Playoff Predictions

Last season I was 7/12 in predicting the playoff teams. You can read last season’s AFC predictions and NFC predictions if you want to verify that stat. Here are my playoff predictions for 2009:

AFC Division Winners

• Steelers
• Jaguars
• Chargers
• Patriots

AFC Wildcard

• Ravens
• Jets

NFC Division Winners

• Packers
• Saints
• 49ers
• Eagles

NFC Wildcard

• Redskins
• Bears

The 7 Best Moments of the 2008 Steelers

7. Roethlisberger to Santonio Against the Titans

This one is a sentimental pick. I had a somewhat large group of people over to watch this game, and during it there were many arguments concerning Roethlisberger as one of the league’s best quarterbacks. This play sparked controversy because those against Roethlisberger (surprisingly many for a group watching in Pittsburgh) said that the throw was terrible and Holmes made a great catch. Are they letting blind hatred for Big Ben cloud their speech? Is Roethlisberger one of the league’s top 3 quarterbacks? Is it still a fantastic catch? Absolutely.

6. Townsend’s Pick 6 to Beat the ‘Boys

I actually know Dallas fans who think Romo is a better quarterback than Roethlisberger. Ben has more rings than Romo has playoff victories, so let’s not get too carried away.

5. Holmes’ Playoff Punt Return

I absolutely love the punter’s stat at the beginning of this clip. I was in the kitchen getting the nacho cheese that had just finished cooking when I hear my roommate Jesse start screaming. I throw the cheese on the counter and jump the couch to start jumping up and down with him in excitement and anticipation. After Santonio scored the touch I am pretty sure we annihilated the nachos in celebration.

4. Polamalu’s Playoff Pick 6

“Watch out. Ed Reed is hungry.” – John, a friend of mine (who happens to be a Patriots fan) speaking before the AFC Championship. In the battle of the league’s two best safeties, I think this round had a clear winner.

3. Polamalu’s One-Handed Interception

Where does this fit into the most athletic plays in NFL history? Top 25? Top 10? Polamalu’s fingertip interception is just incredible.

2. Roethlisberger to Holmes for Super Bowl XLIII

When this happened real time I think I cried. Then I screamed at the pitch of an 12-year-old female soprano along with several other fully-grown men and women. I am having trouble even thinking about the next part of this article to write (Gasp! He writes out of order!) because I cannot get the grin induced by this clip off my face.

1. The Single Greatest Play in Super Bowl History

Easily contends for my all-time favorite piece of video. And please hear me, I love the Roethlisberger to Santonio touchdown catch. It capped off one of the great Super Bowl drives in history, and that is without getting into the triple-coverage-beating perfect pass and toe-tapping, jaw-dropping catch that inspired this run-on, hyphen-happy sentence. However, we will see game-winning touchdown drives again. Super Bowl XLIII will not be the last time someone wins with a late touchdown pass.

We will never see anything, anything, like what James Harrision accomplished on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium. A 6 foot, 242 pound linebacker intercepting the ball in the end zone and taking it back 100 yards for a touchdown with no time left in the half in a game decided by 4 points? The interception alone stopped the Cardinals from going into halftime with the lead. Adding on a touchdown is not only implausible considering the circumstances, it defies all reason. One could argue it was just as important as the final game-winning drive, because without Harrison the drive cannot happen. This play will go down as one of the greatest feats in the history of the Super Bowl, and for my money it is number 1.

If you are not excited for the 2009 Steelers at this point (which, based on these clips, is impossible) let me bring up a few points. The Steelers are returning 9 of 11 starters on an all-time defense still coached by Dick LeBeau. Their first round pick running back and second round receiver from two drafts back are ready to contribute on the offensive side of the ball. Their quarterback has the record for most wins in his first five seasons as a starter, and already has two Super Bowl rings (and somehow, is still trying to silence doubters). Two words: Mike. Tomlin. Sadly the Steelers are also bringing back the exact same offensive line. Regardless, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for this year. And no matter what happens I am going to cheer my heart out and wave my Terrible Towel like it’s the last chance I will ever have.

Go Pittsburgh. Go Steelers.

I often talk about expectations going into a film. It is often the case that some prior knowledge or ideas about a movie can drastically alter the experience of seeing it for the first time. My viewing of District 9 was optimal because I had only seen the teaser trailer. I knew enough to be interested, but not nearly enough to impact my experience.

