The Last Kiss - Movie Review

A successful 30-year-old with a the perfect girlfriend and a lucrative outlook on life struggles with the increasing pressures of adulthood as he weighs the merits of settling down with the woman who loves him against risking it all to be with a comely co-ed.

Zach Braff should stick to TV and stay away from movies. He is great in "Scrubs," but I didn't like his other film, "Garden State." This movie is a little better than Garden State, but not a film I can classify as good. Like Garden State, it has the feel of an independent film, but at least it has some emotion that was lacking in the other movie. This one is mostly a chick flick and deals with the falling apart of several relationships - not my idea of an entertaining film. If the women chosen for their parts weren't attractive, this would be a complete dud and bore. At least there's something for guys to enjoy while the women are caught up in the emotional roller coaster.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, Casey Affleck

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 Black Dahlia - Movie Review

Elizabeth Short was a struggling actress looking to make a name for herself in 1940s-era Tinseltown. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, it was her grim fate that would ultimately overshadow anything she would accomplish during her short and tragic career. When police discover Elizabeth's body cut clean in half and with all of her organs missing, ex-pugilist detectives Lee Blanchard and Bucky Bleichert are the men charged with cracking the case and apprehending the killer. This isn't your average murder case, however, and as Blanchard's marriage to Kay begins to suffer due to his obsession with the sensational crime, his partner Bleichert discovers a troubling link between the victim and the mysterious Madeleine Linscott, a prominent socialite and the daughter of one of the town's most connected key players.

This is a very twisted and confusing film. The first hour and a half is comprised of many scenes that involve people who don't seem to be connected and the audience isn't clued into what they have to do with the overall plot. the last 30 minutes attempts to tie everything together, but the problem is that the ties that are used seem to be forced and don't fall into place nicely. In other words, the ending was just too "convenient" and a huge stretch of reality. The acting was good, the cinematography was top notch, but the plot was a dud. This is one to skip unless you like offbeat, disconnected, confusing movies.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart

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.

Curious George - Movie Review

Ted is an explorer with a large yellow hat who is good friends with Bloomsberry, who runs a natural history museum. Bloomsberry's greedy son, Bloomsberry Junior, wants to tear down his dad's museum and put a parking garage in its place, but the elder Bloomsberry is convinced that a spectacular new exhibit could save the museum from the wrecking ball. Ted heads to Africa on an expedition to find some special artifacts that will keep his friend in business, but while he's there he befriends a playful monkey he calls George. While George is friendly, he has a taste for mischief and seems to always get Ted in hot water; Ted thinks he's seen the last of his simian friend when his ship heads back to America, until he discovers that George managed to hide aboard the boat before it set sail. Ted's search for a eye-catching exhibit proved to be a failure, and Ted and his good friend Maggie, a schoolteacher who's sweet on him, struggle to find of a way to save Bloomsberry's museum. But time becomes precious for Ted when George has an entire new city to explore.

This is a kids movie through and through. I was pretty much bored most of the time watching this film, but I'm sure younger kids would love the bright colors, easy to follow plot and cute monkey. Me, on the other hand, couldn't wait until it was over since it didn't have much entertainment value for people over 12 years old. Unless you're a kid, have kids or watch it with a kid, I'd skip it. I think it would be more fun to watch the kids reaction, not the movie itsef, although the music is pretty good - original songs by Jack Johnson. I rated the movie based on my perspective, but the younger you are, the higher your rating would probably be.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, Dick Van Dyke, David Cross

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.

Trapped - Movie Review

Dr. Will Jennings and his wife, Karen, find their world has been turned upside down when they're taken hostage and held in different cities while their young daughter is kidnapped by the same band of ruthless criminals. Joe Hickey has hatched a seemingly foolproof plan with his wife, Cheryl, and cousin, Marvin: while Dr. Jennings and Mrs. Jennings are under guard and unable to contact the police, Hickey will demand a massive ransom for the return of their daughter. If the payment is not arranged in 24 hours, the girl will be killed. Will and Karen realize it's imperative that they find their daughter as soon as possible, as she suffers from a medical condition that could claim her life if she doesn't receive her medication within a day, but as Karen plots a way to get away from Joe and rescue her little girl, she discovers money isn't the only reason Joe has chosen the Jenningses as his victims.

This was a pretty good film and the acting was excellent, but the plot wasn't very original and it wasn't suspenseful, either. Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon did a great job with their roles and really made me believe the story. The problem is the story has been told before with the same ending. Basically, someone gets kidnapped, held for ransom, things don't go exactly as planned, but there's a happy ending. This movie followed the formula to a tee which meant it was very predictable. There was one twist, but it wasn't played up enough to make a big difference to the story. Overall, it was a pretty good flick, kept my interest and would be a good one to watch once, but don't expect a great, suspenseful thriller.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Charlize Theron, Kevin Bacon, Courtney Love, Stuart Townsend, Dakota Fanning

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 - 12/23/06

Shawnna and I were at one of our Christmas parties when she got a call from Leanna saying that her boss had Sharks tickets for tonight's game that he wasn't going to use, so if we wanted them, we could have them. Shawnna didn't want to go, but I figured I could find someone to go, so we took them and that's how I ended up going to the game with Dan - Thanks Mike!

The first period wasn't particularly good for either team, but the Flames struck first when Andrew Ference flipped the puck to Matthew Lombardi who shot it past Nabokov to put the Flames up 1-0 with 2 minutes left in the first. The worst part about that for the Sharks was the fact that the Flames were shorthanded at the time - not a good way to finish a period.

The second period went much better for the Sharks as Marcel Goc scored the tying goal 7 minutes into the period and Milan Michalek followed that up with a power play goal 3 minutes later to put the Sharks up 2-1. The third period was more of the same for the Sharks as Mark Smith scored 3 minutes in to put the Sharks up 3-1. It stayed that way until Scott Hannon scored his first goal of the season into the empty net that Kiprusoff had vacated with 1 minute left to play to give Calgary an extra attacker. Obviously, that tactic didn't work and the Sharks won 4-1.

Despite giving up a shorthanded goal in the first period, the Sharks really had control of the game all the way through. They outshot Calgary 31-22, dominated in the faceoff circle (40-23) and were only called for one penalty compared with 6 for the Flames. All in all, it was a dominating victory, we sat in great seats (8 rows from the ice) and had a fabulous time. Thanks again Mike!

Score: W 4-1
1st Period
Flames - Matthew Lombardi(SH) (Andrew Ference, Kristian Huselius)
2nd Period
SJ - Marcel Goc (Curtis Brown, Mark Smith)
SJ - Milan Michalek(PP) (Matt Carle, Joe Thornton)
3rd Period
SJ - Mark Smith (Curtis Brown)
SJ - Scott Hannan(EN)

SJ SOG: 31
Flames SOG: 22
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Miikka Kiprusoff

Tickets: Section 107 Row 8

Southern California Trip - December 16-22, 2006

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

Shawnna and I had never been to Disneyland during the Christmas holiday and really wanted to see the park all decked out, hence the trip to Southern California right before Christmas. To make it a little more interesting, we purchased a Southern California CityPass which included admission to SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego Zoo, Disneyland / California Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood.

We decided to drive all the way down to San Diego first and then work our way back up. On Saturday, we hit a little bit of rain and traffic on the way down, but made it to our hotel safely - Bay Inn and Suites SeaWorld. When I was searching for a hotel in San Diego, I wanted one that was clean and close to SeaWorld and the zoo so the Bay Inn met that criteria. However, when we arrived at the hotel, I realized that their website failed to mention one minor detail - it was located across the street from Larry Flynt's Hustler Club. As we drove around the area, we kept seeing more and more gentleman's clubs and it didn't really click until we saw some Navy guys walking around and realized that we were near a Navy port and it finally made perfect sense. Anyway, the room was clean and we felt perfectly safe, so it was fine.

On Sunday, we went to SeaWorld. The weather had cleared up, the sun was shining and it was a great day to explore the park. There were a couple of water rides that I rode (pretty lame), but the main attractions were the animal shows. We saw 4 very good shows:
1. Dolphin Discovery - This show featured bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales doing jumps, spins, back flips, etc.
2. Shamu Show - Shamu and other killer whales were featured jumping, splashing and posing for pictures.
3. Clyde and Seamore's Risky Rescue - Sea lions were featured in this comedy filled wet adventure.
4. Pet's Rule! - This show featured many tricks from several different pets (dogs, cats, pigs, birds, ducks)
In addition, we explored the aquariums where we saw sharks, beluga whales, a polar bear, manatees, stingrays and a bunch of other fish. Not as good as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but the shows were worth the price of admission.

