Movies, Work & Random Thoughts

Thyroid Cancer and Me – A Year Later

2010-04-27T20:32:00.001-04:00

This past Thanksgiving marked one-year since my Total Thyroidectomy and February 2010 marked one-year since having Radioactive Iodine treatment. Now part two of my adventures with Thyroid cancer – the one-year follow up. As part of the follow up I need to see both my surgeon and endocrinologist. The surgeon literally looks at my neck for 5 seconds, admires his own work (and how little my scar is visible) and sends me on my way. The endocrinologist does blood work, feels my neck and explains the one-year follow up scans.

As I was approaching my one-year check ups, I became scared upon feeling some little lumps and bumps in my neck (they turn out to be completely normal). So the timing of my check ups was perfect. On a side note, I cannot emphasize how important it is to have an endocrinologist that you like and get a long with. I say this because, in all my worried states, my over thinking and jumping to conclusions, my endocrinologist put up with me. He laughed with me and my silly worrying, which is exactly what I needed. He would reassure me that with the surgery and radioactive iodine that the reoccurrence of the cancer was rare. My blood work comes back 100% normal – relief is a nice feeling.

Now…the one-year follow up scans…this is a totally different experience than the blood work and quick trip to the surgeon.

This is the most inconvenient, pain in the butt part of the follow up process. It takes place over the course of a week – starting with two shots, a teeny tiny dose of radioactive iodine and ending with two scans. It’s a lot to do in one week and a lot of running around and scheduling with work. But, if you’ve had thyroid cancer, it’s very VERY necessary. The process starts on a Monday. Now, I have to set the scene, so please bear with me. I live in an area that does not get a lot of snow, but on this particular Monday in February, we receive about 5 inches. My office closes due to the weather, which is a good thing (less running around to do), but I have not heard anything from the Doctor’s office and whether or not it is closed. I brave the icy roads to the doctor’s office, which is opening late – I find this out because I drive to the office and no one is there. Two hours later I come back to get my shot and this time the nurse takes down my phone number in case the office will be opening late on Tuesday (I need to come back on Tuesday for shot #2). These shots – Thyrogen injections are used so that the patient doesn’t have to come off their Synthroid - are injected into your rear end, just an FYI. I personally did not experience any side effects from the injections and after having been off my Synthroid before for the Radioactive Iodine treatment, I’m glad this is an alternative. Being off Synthroid is not fun. Back to the story – the nurse calls me later that day to say the office was opening late the next day. Great! Now I have to go to work early, leave for a 5 second shot and come back. Sheesh. But it works out. Now Wednesday I have to go the hospital for the radioactive iodine. And this is the worst day!

Understandably, I have to take a pregnancy test before taking the RAI. This is the blood work kind of pregnancy test. It takes the lab an hour and half to tell me what I already know – that I am no where close to being pregnant. An hour and half to figure this out! I tell the radiation tech that we could have gotten faster results if I had peed on a stick! She did not laugh – I think everyone was fed up with my disgruntled attitude at that point in time (side note – I feel really bad for copping an attitude and apologize to the tech when I come back for my scans). When this is all finally done, I head back to work. No isolation this time because it’s such a tiny dose.

The scans – man, don’t you just love that thyroid scan and how close it comes to your face for 45 minutes?! I’m being sarcastic, but they really are quite boring – although a wonderful technology that I am grateful for. The first scan occurs on Friday at 10 am and the second is at 7 am on Saturday. Fortunately, there are no more snow delays.

Waiting for results and not knowing are the worst parts of this process (with the exception of the low-iodine diet). It’s the nurse (which is a good sign) at my endocrinologist’s office who calls me with the results and she says, in a surprisingly, overly upbeat tone, that she is thrilled to be able to give me good news – that no sign of the cancer showed up in my scans – woohoo! I’m stoked!

Hope everyone is happy and healthy and kicking thyroid cancer’s butt! Let me know your experiences throughout the process – I love to hear ‘em!

My Freelance Writing Articles

2009-08-25T19:28:00.005-04:00

Recently, I joined a website called Associated Content and have been writing articles for them on a freelance basis. Their writing assignments are great because the topics are common knowledge and interest, there are a wide range of topics and the required length is usually between 250-400 words. Also, unlike some other sites, you have more than one day to complete and submit the article.

Categorized below are the articles I’ve written so far. I will update this post every couple of weeks or so with the additional articles that become published. Let me know what cha’ think!

Work & Stuff
5 Tips for Promoting Employee and Office Health

Halloween Fun
Top 10 Halloween Movies and Scary Films

2009 Halloween Events in Virginia

Top 10 Halloween Songs – The Best Halloween Music

Outdoorsy Things to Do
Fall Hiking and Camping Ideas

Book Review – Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

2009-08-04T22:50:00.003-04:00

Let me start my review by saying I L-O-V-E the Stephanie Plum Novels (and yes, there are 15 + of them)! They are great beach reads and are perfect if you want to sit back and relax with a funny and unique fiction novel. “Finger” is about stumbled-into-it, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum vs Barbecue Sauce vs Red Paint vs Headless Chefs and a lot more (as usual), but this time the main story revolves around Steph’s side kick Lula. She witnesses a terrible crime and the “head hunters” attempt to get rid of their only witness. “Finger” isn’t my favorite of the series, but don’t let that deter you from picking it up. It’s a little pokey in places, but fun, flirty and full of shenanigans.

Pros:
- As a Whole – This series as a whole is laugh out loud enjoyable. By the 15th book I’ve become quite attached to Stephanie, Lula, Grandma, Mom and of course Ranger and Joe, so another book with my favorite people instantly makes me smile. “Finger” encompasses some of the best traits of the series – cars blowing up, doughnuts, stupid criminals, viewings and the rest. Also, the main story is wrapped around Lula’s tight spandex, which makes “Finger” a refreshing addition to the Plum series.

- The Plot – I enjoy the fact that Ranger needs Stephanie this time around. Yes he bails her out of a couple of sticky situations (pun intended), but when his security company is in trouble he turns the resourceful and oh so cute Stephanie to help solve the mystery.

- “I’m a mess” – Stephanie confesses to Ranger, “I’m a mess.” I like this statement because, Stephanie, I know exactly how you feel – haha.

Cons:
- Lack Luster Love – One of my favorite aspects of this series is the love triangle between Stephanie and her two guys Morelli and Ranger but in “Finger” she swears off guys! This is disappointing. We only get a few exchanges with Ranger and they do technically end up in bed together but only for rotating sleeping shifts. I miss the usual sexual chemistry.

- Plot Twist – Not Really – spoiler alert - The story with Ranger’s security company being jeopardized by break-ins, which are suspected to be an inside job turns out to be … some random kids who stole Rangeman clothes – boooooring! I wish it were an inside job. That would spice things up emotionally for Ranger (whom we never get any emotion from!).

Summary:
Again, “Finger Lickin’ Fifteen” is not the greatest Plum novel, but not worthless either. It’s an easy read that will make you laugh out loud. I enjoyed the next episode in the Stephanie Plum series (and had me craving barbecue – just not Lula’s!).

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Movie Review – Public Enemies

2009-07-07T21:43:00.012-04:00

4 words – “Christian Bale” and “Johnny Depp” – two of the best actors today finally in one film together. Although they rarely have scenes together they both contribute greatly to this sexy, dangerous crime film. Director Michael Mann takes us back to the Depression when robbing banks was the money making scheme of choice in a pre-Madoff world and John Dillinger (Depp) is named Public Enemy #1 by the head of the FBI J. Edgar Hoover. Melvin Purvis (Bale) is the FBI agent in charge of bringing Dillinger down. Depp and Bale are joined by an extraordinary support cast who create a thrilling cat and mouse chase based on actual events. Whether you love a crime film or you’re in love with Johnny Depp (like me) – “Public Enemies” will unshackle you from summer sequel boredom.

Pros:
- The Support Cast – Recreating an entire FBI department as well as an entire “gang” of bank robbers takes more than two leading men. The secondary characters of “Enemies” make the story more complete and in an understated way, fulfill the feel of the movie. They really are the atmosphere as much as the props, Bale and Depp. I was really impressed with the whole ensemble, which includes: David Wenham (“Australia”), Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum (“Stop-Loss”), Rory Cochrane (“CSI: Miami”), Emilie de Ravin (“Lost”), Billy Crudup, Marion Cotillard (Academy Award Winner for her role in “La Vie en Rose”), Giovanni Ribisi (“Perfect Stranger”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Wire”), Shawn Hatosy (“Southland”), and many, many other talented folks.

- The Cinematography – One of the most standout characteristics of “Enemies” is the way the cameras work. It’s shot in a documentary type style, which I really like because it brought me more into the story. As opposed to watching this bank robber’s life unfold the filming style has the audience living the height of Dillinger’s life with him. It’s also beneficial for Bale’s side of the story. When the cameras are on him, no matter how much you love Dillinger, you want Purvis to catch the man.

- The Visuals – Taking place around the Depression, Michael Mann and his creative team restore the distinctive 1930’s look by not recreating anything at all actually. Much of the film was shot at historical locations still standing that many of the Dillinger events took place such as the Little Bohemia Lodge where Dillinger and some of his gang were found by the FBI and engaged in a gun fight.

- The Soundtrack - Elliot Goldenthal has done notable scores for other films like “Across the Universe” and “Frida.” For “Enemies” he combines bad-boy, blue grass type tunes with music from the era as well as piano melodies that all help to paint the perfect picture.

- Christian Bale – Bale’s “Purvis” is serious. I don’t think he smiles once during the film (well maybe once in the beginning when he’s gunning down a famous gangster), but it works playing both to Bale's assets as an actor as well as the tone of the character.

- Johnny Depp – Oh how I love Depp, let me count the ways. Maybe I’ll save that for another post – I’ll stay focused for the sake of the review. Depp’s Dillinger is sexy with a sense of true danger. There’s a subtly that the man sometimes fears for his life and is deeply hurt at the loss of friends or their mistreatment. I feel like I got to know John Dillinger with all credit due to another phenomenal Depp performance. No wonder he’s my favorite!

Cons:
- Length – At over an hour and a half in length “Enemies” could have used a few more edits (just not cutting out any of Depp – hehe).

- How Much is True – Scenes such as Dillinger walking through the “Dillinger Division” of the FBI without any of the staff recognizing him and scenes like people waving at him like a celebrity while he’s being driven to prison then Dillinger not being recognized in a movie theater make me wonder how much of the movie represents actual events.

- Purvis Point of View - More of Purvis’ point of view or more of a glimpse into his personal life would have added a nice symmetry to the film.

Summary:
“Public Enemies” is a wonderful bio pic of two legendary Depression era men – one robs banks and the other hunts bank robbers - they both like their guns. The whole team behind “Enemies” should be quite proud. Although I don’t think it’ll be up for any major awards this season, it’s a must see. The talent is reflected in all aspects of the movie – everything from the camera angles, to the score, to the costumes and best of all – the ensemble cast (and Johnny of course - swoon).

What did you think of the 30’s era picture? Did you think the cast was right or that maybe Leonardo DiCaprio should have played the notorious Dillinger?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Film Review - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-04T19:52:00.007-04:00

I’m 60/40 about “Revenge” – I 40% liked it and 60% did not. I know it’s practically treason not like this movie, but, personally, I need more than CG and loud noises to enjoy an action flick. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like bits and pieces, but not enough to over rule the rest. The sequel to Michael Bay’s 2007 film, based on the toys by Hasbro, is louder, larger, geographically wider, and 6 minutes longer (it feels like 6 hours) than its predecessor. Some initial hype indicated there was more of a plot this time around, but, not surprisingly, there isn’t. The plot is just more complicated. Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro come together again and Ramon Rodriguez is a great addition to the cast of a not-so-great movie.

Pros:
- A Moment Here and There – There are a couple moments in “Revenge” that made me smile (or show some emotion other than disappointment). Any scene with Sam Witwicky’s parents is solid, relatable and genuine (with one exception). Scenes cover situations such as holding emotions back when your kid leaves for college, to fighting for their safety. The parent/kid relationship in this movie is very well written and plays authentically on screen (if you’re wondering what the “exception” is – it’s a scene where Sam’s mom eats pot brownies and runs around campus – it’s a stupid scene, but all others are great!). Another “Pros” moment takes place in the library. Particularly funny is when Sam gives Kaela a 10 second count down indicating when he will speak to her again. Anyone in a relationship will find the humor in this particular “must we do this now” type scenario.

- Ramon Rodriguez – I didn’t like the character of Sam’s college roommate…at first, but he grew on me. Turns out, Rodriguez (and his character) are pretty darn funny and is a refreshing addition to the robotic franchise.

Cons:
- Troublesome Characters - Man, what I wouldn’t give to have been a fly on the wall at the board meeting with Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg when they decided on the two ridiculous characters - Skids and Mudflap. I mean really, MICHAEL BAY and STEVEN SPIELBERG sat down one day and consciously chose to have these characters in the movie. Consider my mind blown.

- Louder Does Not Equal Better – More noise, faster robot transformations, expanded destruction and chaos on speed does not combine to create the greatest movie ever made. Not even close. Side note – at one point in the beginning of the movie some sort of robot destroys a city and breaks through an overpass. There is a lot of loud metal noises, but no sound effect for the crushed concrete and rebar, which for me made the movie that much sloppier.

- Clichés, clichés, clichés – There are three writing credits for “Revenge” and two of the writers also wrote for this year’s “Star Trek” and currently write for the show “Fringe.” With that said, it is unacceptable to have such overly used, 100% UNorginial lines as “Revenge will be mine” screamed from one of the Decepticons! Where’s the creativity - even an ounce? It’s like the writers gave up knowing that the CG would steal the show.

Summary:
The only folks I’d recommend this film to are people who want to waste nearly 3 hours of their lives and who want to leave with a headache with only a slight smile remembering the few sparse funny moments during “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” If that sounds like you, then by all means, check out this ridiculous film.

What did you think of this movie? Is it a good sequel? What are your thoughts on Transformers 3?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Film Review - The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (the John Travolta/Denzel Washington Subway Movie)

2009-06-25T00:03:00.008-04:00

Fate derails for a NYC transit worker Walter Garber when a former inmate hijacks subway train Pelham 1 2 3, taking hostages, demanding money and to only be in communication with Garber. A remake, Tony Scott’s “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is action packed, and passionate. Both the native New York worker – Garber (Denzel Washington) to the “feeling wronged” ex inmate – Ryder (John Travolta) are fully energized throughout the movie. The cast also includes character actor Luis Guzmán, John Turturro (also in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” out now), James Gandolfini as NYC’s mayor, Alex Kaluzhsky (keep your eyes out for this guy – he also has one of my favorite lines in the movie), and Gbenga Akinnagbe (“The Wire”). “Pelham” isn’t the greatest action movie ever made, but it’s nice to see these veteran actors, Washington and Travolta, do this kind of flick together.

Pros:
- Denzel Washington – Washington’s last two films, The Great Debaters and American Gangsters, had characters unlike the Walter Garber of “Pelham.” From being a dangerous crime boss to a larger than life, inspiring teacher – Washington’s “Garber” is more of an everyday man – but not perfect, which is what I really like about the character. And only Denzel, only he could give it the sincerity needed to not come off hammy. Would we expect anything else from the classy actor?

- John Travolta – I think the last time we saw Travolta this angry was in “Face/Off” (or was that Nicholas Cage?). Sporting some crazy tattoos, Travolta plays Ryder – the wisecracking, pissed off subway hijacker – to a tee. Glad to see Travolta gracing the movie screen again (and this time, not in a dress).

- The Pacing – It’s really well timed. It’s not too long or too short, the story progresses steadily and doesn’t get hung up in details. It gets to the point, and sticks to the point, and I like that in a film!

- It’s An Action Movie Too – I like "Pelham" because it’s not all talk, it’s not all negotiations with the criminal to let the hostages go, it’s not all “what are they going to say next to make him stop.” They have that element covered, but also there are cars flipping, cop shoot outs, a standoff and it’s great!

- Favorite Moment – Ok, this isn't really a "Pro", but it gets a special shout out because I liked it so much. Remember when I mentioned actor Alex Kaluzhsky had my favorite line in the movie? Kaluzhsky’s “Geo” is on the hijacked subway with his laptop, video chatting with his girlfriend. Of course the connection is cut once underground but the hijackers install routers so Ryder can surf the net. The laptop is on the floor when the connection is restored and the girlfriend can see what’s going on. While Geo is face down on the floor his girlfriend starts talking. She’s sobbing, “I love you.” No response. “Don’t you love me? Why aren’t you saying it back?” Geo angrily crawls up to the computer screen and in a frustrated whisper says, “I’m sort of having a weird day!” This moment was just so relatable and really brought the movie closer to home for me. I loved it, it was really funny!

Cons:
- Secondary Characters – Roger Ebert makes a good point, “This version occupies a denatured action-movie landscape, with no time for local color and a transit system control room that humbles Mission Control. That also may explain the film’s lack of time to establish the supporting characters, even Travolta’s partners.” I agree because, of course I didn’t want anyone to die, but I just didn’t really care about anyone except Washington. However, I think putting more emphasis on the secondary characters may have hung up the pacing a little and if that’s the case then I’d pass on the secondary characters.

- A Little Over the Top – The cars flipping during collisions are a little dramatic, but dang it if it doesn’t make for a good action sequence!

Summary:
“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is certainly entertaining. Now that it’s up against “Transformers 2” I don’t think it stands a chance, but make sure to catch it on DVD because you’ll really enjoy Washington and Travolta’s performances.

Film Review – Blindness

2009-06-24T23:45:00.005-04:00

“Blindness” is not a happy movie, in fact, it’s kind of scary. Not only does the film depict an epidemic of a contagious illness rendering people blind, but it also depicts the worst of humanity and not in an outlandish way, it’s very, very realistic (which is the scary part). Danny Glover, Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Alice Braga, Gael García Bernal, Sandra Oh amongst others make up this ensemble piece about a group of afflicted individuals quarantined in an abandoned mental hospital where literally the blind lead the blind – except for one - a Doctor’s wife - who keeps her ability to still see a secret. After watching “Blindness” I just hope that something like this never actually happens, because it won’t be pretty.

Pros:
- Amazing Acting – I love it when actors make an audience hate them, love them, feel sympathy for them, because that’s a sign that they are really great! The actors of “Blindness” brought me into their … well ... situation I guess, so much so that I couldn’t just sit back and passively watch this movie - I was involved.

- Unique Story – There is definitely a portfolio of disease infecting society movies out there, but “Blindness” is different. No one actually dies from the illness that’s causing them white blindness. And it’s rare to have a movie of this genre continue as if there is hope to have a semi regular life after the disease (whether they are blind or not). In this movie, the illness doesn’t equal certain death or life as a zombie.

- The Pacing – The story progresses nicely – we learn about the illness and the reaction to it at the same time as the people and government in the movie learn about it. It’s paced so that the decline of society and the feeling of desperation is believable – we aren’t just thrown into chaos and expected to buy it.

Cons:
- Not Happy Times – There are about 15 minutes of this movie that are happy. I could have used a little more.

- It’s Scary! – I’m a little afraid that something like this could happen and seeing the way people changed and the awful things they did in the movie – I just wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone.

Summary:
“Blindness” is a good movie in the areas of acting and story, but you won’t be smiling when the credits start to roll. I think I just stared at the credits for a while and eventually I blindly turned off the TV.

Film Review – Deception

2009-06-24T23:30:00.005-04:00

An accountant with a boring life is befriended one day by a mystery man who takes him on a whirl wind of exciting places – playing racquet ball with hot girls, going to the nicest clubs, smoking pot in a conference room - basically turning the accountant’s life upside down (in a good way). But of course it’s all too good to be true and suddenly the accountant is afraid for his life. Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams star in this sexy thriller (although you’ll probably be able to guess how it ends – it’s still entertaining).

Pros:
- All Star Cast – Its tough to top the three stars. McGregor, Jackman and Williams are a talented bunch and this movie emphasizes their best qualities – McGregor – his ability to play sincere and naive; Jackman – his ability to play the mans man and Williams – her subtly.

- It’s Attractive – Shot in Madrid and Bryant Park, NY the scenery couldn’t possibly look more welcoming for mayhem.

- This is How You Do Nudity – I know I complain a lot about unnecessary nudity, so for all the filmmakers in the world – study “Deception.” The nudity is appropriate without going overboard.

Cons:
- “Derailed” Revisited – If you’ve seen the movie “Derailed” starring Jennifer Aniston, Clive Owen and Vincent Cassel – then you’ve seen “Deception” (except "Deception" has more sex).

- People Only Want… - If you judged humanity based on “Deception” then you’d come to the conclusion that the only things people want in life are sex, money and power over other people. Love doesn’t really factor in until all the others are accomplished, there’s no family, no real friends, or other meaningful aspects of life.

- You’re Not Psychic – You’re not a psychic, the end is just that easy to guess.

- Sloooow Down! – It all happens so fast that it’s hard to believe some of the relationships develop that quickly.

Summary:
I’m 50/50 on “Deception.” I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It definitely showcases some of my favorite actors, but it’s predictable. If you’re interested in a sexy thriller – this movie is for you.

Movie Review – Spiral

2009-06-24T23:19:00.005-04:00

“Spiral” is a strange movie. I only rented it because it has one of my new favorite actors in it, Zachary Levi. “Spiral” is about Mason, a talented painter working at a telemarketing firm who sketches women and hears voices. At lunch one day a bubbly, bouncy co-worker reaches out to him and he begins to sketch her. They develop a friendship that evolves into a relationship and one morning Amber makes a discovery that changes everything.

Pros:
- Psychological Thriller It Is – Directors Joel Moore and Adam Green are known for stranger films and “Spiral” is certainly not an exception. Although other films, such as “Hatchet,” are bloodier than “Spiral” the creep factor is absolutely at a high level here.

- Unique Characters – I can definitely say I haven’t ever seen characters quite like Mason (the main guy played by Joel Moore [he was in Dodgeball]) and Berkeley (Levi). With Mason you can’t tell if his sketches are out of love, infatuation, obsession, or if it’s just what he does. And Berkeley, we don’t really understand why he’s friends with Mason, why he’s so protective of him and such an [bleep] hole to everyone else.

- Guessing Until the End – I definitely didn’t see the last 10 minutes of the movie coming. It was very M. Night Shyamalan.

- Check out this review – Critic Robert Koehler puts it nicely. He says, “[the movie] offers a momentarily strong slice of psycho cinema to the degree that an intimate camera and heavily designed soundtrack suggest what it's like to be inside Mason's rattled head.” (read the rest of his review)

Cons:
- Again, the Characters – With the exception of Amber (played by Amber Tamblyn) everyone is really unlikable!

- Dark Ages – It’s a little TOO dark.

- End – There were no hints as to the ending, so there’s no way to really guess it until it’s revealed and I don’t really like that. I like to pay attention and put pieces together, but you’re not really afforded that opportunity in “Spiral.”

Summary:
I won’t be recommending this movie to anyone unless they want to watch decent acting (Levi is totally not his usual “Chuck” character!).

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Movie Review – W.

2009-06-24T22:54:00.007-04:00

“W.” is a movie showing the more troublesome times the former President has had both before his days in the Oval Office and during his Presidency. We see a goofier side of the 43rd President who has given this country so many memorable quotes. We get an insider glimpse of what it may have been like to be the Leader of the U.S. during one of its most difficult times – 9/11. Oliver Stone’s “W.” is surprisingly more unbiased than I expected and I did actually learn a lot about GW.

Pros:
- It's Funny – You have to admit that his Presidency was riddled with hilarious Bushisms. The movie takes advantage of that. Thrown in here and there are “misunderestimated,” “Internets,” and other famous word mangles. It also takes advantage of his quirky personality, his odd laugh and unique life experiences.

- The Right Actors - Josh Brolin is phenomenal. He looks like the former Pres, he nails the accent, the laugh, the walk, everything. It’s fascinating to watch! Also, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush is wonderful to watch. Banks’ subtle humor and goofiness portray a side of the First Lady I’ve never seen.

- Personality – It’s great that this movie isn’t someone else’s opinion of President George Bush’s career. Instead, it’s someone else’s perspective (combined with a ton of research) on GW’s personality and life.

