Yes, folks. I think the day has come, much sooner than I thought was possible. But I believe I will have to break my one rule about buying BRDs. Well, I guess there were two rules...
Anywho, I think I'll have to break any and all rules that I had before for this one exception. And that exception is...
Yes, yes, I know. It's not action/adventure/thriller/sci-fi/fantasy, but, BUT... it was filmed in 1080. Not sure if filming was done in 1080i or 1080p, but the BRD will be 1080p, so that's got something going for it.
The reason why I bring this up is because I can't understand why the DVD version came out this week and the BRD version doesn't come out until November 17!!! I don't know of any recent television show that has done this, and it's pissing me off!
No doubt this all stems from me purchasing the DVD version (still in its original wrapping, so I can return it) and realizing that the aspect ratio is 1.33:1. That's right... 1.33:1. The show was done in HD, shown on HDTVs as 1080i, meaning it should be 16:9 for all DVD/BRD versions. So why is the DVD version in freakin' 1.33:1?!?! I understand why the previous seasons might be that way, but season 8 was filmed in HD, so at minimum the DVD should be 1.85:1 or 2.35:1. It makes no sense!
Now that I got that off my chest, I can say I've got some interesting ideas for next week's postings. I can't wait to write them. Later!
Okay, so yesterday's post was a little different than most of my usual stuff I write about, but it got me on SI's Hot Clicks, so I'm on this amazing high right now. I thought it might get out there, but never in my wildest dreams did I think this would get shown on a popular site like Sports Illustrated. Freakin' awe... wait for it... some!
Now it's time to get back into some of my usual postings: DVD purchases! Yeah, I know I swore those off back in May, but my BF got me thinking, not everything needs to be seen in BR. Last I checked, any movie filmed before the creation and use of high-def cameras will not be in true 1080p! So instead of getting any movie before the turn of the century on BR, it just makes sense to get them on DVD and watch them on the BR. Still looks pretty nice. Rule two for purchasing BRDs dictates that anything that doesn't have great action sequences shouldn't be needed in BR. And that rule almost got broken...
I would consider myself a fairly manly man. I like to watch sports 24/7, I enjoy action-packed movies, I could eat Jimmy John's every day. But in other ways, I'm not so much a manly man, including not knowing the inner workings of a car, I can't use power tools to save my life, and I don't drink beer (although appletinis do sound nice right now...). Anywho, when I saw the trailer for I Love You, Man I knew this movie was for me. Mostly because it has Jason Segel (love just about anything Freaks and Geeks) and the SO swears I have a bromance with my BF. Not true, althoug I haven't seen him since the wedding... No, not like that, he married a WOMAN. A beautiful woman, and no I wasn't heartbroken that I have to share him with her (tear...).
To make a long story short, the movie finally came out on DVD and BRD last week, and I was ready to buy it on DVD... but a little voice in my head said, "But BR would look amazing." It was a loud voice, but it was persistent. The problem is about 10 bucks - the difference between DVD and BRD. The other problem is it would set a bad precedent for purchasing future BRDs. If a comedy could be bought in BR, why not a drama? Or a TV series (which is a dilemma, with Scrubs Season 8 coming out next week...).
I thought very long as I stood in the DVD area at SuperTarget about what to do. I knew the SO would kill me, and that it would put more money towards her buying shoes and/or yarn. It was really tough to not have the movie in BR, but I reasoned with myself that it was best to get the DVD. Tough choice, but at least I stuck to my rules. Now about Scrubs...
Where did the time go? Looks like I've been more truant than Kate Hudson's career, but seriously folks...
Man, it has been a wild time since my last post from July 13th. Moving into a new apartment, my BF's wedding, the loss and addition of new movies to my collection...
Oh yeah, that's right. I have more DVDs! And I also have my first BRDs, too! So rather than write a post for each of these losses and additions, I figured I'd just write a sentence or two about what's new and what's out of my life. Without further adieu, here are the DVDs that we had to say goodbye to:
Duck Soup - Even though I have it in my collection, this particular copy was what kept me laughing for days and weeks. The very definition of what a comedy should be.
Harry Potter Series - Even though they weren't the best fantasy series I owned (cough, Lord of the Rings, cough) I did enjoy the story because I had read all the books.
National Security - Never saw it, don't want to.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Without Cameron at the helm, it just hasn't been the same. And it was full-screen!!!
Win a Date With Tad Hamilton - Oh, Topher Grace, this was the best you could find? Love the Topher, just will never watch this movie.
The loss will truly be felt... in terms of number of DVDs.
Batman (BR) - Finally! I had been waiting forever to own this movie, and Border's had a 50% off BRDs last month, which will tie into a future post about how truly insane I am (because of the SO).
Coraline (BR) - One look at the word "3D" on the box, and the SO was hooked. Plus, it shows off the capabilities of the BR, so not a bad purchase.
The Dark Knight (BR) - This is what started it all, my BRD collection, and it was so worth it to buy. Didn't think it could get any better, but in BR it can.
Enemy of the State (BR) - Loved it when I first saw it. Loved it again because I bought it with Batman, meaning I bought 2 BRDs for the price of 1!!!
Harry Potter 1-5 (BR) - Let's just say the SO better love me for them, because I went through hell (and a tank of gas) to get these for her. Again, this story will be in the future post I spoke of above.
Independent America: The Search For Mom and Pop - The SO really loved this movie. And because we had to give up our DVR (which has had that movie on there since July 2007!) for a new one, I thought having a copy of it on DVD might bring a smile to her face.
Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode Two - If you can't understand why I bought this, then you obviously have never seen Star Wars...which is a shame...because this was hilarious! And the extended version makes this worth the buy.
Congratulations to all the new additions, I hope you enjoy your new home. In the next post, I'll give reviews of all the movies I have seen since I last posted in July. They'll just be one to two sentences long, because there are a lot to go through, and I don't have the patience to write that much on each of them. Until then, later!
PS - I still want to get rid of both copies of Transformers and the special edition of Dark Knight. Someone please take these away from me!!!
But I have to post it, seeing as from this point on, it's Blu-Ray for me.
Now this happened just after we got the HDTV, so it comes before the moment I proved to the SO we need a Blu-Ray player. Actually, this took place the day after we got the TV in our apartment. We just dropped off the SO's mom at the airport. And I had been waiting two days (TWO DAYS) to go out to Best Buy and get it. In those two days, the local BB had sold out of it (yeah, crappy). So I knew that the BB near the airport still had a copy. Too bad that BB is in the middle of the ghetto. No joke, I think there were bars on every window.
And we stroll in, the SO freaking out over us looking for a DVD in the ghetto. But I figured we go in, we find it, we pay for it, we get out. Simple plan. Luckily, this BB did have what I was looking for: Fanboys. It seems fitting that this would be my last DVD, as it's about people with no lives... like me with my DVDs!
So my DVD-buying days are now over...
Blu-Ray-buying days have begun! Woo-hoo!
And I imagine the Blu-Ray experience to be something like this:
In all of its glory, I give you the new TV I've been waiting for my whole life (well, actually three weeks, but it seemed like an eternity!). I give you the Samsung 860 series 50-inch plasma TV, able to provide 1080p picture with 0.001 ms response time, it just makes your toes curl thinking about it!
And I wasn't even there for the unveiling. I know, it's sad, but I think I can forgive myself by basking in its glow, it's 50-inch glow. And the first thing I watched on it was... Dancing with the Stars (ugh).
Okay, not a great way to start but the next thing was... American Idol (Ugh).
Well, third time's the charm. And I finally got to watch... Star Wars (yay!)! Only ten minutes, as it was early in the morning and I had to get ready for the day, but still, it was great. Not HD great, but that's for future posts. It was worth the wait, and I have so much sports, so many movies, so little time to watch it all. Hmm, maybe if I... no, that would involve me losing my one source of income, so what if I... no, I can't sell that much of my bodily fluids, so... I guess I'll just have to watch when I can. And it's great, if I can just figure out why the cable signal is only coming in at 1080i and 60 hz. Maybe it's the cable box...
I'm afraid of what this might have done to what has been a fairly solid blog for me. I can't believe I've been writing for this blog for over four months, and up until now, things have been pretty good. That is, until NOW!
What could create such a rip in the space-time continuum? Well, if you must know, the SO and I bought a new television. And not just any television, a Samsung 860 series 50" plasma HDTV!
And here's the backstory...
April 25: I set up an entire day of surprises for the SO as it is her birthday. I won't say how old she is, because I'd never be able to see my testicles again. Long story short, I propose to her, she says yes, and all is good.
April 26: We have errands to do, but because it's early on Sunday, we stop by H.H. Gregg because it's the only thing open near the mall. SO jokes about getting a TV, as if because I bought her an engagement ring, she must return the favor with a new TV.
Backstory to my backstory: we're moving in July, we have an old cathode ray tube TV that weighs a metric ton, I have the back of an 82-year old. You do the math, now back to my original backstory...
We're looking at TVs, when the SO spots the new LED television sets. They're described as eco-friendly, and use 40% less energy than Samsung's 2008 LCD models of the same size. As she's a treehugger (nothing wrong with it, just have to point it out), this means a lot to her. Means a lot to me too, but I'm hesitant about it for some reason. The salesman (a good guy for putting up with us...I mean, it takes us a month, literally, to decide what to have for dinner the next day) points out that even the best LED/LCD will lag with fast motion on the screen, including football and fast action sequences in movies. Ugh, don't like the sound of that, so we say we have to think about it. At that time, the 55" LED, normally $3599.99, was on sale for $2999.99 until Tuesday.
April 28: We go back to H.H. Gregg to look again at the TVs, when I see it in the corner of my eye. A 58" plasma TV from Samsung. Clearly, Samsung has the market for LED and plasma! I'm torn. I want to help the environment, but the plasma picture looked really good. So the SO and I go back and forth for 90 minutes. For some reason, she was leaning yes for buying the LED and I was hesitant! We decide to investigate plasma TVs, as the same salesman pointed out the myths about plasma, and plan to come back on May 1 with our decision.
April 29: I ask a co-worker about his TVs, if he preferred plasma over LCD. He loves them both! No help there, until he realizes we've been to H.H. Gregg. Somehow, his wife is friends with the wife of the general manager of H.H. Gregg! So after lab, we rush to the store to meet with the general manager, who makes an incredible deal on the 55" LED: $2699.99! But I was noticing after viewing that TV that I was slightly getting a headache. Considering a TV is the last thing I need to give me a headache, I'm really hesitant about LED. Because of this, the SO starts to lean away from LED.
May 1: Judgment day. After long consideration, the SO and I agreed on a TV. Since I liked plasma and we were going to have this TV for the next 25 years, I had to make this purchase a good one. But the 58" plasma was $3499.99. Too pricey for us. So I had researched the day before about the 50" version. I love it, Love It, LOVE IT! It was priced from Samsung's website at $2399.99. Because we know the general manager is a good guy willing to lower the price, we're hoping he has or would have that TV in stock. He had put the purchase in last week for the 50" model and is willing to sell it to us for $1929.00! Sold!
