All posts for the month January, 2012

The Best 10 Movies Of 2011… Are Coming… Soon!

I've punched Hitler hundreds of times.

I’ve drafted my list of what I believe are my ten favorite movies of 2011… but I again don’t have the stamina to write a post as involved as that one tonight.

I am going to shake it up this year, I’ve decided; instead of revealing my top 10 in a single blog post, I’ll spend the next 10 days revealing one movie at a time. That way, I can get as obsessive over each movie as I want without space restrictions, giving each delightful film its full due.

Annnnnd, I can string you fine folks along for 10 whole days using a single subject.

Boo – Ya!

I will note from the upstart, that this will be my most “mainstream” top 10 film list, well, ever. In my retreat back to Colorado, I have also retreated from most classy “Oscar” fodder features, instead spending my time seeing and re-seeing the popcorn movies that simply make things go “Boom.”

So, not to give anything away, but you’ll likely be seeing more CAPTAIN AMERICA, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, type titles, less prestigious YOUNG ADULT, DESCENDANTS,  J. EDGAR, and HUGO type fair. Cause I never saw those classy pics (except DRIVE…)

In 2011, I preferred watching someone kickass for two hours instead of following more mundane plots with more realistic problems. It’s like my highschool years are back… with a vengeance!

So, let me rewatch a few movies (screening GREEN HORNET right now for review) and then I’ll get on that 10 day spanning TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2011 list.

Let your anticipation grow to unhealthy levels verging on obsession.

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by nickdoll on January 11, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 11, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/11/the-best-10-movies-of-2011-are-coming-soon/

M*A*S*H* Theme Lyrics

No one delivers sarcasm quite like Mr. Alda

Remember the M*A*S*H theme song?

You know, that peppy little number that brought in the choppers so that good ole’ Alan Alda and friends could repair the wounded in Korea?

Well, did you know that song has lyrics? I believe they go a little something like this (okay, exactly like this)…

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see…

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it’s too late, and…

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I’ll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I’m beat
and to another give my seat
for that’s the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

MASH
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger…watch it grin, but…

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
‘is it to be or not to be’
and I replied ‘oh why ask me?’

‘Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
…and you can do the same thing if you choose.

Grim shit, right? Not quite as peppy as the song these lyrics accompany, are they?

The song was written for the film version of MASH (starring Keifer’s poppy Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye instead of Mr. Alda) by the director’s 14 year-old-son.

That’s correct, the M*A*S*H theme, which is about suicide, containing the lyrics, “The game of life is hard to play, I’m gonna lose it anyway,” was written by 14-year-old Mike Altman, son of famed director Robert Altman (MASH, THE PLAYER, NASHVILLE).

How depressing and lovely.

So, just remember next time you catch the opening credits of M*A*S*H*, that “Suicide Is Painless.”

A startling revelation for some, a comforting reminder to others who love how bittersweet M*A*S*H* could be.

(And if you already knew that the MASH song has Lyrics, I apologize. I had a longer blog entry on Comic Books started, but lacked the stamina to finish it… today…)

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by nickdoll on January 10, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 10, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/10/mash-theme-lyrics/

I’m Gettin’ Too Old For This Shit

I failed again. Last night, I really screwed up at work (in two different ways), so I didn’t make it home until 4:00am and spent my last minutes before sleep confirming to myself that MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 is a terrible movie. Hence, no blog… again.

As to how I screwed up? I got a little too ambitious in my money counting skills and tried to balance everyone’s register, which is apparently a “no no” and takes a few extra hours to fix (I was supposed to be outy at 2am).

It didn’t help that while my manager was trying to clean up my money mess, I accidently punctured the container of fryer grease and spilt every last drop on the floor in front of the fryer. Which I then had to mop up. Do you realize how hard it is to mop up grease?

But neither failure (failure is a definite theme on this blog) is why I’m “told old for this shit.”

Two night previous, I slept on the floor at Andy’s pad. Because that rat bastard Steve took the couch!

I woke up the next morning and boy, did my back kiiiiiill. Like Colin Ferrell in FRIGHT NIGHT killed.

And so it hurt on my day off Thursday, it started hurting at work last night again when I closed (so much so that I started moving slower than our fifty-something GM who has been having knee pain for weeks), and it hurts worse than ever today. I feel like an old man!

At 23, I am officially too old to sleep on the floor? Murtaugh didn’t start getting “too old for any shit” until his 50th birthday. Does this back pain and my constant inability to get myself out of bed make me “too much older for this shit” than even Roger Murtaugh?

At least I don’t have a partner named Riggs who nearly always gets me killed. (Riiiiiiiiggs!)

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by nickdoll on January 7, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 7, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/07/im-gettin-too-old-for-this-shit/

FAILURE! Horrid, Horrid Failure

I’ve failed!

And on the fourth day, Nick forgot to blog.

I was staying at a friend’s house, knew I’d have find a moment to slip away and write it at somepoint, but honestly, I forgot about the blog about halfway through an argument about which actors could kick Matt Damon’s ass.

What action stars CAN'T kick his ass? Besides Shia, I mean.

