( juan.of.a.kind )

"To: Emma (Mobile) NO I DON’T WATCH “WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE”. I’M AN..."

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:42:00 -0500

“To: Emma (Mobile)
NO I DON’T WATCH “WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE”. I’M AN ADULT!!!!!!!!!”

- Larry David’s text message to a nine year-old girl, from Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 7, Ep. 9: The Table Read. So far, the best ep of this fantastic season. Very much looking forward to the season finale this Sunday night, simply titled: Seinfeld.

Limited Edition BILLY Bookcases Celebrate 30 Years » IKEA...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:51:00 -0500

Limited Edition BILLY Bookcases Celebrate 30 Years » IKEA FANS

Pictured is my very well-populated, full-size BILLY bookcase in beech veneer (quite possibly the 35,780,219th one sold…give or take), used primarily for housing/displaying my modest film collection (which I’ve spent the last 10 years gradually accumulating). However the unit also contains some video games/portable consoles, numerous collectibles, decks of cards, some random accessories and yeah, even a few books on the ground floor. Maximized to the fullest.

Now, the shelf and its contents may look cluttered at first glance, but best believe that every item has been specifically placed into its current position (because I’m a detail freak like that). And as always, I’m running out of real estate for any new releases, hence the items stacked at multiple angles. But if you are so inclined, then here is the DVD stacking method to my controlled madness:

7th floor: Film box sets and oversized DVD SEs
6th floor: TV season sets (animated, live-action)
5th floor: TV season sets continued, Blu-rays, Criterion Collection DVDs/Blu-Rays
4th, 3rd, 2nd floors: DVDs (films are arranged in order of ascending year)
1st floor: DVDs (films continued, special interest [sports, music, docs])

And there you have it. T’is more or less my one-stop entertainment hub. And of course, this meticulous arrangement would not be possible without the vertical storage space provided by this iconic and cost-effective shelving unit. Happy 30th BILLY boy! Or is it Sir William now?

If It’s Hip, It’s Here: The IKEA Billy Bookcase Turns 30 & Gets Its Own Book

"Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values."

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:40:47 -0500

“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.”

- Dalai Lama

Sony To Upgrade PS3 Consoles To 3D - Kotaku

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:17:00 -0500

Sony To Upgrade PS3 Consoles To 3D - Kotaku:

On some next (gen) sh!t.

Blake Edward's Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:25:00 -0500

Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon): *swigging a bottle of scotch*
Kirsten Arnesen (Lee Remick): Ew, I don't see how you can drink that stuff like that. Right out of the bottle, it must taste awful!
Joe: Well, anything worth having is worth suffering for, isn't it?
Kirsten: Ha ha, I guess so.
Magic Juan mini-review: This was like Reefer Madness (1936), but less campy, much more sophisticated (due to the great performances by Lemmon and Remick) and of course, it's about the rather extreme dangers of drinking as opposed to why you shouldn't smoke pot. Despite all that, it seemed to have had an opposite effect on me: I found this dark film enjoyable, sometimes amusing and slightly over-the-top. I also drank a couple shots of Hennessy while watching this anti-boozing story, so I guess the message was lost on me. Plus I tend to prefer [mild spoiler] unhappy and unresolved endings. Good times. Oh, and Lee Remick is fiiiiiiine in this, especially when she's acting wasted. 4/5 stars.

Hot Shots: Part Deux So these (along with the contents of the...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

As Canadian as zambonis get.

17000+, surprisingly not a sellout.

A minute left. 3-2 Sens. Timeout Leafs.

Alfie, Spezza, Fisher talking strategy.

Down to the nitty gritty.

Lining up for the final face-off

01.5...01.0...00.5...00.0

For the win!

It`s oh-vah! Let's go home!

Ghost rink. Peace.

Hot Shots: Part Deux

So these (along with the contents of the previous post) are the best shots that I was able to snap in between scarfing down a Deli Pub half-n-half meat platter (exclusive to the 100 level customers), some ubiquitous nachos and cheese as well as three 24oz plastic glasses of beer (which are mad overpriced, but what’re ya gonna do?). Had a great time. The provincial rivalry is alive and well. Looking forward to the next game. Good mor-nian.

Hot Shots Correction: the seats were in Row B (so 2 rows up from...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:55:00 -0500

We talkin' bout pre-game warm up?

Half-n-Half meat platter w/ slaw&pickle

Our home and native land represent!

Sens are on the board!

About face-off.

3rd fight of the 1st period!

Fish ties it up.

