2011 In The Past...2012 A New Year

So as I start this, there's 49 minutes left in 2011, and I'm finishing it like I have been finishing a year for as long as I can remember and that's by sitting down to myself and reflecting upon a year's past. However, unlike year's past, I don't view the upcoming year with a down point of view (not really pessimistic, maybe a bit too much on the realistic side, and not one of a optimistic point of view), however I feel that changing this upcoming year.

2011 was in many ways filled with new beginnings for me. In some ways, I didn't accomplish what I hoped to have accomplished, but like the motto of my church "moving forward together" having those goals is something that will push me forward. I finally got my license, after numerous times of having a driver's permit (but never actually having a reason to drive), which in large part this past year was due to my friends being there. Couldn't have done that on my own. I feel like friendships I had made at my church only strengthened this past year, and I look forward to what new relationships develop during the upcoming year and beyond. One of those being my relationship with Christ. The sky's the limit (well there is no limit) with that relationship. That much I know.

I happened to win quite a bit of contests in 2011, which helped me with getting some money (as I failed to get a job during the past year, even though I tried, albeit to no avail). Hopefully in 2012 I'll be able to land a job, as I need it. I'd like to be able to save up and move. I'm not really happy where I'm at, and hopefully that can change this upcoming year.

As far as resolutions go, I have a few. My first one (besides getting a job, hopefully as a tax preparer during tax season to start off with) is to lose at least 50 pounds. I can do it, as I have done it in the past, so I know the dedication and time, as well as effort that is required for it. My second resolution, and it's not a resolution exactly, but it would be nice to no longer be single for a change. If it happens, it will happen, if not, well then not. I just know that I won a necklace in a contest (a pretty nice one at that), and well I'm saving it. Saving it, because when I do find that person, or when that moment does happen, I will give it to that person. I'm not doing anything else with it.

Ah, can't forget movie going. That was fun this past year. In many ways, it was my place to escape (and in all honesty it still is). Hopefully I'll be going to the movies just as often (kind of doubt it without a job and all), and with someone other than myself for a change.

2011 Top 10 Movies

For those unaware, I have no life, and choose to spend it going to the theaters. I'm only half kidding there, and half of it is I'm single (don't really see that changing anytime soon), so I can afford to go more often than not.

Over the course of 2011, I saw anywhere from 70-75 films, with about 60-62 of those coming at AMC Theatres alone. I've seen really good ones (The Help) to really bad ones (Abduction). Having said that, my 10 favorite were as follows:

The Help
J. Edgar
Warrior
War Horse
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Descendants
The Ides of March
Drive
Annonymous
Hugo

There are others that came very close, but since I went with a top 10 (granted not all of those 10 are in order, but the Help is by far my favorite of the year). Young Adult, and My Week With Marilyn, could easily switch with a few in that list, and probably a few other ones.

The worst films that I've seen this year:

Abduction
Jack & Jill
The Big Year
Three Musketeers
Alvin & the Chipmunks

4 Movies on Thursday...Another 3 on Friday

What better way for myself to close out 2011 (which can be defined as a movie going one in large part) then seeing 7 movies in the last two days? Don't answer that in the comments, as I'm sure there are other ways. In order, the movies I saw were as follows: Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, New Year's Eve, We Bought A Zoo, The Sitter, My Week With Marilyn, Young Adult, and The Adventures of Tin Tin.

Up first is Alvin & The Chipmunks. I will say that this movie was better than the previous one, but that isn't saying much, as this film was horrible. Granted it's just a kids movie, but it's a kid's movie based on a popular cartoon series at one time, and the studio seems to be rushing them out for money purposes only. The plot? Pretty simple. The Chipmunks get ship wrecked on an island, followed by Dave & Eddie (both searching for them). There is absolutely no creativity with this film, granted there isn't any to begin with (after all the film is based on talking animals), but the film takes parody shots (years too late might I add) at other films, and that's really all there is to the film. The only way I would recommend this film, is you are a parent, and want to take your kid(s) out to the movies, and have already seen the other kids movies. Otherwise, avoid this one at all costs.

Coming up second was New Year's Eve. This movie is very similar to that of Valentine's Day. If you've seen that, you pretty much know what to expect, and it shouldn't come as a surprise. The film chronicles New Year's Eve (again, not that it should come as a surprise), or the events on the day of New Year's Eve in the life's of different people. The film does sport a large ensemble cast, but there really isn't that much interaction between them (my guess like Valentine's Day, due to budget costs). I found this film to be very enjoyable for what it is, even though personally, New Year's Eve/New Year's Day as a holiday doesn't do much for me (I'm single), and I honestly view it along with Valentine's Day as a couple's holiday. Having said that, I would recommend this film if you want to take a lighthearted trip to the theaters. The film certainly does make a good date movie (not that I'd know what to go see on a date).

Coming in third was We Bought A Zoo. This film, along with The Descendants (which I shared my thoughts about a few entries ago) hit close too home for me. The father, or Benjamin Mee (character's name), played by Matt Damon is a widow (lost his wife, I'm guessing to cancer, don't think the film really said what she died from, just implied it) is left raising his two kids (ages 14, and 7). It's after his son gets expelled from his school that he makes the decision that his family and himself need change in their life (to help them cope better) and ultimately come across a zoo. The film chronicles bringing the zoo back up to code in time to make the scheduled opening date. Personally, I really did enjoy this film in spite of the film hitting a bit too close to home. The chemistry between Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson was really good, and believable in the film, along with the cast in general. I highly recommend seeing this film with your family (probably after War Horse of course), or if you simply want to go see it on your own (as I did). You won't go wrong with this film.

Coming in at number four, was The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill. This was a comedy along the mold of The Change-Up, or Bad Teacher (those lines of comedy). Was one of the better comedies I've seen this year, and there's really not much more to say about this film. If your in need of a good laugh, you will enjoy this film.

Coming up next was My Week With Marilyn. This movie is presented not from the perspective of Marilyn Monroe, but rather Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne) during the filming of the Prince & the Showgirl. Going into this film, I had heard Michelle Williams (playing Marilyn Monroe) was possibly going to be nominated for an Academy Award for her performance for her role. Upon seeing this film, my first reactions were no way (as the first part of the movie she was hardly in it), but when she was in it, you can clearly see why she could possibly be nominated for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. She was very convincing in her role, and in the film she plays a very drugged up Marilyn Monroe (can tell by her behavior throughout the film). Eddie Redmayne, also delivered an award worth performance, but one that will probably get overlooked come award season. I would recommend this film to anyone that is a fan of critically acclaimed films. It was rather well done, and in my opinion, a sleeper to be nominated for Best Picture. 

Young Adult was the next movie I saw, and I was pleasantly surprised with this film. I went in thinking this was going to be a chick flick (judging from the previews), and I actually do enjoy chick flicks, but I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, what I saw (judging from the past years I've gone to AMC's Best Picture Showcase), was a film that could very well get nominated for Best Picture (again as a dark horse). This movie was very well done. The film is about Mavis Gary (played by Charlize Theron) living her life in Minneapolis, and through a moment of writer's block, gets an email from her old boyfriend, which is a baby announcement. A short while later, she decides to leave, and head back to her old hometown, with one mission, which is to win back her old boyfriend (whom is played by Patrick Wilson), even though he is married (happily so) and just had a baby with his wife. I would recommend this movie to anyone really, just like the last one, especially to those that enjoy the critically acclaimed movies. This movie was very enjoyable, and you won't go wrong with this film.

Last, and certainly not least was The Adventures of Tin Tin. This animated film was perhaps one of the most realistic I've seen (and at times I thought it wasn't animated). In my opinion, this film was the best animated film of the year, and is really not one for younger kids, but perhaps the older kids. Reason why I say that, is there is a scene of blood, and killings albeit in a flashback scene on a pirate ship, and of course gunfights throughout the film. The film chronicles Tin Tin's latest adventure, which was tracking down a model ship, which was one of three, and all three provide clues to the location of treasure.

That's about it for this entry. Up next, my top 10 for the year

Been 8 Years...For Some Reason This Holiday Season...

So, it's been 8 years since my mom passed away (died day after I turned 21), and normally speaking, I tend to handle the holidays quite well, but for some reason I've found myself missing her more this holiday season. It's been bugging me, and she's been on my mind (a lot). I've had numerous dreams lately where I see and talk to her, sometimes it feels real, others it doesn't.

I don't really have a direction I'm going with this entry, just I feel like it's something I needed to mention.

Ending The Week With War Horse (4 movie recap)

This past week, I managed to add 4 more movies to my list of movies I've seen in theaters. Those four would be: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, and of course as the title implies, War Horse.

My thoughts aren't going to be as long on these most likely, as I don't feel like writing anything really in depth. My favorite out of the four is actually a tie. That's between War Horse and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The last two in order are Mission Impossible, and Sherlock Holmes.