Because we have bad luck with electronics, we got the 5-year warranty, plus we paid for H.H. Gregg to deliver the new TV and take the behemoth away. So all in all, we paid $2600 for this beautiful piece of work.
And why might this destroy the very essence of this blog? Because I might not be able to ever take my eyes off of it. It's too beautiful not to get mesmerized by it. I can already picture watching DVDs 24 hours a day just to see what they look like on 50" plasma. Not to mention football, basketball, sitcoms! It just makes me drool...
The punchline to this story is: the TV is so new it probably won't come in until the end of this month. But it'll be worth the wait. Now I just have to decide what will be the first thing to watch on it...hmm...Star Wars, anyone?
Hey-yo! I'm back with a post I haven't been able to write for a long time: a post about a DVD purchase. Well, it might get thinner yet, but that's for another time. So what goody did I shell out money for this time?
Long title, I know. But it's worth it to have another piece of my childhood in DVD form. And thanks to one of my peeps, I was reminded why Best Buy has that name. Luckily, they still honor the price of a competitor, meaning if a competitor has a lower price and I have proof of it, they will sell the product to me at the lower price. Which means I have more money to spend, er, save on DVDs!
Who would be crazy enough to sell this DVD for cheap? Of course that would be our favorite retailer, Wal-Mart. For once, they served a purpose. Saved me 7 bucks. I'd say that was pretty good. And at just $30 for this purchase, I still have $9 in the DVD fund. Yay!
I don't know when my next purchase might be, because I have something that might shake the very foundation of this blog. I know, it's that big! But that's for another post... (of course I have to raise the intensity level, it makes for good drama, like TNT...seriously, I've seen way too many of those commercials). Later!
It finally happened, a purchase which raised the issue with how to manage the DVD-Yarn/Shoe Fund. And again, I can blame Borders for it all...
So on Thursday, I received an e-mail (I should probably just unsubscribe to the mailing list) from Borders that said select DVD titles were going to be 40% off regular price Friday through Sunday. You know what that means:
"B-A-By...do you think we can go to Borders Friday night?"
And then, the look.
But the difference in this look is that the SO knows she can get more yarn this way. So she agreed. I wasn't looking for anything pricey this time around. Just a week ago, I had used a 40% off coupon to buy The Public Enemy for 12 bucks, so I was looking for something I really wished to have, that I couldn't find at Best Buy (i.e. any classic movie), that wasn't going to cost an arm and a leg.
Of course, I had a few in mind. The first being Amadeus, but it wasn't a "selected" title. They didn't have The Awful Truth (oh, Cary Grant...). Super Troopers can easily be bought at Best Buy, so I didn't want to waste this opportunity. That didn't leave much, but oh...
What's this?
Can it be?
What is THIS doing in the bargain counter?
Finally, a purchase worthy of 40% off its regular price. I'm talking about The Chaplin Collection: Volume One. I know! How was this still available? I don't know. About a month ago, I had seen it at the top of the shelves in the comedy DVD section. Last week, I didn't see it, so I thought it had been purchased by some evil person who didn't want me to enjoy some silent movie action. But for some strange reason, it was still here. And it was "tagged" (with red tape), meaning it counted for 40% off!!!
So originally, the price of the collection was $76.99. So 40% of that price is $30.80, meaning the final price was $46.19! Totally worth it. But this led down to a dark, dirty road known as the "Fund Cap"...
Originally, the SO and I had agreed that however much I spent on DVDs, she could spend that amount on yarn and/or shoes. But with this purchase, the SO put her foot down and said that there had to be a limit to my happiness. Meaning that this could easily get out of hand, and what would really be the purpose of this fund if one person could still spend hundreds on their vice, when this was meant to curb that spending? The current cap is set at $75, but it may be brought down slowly until it reaches a $50 limit, total. I know, bummer, but I just need to get the SO to buy more yarn/shoes (which I hate, but if there's a DVD I really want...).
As you've read in my earlier post, I was finally able to realize my dream of owning Andy Richter Controls the Universe on DVD. But the DVD purchases didn't end there (Yeah, I bought Bolt, but because the SO wanted it, it is neither one of my purchases nor does it count against me in the DVD/Yarns and Shoe War I have with her).
We begin Thursday morning. Just checking my e-mails when I stumble upon the usual garbage known as a Borders coupon e-mail. Usually these contain coupons for 15 or 20 percent off an item. I almost got duped by the 40% off one DVD box set a couple weeks back. But I held out. This e-mail's coupon, though, was too good not to use...
40% off any item, regardless of price!
Hallelujah, the DVD gods have been good to me for all the pains I've taken this week!
So what could I possibly use this on? And how could I get the SO to allow this? Ah, that is the key, for we both receive Borders e-mails, meaning she had a 40% off coupon as well. Therefore, she would make a purchase as well. Not a DVD purchase, but we'll forgive her for that. Maybe.
Indeed, the obvious choice was the choice I almost made a couple weeks back with the earlier coupon: Amadeus. Yes I have it on VHS, but this is Amadeus: Director's Cut. With 5.1 Digital Surround Sound. The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart swarming all around me was so enticing, but was it worthy of such a coupon? Was any movie able to garner my attention for such a priceless coupon (well, not really priceless, but it does mean less money I've spent on DVDs, which is a good thing... well, a good thing in that it means more money to spend on other DVDs!)
