Blueberry Festival - Labor Day Weekend 2008

My big adventure for the Labor holiday was to Plymouth, IN for the annual Blueberry Festival. I had never been before but I had heard good things about it. It took place on a gorgeous and sunny day. Maybe too sunny. The heat would top off around 96 degrees.

While I did not wear sun block or a hat, I did remember to wear shorts and a t-shirt. Every time I walked by someone in jeans or a black shirt I would grimace. What the hell were these people thinking?

It took about two hours to get there, and I had to awake at roughly 6:30 a.m. on a Sunday, but once I got there and breathed the clean Indiana air and soaked in the attractions, it was all worth it.


Just before finding the fair, we passed a "Discount Bob's" cigarette store on U.S. 30. I had seen these stores in South Bend when I was in college. Back in the day, I would stop in on a Friday night just before hitting the bars. I could get a pack of Parliament Lights for around three bucks, which was a deal back in 2001, compared with the $7.50 they rape you for them in Chicago.



This particular Discount Bob's caught my eye because aside from selling smokes, they also sold coffee, via the drive-thru. What could be more American than that? Coffee and cigarettes – God Bless America.


I wanted so badly to go in the shop and observe the clientele. I imagine it was as far away as you could possibly get from the Starbucks fashionistas sitting with their portable Tolstoy reader, sipping some $8 ice-cream coffee shake. I would love to see the sushi eating, Chihuahua owning set stroll into Discount Bob's on a Monday morning looking to fulfill their chai latte craving.


I would like to think that Bob's was full of Dennis Leary types with their black coffee and their Marlboro reds, one after the other. There is a slice of Americana in these shops and I am sure the Presidential candidates would do well to learn about what was discussed among the patrons. This little shop reminded me of where I was in our great land, and what life is like outside the city.

The Blueberry Festival could best be described as a country fair. There is a travelling amusement park, various food vendors and a slew of travelling salespeople hocking everything from personalized mailboxes and kitchen equipment to obscene t-shirts and on-the-spot henna tattoos.

There is also a pretty big youth softball tournament. It's strange to see children wandering around in team jerseys while other fair-goers are decked out in "French Toast" body-builder pants various styles of cut-off jeans.

While the festival is most famous for the blueberry pies, ice cream and other calorie ridden delicacies, the classic car show was the real draw from me. Attracting the best muscle cars and vintage classics in the area, the show is a modern marvel of American engineering, style, and of course, muscle.

It's a delight for the eyes on so many levels. Some of the most backwoods people break out their automotive pride and joy for the spectators. There is even a swap meet where you can purchase everything from lug nuts to a '57 Chevy or a Playboy from the 1980's.

The beauties are all there from Chargers, Camaros, Dusters, Corvettes, Cudas and everything in between. Each owner raises the hood and the trunk and rolls the driver's side window down for enthusiasts to get their fill. Photo books and owners manuals rest just in front of the engine blocks for passerbys to peruse. Below are photos of the various hot-rods that caught my eye.


I attended the event with two gentlemen who personally contributed to the impressiveness of the show. My friend Glen owns and maintains this maroon colored 1968 Ford Mustang fastback. In essence, this is the classic Mustang that Steve McQueen drives with incredible skill in the movie "Bullitt." Arguably the best chase scene ever caught on film, it was quite a site to see the real thing up close and personal.


My other friend Russ maintains this Mercury Cyclone. The cream white leather interior looks plush and smells like it's right off the assembly room floor. Russ takes exceptional care of it and it certainly shows.


Yes, this is the old Starsky and Hutch car. The El Camino looks pretty cool up close. It even has the light that Hutch is famous for putting on the roof when the boys are in hot pursuit. This was a favorite and drew quite the crowd at the festival because of the popularity in recent years of the film with Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller.


This is an Old Studebaker. I really like the design of this one. The Studebakers were not known for being the most efficient cars, but I always felt that modern day Vikings would crave these automobiles. With designs like this one, I get the feeling that they were meant to ram things or blow through doors. They just seem fit for urban combat.


As you can tell from the sign under the hood, the car was for sale, but I was hesitant to seek out the owner and then inquire as to the price. I did not feel like giving off the impression that I was seriously considering it, for fear of getting the hard sell from someone looking to get out from under it. Getting petitioned by a sales person is one thing, but getting accosted by a redneck with a tire iron is quite another.


