TANcast

So apparently you folks like this cute kid stuff, and so I present to you my son and I dancing at Cold Stone.

Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is over, but Warner Bros. is not going to let their cash cow die. They’ve gotta reboot the bat. It’s inevitable. With Avengers 2 on the horizon, you know Warner wants to build a Justice League movie, and the Batman has to be part of that. The question is, how do you go forward? You obviously don’t want to retread the ground that Nolan, Burton, or god help us Schumacher have already done…but you still want to remain true to the character of Batman. So let’s see where we’ve been already to find out where we should go. What aspects of the Batman have these three directors explored?

Tim Burton explored Batman’s gothic side, Schumacher explored his “wacky” side (oy!), and Nolan explored his gritty, physical side. But one element of Batman’s character has yet to really be highlighted on the big screen. Batman is supposed to be smart. Life is a constant game of chess and he’s playing you 15 moves ahead. Let’s see that! Not only can Batman beat you to a bloody pulp, he’s already figured out your escape plan before you were done making it.

So who’s the perfect villain to test Batman’s brain? The Riddler. Not the zany, sock down his bright green tights Riddler that Jim Carrey played, but picture more John Malcvoch in In the Line of Fire. He’s a sadistic son of a bitch who’s got a vendetta against Gotham (I’m sure someone can read through the comics and find a reason why). He’s leaving the police these riddles that the police solve only to get there just to late as the bombs go off (kinda like Die Hard: With A Vengeance). Until one time they get there to find Batman has defused the bomb. The Riddler then turns his attention on the Batman. Leaving clues that Batman must solve to save various people. Commissioner Gordan, the mayor, etc. Finally the Batman shows up to save some other notable person…and the person is not there. Just when you think the Batman has guessed Riddler’s clue wrong, the Riddler reveals himself. Turns out, this was an unsolvable riddle…a trap to rid himself of the Batman. When the Riddler attempts to activate the trap mechanism…nothing happens. We then get an Ocean’s 11 style reveal that Batman has been a step ahead of him since he thwarted that first bomb. We get a flashback to several very subtle clues placed throughout the movie that now make sense in context that the Batman has been in control the whole time. Once your mind has been thoroughly blown…credits! Then Superman shows up at the end to ask him to join the Avengers…er…I mean Justice League.

Hey Warner Bros…money please!!!

A while ago, I was in an argument about the Big Bang Theory. The person I was arguing with was an opinionated nerd who thought the show was bad because it represented nerds poorly. Oh did I mention that this blow hard hadn’t even seen a full episode of the show? ‘Cause he hadn’t. He was telling me what was wrong with a show he hadn’t seen. I could understand if he didn’t like this TYPE of show (sitcoms). That’s fine, that’s his prerogative. I’m the same way with those dancing shows. I’ve never seen one and I have no interest in ever seeing one. But I have no problem mocking Andy for watching them, because I’m mocking the show for what is IS…dancing. This idiot was mocking Big Bang Theory for what he thought it was, an insult to nerds. He was telling me it was denigrating to nerd culture because it was showing nerdy guys being inept in the romance department and making fools of themselves.

First off, that’s not what the show’s “about.” That’s just an element of the show. But I couldn’t even get that far in this “discussion” because this tool just kept spewing forth his arrogant words with the tone of an insufferable jerk-face who just KNOWS he’s right about everything (kind of like my tone in this blog)

The message I was unable to punch through his wall of self righteous blabber was that EVERY sitcom treats relationships like that. The guys are always screwing up and making dumb decisions and mistakes. From Dick Van Dyke to Full House to the Cosby Show to Cheers to Friends to Modern Family. Guys (and sometimes even the ladies) are always screwing things up, making dumb choices, and getting into wacky predicaments. But I’m supposed to hate Big Bang Theory because the guys who do the screwing up wear super hero t-shirts and make sci-fi jokes? That makes no sense. They’ve taken the template that people have been using since the dawn of sitcoms and added a ton of nerd friendly references and jokes…and you want me to be OFFENDED? Why don’t you go watch some “superior” show that will be cancelled by next season and just let me enjoy my award winning show?

Bazinga!

I’m only using this as today’s blog because it was too long to tweet…

Someone in my apartment complex keeps putting their trash in our garbage bin (each apartment has it’s own individual garbage bin and recycle bin). Unfortunately there are 3 other apartments so I have no idea who is doing it. But then it happened again yesterday morning. I went to empty the house garbage into what should have been an empty bin, but there were a bunch of clothes in there. I thought to myself, “Damn, this guy is a double douche. Not only is he putting his trash in other people’s bins, but he’s throwing away clothes he could have donated to charity.”

