The Time Traveler's Wife Review

Chrystal and I decided to watch this one since it seemed to smack of romance and interest. However, it proved to be more disappointing than we were hoping for. The story is basically revolving around Eric Bana's character who happens to time travel (really?). He falls in love with a young girl and they eventually get married. Although this movie tries to come off as deeply romantic, I thought it only halfway delivers. It explores some interesting science fiction ideas, but nothing that mind-blowing to make it a must-see movie. Overall the previews led us to believe that it would deliver a much better movie than it did. I thought Rachel McAdams was very good in her role, but the rest of the movie was definitely worth skipping. I can't recommend this movie very highly.

Just Friends Review

I caught this one on cable, and wasn't sure what to expect. This movie actually caught me by surprise at how FUNNY IT WAS! Basically Ryan Reynolds plays a guy who was fat at one point in his life and was friends with Amy Smart, but has now moved on, lost the weight and become successful. He is interested in possibly becoming "more than friends" with Amy Smart's character - but doesn't know what that will look like, or if she feels the same way. Ryan Reynolds also plays in the newer movie The Proposal with Sandra Bullock, but I actually thought this movie was a lot funnier. It deals with the whole ladder philosophy of dating. For those who don't know it - the ladder philosophy says that girls will always have the guys in their life on one of two ladders - the "nice guy" friend ladder, or the "cute boyfriend" potential ladder (I'm sorry I don't know who originated this idea or I would give them credit). The problem is that many guys think they are on the potential boyfriend ladder, and sadly find out that they are only considered to be a "nice guy" by the girl they like and want to date/court/get to know/whatever else you term it. I won't give too much more away about this movie, but I was laughing so hard over scenes in this movie I was in tears - IT WAS THAT FUNNY. Very funny situations, and I originally thought this movie would be fair or just so-so. The fact that it was very funny was a welcome surprise. Check this out if you are up for a funny comedy about boy-girl relationships.

Knights of the South Bronx

I put this on my Netflix queue for obvious reasons for all who know me. 1. I love playing chess and have fun with playing a good game. 2. I like movies based on true stories that are inspirational. This movie was originally made for TV from what I understand and stars Ted Danson who becomes a substitute teacher in a NYC school and then ends up teaching his class the game of chess and helping them go to the multi-state championships. It was a good story, but I think it could have been made a little better. I thought Ted Danson did a decent job playing his part. Also all the kids acted pretty convincingly. However, compared to a movie like Searching for Bobby Fischer I think this movie lacked something. I'm not sure exactly what - it could have been character development or plot depth, but whatever it was - I didn't think it delivered as well as Searching for Bobby Fischer did. I recommend you see that movie before watching this one. This movie wasn't bad, it just was the lesser of the two chess movies.

Selecting the Perfect Box of Chocolate

Paul and I had a fun excursion to Georgetown this weekend. We decided to compare the chocolates from the Godiva shop with chocolates from Dean & Deluca. Both companies have their chocolates made by different chocolatier's in NY and then ship them to the stores. Surprisingly, the D&D chocolates created by Christopher Norman turned out to be more expensive and although the chocolates looked more artsy, the taste did not compare to the taste of Godiva. Also, the representative at Godiva was very enthusiastic, eager to let you taste samples, and informative. Godiva has improved their preferred customer club (of which I was already a member) to give more rewards. We hope this might help you pick out some delicious sweet treats for Valentine's Day. I would encourage you to try personalizing your gift by selecting what will go into your own box of chocolates. While we're not professional taste testers, we tried our best. Paul cleansed his palette in between tastings with a glass of red wine. I drank and swirled H20.

Here are our descriptions of the high caloric adventure:

1. The heart-shaped Sparkling Mimosa: Champagne and orange juice flavored chocolate cream in dark chocolate.

• Paul: Tasty orange creme; surprisingly strong flavor, but not overpowering.
• Chrystal: Buttery rich orange flavor with a champagne aftertaste. Love the heart shape. Only wishing the size was bigger! *Must have for V-day*

2. Double Chocolate Raspberry Truffle: Red and black raspberry puree in dark chocolate.

• Paul: Superb. One of the best blends of rasberry and dark chocolate.
• Chrystal: Very bold, rich, and intense flavor as if I'm biting into a raspberry. A small bite goes a long way.
  

3. Key Lime Truffle: Key lime ganache in dark chocolate.

• Paul: Not quite as the key lime flavor I was expecting.
• Chrystal: Too sweet for me.
  

4. Hazelnut Praline Truffle: Finely crushed hazelnuts in milk chocolate with toffee coated hazelnut pieces.

• Paul: Ties the raspberry truffle or exceeds it. Very rich.
• Chrystal: Milky creamy bite, delightfully smooth and light flavor. It's a good thing we only had 1 to share because these are so light and creamy that it would be easy to eat more.

Dean & Deluca:

1. Lemon Truffle: Lemon thyme flavor is enrobed in milk or dark chocolate.

• Paul: Very good lemon taste.
• Chrystal: Light zesty lemon flavor. Refreshing.

2. Passion Fruit Truffle:

• Paul: Not as good as I expected. Fruit was weak.
• Chrystal: Gross bubble gum flavor.

3. Caramel Apple:

• Paul: Tastes too artificial.
• Chrystal: I love the artistic design. It's surprisingly big enough to share. The candy coating is too sweet for me.
  

4. Champagne Truffle:

• Paul: Forgot to write down notes.
• Chrystal: Rich flavor, but lacks the champagne effervescence that Godiva's heart shaped chocolate has.

To wrap up our review and get you on your way to shop for your loved one. It's best when looking for a fine chocolate to stick with a shop dedicated to that. If you're putting together a box of chocolates we highly recommend Godiva's Raspberry & Hazelnut Praline Truffles with a few heart shaped Sparkling Mimosa's.

Publish Post

Gone Baby Gone review

When I sat down to watch this movie, I was hoping for an intense mystery movie about a search for a little girl. I can't give much commentary about this movie, because I turned it off about a half-hour into it. The language in this movie is very rough, and probably realistic. Although I was interested in this movie at first, the language just became too much of a distraction to me and I ended up opting to turn the whole thing off. Now, granted the writers and director were probably trying to show the reality of the street language. However, I don't like it when language seems to be written into a script just to merit a "R" rating. Maybe that wasn't the case, but I just found the foul language too distracting from the actual storyline to actually finish the movie. Well - isn't that real life, you say? Maybe it is, but I generally don't hang out in places where that type of language is used to that degree. It is not like I never heard foul words like this movie contained, it was just a choice to not intentionally choose to hear foul words in a movie that didn't necessarily need them to convey a story. This could have been a good movie (and maybe it turned out to be). I don't think I'll ever find out.

G.I. Joe : Rise of the Cobra Review

What a disappointment! I am sad to say I TRIED (key-work is tried) to watch this movie after watching the previews and being very fond of the toy in the 80s, and had to turn off this movie only a half-hour into the storyline. The acting is bad, the storyline is almost non-existent, and the CGI special effects almost seem like the whole thing is a giant video game. As I stated, I really enjoyed this toy when I was younger and had high hopes for the live-action movie. Maybe that was my problem. I had "high hopes". I was pleasantly surprised with the first Transformers movie and thought that this might follow in the robot movie's footsteps. However, after watching a sad half-hour of it, I realized that wouldn't be the case. It seemed the actors and their lines were over-the-top cheesy and the special effects seemed to be so overdone that it appeared the producer/writers may have been throwing in overblown special effects to make up for the pathetic storyline and the lack of good acting. I'm sorry, but I have to say SAVE TWO HOURS OF YOUR LIFE AND SKIP THIS MOVIE!! There - I said it. I would have liked to give this movie a higher rating, but I found it too sad to put a positive spin on it at all. Watch the cartoon movie if you long for a movie about this toy.

