Groovy tunes to surf by - Pandora

http://www.pandora.com/

I know that I am a little late in the game with this but I've got to say that Pandora rocks my world! Just put in your favorite artist and it automatically creates a streaming radio station perfectly atuned to the stylings and message of said artist.  Try it out - you'll get hooked!

Ode to Skype

Andrew & Elizabeth crowd the screen while Skyping with dad

Skype, Skype!

Why so much hype?

'Twas suggested by friends

Now the fun never ends!

Chatting with R

would seem so far,

but this app keeps us close

better than most.

Before Skype I found

other programs around.

Windows Live, ICQ,

and DSN to name a few

just do not compare

when checking on the home lair.

A, E, and H. J.

love spending the day

watching dad on the screen

and boy their smiles gleam!

I'm thankful for Skype!

(There's nothing left to type)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

This may be my shortest review ever because I can't really think of anything more to say than what is already posted on PluggedInOnline about this animated film.

Still, here is my personal take:

They should have named it "Awesome with a Chance of Awesome!"
I though it was phenomenal and I think you will too.

In Him,
David

Waterscape Condominiums

Waterscape - the website sells itself! I love this place!

Rachel, the kids and I just spent our second vacation at this huge complex on Okaloosa Island, immediately of Hwy 98 after crossing into Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It is situated right on the Gulf and within a short drive to all of the main attractions in Destin and Fort Walton Beach.

The architects who designed this place had the upper-middle class family in mind and made sure accomodations would be comfortable and amenities plenty. The horseshoe shape of the building ensures that the main recreation area, complete with "Lazy River", waterfall, gym, BBQ grills, three pools, two hot tubs, and plenty of seating would be protected from most of the wind as well as a lot of the sun. Of course, being situated on the Gulf, the white sands of the resorts private stretch of beach are just a short walk over the wooden walkway. This proximity means that some rooms come with a grand view of the Gulf of Mexico. The architects designed every unit to angle towards the Gulf, so even rooms that are on the inside of the horseshoe on the bottom floor have a good chance of seeing the water. The resort offers free internet in seemingly all rooms (bring a Cat 5 cable just in case your unit doesn't provide it) and a free movie rental kiosk that allows each room to check out one free video at a time.

Here are some tips before visiting:
1. The best rooms for accessibility to the amenities are definitely the interior, bottom floor units. The largest units are closest to the Gulf, though they are a little further from the pools. When selecting a room, remember that the recreation area is two-levels, so the room you would want in the lower level recreation area would be a first level room. However, the upper level recreaction area has second level rooms opening out to it. The website has a terrific map that you can use to decide which room you want. Make sure you pick your own room with the ResortQuest agent when you call!

2. Go after labor day! These are very expensive condos and the rates drop significantly after the peak season. Plus, the amenities are more available due to a smaller crowd. You will lose some access to a lot of the fun things in Destin due to them closing their doors for the "winter", but you will not lose the sun or the relaxing.

3. Call the resort to see what they recommend bringing. Under the auspicious of saving money, they had not stocked the room we were in last time with enough toilet paper or liquid soap (powder dishwashing detergent is provided to wash the dishes in the full kitchen's dishwasher). I also recommend bringing laundry detergent for longer stays.

4. Because you are renting a condo, the management is not run like a resort. There is no daily maid service, room service, or a concierge. The front desk (when they are open) will help you with local area questions and local eateries will deliver.

5. Bring pool toys, floaties, etc as well as beach equipment (don't forget a kite!) Umbrellas and beach chairs are provided free of charge and kayaks are rented out. Also, it may be fun to have a cookout one night at one of the poolside BBQ grills, however an easier picnic with sandwiches is just as fun.

6. Sodas on site are expensive ($2/16.9 oz bottle)! Bring your own, but avoid glass bottles of any variety - they are not allowed on the pool deck.

7. Don't plan too many extra activities off-site. Relaxing by the pool or building sand castles is a perfect way for a family with young kids to save money while enjoying their time together. Other than eating out one meal a day, we went fishing from the pier, geo-caching, mini-golfing, and to a movie. I think anything else would have been too much for the time we were there (5 nights).

