Author: Matthew Groff

  • MST3K: The Gauntlet (Season 12) – Fan Review

    I had been looking forward to the release of the 12th season, and even spent some time re-watching some of my favorite old MST3K episodes to gear up. Starting yesterday, I powered through this new season over two days, and the first thing that struck me as odd was how it was only six episodes. The last time they did so few movies was in Season 7, which happened to be the last on Comedy Central. Not that I’m reading too much into it, but it does feel like Netflix is trying the show out, still. Also, the six shows have a running theme of Jonah and the Bots having to “marathon through” the six movies. I can’t tell if MST3K was making a joke about binge watching the show, or if it was an order from Netflix that they need to find a way to make their show more binge-able.

    For this, the 12th Season, and the 30th anniversary of the show, I have to say that this batch of films were some of the better-quality B-movies out there. The oldest movie was from 1979, the newest from 2013, and all of them were in color. There was part of me that did miss that there was nothing in B&W, or from the late 50’s. In order, the movies were; Mac and Me, Atlantic Rim, Lords of the Deep, The Day Time Ended, Killer Fish, and Ator The Fighting Eagle.

    The humor of the show was still spot on; sarcastic pop culture references make these riffing wheels turn. What I noticed this time around is that the riffing was at a much faster pace. Compared to when the show debuted 30 years ago, there were dead air gaps between riffs, and as the years have gone by, the jokes have come faster and faster. (The re-watching of old episodes made that point to me.) Over all, the season feels as if there was a bit of fine tuning done in post just to make sure the pace stayed aggressive.

    With that having been said, I think we are looking at a show that is continuing to evolve in its presentation. Joel Hodgson is holding onto the core of the show (making fun of terrable movies,) while allowing the periphery of the show (cast, props, pace, ect…) to stay malleable to the changes in our culture. (I mean, the show now ends with “Keep Circulating the URL.”) Those of us started with the show, we traded VHS tapes, and then in the off years the new fans circulated YouTube links and uploaded clips. Now, that we are living in the streaming age, the new fans will take the show and make it their own. I just hope there are more episodes in the next season.

  • After Thanksgiving

    I have never really understood the excitement of Black Friday. I understand that there are people out there who love to hunt for a bargain, and who treat shopping like a sport. Fine, that’s your bag, and go to town with it.

    Since the advent of online shopping, which I guess was the late 90’s, it now feels like we have this almost week-long celebration of consumerism that is covers Black Friday to Cyber Monday… 4 Amazing Days of Shopping!!! There have been stories in the news for over a week of how much money will be spent, and how to find the best deals. I would not be surprised that in 50 years we will have a new holiday that comes out of Thanksgiving and is all about shopping. The government shuts down, and there will be no taxes, and it will be like the Purge, but for capitalism.

    A friend of mine from college, Lori Fox who is an artist and jewelry designer, put the following picture up on her Instagram page…

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    Her statement that accompanied the image is as follows:

    “Think before you buy- it’s not a “good deal” if you don’t need it. Thanks @adbusters.magazine and @makesmthng for helping raise awareness about our often mindless consumption that leads to so much environmental waste and pollution. Be aware this holiday season 👀Have you started any new holiday traditions in your family that don’t involve buying loads of new stuff?”

  • The Thanksgiving Blog

    It is Thanksgiving-Eve, and we have started the preparations in our little California home. I started cutting up vegetables and getting the dips and sauces ready. Tonight, my wife will start making the pumpkin pie.

    In the morning, whenever we decide to get up, but it should still be early. We do have a kid after all. So, when we get up early, we’ll watch the Macy’s parade with the kid and then after that, we start making everything for the meal. It takes however long it takes us. Sometimes we eat at 1pm, sometimes we eat at 8pm.

    Our other tradition is that we stay in our pajamas all day. We go out shopping earlier in the week and everyone gets a new set. Holiday theme is preferred, but not mandatory.

    The goal for the day is that we all take it easy, stay relaxed, and enjoy being with each other.

    All of that is good and well, and fun and silly, and the way we celebrate the holiday.

    But what has really hit home with me recently is that I do have so much to be thankful for. With all of the changes that have come into my life this year, some planned others not so much, I now see with clarity the importance of friends, and family; the people we choose to share our lives with. That these relationships are what truly brings meaning and value to life. I am thankful for them.

    And with that…

    May it be a wonderful day for you, and Happy Thanksgiving to All!

  • DMV And Mass Weed

    So, if it has DMV in the title, I bet you can see a cliché story coming about waiting in line for hours.

    And you would be partially correct.

    I now live in California, and I needed to go and get myself a California drivers license. To speed up the process, California allows you to fill out forms online, and have them waiting for you at the DMV. They also let you sign up for an appointment, this way you don’t have to spend hours waiting in line. I took advantage of this and filled out the form and requested an appointment. The earliest I could get into my local DMV was January 24th, at 10am. I love the irony of how they created a system to cut down on the waiting time, which has a two and a half month waiting time.

    I went to the DMV this morning and waited two and a half hours just to be seen by someone. It turned out well, I have acquired a California drivers license, am registered to vote, and am an organ donor.

    While I was waiting for two and half hours, I scanned the news and tried to catch up on my reading. A story that caught my eye was about how Massachusetts legalized the sale of weed today. They are now the first east coast state to legalize, which is cool, and I think also shows that it is only a matter of time before it is legal everywhere.

    The aspect that I found interesting was the timing of all of this. Massachusetts allowed sales to start two days before Thanksgiving; a holiday that revolves around food and family. I mean, being high does make you wanna eat, and most people I know need to be high to deal with their families.

  • Job Hunting

    I have now been in California for two and a half weeks now, and the job-hunting fear has set in. I have been sending out resumes and applications, and I haven’t got one interview yet. The first week was no big deal, the second week was a little annoying. Now, that we are on week three, and it is a short week with Thanksgiving, which means my search will continue into a fourth week. The fear is setting in. It is possible now that I will go a month with nothing.

    That’s a problem.

    As we planned this move to California, me finding a job wasn’t that big of a concern. I had worked my way up in arts management, and from that, I thought I had many marketable skills.

    I am beginning to have second thoughts about that.

    Also, it has been almost 15 years since I was last out of a job, and the instability and insecurity that this situation creates has caused more than a few self-doubts. There are a few anxiety triggers that are firing up now which also makes me spiral/fall into thinking that everything will blow up in my face. That I won’t be able to provide…

    And then I have to remind myself that I need to relax.

    Take a breath.

    I’m not at the panic point yet, though I can see it on the horizon.