A timeless classic! The original "Ocean's Eleven" will remain a classic over the recent installments for several reasons, some of which I'll only generally mention to avoid spoiling the film for those who haven't seen it. Now, please don't get me wrong - Clooney and friends have put together some fine work in the update saga, yet it will still pale in comparison to what Sinatra and the rat pack accomplished decades ago.
Why?
1. There was only 1. This is key. I recently tried to remember the plots of each of the last three "Ocean's" and found it a muddy mess to sort out. The original stood alone. The plot stood alone. The cast stood alone. And it still stands alone.
2. The ending. I really don't want to elaborate, but I guarantee you will agree that the original movie had an ending that will always be regarded as one of the best in film history.
3. The cast. Sinatra - Martin - Davis and a slew of talent in marquee-worthy and bit roles all had a very close and personal relationship with the unbilled, yet main character - Las Vegas, NV. The movie was made during the heydays of this town - before it exploded into the unbelievable modern spectacle that it is today - and these actors/actresses all had an intimate familiarity with the town. Clooney and his crew are all terrific entertainers, but they didn't necessarily take their real life to the screen like the original cast did.
That's my take on why the original "Ocean's Eleven" will forever be an American Classic, while the newer "Ocean's 11, 12, 13, etc" will be just another bunch of gee-wiz movies.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Lake Martin, Alabama
Sundae has hit the "high seas" once again, after two years of waiting in the purgatory that is the Maxwell AFB RV lot. (And by "high seas" I mean "placid lake waters") Last week, my father, my son, and I spent two hours on the water of Lake Martin, Alabama to much delight. Sundae groaned as the wind gently reminded the standing rigging what tension was, yet she made it through the day with flying colors. For the first time in known history, we sailed off the dock and returned to the dock under sail without starting the noisemaker a single time! Today, Rachel and I and all three kids spent four hours sailing around Goat Island accompanied by Therapy and her crew. The sailing so far has been marvelous! It has also been extremely helpful for me as I won't get much chance to do any sailing for quite some time.
Lake Martin is situated approximately 1 hour from Montgomery and 2 hours from Birmingham and is easily the most popular boating destination in the state, save maybe the Gulf Coast. It is definitely no "Lanier"! It definitely has it's times of business, but the few marinas barely make a dent in the hundreds of miles of coastline and what's left are either beautiful lake homes or forests as far as the eye can see. A front moved in with ample time to prepare (unlike a few very harrowing days on Lake Angustura in South Dakota) and the wind front it was not at all overpowering - rather, it was icing on the cake that was a terrific day of sailing!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Control
This review is way overdue, mainly because I waited so long before acquiring the coveted Harmony remote, the industry standard for unversal remotes. I didn't want to buy it myself due to the somewhat lofty pricetag, but I really wanted one nonetheless, so it wasn't until several years of pleading and my 31st birthday that "Harmony" finally made its way into our home.
To say it is great would be a grand understatement. A more precise description would be, "the single catalyst that caused me to reorganize a lot of our life at home and work." That may seem like too lofty a claim for any single device, yet I can point to empirical data as proof.
Yes, I replaced the five remotes it usually took to operate our entertainment center with this single, completely programmable, easy-to-setup and use device making the juggling act just to watch TV a thing of the past. With one press of a programmed button, my projector turns on and switches to the right setting, the A/V receiver does the same, and the DVD player turns on and begins playing the disc in the position last used. What followed was a surprise to me and Rachel. Now that we didn't have remotes scattered around and Harmony had secured a prominent home laying directly in front of my center surround speaker on the mantle, it seemed only appropriate to tidy up the rest of the family room. Bookshelves were straightened up and CD cases will soon be gone, considering each and every one now has a permanent home in another recent gift, a 400-disc Sony CD Jukebox. I ordered a third DVD album that will hold another 100 two-disc DVDs which will easily clear the rest of the stand-alone DVD cases into the attic where they belong.