Tilt 2 the right 4 better detail (3-2!)

Game photog turns the cam to the fans.

The Leafs are on Viagra (literally).

Hot Shots

Correction: the seats were in Row B (so 2 rows up from the ice), section 119 (near the southwest corner of the rink). Sh!t was mad close as you would naturally expect. Although because of that, when the action went to the other side of the ice, it was in our best interest to look up at the big screen (which really should be upgraded to a widescreen monitor like the ones at Air Canada Centre) to see what exactly was going on at the other end. This is the one disadvantage of sitting so close to the action.

Also, at the beginning of the 2nd period, the fight between Ruutu and Mitchell (which was the 4th passionate tilt of the night) was right near our section as multiple cameras were focused in that direction. But because of my luck, I was away from my seat getting my beer (priorities, priorities). Got back down there just as the fight was ending (I watched most of it coming down the steps). However, my sister was able to PVR a segment of the game for me in HD. And thanks to the panoramic-esque widescreen view, I got on TV in brief spurts here and there at the very left edge of the frame (well, my back anyway). Yes, I am so cool; cool as in lame, that is.

More pix hummin’ cummin at cha! (pop-pop-pop goes my cam)

EPMD - Cummin’ At Cha (feat. Das EFX) [Prod. Erick Sermon,...

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:23:00 -0500

EPMD - Cummin’ At Cha (feat. Das EFX) [Prod. Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith, DJ Scratch, Mr. Bozack)

It must be said that Business Never Personal is not only the last part in a streak of 4 consecutive legendary albums dropped by Erick and Parrish (microphone doctors/making dollars) from 1987 to 1992 before their initial breakup (and eventual reformation in 1997). But BNP is also the most underrated, dark and grimey EPMD album there ever was. And over the years, it has grown to become my favourite EPMD LP. Although I feel that 1991’s Unfinished Business is EPMD’s best album technically, this was one hell of a swan song for 87-92 era EPMD. And it still knocks very hard (you’ll mos def feel these beats all through your guttiwuts).

At a brief 39 minutes in length, BNP is filled with 11 flawless, hard-hitting, hip hop tracks and there is absolutely no fat on these lean, mean bones. Ironically, BNP is the only EPMD classic that is still out of print today. Although you can download it from a multitude of sites out there (and nowadays, that is the only way to hear this), I’m pleased to have been fortunate enough to have tracked down a used copy of the album 10 years ago at a CD sale that was going on at my university. At that same fateful sale, I also picked up a used copy of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (1992). How anyone can part with original copies of these classics is beyond me, but whatever, I snatched that sh!t up with the quickness (and besides, who could pass up a sale, son?). I then slipped one of the CDs into my CD Walkman (just dated myself), placed some oversized silver DJ headphones on and pressed play to help send me on my way to my next class on the other side of the campus. Good times.

So on that note, put on your favourite pullover hoodie, sport a sturdy backpack, lace up a pair of boots (Timbs, if possible), get off that bullshuck and spin this OOP album ‘til your eardrums beg you to stop (then start it all over again). This is straight hip hop, no chaser. Hummin’! Cummin’ at cha!

Edit: I forgot to mention that BNP is also solid proof of Michael Jackson’s great influence on hip hop culture as there are clever MJ references made by E and P on many of the album tracks. Hearing all of these lines now makes for both an awesome as well as eerie listen, further increasing Business Never Personal’s underrated stock in my eyes.

Maple Leafs at Senators - 11/17/2009 - NHL.com - Game Previews

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:34:00 -0500

Maple Leafs at Senators - 11/17/2009 - NHL.com - Game Previews:

Excited to attend my first live NHL game of the 2009-10 season as I will be at SB Place tonight to witness round 2 of the “Battle of Ontario” for this year. Both teams have been eating it lately (with nearly identical dismal records in the last 10), but more so the Leafs than the Sens. Despite that, it’s always an intense encounter when these teams meet (and the building is usually split 50/50 with fans from both teams drunkenly expressing their feelings). If you’re catching the game on SportsNet HD, our seats are 3 rows up from the ice on the far left-hand side of the screen (right on the bottom-left border of the widescreen frame).

So if you look real closely, you just might be able to peep my back (I know, I know, how exciting [/sarc]). More specifically, if you happen to spot some dude wearing a dark gray Jack & Jones rage jacket with the hood of a cream Great China Wall airbrush hoodie sticking out the back and who’s freshly faded dome is snugly covered in a taupe LV Petit Damier Cap, then that right there mos def be Magic Juan, kid. Cuz nevertheless I dress to impress with no stress and don’t need an ‘S’ upon my chest (and no pants, apparently). And with that, I’ve just fulfilled my weak-ass freestyle quota for the day. Good morning.