- Relating to the President – Stone chooses moments in Bush’s life that show him in a very relatable light. Bush is self doubting, wants to live up to his parent’s expectations, wants to find love, enjoyed his college days, has some sibling rivalry with his brother, etc., issues that every day folks deal with too. Go figure!

Cons:
- Disrespectful? – If you’re a huge Bush supporter, you might find that the choice of life moments such as Bush’s alcohol usage and funny phrases as President a little disrespectful (although, personally, I think that it is very well done, and more of a humors homage than insulting).

Summary:
“W.” surprised me with how unbiased it presents one of the most controversial leaders of our nation. I kinda think the President would enjoy this movie (he seems to have a fairly decent sense of humor). It’s funny and honest and you can’t help feel for the eldest son of this political family. I’d certainly recommend “W.” to any Republican or Democrat, just keep this in mind, “It's a behind-the-scenes approach, similar to Nixon, to give a sense of what it's like to be in his skin. But if Nixon was a symphony, this is more like a chamber piece, and not as dark in tone.” Oliver Stone.

Film Review – Doubt

2009-06-24T22:15:00.010-04:00

“Doubt” the movie is based on the play written by John Patrick Shanley called “Doubt: A Parable,” which is a story about stubbornness, misunderstandings and, of course, doubts. Sister Aloysius, a nun stuck in the traditional ways of things in a quickly changing world, is a principle at a Catholic school in the Bronx. One day Sister James brings up an incident, which in turn encourages some suspicions Sister Aloysius has already been thinking and she decides to go out on her own to find the truth behind one the church’s Priests. The cast includes Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Amy Adams as Sister James (a bright eyed and sweet teacher who kinda’ starts the whole thing), Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn (the suspected Priest) and Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller (one of the student’s mother).

Pros:
- The Words – Since the movie is based on a play it already has a great foundation of words, but in particular the dialogue is realistic. And because the majority of the movie is words (a.k.a – not a whole lot really happens, they just talk about it) it’s a darn good thing "words" is one of its strong suites.

- Great Characters – I’m always impressed when I see an actor in a role that I’ve never really seen them in before. This is particularly true for Streep and Hoffman. But the characters of “Doubt” are very well defined and lifelike yet don’t react in predictable/clichéd ways. It’s a little hard to describe actually.

- Compelling – At first glance the story may seem to be about a single African American student and an inappropriate relationship with a Priest, but that’s not the real story of “Doubt.” But the writer John Patrick Shanley (who wrote both the play and the screenplay) is far more clever and reveals a much deeper social issue.

Cons:
- The Pacing – It’s quite clear that this was originally a piece of theater. It’s a little slower than most movies these days.

- The End Ruins it All – Never in my life has the last 3 words of a movie pissed me off more. Never have the last three words completely ruined a movie for me. That is until I watched “Doubt.” And it’s heartbreaking that they are spoken by such an accomplished actor - Meryl Streep.

Summary:
“Doubt” is very real but complicated. Believable and not cliché. Intriguing but a little hard to watch the potentially career ending events unfold (career ending for a character, not an actor). It’s definitely a character based film. I think writers would really like it. But just do yourself a favor and turn your TV off at the end when Amy Adams sits next to Meryl Streep on a bench in the snow. You’ll like the movie a lot more that way.

Movie Review – The Hangover

2009-06-09T19:39:00.011-04:00

As much as I would love to think my taste in movies is sophisticated, I have to admit that “The Hangover” in all its testosterone, over done, modern slapstick grossness was pretty darn hilarious and I liked it! Staring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha and from director Todd Phillips who brought us “Old School” and “Road Trip” – this boys-gone-wild Las Vegas flick follows friends Phil, Stu and Alan as they take buddy, Doug, to his Bachelor party in Sin City. Does what they say, “What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” apply if you can’t remember what actually happened while there? “Hangover” answers just that question. With a number of key cameos along with the adventure of figuring out what really did happen the night before, I describe “Hangover” as a mystery and comedy all in one!

Pros:

- Location, Location – Las Vegas is the only feasible place for this movie. Where else could offer the sheer potential for the variety of random things to happen and it not seem so random?

- The Right Group of Guys – Although the story is basic – 4 guys take their friend to Vegas for a bachelor party – those 4 guys are anything BUT basic. The actors - Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha – bring their own touches to what could have been stereotypical characters. Critic extraordinaire Roger Ebert describes Zach Galifianakis’s performance as, “the kind of breakout performance that made John Belushi a star after "Animal House." Great job guys!

- The “What Next Factor” – As coined by critic Ty Burr of the Boston Globe (read his review) a lot of the hilarity from this movie comes from the unconventional, odd events this group has been through. From stealing a celeb’s tiger, to a small, angry Chinese man, to a hospital visit – the surprise originality yet believability of the events keeps the laughs coming.

- Great Camera Work – The cinematographer portrays a beautiful, scenic Las Vegas that not everyone sees while bustling through the hotels on the Strip. He also uses the camera to literally put us in the moment of waking up after a heavy night of drinking to the point of sleeping face down on a linoleum floor in a Sin City suite. By strapping a camera to actor’s Ed Helms’ waist, we get my most favorite visual moment in “Hangover” with Stu, the first to wake up the morning after, and a wobbly, very close up shot and a quick feel for what this particular hangover actually feels like for these guys.

Cons:

- (I know I say it a lot, but…) Unnecessary Nudity!!! – MAN! This is an annoyance I am seeing waaaaay too often these days and “Hangover” is no exception. There’s plenty of BBB (boobs, butts and balls) throughout the hour and half flick that I REALLY didn’t need to see and didn’t, at all, add to the movie.

- Poor Groom – The groom Doug, actor Justin Bartha, is hardly in the darn movie! His worried fiancé has more lines than he does! It would have been great to get flashes of Doug’s memories of the drunken night to help the story along too.

Summary:
“The Hangover” will make you laugh and cringe in unexpected ways, which I applaud, because it’s kind of rare these days. Also, not all the funny moments are in the trailers, which I LOVE, so you’ll be surprised at a lot of the mishaps these boys encounter. It’s creatively written and not too predictable. So, for me, this makes it one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time!

Did you laugh? Where the jokes typical or pretty creative? What did you think of the 4 actors? A good combo or were they lame?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Movie Review - Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

2009-06-02T20:11:00.010-04:00

Ben Stiller’s at it again, running around museums with a huge entourage of the best of the best character actors in the biz only this time he’s in D.C.’s Smithsonian Museums instead of New York’s Museum of Natural History. This is a great family movie to start out the summer movie season. “Museum 2” is creative, fun, witty, and actually has a little bit of history incorporated too. Don’t expect career defining performances, but expect to sit back, relax and enjoy an adventure (Amelia Earhart would be proud!).

Pros:
- History Come to Life – I bet every kid has wondered what it would be like to have the exhibits in a museum spring to life. The two “Museum” movies have brought that exciting day dream to the theaters. The highlights of the second film include Amelia Earhart, of course, Einstein, living photographs (this is a really neat effect), Al Capone, Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte, and a lot more.

- The Visuals – Two special effects that I really enjoyed were: 1) the photographs becoming animated and interacting with the events at the museum (also, Stiller and Adams end up in the famous Sailor kissing a Nurse photo and play out a scene in 1942). And 2) is an effect specific to Al Capone and his men – because their exhibit was in black white, the gangsters remained in black and white even when they came to life! It was fun to watch as the black and white Capone stood next to the very colorful Ivan the Terrible and little Napoleon Bonaparte.

- Amy Adams – Stole every scene she was in! She nailed the 1920’s/1930’s era lingo and speech pattern perfectly. She’s the Adams we all love - lighthearted, a little kooky, but smart and self reliant.

- Hank Azaria – Mostly he’s Kahmunrah (big brother to Museum One’s Ahkmenrah), but also adds the voices to Abe Lincoln and the Thinker statue. Azaria’s flexibility is astonishing – he’s great at choosing the comedic quirks of his characters. Kahmunrah has a bit of lisp and throws a fit when people touch his stuff. He and Adams are enough reason alone to watch Museum 2.

- The Character Actor Guest List – Stiller recruited the top funny folk in the movie industry for this movie. The hilarious ensemble includes - Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, Jay Baruchel, Clint Howard and about half the cast of “The Office.”

Cons:
- Plot, Not So Much – When it comes to movies with you-can’t-wait-to-see-what-happens-next plots, Museum 2 is not one of those movies. But that’s ok, it wasn’t supposed to be.

- Monkey Slapping – I love monkeys! But the scene where Stiller, the Monkey from the first movie and a new Monkey are slapping each other goes on waaaaaay too long!

- Under Utilizing the Talent – Though the cast is impressive, the most talented of them all Robin Williams and Christopher Guest are the least to speak! Even the Neanderthals have more lines!

- The Jonas Brothers – A better choice for the singing Cherubs would have been Justin Timberlake.

Summary:
“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is a great way to spend the afternoon with your kids (young or in their 20’s as per my case). Historical figures left and right are springing into action and interact with Stiller and Adams to help out in unexpected ways. Is it a history lesson with a funny script? Definitely not, but, as my dad said “If it gets even one kid to go home and Google “Sacajawea” then it’s a good thing” (I’m paraphrasing, sorry dad). But is it a funny adventure film with a huge cast of talented character actors? You bet! It may be a rental, but it’s definitely an entertaining summer sequel.

What did you think of the movie? Cheesy sequel or fun film?

Film Review – Terminator Salvation

2009-05-26T18:30:00.005-04:00

Is Christian Bale the guy movie execs go to to restart their former money making franchises? The “Batman” star along with “The Village’s” Bryce Dallas Howard, Anton Yelchin, and Helena Bonham Carter are just some of the top actors chosen to reinvigorate the Terminator legacy. Director McG (known for ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘We Are Marshall’) takes a stab at the series that launched Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stardom. The result is a loud, nonstop, battle movie with a few of the franchises’ key one liners tossed in just for fun. It revolves around the now grown up and married John Connor and life on Earth after the “Judgment Day” event. It is definitely worth seeing in theaters because of the tremendous visual effects, but is it a movie that’ll be up to the “Batman” standards we are used to from Bale? Well, read on if you want to live … or if you’d rather just finish reading the review (P.s. Possible spoilers ahead as well)!

Pros:
- Not So Cheesy – An aspect of sequels that can be annoying, especially from movies with such notable one liners, is that the writers feel they have to repeat these well-known lines like it’ll be cute or something. The writers for “Salvation” did not however over do it with the numerous famous zingers from the original three films. There are a couple throughout the movie, but they are very subtle and the actors delivering the famous quotes don’t ham it up either. Great job!

- Visual Effects – The CG is incredible! Like another highly anticipated summer sequel “Transformers 2” – this movie would not exist without CG – it creates a believable habitat devastated from “Judgment Day” but it is still a location that is recognizable and familiar. The visual artists also did a great job making the Prisoner Transport machines realistic by seamlessly combining the CG with a perfectly replicated set for the actors.

- Won’t Be Left in the Dark – It has been awhile since I’ve seen any of the original “Terminator” films. If you’re like me, fear not, you won’t be left totally in the dark because McG was considerate enough to refresh our memories of the events that occurred during the previous movies at the beginning of “Salvation.” Thanks McG!

- Bryce Dallas Howard – As Conner’s pregnant wife, she and John work great as a tough team plotting against the machines as well as protecting their own people.

Cons:
- Batman Voice Cameo – The only nit picky aspect of the “Batman” movies that I don’t like is Bale’s voice when he’s Batman (versus his normal voice as Bruce Wayne). It sounds unnatural. And, sadly, the Batman voice does come back like a T-800 throughout the film.

- The "Rebar Through The Chest" Trick – A common movie magic trick film makers like to use is this: the main character is relieved he’s finally defeated every last one of his enemies when one of them surprises us all by using his last bit of energy to impale our leading dude through the chest with an object. But, as in typical badass fashion, our hero does not die from his incredibly serious injury, oh no, low and behold he WALKS away alive and ready to be badass another day. John Connor + Rebar + Chest + Walks Away = Me Feeling Cheated by a Cliche

Summary:
Honestly, there are more Pros than Cons for “Terminator Salvation,” which is not what I expected. The lack of clichés (minus the one mentioned above) and corny references to the other movies is pleasantly surprising. The dialog and plot are cohesive and believable. It’ll keep your attention, won’t confuse you with references and the acting isn't over done. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment, so keep an eye out for the review of “Terminator 5” due in 2011, because…

I’ll be back!
(hehe – I couldn’t resist!!)

Do you think “Terminator Salvation” upholds the key aspects of the original three “Terminator” films? What do you think is in store for the next two installments? Anything you particularly loved or hated about “Salvation?”

Theater Review – Wicked

2009-05-26T18:22:00.003-04:00

The national tour of “Wicked” is in town and I was lucky enough to score tickets! My expectations were very high from the get go because the traveling cast features one of the original Broadway actors as well as Tom McGowan seen on “Frasier,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Bad Santa” and others, so the talent was sure to be incredible! “Wicked” absolutely lived up to my expectations. It is full of technological magic, creative and funny songs and the actors are energetic from start to finish! If the tour comes to your area, don’t miss this one of a kind show! You’ll laugh and smile and be taken in by the stories of Galinda and Elphaba.

Pros:
- The Sets – Next to “Les Mis,” “Wicked” has one of the most impressive sets I’ve ever seen. To start with, there’s a movable, light-up dragon at the top of the proscenium arch, there’s a re-creation of the infamous Wizard of Oz floating head, Emerald City’s flashing lights and glimmer, Glinda’s traveling bubble and much more!

- The Songs – Both catchy and memorable. It’s a good thing they sell the soundtrack in the lobby because you’ll want it as soon as the curtain call is through.

- Galinda (yes, that's correct) – Helene Yorke, ‘Galinda/Glinda’ in the version I saw, is so darn cute and full of energy! Her role was originated by Kristin Chenoweth, which can clearly be seen in the mannerisms and quirky voice requirements of the role. But Yorke also brings a great sense of comedic timing and a truly beautiful singing voice to the stage.

- The Make-Up – I really want to know what type of make-up is used to make the Wicked Witch of the West green – from head to toe! She touches people, I’m sure the actress is sweating a little, and it never smears or comes off! Amazing!

- Learning the Back Stories – Not only are the stories of the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch revealed, but “Wicked” also tells us how the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Man come about.

Cons:
- The Second Act – Although everyone in the show is talented, the second act is just a bummer! The songs seem to drag, everything is gloomy, Elphaba’s intentions are all misunderstood, and it just gets to be draining.

Summary:
“Wicked” is a terrific and imaginative show that the audience and actors really seem to enjoy. The national tour was as high a quality as any Broadway show would be. The actors are extremely talented and have beautiful voices. It’s obvious that everyone involved puts forth 110%! I’d see it again without thinking twice!

DVD Review – Chaplin

2009-05-26T17:50:00.010-04:00

Lately I’ve been on a “classic” movie kick. So, to expand my “classics” library (and to feed my crush on Robert Downey Jr.) I watched “Chaplin.” I know little about the real Chaplin except the obvious, that he was undoubtedly one of the most influential physical comedians of early film and that he preferred silent movies to “talkies.” “Chaplin” was made in 1992, and is synonymous with the Iron Man actor, which peeked my interest in it. “Chaplin” had me stop everything and received my full attention - it’s that good. Based on Chaplin’s real autobiography and with an incredible line up of actors (including Chaplin’s own daughter Geraldine Chaplin portraying Chaplin’s mother), it’s a movie made with all the necessary aspects of great movie making.

Pros:

- The Narrative – Told mostly in flashback while Chaplin (Downey) is refining his autobiography with fictional editor played by Anthony Hopkins, he reminisces about everything from being a small child and his first experience performing, to working with his brother, to Vaudeville, to moving to America. The flashback storytelling is effective because it provides an opportunity to bring the audience back to “real time” with Chaplin’s running commentary on his life.

- The Entire Cast – I know I do this a lot, but it really impresses me when such a long list of well established actors come together for one project. So here’s the amazing line up that made “Chaplin”: Robert Downey Jr, Moira Kelly, Geraldine Chaplin, Dan Aykroyd, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, Penelope Ann Miller, Marisa Tomei, Nancy Travis, James Woods, Diane Lane, Kevin Dunn, Milla Jovovich, David Duchovny, and Michael A. Goorjian!

- The Visuals – Although the movie was released in 1992, the creators did a remarkable job of recreating the 1910’s, 20’s and 30’s. They show us what movie studios looked like, what the trains were like and (my favorite) the clothes!

- Robert Downey Jr. – You can’t have a Pros list about this movie without mentioning its star. I don’t think you can mention RDJ without mentioning this movie. Anyone can pull off a “Neo” or the fast driving, cliché spouting drift enthusiast, but to portray a real person is the true test of an actor and their capabilities.

Cons:
- Old Chaplin – The movie goes between present time and Chaplin’s memories. While in present time, the makeup and voice used to portray the famous man are not very subtle or realistic, but more distracting than anything else.

- Unnecessary Nudity – Adding to my list of movie pet peeves is nakedness that isn’t necessary. The beginning of the movie shows Chaplin working in a Vaudeville theater and he helps his co-performers, women, zip up. The door to their dressing room is wide open so the women are seen in all their…I’m not sure “glory” is the right word.

Summary:
“Chaplin” is a well-put together picture that helps those of us who may not be familiar with the innovative movie maker – more familiar with his influence and dedication to the industry. “Chaplin” is a movie that can be appreciated for many different things: the writing, its pace, production quality and, of course, the acting. For me, only seeing it recently, it’s a diamond in the rough during a time of sequels and explosions as the boring norm. It’s a biopic that showcases the hard work of one of the movie industries’ leading men portrayed by one of the modern movie industries leading men.

What did you think about “Chaplin?” Is it Robert Downey Jr.’s best film? His best performance? Is the movie even appealing these days since Chaplin’s (the man) hey days were over quite some time ago?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Wrapping Up “Lost” Season 5

2009-05-19T22:04:00.008-04:00

Well the official count down to the end of the best TV show is on. The fifth season of “Lost” ended this past Wednesday with an explosive finale that unveiled a host of new information and created more questions – as per the usual Lost way. The sixth season was decided a few years ago to be the last, so the producers and writers have 17 episodes to fill in A LOT of missing pieces. The producers promised more answers instead of questions this season – and they held up their end of the bargain. So let’s flashback on Season 5 to some of the top time spinning “Lost” questions that we now have answers to (sigh of relief) as well as some of the best moments!

Questions that Now Have Answers

Question 1 - Season 5 was all about getting the Losties back to the island and uncovering why they needed to go back. One of the biggest mysteries presented at the beginning of season 5 was HOW were the survivors going to get back to their island. In episode 6 “316” we learn that the Oceanic 6 must board Ajira Airways Flight 316 and recreate as much of the original flight as possible including dead Locke representing both himself and Jack’s father, Hurley carrying a guitar, which, I think, represents Charlie, and the pilot who was SUPPOSED to be flying Oceanic Flight 815. And it works!

Question 2 – The island moved?! That’s right, and in the very first episode of Season 5 “Because You Left” we learn what the consequences of Ben pushing the donkey wheel really are. Juliet, Sawyer, Locke, Daniel, Miles, Charlotte and additional Losties and Freighter folk see a bright light then start skipping through history at random.

Question 3 – How did Locke die? In the episode "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" the Season 4 cliff hanger – Locke in a coffin – is resolved. After what can definitely be considered a bad day, Locke tries to kill himself, but is interrupted by Ben, who gets important information out of Locke and subsequently kills him.

Question 4 – Who is Jacob? For a while now we’ve been hearing of this Jacob. I don’t know about you, but I thought that Jacob was using Christian Shephard’s body as a way to move, speak, etc. But we found out that, like Ben, we’ve never actually seen him before – until the season finale.

Question 5 – How does Eloise Hawking, Daniel Faraday’s mother, know so much about traveling to and from the island? – in “Jughead” we are introduced to Ellie (a.k.a. Eloise Hawking) as being an Other in 1956 when Daniel, Charlotte and Miles are captured by them and brought to the site of a hydrogen bomb.

Key Moments

– “This Place is Death” – Convinced he needs to leave the island, die and bring the Oceanic 6 back, Locke turns the same time warping donkey wheel that Ben turned (the only difference – Locke does it with a compound fracture to the leg and sees Jack’s dead father who asks Locke to tell his son “hello” for him).

– “The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham” – After multiple failed attempts at trying to get the Oceanic 6 back to the island, learning his former love is dead, getting contradictory information from both Ben and Widmore, Locke attempts to hang himself. He’s interrupted by Ben, who talks him down only to murder him a few minutes later.

– “He’s Our You” – One of the most surprising moments in the season occurs after an innocent meeting between Young Ben and Sayid. Forming a quick bond, so Young Ben thinks, Young Ben unlocks Sayid from a cage so that they can escape the Dharma camp together. But while running away, Sayid acts on what he thinks is his reason for coming back to the Island – he shoots Young Ben in the chest.

– “The Lie” – Although this moment didn’t really have a large effect on the show’s story, it was a great way to express the loveable character that is Hurley. In “The Lie” the Oceanic 6 have been off the island for only a little while and pure hearted Hurley is distraught about having to lie about his life there. In one breath, Hurley unveils everything to his mother - who believes him.

- “The Incident” – While discussing whether or not to detonate a hydrogen bomb and reset history Jack and Sawyer get into a brutal fight including a well timed, comical yet bad ass leg kick to the groin.

What were some of your favorite moments from this season? What questions are you looking forward to being answered in the show’s final season?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Summer 2009 Movie Preview

2009-04-26T11:28:00.012-04:00

The summer is the best season for movies! Films have even moved their debut dates in order to be a part of this steamy time of year. And with the economy still as sticky as a movie theater floor in August, cinema execs are anxious to see what the summer of ’09 will bring. Here are 6 films to sit in the a.c. and enjoy this summer…

June

June 5th – Away We Go – I saw this trailer during “Adventureland” and promptly (and semi legibly) scribbled down the release date so I wouldn’t forget. This “road trip” comedy starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph is about a couple having their first child who travel from friend to family member in order to find a place they can call home for their new little one. The ensemble cast is impregnated with our favorite character actors including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels, and Catherine O'Hara just to name a few. This dramedy is sure to be chocked full of outlandish parenting advice, touching moments and lots of laughs.

June 24th – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Summer is a time when the industry likes to pump out sequels and 2009 is no exception. Just from the trailer “Transformers 2” looks promising with more action, total destruction, CG galore and an intriguing back story. Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf – who was in a car accident and seriously injured his left hand during the time he was making the movie) learns more about the history of the giant robots wreaking havoc worldwide in countries like Egypt, Paris and the US. I’ve also read that there is some IMAX footage, which only adds more excitement to the eye popping special effects.

July

July 1st – Public Enemies – If I was a movie exec and you pitched this film to me all you would have to say is “Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.” “Sold! Where do I sign?!” That’s how easily I'd agree. As an added bonus, this movie is directed by the hugely successful Michael Mann (‘Collateral,’ ‘Ali,’ ‘The Insider,’ ‘Heat,’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans’). “Enemies” is a crime drama about infamous, depression era bank robber John Dillinger (Depp) and the clean cut FBI agent on Dillinger’s tale Melvin Purvis (Bale). With behind the scenes accounts that Bale was in character 24/7 and that Depp was as giddy as a school girl at the opportunity to handle Dillinger’s actual brief case – this film is producing expectations of being the only summer hit that will be remembered at Oscar time.

July 15th – Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – This shouldn’t be on the summer ’09 list, but the head honchos who made “Prince” wanted to move the film to the summer for financial reasons. The latest installment of the JK Rowling series is ready to be showcased on the big screen. A darker story yet focusing on the origins of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named with a number of memory type flashback sequences that hold a lot of information for Harry. We also get a little more love in our favorite Hogwarts’ students lives (but I won’t tell you who in case you haven’t read the book).

August

August 21st - Inglourious Basterds – Yes, that’s spelled correctly. The latest movie by Quentin Tarantino starring Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, B.J. Novak and Cloris Leachman – is a movie with two stories combined. The first revolves around some Jewish-American soldiers out to take down a group of Nazis. The second revolves around a young Jewish woman who witnessed the death of her family and plots to avenge them while working at a movie theater. How do these two stories relate? The movie theater is the key (oh the irony).

