UFC 88 Countdown

Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans was supposed to happen months ago, until Liddell suffered an unfortunate history. See exclusive footage of the actual injury on Countdown to UFC 88 - Weds, Sept 3 on SPIKE!



UFC 88 Breakthrough
Sept 6th on PPV

MAIN CARD

* Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell
* Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill
* Karo Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
* Dan Henderson vs. Rousimar Palhares
* Martin Kampmann vs. Nate Marquardt

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
* Tim Boetsch vs. Mike Patt
* Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim
* Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan
* Jason Lambert vs. Jason MacDonald

Sunday Funnies

Movie Review: One Missed Call

Several people start receiving voice-mails from their future selves - messages which include the date, time, and some of the details of their pending deaths.

Let me go ahead and get all the good stuff out of the way... Shannyn Sossamon is in it and she's sexy hot. There, that's done.

Now the bad. This sucks like a black hole. The premise is a whole lot more corny than scary and the execution just gets really confusing I thought. The potential victims have some visions before they die, a few of which are sort of cool looking, but it's just so damn stupid I really couldn't dive into it. Logically it just never all pieces together and what little pieces do fit get blown to bits by the nonsensical ending.

I felt like in a sense it was trying to be the The Ring, with the replacement of viewing the old school VHS tape replaced by the more current technology of the cell phone. But even with The Ring not being a great movie, although I do like it, it looks like the Casablanca of horror films compared to this.

It doesn't help that it's rated PG-13 so there are really no shocks or gore or nudity for that matter. This might as well have been a made-for-TV movie.

So if you're looking for horror-lite that's full of cliches, no scares and a hilariously bad premise then I suggest you watch this immediately. Hopefully your cell phone will ring and your future self will tell you that you're going to expire sometime before the first 15 minutes are even up.

2/10

My Favorite Football Movies

Staying on my football theme for the day... I think there are a lot of solid football movies out there to get you fired up for the season. I did notice going back over these that a whole lot of them are true stories (or "based" on true stories at least) so it's a game with a rich history and lately it's been getting it's due in Hollywood.

So here's a list of my 10 favorites and I've still left off some I really like such as The Waterboy, North Dallas Forty, The Replacements and Jerry MaGuire (a bit too chick flicky to make my list, although I love Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character).

10. Any Given Sunday
Yes, there are a lot of faults with this movie (too long for one) but Oliver Stone's look at pro football starts Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz among it's stellar cast and a slew of NFL personalities. It's feels very realistic and it's hard-hitting. Perhaps a bit over-the-top even.

9. Gridiron Gang
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays a Juvie Detention Camp Officer believes the common goal of winning football games, combined with the opportunity to showcase athletic ability will transform the outlook, attitude, and ambition of the teenagers confined to his camp. It's a fun film with a lot of football.

8. Friday Night Lights
I love the novel, but this film adaption almost did it justice. A picture of a small football crazy Texas town and the Permian Panthers football program back in the late 80s. I come from a small town so this hits that much more close to home.

7. All the Right Moves
A young, pre-Scientolgy, couch bouncing Tom Cruise plays a high school football player desperate to earn a college scholarship as a way out of his dying Pennsylvania steel-belt town. Craig T. Nelson plays a perfect hard-nosed coach.

6. Invincible
Mark Wahlberg stars in this true story on the incredible Cinderella tale of Vince Papale, a part time bartender who loved football yet never dared to dream of playing in the NFL. Until he tried out.

5. The Longest Yard
Burt Reynolds owned this 1974 comedy/drama as a former pro football player who lands in a prison lorded over by a sadistic warden. There was a remake recently with Adam Sandler that I actually liked, but nothing compares to this classic.

4. We Are Marshall
The true story of how Marshall University, its students, teachers, and members of the community were able to fight back after a horrible plane crash took the lives of their football team and supporters on November 14, 1970. Matthew McConaughey is outstanding.

3. Remember the Titans
Based on the true story of Herman Boone, Denzel Washington is awesome as a coach who forces integration on his football team and tries to make them colorblind.

