If I was a young up and coming actor in Hollywood, I would probably consider turning down any roles that involve a dark, gothic theme, white clown makeup, bad eye liner, and long, greasy hair. Although Heath Ledger was far more established in the acting community, Brandon Lee had a lot of potential as well. Although purely speculative, my gut tells me that Heath Ledger's death was accidental, similar to Brandon Lee's death. They both died at the age of 28 - another eerie similarity between these 2 young actors. I'm not particularly superstitious, and it's probably just a coincidence. But it made me pause and think. 

I wonder what kind of work Brandon Lee would have done had he lived. And now, Heath Ledger joins the ranks of unfortunate unmet potential. 

Popularity: 15% [?]

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year: cold weather, Christmas lights, watching kids get excited about presents, Christmas movies, and getting together with friends and family. There is so many fun things to do and see. I thought I would write a post about it and maybe share some of my ideas for the holiday season: places to see, where to shop, where to eat, special events and family activities, movies in theaters, movies to rent, and Christmas music.

You can't have Christmas without a tree, so if you haven’t put yours up yet, you should check out Christmas in the Country in Flower Mound, even if you have a fake tree (like I do some years). This is good family fun and plenty of stuff for the kids to do including sleigh rides and both complimentary hot chocolate and cider.

Shopping 

If you can't stand going to the mall to shop, here are some alternate choices: you can find just about any thing you need at Target, especially if you're a young family with or without kids. Barnes and Noble, I've discovered, is always a good choice if you are shopping for parents, grandparents, and siblings. If you want good deals on CDs, DVDs, and video games, there is a place off of Cooper Street in South Arlington by the Parks Mall called Entertainmart - really good prices. If you are looking for something really special for your wife, you should try Diamond Wholesale Exchange in Addison.

Now this is going to sound really strange: if you want to buy perfume or cologne, a really smart place to shop is Albertsons (the grocery store). They usually carry all the name brands for about half the price. Another good place to shop that has a lot of everything including a wide selection on name brand clothes and isn’t in the mall is Kohl’s.

If you’re a big fan of coffee (which I am not but my wife is), you should try Starbucks Christmas Blend. Starbucks is also an ideal place to buy small gifts for friends and family.

Activities and Events 

If you have kids between toddler and teenage, you should try Six Flags Holiday in the Park. I did this when I was a kid and it was a blast! My brother took my kids to Holiday in the Park recently and they had a great time. Tickets are $29.99. Parking is extra. If you want something a little more sophisticated, Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth will have several performances including "The Nutcracker" and "A Christmas Carol". Prices and schedule vary. Casa Manana will also have some exciting shows, including "Frosty the Snowman" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Handel’s "Messiah" will be at the Meyerson Symphony Center December 2nd at 7pm.

Something I am definitely going to do this year is pack up the family, put some hot chocolate in spill-proof containers, get in the truck, listen to 103.7fm (Christmas music) and check out some Christmas lights. For the best Christmas lights communities, visit Grand Prairie, Dallas, and Arlington.

Movies

In theaters this holiday season: Fred Clause, starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti; Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium, starring Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman; Enchanted by Walt Disney, starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey; Thomas Kinkade's The Christmas Cottage, starring Peter O' Toole, opens November 30th; Alvin and the Chimpmunks, starring Jason Lee, opens December 15th; The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman, is now showing - I was originally excited when I saw the trailer for this film, but am not sure if it's something I want to endorse. Please be careful if you plan on taking your children to see this, or even if you are seeing it as an adult. Click here to find out more. 

Restaurants 

Before or after your movie, here's a list of cozy places I like to visit during the holiday season.

Le Madeline – French Bakery with a fireplace. Great for a date night and a place where you can pick up some small unique gifts. Cracker Barrel – Notthing upscale, of course, but some good 'ol country cooking. Family environment and another place where you can pick up some unique gifts
Carrabbas- Italian grill. Great food, great ambiance, nice place to eat in December. Perfect for a date night
Simply Fondue - Although time consuming, it makes for a nice dinner in December.

