Change of pace:

I'm announcing that I shall be converting this personal blog into a food and lifestyle blog focusing on finding wheelchair-accessible restaurants that serve great food.  I won't be able to post often; however, when I do, it'll be for something really worthwhile or to provide useful information to serve the needs of other people with disabilities like me. :)

Movie Review:  Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

 Spoiler-free movie review of "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire:" As this is America's no. 1 movie at the moment, I imagine a lot of you are curious to know if it is worth seeing... Well, it all depends on what you're looking for, really. Are you in the mood for the same type of fun, zany entertainment you got back in 1984 with the original? If so, you will be greatly disappointed. There are many callbacks and easter eggs that pay fan service, but the tone of this movie is VERY different. This is actually a much darker, more somber movie... more like a modern horror movie, actually. There aren't many funny moments, even with the inclusion of some stellar comedic actors such as Paul Rudd, Patton Oswalt and Kumail Nanjiani. Some portions of the movie are downright creepy, so those of you with young kids with whom you might want to share your love for the original should probably avoid watching this with them altogether. It's not all bad, however, as the story does move along nicely, the young actors are actually really good, and it is diverting enough. I suppose it all really depends on how you manage your expectations. If you go into this movie expecting to enjoy it as much as the original, you should understand right now that you won't. However, if all you want is a diverting movie with ghosts and some friendly old faces you used to love along with a few promising new ones, then this might just be the movie for you. I rate this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#justmyopinion

 

Poem: the bridge between “you” and “you and i”

the chair you always said you liked

sits, cold and unwarmed

in the darkening april night

as empty as when

it first came into my life

now that you have left it

for the very last time.

it’s funny how eloquent a silence can be

or how you fill my room still

even as you no longer step inside

and even as i no longer remember

whether your tears made a sound

or why my heart had to hide

each time you sobbed a heartfelt plea

to have me hold you in the dying light.

my arms could not move, you see

as full of futile feeling as

there is now emptiness in the night,

even as the moon spoke words of moonlight at

a world that had long ceased to open its eyes.

and every aching word you sought

to thaw away from me, as the winter slowly

melted its ice

would not flow so smoothly down

those jagged crags of rock that formed

the mask i wore outside.

somewhere, in the distant sky

a single whispered "sorry" dies

alight on the cowardly wings

of sorrow and regret, and i

took the bridge between the worlds

of "you" and "you and i"

and walked away long before

that whispered word could reach

your lonely, broken, weather-beaten door.

April 3, 2008

Spoiler-free Movie Review of "Justice League"

In a nutshell? If you're a serious fan of superhero movies and/or DC this one's a big turd. Cringeworthy screenwriting, choppy, narrative-killing editing and a truly heinous CGI villain will make you want to demand your money back. If, however, you're a casual moviegoer looking for a bit of escapist distraction you can enjoy, it MIGHT be worth a viewing, but only if you download it for free. I wouldn't recommend anyone pay to see this, unless you want to gouge your eyes out watching another Crap-tastic turn by Ben Affleck as Batman (How he got top billing for this movie is a human rights violation Amnesty International ought to investigate). My verdict? 1.5 out of 5 stars, but only because Wonder Woman was in it.

To be fair, there were some laugh out loud moments, and not just because the dialogue was so bad. The Flash and, to a lesser extent, Aquaman provided some much-needed comic relief to an otherwise, plodding, non-sensical, dour movie. Most of the adrenaline-pumping, macho action was provided, ironically enough, by Wonder Woman, but even she wasn't enough to really redeem this movie as an action spectacular-wannabe. The Flash was the breakout star of this movie. His scenes were the ones most of us in the audience appreciated. (Warner Bros. better NEVER make another Batman movie and should exclusively feature The Flash in its next feature.) Jason Momoa is a HELL of a macho presence on screen as "The Aquaman" (he makes Affleck look pudgy and fat throughout, and he runs rings around him in the acting department too. Khal Drogo FTW!

