Dave Piloted an Airplane - July 30, 2006

On July 30th, I was fortunate enough to receive a free flying lesson from Bill Komanetsky with Shawnna as the passenger/photographer. Bill is the neighbor of a friend we met on the ACE Train (Mike Seymour) and just so happens to be a flight instructor. We were at Mike's house for a get together a few weeks ago and I started to talk to Bill about flying and he generously offered to take Shawnna and I up in his plane for a tour of the San Francisco Bay - and try to reel me in as a student :-) When he said that he would let me fly, I figured he meant that he would give me the wheel for a few minutes as a token gesture. Boy, was I wrong...

At 9:45am, we met Bill at the Livermore Airport and drove out to the hangar where his plane is stored. We pulled the plane out and that's when Bill opened the left cockpit door, showing me all of the instruments on the panel in front of the pilot's seat and told me that's where I would be sitting to pilot the plane. My first thought was that he was kidding, but he wasn't, so Shawnna got in the back, I sat in the pilot's seat and Bill sat in the co-pilot's seat. I looked at the instrument panel completely baffled, but Bill walked through each gauge and explained its purpose. After an initial safety check, we taxied to the runway, performed a further safety check and got ready for takeoff.

Oh, did I mention that I was going to be the one taking off? That's right, Bill gave me the instructions on what to do and we went full throttle down the runway, I pulled back on the yoke and we lifted off - what a rush. Not only did I take off, but I also flew the entire time we were up in the air. I ascended to 3,000 feet and we headed toward Benicia to see all the battleships in the water. Then, we headed south toward San Francisco to get some great views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the air. After circling the bridge and checking out Alcatraz, we headed east to Point Reyes, checked out the lighthouse on the point and flew up the coast directly over the beach. Then, I ascended to 5,500 feet and we headed back to Livermore.

Of course, that was a very quick synopsys of what we did, but the time really seemed to go by fast. The weather was perfect - just a few clouds, but mostly sunny even over San Francisco. While in the air, I had to pay attention to the instrument panel to make sure everything was OK, but I was able to look out the windows quite a bit and take in the sights. Since landing the plane is probably the most challenging part flying, I handed control back over to Bill so he could get us safely on the ground - which he did very smoothly. Finally, we taxied back to the hangar, put the plane away and drove home (not as fun as flying).

When all was said and done, the flight took about 2 hours and I had control of the plane the entire time except for the landing. We flew at various altitudes, but never went higher than 5,500 feet and cruised at about 120 Knots (138 MPH). The airplane was a 2002 Cessna 182T in great condition and most importantly, it was a complete blast to fly. Thanks again Bill! It was awesome and if anyone is interested, here is Bill's website with lots of info about flying: www.komanetskyaviation.com

Click on any picture to enlarge. The map below highlights the general area where I flew.

Final Destination 3 - ACE Train Movie Review

Wendy is a high school student hanging out with her friends at an amusement park one night when they decide to ride on the roller coaster. Wendy, however, has a premonition that something horrible will happen, and finds a way to save herself shortly before the ride goes off the rails, killing most of its passengers, including her boyfriend, Jason, and best friend, Carrie. However, while Wendy may have survived the night at the park, she soon discovers that a malevolent spirit is following her and her classmates as they begin dying in strange and horrible ways. Wendy learns that a series of snapshots taken that evening give clues to the mayhem that followed her pals, and she teams up with Kevin, Carrie's sweetheart, to try to warn the potential victims about the fates soon to befall them.

If you liked Final Destination, you'll like the third installment of the series as well. Unlike Final Destination 2, this film starts with an entire new cast of characters and completes the story arc entirely during this film - hopefully not leaving room for a fourth film. After watching the first two films, I'm amazed that the writers can still come up with very creative ways to kill people. Although this was basically just a remake of the first film, I was still hooked and was entertained throughout. Not recommended for the faint of heart, this movie is guaranteed to make you squirm during several scenes and will leave you thinking a little differently about fate. Have you had a brush with death? You can't dodge the Grim Reaper forever... (insert evil laugh here)

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman

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.

Suspect Zero - ACE Train Movie Review

Suspect Zero follows disgraced FBI Agent Thomas Mackleway, who was transferred to the most desolate area in Oklahoma as punishment for botching a procedure which ultimately led to the release of one of the most notorious criminals on the FBI's list. Mackleway is given an opportunity to redeem himself, however, when he is called in to investigate the strange murder of a traveling salesman. Mysteriously, the mark of a circle with a line through it is the only clue that the killer left behind. Before long, the prime suspect is identified as former agent Benjamin O'Ryan, who is seemingly obsessed with hunting down serial killers and murdering them rather than turning them in to the proper authorities. Though Mackleway believes he knows the area where O'Ryan is living, he has no idea what he looks like - a problem that the rogue agent exploits with great success. Despite his brilliance, Mackleway finds himself caught in a psychological labyrinth of sorts, and is faced with an even greater quandary after learning that O'Ryan is looking for none other than Suspect Zero, a murderer of hundreds and the FBI's most wanted man.

This was a strange and twisted movie that kept my attention until the end. The problem is that the end wasn't good, which hurt the rating. Overall though, I was sucked into the intense hunt for a serial killer of serial killers. The technique used to track down the killers is unorthodox to say the least, but actually a real technique that has been used by the government in the past - Remote Viewing. The action starts very quickly and continues throughout - I never felt bored. Ben Kingsley played a great creepy guy and really added to the intensity of the film. I would recommend watching this if you don't mind a little gore, but don't expect a great ending.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, Carrie-Anne Moss

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.

Find Me Guilty - Movie Review

In 1987, an extensive investigation into the activities of the Lucchese crime family led to charges being filed against most of the key members of the gang, leading to the prosecution of 20 different men, each represented by their own council. That is, except for Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio, a longtime Lucchese family "mechanic" implicated in everything from kidnapping to drug dealing. While Jackie Dee is obviously a common criminal and guilty of all he's charged with, he also has a fierce sense of loyalty to his colleagues, despite the fact his cousin Tony Companga previously tried to kill him out of fear he might talk. Sean Kierney, the prosecutor tackling the Lucchese Family case, tries repeatedly to persuade Jackie Dee to testify against his partners in exchange for leniency, but he stubbornly refuses. Tired of the way things are being handled, Jackie Dee informs family attorney Ben Klandis that he intends to represent himself in court; this seemingly suicidal move turns into an unexpected success as Jackie Dee's sense of humor and streetwise charm has a remarkable impact on the judge and jury.

The "true story" part of this film was very intriguing, especially since it stated that most of the testimony was lifted directly from the original transcripts. If that's true, it must have been one heck of an entertaining, yet long, trial. That pretty much sums up the movie as well - entertaining, but long. If you're looking for action, you won't get it here since it takes place almost entirely inside of a courtroom, but there's plenty of drama and even some comedy. However, it shouldn't have lasted 2 hours - I feel sorry for the people involved with the real trial since it took over 600 days. Vin Diesel did a good job playing a goon turned lawyer, but it was weird seeing him with hair. The entire cast was very convincing and created a real courtroom drama.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Vin Diesel, Peter Dinklage, Linus Roache, Ron Silver

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.

Overview of My First 200 Movie Reviews

Below is a collected list of my first 200 movie reviews (from best to worst). The first column is my rating (out of 5). The second column is my answer to "Would I watch it again?" The third column is the name of the movie with a link to my original post.