Notting Hill review

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope all my readers have had a great chance to eat some turkey, enjoy time with friends and family, and reflect on all the blessings we have been given.

While visiting family this week, I happened to sit down and watch Notting Hill with them. I personally like Hugh Grant's acting a little more than Julia Roberts but must say this movie was a pleasant romantic drama/comedy about a movie actress (Julia) who falls for a simple bookshop owner. I'm not positive this would be considered a comedy or just a romantic drama with some funny moments - but it still seemed to work well. Both Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant were very good at playing their roles, and they were supported by several very talented actors/actresses who made the whole story work really well. Although I don't think this was as good a movie for Hugh Grant as Two Weeks Notice, I do think he played his part well and it made for a good fairy-tale story about two people who have great chemistry together. There are a few off-color jokes throughout the story, but overall I think this was a very well-made and funny story that makes for a great overall movie. Two thumbs up.

Entertainment & Escapism

I was reading "The Simple Dollar" blog this morning and came upon a great post that I highly recommend. It is:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/08/what-is-escapism-how-does-it-cost-me/ .
If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend you do before continuing my discussion below.

I would like to talk about it on my own blog in fact. Basically Trent (author of The Simple Dollar blog) talks about the difference between entertainment and escapism. I found the contrast very interesting and it made me think about my own media habits. Do I watch movies, listen to good music and play video games just to escape reality? Or are these ways for me to relax and have some fun in life without necessarily trying to escape reality? I believe personally, that I waffle sometimes between one and the other. I do enjoy movie, games, and good music but I think that the key to know if I am drifting from edifying entertainment into mindless escapism is one question: Am I trying to fill a void in my life with this activity? Every time I choose to sit down and invest time in a game, movie or listening to music I have to look at the fruit of the time spent. If I come away from the time, feeling more lonely, saddened and/or purposeless - that is a red flag that I have crossed into the land of escapism via entertainment. However, if after the time I feel like I've gained perspective or grown in my understanding of others and can then continue normal life-duties with a new perspective - I think that is well within the realm of edifying entertainment. Also, being a Christian I need to ask myself - is this something that I can glorify God doing/watching/listening to? Entertainment should never be used to fill a void. It does it poorly when used for that purpose. What entertainment can be useful for is to help bond with other people in your life, and keep your mind actively evaluating things instead of dwelling on the negatives in your life. I am a firm believer that you should never turn your brain off while allowing media to be seen or heard in your life (which is very prevelant in escapism). Everything listened to and watched should be evaluated and thought about. If the messages are agreeable - think about ways it could affect your own life, and if the messages are false/disagreeable you should be able to actively filter them from a solid worldview of Truth. In all these things, as a Christian I need to keep in mind what Paul says:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV

Nights in the Rodanthe Review

Another Nicholas Sparks book makes it to the big screen. I decided to add this movie having seen 3 others movie adaption by this guy : 1. Message in a Bottle, 2. Notebook , and 3. A Walk to Remember. However, out of the four movies, I think this one was the lamest. This movie in many respects resembles "Message in a Bottle", but it came off a little more cheesy and formulaic. Basically the plot is Diane Lane's character is hosting a bed and breakfast in the Outer Banks, NC and Richard Gere's character comes to stay there to try to resolve some lawsuits he has with the family of someone he was a doctor for. During this time, he falls in love with Diane Lane's character and they have wonderful times at the beach, blah...blah...blah....BLAH. Ok, at this point (without giving away what happens) let me start to give my two cents - this movie is very formulaic and kind of boring. The character development just doesn't seem developed enough despite being well-acted and the plot is too simplistic. The movie is 1.5 hours, yet I think you can find better things to do with your time than to watch this movie. The overall messages conveyed from the movie are not very pro-marriage nor do they seem to accurately convey that love is committed in good times and bad, not just when you have butterflies in your stomach and are constantly day-dreaming about your lover. So my last words on this movie? Skip it.

The Scarlet Pimpernel Review

Due to my interest in Zorro, I noticed that Netflix recommended "The Scarlet Pimpernel" movie to me, so I added it to my queue and this weekend actually got around to watching it. Although the movie is about 2.5 hours, I found that I enjoyed the story and that the acting wasn't terrible. I think Jane Seymour is an excellent actress, and all in all, I thought this movie was pretty good. Basically the story is about an Englishman who is trying to save people from death during the French Revolution (I think). To do that, he (the Scarlet Pimpernel) must come up with a dual lifestyle much like Zorro, Batman or Superman in order to continue his job while remaining unsuspicious. To me this movie came off as a cross between "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Mask of Zorro". The first movie I'm not particularly fond of, while I love the Zorro movies. This movie had enough of the Zorro-like theme to keep my interest, but it had enough romance and fancy dancing to keep Chrystal's interest. So to sum it up - great movie. Out of 5 stars this movie wins a solid 4 in my book.

Vital Signs Review

I caught this movie on TV and as I started watching it, quickly got pulled into the whole story. While not perfect, and not very much like the comedy "Scrubs", it still seemed to be a fun movie with believable acting in my opinion. Basically the story follows several med students as they compete to be the most promising student in med school and prove to their supervisor doctor that they are the most qualified to practice. Although this sounds somewhat boring, I found it entertaining and watchable. I've never actually been a practicing medical student, so that needs to be weighed in light of all that, but I think it was accurate enough that it didn't have me scoffing about the unbelievability of the whole storyline. It did come off a little like a soap opera, but it seemed to work in my opinion. Definitely don't rent this movie if you are looking for unpredictable endings or a movie that goes in new directions, but if you are content to have a semi-believable medical story - you may just enjoy "Vital Signs". Also, I dock this movie several points due to some inappropriate love scenes.

2 Fast 2 Furious Review

After watching the 4th movie in this series, I decided to go back and watch the in-between sequels that Hollywood has produced and see if they were worthy additions to the "Fast and the Furious" movie series. I really like the first one, and the 4th movie I consider one of the better sequels I have seen, so I gave the 2nd movie a shot. I have to say honestly that I thought this movie lacked some ingredients of the 4th. I don't know if it was the exclusion of Vin Diesel or just a storyline that seemed a little less involving and more far-fetched, but something just didn't deliver in this movie. The main actress in this movie was also in the movie "Hitch" so I recognized her from that. Paul Walker is back and I'm glad that he agreed to come back for this one, because I think his character is a pretty important part to the whole "Fast and the Furious" series. Although this movie had its good moments, it just didn't live up to how well the 4th in the series executed (in my opinion), and could easily have been skipped over in my opinion. Still, if you like fast car movies and want to see some, but not all, of the ingredients from the first movie, you may want to check this movie out. I would give it one out of two thumbs up.

State of Play

This movie caught my eye, and I decided to throw it onto the queue and see how it delivers. Surprise, surprise! I thought it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. First of all, the acting is phenomenal. Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams all do exceptional at drawing you into an interesting story. Second of all, the story itself isn't too predictable. I like the fact that this movie kept me guessing all the way to the very end. Even when I thought I had figured it out, I learned new information until the credits rolled. Thirdly, this movie wrapped the mystery all up without feeling overly cute and predictable. It was an intelligent drama with a great storyline, and wonderful delivery. I highly recommend this movie, "State of Play".