The surprise element was key, because I did not see any of the twists and turns coming. District 9 is not a somber, heady science fiction film in the vein of 2001 or Moon. It is an intense, racing thriller of the genre that consistently kept me in suspense. The first twenty minutes or so of set up were dripping with tension, followed by a blitz of pulse-pounding ferocity. I have trouble remembering a sci-fi film that used action so effectively.

A large part of the satisfaction of the action is that at no point did I feel the story was put on hold for a shootout. Amidst the explosions a plot was constantly being pushed. It is rarely contemplative, instead relying on undertones beneath the energetic presentation to tell a story of persecution. The story was often times just as intense as the action surrounding it, driven by phenomenal performance from lead actor Sharlto Copley.

His primarily computer-generated supporting cast was quite a sight to behold. District 9 has hands-down some of the best special effects I have ever seen. The aliens and environments are so well-crafted that they feel almost natural next to their human counterparts. Director Neill Blomkamp has an excellent handle on the gritty environment, and created a world that absorbs the audience so well that it makes aliens feel realistic.

To discount the intelligence of District 9 would be a mistake. Though it is extremely action-packed and full of raw emotion, there are still plenty of moral dilemmas proposed within the film. I appreciated its commitment to providing both explosions and expositions. It is simultaneously entertaining and thought-provoking, though it perhaps relies too much on shock value at times.

Though my thoughts have been glowing so far, I still have trouble rating District 9. While I loved the style, cinematography, acting, and story, I feel like the rush I felt in theaters will be lost upon further viewings. Still, its technical achievements are amazing in my opinion, and District 9 is an example of a creative and thoroughly innovative entry into the science fiction genre.

8.5/10

To those wondering, yes, I am indeed nerdy enough to avoid telling any of my friends about my planned new phone, then announce it on my web site as some sort of surprise unveiling.

Then again, none of that activity should surprise any of my friends at all.

Hello, iPhone.

Moon is a difficult movie to explain without giving everything away, so my thoughts might seem more generic than usual in the interest of keeping things spoiler-free. Based on that comment, it is easy to infer that the trailer only gives a small hint at the true plot and developments within the film.

There is always a danger with hyping movies within one’s own mind. After seeing Moon’s fantastic trailer and viewing the amazing promotional material, I was extremely excited to see it. In that regard I suppose the advertising agency did its job very well, but the movie itself left me wanting a little more.

Perhaps it was the ideas of what I thought the movie was going to be. I had an idea of the plot weeks before I even stepped foot into the theater. A man is in space with three weeks left until he gets to fly back to Earth. Commence suspenseful deconstruction of the human psyche.

For the first 30 minutes it looked like everything was going according to plan. I was on the edge of my seat, and with each passing minute the level of intensity was rising. Then, with a sudden change of pace, that was snatched away. All the questions, all the suspense, all the intrique–gone. My disappointment could be simply the result of my own desires, or it could be because Moon was lacking; I will never know. There within lies the problem of letting your mind run with anticipation.

I was left with a stellar first act, followed by an average middle and end. Even in my disappointment, I was stunned by the performance of Sam Rockwell. The script required him to single-handedly carry the entire film, and he responded by giving an inspiring display of emotion. The acting was fantastic, and it certainly had to be to make Moon work.

Moon is a solid science fiction movie, and one that I might enjoy more a few years away from thoughts of what it should be. As it stands today, I see some spectacular acting and set design, but moreso a huge pile of lost potential. I wanted Moon to join Sunshine as a psychological thriller (along with one of my favorite movies), but it just did not happen. Watch it without creating your own story first, and it will deliver.

7.5/10

Michael Mann has had great success in the crime genre. His films include Heat, Collateral, and Miami Vice, all three of which I highly enjoyed. Public Enemies has elements of these films, such as the character exploration of the villain. Mann has always turned the audience around to see things from the villain’s point of view. John Dillinger is a perfect antihero to fit this style of storytelling.

Dillinger is played wonderfully by Johnny Depp, who gave a brilliant performance that captures the audience. Viewers root for Depp just as real citizens did for Dillinger in the 1930s. His Robin Hood style of robbery combined with his smooth charm makes him a captivating lead character. Combine his exploits with his love interest and Public Enemies has a very entertaining and complex lead. As the film progresses we see Dillinger’s deconstruction from an untouchable mobster to an illusioned and desperate man.

