In today's New York Times Book Review, Clive James, critic extraordinaire, says a good review says, "Look at this! This is good."
LOOK AT THIS! THIS IS GOOD.
Warning: yes, it's an art film. It's deep. It doesn't settle for cheap moments.
Ryan Gosling is scary as the well-meaning carney who tries to settle down for the baby son he didn't know he didn't have. It's a lot like his role in Drive, the working class dude who keeps to himself, says little, seems to have an ethic, and then has to violate it. Not new stuff, but he's good doing it. Again.
Bradley Cooper is excellent as the lawyer-turned-cop whose life is changed by Gosling. He does a good job with the role of the man whose life is in flux when he appears in the film, then becomes a Greek tragedy -- hero, then goat.
It's deep stuff.
Ray Liotta is good as the menacing older cop; Harry Yulin is good as Cooper's father; Bruce Greenwood is his usual quality as the DA; and Rose Byrne (who doesn't love Rose Byrne?) is excellent as Cooper's troubled wife (who wants to be a cops wife?).
And I have to mention the camera work. Director Derek Cianfrance uses hand-held (isn't it?) for some of the chase scenes, making you wish you had taken your Dramamine, and his writing work (he's one of the credited ones) deserves kudos -- the pines of the title play a subtle role in the whole and the dialogue is sharp.
Great cast, good story, interesting visuals.
See it.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Wood You Give Me a V?
I have been asked if there was going to be a blog on the Wood Memorial. Really...not making it up.
So, here it is.
Let's start with the Derby picture: Vyjack and Verrazano are probably in the Derby (assuming they want to make the trek and rough it up with 20 3-yea-olds for a few million in prizes and breeding) and Elnaawi has points and could sneak in.
But none of them has a Beyer speed rating that looks like Derby stuff. Vyjack won the Gotham Stakes and put up a 93. Verrazano won the Tampa Derby with a 101. Experts claim you need to get above 105 to get into the Derby talk.
So, you wonder how good this field is.
The best Beyer number in the field is Verrazano's 105 in February at Gulfstream Park.
These two scores explain Verrazano's 4/5 on the morning line.
There's no money in that.
Maybe you use Verrazano in an exotic (it's the 8), like an 8 with XY.
What else to play?
This is why it's called gambling.
Who will improve on their Beyer numbers? Who won't? How fast will the race be run? How will it be run -- there seems to be early speed (this was Vyjack's rep before the Gotham) -- so who finishes in the longest race of most of the field's career? Who knows?
This is the way to play it: Normandy Invasion (the 2) across the board -- win, place & show. At 5:1 on the opening line, there's value there, and with a close 5th in the Risen Star (with a 91 rating) & a 99 in placing 2nd in the Remsen, he's a quality horse. There's money there.
Exotics? I'd go 8 over 2 & 4 (Elnaawi). If you are feeling good and want THE long shot, add #6 Mr Palmer, up from Laurel after a win in the mile and 1/8th Private Terms, or Go Get the Basil, the 9 @ 30:1, with a 93 Beyer rating in mile and 70 yard optional claimer at Aqueduct last month.
Got the dough? How about covering 8, 2, 4, 6 & 5 (Vyjack) in the Superfecta? 8-2 over 4,6,5? or 8,2,4 over 4,6,5?
The good news: it should be a fun race. There are several horses look like they can win. The two V's and Normandy Invasion and maybe Mr Palmer way out there. And some potentially huge exotic numbers.
That's my call. Normandy Invasion is where the value is. You heard it here. If I'm right, tell your friends. If not, this will disappear (automatically) into the ether. :)
So, here it is.
Let's start with the Derby picture: Vyjack and Verrazano are probably in the Derby (assuming they want to make the trek and rough it up with 20 3-yea-olds for a few million in prizes and breeding) and Elnaawi has points and could sneak in.
But none of them has a Beyer speed rating that looks like Derby stuff. Vyjack won the Gotham Stakes and put up a 93. Verrazano won the Tampa Derby with a 101. Experts claim you need to get above 105 to get into the Derby talk.
So, you wonder how good this field is.
The best Beyer number in the field is Verrazano's 105 in February at Gulfstream Park.
These two scores explain Verrazano's 4/5 on the morning line.
There's no money in that.
Maybe you use Verrazano in an exotic (it's the 8), like an 8 with XY.
