Prisoner 24601 & day 27 of the photo challenge.

The prompt for today was "how you relax"

I love going to the movies, whether it is with friends, family, or by myself, as I did this evening. Tonight I saw

I.LOVED.IT.

If you are a fan of musicals I HIGHLY recommend this movie. It's the best one I've seen in a LONG time. I hate to admit, but I was not at all familiar with the play and the only song I'd ever heard from it in the past was "I dreamed a dream." 

I have nothing but praise for the movie, and the first thing I did when I got home was to purchase the entire soundtrack.  This is a movie I won't soon forget. Kudos to Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried, and most of all, in my humble opinion, Hugh Jackman. What a spectacular performance! I was extremely impressed and I'd see this again in a heartbeat. If you have a couple of minutes, check out this trailer (and be thankful you can't hear me singing along.)

A Menagerie of Minutiae

In other words...a random collection of a bunch of stuff that's been going on...

We snuck in a quick visit to Fiesta Island last Sunday, just before the rain hit. Jack played ball...All of the dogs enjoyed a good run in the wide open space... And everyone was having a great time, until Jill and Kona decided to take a swim without permission...Hubby was NOT happy.

Wet dirty dogs...with no towels to clean them up before getting them into the car.

They know they are in trouble.

Harley and Jack had a great time, and (thankfully) listened well when we told them NOT to swim!

We saw the moon high, and gorgeous in the sky that night...
< Kona and I have been going on lots of therapy visits in the last few weeks. Here he is with his buddies Caleb, Shad, and Happy.

I hit a milestone this week, and have now officially lost 5o lbs! Only 50 more to go...(ok, maybe thirty... or 25-ish...)

Kona and I visited the VA hospice again this week...it was a nice visit, and we were able to bring one gentleman from tears to smiles in just a few minutes. Kona is an angel, and I am honored to be his partner in these visits.

We've had rain...lots and LOTS of rain. (Notice the car in the huge puddle!) I really like rain...

...but not this much, this fast!

I had a mammogram today...oh joy! One of life's little pleasures...(not)...gotta do whatcha gotta do, right girls! I also saw a movie called "A Single Man" today with a friend. It stars Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, and Nicholas Hoult. Nicholas Hoult was the little boy who starred with Hugh Grant in "About a Boy" in 2002. I loved that movie, and Nicholas Hoult in it. This was a different kind of role, to say the least. Let's just say that little Nicholas has grown up, my oh my. It was a good movie - different, terribly sad, artistically interesting and not at all what I expected. The story is about a gay couple, one of whom dies at the very beginning of the movie, and how the other partner copes, or doesn't. It is NOT the feel-good movie of the year, but very, very well done. And did I mention Nicholas Hoult? Yeah, I thought so...

Let's see...what else...oh yeah, I am starting a part time job....a rep. for a new company here in town. More on that another time.

Tomorrow I have about 600 things to do, so I'm really looking forward to that....and I'm hoping we have a break from the rain soon. I had to postpone a Golden meetup that we had scheduled for Saturday. We had over 70 members RSVP'd for a hike in a local canyon....um, yeah, that's not going to happen with this rain. The ranger actually called me to tell me they closed the canyon to the public, but they would allow our group in if we were really set on going. Thanks for that, but I think we'll pass. 70 wet, muddy dogs? No thanks!

It's Beginning to Look and Feel a Lot Like Christmas...

Yes folks, it's finally time for it to start really looking like Christmas! It's not August anymore, so it's actually acceptable (at least in my book) to see Christmas trees and decorations starting to pop up.

Black Friday was awesome! Although Hubby and I didn't get our super early start on shopping like we have in the past, we still got out there nice and early and scored all of the items we wanted to get. I'd tell you some of the killer deals we got, but since I know that Bear, AJ and Pickle occasionally browse through my blog, I'll have to keep that to myself. Suffice to say, "we done GOOD!"

After a break from the shopping to visit the hospital with Kona for our regular visit, it was back out to brave more crowds. (While I was gone at the hospital Hubby and AJ put up all of our outdoor decorations. Sweet!) This time when we headed out to shop though, we took the kids with us. Everyone was off of work and school, so it was fun to do a little something out of the ordinary. We bundled up, and headed out to the Viejas Outlet mall, about 30 miles or so east of where we live. It was a brisk evening, in the low 50's (which, you know, is like FREEZING for us Southern Californians!) and it felt nice and wintery. They had a gorgeous Christmas tree set up, surrounded by an outdoor ice skating rink. It made for a mini winter wonderland!

