SJ Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche - 12/30/05

I brought Dan to this game for his birthday. Yeah, it's been almost 3 months since his birthday, but he's an Avalanche fan and this was the first time they played this season in San Jose.

The Sharks have been struggling after winning their first 6 games with Joe Thornton in the lineup, so I was leary as to which team would show up for this game. It didn't start well as Jim Fahey was called for hooking 2 minutes into the game and Joe Sakic scored on the ensuing power play to put the Avs up 1-0. Although the Sharks had some good chances, the score stayed the same for most of the first period. With 1 minute left, the Avs were called for a penalty and Joe Thornton converted on the power play with 6 seconds left to tie the game.

The Sharks kept the pressure on to start the second period as Joe Thornton scored again 3 minutes in to put the Sharks up 2-1. Alex Tanguay answered back a few minutes later for the Avs to tie the game at 2. However, the Sharks dominated the period by outshooting the Avs 12-5 and Scott Thornton got into the action by scoring an unassisted goal with 6 minutes remaining in the second to put the Sharks up 3-2.

The third period was more of the same as the Avs looked very sluggish and the Sharks took advantage of the opportunity. Patrick Marleau scored a power play goal 2 minutes into the period and Jonathan Cheechoo scored a few minutes later to put the Sharks up 5-2. The Avs best shot was to the face of Joe Thornton who lost 3 teeth, but didn't miss a shift (there was no penalty called despite Joe's protest with blood running down his mouth). It didn't matter as the Sharks cruised through the third period, outshooting the Avs 14-5 and winning the game 5-2. Let's hope these Sharks show up more often.

Of note: Nils Ekman had 4 assists, tying a Sharks record. Joe Thornton tied the Sharks record for points in a month with 21 (5 goals, 16 assists).

Score: W 5-2
1st Period
Avs - Joe Sakic(PP) (Brett Clark, Milan Hejduk)
SJ - Joe Thornton(PP) (Nils Ekman, Christian Ehrhoff)
2nd Period
SJ - Joe Thornton (Nils Ekman, Kyle McLaren)
Avs - Alex Tanguay (Ian Laperriere, Brett McLean)
SJ - Scott Thornton (unassisted)
3rd Period
SJ - Patrick Marleau(PP) (Nils Ekman, Jonathan Cheechoo)
SJ - Jonathan Cheechoo (Nils Ekman, Joe Thornton)

SJ SOG: 43
Avs SOG: 22
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: David Aebischer

Tickets: Section 220 Row 4

Murderball - Movie Review

Wheelchair Rugby (originally known as Murderball) is a game created by quadriplegic athletes that is every bit as aggressive as the name would lead one to expect. The game has become an official event at the Paralympics and the United States and Canada have become fierce rivals in the event. This documentary follows both teams as they prepare for and compete in the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece. It offers an up-close look at the 2004 Wheelchair Rugby tournament, as well as the personal stories of the athletes who are passionate, driven, and determined to win.

If you think of someone confined to a wheelchair and you picture a person who is limited to what they can do and their ability to get around, this film will open your eyes and completely change the way you think of people with "disabilities." The guys in this film that play wheelchair rugby are tougher and probably live fuller lives than most able body folks. The competition between the wheelchair rugby teams is so fierce, as the movie went on, I found myself focusing less on the wheelchairs and more on rooting for Team USA to win the gold in the 2004 Paralympics. The fact that they go on with their lives and don't complain about the things they can't do anymore (or might take them longer to do) make the everyday bellyaching the rest of us do even more trivial. This is an eye opening and captivating documentary that seems too short at 90 minutes. Encore!

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Mark Zupan, Joe Soares

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Cinderella Man - Movie Review

In the 1920s, James Braddock was a promising contender for a boxing championship, but the combination of a serious hand injury and a 1929 defeat sent his career into a tailspin. As his career in the ring dried up, the Great Depression decimated the US economy and Braddock found himself working at the New York docks for pitiful wages to support his wife and 3 kids. Desperate for money, he turned to his former manager who was able to secure a bout with a boxer who wanted to use the out of practice Braddock as a stepping stone. However, despite conventional wisdom that he was too old and out of shape, Braddock won the bout and continued to defeat his opponents with a powerful left hook he had gained from his time working on the docks. In a nation full of bad news, Braddock's comeback provided a rallying cry for struggling workers and unemployed people who all had their eyes on Braddock when, in 1935, he took on the heavyweight champion, Max Baer, in the fight of his life.

This is a very powerful movie which will make you think about your life and realize how good most people have it in this day and age. The struggles that people went through during the Great Depression were far worse and not really even comparable to the most recent stock market plunge. While the dot-com bust of 2001 forced a lot of people to sell their second homes and go back to living a middle class existence, the Great Depression tested a lot of people's will to survive as they had to take any work they could find to keep the lights on. Beyond that, this film is an inspirational story of a relentless boxer who literally fights to keep his family together and triumphs over all odds. Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger were excellent and had great chemistry on screen. For the 2+ hours I was watching this film, I was transported to the 1930s and felt the pain and elation that the family was experiencing. The bonus features showed the actual man and his family in action which was nice to see for a film based on true life. Excellent!

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Movie Review

A middle aged geek who has an extensive collection of comic books, action figures and collectible models and works in an electronics store seems reasonably happy with his life. However, one day his friends and co-workers discover that, due do his severe jitters around women, he is still a virgin. Appalled at this state of affairs, they set out to find a woman willing to give him that first experience. Many disastrous and comical situations ensue.

In order to enjoy this film, you have to be in a very immature frame of mind; preferably with your buddies and a little drunk or stoned. If those conditions are met, you might think this is one of the funniest movies you have ever seen. If not, you'll probably think this movie is Lame (with a capital "L"). Just about every joke in this movie is of a sexual nature and you probably heard most of it in junior high. Don't attempt to watch this movie with anyone you get embarrassed around as the situations presented in this film will only heighten those feelings. In summary, this is not a smart comedy, just a immature one and certain conditions should be met for the best chance of enjoyment.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Must Love Dogs - Movie Review

A thirty-something kindergarten teacher becomes convinced by her sisters that it's time to get over her divorce of eight months ago and start dating again. One of the sisters posts the teacher's picture and profile on an internet dating site and the responses come pouring in. Most of the guys turn out to be losers, but there is one potential winner she finds online. Also, she makes the acquaintance of the divorced father of one of her students and finds herself having to choose between the two.

This is a total chick flick that Shawnna didn't even enjoy very much. The plot wasn't original in the least - a woman who has had her heart broken decides it's time to start dating again and searches for a good guy. There is no suspense as you can tell what's going to happen before it happens and you know who she's going to end up with. There are some funny scenes, but this is mostly a boring movie with no plot twists and it ends exactly the way you imagine - ZZZzzzzz...

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Island - Movie Review

Midway through the 21st century, thousands of people live in a confined indoor community after ongoing abuse of the Earth has rendered most of the planet uninhabitable. One of the only places in the outside world still capable of sustaining life is an island paradise where citizens are chosen to live through a lottery. The only problem is that there is no island and everyone in the community are actually clones of rich people who have paid lots of money for an "insurance polity" that can provide replacement parts in case of illness. When one of the clones discovers that his existence is a fraud, he escapes to the outside world with a fellow clone to shed light on this autocracy. Of course, the scientists will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen.

I really enjoyed this film and thought the story line was very original. While some films that take place in the future go over the top in their interpretation of what it will be like, this film is much more conservative and realistic to the point you almost forget it's the future since everything seems like it could happen. With the recent debates about the ethics of cloning, this movie seems even more relevant as a cautionary tale. Even though it's a work of fiction, I could easily see rich people buying clones as "insurance policies." Great concept, well executed, terrific acting, awesome sets, fantastic movie.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Dukes of Hazzard - ACE Train Movie Review

Boss Hogg, the county commissioner, leads a charge to take away the Duke family farm under the pretext that Uncle Jesse is running a moonshine business. Bo and Luke Duke have a hunch that Boss Hogg has an ulterior motive and set out to find some answers. In the process, they wreak havoc on Hazzard County in their beloved 1969 Dodge Charger, the General Lee.