I hope you'll take my advice and stay there some day - it is really a nice place for young families to relax, refresh, and build memories.

In Him,
David

The Soloist

Los Angeles stands out as the principle character in Joe Wright's "The Soloist". Dynamic and alarming, the city of angels even upstages solid performances by mega-stars Robert Downey, Jr., Jamie Foxx, and Catherine Keener. Maybe it was the low-quality, gritty copy I had available to watch and maybe it was my current state of mind (over 200 days since seeing Rachel and the kids), either way, this movie really effected me.

As it is, I am already a sucker for movies involving music. Some of my favorites include "Ray", "August Rush", "Moulin Rouge", and "Singin' in the Rain". In all of those movies the setting made the music. In "The Soloist", however, it was the other way around. The gentle hum of the cello or two-string violin made L.A. L.A. is often decisive - without warning - and yet it can subtly blend from that into an ironically-warm morning hue. This was evident throughout most scenes of the film as Jamie Foxx's portrayal of the schizophrenic homeless Julliard dropout painted the brushtrokes which eventually revealed the portait of a landscape destitute with homelessness and little hope for the lost and wary.

Ultimately, there is some redemption through friendships and Steve Lopez's (Downey) L.A. Times Column, which takes on an interesting role as the film's narrarator. It is not a quick film and not a "date film". Deliberately set time aside to watch this film and don't worry about popcorn or a bunch of friends. The only requirement I will impose is that you definitely watch it with a great sound system and full bass.

The Unexpected Journey

Thom S. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, set out to discover the lives of those who turned from other religions and their influences to find Christ. Although it is neither a theological treatise, an apologetics primer, nor a Bible study The Unexpected Journey is sure to motivate any reader to explore more via all three.

In my opinion, this book should be required reading for all Christians and it deserves a place on their shelves next to Mere Christianity, Purpose Driven Life, and of course The Holy Bible. Rainer's narrative style and the amazing stories from so many different backgrounds (Satanist, Muslim, Agnostic, to name a few) drove me to the end wishing for more and hoping his afterward would speak of a timeline for a follow-up book.

I hope you will pick up a copy soon and share your thoughts here.

In Him,
David

The Cardinal of the Kremlin

Tom Clancy is well known for his detail-oriented military/government espionage thrillers. In this regard, The Cardinal of the Kremlin is a mainstay. This is Clancy's fourth book and it picks up where The Hunt For Red October left off. Regular allusions to previous events add to the saga of Jack Ryan and his friends and new characters are woven in with clever twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

There are no amazing lessons learned and I did not finish it with a much better feeling than I started with. But, like chocolate, this work satisfied my desire for some just plain fun in reading.

This book covers everything that Clancy is good at - spies, the Navy, special ops, family, the White House, and uber-geeks. The basic premise of the book is that a long-standing spy in Russia gets compromised and Ryan et al work tirelessly to get the agent out safely. Of course, in the meantime Clancy involves the usual potential for worldwide destruction, double agents, super-detailed scientific exchanges, and the occasional sexual innuendo between some of the lower "billed" characters.

If you have read any Clancy (real Clancy) than you will have either already read this one or you need to read it now.

Ronald Reagan, How an ordinary man became an extraordinary leader

Ronald Reagan was an extraordinary human. Because of this, I must be very careful not to turn this into a review of him rather than the biography written by Dinesh D'Souza. The single most remarkable aspect of this account was not necessarily the subject (although Reagan stands alone, in my opinion, from the last sixty years of American Presidents) but the sourcing. D'Souza, a domestic policy analyst in the Reagan administration, was certainly close enough to have some personal knowledge of the "Great Communicator" and yet he relied on other people's accounts so much more than his own that I often forgot that he was even there himself.

Interestingly enough, D'Souza addresses this aspect indirectly throughout the biography by consistently describing Reagan as a very private person with few good friends. Reagan's circle was tighter than most (basically him and Nancy) and access to Reagan as a staffer was extremely limited. Against the odds, however, D'Souza produces - and does it in style. He draws on countless stories from heads-of-state, congressmen/women, aides and other administration officials, as well as limited personal experience to paint the mural of a true American hero.

