Hollywood Mayhem

Eight Below Great Family Film

2006-03-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

Eight Below, starring Paul Walker and eight amazing dogs, is based on a true story about friendship, dedication, and survival. Forced to leave his eight sleigh dogs behind after a massive storm moves through the Antartica, Walker does everything in his power to get back the dogs and bring them home. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before Walker is able to get a flight back to the Antartica and in the meantime, the dogs are forced to survive on their own. These amazing dogs work together as a pack to stick together and stay alive in the snow. I really thought this was a great family film that teaches an important lesson about love and friendship. However, there is a somewhat violent fight scene between the dogs and a leopard seal that might frighten very small children.

Pride and Prejudice Heartwarming Love Story

2006-02-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

Pride and Prejudice, starring Kiera Knightley, was such a cute and heartwarming love story. Granted, it is quite shorter than Jane Austin's version, I still felt that it included all of the important aspects that make it such a wonderful love story. Knightely is brilliant as the witty and sharp tongued Elizabeth Bennett, she definitely does the role justice and you just fall in love with her. The actor who played Mark Darcy was also a perfect choice for he was handsome but not too pretty and displayed just the right amount of social awkwardness. I loved the film but I must warn the ladies, you will be dying for some romance after seeing the film.

Brokeback Mountain Rather Dull

2006-02-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

Brokeback Mountain, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall, was definitely a lot less interesting than what I was expecting. Granted, it was very different from any movie I have seen and the love story is very powerful, but I felt it was very long and drawn out. I think the story behind the movie is a great concept considering the controversy surrounding a love affair between two men because it is such a unique relationship. It also shows how hard it can be to be torn apart from the one you love for no other reason than societal expectations. I think everyone should at least see it to broaden their horizons, but I warn you, it is very long and dull and it also contains a somewhat violent sex scene.

Underworld Evolution Better Than First

2006-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

Underworld Evolution, starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman, was definitely better than the first Underworld in my opinion. It explained so much more about the history of how the elder vampires came to be, the creation of vampires and lycans, and why the vampires wanted to rid the world of the lycans. I also felt that the action scenes were much more exciting and hardcore as Scott Speedman gets to kick a lot more butt in this film. Since there is a lot of violence and a rather risque sex scene in the film I would not recommend taking children to see it. However, I thought it was an awesome and exciting film that is sure to leave you the edge of your seat.

The Ringer Exceeded Expectations

2006-01-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Ringer, starring Johnny Knoxville, certainly exceeded my expectations. Having seen Johnny Knoxville in other roles, I expected his role in this movie to simply be one of a comical jokester, which was not the case. Granted, Knoxville was hilarious in the film, but there was a really great story behind the film as well. Knoxville plays a simple hard-working man who is forced to pretend he is a mentally challenged athlete in order to rig the special olympics. While this of course is morally wrong, Knoxville's intentions are good, for he is simply doing it to help out an old friend who is in the hospital. However, once Knoxville joins the special olympics, he manages to make wonderful friends with the other athletes and falls in love with one of the volunteers. This makes Knoxville question his intentions and he begins to regret his decision. I thought the movie was great, it had just the right amount of comedy along with a heartwarming story of friendship, determination, morals. I definitely recommend the movie to all audiences.

Chronicles of Narnia Not as Good as Book

2005-12-26T19:50:00.000-08:00

Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was enjoyable in some aspects, but it definitely did not do the book justice. It had amazing graphics, in fact there were only a few instances in which I could tell that the animals were not real, and the acting was decent. However, I felt it didn't send as powerful a message as Lewis was trying to send when he wrote the book. The battle scenes were also rather weak, with the children just standing on the battlefield rather than doing much fighting, so it almost seemed as if they did not deserve to be crowned as royalty of Narnia. While I realize that this is a children's movie, I still felt it was lacking in some needed depth. As I said though, it was enjoyable, with amazing graphics and good acting. I would definitely recommend it for children, but not for those who loved the books growing up.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Best One Yet

2005-12-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

The new Harry Potter flick is by far the best one yet. The young wizards are finally growing up and becoming more mature, which means it's finally okay to develop small crushes on the boys, and the adventures that they experience are much more exciting and definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. As usual, I would recommend that you read the book if you haven't already because it of course goes into a lot greater detail than the movie does. I felt that the movie followed the book pretty well, there were a few changes such as how Harry obtains the Gillyweed he needs for one his tasks, but fortunately they are minute changes. I would definitely recommend this movie for both children and adults, I found it very enjoyable and the special effects are amazing.

