Date Night

Date Night is a movie you do not go to see for its incredible plot line. The plot is already known. The outcome is already figured out. The happy ending is obvious the moment you sit down in the comfy theater seat. You see this movie for its two leads: Steve Carell and Tina Fey. They are two of the most talented comedic actors on TV and together they are hilarious.

The movie is at its best when they are obviously left alone to ad lib and play. The audience knows they are having fun on screen and it translates to some memorable lines. The cameos in the film are numerous with the funniest being JB Smoove.

Again, the actual plot is as loose and foggy as they come. The obligatory scene in which the leads get serious and work out their personal issues amid the chaos around them is quick and somewhat believable. Ignore all of it. The funny is with Steve and Tina bringing their A games to the table. Sit back and watch Michael Scott and Liz Lemon as real people in ridiculous situations. Put your brain's common sense on hold and enjoy.

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Adventure of the Day

Today I put my nerves to the test. With only "18 miles to empty" I decided to make the 14 mile sojourn down the Parkway to Alyssa's. During rush hour. With temperatures pushing 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Here is the result.

18 miles: Out of the driveway and I make my way to the Parkway. I lose 3 miles just getting to the tollbooth and make it close to exit 163. Still 12 miles to go.

15 miles: "Oh crap!" Traffic. I've got Springsteen blaring "Light of Day" from his In Concert / MTV Plugged Album and the tension is building. Great song, but man am I starting to sweat! And the AC is on! The counter drops to 14.

14 miles: Traffic is stop and go as I pass exit 161. Only ten miles to go so I'm looking pretty good right now... until I look as the digital miles to empty counter which is above my rear view mirror. 12 miles! "What the hell happened to 13?!? Oh, poop!"

12 miles: I turn the AC off and open the windows. I become environmentally savvy quick as can be. I need to conserve my gas. Can I turn anything else off? Nope, Bruce stays on.

9 miles: Checking the traffic to gas ratio. It is holding at a steady 2/3 right now. 9 miles left in the tank with 6 miles to go. I just might be able to pull this off.

5 miles: "Ahh!" I can see the dang sign for gas but my car is not moving. No, my gas-o-meter hasn't lied to me; it's the bloody traffic! I stopped moving with "6 miles to empty" and watched it click on down to 5! Jiminy Christmas!
4 miles: Finally got over to the right lane and pulled off the Parkway! Crisis averted. My gas tank allegedly holds 18 gallons and, I kid you not, it took 17.990 gallons of regular unleaded. Also, on a side note, leather seats and no AC do not mix. I could feel my T-shirt peel off the seat.

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Pre Wedding Bliss-ters

Back in more manlier times, a man would actually go out and kidnap the woman of his choosing with the help of his best friend. This Best Man would aid in fighting off all the other men who were also interested in kidnapping the woman and he would also assist in deceiving the bride's family as to the location of the "happy couple."

That is what I call a kick butt wedding ritual. There are some other really awesome wedding rituals such as the bachelor party, which was known as the stag party. It was held the night before the wedding and the groom would drink and dine with all his friends and he would swear off his crazy ways, but also pledge his continuing friendship to those in attendance.

Today was a less glamorous pre-wedding ritual...for the groom.

Today was the beginning of the gift registry. Crate & Barrel

I'm sorry but a dish is a dish and a fork is a fork. EFF!

The best part of the registering was when a guy, who, like me, was with his better-half-to-be, and they had just came from the little bowl section when the girl found another little bowl. The man proceeds to say, in a hushed shout, "You just scanned one like this over there!"

His lucky lady replies, "No, I didn't. This one is different."

A little bowl is a little bowl.

I turn around and say, "Buddy, I know how you feel."

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Being a Man

Just as Hercules had to complete his labors in order to be at peace, there are certain tasks that must be completed by a guy in order for him to call himself a man. Many tasks involve the sacred symbol of manliness-- the automobile.

Change a flat - check
Jump start a dead battery - check
Change a dead battery in the rain and the dark with the manliest of flashlights, the Maglite, with only one wrench and a brand new DIEHARD 12 volt - CHECK




Mr. Pat M and I completed this last task successfully and in a timely manner with the raging Hackensack River at our backs and the raw, biting wind in our faces. God showered some mercy upon us by cutting back on the torrential rain that had been consuming the entire east coast all day leaving us only the shoe-suctioning mud to deal with. The sea was angry that day, my friends, but neither Pat nor I would back down from such a challenge.

Onto the next man challenge - Kidnapping a bear cub



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Hit Counter

I won the battle of wills.

The Internet thought it could defeat me and failed. Score 1 for the blogging idiot.

Randomness

The Hardy boys were wise beyond their years.

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Hot Tub Time Machine

Many of the beloved comedies of the 80s starred John Cusack. He has arguably more memorable scenes from that decade than any other actor. John Cusack and the 80s just go together. So it is a real treat to be able to see him once again on his home turf surrounded by all the gimmicks of that hyper colored era. He basks in it. And there are also more than a few winks to his early career, the most notably being Sixteen Candles where, this time, he gets to be the leading man.

The other additions to his crew of misbehaving time traveling scene stealers are Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke. Corddry and Robinson are both hilarious. Duke gets in a few great one-liners, but he is relegated to the one character trying the hardest to get back to the present. Crispin Glover also takes his career full circle playing a bellhop in the present and in the past much reminiscent of his Back to the Future role.

Finally, I give this film a lot of credit for its setup. The whole reason behind why the four friends head off to Kodiak Lodge in the first place is as believable as it is convenient.

Hot Tub Time Machine is a really funny movie that explores what happens when the characters need to repeat the faults of their pasts in order to get back to the present even if they don't really want to.

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