It's been a minute. I don't pay too much attention to this blog because my life is so fucking busy. Two jobs, one of which is a paid position on my school paper, keep me all tied up.
So what's up? Well, I'm back in school. It's going well. I got to travel to Washington D.C. last year. That was sick.
Oh yeah, I do kickboxing now! Swell group of people I train with, some of who are pictured above. My friend Irfan is particular is really good; he's a fantastic teacher and an even better fighter. Check him out here or below, if the thing works.
I think that's it. I usually write more but now it's only if I get paid for it.
Season 11 of The
X-Files debuts tonight on FOX, and it should be without question the final
season premiere of the show’s long, storied history.
This is in spite of the fact that the time has never been
more right for the show to return. In the midst of the current political
climate, a show about distrust in the government that is supposed to be looking
out for us has become all too real (minus the aliens... maybe), and has made
the show's hit revival (disappointing Season 10 non-withstanding) all the more
relevant. But my plea to end it comes due to a simple reason: a cast departure
that would radically alter the landscape of the show in what I feel would be a
negative way.
While she said as much months ago, Gillian Anderson has
confirmed and/or reaffirmed that she will not return to the role of Dana Scully
again following the show’s ten episode run this year, effectively making this
new season her swan song from the franchise. She has no plans to ever return.
Anderson has accumulated a very large body of work outside
of her iconic role on the sci-fi show. Notable recent roles such as Detective
Superintendent Stella Gibson on BBC’s The
Fall or as Media on American Gods
come to mind. While it doesn't appear on the surface that there is any bad
blood between Anderson and the folks in charge, it’s completely understandable
that she would want to not just be known as Dana Scully for the rest of her
career.
That being said, regardless of Anderson’s departure, the
fate of the show following this season hasn’t been decided yet, and it’s
entirely possible that there could be another season “out there.” Just without
Scully.
That should absolutely not happen.
We've seen this happen before: David Duchovny’s full
departure from the show following Season 8 may not have hurt the show’s quality
(some people might debate me on that), but one thing is for sure: it ultimately
led to the fan base leaving in droves, and it was one of the main factors among
the many that the show was canceled in 2002. The X Files, for as many enjoyable or boring characters that they
introduce, is ultimately centered around Mulder and Scully. If you take one of
them off the table completely like Mulder was for most of Season 9, the whole
thing falls apart. It's not necessarily a bad show, but it's not The X-Files that most people want to
see. Doggett and Reyes are fine characters, but they were not and could never
be Mulder and Scully. And in regards to Mulder and Scully... you can't have one
without the other. They are simply irreplaceable at this point.
But as a fan, I think a X-Files without Scully would leave a
bigger void in the show than Mulder's departure did all those years ago. Aside
from the fact that writing a death scene for Scully would be extremely
difficult (she’s literally immortal in case you missed that arc during the
first six seasons), the fact is that Scully is the heart and soul of this show,
even more so than Mulder. Sure, David Duchovny is also irreplaceable, but
Gillian Anderson is the only member of the cast who has been there since day
one (she’s only missed 4 episodes TOTAL in 10 seasons, and the last episode she
missed was in 1998), and she’s went from being a virtual unknown to becoming
one of the most well-known actresses ever. Not to mention she’s got a kick-ass
personality on top of it all, and is more than willing to call on the bullshit
that others will not. Her lengthy, unrivaled tenure with the show coming to an
end would leave a bigger hole in the series (should it continue) than
Duchovny's did, and there's no adequate replacement. Nor will there ever be.
You can't replace Scully. You can't replace Gillian Anderson.
This is her show. She may not necessarily believe that, but
I do and many others do too. It may not have necessarily started out that way,
but this is where we are now. She’s earned that distinction through her loyalty
to it through every difficult day on set and from her amazing acting abilities.
I'll be forever grateful that she came back to portray Scully these last two
seasons when she easily could have said no. But she's made the call to bow out,
and I am OK with that.
And out of respect for her contributions to the franchise
and her choice to depart it, the show should not continue on without her,
possible stupid cliffhanger ending or not. There is no show without her, and
I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.
This is my first post on here in a while, but there's a reason for it.
A few weeks ago, I submitted an application to WhatCulture to write articles for them, and submitted a sample article along with that application. Ultimately, my application was unsuccessful, but I would like to share that article with all of you anyway. If you wish to read it, enjoy.
