"Angels and Demons" teaser trailer

I'm not a Dan Brown fanatic but I did enjoy reading The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. In fact I thought Angels and Demons was a better read.

Consequently The Da Vinci Code film left a lot to be desired. I'm hoping the adaptation for Angels and Demons will be better. And from looking at the teaser, hopefully that will be the case. At least Tom Hanks's hair looks less out of control and I believe that was Ewan McGregor in the trailer. So that's cool.

Christopher Nolan Interview

I know it's not surprising at all at this point...but Christopher Nolan just gets it...with regard to Batman.

The LA Times has a fascinating...click here... three part interview with Nolan. I highly recommend it for you bat-(or Nolan) fans out there.

Movie Review "Pride and Glory"

New in theatres this week was Pride and Glory (R), a police drama starring Ed Norton and Colin Farrell. Both play cops engaged in an investigation into the death of four police officers at the hands of Latino drug dealers. Jon Voight costars and Gavin O’Connor directs.

Andy: Pride and Glory is a mess of a movie. The plot, which unfolds slowly and predictably, never really does anything to take hold of the audience’s attention. The coarse language intended to lend realism to the movie frequently seems awkward and forced. Subplots that add little to the movie take up valuable screen time, stretching the runtime to a tedious 125 minutes.

Ryan: Price and Glory is the type of the film that doesn't have a lot going for it. For one, the subject matter, police corruption in New York City , is a tired and bland storyline. Unfortunately Pride and Glory feels like a movie (and not a good one) that one has already seen before. Further exacerbating the situation is the fact that the film was supposed to come out some twelve months ago. I saw a trailer for this movie over a year ago and when it takes this long for a film to be packaged together than that's never a good sign. And it shows with the final product.

Andy: I’ve long been a fan of Edward Norton, and there is no doubt that he is the highlight of this movie. But being the highlight in this film means he is merely adequate. His character mainly benefits from being the only one who is not seriously flawed, though he lacks the nuance and depth required for an audience to really connect with him. Voight and Farrell both give lacking performances, making Norton’s look a little better than it probably is.

Ryan: Although Andy and I are both Ed Norton fans and his involvement in the movie was the sole reason in watching the film, Norton with all his incredible acting ability cannot save the movie. Certainly this is not Norton's best work but considering the sub-par material he was working with he still puts forth a credible performance. What is frustrating is seeing Norton in a less than stellar movie. The fact is that Norton doesn't make a lot of movies so when one gets the chance to see him one would hope that he's in a movie that's on par with his talent. This is not the case with Pride and Glory.

Andy: Director Gavin O’Connor tries to spice up the movie with some “interesting” shots, but at best this just serves to distract the audience from the blind ally that the plot is running down. At worst it looks pretentious set against an already lacking movie. Pride and Glory may not be the worst film of 2008, but it is likely to be one of the most forgettable.

Ryan: If Pride and Glory would have been just a gritty police family drama than it might have—and maybe I’m being too optimistic—might have been a tolerable film. Regrettable the drama in the film is trumped by some ridiculous scenes—one in particular—that had me in udder disbelief. Having a character act out in a way that is so completely absurd is not proper character development on any level.

Pride and Glory would have had a better fate if it would have stayed on the shelf.

Final grade: D.

We Voted Too...

In continuing a theme here...Jenny and I voted over the weekend here in Greensburg.

The astonishing thing is that almost 900 people in the Decatur County have already voted. I believe that's a good sign for Obama.

Early voting continues until November 3.

Do it Indiana

Pollster actually has Obama with a tenth of a point lead in Indiana.

Here's a short clip about Indiana being a battleground state from the CBS Evening News.



Watch CBS Videos Online

Food for Thought

Everybody realizes that for the first time in many years, Indiana's in play with respect to the presidential election. Andy and Elizabeth posted just the other day about some good news for Obama supporters in Indiana...one can check that out here.

