There's a Spring snow storm outside, but it's warm in here.

The chilly Spring day broke with grass trying to sip the water from the defrosting remnants of disappearing snow banks. The birds were chirping a song that hasn't been heard in some time in this northern snow locked region. A red squirrel squawks out an alarm call as neighbors briskly walk under the tree that it's caught in. Above, the overcast sky presents a teasing sliver of a torn cloud that allows a sharply delineated ribbon of orange-yellow morning sunlight to boldly blind any viewer who dares to state at it's wondrous beauty. Spring has seemingly made it's appearance.

For the way the morning had started, the afternoon must have been bested by all the other times of day at the gambling table and-due to the loss-must have had to entertain 'Ol Jack Frost for one more frolic. As the day progressed, the spotty rain fall digressed into a miasma of premium Snowman making snow, then it converted itself to a slick covering of sleet, which then decided to reinvent itself into mini hail pellets-That could be confused for mini pea shooter pellets.

Now late into the evening, the foul weather has become a fusion of rain-and the aforementioned mini peas shooter pellets-only this time it's accompanied by a few bright flashes of cloud generated electricity and the rumbles of thunder. Oh, what a wondrously confusing storm has this Spring season brought.

While the precipitation contemplates it's confusion outside, Bobbie has fallen asleep. Courtney struggles-valiantly-against the ever impending sleep that is trying to coerce her into an early nights rest. I, on the other hand, still receive nightly visits from Mrs. Insomnia and we dance late into the evening hours looking out into the darkness of the dimly lit city streets with wonder like the little boy in Maurice Sendak's book In the Night Kitchen. What I'm to see is still yet to be revealed.

Hence the night was frequented by a rainy-snowy-haily-thundery front, Courtney, Bobbie, and I wanted to venture  to a warm place. We decided on a Los Angeles crime saga:

We begin our picture following a armored car heist on the streets of the City of Angels. Seeing through a series of second lenses the story of our criminals and their law abiding counterparts are engaged in a game of "cat and mouse" for the soul of blind justice. as the picture materializes, we see how both sides are willing to, take down the big operation, move on to another life, another gig, or just find another way to right a wrong for their past dealings.  

For those of you who may not have seen this tale by Michael Mann, this is a modernized telling of a "western". The players are set on stage in a clear cut fashion. The bandits, the lawmen, how they interact with each other and their tactical styles. We see how each group is in an arms race to identify and out maneuver the other for any sort of advantage. Mann also creates his magic during the direction of this film to allow for our actors to express their characters hopefulness and also punctuate their vision of what they are wanting to create for their future lives. During the telling of this saga, we see our nemesis's find a respect for one another and in this discovery we see that they are a "Yin and Yang" example of good and bad, law and anarchy.

A gritty yet sleekly refined movie is ultimately what we have here. I suggest that anyone who likes a crime drama see this feature. If you've enjoyed: The Town, Collateral, Miami Vice, or Hard Boiled.

No doubt this one gets a high rating for it's great story line and fast moving action sequences. I feel this reel deserves an 8 out of 10 bags of bearer bonds.
 

We the people...

With one dog snoring away and another cleaning her paws, Courtney, Bobbie and I are reclining into a pile of feather pillows as though we were three chubby cherubs peering from the clouds of a Greek heaven. From this vantage point, we look out and into the dancing pixels that will transport us to another time and place.

Tonight we're getting political. On the agenda for tonight's viewing is:

We find ourselves looking into an alternate government as our President is under attack by his own missteps. As our President crumbles under his own sabotage, our new public servant Dave is introduce to fill in for the ailing President due to his similar looks. Ice Dave discovers how his associates in this ruse are manipulating his presence, he begins to find the goodness in change that holding this particular office can invoke. How one person can be called to arms and make a difference in the lives of many. And when the time has come to leave the office and disappear into the night's mist, our fill-in-President can leave with his pride intact knowing that he has done what's right and not what's popular.

