癲狂院 Vixen Owl Cigar..。o○

『蠅の王』悪とは何か？

□■□ One of Jarmusch's Funniest and Most Touching Films...

Long Single Take Scenes That Feature Superb Acting.. A tale of 5 cities... As with many of Jarmusch's films ("Coffee & Cigarettes", "Ghost Dog", Down by Law, etc.), "Night on Earth" is simultaneously endearing and mindboggling. The film centers around five short cab rides in five international cities in a single night. From a lurid confession in a Roman cab (with Roberto Begnini) to an impromptu audition in LA (with Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder) to a hysterical ride through New York with a retired East German clown (Armin Mueller-Stahl), this film will keep you laughing, crying, and thinking so deeply, that all you want to do is rewind and watch this night again.Jim Jarmusch's film, "Night on Earth ", has that feeling about it a person gets driving around the town they know at three in the morning. The streets are bare and you feel like you are the only one to experience this. It is the emptiness and that holds you in wonder, the silence that keeps your attention. "Night on Earth " seems to work in much the same way (and not just because there are stories of driving through empty cities at night ).We are presented with five stories that form no large conclusions together, but present characters and vignettes of the world that attract us in their silence. It presents a world at three in the morning."Night on Earth " is a movie which works as a collection self-contained short stories. It starts off with a simple scene, and a simple concept. A camera shows us a wall with five clocks, representing the time in five different cities; Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome, and Helsinki. The camera zooms onto one clock, and tells us the story of a twenty minute cab ride in that city.Then, the time is run back, and we are given the same twenty minutes in a different cab in a different city. My favorite is, however, the Rome vignette, starring Bennini as a crazy Roman cabby who drives with sunglasses in the dark. You should at least rent this film if you don't decide to buy it, but I feel a personal need to own this film. In the end, nothing has really happened, but we can see the subtle change in the characters that has made the difference. 【Winona Ryder】Night on Earth【Gena Rowlands】 On balance, I really liked this film: Five little vignettes, all at the same time, all in different countries, all involving conversations in taxicabs. It starts off well with Winona Ryder as a young, strangely confident cabbie who drives a middle-aged talent scout to her Beverly Hills home. An interesting dialog develops during the ride, thus leading to an even more interesting climax at the vignette's end. Each vignette is entirely self-contained, and wholly different in form and scope from the other four. From Los Angeles to New York to Paris to Rome to Helsinki, the purity of the conversations envelop the viewer.. The film works almost entirely off one hinge; characterization.. The camera rarely even leaves the cabs, except for a few scenes (the most notable on being the final scene), so the film seems to trap itself to only be able to draw its characters.. And this is does, and does very well.... It also does paint the locale of each of the stories, but this also is done entirely through characterization. And when we feel we have been well introduced to the characters, we must reluctantly leave them to go onto the next story. The film works on a pleasant level, and each simple story is a pleasure to watch. Personally, I found Roberto Benigni's scene to be quite overdone. It was the only one of the five that I didn't enjoy. While amusing in its own right, it was a bit too much of a Benigni-barrage to keep my attention. After a while, I just got sick of listening to him drone on and on and on. Jarmusch could've centered on one particular city (as he did in Mystery Train) and then tried to connect them all in the end. He didn't. This is why I feel the film is successful. Rather than tying all the stories together in plot, it causes the viewer to try and metaphorically connect the events and characters together. The result is a Gr8 hour and half of film. Each one of these stories has a very distinct and unique atmosphere, ranging from comedy to drama, and revealing, often, the different mentalities of the different countries; the humanity, though, runs all the way through.All of Jarmusch's characters are different and yet the same; they are all equally human, and he understands them all, but each one on their own terms. Jarmusch's observation is always brutally frank and sincere, and always loving and forgiving, for all of his characters equally. Night On Earth is sometimes sad, often funny, mostly touching and always beautiful.There may not be much going on, but it never fails to fascinate. I do agree with critics whom say that some of the stories seem to move faster than others. The Paris short is probably the weakest link.There are a ton of gr8 performances in this film. Armaud-Stahl and Giancarlo Espisito are magical together. They interact wonderfully on screen as two New Yorkers with bizaare first names. Roberto Bernigni(sp) is fabulous as an italian driver who has an in-cab confession. The last segment in Helsinki is a story of co-workers, after their night on the town, they ride with a colleague who got fired and all he has is his severance pay...His buddies share his sad story, but the driver tops them in his story of his wife and their dead baby .... Sad.....

◆◇◆Metaphysical allegory disguised as a Western......

Dark Movie, Dark Music, Excelent Experience... Becoming Dead...Its a that we have the likes of Johnny Depp, no not for his cheekbones & smouldering good looks (the blighter ), but because he chooses some very interesting films, and in the case of this film, "Dead Man ", it would be difficult to imagine who else would have filled the role so admirably. Featuring the penmanship & directorial skills of Jim Jarmusch, the man who brought us "Permenant Vacation " and "Stranger Than Paradise ", "Dead Man " is a difficult film to categorise. In its setting it is obviously a western, but that is really just a superficial outer layer and the film works in so many other thought provoking ways on a myriad of other levels. The outline of the story is that William "Bill" Blake (Depp) relocates to the frontier town of Machine to take up a position as a book keeper for the local factory.. On arrival he finds that in the time it took him to travel there from Cleveland, the position has been reassigned and he finds himself broke, homeless and without the job and hence the regular income that he was promised.. Neither his would be employer, John Dickinson an eccentric and brutish character played by Robert Mitchum nor his right hand man, played by John Hurt are sympathetic to his plight and he finds himself taken under the wing of a prostitute.. Upon the return of the prostitutes occasional lover a series of events unfold that find Blake wounded and on the run from the local townsfolk. His heartless boss that never was sends out bounty hunters after Blake and a chase across the badlands ensues.. It is here that Blake meets "Nobody" (Gary Farmer) an indian wanderer who helps Blake evade his followers as the two travel towards their yet unknown destination... The slow pace of this black and white movie, punctuated throughout by lonely riffs on a guitar, create an atmosphere of deep sadness and poignant sweetness. Nobody's tending of Blake, at first seemingly undeserved, gives him purpose and an opportunity to show his ability as a guide, nurse, protector and negotiator. Nobody and Blake wander through a forest of surreal and threatening encounters, each one bringing them closer to the culmination of their own fates and binding them tighter & tighter to each other.For both Nobody and Blake, each are born to "Endless Night..." 【Gary Farmer】 Dead Man 【Johnny Depp】 Depp & Farmer, Slyly Questions Existence, Moments of Violence.. I would like to say that placing this film in the western genre was a mistake.It more closely represents classic art films and is a dark, symbolic, and heart touching film. Unlike many of the classic western films in existance, this film does not glorify or falsify the west. This film criticizes the west and points out the dismal and difficult times that were faced by all. It is not a bang bang shoot'em up film and has no equivilant of Dodge city as it were. It is merely placed in the time and place of those films. I first saw this film in a small theater in a small college town. I was walking by the theater and I saw the poster. Though advertising rarely catches my attention, I saw this poster and new that I needed to see this film.Shot in black and white, this film is wonderful not just for the heart but for the eyes.The cinematography and the scenery is excellent. The use of contrasting images and symbolism is present all the way through this film, not to mention the ever present light and dark play. To some this film may seem a bore , it is a thinking film, not an action film. You need to pay attention to understand what is going on, although it is meant that you never fully understand.."Dead Man " often unfolds at a glacial pace which can be confounding to most viewers accustomed to a much quicker paced movie, yet patience will ultimately be rewarded.But for cineastes the use of symbolism and metaphors in the movie will have leave them spellbound. Johnny Depp, who is wrongly associated with the pretty boy image, plays the character of William Blake flawlessly. Teamed with Gary Farmer (nobody)is not only and odd copeling, but a winning one. Farmer, who always does good work, bring this film alive with his play on culture and astute observation.The film carries with it a quiet dignity and leaves the viewer questioning their views and life journey. The symbolic death is ever present but never obvious.!! It is a gr8 film, a lot of fun and a lot of work.Overall a Gr8 film. I saw it twice in the theater and then searched for it on DVD to buy until it came out. This movie spoke to me on a very profound level, but it is not for all. It is a long film with little action and little dialogue. It fits in with few films. This is one of those movies, like Stranger Than Paradise , which makes me want to thank the director. So, to Mr. Jarmusch, thank you so very much. You've made my life richer with this movie. I could go on and on about it, but if the film tought me one thing, it is that you need not say much to mean much.So its an Existential Western and that's a category that you wont find in Blockbuster, but its a worthwhile watch.. .. But what you get out of it depends on how much you think the film through, it should come with the label, WARNING : This film may make you think ?

♂Lively, fun, reveals real truths about Sexuality & Relationships♀

Whirlwind of A Tale... Kick @ss A Very Fun Romp through the World of SEX ＆ DATING If I had to pick one word to describe Amy Sohn's debut novel "Run Catch Kiss " , it would have to be "ROMP".This is a fast-paced, sexy tale of a sex columnist named Ariel Steiner......which often parallels the story of author Amy Sohn. Embedded into the story is the subplot of what-is-fact versus what-is-fiction , but either way it's a fun & enlightening read.Ariel Steiner, an aspiring actress, doesn't really know what to do with her life.... She's just graduated from college, moved into her own apartment, and is exploring men, Sex and New York City. Steiner lands a gig writing a sex column called "Run Catch Kiss ", in which she details her many amorous adventures. The problem is, she doesn't have all that many adventures and has to embellish her past and seek out people specifically so she'll have something hot to write about.Sohn is at her witty best when she describes what it's like to be a girl and like sex, and some of profound truths manage to creep into the humor... Sohn describes Areil's first postcollege sexual experience as "pretty disappointing. Sex is often that way for me. I'm much more entranced by the idea of it than the act itself." Even with her Ivy League degree, Ariel Steiner is having trouble in the Big Apple. She's a recent college grad. who has resorted to temping due to her lack of decent job offers. As if her non-existant professional career isn't bad enough, she's had to move back in with her parents as well. So much for a social lifeAriel picks up a side job as a sex columnist and that's where her adventure begins. Be prepared to laugh and suffer embarrassment for Ariel as she "samples" men to write about in her column. She'll do almost anything in the name of journalism If you can ignore the explicit bedroom details and read this novel as the hilarious piece of fiction it is, you won't be disappointedThis is "Sex in the City " for Generation X 【Amy Sohn】 Run Catch Kiss 【A Gratifying Novel】 Move over， Erica Jong ＆ Philip Roth Amy Sohn manages to pinpoint certain truths about dating & sex all wrapped up in the tale of a girl who is definitely narcissistic.......But she has such a lively enthusiasm that the reader is sucked into her drama, needing to keep reading to find out what will happen next. And a lot does happen Ariel gets some action in a porno house, almost has a lesbian fling, and gallivants around town looking for under the guise of looking for sex.. This contradiction, Ariel's outward sexual sophistication combined with her inner sexual fears and romantic soul, make her compelling & more than a little real."The Bridget Jones" comparison only goes so far, but it is accurate on a few points......Both are seeking a mate while also being trendy, hip, independent '90s girls. I referred to it as a contradiction above, but really the contradiction is only if you think life is black & white... There are plenty of women who are looking for adventure and HOT SEX as well as stable, loving relationships. Ariel's travails are engaging, witty, fun, and yes, X-Rated. Sohn deftly combines the drama of Ariel's columnist career with her dramatic life, making us root for Ariel even when we are sick of her whining. I think part of the reason she's so endearing is that she's human, and therefore fallible......and we see Ariel struggle to overcome her mistakes and stand up for herself......and figure out what is right for her as a person separate from her editors, family, friends, and even boyfriends...Good dirty fun Hilarious mixing of sex and comedy that had me laughing out loud. My only complaint: now I have to impatiently wait for the sequel. Muffin Shop Hottieeexxxxx

XXX Hard to Get to...? You Ain't Kiddin'... XXX

Joss Whedon Is My Mater Now 　 Witty, Visceral, Eye-Popping, a Cut above the Genre.."Serenity " is a well written & acted movie. It adds on to the Firefly story line and gives the die hard fan more answers to some of the original series questions. Out of the sad and struggling box office of this year, "Serenity" is a shining beacon, even if its raggedy around the edges. The only movie that- ever- has had me literally laughing one minute and then crying the next, I can't recommend this enough. Get in on this quirky, underground secret while you can. Ever seen a series called Firefly ?? There's a pretty good chance that not only have you not seen it, but until this year, you'd never heard of it. That's because it only ran for 15 episodes (including the two part pilot...which was actually broadcast last ), despite generally good critical reception and fan appeal. However, soundly beating Star Trek to the prize for 'movie based on a series with the shortest broadcast run', this autumn Serenity came to our screens. (As an aside, if you live in the States, you can see Firefly on Fridays on the Sci-Fi Channel. It's also out on DVD as a box set with the full run of episodes). Whilst Serenity is not only based on, but, in fact, is a direct sequel to Firefly, it is not necessary to have seen the series in order to understand and enjoy the film. I have seen part of one or two episodes - certainly not enough to enlighten me before seeing the film as to the characters, worlds and basic plotline, and yet, I enjoyed Serenity immensely. But I'm jumping ahead of myself. 【Gina Torres】Serenity【Nathan Fillion】 Hopefully getting the recognition it deserves.!!"Serenity ", the spectacular cinematic spin-off of the cult hit TV show Firefly, delivers a crescendo of plot twists & hard-hitting action sequences that tell the gripping story or a ragtag band of contract highwaymen set 500 years in the future. Joss Whedon's vision of the future trades in the traditional clean and polished sci-fi genre for a gritty universe that makes the characters real and vibrant. The dialog is crisp, stylized, and often witty, further immersing the viewer in this sci-fi western epic adventure. Yah. I it.!! You may have worked this out.!! Serenity Rocks. It has humour and pathos; action & reflection. However, in the interest of fairness, I'll note that this film probably would not appeal as much to those folks who don't enjoy science fiction. It is full of action, and has some violence (though I personally don't think it deserves the 15 rating ). It can be confusing, especially in the first half hour, to those who have never seen Firefly - and especially to those who have never heard of it. Some people might find the Western settings and language a bit hokey. The film is about 2 hours long. I did not, however, find the time dragging, and I didn't look at my watch once. Im very pleased I saw "Serenity " in the cinema on the big screen, as it is big in scope and panoramic. Having said that, I surely hope that this comes out on DVD in the not too distant future.In short, this has been the best science fiction film I have seen in a very, very long time (even beating most of the Star Trek franchise, would you believe! ) All in all an excellent ride, looking forward to the next Whedon flic, whatever it is.If your a fan of the Firefly, you gotta go see Serenity. If you never saw the show, you will still most likely like the movie, but you probably wont laugh at all of the little things.. Some gr8 surprises & unexpected de%*hs (dont want to give anything away) While its a disadvantage not having seen the series, the movie stands on it own. Wonderful characters, ones the audience can relate to, played by fine actors who deliver memorable, witty dialogue. ..... My only complaint, too short.I absolutely loved Serenity even though I hated one thing.It offers so much more than science fiction movies that just try to dazzle viewers with effects and action sequences. The movie has rich , full characters that I cared about. This is really one of the best movies I've seen this year. I wouldn't hesitate to go see it again and I will be buying the DVD as soon it is released. Fans of Firefly should enjoy the movie. People who haven't seen that show can also enjoy the movie.

■ Mom Always Said to Watch out for the Nerds After Highschool □

Totally Rufus Deja "Video" Vu Drew Barrymore Plays a Perfect Geek This is a really sweet and funny movie. I loved it I did not know what to expect when I saw it. I thought this one looked pretty cool. You will probably like it if you liked "She's All That or Ten Things I Hate About You ", because it has the same type of school mood.The movie is full of laughs, especially since David Arquette plays Drew Barryomore's brother. Cherie Oterie also makes you laugh as Drew's horny friend, especially in the sex-ed scene. Drew plays Josie, a copy editor who wants to be a writer. When the paper's editor gives her a chance, she ends up going back to high school to write an undercover expose.She ends up battling her old high school memories as "Josie Grossie " and tries to fit in with the cool crowd. I don't want to give too much away, but Josie definetly overcomes her old memories and there's a happy ending.!!!!It's a Gr8 Girly Movie and I'd recommend curling up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. Drew Barrymore is excellent in her role and adds an even gr8er appeal as the plot changes & thickens.The movie itself points out well how some kids are treated in school and how others view these people or "Losers". It makes me remember my own hxxx school days and people in both of these roles...This movie is charming & wonderful for all ages and especially for those people that like a light romantic comedy. It does not have any sex scenes which is rare in movies this day.Enjoy your Evening at the movies. 【Drew Barrymore】Never Been Kissed 【Molly Shannon】Fabulous, Funny, Sad, ＆ for the Family As a die hard Drew Barrymore fan, this movie was another smashing hit to add to Drew's resume... This movie was wonderfully entertaining from beginning to end. "Never Been Kissed " had all the elements a good movie should have from comedy to romance to drama...This is one of those movies that had a profound impact on me emotionally. I sobbed through the end of this movie and for a good half an hour afterward. You're thinking . o 0 O (So it had a good story line, so what.) but it's more than that...I think that we all know what it's like to be humiliated just so that others can make themselves feel good....What it's like to go out on a limb for that crush that we have and then be shut down, knowing what it's like to want to be popular for just a day to know what that feeling is like.It made me look at my summers and realize a lot about who I'm and what type of friends I do have...So, go back in time with Drew Barrymore...you will love the experience!!I reccomend it to those who want to laugh & have fun, but also want to watch something sweet. And if you do watch "never Been Kissed ," and enjoyed it.I think that you will also enjoy the movie "With Honors" with Brendan Frasier. A funny quote from the movie:Guy: "Hi. I'm Guy."Josie: "Hi. Yes, you are a guy. Quite a guy. Oh my. That rhymes. Ha Ha Ha. Yikes....Bikes! Ha Ha Ha!"Guy: Are you in special ed?" sweet Drew, capable LeeLee Sobieski

↑↑↑ Powerful musicianship and interplay, solid....

Comprem que vale a pena Aos meus amigos do MUNDO que gostam de Disco Music...All I have to say is WOW.!!!!This ALBUM is very good fun.I bought it for a 70's theme party and it was perfect.. Good songs that people remember, long playing time.This is the best disco compilation I have ever hear. I looked and looked for a long time for a collection of top disco hits on CD.Most of the ones that I found were collections of unknown artist recreating the original hits. This was the first one I found that had original artist playing the songs.All of them are Gr8.!!!! Funkalicious !!!!!These have gr8 production value too. Pop ths CD in everyone will be up dancing. This is a sure hit for everyone and wil be the topic of your party!! DANCE DANCE DANCE.....The graphics on the CDs are a hoot Definitely recommend.!!【Dance & DJ - Disco】P u r e D i s c o Outstanding Disco Collection All three of the "Pure Disco " albums are Gr8.The "Pure Disco" albums are a must have for any 70s music lover, even if you have many of these songs on albums by the original artists......Some days, you just gotta disco..Great for movin' & shakin' Pretty much the entire CD is jampacked with absolutely delicious grooves guaranteed to make you shake your groove thing, yeahyeah.Every song is a killer , the Diva Megamix is pretty interesting, goes over real well at dance parties. If you are a fan of disco, or are just looking for a fun party CD......This is definately the one for you.I had long been searching for a comprehensive volume of disco music and these "Pure Disco " compilations are just what I was looking for. They're gr8 for picking me up after a long day or for when I'm bumming around the house doing chores. I wholeheartedly reccommend this CD to anyone who likes energetic music.【Track Listings】01. YMCA - Village People02. Celebration - Kool & The Gang 03. Dancing Queen - Abba04. Hot Stuff - Donna Summer05. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor06. You're The First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White07. I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie08. Knock On Wood - Amii Stewart09. I Love The Nightlife - Alicia Bridges10. Flashback - Imagination 11. That's The Way (I Like It) - K.C. & The Sunshine Band12. Best Disco In Town - Ritchie Family13. If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman14. Oops Upside Your Head (I Don't Belive You Want To Get Up And Dance) - Gap Band15. Love Hangover - Diana Ross16. Cuba - Gibson Brothers 17. Funkytown - Lipps, Inc. 18. Got To Give It Up (Part One) - Marvin Gaye19. Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston20. I Feel Love (Rollo & Sister Monster Mix Radio Edit) - Donna Summer21. [Bonus Track] The Grease Megamix - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-JohnMusic that You could Sing along to & Hear the Words..

** Bouncy, catchy tunes you can dance to..... **

Chick Who Tries To Rock !! Excellent Melodies, Most Songs are Catchy...I know you're gonna laugh when I say this, but I honestly believe it's true. Natalie Imbruglia has to be one of most underrated singers ever. Pick yourself up from laughing on the ground and hear me out !! This CD is one of my favorites this summer. I Natalie's whole style & I don't know why she isn't bigger here in the U.S. Plenty of critics laughed off Natalie Imbruglia in her first album, "Left of the Middle ". Considered as an Australian actress who failed making money acting in soaps and now venturing in pop music to make up for it, Natalie was further criticized for not writing any of the lyrics for her hugely succesful single "Torn". She was also compared to Alanis Morrissette, and of course we all know who is hailed to be the better singer among the two. In this album, Natalie ignores her critics by releasing a new album.As the ignores them, she also debunks their accusations of her inability to write songs by co-writing almost all the songs in this album. Described as a more mature outing, this album affirms that. Finally, to the songs. Let me first tell you that if you hated, or at a certain extent, found "That Day " weird, don't feel bad.. It is weird, and its not catchy. That's its charm. But let it grow on you, and soon you'll find its quirky and unpredictable sound actually...appealing. The lyrics read like a "spur-of-the-moment " type of diary entry, with only Imbruglia's repetitions of "That Day" in the end of each chorus as it eventually fades out in the end is probably the only line in the dizzy spell of lyrics that jives with the melody.Not the best song in the album, although it DOES give out Natalie's message to her critics: this album is not at all like the first. White Lilies Island 【Natalie Imbruglia】 Funky Melodies, Typical Imbruglia-style Rockers.. The second song, "Beauty On The Fire ", is one of my favorites. It has this smooth, ambient feel in the beginning, which erupts into a fusion of strong, yet still suble guitars, an underlaying of the same ambient feel from the verses, and Imbruglia's drawl. The lyrics coincide well with the mood, with lines like "Tonight, could I be lost forever to drown my soul in sensory pleasure ". The lines "sensory pleasure ", as it is repeated every now and then by Natalie in the instrumental, haunts the electronic, subtle stormy feel of this song. This song is all about drowning your all, your everything to the passion and desire of a luvd one, with complete complacency, and this song just sails in this concept. The last song, "Come September" is quite an enigma. You don't exactly know what the significance of September is. However, the sound of this song sums up exactly what Natalie has been trying to say in this whole album, that she's changed and she's matured from the girl who sang "Wishing I Was There " while headbanging, jumping around the stage wearing an apron. This is a very calm song , with subdued lyrics & instrumental accompaniment, although the mood is still there. So, there you have it. What really annoys me is that people aren't gonna get into "White Lilies Island " because of it's lack of a really, REALLY catchy song to attract them to the album.Not even "Wrong Impression " could strike up a lot of sales, and Island is gonna be considered a failure when it's really a brilliant album. All in all, this is good sophomore effort from Natalie Imbruglia. With songs that are masters of sublime subtlety, encased with a voice that is beautifully fragile yet in any day can be powerful, this is a must for all Natalie fans. 【Track Listings】01. That Day02. Beauty On The Fire 03. Satellite 04. Do You Love? 05. Wrong Impression06. Goodbye 07. Everything Goes08. Hurricane 09. Sunlight 10. Talk In Tongues 11. Butterflies 12. Come September

☆★ Color Blindness and Autism ★☆

Case-Studies of the Bizarre & Fascinating Gr8 Primer on the Power of the Brain..This is one of my top 30 favorite books of all time (and I'm a huge reader). It's amazing; the stories are true, but they are so far-out that the book title couldn't be more perfect. Oliver Sacks's title "An Anthropologist from Mars " suggests detachment(35 million miles) yet he investigates the intimate details of human perception. It took me nearly 50 pages to remember to see that it is his literary zoom lens that I find so fascinating. From the 5x of historical perspective to the 500x of a patient's diagnosis he twirls the lens. Neurological disorders create some of most fascinating situations & persons I've ever read about (including fiction ). Highly entertaining, educational, funny, & absolutely fascinating. Obviously I can't suggest this book highly enough.I have to keep re-buying it because I give it away all the time. Oliver Sacks has terrific stories to share. His intelligent, witty & thoughtful writing is a bonus.Dr. Sacks weaves the tales of seven human beings, each having a different neurological "difference " and portraying them in a matter of fact, logical light. Instead of viewing each person as having a disability, Dr. Sacks focuses on the remarkable way they have learned to adapt and make the best out of all situations. What to make of a painter that is colorblind ? How can a person with Tourette Syndrome possibly be a surgeon ? Why does an autistic teenager seem unable to verbally communicate appropriately, yet shows signs of immense, almost sacred "feelings" in his drawings ? All these questions are anwered and mostly with more questions. However, this book differs than most in that it manages to bring a "soulful spirit " to those of which Dr. Sacks writes. A spirit that eludes most human beings. 【Oliver W. Sacks】An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales Underscores the complexity of the human mind Sacks has, again, succeeded in compiling an anthology of case-studies which dazzle with their ability to entertain and inform.The lay public & physicians alike will enjoy this collection of extremely diverse patients, each suffering from a (in some cases very rare, in others not uncommon ) neurologic disorder.As a physician, I've found almost everything Sacks has done extremely interesting, well-written and educational. As a reader, Sacks' style is crisp, entertaining & compelling. For a medical writer, he knows how to churn out a page-turner like almost no one else. You'll find a case about the loss and return of color vision and the devastating neuro-psychological effects that can have; about an autistic child artist with an unbelievable visual memory; about a woman slowly poisoned by materials she works with every day; about a surgeon with Tourette's syndrome. These are extraordinary tales about exceptional individuals, and Sacks handles them with the appropriate amount of both professionalism and journalism. He never exploits his subjects, but he lays them bare for stringent analysis; his compassion for his patients always comes through, even when his intention to educate others becomes easily apparent in his conversations with them. Sacks never makes his work seem like the cataloguing of freaks or oddities.This is my favorite book by Sacks; "Island of the Colour Blind" is a close second (it was also translated into a fabulous PBS special ) and "The Man who Mistook..." would be third in line. He is certainly among the finest popular medical writers of our time. The time Sacks takes to just be with each special person, and appreciate the uniqueness of each, is commendable, and goes way beyond a mere call of duty. When an autistic person, featured in this book, commended that she feels like "an anthropologist on Mars ".... because she has to study human behaviour and interactions to be socially adaptable, Sacks picked up on her standpoint, and recognised, with unusual humility, that as a psychiatrist of special persons, he too is like an anthropologist on Mars , not always understanding their world.... but not being too quick to pronounce them stereotypically abnormal and himself normal...a sensitive, insightful work that reflects a sensitive, insightful author. The power went out in my apt this morning and as I was stumbling about looking for matches I noticed a glowing line on my bookshelf. I touched it and realized that one of my volumes had a glowing dust jacket ... sure enough the publisher (or maybe Dr. Sacks? ) really wanted us to know that this book **IS** illuminating. It seems that the front cover has been treated with some kinda florescent material.... Trivia at its BEST..

