1) This Actor ended up being a terrorist.
2) This Director's favorite state is Arizona.
3) This Film can't be seen on Shabbas.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Movie Trivia #4 Answered!
Congrats to my long lost blood brother Adam Gelnick!
1) Tom Hanks played the piano in Big
2) John Lasseter also directed the film Cars
3) Toy Story was part of a trilogy.
1) Tom Hanks played the piano in Big
2) John Lasseter also directed the film Cars
3) Toy Story was part of a trilogy.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Movie Trivia #4
1) This actor also plays the piano.
2) This director has a thing for cars.
3) This film was part of a trilogy.
What film is this?
2) This director has a thing for cars.
3) This film was part of a trilogy.
What film is this?
Movie Trivia #3 Answer Revealed!!
Congrats to Mosh Kook on solving the puzzle. Highlight the area below for answers.
1) Tim Roth fought off the Hulk
2) Quentin Tarantino directed Inglorious Basterds
3) The characters in the film are named Mr. White, Mr. Pink etc.
Reservoir Dogs!!!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Why I Am Begging for a Great Film Performance.
As we continue to move forward through the summer movie
schedule, I continue to look for that
one special performance. There are just some performances in film that make you
love the movies and truly appreciate great acting. I began thinking of the best
performances since 2000.
Here are some things to consider for the list:
·
Impersonations don’t count. If you
have to play someone who already existed, I can’t say your performance was
truly original. (sorry Jamie Foxx and Jaoquin Pheonix)
·
Academy Awards are not the only
factors to consider.
·
These performances should be talked
about for years to come.
10. Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen)
"When you chase a dream, especially one with plastic chests, you
sometimes do not see what is right in front of you."
To kick off our list, we start with one of the most daring performances
ever. SBC not only put on a genius comedic performance, SBC literally put
himself into life threatening situations just to nail down this role. Extremely
controversial, Borat is one of the most recognizable performances of the last
12 years.
9. Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn)
"I got no one to care for. What have I got, Harry? I'm lonely. I'm
old."
This has to be one of the most unnerving and disturbing films ever made. Watching
the group of drug addicts as their lives spiral out of control is eye opening.
The film is highlighted by Ellen Burstyn’s performance. She opens the door into
a terrified and deeply disturbed woman. With nothing left in her life, Sara Goldfarb’s
life completely gets turned upside and we have front row seats.
8. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale)
“Harold, it's Bateman, Patrick Bateman. You're my lawyer so I think you
should know: I've killed a lot of people”
Who would have thought that the childhood
star actor of the Newsies would give a shockingly horrific performance as a
serial killer. Christian Bale was chillingly sinister as the American
Businessman who twilights as a sexual deviant and serial killer. Bale beat out
DiCaprio for the role and boy we are happy he did because Bateman nailed it. It
is actually kind of funny because landing this role is probably what earned
Bale his role as Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, a role that was rumored to be going
to Joshua Jackson. THANK GOD!!!!!!
7. Randy “the Ram” Robinson (Mickey
Rourke)
"And
now, I'm an old broken down piece of meat... and I'm alone. And I deserve to be
all alone. I just don't want you to hate me."
What Rourke does in The Wrestler is
mesmerizing. His performance was physically demanding, vulnerable, and
really very lovable. Rourke did everything you could ask for in a tremendous
performance. Watching, you share every emotion, ache, and feeling with the Ram.
Enjoy this stunning perofmrance.
6. Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron)
“All you need is love and to believe
in yourself. Nice idea. It doesn't exactly work out that way. But I guess it
was better to hear a flat-out lie than to know the truth.”
After dirtying herself up, Charlize
Theron won an Oscar (I know it doesn’t matter) for her portrayal of Aileen
Wuornos. Theron did an amazing job of bringing the real life case to life.
While many won’t be talking about this film in the future, the performance
surely will be remembered.
5. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)
“I’m in a glass case of emotion.”
Hands down one of the most memorable
comedic performances of the decade came from Will Ferrell in Anchorman. His Burgundy was a character that
everybody was quoting within days and is still quoted 10 years later.