Mission Impossible, in my opinion was better than the last film in the Mission Impossible series. The newest installment does a very good job in moving the franchise into a new direction, with the possibility of Jeremy Renner taking the helm of the franchise down the line. My only real complaint with the film however, is the lead actress. Her acting in the film (emotional wise, or scenes where she had to show emotion) was rather stiff to say the least. In large part, she was only in the film for her looks. Other than that, it's a non-stop enjoyable action flick. As a recommendation, I would see this film in IMAX (if your going to see it in 3D), and the reason for that is it is the only format that has the first 6 minutes of the Dark Knight Rises. If that doesn't interest you, then feel free to see it elsewhere.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (was actually one of two movies I saw on Christmas Eve) was really done well. The beginning of the film is very reminiscent of a James Bond intro, and it's no coincidence that the film stars Daniel Craig (whom by the way was really good in the film, only to be out shined by the lead actress in the film Rooney Mora). The film is a long one (2 hours and 40 minutes, with previews about 2 hours and 55 minutes, so plan accordingly if your planning on seeing it). I really don't want to spoil much of the film, so I will say that there are two graphic scenes in the film that you may or may not find upsetting, but it's a scene that in my opinion makes her an Oscar favorite at next year's Academy Awards. I would recommend this film for anyone that is a fan of Daniel Craig, or anyone that is looking to see an Oscar like contender this late in the year.

Up next (also seen on Christmas Eve) was Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. This film (if you were a fan of the original) doesn't disappoint. In actuality, it's a sequel where if you didn't see the first one, it wouldn't matter, and does great as a standalone film. Robery Downey Jr. and Jude Law as in the first one have very good chemistry and as mentioned this film doesn't disappoint. Really don't know what else to mention in here. So I'll now go onto the next film.

War Horse. What to say. The film if your not aware, was directed by Steven Spielberg and chronicles the life of a not so ordinary horse, and how the horse goes from a horse that is almost killed at a young age, to being trained by a teenager, to seeing war, to being reuinited. Having said that, I will say that this film was really good. In my opinion, it's going to be nominated for best picture (or at the very least will be on the outside looking in coming up early next year). The film has a superb soundtrack, and should come as no surprise as the score is done by John Williams. My only complaint with the film (and it's not enough to change my recommendation of seeing the film) is that the film was over sensationalized.

Reaching Out To An Old Family Friend...Went Well

So yesterday, I went ahead and did something I don't usually do, and really something I want to start doing yearly (and that's send out cards). Anyways, one of those cards went to a family friend. I don't know why, but I think it's because God has been pushing me to do so. I've felt it tugging on my heart, and felt the need to do so. Granted, this person isn't fully Christian (she's half Jewish or something like that).

Anyways, about this family friend, she's really more than a family friend. She's like another Aunt to my brothers and I. When my mother spent those last few months battling her cancer, she was there for us, and did her best to help out. For some odd reason, there was a falling out (due to my father, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why that was the case). Regardless, it's something that has bugged me ever since my mom passed.

Anyways, today I got a phone call from her, and I heard the pure joy in her voice. It made her day (her words, not mine). It was much needed. I'm hoping my brothers and I get to see more of her in 2012. I also greatly feel that it's what my mom would have wanted. Don't think she would have been happy with the falling out like that.

Sweeping (Not the chore kind)

So one thing I got back into (a bit more heavily) than in recent years, has been sweeping. For those unaware, sweeping is simply a fancy word (not that fancy to be honest) for entering contests. Determining which ones to enter, can be tough for someone trying to get into it, and getting the "Sorry, try again" message, certainly after you enter Instant's (will get down to that in a bit) can be a detriment that could get you to stop entering contests (did for me a few years ago).

Now there are different types of contest you can enter. There are dailies (one's you enter everyday), there are one time entries (these are the one's where you enter once and that is it), and then there are instant's (these are the one's you usually enter everyday, or in some occasions only once, but unlike the other two categories, you find out if you've won right then and there after you are done entering). As far as where you find these contests, I recommend three forums. They are in order, and are as follows: Slickdeals CAG and Online-Sweepstakes

Now there is a whole other world of entering contests, and with that, I'm referring to twitter. I have been fortunate enough to win some nice prizes from twitter this year, and in all honesty, the past two years. As far as whom to follow, I would recommend first creating two lists. Two that I follow are: http://twitter.com/#!/PrinterStop/contests and http://twitter.com/#!/Gadgets4nowt/xbox-360-comp-entries  Secondly, if you see users that are constantly entering contests on twitter, it would be smart to follow them, or bookmark for future reference (as you are only allowed to follow 2,000 people before you can't follow anyone else (assuming you don't have that much that's following you).

Lastly, my advice, is to just enter to enter. Don't enter expecting you will win (as you will burn out, and gradually stop entering altogether). The phrase "I'm not lucky enough," or "I'll never win" only holds true, if you never enter. You have to enter to win. Remember that.

I will list things I've won as a reference to show that it is possible to win:
Necklace (waiting for the right moment and person to give this to, to be honest)
Signed & Framed Andy Roddick Tennis Racket (Substituted for a Professional Display Samsung LFD Display Monitor, worth $2600+)
USA Network Summer Beach Swag Bag
Countless movie tickets
Battlefield 3 Vault
Modern Warfare 3
Movie Promotional Items
Tickets (8 to the circus, 4 for a concert at Honda Center, 4 for Aquarium of the Pacific)
and lots more.

The Descendants Left Me With Happy Feet Until I Met Arthur Christmas

And that was my creative way of coming up with a new blog entry (rather than the usual day listed with what movies I saw). Anyways, over the last two days, I've seen The Descendants, Happy Feet 2, and Arthur Christmas (in that order).

Up first on Friday was the much talked about (if you listen or hear people talk about reviews) George Clooney flick, The Descendants. Going in, I didn't read any of those reviews (I really like to avoid them, so I can have a better perspective on the film I'm seeing), but I did hear that Clooney could be nominated for Best Actor at next year's Academy Awards.

After seeing the film, I think the critics were right, and I can easily picture at the very least Clooney getting nominated for his role in the film. Whether or not the film gets nominated for best picture, remains to be seen, as there are other good movies out there (such as The Help, Warrior, Moneyball, The Ides of March, and more).

The plot of the film, was really a simple one to be honest. George Clooney plays a lawyer, whom is responsible for deciding whether or not he wants to sell his family's land in Hawaii (about 25,000 acres or so), and as he is close to the deadline, his wife is involved in a boating accident, and thus in a coma. Matt King (Clooney's character's name) is thus pivoted in a more vital role, a role in which is implied he wasn't good at to begin with (being a father to his two daughters, aged 10, and 17).

As Matt King breaks the news to his oldest daughter, it is revealed that Matt's wife, Elizabeth (played by Patrica Hastie) and their oldest daughter had a falling out a year prior to her accident, and the reason as to why is because she caught her mom cheating on her dad.

It is there where Matt confronts Elizabeth's closest friends where they confirm the news, and as a result sets up the King's plan of seeking out the man that she cheated with, and through it, bring Clooney's character and his daughter's relationship to a closeness that didn't exist prior to it.

I found this movie to be really good, and in all honesty it lived up to it's hype, but I did leave the theater feeling a bit down, as it did hit too close to home for me. Seeing the mom lying there in her bed, reminded me of going to see my mom when she had her brief struggle with cancer back in 2003. That's not all the similarities I picked up. The age difference between the two daughters, was about the same age difference between my younger brother and myself when my mom passed away. The only thing that wasn't similar, was the cheating thing. Having said that, I highly recommend this film.

Up next is the sequel to Happy Feet, Happy Feet 2. I thought this movie was average at best. The plot of this film wasn't really revealed until about twenty or so minutes into the film. The plot once revealed was the generic characters are trapped (which in this case was Mumble's, his son, and two friends entire Emperor Penguins) and they need to find a way to rescue the Penguins that are trapped.  In between, there was two shrimp that for some odd reason that didn't make much sense decided to have an identity crisis and the film split time between them and the main characters of the film.

Having said that, the film like I said was average, and I would recommend you see this, after you see The Muppets, Hugo, Arthur Christmas, and Puss in Boots (in that order).

Up third and last, but certainly not least was Arthur Christmas. This animated flick brought about a creative approach as to how a Claus because Santa Claus. There really isn't much else to say about this film. It was just highly enjoyable that had the audience really laughing (more so than the other two animated films I mentioned above). If your looking for an animated film to see this holiday season, I strongly recommend this one first, if your looking for an overall family film (animated not required) then I placed it third above.

The Week of Thanksgiving...More like the week of the Theaters

This past week turned out to be a movie filled week for me. I managed to go out and see a total of 5 movies. In order, the movies I saw were as follows: Immortals, J. Edgar, Jack and Jill, Hugo, and The Muppets. Rather than break down the films in that order, I'm going to go from my favorite to the worst.

Leonardo DiCaprio. What more is there to say? He is without a doubt one of the best actors in Hollywood, and this movie proved no exception. This movie was directed by Clint Eastwood, and chronicles the rise, and ultimate fall (death) of J Edgar. There isn't much fault (if any) you'll find with the acting in this film. In fact, if I were to guess, this film has put DiCaprio in the lead to win best actor at next year's Academy Awards (of course I'm putting the cart before the horse, as the nominations aren't out until January). For those unaware, J. Edgar (J. Edgar Hoover, was the director of the FBI), and Leonardo DiCaprio plays the director at a young age, and in makeup at an old age.