The story is more emotion than narrative. I identified with the characters much more than I anticipated the next stage of the chase between Dillinger and Agent Melvin Pervis (Christian Bale). At times the plot was confusing, and though Depp was excellent, we did not see enough of Bale. Without the exploration of the cop side of the case, it was hard to develop a real interest in their cat and mouse game. I think with the balance tilted slightly more towards the story behind the law enforcement the story could have been more engaging. Additionally, I feel that there was more to the character of Agent Pervis than the stereotype tough agent we were given.

I would not be willing to sacrifice much of Dillinger’s story however, but it would be difficult to add anything to the film. At 2 hours and 20 minutes Public Enemies is certainly not lacking content. I noticed the runtime a little bit, but that could have been because I saw it in a packed theater at approximately 1000 degrees. I understand the length because time is needed to delve into the characters as Mann wants, but there were some areas that could have been cut with little consequence.

Public Enemies is a thoughtful crime drama that I did enjoy. The action and story are solid, and the acting is phenomenal. It is nowhere close to Heat, but then again few movies are.

7.5/10

The old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can often be said of many forms of entertainment. The problem with Transformers adopting this philosophy is that the first movie was broken. The story was weak, and the battles were framed so tightly I could not tell if I was watching two fighting robots or an oil change instruction video.

I will credit Revenge of the Fallen on improvement in that area. This time around I was able to enjoy the battle scenes as they are always completely visible. The action overall shows a much more polished effort both in the computer graphics and the intensity of each battle. RotF also boasts the Michael Bay standard explosion rate (approximately 1 per second), so special effects fans will appreciate the technical achievements.

Unfortunately the explosions are the only part of the film that were given any attention. The story is non-existant. It is nothing more than a series of scenes that are either played for low-brow laughs or punctuated with terribly cheesy lines. The dialogue is so poor that at several points during RotF I looked around the theater to see if anyone was as shocked as myself at just how pathetic the writing was. I suppose since they were laughing hysterically the answer there was “No.”

The characters are so generic and the acting is so awful that I could not take any plot point seriously. In between the one-liners written by 12-year-olds and the story that can be figured out within the first 5 minutes, I suppose I was hoping for a performance that might stand out. There is no justification for the runtime (2 hours plus) considering there is absolutely no substance, and often times no attempt at any sense.

Revenge of the Fallen is a high-budget, low-intelligence popcorn flick destined for back-to-back’s on TBS every other weekend. Each time I think about it I realize more what a failure it really was, and with each sentence written I wonder how I could have already told others it was “ok.” Save your brain cells and avoid this movie.

4/10

The reason I have to bring up Pixar as a studio is that their level of quality is spectacular. Every single year they release a film that is a contender for the best animated, or best overall picture. They deserve credit for the consistent greatness and creativity that is delivered with each movie. As a huge fan of their work, I was very excited to see Up.

Up marks the first Pixar film that is available in 3D. Truthfully it does not add much to the experience. The 3D glasses allowed a deeper field of vision, but there was nothing that made them absolutely necessary to the experience. It was not worth the $5.00 required for the two pairs of glasses I purchased, save for some of the trailers that jumped out of the screen.

But technical spectacle is not what makes Pixar films stand out. When Toy Story first released it was marvelous to watch because it was breaking new ground, but the reason it remains a classic is because of its heartfelt story and memorable characters. Similarly, Up is more than just visuals or 3D effects show, though it is a beautiful sight to behold. The vibrant colors and the flawless animation create a perfect presentation for the story.

The visuals and the characters are brilliant

Beyond the bright balloons, there is plenty to love about Up. There are laughs, but it is far from a comedy. This is Pixar’s most serious film to date. There are talking dogs and houses floating on balloons, but beyond that layer are characters and dialogue telling a tale of love and achievement.

The audience is brought up to speed with the life of lead character Mr. Fredricksen through a short segment at Up’s opening. Within this fast-forwarded lifetime there is more emotion and warmth than in the entirety of many other films.

The emotional storytelling in Up creates a touching tale of love and adventure. The story is its strongest point, but it is supported by humor and even action. Up has laughs and tears, but through both it achieves a connection that the audience can feel. I was engaged and involved from the start of the film and it never let me go.

After my review of Wall-E last year there was a lot of angst about the score. One of my goals in reviewing movies is to review each one independent of outside opinion or my opinions on other films. With that in mind, I carefully considered Up for several weeks before this review was written. Even after this lengthy deliberation, I can find no faults. I was moved by Up, and I continue to be impressed by what Pixar brings to the table each year.

