Friday, December 19, 2008

Finished!

At 3:15 pm, History 636 gathered around the Old Abe Monument at Wilson Park to hand in our final papers and receive a quick lesson about the famous war eagle and the Wisconsin 8th Infantry. Thus came to an end my third semester.

Finals week turned out to be less hectic than I thought it would be, but it was still long and full of work.

Next semester promises to be my toughest yet, with thesis work, studying for the comps, and an increase in work assignments. Actually, because of all the research and studying that I'll need to accomplish in the Spring, next semester starts tomorrow.

As for this blog, I'll be taking the next few days off, and posting will probably be lighter in the coming weeks. I plan to do some brainstorming when it comes to the type of posting that I want to do in '09, and reevaluate my goals for the blog.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ugh

This is not good news.

I don't have time to say much, but the idea of another season with Mike Cameron in center field is a punch in the gut.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Films Of 2008 - A Review, Part I

Looking back at the films I watched in 2008, it's easy to draw a conclusion that it was not a very good year. Just like 2007 was a really good year for music, it was also a great year for film. Two of my favorites from '07 were There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. But I also enjoyed Zodiac, Michael Clayton, Juno, Knocked Up, Superbad, The Savages, and the documentaries The King of Kong and My Kid Could Paint That.

This post is Part I of my review of 2008, because there are a number of movies that have just recently been released or will be released that I want to see and haven't had the time yet to do so. Part II will probably come in a couple of months after I've had the chance to see some of the more "prestigious" films that are always released in a bunch at the end of every year.

So here are the grades of the nine films from 2008 that I've seen so far (also, POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT):

D- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Steven Spielberg)

This is easily the most disappointing movie of the year for me. I even went into it with very low expectations and the movie still was a huge letdown. It was so bad that I've decided that I will stubbornly refuse to acknowledge it ever existed, starting now.

D Baby Mama (Michael McCullers)

Tina Fey may be the star of 2008, but her first starring role in a movie was a complete dud. The one thing that can be said in Fey's defense is that neither her nor her screen partner, Amy Poehler, wrote the script for this supposed comedy. Fey and the rest of the cast sleepwalk through this comedy-by-numbers, and not even a cameo by Steve Martin as an eccentric millionaire was able to save it.

C Hancock (Peter Berg)

Here is a movie that seemingly could not fail. It had Will Smith in the lead, was released in the summer, and it had a really smart idea at its center. Smith plays a drunk, ill-behaved superhuman, whose superpowers routinely bring super-destruction and little thanks from the common man. Hancock's main problem is that it isn't able to effectively blend the comic and serious aspects of the plot together, and the result is a schizophrenic movie that leaves little impression.

C Pineapple Express (David Gordon Green)

When you strip this movie down to its essential state, it is just a stoner comedy with almost nothing new to say. I was hoping for something in the vein of Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead, two movies that satirized while paying homage to their genres. There are some laughs here, but not enough to justify calling this movie anything but average.

C+ Step Brothers (Adam McKay)

Unlike Pineapple Express, this movie does not try to be anything more than a stupid comedy. And it is very stupid. The plot isn't very plausible and the movie is filled with absurdist moments that have come to define the work of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Some of the bits are pretty funny though, and even though Ferrell's shtick may be running thin, he and co-star John C. Reilly make a good comedy duo and now how to deliver quote-ready lines.

B+ Iron Man (Jon Favreau)

Comic book movies have become arguably the most popular genre in the past 10 years, and as such, there exists a basic formula for how the first film in a planned series should introduce audiences to the main character(s). Iron Man treads a delicate line because in a lot of ways, it is quite formulaic. For that reason, a lot of credit should be given to director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr., for providing enough twists and humor to keep the audience fully engaged and entertained.

B+ The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy)

Before I watched The Visitor, I fully expected a critique of the policies and institutions that have developed in the post-9/11 world. That is definitely a major theme of the film, however the director explores these ideas in a subtle and complex manner, and only in the overall context of the human relationships that are explored. There are two main things that struck me afterwards: the great performance by Richard Jenkins in the lead, and the use of music by the filmmaker. The final scene is among the best I've seen all year.

A- Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Nicholas Stoller)

Another product of the Apatow machine, Forgetting Sarah Marshall follows in the tradition of The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, which means it is full of vulgar (and funny) humor, while at the same time attempting to interject some serious message. The second part doesn't always work, but the film is filled with memorable comedic bits. Jason Segel does a good job in delivering some of the more original moments, including an unforgettable ending with puppets.



A The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan)

It's been a while since a film has both garnered widespread critical acclaim and captured the imagination of a large segment of the public. Currently The Dark Knight trails only Titanic when it comes to the box-office (and the movie is being re-released in January). On IMDB.com, the film has been ranked the fourth best all-time (trailing The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, and The Godfather: Part II). Out of the 262 reviews collected on RottenTomatoes.com, only 16 are negative.

The Dark Knight is both a comic book movie and a crime-drama, but the story takes a back seat to the gritty and enthralling performances. When I first saw the movie I wrote that Heath Ledger's performance was comparable to Daniel Day Lewis' work in There Will Be Blood, because of the powerful energy that inhabits the character. Every scene with The Joker is mesmerizing and chilling.

The Dark Knight is the type of film that reminds you how magical and exciting going to the movies can be, and it truly captivates, entertains, and transcends the usual film-watching experience.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Brrr!

-9, The temperature at 9:15 this morning when I got on campus.

-1, The temperature at 5:24 this evening when I left campus.

What a nice way to start finals week.

Hopefully positive numbers will return tomorrow.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Friday, December 12, 2008

Brewers News

CC is gone. But to soften the blow, the Brewers have decided to send along his pal MiKe Cameron (that capitalized K is not a typo).

The deal isn't finalized yet, but it looks like the Brewers would receive 24 year-old outfielder Melky Cabrera (Cameron will be 36 in a month). Here is a comparison of the players:

Cameron

2008: 120 Games, 444 AB, 108 Hits, .243 Avg., 54 BB, .331 OBP, 142 K, 69 R, 25 HR, 70 RBI, 17 SB
-1 charged error, but Cameron exhibited decreased skills in the OF

Cabrera
2008: 129 Games, 414 AB, 103 H, .249 Avg., 29 BB, .301 OBP, 58 K, 42 R, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 9 SB
-4 errors last year in the outfield
-In 2007 he hit .273, and in 2006 he hit .280

Are the Brewers getting a fair deal? Cabrera doesn't seem to bring much to the team, but he is young and doesn't strike out as much as Cameron.

Some More Music Lists

'Tis the season for making lists. Last week I presented my favorite music from the last year. Here are a few lists from the professional music critics:

-The A.V. Club tallied up their votes and came up with the 30 best albums from the year.

-Here is a list of the top 40 albums from Spin.

-Paste ranked the year's 50 best albums.

One interesting note from these lists is that the #1 selection for the A.V. Club and Spin, is the #50 selection for Paste. I don't care much about the rankings from these sort of lists, but the nice thing is that they usually provide readers with some new music to check out.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Let's Go Bowling!

What college football bowl games are you looking forward to the most? This article ranks all 34 games (no surprise what #1 is).

Besides the Badgers' bowl game (vs. Florida State, December 27, Champs Sports Bowl) and the National Championship, I'm really not looking forward to any of these games. None of the "marquee" matchups seem that exciting to me:

-Penn State vs. USC, USC already trounced one Big Ten opponent this year and I imagine they'll take care of Penn State.

-Ohio State vs. Texas, Texas has a legitimate case for being in the National Championship game and will most likely destroy Ohio State.

-Alabama vs. Utah, A week ago Alabama's bags were packed for the title game and now they are going up against Utah.

This year's matchups provide yet more support for the argument that the BCS should be replaced by a playoff system (get on this Obama!). Imagine the possible matchups with a playoff system - Alabama vs. USC, Texas vs. Florida, Oklahoma vs. Penn State, Utah vs. Boise State, etc.

How can we get the bigwigs who run college football to change their minds?

Monday, December 8, 2008

CC's Mind Not Made Up

It's been almost two months since the last time CC Sabathia pitched for the Brewers, but according to this report, there remains a slim chance that Milwaukee will be able to sign the coveted free agent.

It's clearly not all about the money for CC - if that was the case, he would've signed the Yankee's $140 million offer. But it's also still early in the free agent season, and being the biggest prize this off-season, I'm sure CC and his people are going to take their time in making a decision.

