Happy Feet - ACE Train Movie Reveiw

In the world of the emperor penguin, a simple song can mean the difference between a lifetime of happiness and an eternity of loneliness. When a penguin named Mumble is born without the ability to sing the romantic song that will attract his soul mate, he'll have to resort to some fancy footwork by tap dancing his way into the heart of the one he loves. As fate would have it, his one friend, Gloria, happens to be the best singer around. Mumble and Gloria have a connection from the moment they hatch, but the other emperor penguins think he is just too different and casts him out of the community. Away from home for the first time, Mumble meets a posse of decidedly un-Emperor-like penguins - the Adelie Amigos. In Adelie Land, Mumble seeks the counsel of Lovelace the Guru, a crazy-feathered Rockhopper penguin who will answer any of life’s questions for the price of a pebble. Together with Lovelace and the Amigos, Mumble sets out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, proves that by being true to yourself, you can make all the difference in the world.

This film wasn't what I had expected. I thought it was going to be a cute, funny penguin movie. It turned out to be much deeper, darker and more serious than that. The little, fuzzy penguin that's featured in the previews and on the cover of the DVD wasn't little and fuzzy for long. In a relatively short amount of time, the baby penguin was grown up, dealing with grown up issues. So much for a kids movie, although I suppose kids can learn that being different might be difficult at first, but gets easier over time. I'm not sure what kids would make of the "aliens" taking the food supply from the penguins although that's a prominent issue featured in the second half of the film. Overall, the animation was stunning, there were some funny and entertaining scenes, but the story was disappointing and more "adult" than anticipated.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman

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.

Harsh Times - ACE Train Movie Review

Jim is a Gulf War veteran who believes his sworn duty to protect his fellow Americans extends to the streets of Los Angeles, and he longs to fulfill his destiny by joining the LAPD. Rejected by the force and left to ponder his future with his impoverished Mexican paramour - whom he had intended on bringing to the city after joining the police - the dejected and unemployed veteran is offered a second shot at helping his country when he is subsequently approached by the Department of Homeland Security. As Jim and his unemployed best friend, Mike, carve a swath of chaos through the streets of Los Angeles, the weight of their American dream soon comes crashing down in a devastating blow that threatens to dash their high hopes for a bright future.

This was a very dark and depressing film. The male characters were losers who just went around looking for trouble, drinking and flashing guns. The female characters (including Eva Longoria) seemed out of place since they were the responsible ones who pushed the guys to get their act together. The movie was like a downward spiral with worse and worse things happening until people started dying. It ends after one of the darkest scenes, so it doesn't let up and there's never really a ray of hope. Don't watch this film if you're in a bad mood as it will only serve to make you feel worse.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva Longoria

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.

Unhitched - ACE Train Movie Review

Soon after causing some ripples in the publishing world with his first novel, emerging writer Olly Pickering wanders wayward and is forced to accept a dead-end position as a lowly assistant. Though it initially appears as if he has entered into a downward spiral from which he isn't likely to emerge anytime soon, Olly finds his luck taking a turn for the better upon meeting the lovely Sarah at the engagement party of a close friend. After discovering that Sarah is in fact the fiance of his philandering friend and the pair have requested that Olly serve as the best man in the upcoming wedding, the dejected writer determines to convince the unsuspecting Sarah that she is about to marry the wrong man. With a little help from his wacky roommate Murray, Olly may be able to put the breaks on the impending nuptials and prove his undying love for Sarah before she makes a mistake she is likely to regret for the rest of her life.

This was a typical, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. There wasn't anything particularly different or original about the plot or sequence of events. You could see the story unfold from miles away, so there weren't any surprises. I did like the chemistry between the characters and thought Seth Green did a respectable job as an Englishman. There were some amusing scenes that made me laugh (and cringe), but not enough for me to really like the film enough to recommend it. The ending was no different than the rest of the film - predictable and overused.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Amy Smart, Stuart Townsend, Seth Green

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.

Trust the Man - ACE Train Movie Review

Rebecca and Tom are a seemingly happy married couple living in New York City - she's a successful actress, while he stays home with the kids. However, beneath the surface, things are not going well. Rebecca is no longer amused with her husband's appetite for porn and constant sexual demands, while he's seriously considering having an affair. Rebecca's brother Tobey is in a more openly dysfunctional relationship; he's been dating Elaine for seven years but has no interest in marriage, while she's desperate to settle down and start a family. Tobey and Elaine decide to call it quits, as Tobey hooks up with an old friend from college who is looking to cheat on her husband, and Elaine starts dating a handsome musician who may be in need of a green card. Meanwhile, Rebecca and Tom go into couples therapy, which creates as many problems as it solves.

This was a light and fun film. Even though it dealt with some pretty heavy issues, the mood of the film was mostly upbeat. All of the actors did a very convincing job and they had great chemistry. The plot wasn't terribly original, but it was pretty funny and full of drama. The one thing that I really didn't like was the ending. It was very corny and cliche, so it ended on a down note. Other than that, it was definitely one that women will love and men should be able to tolerate.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Julianne Moore, David Duchovny, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Billy Crudup

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.

Children of Men - ACE Train Movie Review

The year is 2027, and women can no longer give birth. The youngest inhabitant of the planet has just died at the age of 18, and all hope for humanity has been lost. As civilization descends into chaos, a dying world finds one last chance for survival in the form of a woman who has become inexplicably pregnant. Now, as warring nationalistic sects clash and British leaders try to maintain their totalitarian stronghold on the country, a disillusioned bureaucrat is brought back into the fold of activism by his guerrilla ex-wife. Reluctantly, he takes on the daunting task of escorting Kee, the refugee who represents humankind's last hope for survival, out of harm's way and into the care of a mysterious organization known as The Human Project.

Although the plot was original, I was pretty bored with this film. There was a lot of action with guns blazing and bombs exploding, but the story was so straightforward that I lost interest as it was obvious where it was going and there weren't interesting sub-plots to spice it up. I also found it a little too unbelievable that Clive Owen's character kept getting into the middle of gun fights, but didn't get hit with any bullets - I know it's a movie, but come on... Anyway, when it ended, my first reaction was to turn it off and go about my business - no thinking about why certain things happened or wondering what would happen to the characters after the film ended. I certainly hope there's no sequel.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Claire-Hope Ashitey

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.

Idiocracy - ACE Train Movie Review

In 2005, Pvt. Joe Bowers is a soldier chosen to take part in a secret military scientific experiment in which he will be put into induced hibernation for one year, along with a woman named Rita. Bowers is chosen for the assignment because he is statistically the most average man in the Army, while Rita is a hooker ordered to do some community service; however, Bowers and Rita are forgotten when the military base where the experiment took place is closed down, and when they wake up in the year 2505, Bowers finds himself living in a society where intelligence has taken such a landslide he's now the smartest man in the world. Can Bowers save America from its own remarkable stupidity, and he can he get the dunderheads around him to believe what he says?

The title says it all. This is an idiotic and horribly bad film. It's ironic that one of the main themes of this movie is the completely mindless television shows that people watch in the future - this film would fit right in. The first 2 minutes contained the only slightly entertaining part (a description of how people with low IQs reproduce at a much higher rate than people with high IQs). Once they set that scene, it was all down hill. I actually fast-forwarded though a couple of the slow parts (there were many) because I can't bring myself to actually turn off a movie without finishing it, although I was very close with this one. Don't waste your time.