But then it dawned on me. What was one of my future purchases that I really wanted? That's right, White Heat. Well, Borders didn't have it, but they did have The Public Enemy, another James Cagney movie and one that was an integral part of my gangster movie collection. So sorry Wolfgang, I promise you one day you will be a part of my collection... in Blu-Ray! Think about it, 7.1 Digital Surround Sound!
So at the end of the day, $12 spent for one DVD. This puts me in the red for the Fund, $5 to be exact. I have to hold off now, unless I want to allow more money to be spent on yarn/shoes. But I can't do that, so I'll just remain content with what I have... until my eye catches the next prize! Later!
So I got into lab this morning, just checking my e-mails before getting ready for a meeting and some lab work (I know, I actually had work to do instead of working on this blog... I know, how dare anything take me away from doing what I love!). And then IT showed up...
An e-mail from Borders. But not just any normal e-mail. Usually it provides a 15-20% coupon good for any item in the store. Sometimes it's 30-40% towards a book or CD. But oh no, they went and did it... a 40% off any DVD box set!
I know, how dare they! They know I'm trying to cut back on spending on those precious DVDs (although I did drive the SO to the yarn store today - $12 more to my DVD fund!). And what do they do? Two weeks before Andy Richter Controls the Universe comes out, they provide a coupon that would provide a lot of relief from a purchase like that. Doing the math, the DVD costs $40.99 at Borders. 40% from that is $16.40, meaning it would cost $24.59...
Okay, so it's cheaper buying from Best Buy (or Amazon... oh Amazon, how I love thee), especially with the $5 gift certificate. But for some reason, it's the whole "40 percent off one DVD box set" that has me happier than a stormtrooper NOT on either of the Death Stars, happier than J.D. in one of his daydreams, happier than... I'll stop there. Can't show too much of my nerdiness in this post.
So is there anything I need in my collection that I don't already have? Check my other blog, Tenacious Spoo in the List of DVDs to see what I have and what I do need. You'll be a big help to me and you'll get the evil look from the SO. Okay, so I'll get the evil look, too... okay, I'm getting it right now from her, even though she's across campus. I can still feel it. Scary. I know. Later!
Yes, my friends, it's that's time of the week (although a little early - that's what she said! Oh!). Time to preview a little thing (that's what... yeah, that's lame) I like to call my Future Purchase, DVD style. This edition of FP actually only includes one DVD, but oh boy is it jam-packed with awesome DVD goodness.
Of course, I'm talking about the hit television show Andy Richter Controls the Universe. And when I say hit, I mean my boys in college would have to be in front of the TV when the show came on. Which wasn't for very long, actually. Kinda sad, almost went as quickly as undergrad. Again, another sad thing. So let's talk about happy things, like it's finally come to fruition, the DVD version of the television series. Finally! I know that at least a couple times in the past few years there was talk about it coming out on DVD, only to get shot down, like my chances at getting a Blu-ray player this year. Yeah, I know, that bad.
Not sure really how to describe the show, other than we're treated to Andy Richter at his finest outside of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Debuting in the spring of 2002, the show only lasted 19 episodes. But considering how many shows on Fox get cancelled, the show is almost like M*A*S*H when it comes to how long it was on air on the network.
The only thing holding me back from purchasing it is... it's not out yet. Supposedly, allegedly, hopefully... it will be released March 24, 2009. So two weeks away! I don't know if I can hold in my excitement. And it helps that the SO bought yarn this weekend, so I'm in the positive for how much I can spend on DVDs. Yip... wait for it... EEE! And at a cost of $28, I will only go $20 in the negative. Not bad, I know. Let's just hope I don't go overboard in Best Buy when purchasing ARCTU. Must keep eyes on the prize, no looking around at other possible purchases. Otherwise, SO can buy lots more yarn (or shoes), and I just can't let that happen!
This is why I have to buy it. And so should you. Later!
Have you ever watched a movie for the first time and thought, "This movie is great!"? You know what I'm talking about, where you really relate to the protagonist, he (or for you female types, she) is someone who seems really cool and you wish your life could be as cool as his, especially for what he does for a living.
I really thought that with "High Fidelity." For some reason, back in 2001, I could really relate to John Cusack's character, Rob. No, not the terrible boyfriend part. I just thought it was so cool that there was someone with that much passion for music... AND listmaking. I can't tell you how much this ending quote fueled my need to make the perfect compilation:
"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up is hard to do. It takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick it off with a killer to grab attention. Then you gotta take it up a notch. But you don't want to blow your wad. So then you gotta cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules. Anyway, I've started to make a tape, in my head, for Laura. Full of stuff she'd like. Full of stuff that'd make her happy. For the first time I can sorta see how that's done."
For some reason, that just resonated with me to this day. And the way Rob would just talk about stuff was something I could relate to.
And, of course, it was MY introduction to a man... an amazing man... a god amongst men... Jack... Black!
I don't what it was, but it started a love affair (not literally!) for JB and all his earthly creations (well, not all of his earthly creations, again, literally). So it had music, lists, Jack Black - it was just something that resonated with how I felt about love and life. Since then, I've been wondering what it would have been like to actually own the DVD. I mean, come on, Jack Black singing - that right there is movie gold! You can't give that stuff away for free! It's gotta be earned... or bought for $9.99.
And I was so ready to have this movie as my Future Purchase for this week... that is, until I saw it on IndiePlex last night. Didn't catch the first half-hour but I had seen it before. I knew what it was all about, so it didn't bother me (too much) to watch 'til the end. But as I watched it, I realized that I only liked the movie when I could phase out John Cusack. Nevermind his character, Rob, John is really annoying! And he's done it with so many movies since High Fidelity was released in 2000.
