Watched “Race to Witch Mountain” and enjoyed it. I’m a sucker for The Rock and cute kids saving the world. What can I say. Also watched “Appaloosa” and wasn’t thrilled. Moments of greatness followed by boring moments of uninspired drivel. Then I threw “Cagney and Lacey” season 1 into the DVD. I fell in love with those very attractive (aka HOT) detectives. Is that weird? Sometimes I wonder if I’m too honest here but I’m forging ahead. Because the project ain’t gonna write itself. Honestly.

Book review below!

Watchmen by Alan Moore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well. Watchmen is a comic book/graphic novel like any other. Viewing it today after all my comic book reading days that is. When it was published I’m sure it rocked the world and changed everything. However…it didn’t do it for me. Sure, it’s got a solid plot, great characters and one heckuva history to tell. Yes, it’s got a compelling storyline and without question is a excellent addition to the comic book genre.

I enjoyed reading it and may end up purchasing it someday. I enjoyed the ending with bittersweet feelings since a character or two gets offed. I agree with those that say all comic book fans should read this sucker. It is a great foundation builder and excellent introduction to the great dark and fun world of graphic novels.

View all my reviews >>

It is a touching film at points and hilarious at others.  There are laugh out loud moments (and they are delightful) and a moment of absolute horror in your heart as you realize what you figured all along occurs right before.  It’s a “Love, Actually” moment that spins you for a moment before the film does indeed right itself and give some redemption to the very heartbreaking moment you share with George’s character.

He earns a side-kick early on in the film and her arc from focused naive young professional to reality wrecked & responsible is admirably played by the ever so lovely (I have a crush, I’ll admit) Anna Kendrick.  I looked into her eyes and saw more about the character than I anticipated.  There’s something about her stringent innocence to the reality of the world she’s landed in and how she slowly begins to figure out why George’s character is the way he is.

You also cheer for her at several points in the film as she serves as a conscience wake up call to several characters.

Did I mention she is cute as a button?  Right.  Back to the meat of the movie.

The moments where we see actual real people reacting to being fired and even towards the end people giving their feelings about what happened is a great bookend to the film.  It makes it real and give the film some serious credibility when it comes to the whole idea of getting fired and what it feels like.  These people speak for us regular folk and to have their faces and voices in the film elevates (sorry for the pun) it to another level.  Instead of being just a movie with romance, drama and a few other ingredients, this movie has a important message and cannot be ignored.

At the end of the film we’re led to believe that people are our most important asset.  That loving what you do is a key part of living life to the fullest.  We all die eventually.  How will we get to the end?  Will we have a co-pilot?  Someone to share it all with, to keep us warm and welcome us home at the end of a day full of tough toil?

Or will we go it alone flying from place to place and never coming home to what matters?

It’s your call.

I walked everywhere to where I needed to go today. WIN!

Uh…I did my junior high gig and worked in a small group.  WIN!

Ah, there had to be one…FAIL!

Joe Nichols. And the terrible song he sings about Tequila. WIN

I crashed into bed at 7:30pm.  FAIL!

Won in 3/5.  That’s admirable.

It is a great movie. Meryl Streep is Julia in every sense of the word. By the end of the film you have fallen in love with her several times over and simply want to reach out and hug her over and over. Then have her cook for you because she was on helluva cook. The Julie character is less perfect and more flawed than Child and it’s an interesting study in perspectives. Halfway though the movie (it’s long but well worth it) Julie sends her husband into a righteous rage about her self centered selfish ego that nearly destroys their marriage. It is a moment of brief seriousness that brings us all down a bit from the half cocked smiled we’ve all had since the credits rolled.

It serves to remind us that Julia Child was something different in her world and time. She was probably eccentric. More than a little crazy for all the things she set out to do and accomplished with great relish. But she had a zest for life that the film portrays as a bit child like and yet very adult. She could be angry and probably could say a few bad things about a few people. She was normal in that manner.

But in everything else she was a loose cannon full of confetti that rocked the boat, sent it turning over and then righted it again with a new paint job. Part of this rubs off on the character of Julie as she discovers what great food can do with her relationship, friends and her small little world she lives. She finds inspiration in the words of the recipes of Julia and marvels at the complete irreverence of the television show. Her writing blends with the cooking and provides therapy for the terrible (I had a similar job) work she has to do during the day. At the end of the film through all the tears, fits, tantrums and lobster boiling (classic scene) you come to realize that the journey of Julie through Julia’s world gives us a sense of what we are missing in this day and age.

I’m not about to try and rise to the occasion of taking on Julia Child’s cooking as such action would require a fire truck on constant standby. What I’m going to do is take a challenge on for 2010. I’ll be blogging. About what I cannot fathom yet but you’re welcome to suggest as I also contemplate and marinate on the ideas.

A side note about the reaction from Julia Child in regards to the blog/book. I would agree that the use of four letter words to describe something is somewhat disappointing.   As flawed as the English language is, it does contain numerous if not a plethora of descriptive prose to detail out the feelings, emotions and experiences.

I’m a sucker for movies. Mostly romantic comedies. And action blockbusters. It’s the reason why my number one movie of all time is actually two tied for first. Serendipity and Jaws. If that doesn’t tell you what you need to know, then perhaps the next in my long list of movies I like will. You can see the current list here. Mind you, that list is the random, sometimes obscure mixed in with the mainstream. I still need to compose a list of my top ten or twenty.

Anyway, my next movie that you should watch is a movie I originally didn’t really have much appreciation for when I originally watched it. Like a fine wine (as opposed to milk) age has helped bring this film to a warm reception in my film senses. It’s the story of a woman who loses her sister and husband and by the wishes of her sister is given care of the three children. Aged from kindergarten all the way to high school they present a unique challenge for this youngest of the family. Life lessons, challenges, making your way and finding the truth with a little romance and comedy mixed in makes this movie something everybody should try and watch.

