SJ Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche - 11/30/07

This was the annual "take my brother to see the Avalanche for his birthday" game. It was the first game I had attended at the arena this year and I was very impressed with the new technology they had on display. They completely replaced the giant, 4-sided scoreboard hanging above center ice with a new, high definition one. They also replace the banner ads between the first and second levels with a screen that wrapped all the way around the arena. This opened up a lot of possibilities for getting the crowd going with cool graphics and huge moving images. Finally, they replaced the old sound system with a much better, and easier to understand, one. Below is a picture of the new technology during construction.

Oh, and the game was good, too ;-) The Sharks got off to a fast start with a power play goal from Joe Thornton two minutes in. Five minutes into the second period, Thornton scored on the power play again to increase the lead 2-0. The Avalanche got their first goal shorthanded when Milan Hejduk beat Nabokov with 3:30 left in the period to cut the lead in half. The Sharks struck back quickly when Mike Grier scored 1:30 later to increase the lead back to 2 goals. The Avalanche wasted no time in making it a 1 goal game again when Andrew Brunette scored 1:30 later. After that flurry of goals to close out the second period, neither team scored in the third and the Sharks held on for a 3-2 victory.

Overall, it was a very physical game and both teams looked pretty good and had many scoring chances. The Sharks just played a little better and were fortunate to get a great game from Joe Thornton. One other note, during one of the breaks in the action, a guy in our section won a dance-off with a person in the competing section which meant our whole section received a $10 Dave & Buster's gift card. Not bad for some other guy's work (he was wearing a USA flag shirt, so I think he might have had an unfair advantage). Go Sharks!

Score: W 3-2
1st Period
SJ - Joe Thornton(PP) (Milan Michalek)
2nd Period
SJ - Joe Thornton(PP) (Milan Michalek, Sandis Ozolinsh)
Avs - Milan Hejduk(SH) (Paul Stastny, Scott Hannan)
SJ - Mike Grier (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Avs - Andrew Brunette(PP) (Paul Stastny, Joe Sakic)
3rd Period
None

SJ SOG: 29
Avalanche SOG: 20
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Peter Budaj

Tickets: Section 221 Row 4

Meet the Robinsons - ACE Train Movie Reivew

When Lewis meets a mysterious boy from the future named Wilbur Robinson, the two travel forward in time where Lewis discovers the amazing secret of the Robinson family. Lewis is a brilliant twelve-year-old with a surprising number of clever inventions to his credit. His latest and most ambitious project is the Memory Scanner, which he hopes will retrieve early memories of his mother and maybe even reveal why she put him up for adoption. But before he can get his answer, his invention is stolen by the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical hat - and constant companion - Doris. Lewis has all but given up hope in his future when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks our bewildered hero away in a time machine and the two travel forward in time to spend a day with Wilbur's eccentric family. In a world filled with flying cars and floating cities, they hunt down Bowler Hat Guy, save the future and uncover the amazing secret of Lewis' future family.

This film was cute, but very, very corny. It's yet another example of a kid's film that offers very little for the poor parents that have to sit through it. As usual, there was a good lesson to be learned for kids and I'm sure they would think some of the corniness was funny, but there were several times I rolled my eyes and thought, "You've GOT to be kidding me." It was certainly not a Disney classic by any stretch of the imagination, which is exactly what it was missing - imagination. Everything in the film had been done before and done better. I'll give it points for great animation, likable characters and the ending with Rob Thomas' song, but it's definitely not a must see.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Daniel Hansen, Jordan Fry, Wesley Singerman

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Sicko - ACE Train Movie Review

Activist filmmaker Michael Moore turns his attentions toward the topic of health care in the United States in this documentary that weighs the plight of the uninsured (and the insured who must deal with abuse from insurance companies) against the record-breaking profits of the pharmaceutical industry. Moore interviews a number of people who have been left broke by medical bills even though they were fully insured, and explains how the corporate drive for profits has left numerous people in financial and medical disarray. After hearing that detainees in Guantanamo have access to free health care, Moore assembles a group of World Trade Center rescue workers to travel to Cuba in order to get the medical help they need for ailments they incurred in 2001.