Ferrell hit every note right as Burgundy. Ron Burgundy will be remembered two decades
from now the same way we remember Clark Grizwald and Ferris Bueller
today. Ferrell has had some very funny performances this decade (Frank
the Tank is almost as defining as Burgundy), but his performance, plus the fact
that he helped create the character on paper, put Anchorman above anything else
the comedian has done.
4. Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks)
"Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who
knows what the tide could bring?"
Tom Hanks is arguably the greatest American
actor ever. With two best actor Oscars under his belt, many think he should
have won a third for this film. Hanks is remarkable as the lovable Chuck
Noland, who gets stranded on a deserted island. With nothing to watch but Hanks
and a volley ball, I could not take my eyes off of Hanks. To captivate an
audiences for almost 3 hours with nothing but waves and your acting skills,
Hanks deserves this spot on the list.
3. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)
“When you marooned me on that god forsaken spit of land, you
forgot one very important thing, mate: I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.”
Depps’s Jack Sparrow, sorry Captain
Jack Sparrow, is one of the greatest characters ever. Depp took many liberties
with the script, some which scared Disney quote a lot, and ran with the role.
His twist on the charcters, funny way of saying things, and strange looks all
added to the brilliant character we have seen on film. Without a doubt the best
acting job of his career, Depp gave us one for the ages and one of the most fun
characters in history.
2. Bill the Butcher / Daniel
Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis)
“Tonight is a night for Americans” "I'm finished!"
DDL’s two notable performances from this decade are back-to-back
probably the most interesting performances of the decade. The two
characters from Gangs of New York and There Will Be
Blood, respectively, have a couple things in common. They both are
disconnected from other humans, they both are sinister and cool, and both men
sport wicked mustaches. Hands down, no one rocks a mustache better than
Daniel Day Lewis and that would be enough to get him on this list alone (not
really, but it does help). Why are both of these performances on the
list? Because you could not possibly watch these films and not talk about the
performances. If you have not seen them, trust me, go home and watch them.
1. The Joker (Heath Ledger)
"This city deserves a better
class of criminal."
Forget bets performance of the
decade, this may just be one of the greatest performances of all-time. Ledger
deeply emerged himself in the role and truly became the Joker. Though his death
after shooting has added to the mystic around the role, it should not take away
from the brilliant performance. Heath Ledger gave the Joker character, depth
and a criminally insane mind. Heath is everything you could ever want
from a good villain. Ledger’s performance essentially wiped out Javier Bardem’s
peformance from the year before in No
Country for Old Men from this Top Ten list. Let’s
just relish that one man did something that exceeded every expectation we all could’ve
had and he’ll be remembered for generations because of it.
Movie Trivia #3!!!
Here we go, number 3!!!
1) This actor fought off the Hulk.
2) This director wants his scalps.
3) This film loves the colors of the rainbow.
What is the film?
1) This actor fought off the Hulk.
2) This director wants his scalps.
3) This film loves the colors of the rainbow.
What is the film?
Friday, June 22, 2012
Trivia #2 Solution!
Congrats to Daniel Baran who solved today's trivia in 4 minutes.
See below for answers. (just highlight the text)
1) Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
2)David Fincher (Social Network)
3)Fight Club
See below for answers. (just highlight the text)
1) Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
2)David Fincher (Social Network)
3)Fight Club
Movie Trivia #2!!!!
Due to the success of the first question, I will hopefully post a question every few days.
Here is the second trivia question. Be the first to answer it correctly and get a shout out on the blog!
Movie #2
1) The Actor has a thing for Athletics
2) The Director wishes he had 500 million friends.
3) The Film will make you think about soap.
Here is the second trivia question. Be the first to answer it correctly and get a shout out on the blog!
Movie #2
1) The Actor has a thing for Athletics
2) The Director wishes he had 500 million friends.
3) The Film will make you think about soap.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Congrats!!!
Congrats to Jay Schwartz for being the first to answer correctly.