The makeup in this film was superbly done, Leonardo DiCaprio for the most part, was convincing in playing an old man. Rarely did his voice slip up, while he was in makeup playing an old man. Granted there were times where you noticed he sounded like a young man, while he playing J. Edgar at an older age, but it was barely noticeable.

Around this time of the year, is when Oscar oriented movies are released, and outside of the Help, and perhaps Warrior, among others, this one could lead the pack in terms of Oscar nominations. Clint Eastwood delivered a great directorial performance, with the lighting, the way the film switched back and forth between the days where Edgar was a young man, and when he was old. As far as recommending this film, I would highly recommend it.

Coming in at second, was Hugo. This film was directed by Martin Scorsese, and marked his first plunge into the world of 3D. Granted I didn't see this film in 3D, and the only reason being is that the AMC I saw this at, does not have any 3D screens.

Having said that, this movie was highly enjoyable, and an all around great family movie, that the adults out there would not mind seeing. The film centers around a 12 year old boy, whom has lost his father, and goes on to live in a train station, where he fixes clocks, and other mechanical devices. The boy thinks a mechanical machine in the shape of a small boy (I honestly forget the name of the device) holds a message from his father, but in truth, the machine holds more than that, and ultimately brings about everlasting relationships with a girl he meets and her godparents, along with the Train Inspector, and others you see in the train station. How that is, I shall not say. I will say that the "villain" in this film, and I use this word lightly, isn't really a villain at all, as he has no motive for his actions.

Coming in at third was The Muppets. What more is there to say? This film was a very good family movie, and if you are a fan of the Muppets in anyway shape or form, you won't be disappointed with this film. The main plot deals with a Muppet (although at the time he doesn't view himself as a Muppet, but more of a boy) getting his wish to travel to Los Angeles, and see the Muppet Studio in person. It is there on his tour of the studio where he learns of the plot to tear down the Muppet Studio, and it is there where the adventure takes off.

The adventure you ask? Simple. Get the band back together again. There is nothing really more to add to this, other than it is genuinely 2 hours of family fun, that won't leave you disappointed.

Up fourth this week was the 300 knockoff, otherwise known as Immortals. It's not surprising considering it's made from the same people, however it felt almost like they followed the same format as 300, and as a result it was rather predicable. The visual effects were (like 300) rather impressive and gorgeous at times, and at times it was again being reminded of 300.

The film deals with Theseus, and his rise from a mere peasant, to a man that would go on to defeat King Hyperion and his army. The film attempts to showcase a battle between Gods, Titans, and mankind itself, and like I mentioned follows the path of 300. Was this film bad? No, not in the slightest. Was it good? Depends how you look at it, but in my opinion, this film was average. Had we not seen 300 a few years earlier than this film, then it would have been something special, but alas that is not the case.

The lead actors in this film (Henry Cavill - whom for those unaware playing Superman and Mickey Rourke) delivered solid performances in terms of acting, and were not a part in why this film felt the way it did. In fact the acting in this film, in my opinion was a bright spot. If you are a fan of 300, then by all means I do recommend this film, but if your one of those that felt like the Hangover 2 was too much like the first one, then you'll get the same vibe with this film, even though Immortals is not a sequel of 300.

Last, and certainly least is none other than Jack and Jill. I will say that a week before I saw this, I did receive a Jack and Jill prize pack from Rave Movies, so that got me to give this movie a chance. Otherwise, I was completely ok and open to skipping this movie.

After seeing it, I kind of wish I didn't see it (ok, not really, I do like going to see a movie). This film served no other purpose other than establishing that fact that Adam Sandler has no business in playing the role of a woman. He was absolutely terrible in this film, and as a result, this film suffered greatly. The only bright spot of this film, and in all honesty what saved this film from being worse than the movie Abduction (worst movie I've seen this year in theaters), was the performance of Al Pacino.

Al Pacino, delivered an hilarious performance, and was consistent from his first he appeared in this movie, to his last. For reference on his role, think of Adam West and how he makes fun of himself on Family Guy. There was no difference, and the more you think about it, the more it looks like that's where they got the idea for Pacino's category. If you've had any incling to go and see this movie because your a fan of Sandler, or simply because you want to go see it, I would recommend skip. This film isn't even worth a rental, and you'd be better off waiting till it hits a premium movie channel in the future.

An Anonymous Review...Sort of

Well not really, as I'm the one writing the review. However, the latest movie I went out and saw was Anonymous. This film has already been pulled at my local AMC Theater (not surprising as the box office returns have been anything less than spectacular).

Regardless, the film was a rather good film, considering the premise of the film. The film poises a question, that gets the movie goer to think. The question, which is what if William Shakespeare was not a famous play-write, or a writer period. It is from the point of view that this film sets off, and gets you to think.

William Shakespeare. Just about everyone that's ever gone to high school, or at some point or another is familiar with his work. Titles such as Romeo & Juliet, and MacBeth. This film proposes that the Earl of Oxford wrote the plays, and that William Shakespeare merely had his name attached to the plays, and other famous writings. I will leave the brief synopsis at that, without spoiling exactly how Shakespeare's name became famous (at least as presented by this film).

I found this movie to be really enjoyable, with only a few minor complaints (actually more like 2). Those complaints were the soundtrack. I found myself getting a bit distracted during the film as part of the theme in the movie sounded exactly like it came from another movie. My second complaint is the movie jumped a bit too much, and if you aren't paying attention, can't get lost in the movie rather quickly. By jumping, I'm referring to flashbacks, and back to present day in the film. Just as scenes were getting good, and you were following the characters, you were taken back in time, and thus any attachment you were gaining towards the characters were lost.

Other then those complaints of the film, I did enjoy the film. The acting was done rather well in this film, although a few more British accents could have been added into the film to make it a bit more convincing. I can't really recommend you go out and see this film, as depending upon which theater is closest to you, it could very well be out of theaters. I will however anyone to see this movie when it's out on blu-ray/dvd. It's a rather enjoyable film.

Nothing Like A Saturday Night Out At The Movies

Went out again with my brother on Saturday night and saw A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, and Tower Heist. Had the much hyped, and quite frankly, a game that did not live up to its hype (between LSU and Alabama) been worthwhile, I wouldn't have gone out, but after 3 missed field goals by Alabama, and a halftime score of 3-3, I decided a trip to the theaters were in order.

First up, was the comedic duo of John Cho (Harold) and Kal Penn (Kumar) in A Very Harld & Kumar 3D Christmas. For those unaware, this is the third movie, and if a certain line by Neil Patrick Harris (as himself) in the film is any indication, there will be a fourth. This movie won't win any type of awards, and it's not that type of movie. It's just a pure, fun comedic movie that is worth getting lost in, although perhaps not at the night time price of $15.50, but more along the daytime price of $10 (still not cheap).

If you've seen the first two films, and are a fan of the films, then you won't be disappointed. In many ways, I felt this film was better than the second film in the series. This comedy isn't for everyone, as it is Rated R. The part of the film I didn't like is the scene involving Heaven. Other than that, the film is an enjoyable comedy, and I would recommend it. Without giving too much away, I will say that the baby in this film stole the show.

Up next was another comedy, or one that was billed up as one (I suppose), judging from the trailers. The movie stars Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, and Tea Leoni, amongst others. The premise of the movie is a simple one. Old guy that is loaded, defrauds employees of the hotel he lives at, and a few of the employees get together and try to formulate a plan to get the money back.

Judging from the trailer, you would assume with the cast that it would be a non-stop laugh fest, or something close to it, but in all honesty, the film doesn't pick up and really become it's own, until Eddie Murphy is heavily featured in the film (which would be when he's bailed out of jail). The chemistry between the actors is clear when Eddie is in the scenes. It's almost as if the other actors feed off of him.

If I were to recommend this movie, I would. I found this film to be really enjoyable once Eddie Murphy was featured more in the film.

In Time For Puss In Boots

Saturday night, I decided to go see Puss in Boots (had 2 free tickets from a contest), as well as $10 on my AMC Stubs card. So I went with my brother, and decided to do something fun on a Saturday night, instead of the usual (which is go out for a walk, come home, stay up for a few hours, go to sleep and get up on Sunday morning early for church). As mentioned, we did see Puss in Boots, however before we went to see Puss in Boots, we did buy tickets for In Time for after Puss in Boots at the local AMC Theatre, and (no pun intended) were in time to walk to and from each theater before the previews ended, thus not missing any of the movies.

For what it's worth, Puss in Boots does it's part to stray away from the Shrek Universe, and ultimately, I feel this is where the film fails, as it came across as rather ok. To be honest, most of the animated films released this year (thus far) have been anywhere from ok to average at best. This animated film although in all fairness does set up the first of perhaps more films to come along starring Puss in Boots, although I'm not sure how that would translate, as the film did open up with a $34 million dollar box office this past weekend. If you went in to this film expecting to see how Puss came into the Shrek world, then you will feel disappointed (as I did).