For all of the hype about Jessica Simpson in this movie, she is barely seen. There is some eye candy in the form of co-eds in the dorm (If I knew dorms were filled with naked women playing hackey sack in their unlocked rooms, I might have opted to live on campus :-) However, the movie is really about the General Lee (the car). The film is basically just a big car chase scene with the General Lee jumping, skidding, spinning and ramming its way out of hairy situations. The characters in the film are pretty true to the TV show with the exception of Rosco P. Coltrane being a hard-nosed serious cop in the film where he was a goofy putz in the TV show (also, Burt Reynolds should have gained about 100 pounds to do Boss Hogg justice). Overall, they basically just copied the TV show and put it on film with average modern day actors, which begs the question, "Why not just watch the TV show?"

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fantastic Four - ACE Train Movie Review

Four astronauts are on a mission aboard a new experimental spacecraft when they are exposed to a massive dose of gamma rays. The accident causes all four to transform in strange ways and gain unusual skills. With their new "powers", the four become known as the Fantastic Four and begin to fight crime. Another person who was on the spacecraft during the accident and becomes altered, Doctor Doom, decides to use his powers for evil and becomes a hated nemesis. The Fantastic Four must band together to defeat Doctor Doom who has visions of world domination.

As a movie based on a comic book, this film doesn't live up to the originality of Sin City. However, as an action movie, it's actually a pretty good quality. I would argue that at about 1:40 minutes, it might have been too short. The set-up of how the four people became the Fantastic Four took about half of the film, then it took about 20 minutes for them to figure out how to use their powers which left less than 30 minutes for the heroes to really show off their stuff. The entire story was necessary to tell, so I didn't mind waiting for the payoff. In addition to the action, it was also a pretty funny film with Johnny and Ben providing most of the comic relief. The ending left it open for a sequel, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a movie that picked up where this one left off.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Polar Express - Movie Review

When a young boy loses all belief in the holiday spirit and Santa Claus, a mysterious train pulls up to his house on Christmas Eve to take him away to the North Pole to witness Santa's launch. At first reluctant to embrace the magic of the moment, the train's perilous journey, budding friendships with his fellow passengers, and sage advice from the Conductor, shake the young boy into the hope that the Christmas spirit could possibly be true; all the while leading him into whimsical misadventures during the journey.

This is a great film for kids who are at the age where they are beginning to question whether Santa Claus is real. The story is enjoyable and has a good message. Tom Hanks does a great job voicing at least 5 of the characters as well as helping to produce the movie. One thing I didn’t like was the animation. The characters looked very lifelike to the point of being a little creepy (especially when they showed the "Steven Tyler" elf whose face was a spitting image of the Aerosmith lead singer). However, the plot more than makes up for the creepy animation and results in a good kid-friendly Christmas movie.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voice of Tom Hanks

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Skeleton Key - ACE Train Movie Review

A care provider for the elderly is hired away from the hospice where she works by a woman who needs someone to take care of her husband who is in poor health and not long for the world. They live in a decaying mansion near New Orleans and the care provider starts to explore the house in her spare time from working. It's not long before she discovers evidence that the husband might be under a spell and his wife could be the one who cast it. She finds herself trying to make sense of a bizarre world of hoodoo and ghosts.

This is a strange movie that deals with hoodoo (African-American folk magic) which shouldn't be confused with Voodoo (a Haitian religion). If you can get over the fact that the main plot is based around the use of magic spells, this is a pretty entertaining film. However, I thought that the Kate Hudson's character was a little too bold in how she explored the house right after she was hired and just happened to come across the room that contained all of the secrets – how convenient. Beyond that, I was drawn in trying to figure out what was real, what was imagined and who was to blame for what. The ending had a nice twist that nicely wrapped everything up.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, John Hurt

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

War of the Worlds - ACE Train Movie Review

A divorced, dead-beat dad from New Jersey gets his kids from his ex-wife for a typical weekend of lounging around. The weekend turns out to be anything but ordinary starting with a series of lightning storms that hit the neighborhood and knock out all power. Strange spacecraft emerge from the points where the lightning struck and start to attack and annihilate everything in their path. The dad is tasked with trying to survive and protect his two kids from the all-out alien invasion.

This is a good film for the action lover since it's pretty much non-stop from beginning to end. The look and mannerisms of the aliens were incredibly original as was their mode of transport - no UFOs in this film. Tom Cruise took a break from preaching Scientology and was actually very good in this film as was Dakota Fanning. I was drawn in to the fascinating plot, but was a little disappointed at the ending; both the seemingly simple way that the aliens were finally defeated and who ended up surviving. Other than the sub-par end, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the film.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

March of the Penguins - ACE Train Movie Review

Each year, the emperor penguins of Antarctica travel through the most punishing environment on Earth to their nesting grounds, find a partner, mate, and after the females lay their eggs, the males keep them warm while their mates walk 70 miles back to the sea to fatten themselves with fish and then return the 70 miles to feed their young. Then, the males (who haven't eaten for 4 months at this point) take their turn walking 70 miles back to the sea for food and then return to feed their young. Finally, the young penguins are ready to be on their own, so the penguins go their separate ways back to the ocean. This whole process lasts about 9 months and takes place in temperatures that reach -80°C without the wind chill factor.

This documentary is of the highest quality you would expect from National Geographic. While I was watching, I was amazed at the footage they were able to capture on film. Emperor penguins in Antarctica have to endure and overcome an astounding numbers of obstacles in order to breed - mind-numbing cold, predators, traveling extreme distances to the breeding ground, going months without any food, hatching fragile eggs that can easily break. It's amazing any of them survive. The filmmakers had to brave the frigid temperatures for over a year to capture it all, which is extraordinary in its own right. If you want to see how a seemingly impossible journey can result in the greatest joy, I would highly recommend this documentary.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Narrated by Morgan Freeman

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Madagascar - ACE Train Movie Review

A zebra from the Central Park Zoo in New York dreams about being free and going into the wild. When he finally decides to make a break for it, his friends (a lion, hippo and giraffe) go after him to bring him back to the zoo before he gets into trouble - too late. The four of them are caught in Grand Central station and sent to Madagascar after zoologists determine the animals are restless and need to be returned to the wild. Once there, they soon determine that they are not quite equipped to live in the wild.

This is a cute and funny movie. It kept my interest and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I think kids would love it and it also has some humor that only the adults would understand. The voices were perfectly cast for the characters which definitely added to the enjoyment of the film. While the four main characters (lion, zebra, hippo, giraffe) provided most of the humor, the peripheral characters (penguins and lemurs) might have stolen the show - especially the lemurs singing "I Like to Move it, Move it" - very catchy. Overall, great animation, creative writing, perfect casting, enjoyable film.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous - ACE Train Movie Review

After her undercover mission at the Miss United States pageant becomes public knowledge, an FBI agent becomes a minor celebrity and the FBI uses her notoriety to generate positive PR for the bureau. During a PR trip, the agent becomes aware that the reigning Miss United States has been kidnapped and she can't resist the urge to get involved and try to help bring the kidnappers to justice.

I originally put this film on our list to watch because Shawnna wanted to see it and I have to compromise if I want to stay married :-) Since I didn't put it on the top of the list, Shawnna already saw it on a plane and forgot to remove it from the list before it showed up in the mail. So, I sat on the train watching Miss Congeniality 2 by myself today; not exactly one of the most masculine things I have done. Why am I telling you about things that have nothing to do with reviewing the movie? Because the movie isn't worth reviewing. This is a sequel that shouldn't have been made. The first one was mildly funny, but this one is un-funny, un-original, completely predictable and the bad acting and writing made me cringe at times. Enough said.