2. Brian's Song
A tearjerker based on true events. James Caan (Brian Piccolo) and Billy Dee Williams (Gale Sayers) star as teammates who overcome obstacles to become best friends. It's as much about strength, cancer and courage as football.

1. Rudy
Before Sean Astin was a hobbit, he was in the this story of 'the little guy who could.' If you are small of stature, not that bright and have limited skills... you too can be a Notre Dame football player. I kid, I kid. It's a football story that is more about making your dream come true. And you WILL chant "Ru-dy! Ru-dy! Ru-dy!" at the end.

Concert Review: Black Stone Cherry

Black Stone Cherry
with 12 Stones and American Bang
@ Riverfest Amphitheater, Little Rock

First, see that guy in the picture to the right? He rocks. Injured, immobilized, uncomfortable... not a worry for this guy. He comes out to a rock show in a big Transformers looking head thingy and still gets his rock on. I've heard people make every excuse in the book why they didn't go to certain shows or whatever, but look at this guy and shut the hell up. I salute you Mr. Metal Bolted To Your Head Contraption Guy. I so salute you.

Now, on with the triple bill of rock n roll!

First up comes a band from Nashville called American Bang. Sort of a roots rock feel that they describe as Southern-fried garage rock, which is an apt enough description of their sound. There's some of the Black Crowes feel to their sound, with maybe a twist of punk and a splash of AC/DC thrown in for good measure. It definitely had a 70s rock feel to it as well with songs about whiskey and women oozing with attitude and a pretty decent stage presence. I'm not that familiar with their music, but I remember song titles "All Night Long", "American Ride", "Move To The Music", "The Stones", "Rock n Roll Queen" and "Good as Gold". A fun set from a pretty exciting band that I'll be watching for more from. Check out their YouTube site for some live videos.




Next up was a band from Louisiana I've seen probably a half-dozen times since I first saw them in 2002 at Sticky Fingerz with only about 20 people in the place and that's 12 Stones. They come blasting out to their song "Adrenaline" from their latest CD and I see a guy I recognize right away on guitar, who I guess I had sort of forgotten was in the band. Justin Rimer, who is from Memphis and a great song writer and guitarist, used to be in the Memphis band Breaking Point who I interviewed once upon a time (OK, like 4 years ago maybe?) for a website. Totally forgot his was in 12 Stones now until I saw him. He fit in perfectly with their high energy show of very hooky rock songs. They tore through songs "The Way I Feel", "Anthem for the Underdog", "Crash", "Open Your Eyes" and my favorite track they do "Broken" while it seemed most of the crowd of about 2,000 knew the words to them all. Lead singer Paul McCoy at one point even left the safety of the stage and went out into the crowd to sing a bit and get mobbed. I have to say this for the guy, he puts a whole lot of emotion into his vocals and really works hard to get the crowd as involved. The most pit broke out a few times, but was quickly broken up by security (it was billed as a "family show" after all so no moshing, although lots of beer drinking, cursing and coconut flashing seemed to be allowed and encouraged). As usual, a good set by these guys. They write catchy, upbeat songs and put a lot of energy in their show, which usually means they get a lot in return. Last night was no exception. They seems to have a lot of fun playing on stage, very genuinely from what I've seen, and it gets a bit contagious. Here's a few pics, including one of Justin and I as I visited with him for a few minutes out on the concourse. Notice how sweaty I got in the pit, like anybody could help it. Outdoor shows in Arkansas in August? C'mon.






Finally it's time for the headliners and by this time it's cooled off just a bit and the gotten dark. It reminds me of how great of a place this is to see a show with a huge lighted walkway over the Arkansas River to the left, said river running behind the stage and a major roadway with traffic flying by just off to the right. Awesome setting that I often forget just how cool it is.

