The DVD Diva

Star Wars - Dazzled Me in 1977, Still Dazzling Me Now

2009-10-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

When I was a young lass of 11, Star Wars was released to the world. Those of you who know me and have read my reviews probably are figuring that I am a sci-fi geek-ette anyway so of course I headed out to see it.

You are wrong.

For months my parents bribed, begged, cajoled and practically stood on their heads to get me to see this movie. I wouldn't budge. You see, a friend at school had told me it was a scary movie and I refused to see it. At 11 I already believed my friends more than my parents.

Finally round about the end of August it ended up at the $1.50 movie theater about a mile from my home. A friend and I finally walked down to see it.

And I went back the next six nights.

The Star Wars: Special Edition was released to theaters several years ago. George Lucas took the opportunity of the movie's 20th anniversary of release to jazz it up a bit.

On VHS, the movie includes a documentary of Lucas talking about the original film versus this version. It is interesting to hear him talk about all that he wanted to do back then, but was impossible from a technical aspect. The crew was already inventing technology to do things in this movie that had never been done before.

One part of the documentary showed how Lucas and crew created the scenes of the X-Wing and TIE Fighter battle around the Death Star. Using various pieces from the model kits of the time, Lucas created a huge set-up in a parking lot. He then put the camera on the back of a pick-up truck and drove by it to capture the illusion of space flight.

The documentary also includes interviews with other members of the crew, as well as Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford.

The movie itself in the Special Edition form has been tweaked as well as having scenes added to it. Lucas cleaned up the original print of the film which had deteriorated very badly at the point they went back to look at it. The scene as Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi look over Mos Eisley Spaceport has been jazzed up - ads well as their entrance into Mos Eisley. What looked like a hole-in-the-wall in the original film now looks like a fairly bustling place.

Lucas mentions his affinity for "whimsy" in the documentary, and I believe this is largely his motivation in the additions. There are more scenes that bring a smile or smirk to the face as we watch computer-generated creatures carry on in the background. This is why this movie is ripe for watching several times; there is always some nuance that you didn't catch the first time that will give you a chuckle.

Another scene that was greatly improved was the scene of the X-Wing fighters going into battle. We can now actually see the heads of the pilots in the cockpits as they make their way to attack the Death Star.

A scene of Han Solo with Jabba the Hut was filmed back in the seventies, but was deleted from the movie since Lucas couldn't figure out how to do what he wanted with the character of Jabba. It has now been added in, and gives some support to Jabba's relentless pursuit of Han Solo. It is also funny to watch Han walk around Jabba and step on his tail.

One scene that was revamped that I don't think needed it was the scene of Han Solo with Greedo in the Cantina. The point is made in the new film that Greedo shoots at Han first and misses, while in the original Han takes him out before he has a chance to get off a shot. Supposedly people objected to this, but I think the scene speaks to Han's instincts as a smuggler and as a not-so-nice guy at this point. He is a character we are supposed to see transform between the first film and the third film. The scene as it is in the Special Edition really weakens the character for me.

But Star Wars was, is, and always will be one of the greatest film I ever had the privilege to see. It is a classic story of good versus evil; of people rising up against an oppressive government; of how a farm boy on a desert planet can save the universe. The story is wonderfully simple and makes it easy for children of just about any age to comprehend.

This is one reason why this movie is one the whole family can enjoy. Because it is set in space with battles that are more fantasy than any reality we will know for many lifetimes, it is not a violent movie the way Die Hard or Terminator is. It is pure fantasy, and at the end of this one, the good guys win.

The Special Edition comes in widescreen format - and that's how I like my movies. I know Lucas is reluctant to release these three original movies on DVD, and I think it is because the DVD format is a much less forgiving one. The technology used to create the original movie was not computer generated imaging, but mostly models and bluescreen. This means in any scene not set in space, you will see a black outline around the ships. I have noticed this on quite a few of the DVDs of movies made before the age of CGI.

What Lucas has managed to clean up with the special edition probably isn't to his satisfaction to release the movies on DVD, but I hope one day he will. The music and THX sound from this deserves to be heard in theater-like quality. I would hope that people can understand just how ground-breaking this movie was, and look at it with a less critical eye and a more appreciative one.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Evenflo Manual Breast Pump: Why O Why Did I Buy This

2009-10-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I decided to try something different after having the leakage problems with the Gerber manual breast pump. The design on the Evenflo model was so totally different, I figured I wouldn't have a problem with leakage.

I was right.

But the Evenflo comes with a whole host of other problems.

The design is such that you push and pull the pump handle to create the suction. This action means you have to use two hands - one to hold the pump in place and the other to work it. There are also more parts involved which means putting it together is more complicated, and there is also more parts to lose, potentially. Cleaning also is more complicated due to the different parts.

It also does not work well. I was never able to get more than one ounce out of each breast at a pumping, no matter how long I kept at it. It would take less time to feed the baby then to pump out a few ounces.

One of the things I was looking for was convenience to pump while I was away from the baby. This was so hard to use, it actually made it less convenient to pump while away from my baby, leaving me engorged.

On the plus side, the horn swivels completely, making changing hands easy enough. It also comes with a nipple adapter for women who don't quite "fit" (since all of us are shaped a bit different) and a carrying case.

At only $15.99, I thought it was a bargain, but I only used it once and since breastpumps aren't returnable, I threw it away.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Evenflo Aura Travel System: From Infant to Toddler in Less Than A Second

2009-10-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I used our trip to Disney World this past February as an opportunity to scope out strollers for our baby due in June. I was looking for something that would last at least four years. We decimated two strollers with each of our two kids; they were not even in good enough condition to give away.

One night while waiting for the ferry from the Magic Kingdom, I saw a woman pushing this stroller. The wheels appeared to be sturdy (we broke the wheels off on one of our strollers), there was a large basket underneath for carrying objects, the handle could be pushed with one hand if necessary, and there was plenty of storage space for a drink, keys, a pacifier, etc. up on the handle. I struck up a conversation and she really recommended it to us. I was surprised to hear that there also was an infant seat with this stroller.

I had looked at stroller/infant carrier combos when my last child was born in 1995. At that time, the models available seemed very flimsy to me, so I was skeptical of this stroller combo.

I made a trip to K-Mart when they were having a sale on all Evenflo strollers. I was delightfully surprised when I got a chance to look at the floor model. The way the infant carrier latches onto the stroller is very sturdy. We bought it at the sale price of $139.

I've been using it for two months and this is by far the best of all the strollers I've had. The carrier goes from stroller to the base (which is left in the car) easily. There is only one place to unlatch it. The covers on the stroller and the carrier meet when the carrier is on the stroller, keeping baby completely shaded. The wheels are big and easily go over bumps and up curbs. It maneuvers and turns easily.

The only drawbacks are the handle of the carrier can be difficult to adjust. You have to press in on buttons on either side of the carrier, so you need both hands to do this. Collapsing the stroller can be difficult as well. While I can do the "push up and then push in" motion easy, my mother has tried numerous times with no success. Also, if you're carrying a soda or cup of water, watch out for bumps!

Originally posted at Epinions.com

At MyPoints.com Rewarding Yourself Has Never Been So Easy

2009-10-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I've been a member of Mypoints for a very long time now. It was actually BonusMail and MyPoints when I first signed up, then the two sites merged to form what is today MyPoints. If you don't set your sights too high, it's an easy way to earn a few things for free.

It is simple, you sign-up and they send you emails. Near the bottom of each email is a link that you can click on to visit the website advertised in the email. Usually you get 10 points for visiting the website. Quite often if you register at the website, or purchase something from the website, you can earn more points. The websites aren't garbage either, some of them I have signed up for I have actually found to be quite interesting and informative, such as Motley Fool.

When you visit the Mypoints website, there are other opportunities to earn points, such as buy purchasing from specified merchants, filling out surveys, or referring friends to Mypoints. Last year I had to buy something from a drugstore, and lo and behold, CVS Online was listed in the MyPoints directory. I earned 2 points per dollar spent there - over 300 points for that one purchase! Not bad considering it was something I had to buy and the CVS Online site was cheaper than my local drugstores.