4.5 - Yes - Hotel Rwanda
4.5 - Yes - Sin City
4.5 - Yes - The Aviator
4.5 - Yes - Saving Private Ryan
4.5 - Yes - Capote
4.5 - Yes - March of the Penguins
4.5 - Yes - Million Dollar Baby
4.5 - Yes - Cinderella Man
4 - Yes - The Jacket
4 - Yes - Saw II
4 - Yes - Oldboy
4 - Yes - Coach Carter
4 - Yes - Crash
4 - Yes - 11:14
4 - Yes - Walk the Line
4 - Yes - Stephen Hawking's Universe
4 - Yes - Murderball
4 - Yes - Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
4 - Yes - Murder on a Sunday Morning
4 - Yes - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
4 - Yes - Hoop Dreams
4 - Yes - Hide and Seek
4 - Yes - Miracle
4 - Yes - South Park: The Passion of the Jew
4 - No - The Constant Gardener
4 - No - King Kong
4 - No - The Island
4 - No - Ladder 49
4 - No - Stevie
3.5 - Yes - The Machinist
3.5 - Yes - Eternal Sunshine of the spotless Mind
3.5 - Yes - Rent
3.5 - Yes - Taking Lives
3.5 - Yes - Stay
3.5 - Yes - A Lot Like Love
3.5 - Yes - Matchstick Men
3.5 - Yes - Syriana
3.5 - No - Kinsey
3.5 - No - Born Into Brothels
3.5 - No - Guess Who
3.5 - No - Madagascar
3.5 - No - Batman Begins
3.5 - No - Lords of Dogtown
3.5 - No - Memoirs of a Geisha
3.5 - No - Munich
3.5 - No - North Country
3.5 - No - Domino
3.5 - No - Bridget Jones Diary
3.5 - No - Cold Mountain
3.5 - No - Glory Road
3.5 - No - Assault on Precinct 13
3.5 - No - 16 Blocks
3.5 - No - Troy
3.5 - No - Hostage
3.5 - No - Cellular
3.5 - No - Match Point
3.5 - No - The Chronicles of Narnia
3 - Yes - Constantine
3 - Yes - The Ring Two
3 - Yes - The Motorcycle Diaries
3 - No - Ocean's Twelve
3 - No - Friday Night Lights
3 - No - Seabiscuit
3 - No - Mr. & Mrs. Smith
3 - No - Grizzly Man
3 - No - Melinda and Melinda
3 - No - Without a Paddle
3 - No - War of the Worlds
3 - No - Final Destination
3 - No - Wedding Crashers
3 - No - Hustle & Flow
3 - No - The Interpreter
3 - No - Four Brothers
3 - No - Good Night, and Good Luck
3 - No - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
3 - No - Mrs. Henderson Presents
3 - No - What the "Bleep" Do We Know?
3 - No - Two For The Money
3 - No - The Transporter
3 - No - The Horse Whisperer
3 - No - Failure to Launch
3 - No - Fantastic Four
3 - No - Pirates of Silicon Valley
3 - No - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
3 - No - Firewall
3 - No - The Matador
3 - No - Snatch
3 - No - Malena
3 - No - After the Sunset
3 - No - Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator
3 - No - The Polar Express
3 - No - Beyond the Sea
3 - No - Brokeback Mountain
3 - No - Close Your Eyes
3 - No - Pride & Prejudice
3 - No - The Squid and the Whale
3 - No - Flightplan
3 - No - Prime
3 - No - Just Like Heaven
3 - No - King Arthur
3 - No - Chocolat
3 - No - Grosse Pointe Blank
3 - No - Derailed
3 - No - Team America: World Police
3 - No - The Haunted Mansion
3 - No - School of Rock
3 - No - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
2.5 - No - Finding Neverland
2.5 - No - In Good Company
2.5 - No - Shall We Dance?
2.5 - No - Last Holiday
2.5 - No - The Transporter 2
2.5 - No - The Producers
2.5 - No - Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
2.5 - No - Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
2.5 - No - Aeon Flux
2.5 - No - The Final Cut
2.5 - No - Monster-In-Law
2.5 - No - The Skeleton Key
2.5 - No - Fun With Dick and Jane
2.5 - No - Just Friends
2.5 - No - Corpse Bride
2.5 - No - Lord of War
2.5 - No - Devil's Playground
2.5 - No - Jarhead
2.5 - No - Undiscovered
2.5 - No - A History of Violence
2.5 - No - Cheaper By the Dozen 2
2.5 - No - Half Light
2.5 - No - The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
2.5 - No - Downfall
2.5 - No - The Longest Yard
2.5 - No - Spanglish
2.5 - No - Elizabethtown
2.5 - No - The Ringer
2.5 - No - Born Rich
2.5 - No - London
2.5 - No - The Family Stone
2.5 - No - House of Sand and Fog
2.5 - No - The 40-Year-Old Virgin
2.5 - No - Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
2.5 - No - Black Cloud
2.5 - No - Twisted
2.5 - No - Home on the Range
2.5 - No - The Upside of Anger
2.5 - No - The Passion of the Christ
2.5 - No - Chicken Little
2.5 - No - Wimbledon
2 - No - Dukes of Hazzard
2 - No - Sahara
2 - No - National Treasure
2 - No - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
2 - No - Transamerica
2 - No - The Ice Harvest
2 - No - Must Love Dogs
2 - No - Freedomland
2 - No - Dark Water
2 - No - In Her Shoes
2 - No - Rumor Has It
2 - No - Raising Helen
2 - No - Trauma
2 - No - Fever Pitch
2 - No - Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic
2 - No - Monster's Ball
2 - No - Final Destination 2
2 - No - Havoc
2 - No - Cache (Hidden)
2 - No - Hostel
2 - No - Wolf Creek
2 - No - Win a Date With Tad Hamilton
2 - No - Yours, Mine & Ours
2 - No - Hoodwinked
2 - No - Proof
2 - No - Christmas with the Kranks
2 - No - Alfie
2 - No - The Hills Have Eyes
2 - No - The Wedding Date
2 - No - Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
2 - No - Alexander
2 - No - The Brother's Grimm
2 - No - Date Movie
2 - No - The River King
2 - No - Open Water
2 - No - Imaginary Heroes
2 - No - Waiting
2 - No - A Very Long Engagement
1.5 - No - Bewitched
1.5 - No - Annapolis
1.5 - No - Mr. 3000
1.5 - No - The Weather Man
1.5 - No - The Ladykillers
1.5 - No - White Noise
1.5 - No - The Pacifier
1.5 - No - The Cat in the Hat
1 - No - Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
1 - No - Napoleon Dynamite
1 - No - When a Stranger Calls
1 - No - The New World
1 - No - Criminal
1 - No - The Cave

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Movie Review

Carmen, Bridget, Lena, and Tibby are four teenage girls who have been close friends since they were babies. However, fate has dictated that for the first time ever the young women will be spending their summer apart - Carmen will be visiting her father, whom she hasn't seen in years, Lena will be visiting her grandparents in Greece, Bridget is attending a soccer camp in Mexico, while Tibby is stuck working at a discount store. A few days before Carmen, Lena, and Bridget leave, the four go shopping, and while at a thrift shop they discover an unusual pair of blue jeans that, despite the fact they're all of different height and weight, fits all four women perfectly. The girls buy the jeans and pledge to each look after them for a week at a time, hoping they'll bring one another good luck as the girls deal with a variety of new life experiences, both good and bad.