Rating: 1 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Regina King, William Shatner

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - ACE Train Movie Review

Mr. & Mrs. Smith are a suburban couple who's marriage starts to head South after several years of marriage. While their married life is stale and boring, they are both living double lives and are finding excitement elsewhere. Both are world-class assassins who risk their lives for tons of money, but neither is aware of the other's secret life until they are both assigned to take out the same target. After they meet on the battlefield, their marriage and lives will never be the same.

The action in this film is way over the top and not based in any way on reality, but if you know that up front, it is quite entertaining and enjoyable. Specifically, the fight scenes involve an exuberant amount of bullets flying, but they never seem to mortally wound the "good guys" who actually seem to be enjoying themselves and are sometimes distracted by relatively trivial issues during the melees. Beyond that, it is quite humorous to watch the competitive, love/hate relationship between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I must admit I was watching the chemistry between the two to see if I could find signs to signal their budding off-screen romance and they did seem to get along very well. Overall, it was a good film and I liked it better than I thought I would (I'm not a fan of Angelina Jolie ever since her love affair with Billy Bob Thornton and her brother :-)

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Melinda and Melinda - ACE Train Movie Review

A group of friends are having dinner when two of them begin to argue about whether a story about a woman with some serious problems in her life can be viewed as a comedy or a tragic drama depending on the way certain elements are handled. The rest of the film switches between the two versions. Both versions are about a woman who's down on her luck, lost her husband, lost custody of her kids and her friends try to set her up with a man. While the tragic version continues to go down hill, the comedy has humorous twists and turns finishing with a big surprise.

I'm not a big Woody Allen fan and usually think his movies are a little on the strange side, but I must say that the concept for this film was very original and intriguing. It was imaginative to tell the same story, but from two different perspectives since it's true that people can view the same situation many different ways. With that being said, I felt that the comedic version wasn't as funny as it could have been so the two versions weren't as different as they should have been. Oh well, I give him points for trying something original. It definitely had the Woody Allen oddness to it, but I enjoyed the film and would recommend it to anyone looking for something different.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Ferrell, Amanda Peet, Chloe Sevigny, Chiwetel Ejiofor

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Christmas with the Kranks - Movie Review

After learning that their daughter will be in Peru with the Peace Corps for the holidays, a man and wife decide to skip Christmas and instead take a cruise to a tropical location - no presents, no tree, no decorations. Although it sounded like a good plan, everyone around them gave them a very bad time and didn't understand how anyone can just skip Christmas. Just as it seemed they had successfully pulled it off, their daughter called to say she changed her plans and decided to come home for the holidays, so the scramble begins to create Christmas in short order.

This is a typical corny Christmas movie. I didn't realize that it was based on a John Grisham novel until after I watched it, which disappointed me even more - maybe the novel is good, but it didn't come through in the movie. There were a few funny parts, but it's mostly cornball, feel-good Christmas cliches that culminate in a predictable ending and a sick feeling that you just wasted 90 minutes watching an un-original pile of crap. This will definitely not sit next to "A Christmas Story" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" on the annual viewing shelf.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, Cheech Marin

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Kinsey - Movie Review

This is a film biography about Alfred Kinsey, an entomologist from Indiana University who decided to study human sexual behavior after discovering there was very little scholarly research on the subject. Given that this happened in the 1940s, sex was rarely discussed and general assumptions about what was "normal" or acceptable behavior turned out to be very different than what was actually taking place. Kinsey conducted numerous candid interviews with a wide variety of people from all walks of life to find the truth about sex practices in America. The two resulting books, "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" and "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female," created an uproar in the then-conservative society.

In today's society, which no topic seems to be off limits and the evening news contains content that might not be appropriate for children, it's hard to imagine a time when there were inhibitions and boundaries for what was acceptable. That is part of what makes this film so interesting. People were very naive about their own biology and general consensus was that pre-marital sex, same-sex contacts, and masturbation were dangerous and perverted. Kinsey's research conflicted with conventional thinking and created a more enlightened country by at least sparking conversation about a taboo subject. This film also pushes the boundaries by showing images and touching on topics that are controversial even today. While this wasn't the best movie I have seen, it certainly sparked my interest in reading more about the life of Alfred Kinsey.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell, John Lithgow, Peter Sarsgaard

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Final Destination 2 - ACE Train Movie Review

As the only surviving person from the first film waits in a mental institution certain that death will get her, a new woman starts to have premonitions of death. She is driving along a highway and witnesses a terrible accident where several fatalities occur. Moments later, the vision is gone and the scene starts to unfold before her for real, but she intervenes and saves several of the people she saw perish in her vision. However, death starts to reclaim each survivor one by one. The woman decides to contact the only survivor from the first film to see if they can come up with a way to stop this deadly cycle.

Being a sequel, some of the originality was gone as I knew what to expect. It seemed just like a remake of the first film with a different beginning, the same middle and a similar end. There was one twist that I liked which was when you found out that all of the characters in this film had an eerie similarity. Other than that, the death sequence in this film were even more over the top than the first and were more comedic than tragic. There is a third film in the sequence that is in theaters now, but I can't image what more needs to be told to necessitate a third film. I'll probably watch it to find out, but it's definitely a rental.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ali Larter, A.J. Cook, Michael Landes

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

SJ Sharks vs. Phoenix Coyotes - 11/19/05

I went to the game with Shawnna, Dan and one of Dan's friends. We bought the "family 4 pack" which meant each ticket came with a hot dog, soft pretzel and soda. All that after eating dinner at Chevy's - buuurrrrp!

The Sharks started off in what seems to be their usual fashion this season: inept, unskilled, bumbling, awkward, ungraceful, amateurish, klutzy, stiff, tired, weak... you get the idea. Phoenix scored 3 minutes into the game and struck again less than 1 minute later. With the Sharks down 2-0, I figured this would be like their typical recent games where they get down early and come back to make it interesting late in the game - it doesn't take a genius to pick out the pattern.

After being severely outplayed in the first period, the Sharks came out ready to work in the second. Patrick Marleau scored on the power play 3 minutes into the period and the Sharks looked energized. The energy was dampened a bit when Phoenix struck back 3 minutes later with their own power play goal. Despite being down 3-1, the Sharks actually were starting to look good and outshot Phoenix 13-7 in the period.

The third period was all Sharks. In typical fashion, they turned up the intensity and completely dominated the third period. Wayne Primeau scored less than 5 minutes in and Tom Preissing tapped in a rebound 4 minutes later to tie the game 3-3. The Sharks had many chances to get the go-ahead goal, but Cujo stood on his head to bring the game to overtime as the Sharks outshot Phoenix 16-3 in the period.

The overtime session was more of the same with the Sharks outshooting Phoenix 4-0, while Cujo was perfect in net. The shootout was evenly matched as both Nabokov and Joseph gave up 1 goal each bringing the game to a sudden death shootout. Geoff Sanderson was up first for Phoenix and faked Nabby before finding the back of the net. Nils Ekman was next for the Sharks, but his wrister fell short and the Coyotes were victorious.

Witnessing how dominating the Sharks were in the third period and overtime, it's frustrating to know they are much better than their record and they would have many more points if they played with that kind of intensity from the start of the game instead of bring it on after giving up a couple of goals.

Of note: This was Mike Ricci's first time playing back in San Jose after having signed with Phoenix prior to the lockout. A video tribute was played on the scoreboard and he receive a long and loud standing ovation.

Score: L 4-3 shootout
1st Period
Pho - Mike Comrie (Derek Morris, Oleg Saprykin)
Pho - Ladislav Nagy (Denis Gauthier, Jamie Lundmark)
2nd Period
SJ - Patrick Marleau(PP) (Niko Dimitrakos, Milan Michalek)
Pho - Dave Scatchard(PP) (Shane Doan, Keith Ballard)
3rd Period
SJ - Wayne Primeau(PP) (unassisted)
SJ - Tom Preissing (Niko Dimitrakos)
OT
None

SJ SOG: 47
Cal SOG: 25
Winning Goalie: Curtis Joseph
Losing Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov

Tickets: Section 208 Row 11

Blink - Book Review

Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while other are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while other end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

Those are the questions asked on the book jacket and the content in the book attempts to answer those questions and more. The main concept that the author presents is called "thin slicing." Basically, with the proper knowledge, you can take very small snippets of a situation and make snap judgments that are more reliable than if you spend gobs of time analyzing the situation. He tells the story of the real hospital that ER was based on and how they dramatically reduced the wait time for cardiac patients by creating a system for making intelligent snap decisions to categorize the seriousness of their chest pains.