Kentucky's Black Stone Cherry walks out to the beginning of "Rain Wizard" before Chris Robertson steps up to the mike and screams "HERE COMES THE RAIN!" as the lights hit and the amphitheater just explodes. These guys know how to bring it and make an entrance. This is the 3rd time I've seen them this year alone after seeing them open for Black Label Society a couple of years ago and they seem to get better each show. If you want to know what they sound like, they're a southern hard rock band who have roots in the band The Kentucky Headhunters and they're sort of like them... on steroids. It's a cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Guns N Roses with some Soundgarden mixed in. Their songs are about the south and tell stories of swamps and moonshine and such like "Ghost of Floyd Collins", "Backwoods Gold", "Shooting Star", "Soulcreek", "Lonely Train" and "Hell and High Water". Visually they just go nuts on stage... lots of hair flying and head's banging. That's the best way to describe the live show. The drummer, John Fred Young, is just insane the entire time and even gets the rare drum solo, in which he knocked over things, threw sticks and beat on the drums with his hands much to the crowds delight. I'm a big opponent of drum solos (unless I'm needing to hit the restroom) but you have to watch this guy's.

All in all I love these guys a bit more with each time I see them and they're quickly moving up my list of favorite bands ever, despite only having 2 CDs so far. If there is any justice in the southern rock world they'll not break up until they pound out about a dozen more.

A Few Game Pictures

I'm winding down my minor league season of game watching and went out to the park on Tuesday night for the game between the Arkansas Travelers and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (KC Royals affiliate). Got to see a couple of HRs as NWA's Cory Aldridge hit his third homer in his past two games and Juan Richardson added a tenth-inning two-run shot to give the Naturals a ten-inning, 4-3 victory at Dickey Stephens Park on a beautiful night for some baseball.

In only it's 2nd season, DS Park is still one of the nicest ballparks in the minors.

Whew! Close Call for Texas

Texas residents are relieved that the deadly Category 5 storm just missed them, destroying a horn-shaped land mass beneath them instead.

More Ghostly Business

I know I usually don't start my ghost stories and horror movie blogging until October, but it's close enough I guess.

First up, a few weeks ago I posted an article from the statewide newspaper about a group of "ghost hunters" from Arkansas called Spirit Seekers investigating the State Capital here. I figured I'd follow that up for you and point out that they posted a final report on their website with some photos and such and they also linked my blog under media, which was cool of them. So go give that a visit if you like ghouls and such as I do. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they extend me an invite to go along on an investigation sometime so I can have something cool to blog about before the Halloween season begins. (actually, I am planning an overnight stay complete with tour at a certain famous Eureka Springs hotel in late September already)

Also of note, they have some info about the 2008 Arkansas Paranormal Fair here in Little Rock in October that I might have to check out. Looks like it could be fun.

Lastly, there was another article worth reprinting in this past weekend's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette again. It's about real estate people and a "ghostbuster bill" that I found interesting. Here it is:

Close encounters of the ‘ghost’ kind
Real estate agents don’t have to disclose haunt issues, but many do
By Sean Sposito

HOT SPRINGS - David and Ona Robertson own a 2,700-square-foot house that looks a bit like an English castle.

And since some castles are reputed to be haunted, it’s maybe not surprising when Ona Robertson, 62, refers to a supernatural extra that came with the purchase.

But the couple was not made aware of it by a close encounter of the weird kind.

It was a disclosure by a real estate agent when they bought the house in 1998.

Ona Robertson, who sports a tattoo of an angel on her back, pauses to sit in the reading room of her house about 1 p.m. on a Monday, her long, pink fingernails clutching a clove cigarette whose ashes she flicks into an ashtray next to her chair.

“I’ve never actually seen him, but you know how you visualize something in the corner of your eye ... You get the feeling you’re being watched,” she said.

Real estate agent Tera Jones said she showed the house to a prospect two weeks before the Robertsons bought it. At the time she was working for BJ Smith Realty of Hot Springs.

“It was one of those days that had big heavy clouds,” she said. “I’d been showing this guy property.

“[And the ghost] was on the porch. He wasn’t like a ghost like you see in a movie.”

Jones said the apparition caused her to run out of the house. She said she immediately called her boss at BJ Smith and told him what had happened.

The next day, Patsy Doster, a real estate agent who worked for ERA Rushing McAdams Polychron Realtors in Hot Springs at the time, disclosed to her broker the events that Jones said took place at the house. Ona Robertson said the selling agent told her of the supposed ghost that Jones had seen. Doster had put the house on the market for her relatives, the daughters of Paul Teague, who had died several years earlier.