We went to the San Diego Zoo on Monday. The first thing we did when we got there was take the guided bus tour. This was a 45 minute trip around 75% of the zoo with a guide pointing out the animals as we went. That was a great way to get a taste of the zoo and determine what we wanted to go back and see. I can't possibly list all of the animals we saw, but chances are, if you can name it, it was there. The highlights for me were the monkey habitats that included gorillas, mandrills, baboons, chimps, etc. as well as the bear exhibits where we saw a sun bear playing with a suspended plastic tube. I have to mention the boa constrictor we saw in the reptile exhibit that was having an afternoon snack of a white rat - nice! We ended the day with a sea lion show (not as good as the SeaWorld version) and then left San Diego and headed to Anaheim where we stayed at the Travelodge Anaheim International Inn (no strip clubs in sight :-)

We went to Disneyland & California Adventure on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We were expecting large crowds and long lines since it was so close to Christmas, but it turned out to be some of the least crowded days we have ever seen. The longest line I waited in was about 20 minutes, but most of the time, I walked right on (I actually had FastPasses that I didn't even use). Needless to say, I went on all of the good rides multiple times (Tower of Terror 7 times).

The decorations around the park were awesome. There was a huge tree at the end of Main Street with ornaments, lights, wreaths and presents spread throughout both parks. It's a Small World was decorated inside and out with holiday garb, but most impressive was the Haunted Mansion ride. They must have spent several weeks redecorating the ride as it was completely different than normal and was decorated based on Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" - if you haven't seen that movie, check it out. There was also a holiday parade and fireworks that were also impressive.

Of course, we also saw the electrical light parade, Fantasmic and ate at the Blue Bayou - always a standard. We had a great time as usual and will be ready to go back when we get the itch again.

Friday morning, we drove to Universal Studios for our last day of this trip. We got there when it opened and I rode most of the rides at the park before lunchtime since there were no lines. The best ride there is the studio tour which is a 45 minute tram ride around the backlot area where movies and TV shows are (and have been) filmed. Since I had done everything there was to do and it was really windy and cold, we decided to leave at about 1:30pm. The drive home was uneventful except for the Grapevine where we encountered lots of fog and near-freezing temperatures. But, we made it home safe and really enjoyed the trip. Until next time...

View more photos from the trip here and click on Slideshow to view them all with descriptions.

Clerks II - ACE Train Movie Review

Years after we last saw them, Dante is still toiling behind the counter at a New Jersey convenience store and Randall is still annoying customers at the video shop next door - or at least they are until a fire burns down the strip mall, forcing Dante and Randall to look for work. Times are tough, and the guys find themselves embracing the ultimate indignity as they take jobs at Mooby's, a fast-food outlet where the burgers are advertised as "udderly delicious." While Randall's snarky attitude toward the public remains unchanged, Dante is trying to make the best of the situation as he plans to marry his fiance, Emma, and move to Florida. However, Dante's plans are complicated when he falls for Becky, a funny and tart-tongued woman who happens to be his boss at Mooby's.

The first film (Clerks) was a cult classic because it was a low budget film that was brilliantly written and gave hope to all the independent filmmakers out there that they could "make it" too. Clerks II seems like a movie that was made with a big budget to look like a film made with a small budget and it doesn't work. The magic is gone and it's disappointing to see Kevin Smith trying to capitalize on his prior film's success to make a few bucks 10 years later. The film tries to keep your attention by shocking you with all the derogatory remarks you can think of. It's amusing at first, but gets old quickly and the main story isn't interesting enough to make up for the repetitive shtick. Overall, I was disappointed that it wasn't better and would only recommend it for those that loved the first film (since they'll see it anyway).

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson

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 Devil Wears Prada - ACE Train Movie Review

Andrea "Andy" Sachs is a bright young woman from the Midwest who has just graduated from college and wants to work as a magazine writer. Andy has applied for a job at "Runway," America's most prestigious fashion journal; though Andy has little to no interest in the garment trade, they are one of the only magazines in New York with a job opening - second assistant to editor Miranda Priestly. As Andy quickly learns, Miranda is a diva with plenty of power within the magazine business and she isn't afraid to use it, and though Andy lands the job (primarily by being in the right place at the right time), she soon learns that working for Miranda could test the patience of a saint thanks to her endless demands and refusal to acknowledge the end of a work day. Andy struggles to hold on to the job and her sanity, knowing that a recommendation from Miranda can open nearly any door at any magazine, but can she handle the pressure without losing her mind along the way?

I was surprised that I actually liked this film. There was a good message that it addressed and it did so in a way that was funny and entertaining. Meryl Streep was perfect for this part and did a great job acting like a cold, power-hungry bitch. The supporting cast brought so much color to the story and the music was perfectly aligned with all the drama. It was just very well put together and I would recommend this film to anyone. Really - If you're a guy, don't let the title and the fact that it seems like a chick flick turn you off. If you give it a chance, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Women will love it regardless.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt

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.

Why We Fight - ACE Train Movie Review

In 1961, as Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his final address to the nation before leaving the office of President of the United States, he warned that America "must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence...by the military-industrial complex." Nearly 45 years later, as the United States finds itself waging a war in Iraq for reasons that seem increasingly unclear with the passage of time, Eisenhower's statement becomes all the more pertinent, and the question becomes more apt: has the machinery the United States established to wage war helped prevent conflict, or has it done more to inspire it? Why We Fight features interviews with foot soldiers, Army recruits, Pentagon personnel, decorated veterans, members of Congress, national security advisors, top military strategists, and many more as they talks about the core philosophies of American military strategy and how they have changed since the end of the Second World War.

This is a very relevant documentary for the times we are currently in. It is interesting to hear the different viewpoints of various folks within our government as well as regular citizens. The question of why we fight (as well as what are we fighting for in Iraq, in particular) has no easy answer and it seems that the communication between our government and the people have broken down. This documentary reminds me of something Michael Moore would make in that it really only shows one side of the story, so you should take it for what it's worth. Overall, I found it very interesting and would recommend it for war buffs and people who aren't already tired of all the talk about war.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Wilton Sekzer, Chalmers Johnson, William Solomon

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.

A Sound of Thunder - ACE Train Movie Review

Charles Hatton owns and operates a successful firm known as Time Safari. Thanks to time travel technology developed by Hatton's employee Sonia Rand, Time Safari allows big game hunters to journey back to prehistoric days and shoot living, breathing dinosaurs. Rand picks out the dinosaur in question, who is soon to die, and creates a floating walkway for the hunters, so the impact of their presence will not be felt by the land around them. But on one expedition, things go horribly wrong when a nervous hunter steps off the walkway and crushes a butterfly, a tiny act that proves to have massive consequences over the course of several million years. As the earth's climate and animal life begin to mutate due to this shift in natural history, Time Safari's leading hunting guide, Travis Ryer, works beside Rand in a desperate attempt to halt the "ripples of time" before modern civilization completely collapses.

This is basically a poor man's version of "Jurassic Park" without all the brilliant special effects, beautiful scenery and great musical soundtrack. It's a little different in that the dinosaurs evolve into new species (like the man eating baboons), but not significantly different to be totally original. Although, this film was based on a short story by Ray Bradbury (author of Fahrenheit 451) which intrigued me, but didn't boost my rating. It wasn't a horrible movie, just not up to par with it's closest competitor in the "don't mess with dinosaur DNA" space. I thinks it's safe to say that there won't be a sequel to this film or any Academy Awards.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Edward Burns, Catherine McCormack, Ben Kingsley

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 Ant Bully - Movie Review

Lucas Nickle is a ten-year-old boy whose family has just moved to a new town, and Lucas isn't enjoying it much - he hasn't made any friends yet, his big sister ignores him, his parents are occupied with their upcoming vacation in Mexico, and his loving but slightly crazy grandmother is convinced space aliens are casing out the neighborhood. To make matters worse, the local bully has found Lucas and is making his life miserable, so the boy looks for someone he can push around - and he soon finds a large colony of ants in his yard. Lucas takes out his frustrations by stomping, drowning, and burying the bugs, little realizing the ants see him as a threat to their safety and aren't about take his attacks lying down. Zoc is a "wizard ant" who creates a formula that shrinks Lucas to the size of an insect, and the tiny boy is brought before the leader of the Ant Council and the Queen of the Colony to answer for his crimes against the ants. Showing compassion, the queen sentences Lucas not to death, but to live among them and see how difficult their circumstances can be.