The Delorean is something we can all relate to. It was made famous by the "Back to the Future" series but they became even more infamous for being junkers that never get out of the repair shop. Notice the license plate on this one reads, "Entrapment." I would love to know how much the owner has sunk into this one to keep it running.


I am still kind of amazed by these cars though. They certainly have a unique look and frame and I guess that's due to the fact that they are made of stainless steel. The doors opening upward remind me of one of my favorite cars, the Mercedes Benz Gull Wing, except in an 80's look. But glancing at the dashboard, I was surprised that the speedometer only goes to 100 mph. I always thought these were sports cars that could achieve high speeds. I guess they are just movie fodder from a past generation.


This is the frame of an old Corvette but with a more modern engine. I like the old Corvettes compared with the newer ones but this one was a bit bizarre with its fluorescent green coloring. I also don't think I would be able to fit too well in a car this small, so the idea of ever driving one is far removed from my mind.


Above is a 1959 Jaguar convertible. The cherry red finish is beautiful. When walking by this model, I was almost expecting to see Prince William in the driver's seat with a group of hunting hounds sitting outside protecting it from nicks, dents, scratches, dirty looks, or offensive language.

Below are some of the other masterpieces that were around. As you can see, each owner takes meticulous care in their wellbeing. They are more than happy to chat up the attendees as to how the automobile came into their possession and the rigorous work that went into its restoration. It's not uncommon to see someone wiping the hood with a shammy while people walk by and nod in respect and appreciation.

Review of Transiberian

The Russian mob is probably the most lethal and respected organized crime syndicate in the world, and the film Transiberian displays their merciless tactics in all their grotesque brutality in this new thriller from director Brad Anderson.

Anderson has directed episodes of The Wire and The Shield so he is familiar with crime stories. For his latest feature film, he whisks us away from the U.S. slums and away to the other side of the world, where personal rights and ideals relating to justice take on different meanings.

Woody Harrelson, (White Men Can't Jump, Natural Born Killers, Palmetto) plays Roy and Emily Mortimer (Match Point, Lovely & Amazing, Red Belt) plays Jessie, an American couple from small town U.S.A. They don’t get much more mediocre or simplistic than these two.


Roy works in a hardware store back home and the two take trips to far off places to help destitute children in need. On their way back from China, they take the ride of their life on the famous Transiberian train line that snakes through China, Mongolia and Russia.

During their seven day journey across majestic mountain settings and through blistering cold, they befriend a young couple also traveling to Moscow. They wind up sharing a sleeping cabin with Carlos, (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby, (Kate Mara).

It turns out to be a great union with both couples hanging out in the meal car, getting wasted on vodka in the early afternoon, and de-boarding the train for some educational walking tours of train graveyards.

Aside from a little sexual tension between Carlos and Jessie, everyone seems to get along well, and because quarters are so tight, it is virtually impossible to sneak off for some nookie. But Jesse realizes there is something suspicious about the older, suave and handsome Carlos and his naive girlfriend and traveling companion Abby. Neither volunteer any information about each other and their past journeys and future plans are even more mysterious.


Carlos is a slippery character. Not only does he have the hots for his new, married American friend, but he is also a drug runner. When Roy gets left behind at the previous stop by accident, Carlos sees his chance and decides to go in for the kill by tempting Jesse to indulge in some vacation promiscuity.

And then, when she is not looking, he fills her luggage with the heroine he is transporting.

Jesse doesn’t realize she is finishing up this vacation as a mule until it’s too late, but she does put an end to Carolos’ advances by clubbing him over the head in a deserted field during a train layover.


Carlos has now been transformed from a worldly con artist and narcotics trafficker into a corpse-sicle, abandoned in the desolate frozen woods. Jesse is a wreck, as this is her first murder, and has no choice but to get back on the train in the hopes of leaving all her problems behind. Roy never discovers her devilish deeds and Jesse is hoping it stays that way.

Once back on the train, minus Abby and Carlos, Roy and Jesse get a new cabin mate in the form Ilya, played by Ben Kingsley, (Gandhi, Sexy Beast, Schindler's List). It just so happens that Ilya is a detective in the narcotics division of the Russian police force. He tells his new found acquaintances that he is traveling west to attend a law enforcement conference, but he's really hot on Carlos' trail.

In Transiberian, nothing is as it seems. Throughout the world, the police are known to protect and serve, but we are talking about the Russian authorities and their methods are a bit more aggressive and intense than in more civilized societies.