The OC: Season 3, 4

I, Chrystal, was sick almost all of September. During this time, I was grateful for our many channels and embarrassed to admit hours of reluctantly watching SOAP network (what else is on during the day). Then I have to admit that I am hooked on season 3 of The OC. I think this show is a modern spin on Beverly Hills 90210. The show focuses on 4 designer clad teens and their parents. The main story line is about Ryan Atwood, a rough high school student from Chino, CA., that gets adopted by Sandy Cohen, an affluent Attorney General. Ryan has to adapt to his new environment and learn to mesh with the rich kids to make the most of the opportunity. Season 3 ended with the death of one of the main characters. Season 4 started with the young adults still processing the grief from losing a friend, but moving forward with their lives pursuing jobs and college. I love the witty humor between the characters and the great acting!

The Soloist Review

Paul's Review:

I just got this movie from Netflix and decided to see it hoping for a inspiring true story from two noteworthy actors. Before I go into it any further though, I have to vent a little. One thing that bothers me (quite a bit actually) is when you watch 30 TV ads for a movie that frame the movie in such a light that you come expecting a completely different movie than the movie delivers. I think the people who put the ads together for "The Soloist" did such a thing. The ads made it look quite a bit different and to come expecting a certain type of movie, when in reality the movie is very different than the previews lead you to believe. Overall I like both the actors Robert Downey Jr, and Jamie Fox, however the script and story (at least in the movie) left me disappointed. I haven't read the book so I refrain from commenting at all on that. Although there was talent in the acting, it didn't keep the movie from feeling slow and ultimately leaving you more down than you expected to be. Like I was telling Chrystal, there are two types of stories 1. the true stories that are very real, and 2. the fictionalized fairy tales told in a real life setting. I realize that is a very broad generalization but let me finish.... This movie definitely fits the first category a lot more than the second. If you go into the movie expecting realism instead of completely inspirational moments, you may like it. Otherwise, save your time and money and leave this movie alone.


Chrystal's Review:


Paul told me about this movie and I was intrigued by the plot because it is a true story and involves music. About 10 minutes into this movie, I realized that the plot was moving was very slowly. Sadly, I actually fell asleep once or twice, but was able to catch up to the story. I guess it would be unrealistic to show a relationship with a reporter and mentally disturbed homeless man happening quickly, so art was imitating real life. I suppose real life is not an action thriller most of the time. The movie focuses on what we learn when a selfish divorced reporter (Robert Downey, Jr.) "puts himself out there" and befriends a mentally ill homeless man (Jamie Fox). The movie does an amazing job highlighting that all relationships take work and commitment. I love how the movie points out that friendship is demonstrated not only in words or good intentions, but faithful action. The Bible says, "Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is really faithful." Proverbs 20:6. We also know that our Savior, Jesus, was called a "Friend of Sinners." The reporter in this story takes a lot of personal risks to befriend the homeless man; someone on the outskirts of society. So, I loved the acting and some of the key moments, but too slow to keep my interest or watch again.

Fast and the Furious review

OK, first of all let me start out by saying that I haven't seen all the Fast and the Furious movies. I only watched the first one all the way through, and thought it was entertaining - but never got around to watching and reviewing the 2nd and 3rd movie. From what I heard/read they didn't seem to really live up to the first movie, and frankly I never saw the need to take the time to watch them. When I heard that the 4th movie of the series was going to bring back all the original cast, I thought it would be worth checking out - and to be honest - I'm very glad that I did. Vin Diesel is back and so is Paul Walker. All the cast is pretty much back from the original movie, and guess what? The plot is decent as well. My expectations were pretty low for this movie, but I walked away pleasantly surprised at how well the story fit together. You could almost consider this movie the "true sequel" to the first movie. The plot was semi-believable (how believable do you expect from this series?), the cars were fast, the action was fun to watch and the ending was very well put together. I won't give it away, but I thought the way this movie wrapped itself up was the best I have seen since I watched "The Bourne Ultimatum". I really liked this movie, and if you enjoyed the original movie at all, I think you should definitely check out this one. Chrystal really enjoyed it as well, so I'm giving it two thumbs up.

Taken Review

Are you ready for an andrenaline kick? Taken may be the ticket for you. Basically the story involves Liam Neeson as a retired army guy that can really enforce security and protect important people, and his daughter. In the movie, he is divorced and really loves his daughter but doesn't get a lot of time to see her and spend with her. She is a typical 17 year old who wants to live it up and travel all over, while he is more cautious and protective as her dad. She ends up taking a trip overseas and doesn't tell him the whole story which opens the door for her to get kidnapped by some guys intent on selling her into the sex-trade market. This movie was really fast paced, and I felt developed enough of the characters that you really felt for Liam's character and sympathized with his love for his daughter. Good acting, and excellent action scenes make this movie fun to watch as well as intense. If you like movies that keep the action coming or TV shows like "24", you most likely will enjoy "Taken". I recommend it.

Innerspace Review

A classic movie directed by Steven Spielberg from the 80s. Innerspace is the story about a pilot that goes on a mission to be miniturized and injected into a bunny rabbit. However, things get dicey, and instead of being injected into a rabbit, the pilot (played by Dennis Quaid) is injected into a character played by Martin Short. Although this movie is classified as a comedy, I didn't find it that funny. Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan both play in this movie, and I thought that Martin Short did the physical comedy parts very well. However, it almost appeared that this movie's target audience may have been under my age. It is cute and relies on a lot of physically comedic scenarios to try to keep the laughs coming, and I found it OK - but not great as far a comedies go. I think my favorite Martin Short comedy still has to be "The Three Amigos". I believe that movie came out in the 80s as well. Of course one reason I may consider "The Three Amigos" a better movie was that my first watching of it was when I was quite a bit younger. Some movies leave a lasting good impression on you when you are young, but don't seem as impressive when you rewatch them several years later. 1 thumb up.

Conspiracy Theory review

I caught this movie on TV a few weeks ago, and actually was able to watch the whole thing through finally. I know my siblings have enjoyed this movie, but I had never gotten around to actually watching it. I liked this movie about Mel Gibson being a paranoid oddball who loves Julia Roberts character and confides in her what his theories are. The acting is well-done, and the movie has bits of humor sprinkled throughout with intense action scenes to make a pretty well-balanced movie to watch. One unique thing about this movie that I have to add, is that it actually motivated me to find out more about the classic book "The Catcher and the Rye". This book has a significant part in the movie, and made me want to find out more about the plot that surrounded it. Movies that actually pique your curiousity in reading the classics don't come around all the time - so that caused my evaluation of this movie to be a little higher than average. Good suspense, decent comedy parts, and an intriguing story make for a good movie in my opinion. 1.5 thumbs out of 2.

Lars and the Real Girl review

This is one of those quirky yet recommended movies that came out recently. I had heard some good things about the overall message and added it to my Netflix queue. I'm sorry to say I could not finish the movie. The message may be really good in the ending, yet I just couldn't bring myself to finish it in this slow-moving drama about a man who basically treats a life-size doll as his best friend. I think the acting was pretty well done, I just struggled to relate and stay drawn into the storyline due to the oddity of the whole plot. Sorry Lars, I lost my patience with you. As I watched Lars take his doll to the doctor, and to get a haircut, as well as to a holiday party, my mind began pondering the 1.5 hours I will never regain as I sat watching this movie. Not a very fast-moving or typical movie, yet if you have the patience, you may find it very rewarding. I didn't have the patience so therefore I give "Lars and the Real Girl", 1/2 thumb up out of two. Sorry Lars, I never did find out if he ended up going out with a real girl. Oh well.