Around the house

Spending time with the family is one of the things I enjoy most about Christmas. Red wine is something I really enjoy while watching Christmas movies and snacking on my favorite foods. Every year I order summer sausage and cheeses from Hickory Farms. If you’re burnt out on the same old Christmas movies (It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story), here are some movies that have become tradition at my hous: Home Alone, starring Mcullay Culkin and Joe Pesci; Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis; Step Mom, starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon; The Family Man, starring Nicolas Cage; The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks; Narnia; The Nativity Story; Planes Trains and Automobiles, Steve Martin.

Music 

Here are some fresh options on Christmas Music:

"Sounds of the Season" by Enya
"Winter Song" by Sara Mclachlan
"Christmas Songs" by Jars of Clay
"A Christmas Celebration" by Celtic Woman

That covers it for now. If you have any other ideas I forgot to mention, feel free to chime in. Part of the fun is sharing our favorite things. Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!

Popularity: 15% [?]

This post was inspired by pure boredom. As I let it simmer, it became a challenge. Originally, I was going to do a Top 10, but found that this was nearly impossible. And then to figure the format and order became an issue for me also, so I decided to create a countdown from 15th to 1st (in my opinion of course), and then add the criteria of being a hit between the time of childhood to a 30 year old adult. So if you're between the ages of 28-34 and a red blooded American male who doesn't play ball in left field, you will probably be able to relate to these picks! Feel free to comment on something I might have missed or placed in the wrong order. Here we go…..  

15. Star Wars

Seeing how there are 6 films in the Star Wars saga, this placement is more geared toward the original, although I thoroughly enjoyed the most recent releases as well. I enjoyed them because of the originals 4, 5, and 6. My dad took me to see all three, although I only remember seeing Return of the Jedi in the theater, and I was mesmerized. Over the course of my childhood, I acted out the characters in these movies with my friends, whether I was pretending a broom stick was a light saber or my bike was a speeder bike. Not to mention Princess Leah and what that outfit in Jabba's lair did for my hormones. The most recent 3 are put into a different category - more along the lines of The Lord of the Rings. Both trilogies are great, but don't make the cut because of timing.

14. Rocky

Again, something from my childhood. Sylvester Stallone's underdog story. All of the Rockys were pretty good, especially the one with Mr. T. We actually have these on video. Don't think I saw the original in theaters, but my four brothers and I would watch them and then we'd beat the crap out of each other for hours at a time with tube socks wrapped around our fists. This is probably where a lot of the violence originated that was evident when we became teens.  

13. Back to the Future

I saw this in the theater and have to admit I wanted to be just like Michael J. Fox (Marty). The skateboard, Nikes and the vest! An all-around cool movie and instant classic.

12. Top Gun

I probably wasn't allowed to see this as a child because of the language and sex scene, but managed to see this anyway. Nothing was going to keep me from F-16s , Kelly McGillis and guys saying cuss words I'd never heard before.  

11. Indiana Jones

I mean, what can I really say about these movies? Indiana was a true man's man, and growing up in a third world country made these movies even more exciting and my adventures roaming the jungles and streets of Costa Rica with absolutely no adult supervision even better.

10. Ferris Bueler's Day Off 

Bomp bomp, chica chica bomp bomp! The one and only good movie Matthew Broderick ever made. Watching this at the age of 12 or 13, this movie was hilarious! Strangely enough, at 30 this movie is still hilarious to me. That chick was hot too.. The twist and shout scene was the best! I try to get my wife and kids to do that routine with me (They stare at me with puzzled expressions).

9. Die Hard

Another movie I wasn't allowed to watch as a kid, but managed to get a hold of. Die Hard set a new standard for action movies and action heroes. Bruce Willis was it. I was saying yippie kai yay ******* for weeks. Its now one of the movies I watch every Christmas.  

