My Favorites From 2013

Well friends, 2013 is almost over. It has been a year filled with tragedy, triumph, happiness, sorrow, and the loss of some pretty great entertainers. We started this very blog, now website, in May and the response has been stellar (thanks to all of you for that). Ultimately though, it was a pretty good year for the arts. We got some good films and some good albums and it looks like 2014 is shaping up to be a pretty good year. That being said, what follows are some of my favorite films and albums of 2013. Theyre in no particular order and it won’t be anything in depth, just some stuff I dug. I hope you enjoy and most of all I hope it leads you to discover.

Films:
Iron Man 3
Star Trek: Into Darkness
The Heat
Man Of Steel
World War Z
The Conjuring
Fast and Furious 6
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Thor: The Dark World
The Purge
Olympus Has Fallen
Oblivion
2 Guns
The Great Gatsby

Music
The Arcade Fire-Reflektor
Ghost B.C.-Infestissumam
A.F.I.-Burials
A Day To Remember-Common Courtesy
Avenged Sevenfold-Hail To The King
Alice In Chains-The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Eminem-Marshall Mathers LP2
Katy Perry-Prism (thats right, no shame)
Terror-Live By The Code
Killswitch Engage-Disarm The Descent
Elton John-The Diving Board

There you have it, some of my favorite flicks and tunes from 2013. I hope you guys all had a great year. I hope you had a great year entertainment wise as well and hopefully, our little blog led you to discover something new. Heres to another great year in 2014. Til next time friends

-Heath

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25 Films of Christmas: Arthur Christmas

By now the presents have been opened, meals have been eaten and everyone is tired from getting up too early and the days activities. Thank goodness Santa Claus took care of the gifts so we didn’t have to worry with that, but what would happen if Santa forgot a gift. Thats what we find out with tonights movie, Arthur Christmas.

Gift giving has made it into the 21st century as the film opens aboard Santa’s ultra high tech, mile wide sleigh, the S-1. Even though everything is monitored by the elves on board mistakes still can and do happen, a gift is not delivered which means a sad child on Christmas morning. Thats where Santa’s youngest son Arthur comes in. Arthur is more concerned with making sure with making sure every child believes, going as far as to answer the letters to Santa, unlike his older brother Steve who can’t wait to take his place as Santa. Arthur decides to deliver the forgotten gift and thats where the laughs come in. By the end we love Arthur for his innocence and keep our fingers crossed that he will be the next Santa Claus.

Its an overlooked Christmas movie and I’m not sure why, it has a good story, great voice acting and some lovable characters. The first time I gave this a watch was the middle of the summer and it left me longing for the holiday. Arthur Christmas is a super cute movie thats sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. Thats why Arthur Christmas gets a ranking of: Isn’t This The Best Bit Of Christmas. Till next time friends, stay entertained.

Thanks for letting us share a bit of our Christmas love with you friends, hopefully you had an amazing Christmas, I know we did. Christmas is a favorite time of year for me, even though people tend to behave like assholes, it reminds me of my childhood. Our Christmases weren’t the best but we made the best of it. I had my first date with my wife at a Christmas party but the memories aren’t all happy, my pops passed a month before Christmas and my Ma passed a month after but I have family, friends and now we have all of you. So before I get all sappy, I’ll close by saying: From me and my family, my brother from another mother Heath and his, thank you and Merry Christmas to you all and to all a good night.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

The Spirit of the Season or What Christmas Means to Me.

When I was growing up, Christmas was a huge deal in my family. My mom always went all out to make sure that the season was a special one for my brothers and myself. Decorations, cookies, candy, Christmas music, Christmas movies, shopping trips, just anything to do with the season was a staple in my house. Even though money was tight and we weren’t overwhelmed with gifts, the season, especially the big day, felt incredibly special. It didnt hurt that the big day was preceded by Christmas parties galore.

