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Reviews Written By: A2I6MHMAZZDCRX

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	Apple iPod touch 8GB (3rd Generation) MC086LL/A
	"A Fun Little Toy For Grown Ups"	2009-11-14
I wasn't really in the market for an iPod Touch, but I was given this one. Man, I absolutely love it! I've had it for a couple months now, and I can't imagine going back to life without one. Basically, this is the non-phone version of the iPhone, which means it can do anything they can do. You can check e-mail (I have three accounts set up in it). You can search maps. You can play lots of fun games. You can download apps. You can surf the web on Safari, Apple's browser. Of course, the catch with all of these things is that you must to connected to wireless internet to do them. You'd be surprised at just how many networks there are out there you can join. Most require a password, but many businesses offer it these days. True, it isn't a substitute for a real computer, but it is dang close. Oh yeah, it also plays music and movies. I haven't used it for a movie, but I have found that it is nice for music on the go. Granted, my only other portable music device is an iPod Shuffle, so the ability and choose songs as I am listening to them seems lovely. Here again, however, it would be nice if it came with a case or armband. As it is, all you can do is stick in your pocket if you want to carry it around. Yes, it is expensive. But it would be completely worth it to me. After playing with it for a couple of months, I don't want to give it up at all.
	Apple iPod touch 64GB (3rd Generation)
	"A Fun Little Toy For Grown Ups"	2009-11-14
I wasn't really in the market for an iPod Touch, but I was given this one. Man, I absolutely love it! I've had it for a couple months now, and I can't imagine going back to life without one. Basically, this is the non-phone version of the iPhone, which means it can do anything they can do. You can check e-mail (I have three accounts set up in it). You can search maps. You can play lots of fun games. You can download apps. You can surf the web on Safari, Apple's browser. Of course, the catch with all of these things is that you must to connected to wireless internet to do them. You'd be surprised at just how many networks there are out there you can join. Most require a password, but many businesses offer it these days. True, it isn't a substitute for a real computer, but it is dang close. Oh yeah, it also plays music and movies. I haven't used it for a movie, but I have found that it is nice for music on the go. Granted, my only other portable music device is an iPod Shuffle, so the ability and choose songs as I am listening to them seems lovely. Here again, however, it would be nice if it came with a case or armband. As it is, all you can do is stick in your pocket if you want to carry it around. Yes, it is expensive. But it would be completely worth it to me. After playing with it for a couple of months, I don't want to give it up at all.
	Apple iPod touch 32GB (3rd Generation) MC008LL/A
	"A Fun Little Toy For Grown Ups"	2009-11-14
I wasn't really in the market for an iPod Touch, but I was given this one. Man, I absolutely love it! I've had it for a couple months now, and I can't imagine going back to life without one. Basically, this is the non-phone version of the iPhone, which means it can do anything they can do. You can check e-mail (I have three accounts set up in it). You can search maps. You can play lots of fun games. You can download apps. You can surf the web on Safari, Apple's browser. Of course, the catch with all of these things is that you must to connected to wireless internet to do them. You'd be surprised at just how many networks there are out there you can join. Most require a password, but many businesses offer it these days. True, it isn't a substitute for a real computer, but it is dang close. Oh yeah, it also plays music and movies. I haven't used it for a movie, but I have found that it is nice for music on the go. Granted, my only other portable music device is an iPod Shuffle, so the ability and choose songs as I am listening to them seems lovely. Here again, however, it would be nice if it came with a case or armband. As it is, all you can do is stick in your pocket if you want to carry it around. Yes, it is expensive. But it would be completely worth it to me. After playing with it for a couple of months, I don't want to give it up at all.
	Peter and the Starcatchers
	"Setting Up the Peter Pan Legend"	2009-11-05
Peter is an orphan living in the late 1800's in London. One day, he and four friends are put on a ship heading for a strange country. When they arrive, they are to serve an unpleasant king, a king who executes all those who displease him. And the voyage there will be unpleasant with gross "food" and cramped quarters. On the ship, Peter meets Molly, a girl about his own age. She is hiding a secret involving a giant chest that was brought on board at the last moment. A chest that has attracted the attention of the dread pirate Black Stache. What is the secret of the chest? Can the children protect it from those seeking it? With as much as I love Peter Pan, I've been meaning to get to this book for a while now. Obviously, I should have gotten to it sooner because I really enjoyed it. The action moved quickly from one exciting event to another. The pages just flew by, making the large book seem shorter than it is. The authors use multiple view points to fully tell the story. Most of the time it works, but it does get a bit annoying in the final quarter. We switch points of view too much. Since this is a prequel to the Peter Pan legend, I got a kick seeing how many of the familiar elements fall into place. Honestly, if they hadn't written any more books, we could easily stop here. Everything is in place. I especially liked Peter's character. I must admit I am most familiar with the Disney movie version, where the character is a bit arrogant and self absorbed. Here, he is a conscientious, caring boy. I like this characterization much more. Those looking for a fantasy adventure need look no further than this exciting book. I will definitely be buying the rest in the series and reading them soon.
