Cameron H.

What I found odd about this movie is how it forced this red herring down our throats, like so much health spa sushi, only to reveal at the end that the red herring was actually just the herring. From the beginning, the movie goes to great pains to set David up as the bad guy: he confesses to never liking Michael (what's not to like?), he blames Michael for his sister's untimely death, and he freely admits that, not only is he the only person with the skills to make a computer *sigh* shoot acid, but he is the only person capable of covering those tracks. Every time the finger is pointed squarely in David's direction, it goes to great pains to prove this isn't the case, until, in the end, it turns out to be...David. And to answer the question as whether the murders are supernatural or technological, I'd guess it's a little bit of both. In my opinion, as Catherine's twin, David provides a conduit to the corporeal realm. She's a ghost and can do ghostly things, but since she wasn't proficient with them in life, she doesn't have any of his skills with computers. When bonded with her brother, she gains his technological know-how to use against Michael. Apart, they can do some stuff, but together they become another beast all together--like a more fucked up version of the Wonder Twins. If you ask me, this whole movie is a technophobic's ghost story. To the writer of this movie, computers, gyms, and ghosts all seem to be of the same echelon of things to be considered terrifying, which is to say, the writer is obviously scared to death of things he knows nothing about. This is a guy* who thinks automated exercise machines would provide the best workout, ghosts can be killed with a revolver, and computers with a program that's freezing can be fixed with a screwdriver. And speaking of screwdrivers...does that scene ever have a payoff? David shows up saying Michael sent him, he threatens Laura, and leaves. Later, Michael says he never sent David there. Considering everything that's going on, and that David is still the prime suspect and all the murders seem to be computer based, shouldn't he be a little bit concerned? I honestly thought Catherine was somehow "in" the computer system, and David was somehow networking his home computer to the Health Spa so she could get at him at home. But, no. In the end, as it ever was, his home remains a sanctuary for all his beloved Southwestern-style vests--the only things he loves, and the only things he ever will love. *I'm not fact checking whether the writer was a man or not. I'm comfortable with my assertion.

Actually, he did do it...a lot. It was really pathetic. I don't really want to give this douche any more attention than he has already gotten, but I just listened to the episode this morning--after reading the forum posts--and was waiting for it. Not only does he do it at the beginning (fine, whatever), but he then does it again a little bit later while Paul is speaking--I believe this is when Jason calls him out on it. He then does it a couple of more times, he stupidly admits to it, and then afterward, does it AGAIN! Are people really that starved for attention? "Hey bro, you hear that whistling? That was me! D'urrrr!" People just need to learn what it means to be a good audience member.

Wow--okay, I finally had a chance to listen to the episode and I can see why it might make some people want to go back in watch it. They did a great job and it was a million times more interesting than actually watching the movie. My biggest question is: "Why does the movie hate so much," more specifically, women and the institution of marriage? It was covered extensively in the episode. but why is Michael such a shit to his wife? When he is talking to the paranormal investigator, not only does he get overly defensive about his alleged infidelity, but he seemingly blames his wife for her depression and resulting suicide: "After she lost the baby, I couldn't reason with her." Oh really, you unsympathetic shithead? You couldn't reason with her? Do you think that maybe her fragile state of mind might be a result of her carrying a child to term only to lose that child (Which is an intrapartum death, not a "miscarriage") and her ability to walk in one fell swoop? Not everyone has the ability to just bounce back from a tragedy like that and just go back to having aquafrolics with their best friend in the gym's pool. Maybe instead of trying to "reason" with your wife, you just be there for her during a really difficult time. Perhaps suggest professional counseling instead of shoving a limp asparagus into her mouth-- something I can only assume he must have done based on his track record for dealing with women coping with traumatic injuries... But Michael isn't the only character with a hate on for his wife. The male detective, who we find out is also married, not only tries to hook up with someone at the Mardi Gras party ("This place ought to be lousy with good-looking bimbos."), but when he learns that Michael's wife burnt to death, can't resist adding, "I've got to tell my wife to start smoking in bed." What the fuck movie? I can only guess the writer was going through some serious shit when he wrote this movie.