Steve and Andrew maintain Damon is a badass, based on the BOURNE films. In fact, I believe they called him one of the most real life threatening actors in HWood. This seemed far fetched to me so I produced a list of actors that could destroy Damon in real life, including Tom Hardy, Jeremy Renner, Daniel Craig, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, and Jason Statham etc, at which point it became which actors could not just presently beat Damon, but which actors could do it in their prime. I quickly added Bruce Willis, Stallone, JCVD,  and Ar-nuld. Steve and Andrew didn’t agree about Arnold because Damon would be too quick and little, but I reminded them he actually has no fighting training, just BOURNE choreography, whereas Ar-nuld is fucking jacked!

But that’s not what this particular post is about. Nor is it about failure, even though I already failed my only New Year’s resolution.

I’ve decided to quickly touch on FRIGHT NIGHT, the most underseen movie of 2011 (behind DRIVE).

FRIGHT NIGHT is just a damn classy and stylish horror-comedy movie (Steve and Andrew don’t agree that it fits in the comedy territory) that no one saw.

From the ghostly opening credits to Hugo’s excellent cover of “99 Problems,” the film is an enjoyable watch from start to finish. Colin Farrell really killed it this summer between HORRIBLE BOSSES and playing the vampire Jerry (who is far more frightening than PARKS & REC’s Jerry). David Tenant also steals a few scenes as as the star of the Vegas show FRIGHT NIGHT, Peter Vincent.

Just… go watch it. Don’t let TWILIGHT sour you on Vampire flicks, cause this one is a fun modern take which turns some of the vampire rules on their head. And the vampires don’t sparkle, they explode into ash like the way  it’s supposed to be!

I’m sure I’ll have more on my love for FRIGHT NIGHT in my inevitable “Top 10 Movies Of 2011 Post” (can’t write that one til I see TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY), so until then I leave you with these 99 Problems.

And yes, even though I’ve already failed at my dream of blogging everyday in 2012, I shall continue to blog daily none-the-less.

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by nickdoll on January 6, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 6, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/06/failure-horrid-horrid-failure/

Flight Or Fright

The Best On Screen Runner Of All: Tom Cruise (Though he usually chases danger.)

If you’re an educated individual with an elementary school education, like myself, then surely you’ve heard of the “fight or flight response.”

According to Wikipedia, the most reliable site on the web, the fight or fright response was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon. Wikiepedia says

“His theory states that animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system, priming the animal for fighting or fleeing.”

I myself, do not subscribe to fight or fright, rather, I am a firm believer in “flight or fright.”

That is, when faced with a threat I react in one of two ways:

1) Flight – like the animals in Cannon’s theory, I may take off running when faced with any kind of threatening, dangerous, or mildley stressful situation (like having to converse with someone of the opposite sex).

2) Fright – I stay in place, face the danger (or lite stress), and piss my pants (which isn’t much of a turn on… to most people…).

Usually, I like to error in the direction of flight, but only because I don’t own very many pairs of pants (though I’m also not a very good runner with with my shin splints and all…).

As John Anderton says in MINORITY REPORT, “Everybody runs.”

Very true, Anderton, but some of us run more than others. (And some of us run AWAY from the danger, unlike Cruise’s other alter ego Ethan Hunt.)

Run, Ethan, Run!

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by nickdoll on January 4, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 4, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/04/flight-or-fright/

My Favorite Side Effect From Working At A Movie Theater


My Place Of WorkI work at a movie theater. I bet there are some of you who think this job sounds like it could be fun, just as I’m sure there are more realistically quite a few more who would consider it a menial and degrading job meant for high-schoolers (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Both statements above are true; sometimes you love the magic of movies that surround you while at other times you tire of telling people you can’t find their lost wallet, cellphones, and gold-rim glasses.

There are certainly some benefits to the job, including free movies on days off and unlimited free soda while on the clock.

There are also strange side-effects, like the fact that when you work at a movie theater you smell like popcorn… always. There are side effects of the positive and negative variety, such as the earlier example, which is a little of both.

There is one side effect I enjoy more than any of the others…

Hearing music I love while at work without the aid of an iPod (I can’t believe I originally typed eyepod [no joke]) or other illegal-at-work device!

I’m a movie score junkie. That means I get the same thrill you got when you first heard The Beatles, or P. Diddy, or Justin Beiber, or Third Eye Blind, or 3OH3! or BNL, or whatever when I hear a movie score from films likes SHERLOCK HOLMES, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, or anything from the great one: John Williams.

This means for me, it’s like having three of your favorite artists all release CDs within the span of a month which your place of employment plays snippets throughout the day.  Because this Christmas saw the release of SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, and two films from Steven Spielberg (a director who has worked exclusively with the composer since before even JAWS), I’m as happy as a clam.

Hopefully happier.

Holmes and Moriarty Discus Their Favorite Board Game

Just because the great one didn’t compose the music for either GAME OF SHADOWS or GHOST PROTOCOL, doesn’t mean these two excellent scores don’t come composers of an excellent pedigree.