If you're not expecting to earn huge prizes, you won't be disappointed here. In the more than 2 years I've participated, I've earned more than $200 in Target gift certificates (my favorite "reward") and I just received a $25 gift certificate for the Rainforest Cafe. I like that just fine! The certificates come very quickly in the mail - no long waits!

Unlike other programs such as this that I've visited, the "rewards" can be seen no matter how many points you have. This is good for making the decision whether to cash-out or not.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Kancamagus Highway Is A Great Day That Can Cost You Nothing

2009-10-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

My family has been going up to New Hampshire in the summer for close to 50 years. A don't miss for us is the Kancamagus Highway. This road travels over mountains through the White Mountain National Forest. There are quite a few scenic overlooks and places to park along the way. If you are a camper, there are also campgrounds here, though I hear that space is difficult to get.

Early in the day we pack a picnic lunch and drive up to Conway. Just before you arrive in town is the turn-off to Route 112 - the Kancamagus Highway. Our first stop is at a very busy parking area known as The Lower Falls. Through the trees it doesn't look like much, but this is a great area for swimming (even if the water is positively freezing). There is a deep pool with very little current at the base of the falls. At the top of the falls is an area where you can sit down and slide in the water on the wet rocks, then get out as the water becomes shallow before the falls.

Note: I do not recommend allowing children to play by themselves here, no matter how safe it seems. Conditions due vary due to conditions such as current rainfall and snowfall the previous winter. I have been there when it was closed off and no swimming was allowed!!

This area attracts quite a few visitors, so if you want to stop and swim, you need to get here early!

Back on the highway, you travel higher and higher into the mountains. There are short hiking trails & scenic overlooks along your way. We've stopped at all of them at one time or another. They make a great spot to picnic or just spend some time enjoying the beauty around you. For the serious hikers, there are an abundance of great hiking trails through the mountains.

Just as you hit the middle part of your journey between Conway and Lincoln (the town on the western side of the Highway), there is the most beautiful view of the mountains. I have always wanted to see this spot in the fall. It is so beautiful in the summer that I can just imagine its beauty in the fall with all of the colors around you.

At the western end of the highway just before you enter Lincoln is Loon Mountain. This is the one part of your day that can end up costing money, so if you're not inclined, don't stop here! There is a tramway that goes up the mountain and caves you can wander in and around at the top. There is also horseback riding, a train ride, mountain biking (rentals & tours are available), and a skate park for those into in-line skating. During the winter, this is a major ski area.

Keep in mind that the only way back to Conway is back the way you came, so if you are staying there, you'll have to drive back. The road is very dark at night and wildlife abounds.

You can pick up a free guide map/brochure in just about any tourist attraction in the area, or you can order a complete tourist guide to New Hampshire by visiting the website: http://www.visitnh.gov/

Originally posted at Epinions.com

The Beatles in Yellow Submarine: You're A Blue Meanie!!!

2009-10-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

That was always one of my favorite things to say to my kids. They never understood what I meant.

I was so ecstatic when Yellow Submarine was released on DVD. I pre-ordered it so that it arrived on the day it was to be released in stores. I couldn't wait to sit down and watch it with my kids.

As the movie began, I got lost in remembering my childhood - a time before VCRs when I would wait anxiously for this to be shown on a Sunday afternoon.

The animation was better than I remembered, thanks to it being digitized. The images were wonderful reminders of a time when the pop-art of Andy Warhol dominated the landscape. The bright colors and deep contrasts aren't seen in the current "realistic" animation of Disney. Birds have long beaks which look like horns, flowers are all sorts of different colors and shapes, butterflies are brightly striped. Even the Lord Mayor's quartet is made up of men with bright pink complexions. There is no desire for the characters to seem lifelike. The only exception is The Beatles, and even they are quite obviously cartoons of themselves.

The music is incredible. I had grown tired of hearing the Beatles overplayed on the radio, but this refreshed all of their songs for me. Eleanor Rigby takes on a new meaning here, with a visual sequence I can't believe was done before the advent of computerized animation.

Suitable for any age

It was nice to be able to sit down and watch what I considered an "adult" movie with my kids without having to worry about what was said or shown. I enjoyed seeing this for the first time in years, finally "getting" a lot of the cliches which had previously gone right over my head. My kids enjoyed the colors and imagery, and the basic story of good Beatles vs. Blue Meanies.

So now when I call them a "Blue Meanie" they know what I'm talking about.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Snappy Does Not Make Me Happy

2009-10-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I confess, I'm a General Hospital junkie. What does that have to do with this? It's what led me to purchase a Snappy.

In my egroups, a few of the other listers have these little devices that they use primarily to create pictures or screen caps from the television. The quality of the pictures looked good from what I'd seen, and I figured I could use it off of my video camera and get decent pictures as well as .avi files.

I went to outpost.com - it's my usual site for ordering various computer products. There were two versions: one with the regular software for $129.95 and one with Adobe Photodeluxe for $149.95. I had been thinking about ordering Adobe anyway, so I opted for the more expensive version.

When it arrived at the house, on the outside of the box it said it contained Adobe Photodeluxe 4.0. Great! I unpacked the unit and began to read the installation instructions.

That's when the problems began.

The Snappy works off of a dedicated parallel port, which means you have 4 options of how to configure your system:

1) You'll need to have any printers and/or scanners on your system connected through a serial port

2) You'll need to disconnect the printer and/or scanner every time you want to use the Snappy.

3) You'll need to purchase a "switch box", although a lot of laser printers don't like this and if you have the printer and scanner connected in tandem, they might not work off of a switch box.

4) You'll have to purchase and install another parallel port for the computer.

Just to get started, I disconnected the printer, but I intended to go with option #4.

While I found the instructions for plugging in the hardware to be more entertaining than your average hardware installation guide, it didn't really explain how to install it. A novice would not be helped at all by these instructions. It tells you to connect the Snappy to the parallel port, but there are two video connections on the side, one called Video In and the other Video thru. No explanation is given for the difference between these outlets. There are also no instructions for where to plug it in on your devices. I knew enough to put it in the Video Out jack on the back of my Cable Box, VCR or DVD Player.

The wire they give you to connect between the video source and the Snappy isn't that long, so I had to make a trip to Radio Shack before I used it to get a longer video cable to hook up to my TV & VCR. If I want to get a sound connection as well, you again have to hook up cables and the ones they include aren't that long.

The Snappy software installed easy and works easy. There is a preview pane where you can view exactly what is being displayed on your source. I clicked Snap and took my first picture.

There is a place to change the resolution, but on my trial run I left it on the default setting. I was impressed. From a video source, the picture was not at all muddy or had any lines through it. I was impressed. I tried it a few more times, always with a great result. The program loads easily and is easy to operate with a basic menu that allows you to create & edit movies, slide shows & pictures.

So now I wanted to have fun with Adobe Photodeluxe. The CD's are in a folded case. The outside of the case says: Adobe Photodeluxe 4.0 I pull out the disc - Adobe Photodeluxe 3.0! What's this? I flip through all of the literature that was included and I found a coupon for a free upgrade to 4.0, but it expired in June 2000. On the box it says that it includes version 4.0 and the CD indicates it should be version 4.0, but that's not what they send you.

I tried to reach customer service, but their phone only rings and rings. I have emailed them, but have so far received no response. Outpost.com's answer was to send it back for a refund, but that's not what I wanted. I wanted the 4.0 software.

So while I am happy with the pictures and the quality, I am not happy about getting a misrepresented product.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Ground Control: The Cast Deserved Better

2009-10-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I worked for nine years in air freight at Kennedy Airport. During that time, I heard a lot of stories about a lot of things. Which is why, when I picked up the latest Kiefer Sutherland flick when it was at Blockbuster, I felt completely unnerved.

Ground Control is the story of Air Traffic Controller Jack Harris (Sutherland). During a dark and stormy night, a plane he is trying to route into the airport crashes. Overwhelmed with guilt over the 174 deaths, he quits his job and moves to Phoenix where he drinks a lot and designs software. Did I mention his wife and kid left him too?