See below for answers. Just highlight the text to see solutions:
1) Danny Boyle
2) Cillian Murphy (Inception)
3) 28 Days Later
Movie Trivia #1
Hi all, a very good friend of mine (Daniel T.) presented me with a movie trivia question this morning. He gave me three clues and asked me what movie he was watching. I shall give the clues to you to see if you can solve the puzzle. Feel free to post your guesses or email me at jordankolb@gmail.com!!!!
1) The guy who directed it shined a light on India
2) The main actor may or may not have come up with his own idea in a different film
3) The film takes place in the United Kingdom
What film are we talking about?????
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Why "The Dark Knight Rises" is Going to be in Rare Company. (Part I)
By Moshe Kolb
Yes, this post is the 1st
of I’m sure many, many more to follow about “The Dark Knight Rises”. Though my
brother has been bragging about having tickets to the midnight premiere for a
few months --- I at least am going to get to see “TDKR” as it was meant to be;
as a complete trilogy, Back to Back to Back on opening night. Everything to follow is a list of some of the
best trilogies ever made. Yet, no matter how exciting, innovative, and addictive
some originals and their sequels seem to be most trilogies can’t seem to remain
great throughout all 3 movies. This is
the task facing Christopher “the great” Nolan ---- to make an all time
unquestioned complete fantastic III Part Trilogy. The key of course is to have them be a
continuous thought out intelligent story where each movie plays a role and
continues to build on its predecessor.
The failed ones are described by the Sports Guy, "A
series of three dramas in which the first movie did so well, they couldn't help
themselves, so they brought everyone back to make more money in an uninspired
sequel, only that one did pretty well, too, so they brought everyone back again
for a third movie, just to beat the dead horse completely into the ground."
(Though admittedly that isn’t necessarily applicable to some of the
greats on this list.)
The following movies however great
have some flaw among the trilogy:
The Incomplete Trilogies
1) The Mighty Ducks Trilogy [The Mighty Ducks, D2, D3]--- Ok, I admit
this may be on the list purely for sentimental reasons. But as the inspiration
of loving hockey for an entire generation with a perfect mix of childishness
and competitiveness the mighty ducks had it going. The films take you through
the growth of a team and childhood that mirrored our own experiences. In truth,
this trilogy is different than all others in that it’s not easy to pick the
weakest link. Most end up choosing D3, generally
regarding it as repeat of snob team vs. ragtag team plot. But anything that can
lead to the growth of a professional sports team needs to be recognized despite
what ever flaws it may have. Quack!!!
2) The
X-Men Trilogy [X-men, X2, X3] ---- Marvel's flagship superhero team set the
tone for all future superhero movies. Led by Bryan Singer and a perfectly cast
team , the direction more than provided a moving semi-realistic view of life
with mutants despite the lack of great action. Enter X2, which delivered both
human drama and mutant mayhem showing what superhero movies could be. But then
Singer went AWOL, and the studio fell into the trap deciding to introduce a
couple of dozen new characters and it all went a bit wrong in the third film. This trilogy is what Bill Simonds based his
comments on.
3) The
Back to the Future Trilogy [Part I, II, III] --- Who doesn’t have fond
memories of the Back to the Future
trilogy. The minute it said "To Be Continued" at the end of the first
film I was chomping at the bit to see what happened in the second. From driving
down the freeway at 88 miles per hour, to wishing you had a hover board,
coupled with a twisty, turny paradox-spinning puzzler in Part II. Consistently
fun, funny and about as good an adventure as you could wish for, there's a
reason that this is still wildly popular. However, the 3rd left
something else to be desired. Clearly an add-on without any real purpose
continuing the first two.
4) The
Matrix Trilogy [Matrix, Matrix Reloaded, Matrix Revolutions] --- The
first Matrix film was one of those films, like Star Wars, that seems to change
cinema overnight. As Keanu Reeves set out to save humanity from the machines,
it spawned a million imitators, a thousand parodies and almost no equals. The
sequels continue the story line and add to the depth of storytelling however it
seems as if the writers/ producers themselves couldn’t understand the deep
philosophical themes they were trying to portray. Though the ambition is
admirable and fight scenes made everyone go “Whoa!!!!” sometimes a little less
unintelligible philosophical banter is actually more.
