Best Movie of 2008

Previously I linked to trailers from the best movies of the year from 1994 to 2007. I think I can safely declare the best movie of 2008. Despite strong showings from The Wrestler and Slumdog Millionaire, the following was last year's best film.

Warms My Heart

I'm one of those people who worries we Americans have become too fat and happy. Sure, it's tought to be happy in times like now, what with record unemployment, and a year-long recession. But in a general sense, you get what I mean...maybe. When I read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" I wondered where all those people are now. Where are the fighters? Where are the people fighting the establishment and power?

Well, it turns out they may just be in Chicago. And no, I'm not talking about President-elect Barrack Obama either.

CHICAGO - Workers who got three days' notice that their factory was shutting its doors have occupied the building and say they won't go home without assurances they'll get severance and vacation pay.

About 250 union workers occupied the Republic Windows and Doors plant in shifts Saturday while union leaders outside criticized a Wall Street bailout they say is leaving laborers behind.

-snip-

During the two-day peaceful takeover, workers have been shoveling snow and cleaning the building, Fried said.

"We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," she said, referring to a tactic most famously used in 1936-37 by General Motors factory workers in Flint, Mich., to help unionize the U.S. auto industry.

Maybe we have some fight left in us. Maybe we can fight back before things get so bad and the chasm between the haves and the have-nots grows wider, before returning to days seen in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle."

I love those people in Chicago.

Best Movies

For some reason I decided to post my list of the best film of each year for about the past 15 years. The best film of 1993, Schindler's List, won the Best Picture Oscar, and the best film every other year has not. So, I decided to combine that belief with my love of film trailers to comprise my list.
Enjoy.

2007


2006


2005


2004


2003


2002


2001


2000


1999


1998


1997


1996


1995


1994

Stanley Cup Finals

Game One is tonight. I can't wait. Could the Penguins win the Cup only little more than two years after the Steelers won a Super Bowl? Man, if they do the people in Cleveland and Philadelphia would be hating themselves. "What the fuck? Why can't we win one damn title in my life?"

I'm taking the Pens in six.

Pure Evil

I caught this story over at Balloon Juice, the only blog left I still read most everyday.
This may take the cake for pure Wal-Mart sleaze.

JACKSON, Mo. -- A collision with a semi-trailer truck seven years ago left 52-year-old Deborah Shank permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Her husband, Jim, and three sons found a small source of solace: a $700,000 accident settlement from the trucking company involved. After legal fees and other expenses, the remaining $417,000 was put in a special trust. It was to be used for Mrs. Shank's care.

Instead, all of it is now slated to go to Mrs. Shank's former employer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

In short, cause Wal-Mart paid her bills, they now want the money back since she received a court judgement. Keith Olberman expounds on this a bit, especially about the part where her son has died in Iraq.


This is one of those stories that just gets worse and worse.
Wal-Mart made $11 billion last year, but they still want a wheelchair-bound, brain-damaged, just-lost-her-son-in-Iraq, nursing home resident's $417,000.
One of the commenters at Balloon Juice summed up my feelings with the quote, "I wish I didn’t already boycott Wal-mart, so I could boycott them now."
Rot in Hell Wal-Mart executives. Rot in fucking Hell.

Word of the Day

comeuppance

Super Bowl Preview

Just because I'm a pessimist, and feel I'm always wrong, I'm picking the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. There. That oughta screw 'em. If the line is still in the 12.5 range I'd take the Giants to cover.

And also, next week, I pick the AFC to beat the NFC in the Pro Bowl.