This film was surprisingly good and I say that knowing my brother will definitely call me a pansy :-) Seriously, it is a chick flick, but really has a good message that even guys should appreciate. Sure, the idea of magic pants is pretty lame, but it's what they represent that is the take away. I liked the fact that each girl had their own fairly developed personality and used the pants in their own unique way. The actresses looked natural and had great chemistry with each other and the characters in their different journeys. It all came together in the end for a feel good, after school special moment. It's not all "feel good" as there are some tough situations that the girls have to deal with as well. So, it's a pretty well rounded movie that most people should enjoy - as long as you can get past the lame title.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Jenna Boyd

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.

Bewitched - ACE Train Movie Review

Jack Wyatt is a movie star whose career has been going into a slow and steady decline. Desperate for a project that will give his reputation a jump start, Jack agrees to star in a film version of the once-popular television series Bewitched as hapless hubby Darrin Stephens, under the condition that an unknown actress be cast as the female lead so he won't be upstaged. After auditioning dozens of women who fail to make the grade, Jack meets lovely and charming Isabel Bigelow, and is immediately certain she's the perfect choice to play witch-turned-housewife Samantha. However, there's one thing neither Jack nor the producers of the film know - Isabel really is a witch, and while she's been trying to get along without her powers to better fit in among mortals, she will use her special talents when need be.

Cheesy... I never watched the original TV show and maybe I would have been more impressed if I was able to catch some of the subtleties I'm sure I missed. From what I saw, Will Ferrell had a few funny parts and Nicole Kidman was ditzy throughout, but that was about it. No real substance and not a great comedy. Unless you're a huge Bewitched fan, I'd skip it.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine

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.

Slayer & Lamb of God in Concert - July 19, 2006

On July 19th, Mike and I went to the "Unholy Alliance" tour which consisted of Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed. The show was at the HP Pavilion in San Jose and started at 6pm. After a days work, Mike picked me up and we ate at In-N-Out Burger before the show.

Once at the arena, we picked our spots to stand on the floor about 30 feet from the stage on the right side next to the "moshing barrier." Thine Eyes Bleed was first up and they were what you would expect from an opening band - nothing too special, but provided 30 minutes of warmup metal. Children of Bodom was next and I was very impressed with what I saw and heard. They had some nice, heavy tunes and the keyboard player kicked ass. He had what amounted to a whammy bar on his keyboard and played some solos that you wouldn't be able to differentiate from guitar solos if you weren't watching him smoke that keyboard - awesome. Next, Mastodon took the stage and were a bit of a let down after watching of Children of Bodom. They had a lot of energy on stage, but their material wasn't up to par.

At about 9:00pm, Lamb of God took the stage. It was obvious that this is what the fans were waiting for. The mosh pits were huge and the band was feeding off the energy of the crowd (and vise versa). For the entire 1 hour set, they held the crowd captive with their complex guitar riffs, deep, screaming vocals and bass heavy drum beats. Here's their set list:

Ruin
Hourglass
Laid To Rest
Now You've Got Something To Die For
11th Hour
Purified
As The Palaces Burn
The Faded Line
Vigil
Redneck
Black Label

Finally, at 10:15pm, Slayer was on stage and ready to rock the audience. While the crowd was rockin', it wasn't quite the same energy I felt when Lamb of God was on the stage. Maybe everyone was getting tired at that point, but it was still a great show. I was standing if front of Kerry King the whole time and was able to watch him rip some great solos on his guitar. It was nice to see that Slayer can still thrash with the best of 'em and their 1 hour 15 minute set contained some of the best, early, influential metal that paved the way for all the bands that opened for them. Here's their set list:

South of Heaven
Silent Scream
War Ensemble
Blood Red
Cult
Disciple
Mandatory Suicide
Seasons in the Abyss
Chemical Warfare
Dead Skin Mask
Hell Awaits
Raining Blood
Antichrist
Angel of Death

Overall, I had a great time and am glad I was able to see a combination of established metal bands as well as up and coming bands in the same show. My only regret is that I didn't get one of the signs in front of the stage that said, in big black letters, "BEWARE, moshing may occur."

The Hills Have Eyes - Movie Review

A family is taking a cross-country road trip when their trailer breaks down, leaving them stranded in the desert of New Mexico. There, they find themselves under attack by the savage "hill people," who were deformed by radiation during nuclear testing.

If you can get through the first 45 minutes without falling asleep, the last hour is pretty intense. After a slow start, the real "horror" part of the movie begins as the hill people move in for the kill while the family tries to figure out how to survive. The special effects weren't that great, but there were some pretty horrific and disturbing scenes. Of course, there was plenty of blood and dismemberment, but nothing that hasn't been done before. The ending left a little to be desired as did the fact they never really explained why the hill people had a thirst for innocent tourists. It could have been shortened quite a bit without losing anything because there was a lot of "dead" time that seemed to be just filler.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Aaron Stanford, Kathleen Quinlan, Vinessa Shaw, Emilie de Ravin

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.

Annapolis - Movie Review

Jake Huard is a young man from a small Maryland town who grew up in a blue-collar family with few opportunities. Wanting to make something of himself after completing high school, Jake set his sights on attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he narrowly makes the cut and becomes one of the 1,200 applicants selected for the freshman class. Jake finds that life as a "plebe" is intellectually challenging and physically punishing, and he soon develops a powerful adversary in Midshipman Lt. Cole, his training commander, who pushes Jake to the limit to see if he has what it takes. Standing on the razor's edge of failing as both a student and a soldier, Jake makes a brave but dangerous gesture toward proving himself by entering the Brigade Championships, a Naval boxing competition where he'll go into the ring against the best fighters in the Navy - including Lt. Cole. Jake soon has one person on his side when he strikes up a friendship with Ali, a pretty young officer who believes Jake has what it takes to go the distance.

This was a very cheesy movie. There were absolutely no surprises during the entire film as it was clear from the beginning what the ending would entail. The overall acting was mediocre at best and the female love interest in the film (who played an officer at the Naval Academy) was horrible. It's a good thing she was hot because she sure as hell didn't get that part based on her acting - I cringed several times when she was trying to be tough and lay down the law. The whole Naval Academy experience didn't seem believable as I'm sure a "plebe" wouldn't get away with half of the things the main character did (i.e. be late for drills, not know any of the answers when tested, talk back to a superior, attack a superior). Anyway, I was less than impressed, not to mention the fact that it was a rip-off of other military movies (i.e. Top Gun) yet not nearly as solid.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Donnie Wahlberg

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 Matador - ACE Train Movie Review

Danny Wright is an American businessman whose life has been going through a sour patch after he and his wife, Carolyn, lost their young son. During a business trip to Mexico City, Danny strikes up a conversation in a hotel bar with fellow out-of-towner Julian Noble, and while Julian's loud and brassy manner initially puts Danny off, in time the two become friends, and Julian feels comfortable enough with Danny to tell him what he does for a living. It seems Julian is a hired killer working under the auspices of underworld kingpins Lovell and Mr. Randy, and Julian tries to persuade Danny to help him with his latest assignment. Danny refuses, but a few months later a distraught Julian appears unannounced on Danny's doorstep. It seems Julian has blown his two most recent assignments due to a variety of psychosomatic illnesses, and now Lovell and Mr. Randy want him dead. Julian has also done something to put Danny in his debt, and the previously non-criminal businessman is forced to help his friend stage a hit, with Julian's presence in his home upsetting the precarious balance of Danny and Carolyn's marriage.