I threw my trash in and walked away. Then I turned around, pulled my trash back out, pulled the clothes out, threw them on the ground in front of the other 3 bins, put my trash back in, and felt pretty good about my petty actions.

I told my wife about it that evening and she said, “Well why didn’t YOU donate the clothes?”

…great…now I’M a co-douche.

I am a huge Superman fan. (I’m sure this comes as no shock to most of you) I have been for as long as I can remember. I came by it naturally too. My son is a Superman fan because he sees daddy in Superman gear all the time…my dad never read comic books and couldn’t give two craps about Superman. I don’t think my mom is a big Superman fan, I’m pretty sure she could take him or leave him. So I must have come to it on my own. And he has been my favorite superhero all my life. I liked Batman, Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Wonder Woman (oh Wonder Woman…mmmmm)…but I never forgot who was top dog. Superman was always #1 in my heart.

So you’d think I’d be over the moon that a new, big budget Superman movie is coming out this year. But I’m not. I just can’t shake the feeling that Zach Snyder is gonna #$%@ it up! Maybe I’m wrong. I had similar feelings going into Casino Royal (I was/am a huge Pierce Brosnan fan) and JJ Abrams’ Star Trek (I wanted the Next Generation to get a better final movie than Nemesis…bleach). But those movies won me over in spite of my grumpy attitude. Will Man of Steel? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, here’s my High 5 list of movies that this dyed-in-the-wool Superman fan is looking forward to MORE than Man of Steel.

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So today in New York, a judge struck down the law banning sugary drinks from being larger than 16 ounces.

A friend of a friend had this to say about it on Facebook.

It is our bodies. If we want to load it with sugar then so be it. They are just trying to find more and more ways to control people. If they are going to take away sugar drinks then they need to take away everything fried and greasy too.

I’m divided on this. Read the rest of this entry »

This week it’s the second of 2 mini episodes! This one has Tim and Noah driving to and from seeing Harrison Ford live at the Cinequest Film Festival. (Plus Noah does a taste test on the new Lays chip flavors)

[CONTENT WARNING] TANcast features mature language and immature hosts but is NOT a representation of the stand up act of Tim Babb. Listener discretion is advised.

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If you listen to the show (and why would you?), you may remember way back in episode 100 Andy told a story of his then infant son kicking his feet. He told it like it was some amazing thing and I mocked him because…how hard is it to kick feet? Andy and our guest that week, Geoff, assured Noah and I that we would understand when we were parents. Sometimes your kids do things and they are amazing and you want to tell people about your amazing kids. Noah and I didn’t buy it. In fact, it’s a trope on the show to this day. When we say “he kicks his feet back and forth” that means you’re telling a story about your kids that no one should care about.

Cue music “he kicks his feet back and forth…”

So I’m putting my son to bed last night and we’re talking about his day. When I say “we’re talking” I really mean I am talking and he is occasionally interjecting with “yeah” and “more.” (He’s not even 2 yet, what were you expecting Sorkin dialogue?) Finally I get to colors. I say “You used a lot of colors today like red, blue, green, yellow, black, gray, white, pink, and brown. Did I forget any?”

“Orange!” says my 23 month old son…and this time daddy crapped his pants. It was one of those parent moments where you realize your child is actually understanding and interacting. It sneaks up on you. I was floored! I was so amazed that you know how many people I’ve told about this?

None.

That’s right. Andy and Geoff are still wrong! even though I was amazed, I know no one else will care or appreciate it. The only reason I made you read that story is so you know that I know that it is a boring story. And now Geoff and Andy know that is possible to be amazed by your child and still know what is and isn’t a good story. I win!

ORANGE!!!

Why do we still do Daylight Saving Time? Who is this helping? I want answers?! Why am I losing an hour of sleep for this. And don’t give me any of this “you get an hour of extra sleep in fall” bullcrap! Sleep six months form now does not help me be less sleepy now!

How is Arizona AHEAD of the curve on this one? How did that happen? What are we doing America? Get it together! I’m going back to bed…

This week it’s the first of 2 mini episodes! This one has Tim, Noah and special guest Geoff sitting in a car outside of a Red Lobster discussing Back to the Future, getting old, and…a few other random things.

[CONTENT WARNING] TANcast features mature language and immature hosts but is NOT a representation of the stand up act of Tim Babb. Listener discretion is advised.

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