The Main Art Theater in Royal Oak: A Heaven for Indie Film Goers

I don't know about you, but I always find myself frustrated when I see this amazing trailer for a movie only to find out it is in selected theaters. Yes, sometimes the successful indie films do make the big screens across the nation eventually, but this is not always the case.  Luckily for me, I have found my happy place.  I call it The Main Art Theater and it resides in a lovely town called Royal Oak, Michigan.

The Main Art Theater is rustic and will make you nostalgic for movies back in the day.  It's prices are extremely reasonable and the concessions have organic options!  I also appreciate the free refills on popcorn and soda.


More importantly, this amazing theater plays indie films every week!!  I saw Begin Again, Third Person, and will soon be seeing Boyhood.  Two of which are not playing in major theaters.  So my friends......if you are seeking for an indie film watching experience, seek no further!

Emagine: A Movie Theater Review

As mentioned in a previous post, I recently moved from Okemos to Novi, Michigan.  As you can probably guess, my first concern was what movie theaters would I have access to?  I knew there was an Emagine near by but was skeptical as it seemed to me, to be a costly theater without much reason.  I am here to tell you, I was very mistaken.

As I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to see the prices for tickets!  If you have been to NCG in Lansing or a similar theater, you pay the same amount or close at Emagine.  My ticket was 8 dollars (yeah...I still use my college id....shhhhh).  The next pleasantry to discover was in the popcorn!  As you know, I pretty much eat enough for a small village of movie theater popcorn which contains oil that wouldn't be healthy for an automobile let alone human.  However, they use a healthier olive oil on their popcorn if you so choose.  This healthy alternative truly won me over. The  when entering the theater, I was quite content with the seats.  They were comfy, wide, and all had the option of moving the arm rest for those that wish to snuggle their movie date.  That along with an amazing screen and I was happy to be very wrong about such a great place for film viewing.

There are several Emagine Theaters so I encourage you to find one in your area if you are lucky to have one.  Don't judge it like I did and see for yourself!

www.emagine-entertainment.com/

Summer Movie Spotlight

Well hello there!  No, I have not died.  I know it's been forever and a day but as you know, life has it's way of making us too busy for our own good.  This is not a blog about my personal life but I did move to another city, get a promotion, and have been traveling for various training.  So I do apologize for my absence but assure you friends, I have still gone to the movies every week.  Please don't ask me how much I have been reading (Insurgent is amazing by the way....and yeah I am still on chapter 3).  Instead of bombarding you with new posts, I decided to consolidate my July movie experiences into one post.  So, without further ado, I give you the Summer Movie Spotlight by yours truly.

Begin Again

This movie had some awesome names such as Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and Adam Levine.  It portrays the beauty and art if music from various perspectives.  Our leading lady, Gretta, is discovering herself after a breakup from her boyfriend who recently was signed to a major label.  Gretta has to find out who she is without him and follow her own path through her love of music.  With the help of an eccentric producer, Gretta remembers why all she has ever wanted to do was write music.

Why You Should See It:  I mean really, it has Mark Ruffalo....need I say more?  No but seriously, this movie is beautiful.  Whether you enjoy romantic comedies with a smart edge or are simply  a lover of music, you will not regret seeing this wonderful tale.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
After seeing the first one, I was so excited to find out they were filming another!  Our buddy Caesar has successfully lead his fellow ape friends to a rather civilized and successful existence away from humans. The fact that an outbreak occurs and the human population has dwindled to nothing, seems to have helped  a great deal, or so they think.  A group of humans immune to the virus has created a colony and are in need of more power.  They make their way to Caesar territory and so ensues a conflict of power, trust, and respect. This conflict isn't just between man and ape, as Caesar soon finds out he cannot trust his own kind.

Why You Should See It:  Besides the fact that this film is visually dynamic with its amazing graphics, the story is truly touching.  You know the injustices the apes faced when in the labs so many years before and yet you know the humans, for the most part, mean no harm.  Although long in parts, I felt myself engaged and anticipating what would happen next.  It was gripping, entertaining, and had heart.

Third Person
This was an indie flick I saw at an awesome theater I found in Royal Oak, Michigan (which will be featured in an upcoming post).  It was so deep and complex that I don't want to give too much away.  Liam Neeson stars as a writer who you find out is writing a twisted novel.  As what so easily happens with writers, he tends to use characters from his own life  and as a result real life scenarios he has experienced or witnessed.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, your mind if blown.

Why You Should See It:  It is smart and I mean smart.  The characters with their internal conflicts keep you watching as you try to put all the pieces together.

Sex Tape
Annie and Jay are trying to spice up their marriage and make a rather creative sex tape.  What they soon realize is that instead of deleting it like most intelligent people would, it is synced to their iCloud which so happens to be synced to all of their apple products. Yes, they could just go to each device and delete them all, but Jay likes getting new iPads and has given write a few out to friends and family. Now you see the problem.

Why You Should Rent This:  I would expect this movie from Cameron Diaz, but Jason Segel....really?  Be better.  Be better than this.  Besides maybe 2 or 3 funny parts (like Cameron doing a flip literally onto her husband), the story line is awful!  It's lacking the humor you hope to see when watching the trailer and even though you keep watching in hopes of it changing, it just doesn't.  Ever.

Lucy
Lucy is kidnapped and injected with a drug that is meant to stay in her system as a warehouse, but ends up mixing with her insides and giving her more access to her brain than any species has been able to do.  Lucy's brain capacity increases as time passes and gives her amazing abilities.  Her sole mission is to seek revenge on the evilness that did this to her, but also to help humankind with the evolution of information she has retained.  With the help of one scientist (Morgan Freeman), she is able to do both.

Why You Should See It:  How are you not intrigued by a film about the power of the human brain which is such a mystery.  The typical human doesn't even use 1/4 of the brain capacity and here we have a girl reaching for 100% of hers.  It makes you wonder if it would be helpful or a hindrance to have such abilities.  You'll just have to see what she goes through to find out.

Wild: She Got Lost on the Pacific Coast Trail and Found Herself Again

This book couldn't have entered my life at a more appropriate time.  No, I did not go backpacking across the Pacific Coast Trail, but have been feeling out of my element and a lot of life changes have transpired (ie. moving to a different city and leaving a city I have known as home my entire 29 years).  So here I was on my one and only week off this summer, laying in the sun along the beautiful west Michigan coastline and I was enthralled.

Cheryl had quite the extraordinary childhood.  Her father was a deadbeat alcoholic who was abusive to her mother and her siblings. Luckily he did them all a favor and abandoned  them, which did leave some internal wounds she would need to sort out in her adulthood.  This left her loving mother to raise Cheryl, her brother, and sister.  The 4 of them lived in the country and grew their food, sewed their clothes, and enjoyed the simple life indeed.  Later her mother met Eddie and he became the father to take them fishing and other things fathers typically do.  It was a charmed life.

Cheryl got older and went to college which encouraged her mother to do the same.  The two ended up going to the same college which sadly got cut short.  Cheryl's mother was diagnosed with Cancer and when she died, this took a part of Cheryl away that she couldn't get back no matter how hard she tried, and believe me she tried everything.

Following the death of her mother, her little family fell apart and she couldn't keep them together.  Add to that the fact that she no longer felt the same about her husband, and Cheryl slowly fell into a horribly dark path.  She threw herself into bed after bed with different men and went as far as heroin to get herself to feel anything.  She hit rock bottom and then got inspired to hike the PCT (Pacific Coast Trail) by herself to find who she was again.  This caused quite a bit of backlash from friends and her ex husband as going backpacking was one thing, but backpacking thousands of miles as a female is quite another situation altogether.

Cheryl did it anyway though and learned so much about life and who she was capable of being. After all, there were so many obstacles to go through such as wild animals, extreme weather from all sides of the spectrum, sketchy individuals, and being so very alone surrounded by mountains and sky.