Robert Downey Sr.'s Putney Swope (1969) was so bizarre...and I thoroughly enjoyed it (it's like the original Pootie Tang)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:55:56 -0500

Reporter: Mr. Swope, where have you been all these years?
Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson): Laying in the cut!

Could just as easily have been a thousand quotes from the...

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:44:00 -0500

Could just as easily have been a thousand quotes from the G.O.A.T. television drama series (along with The Sopranos). Spoilers abound, naturally. But then again, if you’ve never peeped this perfect show before (a claim that is supported by its unbelievable 9.7 IMDb rating), then where you been this whole time, you johnny-come-lately-ass muf*cka?

Don Hertzfeldt’s REJECTED (2000) In the Spring of 1999,...

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:57:00 -0500

Don Hertzfeldt’s REJECTED (2000)

In the Spring of 1999, the Family Learning Channel commissioned animator Don Hertzfeldt to produce promotional segments for their network. The cartoons were completed in five weeks. The Family Learning Channel rejected all of them upon review, and they were never aired…

Gee, I wonder why.

"Well, it was the columnist and author Tom Friedman who told us that “the world is flat.”..."

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:31:00 -0500

“Well, it was the columnist and author Tom Friedman who told us that “the world is flat.” In boxing, the world is flat enough right now that the biggest star in boxing for Latin Americans, for everybody on the Pacific rim, for everybody in the third world or the undeveloped world, whatever you want to call it, and even for a huge number of Americans is a once poor kid from the Philippines, who has risen so far that he’s almost out of sight. Manny Pacquiao wins again.”

- Jim Lampley’s concluding remarks from the HBO coverage of the Pacquiao/Cotto mur-daaahhhh massacre. For those who didn’t get to watch the fight, Cotto landed solid shots on Manny in the early rounds and dude barely flinched while, in some cases, simultaneously stepping back and throwing even HARDER counter punches from crazy insane angles (how exactly do you defend that without running away like a bitch?). The man can punch HARD off of either foot with great precision and speed while stealing on you from any angle. Plus he can take hard punches. He’s like a welterweight combination of Ali and Tyson (yeah, I said it).

*re-watching the fight right now, focusing this time on some of the funny ringside audience reactions, including those of Jeter, Will Ferrell and Dirk Diggler*

Straight up, seeing Cotto’s face destroyed by “NewPac” (I just made that nickname up right now) in great detail in HD was brutal to say the least (but that is their million dollar job). I’m happy I got the entire 1.5 hour segment saved on my HD PVR (and now the harddrive is filled to the brim once again, but it was totally worth it). Although the best part of the broadcast (other than the fight) was listening to the commentating team be in utter disbelief of Manny’s otherworldly abilities. And those dudes have seen them all.

“We thought Manny Pacquiao was great; he’s better than we thought…maybe he’s better than it gets…he’s also gone from Hero to Nero, to the emperor of all he surveys.” - Larry Merchant

“The 50th win of Pacquiao’s now legendary career! The Manny Pacquiao legend grows and it was already pretty big.” - Lamps

“I would have to call him an all-time great. I mean, I am very impressed. Not just so much just this performance. But he’s been, since 2001, fighting the best fighters all the way from featherweight, all the way up now to welterweight, and been performing on a top level in every fight. I’ve never known a fighter to do that…he is one of the all-time greats; I’d put him up there with the Ray Robinson’s and Ali’s” - Emmanuel Steward

So what more can you say about the Filipino King? An unprecedented 7 titles in 7 weight classes. Nobody does it better (or has ever done that before). Bring on cocky boy Floyd, who has NO logical reason to avoid Manny now since the potential fight purse is far too great to refuse. Although to be honest, I don’t think he wants any part of Pacquiao after watching his unbelievable work in the ring tonight (therefore Floyd’s massive ego will make mad excuses about the purse %, which MUST be 50/50 now). And if they do fight, than Mayweather’s best hope is to run and tag him aka fight a boring fight while barely winning by decision. I bet Manny will make him earn it though by chasing that bitch down (tonight he clearly proved that he will risk taking hard punches in order to land some huge shots…no fear, baby). Either way, can’t wait for that superfight to finally happen. Believe the hype, y’all. Manny is KING.

“On the [60” Grand Vega], I’m just...