xxx Greek Tragedy meets Geek Culture xxx

Greek tragedy meets Geek culture The Vampire Strikes BackKicking off from where them first season left off, we find out that the annointed one is trying to ressurect the Master. Buffy ends up by completly smashing his bones completely and the annointed one escapes. Meanwhile two new vamps come in , Spike and Drusilla..Spike has already killed two slayers, thats one of the reasons he has come, to kill buffy.The other is to restore Drusilla's power. After Spike fails, he kills the annointed one and takes over. Spike and Drusilla are the main enemies and another one comes in which I won't say cause it will ruin the surprise. A tremendously emotional season, it opens the gates to a whole new season of twists & turns, especially for Buffy and the anguish she feels. Sarah Michelle Gellar shows her stellar acting ability throughout and her emotional control is magnificent. The special features include audio commentary, interviews, featurettes, TV spots, video trailers, still galleries, and cast biographies...This season also introduces evil couple Spike and Dru. We learn about their history and how Angel is connected with their histroy. We also meet "Angelus ," Angel's evil side. David Boreanaz really shines as a crazy, evil person. The extras on the DVD are good.!! The viewers can see the sets and make-up appications of monsters. Pretty decent, but still want a little more cast interviews.【Sarah Michelle Gellar】Buffy the Vampire Slayer Angelus Is Let Loose Buffy is rock solid entertainment with heart and a mindThe acting and writing on Buffy is a head above most programming. Nearly all the stories are allegories for some big moment of our teenage existence, and series creator Joss Whedon manages to inject a lot of humor in with the angst. Nobody has all the answers, even though Giles comes pretty close, and Whedon remembers what that was like. The key to this series is the storylines and dialogue. The writing team manages to give us engrossing stories, that serve to both make us laugh and feel pain, but they dont take themselves too seriously...I mean, this is a story about demons and a 16-year-old who slays them. As a viewer, you get the inside joke through ironic wit and sly humor. Its amazing that something that can make you laugh can also make you cry. The main story is the arc of Buffy's romance : you'll watch Buffy and Angel's relationship develop from a tepid encounter, to a warm, loving romantic courtship that eventually gets ripped apart, forcing Buffy to make a final , terrible decision that no one should ever have to make.!!!! In the end, though, it all comes back to the Slayer. Buffy rises to the occasion in the brilliant season-ending battle with Angelus in "Becoming." Like Luke with his traumatic duel with Vader, Buffy is perched on an emotional precipice between choosing the easy path or the harder path. She chooses the harder one and it costs her more than she could have ever considered.She gains victory only to lose everything. Empire ends with ando & ChewbaccaL abandoning the Rebel fleet to recover the frozen Han Solo. Season two ends where it begins only this time with Buffy , frozen and emotionally dead, abandoning the friends and family who her. Now she must thaw and reintegrate herself back into the world.But for all intents and purposes, the final connecting link between the heartbroken Slayer and the disillusioned Jedi is simply this: A final brutal end to innocence. For the purposes of the expanded cast, I've split the lists into Good Guys & Bad Guys...

XOXO ◆ A Day without Sex is a Day Wasted !!!!! ◆

A Long Night's Journey into addiction... Descent Into Madness"Auto Focus " is an interesting an unwholesome movie about the late Bob Crane, an actor most famous for his role on the TV show Hogan’s Heroes.. Crane was a sex addict whose obsession wrecked two marriages as well as his acting career, and ultimately contributed to his murder in 1978. The case has never been solved. The DVD has an hour long two-part documentary on the unsolved murder of Crane , and it is interesting to see after watching the film. Many of the police detectives involved in the case still think Carpenter did it, even though he was brought to trial and acquitted of the charges. Watch the documentary and decide for yourself. This may not be the subject matter of a good movie, but the material is fascinating.I recommend "Auto Focus ", but with reservations. "Auto Focus " doesn't look a whole lot like any other Paul Schrader picture. From the opening credits - admittedly the most expensive part of the entire film, by Kinnear's recollection - to the final brutal scenes, the film looks unlike anything Schrader has before attempted. Which is not to say that he doesn't succeed, he most surely does - his telling of Bob Crane's story is at once fascinating & disgusting. Schrader is attracted to making pictures about complicated men, men in conflict with themselves. Well, he'll be hard pressed to come up with a character, fictional or not, that is in such conflict with themselves as Bob Crane was. Schrader depicts his downfall, showing it step by painful step, and in the process winds up making a gr8 film. Though you'll probably feel the need to take three to four showers after watching it..... 【Greg Kinnear】 Auto Focus 【Willem Dafoe】 Hogan's Sexual ActivitiesSchrader's filming and cinematography even follows wonderfully a story arc in and of itself. The opening credits are vintage lively not stuffy sitcom style that just sort of dissolve with impression, but not a stuffy reverence..The last six months of Crane's life take on perhaps a breath or two too sweaty a countenance as the film follows Carpenter's feverish perceptions of the break in his relationship with Crane. Which brings us back to the end . Crane was murdered, his skull caved in by a camera tripod. Two investigations, one in 1978, and another which attempted to convict John Carpenter proved inconclusive. Four years later, Carpenter died of a heart attack. So how is the audience to take these last words of narration. Simple screenwriting bone-throwing artifice Something with more meaning -- Crane's way of absolving Carpenter. Or an explication of his own life Some unrepentant unapologetic way of giving his own life meaning The film itself compels much interest in full exploration of these questions -- not to mention how its a brilliant, exotic and celebratory entertainment all its own... "Auto Focus" is a powerful & accurate portrayal that Hollywood can learn from.!!

▽▲ One Man Alone Cannot Fight the Future...

Will Mulder & Scully ever Get it On ?Fight the future by remembering the past...Beginning where the award-winning series leaves off (and concluding with events leading into its next season), "The X-Files" movie is an overall successful transplant to the silver screen, although neophytes to the FOX serial may be left in the cold.Written by series creator Chris Carter, and directed by series mainstay Rob Bowman, "X-Files" succeeds by forgoing the cliches that fill its lousy television imitators. I remember when the X-Files debuted on Fox a few years back. I watched about four or five shows and I really didnt get much excitement from it, so I stopped watching the show. Than in the summer of '98, the X-Files Movie was released, and since I really didnt like the show, I hesitated to see it. In fact, I never saw it in the theater. A few months later, it was released on VHS and DVD. So you would think that I cough up five bucks to rent it right No, I had desire to see it. Than about a month ago, I was at my friends house and he insisted to watch the X-Files.I finally said yes and I was ready to see what I have been missing for almost two years. I realized that I should have seen it when it was out in the theaters. What I missed was an apocalyptic thriller that had me on the edge of my seat for the whole movie. This movie, like the TV show, has an extremely complex story with twists and turns that will have you watching it over and over again to figure everything out. Molder and Scully fight the future as a virus that is believed to be on earth before the dinosaurs, re-occurs in Texas. So they need to save the world before the virus (alien) takes over. But somehow Scully gets taken over by the virus and Mulder now not only has to save the world but Scully also. It has a really good plot. You are thinking that is so unrealistic but after you see it you realize hey, that could happen, the FBI keeps things from everyone, and things are definitely being kept from them. It is scary on occasion. Just a good thriller. This movie will definitely make you coming back for more.!! So is the X-Files movie better than the show Lets see how the X-Files movie stacks up.【David Duchovny】X-Files: Fight the Future【Gillian Anderson】 Terrifically Entertaining for both Philes & Non-Philes Alike I suspect that the accolades have to go mainly to David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Duchovny infuses Mulder with dry wit and irony - he looks hot, but he can't get a date or work on his attraction to Scully to save his life - and his portrayal of Mulder is a mix of defiant anger at his helplessness in searching for the truth as well as world-weary exhaustion. ... He is tired, really tired. And Anderson's Scully is an amazing character of contrast. Fully in control of every one of her emotions , she just cannot let go of her grip on herself, as if in letting go, she would lose all finality in her already turbulent life. Her eyes, wide and flashing fear and stubbornness at every turn, are one of the strongest points of Scully's character . From the banter at the beginning to the long, lingering hand squeeze at the end, this movie is at its heart a story. A tragic story of two people who need each other but just cannot say the words in fear of the unknowns. But the end has us all hoping that one day, maybe one day, Scully and Mulder would find their peace. And that is why I, and I suspect many X-Philes, watched this movie and will keep watching the TV series. This is a must see again movie, you'll discover that in your home , in a nice comfortable bed with the lights down, you'll be transformed and become part of the action.The special effects alone are worth seeing again and to actually hear Mulder swear instead of being bleeped or cut off adds to his character and fills in the gaps present on the series.You'll never see Mulder or Scully draw their gun once in this entire film. It doesn't need them to pull their weapons out because as Mulder was told, he must fight the future...

▽▲ Everlasting Beauty??? NOT !!!!! ▼△

Gripping Plot ; Good, Dark Atmosphere... Willis, Streep, and Hawn shine in this hilarious spoof !!!!If you're in the mood for alot of laughs then "Death Becomes Her " is a gr8 film to check out.The all star cast includes Bruce Willis, as a nerdy plastic surgeon, Goldie Hawn as his scorned wife who he cast asides for the more beautiful and becoming Meryl Streep. But what is Streep's secret to eternal youth ?At first, she relies on Bruce Willis' services as a plastic surgeon but when that relationship becomes sour , Streep has to find another way to retain her youth, beauty, and vanity. In the meantime, Goldie Hawn is making a few changes of her own and is determined to destroy the woman who she believes destroyed her beautiful marriage. The sparks begin to fly as both women decide they will do anything to keep their looks and Bruce Willis is along for the ride to provide the touch ups. The wonderful thing about this film, is that it puts a gothic horror story into a gothic world, only occaisonally reminding us that it is infact set in the 20th century.It's the kind of film that you could just watch, forgetting the comedy and being completely sucked into the story. I wouldn't have cared if this film didn't provoke so much as a single giggle; the fact is that the story was so entertaining who needed humour !!!! Meryl Streep is a hoot as stuck-up, age denying "actress", Madeleine Ashton. Throughout the first quarter of the movie, we see the character frantically going to any lengths to regain her long lost youthful looks, and pitting herself against friend-enemy, Helen Sharp. Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) is bitter over losing her once-lover, Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis) and many before him, to Madeleine, and vows to get her vengeance. When Madeliene meets Helen, after a fourteen year "long time no see ", and finds her looking young and beatiful, she frantically tries to better her own appearance, and as a result falls into the hands of Liculle, a millionaire, living in a castle. This woman sells her a potion which gives her eternal youth and immortality. Only one snag, Madeleine has to look after herself. As this happens, Helen and Ernest have a get together, and decide to remove Madeleine from the equation, in order to be together.Hilarious movie with hilarious special effects and funny spoof of the lengths women will go to to obtain eternal beauty. 【Meryl Streep】Death Becomes Her【Bruce Willis】 Who Would Have Thought Death Could be Funny？"Death Becomes Her " is your all time funny movie of the secret of staying young. And who better to play the two women who want to stay young then Goldie Hawn and Meryl Steep. The two together make the movie a hilarious show for everyone to view. It all starts out so simple. Meryl Streep who plays Madeline Ashton, is a broadway actress in shows that one has to aquire.. And Goldie Hawn who plays Helen Sharp a shy, yet angry woman.. The two who have known each other since college, and have always competed with one another, Madeline winning all Helen's boyfriends each time there is a slight chance that Helen thought she won.. Helen assuming her life was different, decides to go to one of Madeline's shows with her new fiance Ermest, who is played by the ever so talented Bruce Willis.. This is the test for her fiance.. If he can stay in love with her without falling for Madeline, then he is the one she will marry.. But as always, as soon as he lays eyes upon her, the love goes from Helen to Madeline instantly..... After years of Madeline being married to Ernest.Time has taken it's toll on the best of both of them. Their looks are shot, and Ernest being a popular surgeon, can no longer perform because of his drinking problem. Helen who is overweight and in a psycho ward vows that she will get back at Madeline for all the damage she has done. She meets an enchantress (Isabella Rosselini) and changes Helen's life forever. Helen writes a book, a the book becomes a best-seller. She holds a party in the books honor, and invites Madeline and Ernest for the show of their life. Madeline who thinks Helen is over-weight and grotesque, soon finds out that Helen looks 20 years young, and looks better than she will ever look. Determined to look that good. Madeline goes to her spa to get facial treatments. Instead of getting the normal treatment. She is approached by a man with a business card. Deciding to go or not, she decides to find out just what it is. Her life will change forever, and so will your thoughts of ever lasting life. It's all going quite well, until Madeleine is pushed down the stairs by an angry Ernest. Surprises come when, Madeleine survives the fall, despite a broken neck, and no pulse Thinking it to be a miracle, Ernest suddenly regains all interest in Madeleine. Helen arrives on the scene, and when Madeleine discovers of their plot to kill her, she takes it into her own hands to blow a gaping hole in Helens stomach with a rifle.Surprises come again when Helen survives this, despite a hole right through her body.And then, the thread is found, it's not a double miracle, it's a case of two people who have taken Liculle's "eternal youth " potion. Problem is, both parties have now suffered traumas which would usually have killed them, and now, thanks to the potion, they are decomposing alive. With a plot like that, you'd think that there would be no time for humour.But there is, as it manages to naturally creep in. Most of it comes from Madeleine Ashton, or the hilarious special effects (Titanic eat your heart out ). But as the film doesn't make a point of being funny very often, it doesn't live up to its "black comedy " status. ............But What The Hell ???

●Pink Panther〇+++ Steve Martin Strikes Again +++

Hilariously Engaging Farce Laugh out loud humor from start to finish !!!! First off I should note, this movie is only *loosely* based on the 1964 version. I haven't seen that version but wanted to note that other sites say this is not the same movie, just based on that movie. It is also not a real pink panther like the cartoon for anyone who may have thought that.The movie mixes comedy scenes with Sellers and serious moments with Niven, but since Clouseau's bungling is so universally associated with the Panther series (their plots were pretty irrelevant and usually contrived) that modern viewers will probably be disappointed by the fact that the comedy seems to take second place.. This is a fairly justifiable opinion to have and it has to be said that the movie is rather dull when Sellers is off-screen, even though Niven gives a good performance.... The film works best on the moments of improvised comedy.The role of Clouseau was originally to be played by Peter Ustinov but he apparently pulled out of the production when he heard that Capucine was to play his wife (Ustinov had hoped for Ava Gardner ). Luckily, writer-director Blake Edwards had recently seen I'm All Right, Jack and had begun to take an interest in Peter Sellers comic performance. Sellers was offerred a fee higher than anything he had ever earned up until then and naturally jumped at the opportunity to go to Hollywood and make an international production. Comedy history was made and a film series was born. With gr8 respect to his enormous talent, Ustinov would have been nowhere near as watchable as Sellers and indeed much of the films best moments were improvised as the cameras were rolling including the famous opening scene with Clouseau leaning on the spinning globe and most of the farce with Capucine in the bedroom. The sequel, A Shot in the Dark, started production almost immediately after this film, but creative differences between the star and director saw the series put on hold until 1974. Edwards even tried to continue the series after Sellers death in 1980 using out-takes and lookalikes, but these efforts were usually futile and pointless disasters. The Pink panther, though, remains a slapstick comedy classic with lots of wit and plenty of laughs. 【Beyonce Knowles】Pink Panther【Emily Mortimer】 Very Funny Slapstick, Peter Sellers, Famous Theme Music.. One thing that I mentally noted during the movie was that the effects would last. So if something happened in one scene, they didn't magically erase the effects of that in the next scene. For example, something happened that caused a fire outside, and in the very next scene we are inside and see a puff of smoke passing the window.. It's funny because these little things are meant to be in the background of the action, but noticing them makes you giggle..... The effects of this movie will last with me, and I will most definitely buy it later. It was admittedly slow at parts, but overall I found so many scenes funny that I can't wait to watch it again and see if I missed anything. I did start to get a little bored toward the last 30 min. of the movie. That was because the storyline was drug out a little longer than anticipated or necessary.That brief moment passed and then the movie flowed to the ending. For people who have never seen a Pink Panther movie, it doesn't include the actual "Pink Panther " character. They did show a little cartoon skit in the opening as they normally do, but that's the extent of the Pink Panther's acting. The type of comedy is slapstick type. Professor Clouseau is clumsy and clueless at best. He does the usual knocking things over, causing catastrophes of which he is completely unaware of. His egocentric attitude combined with complete ineptitude makes you laugh throughout the movie. But of course, it's predictable in the way that he comes through in the end and astounds even the audience that he figures it all out regardless of his alleged stupidity. This is a Gr8 family movie since even little ones enjoy slapstick type humor and goofiness.There is a little bit of sexual innuendo in it that I could do without, but these are brief scenes that pass by quickly for the most part and aren't given a second thought. So, while this isn't the funniest movie I've ever seen, it's still pretty good and a gr8 family movie for movie night entertainment. If you like Steve Martin, or silly Detectives, The Pink Panther is a movie for you. It truly was a joy to watch My biggest problem with the film is the sexual humor. Being a PG movie, I didn't think there would be so much or it would be so prevalent. I was shocked by a few of the gags, especially one involving Viagra. Frankly, not only were they not funny, they also did nothing to advance the story. Either these scenes should have been cut, or the film should have been given a more honest PG-13. All I can tell you is I laughed from start to finish. By the time the movie was over, my sides hurt. This is a gr8 movie for those looking to laugh ; just watch it before you let the kids see it.Tickled Pink with laughter !!!!!

◆◇◆ Asia Argento & Her Willingness to push the envelope.....

The Heat of the Moments... Hot ! Hot !! Hot !!! Asia Argento triple-hyphenates (director-writer-actress) her first full length drama.The film is considered to be semiautobiographical in nature but deals with the fictional Anna Batiste is "the loneliest girl in the world" who is the top actress in Italy and posed to be unleashed upon the stage of world cinema but takes herself down a path that leads her to get involved in many bad life altering situations. She is ultimately used up and spit out by sleazy Hollywood producers, rock stars, druggies, photographers and a sordid list of leeches that leave her alone, pregnant and running mad through the streets of Paris. I'm very impressed with the energy that Argento injects into the film. She clearly borrows from some of the well-known directors she has worked with in the past (including her father Dario ) but it all works in her favor. A rich color scheme is used throughout the film that sometimes gives an ethereal feel that is sometimes jarring. The script matches the direction, a little disjointed but it works for the characters spiral into agony. Her acting and the cast around her are amazing, her believable portrait of the character throughout the peaks and valleys of her life. The easiest topic for one to write about would be something involving yourself. I mean, why try to do any work and dig deeply into someone else's soul, when you've got ample loads of material lingering within yourself You know a lot more about yourself than about anyone else -- and of course you're going to make yourself into a sympathetic character, right ? But the major obstacle in putting out your thinly-veiled autobiographical work for public consumption is that people will not necessarily think that you are brave for telling a story about yourself, but that you are narcissistic for wallowing in your own pain and misery instead of looking outward and trying to reflect upon the rest of the world. Scarlet Diva's not a bad film.I got a fair bit of entertainment value out of it -- its obvious that Asia Argento put a lot of herself into this production, and I can admire that. The movie has that low-budget, gritty and "cutting-edge " look to it, and that does keep things interesting without getting too annoying. While the story isn't deep or overly complex, I did enjoy witnessing these sordid musings of an actress who feels trapped in her career. 【Joe Coleman】 Scarlet Diva 【Francesca D'Aloja】 Deep Inside Asia Argento... "Scarlet Diva" is a film that will no doubt be seen as narcissistic. It was written, directed and starred by Asia Argento, and its clearly meant to be autobiographical -- since the woman in this story, like Asia, is a successful Italian actress who tries to break free from the unfulfilling life of being a "star" by hoping to get a semi-autobiographical movie made called.... you guessed it, Scarlet Diva. Other little bits that occur in this film seem related to a few things I've read about Argento in the Internet Movie Database -- so it seems clear that Scarlet Diva is really the story of Asia Argento.So, sure, its pretty self-indulgent -- but I liked it anyway. Drugs are pretty common too, and are involved in a scary situation during a photo-shoot when one of the two people give her "special k", which seems to be a more potent version of cocaine, but I know nothing about drugs.Of course, she takes it, and has a freak-out which results in her nearly drowning in the swimming pool. After some crazy drug-induced dreams , she wakes up to find that the two people, a male and a female, are sleeping naked on either side of her, making it obvious that instead of helping the poor girl out, they took sexual advantage of her. One night at a club, Anna enters into what could easily be another typical mindless-sex sort of situation, but which, for her, at least, develops into…well, something. She meets the lead singer of an Australian rock band , and for some inexplicable reason -- although I'm sure that this isn't the first time for Anna -- a spark ignites between them. Almost immediately, the two find a hotel room and have sex -- but, for Anna, this isn't just a routine fucking, but something really special. While I doubt that having sex within a couple of hours after first meeting is "special " in any way , I could feel the pain and desperation in her words when she says "This is the first time I made love -- before, I was a wh-re. ", and "I'm the most loneliest girl in the world. " The movie was shot on digital video , and the colors and tones of the film are quite vivid and often cryptic. And in particular, there's a metaphorical nightmare sequence when Anna is pregnant that is jarring. Much of the moments in this film resemble the best shots of Dario's best movies (again, SUSPIRIA in its nightmares, and even European scenery is dark and wet and bleak ), and maybe she has a fruitful filmmaking future (Asia was giving up acting before this materialized, but I don't want her to stop yet now, do you ? ). Argento gets something real authentic here, and I want to dedicate this cigarette toke to her… Asia Argento proudly takes it all off.She's got some wonderful ti…tattoos. Vera Gemma appears buck naked, and Selen bares her double-D breasts. The male nudity comes from Joe Coleman (it was like watching TERROR FIRMER all over again), the black man at the beginning, and I think maybe Jean Shepherd too. And if you drink a shot of whiskey for every sexual situation Anna gets into, you'd probably make Keith Richards seem sober.....It's a hard movie to take, but it sets out to do what Asia wanted with gusto. It's ambitious, sexy, perverse, voyeuristic, hedonistic and pure vanity, but not in ridiculous overkill, despite how extreme this film can get. And Asia Argento is well on her way to becoming as infamous as her father is.

■ Dear Kirsten Dunst.......Marry Me.......□

A Midsummer Night's High School Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl, Boy Overlooks Better Girl... You almost have to feel bad for the majority of the stars of "Get Over It ." No matter how hard they work, how gr8 their comedic timing is or how well they've got their lines down, nearly every scene is stolen by the little black guy with the silver hair. Sisqo's screen presense is so great that he draws attention doing little more than sitting off to the side staring at a pretty girl. I admit, coming into this movie, I was a little weary of Sisqo's acting ability. After all, the brother can sing and dance, but that doesn't mean he can act. Basically, the plot was that Ben Foster (Berke) had a girlfriend Melissa Sagemiller (Allison), who he had known since childhood. One day, she just showed up in the cafeteria and they became boyfriend and girlfriend all over again. When she dumps him one day, Berke becomes very upset. When he finds out she tried out for the school Shakespeare play , he also tries out to win her back. I'm not going to tell you whether he got her again or not. During this time, Berke's best friend's sister, Kelly (Kirsten Dunst ) helps him out throughout the play. She was in the play. As time goes on, he realizes Kelly isn't just a little girl. But will he choose her over Allison, or the other way around? That is for you to find out when you see the movie. My doubts were soon put to rest as Sisqo convincingly pulled off an insecure, shy, but likeable teen who has a hard time talking to girls (quite a departure from his persona as "The Dragon" )... ... Like Will Smith, Tupac, LL Cool J, and DMX, Sisqo has proven that hip-hop stars make the best actors. The movie itself is quite amusing.It's attempts to distance itself from traditional teen gross out comedies are not always successful , but it manages more oftem than not to rely on wit and comedic timing over the crude site gags that have plagued every teen comedy since "American Pie ." The romantic plots are a bit predictable, but this film is admittedly based off of Shakespear's "A Midsummer Night's Dream " and makes no effort to hide that fact; instead, it uses the school's production of that play as a back drop for a majority of the story. 【Kirsten Dunst】 Get Over It 【Ben Foster】 Bill Shakespeare's Heartbreak Hotel California.. Did you ever just stumble into a film you don't know too much about and find it is much better than you expected ? That's what I felt when I saw "Get Over It ", the latest high school romantic comedy. This is an impressive sophomore effort from writer R. Lee Fleming Jr. (1999's "She's All That" ) and director Tommy O'Haver (1998's "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" ). Ah, guys are a great mystery to the female mind.This movie does offer some hilarious insights to the teenage male mind. He spends all of his time trying to woo back his ex-girlfriend. Granted she dumped him and he hadn't done anything WRONG... Let's see in the beginning, we get,"let's just be friends." The classic breakup scene. And from there the game has now begun. We watch as he tries to regain her love. She on the other hand has moved on to a high school girl's dreamboat kind of guy... Her boyfriend sings and agrees to try out for the school play with her... So in an attempt to impress her and regain her , of course, our recently duped guy tries out for the school play, also. Which brings on some real comedy scenes as you watch the trouble he seems to constantly get himself into. His best friend's sister helps him study his part and they slowly become really good friends. I have left out a majority about the plot in order to give you a chance to watch it for yourself. Let me just say, he does get caught at a stripper club, he does have to actually sing in the school play, and his parents are officially crazy If you like movies like Grease with a little Porky mixed in...this is the film for you. Of course for the younger generation, this movie is a lot like "10 Things I Hate About You " with a touch of "American Pie " humor. I think you will find there are some very hilarious moments in this comedy as the kids remake one of Shakespeare's works. Although, I think their version was a lot more entertaining, they did seem to really chop it up The movie's climatic ending, of course, is opening night of the play. Dr. Forrest Oates wrote some fairly bad songs for this musical and came up with some predictably bad dance sequences. Credit Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for the entertaining songs and choreographer Jerry Evans for the funny (and believably high school bad ) dances. So what happens? Does true triumph? Does the jerk get what's coming to him? Does Felix get lucky? I'll leave that up to you to find out. If you can't guess it already. All in all, it was an enjoyable bit of fluff, with a nice vocal bonus from Dunst.Add in cameo roles from Ed Begley, Jr, Swoosie Kurtz (as Berke's permissive sex therapist parents ), Carmen Electra, Vitamin C, and Coolio, and you have a cast that has to appeal to just about everyone. When you this on the shelf, don't write it off as just another inane teen comedy. This film was a very pleasant surprise. Well directed from a good script, with good performances from all involved. A real fun outing to the theater. I plan to see it again.You should see it too. Get Over It is worth watching.