This book captured her journey in a way that had you walking alongside her as she evolved.  It would be a wonderful read for anyone needing to be inspired to expand your horizons and really live your life.  We all get lost sometimes, but it is up to us on how we find ourselves again.

Theater Review: Harbor Cinemas 8 Carmike Theaters

When you are in vacation and looking for a theater, it can be tricky.  Most up north towns don't have them which cause tourists to travel to the nearest theater location.  For me this week it was a road trip to Ludington whose only theater is the Harbor Cinema 8 owned by Carmike Cinemas.  I have been here before and was reminded today of why having competition is much better for the consumer.   I basically spent the same amount of money if I was going out to dinner and purchasing my boyfriend's ticket.

As you know,  I enjoy my fair share of popcorn.  So when ordering I was disappointed to see that the only free refills were for the Medium Couple's Special (19 dollars) which contained one large medium popcorn with free refills and 2 medium drinks, with no refills.   The other option was 21 dollars and involved 1 large popcorn (Ginormous!!!) with free refills and 2 large drinks which also includes free refills.  I know what you are thinking, maybe just get the smaller sizes and pay for refills? Nope......you are not allowed refills unless you pay for the entire thing.  So we settled for the large, because there is no way I am not getting refills on drinks after consuming that much popcorn.  

Now had this been Studio C, NCG,  or any number of any other theaters,  I could have gotten any size popcorn, pop, refills to my liking and either gotten them for free or paid a small fee.  My usual cost for movie attendance is 17 dollars which includes all the popcorn and pop I can consume and my ticket. I am wiling to budge this to 20, maybe 22.  My cost was 30 bucks!  Which makes sense, it is the only theater within 40 miles of Pentwater (to my knowledge).  Don't even get me started on the 25 minute trailor session! So, my advice is this, bring lots of cash or someone should open another theater so that friendly competition can help us movie goers out.

Tammy: It was either this or Transformers........

Part of being a movie buff for me means that even while on vacation, I still need to find a theater and see a flick.  It was a rainy day in Pentwater, MI,  so the boy and I made a trip to Ludington to see Tammy.  It is 4th of July weekend which usually implies some major releases.   For us it was Tammy or Transformers.  Now I know Transformers was the bigger hit, but I just can't sit through over 2 hours of it.  Not my cup of tea, and for those of you who I enjoy it, that is awesome.  But in all honesty,  I am kind of wishing I had gone with option b.

Tammy (played by the wonderfully hilarious Melissa McCarthy) is extremely down on her luck.  She hits a deer, destroys her car, gets fired from her job, and finds out her hubby is cheating on her with the neighbor..........all in one morning!   She needs out of this life and it appears the only one with the money and transportation is her alcoholic grandmother (Love Susan Sarandon!).  The two make a road trip to Niagara Falls and make some discoveries along the way.  Grandma learns to stop drinking and Tammy finds true love after all.  The end.

Not my usual blog?  Yeah, well.......I honestly don't know what to say.   First of all, Melissa and Susan, you are better than this!  Each of you should have run after reading the story line.   Tammy was pretty much Melissa doing some outlandish things over and over again.  It had a few funny parts but that was literally it.  The character development was lacking and had very generic plot development.  I'd say this and All About Steve (Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper) are both in the same category.   So my friends,  save your money!

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Louis Zamperini was a trouble maker growing up,  luckily for him,  he had another skill.  Running.  Louis was fast and soon learned that he could outrun pretty much everyone he encountered.  This later lead him to his destiny of running in the Olympics.   Unfortunately,  his destiny had other things in mind as well.  You see this was during World War 2 which meant a draft was inevitable and Louis would join others in our battle with Japan.  What he didn't know and couldn't possibly imagine was just how much he would endure and what costs it would have on the rest of his life.

Louis' horrific tale begins when his B 24 takes off heading for Japan over the Pacific Ocean.  Not too soon after is it knocked down by a fighter plane leaving Louis and his team fighting for their lives in shark infested waters.  I mean literally shark, infested waters.  These guys are hungry and pretty much stalk these men for weeks.  Time continues to pass and it seems as if there is no way for anyone flying over to see them on their flimsy raft.  The only thing keeping them going is their imagination and heart.   Finally rescue is insight, but unfortunately it isn't the rescue they are hoping for.   They do escape the isolation of being stranded in fierce, oceanic waters, but are now POW for the Japanese.

There are a litany of events that occur at which I will not disclose as I want you to read and get a firsthand experience of what Louis went through.   He was beaten,  starved, and downgraded to nothing and just when he thought he might get some relief at a different POW camp, he meets his match.   They called him The Bird.  The Bird was a self absorbed lunatic who gained pleasure in the destruction of others and for whatever reason, he chose Louis as his prime target.  Maybe it was the fact that Louis refused to let him take him down.  Don't get me wrong, he did beat him to a bloody pulp,  help him back to his feet and do it all over again,  but Louis did get up every time.  Which would cause him to experience defeat in ways no human being should ever have to go through.

Louis did eventually get out.  WW 2 ended and the United States was able to retrieve Louis and others in similar situations.  Louis found love and married later, but had no idea the mental issues he was about to endure.  You see The Bird may have been out of sight, but he was still very real to Louis.  Louis saw him in his dreams as well as his drunken stupor during the day.   Louis was loosing control and falling fast.  Lucky for him, he made a promise to God back on the raft so many years before that he would serve God if he helped him survive.   It was this promise that came back to him when he was at the lowest point of his life and it did indeed save him.

There is so much to this book that I left out because I didn't want to takea away the realness of it all.  At first the language and vocabulary gave me a hard time really getting into it, but once I understood it, nothing could stop me from reading it.  Louis Zamperini experienced such awfulness and yet he still came out on top.  I also must say the author did a fantastic job of including details from this time that give the reader a real image of what such events must have been like.  One example is the details included when the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs, no history book can create for me the picture in my mind as I read word for word,  Louis' account.  For more details and  a truly deep, true story regarding survival of the mind, body, and sprit,  I encourage you to read this book.

The Fault in Our Stars: I dare you to see this and not "ugly" cry.

This was by far one of my favorite books on the buzzfeed.com's list of books to read before they hit the big screen.  John Green has a writing style that just clicks with my personality.  For me, the big thing was, who they would get to play Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters.  To be completely honest, I was concerned that Shailene Woodley (Divergent girl) and Ansel Elgort (Divergent girl's brother) wouldn't be able to master the true connection and love the characters had, let alone the intensity of love and loss.  But I am here to tell you, they proved me wrong, dead wrong.

Hazel has had cancer since her early teens and is very realistic about the whole thing.  She knows she will die and is content watching reality TV and making her parents happy by doing whatever they suggest.  Such as a Cancer support group.  This whole idea seems cheesey to her and she puts up a fight, but in the end does what she always does, concedes for her parents.

Her first meeting is just about as bad as she imagined.  They meet at a church basement and the leader of the group sings Jesus songs that do not make Hazel, who doesn't know if this whole life after death thing is believable, want to stay.  Her second meeting, however, changes her whole world.  This is where she meets him.

Hazel and Augustus literally run into each other on their first greeting and it's evident an attraction is there.  Augustus can't keep his eyes off of her throughout the meeting and it doesn't go unnoticed.  Hazel finds out though the meeting that Augustus had Cancer and is now Cancer free from the removal of most of his leg.  Following the meeting, Augustus is persistent and wins when Hazel agrees to come over to watch a movie.  As much as Hazel doesn't want to admit it and can't understand why, Augustus is very much into her.  He even agrees to read her favorite book in turn that she reads one of his.  The next day, Hazel realizes Augustus has not texted and she feels dismayed.  Trying not to, but without much success, she plays the whole wait by the phone routine until finally he texted her a series of texts expressing his shock at how the book ended.  She is reassured Augustus is going nowhere and so begins a romance that can be compared to sleep as she says, "it starts slow at first and then falls fast."

