One week!

I just realized that in less than a week, I'll be in New York City watching Jersey Boys! I'll post more later! Check back later in the week for a plot summary, my feeling before the show, pictures, and my opinion on the show after seeing it!

Can't wait!

Figure it out yet?

Have you guessed where the lovely creature in the photo is from? If you couldn't get it after my last post, I'm deeply ashamed of you. But, for those who can't figure it out, our bug friend is from...

MEN IN BLACK 

This is what the bug looks like inside his "Edgar suit."

Hope you enjoyed!

Feature of the Week: Men in Black

The good guys dress in black, remember that. I don't think you'll ever have to worry about running into one of these guys in real life, but they sure make a good movie. That's right, this week, we're talking about the Men in Black, another one of my favorites. This is one of those movies I could watch over and over again and not get tired of it. The sequel is also pretty excellent, but I'm a sucker for the original. There's just something about men in black suits fighting a giant bug that gets me every time.


This movie shows what happens why a NYPD cop gets recruited for the most elite defense groups out there: the Men in Black, a group who takes out "the worst scum of the universe." When Agent J (Will Smith) teams up with Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), the team is unstoppable... well, almost. Let me rephrase-- unstoppable after J gets some training. J's first day on the job seems to be pretty normal. At least, as normal as things can be when you work with aliens. Then, the earth gets an unexpected surprise-- a giant bug has come to the Earth, and he will stop at nothing to get his hands on a galaxy protected by a prince from another planet. The Men in Black are stuck in the middle, doing all they can to stop the two worlds from colliding, while pulling their own world out of the middle.

Love love love this movie. And I absolutely cannot wait until May 2012 when Men in Black III comes out! This movie was actually turned into a ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. You get to experience what it's like to be a agent for yourself. The ride takes you through the alien-filled streets of NYC, and you only have your wits and your trusty cricket gun to get you through! It's super fun, and I almost always win when we go; however, I know the secret; press the red button like in the movie, and you get 100,000 bonus points. So next time you go and play, you can thank me for the tip.

Check it out. If you're a sci-fi kind of guy, you'll enjoy it.

Have Any Idea?

Know where this ugly guy is from? This movie is one of my all-time favorites!
I'll give you some clues:
1. It's a Universal production.
2. It deals with things out of this world.
3. Zapping big bugs is a normal part of the job for the 2 main characters.

Think you know? Stay tuned. I'll post the answer later in the week!

Rent is coming to a city near you!

In today's economy, it's not always easy to scrape up the cash to see a Broadway show, especially if you don't live close to New York City. However, there are ways to see the same shows both for a cheaper price and closer to home. You just have to know where to look!

Penn State University is doing a production of the show Rent, one of Broadway's greatest. The tickets are cheaper, and if you live in the area, the gas won't cost you nearly as much as it would to venture to NYC. This is a great opportunity to get some culture! 

Scheduling and Tickets

Opening Night: Thursday, April 7 
Preview at 7:30 p.m.: April 5 
Evenings at 7:30 p.m.: April 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19
Matinée at 2 p.m.: April 16
Evening: $18.00 • Preview/Matinée: $16

(Shown at the Pavilion Theater on campus) 

The easiest way to get get tickets is by phone (814-863-0255 or 800-ARTS-TIX (278-7849)) but they can also be ordered in person.

Check it out! I don't know much about Rent, but I've always heard it's a fantastic show. I will even be going myself!

Best in Film

ABC News and People Magazine recently teamed up to name exactly what the title says-- name the best in film. The results were aired on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 on ABC. America voted on the favorites in 15 different categories; the movies on the lists were chosen by an panel of actors, producers, directors, critics, and others in the film industry. The poll was open from November 2010 to January 2011 and over 500,00 votes were cast. Only ten of the fifteen categories were released on television while the other five (along with the rest of the results) were put online. The nominees were all extremely well-known, as well as extremely well-done. Some of my favorite movies were nominated and a few even won.

