Frog's Blog

So I finally decided to post a review of the highly anticipated film of the year, "Watchmen."  After having seen the film twice, I felt it was time to say some things about it.  As most people are aware, the film is an adaptation of a well-known, highly rated graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Gibbons.  I was able to read the novel prior to seeing the film.  Having done so, I think it best to present this review in two parts.  The first part will be a review of the film "as a film," so to speak.  That means I will not look at anything as a reference or relation to the novel.  I will follow this review by analyzing it as an adaptation.  

Let us begin.

"Watchmen" opens with a very strong scene showing an older man, built like a young man, being over powered by an assailant and thrown through the window of a high rise.  Definitely one of the strongest openings to a film I've seen in a while.  It rivals the bank robbery from "The Dark Knight" from last summer.  Director Zack Snyder ups the ante by following this scene with the opening credits, which are a well edited montage chronicling the history of the super heroes in the film with Bob Dylan's song "The Times They are a Changing" played overhead.  This opening combination is the perfect set up to the film that follows.

From here, Snyder, along with screenwriter David Hayter, begin to tell the story of a group of real heroes who have since retired from duty.  One of said heroes is the man killed in the opening.  Another one, Rorschach, is investigating the murder and presumes that someone is hunting the retired heroes.  This makes for a very interesting story, as the audience begins to follow Roschach around while he narrates his opinions and actions.  As the story unfolds and begins to take a much larger shape than the audience could even imagine, Snyder and his writer keep a close eye on not getting too far ahead of the audience, or going over their heads.  What we wind up getting is a very intricate morality tale that looks through the point of view of several characters and causes the audience to look at themselves and the world they live in in a very different light.  Clocking in at 2 hrs and 55 minutes, Snyder is well aware that the length is necessary for his story, and in the end I felt they could have even given us more.

Going beyond the script, the visuals in the film do an amazing job of taking the audience into an alternate 1985 where Nixon is serving his fifth term as President and the world is coming ever closer to World War 3.  With one of the retired heroes an actual super man, complete with powers, the US is still on edge and concerned that missiles will be launched.  The dark feel of the film, both with costumes and set pieces adds to this impending chaos and destruction.  There is such darkness that is only touched on in "The Dark Knight" and has never been looked at in previous super hero films.  Using a lot less CG than in his previous film "300," Snyder gives the audience a lot more grit and rankness that almost brings a bad taste to your mouth.  The world that is created by the production team is so relatable and tangible that one can't help  but follow the characters on the journey and believably ride with them to the end.

Lastly, the cast of the film was almost able to measure up to Snyder and his team.  With the amazing palette created around them, it doesn't appear to have been an easy task for the actors in the film to bring their performances to the forefront.  A couple of them did.  Most notably, Jackie Earle Haley as the enigmatic Rorschach, Billy Crudup as the all powerful Dr. Manhattan and Patrick Wilson as the overweight Nite Owl.  Wilson shows nothing of his characters from previous films "Little Children" or "Lakeview Terrace," bringing a sad persona to a character that the audience will come to relate to the most.  He is the "everyman" who has done so much so early and now feels there's nothing left for him if he cannot be a night time hero.  Crudup has to perform most of his work behind electrodes and CG magic as Dr. Manhattan is a glowing blue Adonis.  Most of his work in the film is strictly voice, but what he does is so poignant and soft that you can't help but hang on his every word.  And he is able to bring so much to a character who has lost all need for humanity.  And finally, Haley's Rorschach stands out as one of the best performances of the year thus far.  Haley takes a man who grew up being abused and raise to follow a certain set of principles as he takes on the role of vigilante.  Whether he is wearing his shape-altering mask or showing us his deep emotionless eyes, Haley creates one of the most complex and intriguing characters we have seen in a film of this genre.

I would say as a film, "Watchmen" is indeed one of the best produced films of its genre in the past few years.  It easily ranks with "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight."  It take people into a very different world and succeeds on all levels.  The low points of the film come from a few of the cast members that are not as strong as their peers, but those missteps are not enough to bring this film below 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Part 2

"Watchmen" arrived on shelves during the mid-80's, just prior to other ground breaking graphic novels like "Batman: Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns."  The story and ideas that Alan Moore put to paper would go on to rival some of the best novels of the early science fiction writers Bradbury, Wells and Orwell.  Taking people into an alternate 1985 where the world is on the brink of WWIII and superheroes do not exist.  The only heroes people have are a band of vigilantes who are now retired, with the exception of a science anomaly named Dr. Manhattan.  Most of this I mentioned earlier.  Onto the adaptation.

As an adaptation "Watchmen" succeeds as best as it could.  By that I mean that it is not possible to have adapted the material any better than Snyder and his team did.  This is not to say that it was a great adaptation.  It was a very good adaptation.  Considering that the material presented was already a visual masterpiece being the perfect combination of writer and illustrator.  Unlike adapting a revered novel like "1984" or "Fellowship of the Ring," Snyder was faced with images and scenes that were already imprinted in most of his audience's minds. 

Snyder used this to his advantage.  Instead of creating his own feel for the material and attempting to paint an alternative picture, he chose to honor the material by bringing it to life in the best ways he could.  In the end, he succeeding rather well.  Anyone familiar with the material will see so much of the novel both with textures and colors.  Not only that, but Zack also recreated a number of actual frames from the novel to bring out the same emotional tones of the story.  There are scenes in the film that are so smooth at blending the CG and the real that the audience is never taken out of the story.  

The only place the adaptation tends to falter, and unfortunately there is no way around this, is with the script.  Moore is one of the best writers of the modern age that to adapt him without using all his text is not an easy task.  Hayter comes very close with this script and is forced to alter some of the story to contend with the shortened length of the film.  Not only that, but there are some places in the film that seemed trimmed and don't flow as well as they do on the page.  It's not enough to really detract from the film, but for fans it will not go unnoticed.  Having read the novel just prior to seeing the film, there were several parts that I recognized changes, but not all of them I disagreed with.  One in particular is the ending.  Without spoiling anything I will say that Zack and David made a very important change to the end that wound up working a little better than the ending in the novel. 

In closing, I would say that this is one of the best films to use 2 hrs and 55 minutes that I've seen in a long while.  And that includes "The Dark Knight," which I still think is 20 minutes too long.  Upon leaving the theater both times I saw the film, I felt I would have no problem sitting through the complete cut of the film which could easily be 3 hrs and 30 minutes long.  Not unlike Peter Jackson's adaptation of "The Lord of The Rings," when the material warrants it, and you can keep the audience with you, then breaking 3 hrs is not a problem. 

Back in the fall of 2008, I went to audition for a Indie/student film, called "Shady Lane."  I met with the director, Lisa Farr, and was told I would be reading for two parts.  Primarily only one role, but she wanted to hear me as the other just in case.  The primary role I auditioned for was a Police officer that would be on the phone with another character.  She liked my read and cast me on the spot.  I was excited.

About one month later, in mid-December, she had everyone together for a table read.  I got to meet all the other actors.  I got a copy of the script.  And found out that I was only in one scene.  And that scene was a phone conversation with a more major character.  According to the script, the camera wasn't even on me and it appeared I would be a voice only in the film.  I was moderately excited at this point.

Later I would speak with Lisa about the film and verify my observations.  I was wrong.  The scene on the phone would be a back and forth shot scene where the audience would get to see both speakers.  And I found out I would show up at the end after the huge drug bust as back up for the Captain who called me in the first place.  Now, I was back to being excited.

Near the end of December we all got word the project would be postponed.  We were suppose to start shooting the middle week of December, so that I would be done before my trip back home.  Now, there was no start date.  We were in Limbo.  Either way, I went home to visit the family and share my good news at the role I had recently been cast in.  We were all pretty excited, despite having no idea when the film would actually start shooting.

Mid-February we would all get news from Lisa.  "Shady Lane" rescheduling was under way and it looked like we would be starting near the end of March.  I immediately made a note on my calendar and let her know I was still excited and available.  She responded with a question.  Would I be interested in no longer portraying Officer Bennett and instead playing Officer Albert.  I couldn't remember who he was at the time and told her I would consider it and would re-read the script first.  She did say it would be a bigger part.  And the main bad guy.  I said "Yes."  Then I re-read the script.

After reading the script again, I realized just how big this new part would be.  I know had several scenes, all speaking.  And I had more action, including a shoot out near the end of the film, a shot to my rear end, and a forceful arrest by an IA officer.  Now, I was "really" excited.  I could not wait to start shooting.  I immediately wrote back to Lisa and thanked her for the switch.  At the same time she told me that because of the re-casting and moving around of actors, she was missing another Police Officer.  This would be Officer Donovan, my right-hand man.  I proceeded to put her in contact with a friend of mine, and fellow actor, Sokrates.  It took all of 24 hrs for them to email each other and for him to be onboard.  More excited people.  Whoot!

Coming in to March, both Sokrates and myself would get fitted for Police uniforms.  We would also attend a couple of rehearsals where we would go over the script and work through lines with the other actors.  I would have dialogue scenes with a drug lord named Nico, a councilman and a couple IA officers.  Still, I was very excited to start shooting.  We were all really into the story and script by this point and felt this would be a really great project to be a part of.