	The Nightmare Before Christmas [Blu-ray] + Digital Copy
	""How Horrible Our Christmas Will Be.""	2009-10-29
In a time long forgotten, various towns were responsible for giving our holidays their cheer. One such place was Halloweentown. Jack Skellington (voiced by Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon) was Pumpkin King and the reason the holiday was always so successful. However, he was bored with his job. One day, he stumbled upon the entrance to Christmastown and was immediately captured by the happiness and good feelings he produced. He immediately decided that this year, he would run the holiday himself with the help of his Halloweentown cronies. Only Sally (Catherine O'Hara) seems to think this is a bad idea. Will Jack be able to pull it off? I must confess, I've only seen this movie twice, and I haven't exactly gone out of my way to see it either time. I did enjoy it more the second time around. This is a twisty holiday tale that I think is more suited for Halloween than Christmas. And I think one reason I enjoyed it more was watching it this time of year instead of later. And I better appreciated many of the great gags as the residents of Halloweentown prepared for the holiday. The movie is over half music, with the songs having been written by Danny Elfman. While I wouldn't call most of the songs catchy, they are amusing and certainly keep the story moving forward. Two problems seem to plague the movie, at least for me. One is the fact that it is stop motion animation. As bit an animation fan as I am, I have never quite gotten into it. This form seems stilted to me, keeping me from truly getting involved in the film. Which leads to the second problem. While the story moves forward nicely, I never truly feel like we get to know the characters. While Disney may have released it, this movie certainly isn't for young kids. Some of the images are downright scary. Older kids and adults will enjoy the humor and jokes scattered throughout the piece, however. This isn't your normal holiday movie. But it just might be growing on me. I certainly enjoyed it more the second time around than I did the first.
	Scream
	""Do You Want to Play Psycho Killer?""	2009-10-13
The town of Woodsboro is being haunted by a series of brutal murders. But the focus seems to be Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell). But this isn't your normal serial killer. Instead, the killer has been influenced by the horror movies he or she has watched over the years. Disguised with a Ghostface mask, the killer calls and daunts the victim before arriving to slice and dice. While most of the high school takes it as a joke, Sidney is taking it seriously. But who around her might be the killer. Maybe it's reporter Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox) looking for her next story. What about film geek Randy (Jamie Kennedy). Boyfriend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is a suspect, so that makes him innocent, right? Then again, any of these people might become the next victim. Will knowing the rules of the horror genre help them make it out alive? Okay, so this is so NOT my normal genre of film. And yes, it definitely earns its R rating with brutal violence and horrid language. But I have always had a fascination with the genre, so when this movie became a surprise hit, I wound up checking it out. And the mystery fan in me loved it. The clues and red herrings are everywhere. However, the jump factor had me going from the start as well. Yes, I jump quite easily. My roommate used to laugh at me watching this film, in fact. The thing that sets this apart from other slasher films is that we actually do get to know some of the victims before they die. These aren't just the stock characters you'd normally find, but real people. Okay, so the other thing that set it apart is the humor. These characters know they are in a horror fan and talk about how to make it out alive. Of course, convention is thrown on its head (at times). But that wink at the audience as it attempts to scare us silly adds to the fun. While most slasher movies still don't entertain me, I keep coming back and watching this franchise. If you want your scares with a post modern edge, this is the place to turn.
	Scream (Dimension Collector's Series)
	""Do You Want to Play Psycho Killer?""	2009-10-13
The town of Woodsboro is being haunted by a series of brutal murders. But the focus seems to be Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell). But this isn't your normal serial killer. Instead, the killer has been influenced by the horror movies he or she has watched over the years. Disguised with a Ghostface mask, the killer calls and daunts the victim before arriving to slice and dice. While most of the high school takes it as a joke, Sidney is taking it seriously. But who around her might be the killer. Maybe it's reporter Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox) looking for her next story. What about film geek Randy (Jamie Kennedy). Boyfriend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is a suspect, so that makes him innocent, right? Then again, any of these people might become the next victim. Will knowing the rules of the horror genre help them make it out alive? Okay, so this is so NOT my normal genre of film. And yes, it definitely earns its R rating with brutal violence and horrid language. But I have always had a fascination with the genre, so when this movie became a surprise hit, I wound up checking it out. And the mystery fan in me loved it. The clues and red herrings are everywhere. However, the jump factor had me going from the start as well. Yes, I jump quite easily. My roommate used to laugh at me watching this film, in fact. The thing that sets this apart from other slasher films is that we actually do get to know some of the victims before they die. These aren't just the stock characters you'd normally find, but real people. Okay, so the other thing that set it apart is the humor. These characters know they are in a horror fan and talk about how to make it out alive. Of course, convention is thrown on its head (at times). But that wink at the audience as it attempts to scare us silly adds to the fun. While most slasher movies still don't entertain me, I keep coming back and watching this franchise. If you want your scares with a post modern edge, this is the place to turn.
	Scream
	""Do You Want to Play Psycho Killer?""	2009-10-13
The town of Woodsboro is being haunted by a series of brutal murders. But the focus seems to be Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell). But this isn't your normal serial killer. Instead, the killer has been influenced by the horror movies he or she has watched over the years. Disguised with a Ghostface mask, the killer calls and daunts the victim before arriving to slice and dice. While most of the high school takes it as a joke, Sidney is taking it seriously. But who around her might be the killer. Maybe it's reporter Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox) looking for her next story. What about film geek Randy (Jamie Kennedy). Boyfriend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is a suspect, so that makes him innocent, right? Then again, any of these people might become the next victim. Will knowing the rules of the horror genre help them make it out alive? Okay, so this is so NOT my normal genre of film. And yes, it definitely earns its R rating with brutal violence and horrid language. But I have always had a fascination with the genre, so when this movie became a surprise hit, I wound up checking it out. And the mystery fan in me loved it. The clues and red herrings are everywhere. However, the jump factor had me going from the start as well. Yes, I jump quite easily. My roommate used to laugh at me watching this film, in fact. The thing that sets this apart from other slasher films is that we actually do get to know some of the victims before they die. These aren't just the stock characters you'd normally find, but real people. Okay, so the other thing that set it apart is the humor. These characters know they are in a horror fan and talk about how to make it out alive. Of course, convention is thrown on its head (at times). But that wink at the audience as it attempts to scare us silly adds to the fun. While most slasher movies still don't entertain me, I keep coming back and watching this franchise. If you want your scares with a post modern edge, this is the place to turn.