There was also a flip side to all of this. Being a child of divorce,  everything tends to be a little more difficult. You would think with two homes that two Christmases and double the presents would be great, but this is not the case. Even though my parents basically hate each other, I would have much rather had a unified family. This experience shaped my intentions and goals as a parent especially where holidays are concerned.

I always loved Christmas when I was growing up, even into my teenage years. When I turned 18, that all changed. I started working retail, entertainment retail to be exact, a part time job while I was attending college. I started a couple of months before the holiday season got into full swing so I didnt quite know what to expect. By the time that first Christmas season was over, I was pretty jaded to the whole thing. Several more years dealing with greedy kids and their “this isn’t the exact thing I was looking for and you don’t have it so you’re a worthless piece of shit and you’re ruining my kids Christmas and you should hate yourself” parents didn’t exactly do much to revive the holiday spirit. Several more years in retail only reinforced my contempt for all things Christmas until one Christmas about three and a half years ago…

My wife and I had found out several months earlier that we were expecting shortly after Christmas. Everything seemed normal going into the season but it seemed as though the closer Christmas got, the more excited I was for it. Could it be? Did my heart grow three sizes that day? Not quite, but my love for the holiday was back in full swing. Music, movies, get togethers, the whole shebang. Then, less than two weeks after Christmas, my son was born.

Today marked my son’s third Christmas and the first one where he really had a good idea as to what was going on. Every year since he was born it seems like I get a little more excited when the big three holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, roll around. I love to see his little face light up at decorations, family dinners, Christmas movies, and of course, all the presents. My favorite thing by far though is giving him better Christmases than I ever had. My favorite thing in life is to see him happy and I have never seen him happier than he was last night and today at family gatherings. The overwhelming feeling I get is that these are the memories I will cherish for the rest of my life, the type of memories I will recall with great fondness when my life is drawing to a close hopefully several decades in the future. Long story short, this is how I started loving, hating, and loving, albeit for a totally different reason, Christmas.

I hope the holidays found you and your family healthy and happy as much as it did mine. I hope you have many more to come and make some really special memories with your family and friends. Merry Christmas til next year from my family to yours.

-Heath

25 Films of Christmas: The Nightmare Before Christmas

This should have posted last night but I nodded off…

Boys and girls of every age, wouldn’t you like to see something strange? Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween. This is one of those movies I have to watch again around Christmas. It may be cheating to do this movie again but it is also one of my favorite Christmas movies. So Zero light the way as we fly into The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Another Halloween has come to an end and Jack Skellington, A.K.A The Pumpkin King, has grown bored with the same old routine. While out for a walk and song one evening he discovers the portal to Christmas land where he finds everything he thinks he’s been missing. He goes back to Halloween town with the plan of taking over Christmas. Jack and the citizens of Halloween town spend the next year plotting, planning and creating. Sandy Claws gets kidnapped, Sally tries to discourage Jack and in the end Jack learns that the grass isn’t always greener under the snow. And if by some chance you haven’t watched this gem, then I won’t spoil Oogie Boogie for you.

Celebrating twenty years, The Nightmare Before Christmas is just an awesome film and one that has become a tradition in my home. Even if you ignore the fact that it took three years and a hundred people to complete this stop motion masterpiece, even if you ignore the amazing soundtrack and the Nightmare Revisited version featuring rock covers of the songs you can’t ignore the great story behind it all. For those reasons and many more The Nightmare Before Christmas gets a ranking of: Stick To Your Own Holiday Jack. Till next time friends, Stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