8. Tombstone

"Im your huckleberry" - Val Kilmer at his best. By far the best western for my time.

7. Good Fellas

Almost the best Gangster movie of all time. DeNiro and Pesci- extremely violent yet Deneiro made looking bad so good. Very intense and testosterone-filled movie.  

6. Gladiator

The movie takes place in ancient Roman times. The story is reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. It's a story of vengeance. Superb acting and some pretty powerful fight scenes. It's one of those movies you can just watch over and over again.  

5. The Matrix

Innovative film making at its best. I was taken back when I saw this movie. I wasn't expecting it at all. Phenomenal special effects stuff that had never been done before. Keanu Reeves did surprisingly well in the role of Neo. The story line was different in a good way (at least for the first one), and the character Trinity was great. The action sequences were amazing and the bad guys were convincing. Instant classic.

4. Heat

Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Val Kilmer all in the same film - what more could you ask for in a movie? Good guy versus bad guy, cat and mouse chase to the very end. This film is intense, and its Pacino Vs DeNiro! C'mon!    

3. The Family Man

Nicolas Cage in somewhat of a rendition of It's a Wonderful Life. It's a comical flick. It has Tea Leoni in it, and after having kids of my own, I could relate to a lot of the dialogue and some of the feelings expressed. This movie probably ranks higher than it should simply because I am following a time line from childhood to adult. But it's still a good soft-hearted comical drama that brings some balance to the list.  

2. The Godfather

Say what you will, but you can not deny the intrigue generated by the Mafia. This Francis Ford Copolla saga starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and Robert DeNiro can be hard to follow and hard to watch all the way through, but it really tells a believable story of two generations of Mafia from Vito the original godfather to Michael Corleone who later became godfather. Some of the best acting I have ever seen.  

1. Brave Heart

The story of William Wallace directed by and starring Mel Gibson. This film has everything a guy could want in a movie, and William Wallace is what every guy aspires to be: Courageous, Noble, Feared and Legendary.

For the un-drafted picks, these are films that should get some recognition but didn't make my list: Goodwill Hunting, A Few Good Men, Batman, JFK, Hoosiers, Office Space, Pulp Fiction, and Old School.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Knowing that barbecue is my forte, Daniel asked me to rank the best barbecue dinners in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. The weekend following Thanksgiving, you might be so turkeyed out that you're looking for something else. Look no further. I've got your top 5 BBQ list right here. So here they are, and feel free to add your agreements or disagreements in the comment box. We're starting at #5 and working our way to the top:

5. Shady Creek BBQ - This is more of an upscale (if that’s even possible), corporate place to eat. The restaurant's ambiance is nice. The BBQ sauce is ok. Major downfall is that the meat doesn’t have that smoked flavor that I like.  Their side dishes make up for what the meat lacks. Not the most affordable place, either. Plan to spend about $15 a person.

4. Cokers BBQ - This is a mom and pop BBQ joint located in South Arlington. Pretty good choices. The meat definitely has the smokey taste I like and they give you free beer! Charming place. Affordable.

3. Colters - This is probably the most consistent BBQ joint in town. You always know what you're going to get: the best smoked meat, great baked potatoes, affordable, fast service, and no waiters/waitresses.

2. Red Hot & Blue - Memphis style BBQ. The sauces make this place rock! You gotta try the hootchie cootchie (if your brave), the dry rub ribs, the ambiance, and the great sides like the hush puppies.

1. The Feed Store - The feed store is located in Southlake. Apparently, they started off selling feed and the owner made such good BBQ for his workers that he just started selling it. You'll still find the owner in the store, so stop and say hi. It definitely has the cozy at home feel. The BBQ is great, the sides are great, and its very affordable. Did I mention you get free ice cream with a small donation for a local charity? This joint is #1 in my book.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Encore Azaleas are one of my favorite bushes to plant. You can use them in many different ways in landscape concepts and designs they can be used as a colorful back drop or in front of a green back drop of bushes as a different level or as an accent at the corners of a flower bed.

