6 posts tagged “phelps”
Sometimes (read: always) I wish I lived in an area where there was more happening instead of basically nothing--meaning, I wish I lived in a city, so I could just hop a train somewhere cool. I mean, yeah, being in Jersey, I can basically do that anyway, but that's not my point. My point is, I want what I don't have, not what I could have if I tried a little harder. Anyway, things:
Over at the Editing Room, they've got the abridged script for the Dark Knight, and it's not bad, but it's got a bristling comments section going for it. I was lured in and contributed some of my office-addled insights, like this gem:
Lastly, as this thread seems to be devolving, there is a difference between rating a movie, and rating the experience of watching it. I the TDK is pretty darn entertaining as a movie, in the theater, that I sat there and watched (twice). As soon as I left the theater the first time, I was able to point out flaws, but when I went back to watch, I could care less about the flaws, because I was having a good time, because that’s what the movie is: a good time. It gets a lot of gas for dealing with psychological issues, and for being almost unrelentingly somber, and I think that’s why it gets a pass with so many people: it’s okay that it’s imperfect because it seems to mean well. It treats the comic with respect and blahblah…
So, yeah. In Rod’s review/script for GVS’s Psycho remake, he points out that there is a lot that isn’t entirely awesome about the movie because it wasn’t so awesome in the original. But Psycho transcend’s the criticism beause it upped the ante at the time and people have been ripping it off ever since. That is the case here, sort of, at least according to the media, so that’s TDK’s burden and is why it’s probably so easy to get excited about, and so easy to hate as well. RANT!
OMG I'm so fucking insightful!
The Hollywood Reporter also has a story about the Dark Knight (because it's fun to talk about), and along with it, they've got a sampling of the hefty bundles of millions it's gotten for everyone's favorite charity case, Warner Brothers:
$871.5 million
Worldwide boxoffice cume$489.4 million
Domestic boxoffice cume
(second highest ever)$158.4 million
Opening weekend (best ever)$49.8 million
Worldwide Imax gross (highest ever)34%
Percentage of Imax viewers seeing the film for at least the second time18
Days to reach the $400 million domestic benchmark (fastest ever)
Sources: Nielsen EDI, Imax Corp. and THR research; figures as of Sunday night
I'm so happy for them! Next and last, Aaron Sorkin, the mushroom-enthusiast and West Wing show creator, is putting his considerable, mind-bending talents toward the feat of writing a Facebook movie. Sigh. Look, what I'm posting are reasons to drink this weekend. Says THR:
Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg while studying at Harvard along with pals Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. At first, membership was restricted to Harvard students, then expanded to all Ivy League schools before going on to open up for all universities and high schools in Canada and the U.S. The site now has more than 100 million users worldwide.
Despite offers in the billions of dollars, Zuckerberg has steadfastly remained independent.
Endeavor-repped Sorkin last wrote "Charlie Wilson's War," while Rudin has "Revolutionary Road," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and the film adaptation of the Broadway play "Doubt" coming out this fall.
"I feel about this introduction the way I felt about 'Sophie's Choice': It could have been funnier," Sorkin finished.
Whatever, Aaron. Lastly lastly, your boy Mike Phelps is gonna host SNL. Later daaaaays!!!
Well, it's been a long, speedo-y, body-imaging destroying week, but it, like the circle of existence itself, comes to an end, as Michael Phelps has finally won the Olympics, forever. They will be missed.
[Times, obs; picture Deadspin]
If you or anyone you know is being scammed up by freecredit report dot-com, here is how you get out of it. I spent a long time on the phone and got a full refund using the technique provided, and am thusly proud of myself.
Also, since we're doling out helpfulness: would you like to like Michael Phelps less? I know I would--it'll be harder for him to disappoint later once he's taken down a couple pegs or so, so here are some bright spots from a Deadspin thread about our favorite guy in skintight swimwear:
BigTenObsession at 11:58 AM Now that we like Salisbury, can we start hating on Phelps? The man is phenomenal in the pool, but by all accounts a huge douchebag in his awkward social life in Ann Arbor. And I'm tired of hearing about him.
Babcocksure at 12:01 PM really? when i heard he went to UM i was suspect but haven't heard the douchebag accounts. Care to share?
BigTenObsession at 12:08 PM I've spoken to a number of people around here who have all stated that he: (1) cheated on his girlfriend quite frequently, but (2) can't be bothered to speak to "the little people" when he is out and about, since he is so damned important
Chad Sexington at 12:15 PM: An arrogant 23-year-old guy with questionable dating morals... Stop the presses.
Texy at 12:15 PM : That sounds like every other athlete across the country. If we start hating every athlete who cheats on their girlfriend, we'll be left with, like, two guys.
Sculptor?!?I_just_met_... at 12:16 PM : And they'll be cheating on their boyfriends.
So there you have it--something to pretend to give a shit about. And could you imageine if the games were held in, like, LA? There'd be so much nosiness and paparazzi! [Deadspin]
Michael Phelps won his sixth medal this year (it's gold) and that means our feelings of having to write about the olympics will soon be coming to an end. Says the Times, in their steadfast coverage which I've managed to not directly quote all week:
Before racing against Phelps on Friday, Lochte started with a come-from-behind upset of his countryman Aaron Peirsol in the 200-meter backstroke, winning his first individual Olympic gold medal in world-record time.