Rating: 1 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard

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.

Flushed Away - ACE Train Movie Review

Roddy was living the high life when he first met Sid the sewer rat, but that's all about to change when Sid decides to send the hapless mouse down the pipes and stealthily take his place in the lap of luxury. Though the bustling sewer city of Ratropolis isn't without its fair share of kind citizens, it is certainly no place for a pampered mouse with a taste for life's finer things. Upon making the acquaintance of scavenger rat Rita, Roddy is certain that the pair can navigate their way back to the surface in Rita's trusty boat, the Jammy Dodger, but Rita's help doesn't come cheap, and the nefarious Toad is determined to rid Ratropolis of all things rodent.

This was a very entertaining and funny animated film. There seems to have been a series of disappointing animated features recently, but this bucks the trend. The story was original, the animation was clean and pleasing to the eye, the plot progressed quickly which meant it never got boring and it was actually funny (I loved the little slugs). This is one I enjoyed without kids, but I'm sure kids would love it even more and there's even a nice message of good triumphing over evil to go with the silly antics.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, 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.

The Pursuit of Happyness - ACE Train Movie Review

Set in early-'80s San Francisco, the film charts the hard times and eventual comeback of Chris Gardner, a suddenly single salesman who has custody of his son, but finds that providing for the two of them is a challenge in the increasingly unstable economic climate. He struggles to work his way from unpaid intern at Dean Witter to something more substantial, even as life continues to offer him setbacks.

Overall, this was a good film with a great message. However, most of the film was pretty depressing. I mean, the guy couldn't catch a break despite working hard to do all the right things for him and his family. It wasn't until the very end of the film that things started looking up. So, if you can handle 2 hours of depressing circumstances, this really is an amazing true life story of overcoming obstacles and shows that "keeping your eye on the prize" can really pay off. The special features include an interview with the real Chris Gardner where he talks about his story and validates the authenticity of most of the scenes in the movie. Definitely worth a look.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Thandie Newton

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 Descent - ACE Train Movie Review

After suffering a devastating car crash one year before, Sarah is lured to the States with her friend Beth to a special spelunking trip by the fearless Juno, who abruptly fled from the U.K. after Sarah's accident. Along with two old friends and a new acquaintance of Juno's, the group embark on a cave expedition that takes a turn for the worse after a rock fall leaves them stranded in an uncharted cave with no map and only a handful of supplies to last them the rest of the trip. As tensions arise in the group, they are faced with another danger - one whose love of the dark is as strong as its lust for blood.

If you've seen The Cave, then whatever you thought about that film will probably be the same as what you'll think of this one. The plots are very similar which isn't necessarily a good thing. Personally, I thought The Cave was horribly bad and this one was a bit better, but still not a good film. The acting, special effects and storyline were just so-so. There were a couple scary/shocking scenes, but it was mostly full of build up without reward. It trades a good plot for gore, which isn't a good exchange - there's only so many times you can see an ice axe stabbing a "crawler" before it gets old.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid

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.

Blood Diamond - ACE Train Movie Review

Ripped from his family farm and forced to toil away in the sweltering South African diamond fields, Solomon Vandy discovered an extraordinary rough stone of immeasurable value. Danny Archer is a hired gun who specializes in the sale of so-called "blood diamonds" that are used to finance rebellions and terrorist organizations, and is currently serving time for smuggling. As a bloody civil war rages in Sierra Leone and Archer learns that Vandy has safely hidden the diamond in a place where no one would ever suspect, the pair enlist the aid of disillusioned American journalist Maddy Bowen in recovering the treasure that has the power to save Vandy's family and provide the desperate Archer with a much-needed chance for redemption.

This was a very good film. It had action, drama, guns, explosions, airplanes, helicopters, missiles, blood, amputations - everything that makes for a must see. Seriously, it kept me on the edge of my seat and held my interest the entire time. While the film wasn't based on a specific true event, the overall topic and general conflict was real (and continues to be, to a lesser extent). The "realness" of the movie makes it more interesting and sickening at the same time. It's a story that needed to be told and was done so in the best possible way. My only disappointment was that there weren't any special features that showed the real Sierra Leone or the people affected by the real conflict. Oh well, I suppose the movie was real enough.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou

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.

All the King's Men - ACE Train Movie Review

Willie Stark is a man of the people, and for the people; at least that's what he tells the people. Propelled into a race for governor by opposing forces looking to split the "hick vote," Stark is convinced by a handler - as well as by young journalist Jack Burden - to not pander to the powers that be. His rhetoric grows fiery, and he makes his way into office on a not-so-solid foundation of social-service promises. When idealism gives way to the harsh realities of the time, however, the fast-talking politico is quick to discover just how far one can fall when ambition and power lead to a betrayal of one's original motivations.

Booorrring! It's not that this was a particularly bad movie, the topic was just not interesting to me. The actors did a great job, but the story was dull and slow to progress. Sean Penn's character was quite an eccentric individual and stirred up a lot of drama, but not enough to make the movie engaging. Politics isn't something that I think of as exciting, so sitting through a 2 hour movie about a Louisiana political rivalry probably wasn't the best thing I could have done. That being said, it actually started getting a little interesting toward the end, but then it ended.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini

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.

Sublime - ACE Train Movie Review

Family man George Grieves checks into Mt. Abadon Hospital for a routine procedure. When he awakens from his anesthesia, something is terribly wrong, with George, with the hospital and especially with the shuttered East Ward, an eerie lair of secrets, sex and surgical terrors.

This is a pretty gruesome and confusing film. It caught my eye because I used to watch Tom Cavanagh in the television shows "Ed" and "Love Monkey." However, this film is nothing like those shows. It starts off normal enough, but once Tom's character enters the hospital, everything changes and the confusion and torture begins. It's not until the last 15 minutes that you realize what has been going on and it makes more sense. The journey to get to the end is really not worth it and it's a painfully slow moving movie. Definitely not a must see.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Tom Cavanagh, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Kathleen York

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 Holiday - ACE Train Movie Review

After each suffers her fair share of romantic disappointments, Englishwoman Iris and L.A. woman Amanda meet on-line at a website devoted to helping people exchange houses for vacations. Each agrees to spend the Christmas holiday at the other's home. While each suffers from a minor case of culture shock, both women also end up becoming involved with a man. Iris makes the acquaintance of an upbeat everyman, while Amanda spends time with a handsome Brit. Both women must decide what to do with these new relationships as their pre-arranged house switch is scheduled to last less than two weeks.

As far as romantic comedies go, this was a great film. I'm not usually into the sappy chick flicks, which I thought this was going to be. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the plot was more than just about women who were wounded by bad relationships trying to find a good guy. There were several sub-plots that added real meat to the story and kept it interesting (and funny, too). The fact that a bunch of big name actors appeared in this film, which seems to be a recipe for disaster for most films, worked well in this one. The chemistry between all of the characters was smooth and appeared very natural which made it easy to watch and believe. This is definitely a film worth a look.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black

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.

Winkie - Book Review

Winkie is about a teddy bear of the same name that is accused of terrorism. As the book opens, Winkie is all alone, having lost his child, in the lonely cabin of a now-dead professor. But one night, a swat team visits the cabin, takes him into custody, and arrests him on over nine thousand charges including terrorism, treason, “corrupting the youth of Athens,” teaching evolution, and being a witch.