Shooting began on Sunday, March 22nd, with Sokrates and I being needed on the following Monday, March 23rd.  On the night of March 23rd, we all met at a church south of Koreantown around 6:30pm.  The crew was there setting up various places they would be shooting inside and outside.  A couple people were there on motorcycles.  These would be the "bikers" in the film that storm in to the church.  Once shooting began, everyone was pretty excited.  Yes, that has become the word of the Journal.  We all sat around inside, enjoying the catering and playing with our uniforms and guns.  Some of the actors rested.  Some studied.  Outside they were filming the bikers drive up to the church and storm in the front door.

Eventually they would move inside and set up to shoot a reverse angle, so to capture the bikers coming into the church.  At this point, Sokrates and I, along with another officer actor, were asked to stand out front so we would deter passersby.  Being that we were dressed as cops, this made sense.  Out front there were the four bikers, all with pistols, and us three cops.  More than once a Police car would drive by, but the timing was such that the bikers were already inside the bulding.  On the third pass, however, we were all out front.  It was at this moment that a cop car pulled up to the church and the passenger officer stepped out and drew his firearm on all of us.  Immediately the biker actors dropped their pistols and began yelling that this was a movie and they were carrying props.  Both cops were out of the car at this time with guns drawn.  Lisa eventually came out and smoothed it all over with them.  Later they would return to witness the permit and we would be able to see just how young the passenger cop was.  Needless to say we could see his heart bursting through his shirt.

That night was rather slow and we wound up not getting to any of our scenes.  That is, the only stuff shot was with the bikers.  We all left around 12am.  Only to be back the following day at 2pm.  Tuesday went much better and we wound up getting to my scenes in the church during the shoot out where I get shot and arrested.  Very fun and physical.  I had a great day of shooting and would not have asked for any other profession at that point.  Again, we all left around 12:30am, having shot most of what we needed to.  Unfortunately we were not able to get any outside shooting done that day.  We also no longer had the church available, but were glad to get all interior shots completed.

Later that week, Sokrates and I would find ourselves on set a couple more times.  He even had a night of shooting without me where he was there until dawn.  Poor guy.  Our last night of shooting would end at 4:30a Tuesday morning, March 31st.  All went well.  Sokrates and I wound up getting a scene that was not entirely in the script, but became much more fun for both of us.  It was awesome.  That morning we took several photographs of each other for posterity and quietly put away our uniforms and guns.

All in all, I would say it was one of the best shoots I've done so far and wound up making some great connections and good friends.  I am very proud to be a part of the project and look forward to its completion.  Thank you, everyone from the cast and crew, if you get a chance to read this over, and I look forward to more fun in the future.

<as told by a huge painted mural in a Mexican restaurant in LA>

In the beginning ... God created the donkey and said, "You will work day in and day out. The heaviness of life shall rest on your shoulders. You shall be dumb, eat grass, and live the span of 50 yrs."
The donkey answered..."Lord, 50 yrs is too long to bear. Give me 20." Thus it was granted onto him.
God created the dog and said, "A dog you shall be to guard houses, be man's best friend. The scraps and leftovers you shall eat. You will live the span of 25 yrs." The dog answered.."Lord, 25 yrs is too long. Grant me but 10." Thus it was granted onto him.
God created the monkey and said, "A monkey you shall be, from tree to tree you shall jump, acting outrageously silly to make others laugh and live the span of 20 yrs." The monkey answered.."Lord, 20 yrs to live as such is too long. Grant me but 10." It was.

Finally, God created Man and said onto him, "A man you shall be. The only rational being on the face of the Earth. With your wisdom you shall subdue the animal kingdom. You shall rule and dominate the World. Live the span of 20 yrs." Man answered and said, "Lord, 20 yrs to live is much too short. Grant onto me the 30 yrs the donkey refused, the 15 yrs the dog didn't want, and the 10 the monkey didn't accept."

Thus it was granted onto him and Ever since then man lives 20 yrs of his life as a man. He marry's to spend 30 yrs working day in and day out, carrying on his shoulders the heaviness of life. Then once his sons and daughters marry, He spends 15 yrs as a dog guarding house, eating whatever is given to him. Then grows old, spends 10 yrs as a monkey jumping from house to house acting foolishly making his grandkids laugh...

Which phase are you in?

Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon.  Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductees.  Artists sprung from a little studio named Chess Records.

In the film "Cadillac Records," director Darnell Martin deftly tells the story of how an unknown Jewish man brought blues music to the world and brought about a change that would be felt the world over.  Leonard Chess met Muddy Waters in 1946.  They began recording music for Waters that would be felt as far as England, where a group would call themselves The Rolling Stones based on one of those songs.

In this film, Chess is played by award winning actor Adrian Brody.  Brody does a phenomenal job bringing Chess' love for the music amidst a county of segregation and his own blues that he channels through those around him.  By his side is Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters.  Wright, almost unknown to most people because of his innate ability to transform into anyone, makes it look effortless as he sings Waters' pain and travels from the fields of Mississippi to the stages of Chicago.  Rounding out the cast, in beautiful form is Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Beyonce Knowles as Etta James and Columbus Short as Little Walter.  The final two pieces is Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf and Cedric the Entertainer as narrator, and song writer, Willie Dixon.

Martin directs her cast with such control; never letting them stray too far and keeping them in check with the pain and blues that flows through the story.  Her simple style to capture each artist's own rhythm and part in the grand scheme of the story allows the narrative to unfold in such emotion.  So much so that by the end when Chess realizes that he has to let the studio go and the artists move on to bigger futures, you feel his pain and heartache.

The cast could not have been chosen better.  As each actor performs their own work in the film, the blues becomes tangible and as an audience member you are able to close your eyes and be transported to Chicago in the 50's.  Well deserved of its 3 Black Awards this year (Best Film; Best Ensemble; and Best Supporting Actor), this film is worth its rental price, and movie ticket price, ten times over.

On a side note, this film reminded me just how fortunate we are to live in a generation, and country, where music, and art, would change forever.  From "Walk the Line" to "Ray" to "Elvis" to "I'm Not There" to "Cadillac Records," we are presented with the work, and lives, of artists that would change the way people listen to music.  And change the way people would view race and color and how those boundaries could be broken through art. 

How lucky we are to witness such beauty and greatness as those that could reach out to so many and break down walls of hate.

Unfortunately not. :(

Suffice to say that I was at the "Cat & Fiddle" on Sunset Blvd today for lunch with a friend of mine when a familiar actress sat at the table next to us. Yes. It was none other than the House Bunny herself, Anna Faris. Dressed in a loose fitting black T-shirt and baggy jeans she was recognizable, and yet very much relaxed. She was by herself and there to read the various newspapers of the week. And to top it off, she ordered my favorite drink in the world; Strongbow Cider on tap. MMMMMM.

But, alas, I did not go over and say anything. By the time my friend and I had finished lunch and we thought about it, the place had gotten a bit crowded and she looked like she wanted to be alone. Oh well. One day I'll be on set with her and I'll tell her this story and hopefully she will just laugh at me. And if I'm lucky, buy me a pint.

Needless to say, in case you are wondering, she is just as attractive in person wearing next to no make up than she is on screen.

Film fans of all ages.  This week was one of the biggest release weeks for video rentals.  So much so, movies were released on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.  I will do my best to get them all covered, although a couple have been missed.

Lets get started.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.  Released on Tuesday, the highly anticipated third film to the successful Mummy series, this film follows adventurers Rick and Evelyn years after part 2 where they have since retired to England.  She has built a successful career writing novels of their adventures.  Their son is now in college and secretly looking for an ancient Chinese tomb.  To be brief, the tomb is opened, the buried mummy emperor awakens to rule the world and O'Connell's have to now work together to save the world.  Along with way they are joined by a young Chinese girl who has spent her life trying to keep the tomb hidden.  I won't spend much time on this review, since that time was already stolen when I sat through this film in the theater.  I would like to say this was a fun trip and a worth while sequel.  However, I cannot.  While the original Mummy film is still one of the best adventure films in the past 20 years, the following sequels are getting worse.  This film hits its high point mid-way through the film at the climax of Act 2.  There is an amazing battle up in the Himalayan mountains that is extremely fun to watch and well put together.  However, it is at that point the film begins its descent to a most unfulfilling ending.  I will say that if you have nothing else to chose from this week, then the Mummy 3 is not too bad to take home.  

From here, we had Mamma Mia! also release on Tuesday.  Coming off its amazingly successful Broadway streak, Mamma Mia! was one of the highest grossing films this year.  This was quite a feat considering it was a musical and it was up against some of the strongest block-busters in years.  This story follows a young girl living with her mom on an island in Greece.  The girl is getting married and decides she wants her father there.  Not knowing who he is, the girl pulls three names out of her mom's diary and sends invites to the three men she believes could be her father.  These men are wonderfully portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard.  The girl's mother, played by Meryl Streep, invites her two compatriots from early years, played by Christine Baranski and Julie Walters.  The fun of the film is that the mom doesn't know the men are coming and in some ways doesn't want to see them again.  Add to this comedic story the music of ABBA and you have a wonderful musical that reminds us of likes of "Grease."  The music is expertly woven through the script so that people aren't just breaking into Top 40 hits in the middle of conversation.  The weakest part of the film is the young lead, played by Amanda Seyfried, and her fiance.  The strongest part, and the real reason to watch this film, is Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.  Both playing their characters with such honesty bring all their talent into each song so much so that their duets just make you want to cry.  I know that may sound corny, but with the past 10 years worth of musicals, it is so gratifying to see actors really bring their characters to life and take them into song with such little effort.  If you're looking for a real light night with some sweet romance, then this movie will really make your evening.