There isn't much I can honestly say about Puss in Boots, without spoiling the film. (The movie is that short), so with that said, I will move on to In Time. In Time is Justin Timberlake's first solo big time movie role, to see whether or not he can cut it as a leading actor. After seeing this film, I feel that he's ready for more and better roles, although his acting can still improve. This comes across when you first seeing him crying. I almost felt like laughing, then feeling sorry for him. This film scores more for a message the film tries to send, then the plot itself. Well, not the plot, but the settings. I'll just say that Justin Timberlake growing up in the ghetto, and then acting the part, is laughable at best. With that said, it's the message the film sends that really gets the moviegoer to think and reflect on things (at least it did for me).

The premise around the movie is mankind has been genetically altered. Everyone has a full 25 years to live. Once those 25 years are up, a clock is started, and this clock is in green and is on your left arm (or right), as I couldn't really tell at times. There are things one can do to increase your time, and the concept of money has been taken out of the film, and replaced with time. Some people clock out (die) at a young age, others live for centuries, if not longer, with the only way of dieing is by a crime, however the only thing that remains constant in the film, is that you don't age a day over 25 (physical-wise).

The film does get you thinking, and as for me, it got me to thinking. What would you do if you only had a certain amount of time to live? If you knew someone only had a certain amount of time to live, and you could help them live longer, by giving them some of your time, would you do it? That's just two questions I felt like mentioning, but it is a worthwhile film to go see.

Johnny English Reborn Into A Big Year

Yesterday, I went out and added to my ever growing list of movies I've seen in theaters. I saw and Johnny English Reborn, and The Big Year. I was interested in seeing Johnny English from the trailers, and the fact I'm a fan of Rowan Atkinson from the Mr. Bean days, and The Big Year had promise due in large part to the main actors in the film (Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Jack Black). In hindsight, I was wrong. Disappointing was my reaction after seeing both films.

Johnny English Reborn is the sequel to Johnny English, which came out in 2003. For the most part, this movie was flat, and found it hard to laugh at certain parts, even though I wanted to. Perhaps it was the fact that the comedy in this film seemed outdated, and not up to date. When I first saw the trailer to this film, I honestly thought it was a sequel to Mr. Bean, but the comedy shown during the trailer, I thought would translate well throughout the film, but I was wrong. The film isn't bad, but it isn't good either. It's average at best.

What happens when you get Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson, three actors known for comedy all in one film? A good comedy right? Answer to that would be a NO. This movie left me feeling like it was a waste of a film. The premise around the film would have been better with new and upcoming actors, not these actors that have been around for quite a while. The premise around this movie is birds. Yes, birds. All three characters in this film played by the three actors mentioned above are determined to have a big year (which is how many different birds they can spot in a year across North America).

After seeing the two films, I wouldn't recommend you go see them while they are out in theaters. I would recommend Three Musketeers before these films, and I felt that movie was average at best as well. Perhaps I'm a bit too harsh with that film, but it's how I viewed it.

Videogames & The 2011 Holiday Season

It's that time of the year again. If your thinking Halloween, then no think harder, as I'm referring to the holiday season. For every gamer out there, it's a cause for joy, as just about every major studio out there is in a rush to throw their best at you for you to go out and buy. For movie buffs out there, it's comparable to awards season, or the blockbuster months of summer. For sports fans, it's the equivalent of a championship game or series.

With that said, I'm going to break things down by platform. I will start off with the PSP. My recommendation if you don't have a PSP, is to wait until next year, as Sony has recently announced the release date for the PSP's successor the PSP Vita, and it will set you back either $249.99 or $299.99, depending as to which model you are interested in.

On the Nintendo DS side of things, Nintendo will be pushing hard for their new 3DS. Currently the system is $169.99, and with Black Friday a month away, there will no doubt be deals out there to tempt you to go this route. Games being released between now and the end of the year include: Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart 7. To be honest, the 3DS titles seem to be a bit lackluster as of right now, but as sales begin to pickup since the price drop, as recent sales numbers that I've seen has shown, then more and better games will be made available on this console.

With the Nintendo Wii, there are still a few games out there worth getting, even though Nintendo will be bringing out the Wii U next year, and without a doubt the biggest title is The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. Other titles include Kirby's Return to Dreamland, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (although if you have a PS3 or Xbox 360, do buy this game for either system, as there's no comparison in terms of what system it's better for), and Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 (same with either PS3 or Xbox 360). As far as price for the system goes, the system still retails for $149.99 (occasional gift card deals out there) and there are two different models out there. The original model (black or white), and a slimmed down model, which looks similar to what the Wii U will look like. Difference being the newer model will not play Gamecube games, so if you want to continue to play Gamecube games and don't have a Gamecube, then buy the original.

The PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 will share a number of games this fall. By sharing, I'm not referring to being able to play the games on both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, but rather the same game will be out on both platforms. Reason why you see games out on all platforms is because the game in question is made by a third party platform, and in large part, there are not as many exclusives out on systems as there was back in the day during the PlayStation 2 days, due in large part to increase in costs. If there are any exclusives these days, in large part they are timed exclusives or various things you'll get access to on one system and not the other. With that said, the big hitters out this fall are: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (my personal pick to win this holiday season), Battlefield 3 (will make Call of Duty sweat it out), Assassin's Creed Revelations, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Saints Row The Third, WWE 12, Need for Speed: The Run, Sonic Generations, Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Medal Gear Solid HD Collection, and Goldeneye 007: Reloaded.

As far exclusives go, both systems still have them, and these are called first party titles. A game that is out now for the Xbox 360, will no doubt continue to sell well, and that is Gears of War 3. The other big title due out is Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. For the PlayStation 3, the biggest exclusive due out, is Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception.

As far as buying systems goes, Microsoft has Sony beat in terms of limited edition consoles that will make any gamer drool. Microsoft has 3 such consoles. The current model is the Gears of War limited edition Xbox 360. Next month will bring about the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 bundle, and last, but certainly not least, is the Star Wars Kinect bundle, which looks like R2 D2 (the 360 and Kinect), with a gold controller. If I had the money for any of the 3 bundles (which I don't), I'd go with the Gears of War 3 bundle.

Four...Err Three Musketeers

Yesterday, I went out and saw The Three Musketeers, and unlike what I usually do, it was the only movie I saw. Would've been more than that one, but I didn't go alone.

Anyways, with regards to the movie, in my opinion, the movie was average at best. The movie was set in France, and would've been a whole lot better, if it had French accents, or any other European accents for that matter. The film came across as American actors and actresses being placed in a European setting, and it wasn't very convincing at that.

Another complaint I had with the film, was the title. It was The Three Musketeers. This film, at times made it seem like Milady, a teen, guest starring 3 actors playing The Three Musketeers. Pretty disappointing in that sense.

Other than that, the film does make an attempt at setting up a new movie franchise, and without giving anything away, the ending drives home that point. The film seemed to be channeling Sherlock Holmes in it's approach, but in retrospect, the makers of the film failed hard.

Would I recommend this film? Can't say I honestly would. In 3D (which I saw it in), I'd give a no, but for $6 before noon at say an AMC Theatre, or other local theaters where the price isn't high, I'd say ok, but other than that, I'd recommend waiting for this film to be released on Blu-ray/DVD.

The More Side of Things

Seeing as how my blog is titled Jonny's Thoughts On Movies, Games, and More (highlighted for a reason), and that reason being this entry is on the more side of things. My church I go to (first church I've really felt like I belong to be honest) has had a series for the past 6 weeks, and will be finishing it's last week this upcoming Sunday, has pretty much caused me to take a look at my life to be honest.

The series I'm referencing is a simple one, yet something more profound than what appears on the surface. Maybe it's not simple, but the series has lasted 7 weeks, with each week featuring a person telling their story, leading up to how they got to where they got to today in their walk with God, wherever that may be. I got to tell my story as I mentioned in this entry: August Entry What I did not share, are things that I have mentally blocked. At least it felt that way.

Having said that, each week that I have listened to people tell their stories (and let me say, I respect each person that has gone up and shared their story. It's not easy to go up there and share a story, let alone about oneself, and for me, I know I could never do such a thing, as I struggle speaking in front of a group like that, it's probably why I have no problem expressing myself through writing. I love it.), I have found myself looking back on my childhood, and life in general to be honest with you.

There are things about my life I haven't really shared with anyone. One being about my mom. When I first went to my church (GracePoint), I'd be lieing if I didn't say it felt weird. Not weird in being that it meets at a school, but weird in being that the school it's at, it's the last place my mother worked at.

There are other things, such as performing the Heimlich maneuver on my brother that was choking, and successfully might I add. Could have been bad if I didn't, I know that's what my parents said at the time. Funny thing, it was my first and only time doing that, and I only did it, because I had saw it on television.