So if this sounds like a cliche so far, it could be. What bolsters this movie is everything that happens from this point on. Robert Sean Leonard is masterful as Cruise, the cheif controller at the Phoenix airport. He is trying again and again to get Jack out of the funk he is in and urges him time and again to come and help out. Jack resists all along until New Year's Eve comes around and Cruise finds himself working with a minimal crew and a storm is brewing.

There is a great supporting cast of controllers at the airport, and a great many familiar faces including Kelly McGillis, Margaret Cho, Michael Gross, Charles Fleischer, Farrah Forke, and Michael Gross. However, Henry Winkler manages to steal every scene he is in and it's a shame they didn't use him more.

Winkler portrays John Quinn who is trying to keep the computers and radar in the control tower operating even though they are antiques. Getting parts is nearly impossible. Anyone who hasn't worked in the industry probably doesn't realize just how close to the truth this is. I know when I was still working at the airport (a bit more than 5 years ago) they had an air traffic control system that was over thirty years old then. There was always talk of upgrading and changing, but there were logistical problems with getting one system online and taking down another. Whether that situation was ever resolved, I don't know, but this was not isolated to just one airport.

Knowing this, I would say that Robert Moreland and Talaat Captan, the writers, probably knew someone in the industry, because it is way to close to how the situation was in the early to mid nineties.

That said, the movie did not make good use of the supporting cast. The picture runs about 90 minutes, and I have to wonder if a lot was cut from it that would've bolstered this in the needed places.

Though it's rated PG-13, the only real problem would be that your kids could come away with a fear of flying. There is great suspense as to whether or not Jack will be able to hold it together throughout the night, as well as if he will come through when he is needed most.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers - A Great Swashbuckling Adventure

2009-10-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

After having watched the movie by the same name, I was prompted to pick up this classic and actually read it. I also hunted around a bit for the background on the novel.

Dumas was known more during his time for writing plays than novels. The Three Musketeers was originally published in newspapers as a serial and considered "trashy" during its time. The fact that Dumas was such a prolific writer of swashbuckling adventures probably led to this opinion of him, much the same way people feel about authors such as Stephen King and Dean Koontz now (S.K. I definitely feel will be regarded as a classic writer some day.)

I never had the opportunity to read it in a classroom setting. That is both good and bad. Good in that I didn't approach this novel with the avarice I occasionally had for a novel I was forced to read. Bad because I am sure there are hundred of little nuances in the story that I would've benefitted from having them pointed out to me.

Knowing, however, that this was originally a serial explains a lot of the novel. At times it seems to repeat itself, while at others it seems to become an entirely different story.

The story takes place in the early 1600's in France during the reign of King Louis XIII. D'Artagnan and his quest to be a Musketeer are the main point of the novel. The Musketeers are the highly-regarded defenders of the King and Queen. Much of this story centers around the Musketeers defending the Queen from the evil Cardinal Richelieu. Along the way there are a wide variety of side-stories and adventures that take place.

Athos, Aramis, and Porthos are The Three Musketeers. They are each such distinctly different characters who have but the single bond of being Musketeers and loyal to the nobility that hold them together. They answer only to the King himself, as well as the Captain of the Musketeers, Mr. Treville.

During the course of the novel, the Musketeers encounter love, intrigue, betrayal, and murder. The purely evil and mysterious character of Milady is another foe they must face. Her treachery to King, country and her fellow man will undoubtedly bring her down eventually, but how much damage will she do along the way?

The novel is an excellent introduction to classic literature for anyone due to the adventure and intrigue. Anyone age twelve and over should be capable of reading it. However, I think to have a deeper appreciation of the novel someone would have to be a bit older. Reading it in a classroom setting if you can avoid the feeling of being forced to read it would probably be great, and I would like to read it again as part of a study program.

The Three Musketeers is available for free on the web since it is public domain. However, at more than 600 pages in the paperback version I bought, you'd probably end up going through a good bit of toner should you want to print it out. It is also available in ebook form. Be sure to read the unabridged version should you decide to check out this exciting novel. The abridged versions of this book (or just about any book, for that matter) tend to leave out little facts that build up certain characters

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Deni Scoop Factory Review: Home-Made Ice Cream Can Be Easy

2009-10-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I can remember growing up making home-made ice cream. Rock salt, crushed ice... you get the picture. It was not an easy thing to do. The ice cream was delicious, but it was a lot of work.

When I first heard about ice cream makers that didn't use salt or ice, I was a skeptic. They couldn't possibly work, and if they did, not nearly as well as the old-fashioned way. To make real home-made ice cream required work... pain... suffering...

One day I was at Target armed with a $50 certificate I'd gotten from Mypoints. I came across the Deni Scoop Factory ice cream maker and was tempted. I figured what the heck. If it didn't work I hadn't paid for it really anyway.

There are only four parts to this ice cream maker: the motorized base, the stir paddle, a lid, and the canister. The canister needs to be placed in the freezer for a minimum of 24 hours before using. Armed with the recipe for vanilla ice cream which came in the directions, I went at it.

First mistake. I tried putting the ice cream mixture in the canister before turning the unit on. When frozen and just out of the freezer, the canister is cold enough that the mix began freezing right away and the paddle couldn't turn. The mixture had frozen to the sides.

Okay, I cleaned everything up, scooped out the remaining mixture which hadn't frozen and put that in the refrigerator, cleaned everything up, and re-froze the canister.

When I tried it again, I made sure to assemble the Deni Scoop Factory and turn it on. I then added the ice cream mixture through the hole in the lid.

For my first try, the ice cream did not turn out bad at all. It only took about a half hour, and the ice cream was done. I had screwed up a bit, but the ice cream was smooth, not the least bit grainy, and delicious.

The second time I tried it, the mixture ended up coming out a bit soupy. The difference was that after my disastrous first attempt, I had placed the ice cream mix in the refrigerator. This time I'd just mixed it and added it. The ice cream comes out much better if the mixture is refrigerated for an hour or two before you actually use the Deni Scoop Factory.

Any extras added to the ice cream can be added just before the ice cream is done. The hole in the top of the lid makes this easy. The main drawback is that the Deni Scoop Factory will only make about a quart of ice cream, which for some reason tends to disappear very quickly ;-) You may have to adjust other recipes you have to fit this machine.

Clean up is relatively simple compared to the old way of making ice cream. The lid and stir paddle can both go in the dishwasher. The base can be wiped off with a damp cloth. The hardest part of cleaning up is the canister. Even after being out for a half-hour to make the ice cream, the canister was still cold enough that even when I rinsed it with hot water, the water began freezing to the sides. I tried using a towel, sponge or paper towels, and they all began to freeze to the sides as well. I finally ended up leaving it out for a few hours to defrost enough that I could clean it without everything freezing to it.

A big bonus for us is the ability to use this unit to make frozen drinks. We've used it for margaritas and TGI Friday's Mudslides. The Mudslides come out as good as the ones from the restaurants.

My favorite recipe for Chocolate Ice Cream:

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Gradually whisk in the cocoa and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. (The chocolate may seize or clump together. Don't worry, the milk will dissolve it.) Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended. Remove from heat and let cool.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and vanilla and whisk to blend.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours until cold.

Pour the mixture into the Deni Scoop Factory and freeze for 1/2 hour.

Just before the ice cream is done, you can add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, bananas, nuts, or crushed Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. To make chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream, before pouring the mixture into the Deni Scoop Factory take 1 cup of the chocolate mixture and mix with 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter. Add this just before ice cream is done so the peanut butter mixture gets swirled through but not completely blended.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Horatio Hornblower The Duel: This Is Not A Commercial For The British Navy

2009-10-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

Horatio Hornblower: The Duel is the first of a series of four specials that were aired on the A & E Network last year. A four-hour two-part sequel was aired about a month ago, and there are plans to continue the stories.

These stories are adapted from the novels by C.S. Forester. After having my interest piqued with the films, I plan on purchasing the books to read the original novels, as I understand that there are some differences in them. This film was not based on a whole novel, but rather a small part of just one of the novels.

