Who knew about hulu

So one of the favorite things about my Pop Culture class is that I've discovered a new online TV/Movie source. If you like to stream TV and movies from your computer then you need to visit hulu.

This great site is filled with a random selection of TV shows and movies. I've watched Sliders (yes, it's a sci-fi show) and Finding Forrester (with Sean Connery). Everything under the sun is not available but what is might be that show you missed from 5 years ago, that movie you haven't seen since the theater, or season premieres from Prison Break (yay! for jen) and new series like Sons of Anarchy.

Check it out at www.hulu.com

NIN Rocked the E-Center

I witnessed one of the best performances last night. Nine Inch Nails performed at the E-Center in front of an excited crowd. Unfortunately, the E-Center switched to Ticketmaster and they didn't sale out the show... (Note: I really despise Ticketmaster because they overcharge and don't include parking. You could say I'm a fan of SmithsTix.)

Anyway, NIN came out and energized the crowd with songs like Terrible Lie and Closer. They took it down a notch and played some soothing instrumentals... okay, soothing for NIN. They played instrumentals (I think from their new album) and worked their way into "Piggy" from The Downward Spiral. They reignited the crowd with songs from With Teeth like "The Hand that Feeds" and "Only" then finished with "Head Like a Hole." NIN returned to the stage for an encore and this was the first time I heard Trent Reznor speak to the crowd. He thanked everyone for showing up and talked about their career going up and down but that they "weren't Kayne or Coldplay but they are cuter than Coldplay."

For almost two hours they played straight through without interruptions. It was amazing. Their sets gave entertaining graphics during the instrumental songs and they just hammered out one great performance after another. I've been a fan of the group since Pretty Hate Machine's "Head like a Hole" but never saw them live. Now I would recommend them to anyone. Okay maybe not my mom but my mom is pretty cool. I got listened to the Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson so much in high school that she could sing with the "Ahhh!" parts of the song.

Other highlights included...

*Overall Guy. He donned the overalls shirtless and with only one strap latched.
*Getting nosebleed tickets but then getting moved right next to the stage (due to the lack of ticket sales... stupid Ticketmaster).
*Dancing Dad sitting in front of us with his teenage sons while wearing his 90s shorts and I almost expected a fanny pack.
*Not being the the mosh pit with hairy, sweaty, shirtless dude.
*Trent Reznor - he's just so AWESOME!!! (And definitely better than Serj Tankian from System of a Down)

If you haven't had the pleasure of watching NIN live, below is a great clip from MTV of their VMA performance of "The Fragile."

NIN - "The Fragile"

Pop Culture, Chicken Wings, and Vin

I started my week out with a trip to the Wing Coop. It's a small chicken wing joint that serves wings and beer. It's on 4100 and Redwood. The wings go up to eleven. Now when I say eleven it's not dollars (or volume levels) that's the name of the hottest wing on the menu. Several of the guys at Jeren's birthday party tried the Eleven and immediately broke out into a sweat. But my fav with the Wing Coop is Nick going crazy on 20 wings ranging in hotness. He didn't go for the Eleven's but he sure got covered in sauce and started to sweat. It could've been the wings or the lack of AC I can't tell. After the wings we (the we that were over 21) went to a sports bar. I had to leave early so I could get my older self out of bed the next day for school.

The next day was an adventure. It took me 90 minutes to get to the U of U. RIDICULOUS!!! I was irritated about my commute but more so that I missed the first ten minutes of my first class, Pop Culture. That's right I'm taking an entire class from the English department in pop culture. This semester we are discussing Cult TV. So guess what my homework is... yep, it's to watch TV. Granted I have to find some of the shows (X-Files, Twin Peaks, Star Trek) on iTunes or on DVD because they've been off the air for a while but what a great assignment. It's something I already do anyway so what more could a girl want.

Well, I did want a little bit more. So i went and saw Babylon A.D. with Vin Diesel. He's just hot... H.O.T.T. And really awesome in Pitch Black.

The movie was good and weird and probably not for everyone. But director Mattheu Kassovitz (actor in Amelie and director of Gothika) did a good job of co-writing and directing a strange little futuristic tale. In Babylon AD, the rest of the world is post-apocalyptic and America is the Garden of Eden. The ending is weak but the visuals and the action make the film. Vin's character must smuggle this odd girl to New York and in true action film fashion there's some trouble. (And, yes, Thor there is a cheesy, sort-of romance as the girl and Vin get to know each other, but its Vin! what girl wouldn't swoon!). But more than the movie, I am EXCITED (or obsessed) about some of the new movies they showed trailers for... see below.

Fast and the Furious 4



Max Payne



Terminator Salvation

Holy Chicken, Batman!

So Jen, Cindi and I were on our way to a party. We were just jamming to Placebo as Jen was driving her Taurus down 7000 S. when all of a sudden there was this chicken running out into the middle of the road.

Jen being shocked by the random poultry running toward her lane shouted "Chicken... in the middle of the road!!" as she braked for the dare devil bird. The announcement/outburst made me jump and caused about 5 minutes of eye-watery, hysterical laughter. The chicken seemed to be on a mission (or really confused by it's new found freedom) as it veered into traffic and caused the lanes to slow.

