Yohe 50th Anniversary Party

Here is a snippet of Jim and Beverly Yohe’s 50th Anniversary Celebration held on December 30, 2009 at the River House restaurant in Charleroi:

Song:  “Always and Forever” sung by Diana Ross

Steelers vs Ravens — Tailgate & Game 12/27/2009

We had a blast at the final home game of the 2009 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  After a rough patch, the Steelers finished strong with three victories in a row (beating the Packers, the Ravens and the Dolphins).  This is a summary of our fun day.  I did type the wrong date into the video though :-0

Song:  “Run” by Vampire Weekend

I highly recommend you purchase Contra by “Vampire Weekend”.  It is an awesome alternative music jam fest!

Let it Snow (December 19, 2009)

Josh, Athan & RJ

Jay’s Annual Best of 2009 *(updated 12/24/2009)

Jay’s Annual Best of 2009

John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”

This has been a tough year.  The economy tanked, the Steelers tanked (after winning the Super Bowl in early 2009) and several notable celebrities tanked.  Yet it has also been a fantastic year.  Drew Yohe secured his Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do on December 12, 2009.  Joshua Yohe continued to excel in school, reduced his swim times at competitions, plugged away at violin and bells and sloshed skillfully down ski slopes with his Dad.  Kathy remained the family fulcrum even though she has yet to enjoy any down time (other than family trips to VA Beach and Ocean City, NJ).   Nevertheless, she seemed to enjoy her job, and she is still a first rate Mother and Wife.  I guess I still like my occupation, but after 21 years, I have lost my patience with the SYSTEM.  I still love teaching and I enjoy most of the kids.  This year I am teaching 8^th through 12^th grade students further adding to the challenge.

The bottom line is that I still enjoy entertainment from great television shows, awesome books, tantalizing music and even an occasional worthwhile movie.  So without further ado, here is my list of the best in entertainment for the year 2009.  As always, these are the shows, flicks, songs and books that I experienced during 2009.  I have also listed my favorite entertainment mediums first.

“I believe entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art; but if you set out to make art, you’re an idiot.”

— Steve Martin

Breaking Bad Quote:
Walt: “Castor beans”
Jesse: “So, what are we going to do with them? Are we just gonna grow a magic beanstalk? Huh? Climb it and escape?”
Walt: “We are going to process them into ricin.”
Jesse: “Rice ‘n Beans.”
Walt: “Ricin. It’s an extremely effective poison.”

Best Television of 2009

(Starting with the best and working my way down to still great)

Dexter (ShowTime) – This was the best season of any show that has ever graced a television screen.  The finale had the biggest twist in the history of both television and motion pictures.  John Lithgow’s powerful performance obliterated the screen.  The entire cast was AMAZING!  The show has been on Showtime for four seasons, and I envy anybody who might have the opportunity to discover Dexter for the first time.  Nevertheless, season 4 was the absolute BOMB.

Breaking Bad (AMC) – Two of the episodes in the second season were earth shatteringly dazzling with plot bending action, fanatic eye-candy acting sequences and dramatic in-your-face discourse.  This was the second best season of television I have ever viewed.  It did get edged out ever so slightly by the current season of “Dexter” though.

Rescue Me (FX) – I am simply amazed that I’m actually ranking this astounding show as my number three favorite show of 2009.  Every scene featuring Sheila (Callie Thorne) made for phenomenal viewing.  The magical glue of the show still belongs to Denis Leary.

Lost (ABC) – I still haven’t recovered from the finale, and I am salivating with angst over the return of the show for its final season.

Glee (Fox) – The only new addition to my top five was my biggest reason for smiling during the last few months.  I loved the comedy, I loved the cast and I loved the singing and dancing.

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Damages (FX)

Doll House (Fox) – Season 1 — (I haven’t seen the current season)

Flash Forward (ABC)

Nurse Jackie (ShowTime)

The Good Wife (CBS)

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United States of Tara (ShowTime)

Bored to Death (HBO)

Epitafios (HBO Latin)

Survivor (CBS)

Nip & Tuck (F/X) — (current season)

Desperate Housewives (ABC)

Guilty Pleasure:

Harper’s Island (CBS) — it had some great moments  — English couple’s death on the bridge with Civil Twilight blasting in the background for one!