As the novel progresses, the reader goes through the daily indignities that Winkie suffers such as a corrupt prison system and cruel jailers. On the way Winkie meets friends such as Francoise, a lesbian Muslim cleaning woman and his stuttering lawyer, Charles Unwin. The book also delves deeply into Winkie's past; his life living with the many generations of the Chase family (including Clifford, the author of the novel) and finally gaining sentience and moving out on his own into the wild.

Needless to say, a book about a teddy bear who comes to life and is arrested for horrible crimes that he may, or may not, have committed is definitely one of the strangest novels I have ever read. As kids, we have all pretended that inanimate objects were real and had personalities and were able to interact with us. Clifford Chase takes this to another level and creates an entire history for his bear, complete with emotions and thoughts about various events throughout the bear's life. On top of that, he puts the seemingly innocent bear in the position of being arrested and sent to jail while going through a trial for thousands of crimes that he is accused of committing.

After reading the synopsis of the book, it sounded very strange, but also appealing as I figured it would be full of action and imagination. However, it was mostly pretty boring. The majority of the book focused on Winkie's mundane life while sitting on a shelf, hoping to be picked up and played with or hugged - not a real page turner. When the trial started, I figured the action would pick up, but it didn't. It ended just like it started - slow and full of strange events that were never really explained. Overall, I liked the concept and originality of the book, but it was relatively mundane in its execution.


Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

Winkie
by Clifford Chase
Hardcover: 236 pages
Released: 2006

Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny - ACE Train Movie Review

JB is a Midwesterner whose strict Christian parents view his burning passion for heavy metal as a mortal sin. After his dad tears down every poster in his bedroom except for a Ronnie James Dio poster on the back of the door, the former Black Sabbath frontman instructs the aspiring young rocker to seek out his fortune no matter what the cost. Subsequently setting his sights on Hollywood and hellbent to take the world of rock music by storm, JB sneaks out his bedroom window and makes his way to Venice Beach, where he soon meets guitar-strumming slacker KG. With a future of rock & roll superstardom now well within their reach, JB and KG harness the power of Satan to form hellfire hard rock duo Tenacious D and set out on a quest to achieve musical immortality by stealing the mythical guitar pick said to instill its owner with unprecedented musical prowess.

Jack Black is a talented guy. He wrote, produced and performed, not only the film, but also the music used in the film. If this was an independent film that was made to show off his talent, I would say it was a masterpiece. However, this was a major motion picture, so compared to other feature films, it was a dud. As usual for a Jack Black movie, there were some very good and funny parts and some very dumb and silly parts. The fact that he got Meat Loaf, Ronnie James Dio and Dave Grohl to perform in the film speaks volumes (both good and bad). It had too much profanity for a kids film and not enough real substance for an adult film, so I'm not sure who would like this film beyond the stoner/wasted segment of the population.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, JR Reed

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.

My Super Ex-Girlfriend - ACE Train Movie Review

Matt Saunders was looking for love when he first met pretty brunette Jenny Johnson, and at the time it seemed as if he may had finally actually found it. Jenny isn't just your typical girl, though, because despite her outwardly normal appearance she is actually a powerful superhero dedicated to ridding the streets of crime. Her outward strength betrays a deep-rooted insecurity, too, and when Jenny begins to become a bit too possessive for Matt's laid-back taste, the troubled boyfriend does his best to end the relationship amicably. They say that breaking up isn't easy to do, however, and when your girlfriend is a superhero, that sentiment holds twice the truth as it does under any normal circumstances. Matt is determined to get on with his life, though, and as his budding romance with beautiful co-worker Hannah begins to get serious, jealous Jenny scornfully slips into G-Girl mode to prove that hell hath no fury like a woman superhero scorned.

This is a ridiculous film. It's supposed to be a romantic comedy, but it's really not that funny - it's more goofy than anything. G-Girl is just a rip-off of Superman (and not a very good one). I don't know what they were trying to accomplish when making this film, but I certainly wasn't very amused. It has it's good parts and funny moments, but it's mostly just a series of dumb scenes with G-Girl showing off her powers (and using them to get back at her ex-boyfriend) - like when she throws a live shark through the window which proceeds to chase the ex-boyfriend around the apartment. That's the type of quality you should expect from this film - yawn...

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, Anna Faris

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 Covenant - ACE Train Movie Review

The story begins in 1692, when five families from the Ipswich Colony of Massachusetts formed a covenant of silence that would forever protect their remarkable powers. One family went too far, though, and as a result of their transgression they were forever banished from the land. Flash forward to the new millennium and the four Sons of Ipswich are now the student elite at the prestigious Spenser Academy. Bound by their sacred ancestry and sworn to silence, these four teens share a secret so remarkable that it has served to protect their families for hundreds of years. The past has a way of coming back when you least expect it though, and when the fifth Son of Ipswich returns seeking to harness the powers denied him in the past, the battle is on to ensure the safety of The Covenant and lay the one descendant who threatens to reveal their secret to rest once and for all.

This was a pretty entertaining film. The story was sufficiently original and interesting, the acting was good and the chemistry between the characters worked nicely. However, the best part of the movie was the special effects. All of the special powers were done great justice by the effects that were used - the best one was the car that was about to get hit head-on, split into pieces right before the collision, then reformed after the danger passed. It was a pretty dark film with a deep history behind the plot, but it was easy enough to follow along and not be distracted be the supernatural basis. While the ending wasn't very suspenseful as it was fairly obvious how it was going to conclude, the journey was worth a viewing.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steven Strait, Sebastian Stan, Laura Ramsey

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.

Borat - ACE Train Movie Review

Sent by the Kazakh Ministry of Information to gain a better understanding of American culture and bring his findings back home, Borat and faithful producer Azamat set their sights in New York City. When the citizens and interview subjects of the Big Apple seem less than receptive to Borat's distinctively unrestrained approach and the curious Kazakh television personality stumbles across an episode of Baywatch while channel-surfing in his hotel room, he becomes instantly smitten with screen siren Pamela Anderson. Now confident that the only way to discover the true essence of America is to travel to California and make the bikini-clad beauty his bride, Borat purchases a ramshackle ice-cream truck in which he and Azamat will make their way across the Great Plains and on to the sunny West Coast - all the while coming into contact with a wide variety of "typical" Americans.

I'll give Sacha Baron Cohen major credit for creating a unique character and "becoming" that character. He's so good that, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was really from Kazakhstan or some other Eastern country. Some scenes in the mocumentary seemed real even though they must have been staged. Having said all that, this is a ridiculous film. It's in the same vein as Napoleon Dynamite in that you either will love it or hate it (or not get it). I fall into the latter category and think this type of comedy is funny in small doses, but a feature film is a bit too much and it gets old. There are some really funny parts, but it's mostly just a "shock value" film.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Jane Sanguinetti

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.