I haven't had a chance to listen to the episode yet, but if it was good enough to make you consider watching the movie, then they must have done a good job. Basically, I found the movie to be of MST3K quality, but without the riffs. If that's something you'd be into, I say go for it. Otherwise, I'd say skip it and just enjoy their take on it. Also, I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Devil's Christmas! Have fun and be safe!

Well, if Landolph's going as Stinger, and Taylor Anne is going as Jupiter, that makes my choice pretty clear. As for music, I had a strange day. It started full of hope and optimism and slowly deteriorated into a festering pile of donkey shit. So I actually did this twice: once in the morning, and once to pull me out of my funk. Morning 1) My Brain is Hanging Upside Down--The Ramones 2) Far From Over--Frank Stallone 3) Contrecoup--They Might Be Giants 4) Story of My Life--Social Distortion 5) Population: Us--Dr. Frank Close call You're the Best--Joe Esposito Afternoon 1) I know There's an Answer--The Beach Boys 2) If I Had a Million Dollars--BNL 3) Bailando--Enrique Iglesias (Spanish Version) 4) New York City--Cub 5) Closer--Tegan and Sara Close call ATLiens--Outkast.

Your songs almost make for an interesting short story... A couple, in a sexually satisfying, but otherwise tumultuous relationship, hook up one night after a long night of fighting. In their ardor, they use their pent up frustrations to engage in a whirlwind of hot, passionate sex. They are a knot of claws and teeth. Their eyes meet and they see each other, really see each other--maybe for the first time in their lives--and they laugh. They laugh long and hard. The gray dawn peeks behind the slatted blinds. Don't be worried for them, guys--it'll all work out. Anyone else see this? Just me? Oh boy... I think I've gotta work some things out.

Ellen, I just want to say that I admire your honesty and your bravery. That is a bold admission. Bravo! Personally, I can't stand Nickelback, especially that horrible "Photograph" song. It always felt to me like it was written with the same lyrical finesse as "Choppin' Broccoli." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntp8_KFv59Y

Okay, I have another little game I'd like to play if anyone is up for it. :)/> Take whatever device you use to listen to music, put it on "all songs," put it on shuffle, and track forward until you find a song that you are willing to listen to all the way through. And then do this four more times. I'd like to hear the last five songs that you've listened to today in their entirety, but I'd be happy with just the last three. Full disclosure, this took a lot longer for me to accomplish than I thought. I'm just curious where everyone's head is at today. I promise this isn't for nefarious marketing purposes...but if you want to tell whether you prefer Coke or Pepsi that would be cool, I guess. No judgement, just be honest. I mean--let's not kid ourselves--none of us are "cool," so don't try to game the system. This isn't Facebook. I like you all for the fine people that you are. 1) Tropical London--Rancid 2) Nearly Beloved--The Wallflowers 3) Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks--Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 4) Jump Into the Fog--The Wombats 5) Help--The Beatles Huh, I seem to be feeling (tangentially) 80% British today. That's weird. Songs that were close but didn't quite make it: Surf's Up--The Beach Boys Lovecraft in Brooklyn--The Mountain Goats Stay--OIngo Boingo

I am literally listening to Bleed American right now! Which is, in my opinion, T to B, one of the greatest albums of all time. I particularly like, "Hear You Me," "Get it Faster," "Cautioners," and "My Sundown." I think the problem with "The Middle" is that it has just been so overplayed, but I still can't help but sing along when I hear it. I also just downloaded, "Sometime Around Midnight." Oh no, you don't. You're one of us now! Yeah, that was the real problem with that whole scene. To me, being "punk" was about being true to yourself and accepting everyone for their differences. So if you wanted to get all into The Carpenters or something, because you genuinely liked them, then that was being punk rock. Needless to say, since the majority of people into punk were in it just to be obnoxious and piss their parents off, me and the scene didn't really see eye to eye. And, for the record: Op Ivy >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Agnostic Front. Dylan and I have a real dysfunctional relationship. I will go through periods of thinking he's great and then there are times when I feel like his pretentiousness is too much to bear. Oddly enough, I have always enjoyed S&G, even though it can be argued Simon's own affectations can be a bit much at times.