Released on Wednesday was probably the strongest film this week: Traitor.  The film that almost went unseen this summer, is one of the strongest political thrillers in the past several years.  Featuring the talents of Don Cheadle, Guy Pierce, Jeff Daniels and Said Taghmoui, the film follows a Sudani played by Cheadle who is captured while selling detonators to a terrorist.  While incarcerated he is questioned by PIerce and his partner, as they try to offer him a deal.  He sends them away only to make a friendship with another prisoner, played by Taghmoui.  Once the two escape, the chase is on as Pierce continues to track down the man behind a number of bombings.  The real pull here is that Cheadle's character was once an American soldier who chose to stay behind after a mission.  His loyalty is questioned through the film and Cheadle handles it brilliantly.  All the performances in this film are at their highest.  Surprisingly, the film is directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff, whose only previous hit is the screenplay for "The Day After Tomorrow."  Nachmanoff has brought a great team with him that includes a tense and pressing score by Mark Killian and a dark moody look curteousy of cinematographer J. Michael Muro, known for his wonderful work on the Oscar nominated "Crash."  The whole time I was watching this film I was reminded of the subtle beauty of "Michael Clayton" and how both films are not only simple, but tight and well paced.  There is a sense of earnest behind each scene without making the audience feel rushed.  Each character has an agenda that never slows down and keeps the audience one step behind them so you aren't given too much too soon.  If you want to be on your seat for the night and don't want to blink, then bring this home.  It will not only make you think but will make you want to talk afterward.  And there's nothing better for storytellers than knowing their work has provoked the audience.  And this one will.

The next day, Thursday, brough another comedy to the shelves: The House Bunny.  An almost unknown summer comedy, Bunny focused on a Playboy bunny who is kicked out of the mansion at the age of 27 and doesn't know how to find a job.  She ultimately makes her way to a college campus and tries to become the house mother of a down and out sorority that is about to lose their charter.  The Bunny is played beyond perfection by up and coming comedian Anna Faris.  Best known for her work in the "Scary Movie" franchise, Faris could not have been better in this film.  Being one of the brains behind the story and one of the producers, Faris seems very much at home in this film.  She has also surrounded herself with a number of young comedic talents that help to lend more heart and depth to the script.  While the film isn't great, it is leaps above this years other comedies; "Zohan," "Love Guru" and "Meet Dave."  Two of the sorority girls are played by Kat Dennings, seen in "40 Year Old Virgin" and "Nich and Norah's Infinite Playlist," and Emma Stone, seen in "Superbad," could not have been more perfectly cast.  Both girls disappear at the beginning as nerds who repel boys like a plague only to emerge as women by the end of the film.  Colin Hanks is also well cast as a boy interested in Faris' Shelley.  Not as adult and serious as "Mamma Mia," Bunny offers a much lighter side to the romantic comedy as well as that old adage, "It's what's inside that counts, not what's on the outside."  If you want to laugh out loud and have a very fun night, then this film is that choice. 

Lastly, there were two films being released this Sunday: Death Race and Burn After Reading.  Let us begin with the action.  Making a huge comeback with Death Race, infamous director Paul W.S. Anderson opts to bring us a more realistic and raw action film.  His goal is to also give us a good story at the center with characters you can detest and characters you can love.  To his credit, he succeeds.  Going far from the campy style of the original, Anderson brings in recent action favorite Jason Statham to not only anchor the film, but to add a strong hero at the core.  The story is very simple.  In the future people watch a reality show featuring convicts who race each other for freedom.  The goal is to stay alive.  Just as the prison has lost its top contender, Statham shows up as Ames, who just happens to have a history of car racing.  He is put in a car under the coaching of Ian McShane as he races for the warden, played by Joan Allen.  Both McShane and Allen are not who you would expect to be in a picture like this, but both are not only believable but well cast.  Allen brings a very hard edge to her warden and reminds us why she has been nomiated for an Oscar three times.  Only an actress like her could bring such a velvety villain to an action film.  I won't argue that it's not a great film or action film.  It is no "Die Hard" or "Terminator," but it is well worth it's place in fun car themed action films putting it ahead of almost all of the Fast/Furious pictures.  The script is not perfect, but it is not campy either.  There are just enough comedic lines to make it realisticly comedic and not some poor Schwarzenegger vehicle laden with one-liners.  I will admit, I avoided this in the theater feeling it would be another Anderson waste of talent.  I am proud to say I was wrong and wish I had taken advantage of a big screen for some of the amazing stunts.  Anderson does an excellent job of reminding what made movies like "Bullitt" and "French Connection" so great.  It was the realistic car action.  This is a perfect replacement for the third Mummy installment and a good follow up if you are tired of watching "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" when you need a little recent action.

And finally, Burn After Reading.  The Coen brothers are back again this year with a tale more along the lines of "Raising Arizona" and "Fargo" than "Miller's Crossing" or "No Country For Old Men."  It is very hard to give you a synopsis, for there are so many things going on, but I will try.  A CD of encrypted information is found at a fitness club, where Brad Pitt and Francis McDormand work.  The CD belongs to John Malkovich, who has just been let go from the CIA.  His wife, played by Tilda Swinton, is having an affair with George Clooney, who is always looking for new women to sleep with, which eventually include McDormand.  This film is one of their best, with a script so tightly woven of great dialogue and characters.  Everyone involved is at the top of their game.  I will say this film is probably not for everyone.  The Coen brothers have a unique style of comedy and usually push the boundaries of certain stereotypes to get laughs.  They require people to be able to laugh at themselves and find their own faults.  They characters are not perfect, and some times are down right mean or crazy, but they are also faulted much the way everyone is.  On that note, I will cut this one a bit short. 

Also, released today was the remake of The Women, starring Meg Ryan, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Annette Benning and Eva Mendes.  I was not able to catch this prior to release, so I leave it up to you to make your own choice. 

Have a wonderful weekend and be safe out there, all you having to drive in winter conditions.

Film fans everywhere!  Today is the day!  One of the biggest video release dates of all time.  December 9th.  The release of The Dark Knight.  But first, a fun family film first; Horton Hears a Who.

This summer featured the release of the third Dr. Seuss film.  This time the film was not done in live action but rather CGI animation.  Brought to the screen by Fox, the company behind Ice Age, Horton Hears a Who featured the return of Jim Carrey to Dr. Seuss' world.  This time, Jim play Horton, a simple elephant who comes across a clover that contains a spec on it.  And inside that spec is the world of Whoville, the same world that Dr. Seuss gives us in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  The film follows Horton as he attempts to help the spec by finding a safe place for the clover to live, all the while trying to convince his fellow forest denizens that the spec, and small world, actually exist.  Fox did something really great with Horton by giving us Seuss' world in a visual style that supports it.  In previous attempts, both "The Grinch" and "Cat in the Hat" were unable to fully capture the world that Dr. Seuss gives us.  Mainly this is due to Seuss' unique artwork and character design.  While the Who's and the Grinch more or less looked the part, it was difficult to fully capture his amazing world of small porportions.  Horton is well worth the watch, and reminds us why Dr. Seuss will always be considered one of the best storytellers and artist of the 20th Century. 


Finally, the moment many have been waiting for since this summer, my take on The Dark Knight.  I will do my best to be brief and refrain from spoilers.  For anyone who is a fan of comic book movies/films, The Dark Knight is not that movie.  For anyone who is a fan of Batman movies, The Dark Knight is not that movie.  For anyone who is a fan of crime films, The Dark Knight is not that movie.  I say this because with The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan and his team have pushed the boundaries on all three genres.  They have gone outside the box and litterally broke it down and put it out with the recycling.  The Dark Knight takes the idea of Batman and brings it into a world so real that you forget he's even a comic book character.  The audience is pulled along for an amazing crime story that follows a White Knight D.A., and rising police office and a detective vigilante as they work toward the common goal of cleaning of the streets and taking back the city from the mob.  And within this story they are all brought together to work together to take down a single common threat that is bigger, and smarter, than any criminal they have ever faced; The Joker.  In this description, I don't even have to mention that the vigilante is the Batman and the audience is already interested.  It is for this reason that Nolan, and his fellow two screen writers, have basically created a video graphic novel.  The story that unfolds in the 2 hrs and 45 minutes span of the film is one that would be a great read on paper as a novel as well as a graphic novel beautifully illustrated by Frank Miller.  Along with the incredible script, Nolan has entrusted the films score to two of the industries most profound composers, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard.  Together these two geniuses bridge that gap between visual and audio to further bring the audience into the world of Gotham City and its inhabitants.  So much so that there are moments where you can close your eyes and still feel the same tension and exhiliration that the images on screen create.  As a third part to this group, Nolan's production designer and cinematographer have once again created Gotham on a scale that allows us to forget that it doesn't exist as a real city.  Every dark alley, beautiful high-rise, cloudy skyline, and busy national bank looks as though Gotham is just another dark, beat up city struggling to be rid of violence and crime that plagues so many of the bigger cities in the US.  The problems are real.  The criminals and civilians are real.  You believe that this world, and it's loan protector, a in a state that you can go visit.  So much so, that when The Joker begins to create anarchy and chaos amongst the people, you want to reach out with them and demand justice and protection.

