Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Movie Review

Yay, this will be my first movie review!

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow came out on DVD on Tuesday, January 25th and you better believe that is when I bought. The movie stars Jude Law, Gweneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Giovanni Ribisi (even though he does not get top billing). The music basically follows the adventures of Sky Captain (Law) on a mission to save the world from utter destruction. Intrepid reporter Polly (Paltrow) follows along always on the look out for the scoop. Jolie and Ribisi play minor secondary, but in my opinion the most entertaining, parts. Ribisi is Dex, Sky Captain's handy dandy sidekick techie while Jolie is Franky Cook, the leader of an all woman kiss ass team that Sky Captain enlists to help save Dex ... and the world.

Before I get fully into my opinion about the movie, let me just say one thing about me and movies. I go to a movie in hopes of being entertained for a while (whether it be 80 minutes or a few hours). Movies for me don't always have to be spectacular examples of the medium. They just have to keep me from ignoring the uncomfortableness of the theater seats.

Technologically and visually this movie is absolutely astounding. It will surely set the standard for movies using similar techniques. The use of sepia tones gives it a wonderful older look that fits well with time the movie is set in. The computer animation is so near perfect and realistic, that I sometimes forgot that the only "real" things in the movies were the actors and a few props.

The plot is entertaining enough and the script is not the most wonderful in the world, but good enough for me. The actors did well, especially when I try to imagine that they had to imagine the movie while they were acting. It may not be Oscar caliber stuff, but it kept me entertained. Angelina Jolie is always great in movies (okay, I have not seen Alexander, but lets not go there now) and Ribisi , Law and Paltrow were able to engage me (Ribisi more so than the others).

If nothing else, you should see this movie just to marvel at it's visual/technological beauty. And if you are the type that is not looking for the next Greatest Movie of All Time, then I think you will enjoy the whole thing.

Last Words: I liked it, I recommend it, I own it!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Review

Aha! Surprised you didn't I? I didn't warn you I had opinions about video games. Yes, I have a PlayStation 2. Yes, I play games.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time came out way back in 2004. I bought the game for a nice cheap $19.99 at Wal-Mart with a handy dandy Wal-Mart gift card I got for Christmas. It may be the best $19.99 I have spent on a game.

Very basically, the Prince of Persia is a naive young lad who unleashes the sands of time which of course causes all sorts of mayhem. The Prince sets out to fix what he has done. He holds with him the dagger of time which allows him to control time. He can rewind what has just happened (allowing him to cheat death) and he can use it in battles to freeze enemies and dispatch them lightning quick. He is joined by Farrah, the daughter of the sheik he steals the dagger from. She is usually pretty helpful.

The story line is interesting and entertaining. The Prince's acrobatics are amazing and fun. Once I started wall running, I never stopped. While the game is short, it packs in a lot of enjoyment. Controlling time is not only a nice plot device, but very handy for not so skilled gamers like myself who tend to die a lot! The action and fighting do get a bit repetitive, but it was fun learning all the great advantages time control has in a battle. The Prince himself is the narrator and a pretty funny one at that.

The most difficult part of the game, I found, was learning the timing for jumping from wall to wall. It nearly took me forever! But I soon mastered it. The only other gripe I had was Farrah. Yes, she was helpful for the most part. But she was annoying a lot of the time. She's handy when there is a tight space to crawl through, but that whole "Look! A Crack!" thing gets old. Plus, in some battles, I took more damage from her arrow than from my enemies. She also took it upon herself to walk of a couple of ledges while following me, falling to her death and making me restart.

Other than those relatively minor annoyances, the game is great. It remains entertaining, even after beating it a few times. Prince of Persia 2: The Warrior Within is out now, some say it as good or better than the first. I guess I will find out when the price hits $19.99! Don't worry, I will let you know when that happens!

Last Words: I loved it! I recommend it! I own it!

President George W. Bush

Wow, look at me getting all kinds of blog happy. Anyway, today, January 21st, 2005 is a historic day. Dubya got inaugurated again. What better topic then than good ole Georgie boy. Granted, I risk alienating a good half of my potential readers!

If you have read previous posts, you might notice that Dubya and I disagree on a couple of things. Plus, I went the way of the rest of my blue state and voted for Mr. Kerry. Had I voted back in 2000, I would have voted for Al Gore. And that's when I lived in Texas for goodness sakes.

I don't trust him to lead to a better place. So far, all I see from him is hugemongous debt and hugemongous loss of life. The war was wrong from the beginning. I don't like that he invokes the name of God so much. I do not believe in shoving Christianity down people throats and I feel like Bush is shoving it down by throat -- and I am a Christian for goodness sakes! I don't like the he supported a tax cut for the upper class. I sure would like a tax cut. It would be a nice little thing like that that would make life a wee bit easier for us lower tax bracket folks.