Augustus wakes Hazel up from her dreary, depressing, and cynical outlook on life with Cancer.  She begins to live again from picnics, strolls, and a trip to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book to find out what happened.  This trip is a major turning point for this couple as it contains the first I love you, first night together, and Augustus admitting his Cancer has returned......

After they come back to reality, the tables are turned as Hazel looks after Augustus in some extremely low and trying times.  Augustus' passion for living a life of heroism and meaning something to so many turns him sour as he realizes his mark will not be as big as he'd had hoped.  There are still moments when he is back to the guy she first met.  Alive, passionate, and hopeful.  Unfortunately that last good day would be the last good day and days later Augustus Waters would leave this world, but not Hazel's.

I left out a lot of what happened in the movie because I want you to see it and feel every part.  It is going to be rough and you WILL cry, and I mean cry a lot.  But there are so many messages to take away from this couple's small infinity.  They love each other undoubtedly in the purest way.  Death is at both of their doorsteps but it doesn't stop them from living, from feeling.  Lastly, it reminds you to live each day as if it were your last.  I now that sounds cliché but you truly never know what could happen and should appreciate each day as another day to live, love, and be loved.  An inspirational story that will make an impact, even if it is an "ugly" cry.

Malificient is Magnificent

So Sleeping Beauty was one of my favorite movies as a child.  I mean seriously,  true love's kiss to break a spell?  Count me in on that romantic notion!  However, apparently true love's kiss got a bit misunderstood,  as did many parts to this tale. 

As a young fairy, Malificient was the protector of her enchanted and once beautiful land.  One day, a curious boy crosses over and so begins a friendship that will change her life forever.   You see, as they grow older and more fond of one another, Stefan kisses her and to her gives her a true love's kiss.  Unfortunately,  this is not the case because he ends up breaking her heart twice.  The first time he does this is when he becomes more involved in his land and the way of his kingdom with his attempt to go from poverty to royalty.  The second time is when that desire brings him back to Malificient,  only to steal her wings in his attempt to convince the king he has killed her so that he may be the king's successor.   This naturally devastates Malificient, so when his daughter is born,  she puts a curse on her.  This curse makes it so that on her 16th birthday, she will strike her finger on a spindle and fall into a sleep so deep that only true love's kiss can break it. This causes the king to go into great desperation,  so he sends his  infant to live with the fairies deep in the woods for protection.

The fairies, well intended as they may be, do not fair so well raising a baby.  It is the great Malificient that takes care of Arora in her distant way.  Once Arora is old enough, she ventures off and attempts to enter the land that Malificient gaurded for so long.  Malificient lets her in to see how she will fair and is mesmerized.   Arora surprises her by knowing of her presence not just here, but her whole life.  She considers Malificient her fairy godmother.  As much as she doesn't want to admit it, Malificient knows she is right and is quite happy when she finds out Arora wishes to live with her forever.

Arora goes to tell the faries her plan and then they inform her of the curse Malificient has placed on her.  Malificient tries to explain things to Arora, but she is too hurt and runs to the castle.  It just so happens to be her 16th birthday on her return and the curse, no matter how many times Malificient tried to revoke it, reveals itself.   Arora is then under a deep sleep.  Fortunately,  Arora found her prince charming during her time in the enchanted land.  Malificient brings him to the castle seceretly, in hopes he will awaken the princess.   Sadly, the kiss does not work, and Malificient's worst fears of true love not existing come to life.  It is in this moment that Malificient says her goodbyes and professes her sorrows to Arora, giving her a final kiss on the forehead.  This was the true love's kiss Malificient never expected.  Here is Arora, eyes open with her forgiving smile,  calling her godmother once again. 

The king is set in his ways to do what he sought out to do many years ago and that is kill Malificient.   There are even times you wonder if he will get his way, until she is saved by the lovely girl she so much wanted to hate.

If you liked Wicked, you will love this.  Angelina plays a wonderful Malificient.  You feel her pain throughout the film as you can see what started this whole misunderstanding in the first place.  The pace was perfect, the effects enchanting,  and film gave a sense of nostalgia for seeing the original Sleeping Beauty.   I have heard and have to agree that the trailor is no indication of how awesome this film is.   So go see it for yourselves.

A Million Ways to Die in the West: If I laughed........you will too.

The fact that I am blogging this is crazy to me.  I remember seeing the preview in theaters and saying to my boyfriend that he would be seeing this with his guy friends.  It just seemed like stupid humor that would gross me out more than crack me up.  Then the weekend came, and I had seen everything else.  I also really wanted movie theater popcorn so I really had no choice.  I can admit when I'm wrong, and my fellow moviegoers,  I was dead wrong.   I seriously laughed my ass off.

Albert lives during the frontier days in the wild west and hates everything about it.   His beloved Louise was the only thing getting this lack luster sheep farmer through the days and she dumps him for the manly and fully mustached, Foy (NPH!!!!!).  After all, she needed somebody more rugged and cut out for this whole living on the western frontier thing.  Albert, the guy who backed out of a gun fight to save his life, just wasn't cutting it.  So now that Albert lost his will to live, he goes through this whole depression thing where he drinks himself silly and becomes slightly suicidal, that is, until the lovely and mysterious Anna enters his world.

Anna and her brother have moved into town to start a farm.  Her first meeting with Albert is interesting as he rescues her from a ridiculous bar fight over spilled beer.  After that their friendship grows closer as he accepts a dual with Foy in order to get back his Louise.  Anna knows her way with a gun and helps Albert to win her back.  Albert begins to enjoy the dysfunctional ways of the frontier as he and Anna make fun of it together.   Little does Albert know about who the real Anna is.

Anna's husband is the most evil villain in the west and when he finds out his lady, who was supposed to be in hiding, is getting friendly with another man, all hell will break loose and Albert will surely die.    When Albert finds out she is married he flees only to realize she was trying to escape a terrible marriage.  Anna gives Albert some advice that helps him defeat her husband in the end. Then, just as he realizes his feelings for Anna, he is pursued by Louise.  Which gal will he choose?

I seriously loved how much this movie made fun of the west back during the frontier days.  I am not into the whole cowboy,  country western thing, so seeing this was exactly what I needed.  The cast is perfect in this comical rendition of what I would picture it like back then.  For a good laugh, you won't regret it.

Blended: Drew and Adam are back together again!

I've never been on a blind date and have to say......thank goodness!!  I am sure they work out just fine for some people, but to me it seems like it can get pretty uncomfortable.  After all, you've never met this person, and unless you are seeing  a movie (genius!!) then you are forced into conversation with a complete stranger, face to face, with no way to get out!  

For Jim and Lauren, it goes exactly how I would imagine.  Lauren, who is obviously very type A (I mean she owns her own closet organization company.....yeah) appears to have nothing in common with Jim ( a Dick's Sporting Goods worker who drinks her beer while she uses the restroom).  This is definitely not going well for either one and matters get worse when Lauren, who assumes Jim is divorced too, tells him she doesn't blame his wife for leaving him.  he soon finds the reality of the situation is that she died of Cancer.  No worries though, this awkward date is cut short when Jim gets the fake emergency call and is off the hook.  

You wouldn't think Lauren and Jim would ever have to see one another again, but my friend that is not the case.  You see, Lauren's gal pale and co-worker decides to end it with the owner of Dick's Sporting Goods and therefore leaves their romantic vacation to Africa up for grabs.  Lauren begs her friend to let her go and take her two boys, while at the same time, Jim calls to ask his boss if he can go with his 3 girls. Neither have any ideas what the other is doing.