On the other hand, the author cautions about the dangers of "thin slicing" without the proper background knowledge. He relates the story of Amadou Diallo who was murdered in the Bronx by a car full of police officers who thought he looked suspicious. As they approached, Diallo quickly turned to go back into his apartment. As they got closer, they saw Diallo reach and pull something black out of his pocket, so they started shooting and didn't stop until 41 shots rang out. When it was all over, the officers approached the body to retrieve what they thought would be a gun, but instead found that Diallo had been reaching for his wallet as he thought he was getting mugged.

Other stories include the New Coke debacle, the "Warren Harding Effect," the fake statue that fooled the J. Paul Getty Museum and the most expensive war game ever conducted by the Pentagon (this one is VERY interesting and has a huge impact on the war we're currently in). Overall, the writing style of Malcolm Gladwell makes for a fascinating and quick read, but there is virtually no mention of any technique to increase your ability to "blink." Aside from the fact I was expecting something a little different, this book provided original insights into some high profile newsworthy items over the past couple of decades and it was worth reading once.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell
Hardcover: 288 pages
January, 2005

Pirates of Silicon Valley - ACE Train Movie Review

This is a made for TNT movie that tells the story of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak from college life through corporate supremacy. The Apple plot recounts how Jobs and Wozniak "borrowed" key concepts from a Xerox computer lab and created a successful company before struggling with the pressures of success. The Microsoft plot focuses on the way Gates learned from, then surpassed, Apple and turned his company into the global powerhouse that it is today.

The mediocre acting and the amateur-like way this film was shot makes me think it was a college project. However, it was very interesting and a bit of a history lesson for someone who wasn't around for the "birth" of the personal computer as we know it today. Since it was based on true events, I'm really interested in what parts were fact and which were embellished. Specifically, did Steve Jobs really steal the UI from Xerox and then get poached by Bill Gates? Did Bill Gates really meet with IBM and sell them DOS before he even created it; and then bought the basis of DOS from a schoolmate for $50,000? Was Steve Jobs that much of a power-hungry, slave-driving jackass? Nonetheless, it was entertaining.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Noah Wyle, Anthony Michael Hall

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - ACE Train Movie Review

Tim Burton's remake of the book made famous by the 1971 classic movie, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." A secretive owner of a wildly successful candy company decides to give 5 children a chance to tour his factory which is closed to visitors. By placing 5 golden tickets in randomly selected candy bars, the recluse captures the imagination of all kids including Charlie, a kid from a poor family who lives in the shadows of the factory and is lucky enough to find one of the tickets. While touring the fantasy-filled factory, some of the 5 kids learn tough lessons and one will become the apprentice.

I generally enjoy Tim Burton's films and I think Johnny Depp is a great actor. However, I don't think this was the right film for either to be involved in. Burton's version of this classic is a little too dark and Depp was too creepy and Michael Jackson-esque. Of course, while I was watching it, I was comparing it to the original film, so this isn't a totally objective review since I loved the original and it would have taken a lot to live up to that standard. The music was much better in the original and the inside of the factory was more awe-inspiring in the original as well. I also didn't like the fact that one guy played the part of every Oompa Loompa inside the factory...lame. With the technology available today, I just think they could have created a truly jaw-dropping film about a candy factory that kids would dream about. Instead, I'll have to watch the original film again to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Deep Roy

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Final Destination - ACE Train Movie Review

On the way to Paris with his high school class, a guy has a premonition of the plane crashing and demands to be let off the flight. In the ensuing chaos, he and 5 classmates leave the plane only to watch as the premonition comes true and the plane explodes during takeoff. While the FBI investigates possible foul play, the 6 classmates who cheated death find that death isn't so quick to let go as they start to die one by one.

I thought the plot was very original and imaginative. The various ways that death comes back to reclaim the survivors are pretty creative and gruesome, but a little over the top; some of the sequences relied on too many coincidences. There was plenty of action which made the film go by very quickly and the ending left it open for a sequel, which I'll be watching shortly. Who's next?

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Seann William Scott

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Shall We Dance? - ACE Train Movie Review

A Chicago lawyer who is married with kids feels that something in his life is missing despite having a loving family. On his commute home one night, he decides to stop off at a dance studio with the hope of meeting the woman he often sees in the window. While the woman quickly lays to rest any romantic notions, he finds that he actually enjoys dancing and begins to train for an upcoming dance competition. He doesn't tell his wife about his new passion and she becomes suspicious enough to hire a private investigator to see if he's cheating. His new and old lives crash together and some tough choices have to been made.

Warning: This is a chick flick. I thought the whole premise was a bit cheezy. A serious lawyer decides that his real passion in life is ballroom dancing and his sports reporter friend is already living a secret life as a ballroom dancer. In the real world, those two would have become gay lovers and danced off into the sunset. However, in the movie, ballroom dancing makes them chick magnets and the lawyer must decide whether he wants to Rumba with his wife or the dance instructor. I will admit, Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez are very good dancers, but I need to watch an action movie next.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Without a Paddle - ACE Train Movie Review

Three friends from Philadelphia decide to take a trip they had been planning since they were kids after the death of the fourth member of their childhood group. The trip is a canoeing adventure down the rivers in Oregon in search of $200,000 never recovered when airliner highjacker D.B. Cooper parachuted, possibly to his death, in 1971. Since none of them have any canoeing experience, things quickly go very wrong and they find themselves trying to survive in the wilderness.

I hesitated to put this film on my list because I thought it looked dumb, but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it. The three main characters had good chemistry and the situations they got into were hilarious; the maternal bear, the pot growing rednecks, the tree hugging hotties, the crazy old mountain man - Ha! The action was non-stop and they packed quite a bit into 90 minutes. This isn't a classic or anything, but it's worth watching once and the overall message of the film was a really good one - basically to live life to the fullest.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard, Burt Reynolds

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Black Cloud - ACE Train Movie Review

Black Cloud is a Native American with a troubled family life who finds his release in the boxing ring. Coached by his longtime mentor, the young man shows great promise in a local boxing competition. A scout for the US Olympics eyes him in the ring and wants to recruit him for the team, but Black Cloud isn't sure he want to fight for anyone other than his people. He is also involved with a Native American woman who has a child with a white man from a previous relationship with whom he has had some run-ins. After a violent tussle, Black Cloud finds himself on the wrong side of the law and must look inward to get back on the right path.

Rick Schroder wrote, directed and produced this movie - not bad for the kid from Silver Spoons. I thought the premise was a good one; a Navajo Indian struggles to find the balance between "making it" and holding on to his Native American culture and values. However, the stereotypes were a little too pronounced as it was literally a game of cowboys vs indians. The comments about the white man stealing from the indians got a little old as I was hoping for a little more substance. The acting wasn't bad, just a little amateur-ish, although I thought the main character did a great job. If you're looking for a deep movie about Native American culture and the struggle to fit into modern society, look elsewhere. But, if you want to watch the Native American version of Rocky, this could be for you.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Eddie Spears, Julia Jones, Tim McGraw, Rick Schroder

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Oldboy - Movie Review

A husband and father who is known for womanizing finds himself locked up in a prison cell with no idea what his crime is or who his captors might be. With a small TV his only link to the outside world, he struggles to keep his mind intact especially after learning his wife was murdered. He begins a long process of trying to dig an escape tunnel with a pair of chopsticks, but before he can finish (15 years later), he is released with no explanation. He is given a cell phone and a wad of money and starts his mission of trying to figure out who (and why) is responsible for locking him up so he can exact his revenge.

