Miami Heat's primary mission should be defeating the Boston Celtics

Heat picked to be champions this upcoming season. Pfft. Too pre-mature. And I think the notion is caused by the success of the earlier formed big three, the Boston Big Three. But contrary to popular impression that the Heat will go all the way to the finals I stand as opposition. One big obstacle stands in the way and they're "green-ing" to get their hands dirty.

Boston have been overlooked in the discussion of potential NBA finalist because of the LeBron show that overshadowed the whole off-season (even casting it's big shadow in the Finals series). But let us not be fooled, the guys in green maybe old news but they're standing tall. This off-season they shored up their artillery by adding old dogs O'Neals. They present the biggest problem for the Heat as well as the Lakers because they got height and they got might. The O'Neals maybe old but they're not as feathery as Chris Bosh or Lamar Odom, they will use their bodies to their advantage, physical and that's what Boston is even was. Add Kendrick Perkin's to the equation later in the season and you got potent post defenders. Shaq is the only individual left who can play Dwight Howard one-on-one, Bynum even in old age. Jermaine is still useful down the block scorer. Trivia: Have you noticed how the last 3 finals have been dictated by length of players? Boston had better height advantage in 2008, Magic was overwhelmed by the Lakers in 2009, 2010 was the same after Kendrick Perkins went down.

Looking at the entire Celtics roster is like looking at an entire collection of anique superstars, Garnett, Allen, Pierce, The O'Neals. Add to that the motley crüe they assembled this last 3 years where they were present in two finals and getting at least one championship in those appearances. They play hard ball and seemed focused on what they're doing, and the heart Garnett's eternal fire to get to the championship never seemed so vagrant as when he played his best game of the recently concluded finals in Game 7 itself. They maybe old but they are still the bad dogs... the yardstick of the East.

Best advice to Carmelo: Stay put

It has been reported that Carmelo have shown up in their team's media day. After the circus he generated coming to this training camp, Carmelo did the wisest thing, play basketball and be mum. With trade talks taking a slight pause, he could use the silence to ponder what he wants.

Turning down the extension offer from Denver swirled numerous rumors about Anthony's unhappiness with the way things are going for his squad. It's really frustrating when you have been that close (2 more games win could have catapulted Denver to the 2009 Finals), and not being able to duplicate it the very next season when you are expected to do better things. But in the NBA it's not an isolated case. Dallas is one big example (2006 finalist, NBA top seed in 2007 only to be upset by no.8 Golden State). Yet it's also true that with the way the Lakers have put up their team they'd be in contention way beyond after Kobe Bryant retires from the game. And that is the reason why in my opinion throngs of former Western Conference superstars have bolted out of the conference and found the East enticing.

Which brings us to the present situation, Melo seemingly wanting to go Eastside, with the alibi of wanting to play close to the Manhattan area. Anthony is a Brooklyn native. Wanting the big stage that his friend LeBron James shied away, seems a valid reason for moving. Great scenario. But that's until he swings another great city into the mud... Chicago. The New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls are known superstar makers not named LA. Those who have played in the MSG were showered with big love from New Yorkers, even if their teams were not so great (remember the Marbury era?), and what about Chicago? The city ranked as one of the highest in gate attendance even in their troubled years in 1999-2005. And from Chicago rose the universally recognized best player ever (Now what's his name? I guess you know). Both teams have the tradition of winning and creating stars. So why is he not traded there yet?

For the Knicks, their lack of tradeable pieces hurt them even draft picks are a scarcity for the club for Chicago, them not wanting to include Noah in the mix (good for them). This resulted for a search for a new trade partner. Enter New Jersey, Utah and Charlotte. New Jersey and Denver are the principal teams in the proposed trade with Utah and Charlotte as secondary trade partners. Denver gets draft picks, Andrei Kirilenko, and Derrick Favors, Charlotte gets Devin Harris and Jarvis Hayes, Utah getting Boris Diaw and Quinton Ross and New Jersey getting Carmelo and DJ Agustin.