This was a computer-animated dud that couldn't be saved by the Hollywood stars they got to do the voices. The plot was simple and boring - a kid who blindly kills ants by spraying them with a garden hose, becomes one so he can be taught that he shouldn't do that since ants have feelings too. There were a few cute parts and funny scenes, but I was bored most of the time and was glad that it ended in less than 90 minutes. Since the plot is so straightforward, maybe kids would like it since it's easy to follow, but there's really nothing for adults to enjoy. What's worse is that this type of movie has been made before (and better), so it's not even very original. If you want to watch a movie about what it's like to be an insect, try "A Bug's Life" or "Antz" which are both better than this one.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, 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.

SJ Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche - 11/7/06

I took Dan to this game for his birthday since he's an Avalanche fan and this was the first time the Sharks played the Avs at the Tank this year. He wore all his Avalanche garb and I warned him that if the Sharks went up big, I wasn't responsible for what the Sharks fans would do (or say) to him :-) Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be, but at least Dan was able to see a good game by the Avalanche.

The first half of the game was very even. The Avalanche struck first when Brett Clark scored 11:10 into the first period. The Sharks answered back 2 minutes later when Jonathan Cheechoo scored on a power-play to tie it up. The second period started with Joe Sakic scoring from the goal crease 4 minutes in to put the Avs up by one. Four minutes later, Joe Thornton scored on a long shot to even it up at 2-2. From that point on, it was all Avs.

Brett McLean scored at 14:02 of the second to put the Avs up 3-2. Five minutes later, Brett Clark scored his second goal of the game (third of the season) to increase the Avs lead 4-2 and that's how the second period ended. In the third period, the Sharks had several chances to get back into the game (including a 5 on 3 power-play), but failed to score as Jose Theodore stood strong to get the victory. Joe Sakic provided one last goal as he scored for the second time in the game on the power-play at 7:34 to give the Avs a 5-2 victory.

After that last goal, the crowd was very silent for the rest of the game and a lot of fans started to leave with 10 minutes left. Since the Sharks have been playing great and winning this season, it was a strange sight to see the arena empty at the end instead of celebrating another win. Oh well, you can't win them all and the Sharks were definitely outplayed by the Avs in this one. Happy Birthday Bro!

Score: L 5-2
1st Period
Avs - Brett Clark (Joe Sakic, Wojtek Wolski)
SJ - Jonathan Cheechoo(PP) (Joe Thornton, Milan Michalek)
2nd Period
Avs - Joe Sakic (John-Michael Liles)
SJ - Joe Thornton (Rob Davison, Marc-Edouard Vlasic)
Avs - Brett McLean (Tyler Arnason, Brett Clark)
Avs - Brett Clark (Wojtek Wolski, Andrew Brunette)
3rd Period
Avs - Joe Sakic(PP) (Patrice Brisebois)

SJ SOG: 30
Avalanche SOG: 25
Winning Goalie: Jose Theodore
Losing Goalie: Vesa Toskala

Tickets: Section 211 Row 5

Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest - ACE Train Movie Review

As Will and Elizabeth prepare to exchange vows at the alter, their wedding plans hit rough waters with the arrival of sea-bound scallywag Jack Sparrow. It seems that Sparrow owes a substantial blood debt to half-octapus sea captain Davy Jones, and that the only way for the flamboyant sea rover to elude the wrath of his otherworldy pursuer is to seek the aid of mysterious and powerful Voodoo priestess Tia Dalma, whose ability to resurrect the dead and gaze into the future may provide just the advantage needed to avoid a waterlogged fate in the locker of his legendary nemesis.

This is an all-around great film. The special effects are superb, the props and costumes are outstanding, the dialog is well thought out and the acting is second to none. All of the great characters (and actors) from the first film are back for this one which is a huge plus. The story is very involved, complex and requires you to pay attention if you hope to follow what is going on. This complexity means you can watch it a second time and easily catch something you missed the first time around. The ending is frustrating - not because it's a bad ending, but because it's such a great cliffhanger that I can't wait until the third part of the trilogy to see how it all turns out.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

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.

Grandma's Boy - ACE Train Movie Review

Alex is a 35-year-old video-game tester who is happy with his work and is making ends meet - until he discovers that his roommate hasn't paid the rent for the last six months, using the money to finance repeated visits to a local massage parlor. After running out of friends who will let him sleep on their couch, Alex swallows his pride and moves in with his grandma Lily, who loves Alex and is happy to give him a place to stay in exchange for doing chores around the house. Lily shares her home with two friends, perpetually confused Bea and sexually adventurous Grace, and between the three of them, there's always work to be done, keeping Alex busy nearly every night. While Alex tells his co-workers he's living with three attractive women who are running him ragged, they don't know the real story; in the meantime, Alex is trying to charm the beautiful new executive, Samantha, while butting heads with the firm's space-case CEO Cheezle and J.P., a teenage game designer who is no longer in touch with reality.

If you like Adam Sandler's comedies, then you will most likely get a kick from this one. It is produced by Sandler's Happy Madison production company and features many of the actors that made appearances in his past films. However, this movie isn't as funny as Sandler's classics (to be clear, Sandler isn't in this film). Most of the comedy in this film comes from jokes about being stoned and drunk which gets old and not so funny toward the end. There are some very funny parts and some original characters that add a lot to the film. I just think it could have been a lot funnier if the pot references were just one part of the film instead of the main recurring theme.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Linda Cardellini, Allen Covert, Peter Dante, Shirley Jones, Doris Roberts, Kevin Nealon

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.

Shopgirl - ACE Train Movie Review

Mirabelle Buttersfield is an aspiring artist in her mid-twenties who moved to Los Angeles, where she works at the glove counter of an upscale department store. Mirabelle's job is simple and not demanding, but it doesn't pay especially well, and she finds herself struggling to get out from under a growing mountain of debt from student loans and credit cards. One night, while doing her laundry, Mirabelle meets Jeremy, a scruffy but likable would-be musician who makes ends meet selling guitar amps. While Jeremy is obviously infatuated with Mirabelle, she isn't sure how she feels about him, especially after she meets Ray Porter, a man in his fifties whom she meets at the store. Ray is independently wealthy, intelligent, and charming, and after asking her out on a date he sweeps her off her feet. However, while Mirabelle quickly falls for Ray and he's generous to a fault with her, he refuses to commit exclusively to her and suggests they should both see other people, a prospect that no longer holds much appeal for her.

For a movie with big name actors, this one certainly had an "independent film" feel to it. The dialog wasn't crisp or always meaningful. The pace of the film was slow and tedious at times. Some scenes seemed pointless (like when Jason Schwartzman's character slept with Bridgette Wilson's character and nothing ever came of it). It wasn't a bad film, it was just a bit boring and awkward - especially watching Steve Martin and Claire Danes getting friendly. So, this is probably more of a chick flick as I'm sure they love the idea of two nice guys competing for their attention, although I'm not sure anyone would really enjoy the slow pace.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras

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.

John Tucker Must Die - Movie Review

John Tucker is the big man on campus at his high school - he's the captain and star player of the basketball team, he's got money, he's good-looking and charming, and he can have any girl he wants. However, the latter attribute is about to get him in serious trouble when three different girls at his school - Heather, Beth and Carrie - discover they've all been dating John at the same time. Determined to bring down the campus ladykiller, the girls devise a plan - they pick a cute but socially clumsy girl who is new at school, Kate, and give her a crash course in stealing John's heart. Once Kate has John wrapped around her little finger, she's supposed to drop him like a bad habit and give him a taste of what heartbreak is really like. However, it seems that the early stages of the plan work a little too well, and John and Kate end up falling for each other for real.

I'm sure high school girls love this film. It features a lot of the petty drama that teenagers live with at school. For me, the movie was a bit too estrogen filled for my taste. It was basically a bunch of girls ganging up to teach a lesson to the school playboy by embarrassing him - not exactly an enthralling plot. Of course, I knew what I was getting into when I watched it, so I shouldn't be surprised. Overall, it's a good film for girls under 17, but a waste for anyone who has graduated high school.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Brittany Snow, Ashanti, Jenny McCarthy

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.

