Some housekeeping first...at the request of Nuke, I've added a recent comments gadget to the blog on the right side of the screen. It's not great, but at least you can see the latest comments added. If you click on a comment, it takes you to the post and you can see all comments for that post.
Ok...Super Hero movies. In keeping with my rule, you won't see 2 movies from the same "series" of movies. I also work with a bunch of engineers, so it's possible this could be my most highly controversial list yet. Sorry I'm late...my wife and I had date night on Thursday where we saw "True Grit"...very cool, review to come later after I watch the John Wayne original. Then we were out of town for the weekend.
Without further adieu...the Top 5 Super Hero movies:
5 - "Spider-Man": The original that started the latest run of Super Hero movies, "Spider-Man" is the best of the Marvel bunch. With the ever creepy Willam Defoe as the Green Goblin, and Tobey McGuire playing a really good Peter Parker/Spider-Man, this movie is just an action-packed good time.
4 - "Sky High": Not your traditional super hero movie, but it gets better every time I see it. It's a Disney movie, so it has a feel good ending, as all Disney movies do. But, along the way, it's funny as you watch teenage super heroes learn just trying to get through life at Super Hero High School. The school gets broken up into cliques of Heroes and Sidekicks, which leads to some interesting dynamics. Overall, a very cool movie that's very family friendly.
3 - "Superman: The Movie": Yes, "Superman Returns" has better effects, but the Superman crowd has yet to beat the Richard Donner original. The story telling that takes place from Krypton to the early days in Kansas is fantastic. Christopher Reeves is perfect as Clark Kent/Superman, and Margot Kidder will always be Lois Lane in my opinion. Also starring Glenn Ford as Jonathon Kent and Marlon Brando as Jor-El, this is just a great movie, especially given that it was made in 1978. I am looking forward to the reboot of this movie franchise, which is supposed to occur in 2012, with "Superman: Man of Steel".
2 - "Batman": Made in 1989, this is the movie that made me love Batman. Tim Burton's darker version of Batman, versus the campy "Scooby-Doo"/Adam West Batman was a rebirth for the Dark Knight. Michael Keaton was awesome as Batman, bringing some levity, but a definite dark side to the Caped Crusader. At the time though, what made this move, was Jack Nicholson's portrayal of The Joker. He was hilarious, yet somewhat disturbing at the same time. While I would argue that Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight" was more true to the Joker character, Nicholson's Joker still lives on as a classic.
1 - "Batman Begins": Before you say I cheated, this is the reboot of the Batman franchise so it's a different series of movies. This reboot, directed by Christopher Nolan takes the "darkness" of the Dark Knight to a new level in a very good way. Christian Bale portrays the brooding Bruce Wayne, turned Batman. What "Batman Begins" shows that has never been revealed before is the travels that Bruce Wayne takes to become Batman. After learning all he can, and making an enemy of Ra's Al Ghul, Bruce returns to Gotham City to save it from itself, and he chooses to do this as Batman, being a symbol to the people, while striking fear into the hearts of the villains. Just a fantastic movie...one of my top 5 movies of all time. In 2012, the final installment in Christopher Nolan's trilogy will be released...2012 is going to be a great year for movies.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
My Grandpa
I've been wanting to do this blog for a long time. We're closing in on 10 years since my Grandpa Lynn died. I loved my grandpa very much, and I knew he loved me. In fact, I guess I still do love him...why do we always say we "loved" people after they died?
Grandpa Lynn was born in 1921, grew up during the depression and fought in World War II. In fact, he was at Normandy on June 6, 1944 (a.k.a. D-Day). I remember he had a plaque on his wall that he got for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. After the war, my Grandpa came home, and lucky for me, he and my Grandma had my dad a few years later. In the early 1950's, my grandparents moved to the Black Hills in South Dakota and Grandpa worked in the Homestake Gold Mine for 30 years. He retired in his early 60's and spent his retirement playing golf, watching baseball, moving snow, and driving my Grandma crazy. Their relationship was a special one...I remember on their 50th anniversary, they seemed so in love, and I told my parents "geez, I didn't think Grandma and Grandpa even liked each other." In 2000, Grandpa got cancer, and he died in March of 2001. Grandpa was laid to rest in the Black Hills National Cemetery, and Grandma joined him a few years later.
