Stardate 0910.10

                                                           Lest We Never Forget...

Another Descent Into...

Steelers vs. Falcons-Wk.1 preview-

And with the Saints 14-9 win over the Vikings last night, we have kicked off another season of NFL football and the start of my weekly Steelers preview. This week is the start of a month-long journey of uncertainty for the black and gold. Big Ben begins his suspension, and backup Byron Leftwich is out with a sprained knee leaving the QB duties to little-used Dennis Dixon coming off an above-average preseason.

Up first is the Atlanta Falcons, a team with a third-year QB in Matt Ryan with considerably more experience. Yet after completing 61.1 percent of his passes and being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year while leading the Falcons to the playoffs in 2008, Matt Ryan was less accurate (58.3) and took a small step backward in Atlanta's 9-7 season. After missing two games with a toe injury, though, Ryan came back to throw six touchdowns in leading the Falcons to their final three victories.

They are up against a rejuvenated Steelers D with a healed Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith at the helm. Which I feel will decide the outcome of this game. I think the Steelers will go back to offensive basics, i.e, run, run, run. The O-line has improved along with starting RB Rashard Mendenhall which will give the Falcons D all it can handle. Look for a low-scoring game in the Steelers favor...Pittsburgh 17, Atlanta 10


Rush-Beyond The Lighted Stage-

I have waited an eternity for a proper story about one of Rock-N-Roll's greatest groups. Rush has never received a Behind the Music episode nor an A&E Biography. It took almost 40 years and director Sam Dunn to bring the story of Rush to life.

Featuring an A-Z bio along with interviews by the band and their fans and peers(Gene Simmons, Sebastian Bach, Jack Black, Les Claypool to name a few). We learn Rush's path to success was often impeded not by drugs or alcohol(though Geddy Lee admits they used drugs during the recording of their awful Caress of Steel album), but rather mainstream critics and so-called musically inclined folk who felt the band was nothing but hot air.

The most heartfelt piece is towards the end of the movie where Neil Peart opens up(a crack) about the loss of his daughter and first wife within a span of the year. If you're a fan of the band, you will love this. If you are not a fan of the band, you will love this. This is a perfect documentary, no doubt about it.  DYK: The original drummer for the band was the late John Rutsey. Neil Peart would join following the release of their debut album.10/10

Rush(self-titled album)

Every story has an origin. In the story of Rush, it begins with this 1974 self-titled debut. Featuring original drummer John Rutsey, this album can be best described as Zeppelin on 5-Hour Energy. All these songs are not in the lyrical depth of their later work(albeit "Working Man" comes close), but you can hear the passion and energy so prevalent in alot of first albums.

We start with the hard-charging "Finding My Way". A great intro, fantastic in-your-face, Geddy Lee-vocal piercing tune. "Need Some Love" is not quite as good, but not bad. Somewhere in the middle. "Take A Friend" despite the get-to-the-point beginning is kinda of a dinosaur slog.  "Here Again" is a slow, bluesy jam which is rather depressing, not in a bad way though. "What You're Doing" is more or less them in Zeppelin tribute band mode. "In The Mood" is a rather naughty kind of song, Geddy putting out there for the girl he's singing for.
"Before and After" is a slow starter but kicks in two minutes in with a variation of the "Over the Hills and Far Away" riff. The album closes with the legendary "Working Man". It's about all of us who work a joe job then want to get back and chill. Ironically, it was Cleveland that first broke Rush, so I guess I'm grateful....7.5/10

Troll 2-

I'm going to be to the point...PIECE OF FUCKIN SHIT!!! Steer clear of this movie. Yes, I'm aware of its cult following as Best Worst Movie ever, but no matter how I tried to see this film, I couldn't get past anything that was bad and I love bad movies! But what I don't like is the dialogue, Jackie Collins could have written better verbiage!. The acting on the level below kindergarten plays. Worse yet, this isn't a sequel to the original Troll!  Yet in the pile of shit, I can at least pull from it one peanut...



1/10. This movie has displaced Titanic as my 2nd least favorite movie of all time. Maybe I don't get it. No wait, I do. It sucks! If you like this movie in whatever context you see it in, good for you!

The Cinema Snob-
Here are the two latest episodes from the SnobMeister himself-
Caligula, Part II-


and the more recent, Violent Sh*t-