The story of Reagan's life, like most biographies, is presented chronologically, yet D'Souza added a twist. He focused on a certain quality of Reagan during each time period or situation, ending with an answer to the question he poses at the beginning: Was Reagan a great leader? Why/why not?

It was my first real exposure to the president that helped preserve the freedom I had to ride my bike down the road or build a treehouse in my backyard without fear. Reagan made the 80's I remember a memory and not a dream. He comforted me when we lost the Challenger. He also gave me a profound respect for that house on Pennsylvania Ave and its occupants - a respect I still maintain.

The one phrase that invaded my mind with every page was, "And now I know why." See, I had always admired Reagan - probably more because my parents did and I was raised under conservative values - but I never really knew all the details. Now I feel enlightened as well as justified. Reagan was a great man, and Dinesh D'Souza makes it clear.

Now I just need to get my hands on Reagan's autobiography. . . .

Ultrasounds

These things are rock solid! I mean, really, how cool is it that we can lather a belly up with slimy-goo, stick a puck on the belly and see what's inside? Awesome! Just yesterday we saw our fourth baby, barely a peanut right now but well on it's way to growing into another baby, ready to face the world on/about September of this year. The kids got to watch this time and it didn't require much in the way of corrective supervision - they were mesmerized! The only thing I don't understand is why clinics can charge so much for a 4-D ultrasound (the nicer one's). Just to flip a switch on the exact same machine to go from 2-D to 4-D, you have to fork over $150. I'm thinking about having Rachel get one for this baby just to see what happens. Maybe the room starts spinning and dancers come out of the walls to usher in your purchase of this technology. Or, maybe they strap you in to a cradle that gently sways as you "fly" through an IMAX-size image of your innards. Whatever it is - it's got to be really good to fork out 150 clams. Besides, the 2-D is already remarkable enough and didn't cost me a dime!

A prayer (um, sort of)

Thank you, Lord, for inspiring people to invent things like sliced bread, chainsaws and fire. This time, however, you've really outdone yourself.

Universal remotes have existed for quite some time. The Harmony 550 is not a universal remote. It is a universal consciousness.

It lights up when I enter the room (like my dogs, except smarter), it picks me up when I am down, and I think it pays my bills, too (or maybe that's Obama). I think it accidentally launched a space shuttle the other day.

Seriously, folks, believe da hype--Harmony is foe reals, yo. So, thank you God for my new remote; and thank you for inspiring your wise and willing vessel, David, to buy it for me for Christmas.

"Revelation" - Third Day

Also linked from: Mark Lee's blog here!

The album "Time" set a Christian Rock standard in 1999. Since then, I've handed out several copies to spark interest in the longtime Atlanta-based Third Day to much success. The boys from Georgia have had many successes since including a couple Grammy's and an anthem that helped console this country during Hurricane Katrina ("Cry Out to Jesus"). They put out a two-volume "Best of. . ." set in "Chronology" that could have easily capped off their careers, and yet they pressed on in their unique calling. Then came "Revelation".

Mac answers the question that has been on so many fans' minds of late in the very first track. The writing seemed to be on the wall:
1. Third Day had garnered plenty of hardware and made their impression in Christian music equaled by only a few.
2. Mac Powell started a "side" deal with David Nasser ("Glory Revealed")
3. "Chronology Vols I and II" sufficiently covered their discography from 10 years of rock
4. As though it were a requirement in the Christian music world, Third Day finally released a Christmas album with "Christmas Offerings", though it is awesome and not just another campy holiday music cut like so many offer
5. Brad Avery, one of the lead guitarists, left the band about a year ago

And the question was, "Will Third Day split up for Mac to go do the solo thing?"

And the answer: "This is who I am" Even though they had made plenty of public statements that nothing was going to happen other than more great music, this finally set everyone straight. Third Day is a rock band. A really great rock band. And "Revelation" is a great album.

I'm not going to go so far and say it beats "Time", but it is definitely growing on me more and more every time I listen. There are a few tracks that will surely help sustain my faith through an impending deployment - "Born Again" and "Call My Name". The latter can be heard here in a great live acoustic recording. All in all, this is a "must have" for anyone that likes Southern Rock or needs a lift during a rough day. It was tough to see Brad go, but the band, now just four guys, has been blessed with the privilege of continuing in their mission to provide an atmosphere of worship to anyone who will listen. Oh, and they can really play!

