The Tropical Republics

For the Love of Westerns

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:42:00 +0000

I am taking a few classes in the film major courses, particularly the one called ‘The Cinematic Western’ and I have always loved western movies but after spending a few days in this class I have now found a whole new appreciation for the western genre and how it went from b-movies, to big budget movies and how they struggled with sound and their reflection of the time periods. They are amazing and very violent… even for the 30s, 40s and 50s.

We watched “Stagecoach” and we talked about how John Ford was experimenting with different social cliques and how the rough, rugged and socially awkward people; the kind of people that society frowns upon, turned out to be the heroes where as the ones that are prim and proper, the socially expectable ones, turned out to be the ones that were utterly helpless. I guess that’s what you get when you have an outspoken, alcoholic director and a socialist writer.

Today we watched the movie “Shane,” which has always been a favorite of mine. We compared the old ways with the new ways and how the heroes in most westerns could never return to society… they fix society but they can never return to it. This movie is an example of how Shane is between the farmers (old ways) and the ranchers (new ways) and how he is caught up in between. Joey’s family is the new ranchers where as the Ryker brothers are the old traditional ways fighting against the new guys.

I will be watching “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence” and comparing that movie like what we have been with these other movies… well, see ya’ll on the homestead pilgrim!

Slytherin Beckons

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:51:00 +0000

From The Tropical Republics

I was bored so I decided to take a bunch of Facebook “Harry Potter” quizzes and it turns out that the Sorting hat would put me in Slytherin and that with all the evil aside I would stop at nothing to accomplish my goals… plus, I am harsh and pretty pretentious and ignorant, which is what I am. It also said that the “Harry Potter” character that best describes me is Draco Malfoy… that pretty much says the same thing as Slytherin, but I guess I can be an ass most of the time. Well, I better go back to tHogwarts, I better start preparing for the battle tomorrow, there is a huge gathering tonight but tomorrow will be the big finale and I am so excited to the point of sleeplessness.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!

Something Funny I Read

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Somebody emailed me this joke and I thought it was kind of funny.

“Do you know what happened 159 years ago this fall… back in 1850?

California became a state and:

The people had no electricity.

The state had no money.

Almost everyone spoke Spanish.

There were gunfights in the streets.

So basically nothing has changed except back then the women had real tits and the men didn’t hold hands.”

Superdawg

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:26:00 +0000

So, today after I drove my grandma to the cemetery to visit my grandpa and her first husband, we drove to one of the best hot dog stands in the Chicago area: Superdawg. It’s one of those old 50s style drive in restaurants where the waitress brings the food to your car. Well, I had a Superdawg meal, which was a hot dog, fries and a drink, and my grandma had a bowl of vanilla ice crème with strawberries on top.

What I found interesting was that this place was your typical Chicago hot dog stand and what I mean by that is that they’ll give you a hot dog with everything on it but if you ask for ketchup, they’ll bring you the bottle to put it on yourself.

From The Tropical Republics

The service was good and I enjoyed the nostalgia for it all. I’ll return back, rest assured, but not because of a funeral.

The Raptor

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:12:00 +0000

So I went to the Chicago Auto Show a few months ago and I saw a truck that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. It’s orange, it looks rugged and it looks like a dinosaur tore it up… it is indeed… The Raptor. Why do I love it? Because, it reminds me of the movie “Jurassic Park,” number 2 on my top 5 movies of all time.

From The Tropical Republics

Review - The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:01:00 +0000

This movie was okay, it could have been written and technically made better but it still kept me on edge… so I guess it was pretty anticipating. I give this movie a 2 ½ out of 5 stars.

July 4th, 2009

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:53:00 +0000

HAPPY JULY 4^TH EVERYBODY!!!! HAVE A SAVE INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

July 4th Pre-Show

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:52:00 +0000

So today, I went over to my aunt’s house so that we could take her camper over to the lake and watch the fireworks. For the first half of the evening we helped her moving and rearranging around her camper and then we had our big BBQ outside before the fireworks started. We had cheeseburgers, hot dogs, brownies, chips, corn, potatoes and watermelon. My mom brought our dachshunds and they went apeshit as usual but it’s a cross that we have to bear; all they did was bark and piss and bark and piss and then they would start barking at some random person, get confused and then start barking at me… wiener dogs.

When the fireworks started, it was amazing!!!! They were bright and colorful and loud and so eye pleasing. The show lasted 35 minutes and there were points where the explosions were so loud, car alarms started going off… but it was worth it. By the end of the night, I was happy and even more so when I stalked to NinjaBunny89.

Later on today, I’m going to visit a friend in Chicago where we would be going to the Taste of Chicago, walk around the city and then catch the Navy Pier fireworks. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

Review - Public Enemies (2009)

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:01:00 +0000

So this is my initial thought on the new movie by Michael Mann entitled “Public Enemies.” It was a lot better then I expected and I am starting to enjoy the way that Mann took this movie.