That said, there are not words that can do these pictures justice. It is 100 minutes of compelling, captivating storytelling.

Horatio Hornblower is a 17 year old midshipman in the British Navy in 1793 - just prior to England and France declaring war during the French Revolution. He is initially assigned to the ship Justinian where he encounters a sadistic Senior Midshipman named Simpson who bullies and terrorizes his fellow midshipmen. He finds out their weaknesses (Horatio's is that he is afraid of heights) and uses it against them. Horatio is the first to stand up to him by challenging him to a duel after Simpson accuses him of cheating at cards. One of the other Midshipmen, Clayton deliberately takes Horatio's place and ends up dying without slaying the evil Simpson.

Horatio and several other of the crew are then transferred to the Indefatigable, a frigate under the command of Captain Pellew, after the start of the war. They end up encountering Simpson again as the picture reaches a climactic conclusion.

The story pulls no punches depicting what life was like in the British Navy. It is not romanticized as was done with many films. Horrible conditions prevail, from rat-infested ships to the crew conditions to the treatment received at the hands of senior officers.

Still, the picture is a beautiful one to watch. The music accompanying the picture is perfectly times and adds much to the picture. The costumes are well-done and succeed in taking me back to that time in history. The cinematography was absolutely beautiful. I took note of the way the light would cast the shadows on Ioan Gruffudd's face while he was in the sunlight on deck.

Truth is, Gruffudd makes this movie. He is an incredible actor as well as being easy on the eyes. This part seems to have been written just for him and after having viewed six of the Horatio Hornblower films, I cannot imagine anyone else in this role. He does not appear to be seventeen at the beginning of this picture as he is supposed to be, but I can forgive the inaccuracy.

It is very obvious the producers of this movie took great pains to make this as historically accurate as possible. One thing that was brought up on the Internet when they talked about this film was the historical inaccuracy in regard to the cannon recoil. This was corrected in the more recent pictures.

If there is one major drawback to this film it is the violence. However, it is not the least bit gratuitous. The violence is there because this is a film about a time that was quite violent; it is not there just for the sake of being there or trying to "jazz up" the film a bit more. I have less qualms about my kids watching this than I would have a lot of other movies.

It is hard to believe that this was a television movie. In my opinion, it would have held up in theaters. I'm glad they're continuing the series and I hope they will release them all on DVD. The digital picture is crisp and the soundtrack coming through the stereo is as good as many DVDs of movies released theatrically.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Dean Koontz' From the Corner of His Eye: The Apostle Who?

2009-10-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

WOW!

That's all I could think last night when I finally finished reading this book, Dean Koontz latest.

This story is based on the premise of the Apostle Bartholomew. He is not one of the more well-known of Jesus' apostles, but that is what makes his story more compelling. You see, we never know how our lives affect one another and intertwine together.

We've seen the premise before, most notably in the movie It's A Wonderful Life and Koontz touches on it briefly in his previous book Lightning. Here we see how on one day a woman is murdered and two children are born whose futures are intertwined with the murderer.

As usual, Koontz strict attention to every detail helps us feel as if we are their, walking along, watching every scene as it takes place. The depiction of the killer's apartment, as well as the detail in the events that lead up to each murder, keep you hanging on, wanting to read just one more page when it is already past midnight.

We have seen some of these characters before, in other books: the crazy murdered who is wealthy, cunning and powerful. On the other side are the people who are devoutly good and who suffer tremendous loss and burdens in their lives only to come out stronger than before. If there is one weakness in Koontz writing it is the relying on these same types of characters again and again. However, each one is different in their own distinct way, and his writing is so amazing that I still want to keep reading.

Barty is a young prodigy, being raised by his widowed mother and two uncles who are fixated on train crashes and natural disasters. Angel is born the product of a rape, and is raised by her aunt after her mother dies in childbirth. Enoch Cain Jr. is a crazy man who thinks every woman in the world worships the ground he walks on, and becomes fixated on "Bartholomew". He misunderstands who Bartholomew is, and becomes fixated on him as the cause of everything wrong with his life.

The difference in this book is how Koontz manages to bring in religion to intertwine with quantum physics. How many branches are there in our lives? How many times do we make decisions and say "What if I had done something else instead?" How many different possibilities are there in someone's life? Koontz does a wonderful job bringing everything together. Barty tells his mother of worlds that are different from the life he has here; worlds he can feel.

Every character in this had a purpose, no matter how small. Halfway through, it seems disjointed, as if the reader is all over the place. A short time later, it pulls together and we see how everyone's lives intersect.

You won't be able to put it down!

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Kindred Spirits in The Breakfast Club

2009-10-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

All right, which one did you think was you? Can you admit it? I don't think anyone who watched this movie - especially if you were a teen in the 80's - could come away from it without seeing a little bit of themselves in it.

John Hughes has an amazingly dead-on knowledge of what high-school cliques are about and he depicts it here. Five students are thrown together for all-day Saturday detention in the school's library. There's the princess, the jock, the geek, the burn-out and the nut-case.

But is that all there is in high school? Weren't there some people that crossed lines or went into two categories?

And that is the one main problem with the movie. The characters are so boxed in to their little part of the world that there is no point where the lines between them are blurred. I knew jocks who were also borderline geeks, geeks who were borderline nut-cases, and so on. I never saw it so rigid that there was no interaction between the cliques as he seems to depict in this movie.

But it is nice to dream about what being locked together for an entire day could do to a group of high school students. Could they learn and grow from each other? Hughes seems to think so.

The movie is also entertaining, with snippets that are as funny as they are poignant.

The day is presented realistically, and taken for what it is: one day. None of them knows what the future holds, and the movie ends without the promise of continued friendship. What it does end with is a nice slap at the principal of the school in the form of an essay about Who Do We Think We Are. In essence, it doesn't matter who they think they are, he will just slap his neat and tidy little label on them and deal with them in that stereotype.

This is a part that I thought he depicted quite accurately: the principal. I know in my school there were very caring teachers, but many of the teachers and administration were just going through the motions. They were either burned-out, merely looking to further their careers, or had gone into teaching for all the wrong reasons. The principal depicted here is obviously biding his time until some administration job opens up.

Oh, and I was the geek :-)

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Expedia Hotels: Thank the Internet Gods for Expedia

2009-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

Anyone who knows my family, knows we're die-hard Disney nuts. I swore up and down I would never stay anywhere but on-property when we visited Disney World.

But then my son (our 3rd child) was born...

Suddenly, the cheapest I could find on Disney property for 5 people was $279 a night. I didn't feel like paying $2,000 for our vacation before I even added the park admissions and eating.

Having used Expedia before to check out rates & availability at Disney hotels (they are listed here if you search for them), I decided to use the service to check out the rates of nearby suites.

The site is easy to navigate. When you first come to www.expedia.com, you can select from flights, hotels, cars, packages & cruises. You can search just by the destination city & dates of travel, or you can get more specific, stating how close you want to be to a certain attraction, what rating class (1 through 5 stars) you would like, and what amenities you desire.

I brought up hotels containing "suite" within 5 miles of Walt Disney World. I had quite a selection to choose from. Clicking on the hotels brings up the details on each - what is included and available at the hotel, pool, jacuzzi, play area, and (in our case) how close to Disney World.

I then went to another site to check out personal accounts of these hotels. We decided on Homewood Suites. The rate for a suite for 5 people was $109 per night and includes a full kitchen and a continental breakfast every morning. The hotel was only a mile from Disney World. Staying here was going to save me $1,700 over staying on Disney property. This had to be paid for completely in advance, but I was delighted at the savings. My credit card was charged correctly.

Next we decided that instead of driving up during the day from our timeshare in South Florida, we wanted to drive up late the night before our accommodations at Homewood were to begin. I checked around, only looking for the cheapest, most basic hotel we could find, and got a rate of $52 for a night at the Howard Johnson Maingate Resort. In this case, my credit card was not charged until we check in, I only had to use it for a guarantee.

The only problem I found is in my reservation at the Howard Johnson's, it states that extra charges may apply for the children since the room quote is for 2 adults. I won't know until we check-in.