August 28th – The Boat That Rocked – About a week ago I’d never heard of this movie, but then the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly landed in my mailbox and all I had to do was read the cast for this summer film to catch my attention. “Rocked” stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”), Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, January Jones (“Mad Men”), Rhys Darby (“Yes Man”), Jack Davenport (the “Pirates” series), Nick Frost (“Hot Fuzz”), Rhys Ifans (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”), Kirsty Mather (“Mamma Mia”), and Tom Wisdom (“300”). I mean…wow! What a line up! AND it’s directed by the man who gave us “Love Actually” – Richard Curtis.

What summer movies are you looking forward to? Can’t wait to see the ones mentioned above?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

DVD Review – “Twilight”

2009-04-03T19:10:00.008-04:00

Summit Entertainment’s hit vampire flick “Twilight” is now on DVD. The film, based on the best selling series by Stephenie Meyer, in the theaters grossed over $376 million Worldwide (and had the 4th largest opening weekend gross for 2008) according to Box Office Mojo. But how does the DVD compare to the excitement theater goers felt? My only request for the next film (New Moon in theaters November 20, 2009) when it's available on DVD is bloopers!

Let’s uncover its secrets of “Twilight” on DVD…

If you buy the DVD from Target you get the 3 disk special edition (yippy!). The movie (of course) in addition to a “Special Features” and a “Bonus Features” DVD. Here are some of the highlights from the extra two disks:

- The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen: This is one of my favorite features mostly because of the interviews with some of the key characters. The interviews are interspersed with footage from when the movie was being filmed and features commentary from a lot of the crew - everyone from the director to the special effects person to the casting director to screen writers to the author herself. As a movie geek I love learning how a film was made, so this Bonus Feature is particularly interesting to me, but even for non-geeks it gives outsiders a very in-depth but not too technical look into a hit film (and if you are a fan of the books you’ll love this section because throughout are the actors discussing how they develop and interpret their characters and situations – very interesting!).

- If you’re a fan of the books then you’ll love what’s on the third DVD from Target. An interview with the humble author Stephenie Meyer. She discusses everything from how she came up with the idea for Twilight to the mythology within the series to her first fan letter to becoming a New York Times best selling author. It’s sweet to hear how she perceives the world she’s created within this series.

- Becoming Edward – Want to know what actor Robert Pattinson thinks about his character – the perfect and pained Edward Cullen? Find out this and a lot more about the very talented British actor in a feature titled “Becoming Edward.”

- Becoming Bella – If you’ve ever wanted the description of an award winning actor listen to the movie director, screen writer and author talk about Bella’s Kristen Stewart. Stewart talks to the cameras about who Bella is and how complicated she is. She repeats “I didn’t know what I was getting into until after I had signed up to do the film.”

- Piano Concert – A tasty treat also on the third disk is Pattinson playing “Bella’s Lullaby” on the piano. Creative camera angles make the concert a delight to watch as the soothing melody is played out by the actor/musician. It gives new meaning to “tickling the ivories” to watch Pattinson play.

What are your favorite bonus features from the Twilight DVD?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Movie Review – "Stardust"

2009-03-30T20:48:00.010-04:00

What a wonderful discovery this movie was. Having placed it on my NetFlix list on a whim, I was pleasantly surprised when my friends chimed up and all said they thought favorably of the film when I mentioned it. It’s creative, funny and attractive to watch. Staring Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, and Michelle Pfeiffer - it's a film about one man’s adventure after he crosses the wall.

Pros:

- Creativity – Think of all the different types of fairy tales. Now picture the best parts of each story and smoosh them together into one legend. "Stardust" is kinda like that – witches, ghosts, love, challenges, lessons learned, etc.

- It’s Funny – I will admit that I completely underestimated this movie in regards to its humor. It’s very witty. It’s not gut busting hilarious, but it’s a level of humor adults will enjoy (and appreciate).

- The Acting – Minus the British accents from Danes and Pfeiffer, the performances are interesting, keeping your attention and having you wanting to learn more about them. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more from England’s own Charlie Cox (look for him in “1939” also staring Bill Nighy and Julie Christie).

- The Soundtrack – It reminds me of “Pirates of the Caribbean” which is great because they both create an epic feel. The epic, tough, life altering journey for a movie’s hero.

- It’s Kinda Gross – I like that it doesn’t sugar coat or pan away some of the gruesome death sequences yet doesn't have blood squirting every where either.

- Robert De Niro - He's just a given, but I didn't want to post a review without mentioning him. I think you should rent this movie just to see Jake La Motta as you have never seen him before (hehe).

Cons:

- There’s a Lot Going On – There are … (thinking…counting) 4, I think, stories going on. Nope, I think it's 5. And the main story, Tristan (Cox) trying to bring home a fallen star (Danes), gets very complicated (otherwise it would be a very short film, right?) and goes off on many tangents (a.k.a. adventures).

- The British Accents – Danes’ accent is distracting, but if you can put that out of your mind (and ears) the rest of her acting is great!

- A Little Predictable – I bet you can guess the ending if you haven’t seen the movie. Although I did get a little scared that the happily ever after wasn’t going to happen, but that quickly passed (as I had predicted).

Summary:
Check out “Stardust” I bet you’d be surprised by the quality of this film. I regret not seeing it in the movie theater because the scenery and CG would have been enhanced by the theater’s technology. It’s funny and beautifully shot. It suites it’s running time and will leave you smiling. Just pretend that Claire Danes doesn’t have an accent and you have a grade “A” movie on your hands (or in your DVD player as it were).

What did you think of the movie? Did you see it in the theater? Danes’ accent, did it bug you as much as it did me?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

DVD Review – Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

2009-03-24T20:03:00.008-04:00

Is there a musician or band out there that’s really weird but that you and a few select friends really love? Have an ex that keeps playing games with you? Did you meet someone unexpectedly while out enjoying that weird musician/band at the same venue as the ex? If you answered “Yes” then you will definitely be able to relate to “Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.” If you liked Juno you’d probably like N & N – done in the same style and with some of the same cast. The perfect way to summarize this movie comes from critic Roger Ebert, “It sort of ambles along, with two nice people at the center of a human scavenger hunt.”

Pros:

- Unique – N & N borrows some from other teen flicks, but it isn’t really cliché until the end. I admire movies I feel like I haven’t seen (even though I probably wouldn’t see it again).

- The Cast – the young actors that dash back and forth across the streets of NY are a talented young and promising group. Michael Cera – from Juno is loveable and funny without being outlandishly funny. Kat Dennings – who is fairly unknown is wonderful! She’s naturally quirky and nice. Ari Graynor – is HILARIOUS as the drunk friend, we will definitely being seeing more from her.

- The Cast As a Whole – The movie is full of well acted, semi non archetype characters that seem to be an accurate representative of the current youth.- The setting – Running around New York City at night looks like a lot of fun (and totally safe!). It’s a beautiful location and easy to see why so many films are shot there.

Cons:

- It Drags – It’s slow. I did a couple of other things while watching the movie and didn’t miss anything.

- Michael Cera – He’s good, but I want to see him do something else before I deem him a reason to see a movie.

- Mom & Dad – Non-existent in the movie. No one gets a call from their folks wondering where there are all night. My parents would have at least wanted a check in if I was going to be out late.

- No Mystery – From the second we see Nick and Norah meet we don’t doubt these two will end up together. No mystery = a little predictable.

Summary:

I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. I’m picky about my teen movies because I feel like it’s difficult to make a good movie that really represents who teenagers are without perpetuating the usual characters, situations, etc. Plus it does have a fun sound track and you can’t beat NYC at night. N & N is fun, but a little slow, but creative too. Interesting mix just like the music.

Did you go out and buy the soundtrack after seeing this film? What did you think of the movie? Creative, cliché, boring?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Is the Economy Hurting Your Social Life?

2009-03-24T19:55:00.004-04:00

I’m a twenty something, single participant in the U.S. economy. Recently, though, I find that due to the current times I am restricted in many aspects of life that shouldn’t have restrictions. I don’t know about you, but this recession is affecting my living situation (beyond foreclosures), my love life and the fun things I do to de-stress!

Living Situation - First I feel like I’m lucky because I don’t own a home right now. I recently moved out of my parent’s house. The only way I could afford this was because a friend cut me a good deal. That was a year ago and now rent is going up and I’d like to live on my own. But I can’t. Rent is a pretty penny and if it were just rent that cut into my bank account each month, I might be ok, but then there’s water, electric, cable, Internet, phone, etc. I think it’s crazy that I have a college degree and can’t afford my own apartment to rent.

Love life – Being 26 and single can be fun, but hard economic times do not inspire romance. I stopped my subscription to eHarmony (the $50 a month would be better spent on things like…food). My friends and I don’t go out as much which limits the opportunities to meet new people. I have been trying things like going to the local bookstore or café on a Friday or Saturday night, but they are deserted because no one is spending money on items like lattes and magazines. The gym is a no go too, because the cost just doesn’t work into my budget (and sweating doesn’t exactly put me in the mood for love).

Fun & De-stressing - I’ve recently discovered ATVing, but money has certainly flattened the tire on this hobby. Gas for the car, the ATV rentals (which are hard to find on the East Coast) so then there’s the hotel stay, food, etc, etc. Even simple activities like going to the movies. I LOVE the movies. Half my blog is about movies, but I’ve cut back because ticket prices have gone up and my paychecks haven’t.

One of the aspects of daily life that’s become more prevalent is the fact that it’s difficult to just go and buy something. Now there’s more planning and saving involved for things, simple things like say…a bike! Bikes aren’t the most expensive items in the world, but one has to plan and save to even consider putting a $100 down on a single item where as before I feel like it was easier to just go out, get a Schwinn and enjoy the day.

How has the economy impacted your daily life? Have you had to change or limit the things you do? Does it affect your social life, the things you do to de-stress? Any advice?

Thanks for reading!

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Movie Review – "Taken"

2009-03-13T19:27:00.002-04:00

“Taken” staring Liam Neeson and his butt kicking skills, is everything the cliché, feel good, action flick should be - in a good way. The standard plot complete with the rescue of a lady (in this case Neeson’s character’s daughter), someone who doubts the rescuer’s abilities (in this case a cold ex wife remarried to a very wealthy man), bad guys to beat up and locations other than America for the action to take place. The plot’s a little unrealistic, the situations are some that normal folks would never end up in, but go see this movie if only for Neeson’s performance – his acting is natural and not cheesy and he kicks some real bad guy booty – it’s impressive!

Taken’s plot involves Neeson’s daughter being kidnapped while vacationing in Paris with a friend. Neeson plays an ex spy out to get her back no matter whose neck he needs to break. The journey brings audiences into a world of trafficking young women and some of the good people don’t make it out alive.

Pros:

- Liam Neeson, Liam Neeson – He’s on screen for about 98% of the film and deservingly so. The man, 56 years old, takes what can typically be a very formulaic role similar to David Caruso on CSI Miami, and makes him a protective father desperate to reconnect with his daughter. Also, it is clear that Neeson trained for this movie. His fight scenes are worthy of any action film but age appropriate, which is nice.

-Ooh-la-la de Paris – Paris is beautiful (except for the parts with rundown streets full of prostitutes that are beaten for talking to non paying men).

-Time Constraints - It’s actually a decent length! At just about an hour and a half every minute is full and doesn’t drag.

-The Action - A pet peeve of mine in action movies happens when the bad guys shoot and miss their targets and the good guys never get shot. Well, Neeson gets shot, kicked, hit in the head with household stuff, punched, and other painful things.

Cons:

-Maggie Grace – Not her acting, don’t get me wrong, the former Lost star is a lovely actress, however I think the 25 year old is too old to be playing 17 and it seems a little odd to see her dressed in costume like clothing to make her look younger. Again, her acting is good, but why couldn’t the daughter just be 21 or something?

-The Car Chase – There are a of couple car chases, but one in particular just seemed as if they taped it at about 30 miles an hour and speed up the film. Also, Neeson, who is driving, swerves in and out of A LOT of cars and doesn’t even nick a side mirror. Hmmm. Maybe the cars in Paris have amazing handling that American cars don’t.

Summary:

Yeah maybe wait for “Taken” to come out on Blu-Ray to see it, but whatever you do, don’t miss it. Neeson is terrific (almost too good of an actor for his surroundings in the film – if that makes sense). Paris is beautiful and the action is what it should be for this genre.

What did you think of Neeson’s performance? Any pro’s or con’s to this movie?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Thyroid Cancer and Me Part 2 – RAI Treatment

2009-03-13T19:11:00.005-04:00

RAI – Radioactive Iodine – treatment is a common way of treating Thyroid cancer and used after surgery to kill any left over thyroid tissue, which is what my situation is. I had a total thyroidectomy in November, but it wasn’t enough. I ended up needing the radiation treatment too. It wasn’t fun, but it was manageable. So, let’s start from the beginning.

About 2-3 weeks before taking the RAI pill, to prepare the body to make the most of the radioactive iodine, I am on a diet. This Low Iodine Diet is one of the most complicated diets out there. It restricts the intake of iodine which is found in salt (except non iodized salt), which is in EVERYTHING! And it restricts the intake of dairy. Grocery shopping takes 3 hours now because I stop and read every label and I mean this very literally. I’m used to hot pockets and pizza which I cannot have for 3 weeks. Luckily, I found 1 recipe that I really enjoy – a fajita recipe that I am going to eat a lot. I make my own salad dressing and pasta salad. (Try the Low Iodine Cookbook for here - http://www.thyca.org/Cookbook.pdf).

I’m a junk food-aholic. I love ice cream and chocolate – but it’s off limits. I am not a cook, and it’s difficult learning how to cook in such a short time frame (meaning tonight because I’m starving). One of the first challenges during the initial weekend on the diet is a catered engagement party and a bridal shower – both of which I can eat nothing. It is tempting and I complain a lot (thank you to my friends and family who put up with me!). And the bridal shower is embarrassing because I am the pale skinny quiet girl who isn’t eating the nice delicious food. Goodness knows what the girls (none of whom I know) think of me by the end of the afternoon. For someone who enjoys eating, this diet is torture. My energy level is dropping, my brain is getting foggy (I also stop taking my Thyroid hormone to force the body into hypothyroidism which is no fun at all). So the whole situation stinks and is difficult for others to understand.

On Monday, 5 days before I’m to take the radiation, I get blood work done. My doctor has to make sure my “levels” are low enough for the treatment. I’m not sure what levels he’s talking about, I just know I’ve tried my hardest not to have iodine, so I will be very very mad if my “levels” aren’t right. Plus, I’ve already filled out the medical leave paper work at my office to take the allotted time off for the RAI treatment and I’m not sure what to do if I have to reschedule. So I go to the lab in the morning and by the end of the day my Endocrinologist calls to tell me my levels are …(drum roll please) at the right level. Everything can go as planned.

Friday (the day of) I’m taking a half day at work. I arrive at the hospital to receive the radiation pill. There’s another girl here about my age and we talk. This is her second time doing the RAI, her thyroid cancer came back a little. The lab tech reassures me he doesn’t see many patients of my Endocrinologist come back a second time. The other woman wasn’t a patient of my doctor’s during her first RAI treatment, but now she is. Then I find out I am taking not one radioactive pill, but two. Yes two! When my Endocrinologist arrives the technician gets the other woman’s pill first. It’s in a weird lead space capsule thing and they put it in one of those plastic pill cups because it’s dangerous to touch with the hands, yet ok to be swallowed. I take both pills. My doctor warns there may be some nausea, my taste buds might go a little dead, and of possible swelling in the neck because the radiation comes through the saliva glands.

Oh! Did I mention that I’m in isolation for a week? Yep! Another huge chunk of time away from work and people – everyone – at least 6 feet at all times. But I get to do this at home and not in the hospital.

Once I take the pills I head home and call my folks to tell them I feel fine, which I do. I’m surprised. 24 hours later though I’m singing a different song. I feel awful. All I want to do is sleep. And that’s all I do – for 4 days. I sleep through the Superbowl. The only way I eat is when my poor mother comes over and makes me food. By Tuesday I’m also drinking Ensure, but that’s all I do because I just can’t do anything else. Monday I get my first scan. I’m exhausted. A shower wears me out and I fall asleep on the way to the hospital. Thank goodness my mom is driving. The scan takes forever and it’s a little scary. Parts of the scanner come very close to my face and stay there for about 20 minutes.

4 days later I finally feel alright to do some of the things I had planned for my time away from work. I planned a lot of tasks not knowing the radiation would wipe me out. No one prepared me for the complete exhaustion and sickness I would feel. But thankfully it’s over now and I re-arrange my closet.

Another odd side effect I’m discovering is that my taste buds are a little stunned or asleep or something. This is disappointing considering the bland diet I was just on. I was excited about the idea of being able to eat my favorite foods again only to find that I cannot fully taste their deliciousness. Finally on the last day of isolation I have another scan. This one is more annoying because I am not as tired and begin to get anxious.

Once the 7 days of isolation are over I clean everything, particularly the kitchen, which I share with a roommate. I used gloves to reduce contaminating things (even though my doctor said it was ok if I touched something and then my roommate touched it). I do a thorough cleaning then go out with a friend to celebrate. And that is the end of that.

I have a checkup at the beginning of April – 4 and ½ months after my surgery. So who knows what the future holds, but I will definitely update you all when I find out.

Thanks for reading.

Have you had to take the RAI treatment? Are you about to do it? On the Low Iodine Diet? Tell me your stories!

This post is dedicated to Maria a mom of 2 who is about to have her surgery and then receive the RAI treatment. Good luck my new friend and keep us posted!

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

TV Review – 81st Oscar Awards

2009-02-27T18:47:00.002-05:00

Sunday February 22nd on ABC aired the 81st annual Oscars – the awards for the very best in the film industry. The show’s producers promised a new take on the old ceremony and they delivered in what was, in my opinion, one of the finest Oscars in years. Some of the highlights – Hugh Jackman, past winners honoring new winners, and quality films winning the awards they deserve.

The night started with one of the greatest opening performances I can remember. Hugh Jackman as the host brought life, energy and a genuine sense of “I’m honored to be doing this” to the stage. He made a few jokes but then began to do one of the things he does best – musical theater. His routine incorporated a “slimmed down” set due to the recession complete with cardboard recreations of some of the evening’s movies. His song summed up a few of the nominated films but also brought up questions such as “why wasn’t "The Dark Knight" nominated for Best Film? Everyone saw the movie, so why wasn’t it receiving more nominations?”

Another new tactic of the awards was to have previous winners of the major acting awards honor the current nominees. The 4 times this occurred during the night it was elegant and emotional. It was obvious that the kind words spoken by previous winners were genuine and that the nominees were touched by their compliments and praises.

The Oscar’s momentum carried through the hours complete with a Bollywood routine. The singers and dancers performed to the 3 songs nominated for Best Original Song – two from the night’s biggest winner “Slumdog Millionaire.” However, momentum slowed when it came time to honor those who have passed away. Queen Latifah sang beautifully as the traditional montage of photographs of our dearly departed showed on the screen. What broke the momentum was that the cameras had to pan between the screen and Latifah instead of what they usually do which is play the montage as the video feed with no cameras involved. This made it difficult to read the names and their jobs which is a personal favorite "things to do” for me.

One endearing moment came when the award for Best Supporting Actor was announced. As most speculated, Heath Ledger won (the most deserving I must say, not because of his sad passing but because his version of the Joker is an amazing character and surely would have sky rocked Ledger’s career). The endearing part occurred when his parents and sister accepted the award on his behalf and on behalf of his daughter. It wasn’t a stuffy old actor who accepted the award it was the people who knew him best and miss him the most. It was very moving and a great testament to how Ledger was revered within the movie biz and within society and his family.

The funniest moment was Sean Penn’s acceptance speech for Best Actor for his portrayal in "Milk." Quote, “You Commie, homo-loving sons of guns.” What I loved most was the actor’s admission to being difficult is all senses of the word. He confessed, “that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often.” Could this be a revelation that maybe the actor needs to calm his outspoken, controversial ways? Naaaaaah, I think it’s just him, making it clear, that he’s aware he’s controversial.

In the end, the right people and movies received the right awards (although I think "The Dark Knight" should have been a contender for Best Picture because it truly was an amazing movie). Hugh Jackman won us over with his charm and musical theater capabilities. There were more people on the Best Dressed list than the other one this year and one of America’s most expensive and money hungry businesses accepted the fact that the world is changing and that money may not make the theater-goer’s world go ‘round – Slumdogs make theater-goer’s worlds go ‘round. Congratulations to all the night’s winners and to the movie industry.

Theater Review - Excalibur Hotel's Tournament of Kings in Las Vegas

2009-02-21T15:11:00.005-05:00

If the name of the show doesn’t sound familiar, that’s alright. Most people might remember it from the movie “The Cable Guy.” But trust me, if you saw the poster you’d know exactly what I’m talking about. The show at the Excalibur hotel in Las Vegas, “The Tournament of Kings” is a live action show and sit down dinner recreating the times of jousting and Knights. It’s a great way to spend an evening in Sin City.

When you first arrive you are seated in a specific section. Pay attention to where you sit as this will come into play later in the show. You get a full dinner that’s delicious (start out with drinks [yes they serve alcohol]), then the first course is a warm and tasty tomato soup. Personally I don’t like tomato soup, but this concoction from the kitchen of the Excalibur is just too appetizing to pass up. Next is a Cornish hen, twice-baked potatoes, broccoli, and a roll. I’ve never had a Cornish hen before but it’s mouth-watering and tastes better than chicken. The Excalibur’s chef covers the hen in his or her own mixture of spices and you soon won’t forget this yummy meal. But the final course, dessert, is a let down.

Lets talk about the show. It’s corny and cheesy, but oh so much fun. And if you’ve even been in a play you’ll appreciate the sheer amount of choreography and blocking that’s taking place. The actors (mostly men – and terrific eye candy for the ladies) enter and introduce themselves and you become familiar with the King of the section you are sitting in. There’s a lot of crowd cheering, chanting and booing that’ll keep kids and adults engaged throughout the whole show. The actual tournament is very physical and exciting. It’s a great piece of entertainment that no one should pass up while in Las Vegas.

What did you think of the show? Would you say this is a good family show? Is it a fun event to do while in Vegas?

Movie Review – Reservation Road

2009-02-21T13:45:00.002-05:00

Have you heard of this movie? I hadn’t. I don’t even remember why I put it on my Netflix list, but I did. And after watching it I think more people should be adding it their Netflix lists. Reservation Road is one of the best movies I’ve seen since The Dark Knight and way better than a lot of movies nominated for the 2009 Oscars. So, why don’t I even remember this movie being in theaters? I’m afraid we’ll never know, but what we do know is that this film starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning and Eddie Alderson is intense and moving and deserving of more buzz than it received.

Reservation Road is a twisting, dark road that is the scene of a tragic accident. Josh the son of Ethan (Joaquin Phoenix) and Grace (Jennifer Connelly) is struck by an SUV and dies. The SUV’s driver (Mark Ruffalo) leaves the scene with his own son in the car. The movie shows us both sides of the tragedy – how the parent’s of the deceased boy deal with this terrible loss to their family and how the killer deals with the guilt of knowing he’s to blame. In a surprise twist, Ethan seeks legal help from the SUV driver’s law firm and the driver is assigned to the case adding an extra layer of complexity to his feelings on the situation. The acting is wonderful. It’s very intense for a lot of the film, but the situation calls for it. The pacing of the film is appropriate too. We start out with the accident, then funeral, then grieving and it’s many phases. As well as the building guilt Ruffalo’s character experiences as time goes on and as his connections to the family increase. The most compelling part of the film I thought was the end. It ties the two storylines together. Both Phoenix and Ruffalo’s characters are fathers and where one is left without a son – once Ruffalo’s secret is revealed his son is left without a father.

From the scenic New England landscape to the thorough roller coaster of emotions and actions expressed through the script and through the acting – Reservation Road is definitely worth a rental, just make sure you have some tissues near by.

Seven Pounds - Film Reviews

2008-12-28T22:13:00.002-05:00

“The Pursuit of Happyness” director Gabriele Muccino and its star Will Smith are together again creating a movie about the tough times in life. Smith takes us through Ben Thomas’ life full of sorrow, regret and purpose as though he wasn’t in a movie meaning there’s not a lot of exposition. Even though the ending isn’t the surprise twist I was expecting, it’s still nice and not completely expected.

