November 16, 2012: Dark Matter! Mystery Projects! More J-pop and K-pop videos! And the mailbag!

Whew.  What a day!  It started with a doctor's appointment and ended with a conference call about an exciting potential new project.  In between, I fielded texts, emails, and phone calls about Dark Matter, read what Paul has written so far on that "other" project, talked to a lawyer, met with my bank rep, and…

November 14, 2012: Sweet, sweet, elusive sleep! News of note!

Hmmm.  I seem to have lost my grasp on this whole sleeping thing. After a relatively promising first night back from Tokyo, I've been unable get back into a west coast rhythm.  Last night, I lay awake until 3:00 a.m., trying to remember what, exactly, it felt like to fall asleep. I envy people who…

November 12, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Fantastic Four (2205)!

Okay, yes, dis be garbage movie but viewer have to keep in mind dat it made in 1994 by schlock producer Roger Corman for miniscule budget and film never meant to be released...Wait.  What?  Dis NOT de Roger Corman crapfest but de 2005 $100 million budget version?  Are you sure? Hmmm.  Monster just checked and…

October 22, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews Batman Begins!

Batman Begins fantastik but END just better den average.  Direktor Christopher Nolan use Richard Donner Superman as a guide and, strukturally, both movies very similar  wit strong, backstory-rich, character-driven first halves dat eventually give way to typikal nonsensical-actiony back halves.  Direktion and cinematography are brilliant while akting and writing are good - for de most part.…

October 15, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl!

While watching Shark Boy and Lava Girl, monster reminded of great children's movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Toy Story, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - and how very crap Shark Boy and Lava Girl be in comparison.  In fakt, dis movie so bad it even compare unfavorably to Elmo's arts and crafts macaroni…

October 14, 2012: Ice Cream Football Sunday! Birthday Cupcakes! And some winners!

Before you ask - no.  Sadly, my Snow Monkeys did not win this weekend.  Ah, what might have been... If Trent Richardson hadn't left the game with a rib injury. If Brady Quinn had done a better job of looking for Dwayne Bowe. If Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline hadn't, apparently, missed the team bus…

October 12, 2012: The Perfect Pork Chop!

I'm a big fan of pork chops, but usually only when I make them.  Like fireworks, dry ice, and raw milk cheese, the proper care and preparation of pork chops cannot be entrusted to just anyone.  Many high-end restaurants seem to know what they're doing, while my buddy Rob, an avowed pork aficionado, certainly knows…

October 11, 2012: My To-Do List! Vote for your favorite comedic Stargate episode!

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a writer.  And so, I sought out opportunities, worked hard, persevered and, today, I'm a writer.  This story would be impressive if not for the fact that, in addition to wanting to be a writer, I also wanted to be a famous detective and a starting…

October 10, 2012: Looking ahead! Another Stargate poll! What was the best comedic episode in Stargate history? The Snow Monkey report!

To those of you asking - Yes, I fully intend to continue my trip down Stargate Atlantis memory lane by covering the fifth season and, eventually, offering some insight into the never-produced SGA movie, Stargate: Extinction.  I've planned a trip to Japan for early November, so that Akemi can visit with her family, and plan…

October 9, 2012: In which the author recommends stuff!

You know what's even better than discovering a terrific new book? Discovering a terrific new author.  All too often, I've come across books I've enjoyed only to be disappointed by subsequent works by the same author.  Not so with Jeffrey Ford, one of the most imaginative and consistently entertaining writers out there.  Several years ago,…

October 8, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews Elektra!

Dis movie as confused as monster at Grover's bris after me down four shooters, tree oatmeal cookies (de drink, not de cookie), and six oatmeal cookies (de cookies, not de drink).  But me not de only one confused dat night.  Turn out whole party giant misunderstanding. Girlfriend tired of Grover being taken advantage of by…

October 4, 2012: And a few recent big screen disappointments!

In yesterday's blog entry, I ran down a list of movies so bad, they actually hurt.  They hurt because, at the time I paid the ticket price to sit in a theater and watch them, I was far less jaded and a long way from the embittered, hyper-critical viewer I am today.  The five movies…

October 3, 2012: Movies so disappointing they hurt!

And the reason they hurt so much was because, at the time, I was a young, innocent lover of film, naive to the ways of Hollywood with its slapdash sequels, soulless reboots, and godawful adaptations.  These were movies a fresh, ingenuous Joe looked forward to, counting down the days to their release. I expected great…

October 1, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Incredibles!

Me know, me know.  You expecting monster to say dis movie be SUPER.  Or mebbe INCREDIBLE!  But me not so obvious.  No, monster more unprediktable den Lindsay Lohan at one of Oscar de Grouch's Hobo Hoedowns.  What me WILL say is dat monster pleasantly surprized by how much me enjoy dis movie considering it be…

September 29, 2012: Dangerous dog treats! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! The Last Man!

Watched an infuriating report last night on Marketplace that detailed the string of pet sicknesses and deaths purportedly linked to two dog treats manufactured in China: Waggin' Train Dog Treats and Milo's Chicken Jerky treats.  I say "purportedly" because, even though many dogs have gotten sick and, in some cases, died after ingesting these treats,…