Star Wars

Leave a comment Posted on December 2, 2015 Uncategorized

December in Chicago: Things To Do To Make Winter Suck Less

Consider this a cognitive therapy session to help you feel better about the season that several of your friends and family have moved away from. If you still live here after the past two winters, congratulations…you’re a midwesterner. You grew up with 4 seasons, strapped on your snow pants, found creative ways to de-ice your windshield because you forgot your scraper, and you haven’t been stomped by AT-ATs on State Street…yet.

I personally like snow and I know I’m not alone. I also don’t mind a trip somewhere warm in order to endure it with a tan, but I take pride in where I’m from and love that I can appreciate the other 3 seasons because of Winters here. You also get an awesome and natural excuse to stay in and binge watch Netflix shows with a glass of some-something.

So before posting your super cliche “ugh, Chicago Winter. Get me out of here” Facebook status, turn up 93.9 on your radio for 24/7 holiday tunes and consider some proactive options that you can’t get most places.

Lincoln Park Zoo Lights

Lions, Tigers, and beers…oh my!

You read that right. Along with a whole calendar of events, you can peruse the zoo with beers (and maybe Bears) or other adult beverages as the whole place gets lit up like you’ve never seen before. It’s free to enter, as always, and there’s a number of activities to partake in including rides, crafts, and seeing Santa. There are a few dates to mark on the calendar as well.

12/2 BrewLights

12/10 Adults Night Out

12/14, 12/21, 12/28 Family Nights

1/3 Last Day

Comedy Shows

Want to know a great way to stay warm in Chicago? Laughing. Where better to do that than in a tiny cramped venue, brushing shoulders with the table next to you, sipping on a rum and something, and then forgetting it all with belly laugh after belly laugh.

Dave Chappelle is in the middle of a 6 day residency at Thalia Hall, Dec. 1 – 6, but good luck getting tickets for that. All 12 shows were sold out, but MAYBE a ticket or 2 will show up on StubHub. Meanwhile, you and your rowdy friends can check out any of the following clubs for standup shows:

Chicago Improv (in Schaumburg)

Laugh Factory (on Broadway)

Zanies (Chicago, St. Charles and Rosemont)

Beat Kitchen (on Belmont)

Or you can get literally spontaneous comedy at any of the improv institutions that helped put Chicago on the map in show business like Second City, iO or Comedy Sportz.

Last, but not least, John Oliver is performing at the Chicago Theater December 30th and 31st. Maybe don’t miss that.

Christkindlmarket

I’m sure you’ve heard of it but in case you’ve never been, head over to Daley Plaza at Clark and Washington to see for yourself. The tradition began in Nuremberg, Germany in 1545 and was brought to Chicago in 1996. It’s considered the largest open-air Christmas festival in the city, but my favorite part is the mug of hot wine that I can mosey about with.

It’s open till Dec. 24th, so get over as soon as you can.

Marshall Fields

(Nobody wants to call it Macy’s this time of year)

This is Christmas nostalgia at it’s finest for most of us who grew up around Chicago. Winter break from school, Mom and Dad have some last minute shopping and your family from New York is in town…where do you head to? State Street, that great street, to see the windows at Marshall Fields.

Every year there’s a different story being told around the building, and people of all ages can’t wait to see what’s next. Inside, on the 7th floor is another sight to behold. The Walnut Room has been a Chicago tradition since 1907.

Star Wars (Chicago Style)

If the pre-sale numbers and the marketing haven’t already told you, people are excited for Star Wars. So how can you best celebrate the release of Episode 7?

The Whistler in Logan Square will be transforming their bar into the Mos Eisley Cantina on December 16th. There will be local musicians on hand as the house band from A New Hope and the cocktail menu will be overhauled with galactic themed beverages.

Then there’s Adler After Dark the next evening, December 17th, as the Adler Planetarium will be hosting a Force Awakens party unlike any.

Star Wars Trivia
A screening of Space Balls
Star Wars-inspired beer from Empirical Brewing
Lightsaber Combat Workshop!
human-robot interactives from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

The Force is strong, yes?

Sauced Night Market

It’s a roving night market, self-described as being “dedicated to emerging culinarians, artists and that guy from high school who’s a DJ now – an evening of food, art and debauchery set to the tune of “Hypnotize”. Intrigued? Sure you are.

December 15th, SAUCED will be at Emporium Arcade Bar in Logan Square for your not-yet-last-minute holiday shopping, great food from Chicago vendors, and craft beer. It sounds way too interesting to pass up.