Lets start with that GAME OF SHADOWS, the music for which was composed by Hans Zimmer. If you go to the movies in the summer, you’ve surely heard his excellent scores for the original SHERLOCK HOLMES, BATMAN BEGINS, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, THE DARK KNIGHT, INCEPTION, and M:I:II (That’s MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 for all you normal folk who aren’t fluent in geek), among many others.s don’t also come from composers of a high pedigree.

Then, there’s MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -GHOST PROTOCOL with hot licks (good music) from Michael Giacchino who wrote the music for 2009′s STAR TREK, UP, SUPER 8, LOST, M:I:III (again, that’s MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III), and THE INCREDIBLES. If this latest score ain’t a thing of beauty that matches the insane non-stop sprint that is GHOST PROTOCOL’s pace, then I ain’t sitting in my bed, fully clothed and exhausted, writing a blog after work at 3:00 am I morning (and I believe I is doing exactly that, I is!)

This Mission Is Even Impossibler than last time, guys!

Finally, back to Williams who wrote scores for Steven Spielberg’s ADVENTURES OF TINTIN and WAR HORSE, one with a very INDIANA JONES style and the other more akin to SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. You may also know him from his work on JAWS, STAR WARS, JURASSIC PARK, and ET.

Yes, it’s a good time to be working at a movie theater with the sweet sounds of Zimmer, Giacchino, and The Great One drifting out of theaters as I pass. Or bombarding me while I “supervise” a group of high-schoolers clean up popcorn and half-empty soda bottles.

The only theater side effect that compares is hearing an interesting movie trailer while passing an open door and stepping in for a look at THE AVENGERS, DARK KNIGHT RISES, or PROMETHEUS on a giant screen with ear-shattering volume.

Speaking of which, that means there’s new music from Hans Zimmer and Alan Silvestri (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, FORREST GUMP, BACK TO THE FUTURE and that terribly… awesome SUPER MARIO BROS. film from the 90s) on the way this summer! Huzzah!

 

 

 

 

 

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by nickdoll on January 3, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 3, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/03/movietheatersideeffect/

Manifesto

Hello! And welcome (back) to SIMPLY PASSING THROUGH HISTORY, called the “best/most-worthwhile/most necessary-toward-mankind’s-survival blog on the interwebs” by Nick Doll.

First off, fair warning: I don’t exactly understand what “Manifesto” means, but ANCHORMAN: WAKE UP RON BURGUNDY leads me to believe it is some set of rules that will dictate my future actions; in this case relating to the art (oh, yes, it’s an art) of blogging.

Several years ago, when I was still living in Hollywood (okay, Los Angeles… though it was officially ”West Hollywood” [and annoyingly called WeHo]) and working at the Barnes and Noble on Pico Blvd (which no longer exists. what can I say? I was indispensable.), I started blogging… daily.

Sometimes those blogs were things of beauty, like my Disneyland conspiracy theories or my longtime war with my arch-nemesis, Panda Express fortune cookies, or my defense of Doc Ock . Other times, they were lazy, like when I wrote a blog about why I was watching S.W.A.T. instead of writing a longer post. And sometimes, I pushed the boundaries of what was appropriate, like my last blog post in which I really gave it to Liam Neeson’s deceased wife.

This new blog will hopefully look a lot like the last one, only this time hopefully I will make it the entire year. Rather, hopefully I will post one blog a day until the world ends on 12/21/12. (Who am I kidding? We all know I never finish projects I set out to complete – see Web Series, Podcast [Oh, that will happen in 2012!], all my screenplays, and going all the way with a woman).

Sometimes my blogs will be lengthy, sometimes they will be hilarious, sometimes they will offend, sometimes they will be mundane, and sometimes they may be less than a paragraph long. They will nearly all be geeky, because in 2011 I finally came to except what I am inside: a raging geek. I just hope to blog everyday until 2013.

And for those smart asses out there (my ass only has an IQ of 69) who notice that this entry was posted on January 2nd, 2012, don’t forget my “sleep cycle” rule! If I wake up on the 1st and don’t post till after midnight, I still count it as a post for the 1st because I am still awake from waking up on the 1st. The 2nd doesn’t start for me until I return to bed and awaken tomorrow morning.

So, Ha!

Anyway if you look forward to tales of geekiness, comic books, working at NBC & interning in Hollywood, obsessing over movies, ridiculous rants and conspiracy theories, please join me every day at www.SimplyPassingThroughHistory.com.

If you’re still not sure what you’re in for, please visit the old iteration of SIMPLY PASSING THROUGH HISTORY by clicking HERE (that’s right, all those underlined sentences were links! [Why didn't your smart ass with the 140 tell you that?]).

I’ll try to be less crude that before, but I can’t help but make the tasteless joke every blog or two… sowwy.

So, cum (see? tasteless, but it makes me chuckle all the same) with me, my digital friends, as we simply pass through history together!

Love,

Nick Doll

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by nickdoll on January 2, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by nickdoll on January 2, 2012

http://simplypassingthroughhistory.com/2012/01/02/manifesto/

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