Sometime during the period right after Grandpa died, I remember telling my Grandma through tears that I had lost my first golf buddy. I'm getting a little teary now just thinking about it. She was teary too and she just said she knew and that I was his golfing buddy too. When I was in 4th grade, my mom had to have brain surgery, so she and my dad spent a lot of that summer in Denver. My brother and I stayed with my grandparents, and I started going golfing with Grandpa and Grandma every so often. I had gone with my dad and grandpa several times the previous summer and I really liked it. That summer is when my love of golf really took off.
Over the next 10 years, I played a lot of golf with Grandpa. It was our thing...every summer I would go spend a week with them and we'd just play golf and watch baseball and have a good time. I don't remember all those rounds, but I remember certain things. I remember how far Grandpa could drive the ball, even into his late 60's. All the years in the mine had really built up Grandpa's muscles, and even though he wasn't real flexible, he could hit the ball hard. Grandpa got to the point where he shot in the low 40's pretty consistently, with the occasional 9 hole round in the 30's, even though he didn't take up the game until he was 50 years old.
I vaguely remember the point where I could start beating my Grandpa...it had a little to do with me getting better and him getting older, but he never cared. He was just happy for me. We would go play sometimes with my Great Uncle Denny, who was Grandpa's every day golfing buddy, and sometimes we'd play with Grandma. Because of 30 years in the mine, Grandpa didn't move the fastest, and Grandma liked to play speed golf. As I said, part of retirement was driving Grandma crazy...sometimes I think he played even slower when Grandma was with us, just to pick on her.
Well, I went away to college, and Grandpa got cancer. In August of 2000, I went home right before I started my last semester of college. One day while I was home, I went golfing with Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Denny and his wife, my Great Aunt Vivian. We planned to play 18 holes...because Grandpa was sick and getting weaker, he was going to play 9 and then Vivian would play 9. After our first 9 holes, Grandpa shot 54 playing from the Senior Tees. He said he wanted to play the 2nd 9 holes as well, and Vivian let him. Grandpa shot a 49 the next time around. That was the only time all summer he played 18 holes. I get teary thinking about that now too...and it's one of the greatest memories I have of my Grandpa...my first and best golf buddy. That day, he showed me how much he loved me, and I hope he knew how much I loved him and I wish I could tell him how much I treasure that memory.
Grandpa died 6 months later. Because we had a new baby and I had started a new job and frankly because I wasn't sure I wanted to see my Grandpa so weak, I never made it home to see him before he died. In some ways, I was okay with that, because I had that last great memory. In some ways, I was sad that he never got to meet his great grandchild. Grandpa's funeral drew a huge crowd in the small town of Lead, SD. He was buried at the National Cemetery and got a 21 gun salute. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Grandpa Lynn and about how much he meant to me and how much he still means to me. I think that since it's getting close to 10 years now, I've been thinking about him even more, which is why I chose now to write this.
There was so much more to Grandpa Lynn than I can write here, and I've chosen to focus on golf because those were some of our best times together. He was a wonderful man who loved his grand kids very much and gave this particular grand kid enough memories to last a lifetime. Whenever I'm out playing golf, and I pull off some ridiculous shot, I can't help but think that Grandpa is there, giving me a little extra help.
Grandpa Lynn was born in 1921, grew up during the depression and fought in World War II. In fact, he was at Normandy on June 6, 1944 (a.k.a. D-Day). I remember he had a plaque on his wall that he got for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. After the war, my Grandpa came home, and lucky for me, he and my Grandma had my dad a few years later. In the early 1950's, my grandparents moved to the Black Hills in South Dakota and Grandpa worked in the Homestake Gold Mine for 30 years. He retired in his early 60's and spent his retirement playing golf, watching baseball, moving snow, and driving my Grandma crazy. Their relationship was a special one...I remember on their 50th anniversary, they seemed so in love, and I told my parents "geez, I didn't think Grandma and Grandpa even liked each other." In 2000, Grandpa got cancer, and he died in March of 2001. Grandpa was laid to rest in the Black Hills National Cemetery, and Grandma joined him a few years later.