The kids are at ages now where they actually enjoy getting new cloths for Christmas, especially if they can pick them out, and make sure they fit. We had a really fun time, scoring great deals at the Tommy Hilfiger store, the Gap store, Nautica, etc. We stretched every dollar and didn't buy anything that wasn't on sale. And, boy or boy, did they have some great sales! I got a pair of Gap jeans for myself for 70% off - only $15.99! What a bargain! I'm going to wrap them up and put them under the tree!

Saturday was a fun day too. The kids got all of their home work caught up while Hubby and I finished off a little shopping, and a few errands. We've been him-hawing around about getting a new refrigerator too, and finally gave in and bought one last night. Our current one (13 years old) is still hanging in there, but we both have the feeling it won't last much longer. With the current great sales that were going on, we felt that it was the opportune time to get it. (But when in the heck did refrigerators get SO dang expensive? Holy Moly!) I would have rather have had a new couch I've had my eye one....but a couch can't keep the milk cold. Oh well. The new frig gets delivered on Wednesday, and I'll consider it an early birthday present.

We had a great family night last night, and played several different games, which we haven't done in a very long time. After the expenses of the last couple of days, (especially that frig!) we wanted to do something fun and FREE! We all had a really good time, and it was nice to remember that sometimes just doing simple things can make for the best times together. After games we made some popcorn and settled in to watch a silly, quirky movie, called "Death at a Funeral." It came out in 2007, but I'd never heard of it before. It was on HBO for free and we gave it a try. Other than the raunchy language, it was a pretty mild movie, with a funny plot. You might want to give it a try if you come across it, but it's a dark British comedy - so just keep that in mind...

Also on Saturday, we experienced something really out of the ordinary...RAIN! It had been 164 days since there had been any measurable precipitation in San Diego county. That's a long time with no rain! Needless to say the news stations were in a frenzy, finally having something to put in the weather report. Flashes of "Storm Watch 09" filled the airwaves...gimme a break! We had about a half inch in our part of town, and in the nearby mountains they got about an inch. Whoopee! Sure it was better than nothing (although I did have to cancel a scheduled Golden group meetup, which was a bummer) but it certainly wasn't worth getting into a tizzy over.

All in all, it's been a great couple of days. I've enjoyed having everyone home and spending the time together. Even Hubby had 5 days off, which has been great! Bear had a few days off from her salon, and we've all gotten the chance to spend some quality time together. Sure it's fun to shop, and give and receive gifts over the holiday season, but in the long run, spending time with those you love is the best gift of all.

The Week in Review

My, my, what a busy week! Here is a brief (OK, maybe not so brief) overview of everything that's kept me busy this week!


Monday - Bear's 23rd birthday. She and I spent the morning together, with brunch out, and an early movie. We saw "Law Abiding Citizen" with Gerard Butler, and both of us really enjoyed it. After the movie, Kona and I went to our regular VA visit, and had a grand time. We met up with some of our other Golden friends, and a Golden Doodle friend, Caleb. (Kona is on the right, I'm taking the picture.)
Monday evening my parents joined us for a casual dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in downtown San Diego. After dinner Bear went out with some friends to continue her birthday celebration.
Tuesday was the day we had to say goodbye to some wonderful new found friends. Simona and Marco (Mom and Dad of Paco, Milo and Maya) from Italy had been visiting with our friend Val, just across the street, and we were able to spend some brief, but very fun time with them. I haven't said much about their visit because I have been so busy and don't want to rush through the post about them. They are such wonderful, sweet and warm people, I just fell in love! Meeting them both, and instantly making a connection reinforced my belief that the world is basically a wonderful place, with fantastic, warm and loving people in it. I will post more about their visit very soon, I promise. But in the mean time I wanted to share these few pictures from their last day here in San Diego. We did a little sight seeing, I took them to the Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, and visited the tide pools. It was a lot of fun, and a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Tuesday evening we got together with another blogger friend, Milo, Laverne and Shirley's Mom, and we had a wonderful dinner at an Afghani restaurant close by. It was great food, but the company is what made the evening so magical. It was the perfect send off for our new friends - and an evening I'm sure we'll all remember!

The Four Blogger Buddies!
A last hug with Simona and Marco, our new found friends from Italy!