Pros:
- Will Smith – I am making the official statement that he is by far one of my favorite actors. The man is talented. Similar to “The Pursuit of Happyness” we are shown that life isn’t always wonderful. But unlike “Happyness” the struggles aren’t job or homeless related. We see another very common human struggle – that of grief and regret. Smith’s talents are seen in both his acting range (from suicidal to justice seeker to falling in love) and in his abilities to play these extremes realistically. That’s not easy.

- The Story – It’s unconventional and things clearly don’t happen as they would in real life. But sometimes stories in real life are just that – unconventional and don’t stick to the norm.

- The Characters – Each is their own and is not a caricature. One thing I hate in movies is when characters play out the same way they’ve played out before. Men have heart to hearts in bars. Sick women cough a lot. Etc. The leading roles in “Pounds” all march to their own beat within Thomas’ band. It is sometimes odd, but it works. My favorite is Rosario Dawson, she’s not your average ingénue.

Cons:
- Length – Recently there’s been a trend of movies that are too long or drag in parts or don’t connect enough in others. I think we need to send the current Directors, Editors, Producers, Writers and who ever else is responsible for the pacing of a movie back to film school. “Seven Pounds” is too long and drags in a spot or two.

- The Jellyfish – Smith’s character has a jellyfish and it has an important part during the film. I don’t want to say too much, but my question is “Why?” There must be better ways.

Summary:
I don’t think it’ll be nominated for anything, but I liked it. It’s a little different than most films with the same “good deeds” theme. And although a million questions run through your head during the first, say 130 minutes of the movie, the director reveals enough along the way so that you’re not in total “What the heck?” mode. I like that they don’t reveal Thomas’ true intentions until the end.

What did you think? Hit or miss for Smith? Did the jellyfish thing bother you as much as it did me?

Movie Review - Yes Man

2008-12-28T22:03:00.004-05:00

“Yes Man” is the latest comedy from the always wacky Jim Carrey. The film is an adaptation of the novel written by Danny Wallace. It’s a slightly predictable, yet loveable movie about opportunity and what life may throw at you if just stop saying “No” and start saying ... you know!

Pros:
- Jim Carrey – Some critics are saying “no” to Carrey saying that this is a duplicate of “Liar, Liar.” I agree that they’re similar, but what actor hasn’t found a niche and stuck with it? I think some critics are missing the point of “Yes Man.” Carl (Carrey) has been stuck in a funk since getting divorced and is loosing touch with his closest friends by always saying “no” to social invites. But by saying “yes” to all opportunities, Carl sees that life is still worth enjoying. Who can’t relate to that?! Carrey isn’t Ace Ventura any more. He’s not Dumb and Dumber any more. He’s finding age appropriate work that can still show case his funny abilities but also the fact that he can act too and not just with funny voices.

- The Plot – It’s simple and realistic. Saying “Yes” all the time doesn’t win Carl the lottery, doesn’t allow him to meet any celebrities, and doesn’t get him super cool stuff. Instead he reconnects with his closest friends, helps people, and travels (to Nebraska, but hey, I said it was realistic). He ends up enjoying most of it and who doesn’t want to finally take those flying lessons and have it go well?

Cons:
- It’s a little long.

- Shoulda put Zooey Deschanel in it more.

- It’s a little predictable, but that doesn’t take away from the endearing element of reconnecting with the important people in your life and rediscovering that life isn’t just your job.

Summary:
I liked “Yes Man” even though it was predicable. It has a positive look on life and friends and I think people need more of that these days. Jim Carrey is warm, Zooey Deschanel is adorable and the supporting cast helps the story along. I say “Yes” to “Yes Man.”

Do you think this film is too similar to “Liar, Liar?” Has Carrey lost his flare? What did you think about the movie?

Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Me

2008-12-28T21:50:00.006-05:00

I’m doing the cliché thing and writing a blog post about my recent adventure with Papillary Thyroid Cancer, which obviously has nothing to do with movies or work, so we’ll squeeze it in under the “random” category and say it fits. I'm hoping that others in the same boat will read this and find out about some of the bumps and twists I’ve encountered that I hadn’t read about or been told of. I'm also hoping that others will share their experiences. Maybe you were recently diagnosed, or your surgery is in a few weeks, or you’re a recent post-op like me. Whatever your case may be, below is my adventure and I would love to hear yours, so please post comments or links to your blog, advice, or whatever you'd like to share below.

(Warning - Personal details are mentioned in this. I just want to give you a heads up before you start reading) It’s late August and while brushing my teeth I notice a small lump on the lower right side of my neck. Having never noticed it before, I decide to go to my doctor. He moves the lump around, pokes it and other stuff and doesn’t seem too concerned. He recommends an ultrasound and a specialist, just to make sure. The ultrasound reveals that not only do I have one thyroid nodule (the one I went to the doctor for), but that I have another one, on the left side of my thyroid. The specialist, an Endocrinologist, does another ultrasound and decides to do a fine needle aspiration biopsy. I’m terrified of needles, but I know it is important. He has a wonderful nurse who explains every tool to me and walks me through the biopsy. No panic attack, yeah! After another week of waiting (and a week before my 26th birthday) I get a call from the specialist. I don’t remember his exact words, but in summary the Endocrinologist says, “Your biopsy results came back as highly suspicious for cancer.” He mentions that since there are two nodules and one came back suspicious, surgery would be the best option. SURGERY! Eeek! This is when I tell my boss and my friends. I am not telling my immediate coworkers yet though, I am waiting until I have an actual surgery date to break the news to them as well as my extended family.

Another week or so goes by and I meet with the surgeon the Endocrinologist recommended. He’s extremely friendly and upbeat and reassures me that there will be no hideous scar. He tells me I’ll be out of work for 2 whole weeks. More time goes by before his nurse calls to schedule the surgery. I now have a date. November 17th, 2008 will be the day that, for me, lives in infamy. Now I can finally feel comfortable sharing my news with everyone.

My coworkers are great about it. Nothing but hugs and sympathy and advice. And that night I write my extended family an email. My close friends are happy for me that the waiting is over, they know how I hate uncertainty. My parents and brother start planning their time off from work to help and stay with me at the hospital. Everything is in the works – thank goodness.

My last week at work is a doosey. This is the week it seems that all my clients decide to call. It is exhausting. Conveniently, my last Friday is a potluck lunch! Yummy!

The weekend before the surgery is great. It’s Friday night and I’m going out to a dinner with just my girlfriends. One friend is a nurse at the Children’s Hospital for the Kings Daughters. I feel bad, I told her about the surgery during her bachelorette party. Our Girls Dinner is great. Everyone gives me hugs and well wishes on our way out.

Saturday I do things around the house to prepare for my stay at the hospital (which I have never done before) as well as a stay at my parents house while recovering for a few days. Saturday night I plan on sleeping a lot. Sunday is my day with my family. We go out to eat, to a movie and relax at the house. I am sleeping there the night before the surgery because my mom is taking me to the hospital in the morning.

November 17th - Monday morning – Surgery Day. I don’t have to be at the hospital until 12 pm, but, while in the shower, they call to see if we can come in early. My mom and I get a head start to the craziest part of my adventure. We arrive, check in and finally get escorted to the prep area. First there are a lot of questions that I have already answered 5 times previously. Then I have to put on a hospital gown and then the IV. As mentioned before, I’m terrified of needles. I freak out of course, which is the strangest feeling because it’s uncontrollable. And then it is done. The anasesiologist pays a visit. And finally my surgeon comes in, meets my folks, checks out my neck and where the incision will be made. A lot of other people come in with scrubs already on and introduce themselves, but I can’t concentrate. I know, since the surgeon has just been in that it is getting close to zero hour. And sure enough, I start to feel sleepy. At this hospital a lullaby is played over the loud speaker when a baby is born and as soon as the nurses administered the sleepy meds and start to wheel me away, the lullaby comes on. We all have a nice laugh. I have a brief flash of being wheeled down some halls and the actual OR, but then it’s black and my life’s about to change.

I wake up in my hospital room with the door open and a couple of nurses, my family and a family friend around me. Everyone tells me I am ok and that the surgery is over. The surgeon comes in and tells me it went fine but when he opened me up he could see that it was in fact cancer. I really did have thyroid cancer, I can’t believe it. He had to remove some Lymph nodes, which is very common and I will later find out he removed some muscle from my neck as well because the cancer started to branch out. Gross. He said that the surgery had taken longer than expected (3 hours), but that it went well.

Recovery – The rest of Monday is a blur but at some point my body realizes trauma has been done and freaks out. Commonly from this surgery the parathyroid glands go into shock. The parathyroid glands control calcium levels and when your body doesn’t get enough calcium it cramps up. My entire body starts to cramp, happening so fast. One minute I tell my mom I feel tingly near the bottom of my jaw, then it spreads to my eyelids, it twists my mouth to the left, my fingers contract and look like claws, my abs, and butt also contract and now I’m laying about 2 inches higher than normal. The nurses know what is going on immediately. They have to take blood from my claw like hands and one nurse frantically jabs me trying to get a working vein. I am too concerned my lungs and heart might contract to worry about needles though. It takes two nurses to straighten out my arm so they can draw blood and send it to the lab for the calcium levels. The lab takes an hour. It takes another hour to order the calcium for my tangled body still having muscle contractions. Thank goodness for my mom who messages my tired legs and jaw and wrists. I’ve never been more terrified for myself in all my life. Finally relief comes. Two pouches full. It takes a few minutes for my body to absorb the calcium and send it in the right directions, but it does. And I can relax (especially my rear end). The next morning I get ice cream for breakfast and have a quick meeting with the surgeon (who already knows about the previous night’s incident). He says he mentioned there might be a reaction from the lack of calcium, but I had NOT expected that. Once the doctor leaves the nurses come in carrying a bedpan. I am not happy about this. I beg the nurses, “Please, I really do have to go, if you could just help me up to the bathroom.” 20 minutes or so pass - nothing. “That’s common after being under anesthesia, just give it time,” they say. And soon enough they're proven right.

Tuesday - My dad and I watch talk shows and the news. I’m in and out of sleep during this first full day of post surgery recovery. About every 15 minutes a nurse comes in. Thank goodness for those nurses. That is not a glamorous job, but I need their help. My mom and brother come by. Tuesday night’s entertainment is two of my friends stopping by and me trying something new, “Percocet.” I like Percocet. Morphine kicks my butt and leaves me foggy headed, but the Percocet is great. After my friends and dad leave my mom and brother take me for a walk around the hospital. When I finally fall asleep, I sleep through the night despite receiving another visitor, which I will not know about until a day after I leave the hospital. There are some treats in a zip lock bag on a table next to my bed. During the night my mom hears a little noise. At first she thinks it is the heater, then she sees the newspaper covering the treats move. She lifts the paper to find a mouse enjoying a late night snack. She seals the bag and brings it to the nurse’s station who get the maintenance crew to take care of it. I have no idea about the mouse.

Wednesday - The nurses don't have to help me with everything today. Yeah! The nurses steal popsicles for me because I feel swollen. Breakfast is eggs and pancakes, I am so excited. I take a couple of bites and stop. Gross. Something isn’t right. And then I throw up. Dang it. For the first time since the surgery I couldn’t stop the nausea. Three times and it is over. I finally get permission from the doctor to go home and there is light at the end of this nasty morning. The surgeon’s assistant takes out the drains and about 10 surgical students watch. After that it is a sprint to get dressed, pack up and get to my own bed as soon as possible. At home, we have soup for dinner, which I inhale, I am so hungry. And then another visit from a friend which is when my mom tells me about the mouse.

Thursday is a big day. I take my first shower since the surgery, my mom and I run errands and pick up Panera for lunch. I am exhausted after just blow drying my hair, so by the time we are done with errands and lunch, it is naptime. My neck and back are miserably sore from the previous night, so I take Tylenol and head to bed. I fall asleep with the TV on and wake up at about 4 am and like a little baby I wine about my back and neck hurting and cry myself back to sleep.

Friday – Friday is not a good day, which is frustrating to me. Thursday was great with the errands and such. But Friday, all I want to do is sleep and eat. I wake up and have breakfast and go back to bed. Wake up around 12, eat lunch and back to bed with my mom calling after me, “See you for dinner then.” It is true. I sleep about another 2 hours. I shower and eat dinner with my parents then there is a knock at the door. My ride is here. I am going to the movies and my friends are nice enough to pick me up. The trip to the movies is great, but I am pooped by the time I am dropped off. I get into bed hoping that maybe this night I’ll sleep comfortably. You know, the last thing you think of as part of a recovery is to be your back and the back of your neck hurting. I sleep a normal amount of time this night.

Saturday – Everyone has something to do, so I decide it is time to go back to my own place. I am worried I have forgotten how to drive, but, as I told my dad later “I didn’t hit anyone or get lost!” Having ADD, not taking those meds for a week after you’ve taken them every day for 5 years, along with still having some minor effects of anesthesia, make a person a little loopy. So I’m worried about driving. Later, my friends are celebrating a birthday, so I join in. Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed again. Sadly, it is just ok. I still can’t get totally comfortable.

Sunday - My mom calls in the morning to make sure nothing happened to me during the night, which it didn’t. I run an errand and go to my folks. We go to an early dinner and enjoy some TV. The night ends with a million “Be careful driving” wishes and I am off. I don’t get to bed until late, but that is ok, because tomorrow I don’t have work. I am still on medical leave. But Sunday is my worst night of sleep yet. It takes forever to fall asleep. I sleep for about 3 hours, wake up and can’t go back to sleep no matter what I do. I decide to make breakfast and try sleeping again. It doesn’t work. My throat is starting to feel tight so I go to the store and buy a ton of popsicles and some Tylenol PM. My meals consist of soft noodles and popsicles, which is ok by me. At 10 pm I take the Tylenol PM and conk out around 11 pm but wake up at 4 am again. At least I slept straight through until 4 which is a good 6 hours of sleep and I am fine for the rest of Monday.

Tuesday – I have an afternoon appointment to see my surgeon, get the Steri-Strips taken off my incision and check out my scar for the first time. I arrive early, and they see me early. He does an EXTREMELY fast check up and examines my neck. Everything seems fine to him. He has me look at my scar in the mirror. “Oh ok.” I say with mild enthusiasm. “Worse than you expected?” He asks. “No! It looks totally fine. I didn’t know what to expect.” And that is the truth. I was keeping an open mind about my scar on purpose. I didn’t want to picture a horrific scar and then cry at the sight of a fairly good one and I didn’t want to imagine no scar at all, because I didn’t want to be disappointed when there was one. But mine is fine, it really is. Small and healing well, what more can you ask for. I try to hand him some paperwork so that I can go back to work on Monday. He tells me to hand it to his nurse. I try to give it to her and she says to hand it to the patient check out coordinator. I hand it to her, emphasizing its importance. Later, I call with the fax number for the paperwork and again emphasize the importance of it being done that day or the next. The rest of the day goes by quickly. At night I take more Tylenol PM and Tuesday night turns out to be the first night I sleep through it completely. I do a little happy dance in the morning.

Wednesday – Today I have an early appointment with my Endocrinologist. He monitors my hormone and calcium levels. Today the Doctor explains that Papillary cancer sometimes can spread to the lungs, so I need a chest X-ray. We also talk about the radioactive iodine pill I have to take. Both of these things freak me out and Wednesday is not a good day. The radioactive iodine pill means I am out of work AGAIN for an entire week! This is very frustrating and I almost cry. The Endocrinologist emphasizes that there is no rush and says, “If there was an immediate threat to your health, I’d tell you to cancel your vacation.” Good to know because I am going on vacation in a month or so. Then I’m off to get blood work done and the X-ray. As soon as I get home I email my boss. I also email the HR lady to see if she’s received the paperwork I left at the surgeon’s office yesterday. The HR lady tells me she has not received the paperwork yet. Now I’m mad. I call the surgeon’s office and ask to speak to the nurse. The next hour is a series of phone calls that are way too boring to describe, but they do not go well, and I’m so angry I’m shaking by the time I actually speak to the nurse. I frantically explain the situation and she tells me that paperwork takes 7 -10 days, a policy I was not aware of. She mentions it was on the form. I ask, “What form?” She says, “You didn’t get a form?” I say, “No.” She says, “Ok well I’ll have to talk to the girls up front about that. And I’ll get your paperwork done as soon as I can. It won’t be today.” Even more frantically, I emphasize the severity of this paperwork and she finally says she’ll get it done on Friday. I find this aspect of the whole surgery very hard because it’s giving up control of when I go back to work to someone who has no idea how imperative it is to be there on Monday. I am panicked and upset for the rest of the day. Both parents encourage me to relax. Relax and let go of the possibility of the cancer spreading and let go of something I have no control over – the paperwork. I need to sleep because we’re getting an early start to a long drive to visit family in western Maryland.

Thanksgiving – This day is difficult because there’s so much up in the air and like I said, I hate uncertainty. Which dates I should pick for the radioactive iodine pill, if the Endocrinologist saw anything in my X-ray and if my paperwork will make it to my office by tomorrow. Today is not that great physically either. I’m weak from the stresses of yesterday in conjunction with the fact that I am still having some issues with getting my body back to normal. Also, I know there will be a lot of hugs and questions from my concerned extended family as this is the first time I will be seeing most of them since learning the news. The drive is unexpectedly more mountainous and takes a very long time. Traveling or anything that’s not a part of my regular routine is more draining than usual. I’m only a week and a half post surgery and still don’t have full range of motion, can’t sleep on my side yet and as mentioned above am still having certain difficulties.

Thanksgiving and Beyond – Now I am a month out from surgery. Full recovery is taking longer than I thought. It’s weird because some things such as singing to the radio, etc, feel different than they did before. The surgeon has cut things, sewn them back together, and other surgery stuff I don’t want to think about, so all my bits and pieces are probably not in the exact same place and getting used to them in their new locations will take some time. Also, I’m still numb on the lower part of my neck. Surprisingly (in a good way) I didn’t bruise. I’m still using Scar Guard on my incision and wearing turtlenecks to cover up the fresh scar. Thank goodness it’s the winter time. I am finally sleeping on my side comfortably and all functions are back to normal. I am pretty sore by the end of the day and my energy levels go up and down due to the temporary hormone I’m taking. It’s temporary because I’ll soon be taking the radioactive iodine pill and this temporary hormone is easier to get out of my system. That will be my next post, if you’re interested. So stay tuned because this roller coaster called Papillary Thyroid Cancer isn’t over yet.

Classic Holiday Movies & New, Modern Classic Holiday Movies

2008-12-14T09:29:00.009-05:00

I reviewed a lot of “Top Holiday Movies” lists and came up with 5 that were on every single one of them. But I also wanted to mention some of the most modern and current holiday movies that could be considered the “New Classic Holiday Movies.” Enjoy! And Leave your Comments below! Happy Holidays!

Mentioned on every single list I checked was our top movie: "It’s a Wonderful Life." This movie from 1946 stars James Stewart and Donna Reed and has touched holiday hearts for decades. It’s a classic because it combines learning a life lesson with the love of family and friends (and a cute kid) to spread the warmth of the Holidays to many generations.

Second most mentioned movie, is "Miracle on 34th Street" – the original. A little girl wants to believe in Santa, but her mom is raising her on more practical sentiments. The girl is intrigued by the Santa at Macy’s, a man named Kris Kringle, who tells her he is Santa, which leads to the accusation that Kringle is mentally ill. The movie captures childhood curiosity of Santa as well as the grown up inner child wanting there to be a Santa. Kringle demonstrates that there is good in people and combined with that inner child feeling “Miracle” is a favorite for many – young and old, believers and want-to-be-believers.

Number 3 most listed Christmas movie – "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." I was surprised how frequently this one appeared on the Top lists, but I guess people like to keep a sense of humor around the holidays. This is one of my personal favorites because it keeps the National Lampoons style and adds a dash of Christmas cheer (towards the end anyways).

Like "Miracle," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" has an original and a remake and is #4 on our list. What a perfect villain, the creature that wants to take Christmas away from innocent, weird looking kids. But a terrific lesson is learned - that lots of gifts are not what make up Christmas. It’s that Holiday spirit those Whos down in Whoville (and all of us) have so much of that makes the real meaning of the Holidays. Silly Grinch.

Cable channel TBS makes sure everyone has the opportunity to catch this next film. “A Christmas Story” airs for 24 hours starting December 24th. Why this movie to run for an entire day? Because it’s the epitome of a classic Christmas movie and no one should miss the chance to celebrate with little Ralphie and his family as they count down the days to the big event that is Christmas. Reliving childhood memories of excitement and anticipation to Christmas is something that anyone who celebrates this holiday can relate to. From picking out a tree to writing papers about Christmas in school, to the ever frightening day when you have to sit on Santa’s lap – it’s all there in this movie and even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, it’s a childhood-story movie everyone should see.

Now the more up to date, modern Holiday movies top 5. Drum roll please…

Love Actually – In an opening narration Hugh Grant states that “love is all around us” setting the mood for this touching movie. The many different scenarios “Love” explores is the beauty of this film. Everything from a grieving step father and son, to a crush in the Prime Minister’s office, to love transcending language barriers, to the down falls of marriage, and even two porn stand ins falling into love at first sight (wink). This movie really captures the true meaning of the Holiday season and that’s love and what it means to the human race.

Elf – “Elf” is a Holiday favorite because of real life man-child and star, Will Ferrell, who gets to play throughout the movie (doing what he does best). I mean, is it even possible to resist the full grown Santa-helper? We also get to see the talents of Zooey Deschanel who shows off her singing abilities with a couple of solos.

The Holiday – “The Holiday” features four of the biggest names in the biz – Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet who portray our leading ladies and Jack Black and Jude Law who are the handsome gentlemen entwined in our story. Getting away from the stresses of life, Winslet and Diaz switch homes – Diaz to wintry England and Winslet to toasty LA. Love, families, and attractive people – what more does a Holiday movie need?

The Polar Express – A bright-eyed child searching for the true spirit of Christmas – could a Christmas movie be any more perfect? Taken on an adventure to the North Pole the main character is joined by other children seeking the same answers and ultimately gets to meet the big man himself - Santa. It’s a night, and lesson, these children will never forget. Plus, Tom Hanks is there, which is just awesome.

Last Holiday – “Last Holiday” is a fun movie, despite the title. It’s also a heart-warming movie about love and living life to the fullest. Diagnosed with multiple brain tumors the main character decides to liquidate her assets and live out the rest of her life by living it up in the Czech Republic. She gets to experience many new adventures and live without money worries or apprehensions. Along the way she inspires many people and, in the end, finds true love – and life. All together now, “aawwww.”

What are some of your favorite Holiday movies?

Freelance Writer, Blogger or SEO

2008-12-01T22:07:00.003-05:00

Hire Me to Blog, Write or Optimize for You.

Looking for a freelance writer, blogger or search engine optimization professional for your website, newsletter, ezine or other publication? I've mentioned this before, but thought it worth mentioning again - I am now offering by abilities as a freelancer to write, blog or optimize for you. Below are my credentials. My fee is low and I am a quick learner so topics are not limited to just movies, work and AD/HD. Please post a comment to this posting if you are interested and I look forward to working with you.

Writing Experience:
- Website Content
- Radio and Online Ad Copy
- Research papers (topics include: movies, gender communications, theater, etc.)
- Poetry
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- Blog Postings (http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/)

Theater Review – “Monty Python's Spamalot”

2008-11-15T22:24:00.002-05:00

If there is one musical you see in your lifetime make it “Monty Python's SPAMALOT.” Theater gets a bad rap in the day and age of IMAX and 3D blockbusters, but “Spam” brings to the stage something audiences haven’t seen before, the Finland fish slapping dance. Uh, well, that and more. In an adaptation from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Spamalot” brings the best of the Monty Python films with the best of musical theater. So take British humor, clever songs, real talent, whimsy and a love story, smoosh it together and you make a Tony award winning show.

“Spamalot” is the tale of King Arthur, his quest to recruit knights, not days, but knights and their adventure to find the Holy Grail as given to them by God’s feet and fulfill all requirements of a Broadway show. Is it a prerequisite to see “Holy Grail” before “Spam”? Only if you want to laugh at the mere mention of the word “Ni” before the punch line, but fear not non-Grail viewers, the comedy is all inclusive and you’ll laugh just the same as the rest of them at the line “It’s just a flesh wound.”

