Hot Shots Part 2 Review

OK, maybe it is time for another type of comedy. I just keep getting this wacky ones with sight gags and spoofs of famous movies hoping for something as original as the Naked Gun. I watched the first Hot Shots and found it pretty funny. It was great to have Charlie Sheen poking fun of the Maverick character in Top Gun. Maybe it is just because I think Top Gun was to overdone and too stereotypical of an action movie where the guys never flinch in the face of danger. For instance, beach volleyball with a bunch of tanned Navy guys? PLEASE!!!! I'd rather skip that scene. More of Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise than I care to see. Anyway this movie on the right seems to make fun of Rambo and Rambo 2 almost the whole way through. For that I could see humor, but it just wasn't that funny. As I said above, maybe this type of comedy is starting to get old for me. At the right time I may have found it funnier, but when I watched this one, I barely laughed and found the story so stupid it wasn't funny. Lloyd Bridges can be funny, but in this one he was just plain dumb and his lines were lame. I thought the original Hot Shots movie was funnier. 2 stars out of 5 for this one. Skip it.

The Naked Gun 33 1/3

The final movie in the series, and I will say I found this one funnier than the 2nd one. It was interesting because it did star Anna Nicole Smith who has been in the news so much in the past, and of course O.J. Simpson is back again. Overall there were definitely parts in this that seemed like filler, but the academy awards show seemed to be the funniest part for me. There were some obvious movie spoofs, but all-in-all I found I laughed enough in it to not make it a complete waste of time (unlike the 2nd one). Again they seem to up the off-color humor which is unfortunate, but it did have its hilarious moments. Not the worst out there, but definitely not the funniest either. I probably wouldn't rent this one again, but I did find it the better of the two sequels they made in this series. If you want to save some time, skip straight to this one after renting the 1st one if you want to see what the series is about.

The Naked Gun 2.5 review

Well I said I would rent this, and rent this I did! What a disappointment. After watching the first one, I was expecting more of the same, and I guess it was - but the jokes just seemed to fall flat much more in this sequel. It had maybe two parts in the whole movie where I chuckled out loud. That isn't much compared to the first movie where I was almost crying it was that funny. Maybe because I was expecting more of the sight gags, and the humor seemed to be more off-color which didn't strike me as funny at all. For instance, there is an audience at this one show, that is falling asleep and they want to get their attention to warn everyone of a possible danger, so they decide to read sensual stories to get everyone perked up! Come on people, you can do better than that for humor. Sorry this was a Naked Gun movie that struck out in my opinion. You are better off re-watching the first - it is 10 times better.

Serpico Review

I decided to rent the classic 70s movie Serpico to see why it is hailed as one of the greatest movies about the police force (or something like that). I found it interesting (not very action packed) and kind of sad. It is based on a true story of a guy that wants to do the right thing (not take bribes and look the other way), and who loved being a plain clothes police officer. However, soon the other guys on the force decide they don't like what someone like Serpico does to their conscience. I liked what Serpico stood for, but I didn't like how he handled the conflict he dealt with. As the movie progresses, Serpico becomes very cynical and consumed with how much corruption seems to triumph. It ends up making him depressed and costing him his relationship with his girlfriend (who wanted to move on from talking about how corrupt things were). All in all, it was an interesting story, but I believe Serpico should have done something this movie fails to portray. Find good friends, keep living with integrity, depend on Christ for salvation, and don't underestimate the justice of the final judgement in life. Even though things may look bad, everyone will one day give an account before God. That is something to take comfort in.

Stand By Me Review

What the heck is all the hoop-la about this movie for? I had heard so many shining reviews, and was looking forward to a great story about some young boys with some moving emotional parts where the song "Stand By Me" plays resounding in the background. Instead I ended up watching a movie that was sad, and depressing about 4 childhood friends that swear like sailors even though they aren't even 14 years old, and that battle an evil Keifer Sutherland so that he'll leave them alone. Keifer Sutherland is no Jack Bauer in this movie. He is an immature dangerous teenager that thinks he is above the law and can do anything he wants to. Jack Bauer occasionally thinks he is above the law to protect others, but he isn't the punk character he portrays in this movie. Good thing, or 24 would probably have died out in the first season!!! On top of that, there isn't even one main part where the song "Stand By Me" is played in a moving manner!! Sorry, I'm gradually learning that when the critics say "Two thumbs up" you are better off skipping the movie, because most likely it is a sad, depressing movie that doesn't fit the normal encouraging flick that everyone loves but it deemed "artistic and different". They didn't quite say that about this movie, but I would definitely watch one of Rob Reiner's better movies like "The Princess Bride" or "A Few Good Men". Those seem much better directed and a heck of a lot more fun to watch.