GT 3 - LSU 38

CPJ (Coach Paul Johnson) said it was a sound beating. I can't agree more with the first-year coach. He is a very no-nonsense kind of guy who knows when he's been licked. Yesterday, the Jackets were licked.

In reality, LSU had a lot more to gain out of a CFA Bowl victory than GT. They had a dismal season returning from a national title last year and Les Miles had something to prove. Boy did he. In every aspect, LSU outplayed GT. Everywhere Tech was strong in the beginning, the Tigers turned around and squashed them the rest of the game (there weren't many areas). In every way that Tech was weak, Miles exploited it (special teams, pass defense, pass offense). Tech certainly didn't help themselves - fumbling several times during key moments like a potential TD or punt-return or getting sloppy and drawing costly fouls when they needed to play clean and gain some momentum.

I thought the play-calling was slightly in favor of the Tigers. Several offensive holding penalties could have been made on LSU, though the only ones I saw came at a time when a Tech win would have made the record books for comebacks in bowl history. Additionally a clean fumble recovery for a Tech TD was called back under the incorrect suspicion that the LSU QB had started passing the ball. Still, how much better does 38-10 sound? Not much.

All in all, this was LSU's game. They have dominated at the Dome in 5 appearances for the CFA bowl and they weren't about to let go of their reign, even after the poor season that got them there. Tech ended the season strong, regardless, with big wins this year over UGA, Miami, and FSU (finally after 30+ years) and they shouldn't lose too much recruiting horsepower from yesterday's game. Congratulations LSU and long live CPJ!

Arrested Development

In an age when television producers have to do so little to earn a captive television audience, this Ron Howard series that ran for three years and has become a DVD/hulu cult classic was a breath of fresh air.

"Arrested Development", cancelled after three years and declining viewership never failed to impress reviewers or the awards society. The premise was simple, as stated at the beginning of every episode: "...And now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together... It's Arrested Development." The development, however, is exquisite and diverse. Viewers picked up later in the series often felt left out, like going to a girlfriend's house for Thanksgiving dinner the first time. On the other hand, the faithful were constantly treated with twists, turns, and allusions built on previous episodes as well as teases hinting at bombshells about to drop in future installments.

What I appreciate most about this series is the depth that the writers went with each and every character, even those who appeared in just a few episodes. This was done mostly by Howard's regular narration of the events in each episode. Often he would talk about something that happened to a bit character in their past and then the screen would change to a newspaper clipping or a television news report or a webpage screenshot reinforcing the history that the narrator is explaining.

The subject matter is beefy and at times a little too left-leaning for my tastes, but everything is presented tastefully. Too often today, laughs are cheap and the "shots" are below-the-belt. A.D. counters this by making strong social statements while paying the high price for careful and genius dialogue and stage direction/camera work that is rare in what is a dying breed - the sitcom.

Although classified as a sitcom, I would say that almost every episode involves more tragedy than triumph. Don't get me wrong - it's funny, really funny. At the same time, though, the almost all characters are so removed from reality that it's hard to root for this team/family. What holds my hopes for the Bluth's together is Michael's (lead, played by Jason Bateman) constant devotion to helping his family out of the rut they've lived in for an indetermined amount of time. The final episode ties up most of the loose ends and triumph eventually comes in the perfect way at the end, but I still can't help but feel sorry for the characters and the desperate situation they always seem to come back to.

I watched all three seasons over the course of about two weeks online. I highly recommend not doing this. My brother made a good point that you need a week to laugh about all the gags and intricacies of each episode. This is only possible now if you have a friend to go through the episodes on a regular basis, which is probably the best way to go. Even though it can be watched straight through, like a movie, each episode should really be savored for all they are worth.

Check out hulu.com or tv.yahoo.com for all episodes for free or buy the complete seasons on DVD. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

For the first time, I, Rachel, am posting a review to the review board! I just have to say a few words about this dear little book by Betty MacDonald! For those of you unfamiliar with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, she is the lady in a small town in northern America who loves children and always has children playing at her house. Whenever a parent is having a particular difficulty with a child, and they don't know what to do, the parent calls up Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle who has a chest full of all sorts of remedies for a child's unpleasant or unacceptable habits.