Up is a fantastic film with a wonderful story and a lot of heart. I have no reservations giving it my highest recommendation.

10/10

My unhealthy obsession with Pittsburgh sports is well-documented on this site. One can imagine my current excitement level, seeing that both the Steelers and the Penguins have championship trophies right now.

I should probably have my heart checked after those two championships games. Big Ben led the Steelers on a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes of the game. The intensity within the city, and even within the room in which I watched the game, was almost tangible.

That intensity level was heightened as the Penguins entered game 7. The up and down series culminating in a final battle on the ice was almost too much to handle. Anyone who was with me as I watched the third period of the game can likely still hear my heart pounding. And when it was all said and done, I watched history. I watched Marc-Andre Fleury make a diving save with only a second remaining. I watched Evgeni Malkin raise the Conn Smythe. I watched Sidney Crosby raise his first Stanley Cup.

The Penguins traveled an extremely hard road to win the Cup, as I chronicled earlier. Winning on the road in a game 7 is simply incredible, but when one takes into consideration everything they did before that…it is seemingly impossible. But just like the 6th playoff seed Steelers a few years ago, the Penguins went to Detroit and brought a championship home.

The excitement has not faded, nor will it any time soon. Pittsburgh as a city is buzzing with pride, and they have earned it. Pittsburgh is a city that supports their teams to the fullest extent. They cheer, they travel extremely well, and they certainly know how to throw a victory parade.

The other aspect of Pittsburgh fans that can sometimes be ignored is class. As the Penguins passed around the Stanley Cup, booing was heard from the Detroit fans. It lasted the entire ceremony. I was stunned that is lasted that long, when only a year ago in the exact same situation Penguins fans stayed and watched respectfully. Because of that incident I have no sympathy for Detroit and I am inclined to make a few Lions comments.

If I sound proud, that is because I am. It is hard to stay humble when your favorite teams keep on winning. Pittsburgh has 3 titles in the last 4 years. Each one will stand in my memory as long as I live, and I hope I see many more. The important thing to note is that I am going to cheer just as loudly, watch just as many games, and eat just as many plates of nachos no matter what happens.

That said, the Penguins have a young core locked up for several years (not to be greedy). If Shero keeps pulling strings and dealing for role-players to surround the stars, this could be just the beginning. Crosby is only 21 years old. Malkin – 22, Fleury – 24, Staal – 20! This team just won the Stanley Cup, and not one of them has come close to hitting his prime. It should frighten the rest of the league that this group is going to get better.

Regardless of the future, this team’s accomplishments will not be forgotten. Nor will 2009 for what it held for Pittsburgh sports.

Welcome back, Lord Stanley. We missed you.

A tumultuous season full of injury, doubt, and change led into a challening playoff run. After defeating the state rivals, the star rival, and even the rival brother, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in the same place the Steelers were this year–their Super Bowl.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game 7. A single game, winner-take-all battle between the two best teams in the National Hockey League. It might not be called the Super Bowl, but its implications are the same. And after 6 grueling games with the Red Wings, the Penguins have set an even more dramatic stage than the Steelers did only a few months ago. Penguins fans, hockey fans, and simply sports fans are in for a classic tonight.

It was last year at this time that I was suffering along with fellow Penguins fans. Detroit wrapped up the series at Mellon Arena, and the television showed Zetterberg hoisting the Stanley Cup rather than Crosby. The hurt continued into the early stages of this season where nearly every game it seemed was a complete disappointment. The Penguins were a shell of the team of the previous year, until things were turned around by Dan Bylsma. Starting with his (and let us not forget, Gonchar’s) arrival, the Penguins turned things around almost immediately. They continued on a tear for the remainder of the season that brought them from the 10th spot (outside the playoffs) all the way to the 4th (home ice advantage).

That amazing run continued into the playoffs, but the Penguins had to work very hard to keep winning. The series against Philadelphia was tough, but it was here that Crosby began to rise to another level right in front of our eyes. As the Philly fans kept reminding him their feelings about his play, he kept putting goals in the net.

Crosby rose to yet another level in the series against Washington, which is arguably the greatest series he has ever played. 8 goals, 5 assists, and a triumph over Alexander Ovechkin. Unlike many of my friends, I wanted this series even for the first round. After an entire season of the media praising Ovechkin and declaring him the superior player, I wanted Crosby to have the opportunity to show the world the player he could be. I think he proved a point.