The whirlwind of tidiness didn't stop with the family room. Rachel went on a normal trip to the commisary and returned to find that I had completely re-arranged our bedroom, cleaning it in the process. The re-arranged bedroom finally gave me the space to buy and put in place a cheap bookshelf for my grad work materials. Now that my books aren't lying all over the place, I have room on my ad hoc desk (a Lifetime plastic folding table) for the printer, laptop, speakers, electronic components, and a mouse! Even my office was effected. In the last week, I have successfully cleaned off, thrown away, and filed most of the mess that was on my desk - a feat that my co-workers would verify is way beyond my typical M.O.
What's next you may ask? Well, I can't be for sure, but I've had my eyes on several boxes in our garage for quite some time. It seems they may be happier in the attic and I'm sure the kids bedroom could use a quick glance by an efficiency expert.
Truly, this device has changed my life. Here's to Logitech, and their Harmony line of remotes. What is really bugging me though, is this: If this is the outcome from getting the entry-level model, what would happen were I to someday gain the top-of-the-line, all-color touchscreen, RF Harmony remote. I might discover a cheaper and safer way to travel to space and back. Perhaps I'll be given the secret to maintaining sock pair integrity (it's a technical term) through the laundry cycle. Or maybe I'll just be able to control all of my devices from anywhere in the house. Regardless, I recommend the Logitech Harmony 550 to anyone who is interested (at the very least) in finding the motivation to clean their bedroom.
God Bless!
To say it is great would be a grand understatement. A more precise description would be, "the single catalyst that caused me to reorganize a lot of our life at home and work." That may seem like too lofty a claim for any single device, yet I can point to empirical data as proof.
Yes, I replaced the five remotes it usually took to operate our entertainment center with this single, completely programmable, easy-to-setup and use device making the juggling act just to watch TV a thing of the past. With one press of a programmed button, my projector turns on and switches to the right setting, the A/V receiver does the same, and the DVD player turns on and begins playing the disc in the position last used. What followed was a surprise to me and Rachel. Now that we didn't have remotes scattered around and Harmony had secured a prominent home laying directly in front of my center surround speaker on the mantle, it seemed only appropriate to tidy up the rest of the family room. Bookshelves were straightened up and CD cases will soon be gone, considering each and every one now has a permanent home in another recent gift, a 400-disc Sony CD Jukebox. I ordered a third DVD album that will hold another 100 two-disc DVDs which will easily clear the rest of the stand-alone DVD cases into the attic where they belong.
The whirlwind of tidiness didn't stop with the family room. Rachel went on a normal trip to the commisary and returned to find that I had completely re-arranged our bedroom, cleaning it in the process. The re-arranged bedroom finally gave me the space to buy and put in place a cheap bookshelf for my grad work materials. Now that my books aren't lying all over the place, I have room on my ad hoc desk (a Lifetime plastic folding table) for the printer, laptop, speakers, electronic components, and a mouse! Even my office was effected. In the last week, I have successfully cleaned off, thrown away, and filed most of the mess that was on my desk - a feat that my co-workers would verify is way beyond my typical M.O.
What's next you may ask? Well, I can't be for sure, but I've had my eyes on several boxes in our garage for quite some time. It seems they may be happier in the attic and I'm sure the kids bedroom could use a quick glance by an efficiency expert.
Truly, this device has changed my life. Here's to Logitech, and their Harmony line of remotes. What is really bugging me though, is this: If this is the outcome from getting the entry-level model, what would happen were I to someday gain the top-of-the-line, all-color touchscreen, RF Harmony remote. I might discover a cheaper and safer way to travel to space and back. Perhaps I'll be given the secret to maintaining sock pair integrity (it's a technical term) through the laundry cycle. Or maybe I'll just be able to control all of my devices from anywhere in the house. Regardless, I recommend the Logitech Harmony 550 to anyone who is interested (at the very least) in finding the motivation to clean their bedroom.
God Bless!
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Dark Knight
I waited too long to see this film - and not just a few weeks. This is the presentation the public deserved in 1989. Yes, Tim Burton's Batman was an instant hit with terrific one-liners ("You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?" or "I'm Batman") and amazing visualization, however it did not deliver in the same way The Dark Knight delivered.