5) The
Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy [Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest,
At World’s End] --- Some say trilogies can only be great if based on deep story
plots that continue and flow from one movie to another. Heck Matrix is taught
in philosophy classes across the world because of that. Yet, Pirates owes it all to two men. The
person who thought up the side character of Captain Jack Sparrow and of course
the one and only Johnny Depp. No other character has carried an entire
franchise quite like Captain Jack. It seems as if this trilogy has all the
makings: a 1st rate lead character with deep personality keeping the
audience wanting to learn more about him and his past, side love characters,
enemies that we still like and root for. The failure in this trilogy simply
came down to execution and poor story at the end. The twists and turns causes the
movie to meander far too often on its way to the conclusion, every character simply
betrays every other without any seemingly intelligible purpose.
6) The Austin Powers Trilogy [International Man of Mystery, The Spy
Who Shagged Me, Goldmember] --- Few performances make you glee with
laughter when looked at with fresh eyes as Mike Myer’s genius dual performance
as Austin Danger Powers and Dr. Evil. As the series wore on, however, it became
crystal clear that it was Dr. Evil who was the real star of the show, stealing
most of the films. For many, this was an introduction into raunchiness and
wishing we lived in the swinging ‘60s. The combination of the admittedly ace
and star-studded opening number (with Spielberg, Cruise, Paltrow and Spacey)
and Michael Caine almost saved
the day for Goldmember, but the trashiness of the film finally outmatched the
cleverness keeping it out of the best.
7) The
Terminator Trilogy [Terminator, Judgment Day, Rise of the Machines] --- The
first Terminator film changed cinema bringing us Arnold and James Cameron. Few
trilogies would even dare to do something as bold as switching its star evil
mankind killer into its savior. Yet T2 is inarguably one of the slickest, most
effective action thrillers the world has ever seen. Though the belated 3rd installment may
not quite stand on the same level, it's perfectly respectable staying true to
its origins and still bringing us the inevitable Doom’s Day. It falls short
however by further messing with the timeline, and it really misses Linda
Hamilton's steely Ripleyesque presence.
8) The
Scream Trilogy [I, II, III] --- The slasher film was pretty much dead and
buried in 1996. But Wes Craven managed to single-handedly bring it back to life
with this witty rebirth of the whole genre. Killing the one known star in the
opening scene wasn’t even the most original element about the movie. Here, our
unstoppable killer (who always comes back for one last scare just when you
think he is dead) faces victims who know how to survive a horror movie, who don't always run upstairs and who
frequently fight back. The first sequel riffed on the clichés
of Part I, while the less successful but still original third installment got really weird, depicting a sequel
movie within the movie. This didn’t prove nearly as effective ruining the
entire series slightly, but enough to keep it out of the elites.
9) The Godfather Trilogy [Part I, II, III]
--- Very tough not counting this in the “Greats List” but the best trilogies
are those with no miss-steps. Of course when it comes to quotes, acting,
directing and story the first two films are far superior and the reason this
trilogy is rated this high. The themes about family, immigration
and the American dream are depicted on a profound level, which is something
most people could relate to. Part II expertly layered past and present in a
brilliant expansion and clarification of the world, while Part III, whatever
its faults, completes the arc for Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) as he faces the
consequences of the choices he's made and watches the next generation grow up. All
three films distinguish themselves from the other and continue a story
thoughtfully and purposefully. Heck even the weak link delivered: "Just
when I thought I was out they pull me back in.” However, had all three films
been like Part Three I really don't think we ever would have heard of Don
Corleone and for that it just doesn’t quite make it to the next level.