Escape From Alcatraz

A classic Clint Eastwood prison movie. I just watched this movie and grew very fascinated with the Alcatraz prison as a result. I thought the acting performances were top-notch (what more can you ask from Clint Eastwood?) and the story was compelling enough to really draw you in. Basically Clint Eastwood plays a character that was sent to the Alcatraz prison due to poor behavior at other prisons. Alcatraz was known for being a maximum security prison with little hope of ever escaping successfully. Clint Eastwood plays the cool and collected prison inmate who won't let other prisoners take advantage of him, yet earns the respect of many within the prison. He slowly forms a plan to escape and I'll leave the rest for you to watch. Overall I thought this was a very well done prison movie, that kept me engaged, made me curious about other Alcatraz movies (there were many made in Hollywood), and wrapped up the story in a well-done way. Another thing I liked about this movie was that it seemed to show the poor conditions and sad states of prisons without becoming overly depressing and dark. I felt the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" was a little too dark and depressing. "Escape from Alcatraz" seems to avoid that problem while still giving you a feeling of realism from a maximum security prison movie. Two thumbs up in my opinion.

Fireproof Review

Chrystal and I rented this movie after hearing many positive reviews of the message and presentation of this movie. We were not disappointed. In this movie, Kirk Cameron is a fireman who doesn't really have a good marriage and heading down the road to divorce. As he talks to his parents, he decides to take the challenge of his dad, who gives him a "love dare" to practice learning how to love and care for his wife. This begins to work some great changes in his life as well as his wife's. We weren't expecting too much out of this movie because we knew that the production costs were probably a lot less than many hollywood movies - yet Kirk Cameron did a great job in his role and overall I believe the movie really delivers. Marriage isn't always a walk in the park as many romantic comedies portray. Times do become tough, and trials can threaten to disrupt a marriage. Yet this movie I believe accurately shows that with God's help - a marriage can be healed and can glorify God. Two thumbs up for a great movie with a great message!

Vanilla Sky Review

Pure genius. I saw this movie after taping it off of TV, and have rewatched parts of it almost 6 times! Now granted I saw the edited for TV version, and I can't endorse everything about this movie, yet the acting, the soundtrack, and the storyline get an exceptional rating in my opinion. Tom Cruise is a rich young man who has a lot of money and everything he ever wanted in life. However, due to some friendships in his life, and some bad choices, his life is changed forever. I won't say much more than that, but I loved the deeper meanings in this movie. Don't watch this movie expecting a chic flick, because you probably will be very disappointed, however - if you like movies that make you think about life - you will probably enjoy "Vanilla Sky" very, very much. Again - the acting is phonemenal, and the soundtrack was superb. I'm a big fan of directors that can match a good story with great songs. "Vanilla Sky" definitely does that with unexpected twists and quotes that will leave you thinking you need to rewatch this movie to really "get it". Two thumbs up!

Tropic Thunder Review

This movie is getting a lot of press. So I decided to rent it and see how funny it really was. Ultimately, I came away feeling like it was big let down. Now I know a lot of people won't agree with me, but this was one movie that it seemed the previews have almost given away the most funny scenes. Overall the humor was just comprised of actors cussing up a storm and yelling at each other, overcoming drug addictions and just plain being stupid. Some movies are very good at being so stupid that they are funny. I didn't feel that way for Tropic Thunder. It was amusing seeing Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise in this movie, yet they failed to save a movie that seemed too stupid to really be worth a rental. Granted, there aren't too many movies that actually spoof a war movie, yet this one could have been much funnier in my opinion - and ended up being overtly offensive for too few laughs. Not recommended in my opinion.

Hollywoodland Review

This movie "Hollywoodland" is the story of George Reeve's mysterious death. Allegedly he died by suicide, yet some have speculated that he was murdered. For those who may not know who George Reeve is, he is the original guy who played the "superman" character in the 1950's - 1960s. He also played in a few movies, but was kind of stereotyped as the hero character in the red cape. This movie was pretty interesting. Some people have described this movie as long and slow, but I disagree. It seemed to move along pretty well and for me, it was a pretty interesting biography of a man I know little about. George Reeve evidently had his share of problems and this movie did a great job showing how badly he wanted to be known for more than a blue spandex hero, yet couldn't seem to break out of that stereotype. Also did a good job showing the possible ways the actor could have died, yet let the viewer ultimately decide. Fairly intelligent way of handling this mysterious death. I thought the movie was well made, and had good character development. However, there was also some parts that showed George Reeve's womanizing ways, which is why I don't give it a higher rating. All of us are sinners in need of a Savior and George Reeve was no exception. All in all, this showed what a hard life "Hollywoodland" really does boil down to in the movie business. 1.5 thumbs up.

Christmas with the Kranks Review

With Christmas around this time of year, I taped this movie off of TV and I have one statement to sum this up - I'M SURE GLAD I DIDN'T RENT IT. This has the potential to be funny, yet it just doesn't deliver. Tim Allen has one or two very funny scenes - that is it. Jamie Lee Curtis has some funny parts, but overall I think this movie is just a sad attempt to make a memorable Christmas movie that hasn't already been made. It does offer a few parts that may make you chuckle, but overall I would recommend you save your money and your time on this one.

Farce of the Penguins - So Much Potential, Yet...

OK this movie was also on HBO and having seen and enjoyed "March of the Penguins", I thought this might be worth a watch. Basically it is a bunch of footage about Carl - a penguin who thinks he has an eating disorder and is depressed about the meaning of his life. He trudges along with his buddy penguins in search of a mate. First of all, let me say - this movie has a TON of potential to be funny and entertaining at the same time. Bob Saget however, seemed to delight in potty jokes and adult-oriented humor throughout the whole movie. Do you enjoy watching penguins fart and tell off-color jokes? If so this may be your type of movie. However, for me it got old and distasteful very quickly and I didn't even finish this movie. I am kind of surprised that movies like "March of the Penguins" became so popular. That's why a witty script with some good jokes and voice-overs could have been a hilarious documentary. Unfortunately, this movie is all about potty-mouth penguins talking about reproduction. Not that funny. I would recommend skipping this one.

In the Land of Women - Not Your Average Movie

I am currently getting HBO free for a month, so I stumbled on this movie "In the Land of Women" which actually came out in 2007. I must have completely missed this one, since I don't even remember it being in the theatre. Or maybe I just thought it would be a chick flick and showed no interest in looking into it further. However, as Chrystal and I started watching it, we gradually grew more and more involved in the story. This is a drama with a slightly humorous parts at times. The acting is top-notch. I did read that the previews misrepresented this movie, so I advise anyone who has watched the preview to FORGET anything they imagined this film would be like. Basically the story is about a young man who comes to take care of his grandma (who is getting older and need helps to live). As he moves in, he ends up meeting several women (one of them being Meg Ryan) and strikes up a friendship with them. I normally feel so-so about romantic comedies, yet this one was different. I was intrigued by the young man's character and how well he listened to women. The women in the movie all seemed to really show an interest in this sensitive young man because he was honest with them, and he really listened to their hearts. The script in this movie is very well-written in my humble opinion, and I found the story refreshing compared to many Hollywood love stories. In fact don't even expect a love story with a predictable ending. Just expect to see a honest look into real life through the eyes of the characters in this movie. As long as you don't come with any expectations, I think you will find this movie very uplifting and worth a watch. Two thumbs up.