What halted the negotiation? Carmelo. New Jersey felt (and rightfully so) that unless they get a commitment from Anthony long-term then the negotiation is a waste. True. But if I was Carmelo why would I like to be there? Because of Brook Lopez? Lopez have yet to prove he can play high level basketball with a winning NBA club. If New Jersey trades Devin Harris, Melo would be stuck with secondary level players like Farmar, Hassell, Morrow and the likes. With the East continuing to upgrade I don't think New Jersy could compete right away and might need for Chris Paul. But there is no guarantee also that Paul might wind up there, even if they relocate to Brooklyn. It's wise that Carmelo thinks the only way to win is to partner right away with another all-star something the Knicks and Bulls can offer right away.

So if I was Carmelo I'd stay put for now, wait 'til the contract is over then move on. I don't think any other team can trade for him mid-season if he doesn't commit long-term anyways. It would be disastrous.

In balance of good and evil

I love Charice's voice. I do. And I like her on Glee. That is why it was such a buzz here in the Philippines that our very own petite girl was casted on the hit TV show. But on the hindsight I must balance adulation and criticism as part of being a good viewer. Good voice doesn't translate to being a good actress as Charice also demonstrated in her pilot appearance on the show. Let me give you an example.

If you were confronted by a serious and commanding presence would you smile or back-off a little? In their restroom scene, Lea Michele confronts Sunshine Corazon (Charice's character) in an intimidating manner, and instead of being annoyed Sunshine smiles throughout the "Telephone" sequence. Really awkward.

One more thing that bothers me is Charice's hand gestures in her audition piece which is very reminiscent of her other famous video "Pyramid". It's eerie that the performances shown in the music vid and the audiotion piece is the same. I hope Charice does a little more creativity the next time. I'm Filipino and I don't want to be biased to my "kababayan" (compatriot), and I only point this out as means of improvement. Having said that I wish her all the well.

Shalom.

Does the Miami Heat have what it takes to win the championship this year?

You know the rants NBA legends like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson have thrown over this new-formed triumvirate. We know how Cleveland reacted when James bolted out of town to go South Beach. Even Phil Jackson takes a jab at this newly minted contenders (“I always refer to when Wilt Chamberlain was traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and that put Baylor, West and Chamberlain together — three of the top scorers in NBA history — and they never won a championship together the four years they were together. It’s not always scorers and talent that wins it. But it’s teamwork that does it.”).

Phil obviously has a point, but I think he also missed on the issue that those three partnered near their dog days much like this edition of the Boston Celtics. These three are young driven individuals who want the championship. But can they? That is the question.

Honestly THEY can. But will they win it this year? Maybe not. Maybe yes. And I'll break it down for you.

Recently the Celtics tried the same stacking formula and it worked in their favor. But you need to remember how they did it. Just before their season ended the team fortified the little chinks in their armor. They added veteran Sam Cassell and PJ Brown. Sam may not seem much at the time but an aging former NBA all-star guard, but the guy has been a winner all his career. He knows how to win it all -he was a rookie when he won his first ring - and is a steady guy down the stretch heck he even help that awful Los Angeles Clippers make the play-offs his first year there. How about old reliable PJ Brown? PJ honed his game in the rough 90's. This guy was an enforcer. Remember the Knicks-Heat rivalry near the end of the 90's he was in the middle of it (PJ flipped Charlie Ward to the sidelines, body-slamming him, and a melee ensued. They also got Tony Allen and James Posey as defenders. Now you know what kind of fortifications the Celtics did yo ensure they get to that elusive crown.

Which brings us to Miami. Does the Heat have that kind of depth to make a serious run at it. Yes they've shored up on the big men but I don't think their big men is as talented or would be capable of stopping the likes of Shaquille O'Neal (even in his down years) and Dwight Howard. With the kind of Bigs they have, mostly offensive minded guys, I don't think they'll be stopping lots of talented big guys out there. Their backcourt is as depleted as well, with Mario Chalmers probably their best stake at PG. Yes the Miami Thrice is there but those three can only do as much and will be limited to 6 fouls. I'm also not that high on Chris Bosh, as he always shy away form contact and prefer the perimeter to take his shots. I think the Heat would benefit more from playing a conventional back to the basket power forward than play another perimeter wannabe guy like Bosh in their offense.

The Heat have lots of things to do before they can really be a real threat to the Lakers crown. But mind you the talent is there, team chemistry is another thing and if the Heat can shuffle it's roster one more time middle of the season... They might just pull it.


Picture: From Web

Chopsuey!