Though Kingsley is reaching the twilight of his career, and looks like a sweet and generous old man, nothing could be further from the truth. His ruthlessness and cruelty go unchecked in the lawlessness of the territory. It turns out that he is in cahoots with the Russian mob and is acting as their agent to track down Carlos and locate the drugs and money he was transporting.


In order to get what he wants, Ilya will stop at nothing. When his interrogation of Jesse comes up flat, he has no problem unleashing his thug of a partner on the naïve couple.

This film depicts one of the more graphic and detailed torture scenes to date. I have seen many films and endured some revolting cinema monents, but Transiberian takes it a step further because the person enduring it all is a woman. Films like Marathon Man, Payback Casino, Passion of the Christ and Syriana all show the brutal methods mankind has developed to procure information from people unwilling to give it.

But the unwritten rule of the theater is that woman are spared this kind of treatment. Not the case with this movie. Transiberian throws this thinking straight out the window as was evidenced by the groans and screams of shock that came from the audience in the crowded theater I sat in. Women get the brunt of the hideous treatment, and males and females alike may want to cover their eyes during certain parts.

Even with these stomach turning visuals, Transiberian is an intense and fierce thriller. It keeps you on the edge of your seat but the ending is a little too predictable. It engages the audience to a remarkable degree, but the letdowns are unfortunately more memorable as the credits roll.

Harrelson seems to be making a habit of playing “ho-hum” characters because he comes off as even more dense than “Woody,” the lovable bartender from Cheers. Manuel Noriega is the real scene stealer as Carlos. Though he is only in about two-thirds of the movie, his portrayal as a learned grifter is both believable and moving.


The real marvel of this film is the locations. While a majority of it is shot on the train, the bitter cold and endless beauty of Mongolia and Russia are on full display. There is also a heightened sense of realism as we can see the breaths of the actors as they walk along the train platforms and explore their surroundings. The story is certainly believable but the naïveté of Jesse and Roy make me wonder why more American are not murdered while on holiday.

The film closely resembles the 1978 classic Midnight Express for it’s heart-pounding look at drug running, and the madness that goes along with it.

Transiberian offers many morals, but the most important one to remember is, “Don’t make friends with strangers and always be on the lookout when travelling through foreign lands.” This is a warning that Jesse and Roy learn early in the film but it requires a certain turn of events and for their lives to be put in considerable danger for them to realize the severity of being strangers in a strange land.

Two and a half out of five stars.

Review of The Dark Knight

Note: There are spoilers in this entry so if you have not seen the film yet, and don’t want to have it ruined, scroll down or come back after you have seen it.

"And away we…. go."

I finally saw The Dark Knight. The Batman movies have always been a love of mine and the first feature length film that come out in 1988 turned me into a serious film buff. Though The Dark Knight opened 26 days ago, I waited because I had to see it on the IMAX and I had to have the best seat in the house. It’s worth the money and the wait to experience it on the biggest screen in town.

So with all that time, and of course, with all the hype leading up to the film’s release, I had very high expectations. Every critic I read wrote a love story for a review, and every friend and colleague that saw it gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up. I was delighted by all the fanfare and was frothing at the mouth for the fateful day when I would have my own turn to savor and take in the film that broke all the box office records and had the entire world asking the tag-line question, “Why so serious?”

And that’s exactly the point. The Dark Knight is as serious as it gets. It’s the most intense comic book rendering I have ever seen, and it’s laden with long speeches about morality, the struggle of good versus evil, human decency and of course, the dual nature of people.

It is a great movie, but I probably won’t be one of those reserving the four-disc DVD collection loaded with extras that will surely retail for $79.95 on HD DVD. I may or may not even see it again on the big screen. The Dark Knight is entertaining to the very end but I didn’t go bonkers for it like I did for the monumental action films of my adolescence, (i.e. Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Professional).

It has already captivated the nation, and I am sure it will inspire the next generation of filmmakers, but for me, it was just a summer blockbuster. I thought the marketing and viral advertising blitz was more impressive than the actual movie itself. I was thoroughly sucked in by the ad's declaring, "I believe in Harvey Dent!" and the bus stop posters showing a batman logo burned into a building.


I had heard that it was the best action film of all time and that all other Batman movies pale in comparison to the Christopher Nolan entries. I judge the Batman movies by each director and their two films, in this case Tim Burton, (Batman, Batman Returns) Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Batman and Robin) and Christopher Nolan, (Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight).