A weight set almost fell on my youngest brother back at one of our first houses when I was a kid, and I somehow managed to push him out of the way, just in time, or it would have hit his head, and who knows what would have happened.

Then there are the arguments between my parents I had to go through. Alcohol was heavily used and was the cause of fights  between my parents when I was growing up. I remember one time emptying out a new case of beer (down the drain) because I was sick of the fighting it was causing.

There's other things, but those are just a few I felt like mentioning and/or sharing in this entry.

Cookies and Cream Popcorn From Popcorn Palace

This past week, I won a bag of popcorn from Popcorn Palace. I've been following Popcorn Palace for a while now, so winning one of their contests, was a blessing in disguise for me, for I've always wanted to try their popcorn, but haven't been able to.

Upon visiting their site, I was blown away by the vast varieties of flavors that Popcorn Palace had to choose from. Cookies and Cream first caught my eye, but other flavors (such as Cinnamon Spice, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie) also caught my eye. Nonetheless, I decided to stick with Cookies and Cream.

Roughly three days or so after I informed Popcorn Palace of my decision, I came home (as I usually do on a Friday) from the movies, and was greeted by a box on my front porch. Upon opening the box (once I took it inside), I was greeted with a one gallon bag of popcorn, and the presence of Oreo cookies peaked my interest.

The game plan was to save the popcorn, but as I grew hungry today (10/8), I gave in and opened the popcorn. I admit, at first when I took a few bites, I did not taste the cookie aspect of the popcorn, and it wasn't until I had an oreo in the bag that my taste buds took off. The flavor of cookies gradually increases with each and every bite (or at least it did for me) upon eating the first cookie.

After having a bit of the popcorn, I think it's safe to say that this popcorn should be eaten with a glass of milk. I don't think I ever could have said this about popcorn prior to having popcorn here, but after eating it, I can say that it's almost a requirement, and I'm sure it won't be the last time I say its a recommendation while eating popcorn from Popcorn Palace.

I can say that, as soon as I can afford it, I will be buying popcorn from Popcorn Palace again, and will take a bag or two with me to Home Church.

If you are interested in checking out and possibly ordering from Popcorn Palace, checkout their site here: http://popcornpalace.com/

There's An Ide That Marches Inside The Dream House Made of Real Steel

Or to simply put, yesterday I went out and saw (in order) Real Steel, Dream House, and The Ides of March. I pretty much have the timing down as to when they'd start, so my showtimes were perfect (10:15, 12:25, and 2:00 respectively). The movies actually start roughly 16-20 minutes after their showtimes.

The first movie Real Steel, I actually did go in thinking it would not live up to its hype, for the reason that Hugh Jackman actually appeared on an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, and in large part for the reason that movies that are promoted on Raw in large part turn out to (for lack of a better word) suck. Needless to say, I was wrong. I really enjoyed Real Steel, and if you thought the film's main plot line, was fighting robots, you along with myself thought wrong.

The movie is more than just fighting robots. The movie is also about redeeming oneself, in the case of Charlie Kenton (played by Jackman), whom happens to be a dead beat father, gets that opportunity when his 11 year old son comes back into his life, following the death of the kids mom (that they don't show). Originally when Charlie's son is brought into the picture, he's only looking at it from the money side of things, but as most films with this plot, that gradually changes over time.

Overall, this movie is really enjoyable. Will this film win any awards? Probably not, aside from visual effects, but when it comes to fighting robots, Transformers has this beat in terms of the visual effects department. The acting side of things, this film has Transformers beat.

My second film of the day was Dream House, which for those not familiar, is a psychological thriller, and in my opinion Daniel Craig's best film to date this year. (Happens to be the second film I've seen of his this year, the first being Cowboys & Aliens, which ultimately was a big disappointment). This film however, was the opposite of disappointment, but rather a pleasant surprise.

Although predictable, the film was done really well, and the more I think about it, took a page out of the sixth sense's book. Daniel Craig plays Will Atenton, and as the film plays along, you learn that it's a made up name he gave himself. I can go on and on, but I would simply be giving spoilers, so I won't. I will just say that if you do enjoy thrillers, or your simply a fan of Daniel Craig or Rachel Weisz, you won't be disappointed with this film at all. Outside of the predictable plotline, the film does leave you thinking, and reflecting on things (at least it did for me).

The third movie of the day for me, was a movie that could very well be up for several Academy Award nominations come Oscar time. That film would be The Ides of March, starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and Marissa Tomei.

This film is really another instance in which Ryan Gosling (whose quickly rising up on my list of must see actors) shines, perhaps as equally, if not more so than he did in Drive. At first glance, you would think that this movie was just about an election, and the process behind it, and the movie played out that way for the first 20 to 30 minutes or so, but the film goes deeper than that.

Ryan Gosling plays Stephen Meyers, a head Democratic strategist for Governor Mike Morris (played by Clooney). However, he isn't the top strategist for the campaign as of yet. That honor would go to Paul (played by Hoffman). As mentioned, the film goes deeper than what goes on in a normal campaign. This film shows how a campaign can change a person, in some cases for the better, but in other cases like this film, for the worst.

Stephen Meyers in large part was your normal, up and coming, hard working Democratic strategist in the Democratic Party, who gets involved with Molly Stearns (played by Evan Rachel Wood), and it isn't until their relationship starts to grow, where Meyers learns of a side relationship with the Governor in this film. Upon learning of the relationship, is where the film takes off, and you see the bad side of politics, and how they can change a person. There are ultimate issues this film points out, some that could create good conversation starters.

Having said that, I found this movie to be even more enjoyable than Real Steel. Then again, I do like critically acclaimed movies as much, or more so than big blockbuster type films (which Real Steel is). If you are into politics, whether you be Democrat, Republican, or simply an Independent, you should go see the film. It gives one an insight into politics, or at least attempts to.

My recommendations for this week, is to go with either Real Steel or The Ides of March. You can't go wrong with either choice.

Courageous...More Than A Movie

Courageous is more than a movie. It's a movie that delivers a powerful message centered around five men, their roles as fathers, and the role God and faith plays in being better overall fathers. It's a theme that anyone, not just fathers can relate to, or at least aspire to.

The film dealt with different approaches one can take towards faith, but the end result was the same. If you put your trust in God, God will be there for you. Sure there are many instances in our lives where we've questioned his existence, or if there are things that go wrong in our lives, we question if he's there or not. I know there's been times when I have, but I no longer feel that way, as I've placed my faith in God. In many ways, that's what this film tries to drive across. Sure there's parts of the film that were layed on a little too thick, and parts where it wasn't realistic, but that's not the point.

Wherever you are in your walk with God, you could benefit from seeing this film. Even for those that don't believe. It's that touching. Sure there were people that walked out, and I'm guessing they are the same type of people that walked out during the MercyMe concert earlier this past Summer, but that's really to be expected. As I mentioned there are scenes in the film where the message they are trying to drive across is played on a bit too thick. For instance, Javier loses his job in the film, (pay attention to the cross on the wall when he's talking to his wife, that's the first instance of faith in the film) goes out looking for a job, and a day or so later, after striking out on a job he thought he had lined up, he questions his faith and says a prayer to himself while walking, and as soon as he done, someone calls him from across the street by name (assuming he was the guy that was scheduled to work, which he wasn't) and instantly his prayers were answered.

For myself watching, it was completely unrealistic, but it's not that it's unrealistic that matters, it's the point being reached. The point being if you put your trust and faith in the lord, he will watch out for you. Maybe in not the way you may expect it, or want, but things happen for a reason. Sure we may not know that that reason is at the time, and probably won't for years to come, but they do. For myself, I've always believed that God works in mysterious ways. Ways that we simply don't understand, but like I said, they happen for a reason. It's another point this film delivers.

When In Doubt See 4 Movies

Seriously though, I did go out and see 4 movies today. While a lot, it's not a record for me, as the most I've seen in one day is 5 (which I've tied every year during AMC's Best Picture Showcase).

As for the movies I saw, I went and saw Courageous, Restless, 50/50, and What's Your Number? (in order). It turns out, I am getting better and better and timing out when a movie will start, and when a movie will end, as I've been right the last several times I've seen multiple films in a row.

Anyways, I will start with Courageous. I'm going to give a brief review on this film in this entry, with a longer one coming later in a separate entry. The movie for those that don't know, is one centered around faith and how it deals around five men, and how the men go on to use their faith to better themselves as fathers. The acting was done really well in the scenes that called for dramatic parts, and in large part, the cast are relatively unknowns. In my opinion, the weakest actors in the film were the actors that played Javier and his wife. They came across as unbelievable, and really poor actors to say the least. Nonetheless, the actors in this film, are not the film's greatest strength (granted, there are a few actors in here that give solid performances) but largely the films overall message. If you are prone to crying when seeing films, then you'll probably want to bring a box or two when you see this film. It is the tear jerking scene where faith in God really starts to hit home.

