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Never Shower in a Thunderstorm: Surprising Facts And Misleading Myths About Our Health And The World We Live In is a book that sums up its content and draws upon your curiosity with the title. Anahad O’Connor is the author of the fore mentioned book and as a reporter for THE NEW YORK TIMES he has the qualified exposure to the thousands of odd questions and wonderments readers could ask.
Based off of his column in the paper entitled: “REALLY?”, Anahad investigates and reports back with his findings for quirky questions involving science, health, and the world around us.
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The book is divided into 11 different sections of grouped questions; ranging from the title inquiry to things like: Do tall people live longer than short people?, Does Spanish fly really exist?, Can green tea help you lose weight?, Does eating carrots improve your eyesight?, Do toilet seats spread germs?, Do cell phones cause brain cancer?, and is the back of an airplane the safest place to sit?
However I found that the majority of the questions answered seemed to deal with topics that were probably proposed by an older generation of readers. It was surprising to me that I could only identify with having curiosity over a few of the subjects, especially when the author from his picture looks sort of like the young singer Usher.
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Considering that this book stems from a series of newspaper articles, I figure that older people are more avid readers of such media and thus write in more, because truly all of these answers could be found on the internet in seconds.
The author approaches each question very professionally, and scientifically, yet manages to weave a very important sense of humor throughout. Particularly, I enjoyed the introductions used to set up each section of answered questions.
Never Shower in a Thunderstorm is a trivially entertaining collection of factoids that seems to be geared toward an older audience, yet I think anyone could appreciate it as a coffee table sort of discussion book/ bathroom reader. I think it would only be right and fair if they continue to publish more of these books in a series so an interested person could have all the tidbits of odd fact in one spot instead of spending time with internet search engines.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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10th and Wolfuses every cliché there is for a mafia movie…but as a fan of such movies I don’t really see that as a problem.
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10th and Wolf is about a young man coming back from the military to his old neighborhood to find his friends have moved up in the underworld of the mafia. Of course, the real reason he was sent back to the neighborhood was because the Feds want him to extract information about crime for them, yadda, yadda.
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The interesting thing about this movie is that it is based off of a true story as written by a real former undercover agent whose life was the basis for Donnie Brasco. The movie came out straight to DVD and fans of gangster movies should put it straight into their DVD player.
The leading casts consist of James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi, and Brian Dennehy…well okay there are plenty more but the list is a bit too long to recount and the bottom line is the principle characters were all cast perfectly. The one downfall of the film does involve the casting though. They decided to fill the screen with celebrity cameos.
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What is the point of casting rocker Tommy Lee as a gangster punching a guy, just for a close up to show us: “Hey look it is Tommy Lee.” and then other than that he is not in the movie and his character is no one? Then you have Val Kilmar as the hippie drunk in the bar, just there long enough to go: “Hey look it is Val Kilmar.” and then he is gone. Dennis Hopper’s cameo is okay I guess, but then they also use the names of these big stars on the outside of the box which is sort of misleading.
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This is a generic mafia film and it isn’t as high caliber as The Departed, but if you like mafia movies then this is a very good movie for the genre. 10th and Wolf is a rare case that goes to show being run-of-the-mill has entertainment value.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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The Number 23 has received a large number of critically negative reviews…this is another one.
The Number 23 is about a man who becomes obsessed with a book which seems to be written mysteriously about his own life and yet ending with more murder than he is prepared to face…with sanity.
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The film is directed by Joel Schumacher and (in case you have been living under a rock) stars Jim Carrey in the lead role.
The premise for this film is an interesting one in my opinion, yet the difficulty in actually writing out such a thing is apparent. The plot of the film is filled with holes and each one probably has a different department in production to blame. Then the concept twists to a place where many films have already gone before and ends poorly. The team just didn’t pull it off.
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Sections of the story are told as clips being read from the book Jim’s character has come upon. These moments of the film have a pulp detective novel sort of vibe to them that are exceptionally cool. If the film had been made entirely in this style and followed the story within the story as opposed to what becomes a predictable psychology experiment…then THAT would have been an entertaining movie; even if it went the same vibe routes of Sin City.
The book The Number 23 within the film sounds interesting and if such a thing is made to go along with the movie then I would love to own a copy; as long as it had chapter 23 kept intact.
Jim Carrey is no stranger to taking on dramatic roles, however this is his first categorized “thriller” (since becoming famous and bankable that is) . Jim didn’t really fit into the role 100%. He is pure Hollywood magic up on any movie screen, true star, but his presence is not enough to go see this movie. Closer to the end, some of his dramatics come off a bit silly. The supporting cast is forgettable.
I wanted to go to sleep through the entire middle of the film.
The Number 23 should have been fun, but there wasn’t any fun to be had. All of the adding up to 23 just adds up to failure. One stinker of a movie…I hope Jim Carrey and his current girlfriend Jenny Mcarthy team up on a script and get back to being zany because this film is going to be a boot to the head for Carrey’s career in several ways.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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Man of the Year is about a comedic talk show host deciding to run for president and then accidentally winning. Barry Levinson wrote and directs the film and Robin Williams eats up most of the screen time, while Christopher Walken, Luis Black, Laura Linney, and Jeff Goldblum mull about.