In both of these cases, I had checked other websites, and none had lower rates for these hotels than Expedia.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Lowestfare.com: How Low Can You Go???

2009-10-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

In December of 1999, I convinced my husband that we needed one last vacation alone without the kids (no way could we leave 3 kids with anyone, 2 was bad enough!) I began checking around on the Internet at the various travel sites. I tried Expedia, Travelocity, and CheapestSeats. None of them offered me a better deal that LowestFare.

It was so easy to shop here. On the first screen I came to, I simply keyed in our travel dates, MCO (Orlando) as our destination, and NYC as where we were traveling from. This gave me a wide variety of airfares from all of the metropolitan New York airports. I finally got an airfare of $160 each round trip on TWA out of Kennedy Airport. I was pleased because the New York-Orlando route is a very heavily traveled one and it can be hard to find discounted airfares.

This was my first time ever using an e-ticket, and I was nervous about getting to the airport and finding nothing waiting for me, but everything was fine.

This December, I wanted to join a group of friends in Orlando accompanied by my daughter. Once again, I did not limit myself to just this site, but priced out the other travel sites as well. Since I started looking in September, I had more time to look for low airfares. After a few weeks, all the airlines seemed to briefly drop their prices. Nowhere were the prices as cheap as on this site. I snagged two round-trip tickets for $290 on Metrojet our of LaGuardia Airport.

Hate Cablevision, Love Optimum Online

2009-10-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I've been on the Internet a long time. Back when it was just bbs and a lot of college computers. No graphics to speak of, just green text scrolling on my monochrome monitor.

I've seen a lot come and go. I've also usually been dragged kicking and screaming into the latest innovations. Took me until 1996 to finally go over to Windows from DOS (and I'm still not a big fan).

But last year I had finally given up with the dial-up connections. Not only did downloads take forever, but I kept getting disconnected. I had seen Optimum Online at my PTA co-President's house, but I hate Cablevision, so I wasn't really interested.

Cablevision is the company that has supplied Cable-TV service to Long Island for more than two decades. I have had nothing but trouble with them. One time when they switched off my service after a check was lost in the mail (no, really) I told them to just forget it and cancel the account and I'd get a dish. It was only then that they somehow managed to get my service restored before the next day (*magic*)!

After my debacle with Verizon trying to get DSL for more than two months (see review Verizon Online DSL ) I got fed up one day and went over to my local Cablevision store. They have all the equipment to get online with the Optimum Online service.

In short order, I was given a free 3Com cable modem, a splitter switch, and a length of coaxial cable. Since there is also a Cablevision Customer Service Desk in the store, the order was put through there as well. Normally, the service is $39.95 per month. If you are a customer of the Cablevision Cable TV Service, you will get a $10 per month discount. In exchange, I am indentured to them for the next two years.

I was advised to put the splitter as the first one in the line rather than after one or more other splitters if we had more than one television hooked up. That meant a trip up to the attic. My husband took care of this later on, but when I got home, I merely hooked it up from the cable that went into my television. Since I already had installed a Network Card and had the wire from my unsuccessful attempt at DSL, I didn't have to do anything to my computer.

In just two short hours, the technician came out and removed a filter from the pole which enabled me to get online with Optimum Online.

There were also two software discs that installed the Instant Access software. Once done, I opened up my browsers and registered my email.

I am glad I got this before Napster was shut down. Trying to grab music files over a dial-up connection was way too slow. I get all my email and newsgroups updated in a flash. Web pages I do for people upload with speed I had never seen before in a dial-up connection. Even my software updates such as Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers download in a few minutes rather than two hours or more.

I love being able to watch video on my computer and the connection is great for that. Some people complain that a problem with Optimum Online, and cable modems in general, is that when many users are on they slow down. That may be true, but so far I have not seen it.

One thing that you need with Optimum Online is a good firewall since your computer is connected to the Internet as soon as you turn it on - even if you do not have a browser window opened. I use BlackIce Defender and haven't had any problems with hacking.

When there's no problems Optimum Online is great. Their customer service is still Cablevision's, so it stinks. At one point I was getting a lot of error messages, especially on my emails. It turned out they were going through a server upgrade, but instead of just telling me that, I had to spend more than an hour going through shutdowns and a whole host of other things over the telephone before I found out about the servers. To be fair, I don't know if the technician on the phone initially had this information to give me, but you'd think they would know since there would probably be quite a few calls about this.

One night all of Long Island was down for about 3 hours and all I would get is "the technicians are working on it". I know the routine when I call them and always unplug my modem and re-boot the computer before I call them since that's the first thing they always ask me to do.

When our Cable-TV goes out, I know my Internet will be out as well. So there's nothing to do!!! That's when I have to hit my bookcase again.

Unlike many dial-up ISP's, Optimum Online does not give you free web-site hosting. I had to move everything over to Geocities and Homestead.

When my two year contract is over, I will re-evaluate then and decide what I m going to do. In the meantime, I am very satisfied with Optimum Online.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Graco Open Top Swing: The Third Time's a Charm - For Swings

2009-10-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I've had 3 kids - and 3 different swings. My first one was a crank model. If my daughter fell asleep and I had to wind it up again, the mechanism was so loud that it often woke her up. My second swing was battery powered. I had no real complaints about it at the time, but I gave it away when we thought we weren't going to have any more kids. So in March, with my third child due to arrive in June, I went swing shopping. I settled on the Graco Gentle Choice 6 speed swing.

The design is two U-shaped legs in the front and back with the actual swing being operated by the motor housing at the apex of the legs. There is no bar across the top - the swing attaches at the sides and the controls are four buttons on the right-hand side. Putting it together was a chore. I needed a lot of space to spread it out on the floor. It took about 30 minutes to get it together. Then, once we made sure it worked, we waited for a baby to use it :-)

One of the pros we found over our old swing was not having the bar across the top. Whenever we took our other kids out of the swing, we'd inevitably bang their head into this bar. Without the bar there, getting the baby in and out is a breeze. The tray lifts up, but doesn't really stay up by itself which is the only difficult part. Usually I pull the swing forward a little so one of the legs holds the tray up while I put the baby in. The tray also has two "toys" on it: one is a pinwheel and the other is a mirror.

Having six speeds is nice. At first I kept it at the lowest speed. As he's gotten older I moved it up to the next speed and at times I try it a little higher. When he goes to sleep, I put it back down to a gently swing again.

There is a timer on the swing if you want it to stop completely or if you think you'll forget to turn it off. Also, it plays music at various volumes, but we haven't found this to be really necessary. The padding is easily removed for washing, and goes back on just as easy.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Staying in Style at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort

2009-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

On our last visit to Disney World, we did something called "resort-hopping" where you split your stay between two or more resorts. The second half of our stay was at the Wilderness Lodge. This resort is in the lower price range of the deluxe resorts at Disney World. We received an annual pass rate of $579 for 3 nights. Since this was the last time we'd be staying at Disney with only 2 kids and most of the rooms have a maximum occupancy of 4, we thought we'd better give it a shot now.

Walking into the lobby I was amazed. There are totem poles and a giant stone fireplace. Two restaurants are present just off the lobby, Whispering Canyon and Artist Point. Artist Point offers a Winnie-the-Pooh character breakfast, while there's good fun to be had at Whispering Canyon (just ask for ketchup and see what happens). There is also a cafeteria-style restaurant where you can purchase a refillable mug and get free beverages for the rest of your trip. During our trip there was a lot of construction going on in this area, so I don't know if we got a fair sampling of the food, but it seemed to be somewhat lacking.

The rooms themselves are mainly in two wings. We asked for and received a room on the 5th floor overlooking the Magic Kingdom. The plus was having a view of the Castle and viewing the fireworks at night through the trees. The minus is that this overlooks the smokehouse for the restaurant and a delivery area. Some people have said they found it noisy, but we didn't notice any outside noise. The 5th floor balconies have a railing, while the 6th floor has decorative boards, making it harder for little ones to get a view and tempting them to climb up to get one.

