The Last Exorcism is a pain in the ass. A lot of movies tick me off, but this one takes the cake. Movies with either “Exorcism” or “Haunting” in the title have a high rate of sucking, but with The Last Exorcism I thought I'd found something completely different. I was once again duped and mistaken because this flick had me entertained with its initial direction, but in the last ten minutes defeated its entire purpose with an utterly stupid ending. The super creepily shocking previews are beyond misleading. I mean, I counted five bone cracks in the previews and there was merely one in this flick (not that more would have redeemed it).
Linda Blair Witch Project: Exciting and fresh at first, The Last Exorcism then drops the ball
Posted inCulture
Hey, Oldie! You're OLD!
[Hey Guys! I'm on vacation this week, so enjoy this old-timey episode of I Love Television™ designed to make you – and myself – feel old. Mission accomplished! – Humpy]
Ever get the feeling the years are flying by? Well, get ready for a coronary, grandpa, because MTV's The Real World is finishing its 16th season [As of next week, it's finishing it's 24th season! ACK! – Humpy]. Did'ja hear that, you old bag of undigested Metamucil? SIXTEEN YEARS! That means you are now officially OLD! In fact, you're SO old, this is how old you are…
Posted inMusic
Loud Love: The Thermals get along just fine, and they've also got a killer new album
Westin Glass is the drummer for the Thermals and last week when he checked in from North Carolina where he was visiting family, he wanted to talk about friendships. More specifically, he wanted to talk about his relationship with his two band mates.
Posted inMusic
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack
It's a soundtrack for a movie about being a teenager. In love. And beating the shit out of the world and shoving it in his pocket. At least, that's what I gleaned from the trailer – and even more so, the soundtrack. The Twilight franchise
shocked everyone with its (admittedly) amazing soundtracks, and Scott Pilgrim's tunes follow suit here. Beck happily throws himself back to his bizarre Midnite Vultures phase as the fictional band Sex Bob-omb for four super-fuzzed, video-blippy garage rock tracks.
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: Wine Tastings: Drink your way through Central Oregon
This unseasonably chilly weather is good for a couple of things. Mt. Bachelor is seeing a flurry of snow and suddenly, a glass of red wine sounds really good. While our river-floating days are dwindling, our wine-o afternoons are just beginning. If you're not sure if you're a pinot noir person or prefer a more robust cabernet, you're in luck. Bend has quite a few wine-tasting possibilities and educated folk who can help you hone your palate.
Posted inCulture
Our Picks for 9/1-9/9: The Ascetic Junkies, First Friday, The Little Woody, Downtown Cruiser Crit, and more
The Ascetic Junkies
thursday 2
Go. See. This. Band. After big shows at the Silver Moon and the Bite of Bend, there is reason for our region to love this Portland-based pop and indie folk act. Fronted by Kali Giaritta and Matt Harmon, the band excellently blends Americana sounds with a modern and poppy edge. Erin Cole-Baker Band opens. Free! 7pm. McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 NW Bond St.
Posted inNews
The Banksters Strike Again: Chase Bank and Obama's “Make Home Affordable” scam
It isn’t surprising, what with the world falling apart and all, that the world scarcely noticed that I lost my job as an editor in April 2009. Why should it? I was one of millions of Americans who lost their job that month.
But it mattered to me.
It wasn’t all bad. No more early morning commutes. And no more Lisa. Lisa was my boss. My mean boss. My mean and crazy boss. In the long run, I stand to save thousands of dollars on therapy.
Posted inOpinion
Corporate Kicker Welfare Checks
Oregon prides itself on not being afraid to be different. Often that's a good thing, as when the state passed the nation's first beverage container refund bill in 1971, or when it enacted the nation's most comprehensive land use regulations in 1973.
Sometimes, though, it's just a dumb thing – the prime case in point being enactment of the “kicker” law in 1980.
Posted inOpinion
Snow, Cougars and Beer… and of course something about Paris Hilton
Those Drugs Ain't Mine, I'm Famous
Oh, Paris Hilton. What's funny is that we really hadn't heard much about the heiress until recently, but she must have thought it necessary to get back into relevancy with her latest round of arrests and controversy. Just days after a man holding “two big knives” tried to break into her Los Angeles home, Hilton was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession in Las Vegas.
Posted inOpinion
No DMV on Brookswood
I understand that the Bend branch of the DMV is planning to lease a location in the Brookswood Plaza. For many reasons, this is an inappropriate location for the DMV.