What else to play?
This is why it's called gambling.
Who will improve on their Beyer numbers? Who won't? How fast will the race be run? How will it be run -- there seems to be early speed (this was Vyjack's rep before the Gotham) -- so who finishes in the longest race of most of the field's career? Who knows?
This is the way to play it: Normandy Invasion (the 2) across the board -- win, place & show. At 5:1 on the opening line, there's value there, and with a close 5th in the Risen Star (with a 91 rating) & a 99 in placing 2nd in the Remsen, he's a quality horse. There's money there.
Exotics? I'd go 8 over 2 & 4 (Elnaawi). If you are feeling good and want THE long shot, add #6 Mr Palmer, up from Laurel after a win in the mile and 1/8th Private Terms, or Go Get the Basil, the 9 @ 30:1, with a 93 Beyer rating in mile and 70 yard optional claimer at Aqueduct last month.
Got the dough? How about covering 8, 2, 4, 6 & 5 (Vyjack) in the Superfecta? 8-2 over 4,6,5? or 8,2,4 over 4,6,5?
The good news: it should be a fun race. There are several horses look like they can win. The two V's and Normandy Invasion and maybe Mr Palmer way out there. And some potentially huge exotic numbers.
That's my call. Normandy Invasion is where the value is. You heard it here. If I'm right, tell your friends. If not, this will disappear (automatically) into the ether. :)
Monday, April 1, 2013
Spring is in the...Nevermind! It's still Baseball Season
New sport! New season.
Josh is currently sitting at PNC Field. I think I just saw him. I just want to know if this is what fun looks like at Pirates Field? 3-0 Cubs.
Bryce Harper has already hit two runs and the Nats have won. What a world we live in.
And the Red Sox and Yankees are playing and the baseball nation doesn't really care. At least until one of them limps into May or even June with a chance of keeping up with the Rays, Jays, and O's (if only it rhymed, too).
Writing this as I wait on the opening pitch of the White Sox game. Lifelong White Sox fan. Don't remember a lot of opening day wins. Don't remember a lot of opening day good weather (like today's high of 39), either.
And this team isn't exactly scintillating. No big changes from last year's good, but not great, team. Lost John Danks for awhile on the DL before the season started. I know one of the ESPN fantasy experts has Paulie Konerko as a "sell"...which may or may not turn out to be true. Will Alex Rios match last year's career year? Will Viciedo? And what about the constant hole at third base since Joe Crede hurt his back what? seven years ago?
If they can pitch, they can contend. We'll see how that works out.
As for my other team, who I've rooted for since the '64 World Series (as a Midwesterner and a Yankees hater, it was a sweet Series), they look solid. Some have them getting in as a wild card, again, second to the Cardinals. No one thinks the Pirates or Brewers have done enough to catch them in the division, and everyone loves the Reds. Except me. Though I see why one picks them.
It should be an interesting season, if it holds to form. From the midwest, we moved east in late '64 and my father became a Washington Senators fan, taking me to a handful of games a year for several years. So I have a nostalgic affection for the Nats. And everyone has them winning the World Series.
And you know how that works out in baseball.
Ask the Rangers of the last three years.
Josh is currently sitting at PNC Field. I think I just saw him. I just want to know if this is what fun looks like at Pirates Field? 3-0 Cubs.
Bryce Harper has already hit two runs and the Nats have won. What a world we live in.
And the Red Sox and Yankees are playing and the baseball nation doesn't really care. At least until one of them limps into May or even June with a chance of keeping up with the Rays, Jays, and O's (if only it rhymed, too).
Writing this as I wait on the opening pitch of the White Sox game. Lifelong White Sox fan. Don't remember a lot of opening day wins. Don't remember a lot of opening day good weather (like today's high of 39), either.
And this team isn't exactly scintillating. No big changes from last year's good, but not great, team. Lost John Danks for awhile on the DL before the season started. I know one of the ESPN fantasy experts has Paulie Konerko as a "sell"...which may or may not turn out to be true. Will Alex Rios match last year's career year? Will Viciedo? And what about the constant hole at third base since Joe Crede hurt his back what? seven years ago?
If they can pitch, they can contend. We'll see how that works out.