Nolan’s film is more of a crime drama than a superhero flick, and if you are looking for real crime dramas, I suggest William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A., Sidney Lumet’s Night Falls on Manhattan or Michael Mann’s Heat.

Nolan’s films are definitely riveting and a much needed fresh prospective on probably the greatest film franchise of all time, but I still believe that the Michael Keaton films stand up better than the Christian Bale ones. Burton’s vision is more stylistic and holds more weight compared with Nolan, who I feel is a good director but can’t compete with the master visionary behind classics like Edward Scissorhands, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

As a whole, (and I know I am probably the minority opinion on this one) Burton’s two films are better that Nolan’s two films, but both these men make Joel Schumacher look like a child in a game of men.

While also incredibly dark and mysterious, Burton’s Batman films spare us the long and heavy speeches and the duality of man argument that seems ever present in Nolan’s work. It’s been done before in much better stories, and I think I will throw up if I have to hear the line again, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to become a villain.”


Burton won’t be making another Batman film again, and after the huge success of The Dark Knight, it’s pretty safe to assume that Nolan will have free reign to direct the next films and carefully mold his vision as to what he feels the Batman character is really all about. Nolan’s got no place to go but up, and with Johnny Depp rumored to appear as the Riddler in the next installation, he’ll be able to handpick the best actors and spend as much as he wants with bottomless studio budgets.

Nolan has said that he enjoys realism in his films. So I doubt we will ever see villains like Mr. Freeze, the Penguin or Killer Croc. The monsters that Batman has battled in his quest to keep Gotham City safe may never make an appearance on the screen with this director at the helm.


Unlike the millions of adoring new fans, I had a problem with some parts of the film. For one, the cell phone imaging technology that Luscious Fox, (Morgan Freeman’s character) develops to track down the Joker was a little confusing and even tougher to watch. The graphing sequences reminded me of the Disney film Tron and succeeded in giving me a headache.

I also had a problem with some of the fighting sequences. I love watching a guy decked out in black rubber ears kick some serious ass, but the movements and camerawork were too fast and all I could really make out in most cases was Batman walking towards a goon, and then the next shot is that same goon lying on the floor, screaming in pain.

One thing most people can agree on is Batman’s voice and how deep and incomprehensible it is. It was difficult to make out a single word he said. Alfred the butler, played by Michael Caine, was also tough on the ears. Not because of a raspiness but because of his cockney accent. I know he was speaking the King's English but there should have been subtitles on the screen whenever he uttered a word.

The supporting cast did a fantastic job. Eric Roberts plays the grease ball Mob boss Maroni and William Fichtner has a great cameo as a bank manager who decides to go vigilante on some would-be robbers. You can easily miss Cillian Murphy as the Scarecrow, as he gets caught within the first 15 minutes. He stole the show in the first Nolan movie and will probably resurface again. But in this episode, much like the first, he is greatly underused.

Heath Ledger as the Joker does a remarkable job. He is every bit as crazy as I heard. He had some big shoes to fill considering Jack Nicholson’s no slouch and really gave the role its panache and grace roughly twenty years ago.


If I encountered Nicholson’s Joker, he would probably shoot me dead on the spot. But Ledger’s Joker is much more disturbing and would probably make me eat my own leg before killing me in the most grotesque manner he could dream up.

And it’s that crazy mind of his that makes him so lethal. Sure he has the physical strength to impale a henchman on a pencil, and he is the only guy I know of who can laugh at Batman while taking a beating, but the ease he displays in turning Gotham City upside down clearly shows his sick and calculating genius.

Ledger’s timing, expressions, and vulgarity all make him tremendously dangerous and enjoyable. He is one of the most lovable villains to hit the big screen since Hannibal Lector. Every lip smack, gesture and deadpan highlights the inner rage and madness within.

His entrances and exits are instant classics. My two favorites are when he leaves the hospital in the nurses uniform while struggling with the bomb detonator, but still with an awkward pep in his step, followed closely by when he crashes the Harvey Dent fundraiser thrown by Bruce Wayne. He shows us just how intent and determined he is at getting what he wants.


He’s as dangerous as they come because he is more of an urban terrorist than a comic book bad guy. The homemade videos he submits to the news outlets depicting his crimes and demands are reminiscent of the torture and ransom tapes that come out of the Middle East war zones. It's got a familiar feel to what we see everyday on CNN, or as the Joker might say, "It's all part of the plan."