Legend of Zorro Decent Sequel

2005-11-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

The Legend of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, is a pretty decent sequel to the first movie. Aside from the somewhat cheesy lines, it is an entertaining film filled with action, romance, and comedy. Banderas is as hot as ever in his all black, sexy Zorro outfit and I love Zeta-Jones' character, Elena, because instead of being a weak and helpless woman, she's fiesty and knows how to defend herself. Also, the little boy who plays their son in the movie is adorable and was perfect for the part. It's definitley a family friendly film and I would recommend it for any audience.

UBC Has Lost a Dear Friend

2005-10-30T14:42:00.000-08:00

This is a very personal and heartbreaking blog for me. This morning, my pastor and friend from University Baptist Church in Waco, passed away after he was electrocuted during a baptism. I am in complete shock and am not sure how to take this tragic news. Not only was Kyle Lake an amazing pastor and devoted father and husband, he was also an amazing human being and inspirer. I cannot even imagine what his family must be going through and it breaks my heart to think that he will not be able to watch his beautiful children grow up. Please keep the Lake family and UBC in your prayers.

Baylor University Wrong in Pulling Starbucks Cups

2005-10-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

While this has nothing to do with hollywood and movies, I believe it is an important issue to address considering that I am a Baylor University student. I got my bachelor's from Baylor and now i'm a graduate student...so while I am grateful for the education I have and am receiving here...I by no means agree with a lot of their politics. I am a Christian and while I may not agree with homosexuality persay, I by no means look down upon homosexuals or think of them any less because of their sexual orientation. A person's sexual orientation is his or her business and it by no means defines the worth of a person. For Baylor to openly refuse to accept these individuals does not emphasize what I would call Christianity. We are taught to love one another and not judge each other. Yet Baylor refuses to allow the Starbucks on campus to distribute a paper cup with a quote on it about being able to be yourself and love who you are simply for the fact that it mentions homosexuality? Tell me how this emphasizes that whole "loving" aspect of Christianity. I just want to say that not all of us at Baylor possess this "holier than thou" mentality and not all of us want to shun homosexuals simply because it will make us look better to the bible belt of America. I apologize for my university's cold and uncalled for attittude in this matter.

History of Violence Left Me Uneasy

2005-10-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

I must say, for being a huge Viggo Mortensen fan...I mean after seeing him as Aragorn, who wouldn't....but his latest, History of Violence, just left me feeling rather uneasy. I really did not know what to make of the film after I saw it. The plot line was rather dull, and the sex scenes were very unromantic and just vulgar. The only decent thing about it were some of the fight scenes in which Mortensen does a good job of kicking some ass. Other than that, there just is not much to say about the film. I would not go see it again and I certainly would not recommend seeing it. I give it an F....sorry Viggo....I still think you're hot though.

Serenity Does Firefly Justice

2005-10-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the gap in my blogs....but anywho i'm back on track. Speaking for all of the hardcore fans of Firefly out there, I really believe that Serenity really did the show justice. Having watched the final episode on television and being left wondering what would happen to the crew of Serenity, the movie does a nice job of picking up where the show left off and tying everything together. The movie also made sure that even if you never watched the show before seeing the movie, you could still understand what was going on. However, i'm a firm believer that you would not appreciate the movie for what it's worth if you had not developed an emotional tie to the characters from watching the show Firefly. Having watched the show before seeing the movie, I really had a greater appreciation for the character and could better understand who they really are and why they are a certain way. But if you have never watched the show, it is still a great movie to see and it explains everything so that you can understand what is going on. I give it an A+....way to go Joss Whedon!

Skeleton Key Proves to be a Disappointment

2005-08-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

The Skeleton Key, starring Kate Hudson, was rather disappointing for me. I was expecting a on the edge of your seat thriller but I didn't even need my jacket to hide behind, so clearly it was lacking in suspense. It did give some rather interesting insight into the world of vodoo and some of it's practices but that's about all I found riveting throughout the entire movie. I thought it was way too predictable, I pretty much knew how the movie was going to end, and it just didn't leave me with any chill to the bone goosebumps like scary or suspense movies are supposed to. I definitely would have to give this movie a D...just didn't cut it in my book of good movies.