I give it 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Another Bad Day

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:22:00 +0000

So yeah, Billy Mays also died a few days ago and it is very sad. And he will be missed!!!! I am going to go out and buy a big tub of OxiClean in his memory.

Pearl Harbor

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:21:00 +0000

I just got done watching “Pearl Harbor.” I don’t understand why everybody hated this movie when it really wasn’t that good. I enjoyed it, even with the all the love clichés and the whole ‘romanticizing a national tragedy.” The movie had great action, some amazing shots and yeah, it maybe long and drawn out… the movie was really epic. When I go and see a movie like this, I don’t expect it to be a masterpiece of cinema, I go and see it for the action and the love and that’s why I don’t care if the acting was that bad because it really wasn’t.

I don’t know why people hated this movie so much. Michael Bay has made some really good movies and this is perhaps one of his best. Hell, I even liked some of the cheesy lines that they said during the movie.

Drive-In: An American Past Time

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Part I

Part II

Part III

I am so excited that I finally got my documentary up on YouTube. I made this film a while ago and it was my first attempt at a documentary. I was always a fan of drive-ins and they always were my favorite kind of theater seating. It was always about the atmosphere. I know this movie is littered with cheesy songs, choppy editing and everything but it was my FIRST attempt.

I also deticated a short little segment on the Cascade Drive-In in Chicago which is my favorite drive-in of all time and I am glad that they are still in business. I never really told them that I created a little documentary about them… maybe I should.

http://www.cascadedrivein.com/

28W741 North Ave, West Chicago, IL 60185

A Very Sad Day

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:48:00 +0000

Well today is a dark day for the world of music and pop… pop sensation Michael Jackson died today from cardiac arrest at the age of 50. I am a huge M.J. fan and I used to watch his videos every timed they aired on MTV. My friend, NinjaBunny89, told me of the news and I was stunned and I could not believe it. It’s strange because in the past few days Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and now Michael Jackson. I guess its true what they say: it comes in threes.

Then, my other friend said that Jeff Goldblum had passed away while in another country and my heart stopped… Dr. Ian Malcolm was dead!!!! I was going to curl up into a little ball and cry but then he told me that it was a rumor that some guy spread to gain publicity for his blog. Fucking numbnuts!!!!

What pissed me off further was a blog post that Mr. Perez Hilton posted on his gossip mongering website about the now deceased Michael Jackson, which disgusted me:

“We knew something like this would happen!! Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance from his Holmby Hills home to a nearby Los Angeles hospital on Thursday afternoon!! Supposedly, the singer went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to administer CPR!! His mother is even on the way to visit him!!!

We are dubious!!

Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in '95 when he "collapsed" at rehearsal! He was dragging his heels on that just like his upcoming 50 date London residency at the 02 Arena, of which he already postponed the first few dates!!! Either he's lying or making himself sick, but we're curious to see if he's able to go on!!! Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!”

I was disgusted!!!! The disrespect that this man has for the singer is beyond me and even if it was a joke, there was no way of telling!!!! And he has exclamation marks after ever sentence as though it was sarcastic! I think Perez needs to stop all this bullshit and do something better with his life or learn to not be such a major douche bag!

Review - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:28:00 +0000

New video review up on YouTube. This was my initial review of the second Transformers movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

I give the movie 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Which, is an average rating.

SkillsUSA - Champions at Work

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:10:00 +0000

I was sifting through some of my old home videos that I want to eventually upload to YouTube and I cam across a video that I made last year for SkillsUSA. I was approached for the project by the drafting and design teacher at my school since he saw my work on the TV Production class and he figured I’d be the perfect candidate to help out with this video. So took him up on the offer.

Well with the help of one of my friends, Kevin, I got 3^rd place in that Nation and then 2^nd place in the State. Funny enough, I ranked 3^rd place in the city of Chicago… although I think it’s the idea that I got to go down to Springfield and actually get an award medal.

The song that I used is a song that I had to buy the rights to from Immediate Music called ‘Serenada’ and I had to end up paying them $1 for the song’s use, just so long that I didn’t dishonor the contract agreement. When I look back on this video, I have to say that I couldn’t have done it this professionally without the help from my TV internship at our community television station.

Transformers Character Guide

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:14:00 +0000

Actually, this is a good guide to the new “Transformers” movie that I found on Rotten Tomatoes. For me, it was very helpful because since the TV show I lost touch with my Transformers side and when the new movie came out I only remembered a few from the series.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_revenge_of_the_fallen/news/1828745/whos_who_in_transformers_2_a_visual_guide

Right now, our AMC is being swamped with people because it was a sold out show. Damn!!!!

Transformers: The Night Before

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:55:00 +0000

Today is a very special night because it’s the eve of the premiere of the highly anticipated “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen” film from Michael Bay. I am a huge fan of the franchise and an even greater one when I was a kid… in the 90s. Although, I am sad to say that I will not be able to attend the midnight premiere because my teeth are killing me but rest assured, tomorrow, I will be seeing this movie in the afternoon. I am expecting it to be packed even then.

