Through His Eyes

I've been privileged enough to visit Disneyland so many times in my life now, but it never gets old.  Even though it never gets old to me, I rarely get to experience something NEW.  That changed this past week when our nephew (along with the family) accompanied us on our trip.  Now, he went with us about a year and a half ago for his first trip, but at a year and a half old, he doesn't really remember it nor was he able to fully process where he was.  But this trip was something completely different.

Leading up to the trip, he had fully grasped what Disney and Disneyland was.  He now had favorite Disney movies, knew all the characters by name, and sang along with the songs.  He's now a full fledged Disney fan instead of when he was very young and simply watched them because they were visually stimulating.  He was now actually excited about getting to meet all these characters in person.  Besides Disney characters, he also had become very familiar with Disneyland rides thanks to the magic of YouTube.  He loved going on YouTube and watching rides, clearly having his favorites.  The lead up to going on the trip was much like many other kids, "When do we go to Disneyland?" being asked on a daily basis.  We had that feeling that this was going to be a special trip.  We had no idea just how special it would be.

Despite the excitement, he did a really good job of behaving throughout the long drive down to Anaheim.  His first moment of excitement was after the Grapevine and the view of Magic Mountain rides came in to view.  He screamed and pointed, "Disneyland!!!"  It was adorable that the site of roller coasters made him think we were there, but we had to break his heart and tell him we still had a little bit to go.  When we exited the freeway and told him we were almost there, he actually started clapping with excitement.  I know how that feels.  We checked in to our hotel and then my family had to wait in line to get their tickets validated.  It had been an hour since we got off the freeway and he was still so patient.  Finally, we got to go in through one of those magic tunnels and we were finally in Disneyland.

We were in the park for no longer than a minute that a parade started right where we entered.  Again, because of the magic of YouTube, he already knew the music for this parade and his eyes lit up when the music started.  We found an amazing place right at the start of the parade and as soon as the parade started coming out, you could see the excitement in his eyes.  It really was magic seeing him so excited, jumping up and down, waving to the characters as they came out, and dancing to the music. In all my years of going to Disneyland, it is easily one of my favorite moments of all time.  He was finally seeing something in person that he had only seen on a computer screen.  And he got it.  He got that he was in Disneyland and seeing things where they really happen.

Enjoying the parade

From there we headed over to Haunted Mansion, his favorite ride to watch on YouTube.  We told him where we were going, but he still asked once we walked in that first gate and approached the ride.  When we told him we were at Haunted Mansion, he bent over, put his hands on his knees, and screamed out, "Oh, GOD!"  I couldn't believe the excitement in his voice.  This was going to be great; his first ride was going to be an amazing experience.  And then as we entered the ride he screamed bloody murder.  We couldn't believe it.  He loved the ride on YouTube.  He was so excited 1 minute earlier.  And now he was too scared to go in.  We tried to calm him down to no avail.  We finally just decided that we were going to see what happens if we just bring him in.  He screamed as we entered the portrait room.  And then all of the sudden, he stopped.  It was like he flipped a switch as we walked that last hallway to the Doom Buggies.  He started pointing stuff out and asking questions.  He got on the ride with Jess and I and pointed things out the entire ride.  He had overcome what initially frightened him.  As we exited the ride, he begged to go on again.  In fact, he would beg to go on the ride all trip long, even after multiple times on the ride.

The next day we started meeting characters and he would run up to each and every one to give them big hugs.  There was no hesitation.  He had become so familiar with the characters over the last year and now seeing them in person, there was nothing but excitement.  Seeing the giant hugs for each character was pure Disneyland magic.  They were the kind of moments that Disney records and puts in their commercials.

Magic

This magic continued throughout the trip.  Huge smiles, pointing at everything on every ride, waving at any character that walked by, it all contributed to an amazing time for all involved.  I spent most of my time on this trip looking at him.  It was just amazing to see someone so excited about my happy place because they were seeing it all for the first time.  I can't remember my first time experiencing Disneyland so to see it through his eyes was truly a special experience that I will never forget.  Only at Disneyland.

