Monday, May 31, 2010

The Double Feature

Well, it wasn't exactly a double feature because I didn't see two movies on the same day. I did, however, see two movies two days in a row, so, for the sake of this blog post, it shall be considered a double feature. It should be obvious that there might be some spoilers below, so read at your own risk or read and find out how the movie ends (though, I never reveal that in my reviews of films).

First Up: A Suit of Iron With a Man Inside - The Sequel

As sequels go, this wasn't the best, but it was a good adventure. Most comic book story sequels these days can barely live up to their predecessor and this was no different. The original Iron Man movie not only gave the viewers a good origin story, but also a flawed hero. An egotistical self destructive man with money (sounds a lot like Batman Begins). Of course, that is where the stories differ because The Dark Knight (the sequel to Batman Begins) was one of the best comic book sequels ever. Even better than the first set of Batman movies with Michael Keaton and its original sequel Batman Returns, which had the unfortunate luck to have not only Danny DeVito as the Penguin, but Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Though, Michelle Pfeiffer did look good in tight leather. And, in the sequel to Iron Man, there is a point where Scarlett Johansson gets sewn into a leather outfit (figuratively, as it seems that would be the only way for her to fit).

The movie's pace seemed slow in parts, but made up for it with the number of action scenes - a number at least doubled from the original. Isn't that the mantra of the action sequel?

"More money, more explosions, more effects and more toy tie-ins"

Regardless, the movie still works and the information that is added later on by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in regards to SHIELD (don't worry if you don't know what it means. Only the die hards really know what it stands for - me included) and the Avenger Initiative (again, something the comics fans already know about) were helpful in setting up exactly what will happen in the next couple of years in regards to the other movies that are currently in production under the Marvel Banner.

A good movie with good effects and a decent story. Not as great as the original movie, but Robert Downey Jr. continues to show that he "gets" Tony Stark's life as if he had lived it (and to some respects, he has).

****

But wait, there's more...

The second film that I saw was Robin Hood. And no, this was not the one by Mel Brooks, Kevin Costner, Errol Flynn or even Disney. This was in fact, the "true" story of how Robin Hood came to be.

While I can agree that the story of Robin Hood has really been a tale of good versus evil, it is also the tale of a man who had lost everything that once was his and his vow to either get it all back or destroy the people that took it from him.

This movie is said to draw its story from factual evidence and while I am no scholar of the Crusades, I can admit that the story they offer is very plausible, except for the fact that most historians know that Richard the Lionheart actually returned to England and lived several more years before his death. This movie, like other movies that are based in history, are only "true" to those who tell the story like it. For others, the story of Robin Hood, is more like the Kevin Costner version (except with a British accent). And for some others, the story of Randall Wallace (Braveheart) is really the story of Robin Hood (some historians point to the similarities between Robin Hood and Wallace and affirm that they could have been one person and two separate legends).

Anyway...the action is fast paced and even though there are a few slower times, they are there to add characterization and plot substance and therefore are requisite to the film as a whole. Russell Crowe does a good job as Robin Longstride - a man with no memory of his past. Turns out, his dad was a really cool guy that helped the barons forge a pact many years ago and was killed for it.

Robin did learn one thing out of remembering who his father was and that was that everyone should "Rise and Rise Again Until Lambs Become Lions". Or, "Keep Trying and Never Give Up". Here's the deciding factor of this review. I could either mention that Yoda said "Do or do not, there is no try." Or, I could go with Jim Valvano's last recorded speech before his passing in 1992: "Don't give up. Don't ever give up." I guess I actually quoted both, but I think both can fit here. Yes, you have to "do" as Yoda said and you have to not give up, as Jimmy V. said and you just have to keep doing your best doing what's right.

All in all, both were very good action films. Though one centered on Fantasy and Science Fiction and the other centered on historical figures, each made a case for themselves as good stories. There was enough conflict in each film to make each explosion and death almost necessary. As a comic fan, I enjoyed Iron Man 2 and as a Robin Hood fan, I enjoyed that movie as well.

