Restaurant Recap: Boston to New Jersey

Some people travel to see art. Some people travel to see architecture. Some people travel to meet new people. Some people travel to sit on warm sand and catch those summer rays. I mostly travel for food.

I enjoy all of the above, but my days revolve around what I'm going to eat. I remember watching a interview with Bradley Cooper, the famous actor from movies like American Hustle, The Silver Linings Playbook, and The Hangover, and said he is the type to discuss what's for lunch while eating breakfast. I'm the same way. Already thinking about what is for dinner while putting the lunch dishes away

I'm constantly doing google searches like "best Irish breakfast near me." I scour the yelp reviews like I'm sifting for gold. I'll even do a youtube search like "Seafood in Boston", just to see if there are any  restaurants I may have missed. 

Here are a few restaurants I tried in the last week. 

1. Giacomo's

Famous Italian restaurant with various locations in Boston. I went to the Back Bay location because it is near my apartment. You have to make a reservation. The restaurant is small. I went on a cold, rainy Monday in June and the place was full with people waiting in line. Thankfully I made a reservation for one and they sat me near the door. 

The ambiance is nice. It can get a little crowd by the door, but the staff did a great job of keeping people in or out. 

Now to the food. I heard about this place on twitter. Dave Portnoy, the creator of Barstool Sports-- which is a blog I read, tweeted a few times about the goat cheese gnocchi at Giacomo's. So the goat cheese gnocchi is what I ordered. The gnocchi was fantastic, the salad was good, and the bread was that nice hard on the outside soft on the inside.  Italian is my favorite type of food. The portions were plenty of food, I even took some home for lunch the next day. The valet parker caught me rubbing my belly and asked if I was full, I couldn't even be embarrassed he caught me because it was so good of course I would rub my belly like a little child. Giacomo's hit the spot. I'll definitely be going back to try the other dishes. 

Remember to make a reservation, also its cash only.

Wait, I almost forgot about the dessert. Like I said, I was already stuffed, but I'm not going to pass up a dessert opportunity at a new restaurant. That's like buying a ticket to a playoff game and leaving before overtime starts just because you are tired.

I ordered a chocolate cake filled with a chocolate truffle and served with whipped cream. The cake, drizzled in chocolate sauce, was moist and delicious. The whipped cream will make your toes curl. I'm usually not a whipped cream guy, but this cream was like a smooth cloud. The waitress told me the desserts aren't made in house but ordered from Vermont... either way it was worth it. I finished the whole thing. My mother was in town a couple weeks later on her birthday, I ordered this cake to go and my entire family all tried a bite and it is just as good the second time.

2. The Clam Box 

A famous fried clam restaurant in Quincy, MA. Its about a 30 minute drive south of Boston. The restaurant sits right across the street from a beautiful beach. With patio seating and wide windows you can see a good view of the islands in the distance and the Boston skyline. 

I ordered fried clam bellies and fried oysters. The serving size was big. I like raw oysters, but I am not a fan of the fried clams and oysters. They serve their fried seafood with fries, and its just too much fried food for one meal. It did taste very fresh but I got overwhelmed after a couple bites. It would be great to share, but don't get the fried seafood by yourself. 

Some of the people in front of me ordered hamburgers, hotdogs and sandwiches. I would be interested in trying some of their other food. 

3. Holsten's 

I spent the weekend in New Jersey because I had a job interview on Monday. While in New Jersey there were three things I really wanted to see: My ancestor's headstone in Oldwick New Jersey, the stone pony in Asbury Park, and Holsten's--the famous diner from the suspenseful and controversial Sopranos Finale. 

The inside looks a little different from the sopranos show, but it is still recognizable. Holsten's is famous for their ice cream but they have a full menu offering normal things you'd find in a diner: Burgers, sandwiches, breakfast. 

I was tempted to try the breakfast with Taylor ham--something a local friend of mine has told me about. I was in the mood for lunch food and went with the burger. It was very simple and tasted fresh and homemade. I ordered a side of onion rings because according to Tony Soprano they are the best in the state. They were good onion rings. 