You, Me and Dupree - ACE Train Movie Review

Carl and Molly are a thirtysomething couple who have just gotten married and are settling down into a cozy new home in a quiet neighborhood. While Carl and Molly are happy with their new digs, Carl's best friend, Randy Dupree, is not content with his living arrangements. Dupree has all but made a career out of avoiding work, responsibility, and commitment, and while his charm usually manages to keep him afloat, he eventually loses his job, his apartment, and his car. Carl can't bear to see Dupree in such dire circumstances, and tells Dupree he can stay on their couch until he can get things straightened out. But while Carl was expecting Dupree to stay for a few days, it soon becomes obvious to both him and Molly that their guest has no intention of moving out anytime soon, and while the likable freeloader starts working his charm on Molly, their neighbors, and their friends, Carl soon finds himself at the end of his rope with his best man and childhood buddy.

I thought this film would be funnier. With Owen Wilson and Matt Dillon playing off each other, I was expecting a "laugh out loud" comedy. Instead, it was more of a drama and even kind of a downer at times. Wilson's character becomes a little annoying toward the end when his "lovable loser" routine gets old. Dillon's character isn't very likable from the beginning and I didn't find myself feeling sorry for him when his boss/father-in-law was giving him a bad time. Kate Hudson is hot, but that's about all she is in this film as her character didn't provide much substance. Overall, it wasn't a horrible movie, but not one I'd ever see again or quote lines from.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas

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.

United 93 - ACE Train Movie Review

Told in real time and acted out by a cast of unknowns who were provided with detailed studies of their real-life counterparts, United 93 attempts to reconstruct the airborne tragedy from the view of the ground and flight controllers, the passengers, and their nervous families awaiting word on the fate of their loved ones. As the terrified travelers and crew gradually become aware of the historical events taking place on the ground so far beneath them, the 90 minutes in which a random collection of strangers realized their fate and came together to confront an unthinkable threat are re-created.

This was a tough movie to watch. Since it was obviously based on a true story that we all remember well, it brought back the emotions I felt that day and made it even more personal since I was now flying in the airplane with a group of people who died that day. Given the sensitive subject, it was done as well as it possibly could have been done since the actors met with the families of the passengers they were portraying to get a sense of what the real people were like. Even though I knew the end of the story, I still found myself rooting for the passengers to overpower the terrorists and safely land the plane. It gave me a new insight into what really happened that day and re-emphasized the courage the passengers on that plane displayed during a time of unbelievable terror. I can't imagine what I would do in that situation, but I hope I could be as brave as they were.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Richard Bekins, Christian Clemenson, Ben Sliney

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 Da Vinci Code - ACE Train Movie Review

The stately silence of Paris' Louvre museum is broken when one of the gallery's leading curators is found dead on the grounds, with strange symbols carved into his body and left around the spot where he died. Hoping to learn the significance of the symbols, police bring in Sophie Neveu, a gifted cryptographer who is also the victim's granddaughter. Needing help, Sophie calls on Robert Langdon, a leading symbologist from the United States. As Sophie and Robert dig deeper into the case, they discover the victim's involvement in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members have been privy to forbidden knowledge dating back to the birth of Christianity. In their search, Sophie and Robert happen upon evidence that could lead to the final resting place of the Holy Grail, while members of the priory and an underground Catholic society known as Opus Dei give chase, determined to prevent them from sharing their greatest secrets with the world.

I always hear people say that movies based on books are rarely ever as good as the books they are based on. This film holds true to that line of thinking as the book was amazing, while the movie was "just" very good. I don't know how my opinion of the film would have changed if I hadn't read the book first, but the book was so descriptive that I was able to visualize everything that was happening and compared it to what I saw on the screen. It was pretty close to what I had imagined while reading the book, but they had to leave some things out or it would have been a 6 hour movie. On its own, the film was full of action, suspense and controversial theories - plenty to keep my interest for the full 2.5 hours. I'm not sure if Tom Hanks was the perfect Robert Langdon, but he got the job done. With all of the hype surrounding this movie, I don't think it could have met the high expectations, but it certainly came pretty close.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno

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. New Jersey Devils - 11/25/06

Shawnna and I attended this match-up between two teams who haven't faced each other in 3 years. Being a fan of Devil's goalie Martin Brodeur, I still wanted the Sharks to win, but I would have been happy with a 1-0 victory instead of running up the score on Brodeur. The Devils are a very defensive-minded team and that set the tone for the game.

The first two periods were very similar in style and outcome. There were a lot of sloppy passes, a good amount of play in the neutral zone, a few good scoring chances for each team, brilliant saves from the goaltenders, very few penalties and no scoring. Through the first 2 periods, each team were called for 2 penalties and the Sharks had the shot advantage 16-14, but the score was 0-0.

The third period was more of the same with one notable exception. At 8:49, Joe Thornton jumped on the ice when it wasn't his shift, intercepted a New Jersey pass and fired a bullet from the left faceoff circle past Brodeur to put the Sharks up 1-0. After that, the Devils really tried to keep the pressure on the Sharks and got a boost when the Sharks were called for a penalty with 1:30 remaining. The Devils pulled Brodeur for an extra attacker, so they essentially had a 2 man advantage. However, Nabokov stood on his head to keep the Devils off the scoreboard and Mike Grier scored a shorthanded, empty net goal from the Sharks zone with 8 seconds remaining to put the game on ice 2-0.

This game was Nabokov's 3rd shutout this season and 30th of his career. Brodeur also had a great game and only gave up 1 goal on 26 shots, but the Devils couldn't solve Nabokov. It was a great defensive game and proved the Sharks can match up well against any of the top teams in the league.

Score: W 2-0
1st Period
None
2nd Period
None
3rd Period
SJ - Joe Thornton (unassisted)
SJ - Mike Grier(SH, EN) (Marc-Edouard Vlasic)

SJ SOG: 27
Devils SOG: 24
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Martin Brodeur

Tickets: Section 220 Row 4

SJ Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings - 11/22/06

Shawnna and I went to this game with Angie and Sulak (friends we met on our trip to Hawaii). They had never been to a hockey game before, so we thought it would be fun to introduce them to the greatest sport on the planet. This was a great Sharks game to attend since it was against the interstate rival Kings and it was a "family four pack" game which means the tickets included a hot dog, soda and bag of chips - what a deal! It ended up being a great game for other reasons as well.

The first period got off to a shaky start as the Kings struck first with a soft goal from Scott Thornton (former Shark) that "unintentionally" went in off his skate. However, the Sharks struck back 2 minutes later when Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his first NHL goal on the power-play by directing a Joe Thornton pass past Dan Cloutier to tie it up at 1. The rest of the period was uneventful with the Sharks registering only 4 shots in the first 20 minutes.

The second period was completely dominated by the Sharks. Just 39 seconds into the period, Steve Bernier scored on the power-play to put the Sharks up 2-1. Joe Thornton kept the momentum going by scoring 1:20 later to increase the Sharks lead to 3-1. Just 58 seconds later, Patrick Marleau added another goal to push the dagger in deeper. More importantly, that was Marleau's 200th goal of his NHL career. The Sharks weren't finished yet - Marcel Goc scored 6 minutes later to put the Sharks up 5-1. To this point, the Sharks had scored 5 goals on 12 shots midway through the second period and that was good enough (or bad enough, depending on your perspective) for the Kings to replace Dan Cloutier in net with Mathieu Garon. That seemed to stop the hemorrhage as there was no more scoring for the rest of the period.

The third period was very similar to the first in that the Kings started it off with a soft goal from Dustin Brown 6 minutes in to cut the lead 5-2. The Sharks struck back a few minutes later when Joe Pavelski scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to increase the lead 6-2. After that, the Sharks just coasted through to the end and only registered 5 shots in the period. The Kings got their only quality goal of the game when Lubomir Visnovsky converted a Derek Armstrong pass across the crease to cut the lead 6-3, which is how it ended.