Until we meet again

What Happened To The Movie Reviews and the Next Part of the Guns n Roses Countdown

You two or three readers might be wondering what happened to the movie reviews I was doing.  Well, I AM still watching all of my movies in alphabetical order.  That much hasn't changed.  But due to the fact that I wasn't really blogging at the time, I got behind in actually writing the reviews of all the movies.  So now, by my calculations, I am 43 movie reviews behind.  It's just become too big of a hole to dig out of.  I am going to continue watching them, but I think catching up on the reviews is out of the question!  Sorry!

I AM continuing with my Guns n Roses countdown though!  If you remember from last post, I am counting down my ten favorite songs they have released.  We continue on with #9:

"Better," is the only song on the list from the infamous Chinese Democracy album and truthfully, I love it.  Although most people seem to hate the album, I really enjoy it.  Sure, it is more like the broad range of the Use Your Illusion albums than the hard rock of the Appetite album, but I really enjoy it.  Then again, I always slightly preferred the Use Your Illusion albums to Appetite.  There wasn't enough on the album to crack my top ten other than "Better," but that doesn't mean it lacked appeal for me.  "Better," is the song that seems the most like it belongs on the Illusion albums.  Axl's voice is pretty similar to how he sounded on them and the tempo and tone are also quite the same.  The only thing really missing is the sound of Slash.  As I said in the last post, Slash has such a distinct sound and it is really missed in the Chinese Democracy album.  But that is not to say that the songs lacked guitar prowess.  The awesome Buckethead played on some of the songs on the album and this particular song included some great solos by him.  Check one out around the 2:40 mark.  Hell, watch the whole video.  It has the feel of the Paradise City video and makes me so sad that I still have yet to see this band in concert in any incarnation.  Maybe one day. 

The Guns n Roses Countdown (and a quick catch up)

I haven't blogged since September.  What was once an outlet for my thoughts has become just another forgotten page on the internet; a diary that you find in the back of your closet while cleaning it out.  It will probably never be what it once was (thanks to Facebook keeping everyone up to date with my life in a much simpler fashion), but I'll never get rid of it.  Hell, in December the blog will turn TEN years old.  That thought just boggles my mind.

And it isn't like I have had nothing to blog about.  Since my last post, we took a memorable trip to Europe, a fellow blogger that I became friends with because of this page passed away, I had work stresses, and Jess became pregnant.  This blog has tons of stories in the archives about our pregnancy struggles.  Like I said, this was essentially my diary for many years. 

But I was inspired to return to blogging a few days ago while listening to nothing but Guns n Roses, my all time favorite band, on a two hour car ride.  I thought to myself, "How difficult would it be to come up with my top ten favorite songs by this band?"  I tried to come up with a short list on that ride home and have spent the last couple of hours looking at track lists to try to narrow it down to 10.  I finally did... kind of.  We'll start this series by doing #10 on this blog post.  Enjoy because I know I did.

#10 - Mr. Brownstone

Off the first album, Appetite for Destruction, I think this song fully symbolizes early Guns n Roses: raw, vulgar, and drug related.  The opening guitar is the unmistakable sound of Slash, my favorite guitarist.  His sound is so recognizable, and that is something I love about him.  When I heard the first single from Velvet Revolver and heard that guitar sound I hadn't heard for years, I was hooked.  But it is this early sound that got me started.  Sure, I couldn't relate to this song because I clearly wasn't a heroin addict, but I still love this song because it reminds me of those early Guns n Roses days.  We don't have rock n roll bands quite like this anymore.

I'll be back in a few days with #9. 

Counting Down

Over two months since my last blog post so I am clearly just a slacker.  I'll keep my movie reviews REALLY short so that I can go on with what is really going on in life.  So first reviews, then a real update. 

