Final Update of 2005

Hello everyone and welcome back to the drill. Its gonna be a short one, so lets get to it.

Disneyland Mini Update

More like NANO update. ;-) If you're planning on heading to Disneyland this weekend AT ALL, be prepared for HUGE crowds and lots of out of state Texans. I'm not kidding either. There will be lots of tourists in town for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. So be ready for the crunch. New Years Eve is hands down the worst day to goto Disneyland because of the mass of people going to ring in the New Year. Be safe if you and dont expect to go on any rides. I was there last Sunday on Christmas Day and it was every bit as bad as I thought it would be. We arrived @ the parking garage at approx. 830am and the sign outside already had Disneyland listed as being extremely busy. The lines werent too bad that early, well except for one:

Space Mountain

But the rest showed times of 20-30 min. But once 11am hit, it was all over. Everything jumped to 45-90 min or more.

I just hope that once the buzz for the Monsters Inc. ride dies down, the crowds die down also. I cant take another year of a SUPER PACKED Disneyland. ;-)

2005: Where does time go?

Well time flies and this Sunday we'll be ushering in a new year. 2005 was full of so many events. Some highlights

Hurricane Katrina destroyed the gulf coast when it slammed into New Orleans during the Summer.

Pope John Paul II passed away.

Terrorist attacks in London

Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges

The Bush White House continued to come under heavy criticism from all sides concerning the war in Iraq

Free elections were held in Iraq

Los Angeles elected its first Latino Mayor in over 100 years when Antonio Villraigosa was elected in May.

In sports the New England Patriots won their third Super Bowl in four years. The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA title in June. And in baseball the Chicago White Sox expelled their "Black Sox Curse" and won their first World Series title in 86 years.

NHL hockey returned after having its season wiped out in 2004.

Star Wars: Episode III was finally released completing George Lucas' "Star Wars" saga.

Disneyland celebrated its 50th Anniversary in July

The Birth of TomKat (hehe)

Phil Jackson returned to the Lakers

and SOO MUCH MORE.

It was a year full of surprises, heartbreak, tragedies and memories.

2006 is upon us and hopefully it brings with it better times and pleasant surprises.

To you all my readers I wish you a safe and happy New Year. My New Years resolution is to update this blog at least 3 times a week. We'll see how long it lasts!

Til next year

 

DQ

Thursday Best of Update

Welcome back to the drill! Now, you didnt think I would go the rest of the year without putting SOMETHING up did you? So I wanted to do some sort of "Best of" list and the easiest one I could think of was a "Best Movies" list. Now, PLEASE keep in mind, that this is only what I thought were the best movies I SAW. So if there's a movie that you REALLY liked that isnt on this list, I might not have seen it. For example, I didnt see "The Corpse Bride" or "Fantastic Four" or "Cinderella Man". Besides, I might have different taste than you. ;-) 

 So now that the "disclaimer" is out of the way, lets get to it.

 

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2005

10)Hitch

Why Its Here: This was 2005's Valentine's Day movie and it was really good. I'm not usually a fan of romantic comedies or "chick flicks" but this one wasnt really either. It had just enough slapstick stuff in it to make it a good stand alone comedy. The fact that I'm able to imitate Kevin James' dance moves from the movie didnt sway my thoughts either. ;-)

9)The Wedding Crashers

Why Its Here: Box office wise, this movie came out of nowhere to gross over $200 million. It's a very well written comedy with great performances by Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn.

8)The 40 Year Old Virgin

Why Its Here: The sleeper hit of the summer, this movie had like non-stop laughs the whole way out. You're literally laughing as soon as the movie starts.

7)Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith

Why Its Here: OK, I'm not a HUGE Star Wars fan. In fact I hadnt even seen the original movies (With the exception of Episode VI) til earlier this year. But I thought this was a great film. I loved that it pretty much tied up the loose ends of the story and brought it all together so to speak. It probably has the coolest title of the six movies also. ;-)

6) The Legend of Zorro

Why Its Here: This movie was either great or sucked depending on who you talk to. It was the sequel to one of my favorite movies of all time, so if anyone would have a good opinion on it, it would be me. ;-) Seriously, its a good movie. It wasnt as good as the first one, but it was a worthy sequel IMO. I think the fact that waited so long to release it (The original was released in 1998) hurt the movie in the long run.

5)Chicken Little

Why Its Here: Disney's first true animated blockbuster in years! This was a fun little film that I actually saw twice. The second time in 3D which was very well done. I hope they find a way to release both versions on DVD next year. Lots of laughs and a good story put this in my top 5.

4)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Why Its Here: I'll admit I might have been a bit harsh in my original review for it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was a great movie, even if it didnt quite capture everything from the book. You have to understand that "Goblet" is my favorite of the six books so far and I had really high hopes for it. Those high expectations may have caused me to give it a lower score than it deserved. I'll watch it again when it comes out on DVD next year.

3)Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Why Its Here: Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka was awesome and he threw himself into the role all the way. Its not as "musically inclined" as the original one, but I liked this version better. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp: Cant go wrong with that combo. ;-)

2) King Kong

Why Its Here: The rare movie that actually lives up to its hype! King Kong was such an awesome movie. The special effects are insane and even if the movie is 3 hrs long, it doesnt feel that way. It isnt doing as well as they thought it would at the box office, but I'm sure business will pick up on it soon.