First off, I recommend anyone willing to review or critique this film start by disregarding the political undertones (thank you, Morgan Freeman) and realize the sheer gravity of the overall plot. There was a weightyness that pervaded every moment, constantly burdening me with a wierd sense of guilt - like there was something I did that brought about this devilry in Gotham! As citizens and principle characters got "off-ed" throughout the film I felt somewhat responsible. This is the true irony of the film in my mind and the thing that makes it unique to the very end.
(spoiler alert - do not continue if you have not seen the film and wish to do so)
In the end, the villain is no villain and the hero is no hero. Batman suffers from the guilt that his existence brought about the madness and I felt like I had to flee with him. As the plot unveiled its evil face, I knew, as did Batman, that it needed to get messy before it got better. I knew that some honest citizens would have to be killed. I knew that some who should have never seen the light of day would really need to survive. It's a twisted ploy by the writers and I almost feel sick that I had a part in it.
Perhaps, though, that is an indication of a truly amazing work of cinemetography. Suppose you left a movie and felt absolutely nothing from it - no joy, no sadness, no humor, no guilt - why did you go, then, in the first place? Certainly it wasn't to spend $20 on a baby-sitter, $15 on tickets, and $11 on some refreshments! No, you went because deep down inside you wanted to be moved - either because you wanted to be first, or because you wanted to be moved how everyone else was moved. If you spend all that money and have no desire for the inevitable emotional response, then I would recommend you spend your money a little more wisely! This movie will move you, whether you like it or not. The color will leave your face at times and breathless, you'll sit there wondering, "why do I really want to see this life ended?" If you don't want to be moved - don't see The Dark Knight or any other movie for that matter.
I guess that's it - that's all I'm feeling right now. I could go on about the special effects or the cast selection or Batman's new deep voice, but in the end, those things are superficial issues that we use to avoid discussing the real matters at hand. I strongly recommend this movie for anyone wishing to dissolve the previous Batman establishment from your memory (that is, those movies prior to Batman Begins yet following the Adam West Batman) and anyone else that wants to know where Christian Bale's line of the Caped Crusader leads.
First off, I recommend anyone willing to review or critique this film start by disregarding the political undertones (thank you, Morgan Freeman) and realize the sheer gravity of the overall plot. There was a weightyness that pervaded every moment, constantly burdening me with a wierd sense of guilt - like there was something I did that brought about this devilry in Gotham! As citizens and principle characters got "off-ed" throughout the film I felt somewhat responsible. This is the true irony of the film in my mind and the thing that makes it unique to the very end.
(spoiler alert - do not continue if you have not seen the film and wish to do so)
In the end, the villain is no villain and the hero is no hero. Batman suffers from the guilt that his existence brought about the madness and I felt like I had to flee with him. As the plot unveiled its evil face, I knew, as did Batman, that it needed to get messy before it got better. I knew that some honest citizens would have to be killed. I knew that some who should have never seen the light of day would really need to survive. It's a twisted ploy by the writers and I almost feel sick that I had a part in it.
Perhaps, though, that is an indication of a truly amazing work of cinemetography. Suppose you left a movie and felt absolutely nothing from it - no joy, no sadness, no humor, no guilt - why did you go, then, in the first place? Certainly it wasn't to spend $20 on a baby-sitter, $15 on tickets, and $11 on some refreshments! No, you went because deep down inside you wanted to be moved - either because you wanted to be first, or because you wanted to be moved how everyone else was moved. If you spend all that money and have no desire for the inevitable emotional response, then I would recommend you spend your money a little more wisely! This movie will move you, whether you like it or not. The color will leave your face at times and breathless, you'll sit there wondering, "why do I really want to see this life ended?" If you don't want to be moved - don't see The Dark Knight or any other movie for that matter.