Movie Review #86 - Domino 

I decided to never invest too much emotion in one thing. It's always a set-up to the pain of losing them. 

A good action/drama that is a little on the weird side because it has some pretty trippy scenes.  The main trio of Keira Knightly,  Mickey Rourke, and Edgar Ramirez are damn awesome as bounty hunters.  Fun story that was clearly directed by Tony Scott. 7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers. 

Movie Review #87 - Don't Say a Word

I'll never tell... 

You know what I take out of this movie upon rewatching it?   It is a shame that Brittany Murphy died because she actually was pretty talented and did a fairly decent job in this film.  She could have had a nice little career.  That is too bad.  Michael Douglas is his usual awesome self as the psychiatrist trying to get a secret from her.  6.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers.



Movie Review #88 - Dracula

We've all become God's madmen, all of us.

Coppolo's version is pretty cool as long as you can get past some of the real bad acting.  The film is also a little melodramatic and almost tries to be too serious.  But it's still a good story and there are some really cool scenes in it.  Gary Oldman is awesome. 7 out of 10 cheeseburgers.

Movie Review #89 - Dumb and Dumber

Want to hear the most annoying sound in the world? 

One of the funniest movies I have ever seen and I hope the upcoming sequel will not be a disappointment.  Carrey is at his absolute funniest and Jeff Daniels is a very worthy companion.  This is the lowest form of cinema and I absolutely love it.  8 out of 10 cheeseburgers

Movie Review #90 - Dumbo

Hot diggety! You're flyin'! You're flyin'! 

I hadn't seen this movie since I was a kid and I was amazed I still remembered my favorite song from it.  I also didn't remember how good it was or maybe I can just appreciate it now.  I was amazed how short it was though!  Still, it was nice to revisit it.  7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers

Movie Review #91 - Eastern Promises

Forget any of this happened. Stay away from people like me.

One of the best movies to come out in the last couple of decades.  I can't express how much I like this movie and appreciate how wonderful it is.  Viggo steals the show and is absolutely perfect.  Everyone should see this organized crime drama.  10 out of 10 cheeseburgers

_________________________________________________________________________________

With those out of the way, what is really going on in life.  Well, the weight loss journey continues and in a positive way.

Back in August Jess and I hit an awesome milestone where we reached 100 pounds lost between the two of us.

It is so much easier to lose weight when you have someone to do it with who knows exactly what you are going through.  I wouldn't want to lose weight with anyone else! 

We gained some back because right after reaching this goal, we did a weekend camping trip and then a week after that, we went to Vegas for a few days.  We both gain weight really easily so we packed some weight on, but we enjoyed ourselves and don't want to be put on restrictions when we are busy enjoying ourselves. 

Last week I hit the goal I never thought I would reach.  For the first time since probably the beginning of my freshman year of college, I got on the scale and saw that I was under 200 pounds.  It was so strange seeing my weight begin with a ONE, but it was amazingly awesome.  I aim to be lower, but getting under 200 pounds really was my ultimate goal!  Of course, right after that was the Sacramento Burger Battle and I put some pounds back on that I am still trying to get off (between that day and cheat day this past Sunday), but seeing that number gives me the knowledge that I CAN get there and will get there again really soon. 

Now we just need to keep losing as much weight as we can before November 5th.  Europe is just around the corner and we have a bunch of new and exciting food to try across the pond! 



 

Achievement Unlocked: 50 Pounds Down

Well, I made it!  I hit the 50 pounds down mark almost three weeks ago!  I tell ya, it feels so good.  You know, I knew I was overweight before, but didn't really realize how bad it was until I put these two pics side by side.  In fact, I have gone from morbidly obese to just obese according to that ridiculous BMI chart.  Hell, if I lose another 30ish pounds, I will then only be overweight!  Truthfully, I don't look at that chart unless I need a laugh, but it is just one more sign of the progress I have made.  I'm going to keep this adventure going.  Sure, I am still going to cheat on the weekends.  It is what I need to do to keep myself sane.  Sure that makes the transformation take a lot longer.  But I am happy, and that is all that matters.  4 steps forward and 3 steps back is still going forward. 