Sometime during the period right after Grandpa died, I remember telling my Grandma through tears that I had lost my first golf buddy. I'm getting a little teary now just thinking about it. She was teary too and she just said she knew and that I was his golfing buddy too. When I was in 4th grade, my mom had to have brain surgery, so she and my dad spent a lot of that summer in Denver. My brother and I stayed with my grandparents, and I started going golfing with Grandpa and Grandma every so often. I had gone with my dad and grandpa several times the previous summer and I really liked it. That summer is when my love of golf really took off.
Over the next 10 years, I played a lot of golf with Grandpa. It was our thing...every summer I would go spend a week with them and we'd just play golf and watch baseball and have a good time. I don't remember all those rounds, but I remember certain things. I remember how far Grandpa could drive the ball, even into his late 60's. All the years in the mine had really built up Grandpa's muscles, and even though he wasn't real flexible, he could hit the ball hard. Grandpa got to the point where he shot in the low 40's pretty consistently, with the occasional 9 hole round in the 30's, even though he didn't take up the game until he was 50 years old.
I vaguely remember the point where I could start beating my Grandpa...it had a little to do with me getting better and him getting older, but he never cared. He was just happy for me. We would go play sometimes with my Great Uncle Denny, who was Grandpa's every day golfing buddy, and sometimes we'd play with Grandma. Because of 30 years in the mine, Grandpa didn't move the fastest, and Grandma liked to play speed golf. As I said, part of retirement was driving Grandma crazy...sometimes I think he played even slower when Grandma was with us, just to pick on her.
Well, I went away to college, and Grandpa got cancer. In August of 2000, I went home right before I started my last semester of college. One day while I was home, I went golfing with Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Denny and his wife, my Great Aunt Vivian. We planned to play 18 holes...because Grandpa was sick and getting weaker, he was going to play 9 and then Vivian would play 9. After our first 9 holes, Grandpa shot 54 playing from the Senior Tees. He said he wanted to play the 2nd 9 holes as well, and Vivian let him. Grandpa shot a 49 the next time around. That was the only time all summer he played 18 holes. I get teary thinking about that now too...and it's one of the greatest memories I have of my Grandpa...my first and best golf buddy. That day, he showed me how much he loved me, and I hope he knew how much I loved him and I wish I could tell him how much I treasure that memory.
Grandpa died 6 months later. Because we had a new baby and I had started a new job and frankly because I wasn't sure I wanted to see my Grandpa so weak, I never made it home to see him before he died. In some ways, I was okay with that, because I had that last great memory. In some ways, I was sad that he never got to meet his great grandchild. Grandpa's funeral drew a huge crowd in the small town of Lead, SD. He was buried at the National Cemetery and got a 21 gun salute. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Grandpa Lynn and about how much he meant to me and how much he still means to me. I think that since it's getting close to 10 years now, I've been thinking about him even more, which is why I chose now to write this.
There was so much more to Grandpa Lynn than I can write here, and I've chosen to focus on golf because those were some of our best times together. He was a wonderful man who loved his grand kids very much and gave this particular grand kid enough memories to last a lifetime. Whenever I'm out playing golf, and I pull off some ridiculous shot, I can't help but think that Grandpa is there, giving me a little extra help.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
It's in the Grip!
Today, I picked up my golf clubs, after dropping them off on Saturday to get them regripped. I joined a very modest country club this year in an effort to play my golf faster. This little club has 9 holes and, when I've played there, I've generally been able to play 18 holes in 3 hours or less. Much better than the 4+ hours it takes to play a municipal course in the area.
Anyway, the guy who runs the club put new grips on my clubs, which experts say you should do about every 40 rounds or so. When I picked them up, he didn't make me pay...apparently being a member of a club gets you credit for a month. So, I'll be getting a bill next month...which led me to the realization that I will never have to have cash on me when I go to play golf. This could be good or dangerous depending on how carefully I monitor this.
Still not getting to the topic at hand. My new grips on my clubs reminded me of a discussion I had with Nuke a while back. For those who don't know, in addition to being an all around good guy and snazzy dresser, Nuke is also a golf guru. Though he doesn't play any more due to his physical difficulties, Nuke is always a good friend and listens to my golf stories. One time, he even took time out of his schedule to videotape my golf swing, which lead to way too much analysis on my part and a really bad month of golf before I decided to just hit it...but I digress again.