Ranking Daniel Craig's Bond Films From Worst to Best
It’s still up in the air as to whether or not Daniel Craig will play James Bond again. While Sony executives have stated that Craig is contracted for one more film in the franchise and that he intends to see that through, the actor himself told Esquire before Spectre was released last November that he’s not sure he’ll step into the role of 007 for any future films. Even Sam Mendes, director of the previous two Bond films, is under the impression that Spectre was Craig’s farewell to the franchise.
"I don't know," he said. "I really don't know. Honestly. I'm not trying to be coy. At the moment I can't even conceive it." However, a few weeks before that interview, he infamously told Timeout.com that he would rather “slash his wrists” than play Bond once more. So, it’s entirely possible that Spectre may have been Craig’s final outing as James Bond. If that’s the case, it goes without saying that his tenure as Bond in those four films was nothing short of remarkable. Even if some of the material he was given didn’t do him justice, he managed to rise above it and produce something memorable.
However, it’s also important to note that while Craig was extraordinary as Bond, it was never a one-man show. Whether it was the talented cast of characters (some of whom may very well may continue to appear in Bond films going forward), brilliant directing, or a whole host of other things, one thing you can never say is that you were bored during one of his Bond films.
So what exactly is Craig’s finest outing as Bond, and what helped make it that way? This article looks at all four of his Bond films: what worked, what didn’t, and the legacy that they leave behind.
4. Quantum of Solace
This film, released in late 2008, is unquestionably the most violent of Craig’s four films, but a study by New Zealand's University of Otago in 2012 found it to be the most violent Bond film in the entire franchise, with 250 violent acts. That’s certainly an impressive number.
The one that everyone hates.
At 106 minutes, it’s also the shortest of Craig’s films, and that actually hurts the film because there’s so much going on that sometimes it’s hard to know what’s going on. Roger Moore, who once portrayed Bond, was quoted as saying “I enjoy Daniel Craig, I think he's a damn good Bond but the film as a whole, there was a bit too much flash cutting for me… I thought Casino Royale was better. It was just like a commercial of the action. There didn't seem to be any geography and you were wondering what the hell was going on…” basically summing up the problems with the film. And Moore was dead on with his views about Craig; his acting in this film is definitely one of the highlights. This was his second outing as Bond, with actress Olga Kurylenko in a starring role as the Bond girl of the film, Camille Montes, was also a highlight, and she was heavily featured in the film, which was the right call. The action scenes were good, even thrilling at times (especially that explosive scene at the eco hotel), but even with those intense scenes, the film really doesn’t stand on it’s own, with many characters and plotlines from Casino Royale resurfacing. While that isn’t necessarily the worst thing, at times it feels like the film is just a follow-up to it’s predecessor. And that’s not what a Bond film should be.
People often make the joke that Quantum of Solace isn’t really that memorable and that they can’t remember a single thing about the movie. I wouldn’t go that far, but nothing from this movie really comes to mind when I think of Daniel Craig’s tenure as Bond. It’s not a bad film by any means, but it’s certainly the weakest of the four listed here.
3. Spectre
The latest film in the franchise, Spectre was released this past November and has since garnered a mixed reception from critics and fans alike. Some people absolutely loved it, and some people absolutely hated it. I’m of the opinion that it was a good film, although it certainly did not live up to the standards set by it’s predecessor Skyfall.
At 148 minutes, the movie is the longest of Craig’s four films, but it feels a lot longer than that. As big of a fan as I am of these movies, even I was getting restless by the end. The long run time was the biggest factor in that reaction, and by far was the biggest determinant of the film.
The end?
Again, much like Quantum of Solace, there was a lot to take in here. The long-overdue introduction of the Spectre organization changes the plotline of all of Craig’s Bond films significantly, tying all four of them together with an overarching story. As it turned out, all of the villains that Bond faced were members of the organization, which is headed by James’s adoptive half brother Franz Oberhauser, otherwise known as Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The film reintroduces various plot-lines of Craig’s past Bond films, with the reappearance of Mr. White and mentions of Judi Dench’s M and Vesper Lynd, and implies that Spectre had a hand in everything James had ever faced, with Blofeld even saying “I’m the author of all your pain.” It’s a lot of information to take in.
That being said, the retconning explanation that Blofeld gives somehow works. Some people might disagree with that, but to me, it didn’t come off as a ridiculous plot twist. It’s especially remarkable when you realize that film rights to the term Spectre weren’t acquired until after Skyfall had been released, so to be able to put together an overarching story like the one they told here, and have it be completely believable, says a lot about how talented the people who put this movie together are.