As for my other team, who I've rooted for since the '64 World Series (as a Midwesterner and a Yankees hater, it was a sweet Series), they look solid. Some have them getting in as a wild card, again, second to the Cardinals. No one thinks the Pirates or Brewers have done enough to catch them in the division, and everyone loves the Reds. Except me. Though I see why one picks them.
It should be an interesting season, if it holds to form. From the midwest, we moved east in late '64 and my father became a Washington Senators fan, taking me to a handful of games a year for several years. So I have a nostalgic affection for the Nats. And everyone has them winning the World Series.
And you know how that works out in baseball.
Ask the Rangers of the last three years.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Admission: I'm not sure I like Cute
[Adding to the movie review series...haven't been for weeks due to travel and the low quality of what's out there -- no one has convinced me to spend my entertainment $ on Oz]
I have a friend named Hyser who is famous for his famous sayings. One, known as the "Hyser theory," says the more a movie is advertised, the worse it will be. You know what I mean: you haven't heard of a movie and then you hear a little buzz, go see it, and it turns out to be surprisingly good. Like Silver Linings or even the recent surprise Side Effects.
Admission, you know, the one starring the overexposed Tina Fey and the always appealing Paul Ruud, has gotten lots of press. I remember the first preview I saw of it in the fall. It looked pretty dumb. Not a very appealing premise (sorry Paul).
But it was better than the previews indicated, though hardly the best movie Ruud's ever made (The Shape of Things or I Love You, Man would be my top Ruud roles).
It wasn't so funny as it was cute.
You know, Paul Ruud's rustic, itinerant hippie type acting au natural to Fey's uptight college admission counselor role.
The whole "The guy who dated my roommate in college happens on my adopted son" thing was too much.
The whole "My friend in Uganda was killed in a car crash, so I adopted her 2-year-old son" thing was too cute, too.
The rivalry with Gloria Reuben is just...well, too cute.
The shots of the Princeton singers, the frat parties, the buildings...gives it a tone. Not quite "cute," -- okay, it's "cute."
In the end, it feels like a romantic comedy. Ruud & Fey end up together. Who knew? Just all of us.
Okay, this is making it sound "bad." It's not. It's just not wildly original. Pleasant entertainment and you root for Ruud and Fey, but it's hardly memorable. Even with a calf delivery scene.
It's probably as good, if not better, than the rest that's out there.
Sunday: Final to Final Four
It's the last day to determine the Final Four.
I hope the games are better than yesterday's.
Eventhough Ohio St got within striking distance late, it wasn't a tight game.
And Syracuse rocked Marquette. They shot less than 20% from the floor. Scored in the 30s? Yes, Colin Cowherd tweeted "Score in the 30s. I was waiting for Gene Hackman to call a timeout." Funny.
Let's hope today's 1 v. 2, 3 v. 4 matchups get us better games.
My breakdown:
Like Rick Pitino, I worry about Duke's two bigs being too mobile and good at shooting. They've been on. And will Seth Curry kill the zone? Does his having 29 mean a Duke wins?
On the other hand, I don't think Duke has an answer to either Smith or Silva. Maybe they turn it over a lot and Louisville wins in the transition game.
In game one, it's Michigan v. Florida. As I said yesterday, I've not seen them play a full game yet, so it's hard to gauge the Gators. It may be McGary v. Murphy. But Burke & Hardaway might be too much for Florida to handle. Might.
I'd love wins by Wolverines & Cards. Gators winning means I probably lose my bracket (I'm still in first).
Let's hope for some quality games. Yeah rah.
And baseball season starts tomorrow!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Saturday Elite 8 & UCLA & Alford
I'm still trying to recover from the Michigan comeback against Kansas. Yes, I thought it was over, too. Many times. But the yellow-clads didn't and then Trey Burke poured in a couple treys and they were in overtime and in shell shock. Big win. Big for my bracket (yes, Dbrolaw and I had Michigan).
The Louisville game was more interesting than I wanted it to be. But the Cardinals (my championship pick) had enough to beat Oregon, who, of course, looked good in their green outfits. Tough beating the Green Lantern, times five.
The Duke game was all Duke in the second half. Michigan State's guards didn't play well in the second half and that cost them. So did Nix sitting the bench in foul trouble. But Duke played well -- moved the ball well & shot free throws well. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give Louisville all they can handle.
Florida beat Gulf Coast badly. Not sure what to make of the game or the performance (hey, I was groggy at 12:30 a.m. and the fourth game), but there you have it: the Gators in the Elite Eight again.
