Winona Ryder

Her more recent roles were Spock’s mother in the Star Trek reboot and anyone see her in Black Swan?  I sure hope her cheek is doing better.

To celebrate the occasion here’s my Top 5 Winona Ryder Movies Of The 1980’s:

5. Edward Scissorhands (1990, but filmed in 89): “You see, before he came down here, it never snowed. And afterwards, it did. If he weren’t up there now… I don’t think it would be snowing. Sometimes you can still catch me dancing in it.”

4. 1969 (1988): No memorable quotes, but anything is better than Great Balls of Fire.

3. LUCAS (1986): “People do kill themselves when they can’t have the one they love!”

2. BEETLEJUICE (1988): “My whole life is a dark room. One big dark room.”

1. HEATHERS (1988): “I use my grand IQ to decide what color lip gloss to wear in the morning and how to hit three keggers before curfew…”

A polling firm just returned some numbers that show Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has the highest public popularity rating of any person ever recorded in Wisconsin.  89% have a favorable opinion of him.

Maybe, stick with the Pack for another 10 years and then give it a shot.

Occupy Purdue(’s Endzone)

Go Badgers!

There was another one too, but it had a metal twist.  Ronnie James Dio and other Dio members put together their own charity project called “Hear N’ Aid,” but it kind of fizzled.

The result was the song “Stars,” featuring members of Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Blue Öyster Cult and even Spinal Tap. The group also enlisted Ted Nugent and Yngvie Malmsteen to record the track and put out an album, Stars, featuring live cuts by Kiss, Rush, Dio and more.

Because of contract problems, the song and album was released late and never made the transition to CD.

That is until now.  Ronnie’s widow Wendy Dio is re-releasing Stars as part of an effort to honor Dio’s memory and raise funds for the “Stand Up And Shout” Cancer Fund.

Jeesh. It’s 7 rockin’ minutes long.

He and his legal team have are denying a lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old woman from California who claims that the teen pop star fathered her child after an encounter backstage at an LA show.

In this case, and even without knowing if it’s true or not, I do support the pop superstar.  That’s mostly because I can’t handle a lullaby version of “Baby.”

Keep in mind, these people are no longer alive, but we would like to bring back.  Zombie presidents?  Let’s hope it doesn’t go that far. Here’s what the 60 Minutes/Variety Poll said:

36 % said they wanted the Ronald Reagan to lead America out of the economic crisis

29 % picked Roosevelt

14% picked Thomas Jefferson

8% picked Roosevelt’s successor Harry Truman

1% chose William Henry Harrison, who was inaugurated in March 1841 and died one month later.

For me, I’d choose a President that never dies to fill the role.  That would be a president from the movies. Here’s some good choices:

Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt from Night At The Museum – Quite bronze and fearless.

Harrison Ford as President James Marshall in Air Force One - He’ll punch ya in the face.

Morgan Freeman as President Tom Beck in Deep Impact – Com’mon.  It’s Morgan Freeman.

Harry Shearer as President Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Simpsons Movie – He’ll terminate high interest rates.

Steve Perry circa 1986.

Not that I really expected this to happen anytime soon, but Steve Perry says there won’t be a Journey reunion anytime soon.

The resurgence of Journey and the band’s hit “Don’t Stop Believin‘” may have given fans hope of a reunion, but former lead singer Steve Perry says that’s probably not going to happen.

Speaking to the press last week he wen’t all philosophical saying “Life has moved us all on in different places in our lives. . They’re doing what they’re doing — they have been since ‘98. And I’ve been doing what I’m doing, which is living my life and having a personal life.”

Tomorrow they’ll be releasing Journey’s “Greatest Hits Vol. 2″ and the remastered version of Perry’s 1984 solo album, “Street Talk,” which included the No. 1 hit “Oh Sherrie” and the ballad “Foolish Heart.”

-43.9% of Americans plan to dress up this year.

- 76% of all young adults plan to deck themselves out.

- On average, they’ll spend about $63 on their look.

-U.S. consumers spent more than $2.5 billion on costumes this year.

- The average household has shelled out $21.05 in Halloween candy alone.

- The average child collects an estimated 3,500 and 7,000 calories on Halloween night.

- A 100-pound child who eats 7,000 calories worth of candy would have to walk for almost 44 hours or play full-court basketball for 14.5 hours to burn those calories.

- Meanwhile, 14.7% of Americans will dress up their pets.

- Nearly half of American consumers (49.5%) are expected to decorate their front yard.

- Many (32.9%) will take their kids trick-or-treating.

- Most of us (73.5%) will hand out candy to them.

- Nearly half of Americans (47.8%) will carve a pumpkin.

- Some (22.9%) of us will visit a haunted house.

- 22% of consumers will spend an average of $59 to throw a party.

Thanks to The National Retail Federation and The Wall Street Journal for the data.

Looking through glassy eyes, it’s hard to find focus, even if your intentions were to have a good time. It’s the same story for Johnny Depp’s toast to Hunter S. Thompson in The Rum Diary. The heart is in the right place, but this one stumbles around a little too much.

The film is based on the long lost novel of the same name that Thompson wrote in the 1960’s, but didn’t publish until 1998. Depp supposedly found the material amongst Thompson’s things and has since been key in getting the film produced.

The story involves journalist Paul Kemp (Depp) who takes a job at the San Juan Star in Puerto Rico. His sleazy editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins) immediately sets the tone of the film by asking Kemp if he’s drunk and how much he drinks. Kemp replies in a Thompson-esque voice “The high end of social.”

From there, Kemp is wooed by Sanderson, (Aaron Eckhart) a developer who has plans to get rich by developing the lush island. It’s Sanderson’s attempt to control the media in his favor.

The film is somewhat autobiographical because Thompson did apply at the San Juan Star, but didn’t get the job. It’s completely autobiographical in regards to how Depp, for a second time, entertains by channeling Thompson. It’s a treat to hear the witty dialogue come rolling off his mumbling tongue.

Another standout is Sanderson’s fiancee’, played by the luscious Amber Heard. Her character Chenault is like a beautiful tidal wave. She’s literally the girl that talks you into speed racing the brand new car you’ve just been given by daddy.

If there was a main point, it’s how Kemp tries to use his righteous journalistic integrity to save the people of Puerto Rico from a greedy American developer. Still this is more of a rum fueled exercise in functional alcoholism. I feel like they touched on everything that Thompson was, but didn’t deliver that gonzo element.