Movie Review - Fun With Dick and Jane

I went to the movies on Friday and saw the new release - Fun With Dick and Jane. I thought the previews seemed really funny, so I was a little surprised with some of the seriousness of the movie. Jim Carrey is hilarious as usual and the movie does have its funny moments. I recommend saving this one for DVD in a few months or taking in a matinee. I give Fun With Dick and Jane three out of five stars.

Happy Holidays!

I know I'm a little late, but I wanted to with everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season! I hope everyone is doing well. I'll update again soon.

Another update

My mom's been home for over a week now. She's recovering remarkable well from this surgery (a lot better than the last time). I've been on vacation this week, so we've been doing some shopping and watching some Christmas shows and stuff like that.

She went to the chemo doctor on Tuesday and found out this is a very aggressive cancer. She starts chemo in 2 - 3 weeks and she'll be going in for treatment every other Monday for six months. It's going to be hard on her, but we expect she'll do great! She's so strong. The doctor said she'll lose her hair and she'll already got a prescription for a wig (who knew they prescribed wigs?). They say she'll go in for 3 1/2 - 4 hours every other Monday and wear a chemo pack home. Then on Wednesday, she goes back in to make sure the drugs all went through. The doctor said she'll probably feel sick for a few days, but the off weeks should be okay. She's not looking forward to that, but she knows she's got to do it to get better.

Well, that's all I've got for now. If I don't get back to the blog before Sunday, Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Update

My mom's surgery went well on Thursday. She's resting in the hospital now and will probably be there until Monday or Tuesday. The colon cancer has been taken care of. It didn't go outside the wall of the colon, so that is excellent news. They found some cancer in the liver though, so we're not through this yet. She's going to start chemo in about 2 weeks to slow down/reverse the liver cancer and then in about 3 - 6 months she'll go in for another surgery to remove whatever is left of the tumor in the liver. She's handling it very well and we all know how strong she is, so we know she'll beat this thing. She's got great doctors, which makes all the difference in the world.

One of life's little detours

Well, my mom is sick again. She did really well in recovering from her surgery to remove ovarian cancer, but now she's been diagnosed with colon cancer. She found this out during a routine test two days before Thanksgiving. She's having surgery to remove the cancer this coming Thursday. She's got great doctors and is having the surgery at a fine hospital. The doctor who is doing the surgery is optimistic and my family and I all feel like she's going to be fine once they get that stuff out of her.

My grandparents (her parents) are in town from Ohio to be here with her and to help out once she gets out of the hospital (the doctor says it should be a 6 or 7 day stay).

So, if you read this and it is something you do, please say a little prayer for my mom and the rest of my family. Thanks!!

Well, I guess I have to grow up now!

That's right - it's time to grow up! About two weeks ago, I was promoted to Editorial Supervisor at my job. I now have four people (five once I hire my replacement) that report directly to me. I've been at my job for almost seven years now, so I think the time is right. I haven't had any major catastrophes yet (knock on wood), so I guess things are going well so far. I haven't fired anyone and nobody has quit on me yet, so that's a plus. Once I figure out how to fit everything I need to do in a week, I'll be all set. I go to New Jersey for some training next month - nothing like New Jersey in the middle of December I bet! That's all for now, just wanted to rant a bit. Good night!

Yes, I'm a slacker

Well, it's been over a month since I've posted and what can I say? I haven't really done anything that interesting. I did go see the 40 Year Old Virgin over the Labor Day weekend. It was okay. Pretty raunchy though. Not a movie you want to see with your parents or anything. I for whatever reason still haven't seen Dukes of Hazard and it is no longer playing at the theater I go to. I guess I'll be waiting for the DVD.

I'm looking forward to the new fall television season starting up in a couple of weeks. I'm especially looking forward to seeing where they take Lost in season 2. I'm also looking forward to seeing how Joey starts off. A friend of mine said that they were re-vamping Joey this season because they character had lost the feel of Joey from Friends. Hopefully it works out. That is one of those shows I've continued to watch just because I feel a loyalty to the character.

Well, that's about all I've got for tonight. Until next time!

Movie Review - I, Robot

Tonight's movie selection was I, Robot starring Will Smith. This is another of those movies that I kind of wanted to go see when it hit theaters, but just never did do it (I guess I really didn't want to see it that bad huh?). I really like Will Smith, so it would have been hard for me not to like this movie. Robots are generally pretty cool too, so that helps as well.