Transformers Review

I went to the theaters for this one. I grew up with GI Joe and Transformers in the 80s, so I was curious what they did in the remake! Oh MY GOODNESS, this is one well-made movie!! The special effects are second to none, and I can honestly say I don't think I've seen effects this good since the Matrix movies came out. The story line is interesting, the effects are mind-blowing, and the music is rocking! This is a great summer blockbuster that is worth watching and very exciting for an action-adventure. Well done by Michael Bay.

Highly recommended if you have any interest in cool robots or remember the 80s toys at all. Well actually this is highly recommended regardless of your interests. Well done!

The Naked Gun Review

I know this movie has been around for a while, but I decided to rent it and see why they made 3 movies in this series. I can honestly say after watching the first one, I definitely want to watch the 2nd and 3rd movies - I was laughing so hard in this movie I was crying. A lot of the humor is sight gags, or just plain stupidity, but whatever they used, it worked very well in this movie to make a very funny result. I have also watched the Airplane I and Airplane II movies, and I was expecting this movie to be more of the same. However, having seen them both now, I think this movie is quite a bit better than the Airplane movies. I certainly laughed more, and even replayed a few scenes it was that good. I don't recall ever doing that with the Airplane movies. One of my favorite parts in this movie was the way the bad guy goes out!!! I found it laugh-out-loud hilarious the way the bad guy meets his end! The only drawback of this movie was some of the sex humor used throughout. Overall, the movie is very funny, but I wish they didn't have to resort to off-color humor. I still plan to watch the 2nd and 3rd movies as well.

Meet Joe Black Review

Ok, this movie was on TV and I have to admit it drew me in even though my wife and I started watching it about 1/3rd into the movie. It was actually better than I expected. I had seen some previews for it, and never really was interested enough to rent it, but I thought it had some great acting, great scripting and overall was a good movie with a memorable ending. What I liked so much about it was the deeper spiritual content that was found in this movie. Brad Pitt was supposed to be death personified, and some of the characters wouldn't even give him the time of day. They had a hostile approach to his character and found it annoying that Anthony Hopkins would be so attentive to his schedule and likes/dislikes. That to me is a pretty accurate picture of how people in our society feel about death. They don't want to think about it, they don't want to acknowledge that they will one day have an appointment with death, and they ignore it as much as possible even though death is inevitable in all of us. This movie was definitely geared toward the romantic side of things, but I found it entertaining enough to finish the 2/3rd I watched. Recommended for a creative look at the response of people toward death.

Fearless Review

A great martial arts movie if you are prepared for some great fight sequences with some good morals in the fighters. Jet Li played a lengendary fighter who took revenge without knowing all the facts. After he brutally killed someone, he realizes that revenge just means more blood and violence (which turns into an endless cycle). Jet Li played the character very well, and this movie showed true sportmanship in fighting and martial arts. It wasn't only fight scenes either. There is some good character development and even a touch of romance. Not as deep as a drama such as Stranger than Fiction, but still a good movie with a good moral, no bad language, and excellent acting. Recommended if you like martial arts movies.

I rented this movie after hearing that it was a pretty big blockbuster. I didn't realize that the guy who directed Glory also directed this movie. In my opinion this is a very well acted, very well directed movie after the price people pay to mine diamonds in South Africa. Although it has some brutal parts, it really makes you think about the cost of getting bigger and bigger diamonds in the diamond industry. I don't know if it is all true, but I did really make you think even if part of it is true. DiCaprio is really an excellent actor and even though I wasn't thrilled with his image in Titantic, he has done a great job getting other roles to play in and acting well in everything he has been given. This movie is very moving and a sad tale of how materialism has become so prevalent in western society. It made me think in new ways about the concept of diamond engagement rings. Some of the movie did seem to almost be too strong and almost preachy, but all in all I think it was an exceptional performance, and a movie that is worth watching. Very action-packed, but also moving, much like the movie Glory which is also directed by the same man. Recommended.

Night At the Museum Review

I had heard this movie was pretty funny, so I decided to rent it and see. Not as great as I was expecting. Decent movie and very politically correct and obvious in an attempt to make history come alive, but maybe I just was expecting too much. It did have some great actors like Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Robin Williams, and Owen Wilson (Ok maybe that last name is a stretch), but it just seemed kind of cheesy and silly and some of the story lines just didn't seem to get developed enough. The plot was thin, the acting was decent (Robin Williams seemed to have the best part and acted the best in my opinion), but all-in-all, not a movie I would necessarily rewatch. If the kids want to see it, it is a pretty safe bet, but otherwise watch Stranger Than Fiction (see my review below) for an exceptional movie with a great script and high quality acting.