Wednesday was AJ's 17th birthday. He is such a great kid - low maintenance and very easy going. I made a special birthday dinner for him, including his favorites - bone in rib eye steak, cheesy hash brown potato casserole, and marzipan cake. He was tickled with his presents, and it was a pleasant evening. Can you tell what his other nickname is?

My parents came over to celebrate with us, and the only bummer was that my Dad wasn't feeling well. I mean seriously wasn't feeling well at all. Shortness of breath, very low energy, minimal appetite...all red flags...I began to worry.

Thursday was another movie day for me. Yay! Two movies in a week was a real treat for me. I went to see Michael Jackson's "This is It." I thought it was really great. I'm not the biggest Michael Jackson fan, and I know a lot of people have very strong feelings one way or the other about him, but I went with an open mind, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't think anyone can deny his huge talent.

Friday started off with Pickle getting her wisdom teeth removed, and ended with my Dad going into the hospital. Needless to say, I've had better days. Pickle was in quite a bit of pain, but never complained once. (She still hasn't!) What a strong girl she is!

Here she is on the way home from her oral surgery - glassy eyed and puffy-cheeked.

My Dad's breathing was becoming more labored throughout the day, and when his doctor called to give him some test results of procedures he'd had done earlier in he week, he decided it was time to get him into the hospital. Trouble getting a deep breath, fluid retention, etc. are all big red flags, and it was time to do more than just sit around. In he went, where they've been giving him oxygen, and adjusting his meds ever since.

Saturday Hubby and I got rolling pretty early and decided that it was time to get the rest of the Halloween stuff put away. We took our time, arranged, sorted, and threw out some stuff. We made a run to the donation center, returned some stuff to Home Depot, and made a stop at the recycle center, where we turned in all of the bottles and cans from the party and got back $31.00. Not too bad! By the late afternoon we were ready to get everything back up into the attic, so with the help of our neighbor, "The Tall Guy" and another strapping young teenage boy in the neighborhood, all of the bins and boxes got put up and stored away until the next party.

Saturday evening it was time to go to visit Dad in the hospital. Pickle was up for a little change of scenery, and I thought it would be nice to take Kona with us too. Pickle was funny and made herself a T-shirt that says, "I know my face is swollen..." on the back it said, " I just got my wisdom teeth removed." She wore it to the hospital, and got a kick out of the reactions she got.

Poor thing, the swelling has really kicked in today, and she looks like a chipmunk! Still not one complaint from her though.

And finally, today....Sunday. Again Hubby and I got an early start, and with AJ we loaded up all of the left over wood from the Halloween sets we'd made. We borrowed "The Tall Guy's" truck and took a VERY full load to the dump. They weighed the truck going in and coming out...We got rid of exactly 1,200 lbs. of stuff! Incredible! Thank goodness for neighbors with trucks! It felt great to get everything in the back yard cleaned up and back to the way it is supposed to be.

Shortly after our return from the dump, I decided it was time to get the pups some long missed exercise. Val and I got in our cars, and both headed down to Fiesta Island. It was a beautiful day to be out and about with the dogs, and they all really enjoyed their walk and swim. At first it wasn't my intention to let them swim, but once we were there, there wasn't much stopping them. They ran and swam and ran and swam some more! It was a nice treat for them, and Fiesta Island is such a great place to take them this time of year - all of the weeds have been mowed down, and there aren't many fox tails around.

Heading back towards the cars...they were done!

Of course giving them all a bath once we get home isn't the most fun thing to do when you are tired, but seeing them have so much fun, and wearing themselves out was totally worth the work we had to do once I got them home. Thankfully Hubby helped get them all cleaned up, and we were done in no time.

This evening we'll be heading down to the hospital again, and hoping to see some improvement. Please send good vibes this way.

Have a great week!

Sneak Peek-Through an Amateur's Eye- A Review of "The Taking of Pelham 123"

Hubby and I were lucky enough to score a free pass for two to a sneak peek of this movie last night, set to open nation wide on June 12th. (Thanks Bear!) It was a fun "date night" out and we couldn't beat the price!

John Travolta, along with Denzel Washington star in this remake of the 1974 original movie about a New York subway train that is high jacked. The story centers on these two, Travolta, the bad guy, and Washington, the good guy. Danny Zuko, where are you? Let me start off by telling you, this is NOT your Grandmas' John Travolta...WOW! Travolta is excellent as the bitter bad guy, and his shortly cropped hair, and bad @ss tattoo on his neck help to complete his "creep" look. Those, combined with his extremely foul mouthed lines make for a very different Travolta than most of us are used to seeing. Gone are his gorgeous locks of hair, million dollar smile and adorable giggle we knew and loved in so many films over the years. Still, he can hold me hostage anytime.