10)
The Spiderman Trilogy [I, II, III] --- Blade and X-Men had shown where
superhero movies were heading, but it was Spider-Man that actually went there. Its
huge box-office success was thoroughly earned by director Sam Raimi placing
Peter Parker's character front and center. I loved it because it didn’t have a
big muscle man --- but rather nerdy Tobey McGuire. The sequel, pitting Spidey
against Alfred Molina's brilliant Doc Ock, was a further step up. The weak leak,
again number 3, fell into the same pitfalls where a tussle over bad guys
between director and studio led to a film overloaded with evildoers and short
on focus. I will also say, in comparison
to the likes of TDK or Star Wars, this trilogy seems to lack a growth in
Spiderman between the three films and is more just different battles. Having
said that, I am not a believer that this series needs a reboot, but if somehow
they can make Spiderman the new Dark Knight --- delivering a thought out
consistent planned story by delving deep into the psyche of a superhero then I’m
all for it. [Forget it ---- that last
sentence was pure blasphemy as nothing will ever come close to Nolan’s Dark
Knight!!!]
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Why I Am Excited For The 2012 Summer Olympics.
This summer, the Summer Olympics move to London. There is a
long debate of which Olympics are better. I won’t get into that now but I do
want to focus on the awesomeness of the summer Olympics. There are so many amazing events in the these
Olympics. From swimming to gymnastics to track and field to soccer; the summer
Olympics has a little bit for everyone. I am a little tacky and mushy when it
comes to stuff like this but I become so patriotic when the Olympics come
around. I become the biggest USA fan ever and just die for those amazing breath
taking moments. My dear friend Daniel Baran pointed out how many exciting events and story lines there were this summer. Here are some of my personal favorite USA Summer Olympic
moments ever.
Mark Spitz Sets the
Record
The 1972 Munich games were witness to one of the most amazing
feats ever. American swimmer Mark Spitz became the greatest Olympian at the
time by winning a shocking 7 gold medals in the field of swimming. Check out
some of the video below.
Jesse Owens Shocks
the Germans
In 1936, any American would have loved to stick it to Hitler
Y”S and the Germans. Track and Field star Jesse Owens did just that as he won 4
gold medals in the Berlin games.
*Disclaimer footage may not be appropriate for all people*
Mary Lou Retton Nails
It
In 1984, MLR became the first American to win the gold in
the women’s all-around competition and became the symbol for the success of the
program. Her gold at the 1984 Los Angeles games is one of the most iconic
moments ever.
Greg Louganis Heads
Towards Gold
One of the most iconic sports images ever occurred at the
1988 games. Diving champion Greg Louganis amazingly doesn’t suffer any major
injuries after hitting his head on the diving board early in the Seoul games.
Louganis went on to capture the gold in the springboard and thus closed one of
the most amazing sequence of events in summer Olympic in history.
The Dream Team
The 1992 Barcelona games are known for a few things, perhaps
none greater than the USA Men’s Basketball Dream team. With the likes of
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the greatest team ever seen
simply destroyed the rest of the world’s talents in ways never before seen and
never to be duplicated.
Check out some of the top plays.
Kerri Strug Struggles
For Gold
Arguably the most heroic moment in Olympic history, gymnast Kerri
Strug pulled off the impossible. Strug won the gold medal for the US team on a
sprained ankle. You see the pain as she wins the medal. What an iconic moment.
Watch this clip and tell me you don’t get chills.
The Fastest Man in
the World
In 1996, the fastest man in the world wasn’t Usain Bolt, it
was US sprinter Michael Johnson. The other “MJ” broke world records, grabbing
his second gold of the Atlanta games with a record time of 19.32 in the 200m.
Gardner Goes to Work
In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, American Greco-Roman wrestler
Rulon Gardner defeats "The General" at the Sydney Olympics, what some
call the biggest upset in wrestling history.
Spitz Who?!?!
In 2008, Beijing was witness to one of the most amazing athletic
performances ever. Michael Phelps topped Mark Spitz’s record with 8 gold medals
in one games and 14 overall make him the greatest Olympian ever. Who can forget
that exciting relay I which the Americans beat the Australians with an amazing
last lap comeback.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Why I Think Franklin and Bash and Suits Are In An Elite Group.