Encore Azaleas have a nice evergreen leaf and look great even when they're not blooming. When they do bloom in the spring, summer, and fall, they are gorgeous. Encore Azaleas come in about 20 different colors: mostly pinks, reds, oranges, purples and whites. My favorites are the Monarchs and Royalty.

Encore Azaleas are easy to care for. The key to healthy Encore Azaleas is proper soil, environment, watering and fertilizing. When I plant Encores I always use peat moss which retains water well and is ideal for the plant. Azaleas are also an acid loving plant, so they need the proper fertilizer. You can actually buy fertilizers made specifically for Azaleas.

Azaleas can withstand the North Texas heat, but I prefer to plant them in areas that get plenty of shade. They seem to thrive in shaded environments. Encores also need plenty of water, so always plant them in flowerbeds that have an adequate irrigation system*.

The Encore Azalea is definitely a great way to go when planting a new bed. Their vibrant, delicate blooms speak for themselves.

* for more information on how to plant and care for Encore Azaleas, visit Terra Firma Landscaping website.

Popularity: 14% [?]

I can’t help but write about today’s current events there are so many interesting and juicy topics in the mainstream media circle, so let’s get started.

First, the Idiots:

O.J Simpson

There is really nothing I can say about O.J. Does anybody really care? Apparently, he is all over the news with alleged armed robbery charges - holding some memorabilia dealers at gun point accusing them of stealing his “s***” . All I can say is that Karma's a bitch and I hope he rots in jail so we don’t have to see his ugly sociopath face all over the news again.  

Barry Manilow

Barry refused to appear in a scheduled interview on the popular morning show “The View” because he did not want to sit on the same stage with Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a self-proclaimed conservative sister-in-law of Matt Hasselbeck - starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Barry is a close friend to Rosie O’ Donnell. Both play together in very far leftfield. Is it me, or are all extreme liberals cowards, especially the washed up singers who sucked even in their prime? By the way, I think it is a genius marketing ploy by Manilow. Not.

Isiah Thomas

Thomas is in the middle of a sexual assault case with a former Knick executive, Browne Sanders. Apparently he thinks it is okay for a black man to call a black woman a “bitch” and a “ho”. But if a white man said it, that would be offensive. Sounds like he and Don Imus have a lot in common, except Imus is out of work and Thomas still has a job and apparently doesn’t care if white season ticket holders cancel or don’t buy. What is James Dolan thinking?  

Sally Field

Sally accepted an award at the Emmy’s. Part of her acceptance speech went like this: “If mothers ruled the world there would be no God D*** wars in the first place.” What does this say about Sally? 

50 Cent

Well, it looks like we will be missing out on one of Hip Hops biggest and brightest stars who vowed to retire if fellow Artist Kanye West sold more albums than him. Both albums were released the same day September the 11th –“Graduation leads with 781,000 copies sold over the 603,000 moved by 50 Cent's Curtis, according to projections” I have a feeling this won’t stick.  If I were to buy an album it would be Kanye’s.      

The New England Patriots and Bill Belichick um CHEATERS!!!!!! 

The Patriots have been caught red handed using video assistant Matt Estrella to record defensive signals by the New York Jets coaching staff. The Patriots have been known to sign players who have been cut from other teams, hire them to play for the Patriots, and then cut them after the New England coaching staff have suckered them out of all the useful information about their previous employers. Tom Brady isn’t the only ladies man in the New England Organization, Bill has been accused of being the significant other in a New Jersey divorce case, so he obviously condones cheating……Speaking of bastards, is Tom Brady still acting out the deadbeat dad role or am I getting him confused with “Norbit” GO COWBOYS !!!!!!!

Perez Hilton

Aside from this chump’s alter ego I just can’t stand this flamboyant gossip blogger who gets way too much credit for a (guy/girl/thing) with the intellectual ability of a goldfish and only has the capacity and substance to write about things that are the equivalent of Michael Vick's diarrhea.  