Until Next Time.

Dopplegangers

No. This is not a movie review of the movie, Doppleganger, from 1993 starring Drew Barrymore. Instead, it is about a television show.

I finally watched thecseason finale of how I met your mother and I found something very poignant about the episode. For z quick recap, basically it was about finding dopplegangers of the main characters and discovering different people in the process. By the end of the episode, the main character, Ted, has realized that everyone becomes a doppleganger of themselves. That each person, as they grow become a new person and therefore a "different" version of themself.

I started to think about the theory and realized that it is so true. I myself am different today than I was the day I got married four and a half years ago. And even then, I was different than I had been whe I first started dating Joanna.

This is all to say that growing up isn't a bad thing. I mean, I still have Peter Pan syndrome and will never really grow up, but that doesn't mean that I won't change. I guess becoming a father makes that happen.

Until Next Time.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

32 Names For A Girl Is Okay, Right?

Wait. What was that? A girl? 32 names? Does this mean? Is it possible? Yes, it means exactly what you think it does.....it's much easier to name a boy. And yes, I suppose for those few of you that read this blog and don't know, Joanna and I are going to have a baby in September. Well, I guess, really she's the one that's going to have the baby. :)

Anyway....trying to find the right name for a baby is very difficult. As I said already, I think it's much easier to name a boy because there are a lot of simple names for boys: Chris, Brad, Ryan, Jeff, Scott and a few other "standards". However, when you start looking at girl's names, you start getting into different spellings, "pretty" names, significant names and what not.

Because of this naming challenge, I have instituted a new way for us to choose the right name. Basically, it's going to be a popularity contest. Let's think of it like the NCAA Tournament, with only half the numbers, because coming up with 64 names would be much more difficult than actually deciding on one name.

Here's the deal, I'll send out a document with 32 names listed in a bracket format. With each pair, choose your favorite names and go through the process as if you're choosing the NCAA Tournament Winner. Write down your choices and email them to me or place them in the comments section of this blog entry. After I receive the choices, I'll tally them up and see which one wins. If there is name that you would prefer to see on the list, but isn't, too bad. These are the choices I made for the list. Send me an email with an "alternate" name choice.

Who knows, we might actually decide on the name that you choose. And if that happens, we might even thank you for helping us. Maybe.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Adventures in Babysitting

We were tasked with having to babysit our nephew, Noah, this weekend. Unfortunately, both Thor, the god of thunder and Elisabeth Shue were busy and couldn't help us. Too bad too, because she made babysitting look fun. Just kidding.

On to our weekend with Noah. We had a lot of fun and Noah had a great time hanging out with us.

Our first adventure was on Friday afternoon at the Upland Lemon Festival. We started by wandering around and getting snacks and Noah was having fun looking at the booths and various crafts that were situated.

After a couple of hours at the festival, we headed home for some yummy dinner that Anna had partially prepared, which included pasta and homemade sauce. Noah fed and changed, we got him ready for bed and got him to sleep. Thus ended our first day.

The next day was a long one that offered a lot of fun, but it was definitely a long day. And for two people that are dealing with a little boy for the first time, it got us very tired. But there was a softball game, lunch, a baseball game and even visiting with Grandma. However, Noah was exhausted and fell asleep before Gma's. The second day ended with more dinner and off to bed - which got hard because of
the fireworks at Quakes stadium. Luckily Noah did not wake up.

Onto our third day....

First things first, Joanna had to sing at church, so Noah and I hung out watching Finding Nemo (which he loves) and Alice in Wonderland. When Joanna got back, we hung out and played around the house. Eventually, Noah fell asleep and actually napped for almost three hours. This was good because Joanna and I were also tired so we took a nap for about an hour.

