Clark, if there's one lesson I've learned from you ...

I did it last year and had pretty good results, so I thought I'd go ahead and play the game once again this year and see how it goes.

The goal of the game is to pick the top ten grossing films in the U.S. with three extra choices to make the top ten that aren't sure things.
--Here's an overview of the rules.
--Here's a page to see the list of 2011 Summer movies (through August is applicable).
--How the Scoring Works:

Getting number 1 or number 10 dead-on gets you 13 points (each).

The rest of the scoring goes like this:
10 points for numbers 2-9 dead-on
7 points if your pick was only one spot away from where it ended up
5 points if it was two spots away
3 points if your pick is anywhere in the Top 10
1 point for each dark horse that makes it into the Top 10
The scoring is tabulated so that you get the SINGLE HIGHEST point value for each pick- that is, if you get number ten right, you don't get 13+3, you only get 13.

MY PICKS
1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
2) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
3) Transformers: Dark of the Moon
4) Kung Fu Panda 2
5) Cars 2
6) Green Lantern
7) Thor
8) Super 8
9) Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
10) Fast Five

DARK HORSE PICKS
The Smurfs
Cowboys & Aliens
X-Men: First Class

Some might remember back in May when I made predictions on what I would think would be the highest grossing films domestically in the U.S.
Slashfilm posted the results and here is how i did with my list:

1) Toy Story 3 (+13)
2) Shrek Forever After (+3)
3) Iron Man 2 (+7)
4) Eclipse (+7)
5) Sex in the City 2 (+0)
6) Prince of Persia (+0)
7) Knight and Day (+0)
8) The Last Airbender (+7)
9) Sorcerer's Apprentice (+0)
10) Inception (+3)
DARK HORSES
Despicable Me (+1)
Robin Hood (+0)
A-Team (+0)

TOTAL PTS: 41 (Not bad. Compared to the featured participants on Slashfilm i would have finished second with my picks. It feels awesome that I was right about Toy Story 3 rising to the top. I overestimated Shrek's staying power but after how Shrek 3 did who can blame me? If i had put it lower i would have had the top 3 exactly right! Then I struck out with the next few, I thought the same about Sex in the City 2 but again proved wrong by the public. I think the public missed out on Prince of Persia (fun movie) and Knight and Day but haven't seen the latter yet. Feels wrong that the Last Airbender made the top 10 and PoP didn't but maybe that was more the power of the Avatar brand. Sorcerer's Apprentice was another fun movie I think people missed out on and I had a feeling about Inception but didn't think it would get so high. Same with Despicable Me, still haven't seen it though.)

Day 08 → A show everyone should watch

This may seem like a bit of a cop out since it is already either the most watched US show overall or at the very least most watched drama but I picked NCIS as a show I think everyone should watch.  If there's one thing that there seems to be a gluttony in TV these days is with the action dramas (especially on cable channels) so if you're already watching several I can understand a reluctance to add another show to the mix.  I only started watching NCIS in the last few months and I think it's safe to say I've already seen more than a handful of seasons worth of episodes (thanks to USA's weekend marathons) and know the characters fairly well to say the least.

And what NCIS gets right is to balance the "crime of the week" with rounding out the characters and creating a family atmosphere among the team that really has you endeared to the characters.  Gibbs, the grizzled marine vet turned head agent with the hidden past of his dead wife and child.  Ducky, the veteran medical examiner who talks to his autopsy subjects and recollects the most unique tales from his past.  Abby, the eccentric lab tech that can find any answer needed as long as she gets her caffeine fix.  Tony, the movie buff horndog that is the most reliable when he's needed.  McGee, the geek of the squad with a heart of gold and the brains to go with it.  And Ziva, the former Mossad agent who is the deadly exotic muscle on the team.  I just love this show!

Day 06 → Favorite episode of your favorite TV show

I knew this wouldn't be easy with Smallville being my favorite show and 9 seasons worth of episodes to choose from.  I almost went with a S5 episode - either Exposed or Lexmas - but I think S4's Blank is my favorite episode of Smallville.  Clark losing his memory and seeing him have a new perspective on his life and powers without the burden of years of secrets and memories.  Chloe walking Clark along the path of his abilities, Clark falling for Lana all over again and determined to fix whatever had gone wrong with them, some Chlo-Lo detective work looking for the memory stealer, the drama of Chloe being in danger while Lois and the Sheriff witness Clark save Chloe with his abilities before being conveniently "mindwiped" and a great ensemble performance was capped off with Lex also getting into the mix and trying to get Clark to reveal his secrets while he can't remember him. I think my favorite part was how Chloe left Clark at the end when he asked if he had done anything different, she replied with "You trusted me."