If by the end you’ve not poked your eyes out with your Red Ryder BB Gun and swallowed your tongue, then I’d say you liked it. If you did experience said reaction then I pray for your soul. It obviously has no love left in it.

I’m only slightly kidding. What is this movie? Continued after the break…

Kate Hudson has always been a cutie, but she’s not cracked into my crush list yet for a variety of reasons. The entire cast plays through the film excellently. Some of the best lines are in this movie and by far my most favorite is below. Pardon the language,

You listen to me. If you ever so much as blink in her direction again, I can and will bury you so far in the ground that the heat from the earth’s core will incinerate your sorry a**!

Joan Cusack plays a superb part as a hardworking mom (and the sister of Kate’s character, setting up for some good scenes throughout the film as they work through all that’s happened) and I loved her moments. So, check it out if you haven’t. Take a Friday night with your girl for date night or something.

I wish that short review would do this movie justice. It couldn’t even begin to try. Matt Damon has perfected this character to precision that defies any kind of microscope comparison. The blockbuster is helped with an array of supporting characters including the return of Pam Landy and the inclusion of another high powered man in the FBI and even takes the story to the Director of the FBI. David Strathaim plays a worthy bad guy to Landy’s idealism and true blue heart.

It also had me scratching my head when the head of the FBI appeared on the screen and only through the miracle of IMDB did I find out it was Scott Glenn. Each of the players (including a Brian Cox looking Albert Finney from Big Fish) exude beyond the paper cut out characters they may have had if someone else had helmed the film. The director from the previous in the series is back and his frenetic camera style (which I loved in the middle film) is back but now it’s with purpose and focus.

The fights are intense. The tension is so tight a pin drop would sound like an earthquake. Julia Stiles (She-Who-Must-Be-My-Girl) is back as well with some possible romantic connections to Jason Bourne that are never fully explained and we are left to wonder what exactly happened between these two spooks. I won’t give away the whole story but this film goes form location to location with wham-bam-thank you officer kind of power that leaves you on the edge of whatever is left of your seat.

The ending of this film is picture perfect. Bourne has been shot and fallen into the water. Several scenes are broken in between as we watch his body in the dark and muddy liquid. And at the last moment it’s reported his body wasn’t found. Cue a shot of Julia Stiles character hearing the news, smiling and then to a shot of Bourne’s body suddenly coming awake and the music hits like it should. It nearly had me on my feet it was that good of a final word in the Jason Bourne anthology.

This movie is perfect from the amazing chase across rooftops to the most amazing car chase I’ve seen in awhile to even the slow character developing moments. They did a good job of taking a blockbuster one step above popcorn status. This year we’ve had some great earth shakin’ flicks. Transformers. Live Free and Die Hard. Pirates of the Caribbean. There’s plenty more to see out there and some good stuff coming out on DVD (Hot Fuzz is the stuff!) so my hope in Hollywood is temporarily restored.

Until they remake Rush Hour 3 in like four months into a horror movie starring Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan.

Since it’s 07-07-07, I figured I’d declare it Jams Bond Day!

Tonight I’m going to hang out with my friend Kim who is as ardent fanatical fan as I am of the “shaken, not stirred” secret agent on Her Majesties Secret Service.  We’re going to try to watch as many of the movies as we can (probably topping out at two since we both have lives to live and can’t simply Die Another Day.  Heh.) and enjoy the awesome roar of her parents big screen TV.

Needless, I have my personal favorites.  “Goldeneye” is the best of the best in my opinion.  Just all the right pieces to the puzzle make it a rollicking ride through the world of James Bond that we hadn’t had in some time. Any of the movies with JAWS in them because he was simply the guy you loved to hate.  I have a love of the opening scene in “The Living Daylights” along with the entire “The Spy Who Loved Me” because the entire submarine set was just awe inspiring and fun to watch.

Anyway, what’s your favorite Bond Movie and why?

Cannot. Wait. For. This. Movie.

See it here.

I loved the first film because it was such a welcome breath of fresh air when we needed just that in the world of movies.  The second one just blew me away with the seriously cool cinematography and tightly focused plot with an ending that just sent chills down my spine and had me opened mouthed the whole time he told the girl the terrible truth.

The final scene with him and the lady agent in charge set me spinning because of the sequel chances it opened up.  I’ve been waiting for the trailer, hoping it would rock.  And yes sir, it did.  These are the kind of movies Hollywood needs to make.  I’m very excited for the third (and I don’t know if there are more, I heard it’s just a trilogy but what do I know) and will be in seat and with popcorn when it lights up the big screen.

Woot and stuff.

And in that moment, a ghost from my television past came back and slapped me back and forth about the face. You know what I’m taking about.

That’s right.  Transformers…ROBOTS IN DISGUISE!

I don’t remember seeing the original movie itself but I do remember the cartoon series and how much I loved watching it as a kid.  I decided it was time to find out if I’d actually enjoy the old school cartoon animation and 80′s music assault.

I loved and worship at the feet of this movie.  I felt like I was eight years old again jamming to the theme song that just gets me smiling all the time.  The guitar riffs and the screaming words just sent chills down my spine.  There’s something about echoes of your childhood that make for a good Sunday night viewing.

It also was hard watching Optimus Prime die.  There are certain moments in which my emotions are touched.  There’s a few episodes of “Firefly” that have done that.  Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan hits me center mass.  The Killing Fields.  And Transformers.

Of course we have the new live action Transformers movie coming out July 4.  And Peter Cullen returns as the voice of Optimus Prime.  After watching this jam packed DVD I hunger for it even more.