Once arriving in Africa, Lauren and Jim are unpleasantly surprised to see both were thinking along the same lines in this scenario.  The irony of their situation magnifies when they discover their is a blended family theme here at the resort in Africa.  They do try their best to separate their not so family vacation, but fate fights them every step of the way.

Jim wins Lauren over by being the man in her boys' lives.  Their dad has better things to do than pay attention to his offspring back home, so when Jim teaches her youngest to play baseball and her other to calm down his anger through boxing, it tears down her protective wall.  Lauren wins Jim over in a big way.  Jim's daughters are lacking a female influence in their lives.  For example, the girls dresses in khakis with tucked in Polos, get their hair cut by the barber, and are constantly getting mistaken for boys.  Luckily Lauren enters their lives and transforms them into the beautiful young ladies that they are.  Even more than this, Lauren adapts to their life in meaningful ways that you will just have to see to find out.  I can't take away the endearment of these scenes by giving you all the juicy details.  It seems like the ending is pretty predictable, but Jim starts realizing he isn't ready to move on. 

I have to be honest, Adam was hilarious when he was younger and the days of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore will always be my favorite for him, but this was a great film with an excellent message.  Blended families are very common and I think it did a great job showing what is entailed when bringing two families together.  Drew and Adam will definitely win your hearts.

X-Men Days of Future Past: Wolverine Must Go to Charles' Past to Save the Future

I always feel the need to make a disclaimer before posting anything related to comics.  I just can't have you comic guys and gals after me if I don't capture the essence of the movie correctly.  So once again, please know that I am a simple movie goer giving my thoughts.  With that said, this was seriously my favorite X-Men movie alongside First Class.

Times are dim for Charles and his fellow mutants.  The time of the Sentinels is upon us and death is eminent.  The only way mutants can be saved is for Wolverine to go back in time to where it all began.  You see, the Sentinels were created because man feared mutants due to several events, so all Wolverine needs to do is prevent a few things from happening, and boom, all is well in the mutant world........yeah, not as easy as it sounds.

Wolverine's task is tricky, Charles' younger self is wise, but hard to convince.  Young Professor X is beside himself as he is grappling with his mutation.  He sees and feels everything other mutants experience and it is all too painful.  But his powers are needed in order to prevent the implementation of the Sentinels.  Wolverine must also help Charles and Erik (later known as Magneto) work together which doesn't come easy.

It is a brutal struggle to make sure Erik and Charles work together and Raven doesn't make this easy.  Raven and Erik view mutant life different than Charles' peaceful approach.  It's hard for them to forgive the mistreatment they receive and if it were up to them, they would be the dominant species.  To make matters worse, Wolverine's well-being is on the line, his body in the future endures some extreme scenarios that make you question if he is going to make it.

In the end, Magneto surprises all and potentially causes a darker future than what already existed.  I'll leave you with that so you can see for yourself what happens.

This film was awesome.  I honestly think my favorite version of Professor X and Magneto is when they are younger. The experiences they go through give their future characters so much depth.  As much as I love Professor X, Magneto's passion and for who he is as well as the dark past he holds make his actions understandable.  The complicated Raven who only ever wanted to be loved and accepted in addition to Magneto and Charles make for one epic tale.

Million Dollar Arm: Based on a True Story

JB is a sports agent with one mission in mind…….success.  He thinks he has it when working with an NFL champ, but this all crumbles when said champ opts for another agency.  This leaves JB with no other options, that is, until his wheels start spinning another option reveals itself through an unlikely source.  

After watching a Cricket match on TV, JB seems to think Cricket players must be good at baseball.  His idea is not shared with his fellow agents or sponsor, but with a lot of convincing and his drive they all know and admire, JB is given the opportunity to prove himself.  So JB ventures off to India and holds a Million Dollar Arm contest in which contestants compete for 1st and 2nd place at the fastest pitches.  With astounding results, JB finds two young men who are about to have their entire world altered as they leave their small villages of India for LA.  JB promises to take care of them, but doesn't realize just how much of a commitment that really is.

As you can imagine, the excitement of Rinku and Dinesh's arrival poses for lots of publicity and MLB team scouts.  JB has a year to get the boys ready for the big leagues.  This is no easy fete as the boys are good at throwing, but lack any baseball knowledge.  JB also is distracted by a possible change of mind in his NFL prospect.  This lack of attention does not help the confidence of the boys which negatively influences their developing skills.  JB's plan is on a downward spiral and he slowly becomes aware of it once he is able to look past his biggest problem, himself.

With the help of the lovely lady next door, Brenda, played by Lake Bell, JB finds a way to connect to the boys and their culture.  Things seem to be looking up for them all (even Brenda and JB find a kinship that did not previously exist) until the boys do not do well for the scouts.  Whether it is the pressure or the lack of baseball skills is unknown, but they and JB feel like failures.  This along with living in foreign land and extremely different cultural norms causes heartache for the boys and homesickness.  

Just when all hope seems lost.  JB has lunch with the right person at the right time thanks to his unconventional colleague.  Will the boys be able to handle the pressure a second time?

This movie had the perfect amount of heart.  You cared for the boys and just wanted them to succeed.  JB, played by Jon Hamm, had excellent character development.  He starts as a self-involved sports agent and ends the film as a man with an alternative family situation.  A definite must see.

Neighbors: A Man, His Wife, Their Infant, and........a Fraternity

Now that I am less than a year away from 30, I have the joy of getting to see my friends get married and have children.  The constant Facebook pictures and texts of baby updates is adorable and it gets me excited for that next chapter of my life.  I have also seen the other side of parenting, especially for new parents.  It isn't a side that makes me change my mind about children, but it is a reality all parents go through. Once that baby enters your world, your world is altered.  Sleep is a privilege and an art to find a balance. Additionally, your hangout sessions with friends can change as well.  Although, I must say that I am a parent-less friend who gets it and doesn't shy away from my friends and their adorable babies.  For  Mac and Kelly Radner and their adorable little one, life is pretty sweet.  They feel like they beat the whole system of parenting when it comes to finding the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood, finding ways to make love among all the "babiness" around them, and trying to hang out with friends.  They couldn't be more mistaken.  Especially with their new neighbors.

When we are first introduced to Mac and Kelly, it's quite endearing as they try to have sex with their daughter's walker turned in the other direction, and their first realization occurs that this parenting thing may be trickier than previously thought.  Then a friend begs them to go out and they think this is totally possible.  They'll just bring the baby!  After lots of back and forth loading of baby items, the couple finds themselves on the floor sleeping with the realization......they never made it past the porch.

They still have the joy of being home owners in a well to do neighborhood, that is, until the new fraternity moves in.  They want to play it cool and feel like they can still connect with the boys so they walk over and kindly tell them to watch the noise level.  Contrary to their fears, the conversation goes over really well.  Or so they think.  In the early hours of the morning they wake up to the bump bump bumping of techno tunes and laughter.  They decide to go over again and reclaim their peace.  Teddy, the leader of the frat gives his apologies and makes quick decision to befriend this young couple.  After all, if they are on his side, his partying will continue....right?  Teddy then invites them in for a blast from their past.  Beer pong, dancing, and bad decisions give the couple a night they really needed.  In fact, life seems to be pretty good.  Their fraternity neighbors adore them, they feel young again, and are on top of the world.  This is a false reality they soon discover when it's the next night and their daughter is woken up by more partying.  After several phone calls and no answer, they are forced to do what they promised they wouldn't.....call the police.

Teddy is beside himself, he trusted them and now they broke that.  So what does he do?  Seeks his revenge.  And now we have a long battle between a fraternity and young couple.  Neither realizes what they are getting themselves into as the consequences seem to grow in magnitude and in comedy for us viewers.  But all things must come to an end and soon good conquers evil when the parents develop a master plan to get rid of this dynamic group of meat heads with colorful, popped collars.