I liked this film and was thoroughly entertained throughout. The relationship between Brosnan's character and Kinnear's character was tense at times and funny at times. They played well off each other and really made the movie enjoyable. The plot was a little hard to believe and Brosnan's character made everything look so easy that there were a few "give me a break" moments. Overall, it was amusing in a dark and offbeat sort of way, but not for people who can't see the humor in a middle-aged assassin starting to slip at the end of his career.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis

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 Final Cut - ACE Train Movie Review

Set in the near future, the story concerns a microchip that is capable of recording a person's entire life. Robin Williams plays Alan Hakman, an editor who cuts together the footage to make pleasant movies for funerals. Tormented by his job and his own memories, Alan also has a troubled romantic relationship with bookseller Delilah. While looking through footage for his next project, Alan discovers a man whom he believes is from his own past. Meanwhile, former editor Fletcher wants the footage for his own purposes.

The main concept of this film is pretty cool - the ability to record your entire life on a hard drive attached to your brain. Of course, that brings up a slew of legal and moral dilemmas that must be dealt with before it becomes reality. Unfortunately, this film didn't fully explore any of the interesting drama this could create. Instead, it focused on a particular job (a cutter, who splices parts of a persons recorded life together for viewing at their funeral) and really only scratched the surface of what could have been a really mind-blowing epic - I guess Steven Spielberg can't make every movie. Anyway, it's not a bad movie, but it just didn't take full advantage of the great underlying concept. Robin Williams put on a good dramatic performance and if you've seen One Hour Photo, then you'll know what to expect as he plays pretty much the same character.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Robin Williams, Mira Sorvino

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.

Born Rich - Movie Review

Armed with economic power and the celebrity access of his own social privilege, Jamie Johnson (heir to the Johnson & Johnson company empire) is able to gather together ten wealthy friends to talk about money. Some of the richest young people in America discuss the realities of growing up with huge financial assets, ideas for what to do with it, and feelings about losing it. The son of a gaming industry giant, Luke Weil reveals his feelings about going to boarding school, while Ivanka Trump talks about her experiences as the daughter of Donald and Ivana. Also features discussions with the young heirs to the Bloomberg, Newhouse, and Whitney fortunes.

This documentary provides a voyeuristic view into the private lives and thoughts of rich kids (college age) who didn't work for their money, but instead inherited it. I thought it might be interesting to see what types of problems (if any) the rich kids encountered growing up due to the fact there were born with silver spoons in their mouths. I was also curious to see how they spoke and acted. What I got was a range of personalities (smug, aloof, well-spoken, driven, laid back, dour) and a bunch of kids that weren't entirely sure what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives. In other words, they weren't unlike regular kids figuring out who they are and deciding which path to take in life. The main difference is that they really don't have to worry about money, however it was quite clear that just having money was not the recipe for happiness. Overall, it was interesting, but not very insightful as it just scratched the surface of what it could have been (I'm sure lawyers were involved).

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Georgina Bloomberg, Ivanka Trump, Si Newhouse IV, Juliet Hartford, Carlo von Zeitschel, Stephanie Ercklentz, Christina Floyd, Josiah Hornblower, Cody Franchetti, Luke Weil

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.

Failure to Launch - Movie Review

Tripp may have hit 30, but that doesn't mean that he's ready to give up the many benefits of living at home with mom and dad. His desperate parents have had enough, though, and after years of gentle nudging they soon realize that it's going to take a concerted effort to get Tripp out and enjoy their twilight years in peace. Realizing that their only hope for ridding themselves of their reluctant-to-leave offspring rides on the off-chance of his meeting the ideal female companion, mom and dad enlist the help of a beautiful and talented woman in providing the romantic incentive needed to finally get their son out of the family home.

This was a funny movie with a clever premise. Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker had great chemistry and made this film fun to watch. The peripheral characters were a little less proficient but were quirky enough to be amusing. The plot was a little light and the ending was no surprise, but I suppose that's what you get for a romantic comedy. Overall, this is a good date movie or if you just want something fun to watch without thinking too much. Viewer beware - you'll see a side of Terry Bradshaw that should never have been revealed.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Terry Bradshaw, Kathy Bates

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.

Cache (Hidden) - Movie Review

From the outside, Georges, Anne, and son Pierrot are the typical middle-class European family, but when a series of mysterious videotapes accompanied by morbid drawings reveal that someone has been monitoring their house, Georges begins to suspect that his past has come back to haunt him. It was during France's occupation of Algeria that Georges wronged a young Algerian boy named Majid, and as the enraged father and husband begins tracking down his former friend, the line between victim and predator becomes increasingly blurred.

Be forewarned - this is a French film with English subtitles. It started off oddly and just kept getting more strange as it went along. A few of my questions were answered along the way, but the film ended without the biggest question being addressed. I logged onto the internet to see if there was an explanation somewhere, but the theories were all over the board. Basically, it seems the filmmaker intentionally left the ending unresolved so the viewer could reach their own conclusions. To me, that's a lazy way to make a film especially since all the theories I ran across can have holes poked in them which leads me to believe the filmmaker didn't really have a good way to end it, so he chose to leave it "open." This film should have stayed (hidden).

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Maurice Benichou

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.

Saving Private Ryan - Movie Review

The story opens with a prologue in which a veteran brings his family to the American cemetery at Normandy, and a flashback then joins Capt. John Miller and GIs in a landing craft making the June 6, 1944, approach to Omaha Beach to face devastating German artillery fire. Miller's men slowly move forward to finally take a concrete pillbox. On the beach littered with bodies is one with the name "Ryan" stenciled on his backpack. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall, learning that three Ryan brothers from the same family have all been killed in a single week, requests that the surviving brother, Pvt. James Ryan, be located and brought back to the United States. Capt. Miller gets the assignment, and he chooses a translator, Cpl. Upham, skilled in language but not in combat, to join his squad. Having previously experienced action in Italy and North Africa, the close-knit squad sets out through areas still thick with Nazis. After they lose one man in a skirmish at a bombed village, some in the group begin to question the logic of losing more lives to save a single soldier.

This was a great, powerful film. The first 30 minutes which depicts the Omaha Beach invasion is the most action-packed, intense and disturbing part of the film, but also the most historically accurate according to what I have read. I certainly have a whole new respect for the mental and physical obstacles that soldiers must overcome in order to enter the battlefield. The plotline of the mission to save Pvt. Ryan is mostly fictional, but based on a kernel of truth. None the less, it was a gripping story that kept my attention for the entire 2hr 45min film. All of the actors were excellent, believable, had good chemistry and provided just the right amount of machismo, anger, sadness and fear. I recommend this film for anyone who likes action movies, war movies, realistic special effects, suspense, blood & guts and even history buffs. Basically, it's a must see - I'm just sorry it took me this long to watch it.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Matt Damon

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.

Syriana - ACE Train Movie Review

Reform-minded Gulf country prince Nasir is in favor of making his nation more self-sufficient rather than U.S.-reliant, and his money-minded Western connections couldn't be less pleased. Before settling into a cushy desk job for the remainder of his career, CIA agent Bob Barnes is sent on one last assignment - to assassinate Prince Nasir and reinstate U.S. ties in the oil-rich region. Though his loyalty dictates that Barnes carry out his current mission despite lingering doubts of a previous blunder, his mission goes horribly awry when his field contact goes turncoat and Barnes becomes a CIA scapegoat. Meanwhile, up-and-coming Washington attorney Bennett Holiday attempts to walk a fine line in overseeing a tenuous merger between two oil giants that's plagued with shady business dealings. Hotshot energy analyst Bryan Woodman is in talks to form a lucrative partnership with Prince Nasir, though the death of his son during a party at the prince's estate makes him question his loyalty to business over family. Back in Washington, D.C., Bennet's boss Dean Whiting attempts to undermine Prince Nasir's attempts to make his country less reliant on the U.S. dollar by planting the seeds of dissonance between the progressive prince and his money-minded younger brother Prince Meshal.