Washington shines as an "average Joe" kind of a guy, with a big heart,and a bit of a secret. His secret is important to the story line, but doesn't overpower it. What it does, however, is make you question his integrity. I found myself on a bit of a roller coaster wondering whether or not he was involved in the high jacking. It made for a good bit of suspense.

James Gandolfini was also quite good in his roll as the slimy Mayor of New York. In typical Gandolfini fashion he smirked his way through his part, giving you the feeling that underneath his very expensive suit was quite a sleaze ball.

The story was entertaining, although a bit predictable. The cinematography was impressive, and there was plenty of action to keep your interest, but the language (although it did fit into the storyline) was pretty harsh throughout. I'd rate this film a solid B.


On a side note, I've seen several other movies lately that honestly, I've just been either too busy, or too lazy to review. Here they are in a nutshell...


The Soloist, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx - LOVED IT! Rated it an A

Night at the Museum, Battle of the Smithsonian, starring Ben Stiller - Somewhat lame sequel to the original. Rated it a C

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner - Cute, no brainer, chick-flick kind of movie. Silly fun - B-

Angels & Demons, starring Tom Hanks - not a bad followup to The Da Vinci Code, but nothing compared to the book. A solid B, but it could have been so much better...

...like I should talk...because, you know, I'm such an expert! Ha! See you at the movies!

A Slew of Movie Reviews - Through an amateur's eyes

I’ve been lame, really lame, about keeping up with my movie reviews. Not that it probably bothers anyone but me, but for some reason it does. I’m kinda anal like that. I start a project, and no matter how much times goes by, I don’t like to just forget about it. I guess I consider my movie reviews like an unfinished project. Actually 9 unfinished little projects, but who’s counting…

In an attempt to get all caught up in jiffy, and am going to do an extremely condensed version of the most recent 9 movies I’ve seen (that I can remember…) Ready? Ok, here goes, in no particular order:

Knowing- starring Nicolas Cage. Pretty decent in general, a couple of good spooky parts, although I hated the ending…B-

Sunshine Cleaners – starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Not the “feel good movie” I expected it to be, but very good. It dealt with some dark issues, suicide included, but it was enjoyable….B+

Duplicity – starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. I was disappointed with this. Although I really enjoyed watching these two favorites of mine, I think the story was wishy-washy at best, kind of hard to follow, and not all that exciting…C

The Reader – starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, and David Kross. Wow! I knew what to expect with this, and was still impressed. Kate Winslet certainly deserved the Oscar for this one, especially after doing some of those scenes with the “young” Michael. Great film, not for the kids…A-

The Pink Panther – starring Steve Martin. Not my type of humor. I thought it was a stinker. ‘ Nuff said….D

Doubt – starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. Very powerful flick. No chuckles here, but really thought provoking….B

Taken – starring Liam Neeson. Former spy uses his skills to get his kidnapped daughter back. Very predictable. It was ok, but nothing memorable…C-

Slumdog Millionaire – starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Anil Kapoor. Won best picture of 2008. I saw this after it won the Oscar, so I had high expectations. I was not disappointed. Loved it! A

Gran Torino – starring Clint Eastwood. This was the story of a disgruntled Korean War veteran who sets out to reform his young Hmong neighbor who had tried to steal his car. In spite of the political “incorrectness” of this movie, and all of the horrendous racial slurs, I did enjoy this movie more than I thought I would. Clint Eastwood played the perfect old grumpy neighbor and the supporting cast was impressive….B+

So, there you have it. Nine movie reviews, in a nutshell. A big nutshell…

On my last (pinched?) nerve...

Just a semi-quickie update today as I am GRUMPY and have the patience of a...oh heck, I don't have any at all!