And now that the update is out of the way, on with more reviews:

Movie Review #80 - Dinosaur

This "monster's" got no teeth! What's he gonna do? Gum us to death? 

I was watching this film for the first time ever.  There was a time when Jessica's mom was buying us any Disney movie we didn't own and this ended up being one of them despite that fact that we had never seen it.  Now that I have seen it, I am not sure I will be seeing it again. 

Ok, it wasn't BAD, but there was absolutely NOTHING memorable about it.  It was such a by the numbers animated film (well, computer generated) that seemed like it was done as a side project in between more important and profitable films.  And the computer animation was actually pretty damn creepy.  And the story?  Meh, it was totally forgettable.  I wasn't bored or anything, but it was on and then it was over and I went on with my life. 

3 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #81 - Dirty Dancing

Oh, come on, ladies. God wouldn't have given you maracas if He didn't want you to shake 'em.

Despite this pretty much being a chick flick, there has never been a time that I didn't like and appreciate this movie.  I think the main thing that drew me to it at first was the soundtrack.  Growing up with my parents, I appreciated the Oldies and this movie was full of great older songs ( in addition to some very popular contemporary songs).  The music added to an already entertaining movie.  Watching it now, it is still quite entertaining, but some of the acting and lines are fairly ridiculous.  And Jennifer Gray is actually quite annoying in the film.  I also don't know how well their chemistry actually works.  It is more apparent now (or maybe it is because I know the back story) how much her and Swayze actually hated each other during the filming of this movie.  They hid it fairly well, but it is there.  But I don't want to bash on the film too much because it is still a good movie, maybe not the love story to end all love stories that I thought it once was.

6.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #82 - Disturbia 

Where are the coffee and doughnuts? You can't have a stakeout without coffee and doughnuts. 

Rear Window for a new generation.  While Hitchcock's film is a masterpiece, this movie does a pretty damn good job at being entertaining.  I know a lot of people hate Shia Lebeouf, but I find him pretty likeable and he does a good job in this movie of playing the part of the kid who nobody believes.  The movie has some good suspense, it has some pretty funny moments, and it has a super hot girl.  I am not sure I can ask for much more in a mindless two hours of entertainment.  It's one of those movie that you catch while flipping through channels on cable and when you find it, have a hard time turning it off even though you have seen it over and over.  You can jump in at any time and just start watching.  If you were a fan of Rear Window and want a teen friendly version, give it a try.

7 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #83 - Django Unchained

Gentlemen, you had my curiosity. But now you have my attention. 

I am about to say something that I can't believe I am about to say.  Once I type it out, it's official.  I think Django Unchained may be Tarantino's best film.  Yes, his BEST film.  Everyone should know my love of Pulp Fiction.  Even writing the words, "Pulp Fiction," is making me rethink calling Django the best.  But even if it isn't his best, it comes pretty damn close.  And why does it come close?  Because it is a pretty damn near perfect film. 

First off, the storyline is amazing.  Tarantino has truly scripted a wonderful piece and you totally care about the characters.  In typical Tarantino fashion, it also has the right amount of humor.  It's not going to take you out of the film and make you mistake the film for a comedy, but it injects humor to keep the film from being too serious.  And the acting.  Wow, the acting is outstanding headlined by the amazing Cristoph Waltz.  In a Tarantino film for a second time, I am blown away by how amazing this guy is.  I would watch him in anything because he owns every scene he is in.  Leonardo is prefect as a villain and it was great to see him in such a different role.  And Jamie Foxx was also great in the title role.  I am glad that Will Smith ended up turning down this role (In order to make MIB III) because I feel that Foxx works so much better in this.  All those guys plus the amazing story make this one of my absolute favorites.