Get ready to pay attention. What a complicated film; there are a lot of characters to keep track of and several different storylines happening simultaneously. A general knowledge of world politics, Middle East relations and the oil industry is a must. I'll admit that my knowledge of these things aren't the best which is why I'm going to do a little research and watch it again in a couple of days. I'm sure I'll "get it" a little better after watching it again, but I did appreciate the amount of work that went into telling these stories and the power of the message they were trying to get across - keeping in mind that it's based on true events. Of course, I reserve the right to change my rating after watching it a second time.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Peet

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.

Counting Crows & Goo Goo Dolls in Concert - June 27, 2006

On June 27th, Shawnna, Dan and myself attended the Counting Crows & Goo Goo Dolls concert at Shoreline Amphitheater. We met for dinner at Fiesta Del Mar before the show, but after placing our order and munching on chips and salsa, we were informed that they ran out of gas, so we ended up eating at The Sports Page - not the same quality, but good none the less. After dinner, we headed to the show (our seats were in Section 101, Row K).

We were early enough to see the opening band, Augustana, which was a mellow rock band that reminded me a little of The Black Crows. They were surprisingly good during their 30 minute set and were very musically talented. They were obviously thrilled to have the opportunity to open for two great bands and really held their own.

Next up were the Goo Goo Dolls. They played a 75 minute set of some of their greatest hits including Give a Little Bit, Slide, Black Balloon, Name, Iris, Broadway and Better Days. They pretty much played each song straight up like it sounds on the album without much deviation for "live effect." It sounded pretty good, but when Robby Takac (bassist) sang a few songs, it was extremely difficult to hear him. The set design was pretty minimal with just a few risers on the stage for the keyboardist, guitarist and drummer. They seemed to be having a good time and played well with the audience.

The Counting Crows finished off the evening with a 75 minute set on their own. In contrast to the Goo Goo Dolls, the Counting Crows didn't just play their songs as if they pushed play on their CD player. Instead, each song was a journey through their musical works with Adam Duritz as the conductor. He was deeply in tune with the music and it was obvious that he lived each song and felt each note. It reminded me more of a jazz concert than rock show - if you wanted to sing along, forget about it. They played most of their hits including Mr. Jones, Round Here, Rain King, A Long December and Mrs. Potter's Lullaby which satisfied my craving for Counting Crows in concert.

Overall, I had a good time at the show, but was really surprised at how sparse the audience was. Due to fact there were so few people, it wasn't as loud as it could have been and the excitement wasn't there. The "encores" for each band were really just part of the set and not a result of the crowd cheering so loudly that the bands came back on. Anyway, I'm glad I went, but probably won't go to see either band again (I've seen the Goo Goo Dolls twice before in 1996).

The Brother's Grimm - ACE Train Movie Review

Will Grimm and his brother Jake Grimm earn their living by traveling from village to village and vanquishing strange supernatural beasts that have been menacing the populace. Or at least that's what their clients think has been happening; as it happens, Will and Jake are con men who cleverly stage the ghostly attacks and then take payment for making the creatures they fabricated go away. One day, the brothers arrive in a town and offer to help its people drive away evil spirits, unaware that the community is bordered by a genuine enchanted forest, and that young girls in the village have been disappearing at a frightful rate. The Grimm Brothers must now learn how to deal with real magic, with the help of the lovely but fearless Angelika.

This film was cleverly put together, but requires that you know all of the major fairy tales in order to catch the subtle (and not so subtle) nuances. I'm not well versed in the fairy tale realm, so I'm sure I missed some things. Despite that, there was some action, romance, trickery and even mildly funny comedy. However, it was pretty dark, drab and I wasn't engrossed in the film at all, so I was happy to see it end. Overall, I would skip this one unless you're a fairy tale fiend.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci

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.

Half Dome Hike - June 24, 2006

View the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594178530235/

On Friday, June 23rd, myself, Shawnna, Dan, Kelley and Dad set off for Yosemite with the intention of hiking Half Dome (Shawnna decided to stay in Yosemite Valley and do some smaller hikes - Lower Yosemite Falls and Mirror Lake - while practicing her photography skills). We stayed in tent cabins at Curry Village which is about a half mile from the trailhead. After checking in at about 5pm, we got situated, ate dinner, showered and played Uno before getting some sleep prior to our big hike.

We woke up early on Saturday, ate a little breakfast, got our packs in order and drove to the closest parking lot to the trailhead (every bit helps :) By 6:30am we were on the trail making some progress. The temperature was in the upper 60s with the projected high in the mid 90s, so we wanted to get as far as we could before the afternoon sun started to beat down on us. We made good time hiking over the Vernal Falls bridge and up to the junction where we had to decide if we wanted to hike the next couple of miles up the Mist Trail or John Muir Trail. The Mist Trail (which runs right next to Vernal Falls so the trail is perpetually wet from the mist) is a little shorter, but much steeper due to the fact it consists mostly of stairs. The John Muir Trail is a bit longer, easier and not as scenic. Dan, Kelley and I chose the Mist Trail while Dad decided to go up the John Muir Trail. We agreed to meet at the top of Nevada falls where the trails intersect, so we went our separate ways.

The Mist Trail was especially wet since there was a ton of water in the falls, so we were soaked most of the way up. I was savoring the coolness since I knew how hot it was going to get later in the day. By 8:30am we were at the intersection of the two trails waiting for Dad to meet us. As time passed, we wondered how slow he was going, if he was waiting at the Nevada Falls bridge (.2 miles down from where we were) or if he beat us to this point and kept hiking. After 40 minutes of waiting, Dan hiked down to the bridge to see if he was there, but there was no sign of him. We decided that since we had been waiting for 1 hour at that point (and we had no way of contacting him; he didn't have a cell phone and service was spotty at best anyway), we would carry on without him and hopefully meet him at the top. So, at 9:30am we continued our hike.

Being an hour behind, we could feel the heat intensifying as we hiked through Little Yosemite Valley (a relatively flat stretch where there is a campground). Next, it was back up the mountain for a few miles of relatively steep switchbacks. There was some relief as we passed a few small streams and were able to cool off a bit. We made it to the lookout point where we were able to see our final destination as well as the large amount of granite stairs and steel cables that were still to come.

A short time later, we were at the bottom of the stairs preparing ourselves for the most grueling part of the hike - climbing literally hundreds of very large stairs carved into the granite. After hydrating and re-applying sun block, we started up the granite steps. After several short breaks to catch our breath and drink more water, we made our way up the stairs and stood at the bottom of the cables looking up at a long stream of people holding on to the cables that stretched from the top of the dome all the way down to where we were standing and there was actually a line of about 15 people waiting for their turn to climb to the top. The cables are a pair of 900 ft long steel cables spaced 4 feet apart and held 4 feet off the granite by metal posts which are spaced about 8 feet apart. Typically, people climb in between the two cables so they can hold on with both hands, but after seeing the line of people and estimating it would take about 45 minutes to reach the top, I went to the outside of the right cable and climbed up using only one cable and reaching over the other hands that were already holding on. By doing it that way, it only took me 10-15 minutes and I was on top of the dome by 1pm - Dan & Kelley made it 20 minutes later after following me part of the way, then getting back in between the two cables for the last portion.