One Of A Kind Show

Love art or just any alternative to retail? This is for you. From December 3rd – 6th, 600 artists from across North America will be at the Merchandise Mart on Orleans with every kind of handmade creation you can think of.

Accessories, ceramics, sculptures, furniture, photography, paintings, glass, jewelry, fashion, etc. And here’s the show schedule:

Thursday, December 3    11am-8pm
Friday, December 4         11am-8pm
Saturday, December 5     10am-7pm
Sunday, December 6       10am-5pm

All the One Of A Kind Show info is here.

Topgolf

(Naperville & Wood Dale)

I find it funny that there are still people around Chicago who haven’t caught on to Topgolf. It’s the grownup version of Chuck E. Cheese, Enchanted Castle, Leaps & Bounds, or whatever kids amusement place you used to frequent when you were younger.

It’s golf meets bowling, where each individual ball you hit has a chip inside and you aim for targets to score points against your friends. Full bar, great food, multiple monitors to watch sports, parties every night…and you it’s open year round with plenty of heat.

I actually went with my dad on the coldest of year and it was an absolute blast. Here’s proof.

If you have anymore recommendations to make December better, please pass them along on Facebook or Twitter.

Leave a comment Posted on November 18, 2015 Movies, Uncategorized

Upcoming Sequels & Reboots: What To Say YES or NOPE To

One of the biggest cliches regarding Hollywood and film is that “original material is dead”. To the people who feel that way, I would recommend going to their nearest theater and checking out Room and Bridge of Spies. We do seem to receive news on a daily basis of an upcoming reboot or sequel to a classic that’s either been long overdue or way too late.

Some of these projects are exciting and give us something to look forward to. Others just make you shake your head and ask…”Why?”

A remake to a film or franchise can be refreshing. Most of us are Shawshanked (naturally forced to sit and watch the rest of the way through, no matter the time) whenever Ocean’s Eleven comes on TV, the George Clooney version and not the 1960 Frank Sinatra one. Did you see the Footloose remake though? Neither did I.

There are a number of reboots and sequels coming to theaters in the next year or so. Many of the original titles are decades old. I’ll here to separate what’s worth the hype and what’s not.

Yes!

(Movies To Look Forward To)

Zoolander 2 (2016)

Although the original was released 15 years before this sequel hits theaters, it still works because the two stars NEVER AGE. Seriously, whatever moisturizer these guys are using makes 15 years look like 5.

…and they’re killing off Bieber, so at least the movie has that going for it. Just avoid anything the Anchorman did. Seriously.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Aside from jerks who lack imagination, everyone is looking forward to this film and rightfully so. The build up and marketing for Episode VII has been remarkably. While it’s been over 30 years since Han Solo was unfrozen from carbonite on the screen, chills ran down my spine hearing him say “…we’re home”, alongside a Chewbacca roar.

Returning to a set that isn’t so dependent on CGI and green screen like Episodes I-III has audiences excited. It’s also fun for both new and old generations of fans to see new characters on new adventures with old ones.

Spider-Man (2017)

I, like many, was left with a really bad taste in my mouth after Spider-Man 3. It bothered me so much that I didn’t even see the Andrew Garfield version until I happened upon it on FX like a month ago…and I still didn’t feel like I missed out.

Now that Spider-Man is home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, my spidey senses are tingling again (yeah, I said it). We’ll get our first look at the reboot edition in the highly anticipated Captain America: Civil Waras he chooses a side between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. This means we won’t have to go through ANOTHER origin radioactive spider bite story when Peter Parker gets his solo film in 2017. We also know he’ll be in high school played by an actor who is actually in the appropriate age-range, Tom Holland. Tobey Maguire and Garfield were both in their very late twenties when they played high school Peter Parker.

It will be fun to see how the new Spider-Man fits into the Marvel/Avengers story going forward and who he will face off with. Hopefully NOT the Green Goblin for a 3rd time.

Ghostbusters (2016)

I really don’t get why the idea of this film is so controversial. It’s an expansion of the Ghostbusters universe and features a female dominant cast with Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and current SNL cast members Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Bridesmaids director/Freaks and Geeks writer Paul Feig is teaming up with Parks and Recreation for what’s meant to be a series of new Ghostbusters films that Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson have not only signed off on, but plan to appear in as well.

Also, Chris Hemsworth is their receptionist, so…there’s that.

NOPE!

(Movies Nobody Asked For)

Momento

AMBI Pictures, run by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi, announced this week that they will be financing a remake of Christopher Nolan’s breakout film, Momento. In the statement breaking the news, Bacardi said:

“Memento is a masterpiece that leaves audiences guessing not just throughout the film, but long after as well, which is a testament to its daring approach.”