There were a few people that did walk out during the movie, but I can assure you it has nothing to do with the quality of the film, as it is really good movie, but more along with the message of the film. I noticed the same thing when MercyMe was performing at Angel Stadium this past summer. Overall, I would say what's keeping this movie from possibly being nominated for Best Picture at next year's Academy Awards, are the fact that it is largely based on faith (not a bad thing of course), and as mentioned certain performances from a few of the actors, which could and should have been better. For instance, there is a scene that requires crying from Javier's wife, yet when she cries there is no tears, yet she's acting like she's crying (not convincing at all). The acting by the two really look like that you'd come to see on some cheesy soap opera or something along those lines.

After seeing Courageous, I went ahead and saw Restless. This movie stars Mia Wasikowska, and Henry Hopper. This movie is a rather sombering film, and at the same time has its funny moments. The premise of the movie however, makes it seem a bit far fetched to say the least. The movie starts off with Enoch (played by Harry Hopper) crashing memorial services, and by crashing I'm referring to sitting in on strangers memorial services. It's through the first memorial service in the film where he meets Annabel (played by Mia Wasikowska).

It is after this meeting, where Annabel then follows Enoch, and thus sets off an odd friendship at first, that goes beyond friendship and later turns into a relationship. Annabel as it's later learned is a patient that has terminal cancer, and Enoch, is odd in a sense that not only does he like crashing services of strangers, but he can also talk to a Japanese Kamikaze World War II pilot, that the film doesn't really explain until more than halfway into the film, which is also around the time frame that more is revealed about Enoch's mysterious life.

Having said that, this film is nowhere near a bad film. In my opinion, this film is a step above a good film, and a few steps below a great film. The film does have it's flaws, but in large part, the performances from the two lead actors more than makes up for it. The overall point this film was trying to hit home, which in my opinion is that death doesn't always have to be so bad, was a rather successful one, and was rather moving. I would recommend you go and see this film, while it's still in theaters, as it does make for a good date movie.

The third movie on the day I saw, after seeing Restless was 50/50. This movie stars Joesph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, and Bryce Dallas Howard. The film centers around Adam (played by Levitt) and him being diagnosed with, and dealing with cancer. The movie in my opinion although it is really good, tries a bit too hard at aiming for best picture quality, and falls just short. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Levitt's girlfriend in the film (for anyone that's seen The Help, she's the mean one), and in my opinion, she really had no chemistry with Levitt, nor did the film make them convincing, in fact they seemed distant (for the time that they where boyfriend-girlfriend in the film).

Seth Rogen, plays Kyle (Adam's best friend), and delivers a typical performance you'd come to expect from him. It would be fine, if this movie was billed as a comedy, but it's not, and at times Rogen feels out of place. My big complaint with Rogen, is it seems he can't go one movie without using Weed in a film. It's almost like a long drawn out joke that is said over and over again. If he has done a film without using weed or making references to it, I would surely like to know.

Anna Kendrick, plays Katherine, at times a very convincing doctor in training, and at times looking out of place. This isn't a knock on the actress, as she is slowly becoming one of my favorites, but more as a general observation. There is a relationship that does start to brew between Adam and Katherine, that seems fake and pushed, when it really shouldn't have been, but in large part this doesn't effect the quality of the film.

This movie in large part is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's breakout film in terms of whether or not he can be a leading man in Hollywood. He does have a film coming out early next year that will further test this notion, but whether or not this happens remains to be seen. I will say that he does give a Best Actor type performance in this film. Whether or not he gets a nomination remains to be seen. I can't speak for the accuracy of this film in terms of what it's like dealing with cancer, but I can speak for the accuracy for the film in terms of how cancer affects those that care about the person, as I have had to deal with a close family member having and ultimately dieing from cancer (my mom). Overall, I would recommend this movie. It's a flip of the coin with Restless in my opinion, as I really did enjoy both movies equally as well as the other.

Lastly, I finished off my latest movie adventure seeing What's Your Number? starring Anna Faris, and Chris Evans. This movie as the tile implies deals with guys asking for Anna Faris' phone number. All joking aside, this film is about the number of men Ally Darling (played by Anna Faris) has slept with, and after reading an article, determined to make it work with one of her exes so she doesn't go past the number until it's with the one she's destined to marry.

This film, like most of Anna Faris movies is a comedy, and really doesn't pick up until 15 to 20 minutes into the film, which is also near the time we first see Colin (played by Chris Evans). This movie is one that won't win any awards, and is a more feel good get away from it all while laughing type of films. There is more convincing chemistry in this film between Faris and Evans, and depending how well this film does or doesn't do in theaters, could be the start of a comedic team, although you don't really see much of that these days in Hollywood. Overall, if your not in the mood to see a serious film, but want to see a comedy, this one is worth seeing. If you are looking for something else, then this film isn't for you.

Another Two Movies Today

Earlier today, I managed to see Lion King 3D, and Abduction (starring Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins, along with Mario Bello, Sigourney Weaver, and Alfred Molina amongst others).

I'll start off with the Lion King in 3D. I primarily wanted to see this because Lion King happens to be my favorite Disney animated film, and the two weeks is up this weekend, so there wasn't much time to waste. Upon seeing the film, I admit I got a sense of nostalgia. I first saw Lion King when it first came out with friends that lived across the street from me. I went in not expecting much in terms of the 3D aspect, and for the most part, I was correct. All it added to was an increase in picture quality, but for the most part, there wasn't much of the 3D aspect that jumps out at you, which one normally expects when viewing a film in 3D. Other than that, there really isn't much else to add. If you've seen Lion King, you know what happens, and if you haven't and don't see it by this weekend, that's alright, as it is being released on blu-ray next week.

After seeing Lion King, I proceeded to walk the mall for 20 minutes, then it was back to AMC with myself. I was a bit early for Abduction, but after ordering food from the concession bar, the wait was cut down considerably. I was one of about 10, maybe 12 people to see Abduction in an auditorium that seats around 100+, which was more than there was to see Lion King, which I was one of three to see it in an auditorium that seats 500+.

Prior to seeing this film, I admit, I did read reviews on this film, and if you haven't seen or read any reviews, you'll know that this film has been getting ripped to shreds. So naturally, I went in expecting the worse. Having said that, the film isn't as bad as the reviews out there would tell you, but that isn't saying much, as the movie is one of the worst this year hands down. The lines in this film, come across as generic at best (at times come across as lame and just put together rather hastily), and the violence and action in this film are not believable.

For instance, in one of several fight scenes, between Taylor Lautner, and a guy chasing Lautner, after repeated punches to the face, there is no blood on the face of either guy. Lautner even gets thrown into the window of the train, causing cracks to the train window, yet there is no blood on Lautner's face. It's almost as if they forget about it, or went over budget and left out details like that.

The beginning of the movie will probably leave you shaking your head, and that's putting it lightly. In my opinion, Taylor Lautner was put in a role that he's not cut out for at this time. Some actors have what it takes to be taken seriously as an action star, and some well, they do not, or if they do, it comes when they are older. Given time with age, and perhaps with movies other than Twilight attached to his name, would he be considered ready for action roles. I honestly see him more of the supporting actor at the moment, and not someone that can carry a film on his own, which this film tries to do.

I would only recommend this film for those that are huge fans of Lautner, and that's about it. Even then, that's stretching it, but it's the only recommendation I can give.

Anyone Else Notice A New Trend With Movie Trailers?

This new trend I'm referring to is seeing a trailer out in theaters roughly four months plus in advance. Two movies however are sticking out like sore thumbs at the moment, and by the time they are released in theaters, I'm at the point where I'm ready for them to be released onto blu-ray/dvd.

Those two movies I'm referring to are the new Mission Impossible, and Puss In Boots. Perhaps Puss In Boots isn't as noticeable as Mission Impossible, but both trailers are being shown half to death. It wouldn't be bad if the movies weren't due out until next month, but Puss In Boots is due out November 4th, and Mission Impossible isn't due out until December 21st. Seems overkill in my opinion for these trailers to be attached to just about every big movie out there (or a majority of them).

Another trend with trailers, while I'm on the subject of trailers is the length of trailers prior to the films. Seriously. Yesterday, I saw Moneyball at 9:55. I didn't get out until 12:24. I thought I had missed the start of Killer Elite, however, as I got into Killer Elite, there was still another six minutes of trailers, which puts the trailers prior to the start of the show at about 15 to 20 minutes now before your movie actually starts. It's not really a problem or anything, but does help you plan correctly if you want to see multiple movies in a day.

Moneyball Makes For An Elite Time...Or 2 More Movies Down

Ok. That was my attempt to make a somewhat funny title. I failed. I'll get it back again as I put up more entries.

Anyways, back to my train of thought. Earlier this morning, I went out and saw another two movies. I would have seen three today, but I got a text message from a friend of mine the night before, so had to alter my plans, which is no biggie, as I'll likely just go out on Monday to see it. (I was going to see Abduction as my third movie if anyone is curious).

The first movie I saw, I barely made it in time for the bus (didn't have access to our only working car for the time I would have been out). I saw Moneyball this morning at 9:55 at the local AMC. Now that I look back at the film, it is kind of fitting that since the movie is about Billy Beane and the Oakland A's, that tonight of all nights, the A's went out and beat the Angels, in Anaheim, thus knocking out of the American League West title hunt, as the Rangers clinched the division title, and thus putting the Angels season on life support.