The casting in this movie was almost perfect, although I will say that I was a bit underwhelmed with Christoph Waltz’s performance as Blofeld. It wasn’t that his acting was terrible, but the character itself wasn’t what I was expecting. Bond took him down with almost with ease, and he wasn’t very much of a threat in my eyes. I haven’t seen any of Waltz’s other work, so I can’t really comment on his acting abilities, but he was far from my favorite Bond villain. Perhaps if there was another Bond film, and he would once again return and put up more of a fight, my opinion on him might improve. Léa Seydoux’s portrayal of the film’s Bond girl Madeleine Swann, however, was outstanding, and the rest of the cast was superb as well. I was especially surprised at how much I enjoyed Dave Bautista’s performance as Mr. Hinx; I was a big fan of his when he was with WWE but wasn’t aware of how good of an actor he was. He was perfect for this role.
The opening of this movie is quite possibly the best of any James Bond movie to date, and certainly is the best of Craig’s films. Having the opening take place during the Day Of The Dead celebration in Mexico resulted in some truly stunning, incredible shots. And while some people may disagree, I thought Sam Smith’s “Writing On The Wall” was an excellent Bond song; not the best, but certainly fitting, especially if this is Craig’s last round as James Bond.
And with the way this movie ends, with Bond and Madeleine seeming riding off into the sunset in an Aston Martin, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine it being just that. There is room for him to return, but it certainly did feel like an ending. If that turns out to be the case, I wouldn’t call it a perfect goodbye, but it definitely was a memorable way to go out.
2. Casino Royale
This movie is regarded by many to be Craig’s finest outing, and it is a fantastic movie, with excellent action scenes and terrific acting. After 2002’s Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan decided to call it a day, and a reboot of the franchise was in order, with Craig eventually being chosen to play Bond... to an less than enthusiastic response. He’d go on to prove his doubters wrong, however.
The first.
The film, released in 2006, serves as an origin story of sorts for his version of Bond, with the opening sequence being shown completely in black and white and showing Bond’s first kills as an MI6 agent. From there on, it’s an action-packed thrill ride, with Daniel Craig really impressing in the role of the famed 007. Judi Dench’s M, the sole carry-over from the Pierce Brosnan, was excellent as always, and Eva Green impressed as Bond girl Vesper Lynd.
There’s really not much more to be said. It’s a great, great film. The story told here is a classic, but there is one that arguably betters it...
1. Skyfall
The best.
I remember leaving the theater after seeing this film for the first time when it was released in 2012 and thinking “Now THAT was what a Bond movie should be!”
I cannot understate just how much I enjoyed this film. Released during the same year when the first James Bond film, Dr. No, celebrated it’s 50th anniversary, Skyfall served as a fitting tribute to the franchise. A wholly original story, it was completely enthralling, exploring and revealing aspects of James Bond’s universe that we had never seen before, including his childhood residence. Everything about the film was near perfect, from the haunting opening song sung by Adele, to the incredible villain, to the amazing scenery. Director Sam Mendes ought to be commended for his work on this film, because it was nothing short of incredible.
This was Judi Dench’s last film of the franchise (if you don’t count her cameo in Spectre), and she went out with a bang. She’s basically the Bond girl of this film, and the whole plot revolves around her character. It’s arguably the most personal film in the entire James Bond franchise, in that there is no motive for the villain Raoul Silva (played by the fantastic Javier Bardem) other than revenge. He’s a former MI6 agent turned cyber-terrorist, who’s returned from the shadows. He’s after his former boss M, determined to make her pay for abandoning him decades ago, causing him to be captured and tortured. His hatred of the beloved character is intense, and wants nothing more than to make sure that M is killed and unlike any Bond villain before him, he actually achieves his goal in the end, even if he himself doesn’t live to see it.
That’s right: James Bond lost. Sure, he killed Silvia, but it didn’t matter. M was shot by one of his henchmen earlier on in the final showdown and slowly bled to death. So, even indirectly, Silva got what he wanted. He still won. And Bond failed. He did everything in his power to protect M, and in the end he ultimately fails his mission. I don’t think that’s ever happened in a Bond film before, and I don’t think it will again. It was different, and it really helps this film stand out.