4x19 - "Blank"

Day 04 → Your favorite show ever.

Smallville. The show that existed before I even knew about fandoms and the crazyness that can exist in it. It took my love for comic books and created an iteration/universe of its own with great characters that didn't have to rely on the Superman presence to be entertaining. It made me really care for an original character like the spunky Chloe that became the best friend Pete didn't turn into, a set of parents in the Kents that in every other version were closer to an elderly age and made you want them to be your parents, it made a Lex Luthor you could care for and then want to see him turn evil. There were missteps: Pete, the agonizingly on-again/off-again Clana relationship (which I think was a result of S5 probably being their estimated end, getting a S6 so breaking them up and then with wrapping things up with S7 bringing them back together a final time).

That said, I never thought it would go 10 seasons, but every fall it was there like clockwork and I was there with it. I see S1-5 as the Golden Age of Smallville, S6 it wavered/adjusting to its continuing, S7 was the wrapup & S8-10 is the next iteration with Metropolis/Clark & Lois. It's the only show that I own every season set and have seen every episode. I grew up literally with this show and I doubt I'll ever feel the way I did for this show ever again. I worry about S10, with AM probably having an arc similar to Kristin in S8, and that the budget will stay the same which probably means the cast won't be growing (something I think it needs badly). I miss Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, John Glover, John Schneider, and as S10 happens I'll miss Allison Mack. But I'll keep watching because I loved this show and I'll see it to the end.

Day 02 → A show that you wish more people were watching.

I only started watching Chuck last summer and I can't stop thanking htbthomas and others for convincing me to give the show a shot even when NBC was having a hard time giving it one (still the same situation now a year later sadly). I still remember my first thoughts on the show before that "oh it's a nerdy guy with a hottie spy girl, seems very cliche", but once I gave it the time of day I realized it was much more than that. While the dynamic has changed a bit over the three seasons due to Chuck's evolvement but at its roots the fun, charming show still exists. Never before have I enjoyed a show/franchise so much that I can enjoy it without having the main pairing together (unlike other fans LOL). I definitely think the quality of the show deserves a larger audience than its had on NBC, but I think I'll settle for a season 4. I think that in itself is a miracle for the show that proves it can.



( Schedule of Future Days )

Feel free to play if you're interested on your own LJ, and if you're in the U.S. until May 14th you can even enter your picks to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

The game is to decide what will be the highest grossing films of the Summer.

( The Rules & Scoring )
( The Movies )
( The Picks )

I've been hitting myself for not being very active on LJ this month outside of Chuck reviews (LOL) and it's very simple - January has been a pretty non-interesting month for my free time which has limited what I have to talk about that isn't about my struggles with cutting specific angles with a circular saw (and the frustration in finding the spare battery for the cordless drill to be not charged) or the unrelenting misery of filing/organizing papers. Yadda, yadda, yadda ... Instead, how about a meme that I borrowed from beautygirl777 & awesomemmerz?

( 15 Q&As on Smallville, Chuck, Seeker & Merlin )

A shipping meme taken from the effervescent indefiance:

* Eight ships you like: (in no particular order)
01 Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley (Harry Potter)
02 Uzumaki Naruto/Haruno Sakura (Naruto)
03 Clark Kent/Lois Lane (Smallville/DC Comics/Superman)
04 Luke Skywalker/Mara Jade (Star Wars)
05 Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy (Marvel Comics)
06 Dick Grayson/Barbara Gordon (DC Comics)
07 Clark Kent/Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
08 Scott Summers/Jean Grey (Marvel Comics)

* Four ships you're curious about:
09 Richard Cypher/Kahlan Amnell (Legend of the Seeker)
10 Tony Stark/Pepper Potts (Iron Man/Armored Adventures/Marvel comics)
11 Chuck Bartowski/Sarah Walker (Chuck)
12 Anakin Skywalker/Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars Clone Wars)

* Two ships you never liked:
13 Severus Snape/Lily Potter (Harry Potter)
14 Uchiha Sasuke/Haruno Sakura (Naruto)

( The Q&A's )