Some Research that Might Help You to be Happier

I was browsing around http://www.lifehacker.com and noticed this article about those who watch TV : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/health/research/20happy.html?_r=1&em I highly recommend you take a look at it. TV and movies seem to be watched more and more. No I don't have any stats for you about this, but I do know that my tendency is to watch more of it, rather than less of it. However, unhappy people seem to watch MORE TV than happy people (at least according to the article above referenced). So come on people, turn off that television and go visit your neighbor or go for a hike. Do something other than allow yourself to passively watch hours of programming. I've thought of writing a novel someday in my life. However, watching TV seriously impedes any chance of starting my novel. Speaking of good novels - I just read one called Shoefly Pie by Tim Downs. Excellent book that was very well-written in my opinion. If you like murder mysteries, you might want to check it out.

The Enforcer Review

After reviewing the first movie of "Dirty Harry" and finding some major problems with the characters and plots (please see previous post), I wasn't sure how the sequels of Dirty Harry would be. However, I was curious enough to tape them when they were on TV. This movie "The Enforcer" is actually the 3rd in the series, and caused me to really start liking the series again. The first one left me skeptical, but Clint Eastwood does seem to really own this role, and the script writing is not bad at all. The clever comments and funny situations that Harry gets himself into and out of make for some good movie moments. In this movie, Harry gets a female partner (whom he doesn't quite trust) and itsn't thrilled about it. However, over time he grows to respect her and she proves to be a great partner for him. There are some great one-liners in this movie, and the acting is very well done in my opinion. Although Harry Callahan seems to be kind of arrogant and adopts an the-end-justifies-the-means mentality, movies like this make it hard not to like him anyway. Recommended if you have an interest in Clint Eastwood or good cop movies.

Incredible Hulk Review

This is the new Hulk movie that was released this summer 2008. I finally got around to renting it, and was expecting something a little more classic in the action-hero comic book made movie genre. Edward Norton does a wonderful job playing Bruce who becomes Hulk when he is angered. The other actors and actresses also did a decent job and the computer effects were very heavy and well-done. However, I still didn't walk away thinking it was a great movie as I did when I watched other movies such as the "The Dark Knight" or even "Spiderman 2". Maybe it just had too much action and not enough plot or perhaps I was just not emotionally drawn into the characters as I become in some other movies. I'm not sure what it was, but I would judge this merely as a good movie, and not a great one. Of course that being said, it could be I find it hard to be fascinated with the green hero. I'm glad he wants to help people, but he just doesn't win my support. Anger usually always leads to bad things, and I usually have more respect for superheros who can control their power rather than be controlled by it. Sure, most of them struggle with their abilities from time to time, but the bottom line is that hulk doesn't win my respect. 3 stars out of 5.

Cinderella Man Review

I have actually seen this movie when it was released in the theatre and really like the character development and overall story. Since Chrystal has not seen it yet, and I would consider it one of the better Russell Crowe movies, I decided to rewatch it. Basically it is the story of a caring husband and father that has the talent to be a boxer during the time of the Great Depression. Although he was injured and had a difficult time providing for his family, the movie does a great job showing his care for his family as well as the basic desire he had to keep his family together no matter how hard it became. This movie also does a fine job making the competing boxer a genuinely fearsome character. Although not scarry in a horror movie way, it was interesting to see how they built up the danger of taking on a heavy-weight champion boxer. Similar to the time when Apollo got killed in the ring which really caused Rocky to want to take on the man who killed his friend. Don't ask me what Rocky movie that was. It may have been Rocky 4, but with 6 of them, I may have gotten confused. All in all, I found "Cinderella Man" a movie that is worth your time to watch. Although it may not be completely historically accurate, the acting in it is credible and the story worthwhile in my opinion. Two thumbs up.

What I'm Reading

I thought I would take a small break to let you know that I am in the process of reading the book on the left by A.W. Pink. Although I don't agree with Pink's views on all of Scripture, I was impressed by the notes this guy has put together on Hebrews. Hebrews in the New Testament has always been fascinating to me because other than the Historical books (the Gospels and Acts), it is one of the longer books in the New Testament and people are still not postive who was the human author. Pink believes that the Apostle Paul was, but I'm not so sure. I tend to believe that Apollos may have written it, but of course, I have no proof. Anyway - this book so far is very good. I'm about 100 pages (out of 1312 pages) into it, but I find it very detailed and informative as well as practical. Pink was great at emphasizing the sovereignty of God and magnifying Jesus in his writings. I don't believe I am quite as Calvinistic as he was, and I'm definitely not a cessationist like he was, but overall I think this a book that is worth a read if you are interested in learning more about the book of Hebrews. Of course, the best way to learn about it is to read it yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit for insight on the book He inspired, nevertheless if you are looking for a good commentary to add to your study - I would recommend An Exposition of Hebrews by A.W. Pink.

The Outsiders Review

This movie is a classic teen movie of the 80s starring Patrick Swayzee, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, and some other big name actors. I rented this one because it is considered a classic and directed by the same guy who directed "The Godfather" movies. Overall, I was slightly disappointed. It was a sad movie about kids in gangs and probably did a pretty good job showing how much kids are looking for something to do when their home life is sad. I would say the stars of this movie would be Matt Dillion as the bully who stops caring about the world, and Ralph Macchio (who is famous for his role in "The Karate Kid") as a young boy who ends up making some bad choices early on and becoming a legend throughout the movie. Although there are some good performances in here, I felt that there was almost too much star power with all the young actors that played in this movie. It almost seemed that there was so much acting talent in this movie, that no one actor could really shine through. Besides that, I didn't feel that I grew to know the characters well enough to feel anything for them when tragedy hits. So I would not recommend this movie unless you want to see some well known actors in their early years. Half a thumb (singular) up for this movie in my opinion.

3:10 To Yuma Review

I'm not a huge fan of western movies. To me they have had their time in the spotlight, and just mention the character John Wayne and I'm sure about 7 westerns pop into your mind. However, this movie was recommended, and after watching it I was blown away by how well-done it was. The basic story is a poor farmer who has no respect from his son decides to help bring in a killer (Russell Crowe) for a $200 reward (and to earn respect from his son). The story is about his trek with the killer to the train that leaves at 3:10. This movie is very rich in character development and has some great action scenes as well. Russell Crowe was suberb in this movie, and for me I think it was one of the best movies I believe he has ever played in. Christian Bale also has a fine role. I was so impressed with this movie that I ended up buying it shortly after watching it. Great acting, great story, and a worthwhile ending. This movie has actually made me have hope that good western movies can come back. One note: although most of the bad characters in this movie quote the Bible, I didn't detect it as mocking Christians at all. People have been twisting the Bible and taking it out of context since it has been written, and I don't think that disproves it at all. As Romans says in chapter 3 verse 4 : "... Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.. ". God's Word will continue to stand regardless of evil men misusing it. That being said, I found this movie fantastic and look forward to watching it again. Two thumbs up. Way up.