I, Robot was set in the year 2035 and everything has changed. Robots live among the humans and even serve as the FedEx deliverypeople. Smith doesn't trust them and throughout the movie, you find out why. This is a pretty good action flick and it won't leave you bored. If you kind of like sci-fi and enjoy action movies, check it out. I give I, Robot three and a half out of five stars. Coming up soon will be a review of Lawrence of Arabia (with an almost 4 hour run-time, I'm not sure when I'll be getting to it).

Car Payments Forever?

Well, I've purchased a new vehicle (the picture on the left is what it looks like, but that is off the Mitsubishi web site, not my actual vehicle). I had only had my Dodge Ram 1500 for a little over two years, but gas prices and bad fuel economy were really getting to me. That V8 engine just drank the gas. With all of the employee pricing and various other car ads on the radio and television so much lately, I figured I would go see what I could get done.

Initially, I was thinking about a Chevy Equinox, or possibly a Mercury Mariner. I really wanted to move into a small SUV-type vehicle. Well, on Friday night, after all of the dealerships closed, I went to walk the lots to see what was out there. I went by the Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Jeep and Nissan dealers and nothing really impressed me all that much.

The last lot I checked out was the Mitsubishi dealer. I had thought about the Misubishi Outlander when I was looking at stuff on the internet, but from the pictures, I thought it looked too much like a station wagon. Once I saw them in person, I knew I had been wrong. This is a sharp looking little SUV. They had a graphite/greenish/greyish XLS model that I really liked. I decided that I would come back the next morning to check it out. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, somebody was already in the process of buying it. I was bummed out, but decided to look around the lot a little more. Then I noticed that there was a Blue XLS Outlander that I hadn't seen the night before. I have been wanting to buy a blue car for about 10 years now, so I think it was fate that the graphite one had been sold.

Long story short, after three and a half hours at the dealership, the Outlander was mine and I'm now loving it. It sits higher than a car, looks great and it pretty much fully loaded. It's amazing what a better ride it gives than my truck did.

Double dose of movie reviews

First up for this round of reviews is 2004's The Terminal, a romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones. I remember this moving hitting theaters last year, but I don't remember there being much buzz about it. I know I remember thinking it might be worth seeing, but then figuring I would just wait for the DVD. Well, the DVD finally arrived thanks to NetFlix and I must say, it was a pretty entertaining film.

The Terminal has a fun cast of characters besides Jones and Hanks. As seen in the photo accompanying this review, there was a character named Gupta, played by Kumar Pallana. I thought Gupta stole the show (I mean come on, the guy is performing with rings at their table in the photo!). If you get a chance to see The Terminal, I recommend it. I give The Terminal 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Up next is The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart. I'm really becoming a fan of Bogart's movies, but I don't think this one measures up very well to Casablanca. I thought The Maltese Falcon was very hard to follow plot-wise. That being said, it did keep my attention and I did like the acting. Peter Lorre is just fun to watch. He's so evil-looking and sounding and just plays the part of the creep really well. I've got to say that Mary Astor doesn't hold a candle to Ingrid Bergman, but I guess a lot of actresses don't. If you haven't seen The Maltese Falcon, check it out sometime, but make sure you're paying attention, or you might get lost. I give The Maltese Falcon 3 out of 5 stars.

Movie Review - Casablanca

Last nights' movie selection was the classic - Casablanca. Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in a story of love and war. I went into this movie thinking I would be bored through the entire film, but that wasn't the case.

I really enjoyed this movie. It was an excellent story with some twists and turns and featured great acting. I think Sam may have been my favorite characer in the film. A movie like this makes me glad that I've decided to mix in some classics with current films in my DVD watching.

In my opinion, Casablanca gets 4 out of 5 stars and should be a must-see film for anybody that is interested in the movies. Coming up next will be The Terminal, starring Tom Hanks.

Yet another movie review - The Day After Tomorrow

Tonight's movie selection was 2004's The Day After Tomorrow starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal. This was another of those movies that I thought I'd like to see when it came out, but just never got around to it. After seeing this movie on DVD, I think that was a big mistake.

Seems like the effects make this movie and you just don't get the full experience you would get at the theater on the 32-inch TV. I liked the movie well enough, but I think it was one that should have been seen in all its glory on the 30-foot screen.

Besides a few unbelievable parts, I've really got nothing to complain about. It was a pretty fun movie and Sela Ward is still hot at the age of 49.

If you haven't seen it, check it out. Its worth checking out, if for nothing else the environmental message. I give The Day After Tomorrow 3 out of 4 stars.

Fantastic Four movie review

Yes, another movie review. It's hot outside - what else am I going to do? Today I went and saw Fantastic Four, which by the way, is the number one movie in America for the weekend.

