"God rest the souls of that poor family... and pussy's half price for the next 15 minutes!"

I have just finished watching the entire first season of the HBO series, Deadwood, and I must say I was impressed. I have been reluctant to watch the show for reasons I can't even formulate now that I've seen it and I cannot wait to rent the next season.

"Deadwood" is about a gold mining town in the Black Hills (S.Dakota) following the battle at Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand). The land was not technically U.S. territory because it had been annexed to the Native American Sioux Tribe. After the discovery of gold and U.S. anti-Indian attitudes flamed by the slaughter at Little Big Horn, it was inevitable that the gold-rich Black Hills would be reclaimed by the U.S....but not before tens of thousands of miners flooded the region with the intention of raping the land more than just gold!

While Timothy Olyphant is brilliant as real life U.S. Marshall/pioneer Seth Bullock, it is Ian McShane's performance as the owner of the Gem Saloon/Brothel, Al Swearengen, that stands out as the most fulfilling as well as most disturbing. Al is a selfish, emotionless, misogynistic, killer whose only goal in life is to sell booze and "Snatch" at premium prices. As evil as Al can be, he seldom lets his human frailty show and it is during these times that the audience is faced with conflicting emotions of hatred and sympathy. Al is a character you hate to love and love to hate! The characters of Deadwood range from note worthy historic figures such as Bullock and Swearengen, to famous historical icons such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, to fictional characters that serve to fill in gaps in historical resources. David Milch, the creator, writer, and director of Deadwood, takes minor liberties with the historical facts but for the most part portrays life in a post-civil war mining camp as accurately as possible. Deadwood is not a show for prudish or squeamish viewers. Milch refuses to dilute history by censoring nudity, gore, drug use, or language. I thought people were simply being facetious when discussing the abundance of the word "cock sucker" in the show but after seeing the show for myself, I feel that most frat houses would be hard pressed to keep up with McShane's "colorful" language during a drinking contest. While some people will be turned off by the crass atmosphere of Deadwood, I highly recommend giving the show a chance if for no other reason than to learn more about the history of Indian subjugation and American hardships that followed the Civil War. I also recommend the HBO's series, ROME, for fans of historical docudramas. I might even write a blog on it in the future. Deadwood IMDb Site ROME IMDb Site

Fists of Fury!

I found this painting while searching for interesting artwork on random websites. This piece is entitled, "Bruce," and is obviously a portrait of Bruce Lee in a fighting pose. I've never been one of those "Bruce Lee fans," that puts up posters and watches the movies endlessly but I am a fan. I used to sneak out of bed at night to watch my grandfather's Bruce Lee movie collection, when I would sleep over at his house as a child, but I digress... The artist of this piece is Phil Hansen and what makes this a post worthy work of art is the method in which he painted it. Phil dipped his hands in black paint and punched/chopped on the massive canvas (95'' x 166'') until the image was completed. A video of this process can be found on his website: http://www.philinthecircle.com/bruce.html I highly suggest thoroughly checking out this website. There are many different works such as the portrait of George W. Bush composed of the names of the U.S. soldiers who have died in the current Iraq War; Kim Jong Il's mosaic of bloody bandages; and Mother Theresa's eyes composed of intricately positioned dandelions. This style of art appeals to me because of the deeper meanings brought out in the method in which the art was produced. Paint, brushed on canvas in traditional ways has its own place in my heart and is no less meaningful. However, when unique mediums are used, yet another level of interpretation is added. Looking at a work of art is not the only pleasure one can derive from it, pondering its past can be just as satisfying.

"Prepare for Glory!"

"300"

I loved this movie! I know it is a few months old but I am a huge fan of Frank Miller's and this movie got so much attention for its, so called, "political insinuations, " that I had to make it my first movie review:

Frank Miller's vibrant graphic novel has been brought to the big screen, by Director Zach Snyder, and loses nothing in translation. CGI effects are used for all of the background settings in this gorgeous representation of the heroic battle of Thermopylae, during which the Spartan King Leonidas I, with 300 of his personal guards, fended off thousand of Persian troops led by the self proclaimed God-king Xerxes I. If they can look past the gore and violence that is (for the most part) historically accurate, movie goers will see a vibrant tale that had been passed down for generations, visualized as only Frank Miller can. Many scenes, when stilled, could be considered works of art:

Historically, this is a flawed movie, however, I do believe this to be an accurate representation of the folk lore passed down throughout Spartan history. Sure, Spartan's wore chest plates and the Greeks had a massive armada battling the Persian navy all the while Leonidas fought with his 300 but the fight did happen and it did influence the eventual downfall of Xerxes and united the Athenians and Spartans against their foreign enemy. The story itself is inspirational, thought provoking, and timeless. This might contribute to the notion that the movie contains political jabs; I disagree. The political implications surrounding this movie insinuate that Snyder used Xerxes to emulate president Bush. In my opinion, this is ridiculous. The story is as accurate as is could be and is a great representation of Frank Miller's comic, which was written long before Bush's unjustifiable war on Iraq. The comparison can be made but to imply it was intentional is irresponsible and unfounded. I am not a fan of president Bush, but his comparison to Xerxes or Leonidas implies that he is a calculating tactician who is on the verge of controlling the world. Like all politicians, Bush is influential, ambitious, and has made many mistakes but I don't give him or any other politician that kind of credit. I would, however, offer a historic comparison of the sacrifice of ALL 300 soldiers at this historic battle to what is happening in Iraq right now. The future is uncertain on whether or not the massive sacrifice American soldiers have made during this war will be justified in the future...just as the death of Leonidas's 300 inspired an uprising that could be attributed with the survival of democracy in the world. I can only hope that the outcome is as favorable in our current circumstance. In short: 300 is a visually stunning movie that accomplishes the goal of paying tribute to the sacrifice made by Leonidas and his troops as well as the brilliance of Frank Miller's graphic novel. Buy or rent the DVD as soon as it is available if it is too late to see it at your local theater (the Imax experience if possible).

Blog! Blog! Your Not Looking at the Big Picture!

Well, fellow bloggers, here I am. I have begun and abandoned many blogs in the past; partly because of my inability to generate interest outside of my closest friends. I like the set up and posting options of this particular site, thus I have decided to give the blogging scene another go. My interest, with this particular blog, is primarily with pop culture (movies, music, books, video games, comics, etc...) and its influence by and on American culture. Many of my posts will revolve around my opinions on current elements of pop culture, however, that is not to say I will not stray into politics, personal events, or classic reviews. I will attempt to keep this blog as fresh and interesting as possible. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.