Michael Moore is a very good storyteller and his documentaries are definitely interesting to watch. Sicko is no exception, but it wasn't quite as good as Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11. I suppose the topic just wasn't as controversial as the others and didn't capture my full attention. Moore does his best to make it interesting and keep the shocking statistics flowing and for the most part, he did a good job. Of course, as with any documentary, it's a portrait of one side of the argument. He presented a few arguments against his point of view, but they were a weak attempt at creating the illusion of a fair and balanced portrayal of the health care debate. This documentary should be watched for entertainment purposes only, not as a basis to form opinions.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Michael Moore

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Nineteen Eighty-Four - Book Review

The year is 1984; the scene is London, largest population center of Airstrip One. Airstrip One is part of the vast political entity Oceania, which is eternally at war with one of two other vast entities, Eurasia and Eastasia. At any moment, depending upon current alignments, all existing records show either that Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia and allied with Eastasia, or that it has always been at war with Eastasia and allied with Eurasia. Winston Smith knows this, because his work at the Ministry of Truth involves the constant "correction" of such records. "'Who controls the past,' ran the Party slogan, 'controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.'"

In a grim city and a terrifying country, where Big Brother is always Watching You and the Thought Police can practically read your mind, Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. He knows the Party's official image of the world is a fluid fiction. He knows the Party controls the people by feeding them lies and narrowing their imaginations through a process of bewilderment and brutalization that alienates each individual from his fellows and deprives him of every liberating human pursuit from reasoned inquiry to sexual passion. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

I know that this book is thought of as a classic and has introduced words like Big Brother and Orwellian to the English language, but I just didn't find it to be a page turner. Sure, the idea of a government completely controlling all aspects of every citizen sounds intriguing, but there's only so much conspiracy talk I can handle before it becomes stale, depressing and boring. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a complete snoozefest. I was able to appreciate the imagination of Orwell and the time it must have taken to create the frightening world of Oceania, complete with its own language. I suppose my main gripe was with the length of the book. It tended to drag at times and would have been much better with a little more editing.

When the book was released in 1949, I'm sure the "Big Brother controls all information" message in the book would have hit harder than it does today. Now, there are a lot more information sources than there was back then, so the thought of Big Brother controlling all content and changing historical references to suit their needs seems a lot more far fetched now than it would have back then. Of course, you never know, Big Brother could have created all the new media sources to spread their messages quicker and broader. If that's the case, I just committed thoughtcrime and the Thought Police will be knocking on my door any second to snuff me out - crap!

Seriously, I think this book is worth a read if you haven't ever read it. If nothing else, it should make you realize that our government is not that bad and you should also learn some new vocabulary words. However, if you're depressed or believe in government conspiracy theories, steer clear of this book - it will only make your outlook of the world worse.


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

Nineteen Eighty-Four
by George Orwell
Hardcover: 330 pages
Released: 1949

Ratatouille - ACE Train Movie Review

It's hard being a rat with culinary aspirations, but Remy is convinced he has what it takes to break the stereotypes and follow in the footsteps of star chef Auguste Gusteau. As fate would have it, Remy is currently situated in the sewers directly beneath Gusteau's elegant restaurant. Soon Remy teams up with a young chef with little talent named Linguini. Together they are able to create some fabulous dishes, but they live in fear that someone will discover their secret and object strenuously to a rat being in a kitchen. When Remy's passion for cooking turns the haughty world of French cuisine upside down, the rat who would be king of the kitchen learns important lessons about life, friends, and family while questioning whether he should pursue his culinary calling or simply go back underground and return to his life as a sewer rat.