This is a Korean film that is overdubbed in English, so their mouths aren't moving at the same time that the words are being said. I thought that might bug me, but this movie is so good that I was concentrating on figuring out the plot instead. The first 30 minutes are pretty confusing, but if you stick with it, your questions will slowly be answered. There are some pretty graphic scenes, but they don't last very long and are necessary for the plot. The ending is completely unexpected and brings all the strange happenings into focus and answers all your questions. I love movies that make you think and surprise you in the end, so this was a good one.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Choi Min-Sik, Gang Hye-jeong

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

SJ Sharks vs. Calgary Flames - 10/29/05

I went to the game with Shawnna and Dan. The tickets were from work, so we sat in the first deck, 15 rows back at center ice - very nice!

The Sharks started off looking very tired after having beat the Kings on the previous night. The only players that looked fresh and seemed to play hard in the first two periods were Jonathan Cheechoo, Kyle McLaren and Nolan Schaefer. If it wasn't for Nolan Schaefer playing an unbelievable game in net, the Sharks would have been down 4-0 in the first period. He made some great saves and has been a surprisingly solid performer in place of the injured Nabokov and Toskala.

The Flames scored 5 minutes into the game and the crowd seemed to be just as lethargic as the players. It was quiet relative to the first two home games where the Tank was rockin' - maybe it was just my perspective sitting in the lower bowl instead of the upper bowl with the "real" fans. Anyway, the Sharks had a couple of good chances in the first period, but Kiprusoff was up to the challenge and shut them down.

The second period was even worse for the Sharks. Part of the problem was that they spent about half of the period on the penalty kill and ended up with only 3 shots on goal. Fortunately, Schaefer stood on his head and shut down the Flames in the period.

The third period started with much of the same. The Sharks had a couple of penalties and the Flames had several scoring chances culminating with Jerome Iginla's strike 12 minutes into the period. Down 2-0, the Sharks seemed to finally come alive. With 5 minutes to go in the game, Calgary was called for a penalty and Jonathan Cheechoo scored on the ensuing power play to cut the deficit to 2-1. Smelling blood, the Sharks continued to circle and the crowd started to come alive sensing that something was going to happen. With a minute to play, the Sharks pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and it paid off when Brad Stuart poked in a rebound with 22 seconds left to tie the game 2-2. As Stuart sat on the bench smiling from ear to ear, the crowd stood on their feet and cheered with pent up enthusiasm.

The overtime was all Sharks as they had 3 shots to 0 for the Flames. However, Kiprusoff turned them aside to force a shootout. Jerome Iginla scored for the Flames in the shootout and was matched by Marco Sturm in the third segment which meant it was time for a sudden death shootout. Chuck Kobasew was up first for Calgary and failed to score. Nils Ekman was next for the Sharks and skated straight toward Kiprusoff, hesitated and fired a shot past his right shoulder and into the net to win the game for the Sharks. The crowd went nuts and it was an amazing ending to a mediocre (at best) game for the Sharks.

Score: W 3-2 shootout
1st Period
Cal - Steve Montador (Marcus Nilson)
2nd Period
None
3rd Period
Cal - Jarome Iginla(PP) (Dion Phaneuf, Daymond Langkow)
SJ - Jonathan Cheechoo(PP) (Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek)
SJ - Brad Stuart (Jonathan Cheechoo, Patrick Marleau)
OT
None

SJ SOG: 21
Cal SOG: 25
Winning Goalie: Nolan Schaefer
Losing Goalie: Miikka Kiprusoff

Tickets: Section 115 Row 15

Saw II - Movie Review

A police detective is called to the scene of a gruesome crime scene and finds that his name is written on the ceiling as a taunt. He has a hunch who the killer might be and finds a clue to his possible location. After storming the location, he quickly finds that his hunch was correct as Jigsaw (the heinous criminal from the first film) is waiting for him. The capture of Jigsaw proves to be too easy as the police detective finds himself at the center of one of his diabolical games; with his son as the pawn.

This is an example of a great sequel. The premise is the same; people who aren't fully appreciative of their lives (according to Jigsaw) are thrust into "games" that will test the limits of what they will do to keep on living. However, the people and the various games are very different as is the fact that Jigsaw is in custody the entire time everything is happening. Like the original, the ending is completely unexpected and makes you want to watch it again to see if you can find clues along the way. The people who created this film are very creative and have great minds to develop all the crazy games and plot twists that made this film exciting to watch. I wouldn't mind if Saw III was in the works.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith, Tobin Bell

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Napoleon Dynamite - Movie Review

An alienated dorky teen with a bizarre family life attempts to help his friend defeat a popular girl in the race for high school class president. That's about all I could come up with to describe this movie. The rest of it is just some very strange, unrelated scenes about the life of a nerdy high school student.

This is the type of movie you either love or hate. If you're a teenager and/or bored and/or stoned you will probably love it. I, on the other hand, thought it was one of the most pointless movies I have ever seen. It is so dumb that it's funny. As dumb as I thought it was, I can see how it became a cult classic with high school kids because it's that type of humor they can relate to; big dork becomes popular despite his dorkiness. But, if you're past high school, it's not worth watching.

Rating: 1 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Efren Ramirez

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Interpreter - ACE Train Movie Review

An interpreter for the United Nations overhears something that could be interpreted as a threat while the General Assembly auditorium is being evacuated for a routine security sweep. The treat was made in Ku, a dialect spoken in her home country of Matobo and was directed toward the controversial ruler of Matobo. A Secret Service agent is brought in to investigate the interpreters claim and finds that she knows more than she is letting on. While digging deeper, a shocking tale of violence and corruption is uncovered and tied to the ruler of Matobo's regime.

This was a well planned and executed film. The country and language were completely made up and a whole history of the country was developed for this movie. There were a few different story lines to follow which made it interesting as well. As impressive as that was, I found it a little difficult to side with Sean Penn's character (Secret Service agent) in trying to save a ruthless killer (the corrupt ruler of Matobo) from being assassinated. The crimes he committed seemed worthy of an assassination. Overall though, it was a pretty good film with an interesting plot and I felt Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn were well suited for their roles.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Lords of Dogtown - Movie Review

Based on a true story about the kids who popularized modern skateboard culture. In the early 70s, skateboards were seen as a dying fad, but a group kids from Venice, CA who hung out at the Zephyr Surf Shop started to change that. They took the surfing moves they learned in the ocean and translated them into skateboard tricks. They also started to skate in empty pools taking advantage of their smooth surfaces and employing vertical tricks and edge flips. The kids quickly generated lots of buzz and became local celebrities and later, nationwide skating stars.

Being a recreational skateboarder when I was a kid, I found this movie very interesting especially since I don't know much about the history of skateboarding. This was a nice lesson on how skateboarding took off. It was also a lesson on how, when things take off, egos often follow suit and "funness" begins to diminish once the business aspect becomes the focus. While I really liked the film, I would have liked to seen more footage of the actual skateboarders as a bonus feature - they all had bit parts in the film and were used as consultants. Oh well, it's still worth a look.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Heath Ledger, Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, John Robinson

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason - Movie Review

This film starts 1 month after the first film ends. Bridget Jones is happy and in love with Mark Darcy (the neighbors son from the first film). This is short lived however, as she becomes threatened by his new intern; a skinny, pretty woman. She flips out and finds herself in the company of her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Cleaver (her boss from the first film). Embarrassing circumstances ensue...