His yearning to destroy Gotham city and pit its citizens against one another is far more believable than some cheesy nut, dressed flamboyantly who is bent on world domination. His scars, bombs and murders are all personal and it's obvious that he takes pleasure in being so bad.

I was annoyed when I first heard that a young Australian actor whose last major film role was getting down and dirty with a fellow cowboy on a mountain was given the part every actor would kill for. But Ledger hit a home run and the die-hard fans can now endlessly argue Nicholson’s claim to the title as the best Joker of all time.

This new Joker is evil to the core and his one liner’s are sure to be the thing of holiday cards and cocktail party quips. Whatever demons Ledger was fighting during the production and after were certainly present on the celluloid. The role called for a madman in the truest sense of the word and Ledger gave it to us, in style.

I hope he gets the Oscar nod as it would be a gallant tribute to a truly larger-than-life thespian that died way before his time.

I must give credit where credit is due. His scenes are the most enjoyable to watch, but I was flabbergasted when his character was not killed off. Usually a fiend half as ruthless as the Joker would be cut into a million different pieces by the end of the film but for some reason he supposedly lives on to battle his arch nemesis another day.


His living is a huge break from traditional film code. The decision by the film’s producers is confusing because Heath Ledger has died and it will be tough to reintroduce him again. But as my friend who saw the film with me mentioned, perhaps they have so much footage they can include it in another installment.

Even if they do that, it would be a disservice to Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight. He blew the performance out of the water and it should be contained to this film, and this film alone. Any attempt to recreate little bits and pieces of his character for the next episode are cheap and overly indulgent.

While certainly a slight improvement from Katie Holmes, Maggie Gyllenhaal wasn’t all that much better, and I was happy that she won’t be back for another film. I am glad her character was eliminated, and still question why Bruce Wayne would have a thing for a woman who looks like a hound dog, even if he did grow up with her. Katie Holmes can’t act her way out of a paper bag, but at least she is easy on the eyes.


Gyllenhaal plays the assistant District Attorney to Gotham City and the love interest of Harvey Dent. When she eats it, all kinds of chaos breaks out. Aaron Eckhart plays Dent and is the city’s “White Night” and white-collar savior.

Eckhart also gives a great performance and his death is sad because we only get a small taste of his treachery. After morphing into Two-Face, he creates a little turmoil, raises some hell, and takes out some of the city’s seedier characters - all stand up work in my book. But the rants about how unfair life is for him and how he can't recover from her loss are overly melodramatic and tiresome.


His make-up is amazing though. How the effects crew were able to transform a handsome man into such a hideous being, I will never know. I can only assume it was done with computer generated effects. However his death scene is terribly weak. It’s too bad that he dies and the Joker lives because Eckhart could certainly play the central villain in another movie. Again, what were the producers thinking?

Also worth mentioning is the role the city of Chicago plays as a stellar backdrop. Gotham City never had more life, carnage or flair. Nolan had the right idea to shoot in a true metropolis setting as opposed to a studio sound stage. The chase scene on lower Wacker drive is something to rival The French Connection and Bullitt. It’s also a thrill to see the Batcycle tear through Millennium Station as the lines that commuters walk down everyday eerily resemble starting spots on a racetrack.

The Loop is home to many of the best scenes, and it looks like the IBM building was used as the office for Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and for the press conference scene. But LaSalle avenue, by far the city’s most beautiful and historic thoroughfare is the setting for the real fireworks. The area by the Board of Trade serves as the setting for an assassination attempt on Gotham’s mayor and one of the showdowns between the Joker and Batman.

The stunts are top notch and I wouldn’t have believed half of them unless I had followed the film’s production as closely as I did. My company's offices were actually used by the production teams to light the sequences.


Probably the most exciting act in the story was the Hong Kong footage. Batman tests out his new Batsuit and extracts a criminal from a high-rise in one of the most daring escapes I have ever seen. The camera work makes you feel like you are gliding through the air along with the Caped Crusader and his prisoner. I had chills down my back while watching this and believed the film could only get better leading up to an even bigger finale. Unfortunately I was wrong.

As a whole, the movie is top notch and well worth the mass acclaim it has received. It will continue to amaze audiences filled with theater-goers who have seen it two and three times now.

I am just not one of those individuals with a Joker-like permanent grin on his face. What makes the film memorable for me is that there is no safety net. Nolan has proven that he can eliminate pivotal characters in the story to show what a dire and cut-throat society his Gotham City can be. There was a nervousness that overcame me when I realized anyone can die, at any time.