And now, for the Champs:

The Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys signed Tank Johnson to a two year deal. I think this is a great move for the Cowboys. It makes them deeper and will help the defense out tremendously, especially since Ferguson is out with injuries. Tank is known to be some what problematic. He is on probation for gun charges (no permits) and he violated probation. The Bears cut him. Tank is suspended for the next 8 games with the Cowboys and will make his debut in November.  I am sure there are a lot of Cowboy cry babies out there who think this is a bad move. Well, I am here to tell you IT'S NOT ….. Really what do the Cowboys have to lose?  

Brad Pitt

“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” starring Brad Pitt comes to theaters September 21st watched the trailer. Looking forward to the movie.

Popularity: 10% [?]

For the most part I had a relaxing Saturday - not a lot to do. Just some chores. The kids are at the age were they are content playing video games and skateboarding outside. My wife was at work today, which gave me the opportunity to watch a movie that I bought last night in hopes of watching it with her, but she shot down as soon as she looked at the cover. LifeTime is more her thing. In all fairness, she did sit through 300 with me.

Anyway, I get the laundry out and put in Apocalypto. My eyes were glued to the TV the whole time. I didn’t fold a piece of laundry. How did I overlook this film when it was released in theaters? I don’t think I heard anything about it at all.

Did this film win any awards? Why not? Is Mel Gibson getting blacklisted by Jewish Hollywood because of his anti-Semitic views? I do think that every person should except responsibility and the consequences for their ignorant actions, but should his body of work or new work take a hit because of it? Should the actors, writers, cinematographers, musicians, and producers not receive any recognition because they are in one of Mel’s movie’s?

His personal life should be left at just that, because what he does with film is undeniably genius. Apocalypto takes place in ancient Central America - a region that is dear to my heart because I grew up in Costa Rica. Many of the images in the film that take place in jungles and rainforest were very familiar, which was exciting. The film's dialogue was in some ancient native Mayan language which was translated into English via subtitles. For a guy who has ADHD, I was still enthralled the entire time.

This movie was so intense, so graphic, and so realistic, my adrenaline was going the whole time. The main character in the movie is Jaguar Paw. His village was invaded by a superior and ruthless tribe - it’s hard to explain. They take most of the village’s men off to the stone built city to be executed in a very graphic nature, via human sacrifice for some type of Mayan god. He escapes death due to a solar eclipse; and from that point, it’s a roller coaster ride.

Jaguar Paw makes his way back to his village where he hid his pregnant wife and child in a cave before he was captured. Through the jungles, he is being chased by ancient demon-like warriors. At the end, he is vindicated. This is a must see.

Then you have Braveheart, a movie in which Mel directed and starred. It was an instant classic about the liberation of Scotland with historical relevance - something that seems important to Mel. Then you have the Passion of Christ. No matter which way you cut it, it is probably the closest thing on film to what actually happened throughout the New Testament. I wonder why this movie was plagued by so much controversy? It didn’t really stray from biblical history and was incredibly touching. The actors were superb and you could tell that a lot of the research, blood, sweat, and tears were put into it.

All at the demise of Mel Gibson that and very public drunk driving incident where he was babbling anti-Semitic comments to the police. Although I am willing to forgive Mel Gibson and move on to sitting and waiting at the edge of my seat for his next film, is everybody else? I think they should, if for no other reason than for the sake of personal entertainment. Because you're missing out on what a guaranteed quality film when you skip out on one of his movies.

Mel Gibson is movie making genius.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Who would have thought a lottery team that lost more games than they won would be the favorite to win the East in 2007-2008 upcoming season? How did this happen?

Two franchises in the West completely blew up their rosters and are rebuilding around younger talent, while Boston created a three-headed green machine in Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce. All three are notable All-Stars all who were the centers of attention on their former teams. While Boston fans have reason to hope for amazing things, the question remains: can these three super stars co-exist?