I just wanted to put forward some (Indiana and Decatur County) numbers so we can compare them on election night.

In the 2000 election in Indiana Bush defeated Gore 1,245,836 votes to 901,980 (56.7% to 41.0%). In Decatur County... Bush garnered 6,115 votes to Gore's 2,899 (68% to 32%). The voter turnout in Indiana was 55% and in Decatur County the turnout was 58%.

In the 2004 election in Indiana Bush defeated Kerry 1,479,438 votes to 969,011 (59.9% to 39.3%). In Decatur County...Bush garnered 7,499 votes to Kerry's 2,621 (74% to 26%). The voter turnout in Indiana was 58% and in Decatur County the turnout was 66%.

Here's some thoughts...

Within Decatur County there has been a positive response to Obama...much more positing than I would have ever guessed but I'm realistic in my thinking that he's not going to win Decatur County. A turnaround like that is pretty hard to fathom. But a realistic goal is to narrow that margin...(maybe a 60-40 margin). And if that margin narrows in every county and Obama wins big in Marion, Lake & Monroe county than he does have a shot at winning Indiana (which hasn't voted for a Democrat since LBJ in 1964).

Secondly, as this article makes mention, the voter turnout in Indiana has been abysmal. (Although Decatur County has been higher than the state average). A large reason for this is the safe assumption that Indiana always goes Red...so unfortunately a number of people just don't bother voting. Consequently the candidates ignore Indiana because of that.

It's different this year and I believe that because of that Indiana is going to have a high--maybe even record breaking--turnout. The fact that the state is in play and that the candidates are showing up to campaign is leading to a lot of excitement. I think there's no question that a high turnout will help Obama as a lot of new voters will vote for him...plus his operation has made it a point to get those voters that haven't been voting...well...to vote.

I'm very curious to see how it plays out in Decatur County and Indiana. I maintain that on election night...if Indiana isn't called by 6:30 (like it normally is) than that's a good sign that Obama is going to have a good night.

New Watchmen footage

Here's some new Watchmen footage that aired during the 2008 Scream (?) Awards.

"W." Movie Review

Oliver Stone's latest project is the biopic W. (PG-13). As the titles suggests Stone profiles the life and presidency of our current president, George W. Bush. Josh Brolin stars as President Bush and he is joined by Elizabeth Banks, Richard Dreyfuss, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright and James Cromwell.

Ryan: From the onset I wasn't sure what to make of this movie. The conservative movie-going audience is going dismiss the film simply because liberal-minded Stone is directing the movie. From the other side it seems to me that those moviegoers just want to move on from the Bush years. Ultimately, I was perplexed in what type of audience they were aiming at. After watching the movie, I'm not really sure if that question is answered. Nonetheless, W. is an engaging film that is significantly strengthened by the superb performance by Josh Brolin.

Andy: Stone’s purpose seems to be to shed light on, and remind viewers of the kind of president George W. Bush is perceived to be. What is remarkable and somewhat surprising is the empathy with which Bush is portrayed. Some of the most revered aspects of President Bush (his complete confidence, his religious conviction) are on display as strengths every bit as much as (and probably more than) they are criticized in the film. Regardless of your feelings about him as a president, W. makes Bush seem like a real, believable guy, which is a testament to Brolin’s brilliant performance.

Ryan: If there was truly one reason to watch the movie, it's Josh Brolin's multi-layered performance of President Bush. Make no mistake about it, the presentation of President Bush is much more sympathetic in the movie than people are going to expect. One reason for this is Brolin's authentic portrayal. In a role that could have been nothing more than a caricature, Brolin showcases the President as a real person. I appreciate this because it's that everyman quality of President Bush that attracts people to him but that trait rarely comes through in public settings. Whether that trait qualifies him to be a successful president is still up for debate.