Gridiron Gang - ACE Train Movie Review

Sean Porter is a detention camp probation officer who oversees the inmates at Camp Kilpatrick in Los Angeles and isn't willing to simply write off the violent offenders who have been placed in his care. Though their prospects for the future are decidedly bleak, Porter is convinced that if he can just get through to his adolescent inmates they may finally be able to turn their lives around and make amends for the mistakes of their past. When Porter's proposal of forming a high-school-level football team at Camp Kilpatrick meets with skepticism and resistance in the highest ranks, the determined coach puts his career on the line to prove that even convicted criminals can acquire the tools needed to build a brighter future when given the proper motivation and the means of doing so.

This was a very good film with lots of action and sub-plots which combine for an entertaining experience. The whole movie was cast perfectly as the prisoners/players and coaches did an excellent job of portraying the real people who they were based on. There were lots of ups and downs, every emotion was touched upon and the roller coaster ride ended with a great conclusion and epilogue which explained what happened to the real people and they even showed some documentary footage of the real team practicing and playing - that showed how close the film was to the real thing. The main takeaway from this film should be that, with a little positive reinforcement and a safe outlet to channel their energy, troubled teens really can be molded into responsible adults instead of becoming career criminals (or dying young) - juvenile halls across the country should take note.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: The Rock, Jade Yorker, Xzibit

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.

Hollywoodland - ACE Train Movie Review

George Reeves was a journeyman actor who had played a small role in Gone With The Wind and appeared on screen with the likes of James Cagney, Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich, but his career was not exactly booming when he was cast as comic book hero Superman in a 1951 B-movie, Superman and the Mole Men. A year later, the producers of the movie launched a syndicated Superman television series with Reeves returning as the Man of Steel. The show became a major hit, and Reeves was a star at last. However, on June 16, 1959, to the shock of many, Reeves was found dead of a gunshot wound. Police soon declared Reeves' death a suicide and closed the case, but his mother refused to believe her son took his own life, and hired Louis Simo, a private detective, to find out the truth about her son's passing.

I had high hopes for this film since I like movies based on true events and this seemed like a juicy event that could have made for a great film. However, it ended up being a big dud. The pace of the movie was so slow that I found myself losing interest and had a hard time getting sucked into the plot. Adrien Brody and Ben Affleck were OK in their roles, but I think Diane Lane stole the show. Overall, it was very blah and didn't deliver any really exciting scenes. Furthermore, when a film takes on a true story with debatable events, the filmmakers typically take a stand and present their theory, but this film seemed to present all the different theories which made it a little weak and confusing. You can safely skip this film without missing anything of great quality.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane

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.

Step Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Tyler Gage grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in a rough section of Baltimore, and has been in and out of trouble with the law most of his life. Finding himself before the judge yet again, Tyler is sentenced to 200 hours of community service, and he ends up mopping floors at the Maryland School of the Arts. Tyler catches the eye of Nora, a gifted ballet student who is trying to incorporate hip-hop moves into her classical routines. None of Nora's fellow students seem to be on the same page as her, but Tyler is a talented street dancer with strength, moves, and enthusiasm. Despite the misgivings of the school's administrators, Nora persuades Tyler to team up with her for a major class project. Tyler gains a new self-respect as he gives in to the discipline of the dance academy, but he wonders if this new opportunity means turning his back on who he really is. Matters become all the more complicated when Tyler and Nora realize they're falling in love.

I wasn't very impressed with this film. The dancing and music in the movie were both top notch and pretty amazing. However, the story was just too predictable for my taste. Even though this was a drama and not a suspense thriller, I found it hard to get into the drama when it was obvious what was going to happen. The lead characters had good chemistry, were great dancers and were believable in their roles, but the whole plot was very cliche and unoriginal. It's a good one to watch if you don't want to have to think very much and just want to be entertained since it was pretty entertaining despite other shortcomings.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Damaine Radcliff

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.

Stranger Than Fiction - ACE Train Movie Review

Harold Crick lives a life of solitude. Kay Eiffel can't seem to find a way to finish her latest book. Though Harold and Kay have never actually met, their fates are about to become intertwined in a most unusual manner. With her publishers growing increasingly impatient with her apparent inability to put the finishing touches on her latest novel, Kay is assigned a new assistant whose task it is to help provide the creative push needed to get her book finished and into the hands of her many eager fans. The subject of Kay's novel is a lonely and despairing IRS agent named Harold Crick, who believes that his life has lost any real meaning. As Kay continues to weave Harold's woeful tale without realizing that her protagonist is actually a living human being unable to concentrate on his life and career due to the constant interference of the narrator who inexplicably seems to anticipate his every move and read his every thought, her continued efforts to kill her perplexed subject finally provide him with the incentive needed to fully experience life by seeking out the source of the voice that plagues him.

This is a very strange film that starts off slow and picks up a little, but never reaches a point that there's a lot of action. The draw of this film is that it's completely original and the plot is nothing like anything I have ever seen. It gives a whole new perspective to fictional novels you have read if you start to think of the characters as real, living people - not just characters in a book who might "seem real." Don't expect a typical Will Ferrell, goofy film. He does an excellent job in this drama with just a little comedy thrown in. The rest of the cast completes the story nicely and provides the support to pull this odd film off. I'd recommend this film if you're able to watch with an open mind and not expect the same Hollywood movie formula.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah

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.

Monterey / Carmel Trip - March 4-5, 2007

With the impending delivery of our bundle of joy in about 4 months, Shawnna and I decided it would be a good time to take one of the last "pre-baby" trips to Monterey and Carmel.

We hit the road Sunday morning and were in Monterey with time to shop at the outlets and walk down Cannery Row before lunch. We ate at a place that Shawnna had heard about on a Rachael Ray cooking show called Cafe Fina, which is located on the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. I had the fish and chips while Shawnna chose the shrimp burger and we had fried calamari for an appetizer. The food was excellent and the view consisted of docked boats, kayakers and sea lions resting on rocks in the water - pretty nice.

After lunch, we drove along the coast of Monterey and Pacific Grove on our way to Carmel. We checked into our hotel which was The Normandy Inn located on Ocean Avenue in between all the shops and the ocean. We ended up getting a room in the original building (built in 1921) with a fireplace and partial ocean view.

It was very charming, quaint, etc. and yes, we actually lit a fire in the fireplace. Next, we walked all around Carmel-by-the-Sea and looked in the various shops and galleries. For dinner, we drove back to Monterey and ate at The Sardine Factory. We were sat in "The Conservatory" dining room where Shawnna ordered Chicken Baltino and I enjoyed Steak & Lobster. For dessert, we indulged in Madame Flora’s “Banana Split” Platter which had this description on the menu - Hot caramelized bananas foster & house churned gelato, such as chocolate cinnamon kahlúa, tahitian vanilla & frutti spumoni, topped with pineapple, raspberry & chocolate sauce with whipped cream & toasted nuts - Yum! After stuffing our faces, it was time to go back to Carmel where we walked a couple laps around Ocean Ave. (the shops were all closed at this point) and settled down for a warm, winter's night.

We woke up Monday morning, ate the complimentary continental breakfast at the Inn, lounged around until we had to check

out, then headed back towards Monterey. We stopped in Pacific Grove and took a long walk on the boardwalk at Asilomar Beach. The weather was so nice with the sun shining in the blue sky and ocean waves crashing on the sand - it was the perfect day. We continued driving down the coast to Monterey, made a stop at Lover's Point to soak in more of the great day and then headed back to reality. As tough as it was to come back, it was great to get away for a couple of days before our next journey begins.