Then leave the damn thing alone! Better yet, just rerelease it theaters because it only made $25 million initially and was regarded as a modern classic right after. You can’t tell me though that anyone was asking for a new take or reimagining of this story.

Point Break (2015)

I’m convinced there is an evil group of film backers who want to remake Patrick Swayze’s whole filmography and in the worst ways possible. This is Exhibit A.

I understand there are different “extreme sports” being portrayed (snowboarding instead of surfing), but you could simply call the movie something else and change the character names to make it more appealing…Ya know, like The Fast and the Furious or something like that.

Here’s the original 1991 trailer.

“Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true…”, like a remake to this movie with worse actors.

Road House

This is Exhibit B in the case for a Swayze movie conspiracy…

All we know about this movie is that Ronda Rousey has been casted to play Swayze’s character. A columnist for GQ, Jack Moore (who LOVES this idea), says this should work because “Ronda Rousey could end up being the new Patrick Swayze!”

…

Okay, I’m back from throwing up.

I’m not an MMA fan so I don’t share the adoration for Rousey as many people do. I also didn’t see The Entourage movie and don’t feel like I’m missing out. I have seen the other films she’s appeared in and don’t really want to again. I know that she’s the one thing that UFC has to promote itself and that she wants to join WWE. And like I said regarding the new Point Break, you can make the “Rousey as a bouncer” movie and not call it ‘Road House’. Rousey herself doesn’t sound all that confident about doing the film after telling reporters, “The worst thing that’s going to happen is, is that I’ll really suck and just disgrace the name of Swayze and ‘Road House,’ and everyone will hate me.”

+1 for self awareness.

Top Gun 2

I need this photo to have Maverick giving a thumbs down.

The original is almost 30 years old. Yeah, Tom Cruise is in fantastic shape and still kicking ass in the Mission Impossible franchise and Jack Reacher, but you’re not going to bring either Goose or Tony Scott back to get me excited for this sequel. There’s also a lot of confusion as to whether Cruise will even accept the offer to play Maverick again…Val Kilmer’s already editing his Facebook statuses about it, so it will probably go straight to DVD or VOD.

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Will Smith isn’t signed up for this film so neither am I. Seriously, you could air it on SyFy after the next Sharknado and it will get as much hype as it would going to theaters.

(Sidenote: Not included is the long rumored Space Jam 2. Personally, I don’t mind if kids today get to see one featuring LeBron James because many of them weren’t even born while Michael Jordan was playing basketball. Just let that sink in…)

Any other reboots and sequels that interest you or make you sick? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.

1 Comment Posted on October 12, 2015October 12, 2015 Movies

Movie-Inspired Halloween Costumes 2015

Coming off of New York’s Comic Con Week, and with it being the middle of October already, there’s no better time than now to begin planning your Halloween costume. Although all ideas kinda suck now after seeing the guy who built his own 9.5 foot Iron Man “Hulkbuster” suit at NYCC…

We’re not worthy.

My own personal Halloween costume history is exactly why I needed a list like this. I haven’t dressed up in 3 years. The last time I did, I was Deputy Marshall Raylan Givens from Justified on FX…and nobody got it. My attempt at Mad TV’s “Drunk Kenny Rogers” in college was a valiant effort, but I could use something relevant and awesome this year for much needed ice-breakers.

For my own benefit, and likely yours, let’s take a look at the movies this year that offer the BEST costume ideas for October 31st.

Mad Max: Fury Road

If you follow this site, then you know that we’ve talked A LOT about Fury Road this year. One of the best films of 2015, a fun way to compare pro athletes, and an EASY resource for costume ideas. We thank the beautiful twisted mind of George Miller for making these possible.

‘Mad’ Max Rockatansky

Very obvious choice and not a shabby one at that. You could go with the updated Tom Hardy uniform featuring the classic football right shoulder pad, a sweet military-esque jacket with a dirtied up thermal. Or you can go “Blood Bag Max” with his prisoner mask and chain trailing behind you.

Furiosa

Charlize Theron rocked it as Furiosa and so can you if you’re willing to buzz your hair. If you choose to, you get my full support and can blame me for it if you get any flack.

Warboys & Immortan Joe

You can either assemble your super pale crew, take your shirts off, and CHROME UP

…or be the scariest looking person at your party. I doubt you’ll regret either choice.

Bonus points if you can pull this off, flames and all.