A great romantic comedy with a fantastic cast, this screen play will have one cheering for the correct motions of office than the manipulating undertow of the officials. A story of good versus bad, right versus wrong, and accepting the outcomes of what one may have inherited, and being satisfied with a job well done is what this tale sung to me. Though I've had plenty of screenings for this picture, it's still a pleasure to watch weather it's a television broadcast or a spinning disk in the DVD player. Silly and fresh as we take a look into the presidency, this will always pull a light laugh and cheer from me.

This is a film for views who loved The American President.

This one gets a 5 out of 10 votes.

Bondo anyone?

While stealing a few hours from a Sunday afternoon, Courtney, Bobbie, and I, were making up for last week's missing features. As we fiddled though our Road Runner Cable listings, we came across a rebroadcast of the 1992 hit on HBO:

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was self absorbed and was always scheming to barter a better way to, "Have her cake and eat it too." With her arch enemy breathing down her neck, she succumbs to the pressure for her own desire for perpetual youth. When she's jilted by her young lover, the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" was laid upon her broken youth. In her quest for youth, she ventures to a mysterious home to find a supplement that'll help her aging problems. Once our diva sees first hand what the results can be, she immediately purchases the supplement to turn back the hands of time. Then, the unraveling of her present situation is set on a path that can not be reverted...or derailed.

A great campy comedy accentuated with a witty sarcasm, this picture is still as funny today as when it was released in the early 90's. The C.G.I. execution in this feature was also done so well that-by today's standards-it still looks as fresh as anything that is currently released. A great acting chemistry that follows all of the major actors and actresses can not be denied. Intertwining and aggressively captivating, is the theme of the hilarity for those feature. Once you're in, you're in.

This story is a great accompaniment for other films like; The Twilight Zone, The Witches of Eastwick and even Love Potion #9.

A bountiful 6 out of 10 Proactive bottles is what I feel this movie deserves.

Where's ET? Maybe Elliot knows?

While hoping for an eventfully Saint Patrick's Day, I was surprised by the lack of enjoyment that the day brought. Plans were canceled, and situations were shifted. Irritations were passed around and a bit of discourse was shared.

I did have a pint of Murphy's Irish Stout to celebrate the ridding of Ireland of snakes by St. Pat. That was nice...except the drunken lady that kept talking to me while I was in a foul mood. As the strange lady spoke in her slurred style,I forced a few smiles and nodded politely as she kept telling Bobbie and I about how she drove across town to frequent this particular business. Between her brewery breath and the spittle firing from her drunken lips peppering my face, shirt and coat, I felt like I was on a bad episode of MTV's Boiling Point. I kept thinking of something Ewan McGregor said in his docu-drama Long Way Round, "Get me out of f***ing London."

Once home, I had to get away to suppress the emotional outbursts that-I'm pretty sure-were on their way.

So, out I went into the night to see:

The premise of this script is the present day and the earth is under attack by extraterrestrials trying to harvest the Earth's resources. Upon the arrival of the of the xenos, the areas around the impact zones are set alight with explosions and tumbling buildings. Our tactical force is sent in to secure the front line and extract civilians trapped beyond the engagement zone. Once in the danger zone, our team experiences internal turmoil and a call to leadership that can keep the audience watching.

The screen didn't reveal the aliens immediately like District 9 did, so, there was some of the "old school" mental suspense that the audience projected to the of world beings till they're caught on film. Once there was an appearance of the off world aggressors, the mental impact-for me-was a bit of a let down. Much like other sci-fi movies, the new arrivals are bipedal and carry weaponry that seemed, well, similar to what we have developed here on Earth. So much for other worldly.

Those who've enjoyed screen stories such as, Starship Troopers and Outlander, will more than likely want to see this feature. 

Though the visuals were superb and Aaron Eckhart's square jaw allows for good screen presence, those two aspects couldn't save the plots lean story line. But, the explosions were nice, so, it still has that going for it. For these reasons, I'll need to rate this at a 3 out of 10 broken spaceships.