The room was nicely decorated and clean. The double sink is outside of the bathroom and has plenty of counter space. There was also quite a bit of closet space. One of the amenities the deluxe resorts have over moderates is a full room service instead of pizza delivery, Though we never used it, the menu was very tempting and would've been nice for a late-night snack after a day of touring the parks. Another amenity is the "Cubs Den" where your children can go for fun at night while the parents get a night out to themselves. We don't like to leave our kids on vacation, but I have heard from a lot of people that their kids look forward to spending this time away from Mom and Dad.

But what we loved best about the Wilderness Lodge was the pool area. Water runs out of the lobby and down through a waterfall and a "brook" into the pool. There is a slide that my 9 year old couldn't get enough of. Even in the cool early March nights, the two of them would ask to go to the pool after a day in the parks. There is also a wading pool for little swimmers and two hot tubs. In keeping with the Northwest theme, a geyser goes off every hour. All of this area offers a clear view of Bay Lake. Our daughters had their hair "wrapped" poolside at a cost of about $60 for the two of them. If you can get out of doing this , it's a good idea. We started the tradition one year and now they look forward to it.

The Magic Kingdom is just a short boat ride away from Wilderness Lodge. There is also a marina, and you can watch the water pageant on the beach every night. This resort is so interesting that Disney offers tours. Inquire at guest services if you are interested. This is one of the resorts I would love to stay at again if I had the money cause we enjoyed it so much.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Would Anyone Succumb to The Right Temptation?

2009-10-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I hadn't heard about this film when I sent for it from netflix. I just knew that my heartthrob, Kiefer Sutherland was in it and I hadn't seen it yet.

There was a sweet surprise waiting for me in this film. I found myself glued to my seat, knowing that there was more going on than was being revealed, but not quite sure of what twists the plot would take next.

Rebecca DeMornay portrays Derian, a former cop turned private detective. She is hired by Anthea (portrayed by Dana Delaney) to follow her wealthy & workaholic husband Michael (Sutherland) who she believes is having an affair.

We learn through flashbacks that Derian left the force after becoming a bit too close to one of the suspects in an undercover sting and then watched him get shot. When she reports back to Anthea that Michael is not having an affair, Anthea then wants Derian to tempt Michael and see if he would - if The Right Temptation was placed in front of him.

I have trouble believing that the character of Derian would be as stupid as she is, not once but twice. If she really was as good of a cop as her friend on the squad, Falco tries to paint her, she wouldn't have gotten involved with the suspect the first time. She also, as a quality private detective, would not have gotten involved with her client's husband.

All that aside, this is a decent suspenseful film. There are plot twists galore once Derian falls for Michael. Neither he nor his wife are what they seem, and I really wasn't sure until almost the end exactly what was going on. Is he a husband who is the victim of an overly-jealous wife? Is she being betrayed and emotionally beaten down by a control-freak husband? Is Anthea the one having an affair and wants out of her marriage?

The actors do a superb job with what has been thrown at them here, rising above the unbelievable plot points. I found this to be one of DeMornay's better performances, even if I had problems with the character. Dana Delaney portrays Anthea perfectly cold-hearted and calculating. Sutherland's portrayal of Michael is great because he keeps us guessing, never giving away through his body language or expressions what's really going on.

I don't want to write too much of the plot since I want the surprises to remain should you decide to rent it. The movie is rated R for violence, sexuality and language. While I didn't find the violence to be all that bad, the sexual situations were pretty intense.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Amistad: The History We Were Never Taught

2009-10-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

I have to admit that my greatest emotion after having seen this movie was anger... Anger that I never learned of this incident throughout my school years. Despite being and Advanced Placement student, not one of my courses ever touched on the La Amistad incident.

One could suppose that in the annals of history, the La Amistad incident was not a direct cause to the Civil War, as such things as The Dred Scott Decision and The Missouri Compromise are deemed to be. Still, it was a very important even in American History that had to so with the issue of slavery.

The question I keep asking myself is why wasn't this taught?

The answer is that I just don't know.

La Amistad is the name of a Spanish ship that was illegally bringing captured Africans to Cuba in 1839 to be sold into slavery. Before arriving in Cuba, the slaves stage an uprising and take over the vessel, intending to return to Africa.

The cinematography that begins this movie is magnificent and brilliant. We see an enslaved man in the shadows escaping his bonds and helping others do the same as it is raining and dark. The shadows played brilliantly on the screen and gave the whole uprising an even more chilling effect.

The ship manages to land off the coast of Long Island and the slaves are then taken into bondage once again. Now the legal maneuvering begins between the 11 year-old Spanish Queen, Isabella, the ship which captures the slaves and tries to claim them as proceeds, the two remaining crewmen of La Amistad, and the abolitionists who seem to want them freed.

Sengbe (portrayed excellently by Djimon Hounsou) emerges as the leader of the captured slaves. I have to say I actually enjoyed the use of subtitles in this movie and am glad they did not have him speak English. In fact, the first scene where Sengbe and the lawyer, Roger Baldwin (portrayed by Matthew McConaughey) are trying to communicate has to be one of the funniest uses of subtitles I've seen.

As serious as this movie is, it does have it's lighter moments. Seeing how the various Africans divided up their prison into different "lands" and then move Roger around between them was another bit of humor.

Watching Sengbe try to understand the intricacies of the American judicial system as well as the diplomatic relations at stake was enlightening. His symbolism in the story of how he killed the lion applied the same here; only the lion he had to slay was the American courts.

The first judge is removed from the case. A new judge who is Roman Catholic (so supposedly more in line with Spain's position) and young with his whole career ahead of him is put in place. This is President Van Buren trying to manipulate the outcome of the verdict. The judge, however, after praying over the case commits political suicide and finds for the Africans and orders them to be returned to their country.

I found this point of the movie to be very good as a Christian. How many of the supposedly religious people who lead our country would commit political suicide to do something they feel is morally correct? I'd venture a guess not many... The symbolism as the Africans attempted to interpret the bible through pictures was not lost on me either and I thought it added another great dimension to the story.

The next bit of maneuvering brings the case before the Supreme Court with seven of the nine sitting judges being Southern Plantation owners. At the behest of Baldwin, John Quincy Adams (portrayed magnificently by Anthony Hopkins) gives a rambling argument before the judges.

This is an important movie for students to see, even if it is a bit disturbing at times. There can be a great deal of discussion generated, both from a human aspect and a legal one. I found the scenes depicting the Africans' capture and transport aboard the ships to be quite disturbing - even more than I remember Roots scenes being when I first saw them. This part is told by Sengbe (given the name Joseph Cinque by his captors) in flashback and is quite effective. Watching a woman die while giving birth after being captured, then another woman throw herself and the baby overboard while watching the punishment of other slaves left a knot in my stomach, as did the scene of slaves being thrown overboard to drown when the crew realizes it has miscalculated their provisions.

The other side of the coin is that the abolitionists are no saints either. They are looking at the situation as a way to further their cause, not as thirty nine human beings whose lives are at stake. At one point there is a suggestion of martyrdom, although the Africans have no knowledge of what was going on behind the scenes.

As I mentioned before, the cinematography in just about ever scene is fantastic. When the case is won the first time and the Africans celebrate with a bonfire while Baldwin tries to deliver the bad news about it being appealed to the Supreme Court is another great use of shadows and contrasts.

Steven Spielberg directed and his attention to every detail and camera angle is very apparent in the final product. Though it logs in at a long 2 1/2 hours, there is not a single unnecessary scene within.

All of the actors do a great job. Morgan Freeman's character Joadson was a highlight for me, however. During the scenes as they were looking for evidence aboard the slave ship and he was visualizing what the chains and shackles were used for, his face conveyed so much without uttering a word.

I have always maintained that when you're dealing with Hollywood and history, it's the job of Hollywood to generate enough interest in it's historical subject that a viewer will seek out additional information. This movie definitely piqued that interest for me. A wide variety of links about the La Amistad incident can be found at www.amistad.org

The DVD version of this movie contains the usual extras of the theatrical trailer, production notes, and a full cast and crew listing. Also present is a documentary on the making of the movie and I think that is also well worth watching.

