Every "Skaar" Has a Story

My Top 10 'Scrubs' Episodes

2009-07-10T20:21:00.003-05:00

For the sake of those who have not seen 'Scrubs' or any of these particular episodes, I will avoid leaking any spoilers.

10.) My Long Goodbye (Season 6)
-Nurse Laverne Roberts is in a coma, and nobody knows when she will wake up. Elliot comes to visit and remembers the times when she was down and Nurse Roberts cheered her up. Carla comes in and tells Elliot not to say goodbye because people have come back from worse. Jordan is giving birth and only gives Dr. Cox two hours' notice; he immediately starts freaking out. Carla won't accept that Nurse Laverne Roberts is going to die. A ghost of Nurse Roberts follows Carla around until Carla finally says goodbye to her.

9.)My Best Laid Plans (Season 4)
-Molly returns to Sacred Heart, and J.D. blows off his girlfriend Kylie to go out with her. Carla tries not to make "mountains out of molehills" when she realizes Turk is still in contact with an ex-girlfriend. The Janitor bets Dr. Cox that he can get a date with Elliot, the wager being his van against Dr. Cox's Porsche.

8.) My Finale (Season 8)
-(Series Finale) J.D. intends to leave Sacred Heart to move closer to his son, while Elliot and J.D. move their relationship forward

7.) My Old Lady (Season 1)
-The three interns (J.D., Turk and Elliot) have to face death for the first time: J.D.'s patient is a headstrong but kindly old woman, Turk's is a young man who just needs some company, and Elliot's is a Hispanic woman who does not speak any English. The episode's writer, Matt Tarses, won the 2002 Humanitas Prize in the 30 Minute Category for this episode.

6.) My Philosophy (Season 2)
-Elliot demands single-sex locker rooms from Dr. Kelso, who is considering ways he might acquire a bigger office. Turk pops the question to Carla, but not in the way he'd originally planned. A favorite patient of J.D. is back in the hospital for her heart condition.

5.) My Last Words (Season 8)
-J.D. and Turk set aside their personal plans to comfort a dying patient

4.) My Fallen Idol (Season 5)
-Feeling guilty over the deaths of three patients, Dr. Cox comes to work drunk and is forced to take a leave of absence. The staff organize shifts to visit Cox at home and console him in the hope of his return, but initially, J.D. refuses to take part. Meanwhile, Turk begins a new orthopedic rotation, but struggles to connect with and ultimately is overheard insulting his, new overly sensitive attending. Guest stars Paul Adelstein as Dr. Stone. This is also one of the few times we hear Dr. Cox call J.D. by his real name.

3.) My Catalyst (Season 3)
-Dr. Kevin Casey (Michael J. Fox), a skilled surgeon who has a long history with Dr. Cox and who suffers from crippling OCD, imparts wisdom to everyone at Sacred Heart.

2.) My Occurrence (Season 1)
-Jordan's brother and Dr. Cox's best friend Ben (Brendan Fraser) comes into the hospital after piercing his hand with a nail-gun; however Dr. Cox and J.D. later become worried when his hand won't stop bleeding, with J.D. going into denial about the results of Ben's tests. A series of paperwork bungles nearly has Turk operate on the wrong patient, and has Elliot incorrectly inform Jill (Nicole Sullivan) that she's pregnant.

1.) My Screw Up (Season 3)
-Jordan's siblings, Danni (Tara Reid) and Ben visit to celebrate Jack's first birthday. Carla tells Turk she will only take his last name if he has his mole removed. Dr. Cox is dismayed to learn that Ben has not been to a doctor for followup since his remission. Dr. Cox angrily blames J.D. for a patient's death and excuses him from his duties.

Honorable Mentions

My Way Home
-Scrubs' 100th episode: J.D. gets called in to work on his day off, but the only thing he wants to do is get home. Meanwhile Elliot tries to convince everyone she is an expert on endocrinology following her brief fellowship, Carla has doubts over being a parent, and Turk has to wrestle over an issue that will either help his career or break his conscience.

My Musical (Season 6)
-The arrival of a patient who hears music all the time results in Sacred Heart turning into a full scale Broadway musical. Elliot tries to tell JD that she doesn't want to be roommates with him any more, while Carla attempts to decide whether she should return to work or not

My Best Moment (Season 4)
-When J.D. has to address a group of pre-med students about what it's like to be a doctor, he strays off the beaten path and chooses to discuss his best moments as a doctor instead. When he challenges the rest of the staff to do so, they all reminisce about their fondest memories in the medical field. Meanwhile, Elliot is forced to face her fear of children when she is left in charge of a ten-year-old boy, whose father is being treated in the I.C.U. Elsewhere, Dr. Kelso gets a dose of Christmas spirit and stuns the staff with his change of heart.

My ABCs (Season 8)
-J.D., Elliot and Dr. Cox each choose an intern to work with. J.D. picks Denise (Eliza Coupe) who lacks compassion towards patients. Elliot's intern, Katie, tries to use her to land a case study with Turk who picks Ed over Katie due to his multi couloured pen. Dr. Cox chooses Ed (Aziz Ansari) who is lazy and overconfident.

My Unicorn (Season 4)
-In actor Matthew Perry's directorial debut, J.D. befriends the son of a noted singer who is unwilling to donate a kidney to his ailing father. Carla and Jordan, despite the warnings of Turk, teach Elliot to use her sexuality to her advantage, which causes catastrophe.

Where is the Love?

2009-04-14T23:54:00.000-05:00

I saw on YouTube that there is a very poor debate on "The Gay Agenda" and Prop 8. Just figured I'd give my two cents in blog form, since I do not have a web cam:

Jesus came to this earth preaching love, tolerance and compassion.

"...love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:39)( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:36-40;&version=31;)

Jesus ate with the tax collectors, healed lepers, performed miracles on the Sabbath, all in the name and glory of God the Father.

Where, if not the church, can broken people go to have the unconditional love of Jesus shown to them?

As a church are we supposed to say "Well, once we heal ya of that whole 'gay/alcoholic/wife-beating/child-beating thing' you'll be welcome within our sanctuary (regardless of the fact that it's called a SANCTUARY.)"

Jesus didn't care about any of that. He loved and died for EVERYONE. Even those who don't believe.

He sat at a well and spoke with a Samaritan woman, who any self-righteous Jew would not have associated with, he stayed and spoke with her telling her of the light to come.

I'm not saying I disagree with everything you say, but I don't see Jesus in anything that you are saying. I only hear the Christian agenda to keep marriage a "holy sacrament" which, to be honest, it isn't.

The Pagans get married, Mormons get married (some times more than once at the same time), savages in Africa and South America get married and they may have never heard of the word or of God.

Love is a choice.

I don't believe that being a homosexual is something that is a result of "bad wiring", it's a choice. Just like Christ CHOSE to give His life as a ransom for any and all who would accept His love and sacrifice.

It's the lack of love in the church that makes me dislike being jumbled in with "Christians" like Pat Robertson and many other agenda pushing "Christians" looking the sell another book or two.

I have been using the term Christ Follower to describe my faith. It usually gets strange looks from people, but they're not my judge, nor are they the kind of people who I take stock in their opinions anyway.

I don't know if I made any sense, or if anyone will agree with anything I have to say. But that's what I believe.

Rodgers Saying All the Right Things... for Now

2008-06-08T19:14:00.007-05:00

They say you never want to be the man who replaces a legend, but that you'd rather be the guy who replaces the guy who replaced the legend.

Aaron Rodgers, however, is trying his best to put an end to that mantra by any means necessary. Even if that means reaching out to the paradigm of replacement QBs, Steve Young.

Young replaced Joe Montana in San Francisco back in 1991. "I've just got to be me. I'm not Brett, I'm never going to live up to his legendary status regardless of how well I play," said Rodgers. "Steve Young was a great QB in San Francisco. But Joe (Montana) won four Super Bowls. And Steve still had a Hall of Fame career. I want his advice."

Ever since Brett Favre finally said the 'R' word, Rodgers has been under a microscope. His every move has been monitored, and he has taken it in stride. He has answered the same questions every time the press has been allowed access to the locker room after the teams "voluntary" workouts.

When asked what it's like to finally be the starting QB of the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers has given very mature answers, saying "I know the pressure I'm under. I know who I'm following. I know that it's a tough situation and a lot of people are expecting me to fail outside of this locker room," he said after the first OTA. "I'm just trying to get the guys we've got here now to believe in me."

With the "boo-yah!" network (ESPN) over-analyzing the Packers draft selections of Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn—second and seventh-round picks respectively—putting added pressure on Rodgers to succeed. When asked about a potential QB controversy, Rodgers responded confidently, saying "I think that is a false statement, actually. And coach (Mike) McCarthy would say the same thing."

What the "boo-yah!" network seemed to magically forget was that the Pack was in dire need of backup QBs, and the free-agent market wasn't exactly booming with "Packers" material.

General Manager Ted Thompson brought former Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Cullpepper in for a visit and an interview, but quickly decided against bringing in the injury-prone former All-Pro to the green and gold. "They had to bring in a guy that would back me up," said Rodgers. "It was either going to be through free agency or the draft."

Favre's favorite target over the last several season, Donald Driver, has been quoted as saying "...the transition between Favre to Rodgers has been seamless. Brett; he's not here, but his spirit is here," continued Driver. "Nothing's changing, we're not going to do anything different than what we would do if Brett was here. The play calling is going to stay the same. The cadence is going to stay the same. There's nothing different, you just see a different face, but you all move on."

"One guy I really need in my corner is Donald (Driver.) We've had some really good conversations about getting on the same page. It was obvious with him and Brett—all they needed was eye contact,” Rodgers said "I know the comparisons will happen. Probably for my entire career as a Packer and as long as I play in the NFL...My connection will be the guy who followed Brett Favre," Rodgers knowingly admits.

The Packers have great depth at every offensive position. (They really only lack in experience at QB. But scouts have ranted and raved about Brian Brohm being more than NFL ready, having been a three-year starter and running a West-Coast style offense at Louisville.)

With the emergence of Ryan Grant last year, and with the promising talent of 2007 second-round pick Brandon Jackson looking to secure the backup spot, the Packers are not hurting for offense. The running game looks to be a lot brighter situation than last year, when the Packers were ranked 32nd in the league for rushing average, until Grant broke out against Denver on Monday Night Football in Week Nine.

Their receiving corps isn't bad either, with starters Greg Jennings and Donald Driver being followed by second-year pro James Jones and this year's second-round pick Jordy Nelson from Kansas State. Rodgers will have his pick of the litter with a maturing receiving group.

The drama of Favre's will-he, won't-he un-retire charade has faded, and the post-Favre era of the Pack has begun. From the look of all the attitudes around the Packer's mini-camp, Rodgers should be a more than suitable replacement for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But Rodgers' charisma and good looks will only get him so far in the city of Green Bay. He still has to back up all his talking of "going out and playing his game." And proving his doubters wrong by establishing himself as a durable QB who can play more than four quarters in an NFL season without getting hurt.

On Second Thought, They Were All Bad (A Nerds Rant)

2008-04-30T16:05:00.005-05:00

A year ago this summer the world saw the third installment of the live-action Spider-man movies hit the movie theaters world-wide, with an unprecedented hype machine working for it, Spider-man 3 was supposed to be the ultimate superhero movie. Long story short; it wasn't. By any stretch of the imagination.

Now I find myself immersed in plenty of new and old Spidey reference material through my local book and comic stores, and I have to say all three movies could have been so much better.

The character of Spider-man is the wise-cracking jester of the Marvel universe. Spidey is also a pretty smart arachnid. In the comics he creates his web-shooters, he figures out how to defeat his opponents with his wits, not his brawn, or by complete happenstance-as seen in all three movies. The Sam Raimi directed Spider-man films have grossed well over $1 billion globally. But if you dig into what Raimi is actually putting on his scripts and transferring to the screen you may see things a bit differently.

First- Raimi's magnum opus prior to the Spider-man series was the Evil Dead trilogy. A series that was originally premised as a horror franchise that quickly became a comedy/thriller (loose terminology on "thriller.") Raimi-much like Tim Burton- is unwilling to evolve his shooting style, which is very evident in Spider-man 2 when Doctor Octopus' (Alfred Molina) grafted extremities kill the doctors preparing for his autopsy. The camera movements and cuts are almost precisely the same as a scene in Evil Dead 2.

You can argue that it was an homage to his earlier work, blah, blah, blah. But why does he have to give himself an homage? Why does the "birth of Doc Ock" have to come with a scene from Evil Dead? Why not create something new?

Throughout the movie series there seems to be one constant thing with the character of Spider-man: he's a mute!

Part of the tactics employed by the comic version of Spider-man is to aggravate his foe to the point where they will make a costly mistake. In the movies? Spider-man never does anything to the opposition, they set up a trap and it backfires due to either his "spider sense" (ala spidey 1,) a revelation by the villain (spidey 2,) or just accepting an apology (Sandman in the third film.) So it would seem the only villain who was actually defeated was Venom (who was not actually even named in the film) and how is Venom defeated? By a bomb that Harry brought with him on his flying snowboard.

Now let's divulge ourselves a little deeper into the psyche of the movie villains. Most obviously with all of the villains in Raimi's Spider-man films is the idea that they all should be personally connected to Peter somehow.

First The Green Goblin: Connection- Peter's best friends' father.
The Lowdown: The casting of Willem Defoe as Norman Osborn/GG was excellent. The voice of the Goblin was creepy. As Norman, Defoe made you believe he was a huge jerk. The costume, however, was a total joke.

A genetically enhanced, and mentally torn Norman Osborn who, after having his funding threatened to be pulled by some bias jerk of a military leader was forced to test his formula for strength enhancements in humans on himself. The trials of the serum proved the formula to not be ready for human testing, causing increased aggression and insanity. But in his desperation Osborn tested the serum on himself, thus creating the Green Goblin.