I went back to my doctor today, to try to figure out what is going on with all of the numbness I'm feeling. The pain in my leg is about 98% gone, which you would think is good news, only now it has been completely taken over my numbness. It is the strangest sensation. Like walking around on a leg that is "asleep" and hasn't get started to get that "tingly" feeling. Not fun. I can hardly feel it at all and find myself unsure of my steps. This can't be normal, hence the visit to the doctor. She says maybe it is just that extra pressure got put on it (my nerve) when the whole hamstring thing happened, but she also said that she is surprised that the hamstring pain is all gone so fast, and that maybe the numbness is blocking the hamstring pain. Sadly, she is as perplexed as I am, and has ordered further tests for me. Something about nerve conductors. Great....don't conductors deal with trains? Heck, I feel a bit like a train wreck that's for sure...I should get the approval for the tests in the next day or two and hopefully get scheduled to get in there and see what's going on...

Anyway, enough of that for now. It does me no good to complain.

I did see a cute (silly, stupid) movie today, "Paul Blart, Mall Cop." I took AJ and Pickle to see it since they had the day off from school in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It was as expected, a light hearted, goofball flick, where, for a change, the nutty fat guy is the hero. It was ok, and passed a couple of hours...was is worth the $11.00 per person they charge for movies now-a-days? Heck no! We did enjoy it though. I thought about doing a full fledged movie review of it, but as I mentioned I just don't have the patience for it.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Hopefully I can be a different dwarf...just not Sleepy or Sneezy, or Dopey...and I never really liked Bashfull....and then there's....

Through an amatuer's eyes - a review of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"I was born under unusual circumstances..." ...and so the story of Benjamin Button begins. The majority of the 2 hour and 48 minute movie is told in narrative by the main character, Benjamin, portrayed by the splendidly delicious Brad Pitt.(Um, yeah, betcha can't tell I like him, huh?)

The movie tells the story of a baby born old, and as he ages, he grows younger. Confusing? Maybe a little at first...A great story? You betcha! Brad Pitt is fantastic in the role, and the prosthetic makeup and seamless computer-generated effects are superb! His narrative voice, sprinkled with a hint of a Louisiana accent is perfect, warm, rich, and soothing, like peanut butter on toast...yummy. It may not be my all-time favorite of his movies (Interview with the Vampire, Legends of the Fall, and Meet Joe Black all come to mind, as they are truly Brad Pitt "Eye candy ,love-fest movies" in my eyes...) but this one will rank right up there close to the top.

The supporting cast is nearly as impressive as my boyfriend Brad, with Cate Blanchett as his main love interest Daisy (lucky, lucky Cate), and Taraji P. Henson as his "adoptive" mother Queenie. Tilda Swinton was Elizabeth Abbot, a British Trade Minister's wife, and one of Benjamin's lovers. Her character was smooth, cool hearted, and unforgettable.

The story has that "sweeping love story" feel to it, surrounded by the circumstances of the eras it covers - from the depression, through world wars, and into the 50's, 60's and 70's...It's not as politically in tuned to what was happening at different times as, let's say, Forrest Gump, but has that same feel to it, if that makes any sense. The following of a particular character through the many decades and aspects of his life. This film has already collected an impressive array of award nominations and has "Oscar" buzzing all around it. I can see why. I'll give this film a strong A-, and highly recommend it, especially if you are a Brad fan.

(Movie poster courtesy of Wikipedia)

Through an amateur's eyes - a review of "Role Models"

Good Lord, what was I thinking?

I broke down and took A.J., my 16 year old son to see Role Models today. Thankfully it was just the two of us, as Pickle is out of town for a couple of days with a school group, Bear was at work, and Hubby started his new job today.(Yay!) It was bad enough being there with A.J., laughing nervously at the raunch, and I squirm at the thought of sitting in the theater with both of my "youngsters."

But that's not to say it wasn't funny. Oh, so raunchy, but pretty funny in some parts. The movie stars Seann William Scott, and Paul Rudd, and was rated "R" for many, many reasons...namely the "F" bomb being dropped WAY more times than I could possibly count. Tons of "adult" language - several sets of boobs being flashed (hence some of the nervous laughter) and plenty of drug references.

Some of the very funniest lines came from "Ronnie" a 10 year old kid in the mentor program the two main characters are sentenced to participate in. Ronnie is played by Bobb'e J. Thompson, 12, and his little "tough guy" act is done to perfection. He delivers his dialog with the talent of a seasoned pro, and none of it is clean enough for me to repeat here...

