Today I watched a documentary on youtube called Catching Hell. It's the story of the infamous game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins. It's not the first time I watched this documentary. I've seen it on TV a few times before. I just wanted to write about it because I'm a huge fan of baseball and this remains a very controversial game today.
To any readers who don't follow baseball, let me explain the relevance of this particular game. The Chicago Cubs have a long history of losing. They havn't won a World Series since 1908. They were playing the Florida Marlins in the NLCS. they were winning the best of seven series 3 games to 2. If they won this game, they would go to the World Series. The Cubs were winning this game 3-0 going into the top of the 8th inning. they were 5 outs away from going to the World Series when the Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo stepped up to the plate. He hit a foul ball into the left field stands. The Cubs left fielder Moises Alou attempted to make a leaping catch, but a fan named Steve Bartman reached out and deflected the ball in an attempt to catch it. After this play the wheels fell off for the Cubs. The Marlins scored 8 runs that inning, won Game 6, and eventually won Game 7. Bartman quickly became the target of a lot of aggresion from angry fans. He got a lot of expletives screamed at him, death threats, etc.
Catching Hell was created by Alex Gibney who is a Boston Red Sox fan, So he made some interesting comparisons to Bill Buckner. The famous Red Sox first baseman who let a ground ball go through his legs that let the winning run score in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. If the Red Sox won that game they would've won their first World Series since 1918. I found those comparisons very interesting and they gave me goose bumps. I don't want to spoil too much in this review, but there are some odd coincidences that are mentioned about Bill Buckner who used to play for the Cubs before he was traded to the Red Sox. Overall this documentary was very informative. There are interviews with some fans who sat near Bartman and it's interesting to hear there side of the story.
This review wouldn't be complete without my opinion about this infamous play. I'm a die hard Milwaukee Brewers fan. I hate the Chicago Cubs. I was nine years old when this happened. The Brewers had a bad season and didn't make the postseason, so I was routing against the Cubs. I was very happy when the Cubs lost the series. I enjoyed every minute of their meltdown. That being said, The city of Chicago had absolultey no right to treat Bartman the way they did. The fans treated Bartman like he was Osama Bin Laden, or Adolf Hitler. for what? because he tried to catch a foul ball. Wrigley Field has no right to be called "The Friendly Confines" anymore. I do not believe Bartman is to blame at all for the Cubs downfall for 3 reasons. First of all. he wasn't the only person to reach for the ball. Secondly, the Cubs gave up 8 runs after that play. Bartman didn't give up the runs, The Cubs pitchers did. Lastly, even if Bartman did cause the Cubs to lose this game, he didn't lose the series for the Cubs he just forced a Game 7. The Cubs simply couldn't get it done. Bartman did what anybody else would've done. After all, It's every baseball fan's dream to catch a foul ball.
If you're a baseball fan, you need to watch this documentary. Even if you're not a Cubs or Marlins fan. This was part of the ESPN fiilms 30 for 30 that they did a couple years ago. They do air these documentaires from time to time so if you ever see it on the listings, I highly encourage you to watch it. You can also pick up the DVD on amazon for about 15 dollars. I give this documantary 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Han Solo and Boba Fett movies
Wow that happend fast. Almost as soon as I promise to report more news about Star Wars, more news breaks. It has been announced that along with the new Star Wars trilogy, new movies will be made talking about Han Solo's and Boba Fett's origin stories.
This is one of the many reasons why I was immediatley on board with Disney buying Star Wars because under George Lucas these movies would never be made. I don't know if these movies will be any good or not. It's too early to tell at this point Disney announced this news yesterday. I only heard about this a few minutes ago. The possibilities are endless with Disney owning Stat Wars. Personally I'd love to see a trilogy of movies about the Old Republic. Whenever I see the game trailers and The Sith sacks Coruscant I think to myself "That would be an awesome movie." But I'm interested to see what direction Disney will take with these characters. We saw a young Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones but I'd like his origin movie to be better than Attack of the Clones because I believe that movie was subpar. I'm very interested to see what Han Solo's origin story is. Mainly because he's one of my favorate characters of all-time. Movies depicting origin stories of characters are kind of hit-miss. X-Men Wolverine was a subpar movie. On the other hand, Batman Begins is one of my favorate movies of all-time. I'm not saying these movies will be as good as X-Men Wolverine or as good as Batman Begins. However I'm Interested to see these. This news has thrown me a curveball I honestly didn't expect this. I had a feeling that Disney was going to make more than 3 Star Wars movies but I didn't expect it this early. I mean just 3 months ago Disney bought LucasFilm and already we have an upcoming trilogy and origin stories on existing characters. If all this works out, this is a Star Wars fanboy's dream come true.