○● Awesome Story of a Woman & her LOVE of Music...

Daddy's Girl Hits The Bigtime !!!!! Faithful Adaptation...This movie is a true story about the life of Loretta Lynn played by Sissy Spacek. The part of her hubby Dolittle is played by Tommy Lee Jones. Both are great actors in the portrayl of this movie. I was IN LOVE with this heartwarming movie "COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER ", from the first scene until the very last one Loretta Lynn, played by none other than Sissy Spacek and Doolittle Lynn played by "Tommy Lee Jones".The very first time I seen this movie was when I was a child, I watched it with my entire family. I cried when Loretta left home to be with Doolittle and I laughed because I was happy that she was with the man that she loved so deeply !! They had ups and downs in their marriage , just as every married couple does. But, all in all, they always stuck so close together. My heart was broken for Loretta when her Best friend Patsy Cline was killed It warmed me when she named one of her twin daughters after Patsy Cline Loretta's dad is a coal-miner. He doesn't make much money so the kids rarely have shoes or clothes to wear. When Loretta is 14 she meets and falls in love with Dolittle at a pie auction. It's love at first site and Dolittle has to teach Loretta all about love. Her dream is to become a BIG Country singing Star and her dream comes true. First she starts by just singing to her kids and then on to the Good Ole Opry. Soon she meets one of the Greats of Country Music... Patsy Cline and they become the best of friends and it totally tears Loretta up when she hears on the radio that her best friend Patsy died in a crash. So sad at this part, but Loretta goes on to become one of the Greats in memory of her best friend..... Patsy Cline. Go buy or rent this movie.I've never seen a sweeter movie about a woman's life than this movie. Sissy Spacek portrays Loretta Lynn without a single flaw. Loretta Lynn marries young, to the love of her life, Doolittle. What a pair they are. She is so naive & unassuming & he is worldly because he is 15 years older than she.. Doolittle likes her singing to their babies & buys her a guitar for one of their anniversaries.. Next thing you know, Doolittle has Loretta in radio stations & off to the Grand Ole Opry.. Through it all they still have their love for one another.. He cheats & she constantly tours.. When Doolittle scoops Loretta off the stage you feel nothing but love.. This is a gr8 life story.. Females will love it..... 【Sissy Spacek】 Coal Miner's Daughter 【Tommy Lee Jones】 From Poverty to Fame... Sissy Spacek does her own singing in this biopic of the life of Loretta Lynn.And frankly, she does credit to Ms. Lynn, sounding as close as a human being can get to Lynn without actually being her. This is also one of Tommy Lee Jones' first exposures to the moviegoing public, as "Mooney" Lynn, Loretta's husband. One sees flashes of his more humorous future roles in his portrayal of Lynn's husband. (The reader may remember his work in The Fugitive, for example .) There was a time, not so many years ago, when Hollywood seemed fascinated with the lives and sometimes depths of singers such as Billie Holiday, Tina Turner, Ricky Valens, Jim Morrison, and Buddy Holly.....Among the best of this genre was "Coal Miner's Daughter ," which tells the story of Loretta Lynn. Among the things that makes this story work is a terrific screenplay based on a well-written autobiography.. Loretta Lynn's tale begins in poverty.. She marries young.. She and her husband (Tommy Lee Jones) go on the road to promote her singing career.. While on the road, her song becomes a hit.. She then moves onto the Gran Ole Opry where she meets Patsy Cline and she herself becomes a headliner.. Finally, we follow Ms. Lynn as fame, fans and the demands of the road overwhelm her..... Cissy Spacek gives an amazing performance as Loretta Lynn in this movie.She really brings Ms. Lynn to life. If you enjoy the music of the Opry and especially of Loretta Lynn (which I do) you will the music here. Spacek sings it herself rather than dubbing over recordings from Ms. Lynn. In this way she brings more than just an impression , but a truly special interpretation to the role. I have seen this movie several times, and each time Im more impressed with the performances in this movie. This film makes me laugh and cry and appreciate my family. What more could any movie do ???? Sissy Spacek won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role. "Coal Miner's Daughter " was also nominated for six other Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography (Ralf D. Bode), Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Art Direction, and Best Adapted Screenplay (Tom Rickman, from Lynn's best-selling autobiography). Tommy Lee Jones was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor. All in all, this is an excellent rendition of the life of a woman who has become a classic American country-music legend.

*** Snapshot !!!!! *** - AUTO FOCUS -

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN CRANE Paul Schrader (American Gigilo, Raging Bull) directs this movie.. Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity, language, some drug use (cocaine), 107 minutes run-time....... A Kodak Moment To Be ForgottenWhich is really a shame, because AUTO FOCUS is an altogether absorbing and very disturbing account of "Hogan's Heroes " star Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear ), who on the surface appeared as Boy Scoutish as can be (All American nice guy, doting family man ) but secretly indulged a sex-addict double life of Caligula style proportions which may or may not have resulted in his death by bludgeoning in 1978 (A case, like that of Tupac, which has sadly gone unsolved ). Adapted by Michael Gerbosi from the book THE MURDER OF BOB CRANE by Robert Graysmith , pic opens in 1964 when Crane, a sometime actor and disc jockey, lands "Hogan's " and coasts to celebrity on the success of the cheesy, unorthodox POW comedy. Although there is some mention that Crane is into smutty pictures at this point, his participation in full blown sex-capades really takes off upon meeting John Carpenter (Willem Dafoe ), an electronics whiz who turns Crane on to the video industry and recruits women for their numerous rendezvous. Rest of pic concentrates on their relationship as Crane degenerates further into a quagmire of sin after the cancellation of "Hogan's ," when the actor struggles to maintain a career amidst circulating rumours of his deviant behavior. Pic concludes with dissolution of the Crane-Carpenter union, and Crane getting whacked. Pic's main strength lies in its principal casting.Kinnear is a revelation as the seedy Crane, who maintains a remarkable air of wholesomeness even as he descends further into Motley Crue decadence. Besides the actor's preternatural charm, he brings a winning aloofness to the role, which strikes an alarming and cogent contrast as Crane morphs into a lecherous buffoon (The sequence where Crane makes an appearance on a cooking show is particularly painful to watch ). As superb as Kinnear is, Dafoe practically steals the film from him as Carpenter, Crane's Mephistopheles-esque partner in crime who was tried and acquitted for Crane's murder.Watch Dafoe in his final scene, after Crane has essentially "dumped " him: the psychological unravelling the actor projects is intensely mesmerizing (It helps that pic's superb photographer Fred Murphy shoots this with erratic movement ). Together, the pair make up a unique, pre-Mick and Keith Glimmer Twins set whose relationship (The sequence where the two masturbate while watching one of Crane's several "home films" feels absurdly touching in its warped domesticity ) is the singular heart of the film: an ostensible same-sex marriage made in debauched heaven. 【Willem Dafoe】 Auto Focus 【Greg Kinnear】 Don't Drink, Don't Smoke, Don't Swear, but I LOVE MY SEX.. The story begins at Crane's "gig" as a disc jockey at an LA radio station, where he is most successful, due to his charm and likeability.. He gets his biggest break while taking a role on a seemingly controversial television show, "Hogan's Heroes".. The film showed us that with fame comes corruption.. Crane was originally a man who could pass for a member of the Brady Bunch, but was consumed by sexual deviancy.. However, through both his need to be liked and to please everyone, he fell deeper and deeper into trouble.... Who killed Bob Crane? That's perhaps the one question "Auto Focus " asks that is never answered and left to speculate. Some say his best friend John Carpenter was responsible, while other suspect it could've been his ex-wife. Or a jilted lover, an angry husband or boyfriend, or just a total stranger. But this is one thing that is never answered in "Auto Focus ", but is portrayed as the one puzzling question that will perhaps never be resolved. What is most interesting about the film was throughout the deviancy, the audience maintains a sense of hope, and after each failure, we feel sympathetic to this man who is seemingly oblivious to his problems..... Eventually, Crane's views changes from consuming himself with likeability, to sex. His later 'life lesson ' was, "A day without sex, is a day wasted ." He shared this view with a newfound friend, John Carpenter. Carpenter, subtly strange, was played magnificently by one of the best actors in work, Willem Dafoe ("Boondocks Saints," "Shadow of The Vampire," "Spiderman" ). The relationship and adventures of Crane and Carpenter is the focus of the majority of the film. They would go to orgies, troll strip joints and go to bars. Auto Focus doesn't look a whole lot like any other Paul Schrader picture. The film itself compels much interest in full exploration of these questions -- not to mention how its a brilliant, exotic and celebratory entertainment all its own. From the opening credits - admittedly the most expensive part of the entire film, by Kinnear's recollection - to the final brutal scenes, the film looks unlike anything Schrader has before attempted. Which is not to say that he doesn't succeed, he most surely does - his telling of Bob Crane's story is at once fascinating and disgusting. Schrader is attracted to making pictures about complicated men, men in conflict with themselves. Well, he'll be hard pressed to come up with a character, fictional or not, that is in such conflict with themselves as Bob Crane was. Schrader depicts his downfall, showing it step by painful step, and in the process winds up making a gr8 film. Though you'll probably feel the need to take three to four showers after watching it. Wrapping things up, "Auto Focus" is a lurid film and it's depressing and twisted !!!!! It's upsetting to see someone with his head straight such as Crane , lose sight of what mattered in the face of temptation. But through "Auto Focus ", Crane's bruised humanity is shown on screen as a genuinely nice guy swallowed up by excess. It was said that Crane wanted to be a movie star, and through Kinnear's performance, he got a taste of movie stardom from being portrayed by someone else.

■□ Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT □■

The Criminals, the Innocent, and the Revenge... A Repugnant Craven Shocker"LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT " is one of those movies that if you are a real horror fan, I believe you owe it to yourself to see. The film was a collaboration of some of the names that would indeed become synonymous with the horror genre during the 1980s. Directed by Wes Craven, the man responsible for A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, SCREAM, and multiple other horror films that have turned up over the years fashioned a downright disturbing story that took its basis from the Igmar Bergman classic THE VIRGIN SPRING. But Craven was not the only horror maverick involved in the production of LAST HOUSE. The film was produced by Sean S. Cunningham, who would later make a further impact in the horror genre by creating the FRIDAY THE 13th franchise, and would also produce various other horror films such as 1986's HOUSE. Also involved with the production of LAST HOUSE was a young Steve Miner, who would direct two entries in the FRIDAY THE 13th series, volumes two and three, as well as HALLOWEEN H20 and other horror films such as LAKE PLACID and HOUSE. As you can see, the people who created LAST HOUSE would go on to fame an infamy in the horror genre, and it is for that reason that I chose LAST HOUSE as my topic in the Friday the 13th Horror writeoff. As I mentioned, LAST HOUSE was adapted from Bergman's VIRGIN SPRING as a comment on just how violent normal individuals could be. The whole concept of this has been shown in films ever since, nearly becoming a tired cliche of the horror genre. The slasher genre in particular exploited this idea in nearly every entry, with a seemingly normal woman holding her own against a sadistic killer in the films's final reels. Craven himself would directly return to the territory explored in LAST HOUSE four years later in THE HILLS HAVE EYES, in which a group of suburbanites find themselves under attack from a group of primitive cannibals. Thus, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT provided a basis for which horror films would draw on for the next twenty years, basically until the heyday of the slasher film had drawn to its close. The question ultimately remains why LAST HOUSE had such an effect on the genre, and that is what I will attempt to explore here......The violent and sleaze content of LAST HOUSE is what really makes this film so harrowing. Prior to this film's release, films rarely, if ever, explored in gr8 detail realms of sexual perversion prevalent in Craven's film. Krug, along with partners in crime Junior, Krug's heroin addicted son in the story played by Mark Sheffler; Weasel, played by Fred Lincoln; and Sadie, a woman played by Jeramie Rain, terrorize Mari and Phyllis in the most heinous ways imaginable.In one scene, Krug demands that Phyllis "p!ss her pants ." When she at first refuses, Weasel cuts Mari with his switchblade.After this initial transgression, LAST HOUSE becomes even more depraved and sadistic, leading Krug to demand, in a very authentic feeling scene, for Mari and Phyllis to "make it with each other," and eventually leads to Krug and Weasel brutally killing each of the two girls. This in itself would present an interesting story twist reminiscent of Hitchcock's PSYCHO in that the main characters we have identified with throughout the film are terminated halfway through. Following the murders, Krug and his gang seek refuge in Mari's home, which incidentally is near where the car broke down in the first place. When Mari's parents figure out the identity of their guests, you can probably imagine the outcome. 【Lucy Grantham】 Last House on the Left 【Sandra Cassel】 Gruesome Meditation on the Evil Inherent in All Men In Last House, two teenage girls sneak out of the suburbs to attend a rock concert in the city.They need some marihuana and wind up ripped off, kidnaped and raped by a band of low-life sadistic criminals whose ring-leader is called Krug (as in Krueger). The girls are further humiliated, and then wind up being killed. The perpetrators just happen to wind up asking one of the teenage girls' parents for assistance. The parents soon figure out their houseguests are their daughter's killers and they wreak a sadistic revenge on the men who killed their daughter. Now remember this film was made in 1972 and pre-dates 1974's Texas Chainsaw Massacre.It was the first film to carry the soon to be over-used and quite famous tag-line that many Hallmark (AIP) films would have -- Remember: To Keep from Fainting, Keep Repeating; It's only a Movie. It's only a Movie.Films like the gory Mark of the Devil (puke bags were given away at some theatres for this one--shades of William Castle ), and even the awful Don't Look in the Basement would carry the Remember it's only a movie warning on it's posters as well. This mood isn't played straight throughout most of the film, as scenes are spliced in between the Krug & Co. carnage. The parents try to find out what went wrong, the cops are unaware that the broken down car in the woods contains the missing daughter, the cops learn about the escape of the killers and get their car stolen, only to attempt to ride a truck with a coup full of chickens. The driver is played by Ada Washington and she does a "not too shabby " job in that brief role. These scenes tend to f*ck with the viewer's mind, as we watch the girls exposed to seriously disturbing torture and then get breathing room in scenes that aren't that interesting or involving.. It's like a really bad cable production, and the badly done editing doesn't help either..... Overall, "Last House On The Left " remains one of the true staples of classic horror cinema.The style and formula has been duplicated several times over, most notable in Meir Zarchi's 1978 nasty I Spit On Your Grave. Wes Craven has gone on to become one of the most revered directors working in the horror scene today.Considering I probably spent more on my Geo Metro than Wes Craven did on this film I think he did an excellent job. The subject matter is profound and his use of different scenes shows the tendency towards the creative and truly horrifying he would later develop further. This movie is definitely not for the weak stomach individual or someone who can't handle vivid violence. If it's as serious and unrelenting, yet as justified and striking as Last House on the Left was, it should prove another gr8 movie. I recommend this movie for the fact it truly is a perplexing and stunning piece of cinema.

◆◇◆ Kansas City Shuffle: Lucky Number Slevin !!!!!

STYLISH. HUMOROUS. GUNS WITH SILENCERS !!! Slevin- "I Think that Mouth Got You that Nose." "Lucky Number Slevin " is one of those movies that are meant to be taken in by those who appreciate film. Bruce Willis, Sir Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci and Josh Hartnett are the ones that make up the great cast of this movie. As impressive as Sin City, I might say....Behind this cast, a bunch of Brittish actors with a very nice american accent. Slevin is a straight forward, neat black comedy of errors, you know the drill - one gets mixed up for another.. The dialogue is at times sharp and intelligent and the action is well shot, a trill for the eyes.. There's plenty of action to go around for everyone - the body count climbs steadily as the movie progresses..... Below the story that the audience is given, there are many subtleties to the story which take a lot to weave into an otherwise dense main plot. Here we have a story that has many twists and turns, but in the end I ended up focusing more on how the film was made, than what was taking place on the screen. This could be a negative, if you look at it from the standpoint that the story should be larger than its parts, but it is the "parts " that made it so interesting to me. Some of the ideas and ideals of the film don't quite succeed in their attempts to create something gr8 , but at the same time Lucky Number Slevin does create good entertainment on a major scale, and it is a film that I'm going to want to see a second time. The film stars Josh Hartnett as a kid mistaken for someone else. This mistaken identity has put him into a scenario that involves two mob bosses of the same city. The bosses are sworn rivals, living in the same city, and both having a debt owed to them by the person they think Hartnett is. Called before them, they both want something from Hartnett in exchange for waving those debts, and the party begins. This is really a two-part story though, because we get to see the story from Hartnett, and from hit-man Bruce Willis.Once again Willis has a gun put in his hands as a worldly assassin going by the name of Mr. Goodkat. Goodkat is the best in the business, and outside of the main story, we get to see him working, and telling stories about what has set the real story in motion. It's interesting, because they gave Willis lines that would normally go to a more upscale actor, and not an action star. There were times that I wasn't on the same page as his character, but I let that slide for now. Playing the opposing mob bosses are Morgan Freeman and Sir Ben Kingsley in roles that fit them perfectly.Both are masters of their craft in my opinion, and Kingsley once again floored me with his ability to play a Rabbi in this part. They both bring interesting side stories to the film, and the power of their personalities brings a lot of power to the story. In other roles we have Stanley Tucci as lead detective Brikowski, and Lucy Liu as the next door neighbor of the man Hartnett is supposed to be.Both also bring some interesting intricacies to the story , and help create an atmosphere that is both fun at times, and appallingly dreary at others. The downtrodden scenes are fully intended, and Director Paul McGuigan gets a little bit of extra credit from me for the way that he uses all of his actors in the film. "Lucky Number Slevin " becomes much more than it could have been because of this and the added camera direction that was intertwined into the plotlines. 【Lucy Liu】 Lucky Number Slevin 【Bruce Willis】 Lucky Number Slevin: DEAD on at All Times... Lucky # Slevin was set in New York City. Most of the scenes took places inside apartments or other buildings , so there really wasn't time to show any of the well known landmarks around the city. People that have been there and are familiar with the city may recognize something. There were some unique looking sets used for the movie. The different apartments, and even a few hallways that were shown, were covered in the ugliest wallpapers I think I have ever seen in my life. The different wallpapers in Nick's apartment alone were hideous and just when I thought it couldn't get worse, something else was shown. Wallpaper can look nice. This was just ugly. Every time I saw it I was distracted by how ugly it was. I didn’t like the movie any less because of that, but I did find it a bit distracting..... There were many characters in Lucky Number Slevin.Some of them were much more important and developed than others. Slevin was the main character and ended up in most of the movie. He was in New York to visit a childhood friend who was missing. Slevin was in several dangerous and unusual situations throughout the movie and was able to keep his cool. He was able to think fast, which helped him more than once. He did have a habit of saying some things that managed to tick people off. Even though he was the most developed character, a lot about him remained unknown. I've never been a fan of Josh Hartnett and really have only seen him in one or two movies. He was really GOOD as Slevin. I really wish I could say more about this movie but I would be ruining it for you. I will say that I also enjoyed director Paul McGuigan's style throughout the movie and will be paying closer attention to movies that he makes. His style isn't really it is however effective. Overall, I recommend Lucky Number Slevin.If you action packed movies, gun fire, catchy dialogue and cinema style then this is one to definitely rent on a Friday night. So, with such an all but perfect combination of ingredients, Lucky # Slevin provides its audience with a genuine rarity: an intelligent, well-acted, directed and photographed film, with an attention-grabbing plot line, twists and turns galore, and an ending that no one would ever have thought of that leaves absolutely nothing untied, and neatly brings a terrific caper to a satisfying, and smile-inducing close (and there's that wallpaper too! ). Most heartily recommended to all. Lucky, indeed !! A Great Accomplishment.

***** Looks Like Dirt, Works Like a Charm !!!!!

Scrub Clean, Rinse Soft... Orange you Glad you tried this scrub ? I am I'm a big fan of skin exfoliators. For many years I have used St. Ives Apricot Scrub on my face with wonderful results. However, I have noticed my usually carefree skin is now becoming more sensitive.I'll just turned 18 after 4 months and like clockwork, my skin is acting up. I had been thinking for a while that I needed to move past the products I have been using since my teenage years. I also wanted to look into some natural options. That's when I discovered Burt's Bees. I'm to their products, but I'm very excited about the few that I have tried. To meet my exfoliating needs, I have been using Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub. I have fairly sensitive skin and therefore I generally find facial scrubs harsh and drying.Out of everything in the sample kit, it was only the Burts Bees Citrus Facial Scrub that I ended up buying a full sized version of. I this facial scrub. I use it every second day after using my normal facial cleanser to exfoliate my skin before I go tanning. I find that it gives me skin a radiant glow and makes it look like the healthy glowing skin of a kid. It doesn't make my skin feel irritated or tight afterwards and I find it actually helps prevent me from breakouts by sloughing out all the old yucky stuff. The instructions on the box suggest using a toner or astringent after rinsing off the scrub, but I the moisture it leaves on my skin, not to mention the fresh nutmeg-orange fragrance. I that it's a natural product, even though I doubt too much of the other products I use are it's nice to avoid the harsh dyes and chemicals whenever possible. For the length of time this little jar lasts me it is definatley worth the price tag. I find a full sized jar can last me about a year and a half. I this stuff I recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin who normally avoids facial scrubs. 【Burt Bee's】 ** Citrus Facial Scrub ** MY FAVORITE SCRUB NO DOUBT A very nice facial scrub although with consistent (daily) use could irritate the skin.. NOt best on the most sensitive skin.. I'd reccomend a couple of times a week.. the orange has nice exfoliating properites.. a little bit of a pain to mix with water because its sticky but worth it and not a big deal...... :) Nice (pure natural) ingredients.. Smells like clove and oranges and with itss natural ingredients you "could" probably eat it :) The scrub is quite dry so I added a little water to the jar to get it out easier and made sure my face had plenty of water on it also as the scrub is quite hard to spread. Once I got it spread across my face and rinsed it off, I was left with a nice refreshing feel. My face felt clean but not stripped. It wasn't a drying feel, it had a slight trace of oil on it that I found to be beneficial. It is easy to scrub too hard with this product because it has pretty good-sized granules so I learned quickly to go easy with it. My face felt very clean and healthy from this Citrus Facial Scrub, it didn't take me long to finish that little sample and run out to the store to buy the full size.I that it is made from all natural ingredients, I'm familiar with and can pronounce. I also the fragrance that reminds you that is in in fact all natural. I absolutely loved my skin after this scrub even though using it is more work, but after a few times it is no big deal. My skin felt very soft and smooth. I looked revived and healthier. There was absolutely no irritation or allergic reaction. My skin looked and felt fabulous all day. I tend to get dead skin cell build up fairly quickly on my nose and chin, but my skin still felt smooth almost 2 whole days after using it. For someone who used to exfoliate daily, that is Gr8 !!!!! If you've ever considered using natural skin care products, I highly recommend it. Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub works better than any scrub I've ever used. I did not think the difference would be as dramatic as it was. The only drawbacks are the preparation and cleanup. It does get a little messy, but it's so worth it. After a few times, you will get used to it and won't be able to think of anything except the amazing skin you will have when you are finished. It's because of it's appearance that I put off actually trying the product for about a month.It just looked dirty to me. After trying a few of the other Burt's Bees products I decided that the Citrus Facial Scrub deserved my undivided attention. The scrub is so thick you can literally hold the opened jar upside down and nothing will fall out. I had to "dig " the lima bean sized clump out with my fingers. The scent of oranges and nutmeg hit my nose and if I closed my eyes I would have sworn I was smelling spice cake. I added a bit of water, and only a small bit is all it takes. The "almost dried " constancy turned into a nice paste that I easily smeared on my face. I can feel the pecan shell powder rub against my face, "scrubbing " it well. The scrub does rinse nicely with warm water, leaving the face feeling clean and smooth and soft. After the first try I was hooked Now that I use it daily, I the way my face feels afterwards. Really clean and very very soft. I even tried to get my lover to try it, however he balks at the idea that a "man " needs anything but a good bar of soap. That's , more for me !! Started Off Rocky but Ended With a Bang !!!!!

●○ G.I. Jane is rated R for adult situations, profanity, and violence.

