Sunday, June 7, 2009

Drag Me to Hell? No Thank you.

So in my last post I implored my ZERO readers out there to go out and check out Sam Raimi's new movie, "Drag Me To Hell".



Well, I just saw it.

I guess it is better than your average PG-13 horror flick and is worth renting or watching if you ever see it on HBO but that is about all I can recommend.

The opening was pretty strong but after the first act the rest of the movie is pretty blase more or less with the exception of a few strong moments.

The real bummer was the ending. Others have complained about it already all over the web. They say it is predictable and not how they wanted it to end. Well, I'm not really complaining about that exactly. I just thought it was boring and a little lazy.

**Spoiler Alert**
Now if you want to see this movie and don't want to know the end I suggest you stop reading here. But I was thinking about what would have made a better ending and I came up with this:

Christine actually does stuff the envelope with the button in it in Ganush's mouth. We assume that she is successful in passing off the curse. Then on the final scene on the train platform Clay pulls out his papers and Christine sees the envelope. She freaks out as she does in the film (saying things like , "no, it's not possible" etc.) and she falls on the train platform. Clay drops his papers and the envelope falls on the ground. Clay reaches for her but it is too late, Christine gets struck by the train and killed. Just as it ends, a gust of wind flips over the envelope and the coin falls out, revealing that it was in fact just a coin in the envelope and not the button.

I told this ending to my friends who also saw it and they liked it better as well.

I like it better because, for one, Ganush gets sent to hell and it is good to see the bitch go down. and two, it has a nice "twisted fate" to it. Christine escapes hell by the demon but is killed anyway because she is so haunted by the experience.

It reminds me of the ending of Vertigo. Great ending that movie has. I remember the first time I saw Vertigo I was told going in that the girl falls from the Bell Tower. And I was watching it and thinking, "well it is almost over, I guess it isn't going to....OH Shit!" And then the movie ends. Hitchcock, he got you right as you were at the door. Great stuff.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Salvation!

Back from the dead and does it feel good to be back. I've finally finished my "Subways" article and now I can get on with the rest of my creative life.

So much to say and so little time. I really feel like from this post forward my blog will take a new shape and get a sense of direction that it never had before. From now on I'm not simply going to ramble about nonsense, I am going to ramble about things important in my life that at least make some sense.

I'm not going to do it all here and now. I'm going to put it off just a little longer, as I want to do with most things in my life.

But there will be much to talk about. Bill Maher and other things that generally frustrate me to the point of passing out, my job and search for a new one, my apartment and transition to a new one, adventures out into society, sports, music, movies, and of course, the love of my life: Catalina.

Right now, what is really upsetting me is this magazine article's completion. It is done but now the editor wants to remove what is ultimately my favorite segment of the article! A great piece about the Masstransiscope of the Brooklyn underground. I think I can get him to at least accept an abbreviated acknowledgment of it.

More on this in the future. But until next time, enjoy this clip. And see "Drag Me to Hell!"

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

New Article

Link above and below. New Bleacher Report article. It's funny, trust me.

How to Be Cool

Monday, April 27, 2009

On A Mission From God

Ah Blues Brothers. One of the most important movies of my adolecense.

I'm only writing to tell all of my imaginary readers, and of course my one actual reader, but mostly my imaginary readers- I will not be making anymore posts until I have finished writing my next magazine article from Primer. I can't seem to finish it, its all a mess, and it is driving me crazy.

-Kevin H. MacLean

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Circle-Circle, Dot-Dot

So apparently, I have cooties.

Or some form of bizarre sickness that keeps people from wanting to hang out with me. I had 3 count em' THREE extra Yankee tickets to tonight's game that I was willing to give away for free and yet I could not get anyone I asked to take them. I must of asked at least 16 people if they could they were...
Nathaniel - working/school
Leah - work too early the next morning
T. - working
Nikki - working
Mike - working
Kirsten - already doing something
Tommy - too much homework
Shane - never called me back
Vince - too tired (seriously!?)
Josh - working
Jr. - stuck at school
Brad - also, stuck at school
A girl named Lia who I haven't even spoken to in almost a year - dance class
Upstairs roommate - reason unknown
Upstairs roommate - working
Downstairs roommate - reason unknown

And I know I'm forgetting about someone! Well, anyway, the game was good but it was pretty cold so I spent almost half of it inside (which wasn't much warmer). I stayed to the end and on the way home I was freaking out between 125th and 59th street on the D train.

Just before the D train I was on passed 86th St. it passed the B train. I thought to myself seeing thing "oh good, I can switch to the B at 59th st. and take it home without having to wait long or walk as far." But then, things took a grim turn.

At around 72nd st. the D train slowed to a crawl, for probably about 90 seconds, but it felt like 98,586,209,012 seconds. As I hunched over nervously I saw the inevitable, the B train flew by. I thought, maybe now the train will speed up and the B will wait at 59th street for connection passengers. But the D train didn't speed up, it stopped completely.

I was now quietly screaming inside my head. I muttered to myself under my breath and I thought about how stupid the MTA is for allowing a local to pass an express just before a common station.

As the train pulled into 59th street, I was defeated. But then, a ray of hope. Actually more like an entire star; the B train was there waiting for me. And after a long string of bad luck in catching trains the last few days, I got one back.


Be Back Soon,

Kevin H. MacLean

P.S. I hate scalpers. They're dishonest.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Be Well, John Spartan

Haha, Demolition Man

My bathroom smells like crap. Not like that kind of crap, exactly. The plumbing in my apartment backed up into the tub and sink and now the bathroom smells like clay pots and rusty iron. It looks like the only way to get it clean will be to do it myself, it would be nice if it ever occurred to them that they should occasionally clean something up too.

This Demolition Man movie is ridiculously hilarious. Oh look, it is Dennis Leary playing himself cira 1993, how very original.

I cannot believe I couldn't find anyone to take my extra yankees tix. I must of ask 10 people. I mean, what the hell? Free tickets people!

Oh well, I guess I didn't really have much to say but I haven't written anything in a few days. I've been writing a lot for Bleacher Report at the moment. Trying to find the balance is tough, but I guess that's true with everything.

-Kevin H MacLean