This is one of the many reasons why I was immediatley on board with Disney buying Star Wars because under George Lucas these movies would never be made. I don't know if these movies will be any good or not. It's too early to tell at this point Disney announced this news yesterday. I only heard about this a few minutes ago. The possibilities are endless with Disney owning Stat Wars. Personally I'd love to see a trilogy of movies about the Old Republic. Whenever I see the game trailers and The Sith sacks Coruscant I think to myself "That would be an awesome movie." But I'm interested to see what direction Disney will take with these characters. We saw a young Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones but I'd like his origin movie to be better than Attack of the Clones because I believe that movie was subpar. I'm very interested to see what Han Solo's origin story is. Mainly because he's one of my favorate characters of all-time. Movies depicting origin stories of characters are kind of hit-miss. X-Men Wolverine was a subpar movie. On the other hand, Batman Begins is one of my favorate movies of all-time. I'm not saying these movies will be as good as X-Men Wolverine or as good as Batman Begins. However I'm Interested to see these. This news has thrown me a curveball I honestly didn't expect this. I had a feeling that Disney was going to make more than 3 Star Wars movies but I didn't expect it this early. I mean just 3 months ago Disney bought LucasFilm and already we have an upcoming trilogy and origin stories on existing characters. If all this works out, this is a Star Wars fanboy's dream come true.
Top 10 Actresses to be in Star Wars
As I promised I will name my top 10 Actresses I'd like to see in Star Wars. Just like my top 10 actors list, I will only name actresses who have not been in a Star Wars movie. Even though I'd like to see Carrie Fisher back, she will not be in this list.
My number 10 pick is Cobie Smulders. She will always be Robin Scherbatskey in How I Met Your Mother to me. However I liked her in The Avengers so I think she could handle being in Star Wars. Number 9: Miranda Otto. She was Lady Aeown of Rohan so I could see her as a jedi in Star Wars. Number 8: Judi Dench, Judi Dench was in Casino Royale and Skyfall. I could see her playing a senator or something like that. She helped bring the James Bond franchise back in Skyfall after a lackluster Quantam of Solace. Number 7: Kerry Washington. She was in Django Unchained she had a smaller role. However I really liked what I saw of her I think she could handle being in Star Wars. Number 6: Katie Sackoff. Katie Sackoff was in Battlestar Galactica so she knows her way around science fiction.
Those were my 10-6 picks now on to my 5-1 picks. Number 5: Emily Blunt. I know her mostly for her role in Looper. She was able to hang with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. She stole a lot of scenes in that movie. I could see her as a jedi or maybe a bounty hunter in Star Wars. Number 4: Zoe Saldana, she's been in Star Trek and she'll be in the sequel coming out in May. So she's worked with J.J Abrams before so I think it's very possible she could be in Star Wars. Number 3: Marion Cottilard. She was in The Dark Knight Rises and Inception. She could be princess or queen. She could even be a Sith Jedi. She's one of my favorate actresses right now so I think she'd be a great pick for Star Wars. Number 2: Cate Blanchett She's mainly known for playing Galadriel in Lord of the Rings. I could see her as a leading member on a new jedi counsel. My number 1 pick: Jennifer Lawrence. She's mostly known for playing Katniss in The Hunger Games, however she's done much more than that to make her my number 1 pick. She's been in X-Men First Class, and she was nominated for best actress for Silver Linings Playbook. She is without question my favorate actress right now. I don't think she'd do it because I believe MockingJay Part 2 is due out in 2015. But she's my number 1 pick.
So those are my top 10 picks for actresses I'd like to see in Star Wars. As always I'll be watching for any news on the upcoming Star Wars movie, if any news breaks I will post my opinions on it.
My number 10 pick is Cobie Smulders. She will always be Robin Scherbatskey in How I Met Your Mother to me. However I liked her in The Avengers so I think she could handle being in Star Wars. Number 9: Miranda Otto. She was Lady Aeown of Rohan so I could see her as a jedi in Star Wars. Number 8: Judi Dench, Judi Dench was in Casino Royale and Skyfall. I could see her playing a senator or something like that. She helped bring the James Bond franchise back in Skyfall after a lackluster Quantam of Solace. Number 7: Kerry Washington. She was in Django Unchained she had a smaller role. However I really liked what I saw of her I think she could handle being in Star Wars. Number 6: Katie Sackoff. Katie Sackoff was in Battlestar Galactica so she knows her way around science fiction.
Those were my 10-6 picks now on to my 5-1 picks. Number 5: Emily Blunt. I know her mostly for her role in Looper. She was able to hang with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. She stole a lot of scenes in that movie. I could see her as a jedi or maybe a bounty hunter in Star Wars. Number 4: Zoe Saldana, she's been in Star Trek and she'll be in the sequel coming out in May. So she's worked with J.J Abrams before so I think it's very possible she could be in Star Wars. Number 3: Marion Cottilard. She was in The Dark Knight Rises and Inception. She could be princess or queen. She could even be a Sith Jedi. She's one of my favorate actresses right now so I think she'd be a great pick for Star Wars. Number 2: Cate Blanchett She's mainly known for playing Galadriel in Lord of the Rings. I could see her as a leading member on a new jedi counsel. My number 1 pick: Jennifer Lawrence. She's mostly known for playing Katniss in The Hunger Games, however she's done much more than that to make her my number 1 pick. She's been in X-Men First Class, and she was nominated for best actress for Silver Linings Playbook. She is without question my favorate actress right now. I don't think she'd do it because I believe MockingJay Part 2 is due out in 2015. But she's my number 1 pick.
So those are my top 10 picks for actresses I'd like to see in Star Wars. As always I'll be watching for any news on the upcoming Star Wars movie, if any news breaks I will post my opinions on it.
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