2008: I'm not a hater, I just whine a lot

By: Peter Banuelos

Posted: 12/5/08

I know that it is almost Christmas time, so I should be filled with joy and holiday cheer. But for some reason, I am not. I am actually feeling more Scrooge-like, in a way, and I am annoyed. The reason for this? Well, when it comes to entertainment (movies, music, and TV), I am very disappointed with some of this year's outcomes. So I want to list 10 moments (in no particular order) that were annoying this year:

1. Video game movies: This is because I paid good money to watch Mark Wahlberg kick some butt, yet I was given a weird movie with hardly any plot, and Max Payne was definitely a pain to watch. Thanks for nothing, Marky Mark!

2. Chinese Democracy: Axl Rose, a bit of advice. If you are going to make fans wait 17 years and have your music label pay you millions of dollars to finish an album, one that should have melted my face, do not give me a CD with mediocre tracks. Welcome to the jungle, it was dumb and lame!

3. Reality TV: I hate that I watch too much of this crap. Wait, do I like crap? I guess I do because I spend too many hours watching "Real Chance of Love." And why am I watching this show in the first place, huh? Well, it's because I am entertained by it. It's not reality and I don't care!

4. Political Debates: Watching them wasn't fun. It was like watching a double-dose of Charlie Rose without the important questions or the insightful information. It was almost as bad as watching "The View." Please do not ever put me in that situation again, America!

5. Kanye West: So Mr. West has given us another album: 808's and Heartbreak. It is a good album but where was the controversy? Where was the ego? I know it's a mellower CD, with references to sad stuff and Robocop, but when Kanye drops an album, I want to see his big head before I hear his songs. I wanted "Graduation" times two!

6. No WATCHMEN?: As soon as I saw the trailer right before seeing The Dark Knight in theaters, I was hooked. I kept watching the trailer over and over online, and I was so going to dress up like Dr. Manhattan the day it was released. Now I have to wait until March of 2009? I hate copyright lawsuits and the people who file them. Oh, 21st Century Fox, I used to love you.

7. R.I.P. TRL: So MTV (aka Music Television) has killed the request show. Now what? It was bound to happen, with MTV no longer featuring music but reality shows instead. Oh wait, I love THE HILLS! But that is for another time. Right now, MTV has some explaining to do. Or at least it needs to stop calling itself MUSIC television!

8. The Academy Awards: I know it's not until February, but I've got a beef with this 78-year-old awards show. I am not seeing people nominated that I want to see, and I am seeing people that don't belong. All I know is that the host needs to be funnier and more entertaining this time around. I would even settle for Billy Crystal again. I said Billy Crystal! Does that show you my concern?

9. James Bond: He has gotten better, much better, since the last dying days of Pierce Brosnan. But, at the same time, I won't settle for exchanging a weak plot for some awesome fight scenes and car chases, Mr. Craig. Not now, not ever. And you didn't even get to first base with the Bond girl! Bland, Mr. Bland.

10. Twilight: I hate hype. And I hate Twilight. I never read the books and I don't plan on giving this book or the new movie a chance. A vampire that is more romantic than scary? I would rather spend my time watching Harry Potter: it's about a boy wizard. I said it, a boy who wants to be a wizard and flies on a broom! Mr. Potter: a million, Twilight: zero. Check and mate.

Peter Banuelos

diversions@dailybarometer.com