This was a typical sequel which isn't as good as the original. Don't get me wrong; it still had some very funny parts, but the originality wasn't there and some of the hijinks were overplayed. Rene Zellweger was a little more annoying this time around and I thought Colin Firth's character was a little too hard to read, but Hugh Grant was as brash as ever. If you liked the first film, this one is worth a look, but it doesn't stand on its own.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Disneyland Trip - Oct. 20-24, 2005

Two long working days after our Carmel trip, Shawnna and I headed down to our next destination - Disneyland! We wanted to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. We left home at about 10:00am on Thursday and were at the hotel by 2:30pm; yes, it only took 4.5 hours in one stretch without stopping. We stayed at the Park Inn Anaheim which is directly across the street from Disneyland. After checking in, we walked around Downtown Disney before driving to Medieval Times for dinner and some entertainment.


We were sitting in the Blue Knight section. That meant we cheered for the blue knight throughout the evening of horseback jousting and various games/battles. By the end of the night, our knight stood victorious, so we went back to the hotel with our heads held high.


Friday morning, we got up and were at Disneyland when it opened. The first ride we rode was Space Mountain, followed by Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and Indiana Jones Adventure. I must say that I was disappointed by the "new" Space Mountain which had recently been opened after having been renovated for the past 2 years. The only changes I could recognize were that the track was a bit smoother and the corridor leading to the ride was cleaner and newer. The rest of the ride seemed to be the same which makes me wonder what they worked on for 2 years. Anyway, I did enjoy the Astro Blasters which is a new ride where you shoot at targets while riding in Haunted Mansion type cars. Indiana Jones, as usual, is still a great ride.

Next, we headed over to California Adventure when it opened to experience The Twighlight Zone Tower of Terror. All I have to say is WOW! This is another Disney classic. The attention to detail is second to none, the special effects are cool and the different drop sequences keeps the ride exciting because you never know how far you'll drop. Even more surprising was that Shawnna loved it as well.

The rest of the day was spent walking back and forth between the two parks to go on more fun rides: California Screemin', Soarin' Over California, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, which was a big surprise. The Haunted Mansion was like a whole new ride because it was completely redecorated in the theme of "A Nightmare Before Christmas." Even the elevator with the "stretching" walls was redecorated with Nightmare paintings and the hanging man at the top was replaced with a giant Jack Skellington head wearing a Santa hat. It was fun to see this during the Halloween time.

Saturday was our early entry day which meant we got in the park 1 hour before the general public. In that first hour, we were able to ride the Matterhorn twice, Astro Blasters twice, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan's Flight and Pinocchio's Daring Journey. After another day of riding more rides, we got a good spot to watch the "Remember... Dreams Come True" fireworks spectacular. This was one of the longest fireworks shows I have ever seen and it was set to classic Disney soundbytes from rides throughout the park. In a couple instances, fireworks were not only being shot in front of you, but all around you and Tinker Bell flew all around instead of just a straight line like normal. Worth checking out.

Sunday was our last day in the park, so we went on all of our favorite rides one more time (Tower of Terror - rode it 6 times, Astro Blasters - 6 times, Indiana Jones - 5 times, California Screemin' - 3 times, Haunted Mansion - 3 times), watched the Aladdin musical in California Adventure (the Genie was still funny and he had new material since the last time we saw it) and saw Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (hilarious as always). We had a nice dinner at the Blue Bayou and rode our last ride (Star Tours) before leaving the park just before it closed.

On Monday (Shawnna's birthday), we did some shopping at the Disney Store in Downtown Disney as well as the Grand Californian gift shop before checking out of the hotel and heading home. We stopped for lunch at Harris Ranch and made it home in 5.5 hours (including lunch). After unpacking and getting some things done, we had dinner with Leanna and Jeff at the Olive Garden.

Overall, it was a very nice trip. The weather cooperated - low 70s with no rain. The crowds weren't bad - Fast Passes made the lines even shorter. The rides were all operational - the new Tower of Terror made up for the "new" Space Mountain. And, our Disney brick was still in good condition...

Monterey & Carmel Trip - Oct. 16-17, 2005

On Sunday morning, Shawnna and I drove to Monterey / Carmel for a couple days of relaxation and rejuvenation. The weather was perfect (high 60s) and our first stop was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It had been a few years since we were there, so we wanted to check it out. They were housing 19 penguins that were moved from New Orleans, so the exhibit had over 30 penguins; a little crowded, but they all seemed to be having a good time.




We also saw lots of fish, sharks, jellyfish (including a jellyfish art exhibit), sea otters and plenty of other sea creatures. For lunch, we are at the Portola Restaurant in the aquarium where we had a ocean view, window seat. I ate the fish & chips made with halibut and Shawnna had the coriander dusted sea bass.

Next, we drove to Carmel and checked into the Hyatt Highlands Inn. Before we were able to look at our room, we sat through a 90 minute presentation since they were trying to sell the rooms as a timeshare. After that was finished, we went to our room and were completely blown away. The first thing we noticed was the view. We had a balcony with an unobstructed view of the ocean and Point Lobos (Bird Rock in particular).



The room itself had 4 different sections; A full kitchen complete with dishes and a dishwasher, a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a bedroom with a king bed, and a big bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi tub.




After checking out the room and view, it was time for dinner. We made reservations at Pacific's Edge Restaurant which is the award winning, fine dining restaurant on the property. This place was absolutely amazing. Every detail was thought of; from the host greeting us with our name, to the impeccably dressed and knowledgeable wait staff, to the awesome view (we had an ocean view table next to the glass) which was made even better since we got there just before sunset.

Then it was time for the food; we opted for the 3 course meal. Not your typical 3 course meal since each course was an entree dish in an appetizer size. I ordered the seared beef tenderloin, honey glazed duck, and lobster. Shawnna ordered the beef carpaccio, quail with vanilla port wine glaze and lamb with gorgonzola bread pudding. Of course, the names on the menu were fancier than that and they each came with gourmet garnish. The presentation of each plate was something out of a magazine and I didn't want to mess it up, but the visual appeal was only trumped by the taste. After eating at fancy restaurants, I'm usually still hungry and feel uncomfortable being there, but Pacific's Edge was great, comfortable and left me feeling very full. Of course, we also had dessert. I ordered the Chocolate Strawberry Bombe which was like chocolate mousse with a shell of more dense chocolate and Shawnna ordered Chocolate Heaven which was 4 different chocolate desserts (bite sized). After all of that, we rolled out of there and back to the room.

The next morning, we got up and watched the full moon go down into the ocean. We ate breakfast at the other restaurant on site; California Market. I had the Sticky Bun French Toast and Shawnna had scrambled eggs, ham, fingerlings (potatoes) and toast. It was very good, but nothing could compare to the dinner the previous night.

We checked out of the room and drove to Carmel where we walked around some of the shops before walking along Carmel Beach to Pebble Beach and back. The weather was very warm and dogs were out in full force playing in the surf. It was a great end to the perfect weekend. We headed back home reinvigorated and ready to work 2 days until our next vacation :-) Up next, Disneyland...

SJ Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks - 10/15/05

For this game, Shawnna and I went with Dan and his friend, Ryan. We ate dinner at the Spaghetti Factory in San Pedro Square prior to the game, then walked to The Tank for some fun with 17,492 other people.

The Sharks came out ready to go and it looked like a continuation of the home opener. Less than 3 minutes into the game, the Sharks scored and 8 minutes after that, they scored again. However, the shutout wouldn't last long as the Blackhawks scored 17 minutes into the 1st period.

The second period was more of the same with the Sharks and Blackhawks each scoring twice. The third period went scoreless. So, just like the home opener, the Sharks scored twice in each of the first two periods and didn't score in the third. However, unlike the home opener, the Sharks actually looked good in the third and fired off 15 of their 44 shots in that period.

Overall, the Sharks looked good pretty much from start to finish and played even better than they did during the home opener. The reason that this score was closer is that the Blackhawks are a better team than the Blue Jackets and Craig Anderson had a great game in net (stopping 40 of 44 shots). If it wasn't for Anderson, the score would have been a lot more lopsided. If they keep it up, this could be a very good year for the Sharks.