When he woke up, Joanna and I decided to go on some errands (something that we had actually put off) and packed Noah up again. We headed to stein mart for a birthday gift and the Target, which Noah was very happy about.

Target finished, we headed home and got Noah prepared for his parents to come home. While we waited, we played and ran around the house. Nick and Anna came and Noah was actually a little hesitant when he saw them, which was a little funny but he got back to loving them naturally.

All in all, we had a great weekend with Noah and we realized that we were pretty good at taking care of a little boy. Now, in a few years, if we have a baby, then we'll be ready to roll.

It's just too bad Elisabeth Shue wasn't around.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Kick Ass Kicked Ass

Okay, before I go any further, I must say something:

This movie, despite it being a good one, is not for the faint of heart. Even I have to admit that I had to turn my head at one point because I could simply anticipate what was about to happen to a bad guy. This movie is not for children regardless of the "Comic Book" concept.

There.

Now, as long as the adults are left, I shall continue with the blog.

I had the opportunity to see this film because my wife was going to be with a friend for a few hours and so I took advantage and saw a movie that she would never in her life even think about seeing. I got my ticket, my soda and my popcorn and sat down in a surprisingly empty theater (granted there were two other guys a few rows behind me, but that's it). Though admittedly, I was in Pasadena, at an "Art House" Theater, which could have had something to do with it.

I'll tell you now that there COULD be spoilers ahead. Just a warning. You could stop reading now if you want or keep reading in case you've seen the movie or just don't care about whatever I happen to write since you probably wouldn't see the movie anyway. You're choice.

Ten seconds.

Five seconds.

Okay. Back to the movie.

Kick Ass is like a lot of other typical super hero genre films - nerdy or lonely guy suddenly decides that he wants to help others and becomes a hero (in our hero's case, not a very good one). However, this is not a stereotypical super hero movie.

When you see a standard superhero film, they seem to always have a superpower. Kick Ass/Dave does not. He's a semi good kid, though he does tend to think about sex a lot - which is natural for a boy his age. But then he simply makes the choice to be someone different and tries to make a name for himself. He tries to stop some people from committing a crime and gets himself nearly killed in the process.

In time, however, Kick Ass gets back on his feet and begins to confront petty criminals and starts to actually help people. However, even he realizes that he's gotten himself into a bad situation when he tries to help the girl that he really likes with a former guy friend that has been harassing her. When things turn ugly, Kick Ass isn't able to be the super hero that he wants and almost gets killed only to be saved by Hit Girl.

Who's Hit Girl? If you've seen the commercials, then you know it's a little girl with a potty mouth and a penchant for shooting criminals. Obviously, I'm not going to give things away, but based on the trailers, you've pretty much figured all of this out.

Hit Girl and her Big Daddy are an interesting pair. He's trying to be a good father, and I can't fault him for that. Yes, I don't think that I would ever train my daughter to be a mass murderer or use the language that she uses, especially at such a young age, but I understand his need to keep his daughter occupied with something, and for him, it's violence. And really, it's more like hyper violence.

Yes, people die. People get hurt. Good guys, bad guys, no one is safe and no one cares. Their character arcs make them exactly who they are, good or bad and that's what makes this film so good - the characters. They know who they are and what they need to do to make things right.

Roger Ebert (God Bless Him), in all his wisdom, somehow called this film "Morally Reprehensible".

I admire Roger Ebert and his opinion, but this is a movie. A movie that implies that there are consequences for everything that everyone does in life. Yes, it is hyper violent and hyper vulgar, but sometimes so is life. Look at images from the wars in Iraq/Afghanistan or anywhere else. Those images can be just as disturbing as some of the images in this film.

Anyways...if you want to see the film, see it. You'll get a good two hour piece of entertainment. Please don't take the kids. They are already desensitized to the violence in the world because of video games, books, PG-13 movies and even the general news of the day. I liked it and I would recommend it to anyone who can actually separate reality and fiction. And who can stand hyper violence and a kid using harsher language than a sailor. And if you don't see the movie for any reason, that's okay too. Everyone's allowed an opinion.