Movies and TV shows have long taken advantage of the drama
that inherently consumes the court room. With drama already inserted into many
diverse cases, it only makes sense that there would be some great TV Lawyer/Courtroom
shows over the years. In my opinion, a Lawyer show needs two things to be
greatly successful. The first being awesome courtroom work. Whether it be drama
or watching a genius lawyer figure out a last minute argument, no Laywer show
can be considered great without some great moments of the stars in their
element. The second is a great, interesting, and relatable staff. You see, if I
cant relate to the lawyers on a personal level, I at least want to be amazing
at their genius. Two of my favorite Lawyer shows of all time are currently on
TV this summer. Franklin and Bash as well as Suits are two awesome shows with a
pair of lawyers you will come to love. F&B is a little more on the playful
side but each show will have you begging for more of these characters. Casting
props should go out to both of these shows. Here are some of the best lawyer
shows of all time.
L.A. LAW (1986-1994)
This was the first lawyer show I had ever heard of when I was
little. The show depicted a law firm in LA made up smart, drive and of course
sexy lawyers. Many say this show was the ground breaker which many of today’s
shows are based on.
LAW & ORDER (1990-
)
The record breaking show has spawned off some
of the most consistent and successful shows ever. Producer Dick Wolf is said to
have conceived the show’s format—first half, investigation and arrest; second,
trial and verdict—after watching tapes of a British show while working as a
writer on the 1980s hit Miami Vice. The show is legendary for its twisted
takes on real-life legal issues, and has
won over millions of fans across the county.
THE PRACTICE (1997-2004)
This was the first lawyer show I can remember
people falling in love with. Bobby Donnell was a handsome, driven defense
attorney who surrounded himself at the self-named firm of Robert Donnell &
Associates with talented lawyers who lacked the pedigree necessary to cut it in
BigLaw. They made up the difference with street smarts and sheer tenacity. Fans fell in love with both courtroom and law
office drama.
ALLY McBEAL (1997-2002)
This show was quite successful but not for
its court room prowess. Ally McBeal was more like Felicity if Felicity worked
in a law office. Regardless, the show was a hit while it aired and always had a
big following.
BOSTON LEGAL (2004-2008)
James Spader played Alan Shore, a politically
incorrect jerk (deep down he has a good heart) who lands a job with his friend
and mentor Denny Crane (William Shatner), a cranky conservative who seems to
have lost any semblance of a social filter. The show was a break-off of The
Practice but definitely had its own feel to it. The shows quick and witty
bantor is some of the best ever seen on TV. This show completely revitalized
William Shatner’s career.
DAMAGES (2007-
)
A personal favorite of mine, Damages is now
in its 5th season. The show follows NY’s most ruthless and feared
lawyer, Patty Hewes (Award Winning Glenn
Close) as she takes down the biggest corporations. Ellen Parsons is a brilliant
law school grad who goes to work for and gets a little too close to Patty. The
show takes real life cases and turns them into entire seasons of beautifully
crafted drama. First few seasons are among the best ever on TV.
FRANKLIN AND BASH
(2011- )
F&B starts its second season this summer. The show
follows the conquests of two best friends as they make the move from private to
corporate lawyers while maintain the unorthodox methods that got them to where
they were. The show stars Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack
Morris). They are quite funny characters and with their crack team find amazing
ways to win cases.
SUITS (2011- )
This awesome lawyer drama follows big hotshot Harvey Spector
and his sidekick Mike Ross. The nitch of the show is that Ross, who is one of those
cure cancer brilliant minds, is not actually a lawyer but this secret is kept
between Harvey and Mike. The show has its humor but amazingly nails a dramatic
note as well. A very good supporting cast helps the duo as well.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Why Tiger Woods May be the Greatest Athlete in My Lifetime. (Part II)
3rd Runner Up- Tom Brady
The 3 time
Super Bowl champ has been to 5 Super Bowls in only 10 years. That means he has
made the Super Bowl in half the seasons he has played. That is an insane
percentage. One of the clutchest QBs of all time, Brady also holds the record
for single season TD totals and has a shocking career record.