I guess that's it - that's all I'm feeling right now. I could go on about the special effects or the cast selection or Batman's new deep voice, but in the end, those things are superficial issues that we use to avoid discussing the real matters at hand. I strongly recommend this movie for anyone wishing to dissolve the previous Batman establishment from your memory (that is, those movies prior to Batman Begins yet following the Adam West Batman) and anyone else that wants to know where Christian Bale's line of the Caped Crusader leads.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The Bucket List
"Witness something majestic"
"Skydiving"
"Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world"
It should have been a no-brainer that pairing up Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson would result in a tremendous film. Though, I could see where there would be some reluctancy to do so considering their personalities. They both are masters of the art, and have been for a long time. They are both very strong-willed in their roles, filling spots that usually connote characters willing to accept the status quo or even an improvement. Each man is an oscar winner and they both have distinctive voices that could never be mistaken. Naturally, the question of who would receive top-billing may have mattered at one point in their career, yet I'm guessing these gentlemen probably put that aside when figuring out how to convey the message.
I would argue that the greatest films are definitely akin to the parables of Christ. Entertaining, certainly, yet inspiring - even moreso. In this regard, I examine The Bucket List as a modern day parable, where the message outweighs the entertainment and the star-factor. Simply put, the film teaches us how to love ourselves. Huh? Why doesn't that make sense? Why should I "love myself?" Well, Christ tells us to love others as we love ourselves, so logically we must love ourselves first to follow His direction. There is however, a good and nourishing way to love ourselves as well as a destructive and sad way. Jack Nicholson's character (Edward) had spent his life loving himself in the way so many of us think is the best - fine girls, exotic adventures, billions of dollars, etc. Carter, played by Morgan Freeman, had loved himself through finding joy in sustaining his family, hard work, and mental and spiritual enlightenment.
The notion of a "Bucket List" with no limit on funding, presented both men the opportunity to really love themselves (do the things they wanted to do). So, naturally, the human response is to satisfy the dreams that were more a part of Edward's life than Carter's. In this regard, Carter spends weeks with Edward crossing off things on their shared bucket list - everything from skydiving to seeing the Wall of China. The message becomes clear in the end when Edward learns how to truly love himself after realizing there was no added joy in how he had been loving himself over the years.
Anyway, you get the picture. I won't spoil the rest of the film as I think it is really great and was very well done. I hope you'll watch the movie sometime soon, as it is sure to open your heart and your mind to a little more of life that you could be experiencing - without spending a penny - and with that, a few of the items on your "Bucket List" that you can cross off, even today.
In Him,
David
"Skydiving"
"Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world"
It should have been a no-brainer that pairing up Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson would result in a tremendous film. Though, I could see where there would be some reluctancy to do so considering their personalities. They both are masters of the art, and have been for a long time. They are both very strong-willed in their roles, filling spots that usually connote characters willing to accept the status quo or even an improvement. Each man is an oscar winner and they both have distinctive voices that could never be mistaken. Naturally, the question of who would receive top-billing may have mattered at one point in their career, yet I'm guessing these gentlemen probably put that aside when figuring out how to convey the message.
I would argue that the greatest films are definitely akin to the parables of Christ. Entertaining, certainly, yet inspiring - even moreso. In this regard, I examine The Bucket List as a modern day parable, where the message outweighs the entertainment and the star-factor. Simply put, the film teaches us how to love ourselves. Huh? Why doesn't that make sense? Why should I "love myself?" Well, Christ tells us to love others as we love ourselves, so logically we must love ourselves first to follow His direction. There is however, a good and nourishing way to love ourselves as well as a destructive and sad way. Jack Nicholson's character (Edward) had spent his life loving himself in the way so many of us think is the best - fine girls, exotic adventures, billions of dollars, etc. Carter, played by Morgan Freeman, had loved himself through finding joy in sustaining his family, hard work, and mental and spiritual enlightenment.
The notion of a "Bucket List" with no limit on funding, presented both men the opportunity to really love themselves (do the things they wanted to do). So, naturally, the human response is to satisfy the dreams that were more a part of Edward's life than Carter's. In this regard, Carter spends weeks with Edward crossing off things on their shared bucket list - everything from skydiving to seeing the Wall of China. The message becomes clear in the end when Edward learns how to truly love himself after realizing there was no added joy in how he had been loving himself over the years.
Anyway, you get the picture. I won't spoil the rest of the film as I think it is really great and was very well done. I hope you'll watch the movie sometime soon, as it is sure to open your heart and your mind to a little more of life that you could be experiencing - without spending a penny - and with that, a few of the items on your "Bucket List" that you can cross off, even today.