The storyline also mirrors certain Homeland Security issues that have riled up the ACLU and other anti "Big Brother" groups. It's easy to see why this film has struck such a nerve with the American movie-going public. Gotham City can be Any-Town U.S.A. The crime wave depicted is also reminiscent of the senseless violence and record murder rate that currently characterizes the Windy City.

Nolan ends the film with a cliffhanger; Batman running away from the very people he has sworn to protect. This conclusion of sorts is a nice touch because we have no idea what Batman will be like in the next movie and a sense of unknowing is the best way to captivate an audience.

Three out of five stars.

Review of "Shine A Light"

Yours truly was able to score press passes to the Martin Scorsese rockumentary Shine a Light. I responded to a radio contest and won. Believe that!?! I actually won a radio contest! But I shouldn't get too big a head; it was not for calling into the station, which I think is far more difficult. No, I simply filled out an information page on 97.1 f.m.'s website. But still, I won, and got to see the film before it opened to the general public. Not too shabby in my opinion.

The film chronicles two shows by the legendary Rolling Stones at the world famous Beacon Theater in New York City. The movie opens with all the discussions, negotiations and confusion one would associate with a live rock n' roll show. Cast, crew, performer and filmmaker all have objections on the size and layout of the stage. The always hand's on Mick Jagger is especially outspoken. There are also issues with lighting and camera placement as poor Scorsese fights to find out the music set list, while also making sure that the lighting scheme does not set the lead singer on fire. All in a day's work.

The Stones decided to play the concert in 2006 and donate proceeds to earth and global warming related causes at the request of Bill Clinton. The ex-president appears in the beginning minutes during a meet and greet with the band and 30 of Slick Willy's friends and supporters. Even Hillary Clinton's mom gets in on the action. Keith Richards, obviously tired from all the introductions, hugs and kisses, deadpans to the camera, "Clinton, I am kind of Bush'd!" which got a huge laugh from the IMAX audience.


Experiencing a film like this on the largest screen available to consumers gave off the impression that I was at a rock show. The film starts by showing the concert staging and preparations on just a portion of the IMAX screen and then, with the first chords of “Jumpin' Jack Flash,” the entire two-story screen became full of the Stones, their energy and their mighty stage presence. It was quite a feeling and a hell of an opening.

I have been a die-hard Stones fan since I was a kid, mostly because my father was a huge fan of the group. It's hard for me to think of the group's members as being older than my Dad. But they are. The Rolling Stones are icons and their image/philosophy is something that everyone can share in and embrace. The sounds and attitude of the group appeal to all generations and defy national borders. Everyone knows the first chords of “Satisfaction” even if they think Britney Spears was the first person to ever perform the song.

I can remember being a small kid and watching Live Aid in 1985 with my Dad and my brother. My Dad was in all his glory as Mick Jagger rocked out with the likes of Tina Turner and other notable artists for the benefit for Africa. I remember the event not for it's over the top performances or philanthropic efforts, but rather, it was the first time we recorded something from television on our newly acquired VCR. We still have the tapes too.


Dad would later leave my brother and me behind as he nabbed tickets to the “Steel Wheels” tour in 1989. We were not old enough to have appreciated it anyway so there are no hard feelings for having missed it. Now most people cannot justify $2-500 a ticket, which is often what a live Stones performance sells for these days. So for those individuals that are lifelong fans and will probably never cough up the big bucks to see them live, Shine a Light is a good chance to get a feel for what a live performance would feel like.

Shine a Light catches the band in every possible angle on stage. There are also interviews intermixed between the performances dating from the early days, when the Stones first arrived in America, to their international romps through the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We get to see how the band has grown, changed, matured and achieved legendary status.

By far one of the most memorable shots in the entire movie is when Jagger makes his way to the stage for "Sympathy for the Devil." The entire venue goes dark and then Mick bursts through an audience door in the back of the theater with a wave of red light behind him. He actually looks like the human form of Lucifer. There is also a long shot of Richards' back as he plays the guitar that is very memorable.


Over the years, my love, respect, and admiration for the group has skyrocketed. With respect to the Beatles, it the humble opinion of this blogger that the Rolling Stones are the greatest Rock 'n Roll band of all time. No one can touch them. For the sheer fact that they have so many #1 hits, albums and numerous accolades, it seems frivolous to even argue their presence in the top spot as music's greatest.