Mrs. Semicolon, the most recently troubled parent, ended the last chapter we've read saying about her, "There goes the most wonderful little person in the whole world." And to Mrs. Semicolon there was no doubt that she was, becuase, you see, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle cured her dear Nicholas of being the school bully!

The first story in the book is about Philip Carmody. He is a constant show-off. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's "Show-off Powder" does the trick in curing him, since the powder makes him invisible when he shows off. The next story was about Melody Foxglove who is an incessant cry-baby. All that was needed to cure her was some of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's CRYBABY TONIC. Then of course, Nicholas Semicolon needed Leadership Pills to help his heart and mind even out with his big, strong body.

Of course, it's ridiculous, but it's so endearing somehow. And the children sit on my lap completely engrossed in the stories. If only it was as easy as calling Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to help you guide the precious life entrusted to you. Thankfully, we do have God's Word and prayer and a multitude of friends and family that also love our children, even when they misbehave or have a nasty attitude or break things or hit other children, or whatever infraction they may commit. I guess the point is that children will be children and we must seek wisdom daily, and never be too busy, to deal with their childishness, because soon they will be grown up.

Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, GA

Attendants swarm the front entrance of this swank accomodation in Atlanta's swankiest of communities. Besides offering bottles of water, clothed in Ritz-Carlton labels, they greet you as though you were royalty and ensure that the doors are already propped open, well before you have to consider reaching out your arm. Of course, all of that is no surprise, regardless which Ritz you may be calling home for the night. What makes the Buckhead Ritz stand out is its premier location for some of Atlanta's finest shopping. Claiming a coveted Peachtree address, the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, Georgia is directly across the street from Lenox Square Mall to the south and Phipps Plaza to the East - both extremely formidable shopping centers inside the perimeter (I-285). Many believe (incorrectly) that you need to adhere to a certain dress code just to shop at Phipps, yet I've proven that wrong - a few times (It's nice, but it's not Harrod's).

Everything is within reach of this Ritz, including MARTA, and the accomodations were amazing. We only had one kink during our stay. The LodgeNet on-screen entertainment/information system was not working and all told, we had to wait about an hour before we were able to watch Prince Caspian. But, in true R-C style, the front desk and the engineer's office maintained constant communication with us as they worked the problem. I really felt like our room was the only one with the problem based on how they treated me in person and over the phone - so I was blown away to find out that it was a hotel-wide problem! That's the kind of personal care you can expect at any Ritz. The same type of care I've received at the other two Ritz's I've stayed at.

Ocean's Eleven - the original

A timeless classic! The original "Ocean's Eleven" will remain a classic over the recent installments for several reasons, some of which I'll only generally mention to avoid spoiling the film for those who haven't seen it. Now, please don't get me wrong - Clooney and friends have put together some fine work in the update saga, yet it will still pale in comparison to what Sinatra and the rat pack accomplished decades ago.

Why?
1. There was only 1. This is key. I recently tried to remember the plots of each of the last three "Ocean's" and found it a muddy mess to sort out. The original stood alone. The plot stood alone. The cast stood alone. And it still stands alone.

2. The ending. I really don't want to elaborate, but I guarantee you will agree that the original movie had an ending that will always be regarded as one of the best in film history.

3. The cast. Sinatra - Martin - Davis and a slew of talent in marquee-worthy and bit roles all had a very close and personal relationship with the unbilled, yet main character - Las Vegas, NV. The movie was made during the heydays of this town - before it exploded into the unbelievable modern spectacle that it is today - and these actors/actresses all had an intimate familiarity with the town. Clooney and his crew are all terrific entertainers, but they didn't necessarily take their real life to the screen like the original cast did.

That's my take on why the original "Ocean's Eleven" will forever be an American Classic, while the newer "Ocean's 11, 12, 13, etc" will be just another bunch of gee-wiz movies.