I ordered a coconut ice cream with chocolate chips--sort of like a mound bar. The ice cream was delicious, tasting super creamy and homemade. The sign outside says they are famous for their chocolate and ice cream, and I can see why. They have many different and interesting flavors that you don't see everyday.

update: I went back another day and tried the breakfast with Taylor ham. It was simple and perfect. The Taylor ham didn't taste as greasy as I was expecting. For the price it was a great breakfast. 

Knee Jerk Reactions to Cities from Salt Lake to Boston

In my last post I wrote about some do's and don'ts of making the cross country trip. If you're like me, you will decide whether you like a city or anything usually off of knee jerk reactions in the first few moments.

Here were my knee jerk reactions to every city I stayed in.

Cheyenne--I'm pretty sure I just saw the entire town on the drive in. After walking around it seems to be full of cowboys and depressed junkies.

Omaha--Definitely clean and not too big or small. These little parks on every corner are really nice. Seems to be full of a lot of young people... not the most beautiful but a lot of cute 6's (you know the people who aren't models but are definitely cute.)

Des Moines-- I think I'll skip it. Just drive to the Field of dreams and on to Chicago.

Chicago-- smells like dookie and parking is way too expensive.

Pittsburgh--Driving through the tunnel and finally seeing Pittsburgh is like those beautiful aerial shots in movies. The two rivers look really cool. Seem like Omaha, just slightly better looking people.

Philadelphia-- Instantly started humming "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen. The Reading Terminal Market alone is worth going back. I also got tricked into a photo shoot at the Rocky steps by a homeless guy. I gave him 5 bucks.

New York--Too overwhelming... so much do too and so little time. Maybe the hardest city to walk next to Vegas. Why did it take me 30 minutes to get to that restaurant?--it is right down the street on maps.

Boston--The biggest city with the smallest home town feel. You can still hear the birds chirp.

Do's and Don'ts of The Cross Country Drive.

On Saturday May 20th I left the small town of Highland City in Utah County, Utah to drive across the country to Boston. Not exactly coast to coast, but still a long drive. I broke up the trip so that I only had to drive about 7 hours or less per day. I stopped in Cheyenne, Omaha, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, and finally arrived in Boston.

A couple things I wished I would have done:

Fly to Omaha, rent a car there and then drive to the other cities. Then you aren't technically driving across country, but thats alright because Cheyenne is pretty forgettable.

Book your hotels in advance. I know some people tell you don't book them until the night of. And that is nice because you are more flexible. But then you have to book hotels when you get to a new city. I would rather relax in the hotel or go see something than scour the web for cheap deals.

Just pay... You are gong to pay for parking, Ubers, cabs, food, etc. Know you are going to have to pay more than you expected. If you plan well I guess you can know your budget down to a cent. I went with no plans and tried to save money at the beginning. By the end I would rather pay for parking than be far away from things.

Here is list of the cities and why I liked, loved, or hated them. I'll include hotel recommendations or places to steer clear of.

Cheyenne--Not a huge fan. Not very a very beautiful drive and not a very beautiful city. There was a cool restaurant that had self serving beer taps and good sliders called Accomplice Beer Company. I stayed at the Historic Plains Hotel which I do not recommend. I didn't sleep at all because I could hear people yelling outside and the train going by. Selfie with one of the huge boots in Cheyenne... If a huge boot is the only attraction, might want to keep driving.

Omaha--I loved this small city. It was clean and had beautiful little structures built around the river on almost every block. I walked around the Heartland Park of America and then went to the Old Town to eat. It looked like there were lots of young people out and about. If you are renting a car I would recommend skipping Cheyenne and just flying into Omaha to rent a car and then drive the rest of the way. I would also recommend the New Victorian Inn and Suite. The hotel is 16 minutes from downtown, but very clean and comfortable.

 Chicago--I hear Chicago is so great....But I didn't really enjoy it too much. To be fair it was rainy and I didn't pick the greatest hotel. The city is so big and spread out that there is no way to get a hotel close to everything. I didn't want to take an hour on public transit so I drove downtown (which only took 20 minutes. The problem was it was about 45 bucks just to park for an hour and a half. Super expensive. Maybe I'm just not a Chicago guy, after all I'm thin crust over deep dish pizza.