1)Batman Begins

Why Its Here: Controversial choice I'm sure, but this movie was truly my favorite of the year. The re launching of "the Dark Knight" went over very well with the audiences and the story was great. I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about this one when I first heard about it, but all my fears were laid to rest once I got a chance to see it. There's talk of a sequel, but I'm not sure it would be able to top this one. Warner Bros finally got the Batman character right.

Honorable Mention:Sin City (Wouldve been number 11 on the list), Flight Plan, The Longest Yard, The Amytiville Horror

And of course you cant have a "Best of" list without a "Worst" list. I didnt see that many bad films this year, but if I had to pick ONEtruly bad film it would be this one (Drum roll)

MY PICK FOR WORST MOVIE

Land of the Dead

Why Its Here: Cuz it sucked. nuff said! ;-)No seriously, it was such a pointless movie and the ending even more pointless. Argh, I cant believe I actually paid money to see this one!

DisHonorable Mention: War of the Worlds (Just because of the ending)

Agree with my choices? Disagree? Feel free to comment or drop me a line at my new email address for this twominutedrill8@yahoo.com

Maybe one more update before the end of the year. Til then, thanx for reading.

DQ

Christmas Hiatus

WELCOME!!

Not really and update today, just wanted to wish you, my readers, a very Merry Christmas! Be safe out there this Holiday weekend and if you're crazy like me, maybe I'll see you @ Disneyland on the 25th. I'll be back next week with some updates and at least 1 "best of 2005" list. Til then take care everyone and see you next time. :-)

Me on Sunday morning. ;-)

 

DQ

Hump Day Update

Greetings one and all!! Welcome back to the Drill!! Its the middle of the week!! Halfway to Saturday!! ;-) Lets get on with it shall we?

When We Last Left You...

OK, sorry about the teaser yesterday, but I really needed to make sure this story was even remotely true. It still might turn out to be BS or not happen at all, but even so its worth mentioning.

So as you could tell by the images in the teaser, it has something to with Disney and Harry Potter. For those of you that don't know, these two brands actually have a bit of a history together.

See, back when Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was shopping the movie rights to her beloved novels, she actually met with Disney first. Seeing as how the Walt Disney Company was synonymous with fantasy story telling and magic, she felt that the Harry Potter franchise would be a good fit. Disney of course was thrilled about getting the first look at making the books into movies. They imagined the possibilities that owning the movie rights to Harry Potter would bring and of course the money they would make.

Yes, it looked like things were going to work out for Disney and Rowling. But then Rowling threw a curveball at Disney. Seeing how many other stories Disney had changed to suit there needs, Rowling insisted on having final say on everything in the movie. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Who gets cast, where the movie is filmed, what gets shown, what doesnt, where things go, etc. You get the idea. Well, Disney didnt like the idea of basically giving up control their films so in the end they decided they'd have to pass on Harry Potter.

This of course led to Ms. Rowling taking her movie rights down the street in Burbank to the Warner Bros Lot and after meeting with executives they quickly gave in to her demands and the rest is history.

Flash forward to today. For years now Disney has been trying to make up for letting Harry Potter slip through its fingers. Its paid large amounts of money toWarner Bros. to acquire the TV rights to the first two films in the series to air on "The Wonderful World of Disney". There's even been talk flying around about Disney purchasing Scholastic (the publishers of the Harry Potter books) just so they can own the publishing rights. But the main thing Disney has been eyeing is the biggest prize of all:

Theme Park Rights.

It seems that after years of negotiations with Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling herself, Disney may FINALLY be close to acquiring the theme park rights to Harry Potter and all his friends. Granted, this deal could still fall apart (as it has in the past) but things seem to be going so well, that it might just be a matter of time before they make the final announcement.

Please keep in mind though, that even if they DO get the rights, they wont use them right away. See, Disney would have to wait until the final book has been published before they can move forward with any ride designs or shows. So dont expect to jump on that train to Hogwarts so soon.

Still this is exciting news and the possibilities for a Harry Potter themed ride are endless.

How about a ride based on the "Knightbus"?

The Knight Bus

or being able to shop and eat on a street themed after "Diagon Alley"?

 Diagon Alley looks like Main St. doesnt it? ;-)

There are just some of things I've been thinking about. Imagine what the Imagineers can cook up?

All I can say on this is STAY TUNED. They've been close before, but never this close. Maybe the New Year will bring Disney a new franchise.

OK, hope that was worth the wait. I believe thats 2 updates this week! I might just reach that goal after all! ;-) Til the next time...

DQ

Tuesday Teaser

Hi everyone! Just a super fast teaser update.

I just found out some news but I need to do a bit more research first. I'll try to have the story tommorrow along with the regular update. Here's a teaser though. It involves the two things below.

 

AND

??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Tune in tommorrow!!!

 

DQ

Monday Update

Greetings one and all!! Welcome back to the Two Minute Drill!! So two weeks left in 2005. Shall I be like every other website and do a "best of" edition next week? Hmm, we'll see. I'm shooting for at least 3 updates this week. We'll see how that goes.

 

Dodger Blues (Update) or Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

So you might remember a few weeks ago I was blasting Dodgers managment. (If you dont remember then scroll down and read up! ;-) ). But what a difference a week makes. Owner Frank McCourt may finally have this team back on track. He hired a respected baseball man to be his GM in Ned Colletti. Colletti in turn hired respected baseball manager Grady Little to be the skipper of the team. After that Colletti signed Rafael Furcal to be the new shortstop and leadoff hitter insuring the offense will have a new spark plug it so sorely needed last season. Then today Colletti finalized a one year deal with former superstar shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. So now the Dodgers appear to be the favorites to win their division in 2006 and go back to the playoffs. It looks like the McCourt family finally gets "it". With Colletti promising more moves, its once again an exciting time to be a Dodgers fan!