The show is such a great break from the traditional clichéd musical theater (that I know and love having a minor in theater myself). I can’t begin to tell you how terrific it is to sit and relax in a show and not know how the ingénue will be wooed by the hansom and brave main character or other predictable plot points. “Spamalot” even pokes fun at the usual formulas that have created instant recoils at the mere mention of the word “musical.” Just prepare to laugh your bum off at the creative social commentary and hilarious British satire.

I do not consider myself well versed in many things, but musical theater is definitely one of them, so with just good ol’ lots of experience under my belt, I recommend “Spamalot” as a show that anyone, young, old, male, female, nearly dead, French, or otherwise would enjoy. Here’s the link to check its traveling schedule and hope you catch it soon otherwise some French guard might fart in your general direction. So beware and don’t runaway from Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”

Dating Advice & Tips - Help!

2008-11-12T20:07:00.006-05:00

Where have all the single guys gone?
I’m serious.
Where are they?

The “dating scene” vanishes for those of us in our mid to late 20’s. What do you do when you’re out of college, have had the same friends for years - have met all their friends and their boyfriend’s friends, you’re too old for the club/bar scene, and dating a coworker is out of the question? Where do you meet quality single men?

In some of the books I’ve read (yes, I have bought books about dating) they say just to do the things you love. Well, there’s an issue when what you love is the movies, going out to dinner with friends and family, reading/writing and other solo activities. I can’t help what I love doing, right?

So where do I meet datable guys?

I tried online dating. That was semi successful leading to many great dates, a boyfriend for a short time but nothing substantial. I’ve tried friends setting me up, my parents setting me up, I smile at guys at the grocery store, at the gas pump, while we’re out to eat, whenever. But no luck.

I have a lot to offer. I’m not horrible to look at. I’m college educated, hold a steady job. Manage my own blog and contribute to another website. I freelance, take piano lessons, have a slight TV addiction. I enjoy going to the movies, bowling, trying almost anything once (recently tried ATVing, whitewater rafting and horseback riding – all were great fun!). I’m curious, inquisitive, stubborn, can admit when I’m wrong, able to apologize, etc. I mean – I’m not completely undatable.

So what is it then? Why is it so easy for some and such a struggle for others? Weird, right?

I’m on a treasure hunt and I need your help. I need the advice of anyone reading. I’m open. Where should I go, what should I say, what not to say, etc. Help!

Also, are you in a similar situation, because I feel like the only one? Share your single stories too. Then we can swap tactics and collaborate.

Can’t wait to read the comments!

AD/HD Tips & Tricks for Reading, Studying & Other Things That Need Attention

2008-11-08T10:25:00.002-05:00

In a recent article released by ADDtude Magazine, they discuss tactics to help ADDers develop reading skills and absorb the information they are reading.

Here’s what can hinder an ADDers' ability to sit and read a book - In a lot of the books I’ve read about AD/HD they mention “blinks” in regards to the inattentiveness aspect of AD/HD. These aren’t visual blinks, but mental blinks that occur all the time and can cut out important information - say - during a lecture or while reading. It’s an involuntary, momentary laps in attention. So it’s not done on purpose and it doesn’t mean that person isn’t trying to pay attention, it just happens on its own.

One way to combat this may be to read in shorter increments. When writing, these blinks can happen too, so make sure you proof read at least one day after writing something or have someone else read it purely for those missed words (that way it doesn’t have to be a person who knows about your topic). When listening to speeches make sure to take notes. Personally, and this certainly isn’t for everyone, I wrote down just about everything my professors would say, almost like a script to make sure I didn’t miss any key words. Or bring a tape recorder so that you can play it back.

One tip I wanted to suggest is reading during commercial breaks. Besides balancing my TV addiction with my school work or a book I’m reading for fun, it breaks up my concentration enough so that I can have vested interest in the book when I come back to it and can sit and absorb the information while watching the TV. Reading in spirts like that I think gives the attention span the variety it’s seeking.

Another way to actively engage your brain in order to absorb information is to type it up. I’ve done this as a means of studying as well as a way to memorize lines for a play. Typing out hand written notes, or whatever it may be, forces you (and your brain) to pay attention TWICE – when reading the information on the page and when typing it out.

In another article called “Getting Things Done the ADD Way” ADDitude mentions some of the following skills:

Daily Action Plan – Make it a routine! If you have trouble remembering to do things (like I do) than writing it down in the same place and checking it regularly can definitely help. Also, get lots of Post Its. I LIVE off of Post Its!

Time Management – Always a struggle for ADDers. ADDitude suggests using a timer or learning to say “No.” Those are great suggestions but also just set an agenda for yourself and follow through. Following through is also rewarding because you’ve accomplished a task and you’ve accomplished time management.

How do you get things done in your AD/HD lifestyle? It’s difficult, I know, so share your tips and tricks!

My List of Movie Pet Peeves

2008-10-25T19:05:00.010-04:00

The “One Liner” – Oh goodness, probably the worst cliché of them all. Why this has become a staple of all movies, I will never understand. Here are some famous ones “You're terminated, [bleep]er.” “We’re gunna need a bigger boat.” “Snakes, why’d it have to be snakes?” “Say Hello to my little friend.” “Brothers, what we do in life... echoes in eternity.”

Repeating those last few words – “I’ll never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go.” “That’s it, man. Game over, man. Game over.” “We'll get there, Pop. We'll get there.” What is that?! I think it occurs at least once in every movie. It’s for emphasis, but sometimes it’s a line that doesn’t mean a thing and then it just stands out as the one line that’s repeated. Do every day people duplicate what they’re saying for emphasis? It would be funny if they did!

Somebody Always has a Connection Somewhere – This one’s a favorite of mine in thriller movies. There will be some obscure challenge in the way of finishing the mission and one of the characters, even just a random extra, will pipe up with helpful information they read in a magazine or have a family member with a connection. How convenient! I think there should be more Googling of information in movies, let them pull up a Wikipedia article and that’s how they get the needed information.

“Let me tell you my whole plan” speech – Lets set the scene – the bad guy has a hostage or is about to escape and thinking he’s off the hook he tells the good guy (and the audience) why he’s involved in this elaborate, crazy plan. We the audience know its coming and there’s nothing we can do to stop it, but it just pours out of the bad guys mouth like a…well…script!

No Bathroom Breaks – Unless for comedic purposes, do people use the bathroom in the movies? No one gets up after dinner to pee or has to go number 2 when they first wake up in the morning. It just isn’t glamorous enough I guess, but neither is it realistic.

Unrealistic Dwellings – One reason I love movies that take place in NYC so much is the apartments they have the characters live in. No matter what occupation the character supposedly has they always have an amazing place! One recent example is from “My Best Friend’s Girl.” Kate Hudson and her roommate have this INCREDIBLE two story townhouse/apartment thingy! Neither has a hugely important job that they spend a lot of time at, so how can they afford such a place? Oh yeah, I forgot, it’s a movie.

Don’t People Work? – Isn’t it amazing that movies always seem to be taking place on the weekend or other national holiday where everyone has the day off?! It’s rare to see someone worry about spending days and weeks seeking out their one true love or running off to a tropical location without any contact or notification to their offices and they always seem to have plenty of money to spend too.

Parking in the Front – When good guys are chasing bad guys in cars and need to get into a building quickly, they always find a close spot. When the sweet guy wants to surprise his lady, there is always a parking place up front. Where’s the wasting 10 minutes for someone to pull out of spot, or the three trips around the lot before spotting the smallest space in the back. It’s just not fair!

Make up in bed or at the gym – An episode of “Chuck” helped me think of this one. It looks funny when women in the movies are wearing obvious makeup when they first wake up or while they’re at the gym. And I don’t mean the makeup that helps the actors not look shiny or a little bit of eyeliner, but full on lipstick, fake lashes, eye shadow of an unnatural color, etc. I wish it were that easy, it would save a lot of time in the morning getting ready for work, but makeup smears and it’s bad for your skin if you leave it on. So what do women actually do? They take off their make up!

All people know how to use guns and hit their targets – As seen recently in ‘Eagle Eye’, any person, including children can, in a high crisis situation, acquire a random gun, know how to shoot it and hit their intended target. For once, I want to see someone try that in a movie and get knocked on their rear because of the kick back from the gun.

Sports movies have one of two endings – the underdog wins or the underdog looses and learns a lesson – Watching an underdog succeed is a wonderfully uplifting experience…except when it’s predicable from the start of the opening credits. The two possible endings to sports movies are terrible and someone should come up with a new one because the sports’ industry deserves more than a clichéd ending.

Too much is revealed in the trailer – Have you ever seen a trailer for the latest Will Farrell or John C. Riley film and thought it looked hilarious, which peaked your interest in the movie only to be disappointed by the film because all the funny parts were already in the trailer?! It’s just something to expect now a days, along with the disappointment that follows when the movie is ruined for you.

“I’m Not There” – Movie Reviews – DVD Edition

2008-10-15T19:45:00.006-04:00

I don’t know much about Bob Dylan. Regardless, “I’m Not There” is one of the best biopics and movies I have seen in awhile. Director Todd Haynes takes a Dylan type route and creates a collage of beautiful images that are symbolic and literal to show the singer's career. The DVD offers clever navigation of the film - either by scene or by song. The movie can be appreciated by Dylan fans and non Dylan fans, like myself, because it alone can be admired for the originality, genius and beauty that flashes on the big screen.

Pros:
- Its One of a Kind-ness: There has never been a movie and/or bio-film like “There.” If you’ve ever read any of my other reviews, you know I’m a HUGE fan of originality, so I just fell in love with “There” because of its unmatched ingenuity. Every aspect, time line, the characters, the narrative style, the writing, all of it, is creative and inspired.

- Don’t Have to Be a Fan: Although, I’m sure the movie makes a lot more sense if you know a little bit about Bob Dylan. I don’t, but adored the film anyway. Along the way there are small subtleties reflective of Dylan’s life, regardless, it is fascinating to watch. You might as well assume it’s about a fictional character and admire it for other things. I found the Wikipedia article most helpful in understanding nuances between what I was seeing and how it correlated to Dylan.

- Not a Real Biopic: Not too many specific details are revealed about the singer’s life. It is more of a kaleidoscope of events and themes that occurred throughout his early career.

- The Acting: 6 actors (all of whom have been nominated and/or won film or acting related awards) are so transformed into the man they represent. I didn’t even recognize Christian Bale at first. They take the spirit of the singer and make a new character out of him to deliver an honest performance.

Cons:
- Obscurity: “There” is a little out there. It may be difficult to follow and isn’t really meant for the “Transformers” type audience, which is fine! Just know that before hitting the Play button.

- Subtitles: Once again I had to turn on the subtitles to an English speaking movie.

- Needed Help: I did need a little bit of assistance to understand what events were taking place. As mentioned above, the Wikipedia article about the movie is EXTREMELY helpful in deciphering the film.

Summary:
If you like films with some imagination to them as well as terrific cinematography and a familiar soundtrack, you will love “I’m Not There.” Even if you know nothing about Bob Dylan, like me, you can still enjoy the all star cast and writing. It’s mesmerizing and artistic.

Movie Review on DVD – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2008-10-08T19:36:00.002-04:00

For a Western, there aren’t a lot of shoot outs, scooping up screaming women, or “high noon” type talk. “Assassination” is more original than that. In fact, it doesn’t much resemble a Western genre movie at all. It’s about obsession over a celebrity. A common word I’ve read in other reviews is “haunting.” I can’t think of any better a word to describe the lives that Ford and James lived. It’s as if Jesse James read the title of the movie and just accepted his fate. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck star as the fated duo and they take us through a different side of the infamous Jesse James’ life.

Pros:
- Casey Affleck – we see Ford go from trip-over-yourself, star struck fan to drunk, “what did I do” guilt riddled adult and semi celebrity himself (“semi” being the key word). There is something slightly pathetic about Ford and how he works his way into James’ life. Ford is strategic about getting close and remaining close to his idol and you can see it in Affleck’s expressions as he looks on at Pitt.

- The Cinematography – A common element that is mentioned in just about every review I’ve read. Its recognition is much deserved because the film is beautiful watch. There are effects such as blurring the edges of the screen and leaving the center clear that create an old timey mood as well as the illusion of an insider looking in. This creativity is admirable and in a different way than the admiration for the teams that create such images as the Transformers. Both images are remarkable, but there’s just something about the simplicity of the blurring visual technique that grabs me more than a giant robot.

- Did Jesse See the Movie Title? - As mentioned above, it’s as if James read the title of the movie. He even relates a story to star struck Ford about a fellow who seemed to overly admire James but really wanted to kill him.

- As reviewer Sean O'Connell points out ““Jesse James” rightfully becomes the Robert Ford story.” And I completely agree. The point is to see why Robert Ford shoots James in the back and not in some more dignified, dramatic fashion. It tries to show why he would kill James at all. These questions and more arise as we see the path the outlaws take to their inevitable futures.

- A Different Look at a Legend – When you think of Jesse James you think of train robberies, innocent victims, Wanted posters, etc. But after this movie more is added to the mental image of the bandit. He loved his wife and children. He was smart and knew who his friends and enemies were (or going to be). It’s a fascinating “day in the life” type look at a myth.

- Going Beyond – The film goes beyond Jesse’s death. It is revealed how Ford led a life after he murdered his hero, his idol, his icon. Guilt sets in, he starts to miss the man. He attempts to justify and explain himself by touring in a play about the murder. The narration at the end of the movie is the best part, “There would be no eulogies for Bob, no photographs of his body would be sold in sundries stores, no people would crowd the streets in the rain to see his funeral cortege, no biographies would be written about him, no children named after him, no one would ever pay twenty-five cents to stand in the rooms he grew up in. The shotgun would ignite, and Ella Mae would scream, but Robert Ford would only lay on the floor and look at the ceiling, the light going out of his eyes before he could find the right words.” Summing up the emptiness, the patheticness that was Robert Ford and how he so lamely killed the most notorious outlaw.

Cons:
- Time – It’s waaaay too long! It took me two days to watch, not because its 48 hours long, but because it was difficult to dedicate a lot of one day to watching the whole thing.

- Subtitles – Yes, it is in English, but the accents are very strong and therefore I had to enable the subtitle button on my remote.

- Getting Lost – Within the extra moments, none that are horribly acted or poorly written, just excessive, your attention wonders. So audiences may feel like they get lost within this film.

Summary:
It’s worth renting or ordering on Demand. This is a perfect example of what film making, acting, cinematography, script writing and the like is all about. It’s not CG robots or making a sequel for the profit, it’s telling a story. A tale of a haunting life as a celebrity and how, even back in that time, people were fascinated by fame.

Movie Reviews – “Eagle Eye”

2008-09-30T20:58:00.002-04:00

Contacted by a stranger, Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan are now considered “activated,” which means they have to complete a series of tasks in order to help the greater good and see their loved ones again. This absurd plot has some well written dialogue and is convincingly acted by the lead and main support cast. I was impressed, I have to say, even though I was continuously thinking “that could never happen.”

Pros:
- The Acting – Shia LaBeouf rises to the occasion to show audiences a multidimensional character. Not only does he kick some bad guy booty but he also sheds some believable tears. He’s showing real promise especially under the wing of veteran Steven Spielberg. Michelle Monaghan’s “Rachel” is a divorcee with a son. Called to action while out with girlfriends, she’s motivated by the threat of her son being killed. Monaghan is gorgeous (a little too much if you ask me because by the end she’s still got perfect make up on and her hair isn’t flat – amazing how that happens, huh?) as well as genuine.

- Billy Bob Thornton - He adds a lot to the movie (and admittedly I am not a Billy Bob fan) but I liked him here. As the head of the FBI, he doesn’t deliver the conventional formulaic one liners. He has funny lines and delivers them without us laughing at how ridiculous he sounds.

- They Don’t Do it All on Their Own – You know in a movie and Mr. Bob Smith is randomly picked to help with the county’s largest heist, hostage situation, disarming a Presidential assassin, etc and he accomplishes the task unaided and without dying?! Well that doesn’t happen in “Eagle Eye.” Without whoever is on the other end of LaBeouf’s and Monaghan’s phones these two would be in for it. But because the voice controls the traffic lights, arranges for transportations, makes sure they have directions, and other helpful hints, these two actually have a chance at getting to their secret destination.

- The Action – And there’s A LOT of it. Cars flip, explode, cranes move on their own, there’s jumping onto barges, jumping out of buildings onto busy metro tracks, and more. Most of the scenes require a stretch of the imagination, but they are well shot.

Cons:
- Some Unanswered Questions - The voice on the phone at first refers to Monaghan’s character as “the female” and not by name. LaBeouf’s character makes a point to distinguish how odd that is, yet we never find out why.

- A lot of Innocent People Die – This is another movie pet peeve of mine, where there are just an extraordinary amount of random people who die because of car chases, planes flying through tunnels or bombs intended for someone else. “Eagle Eye” is no exception to that. A lot of those innocent victims are cops in this movie (I’m not saying the movie makers are doing that on purpose or anything – I think it just happened that way), but cop cars are launched in the air left and right, getting rolled over, you name it.

- Can Shoot a Gun – Another pet peeve to add to the list is movie character who have no experience with guns shoot them with accuracy. Even small guns give a lot of kickback and it’s very hard to control. So in movies when people just pick up guns and know how to use them and shoot their intended target and don’t get knocked on their butts, I laugh (quietly and to myself). But it takes any sort of realism out of the situation.

- The Action – As mentioned above, there’s a lot of it and with a cast of great actors, some of their talent goes to waste because they’re constantly shushed by the concentration it takes to shoot a moving vehicle, jump out of a car, evade the enemy, and other “look but don’t speak” conditions.

Unique Qualities:
- The Characters – LaBeouf’s character could just be your everyday 20 something year old slacker, rebellious guy, but he’s not. Monaghan’s character could just be another “feeling guilty” single mom, but she’s not. Thorton’s character could be as cliché as CSI Miami’s David Caruso, but he’s not.

In the end, I found myself wondering “What crazy, outrageous thing could happen next?” as opposed to “Wow, I wonder where this story is going.” That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but “Eagle Eye” did leave a little to be desired with its lack of a cohesive, semi-plausible plot.

Are the stunts outrageous? Is there a real plot to this film? What did you think?

“My Best Friends Girl” – Movie Review

2008-09-27T20:51:00.002-04:00

“Good Luck Chuck” meet “How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days” – you two will get along and make a baby and call it “My Best Friend’s Girl.” “Girl” stars Dane Cook, Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs playing the same characters as every other movie we’ve seen them in. Yes, it’s funny, in a very vulgar way, I confess I laughed, but the rest of the film is uninspiring and pretty insulting to women. There are overly romantic, could-never-happen-in-real-life moments as well as bland dialogue with the exception of some jokes. Overall, this is really a wait until its on cable type of movie.

Pros:
It’s funny – kind of: I really like Kate Hudson and Dane Cook and I like them together, but man, I wish they had done a different movie. The potential is there for them to make a great flick together. I like “How to Loose a Guy…” and I REALLY like “Mr. Brooks” where Cook doesn’t play the usual comedic lead, he actually acts, seriously and is pretty good at it. This pair does have chemistry too, so hopefully they will try again, just with a better story.

Alec Baldwin – This was a pleasant surprise. Although, I could have done without his description of a certain escapade with his secretary the night before. He’s a talented comedic actor and brings a different element to the film. Portraying Cook’s character’s father, his character gives the audience an insight into the behavior of Dane Cook’s character.

Cons:
The story – It’s cliché, it’s been done a handful of times and it’s just unoriginal. The end isn’t a surprise, and neither are the events that lead to it. The only surprises are the words each actor says and the ridiculous stunts Dane Cook pulls to push women away.

The Dialogue – Boring, only funny because of the shock, offensive, etc.

Unique Qualities:
None

I’m not sure if I would even recommend this film for video. Sorry. I love Kate Hudson, she’s cute and funny! Dane Cook’s standup it terrific, wonderful social commentary! Jason Biggs is vulnerably adorable in every thing he makes. Alec Baldwin is a comedic genius on 30 Rock. So it doesn’t make sense why this movie sucked so badly. I’m terribly disappointed and once this posting is up I’m going to forget I even saw this movie.

What did you guys think of it? Was it really that funny and I’m just loosing my sense of humor or something?

Movie Reviews – “Burn After Reading”

2008-09-24T21:40:00.004-04:00

I saw “Burn After Reading” before “No Country for Old Men” (I know, it’s a shame it took so long) but seeing “No Country” helped explain some of the aspects of “Reading” that caught me off gaurd. The Cohen Brothers certainly have an imagination, don’t they? “Reading” is a goofy tale acted out by some of our favorite serious actors and I just love that, ya know. This hilarious ensemble flick is as good as they come these days with talented crew from the editing room to the extras. Beware though, all is not funny in the world of Cohen, but the surprises make a second trip to the theater to see “Burn After Reading” worth the extra money.

Pros:
The Cohen Brothers – I think I’m an official fan. They are great with humor and violence as well as catching you off gaurd (I wonder if one brother is more violent/funny than the other?). There is always a certain off balance aspect to their films too, making them so distinctive.

The laughs – There’s a lot of them, some that aren’t in the trailers either. Go figure!

The cast – Brad Pitt’s hair is great, well, and, yeah, so is he. He doesn’t say a whole lot but it doesn’t matter, he’s still a big personality in this tale. George Clooney is the most complex character – happily married/cheating on his wife, wants to please everyone/chronic liar, creative & can built things/destroying his life. His is the most interesting storyline. This is possibly the most angry role for John Malkovich that I’ve ever seen, yet somehow still hilarious like when he stands up to his boss and in shock and pissed off confusion and blurts out “WHAT THE (BLEEP) IS GOING ON HERE?”, which ends up being the theme of the movie. Tilda Swinton plays cold and sexy very well and leaves the question “Why is Malkovich’s character married to her in the first place? She’s kind of a (“b” word).” And Frances McDormand, our leading lady who could lead any comedy with her wide eyed banter. She’s sweet and likable and very funny. She makes head slapping mistakes without the obvious and squeamish mishaps seen in movies like “Meet the Parents.”

The Surprises – Have I mentioned how much I love when huge plot lines AREN’T revealed in the trailers? And I wonder how many times I’ve said “surprises” in this review.

The Ending – It ends with head of Malkovich’s CIA department stating something to the effect of “I don’t know what just happened,” which is what the movie feels like by the end.

Cons:
The chair – there is a devise introduced briefly in the middle of the movie and it just throws the whole pace of the movie off. It’s so random, that I remained bewildered for the rest of the movie and completely changed the good way I was feeling about it (it later redeems itself, but at that moment and for a few after, I was completely put off by it.)

The F Bomb – Again, the overuse of the “f word” gets annoying by the time the credits roll.

Unique Qualities:
It is undeniably a story never heard or seen before and one of the most important characteristics of a “good movie” is originality. “Reading” certainly steps up to the plate. It’s a “need to see it twice” kind of movie simply because of the surprises. Personally, they threw me off and I wasn’t able to laugh at that time because I was recovering from the shock.

In the end, yes it’s violent, yes it’s hilarious and how can anyone not check out a movie with such an incredible cast with such reputable writers and directors? In comparison to a lot of the other movies that are out right now, this one is better than most and ranks in my top 3 of current films.

Do you think the surprises are too over the top? Did they catch you off guard like they did me? Comment, please, even if it doesn’t answer those questions :)

Great Movie Remakes

2008-09-19T19:00:00.012-04:00

The “remake” is an interesting entity. It can either be a great revival of an old classic or it can be a total disgrace to a wonderful film. Either way, remakes allow the creative people involved to update or refresh appealing storylines and plots. Some argue that there’s no creativity in remakes and I can understand that point of view, however, it does take major innovative thinking to revive old films and make them relevant for today’s movie goers.

Some of the Good Ones:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) – Modernized with a darker look into Willy Wonka’s life, Tim Burton recreates the chocolate waterfall, the gum that tastes like dinner, Oompa-Loompas, sorting animals, and all the memorable iconic items from the original movie without making a duplicate film. What more could you ask for? The original 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” stared Gene Wilder.

