Band

 There's no easy way for me to start this. The day that has always been in the back of my head has finally become reality. The day I officially end my time with the UW marching band.

I was born and raised a Badger and I'll never forget my time here. As a child I would fall asleep to a tape of my mother singing "If You Want to Be a Badger," "Hot Time," "Songs to Thee Wisconsin," and of course "On, Wisconsin." Call it brainwashing. Call it whatever you want. I know that those nights instilled in me a desire, which grew into a need, to be a badger even as a young child.

I can't summarize the feelings I have for this band and know I will forget something along the way, but I'm reliving every moment I can.

Being in band has given me some of the best experiences of my life. It all started with reg week. As a freshman you have no idea what to expect or how tough you have to be to make it. And once you're in, buckle up for one of the best rides of your life. There are ups and downs. Tough times and sad times, but mostly great times.

The pride I have for this university stems from this band. Everything has led to this. Riding your bike through rain, sleet, snow, wind, and even extreme heat, just to get to practice. Riding home during reg week and your legs cramping. Playing "On, Wisconsin" more times than you'll ever dream possible, but never getting sick of it. Getting chills every time you play "Varsity," solely because 80,000 badgers are singing along with you. Working your ass off every rehearsal. In any weather. Waking up early for game day practices only building the anticipation of the coming game. Then heading home and seeing some students already awake and drinking. Others asleep in their beds. Until small groups from the band blast a lively early morning rendition of our favorite song.

Playing for screaming fans all across the state and country. Gigs, volleyball, hockey, football and basketball games. Following my beloved team everywhere they go. Through road trips to other Big Ten universities, Big Ten championships, playing in Lambeau Field. Flying to bowl games and basketball games. Any time spent on a bus being filled with offensive jokes, stories, limericks, and general tomfoolery. Border wars, the light game, spider monkey, anything to keep us busy (not doing homework). The other bands we "meet" and like hate.

Wearing badger red everyday, in one way or another. Whether it's a T-shirt, sweatshirt, sweatpants, a cardinal red sweater that you've sweat in countless times, or a wool uniform. A uniform that brings pride to you every time you wear it. Walking to Camp Randall and having everybody cheer, ask you to play a song, try and give you a beer, or ask to take a picture with you. The dirty run-on chant, screaming "eat a rock" moments before taking the field, hearing fans cheer when "the University of Wisconsin marching band" is announced as we march down the field playing On, Wis. Watching the student section sing and do all the motions to "If You Want to Be a Badger." Watching number one teams fall by the wayside as my team crushes them and sends them home crying.

I can't write something like this without mentioning my friends and family. Thank you. The friends I have made have become some of the best I've ever had. Thank you for everything. To the only rank I've ever known, I don't know what I would've done without you. Hearing a mispronounced version of my last name the first day of real practice only led to a second family. Thank you rank 18. We're the best.

And finally, spending every moment of every band function trying to please an old man. An old man who became more than I ever thought he would to me. He's a mentor, a teacher, and a friend. He became a second father to me. Taught me a lot about myself, helped me grow, and oftentimes treated me as his own flesh and blood. The amount of gratitude and love I hold for him will never leave me and I will keep the lessons learned from him in my heart. There's no way I can thank him for everything he has done for me. The best thing I can do is play my heart out one last time.

There's a saying: "when one door closes, another opens," but with this band and this university, I know that the door will never close. However, for one last time I take the stage with an organization that changed my life. The love, passion, pride, and fun (among many other things) I learned will stay with me until my dying day. It's going to be a tough night, but I'm going to take in every moment. We never say goodbye, but simply we'll see you real soon, and ON, WISCONSIN.

A Good Day To Die Hard

On the flip side of how much I loved Warm Bodies,  A Good Day to Die Hard was pretty awful. Everything that was great in the previous Die Hard movies was nowhere near coming through in this iteration of John McClane (STILL played by Bruce Willis). I found myself laughing more at things that were supposed to be serious than at things supposedly added to make us laugh.

This was clearly a filler film, for Jack (John's son, played by Jai Courtney, recently in Jack Reacher) to take over the "family business," which basically only entails thwarting criminals and blowing lots of stuff up. It wasn't anything like the original classic involving small time criminals, led by a near perfect Alan Rickman, but a sad excuse for a Die Hard movie. I'm not sure how Bruce Willis can go from movies like Red or Looper to this. He's still a good actor, but this movie certainly did not showcase that.

That all being said. I was still entertained. Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy bad movies and this was one of those times. Scoffing at terrible dialogue, laughing at wild explosions, and just being utterly confused during most of the movie may make it seem like it's not worth seeing, which is true. Unless you can see it cheaper than a normally priced film, even for free if you want to sneak in somewhere. (Un)fortunately it is at the budget theater so get there if you want to make fun of films like Troy and Abed on "Community."


You might find yourself enjoying a film in an entirely new way. Or you may be mad about spending money and sitting through this film. Try counting the amount of onscreen deaths you see. I think my total was 87. Make it into a game. Find something to enjoy in it.

I'd need an entirely new blog to discuss all the problems with the script and dialogue, but who knows, maybe other people really loved it. Those die-hard Die Hard fans maybe up in arms at anyone who dislikes one of these films.

4/10

Warm Bodies

Zombie movies have been some of my favorite films. Oftentimes relentless gore and killing skirts the main plot. Warm Bodies took a different approach. It took the conventions of traditional zombie movies and made them funny and almost endearing. The premise surrounds a zombie, R (played by Nicholas Hoult of previous British "Skins" fame, among other films), who falls in love with a girl, Julie (played by Teresa Palmer). This causes...changes in him. And it's what makes this movie great!

Instead of focusing on the zombie apocalypse, Warm Bodies begins in post-apocaplypitic Los Angeles. By doing this, the film is able to blend quirky indie comedy and zombie movies. Hoult plays R as well as any oddball actor (i.e. Michael Cera or Jesse Eisenberg), but keeps a campy feel to his zombie body. And Palmer is a great love interest, figuring out R while trying to survive this terrifying new world.

While romantic comedies may not be suited for everyone, I think this one is. If not for everyone at least suited for those who are not fans of the genre. It was entertaining throughout. The biggest laughs coming from R's internal monologues and R's best friend and fellow zombie M (played by Rob Corddry, Jeff's lawyer nemesis on "Community").

There may be a few inconsistencies, but what romantic comedy doesn't have them these days. It was mostly small things, blood changing positions on character's faces between shots, characters changing positions without moving on screen. Other than that this idiosyncratic film blew me away. An outstanding film that I think was overlooked so far. Check it out at the budget theater!

9/10