Lady in the Water - ACE Train Movie Review

M. Night Shyamalan writes and directs this self-proclaimed, grown-up "bedtime story" about an apartment building superintendent named Cleveland who discovers a magical sea-nymph named Story who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool. As this bizarre revelation sinks in, Cleveland becomes enraptured by her other-worldly charm. As he shelters her in his apartment, other inhabitants of the building begin falling into place as representations of characters from an Eastern myth in which these mermaids, or "narfs," co-exist unhappily with more beastly and violent characters. In human reality, the forces of darkness that threaten the heroes of a fairy tale prove to be much more terrifying, and the victory of good over evil is by no means guaranteed.

This is a ridiculously bad movie. M. Night Shyamalan created a classic film with "The Sixth Sense" and a pretty good film with "The Village," but "Lady in the Water" is not clever or entertaining. It seemed like it was written by a bunch of kids who made up dumb names for make-believe creatures and lame rituals that had to be performed to save the day. The acting seemed forced and I didn't believe what was taking place. Even though it was supposed to be intense, I found myself wanting to laugh at the absurdity of it all. I'm all for creativity and taking chances, but this is too far out there to be of interest.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright

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.

Open Season - ACE Train Movie Review

Raised by kindly park ranger Beth since he was a just a cub, 900-pound grizzly Boog is content to spend his days entertaining Timberline tourists and his nights nestled safely in Beth's luxurious garage. Boog's life is about to get much more complicated, however, when paranoid hunter Shaw returns from a recent foray in the woods with a frightened, one-horn mule deer named Elliot strapped trophy-like to the hood of his truck. Though at first reluctant to answer Elliot's desperate cries for help, gentle giant Boog eventually frees the thankful creature, who in turn decides to teach his hulking friend what it truly means to be free. Subsequently tranquilized and relocated into the wilderness after momentarily reverting to his true animalistic nature, Boog is forced to team with seasoned forest-dweller Elliot in order to find their way out of the woods before hunting season starts and Shaw comes gunning for all creatures great and small.

This was an OK film, but not great. There wasn't much that was original. It was your typical kids animated film that begins peaceful and fun, has conflict in the middle and ends with a nice, happy ending. There wasn't a whole lot that adults would be interested in. You could figure out the ending within the first 10 minutes and while there were a couple of funny parts, it was mostly pretty dull. One positive is that it's a very clean film and should be OK for the whole family to enjoy, but there is a lot of violence against rabbits for some reason. There are plenty of entertaining, animated films that have been produced, but this just isn't one of them.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Gary Sinise, Debra Messing, Jon Favreau, Billy Connolly

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.

Mt. Shasta Skiing - February 26, 2007

As it was time for our yearly Mt. Shasta ski trip, Dan and I drove up to our Dad's house in Cottonwood (South of Redding) on February 25th so we could hang out prior to skiing the next day. The weather was predicted to be pretty bad with cold temperatures, low visibility and lots of snow expected to fall. We decided to take our chances and drive to Mt. Shasta Ski Park on the 26th to see if we could brave the weather and get some runs in.

Dan, Dad, Tisha and I arrived on the slopes at 9:45am and sure enough, it was cold (low 30s), the visibility could have been better and it was snowing. However, the fact that it had been snowing for quite a while meant that there was tons of fresh powder to ski on. So, we bundled up and hit the slopes. Even though it snowed most of the day, it was just a light dusting, so it wasn't that annoying. The visibility was only a problem high on the mountain, so we stayed off of the top chair lift most of the day. The real payoff for braving the elements was awesome snow conditions as we had a fresh layer of powder each time we skiied down the mountain. All told, we made 20 runs in just over 5 hours and on several of them, we had the run just to ourselves - another benefit of questionable weather.

We had a total blast and were ready to do it again the next day (at least Dan and I were ready, not the old fogies :-) We got up on the 27th and started driving to the ski park, but as we got closer, it started snowing really hard and the visibility was getting less and less. We decided to turn around since the weather had really taken a turn for the worse and we didn't think it would have been a good day to be on the slopes. Instead, we spent the day hanging out at Dad's house, playing games and watching it hail and snow outside - I think we made the right decision. All in all, it was a fun trip and time well spent.

Oh, did I mention that the only one to take a fall on the hill was Dad? He did a very similar move to what Dan did last year - he fell while he was standing still. Who said skiing was the hard part :-) Until next time...

The Prestige - Movie Review

Rupert Angier and Alfred Borden are London-based magicians of the highest order, both blessed with spectacular powers of deception and both cursed with unrelenting envy for one another's skills. When Alfred performs an awe-inspiring trick for which there seems no logical explanation, the friendly competition shared between the pair turns to deadly rivalry as the enraged Rupert determines to uncover his rival's deepest secrets. In the world of illusion, however, nothing is ever quite as it seems, and the rules of the physical world simply don't apply. Now, as bitter competition quickly begins to consume the souls of both performers, the firestorm birthed by their anger threatens to consume all who surround them.

Awesome film! This is one of those movies that, once you finish it, you'll want to watch it again. There is so much happening all of the time with lots of mystery surrounding many events, it's one puzzle after another that you're trying to solve. The plot is so smart and well thought out that you must pay very close attention to every detail as clues are hidden (in plain sight) everywhere. By the end, I realized that I had changed my mind multiple times with regards to what was really happening and who was behind it all. Like a great film, the very end brings surprises that completely change everything you have just seen - hence the need to watch it again. This is a must see.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie

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.

I'm an Amazon.com Associate

"What is an Amazon.com Associate," you ask. It means that I have my own associate ID number, so when you purchase anything from Amazon.com and you use my link with my ID number attached, I get credit for referring you.

Here's my unique URL: http://www.amazon.com/?tag=davshoo-20.

To make it easy, you can bookmark that URL and use it whenever you want to purchase anything from Amazon.com. Once you enter Amazon.com using that URL, you can navigate anywhere on the website and it will remember that I referred you. What's in it for you? You'll have the satisfaction of knowing that, not only are you getting great deals by shopping on Amazon.com, but you have the added bonus of knowing that you're helping me get a referral credit.

So, bookmark my URL and have fun shopping!

The Barnyard - ACE Train Movie Review

Ben is a cow who for years has been the leader and sober voice of reason among the animals at a farm where the critters are a bit unusual - they can walk on two legs, talk, swim, and act like humans, though they have the good sense to avoid doing these things while humans are around. Ben has long dreamed that his son Otis would someday take over his duties on the farm, but Otis is a carefree and irresponsible type who would rather party with his friends and hang out with his girlfriend, Daisy. Ben and his friend Miles, a wise and patient mule, wonder if Otis will ever make anything of himself, while Daisy's best friend, Bessy, is convinced she can do better. However, one night Otis decides to do something about an obnoxious kid who enjoys tipping his fellow cows, and for the first time in his life he gets a taste of leadership - and he likes it.

This was a pretty entertaining and funny kids movie, but it wasn't as clever as some of the Disney films. The animation was very clean and the story was good in terms of the message it was trying to get across. I'm sure kids would laugh hard at some of the parts and there's enough to keep adults entertained as well. However, the plot was pretty thin which I suppose is good so young kids can follow along, but it's a little dull at times from an adult perspective. Overall, kids should get the final vote as to whether this is a must see, so I'd say give it a look and your kids might learn something about responsibility while being entertained at the same time.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Kevin James, Courteney Cox Arquette, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Wanda Sykes, Andie MacDowell

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.