I think they have the edge on Michigan, but the boys in yellow seem on a mission.
The Louisville game was more interesting than I wanted it to be. But the Cardinals (my championship pick) had enough to beat Oregon, who, of course, looked good in their green outfits. Tough beating the Green Lantern, times five.
The Duke game was all Duke in the second half. Michigan State's guards didn't play well in the second half and that cost them. So did Nix sitting the bench in foul trouble. But Duke played well -- moved the ball well & shot free throws well. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give Louisville all they can handle.
Florida beat Gulf Coast badly. Not sure what to make of the game or the performance (hey, I was groggy at 12:30 a.m. and the fourth game), but there you have it: the Gators in the Elite Eight again.
I think they have the edge on Michigan, but the boys in yellow seem on a mission.
Today?
I need Marquette to win. But the Syracuse zone looked so good against Indiana -- it's hard to believe it'll crack enough today. Marquette beat them in Milwaukee in February, but it's a different 'Cuse team now. I'd love to see the Rainbow Warriors...errr, Golden Eagles...win, but it'll be tough.
Game 2, Ohio State plays against a much lower seeded team, having barely gotten through the last two games, I'm not counting on the Buckeyes blowing it open. If the Wichita big guys play well, it could be a surprise 9 seed in the FF. But they'll have to get past Craft and the Buckeye guards.
UCLA
Earlier in the week, I got into a Twitter thread over whether UCLA was a Top Six program for a coach. I said no. We all wanted to see who they ended up with.
Steve Alford.
It's not a bad hire. It's not Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens, the young "we-wants" in every search. But Alford's done a good job at three straight programs and this year's New Mexico team was considerably better than the UCLA one. Probably true the last several years.
Which this give some boost to the UCLA program?
A little. Not much.
It confirms my analysis of UCLA just being a good power conference school, not one of the jobs you leave anywhere to get. Albuquerque isn't anywhere. It's a job an elite coach is probably leaving (sorry NM and Mountain West). And it wasn't clear, like Iowa, Alford isn't leaving just as his time is running out -- losing in the first round of the tournament with a 3 seed is the type of thing that gets questions asked.
I stick to my Twitter thought -- it's not a top six program. If it was, Stevens or Smart would be there.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Good Friday: Last night, Tonight, & the Gottlieb Factor
It's day two of the Sweet 16 (#Sweet16) of the Tournament.
And it should be fun.
A recap of last night:
Marquette pounded Miami like the red-headed stepchild & won by "only" 10 (Vern Lundquist said that final score wasn't indicative of the game and it wasn't). They neutralized Shane Larkin, cut to the basket well, and Miami shot poorly.
It wasn't a particularly good game.
Neither was game 2 in that bracket: IU & Syracuse. IU never seemed prepared to attack the fabled 'Cuse 2-3 zone, turned it over a lot (11 in the 1st half), shot poorly, and just plain got beat. Good season, but ended with a thud. I said in y'day's blog that 'Cuse was playing well these last three weeks.
The second game out West wasn't any good, either, with Wichita State putting the shock on LaSalle. In the Big v. Small matchup, big won. They went inside a lot, shot well from outside, and ate them up on the boards. And, of course, LaSalle, like Miami and IU, shot poorly and turned it over too much. At one point Galloway was O fer 7 or 8...not the way to win that kind of game.
The best game was Ohio St-Arizona. Doug Gottlieb picked Arizona to go to Final Four on his show Wednesday night. KOD. Ohio St. milked the clock at the end of another tie game and buried the killer trey.
To tonight:
Duke-Michigan St. is a great matchup. 2 vs 3. I heard all morning that the one-on-ones match up well, but I don't think so. I think Plumley and Kelley are clearly better players than Nix and Paine. I'm not sure it'll show tonight, but I think that's the case. The question is can Duke's guards match up with MSU's? Will Curry get his points? Duke doesn't like physical games -- hasn't for a long time, if ever -- and it'll probably be a game like the Marquette one last night -- half court with lots of bodies bouncing.
If MSU can shoot a little, they win.
Louisville-Oregon. People keep saying Oregon shouldn't be a 12 seed. Then they should be a 6, like their regular season champ UCLA or Arizona? It still makes it a 1-6 game. I like Louisville. They are double-digit favorites. Biggest shock of the #Sweet16 if they lose.