And last, the performances that tie it all together.  What more can one say about Christian Bale and his fellow actors that wasn't said the first time around.  He, Caine, Oldman and Freeman are back with even more depth and strength than they have brought to the big screen in a while.  All four have slipped so easily back into their characters and added so much more that you can't stop watching and wish this was a weekly crime serial you could cozy up to each week.  The newly added Maggie Gyllenhaal to replace Katie Holmes and Aaron Eckhart as the up and coming D.A. Harvey Dent are the perfect icing on an already delicious cake.  Gyllenhaal takes what Holmes gave Rachel Dawes in the first film and ramps it up a couple more notches, making her the best female character in any Batman film thus far.  Eckhart, taking over a role once inhabited by Billy Dee Williams, gives us the ideal Harvey Dent.  A man bent on making the city better in any way he can and by any means necessary, to the extent of the law.  And the turmoil it gives him as he continues to run into resistance and problems with those around him.  His continuing relationship with Dawes, his assistant, and with the police, whom he recently attacked as head of Internal Affairs.  And lastly, the ice cream to go with the cake; Heath Ledger as the Joker.  You can't really call him the cherry on top, for he does not go with the cake, but merely enhances it and adds to it in such a way that you can't imagine this cake without it.  For the first time since the very first Superman film, a villain is given all the proper tools and script to allow him to be what he needs to be.  Ledger has taken the Joker to a place that one couldn't have imagined on screen.  For those that read Batman comic books, we have seen a number of variations of the Joker and most of them have given us a very smart man on the brink who really has no proper agenda.  Ledger has gone beyond that.  He has created a villain that is scary, smart, unforgiven, relentless and chaotic.  He has no plan.  He has no agenda.  As Michael Caine's Alfred states at one point in the movie; "some men simply want to watch the world burn."  To his credit, he has given the first comic book performance worthy of any acting award or nomination.  So effortlessly does he disappear into the character, that were you not informed that it was Ledger in the role, you would never know.

On a final note, those that know me know that I have one issue with this film.  However, due to the nature of the issue, and that it is a serious spoiler, I will refrain from going into it.  Should anyone truly want to know what it is, feel free to contact me personally.

And on that note, I will take my leave.  Enjoy the films this week and please chime in if you would like to share any thoughts on these movies.

Fellow film watchers.  Here we are again.  A day late, but here none the less.  This week is a big one.  Four summer block busters released on video this week, so lets get started!

First up, X-Files: I Want to Believe.  The long awaited follow up to the 9 season television show was a bit of a disappointment to fans.  The story finds Scully now a medical doctor at a religious hospital trying to save a child from a deadly disease and Mulder a recluse in a secluded house.  Neither of them work for the FBI any more.  In fact, Mulder is actually wanted from them.  But, the FBI is on a case that they believe Mulder can help with.  Through Scully they pull him in and eventually her to help solve this case of a missing persons and psychic priests.  The pluses about this film is that is plays as a really good episode.  That is, there are no aliens or government cover ups, as was the first film and most of the series.  This is just an interesting story.  However, the pace is very slow and the script is not up to its usual caliber.  The odd relationship of Mulder and Scully 10 years later is also a little weak.  It is a worthy watch for a rental.  Especially for those that loved the show.  It's good to see Fox and Dana again and there are some great moments that remind you of how good the show really was.  Supporting actor Billy Connelly is great in the pivotal psychic priest role.  In the end, it was not near as good as the first film venture for Chris Carter and team.

Next up is the action thiller Wanted.  Based on a very popular graphic novel of the same name, Wanted tells the story of a sad cubical denizen named Wesley finding his true place in the world through an assassin's guild called The Fraternity.  Wesley is approached by a woman named Fox who tells him his father was killed by a former member of the Fraternity and he is now to be recruited to take his father down.  The Fraternity is lead by Morgan Freeman.  Fox is played by the ever watchable Angelina Jolie.  The lead is portrayed by the increasingly popular James McAvoy.  This film is more than worth watching.  Despite the script issues and some of the story changes from the original source material, Wanted is a fun action thriller with a strong lead character that you care about.  What really makes it pop is the work of revolutionary director Timur Bekmambetov, who brought Russia to the forefront of visionary action with "Night Watch" and "Day Watch."  Some of the action in this thriller is amazing and just fun to watch.  I won't lie to you.  It's not very thought provoking like the original source material, and it's not even close to Timur's two hit films, but it is a fun ride.  

Third on our list today is the big comedy release Step Brothers.  The third film by Adam McKay and Will Farrell, and the second to include John C. Reilly, Step Brothers follows two men who are about 40 years old and still living at home.  Farrell lives with his mom, played brilliantly by Mary Steenburgen, and Reilly lives with his single dad, played by the new older man star Richard Jenkins.  The two single parents meet and get hitched, moving in to Jenkins' home with his son.  Thus begins the story, how do these two grown men, who still live at home, live with each other in the same house, being that they both believed themselves to be head of the house.  The movie starts a little slow and builds to a fairly strong finish.  While I personally liked their last film "Talladega Nights" better, there is a lot to like in this film.  The parents in the film make it worth the watch.  The film is easily rated R, being that the F-bomb is dropped almost ever other sentence, even by Jenkins and Steenburgen.  It is those moments that really make you laugh.  Farrell and Reilly work so well together now that they are quickly becoming a bankable comedy duo that will always make you laugh.  I say rent it.  Get some friends to come over.  Grab the treats and drinks and sit back and laugh.

Finally, the film of the week that I enjoyed the most; The Chronicles of Narnia: Price Caspian.  The follow up to the first of the seven book series, Caspian follows the four siblings as they are once again pulled back to Narnia.  It has been a year later for Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy, but several hundred years in Narnia.  In Narnia, the human race known as the Telmarines have invaded Narnia and taken residence, pushing the Narnians back into the forests to hide, thought to be extinct.  The heir to the Telmarine throne is Prince Caspian, whose uncle just gave birth to a son, making him on a short list of people the uncle wants to die.  He runs to the forest only to discover the Narnians.  It is he that summons the four back.  Once the story gets rolling, it is a really fun adventure that surpasses the first with its great supporting cast and story telling.  Once again directory Adamson elevates the source material to a story more engaging and funner to follow.  The pacing in his new venture is what really sets it off.  Once the four return to Narnia and meet up with Caspian, it's a nice subtle climb to the final battle.  The unfortunate problem with this one is the same as the first Narnia film.  The four leads are not as strong as we'd like them to be.  Not unlike some of the early Harry Potter series, the cast is very young and young in talent.  But they do not pull the film down thanks to the direction and cast around them.  Well worth the watch and rent.  

Enjoy the week of movies and be back here next week to see my long awaited review of the biggest hit this summer: The Dark Knight.

Welcome back to another week of rentals.  This week featured a number of family friendly films, all to be taken with a grain of salt.  So lets get to it.

First up is Meet Dave.  Yet another failed picture by once leading comedian Eddie Murphy.  I shouldn't really say "failed," though.  The movie isn't that bad.  Granted, it wasn't something to rush out and rent, mind you, but it wasn't "Love Guru" either.  The film is directed by Brian Robbins, whose track record is not something to brag about.  For example, "Norbit," "Shaggy Dog," "Hard Ball," and "Ready to Rumble."  None of these were films that you want to remember.  However, Meet Dave does have a very good supporting cast who is willing to have fun and hopefully deliver something that resembles a good message and a worth while evening.  Unfortunately they do not completely succeed.  Leading lady Elizabeth Banks adds the most to this film followed by the other leading lady, Gabrielle Union.  Murphy does a pretty good job as the captain of a spaceship, that looks like a human, and the actual ship itself as it learns to exist amongst humans.  There are a number of good moments in the film and even good moral messages.  However, it does not measure up to the cost of a rental and is really only worth seeing if your friends bring it over.  

Following this somewhat fun film is one that is truly fun to watch; Space Chimps.  One of several CGI animated features to appear this summer, Space Chimps tells the story of three chimpanzees sent into space who wind up saving a number of things.  Featuring some very fun voices, lead by animation regular Patrick Warburton, and Andy Samburg, of SNL.  What starts as a somewhat cheesy cartoon winds up being quite a fun little rental good for the whole family.  It is more of a kids feature than both "Kung Fu Panda" and "Wall-E," but will still have the adults enjoying a little family time with their kids.

Moving on to our wild child of the bunch; Hancock.  As almost everyone knows already, Hancock tells the story of a down and out superhero, played by Will Smith, who suddenly has to account for his actions when he saves a marketing agent, played by Jason Bateman.  The film is well-directed by Peter Berg, known for excellent dramatic pieces like "Friday Night Lights" and "The Kingdom."  Here Berg and company begin a wonderful tale of a man who is the equal of Superman, but has the attitude of Al Bundy.  Basically he occasionally saves people but most of the time doesn't care what people think of him and does whatever he wants.  He is then forced to take responsibility for his actions when a marketing agent offers to repay a debt.  I won't lie to you.  The film has a great first act.  Even the second act begins very well.  For me, the third act did not deliver.  I will not go into the "why" because it will spoil too much.  I will say this is worth renting, if for anything, Smith and Bateman are at their best and work extremely well together.  In fact, I will go on to say at times it is some of Smith's best work.  He is one of very few actors who can do so much without saying anything.  There are several moments in the film where he conveys a great deal of pain that Hancock feels, despite being invulnerable.  Bring it home.  It is a very fun watch.  I will only say I was not a fan of the ending.  One is reminded of my review for the new Indiana Jones film.  Hm.