I really appreciate this aspect of our friendship. One day, probably last summer, we were discussing the golf grip. I use an interlocking grip, while Nuke preferred an overlapping grip. I wanted to include a picture, but couldn't be sure of copyright. If you really care to see what these different grips look like, you can find them at this link. Once upon a time, I tried the overlapping grip and promptly shanked the ball, which is the worst shot in golf. So, I went back to my interlocking grip and have moved along happily ever since. Nuke's argument to me was that I'd have much more control and be a better player if I took the time to learn the overlapping method.
Rather than accept this advice from someone who was a better golfer than I'll ever be, I chose to find evidence to support me. I learned that Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods both use interlocking grips, which tells me that I'm doing ok if the best two golfers who ever lived use the same grip style that I'm using. However, I also learned that Arnold Palmer and Vijay Singh use overlapping...two pretty good players in their own right. Finally, I did some research and found that most "experts" agree that it is all about feeling comfortable, so I decided it was ok to stick with my interlocking method.
Ok, so there is really no point to this. I just thought of all this because of the new grips on my clubs. Oh, as I was watching golf on TV this weekend (yes, I do that), I noticed that the winner of this week's event, Nick Watney, uses an interlocking grip. That's all. Sorry if you wasted 2 minutes of your life reading this, only to discover I had no point and there is no deeper moral meaning here.
Anyway, the guy who runs the club put new grips on my clubs, which experts say you should do about every 40 rounds or so. When I picked them up, he didn't make me pay...apparently being a member of a club gets you credit for a month. So, I'll be getting a bill next month...which led me to the realization that I will never have to have cash on me when I go to play golf. This could be good or dangerous depending on how carefully I monitor this.
Still not getting to the topic at hand. My new grips on my clubs reminded me of a discussion I had with Nuke a while back. For those who don't know, in addition to being an all around good guy and snazzy dresser, Nuke is also a golf guru. Though he doesn't play any more due to his physical difficulties, Nuke is always a good friend and listens to my golf stories. One time, he even took time out of his schedule to videotape my golf swing, which lead to way too much analysis on my part and a really bad month of golf before I decided to just hit it...but I digress again.
I really appreciate this aspect of our friendship. One day, probably last summer, we were discussing the golf grip. I use an interlocking grip, while Nuke preferred an overlapping grip. I wanted to include a picture, but couldn't be sure of copyright. If you really care to see what these different grips look like, you can find them at this link. Once upon a time, I tried the overlapping grip and promptly shanked the ball, which is the worst shot in golf. So, I went back to my interlocking grip and have moved along happily ever since. Nuke's argument to me was that I'd have much more control and be a better player if I took the time to learn the overlapping method.
Rather than accept this advice from someone who was a better golfer than I'll ever be, I chose to find evidence to support me. I learned that Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods both use interlocking grips, which tells me that I'm doing ok if the best two golfers who ever lived use the same grip style that I'm using. However, I also learned that Arnold Palmer and Vijay Singh use overlapping...two pretty good players in their own right. Finally, I did some research and found that most "experts" agree that it is all about feeling comfortable, so I decided it was ok to stick with my interlocking method.
Ok, so there is really no point to this. I just thought of all this because of the new grips on my clubs. Oh, as I was watching golf on TV this weekend (yes, I do that), I noticed that the winner of this week's event, Nick Watney, uses an interlocking grip. That's all. Sorry if you wasted 2 minutes of your life reading this, only to discover I had no point and there is no deeper moral meaning here.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Who Cares?
Ok, well, I must care because I'm blogging about this. But, in a very short time, I won't care, because I'll find better things to do with my time. On a day when an 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, causing loss of life and potentially billions of dollars in damage, the NFL players union decertified in the on-going labor strife with the NFL owners. In a time when there is 9% unemployment, Billionaires (owners) are fighting with Millionaires (players) over $650 million dollars a year. If you ask me (and I hope most normal people)...this is ridiculous!
The NFL is the golden goose, and greed is going to kill the golden goose. Well, greed and pride...as the NFL Players Association Director DeMaurice Smith put it, “Well it is with a great deal of pride that the members and the players of the National Football League said ‘No…We are going to demand as your business partners that you meet us halfway and justify taking any money from us.” As Proverbs 16:18 puts is..."Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall." There's obviously way too much pride here, and this decertification is a disaster for the NFL. The decertification starts the process of allowing the players to file anti-trust lawsuits against the NFL owners, which could lead to the loss of the 2011 season.