Overall, it was a great game and had so many exciting moments that is was perfect for Angie and Sulak's first time. It was fun to experience it with them as it reminded me of when I first saw a hockey game and became hooked on the action, power and speed. I'm not sure if they'll become as fanatical as I am, but at least they've now been introduced to the greatest game on ice - the rest is up to them... There will be a test on the rules we covered in two weeks :-)

Score: W 6-3
1st Period
Kings - Scott Thornton (Kevin Dallman, Derek Armstrong)
SJ - Marc-Edouard Vlasic(PP) (Joe Thornton)
2nd Period
SJ - Steve Bernier(PP) (Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau)
SJ - Joe Thornton (Mark Smith, Mike Grier)
SJ - Patrick Marleau (Steve Bernier, Marc-Edouard Vlasic)
SJ - Marcel Goc (Scott Hannan, Mark Bell)
3rd Period
Kings - Dustin Brown (Peter Harrold, Michael Cammalleri)
SJ - Joe Pavelski (Scott Hannan, Patrick Marleau)
Kings - Lubomir Visnovsky (Derek Armstrong, Michael Cammalleri)

SJ SOG: 20
Kings SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Dan Cloutier

Tickets: Section 219 Row 7

The Pink Panther - Movie Review

France's come-from-behind victory in the World Cup soccer championships turns tragic when the team's coach, Yves Gulant, is murdered during a post-game celebration. Gulant's girlfriend, pop star Xania, was standing by his side as he was felled by a poisoned dart, and in the chaos that followed a diamond ring he gave her was stolen, which held one of the world's largest and most valuable jewels, known as "the Pink Panther." The media and the public demand that the killer be found out and brought to justice, and Chief Inspector Dreyfus of the Paris Police pledges to put his best man on the case. However, somehow the astoundingly clumsy but consistently lucky Inspector Jacques Clouseau gets the assignment instead, and with his assistant, Gendarme Gilbert Ponton, in tow, Clouseau follows a dizzying trail of clues from Paris to New York City as he attempts to recover the rare diamond and find the villains who killed Gulant.

This film features Steve Martin acting completely inept and goofy - pretty much like he does in most of his movies. If you like Steve Martin and like slapstick comedy, you'll love this film. There were some very funny parts, but there were a lot of really dumb scenes as well. If something could go wrong, it did and usually made a big mess. It was amusing in the beginning, but got a little old as the film wore on - good thing it's only 90 minutes. I expected just what I saw, so I wasn't disappointed with hopes for a high quality, clever comedy. As long as you go in with the right expectations, you might actually chuckle a few times.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyonce Knowles, Jean Reno

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.

Wordplay - Movie Review

For 12 years, the name Will Shortz has been indelibly linked to the wildly popular New York Times crossword puzzle. As filmmakers speak with Shortz and the puzzle constructors with whom he collaborates, viewers are treated to a rare look into the minds of the people whose intellect entertains a nation of puzzle-solvers on a weekly basis. Interviews with a variety of celebrity crossword-puzzle enthusiasts including Bill Clinton, Indigo Girls, and Jon Stewart are also included, and a trip to the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament - an annual event founded by Shortz himself - offers an entertaining look at a world where the brain power and colorful personalities of contestants combine to create a lively atmosphere of friendly competition.

I'll start off by saying that this documentary is not for everyone. If you've never done a crossword puzzle, don't care about crossword puzzles and think only dorks do crossword puzzles, don't bother watching this film as you will most likely be bored. However, there is a big element of competition and suspense that kept my interest the entire time and it was interesting to see who creates crossword puzzles and how they do it. The crossword contestants had quirky and intriguing personalities and, by the end, I found myself pulling for a couple of them to win the tournament and now I have a hankerin' to do a puzzle myself - although, I'd be happy to just finish, let alone do it under 3 minutes.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Shortz, Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Indigo Girls

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.

Hard Luck - ACE Train Movie Review

Lucky is an infamous ex-con whose road to redemption is about to take some very unlucky turns. Against his own better judgment he agrees to celebrate a gangster's birthday, which turns out to be a setup that catapults Lucky back into a frenzied game of cat and mouse between him and a band of dirty cops. In no time, Lucky steals millions of dollars, kidnaps a hot-tempered pole dancer, and finds himself on an explosive and bizarre collision course with the police, the hitmen and a pair of sadistic serial killers.

This is a run of the mill action flick. Nothing special or very different that hasn't been done before. Therefore, if you like action movies, you'll probably enjoy this one - especially if you're a guy since there's a hot woman who is naked in quite a few scenes. However, if you're looking for something unique, steer clear of this film as you'll be disappointed. The ending was quite poor as well. The whole movie culminated in a conclusion that happened way too fast and left me thinking that more was going to occur since it couldn't have finished like that. Unfortunately, that was it.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Cybill Shepherd, Mario Van Peebles

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. Philadelphia Flyers - 11/18/06

Dan and I attend this game to check out the Flyers who have plenty of big name players, but for some reason, haven't had much luck winning many games. Of course, the fact that the Flyers are one of the worst teams this year meant that the Sharks had a good chance of winning big - which they proceeded to do.

Right off the bat, the Sharks wasted no time in setting the pace of the game as Patrick Rissmiller scored 2:30 in and 2 minutes later, Milan Michalek tapped in a nice pass from Joe Thornton to put the Sharks up 2-0. The Flyers took their timeout to try to slow things down and it seemed to work as Geoff Sanderson scored on the power-play 5 minutes later to cut the lead to 2-1. The Sharks got back on track 2 minutes later when Mike Grier scored a short-handed goal to close out the period with the Sharks leading 3-1.

The second period was filled with lots of penalties and a few Sharks goals. Kyle McLaren kicked things off with a power-play goal 4 minutes in to increase the lead to 4-1. Five minutes later, Ryane Clowe got into the action when he scored on a pass from Patrick Marleau. Just 3 minutes after that, Curtis Brown put the exclamation mark on a game that was being dominated by the Sharks 6-1. After that goal, the Flyers figured Robert Esche had seen enough (he gave up 6 goals on 18 shots) and pulled him in favor of Antero Niittymaki. That move worked (or the Sharks stopped trying) as the Sharks didn't score for the rest of the game.

The third period was very boring. There wasn't any scoring and there were no penalties called. The Sharks had only 6 shots in the entire period as they were clearly just trying to run out the clock and finish a game that was completely out of reach for the Flyers. The crowd even started to leave mid-way through the period and by the end, the arena was only half full. I guess that's what happens when there's no suspense. Overall, the Sharks played a great game, scored early and often, took advantage of the Flyers weaknesses, won a couple of fights and put on a great show for the fans. It was the perfect game if you were a Sharks fan.

Score: W 6-1
1st Period
SJ - Patrick Rissmiller (Ville Nieminen, Marcel Goc)
SJ - Milan Michalek (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Flyers - Geoff Sanderson(PP) (Mike Richards, Randy Robitaille)
SJ - Mike Grier(SH) (Curtis Brown)
2nd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren(PP) (Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Patrick Rissmiller)
SJ - Ryane Clowe (Patrick Marleau, Steve Bernier)
SJ - Curtis Brown (Ryane Clowe)
3rd Period
None

SJ SOG: 25
Flyers SOG: 18
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Robert Esche

Tickets: Section 221 Row 3

Mini's First Time - ACE Train Movie Review

Mini is a manipulative, highly sexualized teenager with parents who fail to offer much structure or guidance and she's on a mission to stir up as much trouble as she can before her high school graduation. Her stepfather is rich and dim, and her mother leads a hard-partying lifestyle. As the relationship between Mini and her stepfather grows more twisted, a series of disturbing events at their posh modern house finally prompts the arrival of John as a nosey detective on the case.

This movie is really just about a manipulative slut who uses her body to get what she wants. However, in the end, I still can't figure out what she really wants besides drama and chaos. The plot wasn't deep, very suspenseful or complete as the movie ended with several loose ends. The acting was marginal at best and some of the scenes in this movie were disturbing on several levels. I'm very surprised at the "names" they got to do this film, but I guess everyone has some stinkers in their portfolio. Overall, this is one to skip unless you really want to see Alec Baldwin getting overly friendly with a high school girl.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Nikki Reed, Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Jeff Goldblum

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.

American History X - ACE Train Movie Review

Teen Danny Vinyard races to tell his older brother, neo-Nazi Derek, about the young blacks breaking into his car in front of the house, whereupon Derek gets his gun and with no forethought shoots the youths in their tracks. Tried and convicted, Derek is sent away for three years in prison, where he acquires a different outlook as he contrasts white-power prisoners with black Lamont, his prison laundry co-worker and eventual pal. Meanwhile, Danny, with a shaved head and a rebellious attitude, seems destined to follow in his big brother's footsteps. After Danny writes a favorable review of Hitler's Mein Kampf, black high-school principal Sweeney puts Danny in his private "American History X" course and assigns him to do a paper about his older brother, who was a former student of Sweeney's. This serves to introduce flashbacks, with the film backtracking to illustrate Danny's account of Derek's life prior to the night of the shooting.