August Rush Review

This movie was recommended to me by several people as a great heart-warming story with a wonderful music soundtrack. I have to agree with the soundtrack aspect. This movie really does have some great original music and is fun to watch. The basic story is that a boy was born due to the union of two musicians having a one-night stand. They get separated and kind of go on with their lives not realizing that the father of the girl has signed the kid off for adoption and to stay in foster care not wanting his girl to become a mother. Long story short - and I must warn you that spoilers will be forthcoming - the boy uses his musical genius to help find the musical genius of his two parents so that they are all reunited over the love of music in the end. The one thing I didn't enjoy about this movie was that I found it kind of slow to get started. It definitely had good plot development, yet I found it almost boring in the beginning as I'm waiting for the story to unfold. However, the acting was very good, and as stated before the musical score is one of the best I've heard in recent movies made. Recommended for all those who have even a passing interest in music.

Why the Internet is not responsible for the decline in printed press subscriptions

I was thinking about this topic for a few days and have come to the realization that the Internet is not solely responsible for the decrease in printed newspaper subscriptions. Why, you ask? Well it is true that more and more people get their news from online sources, and less and less people actually take the time to read non-electronic media on a regular basis, but I have become convinced that the real reason people are less inclined to pay for the printed news page, is because of the decline in journalism. Journalists today (especially of the major newspapers and publications) seem to have a real hard time presenting articles from an unbiased point of view. Not that journalists are supposed to be neutral on every issue, but let's face it people - their viewpoint is no longer even trying to creep into most of the printed articles today - it is probably 75% of the entire content of the article!!! I for one, am not interested in reading liberal viewpoints about the world today and definitely not interested in PAYING for those viewpoints to be delivered to my home. I believe at one point the newspapers were more interested in the truth of their articles than in publicly writing their viewpoints of current events, but I think in this day and age, that has not been the trend. I really think more people would stay with newspaper subscriptions if the subscriptions were actually more factual than opinionated. However, today the average journalists can't restrain him/herself from heavily peppering their articles with bias in one form or another. I just want the facts people! While I don't believe this is the only reason printed newspapers have declined in sales, I do think much of journalism has become a soapbox to promote liberal viewpoints and have ceased being concerned about reporting unbiased facts. So that is my rant. I'm not saying all journalists are this way, it just seems most of the large publications have a good number of the journalists I described above. I invite any comments you may have.

Wild Hogs Review

I watched this movie last weekend and found it pretty amusing for a "buddy flick". The basic story is that four guys who's lives are falling apart, decide to take to the open road and go on a motorcycle road trip to feel "young and wild" again. One of the guys is a complete wimp at home and always has the last word of "yes ma'am" to everything his wife tells him. The other guys is an unfulfilled dentist who can't seem to connect with his son. The third guy (John Travolta's character) is a wealthy guy whose model wife is leaving him and filing for divorce, and the fourth guy is a geek who never married and has trouble initiating relationships with women. Overall there are many funny parts to this movie, and Chrystal and I both agreed that the 4 main actors do a good job of not stealing the show from each other. However, that being said, please don't watch this movie thinking it will be a classic movie for the whole family to enjoy. Their seems to be quite bit of off-color humor throughout, and although that wasn't played out in every scene, there was still too much for me to deem this a "family film". That being said : what do I think about the moral of the story? Well basically it was be honest with your spouse and take to the open road when you need to feel like a man and ride a motorcycle. Not sure I agree that the motorcycle is the best way to express your masculinity, and I definitely found the family solutions offered in the end as shallow and way too easy to solve to resemble any real life situation. That being said, as long as you don't seek deeper truth for how to be a real man in the real world, you will probably enjoy this movie with four very talented actors.

Shrek 3 Review

I have always been a fan of the Shrek movies. Not a die-hard fan where I wait in line on the opening day of the theatre release, yet still someone who likes to enjoy making fun of several Disney movies once in a while. So we got HBO for a few days on our cable box, and I was conveniently able to watch this movie and make a comparison compared to the other two (which I also enjoyed). My overall verdict? 4 Stars out of 5. In this movie, Shrek is about to become a dad, and he faces the fears that most fathers-to-be experience of how that is going to change his life and his wife's. Yet, even though this has standard Shrek humor throughout, I enjoyed this movie because it also had some creative moments and I never really thought "been there - done that" while watching the story unfold. Considering that this is the third movie about a green ogre that I have watched, I consider that impressive. I was also impressed by the new voice talents that they pulled in to play the characters. Shrek has always been top notch with hiring good voice actors, and they continue to impress. Great movie that has some unexpected twists and turns but overall is very well executed in my opinion.

The Marine Review

Chrystal and I had a chance to tape this one off the TV and this is another instance of a movie that I am sure glad I didn't pay to see. Basically John Cena is the marine and he definitely is a big guy and looks the part perfectly. He gets discharged from his duty as a marine and tries to make it as a rent-a-cop. Then as a rent-a-cop he gets into a fight and throws one of the disorderly clients through the building window and loses his rent-a-cop job. After this, some bad guys bump into him at a gas station and in the process kidnap his wife and steal his SUV. Now, the marine must track them down and get his wife back! That is the set-up for this movie, which borders on the comedy action level. It has a lot of action, but the special effects are just over-the-top. For instance, one of the bad guys in the movie fires a bazooka at a cop car in the movie and blows the car about 30 feet into the air with fire going all over the place. The bad guy then looks at one of his cohorts and says "What? Too much?". CHEEESY! One interesting thing is that the bad terminator actor from the movie Terminator 2 is back as the bad guy in this movie (not as a robot bad guy). This just isn't a very serious action movie. If you want cheesy lines and effects that are over the top, you will love this movie. However, if you are looking for another interesting action movie like the Bourne Identity you probably will want to stay far, far away from this one. Half one thumb up for this.

Failure to Launch Review

We caught this movie on TV, so I decided to review it for the blog. After seeing many previews, I wasn't necessarily sure I was really interested in plunking down money to rent this one, so I'm glad that I merely caught it on TV. Failure to Launch is the story of a guy who is about 35 years old, and still lives with his parents. They are really getting tired of supporting him, so they listen to some of their friends and hire a young lady that specializes in starting romantic relationships with guys that live at home and then helps them to move out of their parent's home. This movie wasn't quite as predictable as I guessed. There were definitely some plot twists, but overall many of the jokes were fairly funny and Chrystal and I liked the end product overall. Unfortunately, there is some inappropriate content that I didn't deem necessary to make the movie funny, but overall it was a cute story. If you are looking for a decent (I won't say "great") romantic comedy, you may want to check this one out. Not as good in my opinion as "Wayne's World 2" yet definitely more on the romantic side of things. One thumb up.

Facing the Giants Review

Chrystal added this movie to our list and we ended up watching it yesterday afternoon, since it was raining pretty hard in our area of town. I have to say, I wasn't expecting too much, but I thought this movie was very well done for a low budget movie with a strong Christian message. Basically it is the story of a football coach in Georgia who coaches football at a Christian school. He and his wife are fairly poor and not doing so well, when he decides to turn his life over to God and pray for some serious help. Things then begin to change, and overall the movie takes a turn for the better. One thing I really liked about this movie was how they showed that whether the team wins or loses, they still need to thank God and give Him glory. This is a message that never gets promoted in most sports movies made today. Winning becomes what it is all about, and thanking God for losing is almost unheard of. I liked that this movie was so different in that respect, because whether we win or lose games, God is still worthy to be praised. This movie also showed the power of prayer, and how influential coaches can be in the lives of students. Overall, the positive messages and the Gospel in this movie were very well presented, and it was refreshing to actually see a movie where winning isn't all the movie is about. Two thumbs up.