For what it was (a very "safe" kids movie), it was excellent. The animation was clean and colorful. The plot was straightforward and easily followed. The characters were funny and memorable. There was a good lesson to be learned and I think kids would love this film. For adults, there's not a whole lot in this movie that's targeted toward the older set, but I found it light and entertaining. It's not a must see for adults, but I think it's one that adults can enjoy if they watch with the right frame of mind.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Patton Oswalt, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - ACE Train Movie Review

Chuck Levine and Larry Valentine are two New York City firefighters whose longtime friendship has endured many a five-alarm fire. All that widower Larry wants is to ensure that his two children will be taken care of if anything should happen to him on the job, and all that single blaze-battler Chuck wants is to carry on with his carefree life of non-commitment. Having once rescued Larry from certain death in a particularly fearsome inferno, beholden Chuck feels forever indebted to his brave friend and has vowed to repay the favor when the time is right. When Larry discovers that the only means of circumventing the civic red tape that could throw his children's futures into jeopardy is to take Chuck as his lawfully wedded husband, his obligated pal reluctantly agrees to step up to the alter with the understanding that the arrangement will be a well-kept secret between themselves and the justice of the peace. A potentially fatal flaw in their presumably foolproof plan is soon revealed, however, when an overzealous bureaucrat decides to question Chuck and Larry's partnership. Subsequently forced to embark on a mandatory honeymoon and pose as starry-eyed newlyweds, Chuck and Larry quickly discover just how important it can be to stick by a friend in his or her time of need.

Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame. I was really looking forward to watching this movie since the previews looked so funny. However, if you've seen the previews, you've already seen all the funny parts. I would have thought that Adam Sandler and Kevin James would have had better chemistry, but it seemed forced. Instead of creating a comedy, they seemed to just be making a political statement. Granted, I agree with gay rights and everything this film ended up standing for, but this wasn't supposed to be a "message" movie - it was supposed to be a freakin' comedy and it wasn't funny. Maybe Sandler has finally run out of funny material because he missed on a lot of his jokes. This movie is probably not as bad as I've rated it, but I was just very disappointed. Now I have to watch Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - ACE Train Movie Review

As the story opens, Sue Storm (The Invisible Girl), and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) prepare for their upcoming, superhero-studded wedding celebration. But Reed cannot stay focused on the nuptials - he's distracted by wire reports of a bizarre, comet-like object hurtling toward the Earth with tremendous force, triggering brownouts, blackouts, tropical storms and various other climatological disasters. When the said object hits the island of Manhattan, destroying much of the city in its wake, its identity becomes resoundingly clear: "it" is actually a "he" - a psychotic villain known as The Silver Surfer who intends, for some unascertainable reason, to destroy much of the Earth - just as he obliterated dozens of planets before it. Feeling compelled to rally their old gang and save the day, Sue and Reed summon Ben Grimm (The Thing), and Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) to take on the Surfer - and end up battling not only him, but an obnoxious Army general and the cantankerous Victor Von Doom, who has broken out of his icy prison that held him captive at the end of the first movie.

This film wasn't as good as the first one (which wasn't that great to begin with). The plot was weak and underdeveloped. It was too short to truly do a story of this scope justice. The actors did a pretty good job with a marginal script, but there were plenty of lame scenes and bad jokes. The special effects were OK, but the Silver Surfer seemed overly rigid - maybe by design. Overall, I just wasn't very impressed and can think of many other movies based on comic books that are way better than this one. Nothing really stood out about this film, so add it to the pile to forget.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Transformers - Movie Review

Long ago, on the planet of Cybertron, a massive, powerful alien race divided into two factions, the noble Autobots, and the devious Decepticons. They fought for the sole access to a talisman known as the Allspark, a cube with the capacity to grant infinite power, and eventually the Autobots smuggled it off the planet's surface, hiding it in an unknown location on Earth. Now, hundreds of years later, the Deceptacons have come looking for it, and if the Autobots don't find it first, the Earth will be enslaved or destroyed by the evil aliens' use of its massive power. The Autobots don't know where the cube was hidden, but the information may be stored in the most unlikely of sources, as a gangly young Earthling named Sam Witwicky who's just picked up his first car, has a strange connection to the Allspark's history, making him the unlikely ally of these enormous creatures, as they fight for humankind's survival and the chance to return home.