Babel - ACE Train Movie Review

Richard and Susan are a couple from the United States who have traveled to Morocco in Northern Africa on a vacation after the death of one of their children has sent Susan into a deep depression. Richard and Susan's other two children have been left in the care of Amelia, their housekeeper. Amelia is originally from Mexico, and her oldest son is getting married in Tijuana. Unable to find someone who can watch the kids, or to obtain permission to take the day off, Amelia takes the children with her as she travels across the border for the celebration. Around the same time, in Morocco a poor farmer buys a hunting rifle, and he gives it to his sons to scare off the predatory animals that have been thinning out their goat herd. The boys decide to test the weapon's range by shooting at a bus far away; the shot hits Susan in the shoulder, and soon she's bleeding severely, while police are convinced the attack is the work of terrorists.

If you liked "Crash," I think you'll like this film as well. Although it's not quite as good as Crash, it is definitely a complex film with many intersecting stories that require you to pay attention if you have any hope of following the nuances of what's happening. All of the actors do a great job of making you care for them and fear for the situations in which they find themselves. The end of the film ties up much of the loose ends, but it by no means wraps it in a pretty package as there are still many unanswered questions which you must create an answer for yourself. This is one of the few movies which I actually searched for more information about it after I was through watching. I'll definitely watch it again and would expect to catch some things I missed the first time around. I don't know if it's worth all of the Oscar buzz it's been receiving, but it is a high quality, complex film.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal

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.

Take the Lead - ACE Train Movie Review

Pierre Dulaine is a prize-winning ballroom dancer and instructor from Manhattan who volunteers his services to a high school in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the Bronx. Principal Augustine James in turn gives Dulaine a tough assignment - a detention class with some of the biggest troublemakers on campus. When the kids learn that Dulaine intends to teach them how to dance in the classic style, they're incredulous at best and dismissive at worst - until Dulaine demonstrates his moves for the class. While Dulaine's charges - including Rock, LaRhette, Ramos, Eddie, and Sasha - respect his talent, they have their own way of dancing, and as they mix hip-hop moves with ballroom discipline, they create an exciting new style. Dulaine also strives to instill self-confidence and a work ethic in his kids, insisting they can make their way out of the ghetto if they're willing to try.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this film, but I had fairly high hopes since it was based on a true story and reminded me a little of "Dangerous Minds" (true story of a teacher making a difference with inner-city kids). However, while it was an uplifting story, it wasn't as fun to watch as I had hoped. The plot was completely predictable and a little goofy and over the top at times (hip-hop dancing at a ballroom dancing competition, seriously?) Anyway, the dancing was pretty good once the students improved, but was a little hard to watch at the beginning. Antonio Banderas did a good job portraying Pierre Dulaine - there's a nice story of the real person in the special features. Overall, I think I would have liked the movie better had it been a documentary.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown, Yaya DeCosta

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.

Catch a Fire - ACE Train Movie Review

In the 1980s, Patrick and his wife Precious lived a peaceful life until one fateful day, when on an overnight trip with his team, Patrick is singled out as the prime suspect in a bombing at the refinery. Placed in solitary confinement, with his wife and family brutalized by government agent Nic Vos, the young family man is eventually cleared of charges, but his life is in shambles. Devastated and distraught, Patrick soon begins working as a rebel fighter and political operative for Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. As the oppressed country's powerful apartheid regime continues to torture and torment its citizens, the now-radicalized Patrick must disappear from his family without a trace and go undercover if he is to aid in toppling the system that destroyed his family, and forever changed his outlook on the world.

This was a pretty good film especially since it was based on a true story, but it could have been better. The topic is a powerful and controversial one and I don't think the film really did it justice. It would have been better if it would have explained the overall apartheid regime a little more instead of just focusing on one particular person (Patrick). However, this made it a little more personal since you could see the affect that apartheid had on Patrick - it changed his whole view on life and determined his actions. The final scene in the movie was with the real Patrick which made me think there would be a special feature with a full interview. However, there wasn't one which was a big disappointment. Overall, it was a pretty interesting and sad story, but nothing groundbreaking.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Henna

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 Departed - ACE Train Movie Review

As the police force attempts to reign in the increasingly powerful Irish mafia, authorities are faced with the prospect of sending in an undercover agent or seeing their already frail grip on the criminal underworld slip even further. Billy Costigan is a young cop looking to make a name for himself in the world of law enforcement. Collin Sullivan is a street-smart criminal who has successfully infiltrated the police department with the sole intention of reporting their every move to ruthless syndicate head Frank Costello. When Costigan is assigned the task of working his way into Costello's tightly guarded inner circle, Sullivan is faced with the responsibility of rooting out the informer before things get out of hand. With the stakes constantly rising and time quickly running out for the undercover cop and his criminal counterpart, each man must work feverishly to reveal his counterpart before his identity is exposed by the other.

This is a very complex film where everything is not all that it appears. There are so many great characters (and good actors) who are part of the story that you have to pay attention to take them all in. Trying to figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad guys isn't as easy as it sounds either. This is one of the few films which has a cast of big name stars and is actually good - it deserves all the positive attention it has received. The plot is very well thought out and culminates in a pretty shocking ending that will make you want to watch it again since there are inevitably some things you missed during the first viewing.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin

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.

Flags of Our Fathers - ACE Train Movie Review

Flags of Our Fathers concerns the lives of the men in the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima during that historic WWII battle. Battle scenes are intercut with footage of three of the soldiers who survived the battle going on a goodwill tour of the United States in order to sell war bonds. Many evenings they are forced to reenact their famous pose, something each of them finds more and more difficult to do as they suffer from survivor's guilt.

This is a film about World War II, but it's told from a different perspective. Instead of focusing on the war and all the killing that happened (of course it included some of that), it followed the lives of three surviving servicemen (out of six) who raised the flag on Iwo Jima - here's the picture. It's the most famous image from that war and I found it interesting to learn more about the men behind the flag raising. Who knew there were two flags raised and that's the photo from the second one. That's just one of the many interesting tidbits you'll learn from watching the film. Recommended for those interested in war and/or history. It's over 2 hours long, but it's so interesting, it goes by very quick.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach

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 Pianist - ACE Train Movie Review

Wladyslaw Szpilman is a gifted classical pianist born to a wealthy Jewish family in Poland. While Wladyslaw and his family are aware of the looming presence of German forces and Hitler's designs on Poland, they're convinced that the Nazis are a menace which will pass, and that England and France will step forward to aid Poland in the event of a real crisis. Wladyslaw's naivete is shattered when a German bomb rips through a radio studio while he performs a recital for broadcast. During the early stages of the Nazi occupation, as a respected artist, he still imagines himself above the danger, using his pull to obtain employment papers for his father and landing a supposedly safe job playing piano in a restaurant. But as the German grip tightens upon Poland, Wladyslaw and his family are selected for deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. Refusing to face a certain death, Wladyslaw goes into hiding in a comfortable apartment provided by a friend. However, when his benefactor goes missing, Wladyslaw is left to fend for himself and he spends the next several years dashing from one abandoned home to another, desperate to avoid capture by German occupation troops.