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Awful in 2009:

Weeds (ShowTime)

Trauma (NBC)

NBC as a Network

Nip & Tuck – last season

Medical Shows

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Best Performances (the best of the best are highlighted):

Michael C Hall, Jennifer Carpenter and John Lithgow (Season 4 guest star) for “Dexter”

Also:  Julie Benz and James Remar for “Dexter”

Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and Dean Norris for “Breaking Bad”

Denis Leary and Callie Thorne (Sheila) for “Rescue Me”

Edie Falco for “Nurse Jackie”

Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, William Hurt and Ted Danson for “Damages”

Ted Danson for “Bored to Death”

Toni Collette for “United States of Tara”

Julianna Margulies, for “The Good Wife”

Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Mark Salling, Kevin McHale and Dianna Agron for “Glee”

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Jennifer Carpenter

Callie Thorne

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Best Music of 2009:

(Click Image for better Viewing of the Music List)

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Best ITunes Albums:

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Best Books of 2009:

• City of Thieves by David Benioff
• Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
• Testimony by Anita Shreve
• The Shack by William P. Young
• Blindness by Jose Saramago
• Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
• The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston
• Shatter by Michael Robotham

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Best Movies I’ve seen in 2009:

1. Inglorious Basterds directed by Quentin Tarantino
2. District 9 directed by Neill Blomkamp
3. Surveillance directed by Jennifer Lynch
4. Nick & Norah’s  Infinite Playlist directed by Peter Sollett
5. Paranormal Activity directed by Oren Peli
6. (500) Days of Summer directed by Marc Webb
7. Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle (& Loveleen Tandan)
8. In Bruges directed by Marin McDonagh
9. Away We Go directed by Sam Mendes
10. Hangover directed by Todd Phillips

Runners Up:

The Wrestler directed by Darren Aronofsky

I Love You Man directed by John Hamburg

Gran Torino directed by Clint Eastwood

Best Foreign Flick:

The Class by Laurent Cantent (French)

The Worst Movies of 2009:

On an island unto itself, the movie that earned my prize for the worst movie of the year and perhaps of all time was:

Transformers:  Revenge of the Fallen directed by Michael Bay

The Rest of the Bad:

• Four Christmases directed by Seth Gordon
• The Day the Earth Stood Still directed by Scott Derrickson
• State of Play (big YAWN)  directed by Kevin Macdonald
• The Unborn directed by David S. Goyer
• The International (it has one awesome action scene though) directed by Tom Tykwer
• Fast and Furious directed by Justin Lin
• Duplicity directed by Tony Gilroy
• The Uninvited directed by (it took two for this travesty) Charles and Thomas Guard
• The Haunting in Connecticut directed by Peter Cornwell
• Obsessed directed by Steve Shill

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Best 2009 Acting Performances in a Movie:

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (my favorite actor of the year) and Zooey Deschanel for “(500) Days of Summer”
• Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent (my favorite actress of the year) for “Inglorious Basterds”
• Sharlto Copley for “District 9”
• John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph for “Away We Go”
• Michael Cera and Kat Dennings for “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”
• Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes for “In Bruges”
• Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei for “The Wrestler”
• Zach Galifianakis for “The Hangover”
• Paul Rudd for “I Love You, Man”

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Jay – December 14, 2009

Year in Pictures Christmas Video 2009

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An Excerpt from Josh’s Winter Concert (these are all 6th graders)

Josh is in the front middle!

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Paranormal Activity Worth the Hype?

Sure I heard the story about some $11,000 flick that was created by writer director Oren Peli starring Micah Sloat (a real-life computer programmer) and Katie Featherston.  The actors of the low-budget movie played a boyfriend and girlfriend almost ready to take the plunge and get engaged (well they were already engaged to be engaged).  The only catch in the relationship was that Katie seemed to have issues with a demon-like entity that followed her from place to place since she was 8 years old.  At the beginning of the story, the couple painted the entity as more of a nuisance rather than a life threatening evil force.  Things changed!