Dawn of the Dead (2004) – With the basic plot same as the original, survivors of a zombie attack hold up in a mall. This recent version takes on a more video game feel than its predecessor welcoming a classic screamer flick into the modern age. The original was released in 1978 and is considered one of the best horror films ever made.

The Departed (2006) - A remake of a Hong Kong movie, Departed, with good reason (a cast staring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, directed by Martin Scorsese), won Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards in 2007. The Hong Kong original “Internal Affairs” was released in 2002.

I am Legend (2007) - In general, the story is the same as the two original movies, Robert Neville is the only man (he knows of) immune to a disease turning everyone into zombies. The details, such as setting up manikins and the zombies being deformed with see-through skin differ from the other films, but the fight to survive a daily deadly enemy and battling the loneliness are still the main storylines. The first movie, 1964’s “The Last Man on Earth,” was an Italian film starring Vincent Price and the 1971 version “The Omega Man” starred Charlton Heston.

The Italian Job (2003) - It’s noted that this particular remake differs greatly from the original with the exception of the mini cooper. Both films have more of a romanticized view of the crime world in the respective cities they are set in. The original released in 1969 was poorly received in America, with the remake being the bigger success of the two.

King Kong (2005) - A monumental film based on an even more monumental film. There’s just something about King Kong that’s larger than life. Even if critics didn’t reflect too positively on the film and even if box office numbers were low, there is nothing larger than “King Kong.” The original released in 1933 made huge waves in the special effects field, especially for that era.

The Manchurian Candidate (2004) - Revered by a lot of critics as a terrific reimagining, this version holds true to the founding idea that manipulation and brainwashing are influencing this particular political race. However, the modern version doesn’t leave the audience wondering about brainwashing, it’s outright with it, but is mysterious with other conspiracy strategies. Originally a movie in 1962 starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey had communists at the core instead of the right wing versus the left in the updated version.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001) - Another reimagining with roots grounded into the main theme of multiple Las Vegas casino heists, this crime caper flick offers an all star cast (just as the first movie did), but, most notably offers a very different ending than the original. Fun and frolic ensue in this updated Rat Pack movie making it my personal favorite on the list. The 1960’s version starred the Rat Pack who on occasion got to showcase their singing (and lady charming) abilities.

Planet of the Apes (2001) - Receiving mostly negative reviews when it premiered in 2001, this remake was a disappointment, but lands on the "Good" list because it is such a known remake. Part of that disappointment had to be from recreating an already iconic film. Again, the endings differ between the remake and the first film, but the remake stuck more to the book that the movies were based on. The original in 1968 starred Charlton Heston and was a ground breaking film for its use of makeup and other special effects.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - A bloody musical based on a theatrical musical based on a play based on an old movie based on an urban legend – with that type of history it’s no wonder Benjamin Barker and cronies turn out so odd. This version of the film is almost completely different in that the original was not a musical and the lead character (named Tod Slaughter) was a villain, not a broken man with revenge in his heart. Both films were positively received by critics and audiences. The original film was released in 1936.

War of the Worlds (2005) - Wikipedia states that the 2005 version isn’t an actual remake, but when reading a description of the 1953 movie, the main themes are definitely the same. Taking “mass destruction, fleeing masses of refugees, the failure of humans to stop the invasion, and the final death of the Martians from bacterial infection” from the H.G. Wells story, Steven Spielberg takes the audience on a fight to survive - “I don’t know what to do” thrill ride. Some differences between the two films are the locations and the main characters. Both films were hugely successful and were relevant to “war” situations around the time of their debut.

And the Bad:
Yes, we must (briefly) discuss some of the bad remakes that have been created in recent years.

When a Stranger Calls (2006) - Staring Camilla Belle, the remake is considered bad and it differs from the original in that the source of the scary calls is revealed too soon (and by that I mean it’s revealed in the trailers). The original was released in 1979.

The Wicker Man (2006) - Again, a remake of an already very highly regarded film – it only sets things up for disappointment. The original was released in 1973.

Bad News Bears (2005) - This film held pretty closely to the original but was still a box office strikeout (pun intended). The original was released in 1976.

The Fog (2005) - Veering far from the course of the original, the scare factor just wasn’t so clear for this remake. The original was released in 1980.

House of Wax (2005) - Gore for gore’s sake (and Paris Hilton) although wax figurines will always be a little creepy, this was a bomb of a movie. The original was released in 1953.

School for Scoundrels (2006) - Two different endings - guess which one was better (and British)? The original, “School for Scoundrels or How to Win Without Actually Cheating,” was released in 1960.

The Time Machine (2002) - This love story version received not ALL bad reviews, but seemed to be more sappy-ish than time travel wonder-ish. The original was released in 1960.

Summer Movie Wrap Up

2008-09-19T19:00:00.008-04:00

Labor Day has come and gone and that means the summer movie season is at an official end. This was a terrific season full of incredible blockbusters defying records left and right. This summer’s box office total came in at $4.2 billion, according to Media by Numbers, which is up slightly from last year. Some of the top performing films included "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Hancock," and "Wall E." This is an interesting mix of movies. The top two both broke box office records placing them at #1 and #2 of the 2008 total gross charts. We also got to see the long awaited Indiana Jones sequel.

Out of the top 10 summer movies, 4 were based on comic books (last year there were only 3 in the top 10). The top 10 was also comprised of 3 comedies – 2007 had 4. There were 2 fully animated films this summer compared to 3 during 2007. And let’s not forget the family friendly films (those rated PG or G) – 2008 brought us 3 something-for-everyone flicks.

So, who in Hollywood ended up with the biggest sand castles (the most sand on their beach)? Surprisingly, Paramount, who is not the studio for the Dark Knight. Paramount did however produce/distribute three, count them THREE, of the top 10 grossing summer movies: Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

A couple actors faired particularly well by gracing the silver screen in two summer hits each. Robert Downey Jr., Tony Stark himself, appeared in both Iron Man and Tropic Thunder (although not technically a top grossing summer movie because it’s only been out for three weeks, but it is definitely a memorable 2008 summer movie). But Morgan Freeman deserves the honorable mentions award for appearing in both the Dark Knight and Wanted (2 of the top 10 grossing films this summer)!

Some of the movies that flopped this summer include The Love Guru, Speed Racer, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, The Happening, The X Files, and The Clone Wars, just to name a few.

After an invigorating summer of fun films, the fall and holiday movie season is upon us, which means its time to get serious, Oscar serious. Let’s see how the holiday movies do up against Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne - let those box office games begin.

"Hamlet 2" Movie Review

2008-09-09T19:58:00.003-04:00

One would think that a musical based on a Shakespearian play in which most the characters die at the end would be, in a word, impossible. But that would just be plain pessimistic according to Dana Marschz a high school drama teacher in Tucson, AZ and the main character of “Hamlet 2” the movie and the play. Played by British funnyman Steve Coogan (also seen in this summer’s “Tropic Thunder”), Marschz is an enthusiastic thespian just trying to inspire his students and make ends meet at home (one effort for saving money – roller skating to work). Hamlet 2 offers a cast full of comedic actors as well as some funny and touching moments that aren’t quite up to the “Waiting for Guffman” level but bring a modern take on ye ol’ theater and inspirational movie.

Pros:
- The cast – I love it when big name stars are ok with playing small rolls because making a movie good doesn’t always mean being the lead. For example, Catherine Keener as Mrs. Marschz puts on an understated portrayal of a fed up, slightly dramatic wife. Next is David Arquette in the quietest role of his career. I think he says maybe 3 lines, but that’s the genius in it. Our third star is the always hilarious Amy Poehler as a tiny, aggressive lady ready to fight for the first amendment and shows up when Hamlet 2 is threatened to be shut down due to offensive material. And last, my favorite, Elizabeth Shue who plays… Elizabeth Shue, jaded and happy to be out of the movie business.

- It’s a modern update done well – think cliché “teacher inspires the street kids” turned funny and slightly non-p.c.

- The play within the movie – Having a play within a movie just makes everything so much better. With the city of Tucson wanting to shut the play “Hamlet 2” down due to offensive material, as an audience member, you know it’s gotta be good. The play opens with a song about the most unsavory line in the movie and thus delivers the laughs you’ve been anticipating.

Cons:
- The language – here is where Guffman and team step it up a notch, there’s no need for excessive f-bombs and such for laughs, but unfortunately, this is a vehicle used in Hamlet 2. And frankly, it’s a vehicle I’m a little tired of (not just in Hamlet 2).

- Some things just don’t make sense – like that the schoolboard is mad about the content of the play, but never mentions that students are taken out of class to go to Dave and Busters, or that a teacher is found half naked in a field coming off of acid. Riiight.

Unique Qualities:
The “inspiration” plays genuine – I am not one for seeing the same old tired movies, which is what I find occurs in most inspirational movies. However, Hamlet 2 is a nice modern update and the sincerity in the students as well as the teacher plays on the same level as the rest of the film. No one’s lives are drastically changed forever because of this one play, but they team together and get the job done motivating each other to the finish and learning a little something along the way.

In the end Hamlet 2 is a fun and light hearted comedy with a cast that really makes this ensemble film complete. It’s a unique twist on the inspirational teach flick and is definitely worth seeing (even if you wait for DVD).

What did you think of Hamlet 2? What the language a bit much? Does Coogan have a future here in America?

Pretty in Spectacles

2008-09-08T20:47:00.007-04:00

In real life, a lot of women (and people in general) wear glasses (I’m one of them). However, in the movies, they aren’t that common. So after a lot of research, I found a few really good examples. To add to the cause of getting more glasses on actresses in movies I just want to say that if Harry Potter can make 8 movies wearing glasses, then any woman can too. Here’s the list of some of the great female movie characters who have already sported the everyday accessory!

Scarlett Johansson as Sondra Pransky in Scoop with the quirky look.

Julia Roberts as Kiki Harrison in America’s Sweethearts with the “girl next door” look.
Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Meg Ryan as Sally Albright in When Harry Met Sally with the classically uptight look.
Nicole Kidman as Silvia Broome in The Interpreter with the professional look.
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada with the super chic look.

Uma Thurman as Jenny Johnson in My Super Ex Girlfriend.

Daryl Hannah as Annelle Dupuy Desoto in Steel Magnolias.
Tina Fey as Kate Holbrook in Baby Mama as the “Tina Fey” look.

Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde being Super Chic.

Jennifer Garner as Sandra in Pearl Harbor.
Tara Reid as Aline Cedrac in Alone in the Dark.
Lacey Chabert as Jenny in Daddy Day Care.
Kristin Davis as Charlotte York in Sex and the City with the modern uptight look.
Christine Taylor as Matilda Jeffries in Zoolander.
Amy Adams as Susan in Talladega Nights.
Hope Davis as Joyce Brabner in American Splendor with the loveable nerd look.
Michelle Pfeiffer as Claire Spencer in What Lies Beneath with the sexy librarian look.
Queen Latifah as Nina Brewster in Mad Money.

Did I leave anyone off? Are you ready for more women to sport some sexy RX shades in movies?

The Positives to Having ADD

2008-08-29T19:23:00.003-04:00

Learning and knowing one’s personal strengths is important whether you have AD/HD or not. Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder can help offset some of the negative aspects of the disorder, but who wants to talk about that? Not me, not right now anyway! So, instead, here is a list of some of the positive personality characteristics and traits that those of us with ADD or ADHD bring to our lives, our friends and families and our work environments.

Creativity – most articles about the positive traits associated with ADD mention creativity. That’s because it’s true! Creativity is seen in a variety of ways, be it through humor, inventive ideas, writing, design, etc. In a work environment, thinking outside the box (which is not a very “outside the box” way of saying it), is appreciated. Unconventional thinking and new points of view are great for everyone involved because this enables fresh ideas to work their way into conventional situations. The ADDA-SR web site says that people with ADD “can find success in most fields utilizing creativity, mechanical, technical and service-oriented jobs.”

Problem Solving Skills – We’re inquisitive, perceptive and original thinkers, so we are at our best when trying to solve problems. Are you the go to person for your friends or family when they have problems? I am! And I love it! The ability to be helpful due to astute troubleshooting skills makes us great helpers (we just have to work on our listening skills sometimes).

Brain Storming – A rapid fire thought process combined with creativity make a great comedian or improve actor (i.e.: Robin Williams). Whether they are good or bad, we can come up with lots of ideas in one sitting if inspired. We can keep conversations going due to fast paced thinking or what I call the “Domino” effect.

Multitasking – my claim to fame. Yes, I am the Queen of multitasking. As long as we can follow through, working on multiple tasks at once is one way we fight boredom, but for others, it’s a way to get us to be productive. “To Do” lists are quite helpful here (and I’m the Queen of those as well, in addition to being the Queen of Post It Notes).

Flexibility – if you’re used to doing more than one thing at once, it’s nothing to just pick up and do another. Unless you’re like me and you like your schedule, ADDers are probably the ones to give the less grief about a major change of plans.

Quick Learner – This one is a little iffy, because it depends on the type of learning going on. I think with most ADDers it is hands on or interactive learning that makes information stick right away. You show us what to do and we can do it. This also includes learning from mistakes, which, personally, is how I learn the best (sometimes this is not such a good thing though).

Quirky – As Mary Jane Johnson wrote in her article “Eight Ways to Handle Impulsivity” – she mentions that ADD people can get “overly excited” which is definitely a quirk of mine! But this is a good thing – we bring uniqueness and positivity to situations. An article on the ADDA-SR site says that another quirk is that “feelings are expressed openly and actively. Impulsivity and activity are expressed. One with this type of ADD can usually succeed in sales, entertainment, entrepreneurship, or another fields utilizing quickness and high energy.” So we bring energy and excitement to everyone’s lives. Woohoo!

We seek “high-stimulus situations” - Edward M. Hallowell says that this characteristic can get people in trouble, but can work to our advantage by making us high energy and highly productive (http://www.add.org/articles/whats_it_like.html). But we are also attuned to the fact that the situation is high stimulus, bringing in a multitude of other special personality traits such as “See[ing] unique relationships between people and things” according to Suite 101 writer Darcy Andries. This is certainly one of my stronger, positive characteristics.

Hyper-focusing – “One with this type of ADD can usually succeed in the military, accounting, or another field utilizing computers and attention to detail and precision.” (ADDA-SR). Thank goodness for hyper-focusing! We are great multitaskers but in our attempt to overcome a lack of attention span we’ve somehow developed an ability to over compensate occasionally too. However, in situations that require exactness and remarkable attention to detail, we can really shine and show off our skills. It's great!

What are your positive personality traits as someone with AD/HD? Do you have the ones mentioned above or none of them?

"Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show" – A Hilariously Touching Documentary

2008-08-23T13:49:00.004-04:00

I love standup. So when I heard that Vince Vaughn was making a documentary about his 30 days on the road with comedian friends Ahmed Ahmed, Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from “A Christmas Story”), John Caparulo, Bret Ernst, Sebastian Maniscalco, Keir O’Donnell (“Wedding Crashers”), Justin Long (Mac from the Mac and PC commercials) and Jon Favreau – I immediately started looking for showings at my local movie theaters. Somehow I missed it. And I was not happy – until it showed up in my mailbox straight from NetFlix.

Pros:
- So funny! – This is a quality cast of truly funny comedians. The clips of their act are all of original bits, improv skits, songs, audience participation excersices, etc. Standup isn’t easy, and these comedians are terrific examples of the talent making the comedy club rounds.

- It’s more than comedy – there are sections of the documentary that focus specifically on each comedian. They discuss their families, the adversities they’ve overcome (ie – “being a Muslim comedian in a post 9/11 America”), gain new perspectives (part of the tour was to go through New Orleans but then Katrina hit. The guys visit a camp where hurricane victims are living and give them free tickets. They take the profits from a number of shows and donate them to the Red Cross for hurricane relief.), and other misadventures give us a peek into what it takes to be a comedian on the road as well as the gratification and frustrations that make up a career.

- Introducing… - It’s not all about Vaughn. If anything, he’s the least seen throughout the documentary (much to my dismay), but in return we are introduced to four comics on the verge of making a name for themselves. What we get are fresh jokes, fresh deliveries and really just a distinctive selection of punch lines.

Cons:
- A lack of Vaughn – Vince Vaughn, the title person of the documentary, isn’t in the film a whole lot.

- Stick with it – the beginning is a little slow. They introduce everyone and establish what the film and road show are about.

- It isn’t all standup – Don’t expect to watch 4 men’s standup routines the whole way through because that’s not the sole focus (but that’s a good thing too).

Unique Qualities:
- It’s a documentary about 5 comedians and their random friends on a bus for 30 days – that’s pretty darn unique in and of itself.

I am really impressed with the flow of the documentary and the amount of one of a kind jokes the featured comedians perform. It’s also interesting to learn more about life on the road in general and follow the guys through radio phone-in interviews, publicity appearances, nights where jokes bomb, nights of standing ovations and the celebrities they run into.

Are documentaries of this nature (ie - life as a comedian, life as a politician, life as a tightrope walker, etc) interesting? Have you seen "Wild West Comedy Show?" What did you think?

“Pineapple Express” – Review

2008-08-16T10:41:00.002-04:00

“Pineapple Express” starring Seth Rogan and James Franco can’t decide if it wants to be a stoner movie or an action movie and until the end, that sort of in between state works. So, what happens when two paranoid potheads aren’t really that paranoid about being chased by a drug lord? Hilarity!

Pros:
- It’s really funny! – It combines pothead high jinx (no pun intended) with pothead high jinx as an action movie, which makes for some for unexpected, laugh out loud, never-thought-they’d-get-into-that-situation moments.

- Great dialogue – Between moments of “high” clarity and just random rambling and screaming (ie – the car chase), the conversations between Dale and Saul are full of stoner stupidities and actual rational thoughts.

- Buddy chemistry – These two start out as almost strangers, but in the midst of running away from drug lords they bond to become BFFs. Franco’s Saul is sad in a way because he’s hurt when Dale calls him simply his “drug dealer.” But those moments are what make “Pineapple Express” not your ordinary pothead film.

- Action! – There are two sections of this movie, the funny parts and the end. At the end “Pineapple Express” turns into a full blown action movie complete with bad guys with bad aim and great timing by the under dogs. Plus the car chase is entertaining and suspenseful (cars flip, pedestrians dodge out of the way, shattering glass – what more could you ask for)!

- Mobsters – Gary Cole and Rosie Perez make up the bad guys chasing Dale and Saul. Perez is a crooked cop and Cole is a powerful drug lord whom Saul bought the rare Pineapple Express from. They make a comedic team (probably because both actors are known for comedies and not dramatic roles such as crooked cop and drug lord). It’s a little difficult taking them seriously, but it’s a movie, so suspension of disbelief comes into play and if the actors had been cast by serious actors they could have turned out to the downers of the movie.

Cons:
- Selling drugs to high schoolers – couldn’t the pot smoking and selling just have involved the over 18 year olds? I know that high schoolers are sold and smoke pot, but I really didn’t need to see it.

- Dale’s (Rogan) high school girlfriend – Umm, yeah, this was just weird. Angie (played by Amber Heard of “Alpha Dog” and “Friday Night Lights”) is sweet and normal, but we don’t get to see enough of her to know if she’s really more mature than her actual age (the justification Dale gives for dating a girl still in high school). So really, he’s just dating a girl in high school and we’re left crossing our fingers that she’s 18.

Unique Qualities:
- It isn’t typical or what you would expect from a “stoner comedy.”

As a buddy comedy, a pothead comedy and an action movie, “Pineapple Express” delivers a ton of funny lines and images that will definitely make you laugh at loud. The overdose of action doesn’t come until the end and even that has its more lighthearted moments (but its a bit long). Franco and Rogan make a great comedy team and it’s nice to see Franco in a role like this because we haven’t seen him in a comedy in recent memory. At any rate, I definitely recommend seeing this movie (even if you wait until DVD), because it promises some good laughs and a great new addition to the Judd Apatow team.

Is this your typical pothead movie? Am I over reacting to the pot and high schoolers scene? Did the action part of the movie play well or was it a bit out of place?

Review for “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2”

2008-08-14T20:56:00.005-04:00

This is a love story on many, many levels. And it is most definitely the epitome of a “chick flick.” The sequel and book adaptation staring America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn Alexis Bledel and Blake Lively explores life, death, family, personal growth and true friendship. I’ve read a lot of reviews comparing “Sisterhood” to “Sex and the City,” but really these films have just one thing in common – 4 talented leading actresses. The acting and characters are warmhearted and their relationships are genuine making this an emotional roller coaster from opening credits to closing.

Pros:
What family means to four different girls – from babies to gaining new perspectives, the family centric situations presented in the movie are refreshing.

Without these specific actors, it wouldn’t work – they have a combined chemistry that brings the four plotlines together (when they’re in the same scene with one another) and this is a glimpse of the future of Hollywood!

Not a lot of pants, but a lot of adult decisions and discoveries (ie – visiting an estranged grandmother, a pregnancy scare, forgiveness – 4 fold, starting to become independent, etc, etc.). The pants are worn by each girl, but barely. But that’s fine and makes sense by the end of the movie.

It’s not about the men – As a woman, I appreciate the fact that a girly movie doesn't have to solely revolve around finding Mr. Right or marriage. In this way it differs from a lot of “chick flicks.”

Realistic portrayal of that “limbo” like time when you decide where you want to go in life – remember when you were in your early 20’s and trying to decide what direction to take your life in? That’s this movie!

Cons:
“Julia” – Julie is a character that brings Carmen (Ferrera) to a theater internship and is passed over for a leading role in a play for Carmen. In the beginning, she was a “Pro” because, despite her disappointment, she encourages Carmen. However, the writers, or whomever, couldn’t help themselves but to bring Julia down to the mean girl level by the end. It’s very disappointing.

It’s a little long – run time 117 minutes.

Unique Qualities:
The first rate acting is clear from each actress. They work well as a team, but each meets the challenge of taking the lead in their own scenes. The acting feels true, making this a unique quality in the context of a summer full of big action, comic book movies.

Can you compare “Sisterhood” to “Sex and the City?” What do you think of “chick flicks” not involving men? Did you like this sequel?

Does the Nation’s Down Market Affect the Hollywood Market?

2008-08-14T20:08:00.004-04:00

You can’t go 10 minutes without someone bringing up the hard times American’s are in right now with regards to the economy. Which makes me wonder - is the state of the economy affecting Hollywood?

In a Disney (which includes Miramax Films) press release, their April, May and June quarter’s profits decreased by 2% (profits equaled $1,433 million) from the previous quarter. They are also down 2% from the same quarter last year. They released “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “Wall E” and “Smart People” to name a few.
http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/quarterly_earnings/2008_q3.pdf
http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/quarterly_earnings/2008_q2.pdf
http://amedia.disney.go.com/investorrelations/2007_q3.pdf

Paramount/Viacom's (which includes DreamWorks and Paramount Vantage) profits are up 35% for the April, May and June quarter from the same quarter in 2007. By this quarter’s end Viacom’s filmed entertainment profits totaled $1,771 million. They are up 55% from the previous quarter. A huge contributing factor of course was the theatrical release of “Iron Man” which held the top grossing spot until “The Dark Knight” came along. Other films included “The Ruins,” “Shine a Light,” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
http://www.examiner.com/p-203802~Viacom_Reports_Second_Quarter_2008_Results.html

Time Warner’s press release stated a 14% increase for the April, May and June quarter over the same quarter in 2007 (“The Dark Knight” was not in theaters for this quarter). Profits for filmed entertainment totaled $2,564 million, a 9% decrease from the previous quarter. Films released: “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” “Speed Racer,” “Sex and the City” and “Get Smart.”
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/TWX/383851792x0x218746/44385332-ffd3-4157-8ccf-b774958797b1/q22008earnings.pdf
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/TWX/383851792x0x192025/73b19957-4e6f-4e1e-af79-6cd605e71629/q12008release.pdf

NBC Universal (GE) profits are up 7% from 2007’s April, May and June quarter and up 8% from the previous 2008 quarter. Total revenue for April, May and June equaled $3,882 million. Films released “Baby Mama,” "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "The Strangers," "Wanted" and "The Incredible Hulk.”
http://www.ge.com/files/usa/company/investor/downloads/webcast_04112008/earnings_press_release_04112008.pdf
http://www.ge.com/files/usa/company/investor/downloads/webcast_07112008/earnings_press_release_07112008.pdf

20th Century Fox – The April, May, and June quarter showed total profits at $220 million, a 16% decrease from the previous quarter. Surprisingly though, their profits only equaled $106 million from the same quarter in 2007, which are up significantly now. Films released – “Nim's Island,” “Street Kings,” “Deception,” “What Happens in Vegas...,” and “The Happening.”
http://www.newscorp.com/investor/download/NWS_Q3_2008.pdf
http://www.newscorp.com/investor/download/NWS_Q4_2008.pdf

With the exception of Disney, none of the studios were consistently down in the cash flow areas. As an incredible summer of blockbusters and A List ensemble casts comes to a close, it seems that although Wall Street is a buzz with red down arrows, Hollywood is a buzz with millions of green ones – just maybe not as many as they were hoping for.