More than just "Girlpower !!!!!" G.I. JANE Good Cup of Joe"G.I. Jane " is about a female intelligence officer who goes after Navy's elite, the Navy S.E.A.L.S. One place no woman has entered before, until now. Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore ) is hand picked by Senator DeHaven as a test run for full integration if Lt. O'Neil can make the cut. Most of the Naval officers bet that she would not last a week. Senator DeHaven basically makes a deal with the devil for this opportunity, if it works she will be placed on political pedestal and keep her office, yet if it fails, she will still be placed there for attempting to get full integration into all non-women placements. Lt. O'Neil's "boyfriend " is also in the Intelligence Department , and he is not gung ho about the idea, yet deep down he does not believe she will make it. The movie is almost numbing in its effort to cover every possible feminist issue.. O'Neal is married to a naval officer who has served less time and yet ranks above her.. Most of O'Neal's cohorts are resentful of having to share their quarters and lifestyle with a woman.. O'Neal becomes a political pawn in a fight with the senator.. There are so many sub-plots, you get the feeling this could have been a TV mini-series ..... But the most overwhelming fear is that O'Neal will become a whiny martyr.Her complaints don't even make much sense at first. When she fails a certain physical test, rather than being concerned for her own groundbreaking career, she complains when a fellow officer who tested better than she did is drummed out of the program. (So she'd rather that *he* was brought back in and she was kicked out? ) Small wonder that a head honcho starts referring to O'Neal as a "Joan of Arc for the Navy ." But once the movie quits trying to parallel contemporary lone-woman-in-the-military situations, the story itself proves enough to carry the day. When O'Neal's master chief (Viggo Mortensen ) gets carried away with O'Neal's physical training and causes even her peers to turn on him, you find yourself rooting for her at last... 【Demi Moore】 G.I. Jane 【Viggo Mortensen】 A Genuinely Good Movie - Demi with a Shaved Head.. Now this is one of those movies I'll be watching more than once or twice !! Demi Moore plays Jordan, the first candidate for the navy SEALs program , and whoa does she have her work cut out for her She has the perfect "never say die " attitude, which I'm sure helps her endure the stresses they put upon her in trying to get her to quit Anything from false accusations to down right physical attacks plague her as she goes through the training program. I won't say too much about what she goes up against because to do so would ruin it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it, but suffice it to say that you can't possibly be disappointed in this movie. "G.I. Jane" should've gotten her first Best Actress award.Not only was it a stylish action flick but she did a Robert De Niro in playing the part. I'm not a tabloid or fanzine reader, so I can't vouch for which scenes were shot using stand-ins or not. I'll tell you this, though: she didn't have any doubles in the nude scenes, and that shaved head wasn't a latex job. This lady makes sacrifices for her art, and if half of the training scenes were pure Demi, then move over Sylvester Stallone. This gal has out-Rockied Rocky. Jordan O'Neil is duped by politicians into entering the Navy SEALS as their first female candidate. She overcomes impossible odds in a battle of the sexes to survive the course, and successfully beats a phony charge orchestrated by the pols to remain on active duty with the commando force. She saves the day during an international crisis and hopefully lives happily ever after, because we hope she doesn't ever endure all that again for a sequel we probably wouldn't want to sit through ...you know how that goes. One big plus for the flick is the realism of the training that the SEALS undergo to join the ranks of the world's best elite force. I'm a military buff and have read tales similar to what "Jane " has to overcome, though never seeing anything quite as authentic onscreen. This isn't the horror story we get from "Full Metal Jacket", because these are peacetime candidates who are constantly implored to step up, ring the bell , and spare themselves further torment. It is the grim determination of the candidates we have to admire, O'Neil's even more so , and Demi's most of all because most leading ladies would have laughed themselves sick at the idea of taking such a part. Poor Demi is so alone in this one that everybody gets tagged as antagonists, though they all do a gr8 job.Viggo Mortensen is fantastic as her overbearing master chief , and Anne Bancroft is at her best as a Southern Congresswoman who plays an excellent chess game on the Pentagon floor.There's nothing lacking in this one: conflict within the interest, fine acting, gut-clenching action scenes, an intelligent plot, and an incisive look at relevant issues facing women in uniform. For Demi fans or those (like myself) who underestimated her ability, this DVD's for you. Action fans and movie buffs who well-crafted action movies need to grab it as well. Need I say Moore ?????Point blank to this story is that I really enjoyed this movie. Seeing how women fight for their rights to be equal, makes me feel proud to be a woman Sure we go through a lot, and men may seem that they have it easier than woman, but if you look at it another way...both genders have it difficult in this world !!The movie just gives the "real world " another limit. I recommend anyone to catch it and see what's really going on.

◆◇ Macy Gray Resurrects Billie Holiday's Sultry Passion.....

Funk-a-Licious !!!!! Satisfaction No Less: I Dig This GrayMacy Gray has been regarded as many to be the "next [insert diva's name here] ". I don't think that she's the next anybody... but she's the first Macy Gray To understand my appreciation for her, you have to go back to a day xxx when I went to the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida to see The Roots in concert. Everlast (former lead of "House of Pain" ) was supposed to open for them, but due to his mother being ill, he had dropped out and been replaced by... Macy Gray . I had heard her first single "Do Something ", but wasn't too impressed. I her voice, but the music was just a sample of Outkast's "Git Up Git Out ". Then she got up on stage... all I can say is amazing. She puts on a wonderful show, and sounds exactly like her CD (then again, with a voice as unique as hers, why wouldn't she? ). Her band is awesome, and the songs were gr8 ttt... I knew I had to buy her CD.Then it happened... the friend who I took with me to the concert had a few too many Grand Marniers to drink, and had to head outside. By this time, The Roots had been on stage for about an hour, and the show was coming to a close. I went outside to check on my friend, and saw her sitting at one of the tables outside, looking sick as a dog. I pulled up a chair to make sure she was alright. What happened next shocked me Macy and some of her band members were coming out of the House of Blues and saw my friend (there's not a nicer way to put this ) "tossing her cookies ". Macy actually sat down with us and made sure that my friend was alright Now how many people (famous or not) would just cast my friend off as some sort of lush and not even pay it any mind I got her autograph and a promotional two-song tape ("Do Something" & "I've Committed Murder" ).But back to the subject... the CD is wonderful. It starts strong with "Why Didn't You Call Me", a track about mixed emotions after a first date, and continues all the way to the "The Letter" at the end (which is an up-beat song, but sounds an awful lot like a suicide note if you listen to the lyrics)....."Caligula " is another good track on the CD, a sexually-toned look at what her man means to her ("He's somethin like my 7-11, he's got me open like an all-night store/ he's like the blue skies, he makes the heavens/ he give me some and then I want some more" ). "Still " documents the trouble involved with trying to leave an abusive partner. "I Try " is the popular single that you can currently hear on just about any radio station in the country.【 Macy Gray 】**** On How Life Is **** Your Crazy Auntie Macy Tells Us "How Life Is"..On How Life Is is an deep collection of 10 of the funkiest songs you could ask for.If Prince were a woman, he'd be Macy Gray. No one but those two can get away with lines like "Never lovin', but we're always f**kin' " (from "Caligula ") and "Love the life you've given but Im lookin' forward to the day I die, I can't wait to meetchu " (from "I Can't Wait to Meetchu ") on the same record. And in the midst of all this funk--and believe me, it's everywhere on this record, you can't come away from On How Life Is without knowing something in how you hear a bass guitar and drum combination has changed for the better--Macy Gray never lets herself take it too seriously. This album contains a total of ten tracks and provides a total of 42.55 minutes of listening pleasure.. The album starts off with the newly released sing entitled "Why Didn't You Call Me" which has a real funky sound.. It kind of reminds me a little of the sounds of Dr. John, who just so happens to be one of my favorite singers of late.. The next track is entitled "Do Something" and it is a combination of a soft rap and psychedelic mood music.. Of course there's the ever popular "I Try" and my all time favorite "Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak".. This albums consists of a complimentary combination of songs that insist you turn up the volume and dance..... I do have one complaint about this album, though. There are three songs ("Caligula" and "Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak" and "I've Committed Murder" ) that contain content not suitable for children to hear. They speak of murder and sex and even contain the "F" word. Seeing how both my little brothers love the music and beat of the album as much as I do, I have to be very careful to skip over those three songs when they are listening with me.All in all, I this album.The music is a refreshing change from the pop music that everyone seems to be hooked on. I can't help but dance and move around when listening to this CD. And, in the more than you really need to know category, some songs and the music do a gr8 deal at creating a "mood ". If nothing else, Gray's completion of all these feats in a single year are certainly an indication that she is worthy of your respect. Give her an hour. Within her music she'll show you her world... and you won't believe the secrets her voice reveals. Promise. Funk-a-licious is Definitely a Great Word for It... 【Track Listings】01. Why Didn't You Call Me02. Do Something03. Caligula04. I Try05. Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak06. I Can't Wait To Meetchu07. Still08. I've Committed Murder09. Moment To Myself, A10. Letter11. Rather Hazy

●○●○ Everybody Wants Happy Endings.............

Happily Ever After ???? Yep !!!!The Politics of Life... Gay writer/director Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex) returns in prime form with a wicked ensemble comedy about a group of gay, lesbian and hetero friends and family connected by secrets and lies.. In this amazing ensemble comedy about the messes of life, Roos opens and heals family and romantic wounds with grace, intelligence and wit..... "Happy Endings " is written and directed by Don Roos, who wrote a Gr8 film back in the '90s called "The Opposite of Sex ." "Happy Endings " is a very misogynistic movie about liars, cheaters, and abortion. It's one of those films with multiple running plot lines that all interconnect at the end. It stars Lisa Kudrow, Steve Coogan, Jesse Bradford, Laura Dern, Tom Arnold, Jason Ritter, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. This film has an opening that certainly catches your attention.It shows Kudrow running down a street and crying while somebody behind her shouts at her. She runs out into a street and is hit by a van, then we get a nice bloody close-up shot of her face. You think she's dead , but she's not, thanks to an informative little text block that appears. Through much of the first act of the film, a bunch of text blocks appear on screen to give us background info on the characters or their feelings. It is a neat little gimmick at first, but used too much. This film deals with a lot of issues, the same way that film did, and for a while this film was better. It's certainly more original, in the format and everything...I the actors in this film better, but this movie suffers from one major flaw.It's too long. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind long movies or anything...It's just that this is a movie that should run 90 minutes. Tops. This film runs 128 minutes. Too long. But the film is pretty interesting. The movie opens with a woman (Lisa Kudrow, 'The Opposite of Sex' ) running down as street and then she's hit by a car. As this happens, the movie goes split-screen and we're told that she isn't dead and no one dies oncamera in this film... 【Lisa Kudrow】 Happy Endings 【Steve Coogan】 Dirty Great Omission Bobby Cannavale is very funny in his role as Mexican-born masseuse Javier who steals the scene every time he's in front of the documentary camera while revealing a strange dark side that gives him more edge into his performance. Jesse Bradford gives probably his finest and most abrasive performance to date as a scruffy, post-Fragile Trent Reznor-look-a-like, wannabe filmmaker with his artistic drive and surefire attitude. Bradford really gives the film not just a comic edge but also a brooding tone as he shines in his scenes with Cannavale and Lisa Kudrow. Kudrow also steals the show in her best performance to date as the cautious , secretive Mamie as she just brings a bit of humor but shows more range in her ability in drama as she really brings the emotional center of the film with Bradford as her confrontational partner. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a fantastic, dark performance as a malcontent bohemian who is looking for ways to break things down.Gyllenhaal uses her sassiness, sexiness, and demeanor to give her character an angst that is needed for the film. It's probably her most fulfilling performance since her 2002 breakthrough performance in "Secretary " as this performance nearly tops it as she along with Kudrow and Bradford give out masterful, realistic performances. The film's best performance overall goes to Steve Coogan as the openly-gay but troublesome Charley who tries to be opportunistic but fails. Coogan uses his British, slapstick-comedy style in classy ways for lighthearted humor while delivering some of his best dramatic work in heart-punching scenes as his character represents the flaws and foolishness of all the characters in this film. I do have minor complaints with this film. First was the use of title cards as a narrative device. Instead of a voiceover, the screen would split and one half would contain a description of something that I should be figuring out on my own. They actually started to aggravate me because they took me completely out of the film. Well, some of them anyway. As I got more comfortable with the film and they got less frequent and began imparting more peripheral context, I appreciated them a bit more. I just think they were overused..... I also wasn't completely convinced about Charley's (Steve Coogan) motivation in lying to Pam (Laura Dern) in such a cruel way to try and confirm his suspicions. I won't reveal how, but let's just say that he should have expected what was going to happen when the truth was revealed. That seemed like a misguided decision on Roos' part to doom that set of relationships so he could get to the ending that he wanted. I think that whole storyline, in fact, could have been handled a little more elegantly. Lazy writing in an otherwise carefully crafted script. "Happy Endings " is a flat-out, dark comedic masterpiece from Don Roos helmed by a superb cast led by Kudrow, Gyllenhaal, Bradford, and Coogan. This film is no Magnolia; a superior ensemble film with a similar set of interconnecting stories but with a heavy dose of style to go with its substance.This is much more straightforward storytelling. It's billed as a dark comedy, and while it has some comedic elements, don't expect hilarity. Instead, expect to be absorbed by the story, emotionally connected to the characters, and charmed by the presence of some fine actors at work. While it's not a safe film to watch with some scenes to be flat-out funny for all the wrong reasons, it's one of the smartest and more original films to come out. Don Roos proves himself again to be a king of shock with a dose of heart and questions about the moral values of America. Might not be the film of the year but it's certainly one of the best and smartest comedies to come out at an age of cheap humor that doesn't add much. Plus, like the title itself, it too wants to wish its audience of a real idea of happy endings.

◆◇◆◇ Mostly Beautiful Beats, Great Lyrics !!!!!!

DMX is da Shizat !!!!! DMX - Gotta Love His Music This is an excellent and heart felt CD. DMX talks about his life and what he's been through. He'd felt extreme pain and hate. I bought this CD because Im one of DMX's number 1 fans. The one song I really in this CD is called "Ruff Riders Anthem ." The beat of the music is gr8 and I enjoy listening it to it One bad side about this CD is that it's the non edited version which means it contains all those curse words young children shouldn't hear , but through these words you can really feel what DMX is going through. DMX hits hard on his sophomore effort.We know he was hungry for a spot on rapper status and he has not let his fans down.My N***as, Slippin' , and Ready To Meet Him are a few tracks to listen to and enjoy. The hype party liftin "No Love For Me" is the bangin' joint of the CD. Blackout and Keep Your Sh*t The Hardest will also get your blood rushin'. The Omen features DMX's alter ego Damien. The CD is very well done which features: The LOX, Drag-On, Swizz Beats, Mary J Blige, Marylin Manson, and more...Pick it up Y'all. This is the only DMX album I own and do not know if his previous albums are as good but I can assure of one thing and that is I will buy his album which is now in stores. This album will lead me to buy any albums DMX has coming out and probably any albums he is on, whether if it is a soundtrack or he is helping another rapper out on their album. If you enjoy DMX then you will definitely have to check out many other rap albums.. I recommend you go and check out Ice Cube, 2-Pac, and Lox.. You will definitely get a "rush" from these artists if you enjoyed DMX's "Flesh of my flesh....Blood of my blood.".. You need to go out to your nearest music store today and purchase a DMX product. You will be filled with adrenaline from start to finish !!!!!【DMX】 Flesh Of My Flesh... Blood Of My Blood DMX: Dark Hardcore Rap at it's Best... If you like to hear good music you should get this DMX Cd, it has a gr8 variety of songs and the lyrics are flowing and fit the beat.Most rap cd's tend to have one or two good songs then fade away. This cd can be listened from start to finish and be enjoyable. Unlike some rap cd's all the songs have the same strong beat but X does a good job of mixing his heart felt intense songs with some more rhythm and blues type. The reason I got this album was because his 1st album was really tight. I got his 2nd cd too which was also good but I his 1st a little more than the 2nd one. He just came out with a cd called "Then There Was X ". I haven't heard all the songs on that album but I've heard some songs off that album I like what I've heard so far. I DMX because he is original too like Tupac in a way. But even though there will never be another Tupac cause I his music too for his originality. See DMX is pretty deep too. I his cd's because it's kind of like Tupac cd's where I can sometimes relate to there life experiences. See he's original and his lyrics are deep and poetic like Tupac but N.Y. style. See Puffy is just whack because he has no originaltiy and he just talks about him being a high roller and all..... His lyrics don't even make sense sometimes because he is just trying to rhyme. Well DMX is Puffy so that's one of the reason I like DMX. If you haven't heard his music you should go check it out. IMO his cd's and I mean all of his cd's so far you'll be getting your money's worth. Well really you should go check it out and maybe you can relate to some of his experiences and also experience some of his Gr8 talent and jam it on your system.Slippin' provides an interesting look on his early life as a kid. Even the skits are amusing. Track15. Heat I really like this song, but most people don't seem to. A sort of horror movie sounding beat, with drum and bass and some other sounds, along with sound effects. Its a story track, like ATF. So, I really enjoy it. DMX basically tells of a robbery/shootout, but one of his boys die. It's about the feelings and experiences of this robbery, alot like the movie, Heat.Great track. The heat is on what's my next move Do I stick with the score, or get with the door Feds got the drop in the back of the Uhaul Snipers on the roof chance of getting away too small Tell'em like this look, it's gonna be a shoot out Whoever make it out meet back at the new house good luck If I don't see you again peace Let's handle our business with these government police You and you go out the front you take the back You cover the first two and I'll take the sack Boomer didn't make it, neither did Stan Now it's three n*ggaz, splitin' four hundred grand (aight) We all feel the loss but enjoy the profit, The game is the same and nothin gonna stop it Most times you make it one time you won't All a n*gga could really do is have a vest under the coat (come on) A lot has changed for me musically since buying this CD. This CD opened my eyes to the whole world of hip-hop , which I previously would have never given a chance. The album hasn't changed. It's still full of swears and violence. The genre hasn't changed either, many of the artists are like DMX in this way. What has changed, however, was my willingness to give other types of music a chance. Im glad I bought this album. Not only is it still one of my favorite albums, but it really opened my eyes to a whole world. 【Track Listings】01. My N***** (skit)02. Bring Your Whole Crew03. Pac Man Skit04. Ain't No Way05. We Don't Give A F**06. Keep Your S*** The Hardest07. Coming From (featuring Mary J. Blige)08. It's All Good09. Omen10. Slippin'11. No Love 4 Me (featuring Swizz Beatz/Drag-On)12. Dogs For Life13. Blackout (featuring The Lox/Jay-Z)14. Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood15. Heat16. Ready To Meet Him

◆Chicago◇: Whispy Musical, Whimpy Windy Film !!!!!

Femme Fatale In Sequins and Lights Not Quite All that jazz--but Close Enough !!Whatever else you can say about "Chicago " (and most of what you can say includes the word "pretty" ), it's a brave, gutsy film. It's a rare movie that gives you more ammunition by way of included analogy. At one point Renee Zellweger, as our "star" Roxie Hart, declares that she is unperturbed at not really having an act to take to the stage. After all, she rambles, she will be there, and that's all that matters. People will want to see her, whether there is any value in what she is doing or not. At another point, Richard Gere, as lawyer Billy Flynn, belts out a peppy, little number about giving them the old "Razzle Dazzle". You don't need to worry about the truth, or whether there is anything of substance going on, just give them a bunch of flash and glitter. In a movie that is pretty clearly nothing but a bunch of cotton-candy flash, and sideshow, sleight-of-hand Razzamatazz that expects us to show up (and like it) because of who will be there, that's pretty brave. GOOD POINTS 1. The sets, choreography and all the musical set-up etc. were just wonderful. A few numbers, specifically Cell Block Tango (which is six different "merry" murderesses singing about their crimes -- "I didn't do it, but if I did it, how could you tell me that I was wrong?") is fabulous --the singing, dancing, and sets just all come together -- and Catherine Zeta Jones "Act of Desperation" (I don't know if it has a formal name) is wonderful as well. 2. Queen Latifah is very convincing as the dealing/scheming "Mama" but unfortunately is only allowed one of her two (from the original play) songs. 3. John C. Reilly -- sings a song about how he's cellophane and does it to a vaudeville setting as a raggedy clown. He's very good in his acting scenes (and particularly well cast in this role). 4. Lucy Liu -- okay, she's only on screen for maybe 2 minutes as "Go To Hell" Kitty, but she's convincing and fun in those 2 minutes. 5. Catherine Zeta Jones -- I never thought of her as anything other than a pretty face (i.e. from Zorro and Entrapment) and her part in Traffic was really too brief to have a major opinion on, but she's GREAT in this movie. She's just got a presence about her that carries her through all of her scences. Her dancing and sing are very, very good, and really she just carries the whole role. She looks like she's having fun and you leave the theatre thinking she was MADE for the role of Velma Kelly. 【Catherine Zeta-Jones】 Chicago 【Renee Zellweger】 Where the Gin is Cold and the Piano's Hot !!!!! The non-musical portions of the film are shot in a gritty realism reminiscent of other recent period Chicago dramas such as The Road to Perdition or The Untouchables.There was some location shooting, but, for the most part Toronto stands in for cost reasons. This is a Miramax film. The talented cast have no difficulties going back and forth between these styles.Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere both got their start in stage musicals and there's a certain effortlessness to their performances as they return to a style of performing perfected in their youth. Zeta-Jones throws everything she has into her Velma - guts, sex appeal, and a level of desperation that's uncanny. Beneath her Louise Brooks bob and a veneer of brittle insouicance, there's a wounded woman and it comes through in spades. Gere is more laid back than he's been in films for years and obviously having a wonderful time, especially in his grandstanding trial scenes. Renee Zellweger, who was not trained as a stage musical performer, rises to the occasion. Her cameo face, beneath its blond marcelled permanent, shows Roxie's hunger for fame and her willingness to use any means necessary to achieve her goals. Her voice, while not as rich as the other leads, is more than adequate to the task and she has a dancer's control of her body. Only one person comes close to blowing her off the screen, that's Queen Latifah in the smaller role of Mama Morton. It's an inspired bit of casting and her big number, When You're Good To Mama, done Bessie Smith style, is a highlight. In adapting the source material, Marshall cut several numbers. Most of the deletions are unmissed. In general, stage musicals require more music than films for the same effect - those films which opt to keep an entire score often end up running three hours and more. Several of the missing numbers are heard as background scoring and the events covered in them (Me and My Baby, When Velma Takes The Stand ) are handled in other ways. My Own Best Friend, which exists mainly for the purposes of an Act One finale, was jettisoned completely. The two other missing numbers are Mary Sunshine's A Little Bit of Good which I would have liked to see as anything that gives Christine Baranski more screen time is good in my book (although the cut is understandable, given a reconception of the character ). The last missing number Class, a duet for Velma and Mama Morton, was filmed (and the set up for it is there ) but cut late in the film making process for reasons of pacing. Though Im unimpressed, there is something here. It does come through on the flash, and a bit of fun. Several dance numbers are well-executed, and some of the songs will stick in your head. What "Chicago " seems to want to list as its main assets are the fact that no one has seen a musical in twenty years, and the fact that it gets to attach Bob Fosse's name to itself. The bottom line comes down to its having very little else to say for itself, and I've seen "Cabaret ". It's at the bare bones level of being a thing that can call itself a musical, or even a movie. There's no heart. There's no emotion. There's no reason to care what's going on. There's just a great bunch of people going through the motions, and lots of shiny bits....... I recommend seeing it if you've eliminated all other options, which is to say that I don't really.I do not know if Chicago will lead to a revival of the film musical. It does show, however, that the genre is not dead and that talented people can make musicals to which a modern audience can respond. Add it to your 'To See' list. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, the Music, the High Energy...

◇ A Truly Enjoyable Teen Coming-of-age tale of Young loLve... ◆

Beautifully Youthful & Charmingly Crazy Nicole Needs Help...I was expecting "Crazy//Beautiful " to be HORRIBLE...from the commercials and previews it looked like another one of those teeny bopper chick flicks. I did not walk into this movie expecting to be impressed. Truth be told, I have a crush on Kirsten Dunst and just wanted to see her in something I could laugh at and still gaze upon the wonder of her face, body and emotions. I was disappointed. Because the movie was good. Well...it may be that, but it also has pretty good acting and a deep plot. Kirsten Dunst plays Nicole, a disgruntled daughter of a congressman who's always out looking for some fun.One day, while cleaning up trash on the beach (yeah, community service hours ) she runs into Carlos Nunez, played by Jay Hernandez and they realize that they go to the same highschool. After she gets him in trouble and has her way with shameless flirting she decides that this guy is for keeps and a lot of the movie is based on some of the crazy things that they do. But surpisingly that's not all this movie is about. It also has to do with the struggles of family. Nicole lives in a house with her dad, her sister and her stepmom, who obviously doesn't appreciate her presencese. Throughout the movie, you get hints of the control that her stepmom takes over Nicoles father, and its whats making Nicole drift farther apart from her him. It seems as if Nicole doesn't want to deal with the struggles of her mom being gone and so she takes it out by being stupid and crazy. Anyways, although it seems stupid, its actually a pretty good movie with good acting and a meaningful plot. In addition, the film is made with real perspective.It is subjective in the way that information is revealed to us and how our emotions change.. It feels like adolescence felt.. This is partially due to fantastic performances by the two leads and by Bruce Davison.. It is greatly due to the fabulous direction John Stockwell.. Good performances are also given by Taryn Manning and whoever played Carlos's mom.. The film is held back at times by its script, but it is made so well that it nearly overcomes these moments totally.. And it will leave you talking.. Because it's trying to say things and it says most of them.. And there are people you care about and understand.. Because it's a good movie.. And I hope that people will believe me.. Because I sure don't.. 【Jay Hernandez】Crazy/Beautiful【Kirsten Dunst】 Call me CRAZY, I thought it was BEAUTIFUL !!!!! Kirsten Dunst plays Nicole.I carefree teenage girl that is a little bada$$. She drinks, she stays out late, she cuts class, she does everything her father doesn't want her to do. Still dealing with her mothers suicide she thinks she is alone in the world. She meets and falls in with Carlos, played by Jay Hernandez. They are exact opposites. He really works hard in school, she doesn't. He respects his parents, she really doesn't. He is working real hard trying to plan for his future, she's not.Nicole is so carefree and is just living life one minute at a time with no worries, where Carlos is planning everything out and has worries. Carlos struggles with being with Nicole, who he has so much fun with and has fallen for, or focusing on school and working on getting into the naval academy. Kirsten and Jay do a wonderful job in this film. Both of the really bring their characters to life. I really can't see anyone else playing either of their roles. I really think Kirsten Dunst is an awesome actress. I don't think I have ever seen her in a bad role. The actress who plays her best friend also did a gr8 job. I how this movie was not stereotypical at all. One of my favorite parts is when Nicole's Dad is telling Carlos to stay away from his daughter for his own good, because she is destructive and will hold him back. You wouldn't think the father of a white girl would be telling his daughters latin boyfriend to stay away from her for that reason. On the other hand, Carlos' family does not want him seeing Nicole, not because she is white, but because she is making him lose sight of school. It is almost like he had two worlds. He had the one world, when he was in school and with his family and then his other world was with Nicole. When he was in that world he had so much fun and he never knew what they were going to do and he didn't have have any worries. It was like his two worlds could not co-exist, and he had to find common ground so he wouldn't have to choose. In the movie Nicole says to Carlos, "I want to be good for you ." I think this is where she realizes that she wants to be with him, but she doesn't want to hold him back from his dreams. Try as he might, Carlos just could not resist seeing Nicole.As Nicole is about to be sent away to special school, Carlos takes her away for a night. Nicole sees that her actions are bringing Carlos down, and when she sees that someone truly does her, she makes a move to change. Carlos takes Nicole back home and she and her father have a good talk. Finally they begin to understand each other. Crazy Beautiful was really a very decent film.I was very surprised and very pleasantly so I might add. Kirsten Dunst was very good, and Jay Hernandez was also. I have always thought that Bruce Davison is a very good performer, and one that is rarely recognized for being so. I can really recommend this film as a real life "Feel Good " film. And trust me, you don't have to be 17 or under to appreciate it. Crazy/Beautiful is a very sweet love story about overcoming the obstacles to romance.