We can't really blame Norman Osborn for wanting to save his company, can we? So is he really a bad guy? Or someone who was pushed to a drastic measure and suffered the consequences of someone else being a d-bag to him?

Next we have
Dr. Otto Octavious/Doctor Octopus: Connection- One of Peter's role models. Peter meets Otto and his wife, Rose, through Harry and really connects with them

The Lowdown: Played by Alfred Molina, who also performed the role very well, but as my good friend Matt has pointed out in his blog (http://anotherdamncomicblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/its-almost-like-its-2004-all-over-again.html) Doc Ock is really at no fault of his own because, for whatever reason, his arms have some artificial intelligence and thanks to a "neural inhibitor" Dr. Octavious is able to manipulate the arms to do his will. But after the accident that grafts the arms to his body, the inhibitor is broken and the arms begin to take control of his mind.

Can Octavious be blamed? I don't think so, he's a grieving widower who only wants to see his life's work completed. Whereas the arms for some reason, as are all artificially intelligent beings apparently, are evil.

It is, nonetheless, in the first meeting between Spider-man and Doc Ock, during a bank robbery, that we get just the second time in the series where Spider-man makes a witty remark by shouting "Here's your change" at the villain while throwing back a bag of... Change. Right!

In the third installment we find Spider-man facing three, maybe four (if you stretch the main "moral" of the movie, which the fourth villain would be Peter, himself) villains the New Goblin/Harry Osborn, the Sandman and Venom/symbiote.

We will discuss this villains in order of appearance

First we have
New Goblin/Harry: Connection- Peter's best friend

The Lowdown:Having discovered Spider-man is actually his best friend, Peter Parker, Harry has had one motive since the first movie: Avenge his father, Norman, by killing Spider-man.

At the end of Spider-man 2 Harry discovered his father's old "Goblin Lair" Harry takes his inheritance and runs with it. Modifying his father's original goblin designs into his own style.

With continuity errors aside (why doesn't the "Goblin Juice" make Harry go insane?) Harry can't be blamed for wanting to avenge his father, can he?

Next we have The Sandman/Flint Marko: Connection- Marko is discovered to be the actual shooter of Peter's Uncle Ben

An escaped convict Marko falls into a particle accelerator full of sand while on the run and is turned into the Sandman (this is probably the best scene from Spider-man 3)

Marko leads a life of crime as a way to get money to help his sick daughter, which makes his life of crime okay.

Finally we have Venom/Eddie Brock/symbiote: The connection- Eddie is a competing photographer with Peter at the Daily Bugle. The symbiote had originally been with Peter, creating the black Spidey costume.

The Lowdown: Venom is created when Peter ditches the symbiote at a church where Eddie Brock is praying for the death of Parker. The symbiote quickly finds itself on Brock, thus creating Venom

Venom is about the only real villain who is being bad, just for the sake of being bad. But he does also have a vendetta against Spider-man/Parker, so he is kind of justified.

The final part of this rant goes towards the casting of the recurring characters and the montages of the films.

Tobey Maguire; a soft spoken actor who does a great job preparing for roles, but could not emote on screen to save his life. As Peter Parker/Spider-man Maguire has found stardom. But this is a hollow victory due to the fact that his stardom is due the fact that he has the role, not his portrayal of Marvel Comics cornerstone character.

Kirsten Dunst; how she landed this role, no one will ever know! Her biggest role before landing this one was when she was 12 years old. Her portrayal of Peter/Spider-man's biggest supporter is a slap in the face to creators Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. The Mary Jane on screen is nothing short of a prima donna, even though she hasn't accomplished anything yet.

James Franco as Harry Osborn is easily the best casting decision to the main cast members of the Spider-man series. He looks like he could be the song of Willem Defoe (aka Norman Osborn) and is a solid actor.

Finally the montages need to end!

The "Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head" montage in Spider-man 2 was quite funny. But it was pushed to it's limit in the third installment during Peter's "dark phase" with his Saturday Night Fever strut.

All-in-all with a regrading of the Spider-man movies they go from the first installment to the most recent go as such:

Spider-man : C
Spider-man 2: C+
Spider-man 3: D

Baby Mama Review

2008-04-28T08:24:00.001-05:00

Grade: B

In 2004 Tina Fey and Amy Poehler became the first all-woman tandem for the Saturday Night Live segment “Weekend Update.” The comedic chemistry between the two made the “Update” segment a highlight during a harsh transition time for the SNL crew. Now, two years after their last segment together, Poehler and Fey reunite in the comedy Baby Mama.

We are first introduced to Kate Holbrook (Fey) explaining how badly she wants a child of her own, scaring away her date.

After being told Kate has been told she has a one-in-a-million chance of conceiving a child through artificial insemination, or natural conception workaholic, Kate decides she has reached the end of her self-dependent road of trying to have a child and reaches out to a surrogacy agency to help her fulfill her maternal desires. Enter Angie (Poehler,) a woman who “knows how to get pregnant” as she casually blurts out in her first meeting with Kate.

Much like on Fey’s NBC show 30 Rock she seems to have been type casted for the role of Kate, as she plays a successful woman who shares an “interesting” relationship with a boss who is less than modest in his accomplishments.

Baby Mama is a perfect example of how chemistry between two leading roles can overcome straight acting talent. Along with a solid, and extremely humorous supporting cast such as Steve Martin and Sigourney Weaver Baby Mama can definitely walk on its own quickly after the movie’s opening crawls out of the gates.

Martin plays the quirky, hippy owner of the organic food company that Kate who has creates humorously awkward moments. Such as his reward to Kate for finding a perfect spot to open a flagship store in midtown Philadelphia is five minutes of “uninterrupted eye contact.”

Weaver’s character- who is not only the president of a surrogacy planning center, but also an extremely fertile woman herself- plays the object of Kate’s envy, being several years more advanced than Kate. Weaver’s portrayal of the extremely air-headed and whimsical Chaffee Bicknell is a delight to see. The fast quips between Bicknell and Kate are extremely pleasurable.

For what it brings to the table, Baby Mama is a comedy that everyone can enjoy. There are several scenes that could have played out as a skit on SNL, with a little more depth than just the string of one-line jokes the show has become known for. The overall message of the story doesn’t shy too far away from what you would expect from this movie, which does hinder the movie from bringing it to that next tier of pregnancy comedies that have become so popular lately (i.e. Knocked Up, and Juno.)

Skillet Fries Up the Coronado

2008-04-06T18:47:00.004-05:00

Skillet and their cohorts fried up the stage at Rockford’s Coronado Theatre on Tuesday, April 1st.

Hot on the heels of the release of their fifth album, Comatose, the hard-rock band has been hitting the road with fellow rockers Decyfer Down and Thousand Foot Krutch as part of the promotional tour for their new CD.

The opening act- Decyfer Down- kicked off a high adrenaline show with several new songs from their upcoming yet-to-be-named album, then finished the set with songs from their debut album End of Grey.

As far as most opening bands go, Decyfer Down warmed up the still piling in crowd with their powerful lyrics and the hard to miss stage presence of their front man/bassist Caleb Oliver kept the audience on its feet with their hands waving. Songs like “Burn Back the Sun” and “Break Free” had new fans rushing the merchandising tables for CDs, and shirts.

The next group to perform was the Canadian rock quartet; Thousand Foot Krutch. Out in promotion of their new CD The Flame in All of Us, released in late 2007 the album has already been hailed by fans and media as the groups best CD to date. Playing the title tracks “The Flame in All of Us” and “My Own Enemy” along with several fan favorites such as “Rawkfist,” “Move” and the ballad “Breath You In” kept the fans screaming/singing along with lead vocalist Trevor McNevan all evening.

Breaking into the music industry in the late 90s the band has seen three of its five albums reach the top 100 in Billboard sales.

At one point during the set McNevan snuck off stage and ran into the audience with a search light that was segued by various audio clips from news reportings of school shootings beginning with Columbine’s tragedy and ending with the recent NIU shootings audio. The intimacy created by the song and the heartstrings that were tugged by the beginning tracks drew a somber hush over the previously roaring audience.

Finishing off their set with a few more songs from their new CD TFK filed off stage after a short curtain call.

Then in a single moment all the “Panheads” (fans of Skillet) erupted when the entire amphitheater went dark. With a single spotlight fading up on a cellist, on top of a stack of amplifiers, strumming the opening lines of the albums titled track “Comatose” with the band running onto the stage to kick off the beginning of their set.

Never being ones to deprive their fans of an entertaining show Skillet frontman John Cooper told the audience that he was “going to shut up and just play some rock and roll.” Which was followed by a set of songs that entailed an awesome light show and lots of fan interaction with high-fives being thrown out by all mobile members of the band-the drummer obviously couldn’t get up and give high-fives.

Having toured with bands like Breaking Benjamin, Saliva, Seether, Three Days Grace and Staind, Skillet has created a large fanbase, but remains loyal to their roots as an inspirational rock band. With songs like “Comatose,” “Whispers in the Dark,” “The Last Night” and “Rebirthing” offering new hope, instead of a lot of hard rock’s more prominent bands “emo,” self-pitying lyrics.

In her first tour with the band, Skillet’s newest drummer- 18 year-old, Jen Ledger- proved to be a great addition as she not only performed the songs flawlessly, but also came out from her behind her set to sing a solo and a duet with pianist/guitarist Korey Cooper (John’s wife) during the song “Yours to Hold.”

Originating as a Christian band and breaking into the mainstream airwaves with their album Collide has given the band a whole new market to share their style of rock and roll. The Tennessee natives have earned national recognition with songs like “Savior” and “Collide” from the 2003 hit album Collide.

Formed in the late 90s Skillet has seen several members come and go, but they have never stopped doing the two things that give them sold-out venues: always focus on the fans, and always write about hope and faith.

Having gone through several different sounds such as a style of techno/electronic rock, the group has adapted their music help them reach a group of young music lovers with their unique and personal lyrics.

As another way to get the fans more involved in the show, local radio station 101QFL was running a text message based contest where fans would text a specific word to a number and prizes would be issued to the 101st texter.

One of the prizes was a chance to hang out with opening band: Decyfer Down- along with QFL and band merchandise and the final contest that was announced during Skillet’s set which had a grand prize of two free week-long passes to the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnell, IL from June 30th- July 5th.

While the series of concerts and potential of winning the prizes in the texting “raffles” were well worth the admission price of $22 the merchandise was extremely overpriced at $30 for t-shirts and $50 for hoodies for all the bands.

The Comatose Tour will be concluding in Lancaster, PA on May, 11th. If you missed them this time around, you can trek down to see Skillet perform along with hundreds of other bands in Bushnell, IL on July, 2nd at the Cornerstone Music Festival.

To check out more on these bands you can check out their websites at DecyferDown.com, ThousandFootKrutch.com, TheFlameinAllofUs.com, Skillet.com or MySpace.com/SkilletMusic

"Leatherheads" Review

2008-04-05T11:02:00.006-05:00

Grade: B

In 1925, college level football represented the pinnacle of fame a young athlete could ever want. Professional football was pure anarchy, with very few rules and even fewer fans.

In the George Clooney directed football comedy Leatherheads, the face of college football was Princeton star Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski) - a speedy game breaker who took time out of his studies to serve in the Great War. While serving Rutherford became a war hero and awarded the Medal of Honor.

In the professional ranks, however, the face of the game was Jimmy "Dodge" Connolly. A man well past his prime, Connolly lived for the love of the game - albeit a dirty game - and gave the small fan base a reason for watching the rag-tag teams fumble around the field, making up rules on the spot. With pro football apparently on its deathbed, Connolly bargains with a Chicago hotel owner to invest in the Duluth Bulldogs and help bring the Bullet to the professional ranks by playing for the team and to become the face of the suddenly changing game.

Upon his arrival to pro football, Rutherford brings many new aspects to the game: new plays, new rules, and team curfews - much to the dismay of Dodge, who had "never played a clean game."

Leatherheads is not the comedy most would assume it to be as presented by the advertising campaign for the picture. Although there are many scenes with good laughs, the movie focuses primarily on the controversy of Rutherford's alleged heroism in France.

There are a lot of political undertones that have come to be expected from Clooney since his 2005 directoral debut; Good Night, and Good Luck. These undertones manage to work with simple camera work, amazing set and costume designs, and a stellar cast that includes Oscar winner- Renee Zellweger, Stephen Root and Wayne Duvall.

The sets, dialogue, music (composed by Randy Newman), and even body language takes you back to a believable Roaring 20s setting. The film features several montages accompanied only by Newman's score, whose jazzy musical styling flourishes in this period piece.

The chemistry between the two Oscar winners is undeniably electric. With their quick banter and the characters charisma Clooney and Zellweger pull off the romantic tension effortlessly.

Leatherheads is an enjoyable movie with a smooth storyline that does not complicate the continuity of the picture. With it's well above-average acting performances by all cast members Clooney's newest feature is well worth catching a weekend matenee.

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

2008-04-03T12:27:00.002-05:00

Grade: B

Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s stories have seen quite a ride this decade. Beginning with two live-action movies. The Ron Howard directed Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and, the not so successful Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers. Now we see Dr. Seuss in a way never before: computer animation.

Starring the voice talents of Jim Carrey as the lovable and noble elephant Horton and Steve Carell as the Mayor of Who-ville. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! is a family film that everyone can truly enjoy. With clever dialogue and a script that will keep everyone entrenched in the story there is not much to dislike.

Horton inspects the Spec trying to find the voice he heard
When the tiny world of the Who’s gets knocked from its resting place on a sunflower the world, that’s as big as a spec of dust, floats aimlessly on the wind when the Jungle of Null’s resident elephant, Horton, hears a tiny yell from the passing spec. Not being one to let anyone/thing get hurt Horton saves the spec from certain doom by grabbing a pink clover and safely having the spec land onto it.

As readers of the classic children’s story should know: Horton’s befriending of a spec that he claims hold intelligent life is not a popular concept with the self-proclaimed leader of the Jungle of Null: Kangaroo (voiced by Carroll Burnette.)