Disneyland News

Had the privlege of going to Disneyland on Saturday and was greeted with a sign at the parking garage that said "Disneyland Park is FULL". I didnt whip out my camera phone fast enough to take the picture, so sorry no visual. Inside it seemed like it was full, although several families were leaving. As promised last week, here are some tips to best avoid the crowds and make the best of your day

-Arrive early and do the major rides first. Everyone seems to shoot for Space Mountain and Indiana Jones first so if you can get a FASTPASS for one and wait in the standby line for the other you'll have a good shot at riding both with minimum stress. Also remember that FASTPASS for Space Mountain runs out quickly so get one of those as soon as possible.

-Schedule your meals for non peak hours. EVERYONE seems to eat at the same time @ Disneyland, but if you plan ahead you can avoid the huge lines and satisfy your craving for a Clam Chowder Bread Bowl. ;-) Usually the best times for lunch are 11am-12pm or 2pm-4pm. Dinner time at Disneyland isnt as crowded as lunch, but generally the best times are 6pm-8pm. Be warned that if you try to get something to eat right before the parades or the fireworks show you will encounter huge lines as people try to get something to eat while they wait for the shows to start. Also use the many Outdoor Vending carts whenever possible to grab a quick snack or drink.

-If you want to shop, the early afternoon is the best time. People stream into Disneyland between 10am and noon and head straight into the park, usually bypassing all the shops on Main St. The Emporium is usually empty or with light crowds between opening and whenever the first parade hits the route. If you wait til closing be ready for the throngs of last minute shoppers.

-Dont insist on the best viewing for the fireworks or Fantasmic. Yes, its awesome to watch "Remember, Dreams Come True" from the hub, but if you dont want to deal with the pain of getting out of that crowd afterwards then the view from "its a small world" is just as good. Also from Fantasyland you can take the shortcut right into Frontierland for "Fantasmic" (If you're planning on watching both). As far as "Fantasmic" viewing there is a spot that is right in front of the river that provides an awesome view of the show and isnt a hassle to get out of after its over.

This is the view from the seating area I suggested

If you walk over to the New Orleans Square part of the "Rivers of America" go past "Pirates" and the "The French Market" towards "The Haunted Mansion". To your right you'll see a set of steps that goes down to the "river shore". There you get a somewhat off-center view of the show and because seating is limited to 4 rows, it doesnt get crowded. This section doesnt fill up as quickly as the prefered "Front and Center" view by "Pirates" but it is becoming popular so make sure you head over there quick.

-Take some time to view attractions you wouldnt normally do on a slow day. The beautiful thing about Disneyland is that there's so much to do you sometimes miss the small things. If the park is crowded and you want to maybe just hang out for a bit, you should try some of the A and B ticket offereings. "The Enchanted Tiki Room" is a nice place to chill and enjoy a Dole Pineapple Whip while you wait for the show to start. Over at the Main St. Opera House "Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years" provides an indepth look at how Disneyland came to be. There are park models on display in the lobby along with other park memoribilia. There is also a short, but entertaining film hosted by Steve Martin and Donald Duck discussing the history of the park. You can also check out Innoventions or the Main St. Cinema as other non crowded offerings.

These are just some tips to help you out. The best thing for you to bring with you to the park though is PATIENCE!! If you have that, your day will be a breeze. The super busy Christmas Day and New Years weekends are coming up. If you plan on going either day, be ready for a HUGE crowd. Just go prepared and with some sort of gameplan and you'll do ok.

 

 

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE REPORT

 

Kong isnt too happy with his initial numbers! ;-)

 

1) King Kong, $50.1 Million: The word underachiving comes to mind here. Universal execs are disappointed this film didnt do more business for the 3 day weekend. Since its opening last Wednesday it has taken in $66.1 million. They are hoping that word of mouth will boost its second week numbers. At 3 hrs long, it is a tough sell for some movie goers, even if it is a good film. We'll see how this plays out, but I'd be very surprised if this one doesnt make it to the $200 million mark eventually.

2) The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe..$31.8 million: Geez, that is one long title.I think I'll shorten it next week! ;-) Last weeks box office champ drops a notch. Its already crossed the $100 million-blockbuster mark. See how long it stays in the top 5.

3) The Family Stone, $12.5 million: Sarah Jessica Parker's first post "Sex in the City" role drew respectable numbers. Considering it openend up against "King Kong" its actually pretty good. We'll see how much staying power this one has though.

4) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, $5.9 million: Still alive and kicking a month later "Goblet" has taken in $252 million putting it ahead of "Prisoner of Azkaban" ($249 million) in terms of highest grossing Harry Potter films. It still MIGHT hit $300 million but it would take alot to do it. More likely I think it will outgross "Chamber of Secrets" ($261 million) but fall short of "Sorcerers Stone" ($317 million).

5) Syriana, $5.6 million: It drops three places to fifth on the list after two weeks of release. Based now on what I've heard, it might drop even farther. ;-)

 

OK, that will do it for this update. As always, thank you for reading and hopefully I can reach my goal of 3 updates. Til the next time.