Not only do I plan to see this movie again, but I plan to add this DVD to my collection.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

This is Hollywood, Not History: A Review of the Movie U-571

2009-10-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

Let's get this part of the review out of the way: do not for a moment think that this movie is in any way a depiction of actual events during World War II.

Movie plot

In the movie the allies are taking a big hit on their shipping lines between the USA & Great Britain. The biggest reason is the German U-Boats (submarines) present in the Atlantic. Right in the beginning, we see the German U-Boat U-571 destroy a freight container ship. The reason given for Germany's strong showing in the Atlantic is their ability to communicate with their submarines using the Enigma code. No one has been able to break the code until now, and a crew of an American submarine with military intelligence along is dispatched to retrieve one of the Enigma machines from a U-Boat that is dead in the water.

History

Germany was a big threat in the Atlantic during World War II. Just check out all of the dive sites on boats that were sunk by them off of Long Island to see how close they were coming to the coast.

Full and complete credit for anything having to do with the Enigma code belongs to the British. The code was broken in 1940 after a British minesweeper, the HMS Gleaner recovered one of the machines from a German submarine. The Germans did change some of their coding methods in 1942 (the time period this movie is set in). This caused a great deal of trouble once again until the British finally managed to crack the last of the code that same year. Americans did not lay their hands on an Enigma machine until 1944.

So don't get the idea when the end credits roll and they show a listing of ships that secured Enigma machines that the Americans really had any impact with regard to the code.

That said, I did enjoy the movie for what it was: entertainment.

The focus of the movie is Matthew McConaughey's character, Lt. Andrew Tyler. He is a young naval officer looking for his first command and disappointed when his orders come through and he doesn't get the ship he wants. His commander Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren expresses to him the reservations which prevented him from recommending Tyler for command: he is too much a buddy to the men under him. Though he would gladly lay his life on the line for any of them, could he order any of them to lay their life on the line for the good of the mission or the rest of the crew?

That question is something Tyler struggles with all through the film. Harvey Keitel as Chief Klough berates him for admitting in front of his men that he is unsure of what actions to take after a group of them must set out on their own to get the Enigma machine back to US Navy Intelligence. Tyler has shown weakness, and even if he doesn't know what to do, he should never admit that to his men.

This wishy-washiness on Tyler's part almost costs the men their lives when Mazzola (Erik Palladino) shouts over an order Tyler has given to another crewman. We see Tyler begin to evolve into a Commander as he slugs Mazzola and declares that "this is not a democracy."

Tyler changes before our eyes during this film. He is smart and clever, that is for sure, but does he have the mettle to order a man to lay his life on the line to complete the mission? By the end of the movie, he is no longer a buddy to the men, but instead a feared Commander.

The other character I liked a great deal was that of the black cook, Eddie (T.C. Carson). At first I thought No way would there be a black man in the crew of all white men on a ship during World War II. That is not being racist, that is simply the fact of the time. However, on the DVD there is a documentary on how the movie came to be made. The interview with Carson gave me great insight into the character. On a submarine, all men had to be trained to do every job - that was a matter of necessity. While usually relegated to being service staff on ships such as cooks, if a black man volunteered for submarine duty (and all submarine duty was voluntary), that was his way of getting training.

If you want a documentary on World War II, I suggest checking out The History Channel, The Learning Channel or The Discovery Channel. However, taken just as a movie set during World War II not portraying actual events, the movie at least has characters we can relate to, sympathize with, and root for.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

North And South by John Jakes: Two Families, One Fate

2009-10-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

If you've only seen the mini-series by the same name, you're missing out on quite a lot. There is more of everything in John Jakes' novel North And South: more characters, more intrigue, more story, more history.

In studying American History in school, and the Civil War in particular, we are often given clinical reasons behind the war. I always found it hard to understand the climate of the times. Jakes translates it well in this novel. Beginning almost 20 years before the start of the Civil War, North And South tells us the story of two families: the Mains of South Carolina, and the Hazards of Pennsylvania.

The Mains are rice planters who own slaves. Though not harsh slave-owners, they nevertheless treat their people as property. Clarissa and Tillet are the parents, Cooper, Orry, Ashton and Brett are their offspring.

Cooper is the eldest son, but he frequently clashes with his father, especially on the subject of slavery. Instead of managing the family's rice plantation, Mont Royal, he begins his own very successful shipping company in Charleston.

Orry wanted a career as a soldier. He attends West Point after Cooper turns down the appointment to reach his dream. Fate dictates that he ends up managing Mont Royal - a consuming task especially after he fires the overseer. He has qualms about the slavery issue, but also knows how much they rely on the labor to have a successful crop each year. He also is realistic enough to be very nervous about how the slaves would act towards their former masters should they ever be freed. He is a loner, who's one true love is another man's wife.

Ashton is power hungry politically. Having been cursed to be born a woman rather than a man, she manipulates men into doing her dirty work. She is powerfully jealous of her sister and anyone else who manages to have any good fortune and happiness. She marries James Huntoon, a rising star in the South's political situation, figuring this is how she will become powerful as well.

Brett is the more practical sister. She takes over helping Orry manage the plantation after their father dies and their mother turns feeble. She asserts her independence, yet is much more a lady than her sister. She falls for Billy Hazard, but will the love they have overcome the turbulent times?

Charles Main is the ruffian cousin who lives with the family after his parents are killed. Blessed with incredible good looks, he manages to cruise by in life until challenged to a duel. It is only then that he learns just how much the family - and Orry in particular - care about him. He eventually lives Orry's dream of having a soldier's career. After he attends West Point, he battles Indians on the Texas frontier and distinguishes himself in the eyes of his commander, Robert E. Lee.

The Hazards are iron-masters in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. William and Maud are the parents, Stanley, Virgilia, George, and Billy are their offspring.

Stanley is much like Ashton Main in that he aligns himself with rising stars in the new political world, hoping to come up a winner with an appointment in Washington. He fails miserably in his attempts at running the family's iron works, simply because he is too cautious and afraid to take risks. His wife is a shrew who pushes him into doing things against his own better judgment.

George attends West Point but strictly for the education. He intends to give the service only the four years he is required to give. For better or worse, he decides to serve with his friend Orry, meaning that he sees battle in the war over Texas. He brings home an Irish-Catholic bride from Texas, who is not accepted easily into the Pennsylvania society. Since he has much more vision than his brother, George ends up in charge of the Iron Works.

Virgilia is a staunch abolitionist who uses any opportunity she gets to make trouble for anyone she perceives as the enemy. She falls for one of James Huntoon's slaves while in South Carolina and helps him escape. Later he is killed in the Harper's Ferry incident. This only serves to reinforce her deep hatred of anyone and anything southern.

Billy initially falls for the wild Ashton Main, but later turns to Brett when he sees her as being the more stable of the two. He attends West Point with a year's difference between himself and Charles Main and enters the Engineering Division where he hopes to save enough to support himself and Brett. Billy proposes just before Lincoln is elected, setting in motion a great rift in the country. Can their love overcome the rift?

The two families' futures become intertwined when Orry and George attend West Point Military Academy together and become fast friends. Along the way, they make friends who's names are familiar in history: Robert E. Lee, George McClellan, Tom Jackson, and George Pickett. Jakes intersperses these characters from history so well with the fictional characters in the novel that it gives the reader a sense of what the time was like.

I have always enjoyed history, and North And South is an excellent combination of the history of these turbulent times as well as a wonderful fictional story. The tension mounts throughout the novel as the tension is building in the country. Can these two families have their friendship survive? At times it doesn't seem likely. Despite their own reservations about the peculiar institution of slavery, the Mains do not like outsiders coming in and criticizing their way of life. Likewise, the Hazards have trouble understanding how their friends -who are decent and moral people in every other sense of the word - can continue to subjugate other human beings based on the color of their skin.

There is turmoil and pressure on the friendship from inside of the family as well as outside of the family. One thing that is a trademark of Jakes' novels is an embittered enemy holding a grudge and wanting to exact revenge throughout the story. Elkanah Bent is that character this time around, though Ashton and Virgilia do provide additional strain as a power-hungry southern belle and outspoken abolitionist respectively.