Lastly, the first of the fun Christmas movies; Fred Claus.  The story of the older brother of Santa Claus.  In this version, Santa is played by Indy favorite Paul Giamatti.  His older brother, who has grow to resent his Sainted sibling, is played by comedy favorite Vince Vaughn.  The film is directed by David Dobkin, who worked with Vaughn previously on "Wedding Crashers" and "Clay Pigeons."  Vaughn and Giamatti work very well together and create an honest sibling rivalry that at its heart is one many can relate to.  How do you live in the shadow of a sibling who is become something so great.  The film does have its problems, and is not a great film, but it is worth seeing as a Christmas film and a family film.  Great moments include Fred at a sibling recovery session with both Frank Stallone and Roger Clinton; and a villainous Kevin Spacy hearing a bit of truth and regret from Santa.  At times the film is more about family and siblings than Christmas, but it does succeed in making some worth while statements about the holidays.  Do rent it.  Bring it home, even if you don't have kids or siblings, for it will touch you.

On that note, take care and enjoy the week of Thanksgiving.  If you're in the mood for holiday movies this week, you can't go wrong with "Home For the Holidays," starring the recent star Robert Downey Jr., and "Pieces of April."  Both of these are about Thanksgiving and are more than worth their price of admission.

 

Happy Holidays.

Hey there, film fans.  This week is another big week.   Not as big as next week, but pretty big.

Due to some recent computer issues, I was unable to see all the new films, but I will post a couple here that I missed anyway so you can know they are out there.

First up is Priceless, starring the ever watchable Audrey Tautou.  The film follows Irene, a gold-digger who only dates rich men.  She begins to woo a man she believes is a wealthy suitor, only to find out later that he is actually a bartender.  Moving on, a year later finds the two running into each other again.  Although Irene has found another older sugar-daddy, Jean is still smitten.  As the two keep in touch, the story kicks up another notch when Jean becomes involved with a wealthy older woman.  It is here that Irene becomes his teacher in showing him how to milk the most out of a rich partner, despite the two of them actually liking each other.  Unfortunately I did not get a chance to see this film, but it was on my list when I began to read about it.  Everything I was able to find about this lovely French film was nothing but raves.  If you're looking for a fun little romantic comedy, and don't mind subtitles, this would be a good rental this week.

Next up is Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.  This documentary was released earlier this year, in fact a little before I left Portland.  Unfortunately missing it then and missing it this past weekend results in me giving you a break down instead of a review.  But what I will do is share a bit of Roger Ebert's review just to give you a taste of how good this film most likely is.  "This documentary by Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side," "No End in Sight") is remarkable, first of all, for reminding us how many pots Hunter dipped a spoon in. He rode with the Hells' Angels for a year. Ran for sheriff of Pitkin County and lost, but only by 204-173. Covered the 1972 and 1976 presidential primaries in a way that made him a co-candidate (in the sense of co-dependent). Had a baffling dual personality, so that such as McGovern, Jimmy Buffet, Tom Wolfe and his wives and son remember him fondly, but could also be "absolutely vicious.""  With that, I hope you all get to see this.  From what I have been able to tell from trailers and posts about it, it could be one of the best documentaries of this year.

The last two films that came out this week, that I did see, are hard for me to put in the right order.  So I'll just do it!

First, there's Tropic Thunder.  I'll do my best not to freak out with this review.  I saw TT twice this year, once in the theater and once this past weekend.  And I can only tell you it was funnier the second time.  Not that it wasn't fun the first time.  It was.  In fact I laughed incredibly hard in the theater.  But I laughed harder the second time.  What can I say about this film without going overboard?  Ben Stiller, as a director, created a great satire of Hollywood action films and actors, while at the same time giving us a loving story about real people dealing with real problems.  His pool of actors for this film out does any he has done before.  So perfect is the supporting cast around him that you just get sucked into their world and the actors they are playing.  Of course, the stand-out is Robert Downey Jr.  Playing the fan favorite, award winning actor Kirk Lazarus, Downey Jr. is phenomenal.  So much so that several critics had actually commented on a supporting Oscar nomination for him.  Everyone else is right there and they never miss a beat.  If anything, the film is worth watching for Tom Cruise, who turns in one of his best performances in years.  I won't say anymore, except GO SEE IT!  If you want to laugh, and I mean really laugh, then GO!  RENT IT!  TRUST ME!

Lastly, my current favorite, Wall-E.  I will admit, the first time I saw Wall-E this summer, I wasn't completely blown away.   I was on the fence whether I like it or "Ratatouille" more.  For I was definitely aware of all the wonder and beauty in Wall-E.  As well of the great story.  But I wasn't completely convinced it was the film I would later realize it to be.  Then, I saw it again.  And again.  And again.  At this point, I can now honestly say, it is one of the best films, not just animated mind you, but films of the past 10 years.  I know that may be a bit ballsy, but I don't know how else to put it.  There are films that you watch, and you find yourself watching a lot in your life.  That is, over and over and every now and then.  Most of the time is just "because."  Some films you can't necessarily put a finger on why you watch them repeatedly.  Then, as you start to really watch the film you begin to find all the little things that work so well.  And it is then you discover why you watch it.  Wall-E is one of those films.  I won't go completely over the edge, so as to give some people too high an expectation, but I will say that it is the first animated film since "Beauty and the Beast" that is worthy of a Best Picture nomination, not a Best Animated Feature nomination.  Unfortunately, because of the new award, that is what it will get.  But I challenge any film this year to be able to create the amount of emotion, character, connection, scene pictures, and overall cinematic beauty that Wall-E has brought.  Pixar has indeed reached a level no company ever has.  That is to say that being a company with no flawed films in their large career, they have now released a film that truly stands out from animation and is, on all accounts, a wonderful, beautiful film.  

Well, film fans.  It has been way too long for an update.  This is partially because my personal computer crashed last week.  So, here I am posting this from an alternative location.

Last week saw the release of a big summer hit, "Get Smart."  For those old enough, this was a film version of an old TV show featuring one of the best comics Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, an analyst, soon to be agent, of KONTROL.  In the updated film, Steve Carrell takes over from Adams to deliver one of the best representations of a classic ever done.  Director Peter Segal has come a long way from from "Tommy Boy" and truly understood the material.  Carrell and Segal not only pay homage to the beloved comedy, but bring it to a new generation and make it very relevant for today's audience.  This film is fun for the whole family and not only produces laughs, but delivers a lovely story as well.  A definite must see.

Following that was "Kung Fu Panda," which received its own release date this past Saturday, November 8th.  I was fortunate to see this one in the theater as well as "Get Smart," and was so pleased by it I could not wait for it to appear on video.  Dreamworks has done a lot of films since they premiered their CGI handy work with "Shrek."  Unfortunately none of them have measured up to Shrek, not even its own sequels.  One thing that Dreamworks failed to deliver that was a trademark of Pixar, was a good story with characters you wanted to follow and fell in love with.  Shrek continued to hold his own with part 2, but failed to touch people as much in his third venture last year.  This summer, Dreamworks finally came through.  They delivered a wonderful story with a character that was as lovable as Sully in "Monsters, Inc."  The story of a wide-eyed panda named Po who is destined to be a kung fu master, despite his size and appetite is so fulfilling to all ages, it makes you want to watch it over and over.  Jack Black erases the sad attempt at voice work in Dreamworks' "Shark Tale," to produce an amazing character that is so full of life that you forget that he's not real.  This is one film I would give four thumbs up if I had them.

Finally, this week's releases.  We have two big titles, "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." 

First up, "Clone Wars."  As some may already know, this film was the introduction to a new television show that premiered recently.  And, as it would be, this film is very much like a TV pilot.  For those that spent theater prices to see it, I am truly sorry.  While it provides the wonderful large scale battles and scenes that all Star Wars films have, the story if for children.  More or less, for children under 10.  The dialogue is not very fun or interesting.  The story is very basic.  But, they do deliver on some very interesting CGI animation.  Lucas Arts has taken their Japanimation style cartoon from three years ago and turned it 3D, making it very fun to watch.  It's unfortunate that the film is just as fun when it is muted.

Lastly, "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army."  In case your one of the few that didn't see this film this summer, I'll be brief.  Visual master director Guillermo del Toro once again delivers on creating a fantasy world that breaks boundaries and proves that CGI is not the future of great images.  For the man who is now helming Tolkein's "The Hobbit," del Toro gives the audience a taste of what he plans to give us with his unique vision.  However, what he delivers in visuals, he does not measure up with story.  One of the things that made the first "Hellboy" so fun to watch was the great dialogue and banter that the character Hellboy provided.  And while Ron Perlman is still more than worth watching as the red demon good guy, his dialogue in this sequel is not.  Worse yet is the romance between him and his female partner Liz.  What was great about the first film was that there was tension between these two characters.  Now, every time they start talking you feel like you've stepped into a bad romance novel with weird fantasy action.  In the end, this film is worth watching for the visuals.  It doesn't have the enjoyment and fun of the first film, but it does deliver two-fold on the visuals and provides some things you just cannot believe you are seeing.  Most of which are not CGI and are actually on screen.

In that film fans, look for my review next week of Pixar's newest number one, "Wall-E."  Take care and happy watching.

Well, film fans, I am very late this week.  I have three titles for you all and I will put them in recommended order.  The titles that came out this week are "Zombie Strippers," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," and "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl."  Unfortunately I was unable to screen "Red" before it streeted, but judging from the trailer and the cast, I can imagine it is well worth the rent.

On to the review!