My final analysis is DC made this movie by committee. The studio executives told the screenwriters to try to copy Marvel movies and they did so, to truly disappointing results. This is a wannabe Marvel movie. If you really want to see it done right, avoid anything with DC on it and just go watch a Marvel movie. Also, avoid Ben Affleck as Batman like you avoid ebola or herpes. You have been warned.

Spoiler-free Movie Review - Hacksaw Ridge

Random spoiler-free movie review ("Hacksaw Ridge"):
Mel Gibson is back, folks! :)
 Some years back, Mel Gibson, through no one else's fault but his own, put his career in jeopardy after a druken, profanity-laced tirade against Jews in general, and the Jewish powers-that-be who controlled much of Hollywood. At that point in time many in Hollywood (already still pissed off that he helmed the allegedly "anti-Semitic" movie "The Passion of the Christ," privately told some journalists that he "would never work in Hollywood again." For years this proved true, however, with "Hacksaw Ridge," Gibson has once again proven that the Academy Award he won for Best Director (for "Braveheart") was no fluke, and that, as he can still deliver crowd-pleasing movies that earn money, he is here to stay. This movie is a rousing, emotional, inspiring movie that serves as a towering testament to the power of Christian faith and conviction, and it's a damned fine war movie as well.

This is film is based on the true-to-life, incredible story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector and pacifist, played superbly by Andrew Garfield (those of you from Virginia might have a slight objection to his less-than-authentic Virginia farm boy accent, but the rest of his performance, as a devout Christian is pretty spot-on. In fact, his example in this movie is so inspiring, I'd recommend this movie as essential viewing for all Christians around the world who need a model for how to truly live up to their religious convictions. Prayer, and the Bible, are so prominently in display here that I'd almost classify this as a faith-based movie.

But this ain't no simple biographical character study, folks, this is a war movie, and Gibson won't let you forget it. The battle scenes in the latter half of this movie (it's a bit slow and dragging in the beginning, but it gets progressively better) are so harrowing that they FAR exceed the carnage you'll see in the first few minutes of "Saving Private Ryan." Gibson apparently has no parallel when it comes to depicting violence on screen. I felt as if I was strapped onto a soldier's helmet and feeling the bullets zing by... It's honestly almost worth the price of admission just to see these scenes by themselves.

At its core, however, this movie is a love story. It is both a romantic drama (the pure, devoted love between Garfield's Desmond and Teresa Palmer's Dorothy is also inspiring), and a testimonial to the love one man can have for his God, and his convictions. In fact, if you see this movie, the next time you hear the words "principled man," you'll probably think of Desmond Doss. He is, quite simply, the single, greatest example of a true Christian soldier I've ever heard of over the past century or two.

I'm taking my Bible Study group to see this movie, if they'll allow me to... ;) I also encourage all of you Christians to see it. This could also be a good movie to screen during Holy Week, right beside Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

This movie is clearly for adults or very mature teens only. The violence is just that graphic... If I were rating this using soldier's helmets, I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5, mainly for its incredible action and solid, faith-based positive message, deducting a little bit for its slightly dragging first half. I didn't regret watching this film, and neither will you. :) #WorthSeeing #ChristianModel

Your Mission? To Share your loaf.

Totally random, hypothetical, theological/philosophical discussion:

Fair warning: This will be LONG. Please do not read this if you're offended by, or totally uninterested in, religious thoughts... ;)

Every good Christian knows the story of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, (John 6: 1-15), where Jesus took a few meager loaves and fish on hand and had his followers pass them to one another, each one eating as they received their "share." He managed to feed a "large crowd," with only five barley loaves and two fish. Each crowd member ate until he/she was full and satisfied and yet, upon gathering the leftovers, they managed to fill twelve baskets! :)

Here's the dscussion point I was just thinking of:

Back in Catholic Religion class in my grade school days, I had a teacher who said it was "stupid" that no one "saved" a portion of either loaf or fish for himself/herself, as my teacher believed this food would continue on multiplying and would, thus, feed the person for the rest of his/her natural life! :) As a young boy who was still a bit selfish and self-centered back then,I fully agreed with him. I then allowed myself to imagine owning just such a piece of bread ( I didn't like fish, so I didn't imagine it... :) Today, however, I now believe that my teacher was wrong. I don't believe God would have continued to multiply the loaves and/or fish for any person who "saved" a piece for himself/herself.