When baseball lost the 1994 World Series due to labor strife, fans stayed away. In fact, it was around that time that the NFL surpassed baseball in popularity, and it's remained that way ever since. Now, in their pride and haughtiness, the owners and players have decided that they will put the fans to the test. They are going to risk the future of this league, betting on the fact that the fans will come back after this mess is over. If history is any indication, the NFL is in for some lean years if this labor clash results in missed games. Fans will find other things to do with their Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings, because there are other options out there. Yes, I think the NFL is in for a fall, and both sides are to blame.
This is the last comment you will hear from me on this topic until it is resolved. I don't care what kind of garbage each side puts out there. I'm sure DeMaurice Smith, who is a trial lawyer by trade, will represent the players in this mess, and he has proven capable of saying just about anything. In fact, a conspiracy theorist could hypothesize that Smith orchestrated this whole thing, knowing that he would, most likely, get to represent the players in their litigation against the league. On the other side, you have owners who are very wealthy and full of pride. They are used to getting their own way, and I expect they won't budge, and will probably say some ridiculous things along the way as well. But, I plan to remain silent...this mess gets no more time from me.
So, I'm signing off on this topic for the duration. Over and Out!
The NFL is the golden goose, and greed is going to kill the golden goose. Well, greed and pride...as the NFL Players Association Director DeMaurice Smith put it, “Well it is with a great deal of pride that the members and the players of the National Football League said ‘No…We are going to demand as your business partners that you meet us halfway and justify taking any money from us.” As Proverbs 16:18 puts is..."Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall." There's obviously way too much pride here, and this decertification is a disaster for the NFL. The decertification starts the process of allowing the players to file anti-trust lawsuits against the NFL owners, which could lead to the loss of the 2011 season.
When baseball lost the 1994 World Series due to labor strife, fans stayed away. In fact, it was around that time that the NFL surpassed baseball in popularity, and it's remained that way ever since. Now, in their pride and haughtiness, the owners and players have decided that they will put the fans to the test. They are going to risk the future of this league, betting on the fact that the fans will come back after this mess is over. If history is any indication, the NFL is in for some lean years if this labor clash results in missed games. Fans will find other things to do with their Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings, because there are other options out there. Yes, I think the NFL is in for a fall, and both sides are to blame.
This is the last comment you will hear from me on this topic until it is resolved. I don't care what kind of garbage each side puts out there. I'm sure DeMaurice Smith, who is a trial lawyer by trade, will represent the players in this mess, and he has proven capable of saying just about anything. In fact, a conspiracy theorist could hypothesize that Smith orchestrated this whole thing, knowing that he would, most likely, get to represent the players in their litigation against the league. On the other side, you have owners who are very wealthy and full of pride. They are used to getting their own way, and I expect they won't budge, and will probably say some ridiculous things along the way as well. But, I plan to remain silent...this mess gets no more time from me.
So, I'm signing off on this topic for the duration. Over and Out!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Top 5 Silly/Spoof Movies
As you'll see from this list, they just don't make silly and/or spoof films the way they used to. From this top 5 list, you'll see that, in my opinion, Hollywood stopped making good spoof films in the early 1990's.
Without further adieu, the Top 5 Silly/Spoof Movies
5 - "Hot Shots!": This is the newest film on this list (made in 1991) and shows how funny Charlie Sheen and Cary Elwes and be. Note that Elwes was also excellent in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", which would be around #8 if this list was a top 10 list. But, whenever he's on screen, Lloyd Bridges steals the show as Admiral Benson. "Hot Shots!" is a spoof of "Top Gun" and Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley...the world's greatest pilot, who also happens to have mental issues. "Hot Shots!" was directed by Jim Abrahams, who I think you'll see again on the list.
4 - "The Naked Gun": Directed by David Zucker, "The Naked Gun" is classic Leslie Nielsen. As Lt. Frank Drebyn, Nielsen stumbles and bumbles his way to stopping the evil Ricardo Montalbon. Along the way, he falls in love with Priscilla Presley, umpires a baseball game, tackles Reggie Jackson and makes a fool of the Queen of England. You'll be laughing from start to finish.