Linda Averitt, an executive broker at McKimmey Associates Realtors, said: “If there is paranormal activity in the house you are selling, you would need to disclose it.”

In the realty business, ghosts are shop talk.

Averitt said she saw the apparition of a skeleton in a house she was showing several years ago.

“I could just see a lady sitting in this chair; of course, she really wasn’t there. My buyer went over to pick [the chair] up and move it. His hair just shot up,” she said. “He said: ‘There is something in that chair - there’s a ghost in it!’”

Real state agents are bound by law to disclose deaths or events in or around a property that might potentially affect its marketability. Before any house is sold, a seller fills out a legal document called a disclosure form that makes an agent aware of any unusual events related to the property.

But, ghosts aren’t necessarily a part of the clause.

Tim Grooms, a real estate lawyer for the Arkansas Realtors Association, said a “ghostbuster bill” prevents buyers from suing sellers and their agents on the grounds of paranormal activity.

The 2003 law, Arkansas Code 17-10-101, protects real estate agents for failing to disclose “any fact or circumstance or suspicion of the existence of any fact or circumstance that indicates that the real property is psychologically impacted.”

The law defines a “psychologically impacted” property as one that “was at any time suspected to have been the site of a homicide, suicide or felony.”

Jeb Joyce, a lawyer with the Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow law firm, said “psychological impact” covers hauntings.

Ethan Nobles, a spokesman for the Arkansas State Realtors Association, said such a disclosure might seem extreme, but a real estate agent has a responsibility to the buyer.

“If a seller tells his agent there is something floating around in there, the agent is probably obligated to tell their buyer about it,” he said. “What we tell our Realtors is if there is anything you know that could possibly [affect] the buyer then go ahead and reveal it.”

However, Sharla Law, a Fort Smith Realtor and chairman of the state association’s Risk Reduction Committee, said that during her 16 years on the board, no one has ever directly asked a question regarding haunted houses.

“I’m not saying that it hasn’t happened, I just don’t think it’s a [normal] thing,” she said, adding that it’s not uncommon to see an item on the phenomena in a trade magazine or newsletter.

Robertson said her house’s ghost is a great excuse when things are misplaced around the home.

“Sometimes, we’ll wake up and things will be out of place,” she said. “And David will say, well, [the ghost] did it.”

This article was published Sunday, August 24, 2008.
Business, Pages 75, 78 on 08/24/2008

The WEC Returns To TV

The WEC is back on Versus in just under a couple of weeks. I think these cards are getting really good, especially when you compare them to paying $45 for a pay-per-view card vs these for free. Here's the teaser:

Their first fight ended in controversy... WEC Middleweight champ, Paulo Filho, returns to settle things once and for all with Chael Sonnen. Watch this grudge match for the WEC title on Wednesday, Septemeber 10 LIVE on VERSUS from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fl.

Another Good Day For Tunes

I was probably lying at the pool last week while you were left wondering what the heck you should go to Best Buy and pick-up weren't you? Well I just so happened to be near a Best Buy so I picked up 3 new CDs for the drive home. Of those, two I highly recommend (The Showdown's "Back Breaker" CD rocks hard as does Black Stone Cherry's "Folklore and Superstition" CD) and one I don't recommend unless you feel like being depressed or crying because your woman dumped you (Staind's "The Illusion of Progress"). Anybody remember Staind back when they didn't keep their testicles hidden in a jar somewhere? Me either.

But more good rock today! And a few good DVD seasons including still one of my favorite shows on television, The Shield.