Lake Martin, Alabama

Sundae has hit the "high seas" once again, after two years of waiting in the purgatory that is the Maxwell AFB RV lot. (And by "high seas" I mean "placid lake waters") Last week, my father, my son, and I spent two hours on the water of Lake Martin, Alabama to much delight. Sundae groaned as the wind gently reminded the standing rigging what tension was, yet she made it through the day with flying colors. For the first time in known history, we sailed off the dock and returned to the dock under sail without starting the noisemaker a single time! Today, Rachel and I and all three kids spent four hours sailing around Goat Island accompanied by Therapy and her crew. The sailing so far has been marvelous! It has also been extremely helpful for me as I won't get much chance to do any sailing for quite some time.

Lake Martin is situated approximately 1 hour from Montgomery and 2 hours from Birmingham and is easily the most popular boating destination in the state, save maybe the Gulf Coast. It is definitely no "Lanier"! It definitely has it's times of business, but the few marinas barely make a dent in the hundreds of miles of coastline and what's left are either beautiful lake homes or forests as far as the eye can see. A front moved in with ample time to prepare (unlike a few very harrowing days on Lake Angustura in South Dakota) and the wind front it was not at all overpowering - rather, it was icing on the cake that was a terrific day of sailing!

Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Control

This review is way overdue, mainly because I waited so long before acquiring the coveted Harmony remote, the industry standard for unversal remotes. I didn't want to buy it myself due to the somewhat lofty pricetag, but I really wanted one nonetheless, so it wasn't until several years of pleading and my 31st birthday that "Harmony" finally made its way into our home.

To say it is great would be a grand understatement. A more precise description would be, "the single catalyst that caused me to reorganize a lot of our life at home and work." That may seem like too lofty a claim for any single device, yet I can point to empirical data as proof.

Yes, I replaced the five remotes it usually took to operate our entertainment center with this single, completely programmable, easy-to-setup and use device making the juggling act just to watch TV a thing of the past. With one press of a programmed button, my projector turns on and switches to the right setting, the A/V receiver does the same, and the DVD player turns on and begins playing the disc in the position last used. What followed was a surprise to me and Rachel. Now that we didn't have remotes scattered around and Harmony had secured a prominent home laying directly in front of my center surround speaker on the mantle, it seemed only appropriate to tidy up the rest of the family room. Bookshelves were straightened up and CD cases will soon be gone, considering each and every one now has a permanent home in another recent gift, a 400-disc Sony CD Jukebox. I ordered a third DVD album that will hold another 100 two-disc DVDs which will easily clear the rest of the stand-alone DVD cases into the attic where they belong.

The whirlwind of tidiness didn't stop with the family room. Rachel went on a normal trip to the commisary and returned to find that I had completely re-arranged our bedroom, cleaning it in the process. The re-arranged bedroom finally gave me the space to buy and put in place a cheap bookshelf for my grad work materials. Now that my books aren't lying all over the place, I have room on my ad hoc desk (a Lifetime plastic folding table) for the printer, laptop, speakers, electronic components, and a mouse! Even my office was effected. In the last week, I have successfully cleaned off, thrown away, and filed most of the mess that was on my desk - a feat that my co-workers would verify is way beyond my typical M.O.

What's next you may ask? Well, I can't be for sure, but I've had my eyes on several boxes in our garage for quite some time. It seems they may be happier in the attic and I'm sure the kids bedroom could use a quick glance by an efficiency expert.

Truly, this device has changed my life. Here's to Logitech, and their Harmony line of remotes. What is really bugging me though, is this: If this is the outcome from getting the entry-level model, what would happen were I to someday gain the top-of-the-line, all-color touchscreen, RF Harmony remote. I might discover a cheaper and safer way to travel to space and back. Perhaps I'll be given the secret to maintaining sock pair integrity (it's a technical term) through the laundry cycle. Or maybe I'll just be able to control all of my devices from anywhere in the house. Regardless, I recommend the Logitech Harmony 550 to anyone who is interested (at the very least) in finding the motivation to clean their bedroom.

God Bless!

The Dark Knight

I waited too long to see this film - and not just a few weeks. This is the presentation the public deserved in 1989. Yes, Tim Burton's Batman was an instant hit with terrific one-liners ("You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?" or "I'm Batman") and amazing visualization, however it did not deliver in the same way The Dark Knight delivered.