Wow, what an intense, powerful, sad and inspiring film. The Holocaust was a horrific period of time and it was captured very vividly in this movie. While I don't think it was as good at capturing the raw emotion (and violence) like Schindler's List, it was a very emotional film. Of course, not having lived through the experience myself, I can only imagine the horrors that Jews faced during that period, but the film makes you feel like you're there. This film does provide a glimmer of hope and promise in the form of the pianist who is followed throughout. He lives through some pretty brutal experiences, but never loses his will to live and return to doing what he loves. The best part is that this movie is based on a true story (good in the sense that someone survived to tell their tale) and taken from the memoirs of the real Wladyslaw Szpilman. Tough to watch, but a must see.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay

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.

X-Men 3: The Last Stand - ACE Train Movie Review

A "cure" for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history. For the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test - triggering the war to end all wars.

Picking up the action where X-Men 2 film left off, this third and final film in the trilogy didn't disappoint. I still think X-Men 2 was a little better, but X-Men 3 was right up there. There was lots of action and plenty of cool special effects (moving the Golden Gate Bridge to connect with Alcatraz was a trip). The ending was satisfying, although they left it open enough to do a spin-off if they wanted. One thing I really didn't get was the point of Kelsey Grammer's character - he was a big, blue beast. I kept waiting for his to do something to necessitate him being in the movie (especially since he wasn't in the first two), but nothing ever really materialized. Other than that, I enjoyed watching the trilogy and rank it as one of the better comic book inspired films.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn

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.

Flyboys - ACE Train Movie Review

As World War I rages in Europe and Allied forces in France, Italy, and England find their resolve quickly diminishing due to the overwhelming force of the German juggernaut, a handful of brave American soldiers volunteer to join their French counterparts in learning to fly and fighting for freedom from above. Few could have foreseen the challenges faced by the world's first fighter pilots, however, and upon arriving at their aerodrome in France, the aspiring aviators are assigned to a new squadron under the command of war-ravaged Captain Thenault and battle-weary American pilot Reed Cassidy - the sole survivor of his devastated former air brigade. With little encouragement from their fellow aviators and nothing to drive but their unifying goal of taking to the skies and offering up their lives in the name of freedom, the determined airmen of the Lafayette Escadrille set out to make history by embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.

I typically look favorably at movies that are based a true story and this is no different. The bravery that the men who piloted these planes during the war exhibited was truly something to envy. The film itself had a good balance of action, drama and romance that can appeal to almost anyone. There are plenty of interesting characters and sub-plots that this 2+ hour film rarely gets dull. The action scenes in the air are fun and terrifying to watch knowing that aeronautics were in their infancy and the pilots were really flying the planes at their limits. It doesn't really have the latest in special effects, but it's very powerful none the less. It's worth a look.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: James Franco, Jennifer Decker, Tyler Labine

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.

Unknown - ACE Train Movie Review

A group of men are kidnapped and locked in a warehouse where a chemical accident causes them to lose their memories. Piecing together information around them, they realize that some were kidnapped and some were the kidnappers. They decide they must work together to figure out how to get away before the gang that captured them returns.

This film is a poor man's Saw except that Saw is much more intense, well thought out and has layers of drama that are uncovered as the movie progresses. There are some twists in this movie that are surprising, but it mostly consists of a group of guys trapped in a warehouse, trying to figure out how they got there, who they are and how they can escape. They each start to remember some things as the film goes along which begins to create some action, but the premise of a gas temporarily erasing their memory is pretty lame. I might have been a little harsh with the rating, but I would suggest skipping this one and watching Saw which is a wickedly awesome movie.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: James Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Joe Pantoliano

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.

Employee of the Month - ACE Train Movie Review

Zack Bradley and Vince Downey have been working at the cavernous Super Club for ten years and counting, but while the ambitious Vince has advanced to the position of head cashier and landed 17 consecutive "E of M" awards, laid-back Zack is content to simply sit back and enjoy the company of his fellow box boys. Longtime rivals whose conflicting attitudes as to what constitutes success has led to more than a few conflicts, Vince and Zack find their bitter battle for Super Club supremacy coming to a head when attractive new employee Amy transfers over from another store. When word quickly spreads that Amy only has eyes for the cream of the crop, slacker Zack attempts to clean up his act and break free from his box boy roots while uptight Vince tries to impress by maintaining his top dog position and keep cool in the face of competition.

Yes, the plot sounds dumb and Jessica Simpson is one of the main characters, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. And judging by my rating, you can see what my expectations were. There were actually some very funny scenes. Now, I'll be clear and say that in no way was this a good movie, but it was entertaining. I like Dane Cook and he puts on a good performance although it's not the over-the-top, physical humor I'm used to seeing him do on comedy specials - he's controlled and sticks to the character. Andy Dick isn't as annoying as he usually is and Jessica Simpson isn't really one of the main characters, so she doesn't have much time to be annoying. If you're in the mood for a silly comedy, this should foot the bill.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Dane Cook, Jessica Simpson, Dax Shepard, Andy Dick, Harland Williams, Tim Bagley

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 Stealth vs. Calgary Roughnecks - 2/3/07

While attending the Stealth game last week, we were told that all tickets to this game were $10, regardless of where you sat. Since we were going to the Sharks game earlier in the day, we figured we would make a day of it and attend the Stealth game as well. We went to the box office during halftime and Dan, Kelley and I got front row seats for $10 each.

When we got to the arena and made our way to the glass, I was excited to be that close to the action - then the game started... It became apparent early on why they were "giving away" tickets to the game. The Stealth are a really bad team and were outscored 5-0 in the first quarter while taking 7 penalties. The Stealth scored the first goal of the second period, but Calgary kept pouring it on and ended up outscoring the stealth in the quarter 4-3 to give them an overall lead of 9-3.

Halftime seemed to be a welcome break as the Stealh came out in the third quarter to outscore Calgary 4-2 to close the overall gap 11-7. However, it seemed to be too little, too late as Calgary and San Jose each scored 4 goals in the fourth quarter to make the final score 15-11 in favor of Calgary.

Overall, it was a very sloppy game and there were 33 penalties called (17 for Calgary and 16 for San Jose) which made it not a fun game to watch since there were so many stoppages, there weren't many exciting rallies. The most entertaining part of the game was the guy sitting behind us who kept razzing Tracey Kelusky who was just a random player he chose to pick on ("You suck Kelusky" and "You smell bad Kelusky" and "You're hurting your team Kelusky"). Then, when Kelusky was right in front of us waiting for the faceoff, Dan yelled, "Don't you wish your boyfriend was hot like me." Kelusky turned, looked at Dan and smiled. He didn't care because he knew what the score was and so did we...