10 out of 10 cheeseburgers



Movie Review #84 - Dodgeball

Nobody makes me bleed my own blood.

Much like another Ben Still film that will appear on this list MUCH later on this list,this film really grew on me.  I watched it the first time and was entertained, but thought it was pretty silly.  I laughed and that was important.  Then I saw it again.  And again.  And again.  And suddenly I was loving this comedy.  It's silly in all the right ways for me.  Throw in the fact that is a sports underdog film, one of my favorite genres, and you have an entertaining film.  Yes, it is ridiculous.  Yes, it is brainless.  But sometimes you need that and this one works for me.  Stiller is absolutely ridiculous and proves a perfect foil for Vaughn's deadpan delivery.  It also has a hilarious supporting cast and some funny cameos.  If you like funny sports films and you don't mind the silliness of Stiller, then you can appreciate this film.  I can always watch this. 

7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers



Movie Review #85 - Dogma

I have issues with anyone who treats God as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don't celebrate your faith; you mourn it.

Kevin Smith at the top of his game.  Mix Kevin Smith witty writing with a storyline that both attacks and celebrates religion of today and you have a classic.  This is such an underrated film, most likely because people can't look past Smith's dick and fart jokes that he happily spews with the glee of a 12 year old.  They are in there simply because Smith can't contain himself.  But underneath those jokes in a film that really digs DEEP into religion and really makes you think.  I can see why so many people protested this film, but even though it seems like he is destroying religion in this film, he actually seems to be talking about why it is good and simply just being practiced in the incorrect way.  I wish people could see that.  Sure, it is hard to see that in a film with a Shit Monster, but it is truly a special film.  Much like the tagline in American Beauty, you just have to, "Look Closer."

8.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers.

The Devil Dies Hard

I would actually watch my movie collection goal a lot quicker if I didn't have a goal of reviewing every movie.  There have been a few times where I have had the time to watch a movie during work and I have ended up just watching TV because I knew I didn't have the time to write the review.  Rather than create a huge backlog of movie to review, I just hold off.  Not very efficient, but it is what it is.

So what has been up lately?  Um, I turned 35 and I had an amazingly awesome birthday party like always.  I even hired a mariachi band.  I've been struggling to reach my goal of 50 pounds lost, having been around the 45-47 pound mark for a few weeks or so.  I'll get it soon, hopefully.  Even though the title of this post refers to the movies I am about to review, it also refers to my struggle with weight.

I like food.  Better yet, I like unhealthy food.  Try all you want, you will not convince me that a nice salad or something else considered healthy is better than a burger.  I am not going to sacrifice my happiness and stay good all the time in order to achieve my goal quicker.  I'm just not.  But the problem I face is that any time I eat anything not on my weight watchers diet, I not only gain but I gain a lot.  I could have a couple bad meals, nothing crazy like a buffet or something, but a burger one night and pancakes for breakfast, etc, and I will end up about 3-7 pounds up by the end of the weekend.  It is frustrating to see people eat whatever they want and stay a consistent weight while I need to work my ASS off both in diet and in exercise in order to work off what I gained each week.  It has made this whole process slow going.  I am proud of what I have achieved so far, but if only I had the ability to actually keep off weight that some people have.  Anyways, let's review some movies!

Movie Review #75 - The Devil's Rejects

Boy, the next word that comes out of your mouth better be some brilliant fuckin' Mark Twain shit. 'Cause it's definitely getting chiseled on your tombstone.