Kangaroo begins to explain to Horton the dangers of imagination
Wanting the spec destroyed to preserve the innocence of the children of the Jungle, Kangaroo hires Vlad (Will Arnett,) the Vulture to do the job.

Throughout the movie there are several continuity errors that could pull some viewers out of the suspension of disbelief. Such as the “two known Vlads” that Horton knows. One of them being the Vulture and the other being a bunny who is known to bake chocolate chip cookies. There is also a gag of the Jungle dwellers not knowing what a bathroom is. If the Jungle has a way to make baked goods, it would stand to reason that they would have the concept of a bathroom.

Created by Blue Sky Studios- best known for their work on the Ice Age movies- the studio appears to be shortening the gap between Disney’s Pixar Studios and the rest of the competition with an amazing opening graphic of an odd looking acorn falling from a “Seuss”-looking tree and eventually knocking a spec from its spot in a flower and eventually landing on a clover picked by Horton.

God's "Allow"ance

2008-03-19T07:14:00.016-05:00

Recently in the Rock Valley College newspaper-- The Valley Forge-- there was an opinion column written titled "An Open Letter to Jesus" this controversial article was more-or-less about how the author of the article was tired of the horrible weather we had been experiencing and requesting that Jesus/God make it stop.

The controversy rests within several lines of the article where the author states that he "would have gotten along famously (without Jesus dying for our sins.)"

This obvious blasphemy caused quite an uproar with the Christians at RVC. The editors received several letters stating that the Forge was a "left-wing" paper and that one columnists opinion- and right to free speech- was reflective of the entire VF staff.

Another response to the column claimed that "only crazy [Christians] believe that God 'allows' wars and school shootings." The thing with this last statement is that earlier in their letter they said that Mr. Columnist should research the religion before he bashes it. If the Responder knew about their faith also, they would know that- sadly- God does allow these things to happen.

The key difference is that He allows them to happen. It's not His will

If God did not allow things to happen, then how did they happen? As the Almighty Ruler of the universe if He obviously does not want us to do these things. But because of His promise of our free will these things can and do happen. If God doesn't allow all the bad things that happen in this world like rape, war, murder, teenage suicide, etc. then why are we even here? If God didn't allow all these things that would mean there'd be no free will.

Without free will there would have been no problems in the Garden of Eden and with Adam and Eve. God would have said "Don't eat from that tree" and their response would have been a resounding "Duh, okay!" with maybe just a little drool dripping down the side of their mouths because there wouldn't be a single thought in their heads.

Take, for example, the story of the Prodigal Son: the youngest child wants to cash in his inheritance early. His father allows him to do so because he knows his son has a mind and will of his own. Though the son was bull-headed and squandered all of his father's money he was welcomed back with open arms.

The father didn't want his son to leave and squander the riches that were going to be given to him. But he did allow it. The father could have easily said no to his son and kept his son from making a mistake. But the father knew that his son would only learn to appreciate what he had after it was gone.

As grim as it is to think that the Lord of all creation allows such things to happen the fact of the matter is that it's our fault that these things happen. Not Gods.

We make the choices to murder our brothers and sisters. We make the choices to abort pregnancies because they aren't convenient for us at this stage in our lives.

We worship a just God who is perfect. His will is perfect. We are imperfect in every way possible. We are dirty. We are immoral. We are made clean through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The only way mankind even still exists is because "...God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

If you are a Christian and do not believe that God allows bad things to happen in this world you are terribly mistaken. And the God that you believe in does not exist. God does not promise that as a follower of Him that your life will be all roses and chocolates.

The God of the universe wants to make us whole in an incomplete world. He wants to feed us while we are in a a barren wasteland. Shelter us against the storm that comes with being one of His chosen.

We will all be persecuted. We will endure many hardships. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:2-6)

We are all sinners. God allows sin to happen in this world. God wills us to follow Him. It's our choice to live a life of redemption or to just live.

10,000 B.C. Review

2008-03-10T19:08:00.004-05:00

Grade: D

With the hype that surrounded 10,000 B.C., you would think that there would be more historical continuity within its "epic" story.

The story begins with a tribe of cavemen/early homo erectus - the audience is never really able to tell what the character design is going for with several scenes where it seems the actors have prosthetic brows attached to them - hunting the great wooly mammoth. The first man to kill the bull mammoth wins the companionship of the lovely, blue-eyed Evolet.

But hold on, fellas. With this girl there are some major strings attached: earning the White Spear of leadership, fulfilling a prophecy to save the entire non-civilized world - just little things like that.

The subject of this prophecy is the tribe's very own village outcast: D'Leh. He is outcast by the tribe due to his father's apparent abandonment of the tribe when D'Leh was a younger.

After D'Leh claims his bride the village is attacked by the "four-legged demons" (AKA big Egyptians on horses), that were prophesied to attack the village on the day of the "last hunt." Failing to protect his new bride and the others within the tribe D'Leh and his surrogate father Tic-Tic begin the journey to the end of the earth to find his beloved and the rest of the tribesman.

The landscapes traveled through the world look something like a level out of a game of Halo. Traveling from the snow-covered mountains of the Neolithic men's homeland to the other side of the mountains where bamboo forests - and giant ostriches - grow wild. From there they journey another day or two and reach a barren desert and the Nile River.

The historical inaccuracies are laughable within the picture - although with this style of movie it is not intended to be accurate. According to the story the Great Pyramids of Giza were built in 10,000 B.C. Giant sail boats that did not re quire oars moved faster down the Nile.

With a running time of 109 mins B.C. is a very evenly paced and gives you all you need to see without running too long.

"... Being ‘Brett Favre’ got hard to live up to"

2008-03-06T12:20:00.006-06:00

Brett Favre addressed the public today, March 6, two days after the official story broke about his decision to retire.

As Favre walked up to the conference table in typical Favre fashion-- jeans and a casual button-down shirt-- he sat down and spoke into the microphone with a quivering voice "I believe you all know why we're here."

An obviously emotional Favre struggled through his official statement of announcing his retirement. Thanking God, his wife, his family, the Packers organization. Ending a 17 year career in which he broke every major passing record while playing in the NFL's smallest market. "I still can play," said Favre "I just don’t want to. It's been a great career for me, but it's over."

Favre left a voicemail to ESPN's Chris Mortenson Tuesday morning saying that he was "mentally tired" when giving his reason as to why he would not be returning for an 18th NFL season.

"I thought about wearing a suit." He said when asked about his choice of clothing for his formal goodbye to the Green Bay Packers and the NFL. "I thought about shaving. But what you see is what you get."

Favre was originally draft 33rd overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991 and only threw five passes for the franchise before, then Packers GM, Ron Wolf traded the teams first round draft pick for the talented, but raw QB out of Southern Miss. 16 years later it is considered one of the greatest trades/steals in sports history. “I hope that with every penny they've spent on me, they know it was money well spent," he said. "It wasn't about the money or fame or records. I hear people talk about your accomplishments and things. It was never my accomplishments, it was our accomplishments,” displaying his character and love towards the franchise that risked a lot on him, but got more in return.

Once Favre gained his composure at the table he joke about all the rumors and videos being played over all the sports and news networks; “I found out what it will be like to die”

Favre’s legendary play revived the Green Bay franchise that had not won a playoff game in a decade and more importantly hadn’t won a Super Bowl since they won in 1967. Over the next 16 years Favre got the Pack to the playoffs 11 times, made it to 4 NFC championship games and won a Super Bowl in 1996 but also lost Super Bowl XXXII in 1997 to John Elway and the Denver Broncos.

Favre also stands as not just the NFLs only 3-time MVP; he also won the awards consecutively (1995-1997). “One play-one season- doesn’t define me.” Answered Favre to the question on many fans minds about why he would want his legacy to end with an interception in the 2007 NFC Championship game.

When asked if this retirement was definite and not like Michael Jordan’s famous “99.9% done” speech, he replied “I’ve questioned my decision. I think it’s the right one. There’s nothing that [the Packers] can say or do that can change that.” But as another reason for his “sudden” retirement Favre added that ““I’m no different than most people. I can act a part. But being ‘Brett Favre’ got hard to live up to”

Brett appeared extremely humbled to be able to sit and announce his retirement from professional football. “I think most people would kill for the opportunity to play just one game in the NFL,” he said “I had thousands and thousands.”

“I hope my legacy is a lot more than [the records.] If I have to be remembered for the statistics then I did something wrong.” Trust us Brett. You will be remembered for far more than just your statistics. You will be remembered as the 30+ year-old kid who reminded us why we love to play the game.

Semi-Pro Review

2008-03-05T17:08:00.001-06:00

Grade: C+

Before there was only the NBA there was also a “small-ball” league known as the American Basketball Association (ABA). The new Will Farrell picture Semi-Pro tells the humorous and unlikely story of the Flint, Michigan Tropics. Starring as owner/player/coach- Jackie Moon- Farrell takes his antics to the hard-wood.

In the 1970s the Tropics were a struggling team at the bottom of the ABA standings when the NBA called the league Commissioner for a merger. With the condition that the four teams with the largest markets be absorbed into the new-look NBA the next season. To this Jackie argues his way into a compromise with the Commissioner: the four teams with the best overall records would be absorbed.

Semi-Pro has a surprising amount of heart within it. Farrell’s character is more like a man seeking redemption after the death of his mother than just a guy who is interested in making money. Farrell has not quite found that niche of his that produced such memorable comedies like the 2003 family comedy Elf and Anchor Man in 2005 but with Semi-Pro Farrell appears to be heading back to his roots and taking the focus off of him and placing it more on what made his previous movies so successful: the chemistry between himself and the other actors. With a supporting cast of Woody Harrelson, Will Arnett, Andrew Daly, David Koechner, and a cameo by the always humorous Tim Meadows. The on-screen chemistry creates a believable dialogue within this outlandish “semi-true” story.

Some of the more intriguing questions that arise from the movie are the things that are not made up. Such as why is the Flint, MI basketball team called the “Tropics”? Could players really void trades in the middle of a game? Were players really traded for equipment like washing machines? Were there afros that big before Ben Wallace?

"Irrelevant"?!

2008-03-04T18:08:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday Feb. 27, during the ESPN show Around the Horn, a show where sports columnists from the nation’s largest sports cities debate on specific subjects. a regular guest on the show and Los Angeles Times sports writer Bill Plaschke said to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti that Chicago was an "Irrelevant sports town"

It's true that a lot of Chicago's sports teams are in desperate pseudo rebuilding phases. The Bulls with the acquisitions of Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes. The Bears and their lack of anything resembling an offense. The White Sox, two years after winning the World Series missed the playoffs by 20+ games. The Cubs have hit the 100 year mark for not winning a World Series and are "celebrating" the 63rd anniversary of the last time they were even in the Series.

What Mr. Plaschke might not remember is that about four or five years ago the Denver Nuggets were one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Broncos were still trying to find a replacement for John Elway. And not too many people cared about how well the Colorado Avalanche were playing well, and were a couple years removed form winning the Stanley Cup.

But let's take a look at the bright side of Chicago sports for a moment. The Bears are a little over a year removed from being in the Super Bowl. The White Sox brought a World Series title to Chicago for the first time in 88 years. The Cubs are giving fans an actual sports related reason to attend Wrigley Field again this year.

There are also the not so major sports: the Chicago Wolves of the IHL have won 4 championships in the last 10 years. They have also never had a losing season. The newest addition to the Chicago sports family, the Rush of the Arena Football League, won the AFL championship in Arena Bowl XX and has made the playoffs in every season of their existence. The Chicago Blackhawks also gave fans a reason to cheer early in the NHL season, but have fallen back into losing. They do have a very bright future ahead of them.

Though Chicago's sports are in a state of limbo and the teams are not as feared as they used to be (or in this coming MLB season; should be.) But professional athletes still want to be come to Chicago.

Japanese baseball player Kosuke Fukudome (Cos-kay Fook-u-domay) was quoted as saying his two main choices to play Major League Baseball came down to Chicago's north and south side ball clubs and eventually landed with the Cubs.

The White Sox have been no strangers to welcoming foreign players into the clubhouse having 2 Cuban players on the current roster. Picking up a couple Japanese players in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi a few years ago. Pplus several players from Manager Ozzie Guillen's homeland of Venezuela.

Calling Chicago an irrelevant sports town is like saying that the sky is green. Bill Plaschke needs to check his history and make sure he wasn't talking about Cincinnati.

The Only QB I've Known

2008-03-04T13:25:00.006-06:00

One day in 1993 my father came home and walked into my room. He tossed a folded green and white shirt onto my bed. I unfolded the shirt to realize it was a jersey with the number 4 on it. As I turned the jersey around to see who wore this number I read "Faver?"

15 years later I'm cherishing that jersey like it were the Shroud of Turin. 15 years later I'm walking out of work and glance at one of the TVs tuned into ESPN to see a bunch of Packers highlights playing. I smile knowing that half the building is filled with Bears fans pretty much being forced to watch more highlights of Brett Favre (Far-ve) tear apart opponents for monster gains and touchdowns.

Then a realization of horror strikes me: there's only one reason they would be showing these highlights... He's retiring.
Favre's spontaneous TD celebrations were as exciting as he was.
The only quarterback I've known to start for the Green Bay Packers since I began following football is now gone.

Normally a Chicago Cubs fan mantra- "One More Year"- was adopted by the Packers Nation in their hopes of seeing Favre play yet another season in the Green and Gold, hoping to see him in his third Super Bowl.

In one of his final games Favre chucks a snowball at his teammates.
Falling one game, and potentially one pass short of Super Bowl XLII. Next year has come, somewhat unexpectedly. The way Favre played the 2007 season, he looked like he was 26 again, and it seemed like he would be back. But at 38 years-old, he's earned the right to hang up his cleats and sit back in his home in Mississippi and spend time with his family.