Ex Machina

Ava

This costume would take some creativity, but I would dub you the winner of your costume party if you could pull it off. Ex Machina was an early candidate for one of the best films of the year, incredibly suspenseful, and Alicia Vikander became my newest Hollywood crush thanks to her performance as Ava and again in Man From UNCLE.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

The Avengers

Dressing up as any of the Avengers (Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye) will be relevant every year, especially going forward as the heroes continue to mesh in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You’ll be getting ahead of game if you can dress as Cap or Tony Stark facing off for Civil War. Highly recommended for any “group” costume.

Ultron

If the “Hulkbuster” costume is possible (from the top of the post), then so is Ultron. Bonus points if you can pull off the red lights for eyes and James Spader voice of evil.

The Vision

Wanna steal the show this Halloween? Do like Paul Bettany and be The Vision. Is it me, or was Vision the ultimate one-upper in Age of Ultron?

Ant-Man

Scott Lang / Ant-Man

Marvel surprised several doubters who didn’t think Ant-Man would work in a stand alone film. Paul Rudd, Michael Pena and some hilarious writing set the film apart from the other Marvel installments. Commemorate their achievement and throw on the Ant-Man suit, while also preparing for his appearance in the upcoming Civil War.

(Pym Particle Shrinking Capabilities Not Included)

Inside Out

Need a group costume? Boom! You can get out the body paint, wigs, and FEELINGS dressed as Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Anger (Lewis Black).

Jurassic World

I’ve been very vocal with my disappointment in Jurassic World, HOWEVER…

Imagine someone dressed as Chris Pratt’s character with a whole gang of stuffed raptors attached to them. Or you can dress as raptors with the rest of your friends. Simply…raptor squad!!!

Straight Outta Compton

90’s hip hop seems to be making a huge comeback with today’s culture, and I love it. Any group willing to rock the chains, flat billed hats, white sneakers and curls at a Halloween party would be on a different level of badassery.

The Martian

My biggest takeaway after seeing The Martian was “Damn, Astronauts are cool again!” The suit may get warm, the helmet could be a little bit of a nuisance, but your space related pick-up lines would be EPIC!

Note: All the ones I found on Google had to do with Uranus. So please Tweet me some better ones.

Spectre

I think it’s ALWAYS acceptable to SUIT UP like James Bond, but if you’re someone who needs an excuse…SPECTRE HITS THEATERS IN A FEW WEEKS! If you couldn’t tell, I’m a little excited.

The End of the Tour

David Foster Wallace

Perhaps not something that many would get if you felt compelled to throw on a bandana, a pair of glasses, avoid shaving for a few days, and go 90’s grunge with your getup. I, however, would greatly appreciate anyone who enjoyed Jason Segel’s performance as David Foster Wallace as much as I did and decided to go out as the excellent writer on Halloween.

The Peanuts Movie

If there was ever a time for you and your friends to dress up as Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and company, this Halloween would be as good as any. The Peanuts Movie will be out the next weekend and you’ll probably have The Great Pumpkin special on ABC recording on your DVR anyway.

Star Wars Episode VII:

The Force Awakens

Clearly the most anticipated film in years is around the corner, and we’re all dusting off our lightsabers from our formative years. I can’t wait to see this year’s crop of costumes representing both older characters and new!

Han Solo & Chewbacca

Amazing how Chewie hasn’t aged a day, isn’t it? If you plan on going out as this dynamic duo, please have a decent Wookie call. If you don’t, then don’t bother.

Rylo Ken

Just like you and I, Rylo Ken is a HUGE Fanboy/Fangirl for Darth Vader. Who doesn’t want to see a broadsword lightsaber fight in the middle of their Halloween party?

Captain Phasma

Get ahead of the game and get well acquainted with the next “Boba Fett” type character for the Star Wars franchise. Captain Phasma, played by Gwendoline Christie (aka Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones), only gets glimpses during in the trailers we’ve seen, but JJ Abrams can’t help but rave about the new Star Wars baddie.

Rey & Finn

Meet “The Resistance”. It’s not totally clear what their backgrounds are, but Rey and Finn will likely be getting lightsabers and possibly their own “couple” hashtag after the first screening of Episode VII. Be careful with that “couple talk” though…You never know where story arcs will go with Star Wars characters.

Poe Dameron

Oscar Isaac’s new character has a Han Solo shine to him but more importantly, YOU GET TO DRESS UP AS AN X-WING FIGHTER!

Did you get some ideas for Halloween from this post? Do you have some better ones? Let me know on Twitter or Facebook!