The categories were: best film, best comedy, best sci-fi, best animated film, best musical, best suspense/thrill, best action film, most romantic screen couple, greatest film character, greatest line, best horror film, best western film, best chick flick, best political/historical film, and greatest on screen kiss. Each category had four runners-up.    Many of these movies, if not all, are classics. Now, I personally cannot watch horror or suspense films due to a weak stomach and because I'm a chicken. However, I highly recommend watching these movies. If a movie is chosen by all of America, it must be good.

Best Film: Gone With the Wind (1939)
An all-time classic, Gone With the Wind took home several wins. If you've never seen it, I highly recommend that you do. It's extremely long (three total hours; after the first hour and 15 minutes there is a short intermission) but it is so worth it.
2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
3. The Godfather (1972)
4. Casablanca (1942)
5. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Greatest Character: Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump, 1994)
It's no surprise that this lovable, yet dim-witted character is the greatest character; he shows what hard work and a heart full of love can really get you in life.
2. James Bond (James Bond Films)
3. Scarlett O'Hara (Gone With the Wind, 1939)
4. Dr. Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs, 1991)
5. Indiana Jones (Indiana Jones Films)

Greatest On-Screen Kiss: Gone With the Wind (1939)
Every girl wants to find her Rhett Butler, so she can be "kissed often, and by someone who knows how." Except Scarlett O'Hara. At least at first. This kiss makes it seem like Rhett finally won his girl over, but the battle isn't over yet.
2. From Here to Eternity (1953)
3. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
4. An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
5. Casablanca (1942)

I've already told you that there are many more categories. Check out the rest for yourself at http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Best_Film/!

The Ugliest Shirts on TV

I can guarantee that at some point in your life, you have once criticized what someone else is wearing. People do it all the time. I'm not saying we should judge other people, but sometime, the outfits we see on other people can be a little out there, and characters on TV are no exception to that rule. Fox New's entertainment section has been acting as the fashion police, and I figured I'd share their discoveries with you. Some of them are pretty bad.

 

Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) from Two and a Half Men

Charlie himself said it best: at least he 

doesn't have to wear those ugly shirts anymore.

 

Original American Idol judge Simon Cowell

No costumes involved in this show, just

really bad decision making on Simon's part.

Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) in Magnum, P.I.

Tom has truly aged very gracefully. However, open 

shirts aren't flattering on those with that much chest hair.

Alan Harper (John Cryer) in Two and A Half Men

Alan is Charlie's younger brother. 

It appears bad style runs in the family.

Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) in The Big Bang Theory

It is possible to be a brainiac and have a sense of style.

Apparently, Howard wasn't that lucky.

Laverne (Penny Marshall) in  Laverne & Shirley

No one could forget Laverne with her sense of style.

And the giant letter "L" that she always wore.

Dr. Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) in The Cosby Show

I think the sweater in this picture says it all.

I have nothing more to add.

Kramer (Michael Richards) in Seinfeld

Kramer was known for his strange over-sized blazers.

The look fit him. (Not literally.)

Raymond Barone  (Ray Romano) in Everybody Loves Raymond

Flannel shirts are good every once in a while,

but how many flannels can one man own!?

Wonder Woman is Switching Things Up

Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman

Adrianna Palicki

Everybody has heard of Wonder Woman and knows about her magic lasso, bullet-deflecting bracelets, and star-covered short-shorts. However, in an upcoming NBC series, Wonder Woman will be switching things up. In the 1970's series, Lynda Carter wore the classic Wonder Woman outfit, as pictured to the left. The red top, the blue and white star-studded shorts, the lasso, the bracelets, and the red boots. But if all goes as planned, a new Wonder Woman show will soon be hitting the screen, and, as stated above, some changes will be made. However, the show first has to make it thought the pilot. David E. Kelley, the director of the upcoming pilot, has said that he wants to add some depth to the character of Wonder Woman-- he wants her to be portrayed as "a real complex woman and not just a superhero." Some fans have already been tripped up by the change, while others seem to like it. The changes may seem major to part of the population, and others may not care. It depends on how susceptible the fans are to change. The new costume, which, in the picture to the right, is worn by the lead actress of the pilot, Adrianne Palicki, differs in the pants and boots. The pants are now a type of blue leggings, and the boots are blue. Is the switch really that big of a deal? In my personal opinion, it is not. As long as the show is a good one, and the character is accurately portrayed, I don't see why the costume change matters. Then again, I am not a Wonder Woman fan. I can see why some would be upset with the change. No one wants to see a beloved character look a way their not supposed to. But sometimes change is good.