Pittsburgh--I drove past Wrigley field because I didn't get to see it at night. I was kind of disappointed. I will have to go back and walk around, maybe catch a game. I drove down through Illinois, over across Indiana and Ohio. I took the route with no tolls.. stupid move. I didn't take into account that driving and extra hour or two will just cost me more gas. So I would say spend the money on the toll routs. The drive was pretty boring. I was wishing I would have just stopped in Indianapolis or another city along the way. Once you get past West Virginia and into Pennsylvania, the drive turns into gorgeous green hills and old town nestled in them.

I stayed at the Hampton Inn Pittsburgh/Greentree. It is another clean hotel that I would recommend. They even have a free shuttle that takes you downtown. Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. Lots of young and old people out and a bout to go to bars to watch the hockey game. I will definitely be going back to Pittsburgh. Try and get a sandwich with fries in them. There is also a monastery turned into a bar. I met someone at a bar who was really nice but just wanted to talk politics. I can think of better conversations to be had at a bar.




Philadelphia--Not wanting to make the mistake of staying far away from downtown, I just threw down the extra cash and stayed at Club Quarters hotel. This was a more upscale hotel than I would usually stay. They even had free water bottles with filtered water by each elevator. Philadelphia is a  nice city. It was very busy with all types of people. I saw a lot of people walking around in suits. I met a really nice guy at a bar who said most people in Philly are "dicks." I didn't notice. He took me to another bar and ended up getting in an argument about something with someone else. Definitely go to the Reading Terminal Market and get one of these little donuts. Apple pie filled. Toe curling.

New York--The Big apple just towers over you. The drive was rather quick. Traffic wasn't as bad as expected. I stayed at a Hampton in Times Square--again just wanted to pony up the money and stay close. In Philly I paid about 35 bucks for 24 hours of parking. In New York I paid 90 dollars for 48 hours. You could rent cars and just drop them off in each city to avoid parking fees. I enjoyed staying in Times Square. But New York is like Chicago in that it is so spread out. So you will have to take an uber or subway to get to some destinations. There are millions of restaurants and cool things to see. I really liked The Met (if you are into art) and other restaurants and places to grab a drink. Just do a yelp search to see what is near you. I'd also recommend a show, obviously. Nothing beats the pageantry of seeing a show on Broadway. I chose to go see School of Rock. I got a ticket for 39 bucks, but it was partial view. The partial view didn't bother me because the only things I missed were in the very back or one corner of the stage. The show rocked. I got chills at least five times.

Boston-After New York I finally made the drive to Boston. I was exhausted. I feel like I hadn't stopped in a week. I was either driving, walking around a city, or looking at hotels for the next city. I got a little place in the Back Bay to stay for the month. I love how the Back Bay is next to a bigger city but still has a quiet, smaller town feel.

The Circle: 'Truman Show' Meets 'The Social Network' Meets 'Paparazzi'

The Circle, a movie about the dangers of a world run one by one social media company, is getting smashed in the reviews, and for good reason.

Audiences will see familiar names like Tom Hanks and Emma Watson and be tricked into seeing The Circle. And why wouldn't they? The trailer makes The Circle look thrilling and smart. However, not even Tom Hanks and Emma Watson can save the dull story, unimaginative plot, and overall lack of character development.

The movie stars Emma Watson as Mae, a young and energetic employee of the Circle--the most powerful and only social media company in the future. Tom Hanks plays Bailey, the Steve Jobs-esque CEO, the older but still cutting edge and cool brain behind it all. We see Bailey mostly in the roll of giving seminars about all the cool, positive things the Circle is doing for society .

Through a series of events, Mae climbs the ladder from beginning coworker to front and center of the company, even sharing the stage with Bailey. She is the first person to go "completely transparent." Meaning she is basically on Periscope 24/7--We see her every move. The continuous comments that Mae receives are where the movie is funny and offers a commentary on how absurd society is. Mae's 24/7 Periscope receives comments that a normal Periscope today would. Smart, outrageous, off topic, and comments only meant to provoke a reaction. I found myself chuckling at the comments, but I was more focused on reading them and not what as actually happening in the movie.

I cringed at some of the dialogue and how it was delivered. We are supposed to end up fearing the Circle, but I didn't believe Mae's mom when she said, "Oh no! you can't go back to circle!" The line just sounded silly.