Why Not:
With his
last two Super Bowls ending with a loss to the Giants, his mysticism has definitely
dropped. He does play for a team sport and has drawn too many comparisons with
Manning and Farve to be considered the greatest athlete of my lifetime.
2nd Runner Up- Michael Phelps
With 14 Gold
Medals, an almost perfect Olympic record, Phelps has dominant a mostly
individual event. The greatest Olympian is quite a title but one that Phelps
has earned. Watching the man-fish in the pool is thrilling and like Tiger, you
almost expect and demand he win.
Why Not:
In my opinion
Phelps doesn’t compete enough to be considered the best athlete in my
generation. His Olympic races are really numbered and a few of them are out of
his hands.
1st Runner Up: Michael Jordan
MJ dominated
his sport and then transcended it. With 6 titles, 5 MVP, 6 finals MVPs, a numerous
scoring champ and all defensive player, MJ has the stats to be the best. But
his drive, feel for the dramatic moments, and desire to win make him the
greatest NBA player ever. He also brought basketball to heights it could never
imagine. Michael Jordan is probably the most popular and well known Athlete of
all time.
Why Not:
Though
amazing, it did take MJ a few years to achieve his greatness. While the centerpiece,
he did have plenty of help with some amazing teams along the way. Also holding
against him, Jordan dominated for 7 years, a relatively short time for someone
considered the best athlete of my 25 years.
The Greatest Athlete of My Lifetime: Tiger
Woods
Tiger Woods
is the greatest athlete of my generation. First the stats; Tiger has 11 majors,
the second most all time. Most players dream of winning one. He has 72 wins,
tied with Jack Nicholas for all time. He has been the #1 player in the world
for years at a time. Tiger Woods is without a doubt the best golfer of all
time. With the level of competition he has faced and the target on his back,
the fact that he just keeps on winning and winning is amazing. He has brought golf,
a very white collar, “not for the masses” sport to the forefront of the nation.
But what is perhaps most amazing is the expectation and demand for excellent every
time he is on the course. Tiger is
expected to win every single tournament he plays and quite often he comes
through. The fact that in his worst years he gets 2-3 victories is stunning.
Most golfers hope to win 2-3 tournaments in their lives. In the 18 years he has
been a professional, Tiger has dominated the sport. Winning a major in his
second year, after becoming the highest endorsed golfer and SI Athlete of the
Year as a Rookie, Tiger never slowed down. I play golf and the insane pressure
on every shot in a sport where it is all on you to be great just seems daunting. Watching that unbelievable chip in on the 16th hole of Memorial was just a reminder how I have the pleasure and honor to watch the greatest athlete of the last 25 years on a daily basis. Tiger; thank you!!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Why Tiger Woods May be the Greatest Athlete in My Lifetime. (Part I)
In the 25.5
years I have been alive, there have been some amazing athletes. In an analysis
of the best athletes of my lifetime, I came across some amazing athletes.
Honorable
Mention:
Roger Federer
Pro- With the all-record of grand
slams, consecutive wins, consecutive weeks as #1 and all-time grand slam
matches won, Federer has quite the resume.
Con- He was unable to defeat and was
perhaps surpassed by both Nadal and Djokovich. Though considered the best ever
by some, RF is sometimes not even considered the best player of his generation.
Patrick Roy
Pro- Roy is the best goalie of my lifetime,
Roy ended his career with the 3 cups and he just dominated the NHL setting
basically every goalie record that counted.
Con- Martin Broeduer.
Lionel Messi
Pro- I have never seen someone more
dynamic or magical on the pitch. Breaking records daily, the Barcelona star
produces magic every game.
Con- Messi has not won a world cup or
Olympic gold for the always favored Argentina. His lifespan as the best player
in the world, like most soccer players, will be short.
Finalists:
Michael
Jordan
Michael
Phelps
Tiger Woods
Tom Brady
Part two to
arrive soon.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Why I Love An Awesome Marriage Proposal.