* Earshot ~ "The Silver Lining" CD
* Motörhead ~ "Motörizer" CD (pic of Lemmy and I)
* Slipknot ~ "All Hope Is Gone" CD (my blog on them)
* Thriving Ivory ~ "Thriving Ivory" CD (my blog on them)
* DragonForce ~ "Ultra Beatdown" CD
* Johnny Cash ~ "The Essential Johnny Cash 3.0" (3CDs)
* Redbelt DVD (martial arts movie)
* Entourage Season 4 DVD
* Heroes Season 2 DVD
* The Shield Season 6 DVD

And we're getting really close to the new Metallica CD "Death Magnetic" finally... September 12th is the big day! The new single hit iTunes and the radio last week. I'm definitely going to catch them when they hit Little Rock again in November. I've got the date circled. I'll probably catch them at Memphis also if they add a date there, which I figure they will on the 2nd leg of the tour. Check out the official trailer:

Book Review: Save Me From Myself

Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story
by Brian "Head" Welch

If you don't know, Brian Welch is the former lead guitarist of the multi-platinum metal band Korn. This is his spiritual memoir of his rise, fall and subsequent conversion to Christianity, which led him to quit Korn and basically walk away from millions of dollars. Welch is now hard-core on Jesus, and he hopes this story "might save a lot of people from going down the roads of destruction that he traveled on."

I remember when he announced he was leaving the band and had sort of a war in the press with the remaining members and I always wanted to know all of the "real story". Well, this is it, his version at least. There are a lot of tales of sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll as you'd expect with a story of rocker. He goes from his childhood, through all of the bands he was in, to joining Korn, to their rise up the charts, to his secret addiction to methamphetamines and problems with his marriage and the raising of his daughter. His life really spiraled out of control and he was definitely headed for an early death until he found Christianity. He tells of meeting some influences on him that ultimately led him to being more concerned with his moral fiber and the raising of his daughter than money or fame.

His writing style is very simple and seems to make it even more heartfelt and honest. It also makes it a very easy and quick read. You should be warned though, that although the subject matter may be perfect for a youth group or something, it's got quite a bit of profanity and adult topics. Sort of like life I guess.

It's also the first book I've read about the real beginnings of Korn and I found that very interesting even though it was just from his point of view.

I felt like at certain points the guy has done too many drugs and has a few screws loose as he so quickly jumped full on into Christianity and says God and the devil had both actually come to him and how he also spoke in tongues and other things that I think are a bit over the top. He seemed like a person who is very gullible and needs direction; needs someone to make decisions for him. After his conversion he couldn't make decisions like buying a house without some sort of sign from God. He begins to interpret every dream and everyday things as signs from God also. After he says God told him to move to the desert, he actually compares his change of residence to Arizona to the Israelites' 40 years of struggle in the desert. C'mon, a bit dramatic don't you think?

Did he make the "right" decision? I think that answer is different for everybody, but it sure seemed the right one for him. He did what he felt was right and seems very happy with that decision and it's one he made to try and be a better person. I fully respect the guy for that. He took out a lot of negatives from his life, kicked drugs and is trying to be a better father and man. If becoming born again helped him achieve these personal breakthroughs, then that in itself is inspiring. Doesn't mean it's for everybody though.

He does a pretty good job of getting his life across to paper, although it could have been written a bit better and probably longer with more detail. It's still an interesting read, and a must read for Korn fans.

7/10

Californians Celebrate Annual Wildfire Tradition

Residents took part in rituals like picking through the charred remains of their homes and feigning shock that this could happen to them.

Movie Review: Prom Night

Donna's senior prom is supposed to be the best night of her life, though a sadistic killer from her past has different plans for her and her friends.

This movie basically is Dawson's Creek with a sharp knife. There are a whole bunch of good looking high school kids, played by people much older than their teen years (including Scott Porter from Friday Night Lights who is nearly 30), who are put in a setting (a fancy hotel) and given an event (a prom) then a slasher begins to separate them and pick them off. That's it, the entire movie. There is no big twist and you know who the killer is in the first few minutes of the film.

The kids get scared by the usual cliched horror movie moments... bumping into a lamp in the dark, a loud knock at the door, someone walking up behind them harmlessly and even a a flock of doves from out of nowhere. All that is really missing is a cat jumping out while they gaze out a window.

Unless you're a teenage, the dialog is mostly atrocious. It's almost like actually being forced into a limo with a bunch of kids really going to the prom and having to listen to them say "like" and "oh my god" and sending text messages 20 times an hour. But the good news is that apparently there is not 1 fat or ugly kid in this entire school.