If you're looking for a dark, moody movie like Batman Begins, don't see this movie. If you like fun little action movies based on comic books, check it out.

Personally, I love comic book movies, so this was a treat for me. I'm not saying it is a movie of epic proportions or anything like that, just saying it was a fun movie. The critics are having a field day with bashing it, but they probably don't even know who the Fantastic Four are.

As a comic book guy, I thought the casting was good, especially in the case of Johnny Storm (Human Torch) and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic). I could have used a darker version of Dr. Doom, but you can't have everything. This movie is pretty much an origin story and is obviously the jumping off point for one or more sequels.

This was not my favorite comic book movie, but it is in the top 10 (and if you think about it, there have been a lot of comic book based movies). It is nowhere close to the two Spider-Man movies or the two X-Men movies, but I feel like it was two hours well spent. I give Fantastic Four 3 out of 5 stars.

Punisher movie review

Okay, as a comic book and action movie guy, you would have thought I would have seen this film before it hit DVD, but that wasn't the case. I wanted to see this movie when it was in theaters, but I never got around to it and quite frankly, I forgot it was even out on DVD.

When browsing through the titles at NetFlix, I noticed it and remembered that I actually wanted to see it and am I glad I did! This movie is jam packed with action from beginning to end. It didn't do so great at the box office, but I thought it was a really fun action flick. Lots of gratuitous killing, but anyone that knows the character of the Punisher knows that would be essential in any film adaptation.

The story focuses on undercover agent Frank Castle, who is retiring and is ready to settle down with his wife and child. Well, let's just say that his plans are permanently put on hold and Castle's life changes forever. One good thing about this film is that you actually have to think a little. The questions of good and evil aren't as evident as they normally are in an action movie. Your views determine if the Punisher is a hero or just a villain.

The acting was not great, but I thought Thomas Jane made a fine Punisher. In a movie like this, you don't expect the actors to be vying for any Oscars. If you haven't seen the Punisher and you like action movies - check it out, I think you'll enjoy it. That's it for tonight. I give the Punisher 4 out of 5 stars.

Stay tuned for the next review - The Day After Tomorrow (that's the movie, not when I'll be doing the review)

Movie Review - Collateral

Tonight's movie selection was the Tom Cruise, Jaime Foxx thriller Collateral. I'll be honest here, I'm a bit biased against the lunatic, Tom Cruise, but I figured I would give this movie a shot. I thought the movie started off a bit slow, but there was nothing during the slow part that wasn't needed for the ending of the movie, so I guess I can live with that. I felt like I really got into the movie about an hour and ten minutes into the one hour and 55 minute film. I did think that Cruise did a pretty good job playing the crazy sociopath. Overall, if you like action thrillers, I say give Collateral a shot. It's not a great movie, but it doesn't make you want to turn off the DVD player either. I give it 2 1/2 out of five stars.

Yet another movie review

Over the long weekend, I found time to watch one of the NetFlix movies I have out. I stopped down to check out Citizen Kane. For the longest time, I've heard that this is one of the best movies ever made. After watching it, I've decided that I just don't understand the finer points of making a movie because I thought it sucked. I felt like I'd just lost two hours of my life that I could never get back. I'm sure some of you that have seen this film will disagree with me, but I put it in the top ten worst movies I've ever seen. So, my first trip down "I should see this movie because it is a classic and it is supposed to be one of the best of all times" lane was a complete failure. Next up for the classics is Casablanca, which I'm sure will be a big snoozefest.

Happy Independence Day!

Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July.

Justice is served ... or is it?

Well, the punishment for Kenny Rogers' temper tantrum came down today and it is pretty hefty by baseball standards. Kenny has been suspended for 20 games and he was fined $50,000 by Major League Baseball. While this sounds like a pretty big deal, there are two factors which make this punishment a lot less harsh than it seems. By being suspended for 20 games, Kenny, who pitches every fifth game usually, will miss only 4 -5 games. Also, in case you didn't know, because of the strength of the Major League Players Association (their union), suspended players in MLB still get their full salary while they are on suspension. Yes, that's right - Kenny is getting a month-long vacation and getting paid for it.

So, it seems like this situation basically only hurts the team and the guys on that team, as their best pitcher is unavailable for the next month and they don't get to fill his roster spot with another guy. Ahhh yes, America's pastime indeed!