America's Sweethearts
Serendipity
Must Love Dogs
I haven't seen any of his other movies since 2000, but I can imagine it's the same thing overand over again: an overly emotional whiner who's unable to be with the woman he loves because he can't get over the way his romantic relationships have ended in the past so he can't love the one woman who would make his whole life happy so he spend two hours of my life, along with any money I spent on tickets, rentals, or purchase of the movie so that I feel like less of a person because I had to watch John Cusack go on and on about how he can't find love in his pathetic little existence of a life, and ANOTHER thing... but I digress... A LOT!
So what's a guy to do in this situation? Ultimately, I have been searching for the ultimate compilation my entire life because of this movie. I am in awe of the collection of music Rob has in his apartment and how he can spend countless hours organizing them alphabetically, chronologically, and autobiographically. It's something I do with my DVDs, probably because of Rob. But is it worth 10 bucks to own this movie? As long as my mind continues to block out John Cusack, I possibly could.
But what if my mind loses that capability? What would I do with the DVD? Use it as a coaster? Play frisbee with it? Because I can't let this get out in the world for those without John Cusack Blocking Ability (JCBA). It could turn everyone's brain into mush, just like the acting job he put into this movie. So what is said in the movie truly moved me, but seeing John Cusack can be too much. Maybe if I just buy the script...
So this weekend is the SO's turn to choose a DVD for our viewing pleasure (displeasure most likely for me). And I'll need to get through a couple more movies on the DVR, so plenty more posts to be written...
Now don't get me wrong. It's not so much backing down as I didn't want to go through with it. I'm talking about last week's Future Purchase(s), Batman (1989) and Batman: The Complete Animated Series. And obviously I have not actually gone through with the purchase of either. The reason for the 1989 incarnation is because I can wait until Blu-Ray (and I didn't want to record every single scream from Kim Basinger in that movie!).
I also decided not to go through with purchasing the television series (although it's still in my Wish List on Amazon) because I couldn't allow the SO more money to buy yarn and/or shoes. And two, even this DVD whore realizes that the economy is tough and the SO and I are essentially terrible with finances. That's right, we started a budget. Well, not so much started a budget as admitting how much we make does not equal the amount we have to spend on rent, electricity, food, cable, and other extraneous activities (DVDs the exception!).
But there are better ways to spend $76. Possibly spending a portion of that chunk of change on this week's Future Purchase.
That's right, the movie that brings blackface to the 21st century, it's Tropic Thunder. From what I've been reading, Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of a method actor in this film is phenomenal and because he doesn't break away from character, Downey actually gets it, unlike Al Jolson and C. Thomas Howell. Wow, that was a long run-on sentence...
So from what I know from the trailer and from my good friend, Coach, a group of actors are doing a Vietnam War movie, and because the film studio hates them, they're dropped into Vietnam! While still filming! Obviously, there's comedy in that plot, and with Downey Jr. plus Ben Stiller and Jack Black, it sounds like a sure hit. On the other hand, my other good friend L-squared thought it was okay. So that begs the question, who's opinion do I value more, Coach or L-squared? The correct answer is...
...
The SO. I know, because she's holding my bank account hostage currently. I don't how many times I've picked up the DVD for Tropic Thunder, only to be told that we have to wait until we've seen it or it's a confirmed "definite buy." It's just breaking my heart! So what do I have to do to convince the SO to get Tropic Thunder? Or do you think it's something to rent? Or is it in that category of "Wait 'Til Cable"? Let me know in the comments section.
In the meantime, I've got to find a way to let the SO let me watch two DVDs this weekend (to make up for none last weekend). With the 'rents coming to town tomorrow, I highly doubt it. Oh well, a guy can dream...
So after all that was written yesterday, the SO gave me a proposition to the Batman conundrum. If you remember, I had this yearning for Batman (1989) and Amazon conveniently had it for sale again (it was re-issued or Warner Bros. was dumping the rest of their lot, that's my guess). Now here is my logic for why I was able to break the need to buy the movie.
1. The new Batman series is really good.
2. When I really started to think about the movie from 1989, I remember it being really cheesy, almost to the level of campy. It's more about Jack Nicholson playing the Joker and not so much about the movie, as it wasn't of the best quality (i.e. it seems dated and not in a particular good way).
And the most important reason...
3. I think they're selling these off because they're going to issue a Blu-ray version sometime soon! Forget what I said in reasons 1 and 2 - it's bound that they're going to release it soon. They already are selling the Import version on Amazon. Who's to say it won't be that we'll get it here soon enough, and by that time, I can somehow convince the SO to get a Blu-ray player!
Okay, it could have also been because of what the SO said last night about the potential purchase. That if I bought the DVD of Batman (1989), the money value would not go to her yarn/shoe fund. Instead I would have to go out and get a tape recorder to record all the times Kim Basinger screams so she can play it back to me anytime I feel like buying another DVD or while we're in the yarn/shoe store. I know, she's so mean, trying to do that whole psychological thing on me. It's absurd! I won't stand for it! I, well, actually, it would work if I had actually ended up buying the DVD. Basinger's screaming is loud, obnoxious, and occurs way too many times in the film. It's worse than Bat-nipples!
Now that I've talked myself out of this purchase, I'm on to why buying the complete animated series of Batman is/isn't important...
1. It's only $75.99 on Amazon!
2. It was an important part of my childhood, and I don't think I watched all of the episodes, so this is a way to see them all at $19 per season.
3. Did I mention it's only $75.99 on Amazon?
I know, I'm bad, but it just sounds like too good of a deal, so why am I hesitating to hit the "Place your order" button?