I would like
to officially announce my engagement to the beautiful and amazing Zahava
Goldofsky. After repeating the story of how I proposed 100 times, it had me
thinking, what are the best documented marriage proposals of all time.
Enjoy!!!!
·
Movie Theater Surprise
In this
amazing and all-time great proposal, a unassuming bride to be is at the movies
and watching a trailer, a trailer about her boyfriend proposing to her.
·
Old Spice Man
If you would
want your girl to cheat on you with anyone, it would have to be the awesomely
manly Old Spice Commercial Man. So why not have him propose for you!
·
Muppet Proposal
Every girl
at some point had a doll or stuffed animal. Tapping into that with an all
Muppet proposal? Genius.
·
Movie Trailer #2 (or for those who know me #3)
What if you
saw a beautifully done movie trailer but realized all the actors were actually
your family members? Take a look.
·
Lip Dub Special
In one of
the most amazing and beautifully choreographed dance proposal ever, this guy
had his girl listen to a song with headphones as every person she had ever met
performed a lip dub routine.
·
Fiancé Dies
In the most
amazing wedding proposal I have ever seen, you witness a girl hearing will you
marry me right before her fiancé dies (or does he). CHECK THIS OUT!!!!
·
Josh Turner Special
A friend of
mine proposed to his wife surprising her outside her apartment while singing
her favorite song. This is a personal favorite.
·
A Disney Musical
In this awesome proposal, a singing groom surprises his girl with a
musical number among a crowd of strangers at Disney World.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Why I Love A Good Movie Trailer (Part II).
Here is part two of this amazing segment. I apologizing for
including #15 last time so here are the top #14 movie trailers.
14. Paranormal Activity 2 2010
Some of the scariest scenes ever come from these films. The
trailers captured it all.
13. District 9 2009
Awesome movie, awesome trailer.
12. Casino Royale 2006
In his first stint as Bond, Daniel Craig, gave every a sigh of relief
as he kicked butt in this trailer, reassuring everyone that the franchise was
going to be just fine.
11. The Departed 2006
Answer me this, how good can a
movie starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and
Jack Nicholson really be? According to the trailer…pretty DAMN good!
10. Transformers 2007
This childhood love of mine came to
life in 2007. The trailers not only had me excited but they had me pumped up
like crazy. Michael Bay is the king of Awesomeness and this trailer fell in
line.
9. Matrix Reloaded
2003
The second installment of the Matrix franchise was an underrated
film and I felt the trailer was quite awesome. Considering the hype this movie had
after The Matrix became such a cult hit, the trailer surely didn’t disappoint.
8. Terminator
Salvation 2009
Though this movie fell short in theaters, the long awaited return
of the Terminator franchise was hyped up to wazoo. Of course it didn’t hurt having
Christian Bale star as the human savior John Conner. Bad movie, very good
trailer.
7. Sin City
This piece of art got pretty good reviews overall. Based on the
famous graphic novel, Sin City was the first of a slew of films all of graphic
novels. There is no doubt the trailer had us all dying for more.
6. X-men First Class 2011
I loved this film. I thought it was done beautifully and did an
amazing job of tying in all of the history related to the X-Men. The first
trailer for the film was beautiful as it introduced us to the characters who
who make up the beloved X-Men.
5. 300 2006
With Nine Inch Nails in the background, the most epic movie of all
time was amazing epic. Cmon, a little battled kid about to fight a beast. Thank
you!
4. Battle: Los Angeles 2011
While the film fell a little flat, this trailer is awesome. The
music is riveting and there are some very iconic images.
3. The Dark Knight 2010
The greatest villain ever, deserves the one of the best trailers,
and he got it. Nolan is a master at marketing campaigns and his trailer was
awesome, featuring the amazing Joker.
2. Inception 2009
From the music to the screen shots, Christopher Nolan nailed
it with this trailer of his
international phenomenon. You cannot watch this and feel a need to see the
film.
1.
Alien 1979
In my opinion there is no greater trailer ever than the horrifying
Ridley Scott film. Just remember, “In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream.”
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