1 Comment Posted on July 13, 2015July 13, 2015 Movies, TV

It’s Good to be a Geek

I envy everyone who attended San Diego Comic-Con 2015 this past weekend. Attendees were lucky enough to witness first looks at upcoming Star Wars, DC, and Marvel films. Fortunately, those of us who couldn’t attend have the internet and access to the streaming of panels, and releases of footage (official or leaked). Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice finally gave us their first full trailer. Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Suicide Squad headlined with panels and trailer presentations that made their way to the internet shortly after. Even THE MUPPETS made their presence felt, discussing their mockumentary series that will air on ABC later this year. The biggest takeaway from the SDCC weekend may have been exactly what all of us young (and old) padawans have been waiting for…Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens coming to life.

If you’re like me, you salivated at the idea of “real sets” and “practical effects”, which were missing from Episodes I-III…and Jurassic World for that matter. (CGI takes the magic away from things, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

This past weekend, overall, was an excellent reminder of how good it is to be a geek these days. A generation that grew up on comic books, video games, and Superhero cartoons are now being treated to a Hollywood that appreciates those mediums. Before the first Iron Man movie, did you expect to see a full timeline of Avengers/Marvel films scheduled through May 3rd, 2019? Following Revenge of the Sith, Did you imagine Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford would team up again as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo? You’re lying if say you did…Or have a time-traveling DeLorean in your garage.

While we have new Superhero films hitting theaters every 3-4 months now, television has caught up to the big screen as an excellent resource for geek entertainment (and distraction). What Marvel has accomplished with feature films and creating an epic universe for the Avengers, DC has done on the CW network with Arrow, The Flash and the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4cQ83S_gMM

Fox’s Gotham and ABC’s Agents of Shield series are fun, but not nearly as compelling as the stories presented in the Arrow/Flash universe (which I wish the DC film division took notice of). Meanwhile, Netflix has entered the ring with excellent original programming. The first season of Daredevil cleansed the pallet of a fans who were left with a bad taste after the previous adaptation, starring Ben Affleck. It also opened the door to a universe that will involve 4 other Marvel series on Netflix, including Jessica Jones later this year, then Luke Cage, The Iron Fist, and then The Defenders.

Recently, I’ve noticed a contrarian and trendy narrative in TV shows, such as Community and Mr. Robot, that suggest people are suckers for enjoying Superhero films. In the writers’ opinion, we’re all lemmings for going to the movie theater and paying money for these films, and that’s just simply wrong. Just about every one of the Marvel films consist of better stories and dialogue than you’ll find in any of other franchises getting recent installments (looking at you Jurassic World, Terminator: Genisys and ALL of the Transformers films). I also think those are counter-culture comments being made for the sake of being counter-culture. Consider that a win, Geeks. You are today’s “culture”, and it’s wonderful.

Have you ever Googled the definition of “Geek”? The definition isn’t particularly flattering and may have been written by Biff from “Back To The Future”…

Yep. straight from Google. (Google is a jerk sometimes). Those who believe in the “unfashionable” and “carnival performer” assumptions are the same people who made fun of you to feel better about themselves and are probably looking forward to their high school reunions way more than the average person should.

The truth lies somewhere in the sub-definitions. “A knowledgeable enthusiast” (obsessive is a bit strong) or one who “becomes extremely excited about a subject” sounds more like a typical fan than a “socially inept person”. It also applies to more than comic books, video games, and superheroes. If you are amped up for next seasons for The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, or even less fantasy-driven shows like House of Cards or Empire, you are indeed a geek. If you are checking every new beer you try on the Untappd app, you are a geek. If you are over-preparing for your upcoming fantasy football draft or really looking forward to when Blackhawks tickets go on sale, you are a geek…not a freak.

Geek is fun. Geek is chic. Geek is “normal”…I use the term “normal” very loosely because I don’t think there is such thing as normal. We all have different backgrounds, different interests, different hobbies, and different experiences. When we can bond on any of those different things, then maybe we start to feel “normal”. Being a geek is sort of like that.

I love that I can discuss the things I get excited about on this website like movies, music, TV, sports and food, because I know there are many who share these same interests…many of whom, are in fact geeks (whether they identify as such or not). It’s a community that grows everyday thanks to social media and the ever-evolving entertainment culture, one that can be both appealing but sometimes over-critical.

For now, it’s just simply good. I mean, who ISN’T geeking out about Star Wars returning this Winter?

[Update]

Of course as soon as I mention it in this post, Warner Bros releases the Suicide Squadtrailer. Enjoy!

Have something to add? Continue the conversation on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

7 Comments Posted on July 9, 2015September 12, 2015 #TBT Year in Review

#TBT Year in Review: 1999

As we waited to see what would happen when Y2K hit…

The Sopranos debuted on HBO.
President Bill Clinton was acquitted in impeachment proceedings.
Sega Dreamcast was released in North America,
George Harrison was attacked at his home in Friar Park.
Wilt Chamberlain passed away at the age of 63.