This is a very intense, disturbing and powerful film. Some parts are hard to watch, not because it is bad, but because it is so real and doesn't try to sugar coat a topic that many people don't want to address. From beginning to end, this is an unflinching look at racism and its potential causes, ramifications and effects on impressionable youth. Edward Norton is amazing in this role and leads a cast of talented actors in creating the realistic feel for the movie. It should be required viewing for all neo-Nazis in the penal system and "hardcore" teenagers as it could easily be a deterrent and warning for what their future might hold. Overall, it's a powerful film with a powerful message that's a must see.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo

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.

Cars - ACE Train Movie Review

Lightning McQueen may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche, Doc Hudson, and Mater the Tow Truck, the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race.

What a great film! Disney Pixar created another classic animated feature with this one. The animation is amazing - technology keeps getting better and better. The plot is entertaining and educational at the same time. The dialog is very funny and contains many references that only adults would understand, but kids wouldn't think they missed anything since there's so much to look at. Car lovers and Nascar fans would love this film on a whole different level and would be able to identify with Mater the Tow Truck, who's absolutely hilarious. In other words, this movie has something for everyone - it's the whole ball of wax and a definite must see.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, George Carlin, Michael Keaton, Richard Petty

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.

Master of Disguise - ACE Train Movie Review

Pistachio Disguisey is an ordinary waiter with a hidden, mostly untapped talent for transforming himself into any persona he wishes. When his kindly parents, Mama and Frabbrizio, are kidnapped by the evil thief Devlin, the usually meek Pistachio is forced to rescue them. Enlisting the help of his grandfather, Pistachio learns that he is one of a long line of family members to have the power of "Energico," a mystical means of changing one's identity to suit any given situation, and Pistachio learns to use these powers to their fullest to defeat Devlin and win back his folks.

I loved Dana Carvey during his SNL days and Wayne's World was a classic film. However, this movie is a big pile of garbage and a waste of time to watch. It's more silly than funny and had a ridiculous plot that wasn't interesting. I wasn't expecting this to be a great film, but it was worse than I had imagined. I was very close to just turning it off a couple of times, but I knew it was only about 1 hour 15 minutes, so the end was near. I would image that kids might like it because it was really silly, but it's not for adults. Bottom line - don't waste your time unless your 7.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Dana Carvey, James Brolin, Jennifer Esposito, Harold Gould

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 Butterfly Effect 2 - ACE Train Movie Review

Nick and Julie were deeply in love, but when death robs the young couple of their lifetime of happiness, Nick isn't willing to say goodbye to his soulmate without a fight. Soon discovering that he has the ability to travel into the past to a point before the time of Julie's untimely death, Nick struggles to find a means of saving his one true love despite the increasingly troubling results that his well-intended heroics seem to have on the future.

The first Butterfly Effect was a great film. This sequel wasn't quite as good (because it had been done before), but it was still a very good movie. Despite not having any big stars, the plot held its own and kept me interested the entire time. The ending wasn't much of a surprise, but it could have gone a couple of different ways and turned out to be a fitting conclusion. After enjoying this film, I sure hope they don't make another sequel. Although it's a cool idea for a story, it has reached the point where another movie would be overkill and clearly an attempt to capitalize on past success (ala Final Destination 3).

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Eric Lively, Erica Durance, J.R. Bourne

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.

Edmond - Movie Review

Edmond Burke is on his way home from work one evening when he impulsively stops to have his fortune read by a woman who informs him, "You are not where you belong." When he does arrive home, Edmond soon falls into an argument with his wife, and he storms out into the city, where he stops at a bar for a few drinks. There, Edmond finds himself talking with a man who freely shares his racist views about the role of African-Americans in society, and suddenly Edmond begins letting go of the sense of self-control that has always governed his actions. After a crawl through the city's underbelly of watering holes, strip clubs, gambling dens, and brothels, Edmond comes face to face with the violence of this world, and unexpectedly finds himself responding in kind.

This was a very odd, yet intriguing movie. After finishing it, I'm not sure I really get the point of the film. It definitely had an independent film feel with the amateurish dialog and confusing, seemingly pointless scenes. William H. Macy was great as always and this was certainly a new type of role for him - he sure looks a lot different as a bald prisoner. In the end, though, it was just a little too strange and unpolished for my taste.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: William H. Macy, Joe Mantegna, Mena Suvari, Julia Stiles, Denise Richards

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. Pittsburgh Penguins - 11/4/06

Dan and I went to the game and were ready to see what the hype surrounding Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was all about. The arena was packed and there was a huge line outside waiting to see if any extra tickets went on sale. The buzz was electric as the game began.

The first period began on a sour note as Jonathan Cheechoo was ejected 1 minute in when he ran Mark Eaton into the boards and was called for boarding and a game misconduct. That set the tone for the entire period as the teams rarely played 5 on 5 while 10 penalties were called. Even with all of the power plays, nobody scored and the period ended with each team totaling 8 shots on goal.

The second period started much better when Kyle McLaren scored on a Joe Thornton rebound to put the Sharks up 1-0. Six minutes later, Pittsburgh tied it up on Michel Oullet's breakaway goal and the game was on. Just two minutes later, Matt Carle scored on the power play and the period ended with the Sharks up 2-1.

The Sharks started the third period with a bang as Mike Grier scored 33 second in, but Dominic Moore answered for the Penguins 1 minute later to keep it a 1 goal game. The rest of the game was a nail biter as the Penguins kept Crosby and Malkin on the ice as much as possible to try to tie it up. With 1 minute left, they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker to put the pressure on the Sharks. Toskala held strong in net and didn't allow anything get by during the final push and the Sharks won 3-2.

In the end, the Sharks held Crosby shotless and Malkin, while taking 3 shots on goal, was held scoreless for the first time in his 7 game career (he was trying to set a record for the most consecutive games with a goal to start a career). Joe Thornton had three assists and the Sharks looked much better than they did against the Rangers on Thursday. All in all, it was a fun game to attend, the crowd had a ton of energy and it was nice to see the Sharks back on track.

Score: W 3-2
1st Period
None
2nd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren (Joe Thornton, Patrick Rissmiller)
Penguins - Michel Ouellet (Josef Melichar)
SJ - Matt Carle(PP) (Milan Michalek, Joe Thornton)
3rd Period
SJ - Mike Grier (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Penguins - Dominic Moore (John LeClair, Michel Ouellet)

SJ SOG: 34
Penguins SOG: 27
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury

Tickets: Section 223 Row 3

Nacho Libre - ACE Train Movie Review

Nacho is a young man who works as a cook in the Mexican monastery where he was raised. When the institution faces a financial crisis, Nacho decides that he must come to the aid of the house of God (as well as the beautiful young nun who has recently joined the order) by competing in the local Lucha Libre wrestling tournament. Donning a spandex outfit, mask, and cape, Nacho becomes a hero for the ages - but can he win the heart of a woman of the cloth?

Depending on your state of mind, this could be a super funny film or one of the dumbest movies you have ever seen. The plot is ridiculous and the acting, singing and wrestling is way over the top. It's obvious why kids love Jack Black and he's always a hit on the Nickelodeon TV shows. He has the type of humor that is really silly and immature. If you're looking for a quality comedy, this isn't it. However, if you're in a goofy mood (or you're 12, drunk or stoned) you might just laugh your @ss off... ooxxooXoXXx

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jack Black, Hictor Jimenez, Ana de la Reguera

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. NY Rangers - 11/2/06

Shawnna and I went to the game after feasting at the Sonoma Chicken Coop - good food, big portions, decent prices - Inexpensive Excellence :) It was a rainy, drab night which was an indicator of things to come.

The Sharks were home after a 5 game road trip and the Rangers were playing for the 2nd consecutive night after beating the Ducks in overtime on Wednesday. Needless to say, both teams looked tired and sluggish during the game. The Sharks seemed to dominate the first period, finishing with a 9-4 shot advantage. However, the Rangers final shot of the period was a breakaway goal by Matt Cullen with .7 seconds left on the clock. Not a good way to end the period.