● Disney Presents a Fun Teen Drama to Song!!!!! ○

Vanessa Anne Hudgens & Ashley Tisdale The Little TV Movie that Became a Phenomenon..Most tweens know that "High School Musical " was THE big Disney hit of 2006. Due to high demand by viewers, Disney channel replayed this one time and again, before releasing it to DVD , marketing soundtracks , and even incorporating it into their theme parks. Soon you'll be able to catch a brief performance in the daily MGM Studios parade. This is the story of your typical American high school.While a little sugary and unrealistic in some parts of the story (but that's what movie magic is for, right ), these teenagers will take you back to the peer pressure you and I faced when we went through high school. At first, being "different " or showing who you really are is considered taboo by the students, but Troy, the basketball team captain, and Gabriella, a math whiz, help their classmates see it's ok to be yourself. Your real friends should stand up with you when you follow your dreams. As the title implies, the plot and characters revolve around the East High School's Winter Musicale. (An eccentric drama teacher adds comedy to the film. ) Troy and Gabriella meet at a holiday party on vacation and find out they sing well together. Back at school though, Troy the jock is afraid to let his teammates see him try out for the show, while Gabriella is eager to get out of the rut of being considered the "math genius " of the school. Their friends try to interfere when they figure out what's happending, and a little chaos and confusion ensues. But it wouldn't be a Disney movie if it didn't all turn out right in the end. High school may not have been a fun, musical ride, but this film manages to present a winning soundtrack that your kids really got excited about, while teaching the valuable lesson of being yourself and not giving in to pressure. Corbin Bleu (of "Catch That Kid ", etc.) gives a good performance as Troy's best friend, Chad Davenport. Ashley Tisdale plays "Sharpei ", an over-the-top girl who wants the lead in the musical more than anything. 【Vanessa Anne Hudgens】High School Musical【Corbin Bleu】 It is very Harmonizing High school Musical is a very good movie and it has a good plot to the movie. The plot of the movie that it evolves two people name troy and Gabriella. There characters thought the entire movie is put into various kinds of situations and they finally sing something somewhere in the movie. It has a mix of drama, comedy and it has a very good harmony with the entire cast. The entire cast works wonderful with everyone. It seems that they are very close together with each other. I love the music that is in the movie..... This is a musical, and probably the first musical that your teens can really relate to since it stars all teens. Once in a while you can catch this on Disney with "close caption " for the songs.They did this at least once that I've seen and I thought that was a real cool way to get your *****s to learn the songs. Then I read in our church's school bulletin that all the 8th grade girls had a party in the gym where they watched this and were singing the songs and having a ball. So that just confirmed for me that older lovers and teens should this. Although Ashley, Lucas and Vanessa all sing their own songs the star of the movie (Zac) doesn't. Instead Andrew Seeley sings this part. It's a good voice and I would have believed it was Zac, but it's hard to believe they couldn't find a star that could sing. The songs concern two things: Song type 1 tells us what's going on in the story such as "get your head in the game" when Troy is trying to concentrate on bball instead of Gaby. There's also "Stick To The Status Quo" where all the teens from the various "cliques" sing about how everyone should stick to the status quo... this one's actually pretty funny !!!!!Song type 2 are songs from the musical that is being put together throughout the movie. Although these directly relate to the play itself, there seem to be hidden messages within that display the actors feelings.... There are only about a dozen songs altogether so it's just enough to keep your lovers interested without overwhelming them. The performances that go along with the songs are excellent. The actors seem to fully get into it as if they were performing on Broadway!!They don't just stand there and sing, they dance, they perform, they entertain and they are Gr8. Besides being a musical, it is also a comedy/drama. It's a drama because it covers the serious topic of cliques, but they do it in a very entertaining and fun way to make it funny at the same time Because of this, your lovers can learn Mostly they will learn that they should be willing to try to do the things they want to do no matter what the "status quo " says they should do. They will also learn that they should respect and believe in their friends - because if your friend is passionate about something you should stick up for them instead of trying to push them away from it. Then there are those snobby teens that are always trying to enforce this status quo - in the end they might learn a little, but not as much as the teens who are used to being pushed around. High School Musical was brilliant, most of the songs were so catchy and fun.Vanessa Anne Hudgens was amazing. She was clearly the star of the show. The stunning looks and suprising outstanding voice stood her apart from anyone else. But with the acting talent of Ashley Tisdale been so impressive then it was clear that she wasn't that far ahead. My biggest negative about the movie, was Zac Efron. I'm sorry to say that his performance was disappointing. Singing isn't his best feature so hide it. Dancing, he was either one step behind or one step in front. One word Disappointing. Zac needs to IMPROVE !!!!

■ Vertical Limit Ups and Downs ■

K2 is a STAR Baby !!!!! Adrenaline Rush !!This movie starts off with a snippet of the Eagles song , "Take it to The Limit " sung by a young Annie Garrett (Robin Tunney) hanging on the side of a mountain. Annie is there with Royce Garrett (Stuart Wilson II ) her father and Peter Garrett (Chris O'Donnell ) her brother, they are mountain climbers all. The father has been doing it for years and he is good, very good, knows what hes doing at all times, he has passed those skills on to his daughter and son. After singing a snippet from the song MacArthur Park which is all about the tragedy of leaving a cake out in the rain, a real tragedy strikes and as a result the father dies. Annie doesn't know how to deal with it or Peter who she holds responsible, even three years later when they meet at the base of K2. Annie is preparing to take a summit team on a speed ascent of K2, she can't bring herself to talk to Peter or deal with their fathers' death, she doesn't want to deal with it. As Annie ascends K2 a storm quickly gathers and her summit team is trapped in a mountain cavern , the storm is followed by an avalanche, their cavern is covered and they are in serious need of help. Peter who has not climbed since the tragic day their father was lost mounts a team of six to rescue the three survivors. Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn ) who lost his wife to K2 and some say his mind was lost as well, volunteers to lead the rescue team. In addition to the $500,000 offered as a reward, Peter soon finds that Montgomery has another reason for volunteering to lead the rescue mission. The best part of this movie is that it was shot on location on an actual mountain peak.. Them there mountains that you see are real and they are un-forgiving.. The cold and the ice are real and in this movie they become a living breathing thing of beauty with a danger that is sudden and intense to the extreme.....This movie opens with a level of intensity that will carry you through the remainder of the movie. The action scenes are crisp and they practically jump off the screen, you never know where the danger will come from next. Scott Glenn is Gr8; you can feel the pain of his character, the resolve and his determination. Robin Tunney and Chris O'Donnell are well cast as brother and sister; the scenes they have together from first to last ring true and touch the heart. There is a supporting cast of characters that are fun to watch and they bring some welcome comic relief to the proceedings. 【Chris O'Donnell】 Vertical Limit 【Izabella Scorupco】 Vertical Limit-Hold Your Breath... For you adrenaline addicts, this movie is for you especially.In the first scene of the movie, we see Chris O'Donnell on a mountain with his father, sister and a few of his friends. When something goes wrong at the top, they all are at risk. This is when his dad tells him to cut the rope that was holding his father on to him and his sister. With this amount of weight, the metal bolt that was holding them on would have broken. He bravely cuts the wire leaving his father to have a gruesome and sad death. The movie cuts to three years later where is on a mountain as a photographer for National Geographic.He finds out that his sister was at a site near by and was about to leave on a hike to the top of the mountain. The burden of his father's death distances her from him. She resents what he did.... Bill Paxton played the love interest of his sister. He was to go on the hike with them to promote a new airline. He is an extremely wealthy man, and we later find out that he was a coward by lying about a prior situation where they were stranded with short supplies. They leave for their hike to the top of the infamous K2 mountain. The head hiker warns the team to go back because of weather, but the ignorant character than Paxton plays wants to continue. Winds pick up and an avalanche strikes.The team is engulfed by snow and ultimately stranded inside an ice cave. O'Donnell's character quickly agrees to go up the mountain to save them. He was part of a team of six climbers all at that site on the mountain. To break through ice once they find the victims, they needed explosives. That is why they brought Nitrogen canisters. This made the journey more interesting because they are explosive and extremely powerful. They later find out that the sun triggers them. So when the sun heats up the nitrogen, they will explode. With the limited time that they had to work with (36 Hours) , they asked an old man that climbed everyday on that mountain to help them. You might remember of him from the trailer as the guy that looked like he needed a shower. He agrees to help them and save the three remaining people stuck in the cave. This movie had a thrill every minute. From the very first scene, to the final stunt when they are almost going to die in the cave, this movie was action packed. This was not empty action though; it was well thought out and suspenseful as well.It is a story of heroism and heartbreak. Vertical Limit delivers.....So how did I like this movie? Lets see how Vertical Limit stacks up. Ratings are from one to five stars........ Note that this is a weak five.What made it a weak five is the way that four people died to save one and the movie ended quite abruptly. I how Bill Paxton can play a great good guy, and you can him because he can also play a great bad guy. In this movie, he played as the enemy even though you don't realize this until well into the movie. I recommend this movie to anyone that wants to have their heart beating and feel the danger. There was action every minute of the movie, and suspense that was carefully written.

+++ Martin Scorses's, The Departed is the next Godfather +++

A Welcome Back Party for Martin Scorsese Eyes Glued to the ScreenForget everything you ever knew about Martin Scorsese's gangster movies right now.Just forget everything. Forget New York City, and forget about Robert De Niro too. Forget about all the droning voice-over narrations, the working class trench gangsters, and the corrupt police officers. (Okay, maybe not so much the corrupt officers.) Forget about the idea that greed is what will ultimately do gangsters in. Forget the Italians as the infallible kings of the cinematic mafia.Forget it all, dismiss it all as last millennium's news...... It's time to embrace the mafia possibilities of the 21st century: The Irish mafia.The city of Boston. Gangsters being done in by the anger of those at some other end of the complex, gray system we've come to know as "law " ..Leonardo DiCaprio, who's become a pretty good - if not a gr8 - actor. The Departed is a very appropriate title for Martin Scorsese's newest gangster movie, because it represents a true departure for his gangster movies. The change may shock a lot of hardcore Scorsese fans. Admittedly, while I wasn't expecting the worst, I was questioning what Scorsese could have seen beyond the wiseguys he knew so well. I needn't have worried. The Departed opens with a brief voice-over monologue from Jack Nicholson, playing the role Robert De Niro probably would have played had The Departed been made ten years ago. The monologue was nicely complimented by the presence of the classic Rolling Stones song Gimme Shelter. Just as with the song, the movie sucks you in right from the opening chord. After those first few scenes, there is no turning back. It's been twelve years now since Martin Scorsese last worked with Robert De Niro.It's easy to wonder why Scorsese didn't cast his pinch-hitting gangster to play Frank Costello, his don of the hour in The Departed . But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made, and the more I realized De Niro would have been completely wrong for the part of Costello. Think of De Niro's most well-known gangster characters and what made them memorable. De Niro's most popular gangster characters have often had some kind of sympathetic element to them. Vito Corleone had a strong sense of social justice. Jimmy Conway was a nice guy who publicly conducted himself like a gentleman. Sam Rothstein seemed to have an underlying desire to be legitimate. De Niro's gangsters are more anti-hero than actual villain, and you understand the unique ticks and complexities of each one. 【Jack Nicholson】 The Departed　【Matt Damon】 One Cop, Two Cop, Three Cop, Four- Is He a Cop Anymore?The Departed is about lies and their consequences more than anything. All three of the main characters are liars who lie at the most extreme level they can get away with. All three end up suffering the consequences. The movie seems to take its sweet time to let the anti-lying message sink in, however, instead of recklessly racing toward its climax like most other thrillers. It's a very refreshing change from all the Silence of the Lambs imitators because it lets the horror of the scenario sink in. Thanks to the plot, Scorsese doesn't have to use the common, cheap atmosphere-creating tricks - silhouettes, darkness, creaking, heavy breathing. You merely meet the characters and watch with fascination as they slowly become trapped in their situations. There are ni invisible forces, there are just characters forced to endure the consequences of the spider web they've created for themselves. The performances carry the film.If Matt Damon had any pretty-boy-power left, it disappears in his role as chief Boston police officer Colin Sullivan, who is a rat for notorious criminal Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson ). What makes the performance so impressive is Damon's two faces -- he's obviously a sort of "bad guy," but the scenes with his girlfriend, Madolyn (Vera Farmiga), lead one's emotions to ambivalence. Leonardo DiCaprio takes the opposite role as Billy Costigan, one of Costello's hitmen -- but he's a rat for the Boston police. Nicholson's performance is one of the best of his career -- he only signed up for the part because he thought that Costello was the ultimate incarnation of evil, and Nicholson fills that role perfectly. The best part is that he's a villain which you can like -- you kinda want him to die, but only after you've enjoyed watching him on screen for long enough. The story's more minor characters are also well-portrayed -- Martin Sheen is powerful as the dedicated Captain Queenan, and Ray Winstone, as Costello's right-hand man Mr. French, is effective as well. It was years before the [repulsively corrupt] Academy awarded Scorcese Best Director, but it's easy to see what sets The Departed apart from his other work.The Aviator is a solid film, but it's not direction-oriented, and it's easy to see how one could perceive it as tedious. The same could be said for Gangs of New York. But it's difficult to imagine what The Departed would have been like without Scorcese -- every scene, suspenseful or dramatic, is unpretentious and straight-forward -- exactly what the script requires. The Departed is an Academy Award Winning film that won best screenplay, best editing, best picture and best achievement in directing. Would I dare share my humble opinion on a film with such honors You bet I would, in fact I could not resist. Anytime a film starts off being narrated by Jack Nicholson you know it's going to be good. Before the opening credits even begin to roll Scorsese captures the gritty essence of the story pulling the viewer in, hook line and sinker. The stellar cast need little introduction, except when noting their talented on screen performances. My hat is off to DiCaprio, Damon and Nicholson. The pacing in this 151 minute film is pretty good as it moves with ferocity ultimately reaching an exciting pinnacle. The Departed is a film about lies, and the witty script, intense direction and performances give their honest best.If you walk away saying that you didn't like the film or at least couldn't appreciate some part of it, I might say that you're just as full of shit as Officer Sullivan. The cinematography and camera work offer some wonderful hues and moving close up shots of the lead cast. The film's gaudy magnificence unfolds splendidly offering the right amount of intrigue and suspense. This is one of those rare films that's going to have a wide audience where adrenaline pumping action junkies and the educated theatrical types come together.

■ Seven Samurai ( Shichinin no samurai ) ■

Twinkle Twinkle, Killer Kikuchiyu.. Ronin On Empty: Kurosawa's Seven SamuraiAkira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai " begins with a stark credit sequence: muted white letters on a velvety black background, scored by ominous koto drums.It is the last time this film, so much more complex than your average samurai flick, does anything in pure black and white. Seven Samurai is an epic tale of seven heroes that stand up to fight for a town of farmers under threat of attack from 40 bandits. These bandits come through on a yearly basis, taking the crops (rice) and killing those who would resist them. With the harvest season coming soon, some of the elder members of the village have decided that enough is enough, and wander to a far off city in a quest to find samurai. The rumor has been that a group of samurai helped a village survive some years ago, and that if the village could find a way to pay these men, they too could be saved by the swordsmen. The thing working against them though, is that they do not have much to offer, and without the upcoming crops, they are going to starve. So they give up eating healthy in order to use their current rice as an enticement to possible defenders. It's not a successful quest at first, but as luck would have it, the journeying party comes across a man who takes pity on the farmers. He is of high moral standards, and carries himself in a very distinguished way.With early scenes that he has, you can see immediately that this is someone of strong character, who could really do a huge service for this village. Though the going is very difficult, he takes on the task of putting a team of samurai together in order to go back and defend the village from the impending attack of the bandits. Among them is a friend from the past, a kid just learning how to use his sword, and several other highly developed characters that each has their own unique attributes within the story. They put together quite a good group of seven samurai, and head back to defend a village for no other reason than to do what is right... 【Akira Kurosawa】Seven Samurai【Toshiro Mifune】 The Heart is Stronger than the Sword Kurosawa expanded the samurai movie concept by introducing themes of significant interest over and above the obvious superhero conquers all potential.Perhaps the most important theme developed in The Seven Samurai is one that echoes through Kurosawa's entire oeuvre. Kurosawa was the most westernized of Japanese directors of his generation and became increasingly so over the course of his career, much to the consternation of Japanese film critics and, to some extent, audiences. In his early films, Kurosawa pretty much adhered to the relatively rigid Japanese precepts of culture that view the individual as a cog in the machinery of the society.Kurosawa's later films increasingly emphasized the more flexible humanism and emphasis on individuality characteristic of western culture. The Seven Samurai stands at the threshold of Kurosawa's gradual shift in view. We are shown, in this film, mainly the detrimental consequences of the strong Japanese insistence of acting on social obligations. The farmers rigidly adhere to cowardly unwillingness to fight, the bandits can't abandon their raid on the village when they find it well defended, and even the samurai can do nothing other than fight and die for honor. It all seems so futile in the end.We are also shown the stubborn persistence of caste divisions, even when the samurai and farmers must join together in defense of the community. The romance between the young samurai and the village girl is still scandalous and Kikuchiyo must shamefully hide his heritage as the son of a farmer. Only Kambei, who symbolizes reason and wisdom, is able to bridge the gap between the castes to any extent. A second important theme in The Seven Samurai is the transience of bonds and community. In the middle segment of the film, the farmers and the samurai gain mutual respect as they become more acquainted with one another. In the end, however, the villagers go about their business in disregard to the warriors who saved their village and their lives. They prove as deceitful and selfish, in their own way, as the bandits. Even among the samurai, we gain a sense of the fragility of their bond. They come together in temporary alliances that form based on battles lines but the bonds are broken by either death, victory, or defeat. In the end, the transience of human ties is linked to life and death itself. The bonds that each person forms are dictated by the chance of when and where he or she was born and who happens to be there concurrently. Then we die alone. The Seven Samurai offers a complex message of human honor, decency, striving, and endurance, along with a sense of futility and the ultimate emptiness of glory. It may not quite qualify as a theme, but it is also worth observing the Kurosawa's film work is mainly male cinema. His are rooster-flicks, not chick-flicks. Women in Kurosawa films are mostly abominations; either uncontrollably sexual or pathologically vicious..... I can never find any faults in the film and I have looked. There are few if any wasted shots to fill time. There is no useless subplot and no fluff. Each scene builds either on the plot or on the characters depth.There are no "hit " songs of the day, a trait of modern films which generally makes such modern films little more than glorified music videos or TV commercials. If you enjoy action films and can tolerate reading Japanese sub titles you need to see this film.If you are a film fan and enjoy the art of film making you need to own this film. All other films can be measured by the quality of this masterwork.What a pity modern film makers seem to rely more on technology and star power rather than the use of artful camera and direction work. Akira Kurosawa-There is no Equal

● It's Murderball, Not Rugby, Yo!!!!! ●

Murderball will absorb you !!!! Quadriplegics Re-Invent the Wheel (chair) Keith Cavill was hurt in a motocross accident just ten months before Murderball was shot. Following him around a bit gives the audience more of a feeling as to the depression, the pain, the adjusting that happens right after a disabling accident. At one point, near the end of the movie, before Team U.S.A. faces Team Canada in the Paralympic Games, Zupan visits a rehabilitation center to talk about Quad Rugby. Keith Cavill is there, and shows much interest, asking to sit in the custom made Rugby chair (which looks ancient-Gladiator and modern at the same time ). I feel as though I've talked more about the story behind the movie than the movie itself, but in all honesty, that's how Murderball felt. After a painful opening sequence with Zupan simply putting on a pair of pants, the disability side of things faded into the background as the players' personalities came to the forefront, and the Canadian-U.S.A. rivalry was shown in full force. There are moments when the movie dips back and doesn't let you forget you're watching men who have limited mobility. When they show a segment of the "You Too Can Have Sex Again " learner's video. When they show the men in their day-to-day life. When they introduce Keith. Like the aforementioned "ass-view " shot, everything else in Murderball was done with the featured players in mind. The accompanying music is speed metal. Each man's story is told from his own perspective, rather than the normal wide angle of a documentary. The tone and color of the movie are gritty, the shots are fast-moving. There's a lot of cutting out from a focused point to eventually see the bigger picture. I was enthralled with Murderball and found a lot of interesting information, both in the DVD extras , and on the Internet (what-oh-what did we do before the Internet? ).This movie should be on every adult's to-see list. Some harsh language, a few sex bits, and maybe even the brutality of the truth preclude this from child viewing. The only thing that annoyed me with this was the contrived reunion between Zupan and his High School friend who was the unintentional cause of his paralysis. The two hadn't spoken since just after the accident. Though it was an emotional reunion, it was the only part in the movie where I felt the filmmakers were intentionally tugging on heartstrings to elicit audience sympathy. 【Mark Zupan】 Murderball 【Keith Cavill】Motivational & High Energy. Many Excellent Extras. "Murderball" is the rough-and-tumble world of U.S. Wheelchair Quad Rugby, a sport with essentially tank-like wheelchairs, a ball, male pride, and a whole lot of youthful testosterone and adrenaline.. There are no helmets, no shin guards, only speed, determination, and how hard you can slam your chair into your opponent to make them give up the ball/slow them down..... I can safely say that none of the disabled guys in Murderball is a stereotype and, therefore, are very interesting and indeed admirable. We need to see documentaries like it to broaden our understanding of the world, to know that quadriplegics aren't all taking it lying down. One of the players was a quadruple amputee and he was purely amazing to watch in action. At the end Team USA visits Walter Reed Hospital for the Iraq war veterans and I swear those baby-faced kids couldn't have been more than fifteen!! Unfortunately the documentary ends without interviewing any of them. I guess the implication is that they are the future of the sport. The Special Features have two commentaries by actors, directors and producer that may have helped me out with the ending, but I wasn't interested in them when there was the Larry King Live interview with Team USA that answered my questions.. I appreciated the update on Joe Soares who had been fired from coaching Team Canada and was applying to coach Team USA.. I'll let you discover how well his application was received..... Murderball is a difficult movie to forget and you can be guaranteed the same destiny if you choose to view it.I'm not sure what to think of the two jocks, Soares and smart-*ss Mark Zupan. I was rooting more for Team Canada just because they were the underdogs and not because Zupan seemed too full of himself. So was Soares, although Soares was also a caring father and husband. I Keith Cavill, the newly-disabled, young man and the other charismatic members, Bob Lujaro, Andy Cohan, Scott Hogsett, and Mark's friend Christopher Igoe who lives with the guilt of being the reason Mark was injured. The soundtrack is jamming, full of "Nu-Metal " music, I think, but the only one I recognized was the last one that was in the movie, "Eternal Sunshine " of the Spotless Mind. At only 86 minutes, Murderball deftly packs in a dramatic sports story blended with human interest that lets us get to know the main players well. The ending seemed weak to me and it targeted jocks more than women, but its well worth watching. What could have been an all around sympathetic day-in-the-life documentary is instead a hard hitting, fast-paced, well done documentary about Olympic Athletes.. Who happen to play their sport in a wheelchair...... Never condescends. Action is enhanced by emotion.