Sure the flick caught my interest, but I wasn’t ready to jump on the HYPE band wagon initially.  Eventually I saw audience reactions to a late September screening, and my interest climbed another notch up the ladder.  However, the nib that stoked my curiosity and actually got me into the theater was Steven Spielberg’s part in the release of the movie.  Back when the movie was presented to Paramount (which originally included Dream Works studios), Steven became a fan of the flick.  At that time, Katie and Micah (and director Oren Peli) were hoping that the story was going to be picked up and remade with big stars and a bigger budget.  The best case scenario might be a nice fee for the rights (I heard a number like $350,000).  Also, the original might have been released on DVD when the theatrical version was released.  Not the case!  Apparently Steven liked the movie as it was originally shot with the original cast and director, and he only suggested a change in the ending (the current ending of the movie).  Based on yesterday’s current gross information, the little flick has already earned:  $33,717,000 !

So I convinced my buddy Doug to go with me last night.  The movie wasn’t playing at many venues or in every urban or rural area, so Doug and I had to venture to Camp Hill to see it (the closest location to Harrisburg).  I had never been to the Camp Hill theater, so I was shocked that the theater was huge and more importantly:  SOLD OUT.  It was jammed packed.  The doubter inside of me chalked it up to the HYPE.  However, once the movie began, I was completely satisfied.  Although I can’t claim that the flick was so horrific that people jumped out of their seats or screamed out in fear and agony, I can give testimony to how well the story lured in the audience and completely overwhelmed the senses.  Because Katie and Micah were so believable (yes even with all of their flaws), I didn’t think I was watching a movie.  I felt I was watching a true story that had been caught on video tape.  Like a great thriller, the story grabbed hold and never let go.  I was mesmerized.  So I am going to join the HYPE and highly recommend this movie experience to all of my friends and family.  After the movie ended, Doug and I discussed it a bit more.  Together we realized that the story actually had a few intelligent and deep undertones and yes some minor flaws.  We also felt that the entire movie only required one actual special effect.  Finally, the real kicker for me was finding out that the movie was made in 7 days.

Jay’s Grade:  A

10/19/2009

Some of my information came from “Entertainment Weekly“  — #1072 October 23, 2009  Page 11

Current Favorite Movie List & My Traumatic Experience Watching the Trauma Pilot

My favorite movies of 2009 since the summer are:

1. “Inglorious Basterds” directed by Quentin Tarantino
2. “Away We Go” directed by Sam Mendes
3. “District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp
4. “Surveillance” directed by Jennifer Lynch
5. “Hangover” directed by Todd Phillips

Television was much better overall than the movie theater.  My two favorite shows “Breaking Bad” and “Rescue Me” are fighting neck and neck for my top slot of 2009.  Nevertheless, I loved so many shows in 2009, and there are still more good ones grabbing my attention like “Nurse Jackie” and “Glee”.

NBC still doesn’t have a clue on how to entertain America.  First it transforms the 10:00 p.m. slot into boring Jay Leno’s talk show hour.  Frankly, I’d rather see this slot occupied by Ellen.  But the network hit absolute rock bottom with its new show “Trauma”.  The premier featured a paramedic helicopter pilot driving recklessly through city streets.   Apparently the actor was trying to emulate Steve McQueen in “Bullet”. The scene featuring the actor’s bravado actually played like irresponsible morally deprived nonsense.   But unlike the morally deficient show “Breaking Bad”, “Trauma”, a show about paramedics (hopefully role models for kids), shouldn’t even consider displaying emergency rescue personnel as decadent criminals especially if it is a show that wants the audience to embrace the main characters’ heroic acts of bravery.   It is one thing that this premier featured the worst acting (“Grey’s Anatomy” emulating) cast members EVER.  However, it is a complete travesty that the first story-line featured a law-breaking paramedic.  Worst of all, the daredevil driver was with another female paramedic passenger who despite voicing some complaints, was nothing more than a glorified accomplice to a crime.  She feigned anger at the IDIOT paramedic for his driving, but she did nothing legally or remotely responsible even after the car was involved in an accident.  In real life both characters would be serving major jail time:  the paramedic pilot for reckless driving and attempted manslaughter (his speeding car ripped off a car door which just happened to tear off a finger of a man holding onto the handle) and also the passenger for aiding and abetting a criminal and failing to report a hit and run accident.  Additionally, the show tried to paint the speed demon in a good light because the guy with the torn off finger was drunk.  You see, since the intoxicated guy lost his finger, he was unable to drive his car, thus he was unable to drink and drive.  Hell, I’ll take the drunk driver over the helicopter street racer!   I’m appalled and offended at NBC for green lighting such an awful show, with amoral heroes and pathetic actors.  Even the special effects were unable to push this horrible show into a watchable viewing status.  I know I promised not to give mean spirited reviews, but NBC deserves every word of my angst and ire.  So avoid the TRAUMA PILOT at all costs (pun intended).