The Circle is basically The Truman Show meets The Social Network meets Paparazzi... We see a cool social media campus, a girl going live to the world, and how drones and cameras can ruin good things.

Remember that 1998 movie starring Jim Carrey about a 24/7 television show about one guy? That's The Truman Show. If you haven't seen it then I suggest you watch it soon. Seriously, it's on Amazon Prime. However what The Truman Show succeeds in doing--engaging the audience through comedy, suspense, and the journey of Truman discovering what is the truth--The Circle fails. I didn't care about the characters, there was not enough suspense and thrill, and I found myself not caring about the weak climax. The movie needs more character development. The audience doesn't love or hate anybody. I don't even know if the movie succeeds in making the audience weary of social media... but that is a tough feat.

It's an interesting idea for a movie and raises interesting questions about where society is possibly heading. But ultimately, Rotten Tomatoes is usually right and in this case the 17% seems to hit the mark.

Save your money and watch The Truman Show instead.

Jazz Fans Destroy Deandre Jordan

Game four of the Clippers vs. Jazz series was very important. Clippers could have taken a commanding 3-1 series lead to have a chance at finishing off the jazz in five. Or the Jazz tie it up and we go at least 6 games with the jazz being able to steal another in L.A. and finish the series at home for game 6.

I voyaged off my recliner and drove the 40 minutes to SLC to be in house for game four. I've seen a handful of NBA games live and enjoy them every time. If you doubt the athleticism of NBA players you really should see a game live. The game is so physical and fast you really need to see it live to fully appreciate what NBA players do.  I got there early and was able to see a few warmups. Gordon Hayward only stayed out for a few minutes because had the runs and ended up playing less than ten minutes. JJ Redick was my favorite player to watch warmup... you can tell he is very meticulous with his warmup. I got my seats on the side of the Clipper bench so I could see into the huddle and on the bench.

What a home court advantage the Jazz have. I've been to one other playoff game (last year Celtics v. Hawks at the TD Garden) and Vivint Smart Home Arena Delta Energy Solutions Stockton Center was way louder than the garden. The game at the TD garden went into overtime and Isaiah Thomas hit a game winner in the corner. The place got loud, but nowhere near as loud as when Deandre Jordan went to the free-throw line last night. The place got even louder in the fourth quarter and was erupting when the jazz took the lead and won the game.

I'm a pretty reasonable fan. I understand when my team gets bailed out by a bad call or gets away with something. When I heard the fans go bananas when Deandre Jordan went to the free throw line I took a step back and started to think about humanity. People are jerks. Here is a guy who struggles with shooting and the crowd is just demolishing him. Deandre stepped up to the line and hit nothing but air... the ball didn't draw anything--net, iron, backboard. When he shot that air ball the place went berserk. The crowd started waving those towels, yelling even louder because they knew they made him cower at the stripe. Imagine 20,000 people ganging up on something you suck at.

I swear I saw Deandre Jordan shrink from the seven foot giant to a city league small forward with a receding hair line. He looked small. He looked shook.  If he goes to the line in game 6 I'll try to get a video.

It was comical that a minute later JJ Redick (89% free-throw shooter) was at the line and the crowd didn't even bother to wave the towels. Why bother when he will just knock them down.

That's why sports sometimes are not for the nice grandmas. Sometimes I don't get it either, it doesn't make sense. What other place can fans just destroy someone with towels and chants. My dad used to say that fans cheering against you makes you a stronger person. No one ever messed up at a piano recital to hear the crowd chant, "wrong note! wrong note!"

The jazz fans were loud but a handful were not the best fans. The fans at the TD garden were more knowledgeable about the game. The fans at TD garden were more focused on the game and less on the selfies they were taking. Last night I even heard one fan cheer for a Derrick Favors shot by shouting "Ruuddddyyyy!" Rudy Gobert was on the bench. My friends said the fans sitting in their section were somewhat similar.

But the majority were nice and put up with the pockets of Clippers fan. Game 6 should be an enjoyable one.

Blackhawks Swept... Weekend Update

I did not expect the Blackhawks to get swept by the 8 seed Nashville Predators. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because they lost in the first round last year. What's crazy is that they were only competitive for a few minutes in the entire series.

We never even heard the best, most obnoxious goal song in the NHL...