First up is "Zombie Strippers."  Yes, this movie did come to theaters.  Yes, this movie does feature horror film legend Robert Englund.  Yes, this movie also features a stripping Jenna Jameson.  But No, it is not worth seeing.  It does have a few funny moments, for a cheezy zombie movie.  And it does have scantly clad women dancing all through the film.  But it's pretty low budget and the first 10 minutes are really hard to get through.  On a plus note, if you do make it through the whole film, there are some pretty cool zombie kills and deaths through out the film.  And the effects are done quite well for the budget.  But alas, it really isn't something to spend money on.  

Next up, Brendan Fraser's first of two releases this year: "Journey to the Center of the Earth."  This movie was released in theaters in 3D, but unfortunately you cannot rent the 3D version.  You can only buy it.  This film actually surprised me and was better than I expected.  Instead of telling the same story that other filmmakers have done in the past, that is, telling the book, the filmmakers went with a different angle.  They decided to set it in the present around a scientist/teacher who tries to discover if the book was actually based on true accounts.  Brendan plays Trevor, the teacher.  Josh Hutcherson, a well gifted young actor seen earlier in a fun family film "Zathura," plays his nephew Sean.  Sean's father, Trevor's brother, went missing 10 years earlier trying to find the same thing.  What begins as a simple excursion to Iceland turns in a brilliantly shot family film.  I won't say it's a great film, as there are moments where the attempt at 3D is too obvious, ie stuff flying at the camera.  But it is very fun to watch and a nice retelling of an old story.  The performances are well worth a rental price.  Hutcherson has grown into a must see young actor, and Fraser delivers nicely as brother searching for more than what he realizes.  Take it home and enjoy, but just know there are some cheesy shots in the film that were intended for 3D glasses.

Finally, my favorite of the three: "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl."  This film is the fourth film in the American Girl series, based on the classic dolls of the same name.  Fun fact, three of the four films were produced by Julia Roberts.  Kit is played in this film by Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin.   If anyone caught my post several weeks ago about her, I love this girl.  So far, she has not missed a beat on her road to another nomination.  Following up her performances from last year in "Definitely Maybe," "No Reservations," and "Nim's Island," Breslin plays Kit, a 10 year old girl in the 20's.  Her dad, played by hard to find Chris O'Donnell, no longer has a job and has to go to Chicago to find work.  The film takes place in Cincinnati during the depression.  She is left with her mom, the ever wonderful Julia Ormond, who decides to take in boarders to help with mortgage payments.  Thus begins our wonderful tale as Kit tries to become a newspaper reporter by telling local stories and winds up trying to solve a local mystery.  Breslin is just wonderful as she takes the lead amongst her supporting cast consisting of Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack, Glenne Headley and Jane Krakowski.  From kids to adults, all the players in this film are on the same page and deliver excellent performances.  This film is a must see for anyone!  

In closing, this week was the week of young performers.  Two young actors I have watched for a while and I hope to see more of in the future.  Keep renting folks and keep watching.  There are always reasons to go to the video store.  Take care and see you next week.

HULK SMASH!  That is this week's catch phrase.  For today is the release of one of the summer's biggest shows, "The Incredible Hulk."  Today is all the release date for the surprise scary film "The Strangers," as well as two documentaries; "Slacker Uprising" and "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed."  I regret to say that I was unable to get to see either documentaries, but hopefully this week I will and be able to update this review.  On to the others.

First up, "The Strangers," starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.  This story is about a couple who gets terrorized by a trio of people late at night after coming home from a wedding.  We find out at the beginning that they are not happy with each other because he proposed to her at the reception and she was not ready to get married.  This starts off the tension between the two leads.  It proceeds from there as they are visited twice by the same girl, wearing a mask, looking for a person who does not live there.  From there, the film begins to get creepy.  For someone that is not fond of scary movies lately, because they resort to gore and torture instead of true fear, I was pleasantly surprised by this film.  First time director Bryan Bertino set out to scare people in their homes by setting the film in a regular ranch style house in a typical neighborhood.  This brings the audience to reality instead of some mystery house on a hill situation.  He also resorts to sounds and unknown to scare both the characters and the audience.  I very much recommend this to any one who wants to curl up on the couch under a blanket and feel their neck hairs rise.  

Lastly, "The Incredible Hulk."  Like "Iron Man," if you didn't see this in the theater, don't hesitate to bring it home this week.  For comic book company Marvel's second produced film (after Iron Man), it is obvious the company has become very serous about their property.  This reboot goes back to the roots of what makes the Hulk/Bruce Banner such an amazing and fascinating character.  Whilst being a calm and brilliant scientist, Banner holds inside him an angry force that he can't control and is very brutal.  Director Louis Letterier, known for humanizing a bestial Jet Li in "Unleashed," gets to the heart of the Hulk by not trying to make him human, but instead, accepting that he is a beast that needs to be tamed.  Classic beauty and the beast story, which is what the Hulk always was, Letterier and Ed Norton, in the lead role, tackle how much Bruce's love for Betty still resides in the heart of the beast.  Visually there is nothing like this.  As much as "Iron Man" was amazingly done with CGI, the look and feel of the Hulk character brings the audience completely into the world of the film and makes you feel the pain inside the tortured soul they're watching.  As many times as I have seen this film, like "Iron Man," I don't get tired of seeing the team of actors and film makers bring such life to a timeless and placeless character.  Definitely a must see.

And there you have it.  And like every week, if you get a chance to see any of the films I mention, please do not hesitate to post your thoughts and comments.  I hope to update this later this week with our other new titles.  Take care.

Welcome back, fellow film watchers.  I know this is a day late, but some times you have to get all the films in to review them.

This week featured the long awaited release of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls."  It also featured the release of a political satire by John Cusack called "War, Inc." and an Oscar nominated foreign film called "Mongol."  I will include, as usual, a previously released titles as well.

Lets get started, shall we.

First up, "Indiana Jones."  I will start with this one, as it is my least favorite releasing today.  Don't get me wrong.  I love Indiana Jones like so many people do.  But, with the latest effort, I had a couple issues.  Most people reading this probably saw the film already this summer, as I assume almost everyone in America watched it.  So I will not include a synopsis this time.  I will merely cut to the chase.  For the first half of the film, I was a little kid again.  I was thrown back to the time I first saw Indiana crack that whip and utter a great cheesy matinee line.  However, going in to the third act, I was not impressed with Lucas and Spielberg's story choice.  And by the last 30 minutes of the film I was completely disappointed and sad to see a classic film icon turned into a weak box office dud.  So, my over all thoughts.  If you haven't seen it, it is very much worth seeing Harrison Ford don the fedora and crack that clever smile and leather whip.  But for a story, "Skulls" does not deliver the mystery and puzzle of the originals and opts instead to tell the audience everything, even a climax they did not want to see.

Next up is "War, Inc."  This almost unknown political satire is a partial brain child of long time 80's favorite, John Cusack.  Cusack returns to the role of hitman in this film, but is now contracted by big business to aid in settling a war.  In this not so distant future, armies are funded and run by corporations and it is these companies that decide the outcomes of war.  Are you scared yet?  One of the things that makes this film work is its tie to reality and the threatening possibility that events such as those depicted are not too far away.  However, despite it's great supporting cast, consisting of Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, Joan Cusack and Marissa Tomei, "War" fails to deliver a really solid script.  A majority of the film work very well, and John's ideas are well understood.  He is a co-producer and co-writer of this film.  One of the weak points is Tomei's character.  Even her acting ability can't save it and in the end she winds up not looking near as good as she has in the past year.  A surprise comes from Hilary Duff, who plays a pop star in the foreign country where Cusack is asked to assassinate the oil minister.  It is a very fun satire to watch and definitely hits a lot of topics and ideas that are current.  I will say it is very much worth a rental, but know that there will be parts that don't quite work.

Finally we have "Mongol," the story of the rise of Genghis Khan.  The film is directed and co-written by Sergei Bodrov, who's only real big film was "Nomad."  This film, shot in Kazakhstan, follows the story of Genghis as he grows from a boy, who watches his father die at the hands of enemies, to a man who unites a people under a set group of laws.  What really hold this film together is the performances.  Oddly enough, the lead role is played by a Japanese actor.  The three leads, Genghis, his wife and blood brother, create such deep rooted characters that you forget you're watching a film and feel at times you are watching the real story.  Beautifully shot and edited it is a wonder this did not win best foreign film last year.  It was, unfortunately up against "The Counterfeiters."  Clocking in at 2 hours, "Mongol" takes the audience all the way up to his rise to power.  It is at the end that we finally get the Genghis Khan of legends and stories, but the journey to see how this man was built is so well worth it.  If you see only one film this week, I hope it is this one.

And lastly, I watched "Married Life" this weekend.  "Life" is about a middle aged married couple in the late forties who don't seem to be much in love anymore.  The couple is wonderfully played by Chris Cooper and Patricia Clarkson.  That alone should make you want to rent this film.  Cooper's Harry Allen is a business man who has fallen for a younger woman, played by Rachel McAdams.  He confides in his best friend, played by Pierce Brosnan, who is also narrating the film from the present.  When Harry realizes that divorce would heart his wife too much, he decides to kill her.  Along the way, Brosnan begins to become very close to McAdams.  In the end you have a lovely little noir tale of love, marriage and all the bullshit along the way.  What holds two people together?  Hard to say sometimes.  But I guarantee you will not be disappointed by "Married Life" and will want to watch it more than once.  This is a great film for couples and friends to sit back and enjoy for a comforting evening of beautiful art and story telling.