Score: W 4-3
1st Period
SJ - Marco Sturm (Milan Michalek, Patrick Marleau)
SJ - Jonathan Cheechoo (Wayne Primeau, Mark Smith)
Chi - Jason Morgan (Mark Bell, Mikael Holmqvist)
2nd Period
Chi - Matthew Barnaby (Jim Dowd, Matt Ellison)
SJ - Patrick Marleau(PP) (Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart)
SJ - Patrick Marleau(PP) (Niko Dimitrakos, Brad Stuart)
Chi - Matt Ellison (Jim Dowd, Jassen Cullimore)
3rd Period
None

SJ SOG: 44
Chi SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Craig Anderson

Tickets: Section 222 Row 6

SJ Sharks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets - 10/12/05

Hockey is back in San Jose!

It's been a long year without hockey, so I was very excited to be attending the Sharks home opener and bear witness to the greatest sport on Earth. Prior to the game, the Sharks held a street rally with live music, games, face painting, etc. We walked around for a while before heading into the Tank. On the way in, we were given a mini banner commemorating the fact that the Sharks were the Pacific Division champs in 2003-04. After that, we headed to our seats and watched the Sharks practice before they dropped the puck.

A few minutes before game time, the lights went down, the music went up and they started projecting images of the players on the ice surface - the entire ice surface. That was new for this year and it was a very impressive way to introduce all of the players - it's not everyday that you get to see a 200 ft tall Patrick Marleau. When the Sharks took to the ice, the crowd went crazy - as loud as a playoff game. I think the players got the message that we didn't hold a grudge; we were just glad hockey was back.

When the puck was dropped, the Sharks came out very aggressively and looked energized. A little more than 6 minutes into the game, the Sharks scored their first goal followed by another just over a minute later. The Sharks speed is a perfect match for the new rules and it was on full display. The second period was more of the same with the Sharks scoring about 11 minutes into the period and again 1 minute later. After that, the Sharks went into coasting mode and didn't do a whole lot for the rest of the game. The Blue Jackets scored in the third period to ruin the shutout attempt, but they never threatened to keep the game close.

Overall, there were lots of shots, penalties, long passes, speed and energy on display. The Sharks really dug deep, crashed the net and had several great opportunities to score on big rebounds (Marc Denis wasn't on his game). It's good to be back!

Score: W 4-1
1st Period
SJ - Marco Sturm (Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek)
SJ - Wayne Primeau (Jonathan Cheechoo, Mark Smith)
2nd Period
SJ - Scott Thornton (Nils Ekman, Alyn McCauley)
SJ - Wayne Primeau (Jonathan Cheechoo, Rob Davison)
3rd Period
CBJ - Radoslav Suchy (Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote)

SJ SOG: 36
CBJ SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Marc Denis

Tickets: Section 227 Row 5

Bridget Jones Diary - ACE Train Movie Review

A mid-thirty, single, British woman who drinks and smokes visits her parents house for a Christmas party and finds that they have invited the son of one of their neighbors to try to set her up with. When he snubs her, she decides to go after her boss with whom she has a crush and they begin to date although she keeps bumping into the neighbors son. The boss is a handsome playboy who has a hard time being faithful and this relationship is no exception. The woman also discovers that her boss and the neighbors son know each other due to a previous rivalry and are now both competing for her attention.

Before watching this movie, I had a preconceived notion that this was going to be a boring chick flick. I'm also not a fan of Renee Zellweger, so that was another strike. However, having watched it, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it and Renee Zellweger didn't annoy me as much as she usually does. I thought the cast did a great job (they were funny and believable) and the story was entertaining and well told. It wasn't a classic, but I was impressed and interested enough to be excited to watch the sequel which is the next movie in queue. Hopefully, it will be a continuation of a good thing and not a rehashed dud. Stay tuned...

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Big Purchase

After years of wanting one, I finally made my wish of a big screen TV come true. I've been talking about it long enough, so I decided this was the weekend. I did some research on the internet and went to a couple of stores in town to compare prices and features. I narrowed it down to the 50" Sony WEGA and the 50" Samsung.

Why not bigger? I had to make sure it fit in the spot I have to put it in, so 50" was as big as I could go. After learning the the Sony didn't have a picture-in-picture option, I opted for the Samsung. I bought it at Best Buy because they had some sales going on and I had gift cards to spend (thanks to all who gave me gift cards for my birthday; I know they were supposed to go toward an iPod, but since I have the iPod Shuffle, a big screen was higher on my list =)

So, here I am in my family room watching the 49ers lose on my big screen. Not exactly what I would like to see, but if you're going to lose, might as well lose big. Anyway, I can't wait to watch hockey. Go Sharks! Digital cable should be hooked up shortly. Up next...high definition? We'll see, but so far, so good.

SWEET...

The Horse Whisperer - ACE Train Movie Review

A Girl and her best friend go horseback riding on a winter morning in New York, but their horses lose their footing on ice and slide onto a road where they are hit by an oncoming truck. The best friend and her horse are killed while the girl and her horse are seriously injured (the girl has her leg amputated) but survive. There is lasting trauma to the girl and her horse, so the girl's mother does research and finds a horse trainer who might be able to help them both. Since the trainer lives in Montana, the mother, girl and horse have to leave the big city life for a simpler place. The horse trainer ends up having a big impact on all three, but finds himself conflicted as he begins a romance with the mother who is still married.

This is a 2.5 hour movie and I felt it didn't need to be quite as long. The scenes are set up so slowly and meticulously that it drags at some points. However, the story is a good one and there are a bunch of different sub-plots to make things interesting. For whatever reason, I didn't enjoy the performance from Kristin Scott Thomas (the mother) and didn't believe her as a love interest for Robert Redford's character. Maybe she just seemed a little too cold and distant. Anyway, the other actors were good and believable. The only other change I would make would be to shorten some of the long, monotonous, yet visually appealing scenes and instead, use that time to answer some questions at the end of the movie. There's a fine line between letting the audience be imaginative to make up their own ending and just being lazy or hasty to end it quickly.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Cooper

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Joke - Ponderisms

• How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

• Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

• Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt."

• Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

• If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

• Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?

• Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

• If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

• If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

• Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

• Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

• Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

• Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

• I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

• Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

• The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

• Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

• There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

• Life is sexually transmitted.

• Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

• The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

• Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

• Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

• Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

• Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

• All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

• In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

The Motorcycle Diaries - ACE Train Movie Review

A true story of a 23-year-old medical student from Argentina, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who traveled across South America on a motorcycle with his friend Alberto Granado in the early 1950s. The duo has a series of adventures that vary from the suspenseful (stowing away on a cargo ship, exploring Incan ruins) to the comedic (falling off their bikes, wooing women, drunken revelry) to the serious (volunteering at a leper colony). This was a personal odyssey which would ultimately inspire Che Guevara to become a revolutionary who had a profound impact on the history of several nations.

This is one of those independent films that won a bunch of awards, so I wasn't sure I would like it. Also, it is in Spanish with English subtitles, so I was even more leery. However, I was pleasantly surprised and found it to be pretty interesting, entertaining, educational and inspiring. Also, the fact it was based on a true story helped hold my interest. My only regret is that I didn't know much about the background of the main characters in the film before watching it; I pulled it off the shelf at Blockbuster. If I had the time, I would have read a little about Che Guevara to know the impact he had prior to watching this film about his early years and the journey that shaped his political views.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo de la Serna

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Happy Birthday, Bro - Oct. 1, 2005

Today was Dan's 32nd birthday, so we naturally had to do something fun. Dan, Andrew, mom and I started the day by going to breakfast at Hobees. After fueling up with some good food (and the best coffee cake in the world), we headed off to Santa Cruz. The weather was pretty good for an October day at the beach; foggy, yet a relatively warm 65° with no wind. First, we played on the beach; threw around theFrisbeee (Dan needs more practice =) and football, knocked around the beach ball, dug in the sand and buried sticks and Andrew's feet. Next, we walked down the Boardwalk, played a few games and Andrew won a plastic spider (Héctor) and lizard (Lupé). Andrew was starting to get tired, so we drove back to Dan's house and put Andrew down for a nap.

