Best in Show (Business)

As 2009 winds down, I figured it would be appropriate to mention 5 pop-culture phenomenons in this year that, in my humble opinion, really shook the zeitgeist in the best way. And to all the "twi-hards" out there, I'm not a fan of sappy soft-core porn marketed to creepy women who hit on 17-year-olds. So don't complain about me not mentioning those crazy bloodless (irony?) movies.

5.) Adam Lambert

This glam-rocking, fellatio-simulating, Elisabeth Hasselbeck-enraging 27-year-old had one hell of a year. And boy was it entertaining to follow. Color me biased, but I was on the Lambert train every since he blew us all away with his rendition of Tears for Fear's "Mad World". Lambert is everything a megastar should be --he's provocative, intriguing, controversial, and best of all: entertaining. I guess he really had thought that out when he titled his debut album, For Your Entertainment.

4.) Up in the Air



Jason Reitman's third directorial endeavor proved the old "third time's the charm" theory. That's not to say that his previous two films were anything but fantastic. Up in the Air is just one of those movies that means to shake you and masterfully succeeds. The story, which revolves around a corporate "termination facilitator" during this time of great economic turbulence, manages to humanize a man that many people would not be able to resonate with. George Clooney's performance is a thing of beauty as he combines clever wit and charm with underlying pain and vulnerability. Up in the Air is, in my opinion, the best picture of the year.

3.) Glee



Few shows have the bravado to combine musical theater with authentic real-life drama and succeed. Glee does that and then some. It's characters, which are hilariously clichéd façades with underlying heartbreak are the type of people you would love to meet in real life. Despite the vocal mastery and stage presence of the glee club performers, Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester is the show's best asset. Combining her trademark deadpan with brutal comedic honesty, Lynch brews a recipe for side-splitting humor that gives the word "glee" a whole new meaning. Glee works because, it' funny, true to itself, often heartwarming, and overall a gleeful experience to partake in.

2.) Avatar



Sure, it hasn't even come out in theaters yet (go see it December 18th) but Avatar, James Cameron's 10-year-old brainchild, is supposedly the gateway to the future of film-making. Combining breath-taking visual effects and 3-D technology, the Oscar-winning director has presented this epic as his next Titanic. With a budget of half a billion dollars, it sure as hell has to be as successful as Titanic to even make a profit. Regardless, the sheer amount of massive buzz surrounding this film is enough to catapult it to the number 2 spot on this list.

1.) Lady Gaga



It's fitting that I began this list with a provocative pop star and ended it with another. Lady Gaga is, without a doubt, the breakout star of 2009. A pop goddess, a stunning fashionista, a gay rights activist, Gaga blasted her way into the pop-culture world with her smash hit, "Just Dance". Her debut album, the Fame, has sold millions of copies and her new EP album, the Fame Monster is on well on it's way to surpassing that amount. Gaga's performances have become a staple of the music industry. From bleeding on stage to smashing vodka bottles on a flaming piano, Gaga's dramatic prowess makes her the force to be reckoned with. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who influenced the pop-culture world this year more than Lady Gaga.

Until next time,

The Guy in the (Not so) Horn-Rimmed Glasses

P.S. Due to exams and such, I will not be able to post until sometime next week. But look forward to that post, I promise it'll be a good one!

Questions? Concerns? Advice? Insults? Lay em' on me!

So Bad, It's Good

Today I'd like to talk about guilty pleasures. As you know, these can be applied to virtually any facet of everyday life. And let's be honest, nothing feels better than winding down after a long day by engaging in something you know is innately vapid but nevertheless makes you feel great.

For example, every time I hear Paris Hilton's "Nothing in this World" I can't help but feel a rush of inspiration. That said, the song itself is overproduced, simple-minded, and above all, super cheesy. But behind the pop beats and polished hotel-heiress-turned-porn-star vocals, there's a message. A message that breeds optimism and hope. And to me, that's just dandy. I even like the song's (ridiculous) music video (posted below). Sure, it may be about a creepy kid who seems to spend all of his time polishing the raised scepter of love (as Andy Botwin once said on Weeds) to pictures of Ms. Hilton. But damn, does it feel good to see him parade his sexy new babe in front of the cliché high school bullies he so desperately tries to outshine.

I guess my point is that sometimes all we need are a few pick-me-ups during the day. And these guilty pleasures soothe us when we need it. Take the film My Boss's Daughter. It's a d-movie crap-fest but it sure as hell is a riot. Every time I see it, I cry laughing. Why? Because it tries to be funny via the stupid express and succeeds in spades. Ashton Kutcher's pathetic office-drone character doesn't want you to contemplate why he continues to spawn disasters in the house he's meant to be taking care of. He just wants you to strap yourself in and have a great time laughing at the absurd situations that unfold. I mean, who doesn't like a cocaine-addicted owl named after a famous (alleged) murderer, Carmen Electra in a wet t-shirt, and a random yet hilarious bit about someone with a funny case of folliculitis (see: ass-cheek rashes)? I'm probably the only one. But, hey, that's alright with me.