Andy: Brolin is certainly the star, and it is not unreasonable to think of him as an early Oscar contender for his performance. It is very easy to watch the film and simply see a private side of George W. Bush without thinking about the fact that it is Josh Brolin playing Bush. That is the goal of most actors, and Brolin nailed it here. Also noteworthy for their performances are Richard Dreyfuss as for his creepy, sneering Dick Cheney, and Toby Jones for his determined Karl Rove.

Ryan: While Brolin's performance is top-rate the rest of the film struggles to find itself. Stone is insistent on driving home the father-son relationship in terms of Junior winning Senior's approval but Stone's over-simplified take reeks of psych 101. From a narrative standpoint, the film jumps around intermediately without much direction. Thirdly, it's hard to write a satisfying ending and conclusion when the subject matter is still ongoing. Ultimately the film fails to shed any new light on President Bush's life and presidency.

Andy: One of the issues holding this film down is that with the overwhelming nature of the presidential campaign, now does not feel like the time for retrospection on an era that is technically still happening. Most of Bush’ s second term is left out of the movie, leaving it with a contemporary but not relevant feel that may have been avoided if this movie came out six months from now. The bottom line is that many Americans from both ends of the political spectrum are trying to forget about Bush as president, and releasing a sprawling biopic about him feels out of synch at this juncture.

W. offers some great performances and some interesting takes, but ultimately feels a little lacking in this intense political season. Final grade: B-.

Price is Right

A few months ago some of us here in our sector ventured to an Indianapolis Indians-Durham Bulls game. That game featured supposed prospect, David Price, of the Bulls. His performance in that game wasn't memorable but his performance last night certainly was.

To be fair... I fall asleep (although Jenny stayed up) watching game seven of the ALCS so I didn't see it live but after watching the highlights it's clear to see that Price was dealing.

But anyway...I just find it cool and noteworthy that we saw him pitch this year in the minors and now fast forward to a game seven of the ALCS and there he is closing the door to the defending champs, Boston Red Sox.

Pretty crazy.

Hey Goat

The follow up to last week's SNL skit, Mark Wahlberg Talks To Animals.

Scary Friends

Here's a humorous political video for the weekend.

I find this relevant because it shows the absurdity of a lot of the political attacks that are coming from both sides (but mainly from the McCain side...since they did decide to go negative).

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

End of an era?

I know most people weren't into the Dodger/Phillies series. But with Greg still in the playoffs my attention is...was... squarely focused there. Although he's been relegated to bullpen duty, I still have strong desire to see him and thus the team succeed.

Well that's all over. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers last night 5-1. I know most people were probably watching the debate (and seeing John McCain about to blow a gasket) but there I was watching the Dodgers poop away the series.

The game took on more prominence when Maddux actually got into the game. The Dodger's starter, Chad Billingsley, struggled yet again. Maddux pitched a 1-2-3 fourth but ran into trouble in the fifth. He was about to get out of it (without allowing any runs) when he induced the Phillies, Pat Burrel into an inning-ending double play. But the Dodgers's shortstop, Rafeal Furcal, booted it and then threw widely to the plate allowing Chase Utley to score. Yes, Furcal had two errors on one play. But that wasn't the end of Furcal's follies. Two batters later, he errored again this time on a routine throw to first base. He had three errors in one inning...allowing two runs to score. Needless to say, I was infuriated and lashing out to the TV (much to Jenny's chagrin).

The game took on an added edge with the fact that it might have been Maddux's last game. He's very non-committal when talking about his plans for next year. He'll be a free agent once the season is over. I just didn't want him to go out in that fashion. He did battle through the inning in a professional fashion and everybody watching the game knew the runs were a result of Furcal's blunders but still one would have liked to see him go out in a more worthwhile manner. (Of course it's not all all surprising that it's basically going unreported...that might have been his last game).

Ultimately I'm just not ready to deal with baseball with him playing. That's probably weird on one (maybe more) level(s) but it's the truth. I've invested so much time and energy following his career that when he does retire there will be a void in my life.