I grew up with Transformers - watched the cartoon and played with the toys. This movie brought back a lot of good memories. However, this film was a little different than the cheesy Saturday morning cartoon I remember watching. The plot was gripping, entertaining and even funny. The special effects, though, were really the star of the show. The way that the Autobots and Decepticons moved and transformed was simply amazing and the fight scenes were out of this world (ok, bad pun intended). Anyway, this film is a sight for your eyes as well as your mind. The interaction between the transformers and humans looked so real, I was taken back to childhood daydreams where our car could transform into a cool robot - a friendly robot. This is a must see movie, even if you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Optimus Prime and Megatron - by the end, you'll be able to.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Surf's Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Cody Maverick may be a relative amateur when it comes to hanging ten, but he's sure he has what it takes to surf his way to superstardom. With a little help from his cantankerous King Penguin mentor, ex-surfing legend Big Z, and a little encouragement from star Pen Gu Island lifeguard Lani, there may be hope for this tuxedo-clad wave twister after all.

This is a kids movie through and through. There's very little here for adults, so if you're not watching it with kids, don't bother. I was a little bored at times, but could see that kids would enjoy the nutty characters and might feel empowered by the message that anything is possible if you keep trying and work hard to persevere. Overall, the penguins were cute and the underlying message was good, but the story was dull (at least it's less than 90 minutes long).

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Jon Heder

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Blades of Glory - Movie Review

Their medals stripped after getting into a highly publicized fight at the World Championships, star figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy are barred from ever competing in the sport again. Upon discovering a loophole that will allow them to perform together in the pairs figure skating category, the two athletes determine to put their differences aside in order to pursue their gold medal aspirations.

This is exactly the type of movie you have to expect from Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. If you expect anything other than awkward and random humor, you'll be disappointed. It had some very funny moments and some cringingly embarrassing moments. Of course, it was over the top and completely ridiculous, but they made it work and it was pretty entertaining. If you're in a silly mood, enter the world of Chazz Michael Michaels.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Amy Poehler

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Evan Almighty - Movie Review

Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention.

For being the most expensive comedy film ever produced, this one did not live up expectations. It wasn't very funny. I don't think it was Steve Carell's fault that it wasn't funny, but the writers. The plot was so-so and the characters weren't engaging. Overall, it was just a strange piece of work and not one you should waste your time on.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Knocked Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Twenty-four-year-old entertainment journalist Allison Scott is on the fast track to the big time, but an alcohol-fueled hookup with responsibility-shirking slacker Ben Stone finds her professional priorities taking a back seat to having a baby. Now, as overgrown kid Ben attempts to assume the responsibilities of fatherhood, he makes the brave decision to stand by Alison. In order to make things work between the pair, however, there's going to have to be some compromise, and when Allison and Ben decide to take a shot at love, they quickly find that building a relationship from scratch isn't nearly as easy as making a baby.

These types of movies are typically really silly and dumb without much of a plot beyond the usual adventures of stoned and drunk losers. However, this film breaks that mold. Yes, there is plenty of idiotic behavior, but it centers around an actual plot. Not just any plot, but a really deep and complicated one. There's a delicate balance between silliness and real content that this movie navigates perfectly. I certainly laughed a lot and could really relate to all the drama surrounding the pregnancy and birth of the child. Maybe that's why I liked it so much, but it's definitely one to see (even though it is over 2 hours long).

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fracture - Movie Review

Ted Crawford is an engineer who lives with his wife Jennifer in the couple's lavish Southern California home. One day, after carefully planning out the details to ensure that there is no way he can be convicted of murder, Ted shoots his wife in a blatant attempt to murder the woman. When head hostage negotiator Rob Nunnaly arrives on the scene to speak with Ted, he is shocked to find that the victim of the shooting is in fact his longtime lover. Though Jennifer survives the trauma of being shot in the head at close range, she hovers comatose between life and death as star prosecutor Willy Beachum reluctantly accepts the case while preparing to leave the Los Angeles criminal court system behind for a more promising career at a posh private law firm. Though the D.A. vehemently resents Beachum's lofty plan for departure, the hotshot young lawyer remains convinced that he can expedite the apparently open-and-shut case and be on his way to greener pastures in one week's time at the very most.