Are you still going to just as many movies now-a-days even though ticket prices are rising? Do you think the economy is affecting Hollywood and film makers?

“Step Brothers” Review

2008-08-13T22:24:00.002-04:00

I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that not ALL the funny moments in “Step Brothers” were revealed in the trailers. Surprised?! I decided to go into the movie not expecting a whole lot and when the movie was over I wasn’t all that disappointed! I’ve noticed a lot of reviews are giving it a hard time for its f-bombs and repetitive one-liners. But what else can one expect? You have to go into this movie anticipating the normal Will Farrell and John C. Reilly high jinks or else you are just expecting way too much. With the right mind set, “Step Brothers” will happily entertain you and you will soon forget you even saw this movie until you rent it and it dawns on you that you saw it in the theater. Anywho, here are the Pros and Cons to “Step Brothers.”

Pros:
- It’s short. Run Time 95 minutes.

- Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins – the parents of the 40 year old man children deliver a realistic portrayal of conflicted parents who love their boys, but are at their wits end.

- The occasional great quote – like the other Reilly and/or Farrell movies, the script supplies the audience with a few quotes to store away and use for months to come. (i.e. – “You have the voice of an angel. I mean, it's like Fergie meets Jesus.”)

- The ending – lessons are learned, under dogs succeed and the man-children get to stay man-children. (heartwarming sigh)

Cons:
- The F-bomb – I’ve officially reached my f-bomb quota for the year since seeing this movie.

- It’s not going win an Academy Award this season – although funny in its own Will Farrell, Adam McKay and John C. Reilly way, they really just fall into a “comedy” category of their own, not to compete with the “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Juno,” and recent “Pineapple Express” comedies.

Unique Qualities:
- It is what it is. So, sit back, relax, you definitely won’t have to think and just enjoy the insanity.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

"Long Way Round" - A Documentary That Everyone Will Love

2008-08-07T22:16:00.003-04:00

“Long Way Round” is a travel documentary BBC series following Ewan Mcgregor, Charley Boorman, their videographer and film crew as they motorcade LITERALLY around the world with motorcycles and 4 wheel drive vehicles. Whether you love motorcycle travel or just travel in general, the “off the beaten path” locations, problems, solutions, locals and candid moments that Mcgregor and Boorman encounter on their 18,887 mile road trip will captivate any one.

Pros:
- It’s appealing to everyone, not just those who like motorcycles – When I first heard that this was a documentary about motorcycle travel I loudly said “yuck” at the suggestion of watching it. To my surprise, I stayed up until about 4 am watching the whole thing (then bought the DVD set the next day).

- Here’s what’s fascinating:
- The “getting ready” process (they essentially start their own business just to prepare).
- The locations – they don’t ride to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, oh no! They visit neighborhoods and areas not usually on a tourist’s agenda. It’s nice to see new sights from countries including Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia and others.
- The problems and their solutions – For example, at one point someone’s bike breaks down. Being resourceful, the team comes across a local man who uses his collection of tools to fix the bike. And at no charge, I believe. Other issues that pop up – border crossings, gasoline in the eyes, bug bites, a flipped over SUV and … oh yes, unpaved roads and no roads at all.
- The locals – most of these people don’t speak English and you get to watch as everyone tries to communicate. Complete strangers, who have no idea who either actor is, invite them into their dwellings (I say dwelling because some live in tents, mansions, brick buildings with one room, trailers, etc.). Each country brings new characters onto the stage that are not characters at all, but real human beings.

Cons:
- The preparation takes a little long (which usually makes me hit fast forward), but stick with it, because once they’re on the road, the adventures begin and you won’t be able to stop watching.
- The DVD shows the opening sequence and credits between each episode, which is a little annoying.

Unique Qualities:
- This whole series is unique. How often do you get to see an A list star in the most un-Hollywood of landscapes such as the Road of Bones in Russia?! Um, never, ‘til this amazing travel showcase came along.
- Mcgregor and Boorman are always fun to watch, but the rest of the crew members are just as entertaining and resourceful.

Have you seen this documentary? Did you see “Long Way Down” on July 31? What are your thoughts on travel documentaries? Any you can suggest?

Why Internet Marketing is the Way to Go

2008-08-06T22:25:00.001-04:00

Search traffic is up by 11% in June 2008 from May 2008 and is up by 44% from June 2007. (http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2356). People know it’s easy and convenient to shop or find information online and that’s where a lot of consumers are turning. Even if you can’t sell and ship online, there are still people out there looking for your products, whether it’s food, clothing, theater tickets, etc. If you don’t have a website, then customers who hear about you, either through word of mouth, other advertising, etc, can’t look you up or learn about you.

Some aspects are free – who doesn’t like free? Organic search doesn’t cost a thing, so a well optimized site has the potential to rank for relevant searches without paying for anything other than your website and whoever is doing the optimization. This could also help lower the cost of customer acquisition, which in this day and age, is always a plus! And by mentioning your website in other advertising you will bring in visitors who learn your URL and can bookmark it making them a potential frequent customer.

It’s Easy (mostly) – most web hosting companies have created simple to use platforms that are easy to edit to create your own unique content.

Local search – there’s a growing trend of searchers using physical location to find stores, dealerships, realtors, restaurants, etc. Unless you’re a site such as Amazon.com or Zappos, it is to your benefit to market your website and products locally, just as you would with TV or radio. Google, Yahoo! and MSN all have their own “local” or “business” search sections that should be utilized (and are free!).

Measurable – by using tracking phone numbers specific to your site, free website traffic tracking software as well as a “Contact Us” form, you are able to keep a measurable record of sales leads, visitor traffic, etc. from your website.

What are some other benefits to having a website? What are some of the reservations for not having one?

ADD Myths and What I Have to Say About Them

2008-07-29T18:53:00.002-04:00

I am in no way shape or form a medical expert or related to the medical field in any way. The messages in this blog posting are purely my opinions. Please consult a medical professional for advice.

There are a lot of “myths” and misunderstandings about AD/HD, don’t you think? I’ve heard a lot of them throughout the years and read a lot about the truths, as well as experienced them myself. In those experiences I’ve formed opinions too – no surprise there, right? And here is a list of some the fables of AD/HD and my opinions about them.

Myth: ADD is just a lack of willpower. Persons with ADD focus well on things that interest them; they could focus on any other tasks if they really wanted to. (http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm)

My Take: There is a coping strategy called “hyperfocusing” which is an over compensation for the inability to focus. ADDers know they must focus and can get a sort of tunnel vision while trying to over come their fluctuating attention span.

Myth: Everybody has the symptoms of ADD, and anyone with adequate intelligence can overcome these difficulties. (http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm)

My Take: Well AD/HD has nothing to do with intelligence AT ALL. And a lot of folks do have symptoms, but if it isn’t impacting everyday life on a chronic level, then there is no use worrying about it. It is up to the individual as to whether to seek a diagnosis and/or treatment or not, it may just depend on the severity of the disorder and how well someone can cope. Just like a cold, it varies from person to person.

Myth: ADHD isn't a real medical disorder. (http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/873.html)

My Take: Yes it is and if someone still doubts its existence in this day and age then I think that person lives under a rock and should read the following articles. (http://help4adhd.org/en/about/science and http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec4.html).

Myth: Children who take ADHD medication are more likely to abuse drugs when they become teenagers. (http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/873.html)

My Take: Author Wendy Richardson makes an interesting point in her article “ADHD and Addiction” (http://www.addandaddiction.com/articles.htm) she mentions that early treatment can actually prevent a major cause of abuse – self medication. ADHD medications are monitored continuously (I’ve been on medication for 6 years and still see my doctor every three months) to make sure that abuse is not occurring or is not a possibility. Also, an article on MedicineNet states that possible drug abuse stems from ADHD itself and not necessarily the treatment. (http://www.medicinenet.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd/page5.htm)

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Batman - The Dark Knight Box Office Food for Thought

2008-07-28T20:52:00.002-04:00

The second weekend for “Batman – The Dark Knight” proved to be just as lucrative as the first. Here are some stats to think about regarding this box office smasher of a film!

As of July 27th – total domestic gross $314,245,000 – and this is only its SECOND weekend!

The highest grossing movie of 2008 so far (although it’s unlikely to retain this title next week) is “Iron Man” totaling so far $314,905,000 (which has been out for 13 weeks) – “The Dark Knight” has $660,000 more to go to tie.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – in its 10 weeks of release has generated $313,626,000 – “The Dark Knight” in TWO weeks has already beaten it by $619,000!

“Spider Man 3” was the top grossing movie of 2007 and “The Dark Knight” only needs $22,748,626 more to match it.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” was the #4 top grossing movie of 2007 and “The Dark Knight” has already beaten it by $4,824,575.

Also, the top 5 and 6 grossing films of 2007 were “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “I Am Legend” both grossed less than “The Dark Knight’s” 2 weeks.

2007’s Best Picture Oscar Winner “The Departed” only grossed $132,384,315 – I think “The Dark Knight” made more than that it’s opening weekend.

Stats thanks to Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/)

Tales From the Cubicle – Story One – Cubicle Pet Peeves

2008-07-26T23:27:00.003-04:00

You are in the middle of your day and then it happens, one of the most frustrating aspects of not having an office – the annoying cubicle pet peeve occurs, not once, not twice, but over and over. You roll your eyes, you sigh loudly, but your subtle expression of annoyance does not deflect this individual from doing their bothersome thing…whatever it happens to be. I work in a cubicle too and it is a very common workspace layout that lends itself to overhearing, overseeing and interacting with others who may not have the same common courtesy that you do. Here is my list of cubicle pet peeves.

- IM/Email noises – In a day and age where everyone communicates online whether it’s through email, IM, Trillion, MSN messenger, etc, not having the sound turned off is incredibly distracting and irritating. The grating nature of these noises is probably due to its repetitive nature (chime high…chime low…doorbell…cow (repeat over and over and over). I work with someone whose IM sounds like the NBC theme and it drives me nuts. If someone is sitting in front of the computer screen is it necessary to have an audio sound when an email or IM arrives? I say no, turn that sucker on mute!

- Speaker Phone – Ever overhear a conversation about a doctor’s appointment, birth control pills, 2 week cruise vacation plans or accident information from someone working on the other side of the room? I have! All the time! Why is it that some people have no shame when it comes to private matters? Go into an empty conference room to make those types of calls, or wait until your lunch break or step outside for a minute. There is one woman at my office that has EVERY conversation on speaker phone. With cell phones as prevalent as they are, shouldn’t people be used to holding a handset to their head? (shrug)

- People Who Don’t Know When To Go Back To Their Desks – They come to ask a work question, then ask if you saw the last episode of “Lost”, then ask how your kids last soccer game went, asks about the four pictures on your desk and your screen saver and your backdrop and about 12 other topics – like they don’t have work to get back to, right?

- Reply All – Ah! I hate reply all! Scene - It’s the office potluck and EVERYONE hits reply all to tell the coordinator what they are bringing. There really should be usage regulations with Reply All.

- The Office Microwave and The Smelly Things People Cook – Do you have someone in your building that insists on cooking fish once a week in the common room microwave? How about the two or three people who over cook their popcorn almost every day? Have anyone ever reheat eggs in the microwave? If you haven’t – it’s coming. If you have, then you are ever-so familiar with the nauseating smells that they create and that emulate throughout the common room as well as into the actual office space. Stick to sandwiches and soup and non-smelly lean cuisines please!

- The Office Singer – Do you have an office singer? I DO! He walks around singing the most random songs at the top of his lungs. I once heard him IN the bathroom (I was at my desk). Why some people don’t understand this is rude, I have no idea, but what I don’t understand even more is why NO ONE says anything (I of course haven’t, that would also be rude)!

Who annoys you in your office? Do you have anyone that does the above? What about pet peeves of people who don’t work in offices, what do people do out on your jobs?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time. 

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

“Batman – The Dark Knight” Review

2008-07-21T22:05:00.004-04:00

Damn.
I apologize that the first word of my review is a cuss word, but “wow” would just be an understatement for the film “Batman – The Dark Knight.” I saw it in IMAX during opening weekend and was absolutely blown away by the acting, cinematography, writing and directing. This is a complete package, a near perfect movie.

Pros:
- The acting. This is an ensemble movie. From the gangsters to the convicts to the pretty ladies at the parties to the all star cast – the acting is superb. What an amazing group of actors who, no matter what small part they played, put their all into their performances and it comes together to make a very captivating movie.

- The Story. This is a villain movie. We've already learned Batman’s back story and now we get to see his limits tested. There is a changing and evolving city as well as changing and evolving criminals at Batman's heels. It’s fascinating to see Batman realize what Gotham City really needs.

- The writing. Witty yet subtle, just the way I like it.

- The directing. There is only one person to be credited with making this film a complete package and that’s director Christopher Nolan.

- Heath Ledger/The Joker – Ledger’s “Joker” is funny, likes to spice things up with a little bit of chaos and is a killer with no plan. Some actors relate to the character they play and therefore put that emotion towards their performance making it more genuine. The Joker is the complete opposite of anything that I might think that Ledger was. So to be able to create a completely different person and make that performance believable is the ultimate goal for an actor, I think. You do not see Heath Ledger on that screen for one second and that is the talent we will all miss.

- Aaron Eckhart/Two Face – Two Face is a torn man which is also reflected in Batman. They are both conflicted between what is right, what is fair, and what is just. I really like this parallel and Eckhart does a terrific job of showing the emotional hurt and complete break down of what was once Gotham City’s “White Knight.” (Awesome article on Aaron Eckhart by John at TheMovieBlog.com)

Cons:
- It’s a little long.

- Not enough Morgan Freeman or Michael Caine.

Unique Qualities:
- The cinematography is AMAZING and really IMAX is the only way to truly appreciate the images and scenery throughout the movie. The opening shot alone in IMAX makes you feel like Batman flying over Chicago…I mean Gotham City. There are also some spectacular shots of Hong Kong.

- I left the movie theater (and still a few days later) saying to myself “I cannot WAIT for the next one!! What’s going to happen?!”

Did you see it? Any thoughts or reactions to it? Any rumors about what will happen in the next movie?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Freelance & Paid Blogging Sites - A Review

2008-07-18T19:00:00.004-04:00

Like a lot of Americans, I’ve been feeling the pinch of the crazy economy. So in an effort to counter balance that, I decided to look into freelance writing and paid ad blog posting. I signed up for a bunch of sites and services and below are my reviews of them. Please let me know if you have had any experiences with these services too!

Freelance Sites
Elance – It offers 8 categories (all with sub-categories) for freelance positions. There is a bid system for the freelancers looking for jobs but I’m not sure how it works yet. It’s a long registering process including watching some tutorials and then taking a quiz, which I just recently did, so I haven’t had the chance yet to bid with my new quiz certification. You cannot bid on projects until you have passed the quiz. This, however, seems to be the best site of all the ones mentioned in this blog posting and the one I will be sticking with the most.

iFreelance – This one is a little odd because there are no posting dates, so it’s hard to see what’s new. I haven’t even read any of the postings. It doesn't look like a lot of new jobs are posted but there are a lot of bids for each job.

Guru – Guru seems to offer the highest quality job postings, however, in order to bid for most of the positions (I would say 95% of them) you have to have a paid membership. I’ve been using this now for about 2 weeks and have yet to see one posting that I could apply for (I don’t have a paid membership). I’ll remain persistent though because there are a lot of offerings on this site.

Paid Ad writing or Pay per Posting Sites
Bloggerwave – I hate this site. I’ve been registered for an entire month with no job offerings, no response from Customer Service, nothing. The site is bare bones and there seems to not be a whole lot going on with it. STAY AWAY!

Squidoo – I still don’t fully understand Squidoo, but somehow you can earn money from it. It’s set up like a regular blog where you can type out posts. It comes with a bunch of other things like an eBay section that you can have on your blog (or Lens as they call it). I wish this site came with step by step directions though because I’ve been registered for about a month and just found out 2 days ago that you are supposed to hit “Publish” after you’ve posted new information. There’s a lot going on with this site and I’m still not sure how you earn money. It’s pretty neat looking and there’s a lot to do on it and the way they word things is pretty funny.

PayPerPost – What seems to be a reputable company, they always answer my emails, but I have yet to receive an opportunity that wasn’t already full. Although a few opportunities come in each day there aren’t any open spots by the time I get to them.

Blogsvertise – Another one I would stay away from. I’ve been registered for a month now and have not received one single opportunity. I can’t see any of the open opportunities even if they are filled or unavailable to me (most sites allow you to at least see what all is out there even if you can’t apply for it). They have only answered 1 of my 3 emails.

To summarize, I will stick with the freelance sites and services and probably give up on the pay per posting advertising.

I need advice! Has anyone had any experiences with sites like these even if they aren’t mentioned? Have you made any money freelancing or posting paid ads?

Top 10 Movies I Can’t Wait to See

2008-07-15T10:29:00.007-04:00

Since I didn’t see any movies this weekend, I thought I’d write a list of some of the movies I am highly anticipating during the next 12 months.

1. The Dark Knight – Now who ISN’T anticipating this one? I don’t think I’ve heard one negative thing about this movie yet. I know it comes out this upcoming weekend, but this will be the LONGEST week ever!

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – I am currently 3/4th the way through this book and so far it’s GREAT! Look for it November 21, 2008

3. X-Files – I Want to Believe – I was a HUGE fan of the TV show (owning some of the series on VHS too), I am stoked that the original actors agreed to this new installment. The best thing though is that the movie is supposed to be an independent story, so even if movie goers weren’t huge fans of the late-90’s series they can still enjoy the sexual tension and sci-fi twists that made it famous in the first place. Release Date: July 25, 2008

4. Angles & Demons – The precursor to “The Da Vinci Code”, Dan Brown’s Vatican city novel is on the big screen. Full of the same controversies that The Da Vinci Code brought on, this book poses even more challenging because it takes place in Vatican City as well on the actual grounds of the Vatican itself. Tom Hanks is the only familiar face but Ron Howard is bringing in Ewan McGregor to round out the cast. Release Date: May 15, 2009

5. Twilight – This makes the list because of my dearest friends who are obsessed with the novels by Stephenie Meyer. This teenage vampire saga has received a lot of attention from the MTV youngsters, but has also got those of us in their 20’s and 30’s reading as well. The series, made up of 4 books has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for 47 weeks, will now be making huge grounds on the big screen. Release Date: December 12, 2008

6. Eagle Eye - Shia LaBeouf stars as a guy who is suddenly being ordered around by some mysterious woman on the phone who can see his every move. This truly do or die flick looks very intense and I have a feeling it’ll have a twist no one is expecting. Release Date: September 26, 2008

7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – This just looks interesting, like a very unique story. Release Date: December 19, 2008

8. Australia – Finally Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman don’t have to fake American accents since this is a movie about their home country. It’ll be nice to see these two highly talented stars make a film together about their homeland. Release Date: November 14th, 2008

9. Mamma Mia – Theater was my minor in college, so it’s always a pleasure (well not always) to see an acclaimed production in movie theaters. This energy filled play seems to have a cast that loved making the movie, so it’s sure to be filled with high impact acting, singing and dancing and let’s not forget – romance. It only has the unfortunate fate of coming out the same weekend as “The Dark Knight.” Release Date: July 18, 2008

10. Tropic Thunder – Really, all I have to say is Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. Oh wait let me add something – Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Mickey Rooney, Nick Nolte, and Bill Hader. Enough said. Release Date: August 15, 2008

What are you looking forward to within the 2008/2009 film season? Did I miss anything?

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Freelance Writer and/or Blogger

2008-07-15T10:26:00.002-04:00

Hire Me to Blog or Write for You

Looking for a freelance writer or blogger for your website, newsletter, ezine or other publication? I am now offering by abilities as a freelancer to write or blog for you. Below are my credentials. My fee is low and I am a quick learner so topics are not limited to just movies, work and AD/HD. Please post a comment to this posting if you are interested and I look forward to working with you.

Writing Experience:
- Website Content
- Radio and Online Ad Copy
- Research papers (topics include: movies, gender communications, theater, etc.)
- Poetry
- News Stories
- Blog Postings (http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/)

The Domino Effect: ADD & Conversation

2008-07-13T21:29:00.003-04:00

I wasn’t diagnosed with ADD until I was 19. That was a lot of time to go by without understanding how my own brain worked in conversations. Needless to say, I got a lot of “that was random” and “where did that come from” comments from friends during conversations pre-diagnosis. And they were completely justified in making those statements. I would say comments that, to them, would seem to be out of the blue, but to me seemed logical and relevant. Now that I know more about ADD and how it can affect life skills and conversation abilities, I am reminded of an age old theory called “The Domino Effect” and I can now see how it relates to conversation skills and the ADD brain.

So a conversation starts with topic A (a.k.a. Domino 1). Everyone’s sharing their ideas and stories and something sparks a side thought in the ADD person’s brain bringing that person slightly away from the original topic and creating Domino 2. From there this person thinks of something else (Domino 3), then something else, then a different thought (Domino 4) and so on and before they know it they are at Domino 7 or 8. Before I understood ADD I would just spout out Domino 7 or 8 as part of the conversation because to me it made sense. However, to those who were still discussing Domino 1 it sounded like a completely new topic. This was when I would get the “that was random” comments from others (and a reputation as the “dumb blonde”). Now, however, I think about what I am going to say to make sure it relates to Domino 1. I can keep my focus on Domino 1 and if that focus waivers, I’m aware of it and the fact that only I will be able to make sense of the resulting thoughts because the thought process is only in my brain. If I do have one of my “random statement moments” I know that I can simply say “Oh, here’s how I got to that idea” and explain these thought processes to the others in the group. I really think that awareness is 55% of how to cope with AD/HD. Just simply being aware that this is how my brain works and it may not be how others' thought processes work gives me a social skill abling me to adapt to and incorporate my thoughts and ideas into any conversation and explain to others my random statements should they occur.

What are your "random statement" experiences? Do you find that your brain can sometimes do a Domino effect as well?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

A Great Workplace Starts At The Top

2008-07-08T21:08:00.002-04:00

The truth is I’ve learned a lot in my time within the corporate working world. And I have found that the most influential person (or people) on your daily workload, the attitude in the office, etc. is the leader, the head honcho – your boss. Here are a few observations and suggestions about making the daily grind a little more bearable.

- Don’t show panic or frustration to employees because then they won’t know that there’s anything to panic or be frustrated about. Has this ever happened to you, you see your boss red in the face storming back to their office only to shut their door for another 20 minutes with no explanation? It’s worrisome, right? Bottom line, if it doesn’t directly affect staff (ie moving cubicles) then they probably don’t need to know or even be aware of any problems.

- Micro-managing is a surefire way not to be liked. Inherently, micro-managing inspires resentment. Really, what difference does it make if an employee spent 5 minutes reading an article on Yahoo! news if they still got all of their work done and at their best quality level? Backing off can go a long way. It shows trust.

- Chat with employees – emerging from an office a couple times a day to talk with employees/coworkers can really boost moral. This allows everyone to relate on different subjects other than work, it gives everyone a quick break from work, and gives everyone a chance to laugh (that alone can do wonders!), among other things. This creates a more enjoyable atmosphere and set the boss up as more than just a boss.

- Reward employees for accomplishments and go easy when they make mistakes. Feeling like you might be fired over a small little error does not create the best environment for which to work effectively. If errors are brought to attention in a non threatening tone and manner it opens up a situation in which the employee is more receptive to the correction instead of feeling bad about making a humanistic error. And rewards let employees know that their hard work is being noticed and is appreciated by more than just themselves. Simple things like saying “Nice job on the ABC report” or “Take an extra long lunch since you worked so hard on preparing for that meeting” are quite easy to hand out.