There are just so many dumb things to point out about this movie. From the heroin going back into the hotel as there are cops everywhere and a fire alarm going off to retrieve a shawl that was her mother's, despite leaving it in her room and not even wearing it to the dance... to the police showing a 3-year old picture of the killer instead of a current one so a simple shaving off of the beard allows him to walk freely unnoticed among a bunch of kid's who he taught in high school. Oh yes, he had on a baseball cap too... that master of disguise.

And again, while most of these movies have a ridiculous ending with some sort of twist to leave the viewer scratching their heads, this one basically just ends in the most boring fashion possible, next The Sopranos finale.

This is probably a good film for teens to watch for their first horror movie ever, but anyone else will be bored.

3/10

The Return of the Sunday Funnies!

Disturbed's Indestructible

Disturbed's very cool new music video for "Indestructible", the 2nd video from the 2008 release Indestructible. The CD happens to be their 3rd consecutive #1 album, a feat which only 6 other rock bands have pulled off. Can you name them? (answer below the video)

This whole CD just rocks like hell. Get it.



Six other rock bands have released three #1 albums in a row: Van Halen, Pearl Jam, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Staind, and Metallica.

Movie Review: Mirrors

An ex-cop (Kiefer Sutherland) and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

I love Alexandre Aja's movies and I really wanted to love this film too, I just couldn't do it by the end. First off, I thought the movie was too long really. At least 20 minutes could have been trimmed back with no problem. Secondly, despite a few cool, spooky scenes, if you've seen the trailer to the movie you've already seen most of them. It's short on gore and scares and turns out to be just a typical ghost story except that the spirit uses mirrors to communicate. Still, it's got a few moments of fun and some good scenes, just not enough.

Kiefer Sutherland is solid as the trouble ex-cop, but the ridiculousness of it all kept me from really identifying with his character. At least they did cast sexy costars Paula Patton and Amy Smart to take my mind off the goofiness of the plot, but the screen mostly belongs to Kiefer and CGI spooks. Amy Smart has a great bathroom scene (no, not that she's naked, although that helps) that may be the best gore in the film. It's also a nicely atmospheric and suspenseful for the most part.

And I actually liked the ending "twist", it's just that by the end I was pretty bored with the whole silly concept. Perhaps I'll track down the Korean version, Into The Mirrors, that this was a remake of, because I sort of like the idea of mirrors being a spirit portal and think it could be done better.

Which sort of sums up my feelings on this movie... it's OK really, it just could have been much better.

6/10

Movie Review: Death Race

A former NASCAR driver (Jason Statham) who is set-up for the killing of his wife is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world's most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory.

Talk about a film that delivers exactly what it advertises... this movie is just that. Its' part Running Man, part Shawshank Redemption, part Sly Stallone's Lock Up and part Stone Cold Steve Austin's The Condemned. Add all that together and it becomes just a big action movie with a whole of racing scenes, lots of tough guys, hot girls, muscle cars (with guns mounted) and plenty of explosions and bullets flying. It's a race movie within a prison flick.

The race scenes are really good, if not a bit hard to follow. You're put right in the middle of the action and you can feel the bullets whizzing by and the rumble of the engines. The whole film has an MTV video feel with a lot of loud music and a fresh look. The movie is very grayscale looking.

Jason Statham is... well, he's Jason Statham. He beats up people, drives fast and makes snarky quips. Joan Allen is outstanding as a bitch of a female warden. Natalie Martinez is sexy hot as Statham's co-pilot.

This is the exact kind of movie most critics will bash to no end, but it's just a mindless entertaining 90 minute thrill-ride for the video game generation... and what's wrong with that? Predictable? Yes. Dumb? Yes. Boring? Hell no.

7/10

Hump Day

Still no bad weather here... sunny and hot once again. Beautiful.

Best question of the week yesterday while we were laying around the pool...

"What time is it?"

"2:30"

"What day is it?"

Here's a few more pics:

So, if you have a 13 month old, just leave them laying right by the pool I guess.

Some of the beautiful scenery down here.

Landshark!

Our condo... the balcony with the towels right above the sign is actually ours.