At the top of Half Dome, we ate our lunch, nursed Kelley's cramping muscles and Dan popped the question (Kelley said, "Yes!"). We walked around for a while up on top taking pictures and video of the awesome view and Dan & I had a snowball fight - yes, there was snow on the top of Half Dome. At 2pm, we decided it was time to head back, so we made our way back to the cables which were still crowded with people and grabbed the outside of the right cable to slide down to the bottom. At the bottom of the cables, we started to hear thunder and see lightning off in the distance, so it was good timing to be off of the cables which would be great conductors of electricity if they were struck with lightning. Next, we navigated down the granite stairs from hell and continued all the way down to Nevada falls without much excitement except for the fact Dan didn't bring enough water, so I gave him some of mine. At Nevada Falls, we took off our shoes and socks so we could put our feet in the water - the water was SO COLD, but felt SO GOOD on our aching feet.

At this point, we decided to go down the John Muir Trail (as opposed to the Mist Trail we took to come up) because we didn't know if our knees could take all of the stairs and we thought we might see Dad on the side of the trail on the way down :) The trail down was hot, dry and dusty, but the end was in sight, so we just plugged along. When we made it down to the Vernal Falls Bridge (about a mile from the end where the only water station on the entire hike is located), Dan & Kelley filled up their Camelbacks and indulged in some cold water. Then, we hiked the last mile back to the trailhead where Shawnna and Dad were waiting to greet us at 6:30pm. So, we hiked 17 miles with 4,800' elevation gain in 12 hours (including the time we spent hanging out on top and the hour we waited for Dad to show up).

Apparently Dad thought we were going to meet at the Nevada Falls bridge .2 miles from where we thought, so he waited for 40 minutes before hiking down a different trail at the time Dan went to where Dad had been waiting (they missed each other by a couple of minutes). Dad decided to hike down the Mist Trail in case something happened to one of us, so he didn't get to the top of Half Dome this time (he's done it 8 times previously). Oh well, you live and learn.

Lessons Learned:
- If you split up, be very specific about where to meet
- Bring walkie talkies
- Carry more water than you think you need (4+ liters if it's hot)
- Bring band-aids, moleskin or athletic tape for blisters
- Bring an extra pair of socks
- Bring work gloves with full fingers for the cables
- Make sure you have plenty of sunscreen

After the hike, we ate dinner, showered and crashed for the night before driving home the next day. Will I hike it again? I'm sure I will. It's a great workout, fun to do with family/friends, provides awesome views of the park and I need to catch up with the number of times Dad has hiked to the top :-) Here's the stats:

Dad - 8
Dave - 4
Dan - 2
Kelley - 1
Shawnna - 1 (on a previous trip)

View the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594178530235/

The Ladykillers - Movie Review

Marva Munson is a spry, elderly woman who attends church regularly, doesn't care for loud noises or harsh language, and is looking for a tenant for the spare room in her house. Enter Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, a silver-tongued college professor who moves in and gains Munson's permission to use the basement for rehearsals with his "medieval music ensemble." What Munson doesn't know is that Dorr's latest project is not academic, but criminal. Dorr is masterminding the robbery of a riverboat casino, and the fellow musicians in his ensemble are actually the crew he's assembled to pull off the job: foul-mouthed "inside man" Gawain, clumsy demolitions expert Pancake, quiet strong-arm man Lump, and logistical expert The General. Despite the best efforts of Dorr and his cohorts (which aren't very impressive), Munson finds out about their scheme, and when she refuses to accept a share of the take in exchange for her silence, Dorr decides the best solution is to silence her permanently.

What the hell was the point of this film? It was very strange and uninteresting. At 1hr 40min, it was about 1hr too long. I'm really at a loss for words to describe how bad it was. I'm not sure what the writers were trying to get across, but the plot was definitely not worthy of Tom Hanks' talent. It was listed as a "Dark Humor" movie, but it wasn't funny, just dark. After I realized this was a remake of a British film, everything became more clear. Don't waste your time.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans

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.

Cold Mountain - ACE Train Movie Review

Ada Monroe is a proper lady who accompanies her preacher father to Cold Mountain, North Carolina during the dawn of the Civil War. She waits for her love, W.P. Inman - a sensitive man with little use for many words - to return from war. In the process she learns basic survival skills and finds strength from no-nonsense Ruby, a spitfire who can work the land as well as any man. Meanwhile, wounded Inman has had enough of war and killing, and is slowly working his way back to Ada despite the perils of being a Confederate deserter.

Wow, for an epic (2.5 hrs) this is a very good film that kept my attention most of the time. It had its share of action, drama, romance, violence and suspense. I thought all of the actors did an excellent job "becoming" characters from the Civil War era. Jude Law was grittier than I have ever seen him, Nicole Kidman was a believable southern belle and Renee Zellweger didn't make me want to barf with her scrunchy face; she actually played a very tough, yet likeable character. There were majestic settings, gruesome punishments, cold-blooded killings, feel-good moments, nail-biting escapes and even some light-hearted fun. In other words, this movie has something for everyone. If you have a few hours and want to go through a roller coaster of emotions, take a look.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Eileen Atkins, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Donald Sutherland

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.

Mrs. Henderson Presents - Movie Review

The year is 1937 and, despite having recently lost her husband, 69-year-old Laura Henderson remains as ambitious and vital as ever. Aghast at her friend Lady Conway's suggestion that she take up a mundane hobby such as diamond collecting to pass the time, Mrs. Henderson instead shocks her well-to-do social circle by purchasing the ramshackle Windmill Theater in the heart of downtown Soho. Unafraid to take a risk in the venture, yet lacking the experience needed to run the theater, Mrs. Henderson brings in showbiz veteran Vivian Van Damm to line up an opening act that will set the stage ablaze. Though Van Damm's innovative idea to stage an unending stream of entertainment dubbed "Revudeville" proves a wild and profitable success, the Windmill begins to suffer when other local theaters quickly follow suit. Now faced with the prospect of seeing her once-lucrative endeavor fall by the wayside due to the unoriginality of the copycats who surround her, Mrs. Henderson decides to show audiences something they've never seen before by making the Windmill the first theater to feature nude female entertainers live on-stage.

This is a very different type of film than I typically watch, but I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't bored out of my mind. On the contrary, it was pretty funny and entertaining. Of course, I'm sure the partially clothed females had a little something to do with keeping my interest. Judy Dench was excellent (no, she didn't get naked) and had great chemistry with Bob Hoskins. The fact that it was inspired by true events made it even more intriguing, but keep in mind that it is a period piece from the early 1900s, so it's not for the action hungry moviegoer.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest

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.

16 Blocks - ACE Train Movie Review

Hung-over, has-been cop Jack Mosley has seen better days, and all that the force expects out of him these days is to stay out of trouble while he's on the clock. Eddie Bunker is set to testify before a grand jury at 10:00 a.m., and it's up to Mosely to make sure that Bunker makes it to the courthouse in one piece - a job that Mosely estimates will take a maximum of 15 minutes. A black van has been trailing the pair unnoticed, though, and after stopping off at a nearby liquor store to pick up some breakfast, Mosely emerges from the store just in time to save Eddie from the lethal bullet of a determined assassin. When backup arrives in the form of Detective Frank Nugent, Mosely quickly realizes that the detective on Nugent's team is the same cop that Bunker is set to testify against. Now faced with the tough task of dodging bullets and eluding a massive onslaught of corrupt cops, Mosely must keep Bunker alive long enough to get him before the judge and ensure that justice is served.

Another good action movie from Bruce Willis. There weren't as many explosions as there were in the Die Hard series, but it was packed with plenty of guns, shots fired, car chases and verbal sparing. Mos Def was excellent and provided a voice of reason and optimism to offset the depressed and alcoholic character played by Bruce Willis. They worked well together and really made the movie interesting to watch. The plot was sadly believable enough to probably have some semblance of truth mixed in with dramatic embellishment. I would recommend this film for action fans, mystery & suspense fans and crime thriller fans - very good.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mos Def, David Morse

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.