■ A Sexy Daniel Craig Took Over as James Bond... □

Shaken or stirred? Do I look like a give a damn? "Do I Look Like I Give a Damn?" Saith the New, Improved Bond.I went into Casino Royale with relatively high expectations. I wasn't exactly expecting a masterpiece but I did hope for a good time. What I got was a smart Bond film with a well developed plot and some excellent action scenes.Casino Royale is seen as the revitalization of the Bond series. After the film producers nearly crashed their series into the ground with Die another Day it was time to bring the give the series a long awaited re neweral with ideas. And just like that they did exactly what Batman Begins did with their series and how we forgot just how bad Batman and Robin was. Now we are forgotten of Die another day and just about every other poor "Bond " film. Casino Royale's plot is much more thought out and developed than you might think.Le Chiffre is a banker who stores terrorist money and funds their needs. Bond has just foiled his attempt to export the money and is in desperate need to acquire large amounts of money so he won't be killed. To do so he sets up a casino and plans to take the winnings as he sees him self as an experienced card player. Bond is called to play in the card game and beat him. He goes with Vesper Lynd as she is another agent hired to play his wife. While there Bond faces Le Cheiffre's hit men as well as many other unexpected surprises. I must say the Bond series is back to being the best spy series ever.It has been completely revitalized with this mesmerizing piece of work. This Bond film was pretty much a giant prequel as it is James Bond first mission. The film even contains a retro feel and it seems like you are watching one out of the sixties, especially in the intro. The direction gives the film a nice look as it is steady and nicely even. The filming locations are wonderful and very pretty. We see the Bahamas and Montenegro and provide excellent locations. The beaches in Bahamas are very pretty and the castles and casino and Montenegro are quite breath taking. Scenery is usually important in a Bond film and this film pays lots of attention to that fact.【David G. Wilson】Casino Royale【Callum McDougall】 The Moose Hole - Bond Begins Casino Royale is most notable for the debut of actor Daniel Craig as James Bond.. I had been skeptical about his abilities, but his athleticism and acting skills were impressive.. He is quite different from more recent Bond actors; he's more of a blue collar type who doesn't mind getting dirty or bloodied, and just happens to look good in a suit and tie.. Craig also effectively delivers subtle humor, and forsakes the double-entendres and glib humor so common in earlier Bond films....I the following scene when Bond initially ordered a dry martini while at the casino: Wait... three measures of Gordon's; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel.Got it??? He seemingly made-up the drink order off the top of his head, and grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. Judi Dench continues her role as M in this series despite the Bond actor.Although her scenes are limited, I think that she is impressive and has become less of a scold. Yes, she still butts heads with Craig's character. However, she is also sympathetic at times, and probably has a soft-spot for her newest "00 " agent, despite the bad publicity he generates. The two "Bond girls " in Casino Royale are Caterina Murino as Solange and Eva Green as Vesper Lynd. Murino's role is brief but done well enough to be believable. Lynd on the other hand plays a key role in Bond's development as an agent. She is attractive, but not exotic, despite her French lineage. The villain Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen ) is rather low-key for a Bond bad-guy, but his sly demeanor and a nasty scar crossing his left eye are enough to send chills down your spine. There is also an assortment of lesser villains and a few characters who involved in a sub-plot to double-cross Bond. They were all convincing enough for me. Casino Royale does not have all the classic elements of Bond films.There are few flashy gadgets besides cell phones and lap-top computers, and the character Q is absent altogether. Also, the humor quotient has been dialed way back. But the plot is well put-together and interesting to follow. The terrific cinematography and exotic locales are present in this Bond film, and Martin Campell's directing pulls together a rather long movie into a thrilling film experience with incredible action and stunts. I thought Casino Royale was a terrific addition to the James Bond 007 film series. If the producers continue on the current path, this film series will continue to endure for years to come. Overall I would have to say this is the best Bond film in a very long time. It has almost every necessary element to succeed, it has charm, wit, and action but it takes the story a large step foreword. This is a big revitalization and in the next film it should be a nice continuation. Daniel Craig was worthy as Bond and should enjoy playing him for years to come. I believe this film will change the Bond films for the better. For the first time in quite a while Bond finally does the series some well deserved justice it has needed ever since the films got boring and predictable. I highly encourage you to see this film, as it was an excellent Bond film. If you have the chance to see it than watch it, you won't regret it. Freakin' Awesome..

○ Make An Appointment With "Nurse Betty" ●

From Kansas to LA, and Oz in Between.. A Dark & Funny Treat with a Fantastic Cast !!!!The lives we lead are usually not the lives we wish we led. In a world so filled with cruelty and disillusion, we search daily for an escape from our own realities.. Some of us turn to religion, some to sports, others to drugs.. And some - whether they admit it or not - turn to soap operas.. Such is the case with Betty in Neil Labute's disarmingly subversive comedy, Nurse Betty.. Betty Sizemore, played to perfection by a winningly naive Renee Zellweger, is truly obsessed with her favorite soap opera, "A Reason to Love", and more specifically with one of its lead characters, Dr. David Ravell (Greg Kinnear in a subtle, effective performance).... It becomes quickly apparent that the nature of her obsession doesn't lie in the quality of the television show - it is no better or no worse than a thousand other soap operas that have aired throughout the years, hackneyed dialogue and predictably "crazy" plots firmly in place.Rather, it seems that Betty, an average woman working an average job in an average place - with a far below average husband - has turned towards the show to escape the banality in which she lives.Echoing one of Dr. Ravell's own lines from the show, Betty believes that "somewhere out there, there is something special for me ." Thus, after witnessing the horrific scalping and subsequent murder of her husband by a pair of hit men (Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman ) , Betty slips easily and safely into a fantasy world of her own, deciding rather matter-of-factly to leave her husband (his death not having registered in her reality) and set out to find the true, abandoned of her life, Dr. Ravell. The fact that the character is entirely fictional - and that she has no interest in the actor who plays the character - doesn't seem to concern her either. She is happily oblivious to the reality of real life. 【Morgan Freeman】Nurse Betty【Renee Zellweger】 Zellweger Brings "Betty" To Life. Betty Sizemore (Renee Zellweger ) is a waitress in a diner in Fair Oaks, Kansas, who loves watching her favorite soap, A Reason to Love. Her husband, Del (Aaron Eckhardt ), is a chauvinistic used car salesman (in attitude, not unlike other characters he's played).It turns out that Del has something that doesn't belong to him and Charlie (Morgan Freeman ) and Wesley (Chris Rock ), two hitmen, are sent to retrieve it. The incident that follows throws Betty completely into a fantasy world where she believes that she was once engaged to the main character in A Reason to Love, Dr. Dave Ravell (Greg Kinnear ). She drives to LA in la-la land to find him and resume their relationship. On the way she stops at a bar and shares life stories with the bartender.Betty tells her she's heading to Los Angeles to meet her old fiance who is a surgeon at Loma Vista (the fictitious hospital on A Reason to Love ). It's wonderful to see the expressions on the bartender's face as she tries to figure out if Betty's serious or not.When the hitmen discover that the object of their mission is not there in Kansas, and that Del's wife, Betty, has skipped town they suspect she has it and track her down. I remember reading about "Nurse Betty " months ago, about who the director was, the other films he had done, and thinking how much I really wanted to see it. But by the time it finally came out I had forgotten who the director was and all I remembered was that I wanted to see it, so I went in completely naive and unprejudiced. There are those rare times that I have gone to see a movie knowing nothing about it and come away deeply affected (Dangerous Beauty, The Piano, Primary Colors, Summer of Sam, to name a few ). It's gone the other way too, where the movie turned out to be pure tripe. But Nurse Betty...I had no idea it was made by the same guy that did In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors.. I'm sure it would have changed my perception.. In the Company of Men made me want to take a pipe cleaner and scrub out my brain; it was vile and disturbing...and amazing and fascinating..... When I see a movie I just want to be told a story, I want to buy the whole thing. When I take my seat there is no pessimistic barrier in place, only child-like hope and anticipation. I had stopped reading my book and was so caught up in the story that my face was mimicking the expressions of Lumiere and Cogsworth. I the movie, I can't help it. If the filmmakers have done their job, I get completely drawn into the story. In Nurse Betty, when she finally meets Dr. Ravell, the interplay between the characters was magic to me. I want to see it again for that scene, and for the one in the Arizona bar. There were only a few times where the magic wore off and I found myself wondering, "Would Charlie really be saying that? " I found Charlie and Wesley's interactions uncharacteristic at times, but by the end it all made sense.It turned out to be one of the warmer aspects of the film, how Charlie put this last hit in perspective with the rest of his life.Renee showed unbelievable range and talent. When she checked out of reality she was anything but vacuous; her fantasy world was real. It was heartbreaking to see it finally crumble around her, it gave me goose bumps. If she's not nominated for an Oscar, I'll be surprised. The writing was brilliant, the story original, the dialog sharp.This is a finely crafted film, an example of how the collaborative process can near perfection. Coming off a summer movie season that is more lackluster than blockbuster, Nurse Betty is a refreshing romp down an Oz-bricked road (Wizard references abound, including the gingham-checked dress Betty wears at the diner and the fact that she's helped by several people on her quest ). It's always clever, often witty and has more than a few surprises up its sleeve. Great performances are turned in all around, especially from Zelleweger, Kinnear, and Freeman in truly difficult roles. Had either of them hit a false note in their characterizations, the film would have been a sure-fire disappointment. It is a credit to their skill - and that of director Neil LaBute's - that the film never falls flat, never feels anything less than fresh. For LaBute, this film marked a massive change in direction from his previous harsh "comedies ", In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors. Working for the first time from a script he didn't write, and indeed, directing a true comedy for the first time, LaBute shows he definitely has the chops to make it as an independent voice working within Hollywood. Thanks to Zellweger, Nurse Betty is the feel-good movie of the season.. She knows how to cure an ill box office season....

◆ Lillix Knows How To Rock !!!! ◇

Lillix: A Legend in the Making !!!! Lillix Is Their Own... They might be cute as all hell, but British Columbian all girl outfit Lilliix are not just your ordinary girl group. They play their own instruments and list Queen as one of their influences. Since they hail from Canada, Lillix has been trying real hard to shake comparisons to that other Canadian - Avril Lavigne. But what Lillix is not, is a pseudo-punk girl group. They're a quartet - Louise Burns on bass, Kim Urhahn on drums, guitarist Tasha-Ray Evin and her sibling, keyboardist Lacey-Lee and they have a real viable talent. Because Lillix has worked with such producers as Linda Perry [of 4-Non Blondes fame, and who was responsible for Pink's new musical incarnation], Glen Ballard[Alanis Morissette], and the Matrix[Avril Lavigne] ; that pop edge is still very present, but there is definitely an edgier more refined quality to Lillix's music. Lillix was introduced to the music world as the group who sang the theme song of the WB show "What I Like About You " [they sang a rendition of the Romantics' classic by the same name] and with the release of their first single "It's About Time " and a album entitled "Falling Uphill ", Lillix is poised to make a lot of noise. The Evin sisters sing much of the Lillix lead vocals along with Burns and though Im not yet able to discern one from the other, they all have very strong sounds. "It's About Time " in my eyes is probably one of the weakest tracks from "Falling Uphill " but it has that catchy hook and chorus that makes it memorable so I understand the logic of having it be the first single, it plays to that teen-angst [the girl themselves are teens ] feeling, but the songwriting is perhaps a bit more mature: "Time is creeping behind me, surrounding around me/Fading the words so desperately/Now give me a reason that I can believe in/Time is something you can't rewind " **** Falling Uphill ****【Lillix】**** Better Than Avril, Not As Good As Canadian Bacon. As usually happens, some tracks on the CD were even better than their hit.I really "Tomorrow ": the first song on the track had a wonderful chorus that, surprisingly, didn't even mention the word tomorrow: "And I wake up, put on my makeup/Pick up the phone, nobody's home/I need to break out, get me some takeout/Stand inside a crowd, I want to scream out loud . . . " etc. The next song, "Quicksand ", was a little bit thicker (like the name) a style. However, it, too, was a wonderful song. Then I went straight to "Dirty Sunshine ." The only song with a curse word-- the s-word-- this song is also a bit slower, and with a different meaning--but a gr8 song nonetheless. Etc. etc. to "Invisible "--, just --to "Because " and "Promises "--definitely not what I had expected . . . though someday I might like them. I was simply WOWED by "Fork in the Road ", however, and simply ecstatic the hear the terrific remake of "What I Like About You "--such a great song Tomorrow - Good lyrics !! 5 starsQuicksand - Love it !! 4.8 starsIt's About Time - possibly my favorite. The first single off the album, gr8 words, guitar, and vocals. 5 starsDirty Sunshine - great song, I think it's the 2nd single. Catchy beat. 4.7 starsSick - GREAT rock song!!!!!! Fast lyrics, but thankfully you have the booklet at the front of the CD to help you with those. Wonderful beat and gr8 voice, as usual....4.9 starsInvisible - I'm still half and half about this one. They sound almost mechanical at first in the chorus. I like the idea of this one, which makes it better. A little slow for me, but still okay. 4.2 stars24/7 - Good song !! The first sentence is unbelievably hard to understand, and the bookelt doesn't tell you the words to that first part, but great song all in all. 4 1/2 starsBecause - LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE it !! I was told to turn this one down because I was playing it so loudly. 5 starsPromises - great guitar, and a very good tune. 4.9 starsFork in the road - LOVE it !! It's a very girl-band, pop-like song, but don't let that stop you, because it has a gr8 beat. 5 starsLost and Confused - like it a lot....if you focus too much on it, you'll see that it's a little depressing, almost! 4.7 starsWhat I Like About you - If you watch the TV show, you will love this one even more !! It's a gr8 song, better than the ROmantics version. 5 stars Overall, ths CD rocked !!!!This is a pretty impressive debut. These girls play their own instruments and write their own songs. Also, this CD is enhanced with a bunch of cool bonuses like the awesome video for "It's About Time " and buddy icons, etc. While they're targeting that ultra-important TRL crowd, Lillix has enough talent and maturity to stand on their own. They're definitely part of the "new breed " of musicians that includes talents like Micelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton. Lillix' music can be best described as a softer, gentler kind of rock music with harmonization and pop-friendly melodies which makes their sound accessible. If you The Donnas, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, or just good pop rock music, you will this album. It is guaranteed to stay in your CD player and is the essential beach CD. Get it now, you won't be disappointed I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU BUY IT.【Track Listings】01. Tomorrow 02. Quicksand 03. It's About Time04. Dirty Sunshine 05. Invisible 06. 24/7 07. Sick 08. Because 09. Lost And Confused 10. Fork In The Road 11. Promises 12. What I Like About You13. Blind [bonus]14. Quicksand (Live) [bonus]

● Even at over 600 pages, it STILL isn't long enough to finish the story.

Tranquility within chaos... Beautifully Written & Provocative..I confess I had not previously heard of Murakami, but when I saw his book, "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle ", I noted to myself that this version was translated from the Japanese by Jay Rubin , and that Murakami had himself translated English writers such as Raymond Carver, into the Japanese. I also discovered that in Japan this novel came out as a trilogy over a period of time, rather than the single-bound hardback unity I held in my hands. Haruki Murakami's "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle " is a good combination of the weirdness that turned me off his "A Wild Sheep Chase", and the transcendent beauty that had me gushing over his "Norwegian Wood". Thankfully, he's taken what didn't work in the former and made it work, and what did work in the latter and amplified it. My favorite character was May Kashara, a young girl who was the neighbor of Toru who after a short introduction when Toru spoke about a bird who sounded as though he had a wind-up spring, called him "Mr. Wind-Up Bird".... My favorite scenes were the war scenes (although they are very brutal and violent, my imagination went crazy and I was appreciative of the medium of writing where I was in control, instead of a film) and the water well scenes, which were cleverly executed and described. There was a part where Toru promised himself he wouldn't look at his watch and then all he could think about was the watch and the time, and it was described to a T and I was amazed at how well Murakami described the human animal.... Mirroring this idea, that we can't ever know another human being, Murakami's book presents itself as a confusing mixture of styles and time periods and points of view.While writing in a prose style that's comfortable for a reader to flow through, Murakami does a lot of work not letting the audience (nor Okada for that matter ) see the machinations that are powering the story. To a passive reader, this can be quite disconcerting. The book is filled with tools to keep the reader off-balance: characters often tell long-winded stories, and abruptly cut themselves off in the middle for seemingly no reason ; Okada asks countless questions of the people he believes to have the answers but never seems to get any; in fact, his questions are often ignored. 【Haruki Murakami】The Wind-up Bird Chronicle【Jay Rubin】 Drags just a Little at the End.. The novel is based around Toru Okada losing his cat.From this seemingly innocuous event, he goes on to find his wife has left him without saying goodbye, staying with her psychotic genius brother who Toru hates. Toru has recently quit his job and so spends his days doing very little and occasionally looking for the cat. From his searches, he meets a plethora of ever more bizarre characters such as his teenage girl neighbour who doesn't go to school because of a motorbike accident and is obsessed with death. He meets an old Army colonel who is inextricably linked to him through an old man they both knew. He learns about their time together in the Manchurian war. It is part of Murukami's skill that he can switch so effortlessly through time and place in his novels. Toru goes on to meet a fashion designer and her mute son who are not all that they seem. Throughout it all he is constantly steered by the sound of the Wind Up bird outside his house a mysterious creature that no one ever sees. The characters are real, though unique, drawn as those who people a world where it may be possible for one to put pudding in a microwave oven, and every once in a while get macaroni when it comes out. There are "some kinds of somethings " underlying all things; the world is inscrutible in its deeper, perhaps more mystical levels, but there are also routes of spiritual and physical healing, perhaps themselves inexplicable but effective. The reader comes, through identifying with the pain and experience of each character, to feel something for them, and therefore for themselves and others.This is one of the functions of all great literature: it lifts us above ourselves so that we see ourselves and others more clearly, and in this volume Murakami achieves this with stylistic ease and grace. If you are ready, then you'll encounter 600+ pages (it's long, but not *too* long ) of simply but effectively written narrative (Jay Rubin's translation once again captures the tranquility-within-chaos that is a hallmark of Murakami's prose ). One that's set in Japan but bears the cultural marks of American influence. One that jumps back and forth between the recent past and "prewar Manchuria, continental East Asia, and the short war of 1939 in Nomonhan ." You'll encounter an interesting use of parallel motifs, where items or events that occur in the past or in a dream or on TV reveal themselves again in Okada's waking life. Here's a helpful hint: follow the bat, the dry well, and, of course, the wind-up bird, which "comes over by my place every day and goes 'Creeeak ' in the neighbor's tree. But nobody's ever seen it." Many critics have castigated the book for its ending. Admittedly, the book does sort of stumble and gasp to its last few pages; again, the point is the journey and not the destination. Furthermore, I hate to sound presumptuous, because my experience with Japanese literature is very limited, but as I understand it, Japanese narratives are very different from Western ones, with the contrast between leisurely storytelling and opening-climax-conclusion narrative structure. I haven't read that much of Murakami's other work, but it could be that he's just continuing in that tradition here. In any case, even if one finds the ending unsatisfying, so much of the book is fascinating mystery that one can still enjoy it on its own terms.This novel is an experience, deftly written and conveyed. I would recommend it to anyone, and plan to read more by the author.

◆ And We Would Never Think to Take Away Their Children!!!!! ◇

Diary of a Mad Nanny... Slick New York Nanny Spoke My Language... The authors, former nannies themselves, have a disclaimer at the front of the book stating that the characters written are completely ficticious and not based on any particular past employer. This must be why the main character's name is simply "Nanny ", and her employers are "Mr. and Mrs. X ". Nanny has just been hired by the wealthy Xes to look after their son Grayer. She is to replace the old nanny, who had the audacity to request a week off to visit her sick sister in Australia. Nanny is just looking to keep her rent money coming in while completing her senior year at NYC , but soon finds that she is drawn to poor little Grayer, who at times can be a pill, but for the most part is just a poor little rich kid who wants his parents to notice him. Mrs. X spends most of her time shopping, planning dinner parties (in the hopes that her absentee/workaholic husband just might spend time with them ), and volunteering on several committees. Nanny is used to the explicit demands Mrs. X requests for Grayer, and is not surprised when Mrs. X constantly asks her to do extra chores she wasn't hired for (like picking up Mrs. X's dry cleaning, picking up about 12 different items for a 30 people dinner party, or even escorting Grayer and the Xes to a fancy executive Halloween bash dressed as a giant Teletubby- one of the funniest passages in the book ). Or, she'll show up 2 hours past the time she told Nanny she'd be home, leaving Nanny little more than 15 minutes to get to a school to give a speech that will determine whether she passes or fails. Nanny feels it's worth it, though, when the envelope of cash comes at the end of the week ("most nannies are paid under the table", she tells us ). Even so, Nanny gets more than she bargained for when, at the Halloween bash, she and Grayer walk in on Mr. X and his Chicago executive (whom the book simply calls "Ms. Chicago" )making out. Mr. X acts as if mothing is amiss, and Nanny is left to question whether or not she should report this infidelity to his wife.Slowly, Mrs. X begins to get her own suspicions, and Grayer begins to fall apart under the obvious cloud of neglect and dread that his father has stirred up. Nanny wants to run, but feels obligated to navigate these treacherous adult waters for Grayer, hoping things will calm down on their own. Meanwhile, she's also fallen for a Harvard student that lives in the Xes building, leaving Mrs. X to treat her badly and hurl rude comments at her because she is jealous of the happiness Nanny is finding with a guy..... Hhhmph !!!!How can Nanny tread through these tumultuous waters and still graduate from NYC???You'll have to find out for yourself. I read this book in less than 48 hours because I couldn't wait to find out what outrageous thing Mrs. X would come up with next. After listening to my sis-in-law's horror stories, I found that I wasn't surprised about the Xes shannanigans.【Emma McLaughlin】The Nanny Diaries【Nicola Kraus】 Skewering of the Park Avenue Pampered "The Nanny Diaries " is one of those books where after you finish it, you just sit there for awhile staring into space thinking about it. It is also one of those rare books that makes me think about it weeks later. Whereas other books I read, I forget the entire plot a day after I read it. The ending had an affect on me. I was sad , but also touched and happy. I that it made me feel conflicting emotions at the same time. I heard a lot of buzz on this book as soon as it came out. I was sure that I would like "The Nanny Diaries ", but never guessed how much. Nanny is a college student trying to pay her way through NYU and afford life in the big apple as well. This is no small feat, from what I understand. An experienced nanny, she takes a job with the X family. It didn't take long from there to understand that this family was nothing like anything I've ever experienced. The way Mrs. X neglects her child in favor of her social life, the outrageous demands she places on her child care provider, and the way she hires "consultants " to deal with every everyday stressful events are unbelieveable. What a sad existence! What would she think of my life!!! Even so, I loved taking a peek at this life style. I felt awful for the children and the nannies, but I couldn't stop reading. The situations Nanny endured were hilarious! I loved the notes Mrs. X would leave for her. TO balance out the insanity, the authors included snippets of life outside of the X household. Her relationship with the X's hot neighbor helped to show that maybe not everyone who lives this lifestyle lives it like the X's. Her relationship with her roommate, grandmother and parents helped to anchor the story in reality.... All in all, a very interesting look into the frustrating world of raising someone elses children under extreme conditions. As obvious as this conflict might seem, Nanny Diaries brought it up to the surface for me. The book made me very conscious of the balancing act we must play, and has made me look critically at the choices I make and the prioirities I keep as a child and an individual. This is a wonderful book to read when passing the time. Why, I started to read it, and before I knew it, hours that I should have spent studying had passed. The book is delightful and you should purchase it ASAP It's Another World...Take A Look !!!!!

● Saw-Tooth, One-Eye, and Three Finger are waiting for you!!!!!

Hillbilly Bloodbath... Honestly, the Best horror film of its kind since SCREAM...You ever watch a movie and know right away that somebody is going to die?Wrong Turn, is a suspense thriller much like the original 1974 cult classic, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" where a demented family east human flesh. Only, "Wrong Turn " brings a whole meaning to eating human flesh with their homemade back woods log cabin that looks more like a human delicatessen where body parts and renderings are pickled in jars like Claussen Kosher Dill's. There is no warning date, and the meat is not always refrigerated as this ferocious cannibalistic family brings a whole meaning to an all you can eat buffet. Wrong Turn , serves up a healthy portion of suspense, especially the scene where the four travelers stumble upon the family's home in the woods where the pots are boiling. The cabin is filled with all sorts of human memorabilia (literally ). By the time the four stranded stragglers figure out they are the main course meal, realizing they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, its too late. I the part where one of the film's lost travelers states, "Maybe I need to remind you of a little movie called Deliverance " right before knocking on the door of the human soup kitchen. At the beginning of the film while the introductory credits are rolling, we are shown scenes of missing people and pictures of human deformity.There are several motifs this film plays upon. One is Hollywood's fascination with inbreeding and deformity and the other, societies fears about missing people and what happens to them. I also the films pot shot at the cell phone industry. No matter how nice the cell phone, it won't work when you are lost and you really need it.And finally, the title of the movie, "Wrong Turn " wonderfully targets any driver's natural fear of getting lost on the road. Playing upon these basic fears adds a lot of credibility and the necessary fear factor that lures you into this horror flick. 【Desmond Harrington】Wrong Turn Movies【Eliza Dushku】 Inbred Hillbillies + "City Folk" = FUN What a movie....this is cool stuff. While not cinematic brilliance by any stretch of the imagination, it'll keep you on your toes.. It opens with a pretty clear idea as to what the actors involved are set against: while the opening credits roll we are treated to flashes of newspaper clippings of hideously deformed inbred mountain men,and stories of cannibalism.. In the opening scenes, a rock climbing couple are snared in gruesome traps by unseen attackers, while whoops and hollers are heard..... Desmond Harrington stars as Chris Flynn, medical intern driving through West Virginia on his way to an important job interview.A chemical spill on the freeway backs up traffic for miles, forcing him to take back roads to reach his destination, including a turn onto Bear Mountain Road, which is definitely, for him, and scores of others,it appears, a Wrong Turn. While speeding along, trying to pick up a dropped cd and gazing at a deer carcass, (Rule Number One For Surviving Horror Movies Of This Type: Keep Your Eyes On The Road ) Chris slams into an SUV sitting in the road, and it all goes to hell from there. The SUV comes with people of its own who come running out of the bushes (what they were doing in the bushes is never explained; their vehicle ran over some barbed wire and has a flat tire, yet they were all off in the bushes when Chris drives along.. Were they hiding? Peeing? Looking for berries?) and once they ascertain that Chris is alive, unhurt, and not going to sue, they decide they will have to hike back out of the forest to get some help for their vehicles. (Rule 2: Stay With The Freakin' Cars) 　 This group of bush wandering twenty-somethings includes Eliza Dushku in the role of Jesse Burlingame, who has been whisked off for a weekend in the woods by her friends following a messy breakup with her boyfriend, Emmanuelle Chriqui playing a bubblehead named Carly, Jeremy Sisto in the role of Carly's fiance Scott, a loquacious, angsty, and gangly individual,and Lindy Booth and Kevin Zegers as Francine and Evan, a pair of walking hormones who hate the woods but are along anyway to flesh out the ensemble. So the group marches off down the road to find an outpost of civilization minus Francine and Evan, who stay with the cars and indulge in ransacking Chris' car and various types of horny twenty-something behavior. (Rule Three:Keep Your Hormones Under Control ) Evan dissapears into the woods, and Francine searches, and breaks Rule Four (Severed Body Parts On The Ground Means Run Away) when she finds a human ear lying on the trail , after which she falls victim to a garotte of barbed wire flung around her neck from behind. That's going to hurt. The rest of the intrepid crew find a cabin in the woods with smoke issuing from the chimney and decide to see if they can use a phone.Scores of junked vehicles are everywhere, tons of camping gear strewn about, and flies abound in droves, yet into the cabin they go where they discover, among other things,a refrigerator full of human organs, eyeballs, and entrails, jars of false teeth, various crude and rusty weapons, and a filthy bathroom; (Rule Five: Don't Use The Bathroom ) , that part was just a little ridiculous. And then a rumbling tow truck pulls into the yard, our wanderers hide, and three monstrosities drag Francine into the cabin and dismember her in a scene that is wonderfully depicted as reflected in Jeremy Sisto's eyeball....nice touch. The movie really belongs to Eliza Dushku's Jesse Burlingame ; she's moody and snipish at first, but thaws quickly, overcomes her terror when necessary, and like Chris, just won't quit, and darn it, she's good in this genre.. I'm hoping to see her in another action/horror role again.. So, the plot is weak, and half of the characters are flat and uninteresting.. Yet, the scenery is spectacular, the suspense rides a fine, tight edge, and the "jolts" show some fine artistry.... I sure did have a blast watching this movie, there is tons of gore, good looking chicks, and there is great acting. I could probably say almost anyone should be horrified by this movie. This is definetly a true horror film , and I really enjoyed it, any reason someone should not enjoy this film, would either be to grossed out, or to scared.My lover grossed out, and scared. But I was just scared. If you saw The Texas chainsaw massacre, and you got really scared well thats nothing compared to how scary this is, the first time you see it. This movie really is not that scary to me anymore. Because I have seen it 100 times, but I know there are scarier out there, but this one is definetly a screamer !!!!!The special effects are Gr8 in this movie too, they could'nt have done better, they were definetly top notch I was very impressed by how well they did. They almost looked to ＲＥＡＬ It's worth a second look, perhaps even a third.