On that note, I leave you to your couches and DVD players.  Enjoy your film this week and if you get a chance to see any of these and want to comment, please do.  I am always eager to hear the thoughts and opinions of others when it comes to film.

Welcome back to another edition of movie rental reviews.

This week there are two pretty big titles coming out and one unknown gem.

Starting us off is "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," starring Adam Sandler as an Israeli counter-terrorist who has decided to quite and move to America to become a hair stylist.  He eventually finds a job in the Arab part of NY on a street with Israelis on one side and Palestinians on the other.  Due to circumstance, he gets a job at a salon on the Palestinian side, but he tells everyone he's from Australia.  With a script written by Sandler, SNL alum Robert Smigel and crowd favorite Judd Apatow, "Zohan" is actually quite charming.  Unlike "Love Guru," Sandler and his team has a lovely story at the heart of the comedy and you find yourself actually liking the main character.  With a supporting cast that included John Turturro, this film is a very fun rental.  There are a number of comedic bits that are a little over the top and make you chuckle, despite being ridiculous.  In the end, it is worth a rental and a night on the couch with a bucket of popcorn.  

Next up is one of the summer's biggest flops, "The Happening."  Film number six for M. Night Shyamalan is a little different from his usual fare.  With a script he wrote several years ago, Shyamalan finally moves into the realm of R-rated.  Without giving too much away, the story follows a group of people trying to get out of Philadelphia when it is discovered there is a toxin on the NE coast that is causing people to commit suicide.  The band is lead by Elliot Moore, played by Mark Wahlberg, his wife Alma, played by Zooey Deschanel, and Julian, played by John Leguizamo.  Elliot and Julian are teachers at a high school, teaching science and math respectively.  This comes in to play several times in the film.  M. Night takes a very different approach here, opting for a more Hitchcockian style of horror.  The story unfolds very slowly and very real.  The horror lies in the unknown and unexplainable, as well as the realistic idea of the possibility that this could happen.  The only downfall of the film is Wahlberg.  While he is a very accomplished actor, and has done some great work in the past, I did not feel he was the right choice for this character.  His confused look gets old about half way through the film.  He and Deschanel have a decent chemistry, as do he and Leguizamo, but it is not enough for him to lead a film.  What is more worth seeing are the deleted scenes and the images that Shyamalan had to cut in order to get an R-rating, as opposed to an NC-17.  While this film is not for everyone, in fact I know several people who did not like it, I do say it's a very nice little thriller that will affect a few this Halloween.

Lastly is a film I have yet to watch, but am very certain I can make a bold recommendation for it.   Thomas McCarthy's second feature "The Visitor."  McCarthy has a long list of acting credits, but only two writing/directing credits.  The first is "Station Agent," released in 2003.  Four years after he blew people away with that unknown film staring Patricia Clarkson, he does it again with this simple story of a man who returns how from vacation to find two foreigners have been living in his apartment.  The man is played by Richard Jenkins, like Clarkson a veteran of cable favorite "Six Feet Under."  What begins as a very uncomfortable situation for him grows into an amazing relationship.  While I haven't seen this film yet, if it's anything like "Agent," McCarthy has proven that he is a storyteller to be watched for a long time.  If you see any film that hits the shelf tomorrow, my recommendation would be this one.  And if you haven't seen "Station Agent," do not wait to take it home as well.  It is one of those unsung heroes some times referred to as Produced and Abandoned.

And with that, I leave you to another week of fun movies and good times on the couch.  Until next time.

Hello, everyone.  Welcome again to my wonderful review of current and upcoming rentals.  This week we feature two films coming out tomorrow and a couple that have been out for a while, but are worth the rent. 

Today's overall rating = "Most definitely!"

Starting us off is the early summer comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."  This film was written by Judd Apatow alum, and frequent player, Jason Segel.  Some may remember him from "Knocked Up," where he was seen mostly nude holding his bits.  Here Jason portrays Peter, a music writer for a big time crime show, ala CSI, which happens to star his long time girlfriend, Sarah Marshall.  She is in fact a huge star and frequently Peter finds himself hanging on her like a handbag.  The film is kicked into place when Sarah breaks up with Peter, again Jason featured nude.  To solve his broken heart, Peter runs to Hawaii, only to run into Sarah and her new boyfriend.  What can I say except, this is a must see comedy.  Sweet, hilarious, and very true.  All characters stand out and make us remember why we love romantic comedies.  Mila Kunis, of "That 70's Show," is brilliant as the hotel desk clerk that Peter meets.  This one if great for couples in need of a little lovely reminder, or just a couple of people who want a night of laughs.

The second big film hitting the shelves tomorrow is, yes, wait for it, I know you want it, yes, "Iron Man."  The first real blockbuster of the summer.  For those who missed it, "Iron Man" tells the story of rich, alcoholic, womanizing Tony Stark, who is captured by terrorists and is force to find a way to escape.  In order to escape, he builds a suit made of iron.  From this experience, he realizes that his destiny may not lie with building weapons.  With an amazing supporting cast consisting of Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and "the Dude" himself, Jeff Bridges, playing his first villain.  This film is well worth its weight in gold, or iron if you prefer.  It brings back the wonderful memories of the first "Spider-Man" film as we watched a young Peter Parker wrestle with his new found destiny to be a hero, or continue to be a plain teenager watching the world pass him by.  In this, Robert Downey Jr, in the title role, becomes a hero that the audience wrestles with loving just as much as he wrestles with taking on the mantle of a hero.  One of the reasons for this film's great storytelling, is that of director Jon Favreau.  Originally known for creating the ever fun comedy "Swingers," he is now becoming known as a director who can touch the family with the simplest of stories and cast you can't help but love.  Be sure to rent "Zathura" and "Elf" to see his previous greats.  If you have not seen "Iron Man" already, make the trip as soon as possible and bring it home.  The family will love you.

Finally we come to a couple of rentals that hit shelves prior to my blog that I would like to throw out as excellent rents.  First up, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day."  This lovely little gem hit theaters early in 2008 and was received extremely well.  And why wouldn't it be?  The two leading ladies light up the screen and force to you not blink.  Academy Award winner Frances McDormand takes on the title role while AA nominee Amy Adams plays Delysia LaFosse.  These two actresses are at their best together telling such a wonderful story that will make you glow in your seat.  Truly a tale that was meant to be told, and no one could have done a better job.  In case you didn't know, the story is that of Miss Pettigrew, who is out of a job and living on the streets of London just before WW2, when she sneaks her way into a new position as LaFosse's new social secretary.  A lovely little romantic comedy that will definitely place itself on the shelves next to the greats.

Lastly we have "Forbidden Kingdom."  Some may know of this film.  It is the first film to star both Jackie Chan and Jet Li.  Two of the great film martial arts masters finally acting along side each other.  Not only that, but they also go head to head.  In fact, their show down against each other makes this film worth renting.  Outside of that, it's a fun fairytale along the lines of "Labyrinth" and "Neverending Story."  Granted those were aimed at a slightly younger audience, this film is not unlike them at all.  Following the story of a teenage boy who is transported to ancient China to return a magical staff to the legendary Monkey King.  He is guided by a drunk poet (Chan), a monk (Li) and an orphan girl, played by relatively new Yifei Liu.  They face two very cool adversaries.  One is the White-haired Demoness, played by Bingbing Li, and the all-powerful Jade Warlord, played by Collin Chou, known to a few as Seriph in "Matrix Reloaded."  While it's not the best of films out there, it is a very entertaining film that never gets old and is always fun to watch.  If for anything, it's great to see two masters work so well with each other.  Again, a must rent for any family that wants to have a fun evening on the couch with a huge bowl of popcorn.

There you have it.  Again, I urge you to watch what I review and share with me your own comments.  I am always eager to hear how people respond to film I like and films I don't like.  
 

Week 2 of my movie review blog.  Lets see how it goes. :) 

So, today saw the release of a few titles that people were greatly looking forward to.  Thus, I thought it only fair to watch them and tell you if you should take them home this week.  I know, today was release day so I'm a little late.  Sorry.

On we go!

First up, Deception.  This film got little to no release this year, but did show it's trailer around a few times.  It stars Ewan McGreggor as an accountant, named Jonathan, helping out a company where he meets one of the lawyers, Wyatt, played by Hugh Jackman.  Jonathan is a bored single guy who is like a drone.  Wyatt helps him out by somewhat getting him involved in a sex list, a group of people who call each other when they want some.  It is hear that the story picks up and Jonathan begins to become a new man.  He then runs into a woman that caught his eye earlier.  As he struggles with breaking the rules of the list to become better friends with this girl, things begin to spiral.  The film is a pretty good sexual thriller up until the end.  Once it hits its climax, it's almost like the final Lord of the Rings.  The audience knows the ending, but it's taking forever to get there.  The three lead performances, the third being Michelle Williams as the young girl, make the film worth watching.  But it's not great.  It's worth a rental, but don't expect Basic Instinct or Fatal Attraction.

Next on our list is Pathology.  This film also got limited release and had very little trailer representation.  I was fortunate to see the trailer and did look forward to the film.  If for anything, it stars Milo Ventimiglia from "Heroes" and Alyssa Milano.  Milo plays Dr. Gray, engaged to Alyssa, who is heading to a new med school to work on Pathology, the study of diseases and such after people die.  At his new school, he meets some very interesting doctors who attempt to bring him into a very dark world of theirs where they play a devious game with corpses.  It's a very interesting view of that world and the people who reside in it.  I'm referring to the doctors of a morgue and how they handle the day to day views of death.  Again, another decent sexual thriller, with a little bit more to it than Deception.  Both films have really good cinematographers who are more than skilled at capturing the worlds that the films inhabit.  However, like Deception, the script is only so good and the leads can only do so much.  But with Pathology, the pay off is well worth it.  So, I say rent it if you and your partner want a good snuggle up close film, and something that will get you a little tense.