All and all, this film is incredible, full of terrific action, a wonderful cast of characters, and many memorable moments. It’s one of the greatest Bond films ever made, and it’s certainly Daniel Craig’s finest outing as 007.
Hope you enjoyed this article. I put a lot of work into it, and even though WhatCulture turned me down, I think it turned out nicely.
With only a couple of hours left in the day, 2014 is quickly
drawing to a close. It has been a year of both highs and lows, both on a
personal level and in the world at large. Some of those world events, such as
the Ferguson situation, hit a little too close to home.
Even though that SNL skit was hilarious:
But for the most part,
2014 was a good year for me personally, and that’s something I can say without
any doubt. There have been bumps along the way, but I have managed to make the
most out of things and had a very eventful, productive year.
I’m currently on Winter Break, and don’t go back for a
couple of weeks still. Some of my friends who still are in High School go back
on Monday. I pity you, I truly do. Have fun learning while I sleep in.
Speaking of sleeping in, I drafted my schedule for next
semester, and I couldn't be happier. It gives me new challenges, but also a lot
of time to get things accomplished and to enjoy myself.
In all the chaos of finals week (BTW, shout-out to Taylor and Zach for popping in to surprise me with a visit; you da real MVP's), I missed the finale of one of my favorite late night talk shows, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. If you never saw it, it was truly a ridiculous, but special show, and I'm sad Ferguson is leaving. He's a comedic genius, and the final episode is hilarious (especially if you get all of the throwback jokes like I do). Thanks for 10 years of entertainment, Craig. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.
Hopefully, this new semester, and 2015 overall, will be
another great period of time in my life. Happy New Year everyone!
It's become apparent to me lately how much I don't miss my High School years. And it's not like they even sucked.
Well, Freshman Year was pretty bad, and sophomore year wasn't much better. OK, Junior Year wasn't too fun either. Senior Year was a great year for me, but even that year didn't come without stress.
A picture of my Advisory class from my last day of High School. Shout out to Ms. Michalak for keeping me on track.
Honestly, I'll own up to this: all of the bad things and situations that I had to deal with during those years were primary caused by me. I was my own obstacle, and once I figured that out and dealt with it, things usually went fine. Despite the fact that I may have not been the happiest person during that time (probably due to my insanely high expectations of pretty much everything and other factors), my High School years were better than most.
But they're over now, and I don't even live in St. Louis anymore. I feel like I should miss High School. I don't. I graduated, and while I may go visit from time to time, I haven't looked back for the most part.
My High School was apart of a district whose four schools I attended for 12 straight years. I forged a lot of close relationships with my peers, and had some of the most helpful, intelligent instructors possible. Yet, since almost the moment I stepped foot on SEMO's campus, I haven't missed a thing about High School.
Given almost a full semester away at college to adjust, I think this is why:
Independence
The thing I love most about college is the amount of freedom and independence I have. For the most part, outside of bills (thanks mom) I'm on my own out here. I like that. There's a certain amount of pressure of knowing that if I screw up, it's on me. I thrive under pressure.
Cliques Don't Exist
OK, so you do have your fraternities and sororities (I mean unless you go to Harvard. Or Community College. Both of which I'm never going to.), but after dealing with friends being involved with both, I don't consider them nearly as bad as some cliques you see in High School. Hell, I might even join a frat sooner rather than later. We'll see.
[Brief Interlude To Give Advice]
Bullying was a big problem for me, especially during my early years of High School. Then I grew some balls and started standing up for myself. That's pretty blunt, but it's true and people tend to have more respect for you when you do that.
I'm sure many people go through the same thing I did. All I can say is that you can't let people get to you. If someone is bullying you, physically or verbally, it's probably because they're own life isn't the best and they want to take it out on someone. You are an amazing individual, and don't listen to a damn word they say, because the only one who knows you is you. Not them. Never be afraid to stand up for yourself. If it gets worse or even if you don't feel like you can stand up for yourself, go and talk to someone. Do not ever allow yourself to be put down, because you deserve better than that.
[End Of Interlude]
You can dress like a bum and look like total crap and no one judges you
Because everyone just kind of understands. Seriously. I wore a shirt completely backwards one day; I even gave a presentation in it. No one said anything. We all know the struggle.
SEMO has a Starbucks, Subway, Papa Johns, and Chick-Fil-A on campus
Does your high school have these things? I didn't think so.
Costs a lot of money. Worth every penny.
There are many more reasons, but I might as well publish a book. You know, when I have time?