DQ

Finally back...

I'm baacckk. Yes, miracles never cease to amaze. Its been a long lay off and alot of it had to do with being slammed at work and having a crappy dial up connection at home. Hopefully I finish the year off with some solid updates. Today's is pretty good sized one, so sit back and enjoy.

 

Thoughts on Stanley "Tookie" Williams

Rapper Snoop Dogg marches in support of Williams before his execution.

OK, so I'm like wwayy late on this, but here's my two cents anyway. First off, I dont TOTALLY agree with the Death Penalty. I agree its merited with serial killers and homicidal maniacs that show no remorse. But for a murderer, I think LIFE in prison without parole is the more appropriate punishment. Now, Williams' case was a unique one, in that he seemed to have become a changed man in prison and began speaking out against the gang lifestyle he helped create. While in prison, he wrote childrens books and wrote of living life away from gangs. He was also nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize on numerous occasions. Do these actions warrant having his death penalty revoked? One can make a case that yes, he was a redeemed man and should not have been put to death. But in the end, his refusal to accept responsibility for the murders he was convicted of cost him his bid for clemency. Williams maintained he was innocent to the very end and once said he would never own up to a crime he didnt commit even if it meant saving his life. I guess we'll never know the truth for sure.

Someone made a great point how Williams was executed, yet psychopath Charles Manson remains alive and in jail. Our legal system at work. ;-)

 

Thoughts on the passing of Richard Pryor

1940-2005

Yep, late again, but I felt I should say something to someone who has influenced so many lives. Richard Pryor passed away this past Saturday at the age of 65. Pryor had been in declining health for many years and succumbed to a heart attack at his San Fernando Valley home. Pryor's comedy was unique in that it brought together stereotypes and social commentary in a way no other comic had done before. His style was one that was controversial and yet way ahead of its time. If you've never heard one of his records or seen one of his standup specials you are missing out. Pryor influenced many comedians of today such as Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Steve Harvey and George Lopez. Lopez especially credits Pryor with making "a young chicano boy think he could do something better with his life and made me not afraid of being dark." On his own life Pryor once said "I had some great things and I had some bad things. The best and the worst... In other words, I had a life." RIP Mr. Pryor

 

Disneyland Update

OK, I know I was kind of a downer, but here's some Disneyland news for you.

Disneyland continues to blow all attendance estimates away and now with Christmas a few days away the crunch is really going to be on. This past weekend brought with it another record crowd and Disneyland was forced to once again close its gates in the afternoon. Last Friday alone saw attendance hit 58,000 for the day!!But the real fun started at night. As people that were getting off of work and school began showing up in the evening hours the walkways became completely jammed. At one point right before the 9:25 pm fireworks show you couldnt move from the Main St Station to the Coke Corner on the other end. People began shoving and pushing to try to get out of the area. At one point, several people began calling 9-1-1 to try and get some assistance as people began hyper ventilating and having panic attacks. Anahiem paramedics did arrive and fought their way thru the crowd to help out a guest that had passed out.

This was the scene @ 10am last Sunday outside the "Mickey and Friends" parking structure (Photo courtesy of Miceage)

Saturday was just as bad as attendance climbed to 62,000 and gates were closed for the better part of the day. As guests that arrived were told they couldnt come in, they began to get angry and some actually physically assaulted the poor cast members at the gates that were simply doing their jobs. Security was beefed up for rest of the afternoon and Anahiem Police was also called in to keep anyone from getting too out of line.

Well, at least they warn you before hand (Photo courtesy of Miceage)

With Christmas and New Years still ahead, its only going to get worse and worse. If you decide to go I cant stress enough that you be patient and prepare for the worst. Understand that you might not be able to do everything and your best bet is to get there as early as possible and try to hit as much as you can before the guests pour in. Based on my personal experience 8am-10am is the quietest time. Once 10am hits, be ready for the crowd. Remember that FASTPASS is really the only way to get on the major E-ticket rides such as "Indiana Jones" and "Space Mountain" on busy days. "Space Mountain" fastpasses tend to run out quicker so if at all possible grab one for that ride first and either wait in the regular standby line for "Indy" or skip it all together. If u feel like getting away from the crowds for a bit or just need to sit for awhile "The Main St Cinema" and "The Disney Gallery" are quiet places where you can just hang out and relax. Also "Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years" is a great show that you can catch while you wait for those crowds to die down a bit or for your FASTPASS time to come up. . Keep in mind also that Disneyland is still experiencing a massive staffing shortage so dont be surprised if a ride or two is closed or your favorite restaurant is only open half the day.

I'll have more tips for you in another update.

 

Box Office Report

I was going to skip it this week since its so late, but then I figured since we have a new #1 film, I would do a quickie report

This Lion roared at the box office (Roll eyes now. ;-) )

 

1) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe...$65.5 mil: Whew, thats a long title. ;-) Well, we knew it would do well and it was the one that finally knocked "Goblet of Fire" out of first. I've heard this movie might actually be better than the book that inspired it. I never read the novels, so I guess I'll just have to take the critics words for it. ;-)

2) Syriana, $11.7 mil: I think the adults are tired of all the fluff in the theatres. That pretty much explains this strong debut for a movie that hasnt really been hyped as much as it could be. This one has some fairly strong Oscar buzz going as well, so it should do pretty decent box office numbers.

3) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, $10.2 mil: The defending champ gets knocked down two pegs. "Goblet" is still going strong and should top the $250 million mark fairly soon. But does it have enough left to do something that only one other Harry Potter film has done and hit the $300 million mark?

4)Walk the Line, $5.7 mil: This bio-pic continues to pull in strong numbers as well. Its at the $76 million mark and has an outside shot of hitting $100 million in the next few weeks.

5) Yours, Mine and Ours, $5.0 mil: With such heavy hitter family films out right now, the fact that this one has hung in the top 5 is a very good indicator of the quality of this movie. However, with "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" opening in a few weeks it will take away alot of the same audience.

 

The biggest film of the year (no pun intended) "King Kong" opens today. All the critics seem to agree its by far the best movie of the year, so expect it to do huge (again no pun intended) numbers this weekend.

Also the teaser trailer for "X3: X-Men 3" was finally released last week. It looks awesome and it seems that the change of directors has not hurt the franchise. Lots of new mutants in this one but the one I am looking forward to the most is "Beast" played by Kelsey Grammer.

Yup, thats Kelsey Grammer

He looks crazy in the blue makeup and hair and the makeup dept did a great job transforming him into the character. May 26th, 2006 is the official release date for this one.

 

OK, that should do it for now. I'll try to be back on a more regular basis and finish up the year strong. Much thanks for reading and see you again next time.

DQ

Monday Update

Welcome back to the drill!! Hope you all had wonderful Thanksgiving Holidays! I was all set to publish an update last Wed. afternoon and it wouldnt upload. Oh well. I'll hit 3 consecutive updates someday. ;-) On with the show.

Monday Random Thoughts

-The Dodgers still dont have a manager. It used to be managing the Dodgers was like THE job to have in the NL. Now, almost everyone they have approached has ran for the hills. Could it be because of their incompetent, money grubbing owner?? hmmm

-So after losing 91 games last season, the Dodgers did what any other team would do in that situation. Get better players? Nope. Offer some sort of thanks to fans for sticking with the team? Nope. They raised ticket prices for the second straight year and the average price of a Dodgers ticket topped $20 for the first time ever. What is with this ownership? How about waiting a year before you raise prices again.

-It wouldnt be so bad if they were raising prices for, say paying for a better team. But by all accounts, owner Frank McCourt is trimming payroll to $75 million for next season. Far below the $100 million plus he guaranteed would be payroll as long as he was owner. The bad news just keeps coming for the faithful followers of the Blue. :-(

RIP Mr. Miyagi

-Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, best known for his role as a martial arts sensei in "The Karate Kid" died over the Thanksgiving weekend. He was 73. Morita played the wise Kesuke Miyagi in four "The Karate Kid" movies and their sequels. The last one "The Next Karate Kid", was released in 1994 and featured a young Hilary Swank. Morita is survived by his wife and three daughters from a previous marraige. Sayonara sensei, you were one of a kind and you will forever live in the hearts of many other 80's kids that watched you teach Ralph Macchio how to whup some Cobra Kai ass. May you rest in peace.

-Went to Disneyland on Friday and all the horror stories of a overcrowded park are true! I'll have more of a Disneyland update tommorrow, but just know that the days of "slow" time @ Disneyland are LONG gone.

 

Weekend Box Office Report

1) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, $54.7 million: The Goblet is still overflowin! OK, sorry for that. Seriously, this movie continues to outpace estimates. Its already on track to be the highest grossing Harry Potter film to date. In its 10 days of release the movie has taken in an amazing $201 million in the US alone. As the critics continue to praise it, the people keep flocking to the theatre to see it. With only "Aeon Flux" opening this weekend, this film should continue to rake in the cash for another week.

2) Walk the Line, $19.2 million: Holding steady at number 2 for the second week in a row, the Johnny Cash bio-pic is getting some great word of mouth. Should help its Oscar hopes and make it into a blockbuster soon enough.

3) Yours, Mine and Ours, $17.4 million: One of the weekends new films, did respectable considering the competition. This is a remake of an old Lucille Ball movie and its opening was pretty much in line with studio estimates. Lets see how big the drop off is in week 2.

4) Chicken Little, $12.5 million: Still holding strong, now almost a month later. "Chicken Little" has become Disney's first real animated hit since "Lilo and Stitch". I was able to catch this film in 3D over the weekend and it was great. If you havent seen it already, check it out. If you have seen it, but only in regular theatres, I highly recommend the 3D version. Disney did a great job with the format and I hope they continue to release films using this technology.

5) Rent, $10.0 million: Based on the hit musical of the same name. This movie opened far below what studio insiders were hoping. I'm guessing fans of the musicaldont want their version ruined by a movie. There's people out there that swear "Rent" is like the greatest thing ever and will tear you a new one should u dare talk about it. I'm guessing the movie makers were hoping some of those diehards would come in and give the movie a try. So far, it hasnt panned out that way.

 

Well, a quick update today. Hope you enjoyed. Remember that all feedback is appreciated. Hit the comment box below or email me @ DougE825@aol.com. Til the next time

DQ

Taboo Tuesday

 

Welcome back to the Two Minute Drill. Remember, when news breaks...we fix it!! ;-)

360 degrees of Gaming

So today is the day that millions of gamers in the US have been waiting for: The launch of the Xbox 360.

Sleek

 

This bad boy cranks out the most realistic looking graphics to date and is specifically designed to be an intregal part of your home entertainment center. All for the low-low price of $299 for a base unit and $399 for the advanced unit.