Wedding Crashers is Hilarious

2005-08-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Wedding Crashers was an absoultely hilarious movie, I laughed my ass off. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are fabulous social con-artists, passing themselves off as wedding guests at several different weddings in order to drink, get free food, and find beautiful women to sleep with. The problems, however, start to arise when Wilson sees the beautiful Rachel McAdams as a bridesmaid at her sister's wedding and begins to fall in love with her. Will she accept the fact that everything about him has been a lie, or will she tell him to go to hell.....well you're just going to have to go see the movie for yourself. I definitely wouldn't recommend taking your kids to see the movie if you have any, as the movie has a lot of very sexual content and some nudity in the movie. But it was an awesome movie with very funny scenes and a good plot. I give it an A and say it was by far the best movie these two have done together.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Rather Different Than Original Film

2005-07-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore, who also acted alongside Depp in Finding Neverland and was actually recommended by Depp for this film, and I must say it was somewhat different than the original movie. They did manage to keep all the same characters and the same basic story, but I think Tim Burton was trying to go more by the book than the original film did. Apparently, the book, was somewhat dark like Burton's film rather than the happy go lucky story as in the first film. The modern day film goes into greater depth concerning Willy Wonka's troubled childhood and why he came to love candy so much, which I think gave audiences a better understanding of just who Willy Wonka is and why he wanted to find someone to take over his factory. Depp's character is a tad scary with his perfect white teeth and weird hair but he has a wonderfully sarcastic and witty sense of humor that I enjoyed. I think I probably still enjoyed the original more simply for the fact that it was a movie I loved as a child but I do think that Burton does a great job of remaking the film.

Tom Cruise Website Well Done

2005-07-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today a friend of mine told me about a website called tomcruiseisnuts.com and I decided to check it out. I have to say, I give major props to the creators of this website. The website is hilarious, it gives quotes given by both Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and it also gives Cruise's views on several issues. I've always liked Tom Cruise, but lately he's been losing some major points in my book. First he bashes women for using anti-depressants when he is not at all experienced with these drugs, then instead of handling his rather swift relationship with Katie Holmes properly, he shows her off like some flippin' barbie doll trophy. To me, it is just distasteful and all a show. It is one thing to show your love to someone by giving them affection, it is quite another to show it off for the cameras. Also, i'm sorry, but Katie Holmes is an idiot if she thinks that she and Tom Cruise will always be in their "honeymoon phase." For one, that only lasts for maybe the first year of marriage, and two, marriage isn't always good times sweetheart...there will also be bad times. I encourage you to visit the website, it just might brighten your day.

Fantastic Four Everything I Hoped it Would Be

2005-07-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the theater to see Fantastic Four and I loved it. Not only was it composed of kick ass graphics and action, it also combined comedy and heartfelt emotion. Michael Chiklis, who plays Ben Grimm does an amazing job of portraying the struggle to be accepted by others after the cloud storm in space changes him into what they call "The Thing." Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, and Julian McMahon also deliver great performances. Chris Evans is able to provide the necessary comic relief to keep the movie from being overly serious as he plays the rather immature Human Torch/Johnny Storm. Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffudd make a cute pair as they are not only struggling to deal with their new super powers but are also trying to deal with matters of the heart. Gruffudd, who plays Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed plays a nerd who can't seem to see anything outside of his world of science, even though Alba, Sue Storm/The Invisible Girl, is right in front of him. McMahon, who plays Victor Von Doom, knows how to play an awesome villian as we all know him as Cole from Charmed. I definitely give the movie an A+ and recommend it for all audiences.

ONE Campaign Needs Supporters

2005-07-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

After a friend told me about the ONE Campaign and it's website I decided to check it out. The ONE Campaign, which is backed by several celebrities including Brad Pitt and Tom Hanks, exists in order to help fight global poverty and AIDS; and frankly, our world needs all the help it can get. On the website, there is a petition you can sign asking President Bush to allocate more funds in order to help fight global poverty and AIDs. I know many people believe that we have too many problems in America to be worrying about taking care of other countries throughout the globe, but the difference is that we have the resources here in America to help those in need. Therefore, I think it's important that we use the resources we have available to us in order to help those who are not fortunate enough to have access to such resources. What good are these resources if we refuse to help those in need, whether they be from this country or not? So visit the website, sign the petition, and make a difference.

War of the Worlds Keeps You On the Edge

2005-06-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

War of the worlds was definitely full of exciting action. Throughout the entire movie I was on the edge of my seat, at times thought I was going to have a heart attack, and definitely stopped breathing for a few scenes. The movie not only contains gripping action, it also contains the right amount of comedy to keep the movie from being too overly serious. The plot was riveting, special effects perfect...after all it is Steven Spielberg, and the script was awesome. Course I have to give props to H.G. Wells for writing a fascinating story with and wonderfully ironic ending, I definitely need to go and read the book now. I give the movie an A+ and recommend it for all audiences.