But the selfish football fan in me wishes Brett, the 2007 SI Sportsman of the year and three-time NFL MVP, would have stuck around for at least one more year.

As the NFLs all-time leading passer, Favre has little to prove to anyone. He won Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. Fell a drive shy of overtime in SB XXXII.

I feel fortunate that my first live Packers game was not only at Lambeau Field this past season against the Lions, but that I got to see Favre throw the last two TD passes of his career.

The only QB I can remember to start a game for the Pack has retired. And with him a piece of football leaves the game.

No other player in the league plays the game with the love and passion that Favre did.

Much like Michael Jordan's second retirement from the Chicago Bulls; the Packers now will begin to rebuild with Aaron Rodgers, the teams first round draft choice from 2005, as their starter.

I think ChicagoSports.com writer Mike Downey said it best this morning:

"There was something about Brett.

You won't ever forget him.

Or that the 'v' comes before the 'r.'"

Good luck Brett. See you in Canton in 2012

Perfect Strangers DVD

2008-03-04T11:42:00.004-06:00

Grade: D+

"Oh, my lord!" It's the classic sitcom, Perfect Strangers, finally out on DVD.

Originally airing in 1986, Perfect Strangers starred Bronson Pinchot as Balki Bartokomous and Mark Linn-Baker as Larry Appleton; two very different cousins raised on opposite ends of the world. Balki: a sheepherder from the extremely small island of Mypos (a fictional Mediterranean island.) Larry: a small town boy from Madison,
Wis. looking to make it on his own in the Windy City.

The box set is rather dry when it comes to material beyond the 28 episodes of the first two seasons. The lone bonus feature within the set is a montage of a staple within the show - the "Dance of Joy." What this set really could have used is some deleted scenes, and some commentaries by cast and crew definitely would have been nice to have. With the original cast of the show being Louis Anderson and his actual cousin a "making of" featurette showing why these two wouldn't have worked giving the director and producers insights on how Linn-Baker and Pinchot did make the show work could have complimented the set nicely.

The episodes also do not appear to be in sequential order. There is an episode on
disc 4 - entitled "Tux for Two" - in which Larry is invited to a gallery event featuring the work of his idol - fictional photographer Roger Morgan. In the episode, Larry mentions that Morgan judged a contest in which he had won 10th place. However, in a later episode ("Up on a Roof") Larry attempts to enter the very same contest. The set isn't entirely to blame for this, as the episodes were initially aired out of order on ABC; however, this seems like something the producers of the show would want to change for this release - the fact that the order remains unchanged is simply another example of how rushed the set feels.

Is this set worth your $30? Only if you were a huge fan of the show and intend to continue through the entire series as the are released.

I Predict: The Oscars

2008-02-19T16:48:00.006-06:00

With the Oscars just a few days away I figured I'd pipe in with my opinions and logical choices in the big four categories: Best Picture, Best Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Director for the 80th Annual Academy Awards. (Note: All odds and picks are my opinion)

Best Picture

Atonement- Odds of Winning: 20%

Juno- Odds of Winning: 15%

Michael Clayton- Odds of Winning: 5%

There Will Be Blood- Odds of Winning: 25%

No Country for Old Men- Odds of Winning: 35%

My Pick: Atonement
Probable Winner: No Country for Old Men
Reasoning:
'Atonement' is driven by a powerful story and is one of the more rounded movies of the award season. 'There Will Be Blood' could very well win, but may be hurt by its lack of an obvious plot (it's a character driven story.) 'No Country' is the likely winner through the power-house direction and strong performances. One of the biggest snubs of the season is Tommy Lee Jones not receiving a nomination for Supporting Actor alongside Javier Bardem. This year is one of the tightest races in modern Oscar history, don't be shocked to see any of the three front-runners win, or even a surprise win for 'Juno' by virtue of the hype machine.

Best Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooney: Michael Clayton- Odds of Winning: 4%

Johnny Depp: Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street- Odds of Winning: 2%

Daniel Day-Lewis: There Will Be Blood- Odds of Winning: 90%

Tommy Lee Jones: In The Valley of Ellah- Odds of Winning: 2%

Viggo Mortensen: Easter Promises- Odds of Winning: 4%

My Pick: Daniel Day-Lewis
Probable Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis
Reasoning:
Daniel Day-Lewis... 'Nuff said.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett: Elizabeth: The Golden Age- Odds of Winning: 5%

Julie Christie: Away From Her- Odds of Winning: 40%

Ellen Page: Juno- Odds of Winning: 40%

Laura Linney: The Savages- Odds of Winning: 10%

Marion Cotillard: La Vie En Rose- Odds of Winning: 5%

My Pick: Ellen Page
Probable Winner: Ellen Page
Reasoning:
In what looks like a two-woman race between Ellen Page and Julie Christie; Page could very well win thanks to the large amount of hype that 'Juno' has been receiving. Which is well-earned through her young age (21) and versatility she showed in her performance

Director(s)

Jason Reitman: Juno- Odds of Winning: 25%

Tony Gilroy: Michael Clayton- Odds of Winning: 15%

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen: No Country for Old Men- Odds of Winning: 30%

Paul Thomas Anderson: There Will Be Blood- Odds of Winning: 25%

Julian Schnabel: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Odds of Winning: 5%

My Pick: Paul Thomas Anderson
Probable Winner: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Reasoning
Both nominations are well earned. If only all three could walk away with an award for the achievement in directing. Again do not be surprised if one or the other wins.

See ya Feb. 24 at 7 PM central

Atonement Review

2008-02-07T05:10:00.000-06:00

Grade: A-

A tale of reality vs. perception—“Atonement” tells the story of two lovers Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) and Cecelia Tallis (Keira Knightley) -- torn apart by perception.

On a beautiful day in 1935, writing prodigy, Briony Tallis composes a play to perform with her cousins to welcome home her brother. While Briony and her cast are taking a break from the rehearsal Briony stares out of the bedroom window to find that Robbie is threatening Cecelia to strip and jump into the surprisingly deep backyard fountain. Through a technique used throughout the movie we are brought back to earlier in the day and the audience is following Cecelia around leading up to her jumping into the fountain to fetch a piece of a vase accidentally broken by Robbie.

Later that evening Robbie has been invited to join the Tallis family for dinner. Robbie is soon escorted away by policemen investigating the rape of a young girl. The key eye-witness to the assault: Briony Tallis.

At the breakout of World War II Robbie is given the choice between serving out the rest of his prison sentence or joining with Royal Army and being released upon his tour being completed or the end of the war. As a way to see Robbie Cecelia, having renounced her family, becomes a nurse and has up-to-the-minute ideas of where Robbie is and if he is still alive.

Based upon the acclaimed novel of the same name by Ian McEwan; “Atonement” is one of the most unique movies to be produced in the new millennium; with outstanding lighting, amazing story-telling, a musical score that can bring you to the edge of your seat as easily as it could lull you to sleep and an ending that could melt the coldest of hearts. The performances within the picture, however, are very pedestrian. Although this does not hurt the movie by any means, it could keep the Academy from recognizing “Atonement” as the Best Picture winner for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Complimenting the outstanding score by Dario Marianelli the lighting and symbolism throughout the picture bring life to the characters true feelings and intentions. This is displayed throughout the movie, in the beginning of the picture when Briony is always shown with a bright light on her and her white dress. Then as the film progresses and Briony realizes the mistake she has made she is shown more in shadows, reflecting her guilt.

Along with the best picture nomination “Atonement” has merited 6 other nominations including: Best supporting actress – Saoirse Ronan, Achievement in Art Direction, Cinematography, Achievement in Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Adapted Screen Play. All of which are well deserved and could win.

Meet the Spartans Review

2008-02-02T14:38:00.000-06:00

Grade: F

The “2 of the 6 writers of the ‘Scary Movie’ franchise” need to be stopped. In their third straight year of producing a spoof “comedy” movie they somewhat take on the movie ‘300’ with ‘Meet the Spartans’ a homo-erotic twist on the 2007 hit. The writers don’t appear to have even tried with things like how the Spartans greet each other: high-fives to the women and open mouth kisses for the men when greeting each other.

The only laughs to be had within the movie are when the Spartans literally skip to the Hot Gates and during the only fight scene to protect their land from the invading Persians. All other fight scenes make fun of other movies such as ‘Step Up’ and ‘Bring It On’ in which the Spartans and the Persian “soldiers” have dance-offs and “Yo-Momma” fights.

Unlike its predecessors ‘Meet the Spartans’ has absolutely no originality within the story. With the tag line “no movie is safe” they attempt to make fun of other movies like ‘Spider-man,’ ‘Shrek,’ the infamous (and completely unnecessary) “leave Britney alone” YouTube video and ‘Transformers.’ Whereas in previous movies the writers stuck to specific movie genres where, they take pop-culture parodies to new almost unbearable lows within the torment of this movie.

In what should be an abomination to the movie industry ‘Meet the Spartans’ debuted at number one in the box-office for the weekend of Jan. 25. For a movie that runs 94 minutes-- too long-- there is little to take away from this movie other than a lighter wallet/purse. Recommendation: use the $20 you would spend to see this movie on something more productive like filling your gas tank; you’ll get more laughs out of that experience than you will with ‘Meet the Spartans.’

Rambo Review

2008-01-31T19:01:00.000-06:00

Grade: C

The Sylvester Stallone farewell tour continues with the release of ‘Rambo’ the fourth installment of the ‘First Blood’ movies that debuted in the early 80s. John Rambo, one of Stallone’s cornerstone characters-- outside of the Rocky Balboa— the soft-spoken Vietnam veteran who has seen more than enough violence in his lifetime has retreated to Thailand working as a river guide on his boat.

A very melodramatic Rambo is soon offered a paying job to guide a mission group that is looking to help those caught in the middle of the war in Burma. Against his better judgment Rambo takes the group up to a nearby village in Burma, soon after the missionaries arrive, the rampaging government that kidnaps healthy young boys, forcing the children into military service, attacks the village. Once word reaches back to the States about what has happened the minister of the missionary’s church recruits Rambo to join other mercenaries to bring back the kidnapped evangelists and a daring rescue mission of seemingly insurmountable odds is begun.

In the final chapter of the John Rambo saga, the direction that Stallone takes the character and the franchise to new extremes. ‘Rambo’ also lets the audience almost believe that a small mercenary group armed with only a few semi-automatics, a single sniper rifle and Rambo with a self-fashioned machete can take out an entire national army. While the missionaries are quite possibly the most arrogant and stupid people alive.

The mission group leader, Michael (Paul Shulze) expositions that he’s been into Burma several times before and “nothing bad has happened before.” As his tag-team partner in the annoying corner we have Sarah (Julie Benz,) who is dedicated to hers and the team’s volunteer duty to helping the Burmese village and apparently just walk around and bask in her self-righteousness of just walking around the village looking pretty while the others are off “fulfilling their commitment” as is frequently said by them.

Unlike its predecessors ‘Rambo’ does not hold to a reality that you can be sucked into. We are re-introduced to a very somber, and remorseful Rambo, he still kills with ease and little hesitance, but much to his own disdain. The only thing that keeps this movie afloat is the gore, violence and intense (although obviously absurd) action sequences.

‘Rambo’ is the latest in a series of classic movies getting a last hurrah, like the upcoming ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ (May 22, 2008) to go along with previous releases of ‘Live Free or Die Hard,’ ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ and the aforementioned ‘Rocky Balboa.’

Cloverfield Review

2008-01-19T16:25:00.000-06:00

Grade: B

The cat is finally out of the bag and J.J. Abrams big monster movie ‘Cloverfield’ has smashed its way into theaters. Released behind a shroud of mystery about what kind of monster will be destroying the city of New York this time.

On the night of Rob Hawkins’ going away party the city of New York comes under attack by an unknown assailant. All we know is that it is big, mean and unstoppable. In an effort to flee the city Rob, his brother Jason, and friends Hud, Marlena and Lily take off from their Central Park apartment towards the Brooklyn Bridge. On the way to the bridge Rob gets a short-lived, desperate phone call from his best friend Beth. This sends Rob into a race against time to find Beth and still evacuate to get out of the monsters destructive rampage. After the monster’s immediate emergence a shocking scene of the Chrysler building being knocked down and seeing the citizens running from the cloud of debris is enough to make anyone’s heart pound.

‘Cloverfield’ is shot from the first-person perspective of Hudson ‘Hud’ Platt, one of Rob’s closest friends. Hud’s dedicated to hold on to his camera and document all the terrifying events of the night, along with his commentary that probably speaks the audiences mind. Although the thought of a ‘Blair Witch’ style film may turn some stomachs, it is quite possibly the most ingenious idea for a new series for a new monster movie franchise. Similar to the “smoke monster” on Abrams’ hit show “Lost” the monster in ‘Cloverfield’ is cleverly concealed by buildings and quick movements by a frightened Hud while running for his life with his friends. One of the most unique aspects within the picture is sentimentality between Rob and Beth, and the suspense of running from the unknown threat.

Under the direction of Matt Reeves, and with the production stylings of Abrams ‘Cloverfield’ creates a sense of wonder, excitement and terror of what could be looming around every corner keeping the audience on the edge of its seat. With a running time of 85 minutes the movie may seem short on the way in, but once the opening credits begin time loses all meaning and the only thing running through everyone’s mind is “What’s going to happen next?” And if a monster tearing its way through NYC on its own isn’t scary enough, the cause for our terror also drops some crab-like minions that scurry through the city, able to get into places where our monster is too big. In some ways these guys are a scarier concept than the actual beast.

With a gross of $41 million over the long weekend, ‘Cloverfield’ took the record for highest gross in an opening weekend for a movie released in January, overtaking the “Star Wars” special edition released in 1997, it also had an opening day gross of $16.75 million for the month of January.

The Gladiators are Back

2008-01-17T16:30:00.001-06:00

Viewers; are you ready?! You had better be, because the American Gladiators are back. After a 12-year absence from the airwaves the heart pounding action has returned with new gladiators and new challenges that will hurt you just watching.