What does the Xbox 360 do you ask? Well, it plays games, movies, music and can even display your digital photos. Not only that, the Xbox 360 also can turn back the clock, do your taxes and solve all of your life's problems. ;-) Seriously, what happened to just "It plays kick ass games?"

(Warning, rant session ahead)

As technology increases, obviously our tastes change. Many tech freaks out there want the latest and greatest when they buy their systems right? But it seems that nowadays the video game console makers are going more for the "awe" factor than actually giving you a satisifying experience. Dont get me wrong, its cool when you're playing a game and it totally engrosses you with its detail. But even if the game is pretty and all, what if the game itself sucks? Graphics arent everything and I think I'm finally understanding that.

I see the Xbox 360 and I see that most of the games that are coming out are just ports of the games that are available on current systems. Sure they've been spiffied up and given more substance, but its still the same game you can play on a regular Xbox.

Now, I've been a gamer since I first picked up that old Atari joystick back in the day and playedmy first game of Mario Bros. I've been hooked to games ever since. But my love for games has been strictly for Nintendo systems. From the original NES, to the Super NES. The N64 and finally the Gamecube, I've been a Nintendo "fanboy" all my life. I know that puts in me in the minority, but I could care less. For me, its all about the games and I have yet to be disappointed with the Big N.

Thats not to say that I dont give props, where props are due. I think the "Halo" series is awesome and the "G.T.A." franchise is alot of fun, albeit controversial. But given a choice, I'd much rather be en engrossed in a game like "The Legend of Zelda" than shoot up hookers in a game like "G.T.A.".

Its all about the games. Think back to when you were a kid and all you had was the 8-bit NES. When you were playing a game like "Contra" did you care that the bad guys didnt look or move realistically? Or that the physics of the game were just unreal? NO! All you thought about was "Wow, this game is fun to play!" I think that the game makers are starting to lose sight of that. Of course we the public are to blame for that as well. The so called "hardcore" gamers demand better graphics and better sound and more extras and junk otherwise they wont give the game a second look.

Consider a game like "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker". When "Zelda" was first announced for the Gamecube back in 2000, it was introduced as a realistic dark game. The critics loved it, just because it looked realistic.

 Link from the Legend of Zelda how he looked in the first demo for a "Gamecube Zelda" back in 2000.

Then Nintendo decided to change the look of the game and went with a cartoony "cell shade" look.

Link after his redesign for "The Wind Waker"

The critics blasted this game because it made the "Zelda" franchise into an almost Looney Tunes-esque farce. Yet, when you actually sit down and play it, the core of the series is still there. Its still a blast to play, even if it did look like a kiddy game.

 Next year, Nintendo will finally give us that realistic looking "Zelda" game. Its titled "The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess" and the critics are already singing its praises.

2006 Link

Is it because it looks realistic? Or is it because the game plays well?

I just hope that as technology increases and "realisim" takes over the graphics dept, they (the game makers) dont lose sight of one thing: Its the games, stupid.

Next year in the Spring Sony's PS3 (With its price tag of anywhere between $400-$700 if you believe the rumors) will be hitting the stores and a little later after that the Nintendo Revolution.

The Mighty P$3..i mean PS3. ;-)

Nintendo's "Revolution"

 

We'll see just how well these two systems differentiate themselves from Microsofts 360 machine. One thing is for certain. The days of simply picking up a controller and having simple fun are long gone. Its all about framerates and bit counts and what not. What will the next evolution of game systems bring us? I guess we'll find out in about 5 years when Microsoft releases the Xbox 720, Sony releases the PS4 (now with nuclear reactor) and Nintendo hits us with the Super Revolution.

 

OK, sorry for the rant. Thanx again for reading. Til the next time...

DQ

Monday Update

 

Hello everyone and welcome back to the "Drill". Its Thanksgiving Week and I'm sure alot of you are counting down til the long weekend. I know I can't wait! On with the show...

 

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!: Christmas Time @ Disneyland

Well, its time. Another Holiday Season is upon us and Disneyland has returned to its full Christmas glory. With the "Christmas Fantasy" parade making its season premier this past Friday, everything is now in full swing at the resort. Here are some pics:

(Following photos all courtesy of "Dark Beer")

The World Famous Disneyland Xmas Tree. This year its all gold n white.

The tree at night. Geez, look at that crowd!!!

California Adventure is getting into the spirt too. The entrance letters get the "candy cane" treatment.

DCA finally gets its own Xmas tree...

..complete with Tinkerbell topper

The tree at night.

Santa gets a new ride in the "Christmas Fantasy" parade.  (photo courtesy of Mouseplanet)

 

As reported last week, Disneyland is facing a huge staffing crunch at  the worst time possible. The problem is that the resort is losing far more employees than it can replace. Disneyland HR is doing everything in its power to try to shore up the staff levels. There's been aggressive recruiting all around the area and in the theme parks themselves. They are even contacting former cast members to see if they have any interest in returning. Things are so bad that now cast members are no longer guaranteed days off or even personalized schedules. All employees are basically being forced to work whatever hours they need them. you might be saying "Who cares?" right? But think about it this way: If you've been working like 6-7 days straight with OT and no days off against your own will, just how well are you going to be treating those you interact with? Or how motivated are you going to be to do everything right? They're running these poor workers ragged and now its affecting the overall running of the park as well. Several shops are no longer open all day and some may even be closed on "slow" days. There's no end in sight to the shortage either, so for those of you planning on visiting the parks in the coming weeks, exercise patience and remember that the frazzled cast member in front of you has probably been working non-stop since Halloween. ;-)