Turn on the light...Please?

To make up for missing last Friday's movie, I watched a movie titled:

It picture takes place in Italy during the 40's after Mussolini's demise. Though the opening scenes started out promising, as the plot unfolded, it soon became apparent that this wasn't a flick that carried the cast to it's-possible-potential. I couldn't help but to take stock in how long it took to set the scenes and introduce the players.

The development of this drama/thriller/detective story isn't really all that it should be considering the actors listed in the cast. I'm going to chalk this one up to poor directing. Normally, I'd turn a boring film like this off as quickly as I'd pull the plug on movies like; Biker Boyz, Torque, and Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man.

The only thing that saved this film was Paz Vega. Her dance steps were enough to watch it through the lounge sequence, but after that, pull it and turn on your local broadcasting.One of the inexcusable aspects of this picture was that Paz Vega is supposed to be an Italian national, but one can clearly tell by her accent that she's Spanish. I guess a pretty face can't save a lack of talent for dropping her native accent.

As for a film rating, this one gets 2 bullets in the head out of 10-Because I was so stupid by renting it that I need a "double tap" for doing so.
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My recommendation is to either save your cash or rent Inception instead.

What a sad state of affairs.

Moving through the day has been easier than I thought it would've been today-For this I am grateful.
Last night, I previewed today's movie should I be caught in the work net and need to stay there.

Tonight's reel is:

Set during the Nazi occupation of Poland, we find a this boy's journey a remarkable telling of; faith, hope, awakening and self actualization. As our character discovers himself, he finds kindness in a remote home. Moving through his new state of being, he needed to wrap himself in the robes of Catholicism to avoid his Jewish past. Once our movie son arrives at his hide-a-way, he is tutored by a priest that enlightens him on the identity of Jesus and awakens a new emotional destination for his foster brothers.

This picture is a visual travel that engulfs the viewers gaze in such completion that one must have the hardest of hearts to not be engaged. Moving through a young persons views during such a turbulent time is definitely an exercise in empathy. The acting craft of all of these young actors and actresses are worth the view alone.

This is a must see for those who loved Life Is Beautiful.

This tale ranks-in my book-an 8 out of 10 rosaries.

I didn't hear Oasis playing in the back ground.

After running the Vue to a mechanic friend for some barter work to be completed, Bobbie and I were returning home and came upon the idea that we didn't want to cook dinner. We bypassed our home and made a bee-line for the local Subway Sandwich Restaurant. After Bobbie reappeared from inside the restaurant doors, we then made a break for the driveway apron. One home, I must admit that I was quite fatigued. there was nothing special to note from work. The day was neither hectic nor was it notably mentally draining.

Somehow, I found my way onto the bed and was roused around 8:00 o'clock p.m.. Making my way out of the now evening darkened room, I stumble out into the neon light of the hall and peeped sleepily around into the living room to see that Courtney was about to start tonight's pixel parade.

On tap tonight was:

Alright, I have to admit that this wasn't one of the films I'd selectively seek to view in a cineplex, but, as a rental, it's cheap enough for me to not feel so guilty to have spent some time on it. So, as usual, we've placed our behinds into the dents that we've made in the couch from previous film screenings. I couldn't help but to keep my iPod at arms length should I need to find a break from the television screen.

Pleasantly surprised, this is a "cute" story of  a woman who's been let go from a job in the television production business. We follow her as she seeks gainful employment with another televising firm and heads up their B-rated-if not forgettable-morning show. As she takes charge, she begins to find the niches of the people that she is working with and forges a "family" from those "loose ends".

A story of, perseverance, hard work and commitment with a sweet "she lived happily ever after" ending, is what this title presents. One can watch this with anyone who may have enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada.

This is a typical vanilla movie without much range of character depth, but the saving grace is that it's a "cute" film that chicks will love. For this, the movie receive 4 out of 10 CARA ratings.