Back to the movie. If you've seen the trailer, you kind of get a sense that the way the movie is presented, and based on some word of mouth (which in large part I tried to ignore), this movie is a contender to at the very least be nominated for Best Picture come Oscar time next year. After seeing the film myself, I'd say that it's a pretty safe bet to make. The movie has it's moments that should appeal to a wide arrange of movie and sports lovers for that matter.

The movie in large part takes place during the 2002 season, and deals with the behind the scenes aspect of Billy Beane's dealings during that said season, as he did implement a type of baseball that many baseball fans today know as Moneyball. The film stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, and Jonah Hill plays Peter Brand, a statistician that came up with the concept of Moneyball. The film in large part is Jonah Hill's first real attempt at making a serious film (a la Jim Carrey), and in all honesty, was good in his role. Brad Pitt on the other hand, this type of role should come as no surprise as he's known for these type of roles. In all honesty, I wasn't sold if he could pass as playing the gm of a baseball team, but after the first few minutes passed, my doubts passed, and I was sold. His performance was really solid, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Pitt nominated for Best Actor in this film.

After seeing this film, I walked across the hall and saw Killer Elite, the new action movie starring Jason Statham, Robert DeNiro, and Klive Owen. This movie for what it was, which is an action flick first and foremost lived up to my expectations. However, I feel this movie could have been so much more, as it was actually based on a true story.

The movie itself takes place during the first few years of the 1980's, in fact, the first scene of the movie takes place during 1980 in Mexico. Statham and DeNiro play to hitman, with Statham wanting out, but is ultimately drawn back in, only to help free Huter (played by DeNiro). This right here, is where I feel they could have explained more and setup a better back story for Danny (played by Statham) wanting out. It felt a bit rushed, and not very convincing. Having said that, it's when Danny gets back into his old lifestyle and becomes a hitman to free Hunter, where the film takes off, and for the better.

Clive Owen plays Spike in the film, an ex-SAS military official, and ultimately is the villain in this film. In large part, he plays his role excellently, which shouldn't come as a surprise if you've seen some of his prior films. In general, the cast was solid in the film, and was very believable. My biggest complaint with the film however, although awesome, was the fight scenes. The fight scenes in this film weren't very convincing. By not being very convincing, I'm referring to the constant exchange of punches and blows, without them actually hurting the other person. If this were put in wrestling terms, it would be called no-selling. In some ways, because of this (with the fight scenes between Danny and Spike) were almost laughable.

Other than the fight scenes between Danny and Spike that I mentioned, the overall action in the film does makeup for that flaw in my opinion. Overall, the movie for what it is, is a solid movie.

After seeing both films, I would recommend you go out and see Moneyball this weekend, if you had to pick between these two. Either choice wouldn't be a bad one between these two movies, it's just for the monetary value, and the fact that Moneyball is hot choice right now, I would go with Moneyball.

Monday Movie Madness...9/19

Earlier today, I set out on a quest. The quest wasn't to go job hunting (that's for the rest of the week). Nope. Instead I went to the AMC at the Mills, and decided to see three movies. The movies I decided to see (in order) were Contagion, Warrior, and I Don't Know How She Does It.

First thing is first and I'll start off with Contagion. I went in expecting this movie at it's very best to be similar to Outbreak. For those that haven't seen it, Outbreak is the movie that centered around a monkey spreading a virus, then there was a plot that somehow managed to emerge out of that. Well here we are about ten years or so later, and we have a new movie (Contagion) that left out the plot, and all you get is people getting sick and dieing left and right (ok maybe not that fast), but this film was a major letdown. So much so, that I would recommend other movies before this one. I honestly don't have anything really good to say about this movie. It's almost like the movie was done to spread fear more than anything else.

The second movie I went to see, was a rather nice surprise. I went in expecting this movie to be this year's version of The Fighter, and a cheaper version at that. For those that haven't seen that movie, I would highly recommend you see it. Having said that, I was wrong. This movie in my opinion, was just as good, if not better overall than The Fighter. Several of the actors in this film delivered some very wonderful performances. Nick Nolte in my opinion shined in his role, which was a recovering alcoholic, and a father that wasn't there for his kids when they were younger, trying to turn his life around, and getting a second chance, although his son's don't really give him that chance (you'll see what I'm talking about if you see the film, hence won't go any further with his role. In my opinion, both Nick Nolte, and Tom Hardy delivered best supporting actor type performances, whether they'll be nominated next year remains to be seen. No seriously, the nominations aren't due out until January. The other lead actor in the film Joel Edgerton, delivered a solid performance, but in my opinion, I'd be surprised if he got nominated.

I really did enjoy Warrior however. So much so, I'd place it close to the Help, but in my opinion, The Help is still raining supreme as far as Best Picture goes. I will go ahead and say Warrior stands a very good chance at also getting nominated for Best Picture at next year's Academy Awards, which are going to be hosted by Eddie Murphy.

My third and final movie for the day was Sarah Jessica Parker's I Don't Know How She Does It. I wanted to see this one, for a variety of reasons, such as Pierce Brosnan was in it for starters, and the trailer left a good impression on me. I had to walk very far for this movie by the way. I was in auditorium number 10 for Warrior. I had to walk to the next auditorium, which was number 11 , as that's the auditorium it was playing in. All joking aside, I did notice I was pretty much the only straight guy in the auditorium watching it, as the crowd was all ladies and there was one gay couple that saw the movie.

As far as my impressions on the movie, I will say that by far, this movie was better than Contagion. Once you get past Sarah Jessica Parker's nose, you really do appreciate the film. It's a nice little feel good get away from everything type of film, that will probably appeal mainly to women, as it is a chick flick (although I do like chick flicks). I really don't have anything bad to say about this film. Any fan of Sex and the City I'm guessing will want to go out and see this film, or just wait for it upon its release on dvd/blu-ray.

The Griddle Cafe...Not A Disappointment

About a year or two ago while I was watching the morning news (which I usually do, either local or national, doesn't really matter) in this case the morning news on Fox 11 (I prefer this channel actually although I find the entertainment reporter to be the worst amongst the morning news shows), I happened to watch a segment on The Griddle Cafe down in Hollywood.

What peaked my interest at the time was the highlighted feature on their Red Velvet pancake. At the time, the item was not a part of their normal menu, and was only available if you happened to be following them on twitter and they tweeted a secret word or phrase out telling you when they would be serving them.

Ever since then, I've had it on my mind to someday go. I nearly went last weekend, but I picked a bad time to get sick, and today was a different story, so I went down to Hollywood with family. When you get there, there's a line. You can either wait to be seated outside, which if you can deal with a lot of people watching you eat and deal with people either walking or jogging past you, then it's fine, or you can wait to be seated inside.

We waited in line to be seated. The wait was anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes. During the wait, they have a host that comes out to add new names to the a list. The host was quite funny to be honest. Best line was "I've got good news and bad news. The good news is there's about 5 tables that will be opening up in about 15 minutes. The bad news is I'm single, 48, live in the valley and have 2 cats."

Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing you'll notice is that it's jammed pack in the place, and it is really noisy. I went in there with my mind set on one item, and one item only. The Red Velvet Pancake. I have to say, I wasn't disappointed one bit with the pancake, and really my advice (as suggested by the server) it does not need syrup. Seriously, you'd probably ruin it if you added syrup. You'll see in the pics down below. My brother ordered the Black Magic pancake, and my father ordered The Golden Ticket. Seeing how as the pancakes didn't come with any side items, we split (3 ways) the Omlette "My Soul" with Shrimp. It was delicious to say the least. I did get to sample the pancake my brother and father ordered, and I'll just say you wouldn't be disappointed with whatever you ordered.

I will say if you order the red velvet pancake (it is the cheapest in price $8.95 as you only get one), it's enough for one person, you probably don't want to share too much, and it's also a pancake you can't order for carryout. The other pancakes that my brother and father ordered, I'd say if your eating there with your girlfriend or spouse, ordering one pancake and an omelet is definitely enough, or some other side dish.

Lastly, before I share my pictures, I will say that seeing as how when your in Hollywood, you could run into a celebrity or two, we did have a celebrity sit next to us, or shall I say the table next to us. The celebrity was none other than Ian Ziering. For those that aren't familiar with him without a picture, he played Steve on Beverly Hills 90210 (the original one, not the newer one). I noticed him instantly, and my brother had no clue who he was, and my father recognized him, but didn't know his name, nor what he came on.

Anyways, without further ado, here are my pictures:

 First picture is the Golden Ticket

I didn't order this, but that's the container they put their coffee in. I was told it was really good. I wouldn't know, as I never drink coffee.

That's the Black Magic Pictured. Has Oreos, think that's ice cream or whipped cream on top of frosted sugar.

That's what I ordered right there. The Red Velvet Pancake. That's icing on top of frosted sugar. The pancake literally tastes like your eating a cupcake, or something very similar. It is really good though (maybe an understatement).