Holy Crap! I can like BNL without fear of reprisal? Today is a grand day indeed! Years ago, I was in what I'd guess you call a "punk" band and anytime I brought up anything outside of that scene as an influence it was met with cruel, soul crushing derision. Since I am now freed of this burden, Steven Page's "Clifton Springs" is a straight up, achingly beautiful song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrcci3alu9c All in all, I like everyone's picks. I think we're all really having a break though here. Here's another question: Are there any bands that you used to hate, but as you've gotten older, you suddenly dig? For instance, I used to hate the Grateful Dead and Phish, and then about three weeks ago I was like, "You know what? These guys aren't half bad." I'm going through some changes here, guys and I really don't know what's happening to me...

I'm not going to let that happen! Since we've already discussed The Avengers and Princess Party Pooper won't let us talk about Star Wars, how about this? To everyone: What band/musician do you un-ironically like, but would be disinclined to admit to in real life? You don't have to own their entire catalog or anything, just something you jam to when no one else is around. Bonus: What bad songs (doesn't have to be the same band as the previous question) do you like? We are all protected by Internet anonymity, so be as honest as you like. Purge yourselves. Mine:

That's my bad. I brought the discussion to the table. I would never do anything to hurt you.

Aw, man! That really disappoints me that he admitted he was wrong. Just to fuck with people, I would have liked him to double-down and say he's Robotman, June is Elasti-Girl, and Jason is Negative Man. On the bright side, Cam Bert-san nailed Wonder Man, so good for him!

I can see that. Honestly though, I hope we are all wrong and are all super surprised how it all plays out. I cannot wait! ETA: I'm going to wrap these posts in "spoiler" tags. I'm not trying to be so cocky as to suggest I'm 100% right, but if I am, I'd hate to ruin it for anyone. I'm sorry that I didn't think to do so initially.

Character wise, no one really knows at this point--it's all speculation. The rumor going around is that Kylo Ren isn't--as we've been led to believe--Mr. Grumpypants, but actually Luke Skywalker. As far as everyone else is concerned, the only person to have a confirmed first and last name is Poe Dameron. Since the studio is keeping Rey and Finn's surnames a secret at this point, it's safe to assume they are related to somebody significant, but otherwise, everyone is just as in the dark as you.

I like it, but how about this? End of movie.

I agree with you, but that more or less undermines and negates Luke's journey in RotJ. A huge part of that movie is Luke's struggle between the Light and the Dark. He wants to be good, but now that he knows Vader is his father, how much of that Darkness is in him? A part of this struggle can be seen in Lucas' heavy-handed shirt symbolism. Throughout the movie, Luke is dressed in black, but once he definitively chooses the Light Side, his shirt is revealed to be white underneath--right across his heart (awwwwwww). Yes, he was too old, but that just makes his journey all the more impressive. He faces his Temptation, and despite all the odds against him, he comes out clean on the other side. If Luke turns evil in FA, it would be like after all the training and growth Daniel LaRusso underwent during the Karate Kid, he used it to supplant Billy Zabka as the biggest bully in school. I really do recommend The Clones Wars (and Rebels) as supplemental entities. Yes, they can be kiddie and cheesy, but so can the movies. It just makes Anakin's heel-turn seem much less abrupt when you realize that a) unlike Luke, he's always been kind of a dick (but in a likable way), b ) his problem is he cares about EVERYONE too much, even the clones under his command, and c) the Jedi Order was pretty broken, and were kind of asshats to him--he earned a spot on that council dammit!. I love the poster, I agree with you about AotC, and I would love Matt Gourley to come on again, but I just feel that TPM has been done to death. Maybe they should do Caravan of Courage or The Battle for Endor...they are both horrible and terrifying. Actually though, for having never seen them, you're right on point.