It should also be noted that they are still rocking hard. Their faces are more weathered, their hair is dyed, and they obviously employ a staff of nutritionists, personal trainers, chefs and other assistants to keep them looking great.

But the hard-edged guitar riffs, the emotion and the determination to continue to defy the odds are still there. Mick dances around the stage like a crazed chicken, fist pumping, with that famous swagger that has come to characterize his stage presence. He is still a sex symbol, even in his 60's, as evidenced by the young, beautiful women in the concert hall’s front row who stare up at him wantonly, with a suggestive look in their eyes.

There is a variety of music styles as well as cameos from present day and past musicians. Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy and Jack White all make appearances singing and playing with the band. Guy's performance is the most memorable as he is able to show the esteemed, “Masters of Rock” that the American blues guitarist is still a force to be reckoned with. In his own way, he shows them up. At the end of the song, Richards takes his guitar off his shoulder and gives it to Guy as a remembrance of the performance.


When I first heard about a Martin Scorsese rockumentary on the Rolling Stones, I thought this would be the perfect pairing. Scorsese is considered one of the best filmmakers of all time and the Stones, well, I have already highlighted my esteem for them. Plus, Scorsese received notoriety for his other concert films, "The Last Waltz" and the Bob Dylan retrospective, "No Direction Home."

Scorsese is also acclaimed for the amazing soundtracks that go along with his movies. He chooses timeless, classic songs to convey the deep, and sometime troubled emotions of his characters. When we think of Raging Bull, we also think of Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo; Mean Streets, “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes, and of course “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon from The Color of Money.

One thing should be noted about this movie. Stones traditionalists might be a little disappointed by the song selection. The very issue that Scorsese was so concerned with before the group took the stage is the same topic that I have the greatest argument with. I was hoping to hear "Paint it Black," "Doo Doo Doo (Heart breaker)" or Monkey Man" and was disappointed when none of these songs were played. In fact, no Stones music that highlights their hard edge was played. It was all fun, happy, "get 'em out of their seats," songs. The Stones have a dark side and it wowed fans for decades. The fact that this side of their music is ignored is a gigantic letdown.


Probably the biggest travesty of the film is the omission of "Gimme Shelter," in my opinion, the quintessential Stones song. Now I understand that there is another rockumentary based entirely on this song and the untimely death and bizarre behavior that occurred when people heard it in 1969 at the disastrous Altamont Free Concert. That's another classic movie, not only for the great performances, but also for its ability to take the viewer backstage, and deep inside the necessary dealings and bargaining that go into concert promotion, production and preparation.

The song "Gimme Shelter" is a favorite of Scorsese's. He has used it in three of his most popular gangster films, The Departed, Casino, and Goodfellas. Each time the song was used over moving pictures and in trailers was to accentuate the severity of organized crime, the high stakes that are involved, and the dire consequences that result. The song somehow matches the danger and severity of these ruthless individuals.

The song and those films send a chill down my spine, particularly because of Richards' opening guitar intro and the background singer shouting "It's just a shout away...it's just a kiss away." The song has almost become synonymous with all things Scorsese so that's why it seems strange, and I feel a bit cheated, that the Rolling Stones were appearing in a Martin Scorsese movie and decided to leave that number out. For shame.

All in all, the film is very entertaining and the final shot is one of the more memorable and satisfactory images to walk away with. I imagine that people will talk about seeing Shine a Light in theaters the way my parents' generation recalls experiencing The King and I or my own generation can think back to being blown away by Terminator 2: Judgment Day when it hit theaters.

It should be seen on the big screen or the IMAX but you may want to purchase it on DVD when it goes to video, but only if one of the extras is a long version of "Gimme Shelter!" Cheers to the Rolling Stones, the world’s consummate Rock ‘N Roll band, and the American filmmaker, who helped immortalize them.

The 2007 NY Giants - A Team of Destiny

I cannot begin to express how happy and satisfied I am that the New York Giants won Super Bowl 42. Talk about a “Team of Destiny,” this past Sunday’s game was without a doubt the most exciting Super Bowl I have ever seen. The only other one that comes even close is when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 23.

I remember that one from my youth quite well. But the famous Montana scoring drive is nothing compared to Eli Manning’s phenomenal play and effort to get his team into the end zone in those final minutes. He and David Tyree will live in infamy. Eli’s “never say die” attitude and Tyree’s superglue grip are the stuff of legend.