	Scream
	""Do You Want to Play Psycho Killer?""	2009-10-13
The town of Woodsboro is being haunted by a series of brutal murders. But the focus seems to be Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell). But this isn't your normal serial killer. Instead, the killer has been influenced by the horror movies he or she has watched over the years. Disguised with a Ghostface mask, the killer calls and daunts the victim before arriving to slice and dice. While most of the high school takes it as a joke, Sidney is taking it seriously. But who around her might be the killer. Maybe it's reporter Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox) looking for her next story. What about film geek Randy (Jamie Kennedy). Boyfriend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is a suspect, so that makes him innocent, right? Then again, any of these people might become the next victim. Will knowing the rules of the horror genre help them make it out alive? Okay, so this is so NOT my normal genre of film. And yes, it definitely earns its R rating with brutal violence and horrid language. But I have always had a fascination with the genre, so when this movie became a surprise hit, I wound up checking it out. And the mystery fan in me loved it. The clues and red herrings are everywhere. However, the jump factor had me going from the start as well. Yes, I jump quite easily. My roommate used to laugh at me watching this film, in fact. The thing that sets this apart from other slasher films is that we actually do get to know some of the victims before they die. These aren't just the stock characters you'd normally find, but real people. Okay, so the other thing that set it apart is the humor. These characters know they are in a horror fan and talk about how to make it out alive. Of course, convention is thrown on its head (at times). But that wink at the audience as it attempts to scare us silly adds to the fun. While most slasher movies still don't entertain me, I keep coming back and watching this franchise. If you want your scares with a post modern edge, this is the place to turn.
	Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
	""How'd She Take It?" "About Like Usual.""	2009-10-09
The Szalinski Family has moved from Fresno to the Las Vegas suburbs. Wayne (Rick Moranis) has been hired by the Sterling Corporation, and they are trying to use his original invention to enlarge things now, but it just isn't working. One weekend while Diane (Marcia Strassman) is dropping Amy (Amy O'Neal in a cameo) off at college, Wayne figures it out. Taking son Nick (Robert Oliveri) and the newest addition to the family, two year old Adam (Joshua and Daniel Shalikar), to the lab, he tries to make it work. At first, he thinks he new idea was a bust. But then Adam starts growing. While Wayne tries to figure out how to reverse things, Diane and Nick just try to keep Adam calm. But how to you keep a hyperactive two year old who is bigger than you from destroying the house? Can they keep his sudden growth a secret? And if he gets out of the house, how will they ever control him? This movie came out while I still looked forward to all sequels to movies I had loved. Okay, so this one doesn't quite measure up to the first, but it is darn close. While there are some family issues, they are different than the ones from the original. There are so many great jokes about Adam being a big boy even before he starts to grow. Some of the special effects show their age, but for the most part, they work quite well. John Shea's villain is absolutely wonderful. That isn't to say this movie is a perfect sequel. I was sad to see Amy leave so quickly. There's only one slight reference to the Thompson family from the first one. And the scenes with Adam in the Szalinski house are a tad too long and drawn out. As an aside, Keri Russell makes her film debut here playing babysitter Mandy, the teen of Nick's dreams. As far as sequels go, this one is pretty good. It doesn't measure up to the original, but it has plenty of fun along the way.
	Monsters vs. Aliens [Blu-ray]
	"Fun Spoof of Old Science Fiction Movies"	2009-09-29
It's supposed to be the happiest day of her life. But shortly before Susan (Reese Witherspoon) marries local weatherman Derek (Paul Rudd), she is struck by a meteor. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And taller. As Susan grows to the size of a giantess, the government shows up and takes her away to a secret facility. It is there that she finds out she isn't the only monster rounded up over the years. There's B.O.B, a giant blob of goo (Seth Rogen), Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D., a mad scientist who turned himself into a human cockroach (Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link, a fish monster (Will Arnett), and Insectasaurus, a giant caterpillar. The five monsters might have stayed locked up forever if it weren't for the alien invasion. The governments, lead by President Hathaway (Stephen Colbert), makes the monsters a deal. If they will defeat the alien, they will be released from prison. Can they save San Francisco from the menace? Where do I even begin with this film? Let's start with the negative aspect, the story is predictable. I had all the major plot points figured out by the half way point. So if you watch this movie looking for originality, you will be disappointed. However, I can't fault the producers for dragging things out. The story moved very quickly from one plot point to the next. Not that this weakened the characters. Susan is really our main character, but everyone gets some time to develop. I grew to love all five of our main monsters and was rooting for them to come out on top. And the movie is hilarious. I am not too familiar with the 50's monster and alien movies, but it was still clear to me that's what was being spoofed. Plus the one liners were enough to keep me and my friends laughing the entire time. The voice talent did a great job, and the animation was as realistic as it could be considering all the fantasy elements involved. Being Dreamworks, there were a couple of slightly off color jokes that I didn't fully appreciate. But most of the movie was acceptable for kids of all ages. And the movie is so funny I seriously doubt it would scare any but the youngest of children. I have written off Dreamworks animation in years past because it didn't look too good. While this movie wasn't enough to make me into a die hard fan of their work, it was enough for me to take look at their future movies at lot more seriously. This one is well worth seeing.