A Cinephiles Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, And all through the houses,
Cinephiles awaited gifts, From their friends and their spouses,
The stockings were stuffed, With Directors cuts unrated,
Hoping they weren’t films, They had watched and had hated,
The children were snuggled, the Netflix fire crackling,
With visions of theater gift cards, they’d soon be unwrapping,
With the wife in her PJ’s, to the bedroom we did creep,
Not for that you pervs, we just wanted to sleep,
Then on my phone came a call from a friend,
“Lets hang,” he said, “and watch The Worlds End”
“Or if you want, we could watch Smaugs Desolation,
Hell if you want we’ll watch Christmas Vacation”,
As I sat and pondered, over movies to see,
An easy decision was skipping Hangover Three,
Twelve Years A Slave or Nebraska, they both seemed appealing,
From all of the options,my mind was left reeling,
Frozen, American Hustle or perhaps Catching Fire,
The Book Thief or Anchorman 2, we were down to the wire,
With so many choices, no way could I lose,
I was sure to be entertained, no matter how I choose,
3D or IMAX or a regular viewing,
Or maybe my Netflix just needed renewing,
At home or in theaters, so many choices remain,
So Merry Viewing to you friends and stay entertained.

Merry Christmas friends from our families to yours.

-YDKSAF

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

25 Films of Christmas: Jack Frost

I imagine the writers having this conversation amongst clouds of weed smoke: Writer 1- “Dude, what if Frosty The Snowman were, like, real?” Writer 2- “Dude, what if he was your dad?” Writer 1- “That would be so cool buddy!” Writer 2- (giggling) “He’d be the worlds coolest dad.” And that children is how taglines for movies are born. What could make for a happier holiday film than the story of a father that dies and comes back as a snowman, grab your mittens and lets talk about Jack Frost.

Jack Frost (I gotta take a second here friends to say that if your last name is Frost and you think of naming your baby boy Jack cause you think its the coolest thing in life, then I pray to Batman your son puts you in a second rate nursing home when you’re older…anyway) is a struggling blues musician trying to make ends meet to provide for his family. That means that sometimes he has to miss hockey games in order to play a gig, don’t be an ungrateful little bastard Charlie at least he’s trying. Jack plans to take the family up to the cabin for Christmas but gets an opportunity that could make his career and amidst hurt feelings he decides to do what could be beneficial for his family. On the way he feels guilty, borrows a friends car and heads back home for a Christmas surprise. Theres a snowstorm, faulty windshield wiper and he wrecks the car and dies. A year later he returns as a snowman reconnects with his son and we’re left feeling warm, fuzzy and even laughing at times

Its a good watch considering for 83.7% of the film Michael Keaton is a snowman. It hits all the highs and lows that the family/comedy/drama/fantasy/Christmas film should and you can bet they hit every snow pun and joke along the way. Thats why Jack Frost gets a ranking of: A Snowdad Is Better Than No Dad. Till next time friends, stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

25 Films of Christmas: Rare Exports

Ever wonder what the world would be like if Santa was a bit more old testament. What if the bad children were dragged away in potato sacks and given to a horned creature? Well there would be a lot less assholes in the world for one thing and kids would also behave a lot better. There would be no need for parents to use elves on shelves to threaten their children into being nice, the threat of being boiled alive and having the marrow sucked from their bones would be enough to keep them in line. We’re going over seas for this one friends, tonight we’re talking Rare Exports.

If you’ve never given it a watch I want to save it all for you. I know normally here we would give you a brief discussion of the film but for this one I thought I’d try something different http://youtu.be/2pH9IyqTk1E give the trailer a watch. Heres a taste: Pietari is a good boy that makes the best of an odd situation after an excavating team uncovers more than they were looking for and shit starts going south.

I went into this film thinking it was going to be the usual Christmas horror film and ended up surprised by how well it was done. If you don’t mind subtitles in your Christmas movies then I urge you to give this a watch, hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Adding a little creepiness to your holiday, Rare Exports get a ranking of: You’d Better Watch Out. Till next time friends, stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

25 Films of Christmas: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Is there anything better than a Christmas road trip movie. (Probably but for the purpose of tonights discussion we’ll pretend otherwise.) The excitement of whether or not they’ll make it home in time to celebrate with their family. The thrill each new roadblock brings as they learn things about themselves and the true meaning of Christmas. I’m sure there are probably better ones out there but tonight where talking I’ll Be Home For Christmas.