Regarding that infamous play where Manning was scrambling to get away from the defenders, it was easy to see the hopes and efforts of an entire team and an entire season in one gallant feat of athleticism.

None of the team members ever gave up on that play; you could even sense the spirit of the players on the sideline willing them to greatness. Eli’s skills at eluding the pass rush were simply amazing. You sense the line closing in one him and almost feel the hands coming down on him, grabbing for his head, jersey, the ball, anything. And then being able to fine David Tyree 30 yards downfield was even more astounding.



The catch he made will be the source of highlight reels for many championships to come. Tyree actually caught it off his own helmet! I don’t think I will ever get tired of watching that one.

I was a little disappointed at the Patriots for some of their shady practices. They knew that time was a factor and made a point to waste the precious seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter by stripping at the ball after the plays were called dead by the referee. Their feeble attempts to win the game in a dishonest way backfired. It goes to show you that good can triumph over evil every now and again.

Their head coach leaving the field with time still on the clock does not surprise me in the least. Belichick strikes me as a man who does not handle loosing well. Needless to say, he’s no role model for sportsmanship.

I thought it only appropriate that several NY Giants in their post game press conferences told the media about the dirty play of the New England team. The winners’ having the last laugh seems very appropriate.

While we can talk about Manning to Tyree or Manning to Buress for ages, the real star of the NY program remains the defense and linebacker core. The G-Men dug in deep and gave the offense the opportunity to win that game. They played hungry, scrappy football all night long.



They pressured Brady throughout, sacking him more times than anyone had seen all season. It was obvious that the Golden Boy heartthrob had trouble establishing any lasting momentum in the pocket.

Surprisingly, Randy Moss never became a factor. I was surprised by how efficiently the defensive backs took him out of the game. Looks like Coughlin can write the book on how to beat Belichick.

The 18-1 Patriots certainly had a chance to extend their dynasty, but it looks like a new one will be created in New York instead. No doubt about it, we saw a game for the books. History was made with the Giants victory and I am just thrilled that I got to witness it as it happened.

Super Bowl XLII just happened to be the most widely viewed sports broadcast in history and the second-most watched TV show in history, (the last episode of M*A*S*H was number one).

The media seemed infatuated with crowning the Patriots the Super Bowl champions before the game was even played. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the sports writers and columnists turn on the one time legendary team now that their perfect season has come crashing down all over them.

With Moss being brought up on charges of beating a woman and with Belichick and his staff admitting guilt in the “Spy-Gate” scandal, I wouldn’t be surprised to see fines and suspensions handed down in the near future. Their brand of cheating will serve as an example to the league and I’m pleased that the bad guys did not win this time around.

The Giants proved that you can have flaws and still be victorious. A different kind of history was made once the play clock read double “0” and a new breed of champion was crowned.

The win is especially incredible for the Giants because Manning was getting ready to be benched by the fourth game of the season, and the Giants were already considering Coughlin’s firing.

Both player and coach went to work and Manning really honed his skills as a QB.
He came of age in the biggest game possible, on the grandest stage imaginable. Seeing greatness in people we had already counted out makes life worth living in my humble opinion.

Comebacks make a good angle for a news story, but when we can see the devotion and hard work finally pay off, than everyone’s faith is renewed. Eli Manning can now enter the ranks of the top signal callers playing today. He also came out from under his brother’s shadow.



The Mannings have shown their true love and devotion to the sport. I think that two brothers winning back to back Super Bowls and being named MVP’s is a far more prestigious record than a perfect season. It makes me happy to know two brothers can come so far and root each other on. I can only imagine how great their parents must feel.

The football season is officially over now. Being a Notre Dame fan and enduring their monumental fall this past season makes this Giants win a little sweeter. The fact that I am also a New Yorker and can’t stand the Red Sox makes the defeat of a Boston area team a little more enjoyable as well.

In a year when the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots were all expected to win Championships, it’s nice to know that team with genuine, hard-working players can defy the odds and give something for every underdog out there to aspire to. I only wish I could have made it back home to the Big Apple for the ticker tape parade.



Thanks are an order to the 2007-2008 New York Giants. They not only showed the world that a Goliath can be defeated, they also demonstrated what it means to never stop fighting, and to never give up. I am proud of this squad for not only defining smash-mouth football but also for bringing back a certain New York swagger that has been missing for a time. Great job guys.