You will never hear Free Bird and not think of this movie after seeing it.  Well, at least that is the case for me.  Rob Zombie's follow up to House of a 1000 Corpses was such a pleasant surprise when I saw it.  House of 1000 Corpses was just odd.  It had its moments, but there was nothing memorable about it other than the weirdness.  I rented Rejects out of pure curiosity and was so glad I did.  No longer an attempt at a horror movie, this is a straight crazy serial killers on the run film that is vile, bloody, harsh, and awesome.  The characters are sick and yet so awesome to watch.  The main authority trying to catch them is a total asshole and so you find yourself rooting for the villains because they are just more likable to watch on screen.  They are pure evil, some of the most evil put on screen, but it is a fun ride.  7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #76 - Die Hard

Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister.

C'mon, it's friggin' Die Hard!  Do I even need to review it.  This is the movie that brought us the bad ass Bruce Willis (Moonlighting does NOT count).  This movie introduced us to John McClane.  This movie brought us the every day action hero.  They didn't need to have muscles up the wazoo.  This movie brought us a genre of movie that was copied so often after this (Die Hard on a bus, Die Hard on a plane, Die Hard on a boat, etc).  But this movie isn't just a movie that laid the groundwork so that other movies could improve on it.  No, it set the bar at an extremely high level and not many action movies can even come close to it.  It has just about everything you want in an action movie - great action, good humor, a cool hero, and an amazing villain.  Yes, I am not sure this movie would be as good as it is if it wasn't for Alan Rickman in the Hans Gruber role.  He is absolutely perfect.  Between him and Willis and a great supporting cast, I am not sure this movie can be topped in the action category.  9.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #77 - Die Hard 2: Die Harder 

Just once, I'd like a regular, normal Christmas. Eggnog, a fuckin' Christmas tree, a little turkey. But, no. I gotta crawl around in this motherfuckin' tin can. 

With the success of Die Hard, you knew there would be a sequel.  And this is before the age we live in now where almost everything gets a sequel, usually within a couple of years.  You fear that a sequel will ruin the legacy of the original film by giving us an unnecessary film.   This movie, while not as good as the original, thankfully does not ruin anything.  It has a fun story and Bruce is just as awesome.  William Sadler doesn't quite match the evil awesomeness of Rickman, but not many people can.  This film has a few ridiculous moments, but this is a trend in the series, especially after this one, so you ignore it.  It has exactly what you want out of it - John McClane, pretty much on his own, trying to save the day while spewing as many wisecracks as he has time for.  8 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #78 - Die Hard with a Vengeance 

I threw his little brother off the thirty-second floor of Nakatomi Towers out in L.A. I guess he's a little pissed off about it. 

A third movie in the series?  Can they possibly sustain the awesomeness?  As a matter of fact, yes they can.  Not only that, but they improved from the second film.  Bruce is just as awesome in this, but the film becomes a buddy cop like film with the addition of Samuel L. Jackson and the two are absolutely perfect together.  They way they feed off each other is absolutely hilarious and the connection between the two is what makes this movie so great.  Well, one of the reasons.  The little games or brain teasers that the villain, Simon, sets throughout the film also make it quite enjoyable.  Jeremy Irons is great as the villain, but again, he is no Hans Gruber.  And his henchmen, while a clear attempt at the copying the henchmen from the first one, don't come anywhere close.  But man, what a fun movie.  Great action and humor that is not matched in any of the other Die Hard films.  8.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers



Movie Review #79 - Live Free or Die Hard

You just killed a helicopter with a car! 

Yes, the film starts with an L, but like I said when I first started this journey, I will keep the series films together even if that means I need to go a little off alphabetical order.  To me, this is Die Hard 4 despite what the title is. 

I never thought I would get a 4th Die Hard film and once this movie was announced, I was as giddy as one person could be.  I would get to see John McClane on the big screen again.  But would it suck?  Thankfully, the answer is NO.  Well, at least in my book.  I know some people didn't like this film, but I LOVED it.  And I still do.  Sure, some of the action scenes in this film are BEYOND ridiculous, but I don't go into action movies hoping that the films will be as realistic as possible.  That's just stupid.  I just want to be entertained and if some of the action scenes are a little over the top, then so be it.  I got Bruce Willis still being his bad ass self, some good humor, some good action, a pretty decent villain, and some good side characters.  What more do I want?  Well, for a Die Hard film, I don't want anything more than that.  8.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers. 

