Tremendously exciting basketball being played in this year's NBA Finals so far and I have really enjoyed the games. I know I am not the only guy who insists on seeing sporting events live instead of on TIVO like nearly everything else I watch. Maybe it's because I'm afraid I'll see the score somewhere online or on another channel if I record the game and watch something else.
So that brings me to the commercials I now find myself sitting through. I've made a few notes.
1) Hey, movie company, don't waste your time buying commercials to advertise that Jumper is coming out on DVD. No one, repeat, no one plans to buy that movie to own, not even Hayden Christensen. In fact, based on reviews of his performance in that film, maybe especially not Hayden Christensen.
2) Speaking of movies I saw advertised last night, Hell Boy 2 = no, Love Guru = maybe, The Happening = maybe, Incredible Hulk = no, Don't Mess With the Zohan = hell, no. That one looks so bad I am surprised Hayden Christensen isn't in it.
3) I am a rabid fan of Apple computers but am sick to death of the Mac guy making fun of the PC guy. Dude, you are already dating Drew Barrymore in real life, You don't have to be a dick too.
4) So 24's President Palmer is alive and pitching All State auto insurance. He looks like a nice man (hey, I thought he died, no?) but I still find it hard to believe that "most accidents happen on Friday between 3 and 6 p.m." as he told me last night.
Is that possible? There are more car crashes in those three hours than in the other 165 per week combined? I find it possible that "more accidents happen on Friday between 3 and 6 p.m. than during any other three hour period" but that is as far as I'll go.
5) I love the NBA's playoff campaign this year, the There Can Be Only One commercials with a player from each team's face taking up half the screen while both are talking at the same time about competing, winning, or fear. They were directed by the husband/wife team that made the movie Little Miss Sunshine by-the-way. Saturday Night Live did a hilarious parody a couple of weeks ago using their Clinton and Obama impersonators.
6) Finally, to ABC, we don't care who The Mole is.
You really think "maybe" for Love Guru? That movie looks terrrrrrrrrrible. (Is that the proper way to drag out the word 'terrible'?) Lots of other clunkers on that list as well, but that's one movie that I'll go to my grave having never seen. And I'll be a better corpse for it.
Posted by: Chad | June 09, 2008 at 05:43 AM
The NBA finals =Pure Comedy !
Posted by: db | June 09, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Right On, BEAN!!!
Posted by: Ana | June 09, 2008 at 08:18 AM
Re: MAC vs PC, have you seen the TrueNuff parodies? http://tv.truenuff.com/mac/
Good stuff.
Posted by: alisa | June 09, 2008 at 09:25 AM
You say maybe to Love Guru, but no to Hulk and Hellboy 2? What type of drugs are you taking up there in WA?
Posted by: DanGarion | June 09, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Why no love for Hell Boy 2? Directed by one of my favorite Mexican Directors..Guillermo del Toro...you already are a patron of Mexican art, I think you should support it's directors as well...just sayin.
Posted by: lucha | June 09, 2008 at 11:02 AM
I agree with Chad: I'd see Zohan before Love Guru ANY DAY... One good movie that has slipped under the radar, I mean I don't even think it made it to the theaters in my little town of Bellingham... stars Winona Ryder.. WINONA RYDER, PEOPLE!!!!! and it has the guys from MYTHBUSTERS and METALLICA and someone from That 70s Show and the story is based on real tales from THE DARWIN AWARDS. It's called, amazingly enough, The Darwin Awards and I would run, not walk, to your local movie rental shop and watch it.
Posted by: Rochelle | June 09, 2008 at 11:28 AM
I will most likely be seeing hell boy 2 as well. I can understand why people might not be inclined to see it, but I did enjoy the previous hellboy movie and I'm curious what else they'll do. It might not be great, but I'll see it anyway.
Posted by: | June 09, 2008 at 11:54 AM
The NBA commercials are classic. Did anyone notice that the players BLINK at the same time? Wicked Clever!
Posted by: drink it up | June 09, 2008 at 12:55 PM
I saw a trailer yesterday for Love Guru...I actually laughed out loud - I'll wait for the DVD mind you, but Mike Myers' movies kinda grow on you, I didn't think Austin Powers was funny at all, now I think it's hilarious - either my taste is changing or I've had a stroke.
Posted by: Cathy | June 09, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Are those the commercials I missed when I switched over to ESPN to see the Cubs vs. Dodgers?
PS. I vote maybe on Hell Boy 2.
Posted by: Fred G | June 09, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Bean, you forgot the commercial for the Dark Knight.
Dark Knight=Hells Yeah!
Posted by: steve-o | June 09, 2008 at 02:57 PM
count me in on Hellboy 2 too. you're missing out.
Posted by: alisa | June 09, 2008 at 02:58 PM
But I kinda DO care who the Mole is!! And I thought that whole "flash it for just a second" idea was a good one!!... don't you remember the subliminal advertising of the 60s where they wrote sexy words on the ice cubes in magazine ads? Anyway, it worked on us and we're watching "The Mole"!
Posted by: Marge | June 09, 2008 at 04:35 PM
I used to think that the Allstate commercials were targeted to a guy named Stan. At the end of every spot, President Palmer would say, "That's Allstate, Stan."
Posted by: Frank Murphy | June 09, 2008 at 06:24 PM
The MAC/PC commercials are the ONLY commercial I will sit through. I love the NBA's playoff campaign also.
Posted by: Lynne_T | June 09, 2008 at 07:27 PM
#5. Dayton and Faris? Cool!
But they don't hold a candle to the early 90's ESPN Hockey Night black and white playoff commercials.
Also, your blog has been freezing up my computer and I've missed a few, so I wanted to add that there is an error in the 'Wonderful Life' entry. Mr. Potter is alive and well and currently serving as Vice President (wouldn't ya love to have Clarence show you how things would be had he died young? Just sayin'.)
Posted by: Vic Rattler | June 09, 2008 at 07:33 PM
The key to watching live sports with a DVR is to start watching it about 30 minutes late. That way you rewind to the beginning, and can fast forward during the commercials! God, I hate live TV!
By the way, glad to find you again! Your blog was sorely missed!
Posted by: Kelly | June 10, 2008 at 09:02 AM
I think that movie "Wanted" (with Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, et al) looks way worse to me than any of the other movies you mentioned. Please tell me that nobody will go watch this recycled-for-the-umpteenth-time piece of drivel.
Posted by: John E | June 10, 2008 at 09:32 PM
Bean, how dare you sir! The Mole is awesome, though I do think the best ones were when Anderson Cooper was the host.
Posted by: MC | June 12, 2008 at 01:11 AM