First off, I recommend anyone willing to review or critique this film start by disregarding the political undertones (thank you, Morgan Freeman) and realize the sheer gravity of the overall plot. There was a weightyness that pervaded every moment, constantly burdening me with a wierd sense of guilt - like there was something I did that brought about this devilry in Gotham! As citizens and principle characters got "off-ed" throughout the film I felt somewhat responsible. This is the true irony of the film in my mind and the thing that makes it unique to the very end.



(spoiler alert - do not continue if you have not seen the film and wish to do so)




In the end, the villain is no villain and the hero is no hero. Batman suffers from the guilt that his existence brought about the madness and I felt like I had to flee with him. As the plot unveiled its evil face, I knew, as did Batman, that it needed to get messy before it got better. I knew that some honest citizens would have to be killed. I knew that some who should have never seen the light of day would really need to survive. It's a twisted ploy by the writers and I almost feel sick that I had a part in it.

Perhaps, though, that is an indication of a truly amazing work of cinemetography. Suppose you left a movie and felt absolutely nothing from it - no joy, no sadness, no humor, no guilt - why did you go, then, in the first place? Certainly it wasn't to spend $20 on a baby-sitter, $15 on tickets, and $11 on some refreshments! No, you went because deep down inside you wanted to be moved - either because you wanted to be first, or because you wanted to be moved how everyone else was moved. If you spend all that money and have no desire for the inevitable emotional response, then I would recommend you spend your money a little more wisely! This movie will move you, whether you like it or not. The color will leave your face at times and breathless, you'll sit there wondering, "why do I really want to see this life ended?" If you don't want to be moved - don't see The Dark Knight or any other movie for that matter.

I guess that's it - that's all I'm feeling right now. I could go on about the special effects or the cast selection or Batman's new deep voice, but in the end, those things are superficial issues that we use to avoid discussing the real matters at hand. I strongly recommend this movie for anyone wishing to dissolve the previous Batman establishment from your memory (that is, those movies prior to Batman Begins yet following the Adam West Batman) and anyone else that wants to know where Christian Bale's line of the Caped Crusader leads.

The Bucket List

"Witness something majestic"
"Skydiving"
"Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world"

It should have been a no-brainer that pairing up Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson would result in a tremendous film. Though, I could see where there would be some reluctancy to do so considering their personalities. They both are masters of the art, and have been for a long time. They are both very strong-willed in their roles, filling spots that usually connote characters willing to accept the status quo or even an improvement. Each man is an oscar winner and they both have distinctive voices that could never be mistaken. Naturally, the question of who would receive top-billing may have mattered at one point in their career, yet I'm guessing these gentlemen probably put that aside when figuring out how to convey the message.

I would argue that the greatest films are definitely akin to the parables of Christ. Entertaining, certainly, yet inspiring - even moreso. In this regard, I examine The Bucket List as a modern day parable, where the message outweighs the entertainment and the star-factor. Simply put, the film teaches us how to love ourselves. Huh? Why doesn't that make sense? Why should I "love myself?" Well, Christ tells us to love others as we love ourselves, so logically we must love ourselves first to follow His direction. There is however, a good and nourishing way to love ourselves as well as a destructive and sad way. Jack Nicholson's character (Edward) had spent his life loving himself in the way so many of us think is the best - fine girls, exotic adventures, billions of dollars, etc. Carter, played by Morgan Freeman, had loved himself through finding joy in sustaining his family, hard work, and mental and spiritual enlightenment.

The notion of a "Bucket List" with no limit on funding, presented both men the opportunity to really love themselves (do the things they wanted to do). So, naturally, the human response is to satisfy the dreams that were more a part of Edward's life than Carter's. In this regard, Carter spends weeks with Edward crossing off things on their shared bucket list - everything from skydiving to seeing the Wall of China. The message becomes clear in the end when Edward learns how to truly love himself after realizing there was no added joy in how he had been loving himself over the years.

Anyway, you get the picture. I won't spoil the rest of the film as I think it is really great and was very well done. I hope you'll watch the movie sometime soon, as it is sure to open your heart and your mind to a little more of life that you could be experiencing - without spending a penny - and with that, a few of the items on your "Bucket List" that you can cross off, even today.

In Him,
David