The SO is in my head again, and I can't get her out, that's why! Thankfully I wouldn't have to get a tape recorder (Those things are expensive - $30! I mean, come on, it's a freakin' TAPE recorder! They should be giving them away!), but the money would go to her fund. And we should save up for moving to a new apartment this summer. And, I guess, saving up for a future together. But aren't we supposed to live in the now, because we have no idea if tomorrow's going to come?
I'm going to take the weekend to not think about it, and then on Monday, if I still feel the same when I come back to this issue, I'll go ahead with the purchase. If I change my mind (the SO would say I'm coming to my senses, finally) then I will not have made the hasty purchase that would have occurred today. With that in mind, enjoy this (we can get into why the WB needs to follow the Disney model for classic cartoons on DVD in another post)! Later!
So it all comes down to this, the reason I buy all these DVDs.
I know, it only took me how long and so much money to figure this out. I like buying these DVDs because in some way they either represent a certain time in my past (therefore giving me warm fuzzy feelings inside) or fill in an emotional hole (for which I'm sure most psychiatrists would say is due to my parents... but they can only tell me that if I pay the office visit bill first).
How am I sure of this? Take the last post. As I was scouring Amazon's site for Batman: The Compete Animated Series, I stumbled upon Batman (1989) on DVD. I was shocked, to say the very least. Just a couple months ago, I was hoping to find it on Amazon or somewhere for normal price. Suffice it to say, all copies were out of stock, meaning I would have to pay too much for it from individual vendors.
That is until two days ago, when Warner Bros. decided to release more copies onto the world, or at least Amazon. And I'm stuck in the precarious situation. Currently the DVD rests in my "shopping cart" and I don't know what to do. I plan on waiting until I can ask the SO to get it, and if she says yes, that's another $20 to add to her yarn/shoe spending. If she says no, then I have to resort to hiding the purchase. I know, that's low and I swore off that practice.
But I have this urge to buy it anyhow. Why? Because Batman is the first movie I remember being highly advertised on TV. Whether watching the movie on CBS, or seeing it on the back of Jordan Knight's jacket (come on, I was 7), I just remember seeing that symbol everywhere. And in some way, buying the DVD would fill in that gap or give me warm feelings or something like that. And maybe now that I know why I buy them, maybe that can help me stop (or at least slow down) my DVD purchasing habits.
So for this week's Future Purchases post, it looks like I gave it away without realizing it. A couple posts ago, I talked about how sometimes I'm just drawn to super-duper deluxe editions of DVDs, and I mentioned this in the case of Batman: The Animated Series. Well, it turns out I may have sealed my own fate with this slip of the tongue (well, I guess it's more a slip of the fingers, really. Because I typed it all with my fingers, and I don't really see how I could do it with the tongue. One moment, let me try... agevawser... okay, not a good idea. Now everything tastes computery!)
If it weren't for Amazon, I wouldn't have this issue, but they do have great deals. So this week, I'm really tempted about Amazon's deal for Batman: The Complete Animated Series. I mean, come on, normally priced at $107.92, it's currently at $75.99! A difference of $31.93. That savings right there can get you a couple more DVDs to put on the shelf (I'm just saying). Why is this collection worthy to be bought? It's pretty simple really:
It's one of the most badass cartoons ever! And that's just the opening!
Not to mention it portrayed Batman in a light we hadn't seen on television. As much as I love the campiness (look up the word "campy" - you'll hesitate to use it again in a sentence) of the live-action series from the 1960s, we're talking about a guy who has to deal with his parents' deaths, and instead of just living quietly with the millions upon millions of dollars from his inheritance, he chose to follow in his parents' footsteps and help the inhabitants of Gotham City. The animated series of the 1990s dug deep into the psyche of a troubled man. And what we got was a well drawn and thoughtful cartoon that is probably the basis for my love of both the comics and the silver screen incarnations we've been inundated with for the past two decades (minus Kilmer and Clooney - those movies are even more campy than the '60s program).
In all honesty, it was at this time when the show began in 1992 that I started to really delve deep into comics, in general. Both the Death and Return of Superman and the Knightfall of Batman were published near the start of Batman: The Animated Series. For the next few years, comics were an important part of life, but as you grow up, comics are the first to go. As I've read through those old comics and actually revived my interest in the genre (thank you, Watchmen!), the animated series has a special place in my heart and hopefully, one day (tear), a place in my DVD collection. So as not to leave on a tearful note:
Well, this is turning out to be a good week for future purchases... mostly because there's nothing, really, that stands out, as far as new releases. That's not to say I won't have something to say in this week's Future Purchases post (later this week), but I thought I would look to see what Amazon has for new releases.
Nights in Rodanthe? Bridges of Madison County for 2008.
The Inauguration of Barack Obama on CNN? Recency effect.
Amadeus on Blu-Ray? Would interest me, if I had a Blu-ray... but I digress. Would love the music in surround sound quality, but the picture in high-def does nothing for me.
Dragon Ball Z: Eighth Season? If I was 12.
W.? Bombed at the box office just like the subject material did in the White House. It's your own fault, Oliver Stone. You chose a lame subject for a movie, AND during his actual presidency? Crazier than Margot Kidder (Yes I re-used a Family Guy joke, but that show used this joke in two different seasons:
I'm not saying the FG writers are getting lazy, but they should have at least thought of a different movie/television reference the second time around!)
And to top it all off, Pretty Woman on Blu-Ray? Give me one good reason I need to see Julia Roberts topless in high definition. Because I can counter it with having to see Richard Gere. I mean, the guy has not done a good movie in a long time. This might have been his last one, and this is a stretch for a good performance from him. Even in An Officer and a Gentleman, it was Lou Gossett, Jr. who gave an award-winning performance. If you can give me a good movie where Gere gave a decent performance in since Pretty Woman, I'm all ears (well, not literally).