■ FREQUENCY: Into The Wavelength Of Friendship...

Tune in & Ignore the Static... What would you do with "one more day"? Think about it."Frequency " presents itself with some nostalgic surprise and a family oriented story. Thrown in, is the 'what if ' factor. What if you could make contact with someone in the past? What if an atmospheric experience caused a time warp and you were on your ham radio and the next person you talked to was your dad? WOW !!!!! Frequency was directed by Gregory Hobit with sober humor and mild suspense. Starring Denis Quad as the dad and James Caviezel as the son, Frequency has a long list of nice supported cast. The story line evolves around atmospheric phenominom showing up in the year 1969 over the home of he Sullivan family and again over the same home of the son 30 years later. Time can be a friend or an enemy, delving into murder and strange lights. Can a person change destiny? And would you want to? What if you could talk to yourself…., I mean really talk to yourself literally?What if…….? That old videotape came back to haunt me as I watched Dennis Quaid and company in FREQUENCY.In the movie, through a freak accident of nature, connected to the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis ) a son is able to talk to his father across time on a HAM radio setup. And now the son (whose father died when he was six ) is all grown up and a cop, and the father realizes he can help his son prevent crimes that are yet to happen. Likewise the son gets a bright idea -- he wonders if he can save his father from dying back there in time. The movie starts out pretty good but the plot slows toward the middle and stays slow on out to the end. Yet there is something else beyond the plot here that becomes very interesting, and that is what happens to the relationship of these two men who now interact not as father and son, but rather as friends. That is a beautiful thing to see. Time travel movies are a lot of fun. And while we used to think such a thing was physically impossible, the science of quantum physics is raising the question of the actual possibility of time travel all over again. But the physics (or metaphysics) in this story actually take a back seat to the father/son-friend/friend relationship. That is the real focus of this movie. I really the part of Elizabeth Mitchell in this movie. She did a fine job, but I wish she has a bigger role in it. As the mother/wife; she was a pivotal part of what was happening with these men, and it would have strengthened things to see and hear more of her as the link between them. The whole scientific idea behind this movie is shot full of holes when you really hold it up to a microscope. Left-brained perfectionists will probably not like it all that much. But for those of us intrigued by the idea of transcending the parent-child relationship and emerging in the friend/friend relationship, the movie is a treat. I guess you just have to be on the right, er, wavelength. 【Dennis Quaid】Frequency Movies【Elizabeth Mitchell】 Daddy, Are You There??? I movies that have imagination. This one has all the elements to make it entertaining and intriguing. While, as screen writer Toby Emmerich says, it is closer to the realm of science FANTASY than FICTION, it plays well, it is convincing and I enjoyed every gut- wrenching moment. It features performances by Dennis Quaid, and John Caviezel, directing by Gregory Hoblit, and some decent special effects. Throw in a good supporting sound track by Michael Kamen , and a well written screen play by Toby Emmerich and we have a movie something like an extended episode of TWILIGHT ZONE, in color. My friend and I kept looking at each other and discussing it through the whole movie trying to figure out who did the killing.I don't want to tell you to much because it will give all the suspense away. But all I can say is that if there is anyone out there that has lost a loved and wishes that he or she could change the outcome of a certain event and bring them back, this movie is for you. I'm sure that all of us at on time or another has experienced some kind of set back and would like to change the out come. I'm sorry I really shouldn't tell you any more accept that movie is different and you will not be dissatisfied with the out come. The movie is adventurous but keeps a solid story line. BUT you must not lose your place in your viewing. And you will be surprised with the results. I have tried to give enough in the review to tease your decision but not to give full detail away. I think anyone who enjoys mild suspense and drama with a little 'sci fi' realism will enjoy this movie. The video runs 119 minutes. This movie should appeal to sci-fi fans, murder drama fans, ?movies with feel-good ending??? Fans, and baseball fans... 　It is easy to poke holes in how the "consequences of time travel changing history " are handled in this movie. But if you go into the movie wanting to be entertained, remembering that the whole premise is implausible by its very nature, then you should thoroughly enjoy this movie.Get this movie !! Watch it more than once. Buy a ham radio set and wait for the Northern Lights, if you are looking to change your present. Communicate with your Dad. I will settle for acting now to change the future. I will limit my interaction with the radio to turning it on.....

◇ Skewering of the Park Avenue Pampered ◆

Would Never Think to Take Away Their Children The Inner Conflict that Exists in all moms I just finished reading The Nanny Diaries last night. Of course, I should have been studying for finals, but the book was just so good that I couldn't put it down. Miramax has just purchased the film rights and a sequel is in the works. Apparently, others (both on Epinions and friends of mine ) have said that the book has been sold out everywhere she looked but I found my two copies at two different bookstores quite easily (we both live in the Boston area, so we are the same geographically ). Yes, I own two copies. Im giving the other one to the same friend as gift; Im just keeping it from her so that she does not read it instead of studying for finals. I heard a lot of buzz on this book as soon as it came out.I was sure that I would like The Nanny Diaries , but never guessed how much. Nanny is a college student trying to pay her way through NYU and afford life in the big apple as well. The Nanny Diaries is one of those books where after you finish it, you just sit there for awhile staring into space thinking about it. It is also one of those rare books that makes me think about it weeks later. Whereas other books I read, I forget the entire plot a day after I read it. The ending had an affect on me. I was sad, but also touched and happy. I like that it made me feel conflicting emotions at the same time...... This is no small feat, from what I understand.An experienced nanny, she takes a job with the X family. It didn't take long from there to understand that this family was nothing like anything I've ever experienced. The way Mrs. X neglects her child in favor of her social life, the outrageous demands she places on her child care provider, and the way she hires "consultants " to deal with every everyday stressful events are unbelieveable. What a sad existence!!What would she think of my life!!Even so, I loved taking a peek at this life style. I felt awful for the children and the nannies, but I couldn't stop reading. The situations Nanny endured were hilarious!!I the notes Mrs. X would leave for her. TO balance out the insanity, the authors included snippets of life outside of the X household. Her relationship with the X's hot neighbor helped to show that maybe not everyone who lives this lifestyle lives it like the X's. Her relationship with her roommate, grandmother and parents helped to anchor the story in reality. 【Emma McLaughlin】The Nanny Diaries【Nicola Kraus】 Ironic look at the world of a Park Avenue nanny.. I enjoyed this book because I could see from the Nannies point of view what exactly was going on in everyones' life that was involved in the story. Makes you grateful that you don't have all that money. Who wants a life where it takes you away from you family and those you love just to make more money and not be able to spend it together. I felt that I was standing in the Nannies shoes so to speak as she wrote about the things that were taking place in her life and the way that her employer was treating her. The things that poor child (her charge ) was going through and the way it was related to the reader just made you want to reach out and give him a big hug. What a crappy Mother he had. Even so, Nanny gets more than she bargained for when, at the Halloween bash, she and Grayer walk in on Mr. X and his Chicago executive (whom the book simply calls "Ms. Chicago" )making out. Mr. X acts as if mothing is amiss, and Nanny is left to question whether or not she should report this infidelity to his wife. Slowly, Mrs. X begins to get her own suspicions, and Grayer begins to fall apart under the obvious cloud of neglect and dread that his father has stirred up. Nanny wants to run, but feels obligated to navigate these treacherous adult waters for Grayer, hoping things will calm down on their own. Meanwhile, she's also fallen for a Harvard student that lives in the Xes building, leaving Mrs. X to treat her badly and hurl rude comments at her because she is jealous of the happiness Nanny is finding with a guy. Hhhmph !!!!How can Nanny tread through these tumultuous waters and still graduate from NYC You'll have to find out for yourself. I read this book in less than 48 hours because I couldn't wait to find out what outrageous thing Mrs. X would come up with next. After listening to my sis-in-law's horror stories, I found that I wasn't surprised about the Xes shannanigans. I realize she was so busy with charities and other things-such as going to the spa-but this is her CHILD for Gods' sake. WAKE UP LADY This book is a must read for any and all mothers.Makes you appreciate what you have and grateful for what you don't have. It shone light on my life and that amount of time that I choose to spend with my family. If The Nannies come out with another book I will purchase that one as well. The only thing that I found lacking was the ending. I felt that it ended suddenly because it was time for the book to go to the presses. I felt another chapter or two would not have been amiss. What did the Nannie decide to do about that "boyfriend" anyway All in all, a very interesting look into the frustrating world of raising someone elses children under extreme conditions. As obvious as this conflict might seem, Nanny Diaries brought it up to the surface for me. The book made me very conscious of the balancing act we must play , and has made me look critically at the choices I make and the prioirities I keep as a parent and an individual.Cutting-Edge Satire

◆Crash◇ No, Danny, it still ain't how it 'supposed to be...

Does Race Matter when you Crash???Crash Boom Bang: You assume too much "Crash " is a strong movie with excellent performances and a powerful message. This movie is 100 percent politically incorrect from beginning to end, and it showcases many of the stereotypes and prejudices that many different ethnic and racial groups feel toward each other. Stripped of any degree of subtlety, this movie is direct and to the point, with harsh, offensive language as one of its key driving points. Several different events take place in "Crash " and at first, the movie doesn't quite seem to make sense. You witness individuals making rude, abrasive, and often antagonizing statements and gestures toward each other. They all have one thing in common: racial/ethnic stereotyping.As the movie progresses, different pieces start to fit together into one (mostly) clear picture. You quickly discover that Graham and Peter are brothers, even though they live very different lifestyles. You witness the moment where Matt Dillon's character is on the scene of a car wreck and is placed in a position to redeem himself when it comes to his racial feelings. The couple in the wreck just happens to be Cameron and Christine - the same people who Dillon encountered earlier and harassed in such a nasty way.Now, the situation is very different. The couple is trapped inside a vehicle that could blow up any second. Will Dillon be able to control his feelings of racism and rescue the couple from the wreckage .. Or will he succumb to his old attitudes and leave them to waste Everything seems to come together in this film as you watch. Some of the characters reconsider the way they feel about those of different races and ethnic groups. Others are tested, and the way they respond is unpredictable. Sometimes, the have a hard time shaking off these old feelings of prejudice and racism even when it seems pretty clear that their narrow view of the world isn't always correct and sensible.And as the movie shows, there are some instances (like with the store owner ), where even the members of one's own race adopt some of the same feelings about their own people. One word of warning: Crash is very emotionally disturbing.Of course its nowhere near as perverse and disturbing as David Cronenberg's film by the same name from a few years ago. Be careful what you rent. You may get a rather, uh, surprising movie if you don't read the description.【Jennifer Esposito】Crash Movies【Brendan Fraser】 CRASH COURSE ON RACIAL RELATIONS IN MODERN TIMES This movie has all sorts of surprises. The first one occurs when the two guys are walking down the street complaining about the racial stereotyping of blacks. Then, suddenly, they pull guns from their pockets and steal an SUV, scaring its two passengers to death but leaving them unharmed. There are several other shocks and surprises that come out of nowhere as this movie explores the topics of race and prejudice. And the movie ends with two cars crashing into each other and its respective drivers spouting off all sorts of prejudices against each other. In effect, its the same cycle of racial stereotyping all over again.... Because of the language and violence in this movie, it isn't the type designed for young kids and it will also bother some more sensitive adults. Racial stereotyping is the main theme of this movie and the characters in the film have no qualms about verbalizing exactly what they feel. Its like each character's subconscious is exposed, all forms of editing have been shut down, and they proceed to say exactly what they think. I all of the performers in this movie.The standouts among them include Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, and Michael Pena. Everyone is good, but some of the performers, like Sandra Bullock, don't really get the camera time that the others receive. Don Cheadle is on the screen the most, and he is his usual calm yet intense self. Ludicris is another surprise in this movie. He shows that his talents go beyond singing- he also knows how to turn up the heat behind a camera. This movie is, overall, a very good one and its the type that will stand out in your memory for a long time.After watching it , those around me began to discuss the film's intricacies and how its message holds true for many of the people in the world. Part of it was a little exaggerated, but any movie that gets people to think is certainly a Gr8 film. And "Crash " is a very good movie, with strong performances, superb direction, and a powerful script that makes it intriguing and memorable. Except for one nude scene and a lot of f**king-bad language, this would be a movie that could- and should- be shown in every high-school classroom in the world. The dumb people wouldn't get it, of course, but those with brains might see something here and learn something. Everyone wants to be respected. Everyone deserves to be respected. And when we fail to give and receive respect, we crash into each other. If there really is a "Sin City " out there, that lack of respect, perhaps, may be the greatest Sin of all. While it's not exactly a groundbreaking film in its theme and style, "Crash " is still an intelligent and harrowing film from Paul Haggis. Thanks to a wonderful ensemble cast, this film is surely to become one of the memorable touchstones of post-9/11 America. While the film will raise more questions than answer into the behaviors of the world, it's clear that this film does provide a lot of real insight on the views of racism. In the End, Paul Haggis' Crash is a film that will leave people Questioning their own Prejudices.......

● Stupid But Hilarious ○ The Pet Detective!!!!!

Ace is One Card short of a Full Deck !!!!! LIKE A GLOVE !!!!!When it comes to Jim Carrey, I have found it is either people really him or really dislike him - there is not a lot of room in between. The way he delivers a funny line, his antics, and his many facial contortions can be a little too much for some people to handle.But for me, I just can't seem to get enough. I have watched this movie more than 100 times and I'm not even close to being tired of it. It's not sophisticated humor at all, so just sit back, put your brain in neutral and enjoy the ride. My enjoyment of the movie is also heightened by the fact nearly ever friend of mine has an appreciation for his movies. Whenever the topic of Carrey comes up, we can frequently be heard spouting quotes from one of his many hilarious performances.And it's not just a goofy line, it's the way he delivers them He has a level of energy and enthusiasm you rarely get to see in comedy movies. If you see all of the movies Jim Carrey is making now, and you wonder where he had his movie making start, this is it. Jim Carrey is an animal lover who is a pet detective. The story is interesting and full of laughs. It all starts out when the Miami Dolphins' mascot, Snowflake, is missing. Ace, played by Jim Carrey , is hired by the Dolphins to find Snowflake. Along the way, Dan Marino is abducted and a sinister plot by a former Dolphin is revealed by Ace. This is a hilarious movie with a gr8 cast.This movie compares to most of Carrey's other movies with the type of humor he uses. If you like Ace Ventura : Pet Detective, you will probably like most other Jim Carrey movies.. I'm not a fan of slapstick style comedy, it usually annoys me.. But try as I might, Ace Ventura wears you down as only Jim Carey can and makes your sides ache.. The plot is practically irrelevant.. And one can't help but chuckle at the realization the Jim Carey even upstages the plot, but it's a fact.. Every utterance becomes a quotable and every scene threatens to split a seam as you breathlessly are subjected to Jim Carey as Ace Ventura...a mad man comic unleashed.... For posterity's sake, I'll acknowledge that the plot is based on a mystery.Someone has kidnapped the mascot of a football team (Miami Dolphins ) and it's up to Ace to crack the case. But the plot truly takes a back seat to the energetic flailings and wise-cracks of your films star.The perfect pick-me-up for a rotten day, this films bound to cheer you. 【Jim Carrey】Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Movies【Courteney Cox】 Helpless but to Giggle... First of all, I Jim Carey.The man is an absolute genius. Yeah, I know he didn't write the movie or the script or any of that but his ability to become different characters and act is incredible He is just about the only actor other than Adam Sandler that has the ability to make me laugh out loud. Im the type of person that doesn't like to pay money to go to the movies and CRY I like to go and pay to laugh and laugh and laugh. I like to laugh so much there are tears coming out of my eyes. Jim Carey has just that effect on me.Not to mention my love of animals, this movie is perfect !!Some people can't appreciate Jim Carey type of humor but I think it is the greatest. He is so spontaneous and I really "feel " that he enjoys what he does when he is acting.His ability makes me feel as if he is a real person. There probably really ARE people in the world like him (scary thought, lol ) The first time I ever rented this movie, I had just had knee surgery on both of my knees. I was unable to do very much other than sit on the couch for a week. I watched this movie at least 6 times that week. It always made me feel better and I found there were parts I hadn't laughed at when I had watched it the time before. I now own my own copy of Ace Ventura Pet Detective and whenever I need a pick me up or just feel like having a good belly laugh, I pop into the VCR. The best thing about the movie is you will enjoy it whether you watch it alone or with others. Although, I to watch it with people that haven't ever seen it before, just seeing them enjoy first hand makes it all the more enjoyable. Jim Carrey is absolutely not for everyone. But for Carrey fans, this movie is probably the most hilarious one he has ever made. There are so many funny things he does and gr8 lines he has that it's really non-stop from start to finish. Perhaps a reason why some people really don't like his antics - not much time to digest one goofy scene before he's onto the next. If you are a Carrey fan, here are a few of my other favorites: The Mask, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (not nearly as funny as the original, but not bad), Dumb & Dumber, Liar Liar, and any In Living Color skit featuring him. I don't see anything wrong with this movie at all. It is the perfect combination of comedy and action !!!I would recommend this movie to anyone that is looking for some fun !!!!! Jim Carey ROCKS !!!!!

■ Much more Heaveier Stuff Emotionally and Musically !!!!

Pop Punk Goes Dark...A Much Improved Good Chalotte, Fun to Listen To I Good Charlotte's songs.They sing about their lives, and everything that's happened. "These are the chronicles of life and death and everything between/ these are the stories of our lives as fictional as they may seem ." (From The Chronicles of Life and Death)I recently saw Good Charlotte's for "Predictable " of "The Chronicles Of Life And Death " album.It was the furthest thing from what I would have expected out of theseguy's.The follow up to their self titled debut album "Good Charlotte ", and their sophomore hit release "The Young And The Hopless " shocks listeners with it's dark, edgy sound.The band's two prier releases have done amazingly well,so you ask... why change the formula now Well Good Charlotte stated in an interview on "Fuse " a music channel that plays little brother to the more commercial channels such as Mtv , that they wanted to capture a more dark, artistic sound rather then their predictable party pop/punk sound. The band was tired of being labeled as just another whinny band with guitars, that makes it's watered down style of punk rock.. This album is a real leap from their other stuff,but in my opinion it shows growth,and a lot of musicianship.. This album is for the true Good Charlotte fans - lead singer Joel Madden announced.. "We do this for the the love of music,and the feeling we get when a fan comes up to us and tells us our music has changed their life ".. I personally have been a huge Good Charlotte fan since their first release,and was expecting another great album,but the same typically Good charlotte sound... Well they showed me,and millions of others that they aren't a typical pop/punk band,and they aren't afraid to venture out into theunknown, which is well established with their third album "The Chronicles Of Life And Death"..... My favorite songs are "Ghost Of You ," "The World is Black ," and "I Just Wanna Live ." Ghost of You is about someone important in your life leaving, and how it hurts that they're gone.The World is Black is about how the world is cold from all the bad things people do.I Just Wanna Live is about what's it like being famous, and how it's hard living your life.【Good Charlotte】The Chronicles of Life & Death No Words To Say-by Joel.."Once Upon A Time: The Battle of Life and Death " may have you wondering if you even picked up the right CD. It starts off like some twisted Japanese gospel, then suddenly explodes into a blistering orchestral piece with throbbing back harmonies, a bit like what George Lucas wrote for The Phantom Menace."The Chronicles of Life And Death " is more like what you were expecting. It's almost funny the way the band so matter-of-factly start hamming it up, as if nothing happened. There isn't much fascinating about this song, except for the lyrics. "Today could be the best day of, today could be the worst day of, today could be the last day of your life. It's your life ." I see somebody's been listening to Switchfoot."Walk Away (Maybe) " is where it starts sounding like Hoobastank, 'cept maybe for that Transylvanian piano cascade in the bridge. So far, it's a relatively weak start, but it's almost like a bluff.The opening of "S.O.S. " is like a really nice ballad, but jumps up the tempo around 15 seconds in, and it takes another 20 seconds before I start to realize it sounds good this way. I'm not one to pay much mind to guitar solos, but the one in this song just kicks all manner of ass. I "I Just Wanna Live " It is a spookular, jazzy disco kind of song with deliberately ridiculous falsetto sprinkled throughout. Very nice rhythmic guitar and a conservative use of the string sections.This kind of originality is just the thing we need more of these days."Ghost of You " takes on more of a Smash Mouth/Tal Bachman form. Quite frankly, the chorus is amazing. Awash with dancing strings, it flows intensely, although I can see how it would look ostentatious.Great Ending !!!!"Predictable " sounds like it'll be some girl song at first, but this is about as far as you can get from that. Low, reverberating guitars carry this kinda far-out melody straight into a loud spoken rant that sounds far angrier than anything I've ever heard from Linkin Park.I the sheer honesty of it."Secrets " has some neat guitar work, and a speedy joyous melody that is so elementary, I wonder why you don't hear it all the time. "We all have a darker side, a place we keep that no one else will find ." Yep, we just saw that, didn't we Fair warning, this has Yellowcard written all over it."The Truth " rides on a dissonant, low piano melody, and wonder of wonders, it actually stays slow throughout the entire song."I want the truth from you, gimme the truth even if it hurts me ." Obviously, it's an attempt to rehash Hoobastank's "The Reason ", although I guess some might consider Joel Madden's raspy screams to be very "classic rock " or something. Sounds more like Adam Sandler if you ask me."The World Is Black " has a nice, "conversational " flow, and an 80's melody.Favorite line is "We come into this world, and we are all the same, and in that moment there's no one to blame ." It only took two listens for "Mountain " to grow on this brain, even though it's about as filler as they come, like one of those "just get to the chorus " songs. Still, I find myself anticipating it with unfounded glee.The ambitious "We Believe " is akin to "Hold On " with its message about getting people to stop carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.It's a little schmaltzy, utilizing the typical formula of world-sucks versesand inspirational choruses, but it has lots of energy. "It Wasn't Enough" counterattacks with Incubus-style depressant. Finally, "In This World (Murder) " takes off like something from the Matrix Soundtrack, with undertones of Tonic or Collective Soul. It all comes down to a tiny little bit of string section that suddenly grows back up into a fleeting orchestral grand finale before fading out.The last song differs, depending on whether you pick up the Life or Death version of the album. Verily I say unto you, choose life.I was never much of a fan of Good Charlotte or the so called "genre" they represent, but I find The Chronicles of Life And Death truly impressive.【Track Listings】01. Once Upon A Time: The Battle Of Life And Death02. The Chronicles Of Life And Death03. Walk Away (Maybe)04. S.O.S.05. I Just Wanna Live06. Ghost Of You07. Predictable08. Secrets09. The Truth10. The World Is Black11. Mountain12. We Believe13. It Wasn't Enough14. In This World (Murder)15. Falling Away (Bonus Track)16. Meet My Maker (Bonus Track)17. Predictable (Bonus Track)

● Bloom, Dunst, Sarandon, Baldwin, Crowe's script.....

Death Reminds Us To Smell The Roses... Elizabethtown is another Crowe Classic !!Cameron Crowe is fast making a name for himself as a very talented director. "Elizabethtown " deserves to be in the same company as Crowe's classics Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky and Almost Famous. If you liked any of this movies your "Elizabethtown ". The first half of the movie concentrates on the consequences of Drew's father's death and the subsequent observances. The second half of the movie is the road trip that Drew undertakes with Claire's capable assistance providing the route. I have heard many complaints that this could have been a separate movie but it has more significance than that. On the trip through historic landmarks, Drew completes his growth as he learns that failure in one thing can lead to a different success. He allows himself to grieve for his father; to wallow in self pity; and to allow himself to be happy and free. Most importantly he learns, and shows us along the way, that socially accepted success is only fleeting happiness and it is more important to be happy in ourselves and invest our time with the people who will love us...... The movie stars Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst as the leads and both deliver gr8 performances. The movie begins with bloom on the verge of a breakdown after losing his job and his girlfriend. Bloom causes his shoe company to make a lose of nearly a billion dollars and is fired. As it seems things couldn't possible get worse his father dies. Its often said that death brings family together and this is certainly true in Elizabethtown . On Bloom's way to Elizabethtown he meets a friendly flight attendant played by Dunst. Over the course of the movie Bloom and Dunst continue to talk and meet gradually falling in . This movie is delightful and is well worth seeing. I think its a realistic movie its not all joy. Its a very believable love story and not the classic romance film. 【Orlando Bloom】Elizabethtown【Kirsten Dunst】 Most Appealing Female Character since Holly Golightly !!!!!Cameron Crowe, the Director- is someone who's work I .To me; 'Say Anything ', 'Singles ', 'Almost Famous ', 'Jerry Maguire ' and 'Vanilla Sky ' are all masterpieces. 'Vanilla Sky ' was four years ago - so 'Elizabethtown ' has been a long time comin'.. I'd read the screenplay twice many months back - and absolutely it. Some really poignant, touching moments that with the right director could really spell MOVIE MAGIC. And of course, with the director being mr Crowe of course, there was always a good chance this would be a masterpiece. However, I came to this London Film Festival screening as very much the cynic - the reviews had been lukewarm so far and my worry in seeing promotional footage was that maybe Mr Crowe had 'overcheesed ' it a bit. It looked too lovey. And as the film began - I dunno, I wasn't taken in by it.But then that's probably my own fault.. the whole time Elizabethtown was going to be having this major fight with Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous in my head - and I just couldn't believe that any director can produce that many perfect films back to back. On the red eye to Elizabethtown Drew has the meet cute to beat all meet cutes with perky flight attendant Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst). Once he arrives in Elizabethtown Drew meets all the quirky relatives that he barely knew existed and finds that his father was beloved by the entire town. So, the questions are, will Drew find out something about himself? Will he and Claire find that they were meant for each other? Will he learn that he should've slowed down and gotten to know his family? If you can't predict any of the answers to those questions then this probably isn't he movie for you...... Any of you who've read some of my previous reviews will know my soft spot for romantic comedy so it should come as no surprise that I really enjoyed this film.It is part road trip, part mid-life crisis, and part romantic comedy. What surprised me was how well I thought it worked There were some really big laughs in this film , some heartbreaking moments , some absurdity , and not a little truth. For me, Elizabethtown , while not reaching the perfection of Say Anything, comes pretty close. Now, I'm the first to admit that there are holes in this plot big enough to drive a semi through. For someone with a full time job Claire seems to have a lot of free time and let's not discuss how she planned the road trip. But you know what? It doesn't matter. What matters is the dialog and, as in all Cameron Crowe films, the music. The chemistry between Dunst and Bloom is good and I have to say that Claire is probably my favorite character that Dunst has ever played. The supporting cast is uniformly good and provides a strong background. Maybe, just maybe, I'm just deluded and wrong about this film.But if the audience I saw it with is any indication you'll enjoy it too.... Sit Back, Relax - and Allow yourself to be taken in by the Gentle Genius of one of the finest films I have seen in years...