Hosted by Terry “Hulk” Hogan and Laila Ali the new “American Gladiators” features bigger Gladiators than the ones most of us may remember from childhood, such as Justice- a 6’ 8”, 290 lbs Goliath. Other new male Gladiators include Mayhem, Militia, Toa, Wolf, and Titan; a late addition to the show during it’s first run. The female Gladiators are Crush, Fury, Venom, Siren, Stealth and the 6’ 1” 200+ lbs "Viking Vixen" Hellga (no, that’s not a typo.)

The new Gladiator Arena hosts many classic challenges that you may remember like Assault, Gauntlet, Hang Tough, Power Ball, Pyramid, The Wall, the giant Q-tip duel: Joust, along with a new and very intense twist on the shows final head-to-head contest: the Eliminator. New games Hit and Run where contestants have to run across a 50-foot suspension bridge while four Gladiators hurl 100-lb “demolition” balls at them trying to knock the contestants off the bridge.

Many of the contenders have Oprah-esque stories to go along with the chance to win $100,000, and a chance to become a new Gladiator for the coming season. For example- contender Adam Levin an alleged victim of hurricane Wilma who is looking for a fresh start with his potential winnings.

Earthquake is another new game where contenders wrestle gladiators trying to shove them off a platform that is suspended four feet in the air. This event started off with a big twist when a contender and Venom were about to both tumble over and Venom grabbed one of the suspension wires holding up the platform and spun around while staying on the platform. Preventing the contender from gaining any points.

contenders must climb a damp cargo net, next comes the classic hand-bikes, then comes the barrel roll with a 30-foot climb up the pyramid immediately after, followed by the zip-line, then the excruciating reverse escalator, then a steep stair climb and finally The new Eliminator blows away its predecessor. The contestants start off by climbing an eight-foot wall, after a 20-foot under water swim with a flaming surface overhead the breaking through a wall of padded blocks to stop the clock.

Compared to its predecessor the new “American Gladiators” is on par for what could be a successful run. The biggest problem with the show is with the Gladiators looking and acting like players in a WWE wrestling-opera. One Gladiator who may not last to a potential second season: Wolf. With his long hair, styled facial hair and tired attempts at building a fan base by howling every time they say his name, and calling out for his “wolf pack” with the fans in the arena. Usually this turns out with little to no response. Another potential cast-off from the new team may be Toa, who acts like former WWE star Wild Man Mark Mero.

The show appears to be off to a good start, debuting on Sunday, January 6th to a Nielson Rating of 4.4/11, which was good enough for the highest rated non-NFL product on TV that night. The reprise did even better the next night-- in the show’s regular time-slot-- with 10.91 million viewers while going up against the BCS Championship Game between LSU and Ohio State. And in it’s second week ranked number one for its time slot.

New Year Could Start with a Bang... Or a Dud

2007-12-27T13:47:00.001-06:00

2007 is almost over. The box office is booming with movies with potential. Along with it being Oscar season we have a couple high profiled movies coming out with the new year.

Rambo - January 25
Sylvester Stallone is at it again; like his 2006 "Rocky Balboa" the final chapter in the series, which Stallone directed along with three other "Rocky" pictures (II, III, and IV.) Falling to mixed reviews "Rocky Balboa" was considered a box office bust. But to loyal fans, it was a better send off for the underdog compared to "Rocky V."

With the upcoming "Rambo" picture, Stallone sits in double threat chair as the director and lead actor. To conclude the story of John Rambo. The Vietnam veteran and Hollywood's original super-soldier is living a life of tranquility in the jungles of Thailand, Rambo is quickly thrust back into action when a group of human rights activists are captured by the Burmese army and being held hostage.

It's now up to Rambo to "Live for nothing. Or die for something,"

Clover Field - January 18
The mystery J.J. Abrams production is expected to bring new life into the monster movie genre.

Being told from the point of view ("Blair Witch" style of camera work) of five friends who were supposed to be celebrating their friends final day in the States before a job transfer to Japan.

But little did they know what fate has in store for them this night.

A monster is terrorizing through the streets of New York and no one can stop it.

What is this monster? No one knows. But one thing is for sure: We will find out in a very dramatic fashion.

Light It Up

2007-12-26T17:00:00.000-06:00

Verse: John 1:4-5 "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (NASB)

We are living in a time where the "next big thing" is created about once a week. Over the last 100 years the world has changed from horse-drawn carriages to gas/electric cars. From 3-4 day train rides, we now fly non-stop from New York to LA in less than a day. We no longer have to wait 2-3 weeks for a letter from our grandparents, or for the college student: a letter about how we're doing to reach our parents, we have e-mail, instant messaging programs, even video call capabilities.

Take a moment and think of how easily it is to take for granted all the luxuries we have, not only because we are living in the United States, but because of how we feel we may have been gypped this year for Christmas. Or from the way I was feeling this week, rather lonely and sad because we have no special someone to spend these joyous times with.

When we feel like this it is essential that we put into perspective how we are feeling about ourselves in these times. I was feeling lonely: what about a good friend, she recently married a Marine (another friend of mine) who is getting ready to go overseas to join the struggle in Iraq. She had not seen her husband for months while he was training and getting briefed on the situation.

Now that got me thinking about the even bigger picture: There are how many THOUSANDS of incomplete families this holiday season. Baby girls who have maybe never seen their father's face. Young boys who wanted, more than anything else, to sit on his mom's lap while opening his gifts. So, why do we allow ourselves to slip into these dark feelings of depressions and self-pity when there are so many more out there who have it worse than us?

These feelings happen because we're human. That's all there is to it. They're going to happen every now and then. What defines us is what we do in those times of need. Do we just let the darkness slip over us until we are so lethargic that we just lay in bed all day? Or maybe today we're going to go out and drink all of our sorrows away. How about sleeping with so many people that you lose count to try and give yourself a feeling of self-worth? None of these solutions is a long-term fix. All of these aren't even short term fixes. Instead of fixing our initial problem, we just compile issue after issue that we, ourselves, got into by our own doing. How does the darkness over come so many? Why do the masses think that by running in darkness they can find light, or that maybe their eyes will adjust.

The God of the universe has given us the Light we need. The Light is explained to us, in black and white, by Christ in John 8:12 - "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' " When we were younger, if you grew up in a church, we would sing the song "This Little Light of Mine." As children singing a fun little diddy, we didn't really think of how in depth the song really is.

The lyrics go as follows:

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.

Every line of this song says that we are going to let the light of Christ that came into our lives when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior shine as brightly as we possibly could. Of course.. Teaching this song to kids is mainly just a cute way to have kids sing about Jesus without letting them think too intimately about the lyrics. Similar to the way most Christian children were raised on the story of Noah and the Flood. We seemed to have our attention diverted away from the big message in the story of Noah; God's people became so unfaithful that He created a flood so large that every person on earth, with the exception of Noah and his family, drowned. Our God of mercy is also an envious God who will shed His wrath when necessary.

This is why we needed a Savior. To prevent another flood-like apocalypse without a chance for redemption. This is the biggest reason why we need the light of Christ to shine through our lives more and more as we become more distracted by technology and lose sight of what our lives should be like. "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." (John 4:48) And we have become, very much so, a church/society that does not believe, so much as is traditionalized into the church. Being a Christian now seems more like being a Cubs fan: you were just born into it. "Yeah, I root for God's team because my dad and his dad have been rooting for God for about 200 years now."

"This Little Light of Mine" is just one of hundreds of songs talking about how we need to shine the Light of Christ in our lives. We should not have our Light contained in one of those old fashioned oil lanterns with the wick so low that there is barely any light to be had. Remember: "you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9)

The Bible hundreds of verses talking about how we are a light unto the world. If we are not sharing our light with those who truly need it, how different from them are we, truly?

Please, if you've accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and know that there is someone in your life who needs a little light in their lives go over and shine yours at them and show them the love and warmth that Christ showed all who came, saw and believed in him. Remember: we once were blind, but now we see.

I leave you with more verses and a video made for a Chris Rice song called "Go Light Your World." The lyrics will be posted below the video.

Job 18:5-7 - "The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out; the flame of his fire stops burning. The light in his tent becomes dark; the lamp beside him goes out. The vigor of his step is weakened; his own schemes throw him down."
Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matt. 6:22 - "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light."
Matt. 22:13 - "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
John 1:9 - "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world"
John 3:18-20 - "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
John 12:35 - "Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.'"
Ephesians 5:8-11 - "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."
1 John 1:5-7 - "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
2 Corinthians 4:4 - "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
2 Peter 1:19 - "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."
2 Cor. 6:14 - "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"
Isiah 58:10 - "and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the midday."

Lyrics:
There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame

So Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Cause We are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let's raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times

So Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hepeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Walk Hard... Out of the Theater

2007-12-25T19:27:00.000-06:00

Grade: C

A childhood tragedy creates a living legend. The living legend comes down on hard times while flying high on the wave of success. The legend finds a way to come back after the hard times to solidify his place in history.

Yes. I just explained every biopic ever made, and to be made in roughly 40 words. Judd Apatow takes the recent trend of bringing the life stories of famous, classic artists like Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles and throws in his style of exaggerations along with some tasteless humor bringing you "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."

Starring John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox a dimwitted young man growing up in the south, Cox and his intellectual older brother who, at the age of 10 is a classic pianist. But Dewey accidentally cuts his life short in one of the few genuine laughs to be had throughout the picture. The loss of their son brings the Cox family to it's knees with Pa Cox so grief stricken that he can only say "The wrong kid died" to his last son.

Having promised his brother to become "double good" for accidentally taking his talented sibling out of the world before his time, Dewey, at the humorously overstated age of 14 (with Reilly taking over the roll starting at this point in the film.) Dewey takes his first crack at stardom at his school's talent show, but his music causes a riot and leaving the young 14 year old Dewey to move out on his own, and bring his 12 year old girlfriend with him.

After making it big with his smash hit "Walk Hard" Dewey is finally able to live the dream life every 14 year old dreams of; with a house of his own, a wife and three kids, and of course a monkey. But with every high there is a low. Dewey quickly falls amusingly into a pit of drug dependency, then gets better, then falls again. All through hilarious exchanges with drummer Sam (Tim Meadows.)

"Walk Hard" is not as much a riot as it is a bunch of inappropriate jokes on a storyline that has produced several memorable movies over the last few years.

"Walk Hard" takes the same style of humor as other parody movies like "Date Movie" and "Epic Movie," but takes the jokes to that "not for younger kids" plateau.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

2007-12-23T21:44:00.000-06:00

Grade: C+

Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicholas Cage,) Disney's attempt at an Indiana Jones-like adventurer is back. This time he is seeking to clear his great-great grandfather's name from history's black book as a Lincoln assassination conspirator. In order to do this he must find a fabled city of Gold that the Confederate army was looking for during the Civil War.

Since their last adventure that made the Gates and his accomplices; Reilly (Justin Bartha,) and girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger,) household names as world class treasure hunters, things have slowed down for the entourage as 3 years have passed. There have been books authored, taxes taken, lovers quarrels and scrutiny towards the Gates family name as Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) barges in on a lecture being given by Gates and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight,) with claims that he has a page that proves that Thomas Gates, Patrick's great-grandfather, was a Lincoln conspirator, not an American hero as declared by the Gates family during their lectures.

These claims set the Gates family on a quest around the world and to revelations about American allies, Great Britain's interests in the Civil War and of course wacky and fun quotes by Reilly.

"Book of Secrets" is essentially almost identical to it's predecessor from 2004. The exceptions lie within the villain's redeemable qualities and it's lack of depth character development. The character development that is attempted is the same as in the first movie that was done with Gates' father, Patrick, is passed on to his mother; Emily, played Academy Award winner Helen Mirren.

In a completely absurd scene where Gates is left without any other option but to kidnap the President, Gates and his pals somehow book every possible hotel that the President's secretaries should have reserved months in advance, but didn't for whatever reason, for his birthday so as to give the President a special gift and pique his interest so Gates can be alone with the President and ask him about the "President's Book." A rumored book that contains every conspiracy theory ever concocted by man: Area 51, the Kennedy assassination, and the missing minutes from the Watergate scandal. The President, played by Bruce Greenwood, looks and acts more like a Calvin Kline model, is very stiff and unconvincing.

The film is about as good as you want it to be. If you go in expecting something special and unique, you may want to go elsewhere to find it. All you really get here is the first movie minus Sean Bean, and what you get is Ed Harris with the least threatening henchmen ever. There's also a cliffhanger at the end of the movie. So be prepared for "National Treasure 3: Page 47"

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" slammed into theaters debuting a #1 with a weekend gross of $45.5 million for the weekend of Dec. 21-23.

Sweeney Todd

2007-12-23T20:36:00.000-06:00

Grade: B+
"Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street" - this years hit Broadway show turned Hollywood blockbuster - is Tim Burton's third take on a musical, the first that he himself had not written. Starring Burton's keynote actor and actress Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in the title roles of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett.

In a movie filled with plenty of blood and gore, the main storyline is quite sentimental. Todd, formally Mr. Benjamin Barker of Fleet Street, had been outcast from London by the jealous and malicious Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman,) Turpin's desire for Barker's wife - Lucy - was so insatiable that Turpin created false charges as a way to send Barker away (a la The Count of Monte Cristo.) After Lucy's apparent suicide Turpin takes Barker's daughter, Johanna (played by the beautiful Jayne Wisener,) as his Ward. All Todd wants/wanted was to come home and get on his the life he once knew.

Upon his return to London, after 15 years at sea, Barker returns under the new guise of Sweeney Todd, and quickly realizes how drastically 15 years abroad can change the landscape of what he thought was a perfect life. Finding his old homestead taken over by a Meat Pie shop owned by one Mrs. Lovett, a woman who could not keep a kitchen clean to save her life or cook for that matter. Mrs. Lovett quickly realizes who Todd really is and tells him the sad story of his wife drinking poison and the Judge taking his daughter as his own driving Todd to seek out his revenge and get back all that was taken from him, while taking up his old hobby of being a barber.