Another of the kids in the mentor program is "Augie" played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse of "Superbad" fame. Augie is a cape-wearing ubernerd in need of a strong father figure. Augie lives in a fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons, Elves, magical spells, and such, and acts them out with a group of others in a game called L.A.I.R.E. (Live Action Interactive Roleplay Experience) The game they played was kind of like an "all battle" Renaissance Fair, without the men in kilts. Kilts would have helped. I got the distinct impression that they were trying to dis my peeps from the Ren. Fair...and that's just not cool. People that go to real Renaissance Fairs are WAY cooler than the nerds they portrayed here - this I know from experience...'nuff said on that...

Jane Lynch was a real shining star in this movie - playing the whacked out director of the mentor program. Let's all pray that our children never wind up in a program like the one she was running. She played her part of a recovering drug addict and alcoholic to a "T" and often times had you wondering if she'd taken a quick trip off of her wagon. Her signature line of the movie was "Don't B.S. me, you can't B.S. a B.S'er." I guess you had to be there, but it was darn funny.

The movie was rude, crude, and really raunchy. But I have to tell you, I did laugh out loud, several times, sometimes nervously at being seated with A.J., and sometimes just at the stupidness of the whole thing. If you are wondering about the Kiss picture, well, you'll just have to see the movie to understand that part. I do have a new understanding of their song "Love Gun..." Would I recommend this movie? Certainly not to everyone. For anyone with the sense of humor of a 16 year old boy, you betcha. Keep in mind those "F" bombs though, they come flying from everywhere! My overall rating "C". If you were to ask A.J, he says it's a B+, but remember he's 16.

Through an amateur's eyes - a review of "Burn After Reading"

This movie was different. Very different. I like "different" and it's not to say that "different" is bad, but, it was certainly not your "run of the mill" comedy. If you are a Coen Brother fan, than you know what I mean. Their sense of humor is slightly (OK, more than "slightly") off center. Saying that this is a "dark comedy" would be like saying the ocean is wet. No kidding - did you see "Fargo"? If so, you'll know exactly the kinds of twists and turns to expect with this little jewel. The cast was star studded, including John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, and my boyfriend, Brad Pitt. Brad was awesome, and played a ditsy personal trainer to perfection. His gum smacking, goofy grin was a riot, and he was the perfect compliment to McDormand's kooky "Linda." I loved her in "Fargo" and in my opinion, she was even better in this, don'tcha know...

The real star of them movie though, in my eyes, was Malkovich. He was outstanding! He plays a creepy CIA analyst, Osbourne Cox, who quits his job after being demoted. He decides to write a memoir about his time with the CIA, somehow a CD with his personal information winds up in a "Hardbody" Gym, and things really take off from that point. He is perfect as a distraught agent after whoever has his personal "sh!t".

This movie is rated "R" and for good reason. The language is atrocious, the violence is graphic and unexpected, and a particular scene in Clooney's basement is both very vulgar and funny at the same time (at least I thought so.) This is NOT a movie for the kids, and I wouldn't even consider taking anyone under 17 or 18. (And I'm the one that took my 14 and 15 year old to see "Tropic Thunder") I did like it though, and give it a strong "B"

Through an amateur's eyes - a review of "Tropic Thunder"

I'm not quite sure what made me want to see "Tropic Thunder." Maybe it was because it stars Robert Downey, Jr. (I love Robert Downey, Jr. - the cleaned up, sober RDJ), maybe it was because I'd heard it was pretty funny, and I like funny....and maybe part of it was because the heat and humidity of the last week were wearing on my last nerve, and I can always count on the movie theater to have the air conditioning cranked.

Whatever the reason, I questioned my sanity for the first couple of minutes. After the normal studio movie previews, the film started with some phony previews of it's own. One bogus ad, in particular, was about something called a "Bust-a-nut" candy bar, and "Booty Sweat" energy drink. Can you say R.A.U.N.C.H.Y.? Yeah? Me too.

Once the movie kicked into gear, and the story started to unfold, I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit. Oh, sure, part of it was in hopes of waking up the guy that was passed out and snoring next to me, (read about that here...) but mostly it was because the crude humor tickled my funny bone. Robert Downey, Jr. was excellent, Ben Stiller (who also directed) was great, and Jack Black was a riot.