I was a huge fan of the first one and I don’t care what anybody says… it was one of Bay’s greatest movies. It had action, it had humor and most of all it had giant robots beating the shit out of each other!! I probably won’t be able to sleep because I am so excited but it’s going to pay off in the end.

This will be THE movie of the summer if not in the top 3 and it will easily blow ‘Terminator’ out of the water… Michael Bay rises up again!!!!

My Cat Sebastian

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Maybe it’s me but I have noticed something about my cat… he is like 11 years old… but every time when I pick him up and give him unconditional love and affection he doesn’t want any, he just jumps down and sleeps in the corner. So I figure he doesn’t want me to hug him so when another of my cats jumps on me and starts rubbing their face up against mine my cat immediately jumps on the couch and looks at me with those sad little cat eyes; like he’s saying:

“Oh, you’d give him/her love but not me?”

It’s like, when I try to give him love he doesn’t want it but when another cat want my affection that’s when he does.

I swear, my cat is so emotionally unstable.

New Webcam Video

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:05:00 +0000

YouTube Account

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:30:00 +0000

I have created another YouTube account after my previous 3 have been deleted. I am hoping to post some video reviews as well as some of my home videos that I made.

Impacted Teeth Part IV

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:57:00 +0000

So today I woke up in a daze (damn those painkillers) and I found out that my whole left gum is swollen and throbbing… but not hurting, and my right gum is also swollen but not that much. I looked on the sheet up paper and apparently it is normal for your gums to swell after surgery. It sucks because I cannot laugh, smile or yell without pulling my stitches out but I guess that is the cross that I have to bare for a while.

The good news is: I finally got my yogurt, pudding, Boost, Gatorade and cranberry juice so I think I will be fine when it comes to food. Plus, cranberry juice is supposed to be a healing agent so… maybe that might help me. I am also taking anti-inflammatory medicine so hopefully that will cut down on the swelling.

Thank God I don’t have to do this again for the rest of my life.

Impacted Teeth Part III

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Well today was my surgery. They walked me into the room and they froze my arm and gave me some knock out pills and some happy gas. Then my doctor talked about Hawaii until I finally was passed out… somewhat. I saw it all happen but I did not give two shits and before I knew it, it was over.

For the next couple of hours I had to have gauze between my teeth to stop the bleeding in my gums. So I had to bite down on it for about 3 hours, and I have been on a diet consisting of Boost, Gatorade, chicken noodle soup and yogurt. For about 2 hours my mouth was so numb that I began to drool and I could scratch my lips and wouldn’t be able to feel anything.

So, I took my meds and now my gums are still throbbing and kind of bloody, but I can manage. I am watching “Last King of Scotland” and I’ll be eating mushy food and liquids for the next week. Wish me luck.

Technorati

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:10:00 +0000

Technorati Profile

impacted Teeth Part II

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:40:00 +0000

Well today is the day that I get my teeth pulled. I’ll be getting a knock out serum injected into my arm and I am not looking forward to that. What would also feel a little strange is feeling stitches in my gums and eating mushy food for a while.

I think the worse part is that I cannot eat for 12 hours prior to the procedure so I haven’t eaten anything since 9:30pm yesterday till after the surgery is done. DAMN IT!!!! And I cannot drink anything… only water.

Stupid wisdom teeth!!!!

Review - WALL-E (2008)

jamhorner@yahoo.com (Mr. Johnny Sandman) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:26:00 +0000

I had the great pleasure of buying the ‘WALL-E” 2 disc special edition and I am loving it. This movie is probably my favorite Disney/Pixar movie. This movie, like most DP movies had a lot of heart, soul and very touching story that gives us a sense of happiness. This is what I love about DP movies is the story and how it seems like such an average story but when you watch the movies… there is more to it then what we are lead to believe. Look at it: a story about retired superheroes, a story about toys, monsters that work in a scream factory, a rat that cooks, cars falling in love on Route 66… they all seem simple and silly but they all have heart!

There are several things about “WALL-E” that I love, first off is the sound… like most DP movies the sound is amazing and well crafted. I think that it is a shame that this movie did not win anything for sound mixing or design. On that topic, what I really like about this movie was ‘Down to Earth’ by Peter Gabriel. He got robbed at the Oscars and the award went to “Slumdog Millionaire,” which did not deserve it… I don’t care what ‘Jai Ho’ means Gabriel should have won. I love Randy Newman and Pixar but Gabriel proved to us that he can be just as clever and brilliant.

The idea about 2 robots falling in love was so touching and it made me feel warm and fuzzy. There are several scenes where you feel for WALL-E and that you know that he loves EVE and when he comes so close to holding her hand… it breaks your heart. When EVE goes into her little shell and WALL-E protects her and makes sure she is save, that whole sequence is so sad. One of the most beautiful and touching scenes is when WALL-E and EVE are ‘dancing’ with the extinguisher and John and Mary finally realized there is a world beyond technology and fall in love as well. It brought a tear to my eye.

I can go on an on about this movie but all I can say is that… right now… it my favorite Pixar Animation films and one of the few movies that made me feel happy and teary.