The families are great friends, spending summers together as well as entering into business together. Billy and Orry's cousin Charles also attend West Point together. A romance blossoms between the two families, but can love really conquer all as the country is being torn apart?

This novel uses history to tell the story, but it also really shows how the tension was building in this country as the inevitable war approached. It's easy to take a clinical look at the causes of the Civil War, but this helps us to have a real understanding of what was going on, as well as being entertaining and a great story. We know what the ending will be, yet I found myself hooked on every single page of the 803 page paperback novel.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

This Amana Side-by-Side Refrigerator Holds Everything My Family Needs

2009-10-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

One year for Christmas, my husband decided to surprise me by purchasing this refrigerator. Boy, was I surprised. I was even more surprised when the deliverymen came and we had no place to put it.

You see, the model Amana Side-by-Side Refrigerator that he bought is absolutely huge! It's dimensions are 68 1/2 height, 35 3/4 width, 36 3/4 depth. The total capacity is an amazing 26.71 cubic feet; 16,93 cubic feet in the refrigerator portion, and 9.78 cubic feet in the freezer.

As this monstrosity made its way into my kitchen, I tried to think quick, and I finally figures we could fit it where our upright freezer was if we knocked out a wall. The bonus was that our water supply ran into the closet right behind this, so it seemed perfect.

Our previous refrigerator didn't have an ice-maker at all, never mind the water and ice (cubed or crushed) through the door like this model. That meant a plumber had to come in, right? Wrong! My husband - a Tim (the Tool Man) Taylor wannabe - decided he could do it himself. And four hours later after giving our gas furnace a good bath, he was right ;-)

The shelves all are made of glass for easy cleaning and are adjustable. Each shelf also has a lip that prevents minor spills from dripping down into the entire refrigerator. I found it hard to figure out how to fit all of the shelves in if I wanted to keep very tall items in there. Part of that problem is solved by the Beverage Chiller that is in the door. This holds two gallons of milk in a compartment that circulates colder air from the freezer to keep beverages here colder.

I found that this refrigerator makes very efficient use of its space. There are three small shelves above the Beverage Chiller that are the perfect size to hold butter and cream cheese. I can fit 24 sticks of butter and six blocks of cream cheese here with no problems. (I shop at a warehouse club - could you tell?) Beneath the beverage chiller are a few more slim shelves that hold my kids drink boxes and Sunny Delight, as well as their yogurt.

There are three separate drawers in the Amana Side-by-Side Refrigerator, each with its own humidity control. This is great for adjusting the humidity levels to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables. The drawers are roomy and one of them holds about ten pounds of cold-cuts.

The freezer compartment is set up much the same way, with slim shelves on the door that don't seem to hold that much, but are great for freezing water bottles. The icemaker is at the top of the freezer compartment. The shelves in here are made of coated wire and in all the years I've had it, I haven't had the need to defrost it once.

I do like this refrigerator very much despite its faults. Ours is black in front to match all of our other appliances. Our kitchen-magnet collection has to go on the side, but one of our kids didn't realize this and put a nice scratch down the front while trying to figure out why the magnets wouldn't work there.

Our first problem came when the water feed to the icemaker froze up and the unit stopped producing ice. We didn't know what was wrong and thought the icemaker was broken, so we called in a repairman. He knew right away what it was and once he defrosted the freezer, the line cleared. Every six to nine months, we would have to do this for a while.

Our model didn't have its own internal filtering system so we purchased a commercial inline water filter. When the filter needed to be replaced was when we discovered one major fault in the refrigerator that ended up costing us $200 to repair. The intake where the water goes into the refrigerator has a series of valves, one of which was probably broken around the time we first bought it, but the pressure of the water going through kept it open. When we changed the filter, a little air had probably gotten into the line and the valve had closed - never to open again. I had always thought the water pressure seemed a bit low, and we were told by the first repairman that it seemed normal to him. We since discovered that it had something to do with this valve since the water pressure has been better since this whole piece was replaced.

With a family of five, this refrigerator manages to hold all of our needs. I haven't had any problems with food spoilage, nor does it seem to make a lot of noise.

I would recommend this refrigerator to anyone, but learn and be aware of how it works and of the indicators of potential problems.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

The Sports Authority Online Store Is A Great Place to Shop for Sporting Goods

2009-10-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

Last year we toyed with the idea of buying a pop-up camper, but decided against it due to the strain on our Ford Windstar. However, we couldn't get away from the fact that staying in campgrounds is so much cheaper than a motel.

When we decided to take our kids to Hersheypark this year, I began researching camping equipment, mainly here at Epinions. I had a list of good tents, sleeping bags, and stoves.

There are a wide variety of outdoor equipment sites listed in the various rewards programs I frequent. However, I ended up using thesportsauthority.com for the majority of my purchases.

This site offers the biggest selection of products. Instead of three or four multi-room tents, I had a selection of about fifteen to choose from. Their product descriptions were very thorough and filled in any blanks I didn't know. This was especially important when it came to sleeping bags. I don't plan to camp beyond Columbus Day weekend or before Memorial Day weekend, so I didn't need one rated for very cold temperatures. The site also gave the dimensions of the sleeping bags, so for my husband and myself who are two... fluffy people, that was more important.

I selected items that I wanted, then proceeded to checkout. I had three coupon codes ready to use, just in case some of them were expired. Two of my items were going to incur extra shipping charges due to their size and weight. What I then did was break up my order into the three parts and use all three coupons. The shipping didn't end up being any more than if I'd kept it one order and I was able to use all three coupon codes. No one at the site ever questioned my placing three orders on the same day using coupon codes.

I had occasion after this to visit The Sports Authority about a half hour away from us and found some of the products there that I had ordered online. The prices were about the same as the store, and one item was cheaper online! I have found The Sports Authority to be less expensive than the one and only outdoor store I've found in our area, so the prices online are really good to me.

My items came very quickly, but I did use the site's tracking and it works very well. I was able to tell exactly what day my products would be delivered.

I have since used thesportsauthority.com for a few other orders and everything has always gone smoothly. I even ordered my latest pair of sneakers from them and received them in less than a week.

Originally posted at Epinions.com

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Stick with the French Quarter over Riverside

2009-10-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

STAR RATING:

The Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter was the resort we found to be the best value for the money. I actually did prefer it existing as it's own separate resort, but since I don't make the decisions at Disney, I'm not able to keep things the way I like them.

The atmosphere here is like walking through New Orleans. The Imagineers did a great job with themeing, creating the feel of walking through this city. One time when we stayed here it was over Mardi Gras, and having the beads, coins and bright purple, green and gold colors all around us really set the tone for the entire vacation.

Port Orleans-French Quarter still has it's own separate check-in area from Port Orleans-Riverside. The French Quarter is smaller than most of the other moderate resorts, yet the rooms are just as nice. Each has two double beds, a bathroom with the sink and mirror outside of it, a small dresser, a television armoire, and a table with two chairs. Every room is just a short walk from the food court, the bus stops, and the pool & jacuzzi.

The pool contains a large dragon slide that my kids just loved and couldn't get enough of. Lifeguards are on duty during main operating hours and occasionally you can find planned activities. There is also a small playground nearby.

Port Orleans-French Quarter offers boat service to Downtown Disney during the busier seasons. It is best to ask at check-in before you count on this as a mode of transportation. There is also bus service available to the entire Disney World Resort Complex.

The housekeepers here seemed to be the most creative with our daughters' stuffed animals and the Mardi Gras beads. We came back to the room every single day to find different creations by the staff when they cleaned.

The food court is small but adequate. We purchased refillable mugs which we used for unlimited coffee and soft-drinks during our stay. Since is is such a short walk from anywhere in the resort, I often sent my husband down for coffee and pastries in the morning and he brought them back to our room for a leisurely breakfast. Make sure to try the beignets in the food court!!

This is a Disney Moderate Resort which has base rates of $159 in high season. Many times there are discounts offered for Disney Club members, AAA members, Annual Pass holders, or special seasonal discounts. I have heard of people getting a room here for as low as $89 per night recently.

Originally posted at Epinions.com