As my Blog-header suggest I'm all about viewing, may it be free TV, cable or the movies (lately my eyeballs have been stuck watching NBA basketball). During the course of last month up to this time of day (as I write this) I have watched a total of 6 movies in the movie theater (my most in a span of two months) all of whom I'm going to critique for this entry. Now, Let me remind you that I have not done this in a long time since my other blog from friendster so the critic in me might be a little rusty, please bear with me.

*Note: 1. All ratings expressed herein are of the author's personal opinion and taste.
2. Photos used in this review are those already circulating in the web. No copyright infringement intended.

Legend of the oranges:

One Orange: Hey you are wasting a whole lotta money mister. Best save up for the rainy days.

Two Oranges: Some saving points but not enough to save it from humiliation.

Three Oranges: Good News: You're not going to die even if you miss out on this one.

Four Oranges: If miss on this you're missing a whole lot.

Five Oranges: Excellent. Just pure fuckin' genius.

Kick-Ass - Unpredictable. That's the only one liner I can put up for this movie. Personally I don't really know that a Kick-Ass comic even existed. Had not a fellow artist introduced the gig to me I would have had missed out on this big riot all together. Personally when I heard that there was going to be a movie about Kick-Ass, my initial reaction was "what-the-heck", it's not big as a comic as the X-men, Ironman, Spiderman etc etc. so why the big fuss by this artist (referring to the enthusiastic fellow of a co-artist in my former office). Inside of me it made me curious. So I kinda readied my money for the event. Seizing the opportunity to see it on theater on opening week I made a go for it.

In the mall (where the theaters are usually located here in the Philippines), I was utterly disappointed to see where the movie was showing. It was located in one of the set of theaters where very few movie goers would normally go... Very much unlike the blockbuster heavyweights where it enjoys the great venue. Not to be disappointed I still opted to get in just to get the thing over and my curiosity satisfied. I didn't care if it was worth it or not, I just wanted to know the flow of the movie and later critic it (as I am doing now). As I sat there I was astonished with what I saw, it's generally unpredictable! (Although the first scene was ordinary for me). The movie is really not your typical superhero movie. Hit-Girl is mind blowing! I won't go so much into details (because I want you to personally watch it) but after I watched this movie I made a post on my facebook account that says: Kick-Ass really kicks ass (Hey that's saying a lot not a lot of the movies I watch makes it on my Facebook wall). The storyline is fascinatingly accurate for it's comic version (yes after watching the movie I got a hold of the actual 2D version on print) unlike some of it's comic-based predecessors.

If you could own it on DVD, I would definitely recommend for you to buy it, not a single cent spoiled on this one amigos. It's definitely worth the watch over and over again.

Rating:

Clash of the Titans- Accurately inaccurate best describes the movie.Well this is the movie that I really anticipated, but it came a little up short to my expectation. Clash of the Titans is a movie adaptation straight the myths of Greeks, of Perseus in particular. First adaptation was in 1981 of the same movie title, so there was a huge amount of expectation for this version of the movie. If there was something lacking in the first film it was expected that this version would fill specially with the advanced digital age that we have. Unfortunately, what I think was the undoing for the movie is the fact that the movie makers missed out on some minor details. For example, Pegasus is Black? Heck Tri-star picture would have a large say on that can't they? And why the heck is the fallen in the movie? Isn't the guy supposed to be in Transformers? LMAO. Another thing, Perseus and Andromeda should have been the main couple and not the girl whom Gemma Arterton played (Gemma by the way was way too hot in the movie that when she played as Strawberry Fields in the Quantum of Solace). Another mortal flaw is the depiction of Acrisius where he was depicted as the husband of Danae. Actually in Mythology, Acrisius should be the grandfather of Perseus not the husband wronged by Zeus. And why is it the Kraken was related to Hades when it should have been Poseidon's pet?

Yes we wanted a great watch, but we also wanted a movie that is true to form. I know there are liberties for great creative effect but changing history is not the way to go. Tell me now how the children would react watching this and relate it to what they learn in school this only brings confusion to all the young minds. Overall, Id say that the movie is visually stunning (save for the horrendous outfits of the gods) but accurately missed on it's base story.

