Post hoc ergo propter hoc

In talking to Nish yesterday it occurred to me that no one ever revealed the results of the Blecker's Choice Awards. I'll attempt to recount the high points as best I can recall.

In the end, the list ended up getting paired down to 64 names, who competed in 2 rounds of 32. This was done for brevity and because it took 3 4'x2' foamcore boards just to hole 32 pics (hence the 2 rounds). Sadly, I no longer have the final list of names, but rest assured that anyone of questionable quality was cut. After that I just cut the people I either didn't like or thought we already had too many girls that looked similar. There was some minor grumblings about the final list, such as how all the girls from Charmed made the final cut, to which I replied "Since I spent all the hours doing all this, I get to make the list".

Wiily, Brian (Samantha's ex-turned-best-friend) and I then made the initial matchups. We knew that the initial decisions would decide the tone of the match, so we were careful. Blecker's special requests were matched up with very hot girls and the field was well represented.

For the actual choosing we gave everyone there a sheet of paper, they would write their pick down, Blecker would choose, then we would see how many people got it right. It was really quite fun, everyone seemed to get into it. Some of the highlights include: Reese Witherspoon beating Pamela Anderson, Marge Hellgenberger beating Angelina Jolie (and what a ruckus that caused), and neither of the other 2 Special Requests making it out of the second round (there were 4 rounds and then the final face off).

In the end it was done to Charlize Theron and Brooke Burke. It was a tough decision but Brooke Burke got the nod from Blecker. I really thought he was gonna end up with someone more unconventional (Kirsten Dunst made it to the semi's, I had high hopes) but it wasn't up to me. Ahh...good times.

I also realized that I never gave you guys the Netflix Review this week (on the very off-chance that someone cares), so here it is:

Girl With a Pearl Earring: I'm pretty sure I speak for Willy and Sam here when I say, "huh"? This was apparently a movie based on a story that may or may not have actually been the inspiration for the real "girl with a pearl earring" painting. This also may be one of the few movies I've seen where literally nothing happens. No characters grow over the course of the film, no one learns anything, and at the end life goes exactly back to the way it was when it started. Mostly pointless.

Pitch Black: I rented this because I had a passing interest in seeing The Chronicles of Riddick. Mainly I surprised that a sequel was made to Pitch Black, a movie I thought did nothing when it was released. Your basic science fiction action flick, hardly deserving of another movie.

The Italian Job (remake): Missed this one in the theaters, and I'm always up for a good caper flick. The characters made it interesting, if not the plot. Edward Norton clearly didn't want to be there, and Marky Mark just blows, but Jason Statham is always entertaining, and I'm learning to really like Seth Green. I first saw him in the Austin Powers movies and wasn't that impressed, but between this movie and the Buffy series my opinion has gone up quite a few notches. Good for him.

Fix your hair up pretty.

As you all should know by now, I am arriving on your fair shores tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5:30pm. Looking forward to seeing all of y'all.

Immediate matter of business: I imagine all of you also know that my girlfriend (or 'partner'), the lovely K, is also coming to the NJ/NYC area in the near future, namely this coming Monday. Now, I look forward to spending time with my girlfriend at home, as I'm sure you do too. But there's one thing that I do not want to do with my girlfriend at home: go to Atlantic City. Gotta go, but before Monday. Who's with me this weekend? Maybe Friday? Maybe Sunday?

What's the weather like these days?

Saturday Night Fever 2: Electric Bugaloo

After watching a preview for Ocean's 12, in which it is proudly announced that all the original cast members have returned, I started thinking about movie sequels.

There is trend recently, which I haven't seen much press about but that I am very happy to see, regarding the quality of sequels these days. For whatever reason, it seems the studios have finally realized the amount of money they can make by shelling out the big bucks for the stars and directors that made the original. I can't really say which movie started this trend, though X2 was certainly right there.

The Matrix trilogy (such as it is), Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Spiderman 2, X2 (and now X3), Ocean's 12, Shrek 2, movies that either were or are highly anticipated. Compare that to the crap fest of the past. Starship Troopers 2, Alladin 2, anything after Batman Returns, even Superman 3 and 4.

There were a lot of crappy years there, but I'm glad to finally be looking foward to the summer blockbusters again.

See you later (if I see you at all).

Rare Elliott.
Also: pictures.