usually the best one regardless of the season.

Sports
My sports story of the year is another no shocker. Anyone who has seen me over the last few months knows that I live, eat and breath my Atlanta Falcons. The playoffs are here and I’m already pumped. My pro team is playing with passion and as a team. Not only are we a great story but an even better team. When this season is over I’ll have nothing to do until the NFL Draft returns. I mean, no other sport is worth my time after football.