"Sweeney Todd" is nothing out of the ordinary as far as the way the film was shot. What is surprising about this big screen adaptation is the fact that Depp and Carter both sing their parts, and quite well. Depp's voice is very raw, but considering he'd never tried operatic singing before, he did a pretty admirable job. Carter's voice however sounds wonderful, but comes off as a bit too airy at times and is hard to understand at times. There are even a few shocks when we hear a duet with Depp and Rickman's characters in the song "Pretty Women."

The set design is very well done and quite elaborate, taking place mainly in Todd's/Lovett's home where on the lower level Mrs. Lovett sells the "worst pies in London" and Todd gives the "closest shave you will ever know." Every now and then we get a glimpse outside and see Judge Turpin's home where he keeps Johanna. Also an amusing scene where Turpin sentences a boy no more than 10 years old to the gallows for his multiple crimes and his "inability to learn his lesson."

The movie is very much not for the squeamish, or weak of heart. The first time Todd slits a throat with his "friends"/razors is quite drawn out with his arm becoming drenched in the victim's blood. Along with an entire montage during the "Johanna" reprise of Todd slitting about 10-15 customer's throats. But don't think that Todd is without mercy; he does allow one customer to live who comes in with his family.

The supporting singers/actors are also very memorable. Supporting actor Jamie Campbell Bower plays Anthony Hope, the sailor who sailed with Todd for an undisclosed amount of time. Youngster Ed Sanders plays Toby, a young man who was bought from a work shop by the Italian barber Signor Adolfo Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen [known best for his work as Ali G, and Borat,]) a con-man with a "miracle grow" elixir.

The biggest drawback is within the makeup done by Paul Gooch makes Depp look very much like Edward Scissorhands from the movie of the same title, Depp's first film with buddy/director Tim Burton.

With his newfound ability in the musical arts, Depp may be a shoo in for his first Golden Globe in the "Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy" category in the upcoming Golden Globes going up against Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl,) Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War,) Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages,) and John C. Reilly (Walk Hard the Dewey Cox Story.)

"Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street" opened at #5 at the box office bringing in $9.35 million for the weekend of Dec. 21 - 23 .

Dark Days Ahead for the South Siders

2007-12-18T19:16:00.000-06:00

Aaron Rowand was supposed to be back patrolling center field for the White Sox this coming summer. The Sox were supposed to be making big trades to improve a team that lost the division by 24 games and missed out on the wild card by 22 games.

The Deals So Far:

Sox GM Kenny Williams made a lot of big promises after the season and has yet to follow through.

Starting Pitcher Jon Garland was sent to the LA Angels for Shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
-This deal was terrible. The Sox sent away their number 2 and sometimes number 1 starter from this past season. Yeah, Garland only had one year left on his contract, but the team should have kept him around to see if he could help the team through at least the first half of the season and depending on their record they could trade him away, resign him or just let him hit the market after the season if they're in contention. They didn't need an over the hill shortstop.

Carlos Quentin from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league first baseman Chris Carter.

-Let's take a look a a deal that happened at the end of last week (Dec. 14) The Diamondbacks acquired pitchers Dan Haren and Connor Robertson from the Oakland Athletics for pitchers Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland and Greg Smith, outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez and infielder Chris Carter.
Every player the D-backs gave up in this deal were minor leaguers. The Sox could have easily sent Chris Carter and a few other prospects for a pitcher with two more reasonably priced years on his contract.

Fukudome-
The 30 year old Japanese superstar signed a 4 year contract with the Chicago Cubs. Allegedly the Sox offered a similar contract to the outfielder but because of the exposure the Cubs get throughout the country Fukudome signed with the North Siders leaving the South Siders without a big free agent again.

The Situation-
While other teams in the AL Central are getting better *cough* Detroit! *cough* the Sox are getting spurned by potential acquisitions and rival teams are swooping in under the radar and making mega-deals. The Detroit Tigers acquired ace pitcher Dontrelle Willis and super stud third baseman Miguel Cabrera from the Florida Marlins for six minor league prospects.

This deal puts the Tigers in immediate contention for not only the AL Central crown, but the World Series championship. With their already stacked lineup and pitching rotation the Tigers are looking to combat the New York Yankees in the "roster to win now" market. The trade also puts Detroit up there in salary. After the dust has settled Detroit will presumably be in the $160 million price range.

During the 2007 season only the Yanks paid more for their roster at $197.2 million. The Boston Red Sox were a distant $143.1 million.

This apparently random splurge of spending by the Tigers front office shows a level of commitment to winning that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has never shown. His longest tenured player was Frank Thomas, arguably the greatest White Sox player of all time, and now spokesperson for the "non-juiced" power hitters during this Steroid Era of baseball, hit his 500th career homerun in a Toronto Bluejays jersey, not a White Sox uniform.

Magglio Ordonez , Jermain Dye's predecessor in rightfield, currently patrolling right for the Tigers is another example of Reinsdorf not shelling out the cash for a player who may be a risk, but worth the chance. When the Sox parted ways with Ordonez it was due to a potential degenerative knee issue. The Tigers picked up Mags with an incentive-laden 5-year contract. In 2007 Ordonez made $13 million after bonuses and had an MVP caliber year (were it not for Alex Rodriguez, he might have won,) hitting a .363 batting average, with 28 homeruns and 139 runs batted in.

The White Sox seem to be destined for a Cubs-esque streak of losing. Being jilted by three big named free agents (Torii Hunter, Rowand and Fukudome) leaves the Sox in the same situation they were in at the end of the regular season. The team looks bound for another atrocious season.

"Whatever doesn't kill you makes you... "

2007-12-18T16:02:00.001-06:00

"... Stranger."

The first lines you hear from the revealed Joker in the 6 minute prologue seen exclusively in IMAX theaters and attatched to Warner Brothers record setting new release "I Am Legend"

The prologue shows a crew hired by the Joker on their way to rob a bank, with a plan set up by the man known as "The Joker." Throughout the scene it is revealed to the audience that no one really knows who this "Joker" is. "He wears makeup," says one henchman "like war paint."

We are led to assume that the bank holds mob money because the boss of the bank (William Fitchner) has a shotgun under his desk and calls out to the last henchman, after a quick fire fight, to leave the crime scene who is revealed to be the Joker himself saying "Crime in this town used to mean something." Leaving the Joker no choice but to leave him with a parting gift: a grenade in the mouth and giving him a few parting words - "Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you... stranger"

From what the official TRAILER shows us Ledger is bound to make a historic villain that could potentially rival classic baddies like Darth Vader and make us forget all about Jack Nicholson's take on Batman's arch-nemesis.

"The Dark Knight" is looking to be THE movie of 2008. The hype, the advertising, the actors attatched, the characters. It's all adding up into one giant movie that so far looks like it will not disappoint.

And as an extra treat here are two new teaser posters for the new "Batman" film

I Am Legend

2007-12-18T13:40:00.001-06:00

Grade: B+

In the year 2009 we have found a cure for cancer. Side effects include mild headache, drowsiness, bloody nose, mutation of genes causing increased aggression and vulnerability to sunlight... Oh, and a desire for human flesh.

Will Smith stars as Scientist/Lieutenant Colonel Robert Neville- the sole survivor in New York City in the thriller of the season. Three years after a cure for cancer was discovered. The cure quickly became a virus turning normal humans into zombie/vampiric like creatures. With his only companion a German Shepherd named Sam, Neville survives day to day life in NYC thanks to a strict schedule, while also finding time to continue testing for a cure to the VK virus on rats in the laboratory he built in his basement, to help save humanity.

Through a series of flashbacks/dream sequences it is revealed actions taken by the US government to try and keep the virus contained. The virus, originally thought to be only able to be caught by physical contact quickly mutates and becomes airborne. It is later revealed that less than 1% of the entire human race would be immune to the virus.

In several ways to try and keep his sanity Neville goes out and does daily routines like going out to the local video rental store. Set up with fully dressed mannequins for him to have conversations with and exchange looks. Neville also keeps up with his daily news watching old tapes from the local TV station and reading old papers.

"I Am Legend" is a heart-pounding experience. In large thanks to the sound to enhance the loneliness and desperation of Neville's situation really is, right up to the hand-held camera shots that bring you up right to Neville's shoulder so that the audience can experience the fear right along with him. The most intense moment of the film editing that seems comes when Neville is hunting down a deer and the deer runs into an abandoned building, while ending his pursuit, not daring to go into the dark where the NW dwell, his dog Sam continues the chase. Neville goes in after his companion and the entire scene is without music and has little noise. All you hear is Neville's panting from fright and call for "Sam!" Just as Neville is about to give up his quest to find Sam he comes into a room with several NW huddled, to not draw attention to himself Neville quickly pulls his hand over the flashlight and runs for his life.

Smith's acting in this almost-solo acting project is superb. He portrays his fears and his breakdowns with incredible emotion. The special effects are pretty well done. From this writers perspective the Night Walkers could have easily been actual human actors in makeup, but in this generation of movie making CGI is the way to go.

Plenty of Time for Love Dr. Jones

2007-12-06T16:54:00.000-06:00

The "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" website has posted several pictures.

The fourth installment of the Steven Spielberg saga is set for release on May 22, 2008.

Prince Caspian Trailer!

2007-12-06T16:27:00.000-06:00

The Disney company has released the first trailer for next summers adaptation of C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"

The trailer can be viewed HERE at the movie's official website.

The original cast of William Moseley (Peter) Anna Popplewell (Susan) Skandar Keynes (Edmund) and Georgie Henley (Lucy) as the Pevensie family Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan and introduces Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian. Andrew Adamson returns to direct the sequel to 2005s "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

"Prince Caspian" is scheduled for release on May 16, 2008

Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds End Review (Originally posted June 10)

2007-12-06T16:07:00.000-06:00

The wait was finally over. “Pirates of the Caribbean At World’s End” came on May 24th and, according to rumors, sailed the series off into the sunset. Taking place probably a few weeks after the huge cliffhanger of "Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest" with Capt. Barbossa being resurrected by Tia Dalma and a quest to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker was set in motion.

The quest to find Jack starts with finding the notorious Sao Feng, a ruthless pirate lord who controls the passages of the east seas from Singapore-- and what pirate wouldn’t be complete in these movies if they didn’t have one heck of a grudge against Jack Sparrow-- and coerce him into giving Barbossa, Elizabeth Swann, and Will Turner the navigational charts to “world’s end” to find Jack. After Will strikes a bargain with Feng the charts show the crew through crazy landscapes like frozen waters and down Niagara Falls.

Once finding Jack, a bit more out of his mind, back upon the Black Pearl, the crew is now “double captained” by Jack and Barbossa, acting like five year-olds, back to the Caribbean and Shipwreck Cove for a meeting of the nine Pirate Lords to debate about whether or not to go to war against the East India Trading Company and the Flying Dutchman. Barbossa proposes releasing the sea goddess Calypso from her imprisoned body and appeal to her good side to see if she could help them win the battle.

“At World’s End” is an entertaining movie in itself. There are several scenes where you can tell that the script writers were trying way too hard to try and make this a movie of epic proportions, as if the movie wasn’t going to be good enough itself, they needed to add in that extra nugget to try and push it over the edge… And it did; a bit too far over the edge.

The biggest downfall of this movie was the lack of suspense created when trying to have a secret created, but as soon as a secret is brought up the camera cuts straight to the person(s) of “mystery.” The secret of whom Calypso may be lasted all but 2/10’s of a second. The attack of the 50 foot Calypso was another piece of the overdone cake that was the plotline of this movie.

Two really big positives about this movie is the character development within Will and Will’s father Bootstrap Bill. Will becomes quite the sneaky lil fella and creates quite a few Jack Sparrow-esque plans to help his own cause. Bootstrap Bill becomes a very sorrowful character, slowly becoming attached to the ship like the crewman Exposition in “Dead Man’s Chest.” Bootstrap is made out to be a Gollum-like character. A character whom the viewer will feel sorry for him, but there’s a bit of evil that is being stirred up in him because of his deal with Davy Jones.

If there’s one big complaint about the movie is that is doesn’t drag you in as easily as "Curse of the Black Pearl" did. Throughout the movie you are constantly being teased to where you can be brought in and kick back and enjoy a movie, but then they do something like another rousing speech by Elizabeth to make you come to your senses and realize that you are watching a movie.

Visually “Pirates” is an amazing picture with a few good twists along the way. While running just shy of three hours there are several scenes that could have cut from the movie: i.e. a western homage on a long, random beach just before the big fight scene that could have saved about five minutes of the viewer’s time. The, supposed to be, big epic speeches given by none other that Elizabeth, continuing from origins of the character in the first movie, are just cheesy and are just obvious and not very gripping.

Overall “At World’s End” is far and away a better and more enjoyable movie than “Dead Man’s Chest.” There is a lot more originality, and a lot less rum jokes. Overall the alleged final installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” receives a B-.

Spider-man 3 Review (originally posted May 10, 2007)

2007-12-06T16:01:00.000-06:00

In the summers of 2002 and 2004 Spider-man was the standard for the summer blockbuster. Now it's 2007 and Spidey appears to have lost a step.

The primary storyline of Spider-man 3 lies within concluding the story of the Green Goblin from the first film. Harry Osborn, the son of Norman (the original Green Goblin,) taking on his father's trade and "modifies" his father's old Goblin helmet and glider into an electronic ski mask with a flying snowboard fully loaded with the trademark pumpkin bombs. With Harry thirsty for Spider-man's blood for his apparent murder of Norman, Harry gives himself a full dosage of the "Goblin Gas" and confronts his one time friend.