Rocky Balboa review

Yes, I know Rocky movies seem to go on forever, but I had to go out and rent this one. I have seen all his other movies, and I had actually heard positive things about this one. I will say Sly Stallone has improved over some of his sequals in this series, but still nothing can top the first Rocky movie which I love and own. Anyway this movie picks up with Rocky in his retirement years owning his own restaurant and telling stories of when he used to box in the ring. All of sudden with the modern day technology of computer opponents the news has decided to set up a computer match and pit him against the current champion to see who would win. This of course gets everyone remembering the wonderful days when Rocky used to fight and a real fight is set up between him and the reigning champion (in some ways very similar to the first round in Rocky I). This movie definitely wasn't as bad as Rocky IV and Rocky V, but considering how many movies there are of this guy, the story is starting to get old. I did like the fact that much of the movie is developing the characters rather than just showing the two opponents jumping rope and running up steps. However, I still probably won't buy this one. Decent movie, but again - not as great as the original.

Stranger Than Fiction Review

It seems like it has been forever, since I have penned a review, but that doesn't mean I haven't been watching movies. I just saw a very well made movie on the right which really was surprising in how well written and acted it was. I have seen several Will Ferrell movies and usually after watching one I wonder if I could have used the time better than to sit through a movie watching him be a clown. I do find him funny, I just don't expect him to be in deep movies. He really showed his acting talent in the movie Stranger Than Fiction. This movie had an exceptional script and really made me think about life in a deeper sort of way. I guess you may classify this movie as a feel-good thinker movie, but whatever the recipe and genre it falls into, I liked it a lot. Two thumbs up for an interesting look at why we live life in less-than-ordinary ways. Highly recommended. I may have to go out and buy this one.

Bond.... James Bond

Well after hearing much about how the new Daniel Craig plays James Bond so well, I decided to check it out and was pleasantly surprised at how well he does fill James Bond's shoes. I found this movie entertaining, surprising at times, and action-packed (but not in an over-the-top way), and all-in-all very satisfactory to watch. It really showed how James started out and how he faced huge ego issues in the start of his career (I mean when you are a 007 you are allowed to do so much!). There was excellent character development, which I really appreciated because it made James Bond a little more real and helped to seperate him from his cool gadgets and beautiful girlfriends which I believe he so easily gets associated with. I also liked the fact that in this movie Bond seemed more interested in doing his job then having sleep-overs with his girlfriends which seems all too common in prior movies. He is on the clock after all. I give this movie an "A" for a well thought out action movie.

We are back in business!

Well that was a lesson in keeping tabs on your domain! As some of you may have noticed our domain name of paulandchrystal was temporarily taken over due to my lack of care in renewing it. However, after seeing the takeover for so many days, I decided to see if I could renew it, and happily I could. I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but I thought I would post a message that I have not given up the blog, and if we ever do lose the domain name again, please try http://paulandchrystal.blogspot.com . We are both happy to have it back. Blogging becomes fun after a while. When you realize that you are posting to the world, and that people are interacting with your posting by leaving comments, it really creates almost an addicting way of trading thoughts and idea over the world wide web.

I have my DVR taping the 2nd installment of Pirates of Caribbean tonight. I have yet to see it, so I will probably be posting a review of it soon. The 1st one seemed to be OK, and I hear the 2nd one made a ton at the movies. Plus, this summer the 3rd Pirates movie is due out. Not that I'm expecting a wonderful triology, but I do hope the 2nd one is worth watching.

Is anyone still reading this? It would be encouraging to hear if anyone has realized we now own www.paulandchrystal.com again. Leave a comment, we love to hear from you.

Music and Lyrics Review

She said:
Yay, my husband finally comes out of the video store with a romantic comedy. After the fiasco of the previous rental (see post) I was very excited. I actually vaguely remembered seeing previews for this movie, but had no idea what it was about. The introduction to both of the characters is very comical and odd ball. Basically, Hugh Grant plays a has-been 80's rock star trying to write a hit song. I really enjoyed this comedy because it was family friendly and a very interesting story of how songs are written and recorded. I really liked the music through out this movie. I would recommend this movie to anyone!

He said:
OK, I haven't seen Spider Man 3 yet, so I can not fully comment on that movie, but I did go out and rent Music and Lyrics (much to my wif'e's delight). This movie had gotten a lot of good reviews by reviewers and I thought it had potential and all in all, I was not disappointed. Hugh Grant is a bit older than Drew Barrymore, but they both had a neat chemistry on screen, and I think it was well written and funny rather than just stupid. Throughout the movie there is also some pop star that dances and has the sex appeal of a very well-known female pop star, but I wasn't sure if the writers were actually trying to make fun, or just make a comparison to show how music has changed from the 80s to the present. Another interesting point of this movie, is that they wrote some of their own songs (from what I know), and the songs are actually decent. All in all I think I would give this movie a B+ to an A-. Well written, good story and not too mushy or stupid for a romantic comedy. Recommended.