Besides obvious humor, I loved how easy it was to relate to the characters.  Mac and Kelly were going through what I am sure a lot of new parents go through when it comes to moving to that new stage of life where sleep is rare and going out is non-existent.  Even Teddy could be understood.  He had spent 4 years trying to make the most epic experiences in his frat that he forgot to focus a little attention on what occurs beyond college.  You do feel for the kid at times. 

This movie is hilarious and if you can get past Zack Effron's terrible acting and see the movie for the summer comedy that it is.  You will enjoy.  The Abercrombie standoff in the end is my personal favorite part.

The Amazing Spiderman 2 is.........Amazing!

I have to say......I did not read the comics or watch the the cartoons (assuming there were cartoons?), but looooove seeing Spiderman on the big screen.  The first series with Tobey Maguire, James Franco, and Kirsten Dunst was my first experience and got me hooked.  I wasn't sure what to expect with this new crew, but when I saw the first Amazing Spiderman, they had me at the beginning.  Needless to say, I was pretty pumped to see what they had in-store for us next.  

With Uncle Ben's death, Peter Parker is left to take care of Aunt May whom grows more and more curious of her nephew's secrets.  In addition, Peter is left with the guilt of the death of his girlfriend's father whom he made a promise to stay far away from.  But how can he stay away from the girl he would die for?  Yeah, this doesn't last long as I'm sure you predicted.  Meanwhile, Peter's longtime friend Harry comes back to deal with the death of his father.  Peter and Harry reconnect and help one another during a time of need.  Then Harry reveals a secret his father hid throughout the duration of his growing up which is a disease that gives them a less than desirable look of green skin, boils, grotesque nails, and almost a lizard look and impending death.  Of course Harry will do anything to cure this and seeks the help of Spiderman....well his blood to help him self-heal.  The only problem is, Spiderman knows the danger and possible death this could cause.  So when Spiderman turns him down, Harry's desperation gets the best of him, and now he is after Spiderman's blood at any cost.  This is a hard task to complete with his father's company turning against him and basically removing him from the equation.

Harry finds help in an unlikely character.  Here is where I introduce you to Electro.  Max (Electro) is an intelligent, yet needy man working for Oscorp.  All Max really wants is to feel important to others and needed.  He is the company doormat however, and gets walked on by all. Then one day, while working late on his birthday, something goes wrong and he is propelled into a new world so to speak.  Max undergoes extreme amounts of electrical energy that completely changes him until he turns into the all-powerful Electro. Electro still has pieces of Max in him, so when Harry begs him to help, he can't seem to resist his need to feel.......needed.

Electro is a strong force to deal with for Spiderman, but as with all bad guys, he finds a way.  Unfortunately, he doesn't make it to Harry in time.  You see Harry found a way to get Spiderman's blood and once he injects himself, his story gets worse.  Harry doesn't self-heal in the way he had hoped, and now we have which will later be known as the Green Goblin.

In his attempt to kill Spiderman, the Green Goblin goes after what he knows will get Spiderman the most, his damsel in distress, Gwen Stacy.  In one of the final scenes of the climax, Gwen is thrown into the air and begins a free fall to her potential death.  Spiderman releases his web in an effort to safe her.  The question is, will he be successful?

This movie truly had my attention at every part.  My favorite scene by far was when Spiderman's web reaches to save Gwen and transform into a hand that is desperate to get to her in time.  The special effects in this scene as well as several scenes with Electro, truly capture the magic in these movies.  The action, conflicts, and love story make this worth seeing over and over again.

Brick Mansions: Fast Cars, Undercover Cops, and Paul Walker

I couldn't have picked a better movie to watch with my dad.  You see, ever since I can remember, my dad has been big on crime fighting, drug lord hustling,  badass movies.  So when debating who to see this with,  he was my first choice.  I think my favorite part was him leaning over midmovie just to tell me this was the perfect movie.   I have to admit, even though I usually am not into films such as this,  I truly enjoyed it for what it was, a good action flick.

Paul Walker plays Damien, an undercover cop sent to the ghettos of Detroit in order to disarm a bomb.  This isn't the Detroit we know today.  Detroit has succumbed to a new low by alienating the underprivileged with a wall that separates them from the rich and working class.  Schools, hospitals, and even police have been removed from the slums.  So it isn't exactly surprising that drugs and crime are all that occur here.  This makes for a tricky and dangerous task for Damien.   He does have a street smart accomplice and ex convict to help him find his way through what is referred to as Brick Mansions.  Damien is persistent as the drug lord of Brick Mansions is the one who murdered his father.  

Just when you think Damien is finally going to disarm the bomb and get the bad guy, plot twist!  Damien soon discovers that the Mayor set him up on this mission.  He wasn't sent to disarm the bomb, he was sent to activate it.  In the mayor's attempt to "clean up the city" and build brand new luxury living space and business, he plans on literally removing all of the lower class with one blow.  Now Damien must decide who to trust, who to save, and decipher what is right.

This film was a wonderful way to remember Paul Walker.  He's the actor who loved cars and played a great character in movies where the good guy is also rebellious,  yet still serves for the common good.  Some of the action scenes were a  bit cheesy with the slow motion movement, but it was fun to watch nonetheless.  So if you are in the mood for an action packed film or just want to see Paul Walker do what he has always done best,  then see this film!

The Other Woman: Girl Power at its Finest

As I get older and life experiences add up, I often find myself learning one valuable lesson after another.   When most girls are little,  they picture themselves as adults.  This cozy picture entails a handsome, sweet husband, two kids, a dog, and a white picket fence.   For some, this pretty picture will come true.   Sadly, for others,  this may not be the case.  The simple yet sad fact is, some people will marry the wrong person and get hurt.   I promise you,  I am no cynic.  I do believe in happy endings, but I also believe that people can be quite sneaky and withhold true colors until after the knot has been tied.  What I am referring to is the scenario when a husband or wife is unfaithful.  No, not one bad night unfaithful.   I am talking several affairs unfaithful.   This sad reality does occur.  Hopefully most of us never have to endure it,  but if we do.   I think it's important to remind ourselves of who will always be there.   Those people, my friends, are our best girlfriends.  The power of female bonding and kinship is truly a gift and if you are someone with a close group of female confidants,  don't ever let go of that.  Which brings us to Carly.

Carly is a lawyer who has made a name for herself.   She is beautiful,  confident, successful,  and doesn't need anyone.   Especially friends.  Carly dates casually and will often have more than one partner.  That is, until she meets Mike.  This new man in her life sweeps her off her feet and gets Carly to settle down into a monogamous relationship.   She is shocked at her new life,  but embraces it.  In fact, she even pays her lover a surprise visit dressed as a naughty plumber which seems to be a good idea until his wife opens the door. 

Meet Kate.  Kate thought she had it all.  A loving, successful,  handsome husband, a beautiful home in the suburbs, and the lifestyle her and her husband dreamed about back during much simpler times.  This all comes crashing down when her husband's mistress opens the door and changes everything.  Kate isn't stupid and even though the mistress tries to play it off, she realizes her husband is cheating on her.  So Kate does the opposite of what most women would do, she befriends her.  You have to realize, Kate has nobody, because all of her friends are Mike's.  Carly is resistant at first,  but Kate has a charming, innocent way about her that makes her hard to dislike.  Kate and Carly become the best of friends in their attempt to move on from Mike.  This turns sour when Kate falls for her deceitful husband again only to discover he is still cheating on her with Carly, or so she thinks.   Come to find out, Mike is cheating on them both.  The girls are now on a mission to find out about this mystery girl.