What does being a good boss/manager/leader mean to you as a boss or as an employee? What are some good ideas for rewards or suggestions as to handle pointing out mistakes to employees?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

"Hancock" Review

2008-07-06T21:56:00.003-04:00

“Hancock” is a good character story and Will Smith perfects his "pissed off" look. Although, I think the film was marketed incorrectly, which is where most of the disappointment is coming from, it’s a good movie and definitely worth seeing on the big screen.

Pros:
- A twist you are not expecting (again, I love when movie makers do this! The trailers, marketing, interviews, etc., none of them even HINT at the twist - YES!).

- Jason Bateman – enough said.

- A great transformation of Smith’s “Hancock” – you see Hancock's realization of how making himself a better person can benefit society but you also see his stubbornness of not wanting to change (who wants to change, ya know?!).

- We see the social pressures of what it means to be a “super hero.”

Cons:
- The story of an ideal super hero turning a leaf to better the world is enough. The movie looses it I think when they start to incorporate a hurried and convoluted back story. It messes up the rhythm (although worst things have happened to a movie).

- I agree with critic Brian Chen, “The movie's best as a comedy and worst when it tries to get serious.” So true!

Unique Qualities:
- A really compelling story at heart, but maybe a two-parter instead of smooshing it all together.

- Smith is terrific as always, Bateman is tremendous as always, and Theron is excellent as always (well I guess that’s really unique – but it’s a great cast, a good mix of talent all in one film).

What I Clearly Inherited From My Parents

2008-07-01T20:35:00.002-04:00

This blog post has nothing to do with work, movies or ADD, so we will file it under the “Random Thoughts” section. I was inspired as I was listening to the radio yesterday and the DJs were talking about the traits they inhereited from their parents. I thought this would make a really interesting blog post – to dissect myself and take a look at what my parents graciously or not so graciously bestowed upon their eldest child.

Theater (both) – I did theater all throughout high school and made it my minor in college. Both parents did theater when they were in high school and that’s how they met actually, while doing a show.

Driving (dad) – This one is funny because recently I scratched up my car in the exact same place my dad had scratched our mini van just a few weeks ago. I took it to the same repair shop and the shop owner made a comment like “You must take after your dad.” And I said “Yes, actually, is it obvious he’s the one that taught me to drive?” My mom did a little as well, but I definitely inherited my dad’s road rage and the tendency to stare at drivers who are acting stupid as I drive past them on the highway.

Laugh & sense humor (mom) – My mom and I laugh at the same things and in the same tone of voice. The laughs don’t match exactly, but it is quite clear that she was the contributor for that gene.

Piano (mom) – My mom plays the guitar, always has. She’s pretty good too! I play the piano. Haven’t always, but I am pretty average, so I think I inherited some musicality from my mommy.

Voice recognition & (minor) success in the voice over business (dad) – My dad is a radio DJ. He has been my whole life. So that’s what I know. This has somehow got to be related to my ability to recognize voices. I play a little game sometimes with commercials; I try to see if I can recognize the celebrity doing the voice over. I also got into doing voice work myself and did a couple commercials here and there. Pretty sweet gig, it is just too bad my real job moved to a different city and I can’t make it to the recording studio anymore.

ADD (mom) – I see a lot of AD/HD traits in my mom. She’s much more functional than I am and the traits only pop up occasionally, but I definitely got it from her (love you Mom!!).

Love of movies (dad) – My dad is the movie and trivia master, so naturally it was worked into our lives. My memory stinks, so I’m terrible at trivia, but damn do I love my movies.

My looks (both) – If you looked at me, then my parents, and you didn’t know we were related you would probably not match us up as parents and kids. But if you dissect my features, it’s obvious who I got them from. My eyes – mom; Nose – mom; Height – dad; Face shape – dad. Now the rest…the rest is kind of a mish-mash of features from other relatives. I know, weird right?

Now it’s your turn!

What did you clearly inherit from your parents? Any funny stories about people pointing out those same traits? Are you proud of the genes you got or do they cause more embarrassment than anything else?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Why Does AD/HD Medication Get Such a Bad Rap?

2008-07-01T20:28:00.002-04:00

I am in no way shape or form a medical expert or related to the medical field in any way. The messages in this blog posting are purely my opinions. Please consult a medical professional for advice.

I have been taking medication for Adult ADD for six years. I have never sold it, I have never lost any weight while taking it, and I’ve never seemed “over medicated”. These are some of the negative connotations AD/HD medications get and it bugs me every time I see a news story on what terrible things these medications are doing to people. I’m not saying that bad things don’t happen, however, it would be great to hear a story about how these medications have transformed someone’s life in a positive way as opposed to ruining it.

So, here are some thoughts I have about AD/HD medications’ “bad rap”.

- It starts with a proper diagnosis – when I was diagnosed it fit perfectly into my life. It answered a lot of the questions I had asked myself throughout the years. However, if it hadn’t been that way, I would have sought a second opinion. No medication is going to work if it’s treating something that isn’t there, so if AD/HD doesn’t seem to quite be there, a second opinion is definitely and is always an option.

- Medication interaction – before ever putting one pill into my mouth I looked up the new medication’s information on the FDA’s website. They have medication information sheets that lay out, plain and simple, what drug interactions occur as well as any health conditions that should prevent someone from taking a medication. I really like the site because it’s incredibly user friendly and the information is in layman’s terms so everyone can understand the warnings.

- Side effects – just as with any medication (for example, birth control pills) there are possible side effects. This is where the weight loss issue associated with AD/HD medications comes in, I think. From my experience both with AD/HD meds and birth control pills, within three months, the side effects were gone. So, I say, give it three months! If the effects haven’t worn off by that point, then it’s time to talk to a doctor.

-Alternatives to Medication – Adderall and Ritalin are not the only ways to treat AD/HD. Some other treatments include a multitude of therapy options, social skills training, diets and supplements and some experimental treatments. Also, there are more than just two medications out there to treat AD/HD. The best way to go, according to most articles and books I’ve read, is taking a medication in conjunction with therapy. It's a great combo.

- College kids selling Adderall to help friends study – Well this is just stupid. It is the abuse of these medications that will be harmful. So, really, this comes down to being responsible and accountable for a potentially harmful drug in one's possession.

What do you guys think? Do AD/HD medications get a bad rap? Do you know anyone that’s had a TERRIFIC experience with Adderall or Ritalin?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

Review of "Wanted"

2008-06-29T22:22:00.003-04:00

“Wanted” directed by Timur Bekmambetov is “The Matrix” meets “Shoot Em Up” meets “Smokin’ Aces” - to put it in a nutshell. And judging by the sold out showings at the theater I went to, which is the theater I go to when I think the other theaters will be sold out – people really want to see this movie. But will people like it when they see it? Probably. Will it win any awards? Nope. Not unless they come out with a “Funniest Morgan Freeman Moment”, or “Angelina Can’t Possibly Be More Badass” or “Best American Accent by a Sexy Brit” award. So if a movie winning those awards sounds enticing, read on.

Pros:
- James McAvoy’s character – he’s real and relatable, even after becoming badass. He cries while getting beat up during his initiation, finally tells off his boss, smiles like a geek when he’s kissed by the hot chick, you know, normal stuff we would all do.

- SICK stunts! – and not of the coughing, sneezing kind! The stunts are incredibly imaginative and there are a ton of them that aren’t revealed in the trailer! If I could live in any imaginary, badass world, it would be this one.

- (Spoiler) There’s a plot twist that’s not even HINTED at in the trailers. I love this! Never saw it coming.

- No stupid sex scene or lame love plot. Woohoo!

Cons:
- Why does every badass chick whether she’s a cop, assassin or spy, have to have “daddy” baggage, specifically “dead daddy” baggage? For once I want a badass chick to just be a badass chick. Maybe her parents are still alive, treated her great, live in suburban Pennsylvania, and maybe they even support her career decision! But she chose to kick some bad guy ass just because. Is that too much to ask for?!

- Weird back story to “The Fraternity.” Weavers and taking orders from a loom? Hm.

- Sometimes, it was just too much. This is where it’s like “Shoot Em Up” just a little over the gross quota for one film. But only sometimes (mostly at the end).

- A lot, and I mean unanimously agreed upon in my circle, that A LOT of innocent people die, which is not usually what “good guys” are after. Also, the “Fraternity’s” motto is “Kill one, save a thousand”, but I guess we are just supposed to forget that for one or two scenes.

Unique Qualities:
- The magical bullets used in the movie and how they do really cool tricks!

- How convincing MacAvoy is as an assassin and as a bored, run of the mill “Average Joe.”

- Even though friends of mine guessed the end twist, the fact that we weren’t expecting one is just awesome! Awesome!

What movies would you compare this one to? Has anyone read the comic book that it’s based off of?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Review of “Get Smart”

2008-06-24T19:31:00.003-04:00

I was reading other reviews of the movie and there is some negative feedback regarding leading man Steve Carell. Some of the buzz is that Carell’s Maxwell Smart is too similar to “The 40 Year Old Virgin” type characters and not enough of the original Maxwell Smart. I say, rather I yell “THIS IS A MODERN ADAPTATION!” And if Carell had tried to immitate Don Adam’s Smart, there would be complaints about that too. Honestly, casting Carell was the best thing they could do for this movie. I wanted to see it the instant I saw the first trailer with Maxwell Smart stuck in a phone booth.

Pros: What I liked about the film:
- Steve Carell is funny, but so is Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terry Crews, David Koechner, James Caan, Bill Murray, Patrick Warburton, Masi Oka, Nate Torrence (breath) ok did I leave any one out? It’s funny. Although about 45% of the funniest moments are seen in the trailers (I hate that) there are still numerous laugh out loud moments from the entire cast.
- It’s a feel good movie. Happy endings, romance, eye candy, explosions, the good guys win – end of story.
- There’s enough action to keep it interesting.
- The scenery is great!

Cons: What I didn’t like about the film:
- The romance between Hathaway and Carell is a bit of a stretch. There is even an added line regarding Hathaway’s Agent 99’s real age and that she recently had surgery to change her identity and to “take a few years off.”
- I wish the trailers had shown less of the funny parts. This is a really big pet peeve of mine and I don’t laugh when these moments occur in the movie because you can see it coming.

Unique Qualities
- I really like the cast. It’s a great mixture of some of the industry’s best talent and best upcoming talent.
- IT DOESN’T IMITATE THE TV SHOW! It’s modern! (gasp) How dare they?!

In about 2 weeks you will probably forget you’ve seen this movie, and you may not have much to tell people when they ask you “How was it?”, but you certainly won’t hate it and it’s better than half the other crap that’s in theaters right now (cough – Chronicles of Narnia, cough – Made of Honor). So, laugh and enjoy and take it for what it is.

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Review of “The Happening”

2008-06-23T21:26:00.004-04:00

A lot of reviews I have read have described M. Night Shyamalan’s latest flick “The Happening” as a long Twilight Zone episode. And I agree, so no reason to change the analogy. In a nut shell, there’s a virus that’s causing people in the North Atlantic to kill themselves. Shyamalan shows us the mass chaos of a seemingly unstoppable, invisible killer and what it takes to survive it.

Pros: What I liked about the film:
- Not to sound like a weirdo, but I’m kinda intrigued by how the people decide to off themselves (sorry to be vulgar). I HATE the super gross and gore but it is visually interesting to see by what means people chose for themselves. Also, there isn’t a whole lot of the blood and guts that we are used to seeing in R movies.
- We see mass chaos without the typical clichés like people frantically running towards busses and subways trying to flee, pushing down children to rescue themselves or high pitched screams from terrified women. I love this aspect of the movie because there is still a sense of fear and confusion as people try to figure out what to do, but it’s just not shown in the typical ways.
- That’s another thing, perspective. You will catch yourself thinking “Man, what would I do in this situation?” more than once throughout the film. The perspective of the movie really focuses on what would be happening to you if this occurred. Shyamalan keeps the terror of the unknown on a much smaller scale. We know that bad things are happening to lots of people but the direct events are concentrated on this particular group that we are apart of. (I hope that makes sense).
- The acting is great! From the headliners to all the extras, they are all so good!

Cons: What I didn’t like about the film:
- It’s a little weird, not gunna lie. Not that living people seeing dead people or magical mermaids in pools isn’t weird either, but this, this is a bit odd. Maybe it’s that the killer isn’t a person or the whole suicide thing, I dunno.
- I feel it is a little political. It may just be bad timing, but in a day and age where “climate change” and “no offshore drilling in order to save the environment” are such prominent issues, I am a little annoyed that the main story line is that the Earth feels threatened by man kind.
- The crazy lady at the end. Uh, yeah, what is that about?

Unique Qualities
- It’s a “day in the life” film. Some of the storylines aren’t totally fleshed out or wrapped up.

So, the whole movie isn’t a total waste. And it is certainly the right time length. But I have to say that I didn’t have an instant “I loved it” or “I hated it” feeling when I left the theater. I had to sit down and read some reviews, talk with family and friends to wrap my head around it. Ultimately though, if you are tired of the sequels and comic book movies, then you may like this film for its different-ness in story. I was a little let down, but I am still looking forward to whatever M. Night Shyamalan is up to next. I just hope that it has one of his great twist endings as well as the imaginative plots he is famous for.

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

My ADD Story

2008-06-22T20:52:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone. As my intro blog for the “Random Thoughts” section, I thought I’d tell my ADD story. I want to begin with two notes. First, technically it is called AD/HD, however, I don’t have any of the H (hyperactivity), so in this intro blog I will refer to it as just ADD. Second, I hope that through this blog posting, future postings and this section of my blog, others can find support and find even just one other person who has been through what they, their family members or friends are going through. Please feel free to comment and ask questions about anything I discuss. I love to talk about this topic so discussion is always welcome (and encouraged).

All through middle and high school I was the ditsy blonde; a little flaky, occasionally said dumb things but always got decent grades. I remember a few instances in high school where people would ask me “Where did that come from?” or say “That was random” in regards to a comment I had made. And it always hurt my feelings, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it so I would just be sad and move on. I decided to go to a college about 3 hours away from home. I had never lived any where else so this was a pretty big move for me. During that first year I drank A LOT and 9/11 happened. I got tired of the drinking and frat parties pretty quickly but the school is in a small town so there was nothing else to do really. Soon I started to get depressed and even kind of angry. My mom brought this up during a phone conversation one night. I felt guilty for behaving that way and wanted to figure out what was going on. My mom knew of a good therapist, so we set up an appointment during my Christmas break.

I went home for the Holidays. My therapy appointment was scheduled for that first week. I went to the appointment with an open mind thinking that I did not want to continue these new characteristics because it was not in my nature to be so angry and unhappy. The session started. I had a lot to say to the therapist and just started spilling my guts. She stopped me about 10 minutes into my motor mouth monologue and said “I think you have ADD.”

That shut me up immediately.

Telling me I had ADD was like telling me I was adopted. It had never been brought up before, no teacher had ever suggested it, no one, I mean NO ONE had ever even had an inkling of a thought that I had ADD. The therapist brought out her diagnosis book and that was where my life became so much clearer. Every question she asked was perfectly fitting to my life. It described every little doubt I had ever had about myself. I finally had an explanation for little quirks that didn’t seem to be normal.

I was 19 years old.

Nineteen is pretty late in life to be diagnosed with this ADD. When you are 19, you’ve gone through high school, all of your self defining teen years and struggles and pretty much established your identity. This diagnoses put all of that upside down. Once the diagnosis was over I was sobbing. Mostly out of happiness that I wasn’t crazy, that there were answers. I knew nothing about ADD and also felt overwhelmed by the idea of it. After the session I went home and had the biggest anxiety attack to date. At nineteen I was curled up in a ball on my bed at my parent’s house soaking the sheets with tears while my parents were telling me “everything will be ok.” We scheduled another therapy appointment for the very next day.

I saw that therapist 2 or 3 times a week for the rest of my Christmas break and then I saw her every time I came home. I was put on Adderall for which I am still taking. I learned to manage the disorder and learned to adapt my life in a way so that it worked for someone whose brain is continually firing. It’s a very interesting disorder that I love reading books and articles about. I have learned a lot since my diagnosis 6 years ago. I went through a mini identity crisis, which I am still dealing with, because once I learned to cope with ADD and with the help of continual therapy and Adderall, I stopped being the stupid blonde people knew in high school. I left that first college after my sophomore year and transferred to a school where I could live at home. It turned out that I was pretty smart and I ended up graduating Magna Cum Laude (not to brad or anything). So, now who was I? I still struggle with this, but I’m dealing and have improved greatly in many aspects of my life. I have a terrific family and group of friends who were my friends during the random years and continue to stick by my side.

So that’s my ADD story. I will definitely go into more detail about certain aspects of it in future blogs as well as voice my opinions on issues like over diagnosis and medications. I hope you all did not find my story too boring. It’s been a very eye opening road for me as well as family and friends who enjoy learning more about it as well.

First Business Trip

2008-06-15T22:59:00.005-04:00

Here is a blog I started while on my first business trip. It is one of the largest conferences regarding the industry I work for and was held in NYC. Representatives from major industry leaders were all there. The point of this blog posting is to help guide those of us who are just starting out in the business world on etiquette and behavior on business trips. So, please read on and feel free to ask any questions. The advice is in italics.

On the Way…

Well, hello from NY, everyone! I decided to blog about my first business trip which I think is the “graduation” for the workforce initiating you as a true member of the team. And out of all the places I get to go, I'm in NYC! Wow. I drove right past the place where that crane crash occurred. Welcome to the city, right. So, here's what's happened so far:

- Unbeknownst to me my plane is delayed for 2 hours. Not too bad, but I am bored out of my mind at the airport. Fortunately, I have great people who keep me calm and talk to me on the phone, which makes the time zip by. (Well, sort of).

- I get the window seat and fly into NY at night!! I am staring out the window like an 8 year old on their first plane ride. Oh my gosh, no wonder it's the city that never sleeps, there's too many lights!

- It is a windy landing in NY and Thursday (the day I come home) is supposed to be windy again. This makes me a little nervous, but it’s ok.

- Once I arrive to the hotel I check in. The clerk asks me if I want the key to the mini bar and I say “yes” (hehe - for SNACKING purposes). This turns out to be a good thing (perfect for mid-day snacks or a quick breakfast).

Day 1

- The first morning – what do you do? Check your agenda. If there’s a breakfast listed, great, if not, and you don’t have any pre-arranged plans, call room service. Just be sure to keep ALL receipts. Should you call the other people you are with to see if they want to do breakfast? In my case I thought there was a breakfast, so no actions were taken.

- Ok, well now it's "Morning coffee" according to the conference’s agenda, so I think I'll go downstairs and see if I can find anyone I know.

- This is a moment when I wish I could see into the future, because if I could, I would have eaten breakfast. Silly me thought that “morning coffee” meant that there would be muffins or scones or something like that to nibble on. But there isn’t and I am starving throughout the entire first session. Eat a little something before the first session JUST IN CASE morning coffee truly means just coffee!

- The first session is interesting, lots of people making insider-industry jokes with a lot of jargon. It is very informative, which is more than I expected (I had expected to be a little bored). There is a lot and I mean A LOT of people coming in late and leaving early. I am quite appalled actually. To avoid this, please be on time. You never know who will be in those meetings and you never want to make a bad impression on anyone within your industry. Plus, you are a representative of your company, the same company that is paying for you to be there. So, look the part even if others aren’t. I feel like I am surrounded by unsupervised high schoolers attending a boring lecture. I wonder if most events like this conference experience the late and leave early people. Weird. Also, there is at least 1 person who did NOT turn off their cell phone and it keeps ringing during the talk. Seriously?! Business professionals who can’t turn off cell phones need to go back to college. Please double check your cell phones, pagers, black berries, red berries, grapefruits, whatever, before the speaker begins. It’s just common courtesy.

- After this speech there is a short break and then a second lecture. The second session is so PACKED with people that it is getting a little stuffy in the room. Again, lots of people coming in and out at will and while the guests are presenting. An observation that I make is that so many people are very willing to talk and are very approachable. This is great since I will be mostly solo on this trip.

- Next is lunch. My dilemma here, do I try to meet up with others from my company or fly solo? I run into people I know, so I tag along. Now, with major, industry-leading sponsors, one would think that we'd have a great, terrific, New York lunch. We have a boxed lunch. Yes, you read that right. Very disappointing. There is a silver lining and I realize that it is a great chance to meet others from my company who work at different departments and with different products.

- There's enough time to go back up to my room to check my email before the 3rd installment and then it's time for the third lecture of the day.

- Holy crap, this lecture will turn out to be the 2nd most boring lecture of my life. Not only can I not understand what the speakers are saying (because they are all foreign trying to speak English) but there's this annoying noise the microphone or something keeps making and I HATE repetitive noises. I leave this lecture early, go back to my room and check my email again. It's nice to see that there's nothing huge happening at work so far this week.

- Now, at 3:45 pm it's time for a lecture that everyone is invited to. This will turn out to be the MOST boring lecture of my life. Not only boring, but annoying. The man who sits next to me sits ON me while taking his seat. Then 3/4th of the way through the lecture he starts snoring. Yes, snoring. Oh and now his cell phone rings and is so loud it attracts the attention of the speakers on the stage. Dear god, why do people like this have professional jobs?! Do I need to get back on my soap box about common courtesy and cell phones? I think not ;)

- Anywho, now it's time for dinner. I do not have anyone to eat with. This is ok though, as I suspect, eating alone is the nature of business travel. So, if you don’t have any dinner plans, fear not. You are not a loser. It’s normal. You aren’t here to always have plans. I think that a lot of people are in the same situation. So I'll go downstairs and try the hotel restaurant (the fancy one) and then I'll swing by the hotel bar. I have to be a little social, how many times in my career will I be surrounded by hundreds of people who actually understand what I do for a living?!

- Ok, so I can’t find the fancy restaurant after 2 tries and 3 phone calls. So, next I try ordering food at the fancy bar, no food. Then I walk over to the other bar and it’s packed. I shake my head as a way of saying “of course.” So, guess what, ROOM SERVICE! Yeah! I say feel free to order room service. After an entire day of lectures and cramped spaces, wanting to chill out and eat in your room is totally ok.

Day 2

- Today I walked to Central Park all by myself. Yeah! It is very exciting being apart of the New York City vibe for a little while. You know, being very cautious as you cross the street, watching out for homeless people, things like that. Well I took some pictures and now I’m on my way back to the hotel for some more learning. Particularly if you are in a city you have never been in, try to see some sights. Maybe even leave a couple days early. Take in the sights, seriously!!!

- To start the lecturing part of the day off is a group lecture by an author. We all get copies of the book. But this is pretty boring and I wish I had stayed in Central Park a little longer.

- Next, they open up all the booths. Try and grab the free stuff if you can. However, be cautious. I found that most of the booths were other companies that were technically competition for my own company. So, I don’t really have anything to talk to them about.

- Next is the second lecture of the day which is just like the first and now lunch, which is exactly like day one. I run into my boss and we sit down with someone from our company but who works at a different location.

- Again, I have time to check email.

- I’m not sure if conferences other than the one I am attending have as much to do or if attendance is counted or what. But by weeks end, I have skipped a few lectures. But, when in doubt, always be on your best, most studious behavior. Lol You don’t want the higher ups regretting the fact that they let you go on this trip.

Some random things that I learned:

- If you get invited to a vendor sponsored event where there’s free booze, please be aware of the type of alcohol you are drinking and the amount. Even if the drinks are weak, you don’t want to have 6 in an hour and have everyone thinking you’re an alcoholic even if you’re not feeling a buzz.

- Wardrobe – wear whatever you would wear to work unless you know of a different dress code. For example, my company is business casual, so those are the types of clothes I packed. Once I got there, a lot of the attendees were in jeans. I certainly wasn’t the only one dressed in business clothes, but man I love my jeans, so it would have been nice to have been able to wear them. Also, I forgot sneakers and ended up cutting my feet with the flats I had worn on the plane while walking around the city. Over packing never killed anyone, so do as the boy scouts do and always be prepared.

This was a great trip, I learned a lot about my industry as well as the people I work for and with. I got to see parts of NYC as well as discover things about myself.

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.