Tomorrow I should have more to say as I'll try and post what I would really like to buy but really shouldn't (because that would give the SO more money power for buying yarn/shoes - I know, who wants to buy shoes?) I leave you with this:
What? With warm temps here, I always get in a golfing mood (hmm, I could use some putting practice...). Later!
Well, the SO broke down. Sort of. Kind of. Well, there was a compromise.
So last week's "Future Purchases" post dealt with two movies, Zack and Miri... and Nick and Norah's.... And actually, this weekend, I was able to purchase both, but at a cost that is more than the $34 I spent to buy the two DVDs. In a nutshe... in simplest terms, the amount of money I spend on DVDs must equal the amount the SO can spend on yarn/knitting stuff.
Yeah, I know. Sucks. So she's allowed now to buy $34 worth of yarn or needles or whatever she wants. I really hope that there's nothing coming up soon that I want to buy. It's bad enough she would accuse me of just buying it on Amazon and hiding it from her. Oh, wait, already did that way too many times before.
It's probably bad that I do... did that, but she forces me to. I mean, how can you withstand the uber-ultra deluxe super duper special edition of Batman: The Animated Series? No, I haven't bought it (yet). So I'm not a total schmuck. But she's just as bad. Have you seen her stash (no, not that kind of stash - it's a stash of yarn)? It's like a mile high, almost eight miles. So I think I deserve to have these treasures in my DVD collection.
So, if you see me in a yarn store, say hello. And just realize that I have to stand there and watch the SO drool over yarn. Yeah, I know. It's disgusting. It's okay, I have ways to get back at her.
Sorry for not having a post yesterday, I was trying to keep up with my other blogs I'm writing, so I thought I could have one day off. But I'm back, and it's that time of the week for me. It's that time when I obviously haven't learned from my past mistakes and have dreams about future DVD purchases. Yes I know, it's sad. But when you're stuck in the middle of lab, and you don't want to necessarily be working on what you're working on, you try to think about positive, uplifting things. For me, it's gotta be DVDs...
So yes, I'm a very sad person. But let's stop talking about how my teams can't win it all and get on to the future purchases. So if you couldn't tell from the title of the post, or you don't know what DVDs came out this week (or both), then I'll tell you. For this week, two DVDs came out on Tuesday that have caught my eye. The first is a no-brainer if you've read my earlier posts. For I have this fascination for all things Freaks and Geeks, and that includes all the actors/actresses. And just about anything with Seth Rogen gets my wallet opened wide like a ... well, you know what I mean. No, not that!!
Zack and Miri Make a Porno stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks and follows the delightful tale of friends who need money desperately and decide that making a porno is the best way to get that cash. Hilarity ensues when they get themselves into this line of work. Now I haven't seen it, so you'll have to let me know if it's worth the purchase or if I should wait on it. I already know what the SO will say, so if she leaves a comment, I'll just ignore it.
The other movie I'm seeking to purchase would be that movie with the other guy from Superbad, Michael Cera, a little movie called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. It's weird, but ever since I fell in love with the TV show Arrested Development, I can't get enough of Cera. Loved him in Juno. Can't wait to see Year One with Cera and Jack Black. I think it's because he represents all the geekiness that is contained within me. Yeah, I'm that big of a dork. Come on, I'm writing a blog about my DVD collection, how it's so big (stop with the sexual jokes) and how I'm trying to keep my SO from selling it all away (again, no sexual joke). Now I have heard this movie is okay, not great. But I love music and I make playlists for every situation. Right now, I'm listening to M.I.A. just because it makes the day seem that much more awesomer (yeah, I can make up words, too). And I'm a sap for romantic comedies, so if it's a 1) DVD with a 2) romantic comedic theme and is about 3) music and 4) playlists, (well, that adds up to 10... I'm just saying...) just call me a lemming and lead the way.
So how I can get this type of purchase past the SO will be a little hard, especially as she reads this blog (I have to remember to learn hypnotism, just so I can stop her from remembering this blog and the reason... well, reasons, for it). And with the last DVD costing over $1800 dollars (read earlier posts, you'll understand), the price of DVDs probably has skyrocketed in a month's time. If I base the total cost off of Amazon, then it should be $34 plus tax. So I have to say not too bad for two brand new DVDs. Now if I learn hypnotism to stop her from reading this blog, maybe I can do the same to get her to let me buy these movies... well, a guy can dream. Later!
So this week's future purchases post has its roots from the trip to New Hampshire (NH) with the SO during the holidays. I think I should first go into the future purchase and why it should be deemed worthy. Then I'll get into the juicy details of what went down as the "DVD Overload Fest Winter '08" (yes, it was so crazy that it deserves its own title for what was pulled off in just a week's time).
What purchase could be so good to deserve future considerations, yet not good enough to fit into my collection until now? Well, it stems from probably the coolest class I have taken EVER. A little course that only went for a month but easily could have gone for an entire semester and it would still not be enough (although in hindsight, it will probably be helpful on not depleting the bank account). "Staking Out the Sopranos" was a course in undergrad that took a look at The Sopranos and how it compared/contrasted with the image of gangsters we see on the silver screen. Throughout the course, we watched the first two seasons of the hugely successful show and mixed in a few select gangster movies that are deemed classics and yet portray the gangster as it was relevant to that era. Of course, we had to start with the REAL classics. Those would be Little Caesar, Public Enemy, and White Heat. These were followed by The Godfather, The Godfather II, Goodfellas, and Donnie Brasco. The course really energized my interest in the genre, and since that time, I've been slowly collecting the movies on DVD (let's not get started with The Sopranos, although they did put out the entire series in one package...).