	Torn Curtain
	"Too Much Set Up for Too Little Suspense"	2009-09-15
Michael Armstrong, noted American scientist, (Paul Newman) is in Sweden for a conference where he is to give a big speech. At least that's what his fiancee and assistant Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews) thinks. In reality, Michael is defecting to East Germany and hoping to work with one of their best scientists. When Sarah finds out, she tags along, further complicating matters. Will she stay or go? What is Michael really up to? And kind of danger will they face? I had heard this wasn't one of Hitchcock's best, and unfortunately, that turned out to be the case. My problem with the film was the set up. It was just too long. Yes, we did need to know most of the material, but it could have been cut back to half the length and made for a better film. On the other hand, there are multiple great moments. A life and death struggle in a farmhouse is very memorable. The final third of the film had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. The idea behind the story wasn't bad, it just needed to be cut back at the beginning. The film is worth seeing, but it isn't worth rushing out to see until you have seen some of Hitchcock's better films.
	Torn Curtain
	"Too Much Set Up for Too Little Suspense"	2009-09-15
Michael Armstrong, noted American scientist, (Paul Newman) is in Sweden for a conference where he is to give a big speech. At least that's what his fiancee and assistant Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews) thinks. In reality, Michael is defecting to East Germany and hoping to work with one of their best scientists. When Sarah finds out, she tags along, further complicating matters. Will she stay or go? What is Michael really up to? And kind of danger will they face? I had heard this wasn't one of Hitchcock's best, and unfortunately, that turned out to be the case. My problem with the film was the set up. It was just too long. Yes, we did need to know most of the material, but it could have been cut back to half the length and made for a better film. On the other hand, there are multiple great moments. A life and death struggle in a farmhouse is very memorable. The final third of the film had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. The idea behind the story wasn't bad, it just needed to be cut back at the beginning. The film is worth seeing, but it isn't worth rushing out to see until you have seen some of Hitchcock's better films.
	Torn Curtain
	"Too Much Set Up for Too Little Suspense"	2009-09-15
Michael Armstrong, noted American scientist, (Paul Newman) is in Sweden for a conference where he is to give a big speech. At least that's what his fiancee and assistant Sarah Sherman (Julie Andrews) thinks. In reality, Michael is defecting to East Germany and hoping to work with one of their best scientists. When Sarah finds out, she tags along, further complicating matters. Will she stay or go? What is Michael really up to? And kind of danger will they face? I had heard this wasn't one of Hitchcock's best, and unfortunately, that turned out to be the case. My problem with the film was the set up. It was just too long. Yes, we did need to know most of the material, but it could have been cut back to half the length and made for a better film. On the other hand, there are multiple great moments. A life and death struggle in a farmhouse is very memorable. The final third of the film had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. The idea behind the story wasn't bad, it just needed to be cut back at the beginning. The film is worth seeing, but it isn't worth rushing out to see until you have seen some of Hitchcock's better films.
	Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
	"Funny and Imaginative Book for Kids"	2009-09-09
After a funny accident at breakfast, Grandpa weaves a tale of the land of Chewandswallow. In this magical land, clouds don't bring rain or snow. They bring dinner (and lunch and breakfast). People just take their plates and bowls outside and catch the meal of the day. But what happens when storms brew? How do you handle pea soup fog? Will the residence survive the food weather catastrophe? Somehow, I missed this book as a kid, but the upcoming movie version inspired me to find out what I had missed. Quite a good book, as it turns out. The writing is simple and straightforward. But the imagination behind it is impressive. This is a well thought out world about what would happen if food fell from the sky. At first it seems fine, but the consequences when things get out of hand are quite realistic. The pictures make the book even better. In fact, some of the best jokes are in the pictures, so take the time to look at all of them closely. The pictures of the real world setting are very realistic line drawings. But once we get to the fantasy tale, red, yellow, and a yellow-green are introduced as well. It's amazing how just those two additional colors make the drawings come alive even more. This book is perfect for older pre-school and early elementary students. They'll appreciate the creativity and silly humor.
	Reba - Season 2
	""You're My Wife. It Would Be Nice If You Could Show a Little Doubt Sometimes.""	2009-08-25
Season two picks up pretty much where season one left off. Reba Hart (Reba Mcentire) is finding life raising her kids alone to be very hard. There's the question of whether Brock (Christopher Rich) and his new wife Barbra Jean (Melissa Peterman) are giving youngest son Jake (Mitch Holleman) junk food. Middle daughter Kyra (Scarletta Pomers) is entering those awkward teenage years, and becomes upset when Reba tries to date her new boyfriend's father. And new teenage parents Cheyenne and Van (Joanna Garcia and Steve Howey) are dealing with college life and a new born. Reba finally has to face reality that she needs to get a job. She even tries working for Brock before going to work for his arch rival (across the hall). Van decides to buy Cheyenne a real ring. And he gives up football for a year. And Reba just tries to balance everyone in her life, including Barbra Jean who keeps attempting to worm her way into the new family dynamic. I must admit, this season has two episodes back to back I really don't love. We get a little too much information on Reba's potential new love life in "Ring-a-Ding." And "Cookies for Santa" has to be the saddest Christmas episode ever. On the other hand, it has some of the funniest moments in the series. "A Moment in Time" features a video for Cheyenne and Van's daughter that doesn't go at all like anyone expected it to. And "Seeing Red" provides wonderful laughs when Barbra Jean comes back from a makeover looking just like Reba. This season also really allowed the characters to grow into their own. While there are plenty of laughs, the writers worked hard to flesh things out and make them into real people. While some serious stuff comes up, this show is still very funny. You can't help but laugh as you enjoy the antics of the Hart family.