The second period was more of the same. The Sharks dominated in every way except where it counts. Despite a 12-9 shot advantage, the Rangers got the only goal of the period as Martin Straka knocked in a rebound to put the Rangers up 2-0. By the third period, the crowd seemed to literally be asleep and the players weren't far behind. Nothing happened of note until 2.5 minutes left in the game when Kyle McLaren fired a long shot that made its way past Kevin Weekes for the Sharks only goal of the game. After the goal went in, there was a delay of about 5 seconds before the crowd started to cheer - very strange. After that, the Sharks finally seemed to have a fire in their belly and had a couple of great chances to tie it up, but Weekes was too strong in net. The game ended after Brendan Shanahan threw the puck down the ice to clear the zone and it went in the Sharks empty net with 3.6 seconds left giving the Rangers a 3-1 victory.

Overall, it was a pretty boring game and the Sharks power play (the best in the NHL) looked horrible as they went 0 for 5 with the man advantage. It was good to see Jaromir Jagr who, despite not getting on the scoreboard, is a threat anytime he touches the puck and had 3 good shots that were stopped by Nabokov. Next up are the Penguins where the Sharks will have their hands full with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin who are on their way to being the next superstars. The Sharks better wake up or it's going to be another long season.

Score: L 3-1
1st Period
Rangers - Matt Cullen (Petr Prucha, Brendan Shanahan)
2nd Period
Rangers - Martin Straka (Michael Nylander, Fedor Tyutin)
3rd Period
SJ - Kyle McLaren (Mike Grier)
Rangers - Brendan Shanahan(EN) (unassisted)

SJ SOG: 30
Rangers SOG: 19
Winning Goalie: Kevin Weekes
Losing Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov

Tickets: Section 219 Row 5

Slither - ACE Train Movie Review

Booted out of bed by his young, trophy-wife Starla, and in desperate need of some female companionship, wealthy Grant Grant picks up bar local floozy Brenda and heads into the woods for a hedonistic night of extramarital excitement. When a flaming meteor lights up the sky before crashing to the ground nearby, Grant's curiosity gets the best of him and he sets out to find the space rock. Subsequently infected with a rampaging space virus, which he passes along to Brenda, Grant transforms into a horrific, cow-munching monster and begins terrorizing the town. As thousands of squirmy space slugs burrow into the brains of the unsuspecting Wheelsy denizens creating an ever-amassing horde of mindless space zombies, panic grips the small town and it's up to Starla, Sheriff Bill Pardy, and gung-ho mayor Jack MacReady to put an end to the infection and save the planet.

Bad acting and bad writing resulted in a horribly bad movie. I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a horror film or a comedy. The zombies that were chasing the good guys were ridiculous - as if the filmmakers rounded up their couch potato buddies and asked them to play zombies in their new film. Heck, maybe the joke is on me and the filmmakers were trying to make a bad horror film on purpose. If that's the case, well done...

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry

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 Omen - ACE Train Movie Review

Robert and Katherine Thorn were as loving parents as any young boy could ask for, but as fate would have it, their new son Damien is far from the typical child. Now, as the mysterious boy's growth begins to share frightening parallels with the Biblical passages detailing the rise of the Antichrist, and the lives of all who seek to reveal his true nature are cut gruesomely short, Robert and Katherine are forced to face the horrifying prospect that their child has been sent from Satan to hasten the fall of modern civilization, and that there is little they can do to curb his prophesied path of ultimate destruction.

This was a well made film and kept my interest throughout. While the underlying theme was demonic and supernatural, the majority of the action was surprisingly well grounded and could be explained by secular means. Some of the scenes actually reminded me of the movie Final Destination in that the deaths that occurred could be explained as an unfortunate series of events (or the workings of a higher power). Anyway, it was chilling and provided enough startling moments to be a pretty good horror flick. The part I really didn't like was the ending - it kept the door open for a sequel, which seemed blatant and cheezy.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Mia Farrow

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.

Over the Hedge - ACE Train Movie Review

A group of feisty forest critters awaken following the winter freeze to discover that not only has a new neighborhood cropped up during the cold months, but living in close proximity to humans may have its benefits. Despite Verne the Turtle's initial hesitance to breach the formidable foliage that has appeared on his doorstep since last fall, the arrival of fearless raccoon RJ and revelation that their new human neighbors throw out enough food in one day to feed a whole forest lead the gang to consider taking the plunge and exploring the snack-filled suburbs. As Verne and RJ learn to work together in taking on their strange new surroundings, Stella the Skunk, Hammy the Squirrel, Heather the Opossum, and Heather's father, Ozzie, join in on the fun by scavenging for Girl Scout cookies and attempting to scuttle past the pesky new suburbanites undetected.

This is a very entertaining animated feature that adults and kids can both enjoy. The animation is clean and appealing to look at, the dialog is funny and there's even some good messages that can be taken away. I loved the portrayal of suburbia which was pretty spot on and made me laugh because the absurdity was very true. The characters were well developed, had unique personalities and the voices were perfectly cast. The chemistry between them is what made the film funny and engaging. Definitely a must see.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, Avril Lavigne, Eugene Levy, 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.

An American Haunting - ACE Train Movie Review

The year was 1818 and the Bell family was a quiet clan residing on a remote farm in Red River, Tennessee. A normal, loving family by all accounts, the uneventful lives of the Bell family began to take a dark turn when strange noises around the farm preceded the arrival of a black wolf with piercing yellow eyes said to strike unspeakable fear into the very soul of all who encounter it. As the sadistic spirit singles out the youngest daughter of the Bell family for torment and her frightened parents search frantically for a rational explanation to the chilling events unfolding in their once happy home, an eerie, disembodied voice promises death from beyond the grave. With the struggle rapidly turning violent and the Bell's desperate prayers for mercy going unanswered time and again, the shocking murder that followed would prove the only case in recorded American history where the death of a human being was directly attributed to an attack by an evil entity or spirit.

I'm not a big believer of ghosts and don't particularly enjoy stories that rely on supernatural explanations instead of concrete / natural causes. The fact that this film was "based on true events" piqued my interest, but after watching it, I realize that the "true events" were really ghost sightings - not my idea of fact-based. The film itself was creepy and semi-interesting, but it was a little confusing and I found myself trying to piece the story together after I finished watching it. The stimulus for the haunting turned out to be very disturbing, but I still have questions that can only be answered by believing in unearlthly beings. A little disappointing, but a good one to watch on Halloween.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood

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.

Monster House - ACE Train Movie Review

DJ Harvard lives directly across the street from a most unusual house. A malevolent entity that longs to feed on the energy of the living, the once peaceful house that looms ominously outside of DJ's bedroom window would like nothing more than the chance to feast on the children of the neighborhood. As Halloween begins to draw near and the children of the neighborhood prepare for another long night of trick-or-treating, it appears as if it may be the house that is in for the biggest treat of all. Now, with the adults turning a deaf ear to DJ's strange findings, it's up to the brave young boy and his faithful friends Chowder and Jenny to break through the barrier of the supernatural and defeat the powers of darkness before the house grows too powerful to fight.

The animation is great, but that's really the only positive thing about this film. For adults, there's not much to keep your interest. For kids, it's a bit scary, so it's not suitable for the younger ones. That means there's a narrow age range of kids who might actually enjoy it. After 90 minutes, I was glad it was over and wondered what the real point of the film was. It doesn't have a moral lesson and is not very entertaining. Save your time and money on this one.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Kathleen Turner

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.

Little Voice - ACE Train Movie Review

Little Voice (LV) is a shy, mousy woman living with her mom Mari. LV doesn't leave her house. Instead she sings along to her record collection of Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe. Her mother Mari, however, is an outspoken woman who is convinced her sex appeal (which is little) will land her a man, especially when she's drunk. One night while bar-hopping, Mari meets the suave yet sleazy talent agent Ray Say, whom she takes home for a nightcap. There Ray hears the beautiful LV singing a perfect rendition of Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz. He's stunned by its beauty and thinks he can make her a star.