September 30, 2009

Inglorious Basterds – Jay’s Movie Review

Quentin Tarantino is more of a magician than a director.  He has an uncanny way of codling and nurturing actors so that they produce spectacular results.  Nothing is predictable or goes as expected in a Tarantino script.  As ‘Inglorious’ opens, we see a beautiful dairy farm nestled in the rural countryside of Nazi occupied France.  The year is 1941.  The farmer’s daughter is hanging laundry in a brisk breeze.  Through the wind blown laundry, the daughter sees an approaching Nazi squad.  The tough-as-nails farmer orders his daughters to go inside as the Nazi patrol approaches.  Colonel Hans Landa (the movie’s best Nazi villain played impeccably by Christoph Waltz) exits the motorcade to begin a friendly chat (in French) with the farmer while drinking fresh milk and smoking a rather large pipe.  Claiming that he wore out his limited knowledge of the French language, Hans asks the farmer to start conversing with him in English.  Everything about the scene is designed to keep the viewer on edge with expectations that something truly awful or remarkable is about to occur.  It is my experience that only Quentin has this unique ability to mold a scene with intense dialog coupled with humor, intrigue and mesmerizing physical gestures.  Tarantino’s creations are never rushed, never boring and always brilliant.  Of course, the conversation continues and the scene explodes with energy, excitement and surprise.  Go to the theater to enjoy it yourself.

The movie consists of five chapters.  Each chapter unfolds with the same intensity and magic.  It is never obvious where a conversation among characters will go, yet the final delicious outcome is always beyond-belief rewarding.  Only Quentin has the clout to title his movie “Inglorious Basterds” even though the bastards only occupy the movie for roughly ¼ of the running time.  This is why I love Tarantino and rank him as one of the best directors of all time despite his fixation with revenge themes and violent imagery (I must warn all of you that there is some truly disturbing violence in this flick).

So let me conclude with my top ten reasons why “Inglorious Basterds” is one of the best movies of the summer:

1. Quentin Tarantino single handedly changes the history books and makes the Nazi demise so much more rewarding than what occurred in reality.
2. This is yet another fantastic movie created by the master of such movies as:  Kill Bill 1, Kill Bill 2, Reservoir Dogs & Pulp Fiction
3. Tarantino gives us the funniest Brad Pitt performance of all time.
4. Colonel Hans Landa is the best villain of the summer, and my favorite evil Nazi ever (played by Christoph Waltz – he will be nominated for an Academy Award).
5. The movie’s over-the-top Basterds rule the screen such as:   Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz (a maniacal performance by Til Schweiger) and Sergeant Donnie Donowitz – The Bear Jew – (violently portrayed by “Hostel” director Eli Roth).
6. The flick contains the best female role of the summer (French Jewish Theater Owner Shosanna Dreyfus) played by Melanie Laurent.
7. The movie contains the best verbiage of any movie or any book I encountered this year.  The words hang in the air like slivers of gold.
8. Plot twists rule but never overshadow the actors who play their roles with total believability and conviction.
9. The movie’s story, along with the strongly developed characters, never takes a backseat to action, violence and special effects.
10. I left the theater praying for an early DVD release, so I can see it again as soon as possible.

Jay’s Grade:  A

Christoph Waltz

August Quickies — Movie Reviews

“District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp and Produced by Peter Jackson

Because the story was so original and because the acting was so believable and because the movie had the best special effects of anything else I’ve seen, I have to rank this as the best movie of the summer.  Many of you have said that I’ve been so positive lately.  Well, let me inform you that I’ve decided to mostly write about the good movies, great books and finest television shows I’ve experienced on my BLOG.  I saw this documentary featuring the much maligned Jamie Kennedy on ShowTime regarding critics and how harsh they can be, and it made me realize how awful it is to degrade the stuff I don’t like.  With that being said, if I don’t talk about something, that doesn’t necessarily mean I love it.  It simply means that if I don’t talk about it, I probably don’t have enough good stuff to say about it to put it on my BLOG.  Let me quickly list stuff I saw this summer that I barely mentioned (read into this as you wish, but know that I didn’t necessarily hate any of these flicks even if I didn’t’ love them):