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:33:00 -0500

“On the [60” Grand Vega], I’m just watchin’ Pacquiao box ‘em up [in brilliant widescreen HD, the way it’s supposed to be seen, son!]”

Enjoy the fight, fellow Filipinos!

The latest additions to The Auteurs library: The Evil Dead Dr....

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:58:00 -0500

The latest additions to The Auteurs library:

The Evil Dead
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The Dead Zone
Creepshow
Cannibal Holocaust
The Brood (just off-screen)

I’ve been waiting for The Evil Dead to be officially added to the database for 4 months now. Seeing it at the top of the Recently added list this evening put a big smile on my face. And what a great class of films to be inducted with (all listed above). Anyways, if you consider yourself a cinephile or feel that you have a well cultivated taste in film, then check out The Auteurs. It’s the coolest site and community for film that I’ve ever personally encountered. And here’s my profile (which you can also access via the headers at the top of this page).

Black Thought - The Professional (Unreleased) “This...

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:41:00 -0500

Black Thought - The Professional (Unreleased)

“This guy’ll kill you to death inside of 3 rounds! This guy is a wrecking machine…and he’s hungry!” - Mickey Goldmill warning Rocky Balboa about the dangerous Clubber Lang in Rocky III.

In the same tradition as Thought @ Work, Web and 75 Bars, the Bad Lieutenant blacking out for nearly 3 minutes straight with no chaser on this dusted off track recently unearthed from the hip hop vaults. Underrated and understated beasting right here; listen up and proceed with caution because sh!t is straight banana bread laced with walnuts (edit: which coincidentally I’ve been eating a lot of lately). IMO, Pacquiao should use this ill joint as his entrance theme tonight (only in a perfect world would that ever happen).

*Currently reading Pacquiao’s Keys To Victory*

"The one thing that I think you’ll find different about the pace of The Evil Dead is it’s..."

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:35:00 -0500

“The one thing that I think you’ll find different about the pace of The Evil Dead is it’s a little slower. It was shot, as I said, in 1979 and we weren’t in any huge hurry. It was long before, you know, the wacky world of “MTV”. And the pace gets slower at times and I think you can use that to build tension and to set good moods.”

- The incomparable Bruce Campbell, from my most favourite (and as a result, most listened-to) audio commentary, which can be found on the Elite Entertainment Edition, Book of the Dead Edition and Anchor Bay Ultimate Edition of The Evil Dead (all of which I own, naturally). Worth the price of admission all by itself and a guaranteed hilariously good time in digital versatile disc form!

In related news, 30 years ago today, principal photography began on The Evil Dead (on November 14, 1979 during an uncharacteristically freezing fall season in Knoxville, Tennessee). Additional shooting (pick-up shots, re-shoots, stand-ins, etc.) and post production for the film would not be completed for another 2 years. And the rest is LEGENDARY horror history.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles | GameTrailers.com

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:28:49 -0500

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles | GameTrailers.com:

There’s a very good reason why you can’t toggle the fullscreen option on the video at the above link (or why you can’t embed it on any site). I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but feel free to check it out for yourself, even if you’re not planning on copping the upcoming RE game for the Wii (and I for one am not, but I will watch this trailer again).

"13. Eat nuts. Many studies have now found that people who regularly eat nuts, especially walnuts or..."

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:16:44 -0500

“13. Eat nuts. Many studies have now found that people who regularly eat nuts, especially walnuts or almonds, cut their risk of heart disease by as much as half. Nuts are rich in cholesterol-lowering unsaturated fats, folate and other B vitamins, heart-healthy minerals, vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels), fiber, and phytochemicals. The trick is to eat nuts in place of other foods. Since they have 160 to 190 calories per ounce, it is easy to gain weight if you simply add nuts to your daily fare.”

- Wellness Made Easy

Goodie Mob - Soul Food Full version, complete with the Free...

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:47:00 -0500

Goodie Mob - Soul Food

Full version, complete with the Free intro as well as a cameo from Andre Benjamin of OutKast (back when he was known simply as Dre and not Andre 3000 or 3Stacks). Loved whenever this hilarious viddy showed up on Rap City back in the mid-90s. Made you want to avoid all that fast food junk and come and get some soul foooooooood!

From the Organized Noize-produced masterpiece Soul Food (1995); one of the best hip hop tracks, videos and albums of all-time. Glad to see that the band is back together again. And remember: “F*CK Chris Darden, F*CK Marcia Clark” (despite the fact that they were correct).