This film is a chick flick, moves slowly and is not really my style. The first 30 minutes were almost unbearable for me as it took that long for the story to take off. However, once LV started singing, everything changed. The woman who plays LV sings all of the songs herself and is absolutely amazing. It's uncanny how much she sounds like the artists she's impersonating. The rest of the film can be skipped, but Jane Horrocks is a talent that shouldn't be missed.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine, Ewan McGregor

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 Great New Wonderful - ACE Train Movie Review

Dr. Trabulous is a gifted psychologist with a special knack for truly understanding his patients. When an ordinary businessman who has witnessed a terrible office tragedy seeks to gain the insight of the seasoned professional, Dr. Trabulous helps to release a hidden rage that has slowly been eating away at the man's troubled soul. Meanwhile, in the culinary world, Great New Wonderful pastry shop proprietor Emme Keeler is about to discover that unseating the woman known as the Queen of Cake doesn't come without some heavy consequences. Elsewhere in the city, troubled couple Allison and David Burbage fight to save their marriage and break through to their curiously overconfident ten-year-old boy. Avi and Satish are immigrants and best friends who work together as security guards and wander the city making observations about contemporary America until their opposing perspectives are challenged by an unexpected development in their lives that neither saw coming. And despite the comfort she takes in her daily routine, Julie Berman discovers that her passion for life has long since died, until a visit with a childhood friend helps her to realize just what she's been missing all these lonely years.

This is a boring and seemingly pointless film. It was listed as a dramatic comedy, but it was far from funny and barely dramatic. The comedy is so subtle that it's almost non-existent - maybe that's what they call "intelligent comedy" which is mentioned on the DVD case. All of the mini stories that are told involve mundane characters in depressing situations - not exactly my idea of an interesting and enjoyable film. If you're in a good mood, don't watch this film as it might spoil your mood and if you're in a bad mood, it might drive you insane. Don't bother wasting your time with this pile of cr@p.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Olympia Dukakis, Jim Gaffigan, Edie Falco

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 Break-Up - ACE Train Movie Review

The future once looked promising for thirtysomething couple Brooke and Gary, but lately it seems like a series of increasingly petty and intolerable squabbles have snuffed any semblance of romance in their relationship. Their confrontation endlessly fueled by mean-spirited suggestions of revenge tactics from friends and family and their stubborn refusal to budge resulting in an excruciating stalemate, Brooke and Gary ultimately decide to spitefully stick it out as hostile roommates until the weaker party eventually admits defeat. As the competition to drive one another out grows increasingly intense and outrageous, however, Brooke eventually comes to the realization that she's not fighting for possession of the condominium as much as she is fighting to salvage her relationship with the man she once viewed as the love of her life.

Based on the previews I saw of this film, I was expecting something funny. Instead, it was more dramatic and sad than light and humorous. Jennifer Aniston did a pretty good job, but Vince Vaughn seemed a bit awkward and the chemistry between the two definitely wasn't magic. This could have been a hilarious movie, but they decided to go the "emotional" route which makes comedy nearly impossible. The ending left me with a bad taste in my mouth, but I suppose it could have been worse (like the alternate ending they had in the special features section). If you still want to watch this film, just know that you're not going to see a comedy and you won't be disappointed like I was.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau

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.

Art School Confidential - ACE Train Movie Review

Jerome is an aspiring artist who arrives at a prestigious East Coast art institute to study. While Jerome enjoys daydreams of becoming the best-respected painter on Earth and winning the hearts of his female classmates, he soon learns the sad truth - his "cool artist" act is old hat in the big city, and as he's surrounded by every art school cliche on Earth, practically nothing about him stands out. Determined to be recognized whatever the consequences, Jerome maps out a bizarre plan to become famous that has some unexpected consequences.

This was a very quirky and fresh movie, although some might say it was boring and cliche. However, it was supposed to be cliche which is why it was a clever satire. The plot as a whole was a little slow and strange, but that's what you get when John Malkovich is involved. It made me laugh when the classmates in the film critiqued each others work - some loved what they saw and others were less than impressed. It's just like reviewing movies in that people's opinions are all over the board and that is the beauty of art - it has the power to bring people's emotions to the surface and can speak to each individual in a different way.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Anjelica Huston

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.

Beyond the Gates of Splendor - ACE Train Movie Review

In 1956, a group of five American missionaries were sent to Ecuador, where they introduced themselves to the Aucas, a tribe of indigenous people who lived near the Eastern Amazon River. The Auca tribe was among the most violent societies on Earth - six out of ten deaths among the tribe were homicide, and they were even more bloodthirsty with outsiders than they were with their own. The Americans attempted to convince the Aucas of their good intentions, but they were soon speared to death by members of the tribe. However, after word reached the United States that the missionaries had been murdered, the wife of one of the fallen men traveled to Ecuador to continue her husband's work. Within two years, a profound change came over the Aucas - their murder rate fell by 90 percent, and in time, the newly peaceful tribe renamed themselves the Waodani.

This is a documentary about incredible events that were also made into a movie called End of the Spear. After watching the feature film, I was excited about seeing this documentary since I figured it would show a lot of the interaction between the indigenous tribe and the missionaries. In fact, it featured a little bit of the "clashing cultures," but not as much as I would have liked. The first 30 minutes focused mostly on the missionaries and their families which isn't what I was interested in. The best parts were the footage of the "rescue party" discovering the site where the missionaries were killed, the grandson of one of the slain missionaries talking about how close he has come to the Waodani who killed his grandfather and the tribesman visiting the US for the first time and being awestruck at the basic amenities we take for granted. Overall, this documentary wasn't as good as I had hoped, but I'm not disappointed I spent the time to watch it.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Saint

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.

8 Mile - ACE Train Movie Review

Jimmy Smith, known to his friends as Rabbit, is a young man trying to make his way out of the burned-out shell of inner-city Detroit. Rabbit's entire life has been a hard climb, and it certainly hasn't gotten any easier lately; Rabbit has just been dumped by his girlfriend, forcing him to move back in with his emotionally unstable mother, Stephanie, and he's getting along especially poorly with Stephanie's new boyfriend. Rabbit has a factory job that's tough, demeaning, and doesn't pay especially well, and he's convinced his skills as a rapper are his only real hope at a better life. Rabbit makes music with a crew of DJ's and MC's who call themselves Three One Third, among them his close friend Future, but his status as a white kid making music in a predominantly African-American community and culture is extremely intimidating, and after Rabbit freezes up in the midst of an MC battle, he's convinced he's missed his chance and that he's doomed to lead a marginal life as a factory rat for the rest of his days. With the help of his friends, and his new girlfriend Alex, Rabbit struggles to work up the courage and the confidence to take one more shot at making his dream a reality.

Eminem was very good in this film and was convincing as a struggling rapper trying to make a name for himself in the rap game. Of course, this movie was inspired by Eminem's own life, so it wasn't exactly a stretch. It was pretty engaging and the supporting actors were as important to this film as Eminem and they definitely held their own. There was a lot more to the plot than the struggle to become a rapper, but I thought the most interesting parts were the rap battles. The special features section had footage of unscripted rap battles that were particularly impressive. I think the film ended too soon since there is much more to the story, but I suppose everyone already knows how the post-script plays out. Even if you're not a fan of rap, this movie has enough of a "meaty" story that you could still be entertained without being completely annoyed.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer

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.

Click - Movie Review

On the surface, Michael Newman seems to have it all, yet with all the demands forced upon him by his ungrateful boss, Michael finds that setting aside time to spend with his loving wife, Donna, and two picture-perfect children, Ben and Samantha, has grown increasingly difficult. When a frustrating bout with the television remote leads the overworked husband and father to a nearby Bed, Bath & Beyond in search of a universal remote with the power to control all of his electronic devices, a curious peek into the back room leads Michael into the company of eccentric employee and talented inventor Morty. It seems that Morty has created a device that will not only allow Michael complete control over his television and stereo, but his entire life as well. As Michael discovers that the remarkable device has the power to muffle the barks of the family dog, zoom himself past an irritating quarrel with his wife, and even allow him to travel back and forth through time to different points in his life, the rush of being able to skip straight to the good parts in life soon leaves him feeling as if he's missing out on the total experience. Only when Michael begins to realize that the he has lost control of his life and the remote is now programming him does he finally learn that life is as much about the moments he'd rather forget as it is the moments he will always remember.

This is an original concept for a film and the underlying message is something a lot of people should pay attention to. As a movie, however, it's nothing special. There are several films Adam Sandler has made that are classics and must sees, but this isn't one of them. Don't get me wrong - it's a good film, but not up to the standards I expect from Adam Sandler (i.e. it's not incredibly funny, puzzling or goofy). It's more dramatic than anything and I just don't enjoy him in that type of role. I would like one of those remotes to use for certain circumstances, but I might use it to fast-forward this film. It's a good rental, but nothing more.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, Henry Winkler, David Hasselhoff

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.