■ Nothing Improves a Movie Like Low Expectations.□

Sex, Parties, What Else Could A Man Want???　A Pending Comedy Classic for the New Century..From the title of the movie, you can definitely figure out exactly what its all about. John Beckwith and Jeremy Klein are just your average divorce mediators, that is, until wedding season roles around. At that point in time, they become professional wedding crashers. Two men bent on crashing weddings (playing different characters each time ) with the sole purpose of finding women to take home afterwards. Neither have the desire to stay in a long-term relationship or marry at this point in their lives'. Enter the Cleary's. It all starts with "the " wedding of the season. The oldest of the Cleary girls is going to tie the knot and the guys are all prepared to crash the wedding. But something unexpected happens, John begins to fall for Claire, the only sane member of the family. John practically drags Jeremy to the Cleary summerhouse for a fun-filled weekend. Jeremy doesn't really want to go, but is coerced by psycho sister Gloria Cleary after they have sex on the beach during the wedding and she pouts (and embarrasses ) her father until he agrees to let the pair come along. John is determined to spend time with Claire so that she can see he likes her and not her soon to be fiance Sack. Jeremy cannot leave John alone because its the number one rule to not leave a fellow wedding crasher behind. I do have to say that I thought this movie was much funnier than I had in mind walking into the theater beforehand. Vaughn & Owen seem to have a chemistry together that was natural and unforced, yet they are total opposites. I haven't seen Vaughn in anything since Old School so was pleasantly surprised at how natural and funny he was with this character.Though by the middle of the movie, I was feeling for him with all the situations he found himself getting into. Owen has never topped my list of favorite actors, but he manages to pull off exactly what should have been done here. He has the less funny character of the pair, but he still has his moments. 【Owen Wilson】Wedding Crashers Movies【Vince Vaughn】 World's Sexiest Summer Comedy When I first heard about Wedding Crashes , I just started thinking back to the weddings that I went to and just how crazy the concept of this movie could be. I knew what I had done while at those weddings, and how easy it was to pick up on women, which is why I always attended. It was almost a guaranteed thing to pick up on whatever single woman you gave the most attention to. It was so simple, while being a little bit messed up at the same time. It was totally prying on a woman's emotions during that moment. And the older the single woman was, the easier it was to secure their company. So Wedding Crashers quickly became a must see movie for myself. If nothing else, I figured that it could help to curb my desire for taking advantage of the emotionally needy women during weddings and go back to the bar scene.....I would definitely be careful about taking young children to this movie.As men that are professional wedding crashers whose only point in life is to meet women ... you can imagine the nudity involved. It's not so much, but you are definitely privy to a lot of female chests , which were definitely unnecessary here. You also hear a lot of bad language. This movie is titled as a romantic comedy and rightly so. I cannot think of one time in the movie that I was bored, despite the cheesy romance here. Though I do have to say that a lot of the "drama " did not come until the end of the movie. Owen and Vaughn had me laughing through more than 90% of the movie. I was a little put off by how quickly this movie began and was wondering what could possibly hold the rest of the movie up , but was surprised that it did manage to go on, and with obvious humor and never let up until the end. Wedding Crashers is rated R for "sexual content/nudity and language ". This is the type of movie that is borderline PG-13, although the nudity and some of the jokes amount to a rating of R. There are multiple shots of topless women, and Wilson and Vaughn each have a scene that are responsible for the R rating. As for language, expect everything. I believe the rating is warranted, so kids should not be taken to this movie. However, with a cast featuring Ferrell and Vaughn, Im pretty sure a lot of people under 17 will see this movie. Overall, Wedding Crashers is a summer comedy with a cast full of big names.This is the kind of movie that you see on a Friday night it you want to see something genuinely funny. If you're looking for good acting, a gripping plot or some awesome special effects, this isn't what you're looking for. The movie has some dull moments, but I end up recommending it , as it is this year's best comedy offering thus far. I give Wedding Crashers three and half stars, rounded up. I definitely recommend seeing this one. Just don't go in with terribly high expectations because its just a funny/silly movie, nothing earth shattering. Offbeat Funny - Rated R

■ Starring Danny Glover, Dennis Quaid, and Jared Leto.....

Who's The Killer... Keeps you Guessing This is a really Gr8 movie My lovers and I have watched it over and over and recommend it to all our friends.It really keeps you guessing right to the end - who is the killer ???This movie opens with a kidnapping. It starts off with a young boy being kidnapped. What happened to him ???You don't see him or hear of him for quite some time into the movie, butit soon all comes together how he fits in with the plot of the movie.We then follow the trail of a serial-killer who loves slashing the victim "almost surgically ." Then we meet a young hitchhiker from nowhere, and the man who gives him a ride (Glover ). Who is the killer? What's the deal with the FBI agent (Quaid)? Who will win the town election? Do we care?Actually, yes, I did. I became engrossed in the deliberately slow dispension of information. Then, just as they decide to give some answers, the real action/chase begins.This is not a fantastic creation of cinematic art -- but it's an entertaining action-thriller with intriguing characters. Quaid's character is not the typical action-flick hero. Glover's character is low-key and affable. Swithchback is a film you must watch front-to-back.If you miss something, rewind it before going on, because if you don't you'll lose interest. The enjoyment is following along the trails laid by the writers. The only thing is, Quaid isn't supposed to be working on this case due to the fact that his son was kidnapped at the scene of the babysitter's killer. The serial killer took Quaid's boy because he knew that he was close to being caught.Well, Quaid follows the killer's trail to the Rocky Mountains, and ends up on a train...with the killer...does he get killed Does he get his son back? What happens to the hitchhiker? Should you watch this movie? YES!!!【Walton Goggins】Switchback Movies【Dennis Quaid】 Switchback & Forth This was one of the best action/suspense movies I have ever seen. I understand what some of the other reviewers have said about knowing who was responsible for the killings too soon. Yet I feel that it didn't detract from the film at all. In my opinion this movie was about beating the clock and outsmarting the killer.It was terrific..... All the actors give powerful performances in this "who done it? " movie. A hunter is tracking the killer, but the killer is setting a trap. This movie goes back and forth, making you think that you have it all figured out, until another clue is thrown your way. Or is it a clue ???FBI Agent Frank LaCrosse is on the case and pursuing a serial killer that remains a mystery. Frank takes a special interest in this case since he believes that this serial killer is the very same person that has kidnapped his son. Frank is on a mission and will stop at nothing to track down this killer. These murders that he is investigating are in rural Colorado, right in the middle of an election between Chief Jack McGinnis and Sheriff Buck Olmstead. So they even throw some politics into the works, as one uses the murders to gain votes, while the other loses votes, struggling to come out on top. Everyone is tied up in this story in one way or another, but the prime suspects are Lane Dixon and Bob Goodall. Bob Goodall is the mature male, driving along the highway until his path crosses with the ex-medical student turned hitch-hiker, so to speak. Lane receives a ride from Bob, but then suddenly decides he wants to be dropped off at a local bar down the road. Lane goes into the bar and no sooner does he walk in and things get a little hairy. A bar brawl breaks out and Bob hadn't left like he said he was going to. He instead stuck around.He then enters the bar to lend Lane a hand and help him out. Is this an act of kindness? Is he just trying to gain his trust? Bob seems like a friendly, trustworthy guy, or is he?The victims throats have been cut in a surgical manner, fingers point at the quiet, more reserved, ex-medical student. Or maybe not ???Bob has a strange way about him, such as centerfolds plastered all over the interior of his car. Could this be the makings of an obsessive serial killer? Who should you point the finger at? Two suspicious strangers, one's a killer, the other is innocent. But which one is it? Who seems to have the guilty conscious, or no conscious at all? Or could it be someone you're overlooking? I'd love to tell you more, but what fun would that be?I don't want to ruin the movie for any of you that have yet to watch it. If this sounds like your cup of tea then go rent it and get ready for a film that zigzags through sensational thrills and suspense. There's a surprise around every corner that you turn. You'll be tensing up , just hoping that Frank will stay alive long enough to reveal the identity of the killer and possibly find his son. Whether he finds his son dead or alive, that's another question still waiting to be answered. Perhaps the plot is predictable and you automatically know that Glover is the killer by reading the cover of the box (they should of put Jared Leto on the cover too, so that the viewer couldn't predict who exactly the killer was ), this delightful movie is a enjoyable flick to the end of the credits.I would have to have been kept guessing for a little bit longer, though.Go Check it Out !!!!!

● The Intentions Are Cruel, Yet The Result Is Satisfying..○

Depravity among Bored Elite Teenagers A Sexually Charged Film about Teen Angst for the Upperclass..Cruel Intentions is a movie that you either or you . You can't be stuck in between and say it was . I was first introduced to this movie when my sister rented it as soon as it came out on and watched it and said it was Gr8. Cruel Intentions is a movie that a lot of people seem to hate , but I think those looking too deeply into it are completely missing the point. This isn't a movie that claims to be "Academy Award " material, nor does it boldly go where no movie has gone before. It is simply an entertaining movie that is meant for just that; entertainment.Obvious problems occur with the script in some parts like how Sebastian gets all of the ladies. No guy is that sly. It's almost impossible. And I think some characters should have had more back-work filled in with them and also I think that the whole Selma Blair-Sean Patrick Thomas-love-affair thing was filler because it was just too…too…something. It just didn't fit with the rest of the story, but nevertheless, the plot is really good and my favorite part about it is the glorious dialogue especially between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe since a majority of it is funny even though their intentions are cruel. I hate Joshua Jackson, but his small role is definitely the funniest in the movie and the best to watch. He plays a gay guy that helps Sebastian find out who's badmouthing him to Annette and his dialogue was ingeniously written and hilarious to watch. First of all, he talks in a high-spirited, overly happy voice that’s just hysterical to hear (but a little too stereotypical and rude to homosexuals ) and he just has a sort of way of words with people. I only wish that he had a bigger part. 【Sarah Michelle Gellar】Cruel Intentions【Reese Witherspoon】 To be Young & Evil in New York City.. The best scene in this movie occurs when Annette leaves the house to stay with friends.Sebastian wakes up in the morning and finds out she left. He takes off to find her, and from a friend he learns she is at the train station. It cuts to her walking towards an escalator. She steps on, and begins going upstairs. Then, at the top, stands Sebastian. She reaches him, mentions that she is impressed, and they kiss. It's a good kissing scene too. When adults are being this cruel, manipulative and downright sinful, it looks to be the result of bitterness and boredom with cunning calculation.When teenagers do it, they look like ditzes that are experimenting with things they have no idea about.This is not meant to blame the actors or the writing.This is an expected prejudice that most audiences tend to have, and it's a proper one. For teenagers to be this evilly adult-like seems unlikely. You have to overcome this leap of reality to enjoy the picture more. The modern background of New York City is appropriate for a script that was originally written for a 17th century French setting, because both are realms traditionally full of decadence. In spite of this, "Cruel Intentions " is the weakest version of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses " because the script has obvious logical problems of translating some of the most bothersome details of an adult society into a teenage world. The ideas of marital infidelity and dueling simply have no adequate substitutes here. Nevertheless, the script of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses " is strong enough to overcome some of the awkwardness of this film. The sinful pleasure of watching good-looking teenagers act naughtily is also appealing.The film adds a couple of elements to try to make up for these problems. The fact that Kathryn and Sebastian are related in this film makes their relationship incestuous. The lesbian kiss between Blair and Geller in this film was much celebrated and convincing done. As you can probably see, this is a teenage picture that isn't appropriate for teenagers. It's full of very adult themes, and young minds might think it would be gr8 fun to emulate the actors, without truly realizing the consequences.Some see the weakness of the "Les Liaisons Dangereuses " script to be that there is no true hero, or even anyone you can sympathize with.I see this as a strength, since the hero is the universe. You hope that society or nature will meet out its punishments appropriately. The fact that the universe tends to do this imperfectly is part of the enjoyment of such a script.As far as teen movies go, I really did enjoy "Cruel Intentions ." I went into it expecting another cliche teen movie like "She's All That " or "Boys and Girls ", but instead I got a dark twisted movie with witty dialogue and an amazing soundtrack.If you don't over-analyze or look too deeply into this movie, you may just end up liking it.Every time I watch it, I get caught up in the story line again and again. I would recommend this. Don't Be Cruel

【Footloose】 "I Thought This Was a Party. Let's Dance!!!!!"

Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll... Cutting loose with Footloose !!!!!In the late 70's and early 80's teen movies were a very liberal affair. In films like "Grease ", "Fame ", "Porkies ", "Fast Times at Ridgemont High " and "The Big Chill ", it literally was all about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Films that took you straight into teenage hedonism with a sense of total freedom and of course, unless you were watching the German teenage movie "Christiane F " (1982) or listening to Rap music of the time , there was nothing in the way of moral exploration or consequences. In a sense it was all sugar-coated and dumb, but entertaining.Then, just like with the violent films of the early 70's killing off the carefree swinger spirit of the 60's, at around 1983/84, teen movies changed and began to portray and articulate the backlash of parental control and the evangelical oppressive establishment in suburbia, in the home, at school and in the church, which always has a tendency to oppress teenagers as potential perverts and write them off as lost souls if they falter.. For me these aspects of evangelicism are what for me makes organised religion more than simply annoying but totally grotesque..... Sometimes those films were the voice of rebellion, sometimes they were there to reinforce oppression and encourage teenage subservience and a sense of powerlessness- and in-fact some of them are so humiliating and cold hearted , they're downright unpleasant viewing, but for me this is a well rounded, balanced, emotionally strong and positive example. This movie is and will always be one of my all time favorites. Other movies that you might like include Hairspray starying Ricky Lake, Flash Dance,and Girls just wanna have fun."Footloose " is a Gr8 movie and is by almost anyone who has seen it. This movie is Gr8 for all ages. 【Dianne Wiest】Footloose【Lori Singer】 Fight For Your Right To PARTY A city boy is moving into a town out in the country, and walking right into a environment. Being a man of pop-culture, he is really into music, dancing, and everything that goes with it. For him, this is like a journey back in time as he comes across a town that is against everything that he stands for. Due to a tragic past, the town has a lot of "ghosts " that it lives with. As a result, the parents and administrators of the town have become overly protective of the younger kids in the city, and thus want to make sure that no tragedy like the one that has occurred can ever happen again. Of course we as the audience are not supposed to side with the rulers of the town, and through the actions of the teenage populous, we get taken through an interesting story of rebellion and self-actualization. "Footloose " has a lot of good messages at the center of the film that include family values, and what it means to really be there for your kids. It likes to point out how parents decide what's best for their kids without really thinking about how it might affect them in the long run. "Footloose " has been remembered fondly like the other Teen Dance orientated films of the time such as "Grease" and "Dirty Dancing".But I'll let you know something- "Grease " and "Dirty Dancing " where the type of films which left me very, very cold indeed. I could rate them grandly on the level of dance choreography, but they both had an unpleasant tweeness about them, coupled with an underlying and unacknowledged humiliating and degrading aspect to the teen characters which was unpleasant. This film is so unlike the above movies- it brims with fire and passion.The dancing choreography in the film is ironically its weakest point and looks terribly amateur , but the whole energy of it makes it compelling, the sweat, the physical violence, the daredevil antics, the teenage wildness. The cinematography is also great, very grainy and soiled, a sense of there being no clear skies, a sense of being dumped on by repression and being stained by sin, and a sense of fighting spirit like chucking mud when cornered , it makes the film look human. The music soundtrack is worth a mention too - its all hedonistic tunes - even the soul band Shalamar abandon the crooning here for the party track "Dancing in the Sheets "-, it's all rather like disco music except a bit more loud and energetic. Couple this with a screenplay that isn't afraid to aim for depth and melodrama and mood juxtaposition and brilliantly glues the chemistry between these characters and you've got one outstanding 80's teen movie. Thought that is a theme, we are treated more to a movie about a teen fitting into surroundings, and bringing with him a wave of change. Bacon was pretty good , and there are a lot of scenes where he was very interesting as an actor on screen. The movie definitely keeps your attention, and the main selling point are all of the classic songs that you get to hear.You have Footloose, Let's Hear it For the Boy, and I Need A Hero.All Gr8 80's tunes that got their first air-play through the film. The story is pretty strong, the acting is decent, and the story is good enough to watch more than once. For all those reasons I do recommend this film. LET'S DAAAAAAAAAANCE !!!!!

●○● Who's Going To Get Married??? ●○●

Wedding Belle Blues Is it Possible to LUV Julia Roberts More My Best Friend's Wedding is a story about two friends, Michael and Jules, who made a pact that if they were both still single when they turned 28, they would marry each other. Well, a few days before Michael is to turn 28, Jules remembers their deal, and also suddenly realizes that she is in with Michael. When he phones her that evening to tell her the news of his pending marriage, she is shocked. He persuades her to come to New York for his wedding. She agrees to go, and decides that she will break up Michael and his bride to be during the 4 days she is there prior to their wedding. What happens next is a variety of attempts on Jules part to try and split up the couple and at the same time make Michael realize he still has feelings for Jules -- if in fact he still does. Does Jules succeed in getting Michael for herself ?You will have to watch this video yourself to find out what happens, I don't want to give it away.The four main characters of this movie are superbly played by Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Evertt.This movie has a little comedy and a little romance, IMO a perfect blend. If you are looking to watch a lighthearted and fun , this may be the one for you.While I really enjoyed watching this movie and could easily watch it again, my lover did not particularly like the story line of this movie. He would not want to watch it again, perhaps this is a video best watched with a group of girlfriends.Shocked, and more than dismayed, Julianne hops on a plane to Chicago, prepared to break up the wedding.The best part of this movie isn't related to this little threesome at all. It's Rupert Everett, playing Julianne's editor and current best friend. As Julianne begins to go insane, he pulls her back from the edge, allowing her to pretend he's her fiancee to make Michael jealous. But unable to stop there, he spends the entire morning humiliating her in front of the entire wedding party. The reception dinner makes the movie, and made me buy the soundtrack If you like romantic comedies you will this movie. It makes for perfect slumber party watching. Think "French Kiss " without any French accents. 【Julia Roberts】My Best Friend's Wedding【Cameron Diaz】 Hit Home with Me... Sometimes life can really put you into some sticky situations as this movie shows. Julia Roberts superbly portrays Juliette "Jules ", a food critic, who is called one day by her best friend Michael. He shocks her with the news of his upcoming nuptials to "Kimmi ", a wealthy college gal , to whom Jules really thinks is kind of flakie. It seems Jules once made one of those "if we're not married to other people by X, then we'll get married " pacts with her best friend, who happens to be a man named Michael (Dermot Mulroney ). Naturally (this is Hollywood! ), Jules realizes she's in with Michael, just as he tells her he's getting married to someone else (enter Cameron Diaz ). Once that premise is set up, the bulk of the film is devoted to watching Jules try to come up with some way to stop the wedding in a matter of days.Employing tactics that range from embarrassment (one of the film's best scenes is watching Diaz try to sing "I Say A Little Prayer For You" at a karaoke bar ) to a downright devious plot involving Michael's job, Jules desperately tries to find a way to break up the happy couple, ultimately leading to the aforementioned car chase.The eventual outcome is not especially surprising, nor does it need to be. The film is simply good fun, with a cast that plays each line to just the right effect. Diaz plays the almost clueless Twinkie of a bride-to-be to just the right level, and one almost feels bad for her as this interloper tries to break up her relationship. Jules may be engaging in some dirty tricks, but Julia Roberts portrays her in a way that you can almost understand why she's acting the way she is.. Rupert Everett adds the voice of reason as Jules? confidant, who tries, albeit without much success, to keep her from heading down a self-destructive path.. As for Dermot Mulroney... well, he doesn't have much to do except play the not-so-swift groom who's too blinded by his own love to notice that Jules happens to be crazy about him. (D'oh! )...... After realizing that she her best friend and will do anything to stop him from marrying anyone else but her, Jules stoops to an all time low and tries desperately to get Michaels attention. Being known for shying away from all of the "mushy stuff " and not being one to commit seriously to love, Jules realizes that Michael needs to be happy, she sacrifices her own happiness for him.Im not going to go any further in telling about this movie, you need to watch it and see what "Jules " does to get Michaels attention. Im certain you will enjoy.I guess the old saying proves true: Love will make you do crazy things. I really don't feel that this was one of Julia's better movies but it impressed me. The story line was very strong and the humor was very light-hearted. I would suggest anyone who just needs a good laugh to definitely watch this movie it is delightfully funny.So guys, listen to me on this one. Show what a sensitive lug you can be by picking up this movie instead of another shoot-em-up, special effects bonanza. You might score some points for being a romantic deep down in your heart. Just Don't tell Her you only rented it for the Car Chase...

■ Excellent Murder Mystery!!!!! □

An Incarnation of Socrates... To Each His Own - On My All-Time Favorites List !! In this movie, Kevin Spacey, a philosophy professor, has been wrongly convicted on 1st degree murder in Texas of all places, and will be executed.. A reporter that comes to visit him in prison, thinks she is getting a story about how a tenured, successful, happy professor who is so anti-death penalty is getting what he so fears and looks down upon..Apparently, Spacey didn't really commit the haneous act against his friend, as many think.....What I the most, being that Im a philosophy major are the symbolisms and comparisons to Socrates and taking an unjust punishment prove a point. Socrates was unjustly convicted of 'corrupting the youth ' but wanted to quietly take his punishment of drinking hemlock. He did so, because he believed strongly in civil disobedience, which would anger people enough to get rid of an unjust and flawed system. That is the same thing that Spacey did. He is quietly taking a punishment he doesn't deserve, to show people how unreliable the death penalty is.This movie mostly consists of Spacey reflecting back to all the things that lead up to where he is now. Of most truth, is when he is fired, for supposedly raping a girl. He informs his boss that the charges were dropped, to which his boss said, "They'll just say you had a good lawyer. You aren't politically correct professor. Welcome to the club. " That truly speaks of the 'open mindness ' in our educational system today. If what a professor believes is not hip, they will be shunned in most ways. I did the debate the professor, Spacey had with the governor of Texas, who of course was pro-capital punishment. The governor keeps reading these quotes from famous people, thinking they will somehow justify his argument. He reads a supposedly good quote, to which Spacey said, "Yeah that's what Hitler thought to. " The extreme eye contact here foreshadows what Spacey will do to prove how capital punishment is unreliable. Spacey humiliating him on television with his good arguments, really ticks the governor off, but he tries to keep his cool. Another thing I like about The Life of David Gale , was the mysterious cowboy who kept stalking the reporters. He goes so far as to break into their hotel room and leave a gruesome tape showing the murder of Spacey's friend, which was wrongly pinned on Spacey. 【Laura Linney】Life of David Gale【Kevin Spacey】 What's Eating David Gale? If you are a die hard (and I mean that literally ) advocate of the death penalty then this is probably not your film. I think you might find it interesting though. If you have some questions or ambiguity about it, then this movie may help you. It should be something that will at least get your attention, and make you think. How could that be bad ? I promise, I won't give it away !!However, what I will do is have footnotes that contain major spoilers, so that those who either have no intention of seeing the film anyway , or have already seen it, or have seen it and did not understand a thing, or have seen it, hated it, and want further insight into why I liked it, can see my interpretation anyway. For the death penalty, Against the death penalty, yeesh !! They say The Life of David Gale doesn't really make a firm stand on the capital punishment debate either way. I say, why should it? Some people are for it, some people are against it. Movies aren't going to change their minds so what's the point? Might as well play with their minds a little bit. I'm against it myself; in the long run I always have been, even if I've had my moments when I thought it was a good idea. For the most part, this movie seems to be mostly against it as well. So maybe that's why I liked it. I can't say that facts are used much moreso here than in something like The Green Mile, except for the debate between David Gale and the pro-capital punishment governor of Texas..... David Gale reads a quote, to which the governor agrees, only for David to reveal that the quote belonged to Hitler. Talk about a kickass moment. Well, I'm probably just a moron. But I thought this movie rocked. And I'm done now. Given a mere 24 hours after Gale's story is completely told, Bitsey and Zack race the clock to find the evidence to save his life (at the beginning, Bloom firmly believed that he was guilty of the crime. ) Will she be able to save him While I did say the subplots were weak, the acting therein is solid. The movie paces very well for its running time of 130 minutes. The scenes change fast enough that you don't feel the movie lingers too much in one spot. I do not want to tell you anymore as Im afraid I will spoil the ending for you. Basically, the movie is about someone who makes himself a martyr to show how corrupt and fallible a system is. I would also suggest, if you want to, read "The Last Day of Socrates " by Crito, and then you will get a good idea of what Spacey is doing. Put two and two together. I highly recommend this movie.