Star Wars Ends Legacy With a Bang

2005-06-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

I must say, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, was by far the best out of the three recent Star Wars movies. Of course none of them compare with the original three, but this one was rather entertaining. Aside from the cheesy lines and corny acting, the plot was well done in my opinion. It was great to finally see just how exactly Darth Vader became Darth Vader and where exactly his hate and anger derived from. However, I don't think that the movie allowed enough time for him to turn to the dark side. It was almost as if he was on the good side one minute and the next, he wasn't. They didn't do a very realistic job of showing his demise, and while I know it's just a movie, there are some things that could have been done better. All in all, it was a good movie and would be great entertainment, not only for hardcore Star Wars fans, but for anyone.

Batman's Resurrection Impressive

2005-06-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

I must say, I was rather impressed with the new Batman flick, Batman Begins starring Christian Bale. I went into the theater with very low expectations due to the fact that all of the other Batman movies have been overly comical and very cheesy. This Batman, however, proved to be not only very entertaining, but also very real and deep. For example, it went into much greater detail explaining Batman's reasons for fighting injustice. Granted, those of us who know the story, know that his parents are murdered when he is just a child and this is what sets the stage for his fight for vengeance; however, in Batman Begins, there is much more to the story, which I shall leave out for those of you who have not seen the movie. I also loved the fact that we are shown exactly how he acquires the suit he wears, his weaponry, and his transportation...making it all the more realistic. I would definitely buy the dvd and I give the movie an A+.

Jackson Gets Acquitted

2005-06-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is...give me a break. I majored in psychology, but you don't have to have a degree in psychology to see that this man clearly needs to stay away from children. Granted, I learned quite a bit about sex offenders and from what i've seen...Michael Jackson displays most if not all of the symptoms of a sex offender. He obviously cannot form meaningful adult relationships, as all of his marriages have failed and his real friends only seem to be children and adolescents. He built an amusement park so that he could attract children to his place and watch them. Lastly, he obviously engages in inappropriate behavior with this children and adolescents by giving them alcohol and allowing them to sleep in his bed. What kind of 45 year old man allows other people's children to sleep in his bed? I am certainly appalled that he got off so easy and I just pray that parents will learn from this and stop allowing their children to visit Neverland Ranch.

Bono Manages to Made a Difference Again

2005-06-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

You know, I should have remembered to mention Bono from U2 in my speech about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt making a difference in the world because he is truly amazing. Not only has he been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in places such as Africa and Ireland, but now he is starting a clothing line with his wife in order to give those in third world countries the opportunity for employment. He was quoted as saying "Africans do not want charity," so he is giving them the opportunity to work for a living. How could you not love this man? He is a brilliant artist, poet, and a humanitarian, in my opinion it doesn't get much better than that. I say hats off to Mr. Bono and may God bless you for the brilliant work that you do.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith Gets an A+

2005-06-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

I went to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith today and I must say, it definitely deserves an A+ in my book. Not only does the movie contain two of the most beautiful actors, in both looks and personas, on the planet...it also has action, comedy, and romance. Who could ask for more? I also loved the fact that Jolie plays a woman who kicks ass, knows how to get what she wants, and is a tough b****. Of course, she usually plays females that are anything but helpless and perhaps that is why she is one of my favorite actresses. It's nice to see women who can give men a run for their money. Brad Pitt was also brilliant, playing a sexy assassin who also has a sense of humor. I would definitely recommend seeing this movie, as it pertains to any audience, both male and female alike.

MTV Movie Awards Fail to Select Real Talent

2005-06-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, as funny and entertaining as the MTV Movie Awards might be, they still fail to give the awards to those actors and actresses who in my opinion, actually deserve them. I mean for one, they give the best actor award to Leonard Dicaprio for his performance in the rather dull movie, The Aviator, over brilliant performances such as Zach Braff in Garden State or Freddie Highmore in Finding Neverland. Second, they give the best actress award to Lindsay Lohan for her performance in Mean Girls over Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Vol. 2.....come on! Then to top it all off, best movie goes to Napoleon Dynamite...come on! Some of the awards I agreed with, but overall, i'm thoroughly disappointed. Of course, I probably shouldn't have expected much since it is after all, MTV, and we all know that they should just change the name to stupid reality shows tv considering that's all they seem to show anymore. All I gotta say is....bring back the music!