It's crazy that a 1 seed got swept by an 8 seed. Its even crazier that if Rajon Rondo didn't get hurt, the Celtics are probably swept.

1) The Capitals v. Leafs series was awesome. 5 of the 6 games have gone into overtime with one gong to double OT.  I was hoping that the leafs would force a game 7... When I watch hockey I like to see good possessions for each team and a little back and forth... Hockey can get boring if turnover after turnover happens in the neutral zone. The Capitals Leafs and also Sharks Oilers has been really fun to watch. I'm looking forward to Ducks v. Oilers and then Capitals v. Penguins.

2) I didn't think the Jazz were going to hang with the clippers like they have. JJ Redick hasn't gotten anything going in any game. Chris Paul has his way with any Jazz defender and Quin Snyder even tried putting Joe Ingles on him.

When the Jazz shoot 75% from the field and 60% from three in a quarter. and finish the game above 50% shooting and still lose, not much you can do there.

I expected Chris Paul to keep murdering them and wearing Turtle Necks to the funeral. He had a decent stat line in game four but disappeared in the fourth quarter. I think the clippers were trying to ride Jamal Crawford (always risky) instead of going with their best player. I was in house and that cuck Joe Ingles hit two three's right in my kitchen. I hate that guy.

The place got loud. The clippers were in control for all but 3 minutes of that game... then the wheels came off and they found themselves down 6 or 7 with little time left.

I'm thinking about going to game 6... but it looks like tickets are already going to be more expensive.

it is hard for me to get excited when winner will most likely end up getting swept by Golden State.

Chris Paul and 6 thoughts on the NHL/NBA Playoffs

In 2002 I was in 5th or 6th grade. I would wake up every morning, eat pancakes, shower as quickly as I could, and go down stairs to watch SportsCenter before school started.

After school I would run home from the bus stop (I was a nerd and ran home until 8th grade I think-- The cool kids walked because they were in no hurry) and pour myself a bowl of cereal and watch SportsCenter. I sat on a left over piece of square carpet so I didn't spill any milk on the real carpet. One day I sportscaster ran this special on a high school point guard who scored 61 points to honor is grandfather who was murdered:

I was instantly hooked. I became a Chris Paul fan and watched as many of his games as I could. CP went to college at Wake Forest, playing in the ACC on a team not as popular as the Duke's or North Carolinas, but they always competed. I recorded many of his games and still have them to this day. You can even see tapes of Nate Robinson, John Stockton, and JJ Redick. My brother and I would always watch Chris Paul and JJ Redick tapes on the VCR, rewinding and pausing after every bucket.

I'm became a CP fan because I loved how an undersized point guard could change a game with crossovers, floaters, and assists. He played the way I wanted to play. Fans are drawn to certain players for some reason. Maybe it's the way they play, but there is usually something more...

Maybe his short temper: I was also known to have a short temper and toss the occasional chair a la Bobby Knight when a referee missed a blatant trip.

















Or the way he sometimes speaks his mind: I remember being outspoken about how I hated how the tallest kid on my high school team would flop and get charges in practice. "He should be blocking my shot. not flopping!"

But other than those things, it is obviously the way he plays:

I remember watching the NBA draft hoping the Jazz would Draft CP so that he could play for a team 30 Minutes away from my house. I was never a jazz fan but I would have quickly become one. My dad said we would have even gotten season tickets (who knows?)

The Jazz drafted Deron Williams and Paul was drafted a pick later to the New Orleans Hornets. I can never cheer for the jazz now, but I don't necessarily blame them for taking Williams. They made the playoffs, and even went to the conference finals. But it was and always will be clear to me that CP is the better point guard. Most Jazz fans can agree with me now.

I've been watching since then, waiting for the success. I asked for NBA league pass for Christmas so I could watch every game. I had the jersey's, the shoes, the basketball cards. My friends even made fun of me for standing up during Hornets games until they scored. When CP was traded I vowed to stay with the Pelicans. I can't just bail on a team I've been cheering on for many years. But I still find myself cheering for CP and the Clippers just because I've been a fan of the guy for so long. Equal to the Lebron Fans who flip flopped from the Cavss to Heat and back to the Cavs.