While Peter and Harry duke it out a new villain is being born in Flint Marko aka The Sandman. During a particle acceleration test Marko, through some amazing CGI has sand grafted to his DNA and now his body is completely sand and can act and mold the sand into any form or size (which the size part is a bit overplayed in this movie.) The "birth" of The Sandman is probably one of the best bad guy origins in comic-movie cinema. Everything flowed with that scene, the music was right, and the special effects were astounding.

It is revealed after the first confrontation between Spider-man and Sandman that Marko is the real killer of Peter's Uncle Ben. Driven by grief and a need for vengeance a sticky goo, called a symbiote, attaches itself to Spider-man's costume creating a new black costume that enhances Spidey's agility, strength, rage and his dance skills apparently.

After realizing the suits effect on his rage and the way he treats people Peter detaches the goo from him and the goo finds itself a new host in Eddie Brock, a man who not only hates Spider-man, but Peter Parker as well. With the goo enhancing Brock's aggression and giving him Spider-man-like powers creating the much hyped super villain: Venom. Who ironically was the most hyped part of this film, but was never officially named IN the movie.

Spider-man 3 for all it's hype does not live up to the standard of the first two movies. The story between Peter and Harry runs smoothly through the film and gives a good sense of closure. But the other villains in the movie come and go, they do some fun visual effects and then disappear for a while and everything culminates in the end.

The CGI in this film was incredible. If this film doesn't win for best visual effects the Oscar's truly are rigged. The only real complaint lying within the visual effects was, regrettably with Venom: Venom is known for his sharp teeth, large jaw, and tongue. Where this incarnation of Venom has the awesome teeth, he is not so much with a large jaw... That is until his head expands like a Stretch Armstrong and he gives out a raptor-esque squeal. The make up for Topher Grace while having his "mask" peeled back looks really good, but when it's just the "mask" Venom just ends up looking way too cartoony. And this is a live action comic book movie we're talking about.

And what Spider-man review would not be complete without an analysis of Kirsten Dunst? Dunst just plays an emotionless self-absorbed screen version of herself, she doesn't seem to truly care for this role other than it gets her a paycheck. And her lip-syncing is even more atrocious than Ashlee Simpson's.

The main tag line of the movie is "The battle within" with an emphasis on Spider-man and the black suit. This tag line also fits with Harry and his fateful decision at the end of the movie. But the standard set by the first two installments has been knocked down a notch.

Spider-man was the film to beat, but this summer it will face some stiff competition and probably be dethroned in the next few weeks with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds End.

Overall Grade: B-

"Dark Knight" Update

2007-12-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

An official teaser poster has been released.

"The Dark Knight" starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Heath Ledger as the Joker, Michael Cane as Alfred, Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent/Two-face and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes opens everywhere July 18, 2008.

Say It Ain't So, Joe... Crede

2007-12-04T12:36:00.001-06:00

With the MLB General Managers winter meetings in Nashville, TN kicking off yesterday the White Sox have taken little time to declare they are looking to unload veteran third baseman Joe Crede, for the right price.

Crede, 29, a fan favorite, has been brought up through the Sox farm system and regular starter at the 'hot corner' since 2003. While winning a Silver Slugger award after the 2006 season, Crede's outstanding, hard-nosed defense has been his trademark while wearing a White Sox cap.

Crede's soon to be departure is due to up and coming third baseman Josh Fields' apparent readiness to play in the big leagues. Crede's long-expected exit from the south side of Chicago is also because his agent-- Scott Boras-- and the White Sox do not deal well with each other.

Other rumors circling around the Sox are a potential trade for Houston's Chris Burke for an unnamed reliever. The team is also still searching for a backup plan at second base, and could possibly be working on a deal with 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein

According to most reports coming out of the meetings fans should not be surprised to see Crede gone by the end of the week. If not by then by new years.

On opening day of the meetings the Sox traded minor league first baseman Chris Carter for the Arizona Diamondbacks Utility man Carlos Quentin

Please keep an eye out for updates as this week unfolds.

Game in Dallas Doesn't Mean the Better Team Won

2007-12-02T19:22:00.001-06:00

This past Thursday the Green Bay Packers lost to the Dallas Cowboys by the score of 37-27 giving the Cowboys a two game lead in the hunt for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs this season. But what does the Cowboys' win really tell us? That they can beat a beat up Packers team.

The Packers didn't have two key defensive players in starting cornerback Charles Woodson who was out with a toe injury and pass rushing specialist Kabeer Gbaja-biamila who missed the game due to a bum ankle.

While the offense sputtered under Brett Favre's erratic passing, but flourished when 2nd string QB Aaron Rodgers came in to replace Favre after he was knocked out of the game with a dislodged left shoulder and bruised right elbow. By the time Favre left the game the Packers were down 27-10 when Rodgers took the offense 74 yards to bring the Packers within 10 points at half-time.

The Packers whittled the deficit to 3 points before the Cowboys offense ripped through the Packers thin secondary and regained a comfortable 10 point lead with 1:03 left in the game.

Now flip the situation: Had Woodson, Gbaja-biamila and Favre all been healthy could the Packers have possibly completed the comeback and won the game?

With Woodson the Packers tandem of shut-down corners (Woodson and Al Harris) probably would have been able to contain the big gains that the 'Boys receivers broke against an exhausted Harris and inexperienced Jarret Bush and Tramon Williams.

Without Woodson the defense was forced to start nickel corner Bush who was mismatched against the Cowboys tall receivers Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton. Bush was replaced by return specialist and dime corner Williams in the second half once it became apparent that Bush could not keep up with his assignments.

Had Gbaja-biamila been available he and starting right defensive end Aaron Kampman would have made the offensive line a bit more loose due to having to worry about the pass rush coming from both sides.

Without Gbaja-biamila the Cowboys were able to focus solely on Kampman and double teaming him the entire night which struck the Packers defensive line basically useless.

Now the tricky question: Would Favre had gotten the Packers as close as Rodgers did to winning the game? Favre already had 2 interceptions and was only 5-14 on passing attempts for 56 yards.

We'll just have to wait and find out for the NFC Championship game.

White Sox Have Seen Better Days

2007-12-02T17:20:00.000-06:00

With Torii Hunter now with the LA Angels and the White Sox, the supposed front-runners in the Hunter sweepstakes, are now scrambling to run in a new direction in their search for a new centerfielder. The new top option is former Sox fielder Aaron Rowand who was traded away for Jim Thome after the 2005 World Series.

If the Sox fail to pick up Rowand it will be their own fault. They were willing to offer Hunter, 32, a 5-year $70 million contract. Rowand will come cheaper and for the same amount of years, but at a younger and more reasonable age at 30 years old. Why were the Sox willing to offer Hunter, a player whose fielding prowess is arguably one of the best all-around in the game today, a contract that they are not willing do the same for Rowand but at a more reasonable price may never be known. At 30 Rowand is a career .286 hitter and averages 18 HRs and 66 RBI a season offensively, and has a career .989 fielding percentage out in Center. Hunter is more of a power hitter averaging 25 HRs a season along with 93 RBI. He has a career .991 fielding percentage in the horrid Metrodome in Minnesota where the ball is very hard to spot coming off the bat.

So why does Rowand deserve the same offer that the Sox were willing to offer Hunter? He doesn't. Rowand deserves --and is looking for --a 5-year deal in the range of $10-11 million a year. But the Sox front office is unwilling to give Rowand a five-year deal. Due to Owner Jerry Reinsdorf's phobia of committing to a player for more than four years. So why then did Hunter get such a special attention when he's two years older than Rowand and would have most likely started to decline in his performance around the third year of his contract? Hunter is a player that has power, but not enough to slide into DH position when his defensive aptitude has left him. Where Rowand is in the prime of his career hitting a career high in homeruns (27) and RBI (87) and hitting one point lower than his career high batting average of .310.

After winning the World Series in 2005 the White Sox shipped off Rowand to the Philadelphia Phillies for slugger Jim Thome to help bring power to the left side of the plate. Thome helped improve an offense that scored 738 runs en-route to a 98 win season in 2005 to scoring 868 runs in 2006 while winning 90 games and missing the playoffs. In Thome's two season with the Sox he has hit 77 HRs and driven in 205 runs while hitting .282.

But the Sox troubles in the outfield the last two seasons has not been because of Thome, but rather poor talent scouting and injuries. Brian Anderson, Rowand's heir-apparent, was supposed to be a better, younger, "grindier" version of Rowand, playing in 134 games in centerfield while achieving a .994 fielding percentage, but never was able to develop a bat to help the offense in 2006, and in 2007 was replaced by veteran free agent pick-up Darin Erstad. Anderson played in only 13 games and had 17 total at bats.

Now with free agency and the winter meetings around the corner the Sox find themselves somewhere they haven't been for almost a decade: a sub-.500 team with an two starter worthy shortstops, an unproven second baseman in Danny Richar, no left or centerfielder and a pitching staff (both starters and relievers) that has seen better days. Sox GM Kenny Williams has said that dealing away #2 pitcher Jon Garland was the start of a bigger picture he has for the upcoming 2008 season and trying to get the Sox back to the World Series.

What Williams is thinking during this offseason is lost on just about every expert out there. How they plan to win with a pitching rotation made of staff ace Mark Buehrle, Javier Vazquez, Jose Contreras, and youngsters Jon Danks and Gavin Floyd, is still unclear. But the starting rotation is not even the greatest problem in the sinking ship. The Sox have no help in the bullpen outside of closer Bobby Jenks. They picked up reliever Scott Linebrink from San Diego. Linebrink is a career 3.21 ERA pitcher.

As far as the infield goes the Sox are in a situation that could be a good thing or a bad thing. They have an overstocked left side. They have two third basemen with the incumbent starter Joe Crede coming off of back surgery and a shortened season. And the prospect Josh Fields who came replaced Crede in June and batted .244 and hit 23 HRs and hit 67 RBI just 100 but also struck out an appalling 125 times in just 373 at bats. While Fields average should improve with more playing time his fielding can be a bit erratic, and at the age of 24 he should have plenty of time to improve. But as of right now Crede should be the starter unless a deal offer comes forward that Williams just cannot say 'no' to. In 2006 Crede hit career highs in HRs (30) and drove in 94 runs while only striking out 58 times in 544 plate appearances. The Sox were planning on having Josh Fields play left field until they could dump Joe Crede in a trade, but with that experiment having failed at the end of last season the Sox are left with two options

Send Fields back to AAA Charlotte to work on his swing
Trade Crede away before the season starts

Now at Shortstop the Sox have two players who can field the ball extremely well but each has their problems. Orlando Cabrera (acquired in the Jon Garland trade with the Angels) is a solid #2 hitter and still has some speed in his legs at 33 years old. But his age is the problem. The Sox don't know if Cabrera, a two-time Gold Glove winner, is on the decline of his career or still in his stride. On the other hand at Short you have Juan Uribe (ooh-REE-bay) the Sox starting Shortstop since 2005 has a career .975 fielding percentage at short, only .003 points less than Cabrera. But Uribe's laziness on some plays and being overweight may have gotten him a one-way ticket out of town by the beginning of the season, despite being signed to a new one-year $4.5 million contract.

Back to finish where we started: The outfield. The Sox find themselves very thin in the outfield. There's no one to patrol left field with the release of Scott Podsednik, in center they have a weak armed speedster by the name of Jerry Owens, and in right they have an aging Jermaine Dye, the 2005 World Series MVP, could become the teams DH as soon as the beginning of the 2009 season once Jim Thome's contract expires and if the Sox choose to not resign him.

So with all these problems what can they do to fix this? First off they need to do everything it takes to get Rowand back in a Sox uniform. If that means overpaying him by giving him an extra $2 million a year, so be it. Secondly, if possible, get rid of Contreras. The guy is dead weight. And finally the Sox will need to build for the future as well. If that means trading away leaders like Paul Konerko for minor league prospects and moving Crede, Thome or Fields to First Base while developing those prospects then do it.

Here are projections for the Sox opening day lineup and batting order and Pitching rotation

Batting Order
LF- Jerry Owens
SS - Orlando Cabreara
DH - Jim Thome
1B - Paul Konerko
RF - Jermaine Dye
CF - Aaron Rowand
C - A.J. Pierzynski
3B - Joe Crede
2B - Juan Uribe

Pitching
SP Mark Buehrle
SP Javier Vazquez
SP Jose Contreras
SP John Danks
SP Gavin Floyd

RP Ehren Wasserman
RP Matt Thornton
RP Boone Logan
RP Mike MacDougal

SU Scott Linebrink

CL Bobby Jenks

Season Projection
85 - 77 2nd place in the AL Central missing the playoffs.

The Room: Author Unknown

2007-11-27T18:40:00.000-06:00

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the wall covered with index files. They were like the ones in the libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemed to go endlessly in either direction, had very different headings.
As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was the one that read "People I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names on each one. And then without being told, I knew where I was. This lifeless room with it's small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory could not match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought me joy and sweet memories, others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." There was also "Books I have read." "Lies I have told." "Comfort I have given," and "Jokes I have laughed at." Some were almost hilarious in the exactness like: "Things I have yelled at my brother." Others I couldn't laugh at, "Things I have done I my anger." "Things I have muttered under my breath at my parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I had hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 16 years of life to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed the truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my own signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I have listened to," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shout it, shamed not only by the quality of the music, but more by the amount of time I knew the file represented.
When I came to the file marked "Lustful thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test it's size and drew out a card. I shuddered at it's detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One Thought remained in my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. It's size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I couldn't dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it was strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to it's slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I have shared the Gospel with." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer and almost unused. I pulled on it's handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out in shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of the file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know about this room. I must lock it up and hide the key!
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No!... Please, not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bare to watch His response. And the moments I could bring myself to look at his face, I saw sorrow much deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did he have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things, but He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Starting at one end of the room He took out a file and one by one started to sign His name overmine on each card.
"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card away from Him. His name couldn't be on these cards, but there it was, written in red, so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written in His blood.
I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed, I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder, and said, "It is finished."
I stood up and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on it's door. There were still cards to be written.

