Angry Royal Rant 6/23/11

Welcome to the my first Angry Royal Rant section of the year. These will likely be coming fast and furious as the Royals' season starts to circle the drain.

If you're my Facebook friend or follow me on Twitter, you know that I'm pretty passionate about the Royals. And along with that, remember that the Royals haven't been to the playoffs since 1985, which was four years before I was born. And since I've been a fan, they've had exactly ONE winning season. They were just four games over .500. So I have every reason to be frustrated, cynical even. And there are definitely times where those attitudes take over. But the bottom line is that I love the Kansas City Royals. When I get mad and criticize them it's only because I want so badly for them to be good and I care so much.

That being said, the Royals now have the #1 farm system in baseball and many predict a bright future is ahead. They have already seen some young players called up who are already making an impact. So there's reason to be optimistic.

But of course, we still have to suffer through the present. And there are plenty of reasons to be angry with the current team. So now, here's the real reason(s) I'm writing this first Angry Royal Rant section:

• Jeff Francouer. Francouer is a seasoned veteran who has always been known for his strong arm. Early in the season, he actually played quite well. He was hitting home runs at a consistent pace and hitting for a good average. Then, the month of June came. Long story short, he now couldn't hit a baseball if he was holding a bat the size of Texas. He's just terrible. He swings at everything, unless it's a good pitch to hit. He lets those go on by. Despite the fact that this guy doesn't belong on our AA team, the Royals throw him out there every day and at a spot in the lineup that is expected to drive in runs. This wouldn't make me quite as angry if we had no one else to play in right field instead. But our minor league system is bursting with major league-ready talent that could immediately be an upgrade. I have a feeling it has something to do with the Royals management respecting a veteran player. But their job is to win games, not make sure a guy's feelings aren't hurt. It's been assumed that we are eventually going to trade this guy. Now, that moment can not come soon enough.

• Ned Yost's dartboard managing style. Yesterday, the Royals' manager Ned Yost shook up the lineup due to the Royals' recent offensive struggles. There's no problem with that concept, but the way he put together the new batting order was ridiculous. The first thing that confuses me is that he moved Alex Gordon from #1 (where he had been thriving) to #5. Gordon has showed he can get on base reliably, which is the lead-off hitter's job. Instead, at #1 Yost put Melky Cabrera. There's not necessarily anything terrible about that, but....why? There's no good reason to do that. It's obvious he's just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. But he's also ignoring the things that have "stuck" in the past. The other puzzling thing he did was put Billy Butler back at #3, where he was notorious for hitting into double plays. And what did he do in his very first game hitting there? I'll let you take a guess.

There are tons and tons of things I could complain about here, but I'll save some of that for later. The Royals seem to be settling into last place quite nicely.

My Favorite Movies: Aliens

Aliens is one of my favorite films of all time because it represents the big-budget action movie done right. The original Alien was an entirely different type of film. That movie succeeded because it was claustrophobic and well-paced. Aliens, directed by notorious big-budget director James Cameron, shifted the focus to center around action, but it didn't lose it's soul in the process.

Even though the genre is characterized by big explosions and hectic gunfights, successful action movies always have characters that we care about. We need to want the main characters to succeed (or survive) in order to be properly invested. Aliens is a classic example of a movie that gets that right. Not only do we have the already established character of Ripley, the heroine of the series, but we add a whole slew of new characters in the Marines who accompany her. Not all of these Marine characters are very well-developed or even good, but they are all entertaining. And then the real heart of the film, Newt, the young girl who Ripley discovers that has had her family killed by the aliens. Ripley's mission to keep Newt alive and the bond that forms between them is what makes the story of the movie work.

But then of course, the action and special effects are really, really good. The aliens in this movie have something unique about them compared to creatures in movies these days: they look real. These days, filmmakers use CGI as a crutch, and what results is something that looks like a video game, not an organic, natural creature that belongs in the world. These aliens are just terrifying and REAL looking. James Cameron's later film, Avatar (and don't get me started on what I think about that movie), looks ridiculous and cartoony in comparison.