The race ended at 10:21 a.m. local time. Twenty-seven minutes later he had his showdown against Phelps in the 200 I.M., and a less-than-fresh Lochte could not match Phelps.
But then, neither could anyone else. Pulling away from the field in the breaststroke — his weakest leg — Phelps won his sixth gold medal in Beijing (and 12th over all) and set his sixth world record, one of 21 set by swimmers here. He was timed in 1:54.23, finishing more than a body length ahead of the silver medalist, Laszlo Cseh of Hungary. Lochte nearly caught Cseh at the end, but settled for third.
So there's that (oh, and the article itself goes on for, like, two hours just making the one point). In gymnastics (female) America took gold and also silver--in girls' swimming, Germany took the top and Australia took silver.
Saturday Phelps has another final, his Speedo endorsement qualifying final, as it would decide if he's going to tie that record everyone's been talking about, or if he's suddenly going to jump into the pool and forget how to swim and be awesome, forcing Lochte to jump in to save him, bringing him onto the platform, holding a hyperventilating Phelps until the fear of near-death leaves his shivering frame, his olympic dreams dashed by random awesomenesia.
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 USA |
14 | 12 | 18 | 44 |
 CHN |
24 | 9 | 5 | 38 |
 AUS |
5 | 7 | 8 | 20 |
 RUS |
3 | 8 | 8 | 19 |
 KOR |
6 | 8 | 3 | 17 |
America has the most medals again, but this thing clearly goes back and forth, so...
Olympic news in general is always Michael Phelps-centric. This is why Colander Today is encouraged to be that way as well--because it's American. But we'll get to him in a minute. First, here's the Olympics for Wednesday, so I don't have to think about it at work because I'm obsesed at this point. Did you know the current standings were powered by Exxon Mobile? Me neither, but they are:
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA |
10 | 8 | 11 | 29 |
| CHN |
17 | 4 | 5 | 26 |
| KOR |
5 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| AUS |
4 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| RUS |
2 | 7 | 3 | 12 |
Ooh. The US is in the lead. I wonder what the significance of having more medals than other countries could be? No idea, but hopefully it makes us look good in a public relations kind of way.
Oh, and the story within the story, Michael Phelps, surges along as he wins his fourth fifth of the games, and his billionth overall (not really) making him the most successful olympian ever, or something to that effect. The Times, in a centuries-long peice on the star, interviews some people about his awesome-prowess.
Everybody has their theory about what makes Michael Phelps peerless. Simon Burnett, a freestyler from Great Britain, shared his the other day with Eddie Reese, the United States men’s Olympic coach.
“He’s not from another planet,” Burnett told Reese. “He’s from the future.”
Recounting the story Wednesday, Reese laughed and said, “That’s probably the best explanation I’ve heard.”
We also lost in diving, which I guess isn't our strong suit--by we, I mean the actual people doing the work, not me, wishing my parents forced me to play sports when I was younger, that way I'd be awesome right now (but I'd probably think people'd laugh at me if I swam or dove, and then I'd quit and still suck, so...) Today is soccer, fencing, some badminton--tonight God Tivos more Michael Phelps, along with the rest of the universe.
Oh, and Getty Images are the dj clue of borrowing photos ("clue, clue, clue...")--it's just so up to the minute though!
I work during the typical hours for such a thing, but the primetime Olympic spectacle is what it's all about anyway. Yesterday, I caught syncronized diving and, not only are these guys in better shape than you, they can also dive more gracefully (or "pretty" as the female analyst relentlessly put it) from panic-inducing heights. People talk about the Olympics being boring, but, as someone who only watches sports occasionally (I know a ton of sports fans, so I'm covered in the fandom, though I don't really get that into it myself) I disagree. I'm not the most patriotic guy on the 'nets, but I find myself rooting for the US athletes even during events I'd not normally give two shits about, including sync diving!
Or freakin beach volleyball.
China won the gold for diving, but yesterday put America in the top overall for medals.
| COUNTRY |  |
 |
 |
TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States |
7 | 6 | 8 | 21 |
 China |
11 | 3 | 4 | 18 |
 South Korea |
5 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
 Italy |
3 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
 Australia |
3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
[via NYT]
The Dudes in Speedos 2008 games chugs onward, with Michael Phelps winning another gold, further on his way to breaking that old record or at least matching it, which would grant him $1mil from my favorite mankini shiller and yours, Speedo (they do so much and never ask anything in returnm, except that dudes wear Speedos, I guess).
My intention is to catch gymnastics one of these days. It's funny, these people are in the best shape(s?) of anyone in the world, yet many of them come across like tremendous dorks, and that is a good thing. All the badass high school jocks are either in sports professionally, or are bankers or something.
PS: I recently read Bill Maher (whom I like) say that he doesn't watch the Olympics because they're kinda gay, although I don't know what he's talking about.
Everything clear over here!
Last pic via Jezebel.