One picture wasn't enough. I needed to take two.

Those are the only pictures I took. I would have taken a picture of the omelet, but I didn't feel like it after my brother put a piece of his pancake on it to share. After eating here, I will definitely say I'll be going back. Not sure when though, but definitely will. In all honesty, I will say, once you order a pancake here, you probably won't want to order one anywhere else.

Drive...The Movie

 During the summer, I went to the movies 29 times, with only 3 of those 29 times being a movie I saw twice. You'd think that trend would continue right now that fall is here right? Well unfortunately, no, that is until this week. I have a slew of movies I need and probably will catch up on.

Today however marked the first movie of the fall I've seen. It came down to Contagion and Drive as for which one I'd see first. In my mind, Contagion is a modern take on the movie Outbreak (for those that haven't seen it, go see it and it almost looks like the same take on Contagion, only it involves a Monkey). Drive on the other hand stars Ryan Gosling, and in my opinion, he's really coming into his own as a legit mainstream actor, capable of carrying a movie. Having said that, I saw Drive.

I'm not going to lie. When you first see Drive, you might start to ask yourself if this movie will get any better, and actually might start to question your choice. Sure the music (a brightspot in the movie) was worth it, but the movie did appear at first like it was trying to set a record for fewest words spoken by the lead actor. Note, I did say appear, meaning that about a half hour or so into the movie, that changed, and once Ryan Gosling started to talk more in the film, he started to shine. So much so, in my opinion, if Grand Theft Auto was ever made into a movie franchise, I could picture him up for the lead.

The movie is rated R, and it's that way on the violence factor alone. Normally you'd expect it to be rated R for other reasons, but it's purely the violence that got it it's rating, and it was done in a way that really made it believable.

My recommendation is to go see the movie, and if your deciding between this film and Contagion, I'd say flip a coin. I don't really think you can go wrong with either choice (I do plan on seeing Contagion this week).

Joy As An Artform

According to dictionary.com, one of the many definitions for joy is "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying." It's also a word one normally hears in songs, such as Joy to the World, albeit a Christmas song, it's still a word in a song.


On November 5th, the church I belong to, GracePoint will be sponsoring an art show that will allow the local community and students an opportunity to showcase their art. What kind of art you ask? Simple. According to the event's website: "We're looking for many different kinds of art (painting, drawing, photography, film, sculpting, etc.) that display what brings you joy."

If you would like more info on the event, as well as submitting any artwork, checkout the event's website here: http://connectartshow.org/index.html

Checkout Gracepoint:
http://www.gracepoint.tv/
http://www.facebook.com/gracepointlife

Mini Summer Roundup

This entry is about a week late, give or take it, but I had my reasons. (Looking for work and the fact I wasn't feeling well a few of those days). Anyways, now that Summer has come and gone, I think I'll go ahead and recap my summer movie experience.

All in all, I managed to see 29 films this summer. About 26 of those 29 times were of different movies (3 of them I saw more twice). Out of the movies I've seen twice, Green Lantern was the most disappointing one. As a matter of fact, if I had an award to give out for most disappointing movie, this one would win it. I went in expecting better than what I saw. I only saw the film twice, because I had a free movie ticket. In hindsight, I probably would have been better giving it away.

There were your usual blockbuster's that in my opinion lived up to the hype (Transformers 3, Harry Potter, Captain America, although there wasn't as much hype around this one), and there were movies that were surprisingly better than what you'd expect, and in that sense Rise of the Planet of the Apes is my pick for biggest surprise of the summer. I would have listed The Help as biggest surprise, but in my opinion, it wasn't a surprise. As a matter of fact, I'd also place it in the category of movies living up to the hype, if not, surpassing it. I saw this movie twice during the summer, and I do want to see it again for a third time, but I don't think I want to see it alone to be honest with you. I've already seen it alone twice. As a matter of fact, I'd be willing to guess that 22 or so of the movies I saw this summer, I saw alone.

Another Day At The Movies (The Debt and The Help)

So today, a new movie came out, called The Debt. It stars Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington. Prior to last week, I had no clue what The Debt was about. I had only seen the poster a few times, but I've never seen the trailer. That was until last week when I saw the trailer either before Our Idiot Brother or Colombiana (which one, I'm not quite sure, but that's when I first saw the trailer). After seeing the trailer, it was a no brainer. The movie looked that good.

After seeing the movie, I wasn't disappointed. The movie was that good, and in my opinion is another candidate for Best Picture nominee at next years Academy Awards. It's a thriller, and an excellent one at that. The movie is about the look back at 3 Israeli agents mission into Eastern Germany back in the 60's. Their mission is to find a doctor responsible for committing atrocities against Jewish people during World War II. I don't want to deal too much with the plot, so I will leave it there.

After seeing the movie, I went and saw another movie (surprise, surprise). The movie was once again, none other than The Help. This movie is by far my favorite movie of 2011, and as of right now I'm pulling for it to at least be nominated for Best Picture. I posted my review on this film a ways down, so I'll just say. If you haven't seen The Help yet, then go see it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed with this film whatsoever. 

So today, I went out and do what I usually do (at least it now seems that way) on Friday's, and that's take a trip down to the theaters. This time, I saw Our Idiot Brother and Colombiana. My expectations going into these two movies weren't that high. Having said that, I'll start off with the first movie I saw today.

Our Idiot Brother. The only expectations I did have for this movie, was that the movie would be hilarious. Having said that, the movie had it's moments, and if you've seen the trailer, you pretty much have seen most of the funny parts in the film. This movie, I felt like it had an identity crisis. Sometimes aiming to be funny, and at other times trying to be serious, and in the long look at things, I think it lost itself in between. Do I think this movie was a bad movie? Nope, not close to that. Do I think it was good? In all honesty, it had it's moments, but I feel this movie fell in the just "ok" camp. In terms of comedies this summer, this movie doesn't come close to the ones such as Bad Teacher, Horrible Bosses, The Hangover II, etc. It tried, but like I said, this film suffered an identity crisis.

As for Colombiana. I've only seen the trailer to this film once, maybe twice, and I wanted to see it. I can't really tell you why I wanted to see it, maybe because of the lead actress. I don't really know. Having said that, I think the movie for what it was, was good. Is it good as in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, or other type of blockbuster movies this summer? Nope, not in the slightest, but for an action flick, it was pretty decent. I rate this one about a 7/10. Maybe a 6.5, and that's only because you don't really connect with Zoe Saladana's character. I don't want to give too much away, but the premise around this, is Zoe's character trying to avenge her parent's death. It's a premise that's been done before in other movies, and has a slight change to it. She's an assassain.

I didn't really feel like going to in depth with these reviews. If you had to decide between these two films, I'd go with Colombiana over Our Idiot Brother. If you had to pick between other movies that have come out earlier this month, I'd still recommend in order: The Help, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and One Day.

Post-Game Concerts (6/11 and 8/20)

So this past Saturday, I went to the Angel game, and following the game there was a post game concert. It was the 4th in a series of 5 I believe. I went to the first game that had a post-game concert earlier this year, and that was better, only because I was on the field for that one.

The first post-game concert this year took place back on June 11th, and featured Taio Cruz. I was fortunate to be on the field, and by field, I mean the infield dirt, because I won two tickets to the game, and included with the tickets were two green wristbands that got my brother and I onto the infield dirt.

That was my view throughout the concert (and yes the picture is mine). I'm not going to lie though. Being on that infield dirt, that's just about every baseball fan's dream, or if not, then it's a dream of most fans. Being able to walk past the dugout both entering the field, and exiting the field were quite remarkable views.

Back to this past Saturday night, I attended my second post-game concert of the year, and got to see MercyMe perform. I'd say anywhere from 2 thousand to 5 thousand fans stayed for the post game concert. It seemed like more people stayed for Taio Cruz then MercyMe, and that's not really surprising. MercyMe is a Christian Rock Band (or at least I think that's the category they would fit in), where as Taio Cruz is more mainstream.

Similar to Taio Cruz, this was my first time really hearing MercyMe, although the worship team at my church does sing a few of MercyMe's songs, so I knew what to expect going in.

As MercyMe went through each song, I noticed people leaving with each song, and I'm guessing it had to do more with people not wanting to or willing to deal with the message(s) of MercyMe's songs. Sure it was late, but it was not any more late had the Angels played a normal 7:05 game instead of 6:05 game.

The concert lasted an hour and ten minutes, and was noticeably longer than the Taio Cruz concert I attended. The setup process for the concert was the same. As soon as the game ended, they wheeled the stage out on two carts. It took about 15-20 minutes for them to setup.

My favorite parts of the night (aside from the game), were the fact MercyMe had fans singing Amazing Grace, their song Emmanuel (it's a song the worship team plays at church), the mini sermon he gave (was powerful stuff) and the closing song. I do say I like the Taio Cruz concert better because I was down on the field, but if all things were equal and I had the same view point for that concert as I did this one, I'd say MercyMe's concert was better.