So what's my take on guilty pleasures? Whether it be reality tv, comfort food, bad pop music, or the occassional trainwreck comedy that you seem to be the only fan of, I say "go for it." We live in a society that tells us what we should and shouldn't like. Guilty pleasures provide a deviation from this norm that we should embrace. Why would I make fun of your tacky 80's jacket when I can do worse? I have Lindsay Lohan songs on my ipod for Pete's sake.



What are your guilty pleasures?

Ta-Ta,

The Guy in the (Not so) Horn-Rimmed Glasses

Questions? Concerns? Advice? Insults? Lay em' on me!

My Love Affair with Stefani Germanotta

2009 was a decent year, considering. I started college, realized that I have a strong dependency on my parents, saw a bunch of films that are now on my favorite 20 list (see previous post) and best of all: earlier this year, I met a girl.

I was engaging in my morning ritual of warm toast and music videos when she came into my life. She and I just hit it off as they say. She hails from a small Italian family in Manhattan and I from a small island in the Caribbean. It was meant to be.

Stefani or Lady Gaga (as her non-familial compadres refer to her) is a performer--in every sense of the word. We immediately bonded over our dramatic personalities and love for out-of-this-world outfits. From the get-go, I knew that Stefani and I were destined to be soul-mates. Even though she's said that the only thing she cares about in a partner is "a big dick", I know in my heart that every time she sings "Alejandro", she mourns inside for my long-lost love. That song, a sendoff of all of her lovers (code for me) utters my name repeatedly. She strategically placed it between Alejandro and Roberto so I seem like a step in the ladder of her relationships but I like to think of that placement as a pyramid. A pyramid who's pinnacle is at my name.

In the end I know she cared about me because I once told her that she should wear a full-face white mask with pointy tips for one of her videos. She did...but sadly, however, she did so only after we had broken up. I guess it was a form of closure for her. I just never saw the signs. She was always babbling about being caught in some kind of bad romance. I guess I should've listened...

Ironically, listening is all I do now. Her songs are smash hits and the world worships her fame. Having to listen to her angelic vocal chords, to be fair, is the cruelest punishment of all. Stefani Germanotta, to borrow a line from your song "Monster" off the hit new album, The Fame Monster, "You ate my heart."

Hasta Luego,

The Guy in the (Not so) Horn-Rimmed Glasses

Questions? Concerns? Advice? Insults? Lay em' on me!

To Borrow a Trite Cliché: Welcome to my World

To be honest, the only reason I'm even writing this blog is because I have opinions too.

I have reasoned that there must be someone on this tiny spinning orb of disillusionment that gives a shit about this endeavor of mine. If one day, someone tells me that they liked a single post, this blog's existence will be validated in my book.

Now for the day's lemon juice. I figured an appropriate way to kick off this party is to say something about myself so without further ado...here goes nothing.

First off, I'm a college freshman in the lovely (and decidedly frigid) northeast of the glorious Obamanified Estados Unidos. I'm also a 19-year-old dude so I'm not expecting myself to be a well of awe-inspiring knowledge. Although I might throw a witty anecdote or two at you every once in a while.

And now the gritty deets. I'm a lefty, I'm afraid of bees, I supported Obama up until he declared the deployment of another 30,000 troops, I have a potty mouth, I'm a dog person, I secretly want to get the same tattoo that Matthew Fox (Doctor Jack Shepard on Lost) has on his left arm (shown above), and...I love movies more than life. My perfect date would consist of going to dinner at a fancy French restaurant and going to a great movie afterward. The better the movie, the better my performance in the sack following said movie. For example, if I had seen V for Vendetta on a date, the aftermath? Let's just say it would have been one for the books.

Well, I think I've said enough for what was supposed to be a curt initial sampler of my deranged rhetoric. I think a great way to wrap up would be to list my favorite 20 movies. After all, movies are the cat's pajamas to me. Anyway, thanks for reading and if I float your web-surfing boat, do come back.

20. Star Trek (J.J. Abrams Version)
19. The Prestige
18. Up in the Air
17. Being John Malkovich
16. Something's Gotta Give
15. As Good As It Gets
14. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
13. The Big Lebowski
12. The 40-Year-Old-Virgin
11. Casino Royale
10. The Matrix
9. No Country for Old Men
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
7. Mean Girls
6. Terminator: Judgment Day
5. Collateral
4. The Dark Knight
3. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2. V for Vendetta
1. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Toodles,

The Guy in the (Not so) Horn-Rimmed Glasses

P.S. It took me about half an hour of perusing my DVDs and serious contemplation to put together the list above. I care about this blog that much. Just something to think about.

Questions? Concerns? Advice? Insults? Lay em' on me!