In Him,
David
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites at Ameristar
The days of overpriced and undermaintained Holiday Inns with scum floating on outdoor rot-iron fence enclosed pools and no ammenities to speak of are over. I've been travelling these United States my entire life - mostly traversing the mid-section - and I recall thinking of how fun it would be to stay at a Holiday Inn during my youth - after all, they usually offered HBO in the room! Back then, they were expensive compared to the Cheap Z's, Days Inns, and Econo Lodges that we usually ended up in - but it was probably for the better that we never stayed under the star.
Those days are over.
The full compliment of Holiday Inn hotels has raised the bar as far as renovations, ammenities, locations, and pricing in my short lifespan to a noticeable degree. Nowadays, I rarely plan a trip without first checking on the company's easy-to-use website for the closest accomodations where I can benefit under my Priority Club account. Tonight it's the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites next door to the Ameristar Casino just off of I-29 in Council Bluffs, IA. We didn't plan on this stay, however the flight my brother and I were slated to take to Minneapolis, MN was delayed to far to make our connecting flight, so we're stuck till tomorrow, and I'm not too upset. Free Wi-Fi is standard and the beds/linens are second only to another chain's offerings of a Sleep Number bed in every room. Of course there is a free hot breakfast in the morning, though our early flight will unfortunately prevent us from partaking the usual fresh waffles, eggs, bacon, danishes, juices, and other breakfast items. We took a dive in the indoor pool inside an expanse of windows looking out over the powerful Missouri River and relaxed in the hot tub after an arduous airport experience.
I booked it online for 10 bucks less than anything else comparable in the area and a shuttle was at the airport within 10 minutes of booking and a follow-up phone call.
Someday I'll provide a proper review of the best roadside hotel I've ever stayed at - the Holiday Inn Express in Coeur d'Lane, ID - but I think I'll need another visit to refresh my memory, that was after all 1.5 years ago and my memory is a little fuzzy. . .
Those days are over.
The full compliment of Holiday Inn hotels has raised the bar as far as renovations, ammenities, locations, and pricing in my short lifespan to a noticeable degree. Nowadays, I rarely plan a trip without first checking on the company's easy-to-use website for the closest accomodations where I can benefit under my Priority Club account. Tonight it's the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites next door to the Ameristar Casino just off of I-29 in Council Bluffs, IA. We didn't plan on this stay, however the flight my brother and I were slated to take to Minneapolis, MN was delayed to far to make our connecting flight, so we're stuck till tomorrow, and I'm not too upset. Free Wi-Fi is standard and the beds/linens are second only to another chain's offerings of a Sleep Number bed in every room. Of course there is a free hot breakfast in the morning, though our early flight will unfortunately prevent us from partaking the usual fresh waffles, eggs, bacon, danishes, juices, and other breakfast items. We took a dive in the indoor pool inside an expanse of windows looking out over the powerful Missouri River and relaxed in the hot tub after an arduous airport experience.
I booked it online for 10 bucks less than anything else comparable in the area and a shuttle was at the airport within 10 minutes of booking and a follow-up phone call.
Someday I'll provide a proper review of the best roadside hotel I've ever stayed at - the Holiday Inn Express in Coeur d'Lane, ID - but I think I'll need another visit to refresh my memory, that was after all 1.5 years ago and my memory is a little fuzzy. . .
Friday, May 23, 2008
Prince Caspian
Everything definitely changed. I won't waste much time discussing the story line or plot, needless to say the plot alone makes this a story worth reading/viewing. Rather, I'd like to focus on it's movie merits. First, the orchestration was terrific. It was subtle yet supportive, conjuring up the idea of "Narnia" even before the kids were whisked away. I would defintely rank the effects as being on the same level as LOTR, though on a smaller scale. Something that surprised me was the humor the screenplay writer's included to help reinforce the relationships. From the first Narnian the kids meet upon returning to their departure, subtle comedy was comfortably interwoven throughout dying, battles, love, sorrow, and suspense. Best of all, it was not overdone, like most sequels. Disney has proven once again that it takes a company that has only one way of doing business to do justice to a work of cinema - with high quality.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