Bless me, Father, for I have just killed quite a few men.

More movie reviews this time and this time it was a really good selection!  Let's get to it!

Movie Review #70 - Deja Vu

What if you had to tell someone the most important thing in the world, but you knew they'd never believe you? 

Before his passing, Tony Scott really didn't make bad films.  His career spans nothing but awesomeness.  Many of his films involved Denzel and together they made some amazing films.  This one wasn't quite as popular as some of their other hits, but it was no less outstanding.  What is funny to me about this film is how quickly I forgot how good it actually was.  I hadn't seen this film in a few years and watching it again made me further appreciate it.  I like that is a basically a cop film with some sci-fi elements, but without being over the top.  Those who have trouble with time travel films with struggle a little with it, but it is quite enjoyable and a surprisingly touching story.  If you somehow missed this film but like either Tony Scott films or films starring Denzel, definitely give this a try.  7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #71 - Demolition Man

You are a savage creature John Spartan, and I wish for you to leave my domicile now! 

Other than the Rocky and Rambo films, I am not sure there is a Stallone film that I enjoy more than Demolition Man.  It has both great action and is absolutely hilarious at the same time.  Even Sandra Bullock isn't annoying in the film.  And as awesome as Stallone is in the film, Snipes is equally as awesome as the villain in the film.  He is both kick ass and funny as well.  The futuristic element to the film also contributes greatly to the humor while mocking current (or what was current at the time of filming) pop culture.  But it is Stallone who really makes this film.  He is awesome in this, going back and forth between butt kicker, charmer, and joke dropper.  I never tire of this movie.  8 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #72 - The Departed

I'm the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy. 

I feel weird giving such high praise to a film that is a remake, but The Departed is a darn near perfect film to me.  The story - amazing.  The acting - amazing.  Hell, even the soundtrack that accompanied the film fit perfectly.  Almost everyone loves a good crime drama and this is absolutely as good as it gets.  From the minute the movie starts until the shocking last ten minutes of the film, you are absolutely hooked.  With all the amazing actors, I don't think I could even come close to being able to pick my favorite performance in the film.  If there was ever a film that deserved the Best Picture Oscar in the year it was nominated, this was it.  10 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #73 - The Descent

We're in the wrong fucking cave!

 I am not sure what drove us to go see The Descent in the theaters.  I believe we might have gone to see one film and then just movie hopped into it because we had nothing else to do.  A movie meant to make you feel claustrophobic really works when seen in a darkened movie theater and it made me not want to go in a cave any time soon.  The premise of cave divers encountering horrors they didn't expect is pretty simple, but it totally worked for me.  I find this movie super creepy even after multiple viewings.  Yeah, the monsters that live in the cave might be unbelievable, but it is the premise of encountering something you weren't expecting on something so routine is what gives it that creepy factor.  Fun little horror film.  7 out of 10 cheeseburgers


Movie Review #74 - Desperado 

I am looking for a man who calls himself Bucho, but you had to do it the hard way. 

The movie that introduced me to Salma Hayek.  That alone gives this movie a ton of points.  And although I had seen Antonio in a couple other films prior to this, he didn't REALLY stand out to me until this film.  It was a western set in Mexico.  It was a revenge film.  It has a great story and fun action.  The writing was awesome.  Oh, and there was a funny Tarantino cameo.  It all translated into an amazingly good time.  I became a huge fan of Robert Rodriguez because of this.  His style just blew me away and I try not to miss any of his non-kid films now.  I tell ya, I never tire of watching this film.  Oh, and that soundtrack is AMAZING.  Because of the soundtrack, Jess gets to hear me sing in Spanish.  And she LOVES that.  9 out of 10 cheeseburgers