Feature of the Week: Back to the Future

"Wait a minute, Doc. Are... are you telling me you

 built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?"

"The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine

 into a car, why not do it with some style!?"

I'm not going to lie. I'm definitely in an 80's mood this week. The strange thing is, I wasn't even born until the 90's. But lately, I've been listening to Bon Jovi non-stop and I keep getting the desire to watch 80's movies. So I figured I'd share one of my all-time favorites with you today, and if you already guessed what it is from the quote above, you are officially my new best friend. Back to the Future was released in 1985, the same year the movie takes place. Now, if you're not one for confusing time travel movies, you may actually be okay with this one; it really isn't that bad. Compared to a movie such as The Time Traveler's Wife, this movie is a piece of cake. 

So, let me take you through it. 

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is your average 17 year-old kid. He is awesome with a guitar, he slacks in school, he loves his beautiful girlfriend... and his best friend is a 60-some-year-old eccentric genius messing around with plutonium and the space-time continuum. Average right? The movie starts out with  Doc (Christopher Lloyd), the mad scientist, calling Marty up to come see his latest and greatest invention, but he has to wait until 1:00 AM to come. Marty sneaks out, video camera in hand, and witnesses Doc's breakthrough: DeLorean-turned-time machine that is powered by the incredibly dangerous chemical plutonium. Doc explains it all, including when he got the idea for the flux capacitor (the gadget that makes time travel possible) back in 1955. However, the situation turns sticky when the Libyan terrorists that Doc stole the plutonium from come to get their revenge. Doc's luck ran out, but Marty was able to escape, with one tiny little problem: he's now stuck in the year 1955 with no plutonium to get him back home. Through a series of events, Marty finds both his parents and interferes with their first meeting. This means his parents never met, which in turn means he was never born. With the help of the Doc from 1955, Marty must get his parents back together and get home all before he either a) disappears altogether, or b) misses the lighting storm that could potentially get him back home (after all, everyone knows that both plutonium and lightning produce 1.21 gigawatts of power, right?). What happens next? I guess you'll just have to watch and find out.

If you like the first BTTF movie, I highly recommend the second and third as well. Neither movie is as good as the first, but they still rather rock. Check them out. They're a little long, but the time flies. (Ha! Punny.)

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts.

If there's something strange        If there's something weird       

in your neighborhood                 and it don't look good 

Who ya gonna call?                   Who ya gonna call?

GHOST BUSTERS!                  GHOST BUSTERS!

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts.

Are YOU afraid of ghosts? If you've ever seen Ghost Busters, then I'm sure you've realized the ghosts these men are busting really aren't that scary. I got on a kick recently; I had never seen the movie until this very weekend and now I'm currently watching it for the second time. It is a cheesy as can be, but I have to give them some credit; as far as lame 80's effects go, these aren't the worst I've seen. And when a movie has a theme song as awesome as Ghost Busters', it makes it all worth it. 

The original Ghost Busters debuted in 1984, and the second followed in 1989. While doing a little research today, I found that a third might soon follow. It's only been rumored, although a script definitely has been written. Bill Murray just isn't too excited for a third production, which is why he refuses to read this script. This is why nothing has happened yet. But, if these people can make the duo of movies into a trilogy, more power to them. Honestly, I'd love to see what they can do with the effects and technology of today. 

So if you've never seen GB, check it out. If you're nerdy like me, you're bound to get at least a few laughs out of it. And even if you're not, you can still get a cheap laugh from how awful the effects are. 

In the meantime, check out Ray Parker, Jr.'s video. You'll get an idea of what I mean by "awful." Even the music video is bad! But the song is so darn catchy.