But the success hasn't happened. My friend sent me a tweet a couple months ago saying something like "The only two teams who haven't made the western conference finals since 2001" with a picture of the Hornets and Clippers. I hate to admit that CP's great career won't seem as great without a Finals appearance, or even escaping the second round, but that is how sports works. It doesn't discount he's a hall of fame point guard, but something will be missing.

So here we go again. My hopes are as low as ever. I honestly think they will beat the jazz and get then get swept or lose to five in the Warriors series. If they can give the warriors run. I'll be happy. If they win. I'll be singing I've got a Golden ticket clicking my heels around my living room.

So to all the fans of all the players who haven't won... good luck this playoffs.

Now for something different...

The NBA and NHL playoffs are unlike anything else. Sports fans love both these playoffs because they give us two months of extremely competitive, highs takes games. Every quarter matters. The fools who think that the NBA is full of lazy, overpaid stars just have to shut up and watch the greatness.


Here are some thoughts I'm having upcoming NHL and NBA playoffs.

1. Cant wait until overtime hockey. Update: It happened day one. Minnesota Wild scored with 30+ seconds left in the game to force OT. Nothing like playoff hockey. Update: It happened again. Another goal in the last 30 seconds to force OT. Again, Nothing like playoff hockey!

2. Clippers are definitely going to lose second round (probably swept) and I may have to throw my tv out of the window.

3. Can anyone stop the Blackhawks? They lost game one but no one seems to be worried. They were behind last year to the blues and forced a game 7. Chicago is my favorite team to watch... but anything can happen in the NHL playoffs. Last year I bet them to repeat and win it all. I was absolutely devastated at the double post in game 7. Fun fact, Blackhawks lost and then half an hour later Chris Paul broke his hand against the Trailblazers. That day ruined the playoffs for me.

4. This is not the Caps year. Are they the clippers of the NHL? They are expected to make a run every year... and it never happens. hmmm.

5. I don't want a golden state v. Cleveland rematch. I want LA clippers vs. Cavs. Seems like a few sports fans have been wanting too see Clippers (CP and Blake) v. Lebron ever since he was on the heat. I think that would make for the most entertaining finals. Two friends going at it. A clippers team much like the cubs who went forever without winning. I feel like Smalls in the outfield with my eyes closed and glove up. Please happen! Please happen! Hopefully the basketball gods can hit one straight into my glove.

6. I just listened to the Bill Simmons podcast and he talks about Chris Paul being hated. I think Simmons was referring to him being more of a pest and an annoyance. When did people start hating him? I think its when he started playing with the clippers. Too many polarizing people on one team. Doc, Blake, and CP. All I ever read and heard growing up was how great of a guy he was. One of my high school teammates was being recruited by Wake Forest. I approached the recruit and said I was a huge CP fan... the recruit just talked about how great of a person he was. The narrative has seemed to change that he is a good, nice guy to he is an annoying pest. They are probably both true.

By the way I'm picking all the top seeds to advance to the second round. No upsets.

Let me know your thoughts on Chris Paul, NBA/NHL playoffs in comments or tweet   @ejrios3

Moneyball

Recently, Bill Simmons did a podcast on the movie Moneyball--the baseball movie starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill as GM and assistant GM for the Oakland A's. Moneyball was nominated for a best picture in 2012. Looking back, it is the most memorable and re-watchable best picture nomination from the bunch. Here is my review for may favorite sports movie ever.

Not even the tiny portable DVD player—accompanied with cheap 10-dollar ear buds—could defer the emotion I felt while watching Moneyball for the first time. After the screen went black and the credits rolled, I simply said to myself, “Wow.” 