Angelina and Brad More Than Just Celebrities

2005-06-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

You know, it seems rare these days to find celebrities that care more about helping others than being in the spotlight. However, there are a few who devote themselves to using their status and fortune for the good of others. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seem to be a couple of those few. Granted, all the tabloids seem to care about is their so called "romantic" relationship but I feel it's more important to focus on the greater things they are doing for mankind. In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Pitt was talking about his dedication to the war on poverty and AIDS in Africa and how he wished that the media could focus on more important issues such as this rather than his romantic status. I say, bravo to Brad Pitt for not only his amazing dedication to what is a tragic reality in Africa but also for standing up to the press on their distasteful morale. I also give kudos to Angelina Jolie for her amazing work with refugees in Africa. Not only that, but she has adopted a little boy from a third world country in order to give him a better life and a chance at living. Now many people can honestly say that even if they had the money, they would go to such great lengths to make a difference in the world? I personally feel we need more people like these two celebs, and while I know there are so many others who have dedicated themselves to helping others, I certainly do not think that there are enough.

Sisterhood Major Tear-jerker

2005-06-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

I went to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants today and it made me cry like a baby, something I rarely do in movies. My roommates also went to see it with me and they were also crying, so I wasn't the only one. Of course for me, the tears were a little more personal as the movie somewhat reflected on issues i've had to deal with in my life. However, even if the movie doesn't reflect your own personal life, it will still most likely make you cry. The name might seem a little silly, or even a little corny, but the story behind it is actually very touching. See, in the movie, the pants don't represent just ordinary, everyday pants. For the 4 best friends in the movie, these pants represent a connection. They are all separated for the summer, visiting different places and the pants travel between all 4 of them throughout the summer, giving them strength and courage to face real dilemmas in their lives. For one, it's the pain of losing her mother to suicide, for another it's gathering the courage to tell her father how angry she is with him for leaving, for another it's discovering that people do really see her for more than her beauty, and for the last one it's discovering that it's okay to feel instead of being numb. I thought the movie was very cute and did a wonderful job of showing the reality of what many young girls unfortunately must face. I definitely would give it an A...but remember to bring tissues.

Cruise Not an Anti-Depressant Expert

2005-06-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Brooke Shields who fired back at Tom Cruise for his inexperienced opinion on her taking anti-depressants to help fight post-partum depression. He basically criticized her for taking these drugs, without knowing all the facts apparently. Granted, anti-depressants cannot solve everything and therapy plus drugs is in my opinion the best way to go when dealing with depression, but there is nothing wrong with needing a little extra help when having to deal with what can be an extremely debilitating condition. Those who have not experienced depression or who are not experts in the field of anti-depressants, such as Tom Cruise, need to think before they make such hurtful comments. Until you experience depression yourself, you cannot begin to comprehend what it entails and just because you do not think medication would work for you or medication has not worked for you in the past does not mean that you have the right to go around judging those who take the necessary steps to fight depression. I have always liked Tom Cruise because he is a great actor and seems to really care about his fans but I must say, he has definitely lost some points in my book over that unnecessary comment.

Madagascar Review

2005-05-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago some friends and I went to see Madagascar. Of course we were the only non-parent adults in there, but that's okay. While it was a very cute movie with talented voices such as Ben Stiller and Chris Rock, I probably wouldn't buy the dvd. See, in my opinion there are only a few of these types of animated movies that are on my list of must haves. A Bug's Life, Shrek, Shrek 2, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles are on that list. Madagascar just seemed to be lacking in something, perhaps there wasn't enough adult humor in it, which is ironic because these movies are actually supposed to be for kids; however, most of these movies i've found have a lot of jokes and quotes in them that most younger kids would not understand. Madagascar had great animation and had a great lesson behind it about the importance of friendship but unless you have kids, I would not recommend going to the theatre to see it, wait until it comes out on dvd. Also, there is this rather annoying character, a lemur, who's voice and persona just grated on my nerves.....I just wanted to strangle him. But other than the disturbing lemur, there aren't any real complaints I had about the movie. In my rather unprofessional opinion, I would give it a B.

Hollywood manages to give false information yet again

2005-05-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went to see Kingdom of Heaven. While in my opinion it was a great movie that captured the real passion of those who fought in the Crusades, Hollywood still managed to screw one thing up. It wasn't a major screwup, I still feel compelled to share it with others. In the movie, Edward Norton's character, King Baldwin IV, wears a mask made of silver to hide his disfigurement that was apparently caused by leprosy. After I saw the movie I decided to do a little investigating in order to find out if King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem really did have leprosy and what exactly the disease entails. What I found was interesting. King Baldwin IV did in fact have leprosy, so Hollywood got that part right, what they did not get right is what the disease actually entails. According to the film, leprosy is a flesh eating disease; this, however, is not correct. Contrary to what many believe, leprosy is not a flesh eating disease. It can cause some disfigurement due to lesions and what not but it's main feature is that it can cause nerve damage leading to numbing of the limbs. So while it may not be a major form of misinformation, give Hollywood the chance to dramatize something and they will.