During Andrew's nap, we ate lunch (Wienerschnitzel), played video game hockey and Dan opened his presents (Sharks tickets and Gulper Eel from me - money and a spiral notebook from mom). When Andrew woke from his nap, Liz and Shawnna arrived at the house after shopping. We all hung out a little bit longer, played with Andrew and then went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen before heading home. It was a long, tiring but fun day.

Crash - Movie Review

This movie is very complicated and involves so many different side stories, I decided to copy the synopsis from the blockbuster.com website (in italics) to simplify the description and save myself some time.

Graham (Don Cheadle) is a police detective whose brother is a street criminal, and it hurts him to know his mother cares more about his ne'er-do-well brother than him. Graham's partner is Ria (Jennifer Esposito), who is also his girlfriend, though she has begun to bristle at his emotional distance, as well as his occasional insensitivity over the fact he's African-American and she's Hispanic. Rick (Brendan Fraser) is an L.A. district attorney whose wife, Jean (Sandra Bullock), makes little secret of her fear and hatred of people unlike herself. Jean's worst imaginings about people of color are confirmed when her SUV is carjacked by two African-American men -- Anthony (Chris Bridges, aka Ludacris), who dislikes white people as much as Jean hates blacks, and Peter (Larenz Tate), who is more open minded. Cameron (Terrence Howard) is a well-to-do African-American television producer with a beautiful wife, Christine (Thandie Newton). While coming home from a party, Cameron and Christine are pulled over by Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon), who subjects them to a humiliating interrogation (and her to an inappropriate search) while his new partner, Officer Hansen (Ryan Phillippe), looks on. Daniel (Michael Pena) is a hard-working locksmith and dedicated father who discovers that his looks don't lead many of his customers to trust him. And Farhad (Shaun Toub) is a Middle Eastern shopkeeper who is so constantly threatened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks that he decided he needs a gun to defend his family.

The first hour of the film is a little confusing as it is spent setting up all of these stories and basically showing the very worst in people. The general themes revolve around racism, fear, abuse of power, sexual misconduct and general ignorance. The second hour is spent tying all of these stories together and making powerful statements. The general themes of the second hour are karma, change, forgiveness, redemption and closure. The brilliance of this movie is that there are so many different possible themes and lessons to be learned, each person who watches it will probably bring something different away. I will definitely watch this movie again and I'm sure I will catch things I didn't see the first time. This one is worth a look.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraser, Ludacris, Ryan Phillippe, Matt Dillon

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Win a Date With Tad Hamilton - ACE Train Movie Review

A famous actor with a need to clean up his bad-boy image stages a dating contest with the money raised going to charity. The contest is won by an attractive grocery store clerk from West Virginia. The actor falls for her and decides to give up big-city life and become a better person by spending more time with her. Meanwhile, the clerk's friend and boss from work finally reveals his secret crush on her, so she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle.

This movie is so sweet, it could give you a toothache... or a stomach ache. It is cheesier than a bowl of Velveeta, but leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The ending leaves as much to the imagination as Paris Hilton's home movies. OK, I'm done. The point is that this movie is a complete waste of time unless you want to watch a brainless film with a predictable plot. The one upside is that you get to watch Kate Bosworth for 90 minutes.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, Josh Duhamel, Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Team America: World Police - ACE Train Movie Review

Team America, an elite group of commandos, have a mission to travel the world, root out its terrorists, and keep evil at bay. While completing their missions, the heroes have a tendency to wreak havoc on the environment around them and find themselves the target of anti-war activists. World leaders are brought together for a peace rally through a joint effort by Kim Jong Il (North Korea's dictator) and the Film Actors Guild (F.A.G) headed by Alec Baldwin. However, Kim Jong Il has an ulterior motive and it's up to Team America to stop him.

Fans of South Park will probably enjoy this movie as it was written, directed, produced and voiced mostly by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The humor is similar in that it's intelligent but the delivery is crass. The underlying message is clear (try to offend as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time and be funny doing it) and I believe they achieved their goal. The portrayals of heroes, villains, protestors, actors, action films, etc. were over the top and tongue-in-cheek. I laughed out loud at some points and cringed at others. The amount of crap they dish out, especially toward actors, makes me wonder how Parker and Stone can show their faces at award shows without getting beat up. Their description of the relationship between a$$holes, pu$$ys and d!cks was classic. Pull out your cheesy poofs and enjoy some smart, dumb comedy.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Trey Parker and Matt Stone

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Joke - Oops!

A guy was in line at the supermarket when he noticed that a rather hot blonde behind him had raised her hand and smiled hello to him. He was rather taken aback that such a looker would be waving to him, and although familiar he couldn't place how he knew her.

He composed himself and said: "Sorry, do you know me?"

She replied "I may be mistaken, but I thought you might be the father of one of my children."

His mind raced back to the one and only time he had been unfaithful. "Oh, my God", he said, "aren't you the stripper from my bachelor party that I made love to on the pool table in front of all my friends while your girlfriend whipped me with wet celery stalks?"

"No," she replied, "I'm your son's English Teacher."

The Longest Yard - ACE Train Movie Review

A former professional football player who has a drinking problem takes his wife's Bentley and, after a high speed police chase, crashes it into a sea of police cars. He is sentenced to a prison where the warden is a football fan and has organized a football team made up of prison guards. To give the guards more practice, the warden convinces the former pro to organize a team of inmates and to play a scrimmage. The inmates he recruits are some of the fiercest characters who have a bone to pick with the guards and would get great pleasure out of inflicting pain on the football field.

I never saw the original film, so I can't compare the two. However, on its own, I wasn't very impressed and wonder why they remade what was apparently a classic. I like Adam Sandler and am usually a fan of his comedy, but I didn't find this movie particularly funny. There were a few funny parts, but it was mostly silly, dumb humor (yes, dumber than Sandler's other films =). There was some good action and plenty of hits on the football field, but I can't say there were any surprises or suspense. I also thought it was unnecessary to have so many "celebrities" in the film, but maybe the filmmakers thought it would distract people enough to like the film. I might have to watch the original to see why it was considered a classic, because I don't see anything classic about this movie.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, Nelly, James Cromwell, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, Bill Goldberg, Brian Bosworth, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Chris Berman

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Criminal - ACE Train Movie Review

An experienced con man runs into a small-time grifter at a casino and convinces him to become his apprentice so they can work small cons more quickly and easily. After showing his apprentice the ropes, the con man gets involved in a large con where he will try to sell a counterfeit antique bank note to a collector who is passing through town. To do this, he has to involve his sister, who works at the hotel where the collector is staying, as well as the apprentice and a couple other people who become aware of the con and demand their cut. While his share of the fortune dwindles, the con man finds that this con is not as easy as he originally thought.

Lame. Not imaginative or even very entertaining. This movie is only about 1hr 20min long, so the characters didn't have time to develop and the plot seemed very rushed. If it were longer, maybe more could have been done with the script, but it's not even worth wasting 80 minutes on this film. Not to mention, the ending could be seen a mile away. Don't get conned into watching this one =)... hey, bad joke for a bad movie.

Rating: 1 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fever Pitch - ACE Train Movie Review

A high-school teacher and a successful businesswoman meet on a field trip and don't seem to have much in common, but they hit it off and are soon involved in a serious romance. He is a huge Boston Red Sox fan and she becomes aware of that fact when spring rolls around and he shifts his focus from her to baseball. Soon, he is forced to choose between the obsession from his youth or the responsibilities and a relationship of an adult.

This was the typical love story - boy meets girl, boy and girl like each other, boy messes up and girl leaves, boy does something to make things right, girl comes back and they live happily ever after. From start to finish, this film was a cliche. The only original element was that it revolved around the Boston Red Sox World Series winning season, which wasn't enough to make it a good film. I didn't think Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon had good chemistry and while I think Fallon is funny, his humor didn't seem to fit in this film.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon

I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.