This was a pretty good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. It's unique in that you know who committed the crime from the very beginning. However, that's not the mystery. The biggest question is what happened to the murder weapon since it appears the prosecutor can't make a case without it. The answer turned out to be very surprising and ingenious. While I was surprised and impressed at the ending, I thought the film focused too much on the missing weapon and didn't have enough other twists and turns to be great. Anthony Hopkins did a good job, but I kept seeing similarities between his character and Hannibal Lecter - murdering sociopath. Overall, though, it's certainly worth a look and provides a good payoff in the end.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, Billy Burke

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Harry Potter Series - Book Review

The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world. For many years, it had been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The previous night, Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter. However, when he attempted to murder their infant son, Harry, the killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he was neither dead nor alive. Harry, meanwhile, was left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the killing curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry, "The Boy Who Lived."

Harry is brought to his only living relatives, the cruel and non-magical Dursleys, consisting of Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle with hardly any neck; Aunt Petunia, a long-necked woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry; and Dudley, their spoiled, overweight son. They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers, hide his magical heritage, and severely punish him after any strange occurrences.

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he receives letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. However, his uncle intercepts the letters. On his birthday, Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend the school. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional obstacles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetence. After facing many obstacles, making countless friends, and losing loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

This is an amazing set of books and are completely worthy of all the attention they have received over the years. J.K. Rowling has an unbelievable imagination and attention to detail. She created a whole new world complete with it's own language, customs, animals, games, etc. It was so convincing that it seemed real and was easy to get lost in the books and lose track of time. I waited until the final book was released before I read any of them and I read all of them to/from work on the train over the span of a couple months. I actually looked forward to the train ride knowing that I would find out a bit more about the world of Harry Potter.

These books are responsible for getting kids excited about reading, but they certainly are worthy of adult eyes as well. They cover many different topics and issues with underlying messages that are mature in nature. I'm sure kids and adults will get something different out of the books and that's the beauty of the way they are written - everyone will read them with a unique perspective and interpret them differently. These books are a must read for anyone looking for some entertainment and adventure. Don't just watch the movies - read the books so your mind can create the complex world that Harry Potter inhabits. You might be surprised at how addictive the written word can be.


Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Would I read them again: Yes

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (June 1997, 309 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (July 1998, 341 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (July 1999, 435 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire (July 2000, 734 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (June 2003, 870 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince (July 2005, 652 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (July 2007, 784 pgs)

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Movie Review

Chuck Barris grows up dreaming of success in show biz and winning the hearts of beautiful women, but early on, he meets with plenty of resistance from both women and the television industry, despite writing the hit tune "Palisades Park" and scoring a job with Dick Clark on American Bandstand. The 1960s proves more fortunate for Barris; he meets the love of his life, Penny, and sells ABC on the idea of The Dating Game. However, after the show has made him wealthy and successful, Barris is approached by the mysterious Jim Byrd, a CIA agent who wants to recruit Barris as a covert operative. Barris finds the notion of playing spy games intriguing and agrees, but soon discovers what Byrd and his partners really want is for Barris to assassinate uncooperative figures around the world. Soon, Barris finds that his life has been all but taken over by Byrd and another CIA agent, the mysterious and sexy Patricia. As he hops the globe killing people in the name of American security (using his status as a Dating Game chaperone as a cover), Barris learns that the KGB has discovered his not-so-little secret and that his own life is in great danger.

This film was a little too "out there" for my taste. It was based on Barris' autobiography which he claims is completely true. However, I think Barris' imagination got the best of him while he was writing his life story and he embellished some (or most) things. Some of the scenes are so over the top that they're laughable and it was difficult for me to watch since I had a hard time believing any of it happened. Even as a work of fiction (which I'm convinced it is), it was too scattered and lacked a central, driving plot that pulled everything together. It was just a hodgepodge of outrageous claims and goofy acting.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Perfect Stranger - Movie Review

Rowena is a prominent New York journalist who writes using a pseudonym to entrap some of the tri-state area's most corrupt individuals, using a network of informants, acquaintances, and digital gadgets. When her latest expose is buried at the behest of her paper's corporate backers, she walks off the job and into a personal quagmire. Her childhood friend Grace is murdered when she threatens to reveal she's been sleeping with married advertising mogul Harrison Hill. With the help of her loyal techie friend Miles, she goes undercover - and online - to find the smoking gun that will indict Hill. But Rowena soon finds herself caught in a web of manipulation, deceit, and false truths.