• “I Love You Beth Cooper” – summer release
• “Star Trek” – summer release
• “Terminator Salvation”—summer release
• “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” – like the book, this entry was just a tiny bit drab and slightly juvenile for adult viewers
• “Fast and Furious” – DVD
• “The Unborn” — DVD
• “Obsessed” – DVD
• “Push” – DVD
• “Orphan” — I actually loved the twist in this flick enough to give it a watchable rating
• “Drag Me to Hell” — summer release

Anyway, let me get back to District 9.  This is one of those creative stories that grabbed hold and jerked me around a bit. I’m still dizzy.  At first, I did not like the lead actor in this flick (unknown actor Sharlto Copley).  He was so intentionally annoying that I almost bolted from the theater until I realized that he had the gusto to portray the most transformational character in the history of movies.  I’ll stop with that description so you can experience it for yourself.  By the end of the movie Sharlto’s performance had me thinking ‘Academy Award’.  I’m not exaggerating.

Also, the special effects blew away virtually all of those I’ve seen this year.  How the floating space ship stays in the background of every shot will remain a total mesmerizing mystery to me (especially with a mere 30 million dollar budget)!  In addition, the aliens and humans interacted with total visceral authenticity.  I’m still in awe!  When special effects take the backseat to terrific story-telling, I’ll typically become a diehard fan.  Yet, I know this movie won’t impress all of the people in my life.  Some of those people who adore action sequences with in-your-face-jaw-dropping special effects instead of a crafty, original plot might not appreciate the deep, intricate, moral story of District 9.  However, I’m going out on a limb and saying that District 9 is without a doubt the best move of the summer.  Go see it so we can talk.  Also, enter the theater with zero expectations about how the story should unfold.  Don’t let your desires for the story supersede those of the writers.  Thank me later!

Jay’s Grade:  A

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The Class – by Laurent Cantent  – French DVD (subtitled) – starring Francois Begaudeau

Since many of my friends are teachers, I had to spend some time reviewing this flick.  Sure this is a story about teaching in France, but like the district where I teach, the diversity coupled with the complexity of teaching was tantalizing.  I’ve often wished my family and friends could spy on my own teaching exchanges with students at times.  I have enough stories from 20 years to write my own autobiography.  Like the intense nuances of “The Class”, my own recollections from my teaching experiences probably would not disappoint.  Mr. Marin’s Middle School French class contained virtually very ethnicity on Earth, and the interactions were as complicated and challenging as those in the United States.  The movie had me hooked when it showed teachers comparing schedules and discussing potential students during In-service activities.    There was more real, meaningful, educational, material in this flick than any of the stuff I’ll be subjected to in my upcoming In-service.  I was moved.  I was shocked.  I was transformed.  What more can be asked of a flick?

Jay’s Grade:  A

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I Love You Man – Directed by John Hamburg – Starring Paul Rudd & Jason Segel — DVD

I could relate to this flick so much.  Over my life, most of my friends have been female just like those of the main character in this flick.  However, I always had a best male friend.   When my first best friend (we were friends from Kindergarten until I entered my sophomore year in high school) decided to go down a road of drugs and danger, I was left in a lurch.  How would I start over and find a new best male friend? Ironically, like the character portrayed in this movie, I researched and called the person I thought would make the best candidate for my new best friend.  It worked.  Although the person I called was a bit reluctant and a bit freaked out at the seemingly randomness of my phone call, he eventually became my best friend. To this day, Randy is still my best friend.  So imagine my reaction when a movie contained such a unique story that at some level related to my own life!  Although, I went through the tribulations of the main character when I was a teenager, I still could relate to the experience even if he went through it as an adult and even if he was just trying to find a best man for his upcoming marriage.  By the way, Randy was my best man! This movie worked because it was funny and totally genuine.

Jay’s Grade:  A-

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August 17, 2009

Nuni’s Annual Family Reunion – July 26, 2009 – Updated

This is a remastered Video with the song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.  Reminder:  Please purchase music legally (I know my family and friends purchase music legally; so this friendly request is for other visitors to my site):