What are the chances we see Sabathia back in a Milwaukee uniform next year? I'd say about 5%. I'm still convinced that he'll end up somewhere in California. It's nice to dream though.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Badgers Disappear In Second Half

I don't have ESPNU so I didn't get to watch last night's UW-Marquette game, but here's what I could figure out from looking at the numbers:

-The Badgers got cold in the second half. After going 13-for-27 from the field in the first half, UW was 9-for-21 in the second half, including 3-for-12 from three-point land.

-It was not a "Bo Ryan" game, which means the Badgers lost the battle on fouls and turnovers. UW turned over the ball 16 times (Marquette had 12 turnovers), and committed 26 fouls to Marquette's 16. When the Badgers did get to the free throw line, they were 7-for-13.

-Marcus Landry did not show up. These are the type of games where you need your senior leaders to be big playmakers. Last year it was Brian Butch who would sometimes take over in big games, and two years ago it was Alando Tucker. Last night, Landry was just 2-for-5, in 28 minutes.

-Jason Bohannon is still not out of his early season funk. Bohannon was 2-for-7 from beyond the arc, and committed 4 turnovers.

-Badgers couldn't find a defensive answer to Jerel McNeal. McNeal scored most of his team-high 26 points in the second half. It's funny how much attention is given to Marquette's two "stars," Dominic James and Wesley Matthews (overrated), when in actuality the most valuable player on the roster is McNeal.

The Badgers have four more games (all home) until the Big Ten season opens on December 31 at Michigan. The next three games should be wins - Idaho State, UW-Green Bay, and Coppin State. Then No. 8 Texas comes to town, and the Longhorns will be looking for revenge for last year's loss in Austin. Texas just beat No. 12 UCLA, and their lone loss was by a single point against Notre Dame.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Connections To The Past

This article, which came to my attention from one of my professors, discusses an emerging interpretation of the American Revolution, and how it is significant to the current economic crisis.

"The parallels between the current economy and the one Franklin saw highlight a debate among historians: how big a role did economics, as opposed to ideas, play in fomenting revolution?"

Friday, December 5, 2008

Music Of 2008 - A Review

Overall, I would consider 2008 to be a disappointing year for music. One reason why I feel that way is probably because 2007 was such a strong year. '07 saw releases from some of my favorite artists - Wilco, Arcade Fire, The National, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, The Shins, Page McConnell, Neil Young, The New Pornographers, and Elliott Smith (posthumously). Meanwhile, I discovered some gems for the first time in '07 too - Tokyo Police Club, Okkervil River, Liam Finn, and Band of Horses. Heck, it was even a strong year for soundtracks - There Will Be Blood (Johnny Greenwood), Once, The Darjeeling Limited, and Juno.

So '08 was bound to disappoint. Here we are in the final month of '08 and there are only a few albums that I would consider to be on par with most of the releases mentioned above. But that doesn't mean that '08 was a total loss. Of the five albums I chose for my "Favorite of 2008," three are by bands that I had not heard of before January 1, 2008. 2008 also saw some strong sophomore releases, like by Tokyo Police Club and Wolf Parade, even if they didn't quite match the level of their debut albums. And if nothing struck you strongly this year, there's always hope for 2009 (I know for sure that Wilco and Midlake are planning releases).

Without further ado, I present my favorite music from 2008 - my five favorite albums, a number of honorable mentions, and some overrated stuff.

#5 The Dodos, Visiter

This is one of the three bands that I listened to for the first time in 2008. The Dodos are clearly an indie band, but their sound is not one-dimensional and they are confident in shifting gears and focus.



#4 Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend's self-titled debut album garnered quick praise, and by March the album was being hailed as the best record of '08. Then by June the band's tunes were being played in baseball parks across America, and by the fall it was losing cred with the hipster-indie crowd. Vampire Weekend draws from many influences to create their unique sound, and even though this album is open to criticisms, achieving mainstream success shouldn't detract from the fact that this was one of the best releases of the year.



#3 Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes

It took me a few listens to warm up to Fleet Foxes, though that isn't rare for me when it comes to new bands. At first listen, I was reminded of Midlake, Simon & Garfunkel, My Morning Jacket's album Z, and the The Shins. But there are definitely other comparisons to be made. One review I saw mentioned a similarity to Pet Sounds, which is an album that is used far too often for comparisons. But there are definitely hints of that album, especially on track 7, "Heard Them Stirring."