I do like at least one thing about Dubya. I like that he supports illegal immigrants (we are after all, a nation of immigrants). Oh, make that two things, Mrs. Laura Bush seems like a lovely, intelligent woman who is not afraid to publicly disagree with her husband.

All in all, I don't like Dubya, and if I were so bold, I would wear a shirt that says "Still Not My President"

Last Words: I don't like him, I don't recommend him!

American Idol Season 4 (AKA A departure from reality)

So I decided that I should maybe do an opinion about something less, um, huge. Plus I just finished watching the second episode of the newest American Idol. This show is in so many unhealthy and strangely entertaining. I missed the first episode, but a friend (unhealthily obsessed friend, I should say) told me it was "hella funny". Part of the appeal of the show, I think, is that we can sit in our homes and laugh at the hopes and dreams of an average Jane or Joe getting crushed. Does that make us bad people? Probably.

I am much more entertained when a truly talented and unique person steps up in front of the judges and wows even Simon. Good for them! We should recognize their talent.

That being said... I was disappointed the show focused more on the future William Hungs and less on the truly talented. I suppose that's the point thought. We will see so much talent at the end of the season that we won't know what to do with ourselves. I was bored for the most part. But I must admit, I got some kicks at a few of the poor souls America laughed at. Hopefully, they can learn to laugh with us ... at them and not be so naive as the aforementioned Mr. Hung.

And despite my boredom with tonight's show, I am sure I will keep tuning in. Perhaps I will even update along the way.

Last Words: I enjoyed it, I don't necessarily recommend it, I'll watch it again.

Death Penalty

Sister Helen Prejean's Moratorium Campaign

Well, if the link above doesn't give you a clue to where I stand .. then NO, I do not support the death penalty.

For the longest time, I had no opinion on the matter. I couldn't decide whether or not it was right or wrong. Maybe I was being blinded by a bush in a state that puts more people to death than any other. That's right, you guessed it, it was Texas. Now, I live in California, saw the fabulous play by Tim Robbins based on Sr. Helen's book, Dead Man Walking. I remembered how riveted I was by the movie. And now I am nearly done with the book. I anxiously await my purchase of Sr. Helen's Newest Death of Innocence.

Why? No government should have the power to put its people to death. For the most part, the death penalty as it stands is not administered fairly. Low-income people do not have the resources to fight the death penalty, minorities are still targeted for death penalty (MLK's dream, apparently, has some parts still in the dream phase) and innocent people have been put to death.

If that isn't enough, especially for us Christians out there, we should see the obvious flaw in the death penalty: it is not condoned in the Bible. I remind you of these things: thou shalt not kill (no, our government is not above the 10 commandments); Jesus preached love (killing, no matter who sanctions it, is not very loving); and we must turn the other cheek (I think that negates that whole "eye for an eye" argument - besides, that whole bit was mostly about how the punishment should fit the crime and not literally taking eyes for eyes).

So thank you to Sr. Helen for helping me and so many others see the light. And for the rest of you, spread the word (unless of course you think I am wrong!).

Last Words: I don't support it, I recommend a moratorium, I will read St. Helen's newest book.

Gay Marriage

wowza! This is a big one for my first official opinion. Well, not my first official opinion, I have had opinions long before I started this blog. But that is neither here nor there...

So, I fully support gay marriage. Go ahead, gasp or cheer, I'll wait...

Now then. Let me say that I am Christian (Roman Catholic to be exact). Have been all my life. So am I going to hell for supporting gay marriage? Thankfully, none of you reading this will be my eternal judge and because of that we'll all just have to wait and see. But if you want my opinion (and you must want it, you are here afterall) I say no.

So then ... God gave us the gift of and ability to love. Why should we force those who fall in love with someone of the same sex to deny that gift. Okay, so that's more of an argument that is jut pro-homosexuality, but it essential to my next statement. Gay men and women should be able to pledge themselves to the ones love and get the benefits of that binding pledge. They are not forcing Churches to marry them. They are asking for states to recognize their commitment. They want to be able to legally support each other in life, in sickness, in health and in death. Is that such a bad thing?

How horrible must it be, for example, if your ain true love was fatally wounded and died in a hospital and that time s/he was there, you were barred from seeing her/him because there was no legal or familial tie to her/him? Okay, that is an intense example, but it happens.

The last thing I will say (for now) on this topic is that it seems most opposition is coming from religiously motivated groups. And to that, I will raise this much used (perhaps overused) statement: SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. We may have been a country founded by Christians, but no where in our constitution do we say that Christianity will drive all we do.

*WHEW* I am sure I am not done on this one. Especially if start getting feedback (on no, what have i gotten myself into!)

Last Words: I support it, I recommend you support it too!

Critical Review of my Blog

So far, not so good. I am already a blog slacker. I started the blog on Dec 31st and then ... well, if you have looked at this you can tell. But today shall be special day. Not only will I dispense my opinion of my own blog, but I shall slap a SECOND opinion on here. Amazing, eh? Let's see what happens.