Musings from the basement...

Basking in the majesty of Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

January 4, 2017 13 Comments

Let’s talk about David Lean’s landmark epic Lawrence Of Arabia. By now, the film’s reputation is well established. Considered by many to be one of the greatest films of all time (it certainly ranks high on my personal list), in 1962 Lawrence Of Arabia garnered seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Peter O’Toole’s tortured performance is the stuff of legend, and its on-screen vistas have inspired filmmakers from Stephen Spielberg to Martin Scorsese to Peter Jackson. Even people who have never seen it at least know of its lofty reputation. But some classic films of yesteryear have a way of surviving on praise rather than lasting merit; people cite a film for greatness simply because you’re supposed to, others repeat what they’ve heard, and before long…
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Films

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How do I make a second edition of Breaking Down Breaking Bad worthwhile?

December 29, 2016 17 Comments

Breaking Down Breaking Bad

Back in late 2013, I decided to try an experiment: I decided I’d self-publish a book of television commentary on a show I was obsessed with at the time, Breaking Bad. The result was Breaking Down Breaking Bad. The idea was a culmination of several things coming together at once. I’d had over a decade in journalism and knew I could meet a deadline, and with the show coming to an end it looked like a great time to hit the world with something. I’d also been Editor in Chief for a website devoted to movie and TV criticism for a few years, so I’d been down the “critic” road before (though admittedly, it was never my jam; didn’t enjoy doing reviews then, don’t enjoy…
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Television, Works by Eric, Writing

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5 Songs for your Lousy Christmas Weekend

December 23, 2016 4 Comments

Last year, I posted about the Top 5 Christmas Songs of All Time, and it’s a perfect list. There is no arguing with it. This year, I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m just going to give you 5 cool Christmas songs to check out, especially if you aren’t one of those awful people who like to listen to Christmas music all the time (and if you are, what is wrong with you and can you have it removed?). So here. Do this one thing: Listen, and have a nice day thing event: 5) Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis Combination gimmick and genuine Christmas storytelling goodness from the part of town Christmas songs don’t usually talk about, do not deny the awesome. Santa will be mad…
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Music, Videos

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I’ll be broadcasting live this Friday from Youtube, because I am a colossal idiot

December 15, 2016 8 Comments

You may know that I co-host a modest little nerd&nostalgia show on Youtube. It’s fun. And sometimes stupid. And fun. But mostly stupid. I’d not have it any other way. The really stupid thing, though, is that I let my co-host, Tig of Nerd Out With Me, convince me to do a live Christmas special this Friday night. So that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to broadcast live for hours, doing god knows what. Maybe singing Christmas songs while drinking beer and swinging replica Lord of the Rings axes at one another and accidentally breaking family heirlooms. We’ll have some special guests, including Bad Luck Bootsy from Cinemassacre / Angry Video Game Nerd. It’s going to be awful in the most wonderful of ways and…
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Geek Stuff, Videos, Works by Eric

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Puddles Pity Party is the greatest show on Earth

December 3, 2016 12 Comments

Last night, I watched a gigantic clown chew gum and sing “Under Pressure” while forcing an audience member to eat pastries. It was the greatest. I’m talking about Puddles of Puddles Pity Party, and if you don’t remember the name, you’ll probably remember the sight of him from his viral collaboration with Postmodern Jukebox:   Yeah, that guy. Toweringly tall, decked out in black and white garb, and projecting an air of detached sadness as he eases through a pop song with a disturbingly powerful voice. Based on stuff like this and his Sia cover with the same group of quasi-retro hipsters, it would be easy to assume that Puddles is a gimmick, and one with a limited shelf life. One you’d only be able…
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Music, Random Musings

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