In the other bracket, my bracket buster is Michigan-Kansas. A nice 1 v. 4 game. I've never been convinced Kansas was a 1 & I thought Michigan deserved better than a 4. I think Burke shows what quality guard play looks like, like he did against VCU, and Kansas has no answer on the perimeter. Withey might be the difference. I hope not.
Then there's the Florida championship game. The Gators went to Elite Eight last year and have most everyone back. I think whoever comes out of other side of this beats them Sunday, but I'd be mildly surprised to see Gulf Coast, double digit 'dogs, win again. They don't have the depth and it's not clear they can consistently run a half court offense. Jay Bilas thinks they have a better chance than Oregon of the upset.
And for Doug Gottlieb -- he says on last night's pre game show Miami is going to pound Marquette. He says Wednesday Arizona is going to win next two games. He's way wrong. And then he makes the "white guy" crack, which Charles Barkley is right about, it's just a dumb joke...but dumb seems to be Gottlieb's current mode. I'm sure it'd be wrong, but right now I hope he picks counter to everything in my bracket. He's got KOD going big-time. KOD.
Go Wolverines. Go Cardinals. See y'all tomorrah
And it should be fun.
A recap of last night:
Marquette pounded Miami like the red-headed stepchild & won by "only" 10 (Vern Lundquist said that final score wasn't indicative of the game and it wasn't). They neutralized Shane Larkin, cut to the basket well, and Miami shot poorly.
It wasn't a particularly good game.
Neither was game 2 in that bracket: IU & Syracuse. IU never seemed prepared to attack the fabled 'Cuse 2-3 zone, turned it over a lot (11 in the 1st half), shot poorly, and just plain got beat. Good season, but ended with a thud. I said in y'day's blog that 'Cuse was playing well these last three weeks.
The second game out West wasn't any good, either, with Wichita State putting the shock on LaSalle. In the Big v. Small matchup, big won. They went inside a lot, shot well from outside, and ate them up on the boards. And, of course, LaSalle, like Miami and IU, shot poorly and turned it over too much. At one point Galloway was O fer 7 or 8...not the way to win that kind of game.
The best game was Ohio St-Arizona. Doug Gottlieb picked Arizona to go to Final Four on his show Wednesday night. KOD. Ohio St. milked the clock at the end of another tie game and buried the killer trey.
To tonight:
Duke-Michigan St. is a great matchup. 2 vs 3. I heard all morning that the one-on-ones match up well, but I don't think so. I think Plumley and Kelley are clearly better players than Nix and Paine. I'm not sure it'll show tonight, but I think that's the case. The question is can Duke's guards match up with MSU's? Will Curry get his points? Duke doesn't like physical games -- hasn't for a long time, if ever -- and it'll probably be a game like the Marquette one last night -- half court with lots of bodies bouncing.
If MSU can shoot a little, they win.
Louisville-Oregon. People keep saying Oregon shouldn't be a 12 seed. Then they should be a 6, like their regular season champ UCLA or Arizona? It still makes it a 1-6 game. I like Louisville. They are double-digit favorites. Biggest shock of the #Sweet16 if they lose.
In the other bracket, my bracket buster is Michigan-Kansas. A nice 1 v. 4 game. I've never been convinced Kansas was a 1 & I thought Michigan deserved better than a 4. I think Burke shows what quality guard play looks like, like he did against VCU, and Kansas has no answer on the perimeter. Withey might be the difference. I hope not.
Then there's the Florida championship game. The Gators went to Elite Eight last year and have most everyone back. I think whoever comes out of other side of this beats them Sunday, but I'd be mildly surprised to see Gulf Coast, double digit 'dogs, win again. They don't have the depth and it's not clear they can consistently run a half court offense. Jay Bilas thinks they have a better chance than Oregon of the upset.
And for Doug Gottlieb -- he says on last night's pre game show Miami is going to pound Marquette. He says Wednesday Arizona is going to win next two games. He's way wrong. And then he makes the "white guy" crack, which Charles Barkley is right about, it's just a dumb joke...but dumb seems to be Gottlieb's current mode. I'm sure it'd be wrong, but right now I hope he picks counter to everything in my bracket. He's got KOD going big-time. KOD.
Go Wolverines. Go Cardinals. See y'all tomorrah
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