And here’s what happened in the worlds of Movies, Music, and Sports…

Movies

Comedy

American Pie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 10 Things I Hate About You, Notting Hill, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Being John Malkovich, She’s All That, Big Daddy, Galaxy Quest, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, Never Been Kissed, Dogma, Stuart Little, Blue Streak, Analyze This, Jawbreaker, Bowfinger, Dick, Idle Hands, Mystery Men, Life, Drive Me Crazy, EDtv, Detroit Rock City, The Bachelor, Superstar, AND…

Office Space

Action/Thriller

The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Three Kings, The Boondock Saints, End of Days, Deep Blue Sea, The Insider, Universal Soldier: The Return, A Murder of Crows, 8mm, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Double Jeopardy, Instinct, The Bone Collector, The World is Not Enough, The Ninth Gate, Arlington Road, Chill Factor, True Crime, Payback, Resurrection, Stigmata, The Mod Squad, Entrapment, The Astronaut’s Wife, The Rage: Carrie 2, AND…

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Drama

Fight Club, American Beauty, Eyes Wide Shut, Bicentennial Man, Boys Don’t Cry, Anna and the King, Girl Interrupted, Animal Farm, 200 Cigarettes, The Virgin Suicides, October Sky, Great Expectations, Onegin, Flawless, The Hurricane, Brokedown Palace, Magnolia, Cruel Intentions, Random Hearts, All About My Mother, The Winslow Boy, Varsity Blues, The Cider House Rules, The Deep End of the Ocean, Tuesdays with Morrie, Black and White, AND…

The Green Mile

The 72nd Academy Awards

Best Actor

Russell Crowe, The Insider
Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story
Sean Penn, Sweet and Lowdown
Denzel Washington, The Hurricane
Kevin Spacey, American Beauty – Winner

(Spacey’s 2nd Oscar. First was Best Supporting Actor in 1996 for The Usual Suspects)

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile
Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley
Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense
Tom Cruise, Magnolia
Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules – Winner

(Caine’s 2nd win out of 6 nominations.)

Best Actress

Annette Benning, American Beauty
Janet McTeer, Tumbleweeds
Julianne Moore, The End of the Affair
Meryl Streep, Music of the Heart
Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry – Winner

(This was Swank’s first of two Oscar nominations and awards.)

Best Supporting Actress

Toni Collette, The Sixth Sense
Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich
Samantha Morton, Sweet and Lowdown
Chloe Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry
Angelina Jolie, Girl Interrupted – Winner

(Jolie has also won the Humanitarian Academy Award in 2014)

Best Picture

The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
American Beauty – Winner

(American Beauty won 5 of the 8 Oscars it was nominated for.)

Music

Rock Albums

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Hip Hop Albums

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Pop Albums

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Billboard Year-End Top 25

01. “Believe” – Cher

02. “No Scrubs” – TLC

03. “Angel of Mine” – Monica

04. “Heartbreak Hotel” – Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price

05. “…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears

06. “Kiss Me” – Sixpence None the Richer

07. “Genie in a Bottle” – Christina Aguilera

08. “Every Morning” – Sugar Ray

09. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” – Deborah Cox

10. “Livin’ la Vida Loca” – Ricky Martin

11. “Where My Girls At?” – 702

12. “If You Had My Love” – Jennifer Lopez

13. “Slide” – Goo Goo Dolls

14. “Have You Ever?” – Brandy

15. “I Want It That Way” – Backstreet Boys

16. “I’m Your Angel” – Celine Dion and R. Kelly

17. “All Star” – Smash Mouth

18. “Angel” – Sarah McLachlan

19. “Smooth” – Santana featuring Rob Thomas

20. “Unpretty” – TLC

21. “Bills, Bills, Bills” – Destiny’s Child

22. “Save Tonight” – Eagle-Eye Cherry

23. “Last Kiss” – Pearl Jam

24. “Fortunate” – Maxwell

25. “All I Have to Give” – Backstreet Boys

Sports

Baseball

League Leaders:

Offensive

Average: Larry Walker (COL) – .379

Hits: Derek Jeter (NYY) – 219

Home Runs: Mark McGwire (STL) – 65

RBI: Manny Ramirez (CLE) – 165

OPS: Larry Walker (COL) – 1.168

Stolen Bases: Tony Womack (AZ)