I won't be a spoiler and give away too much of the plot (yes, there actually is a bit of a plot) but suffice it to say that if you have an open mind, don't mind some very vulgar humor, and can put yourself into a "15 year old boy" frame of mind for a couple of hours, you are sure to enjoy this goof-ball comedy. I hate to admit it, but I did take Pickle (14 y.o.d.) and A.J. (15 y.o.s.) along with Hubby to see this flick. Everyone laughed, though uncomfortably at times, and it's given us a bit of new fodder to quote from. I'll give this movie a "B," I did enjoy it, but some of the crudeness was a bit over the top. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Through an amateur eyes - a review of "Wanted"

I know this is a little late coming down the pipeline...but hoped it might be worth sharing anyway. I finally etched out a little time to go to see "Wanted" this weekend with Hubby and some friends. We caught it on what was probably the last weekend that it was actually in a theater, and boy, am I glad that we did...I LOVED it! Maybe it was a mood that I was in, maybe it was that I hadn't heard a lot about it - so didn't expect a lot, or maybe it was just a fun, cut-loose, kick butt - shoot um up movie, but I really, really enjoyed it. Oh, sure, there was some gratuitous sex, and lots of cussing, (they certainly didn't rate this one "R" for the fun of it) but it all worked for me...Angelina Jolie looked awesome (although she was a bit too skinny - I should have such a problem!) and her character "Fox" fit her well. Lots of broody faces, exotic eyes, and a killer (literally) bod. Morgan Freeman was superb, as always. He is one of my favorites - always has been, and although this character was a bit different that the type he usually plays, he was perfect for it. James McAvoy is rapidly becoming a new favorite of mine. He was fabulous as the lead character, Wesley Gibson, a frustrated office worker who learns that he is the son of a professional assassin. I thought the story was good, the narrative was clever, and the action rocked. If you didn't get a chance to see this one on the big screen, be sure to check it out when it makes it to DVD. I think you'll be glad you did. I'd give this one a solid "A."

Through an amateurs eyes - a review of "The Dark Knight"

As you may know from previous reviews, I am not particularly a "super-hero flick" fan. Although I did really enjoy Iron Man, mainly because of Robert Downey, Jr., of course. I also recently saw Hancock, with Will Smith, but didn't get a chance to review it...been just a little busy, and by the time I got around to it, I figured it'd been out so long, no one would care...(I did like it though....Now that I think about it, maybe I actually AM a "super-hero flick" fan...)

Anyway, I was a little apprehensive about seeing The Dark Knight, basically for one reason....Heath Ledger. I love Heath Ledger. I was heartbroken and angry when he passed away. Heartbroken because we'd lost such a wonderfully talented actor, and angry that he'd been so reckless with the prescription drugs that took his life. I loved, LOVED him in Brokeback Mountain, A Knight's Tale, The Patriot, to name just a few. His portrayal of Ennis Del Mar, in Brokeback, was incredible, and in my book, ranked right up there with the best of "forbidden love" stories - The Bridges of Madison County, The End of the Affair, The English Patient, to name just a few. So you get the picture....I love him...always will....

I did not, however, love this movie, but I certainly did enjoy it. Christian Bale was great as "The Batman" - except for when his voice got deep and gravel-ish when he donned the suit - it was hokey. (By chance might the suit have been a little tight? No, that would have made his voice higher, right?) Anyway, Michael Caine as Alfred was wonderful, as expected...as were most of the other supporting characters. I did discover that I am not a Maggie Gyllenhaal fan though, I do like her brother, Jake. There is just something about her in this movie that struck me a little strange...almost like she was trying too hard. Oh well...another thing was the background music. Composer Hans Zimmer did an awesome job on the music, but to me at least, it seemed strangely familiar. Not from the previous Batman movie, but more like the music in the background of one of Pirates of the Caribbean movies, or The Da Vinci Code...it was just a little too familiar.

As I mentioned, I didn't love the movie, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. He was superb. In my eyes, he was the one that made the movie, he was fantastic, he really was. Each line delivered was precise, and spot on. His voice was creepy, and calm, in an eerily perfect way. His makeup and hair made him look sad, lovable, mean and heartless all at once, and it made me love him even more. He was awesome. He deserves every award he will get for this movie...it's just such a huge shame that he won't be there to accept them.

Overall, I'd give this movie an "A-" ~ Heath Ledger gets an "A++"

Through an amatuer's eye- a review of "The Strangers"

This will be one of the quickest movie reviews you've ever read - promise.

Don't waste your money. I am a horror flick fan, but this was a real stinker. A poorly done "slasher" film. Very little story line, (why do these freaks terrorize people in the middle of the night? Because they were home....who isn't home at 4am?) The real question is why the main characters open the door to strangers in the middle of the night...because they are in a movie, that's why. Real people can't possibly be this dumb, can they?