I'm not pretending I absolutely know how God thinks, but I sincerely believe that part of the reason God blessed the food and allowed it to multiply was for everyone to share such food with those among them who were hungry. I believe the true power of God was realized through the process of sharing food with one another, especially with those who were hungry and in need of food. In my humble opinion, the act of "saving" a piece for one's self like my Religion teacher recommended would be, I believe, an act of selfishness. You would be denying a hungry person the opportunity to eat by only considering your own well-being. I believe this to be a corruption of the pure intent Jesus had of promoting sharing and caring for one another, especially for those who were hungry. Things MIGHT be different, I magine, if you kept a piece in order to take home with you to feed your hungry family members and/or to feed poor, starving orphans or street children... In THAT scenario I imagine that the multiplication might still work. However, keeping a piece only for your benefit? I feel it would stop the miracle dead in its tracks... SMH:(

If you would please permit me a further mental extrapolation, I apply this philosophy to my daily life as much as I can... I've been truly blessed by God, but under no circumstances whatsoever do I believe that whatever wealth I'm permitted to obtain in this world is only for my benefit. I believe that any wealth and/or prosperity handed down to me by God is not for me to store away selfishly for my own ends, but is a literal obligation for me to share it with others, much like the sharing during the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish. God is not unfair. He's not going to bless me to the exclusion of everyone else. No, I believe that IF He chooses to bless me with a metaphorical "loaf" or piece of prosperity, then it is my firm obligation to pass that "loaf" or prosperity along, especially to those around me who are hungry or needy. I believe that only in this case would I be working to fulfill the will of God on this earth. I'm sorry Mr. Teacher of mine, I don't agree that it was "stupid" for someone in the crowd not to keep a piece of bread for himself/herself... I think the only stupid thing is believing that whatever prosperity you get by the grace of God is ONLY meant for you... I'm not saying I always succeed in my "mission" to share my blessings with others, but I shall endeavor to live the rest of my life with every intention, even should I fail, to never fail to try... :) God bless you all today!!! 

:)

The "problem" with women... ;)

For centuries, man has complained about not being able to understand women, leading to the birth of such phrases as, "Women are a problem no man can solve." I just had the thought, just now, that perhaps the problem is man views women as a "problem" that needs "solving" in the first place! smile emoticon

In my humble opinion, women don't need "solving" at all. Man has been trying to make sense of women because he wants a one-size-fits-all, easy cheat sheet on how to deal with women's concerns he either isn't really interested in or is just not motivated to worry about... and therein lies the problem... I'm just going out on a limb here, but I think most women would find the idea of man trying to "solve" them a bit condescending and/or insulting... As far as I'm concerned, all women are different and unique unto themselves. The reason you can't find a universal solution to women's issues is because we men all too often try to herd them all into an unrealistic panacea that just doesn't exist...

My personal take on it is that man has to treat each and every woman with respect and dignity; he should listen VERY carefully and attentively to each woman's specific, individual needs first THEN try to provide both the attention and sincere understanding she might need at that particular moment in time. You can't assume you can dismiss a woman's problems so quickly and negligently.... Pay attention, give it your FULL attention and deal with everything appropriately and promptly, with as much care and concern for her well-being as is warranted under the circumstances and I very much think there isn't much you'll not be able to handle, really... At least, that's my take on it... Women deserve attention, respect and sincere intention... but what do I know? After all, I'm just a man... wink emoticon