If you haven't seen Aliens and you are a fan of action/horror, you really owe it to yourself to check this one out. It has aged really well, and stands up to any movie of the genre that is released these days.

Quick Review: Super 8

J.J. Abrams' Super 8 aims to take you back to the days of alien classics such as E.T and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And for the most part, it succeeds admirably.

If the director (Abrams is behind Lost and Cloverfield) and previews are any indication, you might be expecting the secret behind whatever is terrorizing the people in Super 8 to be the driving force of the film. But, to my surprise, the mystery only really plays a part in the first 45 minutes or so. The "thing" is revealed fairly early and there is no doubt as to what it's intentions are. This definitely threw me off guard, as when the first trailers were being shown, many people were accepting this as a sort of spiritual successor to Cloverfield, a film that never quite reveals it's secrets.

Once you get over that, however, you can enjoy Super 8 for what it is: a spirited adventure with great characters. I was a bit worried when I first saw the previews and noticed that it was mostly kids in the main cast, and it's tough to find kid actors who can really act, especially in something as big as this. But my fears were alleviated early on, as the kids here actually do a really nice job. Their interactions are the driving force of this film, not the "monster".

Super 8 definitely wears it's inspirations on it's sleeve (The executive producer Steven Spielberg's name is all over the promotion of the movie), and it actually did bring back memories of the great alien titles from the 80s and 90s for me. Maybe it could of used some restraint in revealing the identity of it's monster, but there's plenty here to warrant the price of a movie ticket.

The Office (Zombie Edition)

When I first heard that Steve Carell was leaving The Office, my first thought was: "Ah, man. This show is not going to be nearly a good without Michael." Then my second thought was: "Wait, they're continuing the show without Michael?!" To me, The Office is synonymous with Michael Scott. Separating the two is, well...criminal. In my opinion of course.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand that Steve Carell was ready to move on. The show had a great run and he is a burgeoning movie star. It couldn't last forever. But it should have ended with Michael riding off into the sunset. It's possible that he will make a guest appearance at the end, but there's a chance he may never be seen again. And what kind of finale will that be? A Michael Scott-less finale? Is the big emotional conclusion going to be Dwight marrying Angela and Jim and Pam having another baby? My point is, there's no satisfying way this whole thing can end now. Michael was the heart of the show. By ripping out the heart and allowing the body to continue limping lifelessly, the creators of the show have ensured a zombie-like final seasons.

And then there's the issue of the new boss. Everyone from the disappointing season finale who interviewed is fairly unlikely. We've seen Jim be the boss in the past (boring) and Dwight as well (ridiculous). Are they going to rehash those stints? And Darryl, who has had mostly a bit part in the rest of the seasons, is just not right to be a leading man. Another option is to go with a completely outside hire that we didn't see in the season finale (my ideal solution). Whichever way they go, the writers are going to have to create new chemistry and a new feel for the show. Reinventing shows have not worked very often in the past, and I just can't see it working here.

The show is also still getting good ratings, which makes it extremely painful for NBC to part with it. But if they cared at all about the show's legacy then they would mercifully end it. It would have been plenty satisfying for Michael to get a great send off and cut the chords of the show along with the man who is responsible for it's success. But that's not happening. And that's just a shame.

The First Post

So I just made a blog. Thought I should maybe write something on it.

Basically, this will be a place where I'll share my thoughts on movies, sports, video games, TV, world events (maybe), politics (just kidding), and philosophy (just kidding again). And whatever else is on my mind.

When I was thinking of starting this, I thought to myself: "Who's going to read this thing? Why should I start a blog?" After thinking for a while, I decided the reason I should start a blog is that it's a thing to do. And I like things. Whether or not anyone ever reads it, here we go...