A Serious Man

The Coen Bros. latest Best Picture nominee is out on DVD and Blu-Ray today, and you might be one of those people considering seeing it for the first time. Although I wouldn’t call it a bad movie–it’s too well-made for that–I would caution potential viewers that unless you have a really, really offbeat sense of humor, this won’t appeal to you. Of course, if you happen to be a Jew who grew up in Minnesota 40 years ago, this film will have some nostalgia value.

Protagonist Larry Gopnik

As the credits rolled in the theater, I said to myself, “wow, it must be nice to be the Coens and have total artistic freedom to do whatever the hell you want.” A Serious Man is an interesting example of how having won a few Oscars gives a filmmaker carte blanche, and it has a few moments, but most likely you’ll be left shaking your head at the end. In short, it’s not one of the 10 best movies of 2009.

The rarely seen double-clutch free throw attempt

Thanks to Brady Morningstar of #1 Kansas for the chuckles.

The half-wearing a swimsuit issue

Cover girl Brooklyn Decker appears to be having some trouble with that bikini top!

Also, some of our Olympians are risking overexposure, if you will, before the games even begin!

Just go look at some porn already…

No, I don’t miss you

Looming over I-35 in Wyoming, MN

Via Huffington Post.

Don’t Sing “My Way” in the Philippines

Next time you find yourself in a Manila karaoke bar, you might want to avoid picking the old Sinatra standard:

The authorities do not know exactly how many people have been killed warbling “My Way” in karaoke bars over the years in the Philippines, or how many fatal fights it has fueled. But the news media have recorded at least half a dozen victims in the past decade and includes them in a subcategory of crime dubbed the “My Way Killings.”

The killings have produced urban legends about the song and left Filipinos groping for answers. Are the killings the natural byproduct of the country’s culture of violence, drinking and machismo? Or is there something inherently sinister in the song?

Personally, I think “Strangers in the Night” makes a better karaoke selection anyway.

What is Burn Notice?

SNL asks and Wikipedia answers that the title of the USA network show “refers to the burn notices issued by intelligence agencies to discredit or announce the dismissal of agents or sources who are considered to have become unreliable.”

It’s Not East Being Lady Gaga

Bizarro Cabinet

The NYT has a fun page that lets you pick the Obama cabinet and compare your choices with those of others. I had a good laugh over some of the names that were within the top 20 for various positions, including the following, which would make for some freakishly awesome cabinet meetings:

• Defense: Arnold Schwarzenegger (18th)
• State: Noam Chomsky (16th)
• Homeland Security: Ron Paul (8th)
• Attorney General: John Edwards (8th) or Eliot Spitzer (14th)
• Treasury: Ralph Nader (17th)

I think I can say with confidence that none of these individuals are actually in consideration for these positions. The #1 choices are Robert Gates, Bill Richardson, Richard Clarke, Janet Napolitano and Paul Volcker, as of this writing.

Calzaghe-Jones

It’s on YouTube, for now.

Dissing Nancy Reagan

You know, I enjoy laughing about Nancy Reagan’s being crazy as much as anyone, but it sure seemed odd to see Barack Obama crack a joke at her expense in his first presser as president-elect. That can’t be the way to build a broad coalition with people of all backgrounds, which was a recurring theme on the campaign trail. Having to apologize shortly thereafter shows his advisers realize he was off base. I’d rather Obama spend his political capital on getting his agenda passed rather than on nonsense like this.