London - Movie Review

Syd awakes from the latest in a long series of drug and booze fueled benders when he receives a phone call from a friend informing him that London, who recently broke up with Syd, will be moving away from New York for California with her new boyfriend in a few days, and that a going-away party is being thrown for her that evening. Syd hasn't been invited to the bash, but he decides to attend anyway, and brings along Bateman, a bartender who moonlights as a cocaine dealer. Bateman is carrying a large supply of nose candy, and after arriving at the party he and Syd install themselves in the bathroom, where they snort line after line while guzzling tequila and discussing philosophical matters regarding love, sex, and emotional pain. The private party-within-a-party is soon joined by Maya and Mallory, who share cocaine and sympathy with the guys until Syd learns that London has arrived, and he decides it's time to confront her.

What a strange movie. The majority of the film took place in the bathroom. I suppose this could be a cautionary tale of drug abuse or a story about how love transcends all or maybe even a psychological drama about how your actions in the past might come back to haunt you. I thought the acting was pretty good (although I kept picturing Jason Statham as the Transporter), but the story was a bit confusing and seemed to take too long to get to the point. I will say that I gave it a little ratings boost just because I liked the ending; not exactly predictable, but a little abrupt. Overall, I would skip this one unless you like Jessica Biel (although she doesn't have much screen time) or like watching an enormous amount of cocaine being consumed.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Chris Evans, Jessica Biel, Jason Statham

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.

Skydiving - June 18, 2006

View the skydiving photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594173173476/

Today is my 30th birthday and I decided to go skydiving to mark the occasion. Joining me was Dan and Kelley (Dan's girlfriend). Shawnna decided to watch from the ground since she thought she might have a heart attack on the way down :-)

We arrived at Bay Area Skydiving (located in Byron, CA) at about 8:30am to start the experience. After signing our life away (at least our right to sue if our life was taken away), we watched a 15 minute video about the dangers and thrills of skydiving. Next, we met with our instructors who gave us more instruction while we were suiting up - Dan got paired up with a very small, female instructor (Connie); she was the most experienced with over 6,000 jumps! Kelley was paired with a slightly taller man (Vic) and I was paired with the big guy (Keith). Then, it was time to board the plane.

Besides the 3 of us (and our instructors), there were 7 others who were diving solo. We all crammed into the small plane for the 15 minute ride up to 14,000 feet. Despite being a little cramped, it was a fairly uneventful ascent. After reaching altitude, the solo jumpers dove first, then Dan, Kelley and finally me.

When I reached the plane door, I waved to the camera and dove into the big, blue abyss - or maybe I was pushed by the instructor. Per my request, the first thing we did was a backflip exiting the plane. After about 5 seconds, we had reached terminal velocity (120 mph) and continued to freefall for about 9,000 feet (1.7 miles) which took about 50 seconds. While freefalling, I really didn't have the sensation that I was falling like when riding a roller coaster at an amusement park. I suppose it was because I was so high up that nothing was racing past me so my perspective was changed. The only way I could tell I was falling was the sound of air rushing past my ears. We did some turns to the right and left while looking down at all of the farmland, freeway, windmills on the Altamont Pass, etc. - then the parachute opened.

Once the parachute opened, we went from 120 mph to 10 mph in about 2 seconds. It wasn't as jarring as you might think - just a rapid deceleration. The next 5,000 feet took 3-4 minutes and was just a very slow, leisurely descent. Without the wind whipping past our faces, the instructor and I were able to talk about the jump and he gave me some landing instructions. At this point, I was able to look down and watch Dan & Kelley's parachutes floating toward the ground. The instructor guided us toward the landing zone and we made a very smooth, safe landing.

Once on the ground, Dan, Kelley and I posed for a victory picture and walked back to the hangar to de-gear, meet back up with Shawnna and collect the video and pictures of the jump. The big question is: Would I do it again? Yes, I would (and will) do it again. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life and definitely provided enough of a rush to want to do it again. Let me know if you're interested and maybe I'll go with you.

View the skydiving photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52995831@N00/sets/72157594173173476/

Firewall - ACE Train Movie Review

Jack Stanfield is an upper-echelon executive at Landrock Pacific Bank, a leading financial institution based in Seattle. Stanfield oversees security for Landrock, and has seen to it that their online banking services are the best-protected in the world, and that the bank's data is safe from hackers and other intruders. However, Stanfield finds out the hard way that his system does indeed have a flaw when he's visited by Bill Cox, a cold and calculating man who has spent months learning everything there is know about Stanfield and his family. Cox's underlings have taken Stanfield's wife and their two children hostage, and they inform Jack that they will be released only when he uses his knowledge of the bank's security systems to deposit 100 million dollars in Cox's account in an offshore bank. Stanfield is deeply wary but willing to go along to insure the safety of his family, but when he has reason to doubt that Cox and his cohorts will live up to their end of the bargain, he swings into action to exact justice against the criminals.

This was a pretty good thriller that was mostly well thought out. A few surprises popped up now and again, but it was fairly straightforward. Harrison Ford did a great job as usual and the supporting cast was excellent. There were some "only in the movies" moments (like when Ford's character was wirelessly connected to the internet in the middle of nowhere), but I suppose everything can't be completely realistic. I particularly liked the marriage of technology, action and suspense, but thought the ending was a bit cliche.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Bettany, Virginia Madsen

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.

Glory Road - ACE Train Movie Review

Don Haskins was a high school and college basketball star who, after six years of working with high school teams, became the head coach at Texas Western University in 1962. At that time, Texas Western's basketball program was not well respected, but Haskins was determined to change that, and in 1966 Haskins assembled what he was certain was a winning team. However, Haskins' team was comprised entirely of African-American athletes at a time when racially integrated teams were still a novelty in the South and West. Despite generating a firestorm of controversy, Haskins and his players showed they could succeed where it counted - on the court. In post-season play Haskins and the Texas Western team found themselves competing for the NCAA championship against the University of Kentucky's all-white team, lead by legendary coach Adolph Rupp.

I usually like movies that are based on true events and this is no different. It was an important story to tell not just because it showed the beginning of blacks participating (and succeeding) in what was then a "white" sport, but it also explored the overall issue of race back in the '60s which provides a view of how far we have come - although there's still plenty of room for improvement. The movie itself is fast-paced, interesting, well-acted, shocking, uplifting and intense. I also felt the interviews with the actual team members in the special features section was a nice touch which put everything into perspective.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Josh Lucas, Jon Voight

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.

Undiscovered - ACE Train Movie Review

Luke is a struggling rock musician who has decided to leave New York City for the seemingly greener pastures of Los Angeles. A few days before he leaves, he spots a beautiful girl on the subway who gives him a big smile, giving him brief second thoughts. However, Luke heads out to L.A. anyway, and after months of scuffling lands a gig - and sees the beautiful girl, Brier, in the audience. Brier is an aspiring actress who, like Luke, came to L.A. to boost her career; she's taking acting classes and has landed a less-than-glamorous but lucrative deodorant commercial. Luke and Brier strike up a friendship, though it's obvious he's interested in something deeper; as Luke tries to score a record deal, Brier and her best friend Clea try to spruce up his image and create some buzz about his music. But as Luke falls hard for Brier, she develops greater qualms about getting involved with a musician who will spend half his life on the road, and their shared desire for that big break may be the thing that keeps them apart.