Until next time.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

I Know What You're Thinking.....

It's been a month and Chris has not blogged anything. He must be out of the country or on some secret mission that requires absolutely no contact with the outside world. Right? Or is is that you already know the truth that I am just a boring guy that can't think of enough things to blog about on a near daily basis? That must be it. And while today is most likely like all of those other days that passed since my previous entry, there are at least two things that I could talk about.

One - Baseball. As you may or may not know, it is my favorite sport. Yes, I am a Diamondbacks fan, naturally, but I am also a fan of baseball and enjoy reading, listening and talking about baseball in general. I wish I could say with great certainty tha the Diamondbacks had a chance to win it all this year, but I don't think that's possible. It'll be a miracle for them to finish fourth.

Two - College Basketball. I am a fan of the NCAA Tournament in general and love to choose my bracket (win or lose) and hope for a good Championship Game. Last night, that's what I got. Two great teams competed until literally the last second of the game. It was fun to watch and can't wait to see what Butler does next year since they will have several returning players. Duke may have won the championship, but Butler showed the rest of the country that even little teams with big heart could go a long way.

So, that's it for today's blog post. I'll try to be less boring so that you have something from me more than once a month. You never know, something could happen that could be very exciting. Or not.

Until next time.

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Day After the Oscars

As some of you know (and the others will discover by reading this entry), I really enjoy movies. Even if I don't get to see all of the ones nominated each year, I still revel in the Oscars.

Last year, Joanna and I were fortunate enough to see the five nominated films in one day during AMC's Best Picture Movie Marathon. Unfortunately, because of the expansion of the Best Picture category this year to ten movies, it would be quite impossible. It would be a matter of taking up two days that would be very long, especially since Avatar is a three hour movie. The only good thing if we had done that this year, we would not have had to watch Avatar, since we had seen it once already.

In fact, we had seen one of the other nominees as well - Up. Not Up in the Air. Up - the cartoon with Ed Asner as the main voice. Not the George Clooney flying across the country firing people movie.

Where was I?

Oh yeah. So, I didn't get to see eight of the ten nominated films, but I don't think that matters in order to offer this opinion: I think that The Hurt Locker deserved to win the Best Picture Oscar and that Kathryn Bigelow deserved to win Best Director.

Now for the explanation:

Really, it's more of a bias. I would have been happy with eight of those movies winning. However, if Avatar had won, I would have been disappointed in the Academy.

A long time ago, in a movie industry far, far, away - 1978 - Star Wars was nominated for both Best Picture and Best Director, just as Avatar was. Unfortunately, Star Wars did not win that year. Annie Hall won. And Woody Allen (director of that film) won Best Director.

What I'm saying is that the biggest blockbuster at the time - Star Wars - wasn't deemed worthy enough to win Best Picture/Director. The same can be said of Avatar. I'm not saying that Avatar was a bad movie. Not at all. If you read the blog from a few months ago, you'll see that I offer a fairly positive review. However, it is the whole Star Wars thing with the Academy. I would have been disappointed in the Academy had they gone with the "highest grossing movie of all time" as a Best Picture and James Cameron as Best Director because they had not recognized Star Wars - a movie that was a special effects blockbuster that was the highest grossing movie of 1977 and, until Titanic, the highest grossing movie of all time.

This is not to say that I am against James Cameron. With Avatar, Terminator and even Titanic, James Cameron has shown that he has a tremendous vision. George Lucas had the same vision with Star Wars and had the Academy recognized Star Wars in 1978, then it would be fine with me if Avatar won at this year's Oscars. But since it did not, I wanted that same kind of fairness - which was granted me by the voters in the Academy.

Congratulations to all of the winners. Eventually I will see most of the nominated movies. Probably not The Hurt Locker, though, because I'm not really into that kind of movie.