Brutality at the Ballpark

So, today Kenny Rogers, pitcher for the Texas Rangers, decided that television news cameramen could no longer film him walking to the field. Unfortunately, he forgot to tell the new rule to the camera guys. They were still filming away and Kenny decided that he would put a stop to it. In apparent rage, he shove 2 or 3 guys and threw down a couple of very expensive video cameras. All I can say is wow! What happened to this guy? He went from a fan favorite to a PR nightmare overnight. I hope he gets it back together because it will be a huge shame if this incident is what he is remembered for. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sticking up for him. I think he deserves a suspension and if he gets assault charges filed on him, he deserves that too. It'll just be a shame if his career ends on a note like this.

Some short movie reviews

I've seen a few movies on DVD here recently and thought I would throw my opinions out there.

I actually just finished watching The Incredibles a little while ago and I loved it. I can't believe it took me this long to check it out (NetFlix is a great thing!). I thought the animation was superb and the story was really great. I expect we'll see a sequel to this one in the not-too-distant future.

Over the weekend I watched Without a Paddle, starring Seth Green (Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Matthew Lillard (Shaggy from the live-action Scooby-Doo movies). This was a really funny movie, but I'm glad I rented it and didn't pay the $8.50 it would have taken to see it in the theater. It was good, but not that good.

I've got 86 movies in my queue on NetFlix, so I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these mini-reviews over the coming months. As far as commenting goes, what have you seen? Got a suggestion? Maybe your suggestion will get pushed to the top of my queue. Thanks as always for reading!

Blogging is fun

Well, I didn't think I'd like it much, but I do. I used to do a lot of writing, but really hadn't done much in the last few years, so it is kind of nice getting those writing juices flowing again. The only problem I'm having it topics. I think I need to let things just come to me a little more and stop trying to force the issue. Those of you that have blogs - let me know what kind of things you write about. I'm not real sure what to talk about and what not to talk about. Anyway, I'm done rambling now, so feel free to offer up your suggestions on what makes a good blog!

I Stand Corrected

Obviously, I was a little off on my previous post. I assumed (I guess that comes with my news addiction - see the previous post on that topic) that the three boys in NJ had been murdered, when in fact, they are saying that it was just a horrible accident. My sentiments on raising children in today's world stand, just without the NJ case as evidence.

Sad Stuff!

Just heard about the three New Jersey boys being found dead in the trunk of a car. Seems like stuff like this is happening way too often these days. I remember when I was a kid (no, it wasn't "that" long ago!) we never worried about stuff like that. Seems like these days you're better off just locking your kids in the house and never letting them leave. Things like this really make me glad I don't have any children.

Too much news?

In this age of instant information (i.e. the internet and cable news networks), do you ever feel like you're just trying to process too much information? I know I do. I admit it - I'm an information junkie - an addict. I probably look at CNN.com at least 10 times a day, just to see if there is anything new. Once I'm done with CNN.com, I've got to hit Dallasnews.com (web site for The Dallas Morning News) for the local stuff. It's insane. I can't go an hour without the info! How about the rest of you? Do you find yourself searching out news?

Time for a change?

Last night at work, we were discussing whether asking a woman's father if you can marry her is an outdated tradition, or if it is still the customary thing to do. Some of the ladies believe that they would be offended if someone they were dating were to ask their father for permission for their hand in marriage. The general tone I found in the room was that most of them actually would be offended. What do you think? Is this something that should not be carried on to future generations? Ladies, would you be offended, or is this something you want your boyfriend to do? For those of you that are already married, did your husband do this, and if so, did you want them to? Guys, what is your opinion on this? Do you want to ask the father, or do you feel like the past says that you have to? Please comment so we can see what people think!

Recent Movies

After about a 9-month hiatus of going to the theatre, I've been twice in the last three weeks. I guess that's what the summer blockbusters will do for you. I saw "Star Wars Episode III" a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great. I think Ewan McGregor has truly "become" Obi Wan Kenobi to me. It is a "Must See" in my opinion.

Most recently, I saw "Batman Begins" last night. I've been a fan of most of the Batman films, but in my honest opinion, this one beats them all. It is awesome getting to watch the transformation of a man into a superhero. I thought Christian Bale did a fine job as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, but I really thought it was the supporting cast that made this movie. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman are tremendous.

I've also recently seen both the new and original versions of "The Longest Yard" and I've got to say, while I'm a huge Adam Sandler shill, the original is hands down the better movie. That's not saying that the new one is horrible, but the original is just a bit better.

That being said, what did you think? Have you seen these movies? Seen other summer movies? Please comment so we can compare notes. See you at the movies ("Fantastic 4" is just a few weeks away!)!

Welcome to CJ's World - The Blog

Some of you know I've got a blog specifically for stories relating to trips I take, but unfortunately, the trips have been far and few between lateley, so I'm creating this blog for general thoughts and whatever else. Feel free to comment!