Rating:




The Losers - The Losers is another comic tuned movie flick scenario. Plot: The team composed of Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar is sent to the Bolivian Jungle on a secret search and destroy mission. The team soon discover though that they have been setup by a double crosser named Max. They rescued some children and another of Max's cohorts blew the 'copter that carried the children. Since it was a covert mission, the US government knew nothing of their mission but since the incident involved children massacred there was a huge international uproar. The group then decided to hide in Bolivia for the mean time and pretend that they are dead. Months after the incident, Clay is approached by a mysterious lady named Aisha who promises Clay and his team that she can help them track down and get revenge on Max for what he did to the team. and the story goes on and on...

Movie story is so and so, action scenes not too alien to buzz about. Technically it's an ok movie but for me there is no punch to it. I mean yeah you sit at the movie house and not really enjoy what you're watching. Sorry, but that's just how it really is, I'll tell you the good parts: Jensen pretending to be a psychic shooter, Aisha's steamy scene, The scene where a car is lifted up about 50 yards into the air when blown and Roque's death scene. And that's about it.

Rating:



Iron Man 2 -Ok alright Robert Downey Jr. did another superb job on the sequel, I mean he's really the best guy for the job. Playing as Tony Starks is like au natural for Robert. Praises for that. Actually I like how the movie is done, great effects, great CG animations everything is visually stunning. I only saw a few glitches in the story: 1. How can whiplash survive getting bumped by a car so many times and not suffer any fracture? Heck, Tony Starks even had a chance interviewing him at jail. 2. As seen on the photo Iron man's suits were designed with a circular chest plate to complement the arc reactor's circular design, how then at the end, since Tony redesigned his reactor to triangle, did the suits also changed their format (to become triangular chest plate)? Can Tony have done it in such short time of notice? 3. How can a totally revamped whiplash lose so quickly when showing up with a lowly engineered suit he gave Iron Man the fits?

Little details really but it could have helped the story if it was elaborated even more. There were also little surprises in the movie: 1. Nick Fury coming out of the dark. 2. Black Widow showing up (Boy, Scarlett is one hot girl) 3. Captain America's broken shield used as props (Be very keen-eyed on this as this was shown as Tony is constructing the means of creating a better reactor) 4. If you can be patient wait for last end credit detail and see Thor's Hammer at the end. Again this is a kind of movie where visuals overtake details and this movie offers a great deal of visuals stunning you to the end.

Rating:




Furry Vengeance - Being a Comedienne is one of the hardest job in the world, for one you have to think of a skit that's funny and very appealing, and of course you have to be original cause if somebody else have beaten you on that punchline chances are your joke would stink. Enough for the intro and let's get down to business. Brendan Fraser in my opinion is one of the better comedic actor because he acts so naturally his punchlines sells.

In Furry Vengeance, Fraser plays as Dan Sanders, who is the manager of a land development firm. The construction site? A protected forest! Troubles begin once the local animals discover his leadership role in the destruction of their habitat. With the leadership of a Raccoon, Sanders soon lands atop the forest's Most Wanted list, and realizes how much trouble a few feisty forest creatures can cause! The pesky critters bedevil Dan night and day, sabotaging his work, his peace of mind and even his wardrobe.

Looking at this short synopsis you might identify it as been there seen that mode, which is really sorry since it features a strong cast in Fraser and Brooke Shields alone. Rotten Tomatoes (from where I copied most of the synopsis for Furry..) gave the movie a passing rate of 7 percentile. I will not be as hard as them as there are still some scenes that'll definitely bring a smile to your face. Well it's a matter of taste really.

Rating:



A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) - How many sequels did this film had? 8? And this installment brings us back from the start. I'll be direct to the point. The movie is actually far cry from when I used to hide in the blanket just seeing Freddy show up comparing it to this edition (or maybe I have just outgrown the fear?). But yes, it's not as creepy as the last films, but it's better visually (you gotta owe that to the new technology). I think the story is also better narrated this time. There are scenes where you get surprised but after that you don't feel the same chill you felt in the last movies. It's different really, I think this is one of the films where Michael Bay's magic didn't work for his favor.

Rating:






So that's it. It's only May and there are a lot of pretty good movies lined up, Please never expect me to put up a review for the Twilight series since it's never going to happen. I just don't like it and I'm not intrigued by it. Expect me to put up an effort to Robin Hood, Shrek and a lot more movies this 2010. Until then. Godspeed!

Última palabra: Feel free to write your comments on this review, would like to hear from you.