Dragnet Movie review

I thought I would tape this movie on my DVR due to it being so popular several years ago. Plus I do enjoy good Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd movies. However, I think this one was kind of disappointing, not to mention way-out-there. They took a somewhat reputable show about cops and threw in a crazy bad guy (Christopher Plummer in a role far far away from The Sound of Music). There were moments that were funny in the movie (it wasn't a totally wash over in my opinion), but overall I think it was stretching the main story a little too far, and found the humor somewhat forced at times. Also there is some objectionable content surrounding the bad guys, which knocks this movie out of the question for kids younger than 13 years old. And the irony of that is that you want to introduce your kids to nostalgic shows and movies when they ARE younger than 13 years old. After that, they may not be that interested in what you watched when you were their age. Not worth 2 hours of your time in my opinion.

The Prestige Movie Review

He Said:
Another movie about magicians similar to The Illusionist listed below. However, this one seems to have a darker twist of revenge throughout. Two magicians are in competition with one another for having the best magic show. Over time they routinely try to sabotage each others magic shows and figure out how each one is doing their most famous tricks. This is a very well acted movie, and the ending will blow you away with surprise. I love a movie that keeps you guessing until the end, and The Prestige does a wonderful job of it. Highly recommended if you are looking for intrigue, mystery and a good story. Although it has its sad parts, I think I would give it two thumbs up for being unpredictable and holding enough surprises that it would make you want to re-watch it just to catch everything. Well done movie!

She said:
There are very few movies I actually walk out of and this was one! This movie is on the borderline between suspense and horror. My husband loved the interesting dynamics of the characters - and solving the mystery in the movie. However, I thought the story was mind numbing and depressing - it was all about two competitive vengeful magicians! I felt like I was watching a story about two grown men behave very immaturely. The characters will go to any lengths to compete and get refenge on the other and destroy eachothers lives in the process. I kept hoping that it would get better and it started getting more vindictive. So, I finally realized that reading, cleaning, or doing pretty much anything else would be time better well spent. The Illusionist was MUCH better! Also, the next morning here was the conversation that followed, "So, who done it?" I asked Paul. I was still a little curious about what he uncovered by finishing the flick. "Uhgh. Well, I'm not really sure. It was a really interesting plot. I'll have to check on the web to make sure."

Gleaming the Cube review

He said:

An old 80s movie that my wife had seen, so I decided to tape it and see what it was all about. Very teen-ager driven story with a weak plot about a teenager who tries to find out if his brother really died of a suicide. I guess this was one of Christian Slater's first movies, and he didn't do too badly, although there was definitely a weak plot. The ending action scene is almost a comedy the way they make it. If you like action scenes from The A-Team and Knight Rider look no further than this movie. All in all though it very clean for family viewing, and has a nice ending. If you want edge-of-your-seat adventure, you probably should rent something else though. Think of this as the Karate Kid without martial arts, and on a skate board. In fact, does anyone remember the old tv show Sidekick? If I recall correctly, and it was a while ago, it was about a martial artist teenager who rides a skateboard around and saves the day. This is like that but without the karate.

She said:

It was strange to watch such an old movie from my teen days with Paul beside me. I had a little crush on Mr. Slater back in the day and skateboarding was sooooo the rage. It surprised me that this movie actually held our attention the entire time. If you can get over a few minor things - like the 80's hip sayings, a few bad acting by minor characters, etc. The story has some interesting little twists, turns, and even hysterical parts. Christian is investigating the mysterious death of his adopted Asian brother. Also, there were two parts at the end that had Paul and I laughing hysterically. This would be a great flick to watch if you were getting some friends together for an '80's party.

Complete the Album by iTunes

I just found out that iTunes now has the the Complete the Album feature which enables you to not have to buy the whole album over again if you own part of it already. To me this is just another example of Apple staying on top of making it easy for consumers to purchase music, and I for one will continue to support the Apple store. It rocks (literally!). Lately I've been listening to some great tunes like

• "Time Won't Let Me Go" by The Bravery,


• "Just a Little (submarines remix)" by Leigh Nash,


• "In Case of Emergency" by Cool Hand Luke, and


• "Shambala" by Three Dog Night.

I discovered the last song by watching an episode of Lost the other day and loving the jamming music on it. While Three Dog Night isn't a new band, it was to me, and I have freshly discovered their music. On the spiritual side, I really like

• "Made to Love" by Toby Mac,


• "Wash Over Me" by David Ruis, and


• "Hope of the Nations" by Brian Doerksen.

All highly recommended if you have a spare gift card and are looking for some great music. Of course, music being a very subjective thing in many ways, I can't guaranteed my picks will be compatible with your tastes, but I'm not charging any money for them either. Of course if I was, I doubt this blog would continue. Until next time!