Thursday, June 11, 2009

The International on DVD



Jacket:
"Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is determined to expose an arms dealing ring responsible for facilitating acts of terrorism around the globe. But as his investigation leads Salinger and his partner, Manhattan District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), deeper into the secret world of greed, corruption and murder, they become targets of a deadly conspiracy so vast, they soon find the only people left to trust ... are each other."

Tried as I hard as I might, I couldn't get into this. The dialogue is sometimes fantastic, but the story is choppy and the country hopping a little distracting.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey

Details

Jacket:
"Steve Harvey, the host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, can't count the number of impressive women he's met over the years, whether it's through the "Strawberry Letters" segment of his program or while on tour for his comedy shows. These are women who can run a small business, keep a household with three kids in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. Yet when it comes to relationships, they can't figure out what makes men tick. Why? According to Steve it's because they're asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man. In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve lets women inside the mindset of a man and sheds lights on concepts and questions such as:

—The Ninety Day Rule: Ford requires it of its employees. Should you require it of your man?

—How to spot a mama's boy and what if anything you can do about it.

—When to introduce the kids. And what to read into the first interaction between your date and your kids.

—The five questions every woman should ask a man to determine how serious he is.

— And more...

Sometimes funny, sometimes direct, but always truthful, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is a book you must read if you want to understand how men think when it comes to relationships."

This is funny AND insightful. Every woman should read this at least once. And for the sportsfish, read again and again.

The Sky Crawlers (2008) on DVD






The Sky Crawlers - Sukai kurora

Anime News Network: "Kannami Yuichi is a "Kildren", a fighter pilot recently sent to Urisu Base to replace a previous one who had died in battle. Like the numerous genetically-engineered pilots before him, he does not age, only to live his life fighting and eventually dying in battle. Rostock and Lautern, 2 different companies have been engaged in a brutal war that has no beginning or end, rather the battles they create serve to "entertain" the peacetime people. Yuichi befriends the base commander, Kusanagi Suito, a woman who endures a long dark past. As their relationship grows, Yuichi learns the bittersweet moments of life, and the inescapable fate he has been placed in.errorsource

The story unfolds in another 'possible' modern age. The main characters are youngsters called "Kildren", who are destined to live eternally in their adolescence. The Kildren are conscious that every day could be the last, because they fight a "war as entertainment" organized and operated by adults. But as they embrace the reality they are faced with, they live their day-to-day lives to the full."

This was visually stunning to watch, but I got a little lost in the storyline.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Taken on DVD



Jacket:
"Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force (Premiere) in this action-packed international thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. When his estranged teenage daughter is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy (Neeson) sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter."



Although part predictable, part unrealistic, it was still thrilling to watch. Neeson still kicks ass!

Star Trek (2009)




This ain't my momma's Star Trek! While a purist trekkie at heart, I appreciate this new & fresh take on the franchise. It was a fun film to watch and made me regret having a SoBe during the show. I wasn't leaving until the very end!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Eden Log




Jacket:
"A man wakes up deep inside a cave. Suffering amnesia, he has no recollection of how he came to be there, or of what happened to the man whose body he finds beside him. Tailed by a mysterious creature, this forgotten man embarks upon a journey through this strange and fantastic world, desperately struggling to find his way to the surface."

A must-see for the sci-fi buffs, just for curiosity's sake. This is a French take (read into that what you will) on the sci-fi, apocalyptic genre. The storyline is choppy, CGI is okay, but this type of film has been done so many times before. It's like Resident Evil meets an alternate Book of Genesis. We all return to the earth.

Bloody Disgusting:

"EDEN LOG is visually stunning, it's a bleak trip into a world that both mesmerizing and terrifying"

Twitchfilm.net:

"A dark, philosophical spin on the Garden of Eden"

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Wrestler on DVD



IMDb: "A faded professional wrestler must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle."

Wow, this is a must-see. Gotta love the low-budget film which focuses on the STORY! I can't picture anyone else but Mickey Rourke playing Randy the Ram.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Notorious on DVD




Jacket: "Chronicling the extraordinary life of Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, Notorious follows the young rapper (also known as Biggie Smalls) from the tough streets of Brooklyn to the heights of superstardom as he juggles the increasing demands of fatherhood, marriage and a music career. Amid the chaos and controversy, Biggie's remarkable talent and fierce determination help to solidify his legacy as one of hip-hop's greatest MCs."

Rent this! This was surprisingly good. It documents the best hip-hop music of the mid-90s and rise & fall of a very talented rapper.There'll never be another Biggie.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Seven Pounds



IMDb: "An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers."

A little wishy-washy, but palatable for the feel-good movie fans.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

Daemon by Daniel Suarez (Dutton, 01/09/2009)


READ THIS BOOK!!! It is a techno-thrill ride that you just can't get off ... even if you wanted to!

Daemon is to novels what The Matrix was to movies. It will be how other novels that rely on technology will be judged.”
— Rick Klau, Strategic Partner Development - Google

“Greatest. Techno-thriller. Period. Experts have long feared the Internet doomsday scenario. Daemon is arguably more terrifying.”
Billy O'Brien, Director of Cybersecurity and Communications Policy at the White House


“Daemon is wet-yourself scary, tech-savvy, mind-blowing!”
—Paste Magazine


Daemon's sequel, FreedomTM, is coming in 2010.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Goal II: Living the Dream



Jacket: "Newcastle United's favorite player, Santiago Munez, reaches superstardom and every footballer's dream when he's transferred to Real Madrid to play in the UEFA Eurpoean Champions League alongside David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Guti and Iker Casillas. AS Santiago basks in the glory, acclaim and money, he discovers the ugly face of success - one that threatens to destroy everything he's worked for and everyone he loves."

Fun, brain candy and hot players. Enough said. Can't believe there'll be a third installment though.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Let the Right One In

Let The Right One In

Wikipedia: "Let the Right One In (Swedish: Låt den rätte komma in), also known as Let Me In, is a 2004 vampire fiction novel by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. The story centers on the relationship between a 13-year-old boy, Oskar, and a 200-year-old vampire child, Eli. It takes place in Blackeberg, a working class suburb of Stockholm, in the early '80s. The book focuses on the darker side of humanity, dealing with issues such as bullying, drugs, theft, pedophilia, prostitution and murder as well as the obvious supernatural themes.

Oskar is a 13-year-old-boy who is being bullied at school. He befriends a mysterious child, Eli, who moves in next door with an older man, Håkan. Eli is revealed to be a vampire, but the two children develop a close relationship and Eli helps Oskar fight back against his tormentors."

This was such a great story and a fresh angle on the vampire theme.