I won't drone on about how much I disliked this movie... I'm pretty sure you get the picture...my rating for this film is a solid "D" - and that's only because I like Liv Tyler...

Through an amateur's eye - a review of "Iron Man"

I will preface this review by telling you all that I am not a comic book fan. I am not a cartoon fan, nor am I particularly a "superhero" movie fan. I did love Christopher Reeve in the original Superman movies he was in, but haven't been too thrilled with the superhero stuff that has come out since. Oh, sure, George Clooney makes a pretty decent Batman (but why did the Batsuit have nipples?), but it's not so much the men in the tights that don't do anything for me, it's the stories themselves that can, at times, bore me to tears. So....predictable. (You knew that was coming, didn't you?)

Well, with that being said, let me tell you that I liked this movie. A LOT. I'm thinking that it probably did have something to do with Robert Downey, Jr. starring as the lead. I like Robert Downey, Jr. A LOT. Almost as much as I like Brad Pitt. Almost. RDJ stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy with a conscience. I thought he was great, and the role showed off his magnetic personality. Iron Man also stars Terrence Howard (love him too) as Stark's old buddy, Jeff Bridges (used to love him and his brother Beau, but now they are both looking really old, and pretty creepy) and Gwyneth Paltrow (jealous of her because she was once engaged to my boy Brad.) They all play their respective roles fairly well, with Gwyneth being just a little too dizzy for my taste.

I thought the special effects were very good, with my favorite part being when Stark (Downey, Jr.) is getting "suited up" in his iron suit, which according to the character is actually "gold titanium alloy." Fun fantasy stuff to watch.

I'm not saying that this movie doesn't have it's flaws, but they're not enough to keep the film from being enjoyable to watch. The story has some wit, substance, and a little romance thrown in. And Robert Downey, Jr. Can't ask for too much more than that....I'd give this an A-

Through an amateur's eye...a review of "Made of Honor"

"Made of Honor" stars "Grey's Anatomy" McDreamy -Patrick Dempsey. It also stars Michelle Monaghan as Hannah, McDreamy's best friend, and confidant. This is a typical romantic comedy, with lots of beautiful people, including Hannah's Scottish beau, Colin, played by Kevin McKidd. McKidd is a brilliant Scotsman, most recently seen in the series "Journey Man" and movies such as "Hanibal Rising", "Kingdom of Heaven" and " De-Lovely." While he is not gorgeous in the typical Hollywood sense of the word, he is a great, authentic addition to this film, has a wonderful Scottish accent, and looks fabulous in a kilt. Speaking of kilts, this movie is full of cliches, Scottish, and otherwise...goofy bridal shower stuff, goofy grandmas, bagpipers, etc. If you are, as I am, into these light, fun, "always a happy ending" kind of movies, you are sure to enjoy this one. I'd give it a solid B+...it would have gotten an A if it starred Brad Pitt....

Through an amateur's eye...a review of "21"

I went to see a movie today with one of my favorite people-a dear teacher friend that I've known for many years. We have similar tastes in movies, and food, and enjoy each other's company. She is also available during the day as I am, so it makes for a fun time when we get together to have lunch and catch a flick.

Today we saw "21" starring Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, and Laurence Fishburne. The plot revolved around 5 M.I.T. college students and their professor (Spacey) who perfected the art of counting cards while playing Black Jack, and therefore made a LOT of money on their frequent trips to Las Vegas. Now, when I go to Las Vegas, my opinion of making a lot of money is breaking even at the nickle slot machines. These kids were a few steps up on the gambling ring from me...making hundreds of thousands of dollars on each trip. Laurence Fishburne played a Loss Prevention Specialist, who catches on to what they are doing, and a game of cat and mouse ensues. Spacey was excellent as the Professor/Creep of the movie, as he always is when he plays those types of parts. This is a fact-based movie, which goes to say that there was, once upon a time, something that happened in "real life" that vaguely resembled this story. I thought at first that it's 2 1/2 hours might drag on a bit, but for the most part it was nicely paced, and kept my interest. This was a fun and entertaining movie to watch. I give it a B+. (Which, I suppose doesn't mean much, but it was fun to throw out there!)

I'm going to Las Vegas tomorrow for the weekend. I will not be counting cards. I'll be lucky if I have any nickels at the end of the weekend to count. Wish me luck...I'm gonna need it!