I'm not ready to face that just quite yet.

Public Service Announcement

Maybe this will sway some of the undecided voters out there...but probably not.

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

"Body of Lies" Movie Review

This week we watched the new spy thriller Body of Lies (R). Ridley Scott directs Leonardo DiCaprio as a CIA operative taking on terrorist cells across the middle east while constantly in contact with his boss in Langley (Russel Crowe).

Andy: Body of Lies is a standard spy flick that happens to deal with scenarios that seem frighteningly real. That level of reality agitates more than it educates, but if you look at this as simply an espionage film, it works fairly well. It has all the standard intrigue and action that you’d expect out of a movie like this. It is largely uninventive and predictable, but it still holds together pretty well.

Ryan: Contemporary spy thrillers continue to underperform and Body of Lies is no exception. While the movie itself is actually more entertaining that I expected it to be, it still lacks that something extra (and compelling) that prevents it from rising above its peers. Looking at it as purely a piece of entertainment, Body of Lies succeeds but it falters when it tries to make sense of current American intrigue in the Middle East.

Andy: Not surprisingly, both Crowe and DiCaprio do an outstanding job. Crowe is doing his pompous-guy-in-charge routine that, while nothing new, is still a solid piece of acting. DiCaprio proves once again that he is not only a very talented actor, but that he can be an action star, too, if he needs to be.

Ryan: There’s no question that the combination of Crowe and DiCaprio makes Body of Lies worth watching. Although neither one is at the very top of their game, they both put forth—as Andy alluded too--very credible performances. Seeing them interact on screen is a cinematic delight and certainly adds to the watchability of the picture. They share several scenes together but it would have been nice to see them share more screen time together.

Andy: Body of Lies is entertaining, but it would not be unreasonable to expect more out of such a talented group of people. The movie runs a little long and has a couple of false conclusions that left me with a worse taste for the film that it probably deserves. For about an hour and forty minutes it is a fairly compelling thriller, but the end is not particularly exciting and the movie is a little worse off because of it.

Ryan: I completely agree with Andy that considering the involvement of Crowe and DiCaprio with director, Ridley Scott, Body of Lies had the making of a great film. Unfortunately it has several shortcomings that limit it. The film runs long and what exacerbates that is how the story intermediately jumps around. Secondly the romantic sub-plot, while crucial to the story, is never completely developed to justify the actions of some of the main characters. Thirdly, the resolution of the film is not only less than thrilling but also predictable.

Anchored by the performances of Crowe and DiCaprio, Body of Lies is a serviceable spy thriller. Final grade: B-.

Glory Days

I'm not going to get into naming names or anything but over the weekend I got into a ridiculous and somewhat heated argument about Bruce Springsteen versus Bob Seeger. (I'm going to pause for the laughter).

But anyway...here's everybody's favorite quarterback enjoying Dancing in the Dark during Springsteen's encore set in Indy last year.

In your face.

Andy Samburg Rules

Besides the Tine Fey/ Sara Palin skits on SNL, this year's season has been pretty lukewarm. But this particular skit from last week's show was pretty darn funny.

"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" movie review

This week we're taking a look at the teen comedy, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (PG-13). During a crazy Manhattan night two high school kids fall for each other while resisting urges to get back together with their previous significant others. Michael Cera and Kat Dennings co-star as the title characters.

Andy: This movie is both formulaic and predictable. It does everything you’d expect a date movie to do, with the single twist that hit happens to be about teenagers. Perhaps the best thing Nick and Norah has going for it is that it treats it comes across as a little more understated than most movies aimed at teens, and that lends the movie a sense of credibility. Director Peter Sollett does a nice job of giving the movie and independent feel, which is needed to counterbalance the predictability of the plot.