3 - "Spaceballs": The only Mel Brooks movie to make my list, though "Blazing Saddles" "History of the World Part 1" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" are in the conversation, this is the only one I could put in the top 5. "Spaceballs" is a spoof of "Star Wars", starring Bill Pullman as Lonestar, John Candy as Barf (the mog...half man/half dog...he's his own best friend) and Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet, "Spaceballs" was my introduction to the spoof film genre in 1987.
2 - "Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail": It was really hard for me not to make "Holy Grail" #1 on this list. Just say "Holy Grail" and people know what you are talking about. One of the funniest, silliest movies ever made, from the craziest British comedians of all time. King Arther, Sir Lancelot, and the whole crew are on a quest for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they face off against French Taunters, the Knights who say "Ni", the Castle Anthrax, Tim the Enchanter and finally the Police. Oh, and you've also got the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. You have to see it to believe it...classic in every way.
1 - "Airplane!": The entry film for the directing team of David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, "Airplane!" is the quintessential spoof film. Starring Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Hays, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul Jabaar and Barbara Billingsley, this movie literally has everything. You have to watch it multiple times to catch every joke and gag. The best part, and the reason this is #1, is this is really the original spoof. All the actors take the entire movie very seriously, and deliver every line with a perfectly straight face. While they do, you are cracking up every minute. Classic does not go far enough with "Airplane!".
Without further adieu, the Top 5 Silly/Spoof Movies
5 - "Hot Shots!": This is the newest film on this list (made in 1991) and shows how funny Charlie Sheen and Cary Elwes and be. Note that Elwes was also excellent in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", which would be around #8 if this list was a top 10 list. But, whenever he's on screen, Lloyd Bridges steals the show as Admiral Benson. "Hot Shots!" is a spoof of "Top Gun" and Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley...the world's greatest pilot, who also happens to have mental issues. "Hot Shots!" was directed by Jim Abrahams, who I think you'll see again on the list.
4 - "The Naked Gun": Directed by David Zucker, "The Naked Gun" is classic Leslie Nielsen. As Lt. Frank Drebyn, Nielsen stumbles and bumbles his way to stopping the evil Ricardo Montalbon. Along the way, he falls in love with Priscilla Presley, umpires a baseball game, tackles Reggie Jackson and makes a fool of the Queen of England. You'll be laughing from start to finish.
3 - "Spaceballs": The only Mel Brooks movie to make my list, though "Blazing Saddles" "History of the World Part 1" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" are in the conversation, this is the only one I could put in the top 5. "Spaceballs" is a spoof of "Star Wars", starring Bill Pullman as Lonestar, John Candy as Barf (the mog...half man/half dog...he's his own best friend) and Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet, "Spaceballs" was my introduction to the spoof film genre in 1987.
2 - "Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail": It was really hard for me not to make "Holy Grail" #1 on this list. Just say "Holy Grail" and people know what you are talking about. One of the funniest, silliest movies ever made, from the craziest British comedians of all time. King Arther, Sir Lancelot, and the whole crew are on a quest for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they face off against French Taunters, the Knights who say "Ni", the Castle Anthrax, Tim the Enchanter and finally the Police. Oh, and you've also got the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. You have to see it to believe it...classic in every way.
1 - "Airplane!": The entry film for the directing team of David Zucker and Jim Abrahams, "Airplane!" is the quintessential spoof film. Starring Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Hays, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul Jabaar and Barbara Billingsley, this movie literally has everything. You have to watch it multiple times to catch every joke and gag. The best part, and the reason this is #1, is this is really the original spoof. All the actors take the entire movie very seriously, and deliver every line with a perfectly straight face. While they do, you are cracking up every minute. Classic does not go far enough with "Airplane!".
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Happy Lent Everybody!
Yeah, I know...Lent and Happy are not supposed to go together. Well, unless you understand what Lent is about, then, like me, you'll love Lent. For those who aren't aware of the Liturgical Calendar, today is the first day of Lent...Ash Wednesday. In just 6 weeks, we'll celebrate the biggest day on the church calendar...Easter.