Pitching

Wins: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 23

ERA: Pedro Martinez (BOS) – 2.07

Strikeouts: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 364

Complete Games: Randy Johnson (AZ) – 12

Shutouts: Scott Erickson (BAL) & Andy Ashby (SD) – 3

Saves: Mariano Rivera (NYY) – 45

MVP

AL – Ivan Rodriguez (TEX)

NL – Chipper Jones (ATL)

CY Young

AL – Pedro Martinez (BOS)

NL – Randy Johnson (AZ)

Rookie of the Year

AL – Carlos Beltran (KC)

NL – Scott Williamson (CIN)

World Series

New York Yankees sweep Atlanta Braves (4-0)

Basketball

NCAA

Final Four:

(1) Duke, (1) Michigan State, (4) Ohio State and (1) UConn

National Championship:

(1) UConn over (1) Duke 77-74

NBA

League Leaders

Points Per Game: Allen Iverson (PHI) – 26.8

Rebounds Per Game: Chris Webber (SAC) – 13.0

Assists Per Game: Jason Kidd (PHX) – 10.8

All-NBA Team

Tim Duncan (SA)

Allen Iverson (PHI)

Jason Kidd (PHX)

Karl Malone (UTAH)

Alonzo Mourning (MIA)

MVP – Karl Malone (UTAH)

Rookie of the Year – Vince Carter (TOR)

NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs over New York Knicks (4-1)

Football

NCAA

Heisman Trophy:

Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)

National Championship

(1) Florida State over (2) Virginia Tech 46-29 in the Sugar Bowl

NFL

League Leaders

Passing Yards: Steve Beuerlein (CAR) – 4,436

Passing Touchdowns: Kurt Warner (STL) – 41

Passer Rating: Kurt Warner (STL) – 109.2

Rushing Yards: Edgerrin James (IND) – 1,553

Rushing Touchdowns: Stephen Davis (WAS) – 17

Receiving Yards: Marvin Harrison (IND) – 1,663

Receiving Touchdowns: Cris Carter (MIN) – 13

Receptions: Jimmy Smith (JAX) – 116

AP MVP: Kurt Warner (STL)

Super Bowl XXXIV

St. Louis Rams over Tennessee Titans 23-16

Hockey

League Leaders

Goals: Teemu Selanne (ANA) – 47

Assists: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 83

Points: Jaromir Jagr (PIT) – 127

Hart Memorial Trophy: Jaromir Jagr (PIT)

Stanley Cup

Dallas Stars over Buffalo Sabres (4-2)

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.

Also checkout past #TBT Years in Review.

2011

2006

2005

1998

1992

1989

1987

Leave a comment Posted on March 31, 2015March 31, 2015 Movies, sports

Movie Madness: The Elite Eight Winners

You read that right….

We have our Final Four!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

Drumroll please…

(5) Shawshank Redemption

vs.

(3) Pulp Fiction

(1) Die Hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOVNmSR7_c

vs.

(2) The Dark Knight

(4) Ghostbusters

vs.

(2) Caddyshack

(1) Star Wars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOFgFAcGHQc

vs.

(3) Lord of the Rings

The Final Four voting will start tomorrow at 8 AM CT and the Championship will follow at 2 PM on MichaelPiff.com

Leave a comment Posted on March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 Movies, sports

Movie Madness: Sweet Sixteen Winners

Heck of a weekend, huh?

And while we took a breather from the Madness (off the court) yesterday, the matchups only get tougher now…

[Update]: Closing has closed. Winners are below.

(1) The Godfather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmX2VzsB25s

vs.

(5) The Shawshank Redemption

(3) Pulp Fiction

vs.

(10) Good Will Hunting

(1) Die Hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wykwob6IL-Y

vs.

(4) Gladiator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzqSKe0yocA

(3) Jaws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHtuOgtlUjg

vs.

(2) The Dark Knight

(1) Animal House

vs.

(4) Ghostbusters

(2) Caddyshack

vs.

(14) Office Space

(1) Star Wars

vs.

(4) The Avengers

(3) Lord of the Rings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJf8puSIXTg

vs.

(2) Raiders of the Lost Ark

Elite Eight voting will begin tomorrow at 12:30 PM at MichaelPiff.com

Leave a comment Posted on March 28, 2015March 29, 2015 Movies, sports

Movie Madness: The Dirty Thirty Two Winners

Welcome to the next round…

…the Dirty Thirty Two.

[Update]: Voting has closed. The winners are below and have advanced to the Sweet 16. Voting will resume again Monday morning, March 30th on MichaelPiff.com

(4) Goodfellas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eVqdnDk02Y

vs.