The Joker is Taking Over

2007-11-27T17:16:00.000-06:00

Warner Brothers is embracing the internet fan base for it's rebooted Batman franchise's sequel The Dark Knight wherein Batman (Christian Bale) comes face to face with his nemesis the Joker (played by Heath Ledger.) With a well planned viral campaign that started with a teaser shot of the new films logo. Later the logo became a link that will take you to www.IBelieveinHarveyDent.com with the ad campaign for Gotham's hopeful next District Attorney; Harvey Dent (played by Aaron Eckhart) After a few days the a new site was created www.IBelieveinHarveyDentToo.com with a picture of Dent vandalized with clown paint over his face. The website has since "crashed" and now states that the page can no longer be found. But, if you highlight the words while scrolling over the words on the page you will see a hidden message of a series of "HahAhAHAhahA" with letters hidden within them spelling out "See You in December." Ibelieveinharveydenttoo later became a link to another viral site "WhySoSerious.com" which in October began a countdown with a pumpkin that was rotting on one side (an homage to the Batman comic series "The Long Halloween" ) revealed a new challenge, or type of scavenger hunt for fans. The hunt revealed a message from the Joker saying "The Only Sensible Way to Live in This World is Without Rules," after the message was revealed a new picture of the Joker became available.

The picture also became a link to "rorysdeathkiss.com" and for those who have been following the filming of The Dark Knight "Rory's Death Kiss" has been the hidden shooting title of the movie to avoid fans from sneaking onto the sets and taking pictures. Since it's link date in early November deathkiss has been a hub for pictures of fans responding to the Joker's challenge of taking pictures in their local areas most historic/popular spot. The campaign ended on Nov. 16th, and all the fans who participated were given a note on the site saying "What a crime scene! The clock's struck 12 and I'm sending something for each and every every one of you clowns who made my list by the deadline. The fun-filled times should roll in shortly after the bird's been carved! Don't you just love the taste of envelope glue?" and special copies of "The Gotham Times" and were given links to a few websites:

TheGothamTimes.com
TheHaHaHaTimes.com
RememberingGina.org
GothamNationalBank.com
WeAretheAnswer.org
GothamPolice.com
GothamCityRail.com
WhySoSerious.com/PersonalityProfile

And now within the last 24 of this article there has been a new site has become available- WhySoSerious.com/Mausoleum. This link is to a safe that is locked and has a note from the Joker indicating that the dirty cops of Gotham have stolen evidence that belongs to him.

This viral campaign for The Dark Knight is a not necessarily a new form of marketing, but the planning that has gone into this campaign by Warner Brothers has set a new standard for building up suspense. To the degree that we still do not know what "the Joker" means by "See you in December" in the first twist in the campaign.

It is believed to be referring to the IMAX 7 minute feature that will be appearing in front of "I Am Legend" But we shall soon find out.

Spiritual Baggage

2007-11-25T13:44:00.000-06:00

A few years ago, it almost feels like a lifetime now, there was a youth group in my area known as 2:42. This group organized by high school students who wanted to get to know more about their faith and get to know their Savior better met in a quaint basement and were lead by Pastor Brian Johnson. The purpose of this group was to devote two Friday nights (sometimes 3) a month to challenge each other and dig deeper into their budding faith. The name behind the group came from the book of Acts in chapter 2 verse 42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." And to me and the people involved this was a slice of heaven. Most of the friends I have now are the people I met through that group. These were the people who helped me understand that the God of the universe wanted me to rest in His hands. He wanted to know me and me to know and love Him.

As a born and raised Catholic this concept was lost on me, but by the end of the first meeting I attended my heart swelled with the idea of a God who was not waving his finger at me and shaking his head but rather holding out both arms and awaiting my embrace.

For a little over two years the group flourished under the mentoring of Pastor Johnson and grew fairly quickly and saw a handful of attendees baptized (myself included.) But God had greater plans for everyone involved in the group. God called Pastor Johnson away from the group to go minister in Michigan and leave the group to continue on it's own being led by the very students who started the group. This went well for a few months but quickly faltered and we saw many who had been baptized within the group fall away from their faith and get lost again in the earth.

2:42 has now been officially shut down for a couple years and my friends and I are all in college and moving on with life. Getting married, engaged, meeting that potential "special someone" and realizing who God has made us out to be under His guidance.

I recently got out of a relationship that lasted a little over a year and did some things I'm not particularly proud of, but what hurts the most was the way I view myself now after everything and knowing how badly I hurt my Savior.

But that's the great thing about Jesus: He forgives unconditionally. When we confess our sins He holds us in His pierced hands and says "It's okay, I understand" and just comforts us. He is the ultimate comfort. He takes our sins/spiritual baggage and loses it better than the O'Hare airport.

So what's the benefit from being baggage free?

There's no carry ons to load into your overhead bin
We are free to be who God wants us to be

I mean, c'mon, wouldn't a vacation be so much easier if you didn't have to pack and run through so many checklists to make sure you have everything?

Giving up your baggage to Christ is like having a relative who lives out of state and you go to visit them and they tell you "Don't bother packing. As soon as you get here we're going out and buying you everything you'll need. And you can stay in our brand new bed we just got." Jesus says the same to us, except He already paid for everything we could ever need.

The problem is we justify our desire to bring our baggage anyway "Oh, well that's great, but I think I want to bring my pillow... Just in case" Why would you still need to bring anything when it's all sitting there waiting for you?

You may say "Well, I'm just this person, I don't deserve it." Whenever I hear someone excuse their life or an action by using the word "just" you're underestimating the Creator of the universe. Jeremiah thought he could justify God's will for him "But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" (Jer. 1:6 The Message) If we put another way Jeremiah is saying "I'm just a kid!" To which God replies, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it. Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." (Jer. 1:7 The Message) God is taking Jeremiah's angst and worries (spiritual baggage) and saying I'll hold the world, you just go talk to My people.

The reason I share this sequence with you is because in 2004 a movie came out called "Finding Neverland" starring Johnny Depp as British play write and author J.M. Barrie. In the first few minutes of the film Barrie is at the park entertaining his new acquaintances, the Llewelyn Davies family, and about to perform with his dog Porthos who they are imagining is a bear when the second youngest boy, Peter, says "This is absurd. It's just a dog." To which Barrie memorably replies "Just a dog? Just? Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, 'He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man', or 'That's not a diamond, it's just a rock.' Just."

I believe that this is where we get the word 'just'ify. We can't read our Bible today, we're just too tired. I'd get more out of church if it was just a bit shorter. I'd listen more to the paster if he'd just keep his sermons shorter. Just. It's quite a powerful adjective when you want it to be.

My final movie reference for this post comes from Robert Zemeckis' "The Polar Express." Throughout the movie our main character; Hero Boy, knows that wherever he's going is somewhere special but he doesn't want to believe whole heartedly that he is in fact going to the North Pole because he's afraid of being tricked and being let down. Towards the end of the movie every child hears Santa's sleigh bells ringing as the reindeer are passing. Everyone but Hero Boy who wants so badly to hear the bells magical ring. Finally he opens his heart and lets his vulnerable side open to the thought that there is a Santa and he is real and he hears the bells and describes them as the most beautiful sound ever.

This is a perfect analogy for giving your faith and life to Christ and how acceptance of His sacrifice will bring the Holy Spirit into our lives. In order to hear God's will we need the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. It the *OnStar to our Christian walk. We need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open our hearts and believe in the One who sacrificed everything to allow us to know Him better.

So, please this Christmas season, open your heart to the Reason for the season. He will give you the greatest gift you can ever receive. And I pray for those who are saved but still have reserves and have not given their baggage to the One who will make the journey so much lighter.

God bless anyone and everyone who reads this.

'Tis the Season

2007-11-25T12:41:00.001-06:00

The Friday after Thanksgiving not only kicks off the busiest shopping weekend of the year, but it also kicks off the sounds of the season. No, no, not cash registers opening and closing. It's that sound you hear everywhere you turn your radio dial-- Christmas music. Every year you see new CDs with the classics and new classics with some of the more famous modern classics like Newsong's "Christmas Shoes" (which is now also a movie featuring Rob Lowe.) With every new artist that comes out to the main stream you'll hear them take on a classic song into their style of music.

But there are a couple artists I would like to recommend to those who, like me, love the classics but with the same feeling and sound. Last year jazz singer Michael Buble (boo-blay) released his first Christmas CD "Let it Show!" A five song compilation of classics like "Let it Snow!" (obviously) "Grown-Up Christmas List," White Christmas," I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "The Christmas Song." All of these songs stay true to the songs of yore that gained the title of "classic" while Buble still throws in his own jazz stylings into the mix.

What makes Buble's CD a must buy is his piano accompaniment. The piano is just as prominent as Buble's presence in all the songs. The piano gives each song a classic feel to it, like someone just sat down at your living room piano (if you have one) and just started to play and sing.

And Josh Groban released his long awaited Christmas CD "Noel" this November. This full length Christmas album features guitarist Andy McKee in "Little Drummer Boy." Faith Hill offers her talents in a duet on the song "The First Noel." Other classics featured are "Angels We Have Heard on High (with Brian McKnight,)" "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Groban's single released last Christmas season "Ave Maria," Groban's own version of "The Christmas Song," "What Child is This," and "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear." Other songs inclued David Fosters "Thankful," "Panis Angelicus," "Petit Papa Noel," and the climax of the album "O Come All Ye Faithful" featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Groban's "Noel" is a guaranteed hit in any home. His classical operatic voice along with the orchestra and guest artists flows from song to song giving you the "warm fuzzies" during the cold winter months.

Both CDs offer something for everyone's Christmas spirit while being able to allow the listeners to call each version their generations own classic song.

2007 NFL MVP Debate 'Favre' from Over

2007-11-24T11:45:00.000-06:00

Now that we're almost 12 weeks through the 2007 NFL season, the debate on who the Most Valuable Player for the entire league has begun. The front-runner according to just about everyone is Tom Brady of the New England Patriots running away with the award.

The only kink in Brady's candidacy-- three time MVP Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. If you recall after the draft when the Patriots not only got Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders for the low, low price of a fourth round draft pick (Cincinnati CB John Bowie) but they also stole Moss right out from under Favre and the Packers respective noses. Cue the drama of an angry Favre who wanted Moss in green and gold more than anyone ever wanted Moss in his life. Moss, a player a lot of experts thought was through after two injury plagued seasons in Oakland, has proven to be a valuable pickup for the Patriots having already gained over 1,000 yards through the air, helping lead the team in receiving yards, and setting a new franchise record for receiving touchdowns. Moss is projected to have 1600 yards receiving (which would be a new Patriots record) and extending his team record to an NFL record 26 receiving touchdowns.

Now why does Favre throw a kink in Brady's "magic" season? Because of the acquisition of Randy Moss and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Moss' resurgence has more to do with the fact he wants to play for a winner, not Brady's arm. And the fact that coach Belichick wants to pad his QBs numbers by running up the score. If you may recall the Patriots vs. the Miami Dolphins in week 7 the Pats were up 42-14 when Brady's back up Matt Casel threw two incomplete passes with an interception and Belichick found this unacceptable being up the four touchdowns so he put Brady back in to run up the score to 49-21 on Brady's sixth TD pass of the game. The Pats won the game 49-28. "I did it because of the score, one more turnover, and then it's a 14-point game in the middle of the fourth quarter," was Belichick's excuse for bringing Brady back into the game.

Now turn over to the NFC North this preseason-- the NFC champion Chicago Bears were supposed to run away with the division and Brett Favre was supposed to be washed up. Favre was angry at management about not getting him a play maker outside of his number one receiver: Donald Driver. With the lack of a running game Packers head coach Mike McCarthy asked Favre to step back form being a gunslinger and become more of a game manager. While implementing more slant patterns in the playbook to help expand a team without a running game and Favre has flourished with these new short slants.

While Tom Brady's off partying and enjoying the sweet life of a potential 16-0 season his prefect season is more based on the Pats becoming the New York Yankees of the NFL by having his front office stockpile proven wide receivers on the offensive side of the ball (trades with Miami for Wes Welker, the Moss trade, picking up free agent Donte Stallworth.) Favre is helping develop not just his young receivers (Greg Jennings, James Jones and Ruvell Martin,) he is also tutoring and mentoring his heir-apparent: Aaron Rodgers. Favre has developed into a player/coach for a team that thrives on defense and finds ways to tear apart defenses on offense. During this season Favre has broken almost every major passing record (even the not so prestigious career interceptions list) and will keep adding to his records for at least the rest of this season, a lot of the records falling this season are thanks to the Packers lack of a running game the first 8 weeks of the season, and with the emergence of Ryan Grant as the Packers primary running back Favre has found even more success passing for 1641 yards since Grant has taken over the starting job in the back field. The Packers defense is the catalyst for this season. But Favre is definitely the heart.

At the start of the season Favre and the Packers were projected to finish in the middle of the league at 8-8 or 7-9. Needless to say both the Packers and their hall of fame quarterback have done nothing but play the game it's supposed to be played and has a total of seven games with 300 or more passing yards. All this with no-name receivers. Not bought talent like Brady's Pats.

Brett Favre not only deserves the NFL MVP award for being the leader of a team that was supposed to go nowhere, fast. But he's been doing it while being honest with himself and the rest of his teammates saying "By no means can we rest, or think that we arrived," Favre said after a game against the Carolina Panthers, "because we haven't."

By being honest and telling the young players like it is Favre has been keeping his teammates from becoming overconfident because he knows what happens when you get cocky. Back in 2004 the Packers started 7-1 and stumbled to a 12-4 finish and missed out on home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Packers face the last real challenge on Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, this game could be an NFC championship game preview and also determine home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. If Favre leads the Pack over the Cowboys, good ol' number 4 should be considered a legitimate contender for his unprecedented fourth MVP award, and first since 1997.