Third is Run Fatboy Run.  This film marks the directorial debut of David Schimmer, known to everyone as Ross on the TV show Friends.  Schimmer does an amazing job with this film.  The film stars Simon Pegg, who also co-wrote it, as Dennis Doyle, a security guard for a lingerie shop.  Four years prior he left his bride at the altar pregnant.  The bride, played by Thandie Newton is now dating a gorgeous, rich American played by Hank Azaria.  When Dennis realizes that he has very little chance of winning her back and getting his life back on track, he decides to run in a London marathon with Azaria, to prove that he can finish something.  This movie is so funny that I found myself laughing out loud several times and almost crying at points.  It is hard to believe how well Schimmer handles the material and pulls such great work out of his cast.  This really is well worth the rental and great for a night of laughs and having a great time.  Highly recommended for all.

Finally we come to Leatherheads.  Another directed effort from George Clooney, this one tells the tale of American football at its earliest stage.  We follow Clooney, as Dodge Connely, as he tries to salvage his minor league football team when the sport basically dies.  He comes up with an idea to recruit a college all-star to his team to bring football into a pro stage.  John Krasinski, from The Office, plays the all-star, Carter "the Bullet" Rutherford.  Rounding out the leads is Renee Zellweger, playing a reporter trying to get some dirt on Rutherford, who has become known as an American hero for questionable actions in the Great War.  The film is very funny and at times reminds me of The Sting, another film set around the 1920's.  Both very quick witted scripts and great characters that you love to watch and care about.  It's very evident that Clooney and his fellow producer Grant Heslov have a very interesting career ahead of them.  After creating Good Night, and Good Luck together, this is another well worthy hit for them.  The filming is beautiful and captures the era very well.  This one, like Fatboy, is a very worth rental and something for the whole family.

In that, I hope you all have a great week watching movies and if you get a chance to see any of these and want to comment, please do so.  

As some people may know, I work for Hollywood Video, the second largest video rental chain in the US.  As such, I hear that question a lot!  I mean, A LOT.  And, as an avid film/movie watcher, I can usually answer it.  

Now, answering that question for any guest is not easy.  One has to know what people like.  What their tastes are.  And some of the things they've seen in the past.  After getting some of this information, I can usually recommend a few titles for them to rent.  And, not wanting to brag, I have yet to have a guest tell me they didn't like one of my recommendations. :)

On that note, I will proceed with this week's blog, "Should I Rent This."

This week saw the video release of several big titles and a number of little titles.  Today, I will review three of them; "Love Guru," "Speed Racer," and "Snow Angels."

Love Guru:  Another Mike Meyers film where he does pretty much the same thing as any other Meyers film.  Meaning, it's a lot like watching a poor Austin Powers movie.  In the film, Meyers plays the second best guru in the world, Guru Pitka, second to Depaak Chopra.  He is hired by the fake hockey team the Toronto Maple Leafs to help get their star player back with his wife so the team can win the Stanley Cup.  While there are a number of very funny moments in the film, and some great lines that will make you chuckle, it is not really worth the rental price.  Unfortunately Meyers and team fall short of a fun comedy by stringing along a bunch of one-liners to cover a mediocre plot.  Even the supporting cast of comedians cannot save this film from being a severe let down.  It only makes us wish the old Meyers of Wayne's World and So, I Married an Axe Murderer were still around.  If you want to see it, please make sure someone else pays.

Speed Racer:  Now, for those of you that watched the cartoon as a child, this movie is for you.  I would be one of them.  It does a great job of capturing the old show.  Everything from the simple, at times poor, plot to the amazing driving.  This is not a film that you watch if you're looking for greatness.  This is pure entertainment that is designed to blow you away.  And true to their form, the Wachowki's do not let you down.  With the exception of small issues, such as too much focus on Sprittle and Chim Chim, and some of the editing during the races, this is well worth a rental.  The production design in this film is so beautiful and some of the visual effects are so incredible.  Add to that some fun performances by John Goodman and Susan Sarandon as Speed's parents and you get just a fun film to kick back with some pop corn.

Snow Angels:  Some people may actually remember seeing a trailer for this film about a year ago.  With a very limited release, this film snuck in under most radars.  Unfortunately so, says I.  This is a brilliant simple little film that will twist you up inside.  I mean that in a good way.  Adapted from the book and directed by David Gordon Green, this film echoes his other work.  To bring you up to speed, Green is responsible for "All the Real Girls" and "Undertow."  Two very excellent small indie dramas that are worth more than their weight in gold.  He was brought to the big screen this year directing the Seth Rogan headliner "Pineapple Express."  Green has an amazing way of pulling the true emotions out of his actors.  By that I mean that you forget your watching actors and honestly believe what his cast is going through.  In this film, a young boy watches the adults around him screw up their relationships while he attempts to start one himself with a fellow student.  These adults include his two parents, who are separating at the start of the film, and his old babysitter, who is now a single mom having issues with her estranged husband.  The babysitter, Annie played by Kate Bekingsale, is also sleeping with her coworker's husband.  I will not tell you the climax of the film, but I will say that it will leave you breathless.  Amazing performances in this film by Sam Rockwell as Kate's husband and Michael Angarano as the young boy, not to mention Kate.  The supporting cast rises to the same level making this film one of the jewels that hit the shelves today.

On that note, I will leave you.  But not before I mention one other film that came out today.  "Young @ Heart."  This film is a documentary that follows a senior citizen's choir as they prepare for another show.  There are no words I could really use to do this film justice except to say that it is as sweet and wonderful as the old people in it.  This beautiful little gem will make you smile so much and just have a great time that you wish the choir would come tour your town.  Under rated and under marketed this film is a must for anyone who needs a little pick me up.

Also out this week was the Al Pacino film "88 Minutes," which I will be watching tonight, "Made Of Honor," and "Noise," starring Tim Robbins as a suburban vigilante against neighbor noise.  Primarily car alarms.  Keep an eye out.  I will keep you posted so you don't go wasting money.  
 

So, a few years back a little girl made a huge splash on Hollywood with her role in "I Am Sam."  That girl was Dakota Fanning.  She was great.  Brilliant as the daughter of a man who is mentally challenged.  Since then she's done a few other roles showing that she does in fact, have it.  Most of the time that is.  Nothing to really top her first one, but none the less, worth while films.

However, two years ago another girl appeared who not only "has it," but has continued to show that she always will.  The film was "Little Miss Sunshine."  And the actress was Abigail Breslin.  She was amazing in the film as the title role.  Since that film she has gone on to show that she is, in fact, the real deal. 

In case you've missed them, she has appeared since Sunshine in two lovely Rom-Com's called "No Reservations" and "Definitely Maybe."

In "Reservations," Breslin portrays Zoe.  A young girl who has just lost her single mother in an accident and must now live with her anal Executive Chef aunt Kate, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.  The two of them play off each other very well as two people struggling to cope with the loss of Zoe's mother (Kate's sister) and learning to live together.  In the end, it couldn't have been done any better and the result is a film so well put together.  Not unlike the amazing dishes that Kate creates in the film.  Add to that the excellent casting of Aaron Eckhart, Patricia Clarkson and Bob Balaban as supporting and you've just made a wonderful night to stay home and sit back with some popcorn.

This year she turned out the second of the Rom-Com's, "Definitely Maybe."  In this sweet little picture, Breslin played Maya, the single daughter to Will, played by Ryan Reynolds.  In the film, Will is in the process of divorcing Maya's mother and Maya asks Will about his past and meeting her mom.  Thus begins a wonderful tale where Will tells Maya the story, but changing the names of the three women that could be Maya's mom.  Together, these two make a great father/daughter pair and work off each other like pro's.  So much so that you can't stop watching and are just as please with the outcome as she is when she learns the truth. 

Following both of these films, Breslin took on a major lead this year in "Nim's Island" and "Kit Kittredge."  While I have only seen one of these (Nim's) I can tell you, she not only has it, but is very comfortable at showing it in everything she does.  And has no problem playing off adults, and taking the lead from them. 

Hat's off to you Abigail and as a fellow actor, here's hoping we continue to see more of you in the future, and even have the great opportunity to work with you.

Well, okay. They didn't actually win their game for me, but it sure felt like it.
This past Thursday I went to my first MLB game. Ever! Started off a little slow. Like any baseball game. We had a first pitch thrown by some local teachers and then another pitch thrown by Snoop Dogg. Fo Shizzle.

Things weren't looking so good for the Dodgers as first basemen #7 blew a grounder that eventually lead to the first run of the game. But we all had beers in our hands and dogs in a our stomachs so we were still feeling pretty good. Speaking of which, Dodger Dogs are yummy!

Finally the Dodgers scored an inning later. Two runs actually. They were now in the lead and looking good. Finally a home run by #7 wound up clinching the game. It was exciting and a beautiful day for baseball. Not to mention the game was free. Tickets courtesy of our District Manager. Yea work!

And in other news, it looks like I'm headed back to the film to do some more shooting. It was suppose to be this Wednesday, but it looks like it'll be around the 13th or 14th of September. Stay tuned for more later.