(5) Shawshank Redemption

(6) The Untouchables

vs.

(3) Jaws

(1) Animal House

vs.

(9) Wayne’s World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXuCgD4cbHs

(7) Toy Story

https://youtu.be/YrBbsnxNwbM?t=14s

vs.

(2) Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

(11) Almost Famous

vs.

(3) Pulp Fiction

(1) Die Hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOVNmSR7_c

vs.

(8) Mission Impossible

(5) Blues Brothers

vs.

(4) Ghostbusters

(1) Star Wars

vs.

(9) Jurassic Park

(10) Good Will Hunting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AvxR5vVgY4

vs.

(15) Rocky

(5) Tombstone

vs.

(4) Gladiator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6nBA

(6) Blazing Saddles

vs.

(14) Office Space

(6) Field of Dreams

vs.

(3) Lord of the Rings

(1) The Godfather

vs.

(8) Forrest Gump

(10) The Matrix

vs.

(2) The Dark Knight

(7) Anchorman

vs.

(2) Caddyshack

(5) Guardians of the Galaxy

vs.

(4) The Avengers

AGAIN, VOTING WILL RESUME FOR THE SWEET 16 TOMORROW MORNING. THANKS FOR PLAYING.

1 Comment Posted on March 27, 2015March 27, 2015 Film, Movies, sports

Movie Madness: Round of 64 Day 2

With half of the field in the books, let’s start voting on the second half.

[Update] Voting has closed. Winners below.

(3) Jaws

vs.

(14) The Fast and the Furious

(8) Dumb and Dumber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Vgag2PtNA

vs.

(9) Wayne’s World

(7) The Great Escape

vs.

(10) Good Will Hunting

(2) Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

vs.

(15) Pirates of the Caribbean

(4) Gladiator

vs.

(13) Lethal Weapon

(5) The Blues Brothers

vs.

(12) Major League

(6) Casablanca

vs.

(11) Almost Famous

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qn3tel9FWU

(1) Star Wars

vs.

(16) Super Troopers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFZG8KQJni8

Next round starts tomorrow. Check back at MichaelPiff.com

Leave a comment Posted on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015 Movies, sports

The 2015 Movie Madness Bracket

I understand not everybody is into basketball, or even sports for that matter. So for the past few years (with the help of some awesome people), I have released a TV Madness bracket for the masses to vote on. Dexter vs. The Wire, Friends vs. How I Met Your Mother, Breaking Bad vs. Mad Men, Game of Thrones vs. The Walking Dead…It was a good time.

This year we’re switching things up and moving from the small screen to the silver screen. Movies from several genres and eras…there’s certainly something for everyone. We’ve also added 2 Play-In Games to expand the field to 68, much like the NCAA Tournament. Voting for the Play-In Games will start HERE tomorrow (3/25) morning. The REAL THING will begin 3/26 and voting will be open till 11 PM CST each day.

Obviously everything is subjective with the seedings, but let’s take a closer look at each region for you to start making your picks!

The De Niro/Brando Region

This is a very Drama filled region, and not the kind you get in Mean Girls. Most of these films have ranked high in the typical “all-time” lists, and are likely the ones that “Shawshank” you when they are played on AMC…

(For future reference, being “Shawshanked” happens when you catch a film on TV and no matter the point you tune into, or what time it is, you have to finish the film.)

(1) The Godfather

Matchup To Watch:

(3) Pulp Fiction vs. (14) Fight Club

The Willis/Statham Region

Like Explosions? Gunfights? Epic oneliners?…What do you mean “No”? Get the hell out of here!

(1) Die Hard

Matchup To Watch:

(8) Top Gun vs. (9) The Matrix

The Belushi/Murray Region

This is the kind of “funny” Henry Hill was referring to when he pissed off Pesci in Goodfellas. Had to give John and Bill the region’s title considering they star in 4 of the above films.

(1) Animal House

Matchup To Watch:

(7) Anchorman vs. (1) The Big Lebowski

The Harrison Ford/Clooney Region

This region is a fun mix for fans of adventure, fantasy, and other miscellaneous awesomeness. Yes, I understand “Harrison Ford” is the only one to get his full name in a region…but when have you ever referred to him by just his first or last name? He also stars in the Top 2 seeds.

(1) Star Wars

Matchup to Watch:

(7) Toy Story vs. (10) The Lego movie

Check in tomorrow morning (3/25) as voting for the Play-In games will begin. Votes on Twitter directed to @Mike_PiFF03 with the hashtag #MovieMadness will also be counted. Feel free to fill out your own copy of the bracket and Tweet it to me to be shared.