After steamrolling the Hurricanes and turning the city of Pittsburgh against Bill Cowher, the Penguins entered Detroit. After the first two losses, the series was pronounced over by most. I allied with a group of friends in front of the Trib Tron outside Mellon Arena to support the Pens as the comeback started. A Gonchar game-winner and a sixth man on the ice later (calm down, Olczyk), the Penguins had tied the series. Fans were now beginning to believe. They were soon tested however, with the blowout of game 5. The Penguins responded with a mostly dominant, later nail-biting game 6 victory.

And he were are. The greatest stage that the NHL has to offer.

I am not going to make any predictions or analysis, because anyone reading this knows who I want to win. They know my favorite players. They know whose jersey I wore to work today. They probably know what kind of nacho cheese I am going to heat up around 8:15pm.

What they might not know is that tonight is the 87th game of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Let’s. Go. Pens.

Up

It is no surprise that Up is a must-see film for me this summer. Sometimes my love for Pixar can be misunderstood, but I think everyone can agree that they create amazing movies. Up may not be as cinematic as Wall-E or as hilarious as Monsters, Inc., but I am confident that it will be another quality offering from the masters of 3D animation.

(view trailer)

Moon

I am not sure when Moon will actually be available for the general public to watch, but even with its limited release this summer I had to include it. Moon right now is my most anticipated movie of the year. It has a sci-fi feel that reminds me of Sunshine because of its somber mood and intellectual plot. It looks absolutely fantastic and I cannot wait to see if it lives up to my expectations.

(view trailer)

Angels and Demons

The book Angels & Demons is an addicting page-turner that had me hooked from the beginning. I am somewhat hesitant about the adaptation to the silver screen, because it is hard to imagine the same energy of the book being condensed into “movie time”. Reviews have been shaky, but I am curious to see how the film turned out.

(view trailer)

Away We Go

Here is the token quirky, indie flick that all of your hipster friends will love far beyond its worth. Through its Juno vibe it still looks like Away We Go could be an enjoyable love tale. I am most interested to see if Jim Halpert can act (as opposed to just giving half-smiles to the camera).

(view trailer)

Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

You have to respect that ’stache. The trailer reminds me a lot of Die Hard with a Vengeance. I am not sure if that is good or bad. TP123 also reminds me of Swordfish, Inside Man and Deja Vu…in fact I think Travolta and Denzel have both already made this movie. Regardless it could be worth a look as a summer popcorn flick.

(view trailer)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The first Transformers was a decent summer action movie. Not too much story, decent action (though I wish they would zoom out and show more of the robots). To me Revenge of the Fallen looks exactly the same as the original, so those who enjoyed Transformers will definitely enjoy the sequel. One thing Michael Bay is good for is plenty of explosions, so I think Revenge of the Fallen will provide some summer excitement for a rainy day.

(view trailer)

Public Enemies

Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors, and even though Public Enemies is set in a different era it seems poised to be another classic crime film. Mann has delivered previous gems such as Heat, Collateral, and Miami Vice. All have generally the same theme in which Mann takes a criminal and presents him from a different perspective. The same holds in the trailer for Public Enemies, where Johnny Depp plays a criminal on the run that the audience will root for. It looks excellent and I hope can it deliver, even though Mann will never top Heat.

(view trailer)

G.I. Joe

Hear me out. G.I. Joe is not going to be an epic masterpiece. Technically speaking it might end up being horrendous. And yet, I cannot help myself from wanting to see this movie as soon as humanly possible. It has the makings of a celebration in ineptitude (with guns and stuff!), and I think many of its failures will become successes. The action seems to be a rare hybrid of awesome and absurd. Just watch the trailer. You will want to see it too.

(view trailer)

District 9

Along with Moon and Up this is among my most anticipated films. District 9 is a science-fiction movie produced by Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings. The trailer in itself is so creative that I have to see it. My only question: is the alien blurred to hide its look from moviegoers, or is his identity being protected within the film? I am leaning toward the former, though I believe the latter would be more interesting.

(view trailer)

Closing Thoughts

These movies stood out to me and I will keep my eye on them as the summer progresses. You can expect reviews of any as I view them. Did I miss any that you are looking forward to? Which films on this list are you anticipating?