 

Weekend Box Office Report

Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman and Daniel Radcliffe in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"

 

1) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, $101.4 Million: WOW!!!! This opening is huge on so many levels. Its the highest opening for a "Harry Potter" film to date. Its the fourth highest three day opening ever (Spider-Man opened to $114 million back in 2002. Shrek 2 and Star Wars: Episode III both took in $108 million for their three day opening) and the highest opening for a movie opening in November. WB was expecting something in between $85-$95 million so to say they're "pleased" with this opening is an understatement. There was concern that the Harry Potter franchise was starting to fizzle as each film has grossed less than the last, but this puts the franchise right back on track. This opening also helped Hollywood break out of its box office slump it had been experiencing lately. We'll see how week number 2 plays out.

2)Walk the Line, $22.4 million: Considering the competition this one had, $22 million isnt bad. The Johnny Cash bio-pic has many people talking Oscar. Joaquin Phoenix is being praised for his portrayal of Cash. Next week will probably be a better indicator of how well this film will do. Everyone's Harry Potter hang over will have worn off by then. ;-)

3) Chicken Little, $14.7 million: The little film that could. Well, not "little" really considering how much it cost to make. Yet, nobody thought it would be practically on the cusp of breaking the $100 million mark at this time. Heck, it might have already gone over by the time you read this. Disney Animation finally has a blockbuster, although not a mega one like "Shrek" or any of the recent Pixar films. Still, its a start and it at least shows they're on the right track.

4)Derailed, $6.5 million: Jennifer Anniston was just named GQ's first ever "Woman of the Year." Crazy. Oh and her film isnt doing too bad at the box office either. Its been a "mild" success so far. Still, it wont hang around much longer unless word of mouth saves it.

5) Zathura, $5.1 million: This was the film that was supposed to give "Goblet of Fire" a run for its money. Instead its sinking fast and audiences arent really giving it a second thought. Which is too bad, because according to the critics its a great film. And the guy from "Punk'd" is in it! I didnt even know those guys had a life after they were done with the show. ;-)

 

The Lakers lost to the Clippers last Friday, showing once again that the balance of power may be shifting as far as LA basketball is concerned. Funny to see how many Clippers fans are coming out of the woodwork now that they're team is respectable. Congrads to them, their long suffering fans deserve a chance to cheer for once. Alot of people are still waiting for the bottom to fall out on this team. Its not how well you start, but how well you finish the season that counts. So far though, this young team has hung in there.

OK, thats all for now. Hope you all had great weekends. Til the next time.

DQ

Taboo Tuesday

Hello again and welcome back to the drill!! A rare back to back update I guess you can call it. Hopefully it becomes a normal occurrence. Lets get started shall we?

 

More Thoughts on Eddie Guerrero

WWE Stars watch a video tribute to Eddie Guerrero on RAW

Last night on RAW the superstars of the WWE paid tribute to their fallen friend and brother in the ring. It was an emotional night full of dedication matches and testimonials about the life of a truly great man.

Eddie's ride

The show began with the entire roster standing on the stage. A tricked out Low Rider (A Eddie Guerrero signature) was propped up next to the stage. After some words from WWE Chairman Vince McMahon they held a "10 bell salute". A memorial video package was then shown and afterwards there was not a dry eye in the arena. (or at home for that matter).

A fan pays tribute to Eddie

Throughout the night superstar after superstar paid tribute to Eddie and they showed clips of some of his career highlights. Perhaps the most emotional testimonial of the night was from Eddie's nephew Chavo Guerrero, Jr. Chavo talked about how yes, technically Eddie was his uncle, but he considered him more of a brother. Chavo struggled to remain composed throughout the entire interview.

WWE Champ John Cena made this makeshift shrine for Eddie at the close of the show.

All in all, it was a fitting tribute to a man that touched so many lives in the industry. Knowing that he was a Man of Faith, I know that he is in a better place now. Eddie was a great man and as long as we fans always remember him and remember his greatness he will never be forgotten.

 

Dodger Blues

What a horrible time to be a Dodgers fan. The team finished in 4th place in 2005 and lost 91 games! It was the 2nd worst loss total in LA franchise history. But that was nothing compared to the turmoil that was coming in the offseason. Manager Jim Tracy was fired two days after the season ended. General Manager Paul Depodesta cited differences in managing philosophies as being the main reason behind the move. Then, two weeks later as Depodesta was in the midst of finding a manager to replace Tracy, owner Frank McCourt stunned everyone by firing Depodesta! So much turmoil and upheaval in this once proud organization that its making even the most hardcore fan cringe. And to think, 2005 started off a high note when the team had the best April in almost 50 years. Then the injuries started mounting and the team seemingly imploded. From 1st to 4th in a span of 3 months. Well, with the search for a new GM under way Dodgers fans are on pins and needles waiting to see who will be the next person to try to build this team into a contender. Dodger Nation has their fingers crossed. Its been 16 years since we last held a late October party in Los Angeles. Its time for this team to reclaim its proper spot in the upper ranks of baseball. The Dodgers were once of the most storied franchises in the game. Only the Yankees have a richer history than the Dodgers. Its time for the McCourt family to get serious about winning once and for all and put people who actually know what they are doing in charge of running the team. The fans of LA wont stand for another 91 loss and if they arent serious about winning, the fans will stop coming. Simple as that.