As I get older, I get more perspective on Lent, and this is especially true since I converted to Catholicism. This is really a special time of year...a time for reflection and penance, and most importantly a time for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. I know, some of you are probably saying, "why don't you focus on that year around?" and you do, but Lent seems to ratchet up the intensity of that focus and makes it more intentional. Every year, I pick something to work on during Lent, rather than giving up something like chocolate. Some years, it sticks better than others. I believe I have picked something this year that will really help me grow, and I ask for prayers that it will. I'm not sharing what I am working on. When Lent is over, I'll let you all in on the secret, and I'll let you know how I did.
I hope all of you are able to find time for spiritual growth over these next 40 days. Read the Bible a little more, spend a few extra minutes each day in prayer, try being nicer to your friends and coworkers, if you haven't been going to church, start going to church...or do all four. I pray that all of you experience a deepening of your relationship with God this Lent, and I hope you will pray for the same for me. God Bless!
As I get older, I get more perspective on Lent, and this is especially true since I converted to Catholicism. This is really a special time of year...a time for reflection and penance, and most importantly a time for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. I know, some of you are probably saying, "why don't you focus on that year around?" and you do, but Lent seems to ratchet up the intensity of that focus and makes it more intentional. Every year, I pick something to work on during Lent, rather than giving up something like chocolate. Some years, it sticks better than others. I believe I have picked something this year that will really help me grow, and I ask for prayers that it will. I'm not sharing what I am working on. When Lent is over, I'll let you all in on the secret, and I'll let you know how I did.
I hope all of you are able to find time for spiritual growth over these next 40 days. Read the Bible a little more, spend a few extra minutes each day in prayer, try being nicer to your friends and coworkers, if you haven't been going to church, start going to church...or do all four. I pray that all of you experience a deepening of your relationship with God this Lent, and I hope you will pray for the same for me. God Bless!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Movie Review: Invictus
I think it's time we acknowledge that Clint Eastwood is the best director of our time. He's better than Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Ron Howard, and really anybody else that you can think of. The guy has won best director twice and been nominated a couple of other times. And, the thing about Clint Eastwood is, he directs movies that normal people want to see. I look at the movies he's directed, and I've actually seen a bunch of them, including my all time favorite western, "Unforgiven", along with "Gran Torino", "Pale Rider" and "Absolute Power." He tells stories that everyone wants to see and he tells them well. I think this realization means I have to go back and watch other Clint Eastwood directed movies that I've skipped.
So, on to the latest Eastwood directed film that I watched and really liked, "Invictus", starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. "Invictus" tells the story of the 1995 World Cup of Rugby, played in South Africa. But, it's much more than a sports movie, it's about the unification of the country around Rugby after Apartheid ended and Nelson Mandela was elected President. Mandela banks a lot of his Presidency and his plans for unity on the ability of this Rugby Team to unite the country, which makes for a very interesting and compelling story. The fact that it's based on actual events makes it all the more meaningful.
Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela, and is perfect for the role. His performance is excellent, yet humble. You can tell that he really felt honored to play the role of Mandela, and I think he did a terrific job. Matt Damon plays the captain of the South African Rugby team, Francois Pienaar. It seemed that Damon was definitely in the supporting actor role, but he did a terrific job. Apparently both Freeman and Damon received Oscar nominations for their roles in "Invictus". Add in a good story, and you had a 4 star movie. In fact, the only complaint I have is that it took way too long to adjust to the various accents used by the different actors. Still, a good movie, and definitely worth 2 hours of your time.
So, on to the latest Eastwood directed film that I watched and really liked, "Invictus", starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. "Invictus" tells the story of the 1995 World Cup of Rugby, played in South Africa. But, it's much more than a sports movie, it's about the unification of the country around Rugby after Apartheid ended and Nelson Mandela was elected President. Mandela banks a lot of his Presidency and his plans for unity on the ability of this Rugby Team to unite the country, which makes for a very interesting and compelling story. The fact that it's based on actual events makes it all the more meaningful.
Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela, and is perfect for the role. His performance is excellent, yet humble. You can tell that he really felt honored to play the role of Mandela, and I think he did a terrific job. Matt Damon plays the captain of the South African Rugby team, Francois Pienaar. It seemed that Damon was definitely in the supporting actor role, but he did a terrific job. Apparently both Freeman and Damon received Oscar nominations for their roles in "Invictus". Add in a good story, and you had a 4 star movie. In fact, the only complaint I have is that it took way too long to adjust to the various accents used by the different actors. Still, a good movie, and definitely worth 2 hours of your time.
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