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.