 

Random Thought
The Clippers have a better record than the Lakers?! Be afraid people..be very afraid. ;-) In all seriousness, I've always said the Clippers were a good team, they just needed a good coach to get make this young team gel and work hard. It seems like they have finally found that coach in Mike Dunleavy. Can this young team keep up the winning? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Well, thats all for now. As always, thank you for reading and see you next time.

DQ

Monday Update

Greetings one and all! It is I, the worlds biggest procrastinator!! Apologies all around for the delays. I've got a pretty big update for you all today, so hopefully its worth the wait. Enjoy

 

Thoughts on Eddie Guerrero's Passing

So last night I'm minding my own business at home, watching "Punk'd" when I get a shocking txt message on my cellphone from a friend. "Did you hear Eddie Guerrero died?". My first reaction was that it was some sort of mistake. Eddie dead? No way. We had all just seen him live a few weeks ago at the Staples Center and I had just seen him on TV on Friday Night Smackdown two days earlier. I responded to the message asking for clarfication and confirmation. When I got the response with the confirmation I was FLOORED. Eddie Guerrero..Latino Heat...Mr. Lie.Cheat.Steal..Gone. One of the most entertaining and gifted athletes in the WWE was gone. I immeadiatley began to think the worst. That he had once again succumbed to the demons that he had battled all his life and that they were responsible for his death. I hoped to God that it wasnt true. Eddie was a hero to so many latino fans that the thought of him dying because of something stupid was too much to bear. I then began to think about his family. His wife and their two daughters. His mom and his dad who is the patriarch of the Guerrero Family Dynasty. I began to think about all the great Eddie moments from the past: His flair for the dramatic, for the entertaining, "The Eddie Shimmy", Latino Heat, Lie,Cheat, Steal. I couldnt believe we wouldnt be hearing those words again. One of my favorite wrestlers was gone and cut down in the prime of his life.

Finally becoming WWE Champ (2/04)

Today, as word begins to spread out, millions of wrestling fans around the world mourn the loss of Eduardo Gory Guerrero. May God Bless his soul and his family.

Wrestlemania XX

I will never forget Wrestlemania XX when he and Chris Benoit celebrated in the middle of the ring. Both men had been told all their careers they couldnt carry a company. And yet there they stood. Arms raised. Both men champions and at the top of the ladder.

Latino Heat forever

Eddie, you were the man. You brought me and many other fans around the world to our feet each and every week. I'm thankful to have been able to see you do your thing live. RIP Latino Heat. We will all miss you.

 

 

It Begins...Holiday Time @ Disneyland

As reported here a few weeks ago, the Holiday's at Disneyland are going to be JAMMED. Want proof? How about last Friday when the gates at Disneyland actually were CLOSED throughout the day because of overcrowding! Last Friday marked the return of the Christmas decorations and fireworks and such and everyone seemingly wanted to be there!

This notice greeted visitors on Friday (photo courtesy of Mouseplanet)

This past weekend also saw record numbers, but the gates werent closed. This is only the begining kids. This upcoming Friday marks the return of the "A Christmas Fantasy" parade so crowds should be big for that one also. Add to this the fact that Disneyland is actually having HUGE staffing problems and it's not going to be pretty down in Anahiem.

Gridlock on Main St. for the snow (photo courtsey of Mouseplanet)

If you are one of those lucky ones to go, please be patient. Yes its going to be crowded and lines may be moving slower because of the staff shortages. But those hard working cast members that are actually there will be doing their best to make your experience a good one. Besides, how could you be angry at the Happiest Place on Earth?! ;-)

Weekend Box Office Report

1) Chicken Little, $32.0 Mil: This Chicken's got legs. (Feel free to roll your eyes.) In all seriousness, this one has a good shot of breaking the $100 million mark and has done wonders for Disney Animation. Is it a GREAT film? No. But it is a good one and will definetly keep you entertained for the 77min it runs. Chicken Little's showing should do wonders for Disney's negotations ith Pixar. It gives them SOME leverage at least.

2)Zathura, $14.0 Mil: One of the weekends new films. Didnt do too bad considering the competition, but opening up a week after "Chicken Little" wasnt going to help it a whole lot either. Not to mention the fact that more of its audience is going to be siphoned away when "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" opens this week. We'll see if this film can hang in there.

3) Derailed, $12.8 Mil: Wow, an adult type film in November. ;-) Not too bad an opening. This was the first film released under the new "Weinstein Co." label founded by Hollywood power hitters (and brothers) Bob and Harvey Weinstein. With so much kid stuff opening up in the next few weeks, this one might just have the market to itself.

4) Get Rich or Die Tryin, $12.5 Mil: "Fitty" didnt do too bad actually. This movie openend on Wed to solid numbers and the $12.5 is really just its weekend take. All together it has taken in $18.3 million.

5) Jarhead. $12.2 Mil: Wow, this one fell hard in its second week. Word of mouth has been mixed on this one and it no doubt affected its box office take this week. Still could do well considering there isnt much 17 and over stuff to watch right now.

 

OK, that will do it for now. Hopefully I can get this thing back on track on a more consistent basis. Thanx to everyone who has been reading and sending the words of encouragment. Til the next time

DQ