Whether the chicken made it across the road or could even tell you why it crossed the road is beyond me, I was more entertained by Jen's "Chicken!" outburst. (You should ask her to demonstrate the next time you see her).

Why Choose Sci-Fi

During the summer my television watching has changed. In fact, my television watching changed with the writer's strike. But one thing has always brought me back. It's the Sci-Fi Channel. If you do not have this wonderous channel you are missing out. And here is why:

Ghost Hunters - This show is my latest addiction. I love American folklore and this show goes in and researches potential haunted castles, hotels, homes, etc. It's interesting how the investigators go through and try to debunk the stories but they usually find some interesting EVP and other evidence. This week Ghost Hunters International went to Dracula's Castle in Transylvania, Romania.

Even if you don't believe in ghosts it's fun to see places these guys can go because it's usually places the public cannot enter. They also talk about the supernatural legens surrounding the older buildings and areas. One favorite is when the TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) group went to the Stanley Hotel, the filming location for Stephen King's "The Shining." I can't say I believe the place is haunted but it's REALLY creepy.


Reruns of some great sci-fi - Sci-fi randomly plays the older and sometimes obscure TV shows from other networks. Currently playing is the "X-Files" back with Scully was a skeptic and Mulder was the believer. Other greats are "Mystery Science Theatre 3000", etc. Sci-fi has just captured a new show. "Lost" will be joining the schedule soon for those who are obsessed with how those people are going to ever get off that island.


Sci-Fi Original Pictures - My favorite is the 10-part mini-series called "Taken." Following 5 decades, 4 generations, and 3 families Steven Spielberg brought a great story about the unexplained "alien" conspiracy beginning with the Foo Fighters in WWII. The story wasn't just about the conspiracy but the people and it was ingeniously executed using an ensemble of actors including Eric Close ("Without a Trace"), Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom"), Adam Kaufmann ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and, at the time, an up-and-coming young starlet named Dakota Fanning.

Another noteworthy production is the mini-series "Dune" and "Children of Dune," the latter displaying the acting chops of a young James McAvoy. The two mini-series cover the first three books written by Frank Herbert (Dune, Dune: Messiah, and Children of Dune). The books are excellent and Sci-Fi's interpretations are very well done.

I'm a big Sci-Fi geek (to my friends this should not be a shocker) and anyone else who is huge science fiction fan shouldn't dismiss this network based on the awesomely bad movies it loves to air on the weekends (e.g., "Dinocroc" and "Anaconda" ).

For more Sci-Fi fun, I've actually taken the local Ghostbusters class through granite school district's community education program. If you believe in the supernatural or your just interested in history this is a fun class. I had my own experience which was fun but not paranormal in the slightest. Three out of my 5-part column is still online for SLCC's newspaper.

Column 1 Globe Link

Column 2 Globe Link

Column 3 Globe Link

Tropic Blunder, I think not

Reviews deemed "Tropic Thunder" as this awful film, but what I witnessed last night was a hilarious romp that pokes fun at a plethora of Hollywood stereotypes. The cheesy action star (Ben Stiller), the goofy comedian (Jack Black) and the full-of-himself Oscar winner (Robert Downey, Jr.) were all present. "Tropic" began with trailers of the latest film projects of the three film stars launching the film. If the film ended there it would have been worth the $8. Fortunately the mayhem and comedy continued.

The film, like in the trailer, takes three whiny Hollywood actors and pairs them with two others, a rap star/food brand entrepreneur named Alpa Chino and a new actor, Kevin Sandusky (Jay Barushel, "Knocked Up"). When the studio tries to pull the plug on the film, the director drops the five leads into the jungle and that's when their big budget action film goes from fake to real. The four indulged stars begin to lose it and Sandusky, the only actor with common sense, has to try and bring the group back alive.

"Tropic Thunder" is filled with Politically Correct dialog... oh wait, that was another movie. "Tropic Thunder" is filled with irreverent humor that emphasizes the bubble these pampered stars live in and laughs in the face of all who hold politically correctness on a pedestal. (For more on being PC watch "P.C.U.").

The film is recommended for fans of action movie satires and irreverent humor. I give it a must-see with a group of friends who enjoy laughing out loud.

The laughter, pain... and toga parties?

So I'm a movie enthusiast. This should not be a new thing for anyone who really knows me. But I have a few films on my favorites list. National Lampoons Animal House is definitely one of those films. It's hard to explain why to anyone who has not witnessed this classic first hand.

What got me on this Animal House kick? Well, with my parents currently on vacation I'm spending more time at home. (I have to puppy sit). While I was flipping the channels I found this anniversary special with the cast and crew talking about how they made the film. I started thinking about it and Animal House is one of the funniest movies out there. It led the way for crude humored movies like American Pie and those Apatow flicks. And Bluto, Otter, Neidermeyer, Flounder and D-Day should hold a special place in film fans' hearts. If you have never watched this classic piece of cinema just drop by your local Blockbuster and pick it up. With lines like...


Bluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.

"They confiscated everything, even the stuff we didn't steal!"

"That boy is a P-I-G pig."

...you can't go wrong!