Ryan: Although Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is a major studio release it has the look and feel of an indie flick. While it doesn't quite have the substance of a prototypical indie teen-driven movie, it does have more going for it than most other generic teen flicks that get cranked out of Hollywood. The strongest part of the film is seeing the two main characters gravitate towards each other. Some of the scenes are awkward and at first appear clumsy but in retrospect one sees that those scenes lend authenticity to the developing relationship. Consequently, Cera and Dennings play those scenes in a believable manner that adds a lot of charm to the picture.

Andy: Cera and Dennings were very good at making their interactions seem very real. Cera has carved out a nice niche for himself playing the young, awkward, wholesome hipster, and he does it charmingly here as well. I wonder when I’ll get tired of Cera playing the same role, but it hasn’t happened yet. If you like Cera’s chops, you’ll enjoy Dennings performance, as she plays it much in the same way. Having two characters that reluctant does make for some awkward, though realistic scenes.


Ryan: As already mentioned much of the film's success belongs to the two leads. While it appears that Cera is destined to alway play the same dorky character he certainly knows how to put forth a credible performance. His shtick should be getting old but at this point it isn't. While Dennings is relative new to the scene she has an air about her that seems genuine. Even though there are moments where she didn't display enough confidence on screen she nonetheless crafts a unique performance in a genre that thrives on stereotypical characterizations.

Andy: Much of the plot of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is driven by the search for their favorite indie-rock band, Where’s Fluffy? In a movie this indie-driven, it is important to have a soundtrack with indie-cred. Nick and Norah do pretty well in working in some good music that should please the hipsters (Band of Horses, Shout Out Louds), but I was actually a little disappointed with how some of it is used in the movie. The obligatory shots of cars traveling through the city set to rock songs are there, but they somehow don’t have the impact on the film that it seems like they could have.

Ryan: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist doesn't have any glaring weaknesses but some moviegoers might be put off by the fluffiness of the story. Yes, the film is more relevant than most teen flicks but it's restrained into really digging deep into contemporary teen angst. And from a setting standpoint it also paints a portrait of New York City night-life as a fairy tale where teenagers can harmlessly hang out at bars without any consequence. But like a good pop song, sometimes fluff is all that's needed to tell a good story. And Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is definitely that.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is not perfect, but it is as enjoyable as it is predictable, earning it a B.

Sinus Infection 31 Ryan 27

--It's a change in the season and that can only mean one thing in Ryan's world--sinue infection.

Yup, I'm suffering from what is (pretty much) a biannual event with me. I would say on average I suffer from two...maybe three sinus infections every year. But considering my allergy history it's not that surprising in having that many sinus infections per year.

But what is also inescapable is the fact that they just suck. It's one of those things where it doesn't sound that bad so one thinks that you shouldn't feel that bad...but one does. But on the other hand a sinus infection is one of those ailments where one can still solider on through the day. At least for me (and I'm not trying to be tough here) but rarely do I miss work when suffering from a SI. I sure feel completely worn out when the work day is over but it's manageable. It just stinks. I don't like being sick (and I'm aware that most people feel that way as well).

--But on a more positive note...how about that Colts game yesterday? Wow. I hope everybody got to see that live. I almost became to frustrated to stick it out but I'm glad I did because that was a thrilling game. I just hope that game can propel them to play the type of winning football that they should be playing.

--For an interesting and eye-opening article on John McCain...click here.

--I was going to talk about the latest Cubs debacle but I'll save that for later. But what I can say...is that even though the Cubs lost (in maybe their most pathetic effort to date)...I'm still very thrilled that Maddux and the Dodgers are still playing. And in all actuality I did want Maddux to advance. I know that makes me arguable the worst Cubs fan of all time but I just can't root against Maddux and consequtily the team he is playing for (although if he was on the Reds that assertion would definitely be challenged). I really did think this was going to be the Cubs year but I'm not surprised at all that it wasn't.

vice-president debate prep

Maybe she can't name more than two supreme court cases and maybe she's not really Mrs. Joe-Six pack but Sarah Palin knows how work it at a beauty pagent.