Chris Ullrich dot net - Page 7 of 92 -

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year

Posted on December 25, 2014

die-hard-ho-ho-ho-1

For most of you, today is Christmas. For some others, it’s just a Thursday. For that first group, I hope you get everything you asked for this year, and one or two things you didn’t.

After all, what fun would it be if you just got everything you asked for. You gotta have a few surprises in life. Christmas is a great time for surprises.

I didn’t ask for too much this year and I was lucky enough to get everything on my list. The truth is, though, all I really wanted was for my family to be healthy and happy, especially our youngest member. His health and happiness is my first priority. I guess I must have been pretty good in 2014 because I’m happy to report he’s doing great.

Sure, 2014 had a few rough spots (very rough, let’s face it) but those times haven’t dampened my enthusiasm, or my optimism, for 2015. In short, I’m looking forward to the new year and all it will bring.

Until the new year, though, I’m going to pass the time enjoying a few of my favorite holiday movies. I’ll give you a couple guesses what some of those might be. You can also hear Joe and I discuss our favorite holiday movies, and whatnot, on the latest episode of The Flickcast.

Happy Christmas and best wishes for a spectacular 2015!

Don’t worry, I’m not only watching action movies during the holidays. This one has almost no action at all, except the bedroom kind. Plus, it has Rick from The Walking Dead and Hans Gruber from Die Hard. That’s gotta count for something.

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Is Looking Good

Posted on December 10, 2014

tom-hardy-mad-max-fury-road-1

I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when Mad Max: Fury Road was first announced. I’m not entirely sure why, really. Maybe it’s just that I’m skeptical about everything these days?

Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong about many of the crap movies and TV shows that seem to come out rather frequently. Those still suck.

Fortunately, it appears Mad Max: Fury Road won’t be one of the ones that suck and my concerns about it have pretty much been put to rest by the new trailer for it that’s come out today. In short, it looks pretty amazing. I won’t even try to find things wrong with it, although I’m sure I could if I really wanted to. But where’s the fun it that? Right?

No, I’m not going to look for problems. I’m just going to enjoy it for what is is: action-packed fun.

I think I’m growing.

Some ‘Star Trek: TNG’ Season 7 Bloopers

Posted on November 22, 2014

star-trek-tng-all-good-things-1

Continuing the Star Trek theme of the last post, but on a much more upbeat note, here’s a blooper/gag reel from Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7.

I find this stuff pretty amusing. You might too.

The Saga Continues

Posted on November 12, 2014

star-trek-movie-1

It amuses me when people post to their personal websites/blogs that they are not, in fact, dead. I’ve even done it myself. Probably more than once. Hey, here it is again: I’m not dead.

See, that wasn’t so bad.

The truth it I’ve been in a bit of a funk and haven’t had the motivation to write anything. I’ve been a bit down. A little on the low side. Bummed out. Sad, even. Why, you ask?

Well, I’ll tell you. It’s not my death that’s the problem, it’s my mom’s. Yes, you read that right, my mom passed away. It’s actually been a couple months now and I’ve had a bit of time to try to get used to it.

But if I’m being completely honest, I’m really not used to it . . . and I don’t think I ever will be. I think that’s okay though. I don’t think you’re supposed to get used to it or get over it.

You just learn to live with it.

On that note I’ve been trying to think of a fitting tribute to my mom and, perhaps, write something here that will do her justice. So far, I’ve pretty much failed.

What I can do is tell a story.

It was 1979 and the movie version of one of my favorite TV series, Star Trek, was finally coming to the big screen. It was called Star Trek: The Motion Picture and it would open on that Friday in December to mediocre reviews and somewhat disappointing box office.

But STtMP’s relative success is not really the point of this particular trip into the past.

The point is my mom let me skip school on that Friday, drove me to the theater and waited in line with me from the early morning until we were finally seated and where, in spite of the reviews, I had a great movie-going experience.

That’s the kind of mom she was.

Sure, some could argue allowing your child to skip school to see a movie isn’t the best example of parenting. But that doesn’t really matter. What matters is she encouraged me … in whatever direction I wanted to go.

