TheBilcourt: March 2007

Almost Poseidon...

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

I really did not need to see this video. The cruise ship Voyager being tossed around in a storm. I will think of this everytime from this point on whenever I get on a cruise ship.

Cruise Ship Caught In Cyclone - Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

Monday night featured an interesting experience. I went with Josh and Jesse to the Belcourt to see a documentary called "Starbucking". It's the story of a man named Winter(just Winter. His full legal name is Winter.) who is obsessed with trying to visit every Starbucks in the world. He goes to the stores, takes a picture, and has a cup of coffee in each one. According to his regularly updated blog, he has visited over 6338 + 29 North American stores and 432 international Starbucks stores. He told us that he has visited about 91-92% of all "Starbucks owned" Starbucks. He doesn't visit licensed stores like Target Starbucks or mall kiosk Starbucks. Those have Starbucks brands but they're run by another company.

The film itself was a lot more entertaining then what I was actually expecting. What made the film seem better was the fact that Winter was actually at the Belcourt to do a Q&A. Throughout the film, the Winter we see is almost crazy. The film gives you the idea that this guy has some sort of mental problem(which I think he might really have and coffee + caffeine don't help), but the Winter we we're presented with after the film was very calm and subdued. I took my camera to get a picture, but in a way he kind of scared me a bit so I didn't bother. It's kind of funny but everyone that knows me knows I'm not a huge coffee fan, but this film has the same effect as Super Size Me. I think we all totally wanted to go to Starbucks and get coffee afterwards. I admire him for attempting this. It's a goal that will take him a lifetime to accomplish, but he continues. Starbucks has announced that they want to open 40,000 stores. Good luck to him...

The DVD comes out in April and I suggest anyone that has Netflix, get it and check it out.

Here's the trailer courtesy of his site and YouTube...

UPDATE!!- Mk, after thinking about it and after finding out that WInter himself has read my blog, I need to clarify some earlier remarks. Due to the type of quest he is on, he comes in contact with quite a bit of coffee/caffeine. It is hard to distinguish which Winter you are seeing. It is hard to determine if Winter acts the way he does because of the coffee or if he is just acting naturally. The film features Psychology students that profile him. So with those two things, you are kind of left to wonder exactly what he really is like coffee aside. In no way, shape, or form did I want to offend Winter. I was mainly trying to describe what I was presented with during and after the film. He has achieved a bigger goal than I really ever have, so I think he's awesome.

The United Way and Peyton Manning

Sunday, March 25, 2007

This was about the only thing funny(but freaking funny) about Peyton Manning's SNL appearance. It's too bad it wasn't more funny, I was rooting for him to have a good show.

200th Post!!!

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Today has been one of those "What the heck are they thinking?" days in Hollywood. Let's take a look at some of the announcements made today.

1. Jason Lee is going to star in the film version of Alvin & the Chipmunks. It's going to written by the genuises that brought us Garfield. Did everyone forget about The Chipmunk Adventure? As a kid that movie ruled. The live action/CGI version could make The Chipmunk Adventure look like an Oscar nominee.

2. Eddie Murphy is going to possibly star in the film version of Fantasy Island. Who will be his Tattoo? Please not Mini Me. Knowing Eddie, he might play Tattoo himself. I can't see Eddie being as cultured and suave as Khan himself, Ricardo Montalban.

3. Rob Zombie is making a remake of Halloween. Ok. Cool. BUT, Rob has decided to axe the theme song to Halloween. Granted, I wasn't a huge Halloween fan growing up (on account my parents didn't let me watch horror movies), but even I knew the Halloween theme song. The song and the mask are the 2 things that people identify Halloween with. I understand he's going for a remake feel, but does getting rid of the theme song have to be part of it? I guess if he left it in, it would end up being a death metal version of the theme with Zombie screaming "Halloween, yeeeeeaahhhh!" over and over again anyways.

4. I have totally been behind the "powers that be" making a fourth Indiana Jones movie. Until now. Word on the street has Even Stevens joining the cast as Indy's son. I'm not a huge fan of his and I guess he's just not very Indy like. You know? He doesn't seem like the kind of actor that would be Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones' son. I kind of like the Natalie Portman idea that's been floating around better than this.

5. They might be making a sequel to Forrest Gump. I say possibly cool. I doubt they will work Haley Joel Osment in unless it takes place like 15 years later than the original. I also don't know if they should mess with Forrest Gump. Gump is one of those priceless and memorable movies. I would hate to see the original movie tarnished by a bad sequel. I'm thinking of you, Speed 2: Cruise Control, The Lost World, Batman and Robin, Rocky V, Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows, and Godfather III.(Just to name a few.)

In super sweet news, I can't wait for Spider-Man 3 after seeing these pics...

Also, 300 comes out on Friday. Go see it. It is one of the most bad-ass movies I have ever seen.

I am a Price-Sensitive Affluent!

Friday, March 02, 2007

Everyone that knows me knows that I love Wal-Mart.(I do enjoy Target too) You can find anything there and it's usually at a pretty good price.(especially brand new dvds! 14.88) Well, Wal-Mart thinks their smart and have come up with three types of people that shop at their stores. According to this NY Times article, the three types are: “brand aspirationals” (people with low incomes who are obsessed with names like KitchenAid), “price-sensitive affluents” (wealthier shoppers who love deals), and “value-price shoppers” (who like low prices and cannot afford much more). Personally, I would like more detail about these types. I know I'm not "brand aspirational" so that ones out of the way. The other two are so ridiculously obvious. "price-sensitive affluents"(normal people) and "value-price shoppers"(white trash, dirty people, and people who are here illegally.) Wal-Mart gets a big "DUH!" for just now realizing this. How many other kinds of people shop there?

update: Ok, I did think of one type they forgot to mention. The "product is closer" shopper. The person that lives close to Wal-Mart and doesn't feel like driving to the mall because Wal-Mart has everything.

New TV Series

Thursday, March 01, 2007

This is hilarious! ABC is developing a comedy series based on....

Here's an article about it.

Almost Poseidon...

Starbucking

The United Way and Peyton Manning

200th Post!!!

I am a Price-Sensitive Affluent!

New TV Series

What's Sneaky Billy up to right now???

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