Wayne's World 2 Review

This was my (Paul's) pick due to the fact that I enjoyed the first movie so much. This one was also funny, so I wouldn't judge it a complete dud, yet it still lacked as much comedy as the first one contained. Basically Wayne and Garth are back in this one, and have to tackle situations like Wayne meeting his girlfriend's Asian father, Garth getting his first girlfriend, and Wayne having to fight a greedy music producer who is trying to steal his girlfriend. Some of the parts I did laugh out loud to, so I'm not going to judge this movie too harshly, yet you do have to be in the right state of mind to enjoy this movie. Don't watch this movie expecting profound moments of life illumination. Also don't watch this movie if you didn't like the first "Wayne's World" as I don't think you will think it is much better if any. However, I personally do like the "Wayne's World" movies better than any of the "Austin Powers" movies that Myers went on to do in the future. For some reason I just found them funnier and more clever in my opinion. Wayne's World 2 does feature actors like Charleton Heston, and Chris Farley (both who have since died), and it has a cameo of Drew Barrymore. It was neat to see how many famous actors and actresses decided to play small parts in this movie, and the jokes are pretty much non-stop. If you liked the first one, you should definitely check out this one.

21 Review

After being recommended this movie from some family members, we finally got around to seeing this 2 hour movie based on the book "Bringing Down The House". I own the book, but have never read the whole thing through, and although I liked this movie a lot, I have a feeling that it is VERY loosely based on the book (which is a true story). Basically it is the story of a M.I.T. student who learns to count cards in order to earn money to go to medical school. He hangs out with a professor at MIT and a team of students that work together in order to count cards and make thousands at the Vegas casinos. While some of this movie really seems unbelievable, it does make for a very interesting plot and Chrystal and I both really liked it. The soundtrack throughout the movie was very well put-together in my humble opinion, and I liked the way that it showed the corruption that money and greed can cause a young man. This movie illustrates the dangers of pride and greed and what that can cause in relationships and in life choices. It really did a good job illustrating the truth of Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV):
"Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall."
Although some of it was predictable, we both really enjoyed it and thought it was very entertaining. There were a few scenes that in my opinion would have been better left out, but overall I highly recommend this movie. Two thumbs up.

Collateral Review

I rented this movie from Netflix and was actually pretty surprised at how well-acted it was. It also had a fantastic script. Without great acting and a great script I would consider this movie a flop, yet it had enough good parts to get a decent rating in my opinion. Tom Cruise is a hitman in this movie, and Jamie Foxx is the taxi driver that gets pulled into helping him. At first I thought this movie would be on the slow side, due to the whole movie happening in one night with most of the movie being in the taxi cab. However, that is where this movie surprised me. The writer takes the movie in directions I would never have guessed would happen out of this movie. The taxi cab driver's mother gets involved in the storyline, and they even throw in some romance which is impressive considering the short amount of time that the movie takes place over. I thought it was a good movie overall and would give it 4 out of 5 stars for quality. The ending left me a little disappointed (not bad, just not great), but overall a decent movie that really had clever dialog and great acting.

Regarding Henry Review

I actually have seen this movie several times, yet I don't think I have written a review of it yet. To me, this is one of Harrison Ford's best movies. He isn't an action hero, but this movie really shows some good acting and character development, without always being about special effects. The basic plot is a self-centered lawyer ends up getting shot in a robbery, and has to relearn who he is. He must learn to talk again, walk again, and love again and discover who he was before the shooting. As he discovers what his life and friends were like before the shooting, he really begins to hate who he was and this realization changes him for the better. Although this movie isn't perfect (there are a couple scenes that could have been edited out in my opinion), I do think it does a great job showing that sometimes the most important parts of our life get the least attention. As stated before, Harrison Ford does a wonderful job portraying not only an arrogant lawyer, but also a changed man who learns the true value of good family and faithful friends. This movie is a rare movie for hollywood. It is heart-warming and well done in my opinion, and if you haven't watched it yet - I recommend you check it out. 4.5 stars out of 5 in my opinion.

The Bucket List Review

This movie was directed by one of my favorite directors: Rob Reiner, who also directed classics like The Princess Bride, and A Few Good Men. The story is about two men who have both been diagnosed with cancer. One is a rich businessman who doesn't have much close family and thinks the world revolves around him (more or less), and the other one (Morgan Freeman's character) is a humble mechanic who has a large family who loves him, yet who feels like he never got to do everything he was hoping to before getting the tragic news of terminal cancer. The two characters end up sharing a hospital room and throughout getting to know one another, they decide to write a bucket list of all the things they want to do before they kick the bucket. These things include driving fast cars, skydiving, and few other things. Throughout this journey, they grow closer together and find more to life than they originally thought they possessed. Unfortunately, they really leave the question of where they will spend eternity out of the equation. To Rob Reiner's credit he does include a dialog between the characters about faith, yet the end result was kind of a "believe what works for you" outcome. Nothing about repentance, nothing about living for eternity rather than for the moment, and no mention of Jesus(unless used in blasphemy). On a positive note, the movie did show the value of staying close to your family and making an effort to restore broken relationships. All in all, it was a fairly good movie, yet it was sad due to not offering much hope of eternal life. I would give 2.5-3 stars out of 5.

Jumper Review

Chrystal, my sister-in-law Melody, and I just finished watching this action sci-fi flick and were pleasantly surprised how fun it was. We initially weren't sure about this movie, due to it being a superhero (sort-of) spin-off, yet it really kind of stood alone. Basically it is the story of a guy who can teleport to all different places, and begins to use the power to steal and abuse his power for evil. Through all this storyline (which isn't very deep to begin with), he is chased down by people that don't like his power and want him dead. One thing that really impressed me about this movie (realism aside) is how cool they made teleporting look. I mean if you have an ounce of imagination, you would enjoy just thinking about having the power to be anywhere at once, and this movie made it look very, very sweet. Almost worth re-watching, but definitely worth a good watch for an action, comedy, sci-fi flick that does a decent job blending them all together. One theme I took from this movie (similar to Spiderman 3) is that it is wrong to assume people will turn out a certain way just because others like them have made some bad choices. I agree with that idea to some degree but not completely. People have a sinful tendency to do wrong (bar-none). There is not one person I believe who is basically good. We do all have a choice to make, however. Through God's grace we can choose to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and live in His power doing good things, or we can go our own direction, live in sin, and ultimately end up in hell. This is a serious choice and one that everyone should consider. Left to ourselves we all are sinful, but Christ offers us salvation and hope to live a righteous life through His strength and power. I'll close with a couple verses from God's Word:

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment - Hebrews 9:27 NKJV

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Acts 3:19-20.

In Good Company Review

I saw this movie was on TV, and since Chrystal had wanted to see this one, I decided to check it out. We watched it the other day, and I must say I was pretty disappointed. I haven't seen Topher Grace in too much other than Spiderman 3 and "The 70s Show", yet this movie is one I wouldn't consider his crowning accomplishment. Don't get me wrong, it isn't terrible, it just doesn't quite live up to the way I thought it would be. It broke out of the steriotypical romantic comedy to become a drama with slightly funny moments throughout. Dennis Quaid plays a kind of mean executive who has little patience for those who are younger than him in the business world. Topher Grace becomes his boss and is really looking for a mentor. So guess what? He picks Dennis Quaid and the two begin to work very closely together. One sad part of this movie involved Topher's character inviting himself over to Dennis Quaid's house just because he was so lonely and depressed that his wife left him. It really made me see how people need others in their life, and it made me grateful that I belong to a church with many friends who would care for me through tough times, so that I wouldn't have to invite myself over to a co-workers just because I was lonely. Having like-minded Christians who pray for you and support you in your time of need is something that many people just don't have. Back to the movie however. All in all I thought this movie lacked fulfilling character roles, and left me thinking that something was missing from the story. Maybe all it was trying to do was to portray real life in corporate America. However, that is a subject I don't need integrated into a "comedy". Too realistic and real-life, and not light-hearted enough. Two thumbs down in my opinion.