Even if she didn’t exactly understand, or share, my passions, she helped me figure out ways to indulge and pursue them. She was always there for me whenever I needed her and whenever I wanted to try something new. No judgements, few questions, just support and love.

Even when I made mistakes, she was there for me. That happened quite a bit, as it does when you’re growing up. But with her help I learned from those mistakes and became better for it.

These are the things a parent does. It’s what my mom did. I would not be who I am today without her. I only hope I end up being half the parent she was.

It’s a lot to live up to.

David Lynch’s Ice Bucket Challenge Is Just What It Should Be

Posted on August 27, 2014

david-lynch-ice-bucket-als

What can you say about this? It’s David Lynch. It’s the Ice Bucket Challenge. It goes as you would hope and expect.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvkqr-S-1Ac&w=560&h=315]

BTW, here’s a link to donate to ALS research. Save yourself some time and trouble … and also from being wet and cold.

The Health Benefits of Beer

Posted on August 22, 2014

beer-benefits-large-crop-1

I really think this chart speaks for itself. That is, if charts could speak. They can’t, of course.

But that doesn’t mean the information isn’t valid. It is. Valid and fun.

So please, when you drink beer (and you probably will, let’s face it) remember you’re having fun and also doing yourself some good.

And really, who can argue with that?

beer-benefits-large-1

Of course, and this should really go without saying, don’t drink and drive. That would be stupid.

You’re not stupid, are you?

(Thanks to Mashable for the chart)

Here’s the LEGO ‘Walking Dead’ Season Five Trailer

Posted on August 12, 2014

walking-dead-season-five-trailer-lego-1

Due to “circumstances” I need to keep this brief. So, here’s the trailer for Season Five of The Walking Dead made with LEGO, thanks to the efforts of Kristo499.

I like it. Perhaps the actual show should be LEGO all the time? Might be an improvement.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEhGm7xSlc?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

Oh, here’s the “real” trailer for Season Five featuring humans. Which is better? You decide.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GAs9TJVjM&w=560&h=315]

I Want to See Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ Right Now

Posted on August 8, 2014

interstellar-nolan-movie-1

I have what could be described by some as “patience issues.” For the layman (or woman) that means I don’t like waiting … for anything.

Of course, in life you often have to wait for things, so over the years I’ve developed my skills and refined my technique. These days I can pretty much do it — if I have too. But occasionally, it’s really, really difficult.

The source of my difficulty at the moment is the movie Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine. I’m really having a hard time waiting for this one to come out. It has all the things I love in a movie: space, spaceships, cool science, drama, action, mystery and more.

You can see what I mean if you watch this new trailer, which arrived a few days ago. In a word, the movie looks amazing. November can’t come soon enough.

Michael Keaton As ‘Birdman’ Is Something I Want to See

Posted on July 31, 2014

michael-keaton-birdman-1

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved movies. Good ones, bad ones and everything in between. There’s just something about a movie that does it for me.

Truth be told, I’ve seen a lot of movies over the years. I’m not really sure how many. And when I see one that looks as entertaining, as interesting and, let’s face it, as crazy as Birdman, I feel I should point it out so others can hopefully enjoy it too.

So, with that in mind, here’s the new trailer for Birdman, featuring the somewhat underrated (IMHO) Michael Keaton.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

The Samuel L. Jackson ‘Motherfu***r’ Supercut Is Everything You Hoped It would Be

Posted on July 30, 2014

samuel-l-jackson-pulp-fiction-1

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the best and most entertaining actors working today. I’ve been a fan of his since way back. No, I wasn’t “into him before anybody.” I’m no hipster.

I just think he’s very, very good at a variety of roles and always seems to keep them fresh. He does, however, have one thing he goes back to again and again with pretty much every character he plays.

What is that one thing? Well, he seems to like to use the word “motherfucker” quite a bit.  I can’t blame him, it’s a pretty effective word and does tend to get his point across. He just seems to use it a lot more than pretty much any other word. How much?

Well, some folks at HuffPo Movie Mashups decided to find out and put together an entire supercut of every time Jackson uses it. It’s pretty amazing.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0LBi1MHoaU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]