I will say I do miss my old High School's field. A renovation on it was completed just before I graduated, but since I live so close to it, I get to enjoy it whenever I am there. And boy, is it beautiful.
So that's gonna wrap things up for now. See y'all next time I blog. And since it's Final Exam season, may the odds be ever in your favor.
As of this writing, I am two weeks away from the end of Final Exams, the official start of Southeast's winter break and spending a month at home in St. Louis. To say that my first semester of college has flown by would be an understatement. It hasn't been easy, and quite honestly I never want to write another essay as long as I live (I am going to be a journalist, how ironic).
However, I am proud of myself for not giving up and making it through these last four months. I've had my ups and downs, and I've learned from my mistakes. I proved to myself that I am capable of surviving on my own (you know, aside from being broke. But really, what college student isn't broke?), and that I made the right decision coming here. Now it's almost time for a well-deserved break. There's light at the end of the tunnel, and a loving family waiting for me back home.
In addition to learning more and more, I've also had the pleasure of meeting some of the most extraordinary people I've ever known, including my best friend, Taylor.
From September. Miss you brother.
I'm not sure he'll appreciate me saying every thing possible about our friendship (there's a lot of ground to cover and some things are just better left off between two people) but I will say that I have never felt so comfortable just hanging out with someone before Taylor. We're two totally different people who come from two different worlds (I don't think Nebraska is that bad of a place honestly, and you're not convincing me otherwise), but in the short time we've known each other, we've become as close as brothers.
Unfortunately, due to some circumstances out of his control, I haven't been able to see him for awhile. Taylor, if you're reading this... I miss you so much bro, and I hope to see you soon.
In academic-related news, I've probably written 6 essays this week. Granted 3 of those 6 are just revisions of previous essays I've written this semester that will be included in a Portfolio due next week, but still... that's a lot. But that's just the way college works. You deal with things as they come.
In a bonus update that probably no one cares about (but it's my blog and I can post whatever I want so I'm going to tell you anyway), I recently got 77 likes (or ups, whatever) on a post I made on Yik Yak. That alone makes me feel successful. Too bad I got it from Twitter. Haha.
Before I wrap it up here, I'd like to give another shout-out to my roommate, Tatsuya, for being an awesome roommate this semester. Have fun in New York over break dude.
And, what the hell, let's wrap things up with some Walking Dead memes. Because this is my blog, and I do what I want.
Hi there, everyone. My name is Jacob Michael Politte, and hopefully this blog is a way of getting my name out there and touching someone's life in someway.
This isn't my first Blogger account. I've had several in the past, some of which are still accessible. My most popular, a book review and news blog, simply titled Books, has been seen by over 71,000 people worldwide since I created it in 2008. That number is simply unfathomable to me (mainly because I just looked it up prior to typing this sentence). I was a big bookworm back in the day, and while I'm not now, I do read a fair amount, so you could expect a book review or two. Haha.
However, I stopped posting on it two years ago this month. I had reached a point in my life where I was simply too busy to continue with it (and quite honestly, I had begun posting less and less each month). It was time to move on.
Things have changed since then. I'm actually more busy than ever, as I am now a first-year college student at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), but I know how to better balance my time now. So I'm going to give getting back into the Blogging game my best shot. I'm not going to be posting everyday, not every week, hell, probably not even every month. It's like a fun little side project I guess.
My life changed in a big way last month when I left home to attend college. I have learned to become more independent, and how to effectively solve problems I may face. I have also met some of the best people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. It going to be an interesting next four (or more) years, and I hope you'll be there for the ride.
As for what "Jakub" means? That's my Bosnian nickname. The area that I come from in St. Louis has a large Bosnian population, and I attended school with many people who were of Bosnian descent. Attending school in the Bayless School District for 12 years was a great experience, and I've made great friends there, especially during my last year there. You might hear about some of them later on. Haha.
And I might as well mention this, although it will annoy those who already know me because I rarely go a conversation without bringing it up... I ended up winning Prom King my Senior Year of High School.
No, this is not photo-shopped.
I ended my High School career on the best possible note. What started off as a crappy experience my Freshman Year taught me a lot about my own self-worth. But that, and the story about how I actually won Prom King, are ones for another time.
Well, that's all for now. I was going to write more, but I forgot what it was. #StressedOutCollegeKidProbs Maybe it will come to me at 3 AM. Enjoy the blog! :)