With Bruce Willis and Halle Berry starring in this film, I would have thought it would get more buzz, but I had never heard of it when I saw it on the video store shelf. It was a pretty good suspenseful thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end when all the secrets are revealed. It was one of those films where things happen early on that don't seem to make sense at the time, but make perfect sense once you're given a little more information. There were certain times when I was sure I knew who the killer was, but I was taken by surprise which I was happy about - it wasn't obvious. The actors did a great job providing drama, suspense and intrigue, while not showing their hands too early. Overall, it wasn't great, but it was good enough to see once.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

We've Been Simpsonized!

There's a fun website where you can upload a picture of yourself and it creates an image of what you would look like as a character on The Simpsons. I created characters for myself, Shawnna & Kaitlyn and put them together into one image below. Let me know how close you think the image below looks like us and Simpsonize yourself here. Email the results to yourself and post the URL in the comments section of this blog.

Vacancy - Movie Review

A vacationing couple makes a terrifying discovery about the motel room they have just checked into. Their car broken down and their prospects for finding a tow-truck driver at such a late hour slim to none, David and Amy Fox decide to make the best of their situation by resting out the night at a nearby motel. Left with few choices of entertainment for the evening, the pair soon settles down to enjoy one of the low-budget slasher films sitting atop their motel room VCR. Upon realizing that all of the films seem to have been shot in the very same room they currently occupy, David and Amy suddenly become the stars of a particularly sadistic fright flick. As hidden cameras track their every move, the hapless couple attempt to turn the tables on their would-be killer before they meet the same grim fate as the poor souls being butchered on television.

With a little more work, this could have been a great horror film. As is, the movie contained some really good, original ideas. However, with an 80 minute film, it's difficult to really explore those ideas and complete the thought. That's where this film failed - it was too short and didn't seem complete. The actors were perfect for their parts, although it was a little odd to see Luke Wilson in a scary movie. I really liked the look of the bad guys - subtle, but effective. The ending was indicative of the shortness of the film and seemed incomplete. Overall, it's worth a look if you're in the mood for a scare, but don't expect a masterpiece.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale, Frank Whaley

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Ex - Movie Review

Tom is an aspiring chef whose wife Sofia has just quit her high-paying job to stay home with their new baby. When it becomes abundantly clear that they can no longer maintain their New York City lifestyle, the family picks up and moves to Sofia's hometown in Ohio, where Tom is hired to work at her father's ad agency. It is there that Tom meets Chip, the agency's wheelchair-bound golden boy, who also happened to have a one-night stand with Sofia while the two were cheerleaders in high school. Suddenly, Tom finds himself sabotaged by Chip at every step as the nefarious paraplegic schemes to steal Sofia from him and destroy any chance he might have of success at the agency.

This was an OK comedy. There were some really funny parts, but there were also some fairly boring sections. I like all the main actors from their previous projects and they had pretty good chemistry in this film, but there wasn't a magic spark that would make this movie a must see. It was really just a so-so comedy and wasn't much different than the majority of comedies out there. It was also very short, so the characters didn't have time to be fully developed and the plot was pretty weak. Overall, I'd say that if you like the actors, you might rent it and watch it once, but don't bother adding it to your permanent DVD collection.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

I'm a Published Photographer!

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by the Editor of Schmap Guides (online travel guides) who had seen one of my photos online and wanted to include it in their new guide to Monterey and Carmel. The photo, shown below, is a picture of the Monterey Bay Aquarium I took from my kayak as Shawnna and I kayaked in the Monterey Bay a couple of years ago. Apparently, the editor stumbled upon my photos on Flickr and thought the aquarium photo was good enough to include in their guide. I gave them permission to use my photo and now you can see it in the Schmap Monterey and Carmel Guide. Here's the link straight to the page with my photo. National Geographic, here I come ;-)