SHE SAID:

Well, I don't post very often, but I just want to warn people to not watch this bland-wait-it's-got-to-get-better movie!! I think Topher Grace is a good actor based on his previous roles, but this movie is not even sure what genre to call itself. I wanted to watch it because the previews made it look like a romantic comedy. Sadly, even the attempts at humor often fell flat. I will echo what Paul said about Topher desperately seeking community from his coworkers (because he has no friends). At 26 his career is so central that he often works Sunday's and goes thru a divorce. There are plenty of scriptures on the value of hard work, but when all you have is your career it's a very empty unfufilling life. Overall, there was slight chemistry between Topher and his love interest. Without giving too much away, Topher, does not lead as a man should in the relationship. Lastly, the movie abruptly ends without really tying the plot together! It's a movie that after you watch it, you might have to watch another movie to console yourself.

Con Air Review

I DVRed this movie the other day and finally had a chance to watch it from one end to the other. I found it pretty enjoyable for an action flick. Not that many people look to this blog for recommendations or anything, but I thought I would post what I thought of this movie. First of all, great all-star cast that play their parts reasonably well. You have Nick Cage, John Malkovich, and John Cusack to name a few. Nick Cage is the star of the story who gets sent to federal prison for killing someone in a bar fight. The movie does a good job showing how he is really a nice guy deep down and showing the admirable qualities of loyalty and care for others that are present in his character. Although this is an action movie, I liked the fact that it had plenty of humor throughout so that I won't blame this movie for taking itself too seriously. There are some pretty graphic violent scenes in this movie, but you generally don't pop in a movie with the name "CON AIR" on it expecting a movie that will make you and your family feel good before you fall asleep. It is a movie about cons, so in that sense, I can say it may not be entirely uplifting to watch, yet in another sense it still shows that even in bad situations (like Nick found himself in), things can work out OK (with God's help of course). It almost reminds me of the Joseph story. Joseph got thrown into prison, yet he still didn't let that make him a prisoner in the way he acted. He kept believing God and trusting that God would get him out eventually, and as the Bible says, he ends up becoming second in command to the king of Egypt, and God uses it to reunite him with his family. Well I won't say too much more about the "Con Air" or the way it ends, but if you want plenty of action and a fairly redemptive ending, I recommend that you check it out.

Reign Over Me Review

I watched this movie a few weekends ago, and actually liked it more than I thought. The story line is complex and the character development was really good (in my opinion) in this movie about college buddies that get reaquainted with one another after one of them goes through the horrible loss of his wife and children when they die in a 9/11 airplane. Adam Sandler portrays the withdrawn widower who lives a lonely life in the city trying to deny what happened in his life, and live a life of no responsibility. Don Cheadle does a superb job of playing his friend who isn't content to let Adam Sandler's character live a life disconnected and tries to genuinely get involved in his life by spending time with him and encouraging him to get professional help. What this movie does so well in my opinion is show how badly we all need people in our lives to help us see who we really are, and to grow through the life trial and temptations that we all face. I believe a church is probably the best instrument for that to happen in, yet in this movie, it was an old college buddy who wasn't content to mind his own business, but instead wanted to genuinely help his friend get through the grieving process. Throughout the story, Don Cheadle's character ends up learning a thing or two about his own life and marriage as a result of spending so much time investing his life in the life of his widower friend. I believe over all that this story shows the power of community to help us to grow and develop, and the only sad part about this movie, is that it didn't really show that the Author of Life, Jesus Christ, is the one who really offers genuine help and comfort in the midst of trials and pain. 4 out of 5 stars in my book.

Invincible Review

This movie Invincible is the inspiring true story of a bar tender who wants to play pro football after the Philly Eagles got desperate enough to hold an all open try-out session for the whole city of Philadelphia. I rented this one expecting a traditional sports story of the underdog that ends up achieving great things, and for the most part this story delivered. It had a few slow parts in it, but for the most part it kept the story moving, and also the content is very clean (probably due to being Disney) which is a definite plus in movies today. The challenge today I think is being able to create a movie that goes where no prior sports movie has gone. This movie doesn't quite do it in my opinion. Granted it is a true story and true stories don't always seem as exciting, but with movies like Rocky, Remember the Titans, and others already giving you the classic recipe for an emotionally moving story of the underdog that rises to the top, this story kind of left you feeling like something was missing. Mark Whalberg did a decent job, but in my opinion the writers made his character a little too one-dimensional . I'm sure the real person he was trying to portray was a lot more 3-dimensional and real, and sadly this movie didn't quite show that. It showed a quiet humble guy but someone who wasn't quite developed enough that you wanted to stand up and cheer in the end. I did find the story good, just not a spectacular must-see. 3 out of 5 stars in my humble opinion.

Book Review of "The Summons" by John Grisham

Well I finally read my first book by John Grisham, and I was very impressed. I have seen several of the books made into movies that he has written, and for the most part have liked them very much. I really liked the movie The Firm as well as the movie The Rainmaker. So I decided to read this book on the left to see what his writing style was like. This story is the story of two brothers who are summoned home to find that their dad has died and left several million dollars of cash around with no mention of it in his will. The oldest brother (Ray) finds the money in the story and decides he will hide it until he can figure things out. I don't want to give too much away (for those who haven't read it yet), but it was really a fascinating read. The story was fast enough pace to keep you interested, and I think did a great job showing the dangers of hoarding wealth. In fact, if I had to pick one verse in the Bible that illustrated what this story was about, I would pick Luke 12:15 where Jesus says:

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Greed can do all sorts of things to a person, and in the end cause him/her to hurt the ones he/she loves. This novel was an excellent story that helped to enforce that idea, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

Lucky You Review

I had seen several previews for this movie, and it looked good so while at the video store, I figured we would pick it up and see what quality of romantic comedy this proves to be. First mistake renting this movie, was thinking that it was a romantic comedy. It really isn't. All the commercials and previews make it appear to be a great romantic comedy movie, but in reality Lucky You is more of a sports drama about a distant son who is a habitual gambler and his rocky relationship with his dad who taught him the game of poker and who is always trying to show that he is a better gambler than his own son. However, that being said I have to admit I liked this movie. Eric Bana is the main character who is not necessarily a likeable character in the beginning as they show how desparate this guy is to gamble. He basically pulls all sorts of tricks just to get more money to hit the poker tables, and even steals from Drew Barrymore after taking her out for a romantic date. He not only compulsively gambles, he really has a chip on his shoulder towards his father who consistently beats him in gambling and makes him feel like he'll never measure up. That is what is great about this movie. Although it isn't really a comedy (OR that romantic), the complexity of the characters and the lessons that the main character learns about relationships make this movie worth seeing. I won't give away how things work out, but I will say it does prove to teach some very important lessons about winning, competition, and forgiveness. As long as you aren't watching this movie for a sappy love story, I think if you give it a chance, this movie may be an enjoyable watch with redemptive themes.