Jake hasn’t been home for Christmas since his mother passed away a few years ago but his recently remarried father has figured out a way to get him home this year, bribe him with a Porsche. Jake and his girl are ready to head east when Rival Eddie and his friends snatch Jake and leave him in the desert dressed as Santa. On his cross country trip, from L.A. to New York, he helps turn a thief’s life around, save a marriage and wins a Santa race. If I need to tell you how this one ends then you haven’t been paying attention so far.

Its an often overlooked Christmas movie that is really quite entertaining. Featuring Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jessica Biel in a Disney attempt to cash in on their popularity, it actually has a good story and provides some genuine laughs. It may not rank as one of my favorite Christmas films but it beats the hell out of Santa Buddies. For that reason, I’ll Be Home For Christmas gets a ranking of: Hey Jingle Balls, Move Your Candy Canes. Till next time friends, stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

25 Films of Christmas: Miracle on 34th Street

We’re digging deep tonight friends, way back to 1947, back when Macys department store had the real Santa in their Thanksgiving day parade. I remember the first time I watched this film with my grandfather, I started off thinking it was going to suck. There were no cartoons, it was in black and white and I’m pretty sure I had a cold or the flu that day, which always made me extra sonofabitchy. Grandpa quietened me down with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and wrapped a quilt around me. My grandpa taught me something that day, he taught me that I should give everything a chance, at least watch a little while before deciding its not for me…thanks grandpa…and now on to the show.

Kris Kringle shows up at Macys on the day of their big parade and finds the man playing him drunk. Ole Kris is pissed to say the least and rats the drunk out to the boss. They let Kris take over and he does so well they offer to let him play the role in the store. There he meets a smallish girl that has been raised by her mother to not believe in fairy tales and junk. The girls mother insist that he tell her daughter that he isn’t the real Santa Claus but he remains steadfast, insisting that he is indeed the jolly old elf. Some want him fired others love the old guy and somehow we end up in court. By the end its all sleigh bells and sugar plums.

Miracle on 34th Street was a favorite to watch with my grandpa, every year until he passed we watched it and those times are some of my best memories with him. I’ve never bothered watching the remake, could be better or worse but the one for me is this one because it takes me back. For that reason and some others, Miracle on 34th Street get a ranking of: If Thats Normal, I Don’t Want It. Till next time freinds, stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown

25 Films of Christmas: Frosty the Snowman

Which came first, the song or the cartoon Christmas movie. This is another of those wonderful Christmas time movies that played every year as I grew up and was another way I counted down the days till Santa came. For days after watching I would think about how awesome it would be to find a magic hat and bring a snowman to life. Unfortunately I live in a part of the country where it rarely snows and when it does people lose their shit and if there were a magic hat that brought a snowman to life they would most likely take up torches and pitchforks…sigh…lets talk Frosty.

“Happy Birthday”

Its Christmas time and what better way to get the children in the spirit than to hire a magician, at least thats what the teacher thinks. The magicians act falls short and he throws his hat out with his rabbit still in it. The children get out of class, build a snowman and name him Frosty. A gust of wind catches the hat and it lands on Frostys head, bringing him to life long enough to utter the words “Happy Birthday” and then the magic man shows up and snatches it off poor Frosty, causing him to die or turn back into just snow. Not to fear he returns the hat with plans to steal it back later. Frosty is reanimated, Lovecraft style, and the children love the walking snowcone so much that they vow to get him to the North Pole before summer comes and he melts or the asshole magician snatches his hat again. By the end all is right with the world and we’re left singing Frostys praises.

Frosty the Snowman is a great story based on a song or is it a song based on a story, I’m sure I could have googled it but either way its entertaining and teaches us a wonderful lesson and that lesson is, Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers. Its another of those Christmas classics that have been keeping us in the Christmas spirit for years. For those reasons, Frosty The Snowman gets a ranking of: Don’t Cry Karen. Till next time friends, stay entertained.

-D

@ShitAboutFuck
@dhbates87
@onetripdown