Absolutely. None of them have ever been in a situation where the pressure was shared by anyone else. I think that all three will thrive in this environment. All three are respected NBA vets, and at this point in their careers, they will set their egos aside and play fundamentally unselfish basketball.

The closest experience Allen, Garnett, and Pierce have ever had to this situation was during All-Star games. These NBA superstars are rejuvenated and ready to go. But wait! There is a downside for Boston: all three of these guys are in there thirties, so this is only a temporary quick fix. It's likely to be a 2 year window of opportunity, so they had better get it done in that time frame.

Who can compete w/ Boston in the East? Only a few teams have a chance. Detroit? Not likely. Their best chance at the title is over! Lebron and his JV squad are also not likely. Last year was a fluke. Chicago? They're a player and a younger less offensive Ben Wallace away from being a contender. Still, Chicago is a step above most teams in the East - mostly because of good hardnose coaching and young talent.

The only thing keeping Boston from winning a whole bunch of games and taking the weak East would be injuries. Hopefully I am not chewing my foot off come May.

Here is a look at there new rotation:

Point Guard – Rajon Rondo
Shooting Guard – Ray Allen
Small Forward – Paul Pierce
Power Forward – Kevin Garnett
Center – Olowokandi  
 
Look for Danny Ainge now that he has saved his job to sign some free agents if the cap allows it. THEY DESPERATELY NEED A POINT GUARD!
 
I also hear that Dale Harris is available and looking to come out of retirement early.
 

Popularity: 9% [?]

NBA Teams to look out for this season: PORTLAND The deals that Portland made this off-season with the addition of Greg Oden will have an immediate impact this upcoming season they definitely have a chance of contending for the fifth or sixth spot in the western conference playoffs - they're new potential starting five and sixth man will look like this a lot of young talent and a decent bench. Steve Francis - point guard. although he runs the point, he definitely has a scorer's mentality Brandon Roy - shooting guard. lots of potential… look for a breakout season Darius Miles - small forward. athletic. young. considered overrated by some Channing Fry - power forward. fundamentally sound player Greg Oden - center. should have an immediate impact LaMarcus Aldridge or Jamal Magloire SEATTLE The deals that Seattle has made so far this off-season will make them significantly better two years from now. It's doubtful how much immediate playoff impact the new additions will make. They're young and Kevin Durant may struggle to find his groove at the NBA level during his first year. I bet he makes the ESPN Top 10 at least 20 times. They lost 26 points per game with the Ray Allen trade. This team has TOO MANY FORWARDS. Here's the starting five: Luke Ridnour - solid point guard. has the potential to be a Steve Nash-esque player. I have a feeling the Sonics are trying to move him for a scoring guard (which would be a bad idea) and move Delonte West to the starting role Wally Szerbiack - usually plays small forward but this team needs outside scoring. he won't have a problem playing at the 2 Kevin Durant - small forward. very athletic. prepare for takeoff Rashard Lewis - power forward. solid offensive player. decent rebounder. lacks defense. we'll see if he's still in Seattle for the start of the season Chris Wilcox - center. undersized center. very mobile. known as a banger Nick Colison or Jeff Green NEW YORK The deals New York made definitely dug Isaiah Thomas out of the hole he put them in. They improved drastically last year and are now a definite playoff contender, especially in the weak Eastern Conference. They're now a more balanced team. If Isaiah can just keep from making any crazy deals and sign a couple good assistants. Mike Montgomery if he is available or Eric Mussleman. Here is their starting 5: Stephon Marbury - scoring point guard. I personally can't stand this guy Jamal Crawford - shooting guard. decent player. will get you 15-18 points per game Zach Randolph - small forward. could be a franchise player. will bring 20 pts and 10 rebounds nightly David Lee - power forward. solid player. 10 & 10. good rebounder who hustles Eddy Curry - center. huge low post presence. improved player Quentin Richardson and Jared Jeffries

Popularity: 8% [?]