In regard to Paul's Force Awakens theory, I have to say, although I think it is highly likely (not as Kylo Ren, but as an Emperor type figure), I sincerely hope that's not what happens in the movie. According to the rumor I saw, this theory is based on the fact Mark Hamill hasn't been seen in any of the promotion materials for the movie so it will be a huge shock when he is revealed to be the bad guy. I can't think of that coming off as anything but derivative--his father was a noble Jedi Knight, but grew up to be evil; he was a noble Jedi Knight, but grew up to be evil; Finn and Rey were noble Jedi Knights, and in thirty years, guess what happens... It just seems so nihilistic. My hope is Mark Hamill's absence in the promotion of the film is that a big part of it will be about the mystery of "Where's Luke Skywalker?" I would rather, when they find him, for Luke to be dead then for him to be evil--maybe all they find are recordings or something. But who am I kidding, I'm sure I'll love it! It's still more Star Wars, and that's never a bad thing. I even like the prequels for what they are, even though I feel the Clone Wars cartoon did a much better job of telling the story of Anakin Skywalker. For my money, cartoon Anakin will always be my Anakin.

Since I was having trouble coming up with an Avenger for Paul, if Paul's sole criteria is that he is bald, I suppose I could pencil him in as The Vision. It would also dovetail nicely with my June as The Scarlet Witch. In fact, if we're just going with superficial attributes, I'd say: Paul = The Vision June = Black Widow Jason = Hercules (based on beard grooming and ancestry) If we want to broaden the field a bit, I would argue that Paul F. Tompkins would make a more suitable Beast. I also would also say: Scott Aukerman=Mr. Fantastic Kumail Nanjiani=Spider-Man Nick Kroll=Hawkeye Matt Gourley=The Wasp Who else? (And then we have to do the DCU. God, is our work never done?!)

On the flip side, I love the Nic Cage theme even if it isn't my favorite bit.

I'm pretty sure he was just being a smart ass. My picks: Jason Mantzoukas = Quicksilver, for his quick wit and impatience for people who are slower than him. June Diane Raphael = Scarlet Witch, for her ability to warp and twist reality. Paul Scheer = Dr. Druid...just kidding. Actually, Paul is kind of tough. I'd like to say Captain America for his leadership abilities, but otherwise, I don't know if he really embodies Cap's goody two-shoes nature. Maybe Iron Fist--a peace keeper with streak of endearing naivete.

Okay, I love the idea, but unfortunately (as Fister pointed out), I don't think JCVD is quite "there" yet. He kind of reminds me of a young Mother Teresa--just starting out on the mean streets of Calcutta, hungry to prove she's got the goods. Sure, there was a lot of buzz, but the Vatican still kind of had to wait and see if she'd go the distance. I believe, in order to be canonized into HDTGM sainthood, one has to have at least three of their miracles movies covered by the gang. Right now he's sitting in the rectory, with crossed fingers and bated breath, alongside fellow one-timers Seagal, Norris, and Lambert. Venerable to be sure, but not beatified. But don't fret, I have faith that JCVD will get there! After all, there's still Time Cop and Universal Soldier. However, for those who have already achieved the lofty rank of HDTGM Saint, shouldn't we begin to assign them their Mission Impossible-esque specializations? For example: John Travolta, the Patron Saint of Creepy Face Touching. Shit, man, I'm sorry you've had a rough week. Just remember, whenever you're feeling low, there's at least one guy out there who's always got your back...

Nope, probably not until Monday. If you want to know what movie is next, you probably can't go wrong if you go ahead and just watch Death Spa...or anything featuring the Muscles from Brussels.

Agreed. I guess I was wrong about the episode dropping later today, but I saw on Twitter that The League just wrapped. I'm sure that's a pretty big deal--lots of emotions. I can imagine that Paul might not have had the time or been be in the head space to do a mini-episode. Oh well, more fun for us!