How this ties into my story is while over holiday break in NH, I was in Borders and saw White Heat. I've already checked Borders' website and the DVD is not found near me. Anywho, I saw White Heat and it was on sale for $14.99, PLUS the store was taking 30% off all DVDs and CDs that day, so it would have cost $10.49. You're probably saying to yourself, why would that matter? Well, if you know anything about NH, you know it has no sales tax. That's right, NO SALES TAX!
Therein lies the whole logic for DVD Overload Fest Winter '08. What got the snowball rolling was the deal the SO and I made to buy each other Christmas gifts while in NH because of no sales tax. Well, I couldn't exactly do that, as we weren't going to be in NH until after Christmas, so I ended up buying some gifts for her (and having to tell little white lies to avoid her knowing the order from Amazon was for her - she loves the story... basically, I told her I ordered Mamma Mia on DVD for her Mom, even though I already knew SO's bro bought it already, so I said I would give it to my Dad cause he liked the movie, but it actually was a copy of Wall-E for the SO... and yes, I got more than just that for the SO...and she loved all the gifts... I think...).
What I had planned to ask for while in NH was to get a few DVDs (of course) and so we ended up going to Best Buy the first full day we were in NH. Ended up getting Burn After Reading, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, and Seven. The DVD tally was at 4. Pretty respectable, and some decent choices. So Clone Wars was panned even by Harry Knowles, but I felt not paying sales tax was a pretty good compromise (and technically I didn't buy it, the SO did, so my Star Wars cred is still intact... come on, I even have "The Holiday Special" on DVD, of course I have to get Clone Wars - almost anything is better than "The Holiday Special", but I'll save its review for a future post).
So where did this go from a very respectable Christmas gift to Overload? Probably stems from my advisor. You see, for the past 3 Christmases, he's been giving those of us in the lab $75 gift cards to Borders. Usually I'll save them until I would think of something to order on the website. I would take it one step further and go through Borders' Amazon page, just so I could get Amazon's prices (which almost always are better than Borders). At some point in 2008, Borders ended its deal with Amazon and had its own separate website (which at first was not only confusing but slower than Family Guy's tangential scenes - you know what I'm talking about)
So I was less than thrilled about that prospect. But then I got to thinking (before I received the gift card this holiday season) that if the SO and I went to NH, I could use the card in NH and avoid sales tax! It was brilliant. $75 spent on DVDs and none of it going to sales tax (okay, I'll stop drooling, but you gotta say that's pretty freakin' sweet!)
And that's how it went to Overload. In the middle of our week in NH, the SO needed to get her driver's license renewed, so we had to head to Concord for that. Luckily, there's a Borders there. At some point, the SO and her 'rents wanted to go somewhere else but I was still in the middle of making important decisions on how to use the gift card. The SO's rents didn't think I could spend an entire hour deliberating, but I proved them wrong because when they came back to get me, I had just made up my mind (but barely). After looking at the Gangsters Collection Warner Bros. put together, I was torn. There were 6 movies, but I only wanted Little Caesar, White Heat, and Public Enemy. But I didn't want to use my entire gift card up on one collection. I saw the deal with White Heat by itself but I thought I'd wait to buy all 3 gangster movies I really wanted some other time (tear). In all, I bought 3 DVDs (Batman: Gotham Knight, Snatch, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and His Girl Friday) and 4 CDs (soundtracks to Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith... I know, AWESOME!). So the DVD tally hit 8...
So coming to the last day of our trip, the SO and her Mom wanted to get some clothes from the mall, so I tagged along and hung out in Best Buy. Bad decision... While I was waiting on her, I thought to myself, "Self, you just bought His Girl Friday. You know how much you love Cary Grant, why not get another of his movies to start a collection?" And I said, "Okay." Long story short, I left Best Buy with 3 DVDs: North by Northwest, King Kong, and Field of Dreams. All solid picks, I might say, and fine additions to the collection. DVD tally at 11...
But the trip to the mall didn't end my DVD spending. Blame the SO's bro and his girlfriend (SO Bro GF). They weren't sure what to get me for Christmas, so the SO told them I love DVDs, so they got me and the SO gift cards to...Barnes and Noble! So of course my logic is, "There's no sales tax in NH, so I must buy DVDs here!" And so I decided to really have my Cary Grant collection together, so I bought 3 more DVDs: Arsenic and Old Lace, Bringing Up Baby, and Little Caesar. So, the last one isn't Cary Grant, but it did help my gangster genre collection, and therein lies my new obsession to complete my gangster DVD collection. If that's the case, I need to get White Heat... and a few others. But that's for future "future purchases" posts.
And that's how I'm able to tie this entire diatribe together. Sorry for the length in this post, but it was a tale that had to be told. In all, the DVD tally from a week in NH stopped at 14 (probably because we had to leave... the SO had to get back to work, and my wallet was burning from the money flying out!).
Because of this ginormous (giant and enormous - put together!) purchase and the size of my collection, I wanted to let you, the reader, decide something very imporant. At the rate I'm going, 1 DVD per week would take 370 weeks, or over 7 years to complete. Should I keep at this rate, should I watch 1 DVD a day, somewhere in between? Let me know in the comments, and I'll let you know what is decided. Either way, it'll drive the SO crazy we have to watch all of my DVDs (Hehe!) Later!
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