After following Mike to a tropical paradise,  the girls discover his other mistress is not only much younger, but the definition of perfect.   What transpires next is quite hilarious.  Carly snaps and lunges after miss perfect but Kate stops her. However, they were not as discreet as they thought and the mistress finds them out.  And now our twosome has grown to three.   The girls are now on a mission to destroy the man that destroyed them.

I have to say, this movie was the perfect chick flick.  It truly showed how much woman can count on one another in times of need.  I also appreciated the realness it showed with how hard it can be to let go of something you once loved but know isn't right.  Several scenes made me feel proud to be female and appreciate my girlfriends such as Kate letting go and throwing her ring into the ocean,  Kate and Carly trying on clothes in a wine drunken stupor of messy makeup and laughs, and how even when you have to be blunt with one another,  your girl friends can get you back on your feet.  This movie was a refreshingly excellent take on turning your back on what holds you back and embracing the idea of loving yourself enough to know you deserve better.  You need to go get your best friends together and see this movie.

Heaven is for Real: World's Cutest Kid has the Most Inspiring Faith

Being a teacher has its perks.  Working with children each day for the past 7 years has given me tons of zany stories.  The older kids have more of a filter for what's appropriate and what's not.  The younger kids just bare it all.  I have a vivid memory of a 5 year old telling me he had to fart.  Sometimes the little guys say a little too much mind you, but they have the best intentions.  With that said, they do say whatever they think or feel about something and tell the truth because that's what they do.  So what do you do when a 4 year old says he met God?

For Todd Burpo, a reverend of a farm town in Nebraska,  this is a reality.  His son Colton gets severely sick to the point nobody believes he will make it. Todd even finds himself yelling at God and forbidding him to take his son.  Fortunately,  his worst fear does not come true.  Colton defeats the odds and survives what will always be the hardest thing his family will ever go through.  The thing is, he had a little help.   OK, a lot of help.  

As time passes since the incident,  Colton begins to disclose some intriguing information about concepts beyond anyone's dreams. While at the park, Colton and his dad were enjoying a sunny day.  Then he leisurely explains that he met God.  His father took this as a creative imagination and passed it off. That is,  until Colton revealed information that nobody could reveal unless they had met God.  For one,  he saw his dad yell at God in the hospital, even though he was in a different room far from the operating table.  He also saw his mother calling friends and asking for prayers.  Todd told his wife this new information and she didn't quite buy it.  She honestly didn't want Todd to buy it either.   To make matters worse,  his own church wanted him to stop talking about it as it made parish members uncomfortable (Which makes no sense, these people are known for their strong faith,  shouldn't this be a beautiful miracle?).  But Todd was not going to back down and after hearing countless amazing details of his son's experience, he knew he had to tell his story.

Finally,  when Colton told his mom that he met his baby sister in Heaven, she knew Colton was telling the truth.   Nobody had ever told Colton he had a sister as well as the fact they hadn't named her.  This and other accounts were disclosed as time went on and I am happy to say that eventually,  Colton's story was told and believed.  

This was an excellent account of the book Heaven is for Real.  I wasn't sure if the special effects would give the book justice,  but they truly did.   My favorite detail is that you never see God's face until the very end,  and I will not spoil how it occurs.   I dare you not to gasp when you see it.  This was a beautiful film filled with emotion, compassion,  perseverance,  and most importantly faith.   Did I mention.......it's a true story?   Now go see it!

Transcendence: Mind Blown

I still remember fall 2000.  It was shortly after volleyball practice and I just got home.  Sitting on the floor of my basement was a glorious giant box with......a desk top computer.   This was back in the days of AOL instant messenger and that dreaded dial up sound.  Looking back,  I never realized then just how quick the rate of technological advancement would be.  I mean even as we speak,  I am typing on a miniature laptop called a tablet, my smart phone is next to me, and my Internet connection is constant.   This isn't even all of what technology can do.  So take our advancements and then look at what possibilities and soon to be realities we have.  Computers who cure diseases, computers who do work for us, nanotechnology that is capable of correcting or healing if you will, are all within our reach.  For some, this is scary, and for others, exciting.   For Dr. Will Caster, it is inevitable.

Dr. Caster and his wife have dedicated their lives to nanotechnology and creating a system that helps restore life.  Their research has been on plants and eventually monkeys, but when Dr. Caster is shot resulting in a deadly infection, they have no choice but to begin human trials on him.  Dr. Caster physically dies, but his brain is uploaded and transcended to a computer.  His wife would have done anything to keep her husband,  but what she doesn't realize is what chaos she has just started.

The longer time passes, the more power Dr. Caster needs.   He is uploaded to the internet and has access to all information.  Before long, he and his wife are running a small town with a lab that is quite extraordinary.   This lab evolves as so does Dr. Caster.  What starts as curing cancer,  blindness, healing injuries, then turns into creating human like characters via nanotechnology.   Soon everything is synthetic, even the water.  His wife sees this and begins to fear him along with his practices.

Meanwhile,  the group of individuals who shot him are working hard to ensure he is stopped.  This group has been attempting to get back to the truest forms of living where people truly connected.  They will stop at nothing to cease the rapidly growing advancements of Dr. Walter.  This will entail getting the government involved, a friend of Dr. Caster, as well as his wife.  In the end the only person who can stop him is the one who started this in the first place and doing so will most likely kill her husband.

This film was fascinating to me as it didn't seem too far from from where we are now.   It tended to be slow at parts, but overall kept me engaged.   The theme was that I loved the most.  This whole need to feel connected takes away human connection.   A definite must see.

God's Not Dead: A Film for the Believers

So I have to tell you.......I am still debating posting this even as I type.  I guess if you read it, you found out my decision.  It isn't that I thought it was a bad movie.  The enjoyment of this film stands firmly on the grounds of which perspective the viewer takes.  I think there are three classifications for this movie which include the film buffs, the Christian film goers, and the atheist film goers.  Now before I dive into this any deeper, I must inform you that yes, I am a Christian.   However, I'm not having a God no Go debate.  This post is strictly on who will enjoy this movie and why.  I don't think it will convert anyone into Christianity,  and if I am wrong then that's awesome.  I also think the film buffs will immediately notice the acting or lack there of.  To me, a movie shouldn't need the characters to state the obvious because you see and feel it in their acting.  Some of the situations this film portrayed were just not realistic and I can see some missing the point do to this distraction.  And yes, there is a really power message.  I can't deny that.   This film, from a Christian stand point, showed just how many people grapple with the idea of God.  For some, God is an evident thing, while for others, the idea of him seems like a false reality based on science or jaded life experience.   No matter the reason, these people overcame extreme situations and in the end found their purpose, found their peace,  which is the simple fact that God is very much alive.

The Professor:  His mother died of Cancer when he was 12, leaving him jaded and hating God.  So in his adult life as a philosophy professor, he requests his students to sign a document stating for purposes of his classroom, God is Dead.  All of but one student can do this.  What does he do to this student?  He makes him design a debate in which he must convince his peers that God exists.  The more his student gains strength,  the more he shoves him back down.   Kind of the opposite of what a professor should be.

The Christian:  It's his freshman year and he is assigned the professor from hell, or so it seems.  This poor kid must convince his class that there is a God after he refuses to sign a document saying otherwise.  Not only is his professor threatening to ruin his life, but his girl friend of 6 years dumps him for doing the assignment as she is fearful his decision will negatively effect the pretty picture she had painted for them.  Yeah, she sounds awesome.  Will his faith help him through this endeavor?

Little Miss Work Bee:  She is an intelligent journalist trying to change the world and critisizes anyone she doesn't agree with.   Her life is centered around success.  The nice car, rich boyfriend, successful career, and materialistic things are what drives her.  People who believe in God make her pity them.  She lives life in the fast lane,  that is, until she gets Cancer.   Oh yeah, and lovey dovey rich boyfriend dumps her immediately after finding out. Now what?