	The Thin Man Goes Home
	""He Must Be Hurt. He Said Something About Not Having Had a Drink All Day.""	2009-07-31
Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are off to visit Nick's parents (played by Harry Davenport and Lucile Watson) in Sycamore Springs. Along for the trip is Asta the dog, but they left little Nicky behind since he was enjoying kindergarten so much (like that excuse would fly with any grandparent). Nick is well known in his hometown, and everyone immediately assumes he is there to work on a case. Nora encourages those rumors if only to bring out the skeletons so Nick can impress his father, who still wishes Nick had become a doctor. All too soon, a young artist drops dead on the doorstep of the Charles home. Now Nick and Nora have a real mystery to solve. Can Nick do it? Having enjoyed the previous four films in the series, I must say I was disappointed with this one. Oh, don't get me wrong, the acting is still fine. But the script let everyone down. First off, I truly missed the humor. Actually, I did find the scenes about Nick's drinking (he's on the wagon here) pretty funny. But the wit has been replaced with slapstick. Yes, those scenes are funny, but they don't compare to the humor of the previous films. Then there's the mystery. While I have trouble with old time actors, if I concentrate, I can follow the story and keep people straight. Here, that never happened. There were a few events and revelations early, but it was still underdeveloped. Having said that, the solution was logical. This is the weakest of the first five in the series (I'll reserve judgment on the entire series until I've seen the sixth). Fans will certainly enjoy it, but it pales next to the others.
	Smallville - The Complete Second Season
	""Clark Kent and Lex Luther. I Like the Sound of That.""	2009-07-15
Season two picks up right where season one left off. Clark Kent (Tom Welling) manages to save Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) from the path of a tornado, but Lionel Luther (John Glover) isn't quite so lucky. While his son Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) saves his life, Lionel winds up blind. But as life slowly gets back to normal, things have a way of continuing to be, well, weird. Clark develops heat vision, brought on by thoughts of sex. Chloe and Pete (Allison Mack and Sam Jones III) become adrenalin junkies. High school students start dying of old age. And Lana is visited by her best friend who died years ago. But with everything else going on, Clark also gets hints to his past, much to the worry of parents Jonathan and Martha Kent (John Schneider and Annette O'Toole). A cave is found in Smallville that has ancient drawings depicting Clark's story. The ship that brought Clark to Earth seems to come to life at times. What does it all mean? What it means for us is a great season of this engrossing high school soap opera. Yes, I just called it a teen soap. Essentially, that's what it is. Oh yes, it has plenty of science fiction and comic book action, and that's fun. But the on going stories have a decidedly soap opera feel to them. There's the love triangle between Lana, Chloe, and Clark for starters. Lex gets married not once but twice. There's blindness and an unexpected pregnancy as well. But that's not to down play the action and scifi. While the show doesn't follow a formula nearly as closely as it did the first season, there are still plenty of kryptonite enhanced monsters. Some of the episodes get a little creepy. And some of them are just downright fun, like the times that Clark gets exposed to red kryptonite. But as much as I am enjoying it, I find the characters the most fascinating to watch, particularly the Luthors and their interaction with Clark. At this point, Clark and Lex are still friends. Knowing how their relationship turns out makes some of those scenes take on a bittersweet feel. It's help by Michael Rosenbaum. Any scene he is in is amazing to watch. In fact, the best scenes are the ones between him and John Glover playing his on screen dad. I'm not saying the rest of the cast is bad because they aren't. Those are the two that stand out the most. And yes, this season also has the first appearance of Christopher Reeve as Dr. Virgil Swann. If you've resisted getting into this show, stop now. You'll definitely need to watch it from the beginning. But trust me, once you do, you'll be hooked.
	Steven Curtis Chapman - Speechless
	"Steven Curtis Chapman is Good Even When Speechless"	2009-06-15
I think I am the only person who didn't enjoy Steven Curtis Chapman's SIGNS OF LIFE. So it was a great relief when this disc came out and I discovered he was back to his pop/rock roots. Granted, it was easy to like this disc with the opening track being "Dive." It may be a decade later, but this is still one of my favorite SCC songs ever. The hard electro beats are fun and the lyrics make me want to dive right into life as well. My other favorite here is "With Hope." Yes, the song is sad as it talks about the death of a child. But I love the reminder that we do grieve because we are sad here on earth even while knowing that Heaven is coming. And the slower ballad feel is absolutely perfect. Despite myself, I must admit I enjoy "Fingerprints of God." It's a fun pop reminder that God made each of us the way we are. Nothing deep or original, but the fun gets me every time. On the more challenging side, there's "The Change" which challenges us to actually live for Christ and not just buy Christian stuff. And you can't listen to "Speechless" without praising God for all He has done for us. I do find, though, that the weaker songs have tended to drag this disc down my list of Steven favorites over the years. "Next 5 Minutes" has a catchy melody but very bland lyrics. "The Invitation" is rather bland all the way around. My head tunes out when it starts playing and always has. I often enjoy the songs he writes for his wife, but "What I Really Want to Say" is one of the weaker efforts in that genre as well. Considering even weak Steven Curtis Chapman is usually good, I still do enjoy this disc. It's not my favorite, but it is still very enjoyable.
	Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman - The Complete Second Season
	""Clark, What Else Can You Do?""	2009-06-13
Season two picks up in the aftermath of Lex Luthor's (guest star John Shea) death. Even though the villain has been unmasked, the citizens of Metropolis seem upset with Superman (Dean Cain). Even more unsettling is the idea that Lex might not be dead. But Lex plays a minor role this season. Intergang has moved into town in their disguise as CostMart and are attempting to take over the city. But that's not all investigative reporters Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher) and Clark Kent have to face this year. There's the Prankster, an evil mastermind who wants to incorporate Lois into his criminal pranks. A whistleblower is in danger when he discovers faulty products have been used. Gangsters come back to life and start wrecking havoc on the city leading to Clark Kent's death. A toy maker figures out a way to bottle greed and sell it to kids and adults right before Christmas. Superman is sued by someone whose life he has saved. And Jimmy Olsen (Justin Whalin) becomes a trained assassin. But since this is the romantic comedy take on the mythology, all this plays out against the backdrop of the building romance between Lois and Clark. There are complications with love interests for each of them. Clark struggles with maintaining his two identities and keeping them secret. All this leads up to a cliffhanger aimed squarely at their relationship. And, best of all, it is fun. The Christmas episode is the only clunker in the 22 episodes presented here. Instead, we get cases that not only present decent mysteries but also find ways to challenge Superman. It can't be easy to create new ways to put all the characters in danger each week. (Although I do have to wonder if anyone in Metropolis checks for traffic before crossing the street.) And the romance is played perfectly. Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain have perfect chemistry for the part. They make it believable. And their flirty dialogue is always fun if not downright funny. This set contains all 22 episodes from the season in full frame and stereo sound. Extras are limited to an audio commentary on "Season's Greedings" by star and episode writer Dean Cain. There are also two fetaurettes, one of the fans of the show and one on season two. The emphasis may be on the romance, but there is still plenty of action and superhero to please everyone. This really is an entertaining show.
	Slay It with Flowers: A Flower Shop Mystery
	"This Wedding Will be Anything but Smooth Sailing"	2009-06-12
In three weeks, Abby's cousin Jillian is getting married. That is assuming she doesn't get cold feet again. Not only is Abby a bridesmaid, but she's also providing the flowers for the wedding, providing her with motivation to make sure everything goes off as planned. So when one of the groomsman disappears, Abby gets drawn into looking for him. Things get even worse when another member of the bridal party turns up dead. Can Abby figure out what is happening to this wedding in time to save it? This book is charming despite its flaws. Most of the characters seem more like stock characters than real people. Yes, some of them have quirks to make them stand out, but that doesn't help. And the constant lectures Abby gets from friends and family about getting into danger get old. The plot seemed to stall at times, making the ending a bit rushed. But I really did enjoy it. The plot does have a couple nice twists along the way that kept me confused even if I did guess the ending before Abby. I like Abby herself. She is resourceful even if a little stupid. And honestly, I don't mind some of her stupid antics. I must admit, I could understand why she did much of what she did (although there was one time I was yelling at her). There were quite a few funny scenes, including one that had me laughing out loud. In the end, I enjoyed this book enough to recommend it and continue on with the series. These seem to be light but enjoyable books.
	Libeled Lady
	""I Thought that was Rather Clever of Me." "I Thought You Thought So.""	2009-06-11
Today is the day that Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracey) is finally supposed to marry long time fiance Gladys (Jean Harlow). But he escapes this horrible fate when a crisis erupts as the New York Star where he is the managing editor. Seems his paper has run an item about flamboyant heiress Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) claiming she is a husband stealer. Connie is planning to sue the paper for five million dollars (which was quite the sum when the movie was released in 1936). Haggerty comes up with a brilliant plan to stop the suit. He hires ladies man Bill Chandler (William Powell) to marry Gladys then turn around and sweep Connie off her feet. That way, the story in the paper will be true and Connie will have to drop her suit. Will it work? Or will complications overwhelm everyone involved? I had never even heard of this comedy until my boss started raving about it. And he was right; it was very enjoyable. Once the premise is set up, you are in for some fun times. The plot didn't quite go as I thought it would from the start, which drew me into the story. As it progressed, I got more caught up in the complications. There is a fishing scene that is absolutely hysterical. The ending was a bit rushed and, honestly, not completely believable. But it works. I think what really got me were the characters. While I never did really warm up to Haggerty, I loved the other three. All the actors did a superb job bringing them to life. They provided a spark that kept me entertained even in the slower early scenes. As others have noted, this DVD release is disappointing with way too much dust and defects in the picture. The sound is fine, however. Overlook the poor DVD, however, because this film is definitely worth watching. You'll laugh as you get caught in the tangle.
	Authoritave Calvin and Hobbes
	""It's Hard to Change Direction in Midair.""	2009-05-29
This was the second treasure of the classic comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes." It contained all the strips from YUKON HO! and WEIRDOS FROM ANOTHER PLANET. Naturally, the title stories are in this collection. In the first, Calvin secedes from the family and attempts to move to the Yukon. In the second, Calvin and Hobbes move to Mars when they get upset with the state of the Earth's environment. Of course, that's just four weeks or so of the year and a half worth of strips. We get two family camping trips. In the first, it rains the entire time. The second summer, Dad breaks his glasses at the start of the trip. Calvin's babysitter Rosalyn shows up a couple times as well. There are plenty imaginative adventures for Spaceman Spiff and some run ins with the evil Mom Lady for Calvin's Stupendous Man. In other stories, Calvin and Susie have to work on a report on Mercury together. Calvin and Hobbes find a dinosaur skeleton in their own backyard and travel back in time. The Transmogrifier shows up as a hand held devise. And Calvin attempts to but together his first model. Yes, there is lots of fun to be had here. I laughed quite a bit while rereading it. So don't misunderstand what I am about to say. I've always felt this was the weakest of the Calvin and Hobbes books. Yes, I laugh. Yes, there are some classics here (like the Opposite Day trio.) But, on the whole, the strip just wasn't quite up to the level of the others. It seems like he started strong, then wasn't quite sure what to do with it for a while. Mind you, these are still great strips. But they don't reach the level of humor and cultural commentary he'd reach later. So, if you are already a fan of "Calvin and Hobbes," by all mean, get and enjoy this book. But if you've yet to discover this wonderful strip, start with one of the other books, then come back and enjoy this one.