Moneyball is the true story of Billy Bean, the Oakland A’s general manager (played by Brad Pitt) and the A’s baseball team going through the grueling baseball season and offseason. Moneyball is more about what goes on inside Major League Baseball offices, the analysis and theory of what makes a good ball player, than what happens on the field. The story follows Billy and the struggling A’s trying to outwit and outsmart much wealthier teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The opening foreshadows so much the themes of the movie. The first thing on screen is a quote, “It’s unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life.”— said by Mickey Mantle, a famous Yankees player from the 50’s and 60’s. The quote shows the internal struggle that people have with things that they love, but can’t seem to figure out. Following the Mickey Mantle quote are highlights from the American League Division elimination game in October of 2001, an image flickers across the screen: 

New York Yankees 

$114,457,768

Vs 

$39,722,689

Oakland Athletics 

From the opening, we see the difference between teams and the money that they have to spend. Then we are introduced to Billy Bean, who sits alone in an empty stadium, listening to the game on the radio. In the Disney channel version, the underdog A’s would beat a Yankees team whose payroll more than doubles theirs. But this isn’t the Disney channel version. Billy Listens to his team lose. The question throughout the movie is how can a team like the A’s even compete with the rich teams? A question that hits home when the A’s lose two of their best players to the deep pockets of the Yankees and Red Sox. Billy soon realizes that he needs more money to a put a winning team on the field, money that the team does not have. 

Billy meets young Peter Brand, played brilliantly by Jonah Hill, in a meeting with the Cleveland Indians. Peter introduces a new way of thinking and seeing the game of baseball, using math equations to evaluate baseball players. Billy buys Peter from the Indians and they begin to shake up the team. They recruit new players and go against everything that the traditional scouts say. They have their unconventional team, much to the disappointment of the scouts and manager. The movie shows the ups, and mostly downs, of the beginning of the season. Coaches, scouts, fans, and local radio are all blaming Billy on the team’s losses and mishaps. Nothing is going well and they aren’t winning. Finally, because the equation starts winning or just because of luck, they start winning. Six in a row. Nine in a row. Fourteen in a row. The team battles against history, going up against some of the all-time great teams for most consecutive wins in a season, and after that, a run at the playoffs. Some regard Billy as an innovator, others as a crazy general manager who won’t last another year in the big leagues. But the movie paints him as a man who loves the game of baseball. A man who hates losing, more than he loves winning.      

Moneyball is about thinking differently, and adapting to an unfair game. It is much more than just a sports movie. It is about the internal struggle of doing something you love. Working at what you love is not always easy, and if it were, maybe you wouldn’t love it as much. The losses make you gain perspective, and the difficult times make you grow. Moneyball shows the struggle that is baseball. Moneyball is emotional and romantic—not rom-com romantic, but working at the thing you love romantic. As we are reminded when Billy asks a few times throughout the movie, “How can you not be romantic about baseball?”

Logan/John Wick 2

My weekend was filled with the violent and well reviewed movies Logan and John Wick 2.

I am not an X-Men fan. I am not a comic book movie fan. I am usually not a super hero movie fan. I am usually not a fan of violent movies. But after reading some of the reviews of Logan and hearing HBO's Bill Simmons go on and on and on about John Wick 2, I decided to see both in two days. 

I really enjoyed Logan. The 90% or so on Rotten Tomatoes is well deserved. I like that these comic book movies are being made with the R rating. Maybe because I am a degenerate who likes to hear the fratbroy humor of dead pool. Maybe I just think if you if you are going to show someone like Wolverine kill people, might as well go all out right? 

It wasn't just the violence and action that made Logan worth watching, but the acting and quieter scenes make the action and violence little more tolerable. Logan gives you time to breath and gather yourself after extreme violence. You care about the characters because you see them in quieter and normal situations--like watching Wolverine, Professor X, and Laura ride in a car and window shop new clothes. All the actors were solid. Unlike Kong: Skull Island, there isn't a bad performance to point to. 

The fight scenes with the little girl should have been eye rolling and cheesy, but they were exciting and bad ass. 

John Wick 2 is a lot of fun to watch. I watched it on a Sunday afternoon and the small audience was laughing and gasping often. The opening scene sees John Wick fighting with Russians to get his car back. All while the Russian boss is telling a subordinate the Legend of John Wick. I'm a sucker for the Russian Accent. Think the poker player from Rounders or the Russians from The Equalizer. The great opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie. The action of John Wick 2 never gets stale or too unbelievable, like some other action movies--Fast and the Furious, etc... 

Like Logan, all the acting was solid in John Wick 2. I was expecting Common to be kind of terrible, but he was actually good! Who knew the guy who did the worst NBA player impersonation ever could pull off being a hitman? 

John Wick 2 is just as exciting and entertaining as the first. If you can stand the violence, I would recommend both movies.