Score: L 15-11
1st Quarter
Calgary - Scott Ranger (powerplay) (Tracey Kelusky, Shawn Cable) 2:44
Calgary - Tracey Kelusky (powerplay) (Kaleb Toth, Scott Ranger) 3:36
Calgary - Tracey Kelusky (powerplay) (Kaleb Toth, Kyle Goundrey) 10:55
Calgary - Kaleb Toth (Devan Wray, New Player) 12:03
Calgary - Kaleb Toth (shorthanded) (Andrew McBride) 12:59
2nd Quarter
San Jose - Luke Wiles (unassisted) 1:04
Calgary - Tracey Kelusky (Kyle Goundrey, Lewis Ratcliff) 2:05
Calgary - Kaleb Toth (unassisted) 3:00
San Jose - Kyle Sorensen (Darren Halls) 3:45
Calgary - Scott Ranger (powerplay) (Lewis Ratcliff, Kaleb Toth) 5:08
Calgary - Kyle Goundrey (Kerry Susheski, Shawn Cable) 8:29
San Jose - Gary Rosyski (powerplay) (Colin Doyle, Cam Sedgwick) 14:19
3rd Quarter
San Jose - Luke Wiles (Gary Rosyski, Cam Sedgwick) 2:19
Calgary - Lewis Ratcliff (Kaleb Toth, Kerry Susheski) 8:12
San Jose - Ian Hawksbee (Aaron Bold) 9:48
San Jose - Colin Doyle (powerplay) (Gary Rosyski, Luke Wiles) 11:16
San Jose - Jeff Zywicki (powerplay) (Colin Doyle, Gary Rosyski) 13:05
Calgary - Jeff Moleski (shorthanded) (unassisted) 13:37
4th Quarter
Calgary - Devan Wray (shorthanded) (unassisted) 1:45
Calgary - Lewis Ratcliff (unassisted) 2:45
Calgary - Kaleb Toth (Kyle Goundrey, Lewis Ratcliff) 4:20
San Jose - Jeff Zywicki (extra attacker) (Luke Wiles, Gary Rosyski) 7:15
Calgary - Lewis Ratcliff (Kyle Goundrey) 8:19
San Jose - Jeff Zywicki (powerplay) (Cam Sedgwick, Colin Doyle) 8:54
San Jose - Kyle Sorensen (shorthanded) (Aaron Bold) 12:32
San Jose - Callum Crawford (unassisted) 14:54

San Jose SOG: 47
Calgary SOG: 46
Winning Goalie: Andrew Leyshon
Losing Goalie: Aaron Bold

Tickets: Section 106 Row 1

SJ Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks - 2/3/07

This was a "family 4 pack" game which meant you had to buy tickets in increments of 4 and they included a hot dog, soda and bag of chips at a discounted price. I went to the game with Dan, Kelley and Andrew. This was Andrew's first Sharks game and Dan wanted to take him to a day game since he didn't know if Andrew would be able to stay awake for a night game (he proved that he could when we took him to the Stealth game last weekend).

The game started on the wrong foot as the Sharks were called for a penalty just 38 seconds in. However, they made the most of a bad situation when Marcel Goc scored a shorthanded goal (assisted by the goalie, Toskala) to put the Sharks up 1-0. Seven minutes later, the Blackhawks tied it up when Tuomo Ruutu slipped one past Toskala. The score remained tied until just over 1 minute left in the first period when Curtis Brown scored a goal for the Sharks that was again assisted by Toskala which made him the first sharks goaltender to register 2 assists in one game.

The second period featured alternating goals 3 1/2 minutes apart as Martin Havlat scored for Chicago to tie it up and Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks to put them up for good. The third period was uneventful as the Sharks only registered 6 shots, although one of them went in for Milan Michalek to make the final score 4-2. Other than the third period, the Sharks dominated the game and ended up out-shooting Chicago 31-22. The biggest disappointment was the fact that the Sharks couldn't score on the power play, going 0 for 6 and it looks like they won't be leading the NHL in that category if they keep it up.

Overall, the game itself wasn't as entertaining as watching Andrew's reaction. He pretty much knew what was going on since he has watched hockey on TV, so he was able to follow the puck and cheer when the Sharks scored. His favorite part of the game, however, was when the Sharks went on the power play and he was able to do the chomp - and with 6 power plays, we did a lot of chomping (The "chomp" is a gesture made by extending the arms in front of the body and, with fingers bent, moving the arms up and down to imitate the jaws of a shark). Hey, that's fun for a 4 year old :-)

Score: W 4-2
1st Period
SJ - Marcel Goc(SH) (Patrick Rissmiller, Vesa Toskala)
Blackhawks - Tuomo Ruutu (Patrick Sharp, James Wisniewski)
SJ - Curtis Brown (Scott Hannan, Vesa Toskala)
2nd Period
Blackhawks - Martin Havlat (Tuomo Ruutu, Bryan Smolinski)
SJ - Patrick Marleau (Ryane Clowe, Joe Thornton)
3rd Period
SJ - Milan Michalek (Jonathan Cheechoo)

SJ SOG: 31
Red Wings SOG: 22
Winning Goalie: Vesa Toskala
Losing Goalie: Nikolai Khabibulin

Tickets: Section 227 Row 6

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Book Review

Christopher Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions, and cannot stand to be touched. Gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. "I do not always do what I'm told," he admits. "And this is because when people tell you what to do it is usually confusing and does not make sense. For example, people often say 'Be quiet' but they don't tell you how long to be quiet for..."

At fifteen, Christopher's carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork and is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents' marriage. As Christopher tries to deal with this crisis within his own family, the narrative draws readers into the mysterious workings of Christopher's mind.

If you've ever wondered how an autistic savant's mind works (I'm sure you probably haven't), here's your chance to find out. It's actually pretty fascinating to read a book written through the eyes of someone who's mind works completely different than your own (to be clear, it's written by an author who has worked with autistic kids, but isn't autistic himself). If you've ever thought you were perceptive, reading this book makes you realize there are so many details of things that are around us which we never notice. Of course, our minds would overload if we paid that close of attention to everything which is why people with autism can't "handle" that much stimulation.

Since the narrator/main character of the book is an autistic 15 year old boy, the language used is very basic and easy to understand. Therefore, it's a quick read and is laid out very logically. However, it's a surprisingly multi-layered story and has many twists and turns which keeps it interesting throughout. If you're looking for something that's completely original, easy to read, full of entertaining adventures and leaves you with a new perspective of the world, I'd recommend picking this one up.


Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon
Hardcover: 226 pages
Released: 2002

X2: X-Men United - ACE Train Movie Review

When a failed assassination attempt occurs on the President's life by the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler, Professor Xavier and his School for Gifted Youngsters who are targeted for the crime. While Jean Grey and Storm try and locate the assassin, Cyclops and Xavier seek answers from their old foe Magneto in his glass cell. Little do they know they're walking into a trap set by the villainous William Stryker, a mysterious governmental figure that figures into Wolverine's secretive past, along with information about the X-Men's operation, supplied by Magneto through a mind-controlling agent. Meanwhile Wolverine, just home from a failed mission to regain his memory, is in charge of the students when a crack-commando team led by Stryker infiltrates the school by order of the President. With a mansion full of young, powerful mutants and the ferocious Wolverine in babysitter mode, can he defend the school against the one man who can answer his questions?

This is a good sequel to X-Men. It has a lot more action than the first movie since they didn't have to spend time introducing the characters and explaining the back story. The film just starts right into the action and keeps going up to the final scene setting up the third and final installment which I'm looking forward to watching next week. The special effects were cool and the conflict between the mutants and humans provides the platform for an apocalyptic struggle that's fascinating to watch. If I had to pick a side, I'm not sure who I'd vote for. I suppose it's similar to a political debate on a grander scale (even though I know it's just a movie :-), but it's sure fun to watch.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn

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.