	The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin and Hobbes)
	""It's Hard to Change Direction in Midair.""	2009-05-29
This was the second treasure of the classic comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes." It contained all the strips from YUKON HO! and WEIRDOS FROM ANOTHER PLANET. Naturally, the title stories are in this collection. In the first, Calvin secedes from the family and attempts to move to the Yukon. In the second, Calvin and Hobbes move to Mars when they get upset with the state of the Earth's environment. Of course, that's just four weeks or so of the year and a half worth of strips. We get two family camping trips. In the first, it rains the entire time. The second summer, Dad breaks his glasses at the start of the trip. Calvin's babysitter Rosalyn shows up a couple times as well. There are plenty imaginative adventures for Spaceman Spiff and some run ins with the evil Mom Lady for Calvin's Stupendous Man. In other stories, Calvin and Susie have to work on a report on Mercury together. Calvin and Hobbes find a dinosaur skeleton in their own backyard and travel back in time. The Transmogrifier shows up as a hand held devise. And Calvin attempts to but together his first model. Yes, there is lots of fun to be had here. I laughed quite a bit while rereading it. So don't misunderstand what I am about to say. I've always felt this was the weakest of the Calvin and Hobbes books. Yes, I laugh. Yes, there are some classics here (like the Opposite Day trio.) But, on the whole, the strip just wasn't quite up to the level of the others. It seems like he started strong, then wasn't quite sure what to do with it for a while. Mind you, these are still great strips. But they don't reach the level of humor and cultural commentary he'd reach later. So, if you are already a fan of "Calvin and Hobbes," by all mean, get and enjoy this book. But if you've yet to discover this wonderful strip, start with one of the other books, then come back and enjoy this one.
	The Lucy Show
	"Die Hard Fans Will Get Their Laughs"	2009-05-27
While I've long been a fan of Lucy's classic I LOVE LUCY, I have yet to see any of the episodes of her other sitcoms. I went about correcting that with this set. The results weren't quite as exciting as I expected. Turns out that there are 30 episodes of this show that have gone into the public domain. Bet you can't guess which episodes are here. We get two from the first season. Then, Lucy Carmichael (Lucille Ball) and Vivian Bagley (Vivian Vance) are two formerly married women living together to raise their children. "Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower" especially is downright hilarious. The other 28 episodes are from the fifth and sixth seasons (mostly fifth). Here, Lucy has moved to California and is working as a secretary in a bank for Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Some of these episodes are pretty funny, like the one where Lucy gets an expensive ring stuck on her finger or gets caught in the draft. These episodes allowed Lucy to show off her great physical comedy. The problems with these episodes is often two fold. One, Mr. Mooney was a one note character. He's never sympathetic and only there to react to Lucy. Even then, his only reaction is to get angry at her. It's funny sometimes, but it needed more. While Lucy does have a friend she hangs out with, that friend is usually only in a scene or two as a plot device. Additionally, these episodes are filled with guest stars like John Wayne, Sheldon Leonard, and George Burns to name a few. Most of the time, the guest star tends to take over the episode, not really giving us a decent plot. Honestly, this DVD set doesn't help. It's rather obvious at times that it was put together from someone's VHS tapes. The picture quality is poor with lots of grain and dust even in the best pictures. The color and brightness can fade without warning as well. The sound is fine, although it doesn't need to be in full surround. We also get three bits of her old radio show, but it really is hard to get into a five minute clip from a 25 minute story. Since the show is finally being released in season sets, my best advice is to stay away from this one.
	Resort to Murder: A Henrie O Mystery
	"Henrie O. Gets No Relaxation in This Book"	2009-05-22
It's not a wedding that Henrie O ever expected to attend. She is on a week's trip to Bermuda to attend her former son-in-law's wedding. But after being convinced that her grandkids need her strength to get through the week, she heads south. Actually, the kids of both the bride and groom are opposed, and the tension is evident from the moment the entire clan arrives at the resort. Lloyd and Connor seem oblivious to it, however. Actually, Connor is oblivious to most things, including how her fiancee reacts when she flirts with every guy in the place. But the tension only builds when a ghost is spotted at the resort where they are staying. A year ago, when Lloyd and Connor met at this resort, a man fell to his death from a tower. Is his ghost haunting the area now? As Henrie does her best to put the specter to rest, a dead body turns up. Is there a connection to the ghost? And what does it have to do with Henrie's group? The last couple of books in this series were sub-par, but I am glad to say that this book is back on track. True, Henrie does spend more time than necessary recounting the clues and red herrings that point to each suspect, but that's my only complaint. The story starts strongly and mostly moves forward at a steady pace to the climax. I was confused the entire time. One element of the story is dropped in the rush to end the story, but it took me until the next day to even realize it. The characters are also strong. We are introduced to the lot at once, yet I never had a hard time keeping them straight. True, some of them fall into cliches if you stop and think about it, but while I was reading the book they felt completely real to me. And the characters give the book a more serious tone than normal for the books I read. Despite a couple of flaws, I really enjoyed this entry in the series.