These are just a few examples of the kinds of dilemmas our characters experience in their battles with life and God.   The message is inspiring,  and like I said earlier,  believers will just be that much more reaffirmed in their faith.   So ignore the acting, enjoy the message, and have some fun at the movies.   After all, it's got Hercules! ! (Kevin Sorbo) who you must see in the video below this post.

Kevin Sorbo: Dissapointed!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9gC1GiSDDA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper Will Leave You Laughing.....A Lot

We all have family drama and I am sure each have a unique spin to just how quirky our families are.  No family is the same and at the end of the day,  we would do anything for our families.  This novel is all about family and the secrets, life changes, distance, death, and humor that go into it. 

Judd is at an all time low in his life.  He recently walked in on his wife having sex with his boss, quit his job (for obvious reasons), and lost his father.  He is processing all of this and receives a call from his sister saying that his father's last request was that Judd and his siblings sit Shiva.  This is a Jewish practice in which you mourn the loss of a loved one in their home for 7 days while everyone comes to visit and brings ridiculous amounts of food.   It is time spent as a family to reflect and remember.  For Judd, this is prison for 7 days as he and his siblings aren't exactly warm and fuzzy with one another.  Another unsettling thought is that Judd's father isn't a  religious man. Yes, they grew up Jewish, but mom was who dragged them all to temple.  His sister is persistent and his other siblings have agreed as well which leaves Judd without a choice.  He will sit Shiva with his dysfunctional family.  Things should get interesting.

Judd's Shiva experience turns out to be more than he expected.   In addition to his family dynamics that will definitely have you cracking up,  he also is still grabbing with his current life predicament of being cuckolded by his boss.  Then he runs into an old flame who slightly restores his faith in finding love again.  But not so fast, for his wife announces she is pregnant and guess who the daddy is?!  Not to mention the secret affairs of his family.   Let's just say someone comes out of the closet, someone had sex with someone's wife, and a whole list of shenanigans transpires on this seven day adventure. 

I think what I loved most about this was Judd's whole demeanor.  His sarcasm was easy to relate to and I often found myself laughing out loud......even at the bookstore.......sitting by myself.   It was a great read that left me open to my own predictions for how the character's lives turned out.  This is a great read for men and women from twenty something and on.

Draft Day: A Movie for the Football Enthusiast

Hopefully I don't loose any readers after this post,  but I feel compelled to tell you that I am not a football fan.  Believe me when I say that I have tried countless times to watch it and understand it, but it just hasn't happened for me.  With that said, I do enjoy attending football games.  There is something exciting about being surrounded by football fans.  They attend game after game no matter what kind of season their team is having.  They sit in rain and snow just to see their favorite players make a touchdown.  So although I do not watch football often, I do have an appreciation for football fans in all their team loyalty.  Needless to say, Draft Day will be enjoyed by football fans no matter what team they support or if they favor college or pro.  It has the excitement of a new season and what is entailed before you see those players running on the field for the first time. But it also has a plot that could intrigue those that just enjoy an upbeat movie with a predictable happy ending. 

Sonny Weaver has a lot going on today.  He wakes up with his secret girlfriend whom he also works with and she tells him she is pregnant.  Sony's lack luster response provides them with an awkward distance and many attempted conversations at work behind closed doors.   But we can save their story for later,  afterall, Sonny has bigger fish to fry today because it's Draft Day!  Sonny is the GM for the Cleveland Browns.   The city of Cleveland, as most of us know, doesn't exactly have a lot going on, so for them, sports and more importantly football, means everything.  This along with the pressure of his father passing away, the owner of the Browns wanting him to make history,  and a hot head coach who wants another Super Bowl ring, are all major factors weighing in on the one day that truly requires his skills.

Trades, deals, and insight are all part of the deal and Sonny has some major decisions to make.  Seattle offers a trade that will give him a very talented rookie in return for Sonny's top picks for the next three years.  This sounds like an amazing deal, yet Sonny has a gut feeling he can't ignore.  Which raises the question, is pure talent important in football or do we need to focus on character and genuine interest as well?  This is a major question Sonny must grapple with today. 

After many informative talks and several hours to think, Sonny makes decisions that show his talent as a GM.  There are many who doubt him along the way, especially the coach and owner, and hopefully Sonny's choices show them he has a rare gift of seeing people.   Luckily, among those doubters is not the trusty Allison (secret and then not so secret girlfriend) whom stands by his side all day.   And do not fret, our father and mother to be do live happily ever after.

This film was funny at parts,  somewhat suspenseful,  and overall mediocre.  However,  I truly appreciated how it portrayed football in all its glory, especially how involved the fans are.  Even those like me who aren't the biggest fans of the sport will enjoy it. 

Dark Places by Jillian Flynn

Jillian Flynn has done it again!  If you read her novel Gone Girl, you will surely be enthralled with this one as well.  If you have not read Gone Girl then I encourage you to go purchase that and the book I am currently reviewing.  The plot twists will keep you engulfed until the last page.

Libby:  Libby is the soul survivor of the famous Day family murders.  Her mother and two other sisters were brutally murdered leaving her to survive.  Libby is now in her thirties and attempting to live her life.  It is a slow process and can be very difficult to complete the day to day tasks such as getting out of bed.  She has made it her life's mission to shut everyone out and keep to herself.  All of this comes to a stand still when she is out of cash and subjects herself to help out a local group of "murder enthusiasts".  This group of dynamic individuals research murders and come up with theories.  The Day family murders have their attention as they do not believe the person placed in jail is the one who killed them.  The thing with this is, Libby was the one who stated the killer.  Who in fact, is her brother Ben.  As Libby works with the group by giving them information about her family and that night, she not only drudges up painful memories, but begins to wonder herself if she really knows who killed her family.

Ben: Born into a poor family surrounded by women was pretty horrific for Ben.  His mother had too many children than she new what to do with, his father was an absent drunk who never gave him the time of day, and he constantly felt like a loner.  This all changed for him when he met her.  Diondra was a vivacious, free spirit who introduced Ben to the person he could be.  He felt whole with her and like he was important.  Sure, Diondra hung around an interesting crowd, but he belonged here.  Unfortunately, as all good things must come to an end, so did Ben's brief fairy tale.  You see, after one hectic night, Ben lost his mother, sisters, and life all in one.  As a senior in high school, he was placed in prison for the murder of his family.

Patty:  She was drowning and didn't know how to swim to the top.  Patty had 4 beautiful children she couldn't afford to raise, a drunk ex husband who still thought he had claims on her, and situation after situation that continuously brought her down.  It took everything she had just to get out of bed.  She knew the troubles each day would face and she just couldn't do it.  Patty did love her children.  Even her son whom she didn't understand and who she was convinced hated her.  Unfortunately, Patty's life was cut short along with the lives of two out of three of her daughters.

Only a few people really know what happened that night and 3 of them are dead while one is in jail.  It is up to Libby to figure it out.  But what will she do when she finds out the truth?  Is this one of those situations where knowing more could actually be worse?  Find out who killed the Day family.  I promise you will not know until the end no matter how convinced you are throughout the novel.  

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

I love seeing movies the night they come out. Especially action packed comic movies.  There is something exciting about seeing an eagerly anticipated movie with people who not only love it, but know so much about it.  I have to admit,  my experience with Captain America is strictly the first movie and the Winter Soldier, so forgive my lack of knowledge.   As with all of my posts, my focus today is on what I experienced with this film.

Captain America joins us again as he fights the bad guys and aims to do the right thing always.   But what happens when he discovers that the people he currently works for are not what he thought?   There has been corruption in SHIELD, a group he works for in which he thought was to help serve and protect.   Captain America has to grapple with who to trust and what information is real.  To add to this dilemma,  he finds out that his current enemy, who appears to be up to par with Captain America's talent, is a long lost friend from his past that he thought had died.  What our hero soon realizes is that his friend has been brain washed and doesn't know who he is.  Fighting off someone you would die for isn't exactly ideal and creates a major problem for him.  In the end he will have to choose between his life or the life of the man he once fought beside.