#2 The Raconteurs, Consolers of the Lonely

After their first release, Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs quickly established themselves as a solid rock n' roll outfit. With their newest album, they firmly place themselves as the go-to rock n' roll band around. The album is filled with quick kicks of adrenaline, but the band showcases other gears - "You Don't Understand Me" is a moderate tempo piano rock piece and "Carolina Drama" is a southern rock soap opera.



#1 Tapes n' Tapes, Walk It Off

Tapes n' Tapes doesn't just begin where they left off with their first release, The Loon. The core of what made that album so good is still intact, but the band makes some nice strides with Walk It Off. There is an added burst of energy this time around, and a fuller sound. The interplay between the musicians is tighter and more expressive, revealing a maturity and wisdom that gives the album a quality of timelessness. Every song sinks its hooks into you, and there isn't a weak track on the entire album.



Honorable Mention:

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer, A solid sophomore effort, the final track "Kissing The Beehive" is the gem of the entire album.

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell, Another solid follow-up to a debut album, but this one seemed to lack the edge and experimental nature of their first release.

Colour Revolt - Plunder, Beg, and Curse, Never mundane or boring, but is at times a forgettable record for me.

Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords, No new material here, but it's hard to get tired of the old stuff.

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges, There is a lot to like about this album, but also a few things to dislike (track 3, "Highly Suspicious," is unlistenable in my opinion).

Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs, Another release in the Bootleg series, Dylan shows that 2 discs of his "throw-aways" are better than most artists' A-material.

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark, Southern rock that leaves an impression.

Stuff I Found Overrated:

Basically, any album that was full of down-tempo, sparse sounding, Lo-fi, minimalist, "atmosphere rock," or repetitive, droning, wallowing sounds - anything like that, I didn't embrace as much as some critics. This includes: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago; Sun Kil Moon - April, Shearwater - Rook, and Deerhunter - Microcastle. There were some good tracks on those albums, but as entire works I couldn't get into them.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

A Note To My Reader(s)

I hope to pick up the pace when it comes to posting, but this is the end of the semester and it is always a busy time (this past week I had three papers due, a stack of papers to grade, a thesis proposal to finalize, and a constitutional crisis with the department honor society). Next week is the final week of classes, and then it will be finals time (which actually shouldn't be that stressful for me this semester).

Here are a few things to look forward to though:

-Tomorrow I will post my thoughts on the music from 2008, including my favorite albums.

-The Badgers take on Marquette Saturday night, and I'm sure I'll have a few thoughts on that game.

-A funny YouTube video.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Nice Road Win For UW

If you missed last night's UW-Virginia Tech game, you missed a rather exciting road win for the Badgers. UW was in control for most of the night, but the Hokies made a frenzy comeback with under 2 minutes to play. With about 7 seconds left, a player for VA Tech hit a game-tying three-pointer, which set up Trevon Hughes for the game-winner.

It's a good road victory for this young Badger team. Until the last minute, the team showed great poise. When the Hokies started pressing on defense, the Badgers had troubles (just like against UConn). But going into a hostile environment, against an ACC team that isn't afraid of anyone, and coming out with a win is always a positive. I think this was a good learning experience for the young guys - Leuer, Taylor, Wilson, Nankivil, and Jarmusz all played at least 10 minutes.

Leuer was in particular impressive last night. In 21 minutes he was 6-for-11, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. He finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The true freshman Rob Wilson made a slightly different impression. He shows flashes of brilliance on defense, but is too often out of control on offense (kind of like Kammron Taylor when he was a freshman). I think once he learns to settle down and let the game come to him, he will be a good player. But there will probably be some growing pains this year.

Landry, Hughes, Krabbenhoft, and Bohannon all had solid games, as you would expect from the core of the team. Overall, it was a good shooting night for the Badgers. They finished the game with a field goal percentage of 50, and were 12-for-18 on three-pointers (Landry was 4-for-4!).

After playing a number of games in a short period of time, UW can rest until Saturday's showdown at Marquette (8:30 pm, and on ESPNU (boo!)). Marquette just lost to Dayton last Saturday, and definitely revealed some weaknesses, so a victory on the road against the top-25 opponent isn't out of the question.