	Bill Cosby, Himself
	"Hilarious Stand Up"	2009-05-17
I knew Bill Cosby had done stand up, but I had never seen it until I watched this recording of one of his shows from 1983. The man is absolutely hilarious. As a warm up of sorts, he starts out by talking about people who use alcohol and drugs to have "fun" on the weekends. Then he discusses going to the dentist. Finally, he gets to the main event where family life is skewered. Everything from "natural childbirth" to trying to wrangle 5 kids to the change from parents to grandparents (watching his parents make the change that is) is fair game here. Those looking for something visually stimulating will be disappointed. This is just Bill, a microphone, and a chair (which he sits in more often than not) for the entire time. But please don't let that stop you. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. And his observations are absolutely true, too. At times he has a point to make, but he makes it with dead accurate humor. And this movie is mostly clean, too. There was one word early on and a bit at the end I didn't appreciate, but we're talking about a minute out of an hour and forty-five minutes of comedy. I'm not complaining. His wife comes across a bit harshly at times, but he also comes across as lazy. These bits probably wouldn't fly today, but they work when you remember one element of comedy is exaggeration. If you haven't yet experienced this comedic gem, get it today. You'll be laughing for years to come.
	Bill Cosby, Himself
	"Hilarious Stand Up"	2009-05-17
I knew Bill Cosby had done stand up, but I had never seen it until I watched this recording of one of his shows from 1983. The man is absolutely hilarious. As a warm up of sorts, he starts out by talking about people who use alcohol and drugs to have "fun" on the weekends. Then he discusses going to the dentist. Finally, he gets to the main event where family life is skewered. Everything from "natural childbirth" to trying to wrangle 5 kids to the change from parents to grandparents (watching his parents make the change that is) is fair game here. Those looking for something visually stimulating will be disappointed. This is just Bill, a microphone, and a chair (which he sits in more often than not) for the entire time. But please don't let that stop you. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. And his observations are absolutely true, too. At times he has a point to make, but he makes it with dead accurate humor. And this movie is mostly clean, too. There was one word early on and a bit at the end I didn't appreciate, but we're talking about a minute out of an hour and forty-five minutes of comedy. I'm not complaining. His wife comes across a bit harshly at times, but he also comes across as lazy. These bits probably wouldn't fly today, but they work when you remember one element of comedy is exaggeration. If you haven't yet experienced this comedic gem, get it today. You'll be laughing for years to come.
	Murder in Grub Street (Sir John Fielding Mysteries (Paperback))
	"Entertaining Book Even Though the Murder Took a Back Seat"	2009-05-12
Tomorrow, thirteen-year-old Jeremy Proctor is set to begin his apprenticeship at a printer's on Grub Street. But his last night living with Sir John Fielding is interrupted by a tragedy. The family Jeremy was to work for is brutally murdered. When a deranged poet is found with a bloody axe in his hand, it appears to be an open and shut case. Sir John isn't convinced, however. With Jeremy's help, he begins looking into the matter. Can he find the truth? I really did intend to get back to this series sooner (I read the first book two years ago). But when I sat down to read it, I was soon back in the world of 1760's London. There is just enough of a character introduction to bring us up to speed without slowing things down. The characters were well drawn and I loved spending more time with them, especially the complex Jeremy. Unfortunately, the plot was poorly developed. The murder actually was more a sub-plot here, taking a back seat to other things happening in the neighborhood. Even worse, the solution was telegraphed early right down to the motive for the brutal murder. On the plus side, there is a discussion on Christian prophecy that I found amusing. (And, no, this isn't a Christian novel, although the discussion does play a part in the story.) The characters made the time spent reading the book worth while. However, the plot could have been so much better.
	The Hunchback of Notre Dame
	"Slightly Searching for a Target Audience"	2009-05-02
In the Middle Ages, the city of Paris is ruled with an iron first by Frollo (Tony Jay), the chief magistrate. Frollo has made it his mission to destroy the gypsies. While he is doing that one night, he winds up with the baby Quasimodo. Guilted into raising the child as his own, he places Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) in the bell towers of Notre Dame and attempts to keep him hidden from the rest of the world. Quasi gets tired of staying in the tower, however, and ventures forth during the annual Festival of Fools. It is there that he meets Esmeralda (Demi Moore), a beautiful gypsy who is actually nice to him. But the crowd quickly turns on him when they see how deformed he is. That's nothing compared to how Frollo acts toward Esmeralda, however. He attempts to get his new captain of the guard Phoebus (Kevin Kline) to arrest her. But Phoebus has other plans. When the city of Paris suddenly lies in the balance, what can Quasi do to help? To be honest, I still have trouble believing this movie got made. Even with the attempts to lighten the storyline and change the ending, this is still an incredibly dark film. I don't understand how it missed getting the PG rating it deserved. Now that's not to say I don't like the film. It is a powerful tale in the evils of prejudice and hypocrisy. There are eight songs, and all of them are wonderful. This is definitely Broadway caliper music. The animation looks incredible. The details are almost breathtaking at times. But the story is so dark. Frollo becomes obsessed with Esmeralda, and his actions make the film very dark. And that doesn't even bring up "Hellfire," a song devoted to his desires for this gypsy. The imagery and words are a bit much for a kid's movie. In an attempt to make the movie appeal to kids, three gargoyles are added to the story that act as Quasi's friends up in the tower. They do add some fun comic relief, and I like them. However, it makes the film feel a little scattered between trying to appeal to adults and kids at the same time. This is a movie well worth watching. Adults will definitely appreciate it. However, watch it before you plop your kids down in front of it.