The action scenes were intense and Captain America's abilities are truly exhibited in this film.  I felt engaged the entire time and was eager to see just how the lives of the innocent would be saved this time.   A fun movie for all to see. 

PS......stay until after the credits......which I am sure most of you comic movie buffs already know.

Noah: Hollywood Takes on the Bible

I realize it's been done before, but this was my first encounter with a movie version of the biblical tale of Noah.   I didn't know what to expect but did know the acting would be superb. I mean come on.......Russell Crown as Noah?   Need I say more?  The only issue I had was more of  a personal matter as I had to constantly remind myself that this was  the Hollywood creation of Noah.  The visual effects and quality actors did provide a convincing story. Which is why I remind you that this is not the true story of Noah,  but more of the Titanic version.  You know, we'll have some characters that really existed and the maintain the main event,  but put our own plot twists to it.

Our story dates back to a low time for mankind.  The "creator" (this made me chuckle a bit, but I get it, they didn't want to say the G word and scare people away) created the sun, earth, plants, animals, and finally man and woman.   Unfortunately both gave into temptation and set forth a spiral effect of bad choice after bad choice until the once innocent humans were just plain evil.  Murdering,  rape, awful treatment to animals, and a "power to man" kind of mentality where men were to be worshipped,  not some creator,  was all too common place for humans at this point.  Fortunately,  some good still existed and the creator saw this.   So he called upon Noah to build an arc.
This arc would save those the creator intended and leave the rest of mankind to drown in a massive flood.  The creator therefore sent Noah several messages through visions in order to make sure it all went according to his plan.  Noah was on a mission.

In Noah's attempt to follow the creator's plan, he begins to take it too seriously.  His wife and children begin to see this, but even they cannot save Noah from himself.  Noah's mission grows to be so much more than building an arc.  The arc does set sail and they do survive,  leaving evil behind.  But Noah becomes obsessed with this notion of reestablishing mankind.   So when his son and girlfriend become pregnant, Noah loses himself even more and believes the creator wants him to kill the child once it is born.  To make matters worse, evil is lurking on the arc which will not only surprise but could change everything Noah has worked so hard for.   The other issue also remains, which is the unending ocean before them with no land in sight. 

I felt the overall theme of good verses evil and the inner issues we have with ourselves in that regard was prevalent.   Here you have a good person, Noah, but in his devotion to the creator,  becomes self destructive.   I can see many of us doing this.  We want to make sure we are following the right path,  but what if we get it wrong?  What happens if we misinterpret the plan?

They should have cut some lengthy portions, but overall it was a visually dynamic, entertaining film.

Bad Words Will Leave You Shaking Your Head While Laughing Outloud.......A Lot!

Guy Trilby has a giant chip on his shoulder and is on a mission which is to win the National Spelling Bee.  The only problem is the simple fact that he is an adult.  But do not worry my friends for Guy has found a way in.  It seems the rules indicate you cannot be in the spelling bee if you passed the 8th grade.   Guy has not.  Don't let this fool you though for he is brilliant and some might even say genius,  but he is not using his genius for good.  No, it is pure evil.  Pure conniving,  vindictive evil. 

Guy will stop at nothing to win the spelling bee.  Whether it be convincing another contestant that he slept with his mother,  putting ketchup on a teens chair then making her think she started her period, to making a woman cry by basically downgrading her to a cellular level.  He is by far the most mean spirited person you'll ever encounter,  yet someone cracks him open.  Indeed, he opens up and finds friendship in a persistent 10 year old and fellow contestant.  Although most parents would be revolted to find their children even in the same room as Guy.  He and his little friend have quite the bond.  Together they go out for an evening of theft, fake car crashes,  a brief encounter with a prostitute, and end the night with ice cream.  However dysfunctional it may be, their kinship is endearing.  

The big question that still remains is why on earth would a grown man be so obsessed with winning a spelling bee and with such anger?  I have to be honest,  you do get a strong hint of why about 3/4 into the movie.  Once you do make the connection,  it makes total sense.  But winning the bee ends up being harder than he thinks when his one and only friend surprises you with some secrets of his own.  I can say this,  Guy's development does improve by the end as he learns how to be a better person and open up to others after all.

Jason Bateman acted and directed this film which was one of my main reasons for wanting to see it.  I am now convinced you don't want Jason on your bad side as he has proved time and time again through his varied roles to have a biting side,  but the guy is a great actor and hilarious in my opinion.  So this film may not be realistic, but after seeing the trailor, I doubt that is what movie goers are after.   It is a film to see for a ridiculously good laugh and enjoyable time.

Divergent: Don't Underestimate the Power of the Human Spirit

It is always exciting to see a movie based on a beloved book.  I know there are those who claim the movie is never as good.  To you I say this......get over it.  Movies and books are completely different for a reason and I encourage you to try to appreciate both interpretations.  In the case of Divergent, I must say it aligned very well, even though I wouldn't have cared if it didn't.

Divergent is set in a futuristic Chicago post world war.  Humans as we predicted, pretty much destroyed most of the world due to greed, lying, selfishness, etc.  So some decided that in order to maintain the human species without repeating previous mistakes, a certain order should be maintained. That is where Factions come in. Factions are communities that contain certain traits such as intelligence, survival, honesty, compassion, etc.  Beatrice was born into Abnegation which is the selfless faction. This faction does not condone vanity and only means to serve others. However, when teenagers are of age, they take a test that determines if they should stay with their faction or belong somewhere else.  They may choose other than what the test decides, but typically the test is the deciding factor.  Beatrice and her brother both surprise their parents when they choose two completely different factions than their upbringing.  Her brother's test determined his placement, but Beatrice found out her results were inconclusive which implies people can actually belong to more than one faction....this is called Divergent and is very rare.....and dangerous.

Beatrice chooses the faction she relates to the most which is Dauntless.  This is a complete opposite of what she has always known.  For this faction is about defending and survival of the fittest.  Soon, all the initiates discover they will not all be Dauntless.  The bottom percentage who cannot cut it will be deemed Factionless and thrown to the streets.  This terrifies our soft spoken leading lady as she is at the bottom percentile from the beginning.  But Beatrice (whom is now referred to as Tris) proves herself as she rises above her fellow initiates.  Tris' placement seems to be just right as her friendships grow as well as her bond with a certain handsome Dauntless leader.  Unfortunately this all comes to an end when her secret Divergent status is in question.

As Tris continues to succeed and passes tests that should take much longer than she is to complete them, she has more eyes on her than she'd like.  Four, her knight in shining armor and leader of the initiates, notices as well and shares his secret of being Divergent as well.  Together they soon discover just how deadly their Divergence is.  You see, those in control are not fond of people who cannot conform.  In fact, being Divergent means you have independent thought and contain various components to the different factions.  This is hard to control and therefore feared.  What do we do with what he fear?  Try our best to destroy it, which is exactly the plan.  Tris and Four must survive an impossible situation when all who are not Divergent are out under a trans in which Divergent humans are easier to identify.  In the end lives will be lost and Tris and Four will admit just how much they mean to one another, but will it be enough to save them?

The overall themes of not categorizing someone into one group, not conforming, having independent thought and using it in the right way, as well as facing one's fears are prevalent throughout this dark yet engaging film.  I also have to be honest, seeing this feeble young girl grow into a kick ass heroine warms my heart.  That along with the awesome music and epic scenery make a great movie.  You will have to overlook a few cheesy lines that will only be cheesy to those who have not read the book.  But it is a great movie that the book lovers and movie goers will enjoy.