This is your typical romantic comedy: boy meets girl, boy likes girl, girl plays hard to get, boy ends up with girl. I'm not giving anything away, because it's obvious what's going to happen right from the beginning. I would have given it a worse rating, but I felt the main characters had very good chemistry and were believable in their roles. I also really enjoyed the music which was performed by a musician who was the actor playing a musician in the film (get it? The actor sang his own songs). Anyway, it's worth a look if you're into music and want to see a skateboarding dog - yeah, he's pretty good.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Pell James, Steven Strait, Kip Pardue, Ashlee Simpson

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.

Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic - ACE Train Movie Review

Combining stand-up material with comedy sketches and musical numbers, Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic is dominated by Silverman's typically edgy monologues, including bits on racism, September 11th, family dysfunction, drug abuse, rape, the Holocaust and plenty of other unlikely sources of comedy guaranteed to make viewers squirm while they laugh.

I'm all for acting goofy and using shock value to get a laugh, but the material in Sarah's act wasn't very cleverly written and didn't flow as well as it could have. It seemed as though she was just trying to pack in as many offensive references as possible, but didn't take the time to polish the jokes that would make it funny instead of just shocking. The musical numbers weren't very funny either - check out Stephen Lynch if you want to hear some hilarious, politically incorrect songs.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sarah Silverman

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

Mr. 3000 - ACE Train Movie Review

Mr. 3000 revolves around over-the-hill baseball star Stan Ross, who retired after making what he thought was his 3,000th base hit for the Milwaukee Brewers. Though he shocked his teammates by quitting in the middle of the game, certain that his Hall of Fame position was in the bag, complications arise when he discovers that three of his hits during his ten-year career had been disqualified. Known as Mr. 3000, the 47-year-old, out-of-shape ball player returns to the game intending to stay only as long as it takes to get the hits he needs, but something unexpected happens along the way - he rediscovers his love for the game, and begins to serve as a mentor to one of the younger players.

This is a complete waste of time. Bernie Mac is pretty funny in his sitcom, but this film is far from that type of entertainment. I don't think I laughed once, and for a comedy, that's not a good thing. It was very predictable and Bernie Mac's character even looked at the camera at one point and said, "Was that cheesy enough for you?" That's exactly what this movie was, very cheesy. The only good thing about it was the fact it had a positive message, but it wasn't enough to make it a good film.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Brian J. White, Michael Rispoli

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 River King - ACE Train Movie Review

The body of a prep school student has been discovered in a nearby river, and though the death was originally listed as a suicide one detective believes that it may have actually been the result of a fraternity hazing gone awry. Detective Abel Grey isn't willing to write off the case as a suicide just yet, and with a little help from sympathetic teacher Betsy Chase he hopes to uncover the truth behind the mysterious and untimely death. As a series of elusive clues lead Detective Grey ever closer to the truth, he is forced to confront not only the increasingly complex facts in the case of the student death, but his own repressed emotions related to the suicide of his older brother years earlier as well.

This film was listed under the Mystery & Suspense and Horror categories, but the mystery turns out to be no mystery at all and the suspense is waiting for the non-mystery to be solved - horror? Not a chance. The setting had the potential to be horrific and mysterious, but the execution proved far from it. It turned out to be a pretty uneventful film that ended with me scratching my head wondering what the point was. Needless to say, I was very disappointed in a film that started with lots of potential, but went downhill from there.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Edward Burns, Jennifer Ehle

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.

Date Movie - Movie Review

Julia Jones is a young woman who wants nothing more than to find the man of her dreams and settle down. However, Julia has a rather serious weight problem that prevents her from making a positive impression on people. Determined to find love at all costs, Julia somehow drops the weight and meets Grant Fonckyerdoder, a handsome and charming Englishman who falls head over heels for her. Julia and Grant waste no time in setting the date, but until they make their way to the altar they have to deal with meddling parents, flaky wedding planners, fights over the right wedding dress, vertically challenged romantic advisors, and Andy, a longtime friend of Grant, who isn't so happy to hear he's getting hitched.

This is a parody movie that you will only understand if you have seen the movies that are being parodied (including My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Hitch, My Best Friend's Wedding, Meet the Fockers, When Harry Met Sally and Wedding Crashers). Even if you have seen these movies, this film is more silly than funny. There are some clever and creative scenes, but it's mostly a collection of moments from other movies taken to the next, un-politically correct level. This is one of those films that you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy - brainless entertainment.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Alyson Hannigan, Adam Campbell, Sophie Monk, Eddie Griffin

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.

Freedomland - ACE Train Movie Review

Late one night in a working class New Jersey suburb, a bloodied woman staggers mute and dazed into the emergency room at the Dempsy Medical Center. After treatment for shock and hysteria, Brenda Martin recounts to Dempsy police detective Lorenzo Council a horrific tale of being carjacked on the isolated strip of undeveloped land that divides Dempsy's urban housing projects from the blue collar town of Gannon, where she lives. She claims she was forced out of her car by a black man, but during the interrogation Council senses he's not getting the whole story. Only after hours of questioning does Brenda finally break down and confess that her four-year-old son, Cody, was asleep in the back seat of the stolen car. Led by activist Karen Collucci, members of the communities of Dempsy and Gannon unite in a search for the missing child, but the criminal investigation into the alleged kidnapping by a suspect who is presumed to be a local from the projects soon ignites long-simmering racial tensions between the two towns.

It sounds like this could be an action-packed, controversial film, but it was really just a dud. The story started off well and was set up to be interesting, but I kept waiting for the big bang. Julianne Moore's character alternated between aloof and crazy throughout the whole film and Samuel L. Jackson's character acted like he had everything solved from the beginning - but was inept to get it done. I was bored part of the time and wanted to fast-forward to the end. After it ended, my fist thought was, "That was anti-climactic." Not recommended if you're looking for action.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Julianne Moore, Samuel L. Jackson, 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 Time Traveler's Wife - Book Review

This novel tells the story of Henry de Tamble and his wife, Clare Abshire. Henry has a very rare genetic disorder known as "Chrono-Impairment" that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. He is unable to control when he leaves, where he goes, or how long his trip will last. His destinations are tied to his subconscious, as Henry most often travels to places he has visited (or will eventually visit). Certain things like stress can trigger time travel for Henry.

Clare Abshire is a perfectly normal woman in most respects. She comes from a wealthy family, goes to Catholic school and eventually moves to Chicago to attend college. She studies art, and eventually becomes an artist herself; working with several types of molding paper. Most women do not, however, meet their eventual husbands lurking in the woods behind their childhood homes. Henry time travels into Clare's childhood many, many times, starting when she is six years old and continuing until her eighteenth birthday, when they are separated for two years until they finally meet in real time for both of them. When 20-year-old Clare finds the 28-year-old Henry in the present, he has never seen her before, and she has known him all her life.

If that description sounds confusing, don't let it deter you from reading this book. It is a very original concept and the writing style is definitely creative and turns a confusing plot into a very readable and enjoyable love story. Love stories aren't typically my thing, but this one is excellent - no, it's not a romance novel. The chapters focus on different dates in time (some in the past and some in the future, not in order) and alternate between Henry's point of view and Clare's view.

Surprisingly, even though time doesn't proceed in a linear fashion, the story is easy to follow and makes perfect sense - each change in date is coupled with a readout of Henry and Clare's ages so it's easy to tell if Henry is time traveling or in the present. My only complaint is that the end could have been better, but it doesn't taint the rest of this great book. If you want to read something that is unlike anything you have ever read, I would recommend this novel. I'll bet you will find it as much of a page turner as I did.


Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger
Hardcover: 518 pages
September 2003