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First off, Robin Williams is usually like a hyper-active kid, cute for a moment, but then you wish he would just shut up. The movie tries to bring in a sub-plot to tone Williams down a bit in certain sections. However, it is poorly executed.
I rented this movie based off of some funny political clips I had seen and also due to my agreeing with the basic summary that politics have gotten out of hand. There is a blurred line these days between political parties with all of them catering to special interest groups, lobbyists, and money.
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You understand that this is a message being portrayed with comedy by merely watching the movie trailer. However, once you actually start watching the movie you realize that the ideas Robin’s character has and the things he says are funnier outside the context of a movie with such a lame plot.
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The movie goes from being the perceived political comedy to trying to be a sort of thriller and then tale of morality. The opening narrative sets the dull tone for things and then there are several scenes that I felt were just redundant and covering the same grounds as previous scenes.
The movie poster used to advertise Man of the Year was one of the most unappealing of the year. Featuring nothing but a large close-up of Robin Williams in a colonial wig, the poster seemed to be a mass market tool hoping Williams fans would just pop their meds and go see another flop by the aging actor.
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Man of the Year shows that a few cute political quotes cannot make a movie.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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Half Nelson is a well acted film with a real message. Is the message worth the movie? I’ll think on that and get back to you at the end of the review.
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The movie is about an inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit who forms a friendship with one of his students after she discovers him smoking crack. Ryan Gosling plays the teacher and is Oscar nominated for the role.
Ryan Gosling is an underrated young actor who I fully support for the Oscar nomination. Ryan’s performance turns what could have been a slow drama into a captivating story for entertainment. He does , however, over do it in a few spots when trying to show he is “hip” in the urban school environment.
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As a history teacher Ryan tells the kids about conflict and opposing forces pushing upon each other. This concept of history becomes the basic, underlying message to the film. There are real clips from news events and protest situations used to accent this message and portray “the machine” as an oppressing entity we all fight against and yet are all also a part of. Fitting this message into the plot leads to some rather dramatic moments.
Eventually Ryan and the student that witnessed his usage of drugs are used as an example for this message: Ryan is a drug addict and the young girl begins working for a drug dealer. The moment when the two cross paths during a drug deal and Ryan the addict hands her the cash is a moment of realization and Oscar worthy understanding.
The “machine” isn’t the only message to be taken from this film. There are also things shown about friendship, coming-of-age, and the day to day living of life. Or wait…all of those are just pieces of the machine.
When the Oscar nominees were announced there were many perplexed individuals wondering who Ryan Gosling was and when did the movie Half Nelson come out? The movie could have been more widely released and reached a bigger audience I think if there was more to it.
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By having “more to it”, I specifically mean the film needs an ending. The ending for the film is more of an artsy time for the viewer to meditate on the message and lacks much entertainment value. I wish something more could have just “happened”.
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Half Nelson is worth a rent for any drama fan, but don’t expect much from the ending. As for that message: I think the movie approached it in a powerful and creative way and regardless of how I feel about the lack of an ending there were several moments where the conflict shows the impact of “the machine”. Good stuff.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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The plot to The Prestige is a constantly twisting. One involves two rival magicians Robert and Alfred who are played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Robert blames Alfred for a tragic accident and becomes obsessed with discovering the secret behind Alfred’s latest trick. Directed by Christopher Nolan and also starring Michael Cane, Scarlett Johansson, and David Bowie The Prestigeseems to be a critic pleaser.
The film is set with an appealing mood and directing style, which is accented superbly with the acting performances. However, from the beginning of the film your brain is playing “catch up” and trying to determine what exactly is going on.
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The transitions of time within the film can become confusing, and thus the promotional claim “You’ll want to watch it over and over again!” is given some merit, but that is not a good thing. Actually, once you get to the end and all time is playing out as the on-screen present you are given the pieces to the puzzle in full and satisfaction does not really call for a second viewing.
Hugh Jackman’s character seems to be the focus for our support as a protagonist. However, it is Christian Bale’s character and acting that really draws you in.
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I was one of those people who walked into The Sixth Senseand shortly after the opening scenes knew what the “shock” ending was. Likewise with The PrestigeI figured everything out a bit ahead of schedule and by the time the story wove its way to the ending I was getting a bit restless. The ending is exactly how I wanted things to go. However if you are the sort who doesn’t get fooled easily you may be in for disappointment.
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It is natural to compare The Prestige with a film that was released just before it: The Illusionist. Their subject matters are different, but at the core they both deal with magicians in the past. The edge that The Illusionist has is that The Prestige becomes tedious in pacing with the twists, especially if you already figured them out.
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Overall, The Prestige is a bit too long and if you are a bit too clever it isn’t going to surprise you. However, I think the it is deserving of the fans it has already claimed and it is up to each individual viewer to check it out and decide for themselves whether or not they enjoy it. Personally, I would only give it a mid-range score on some sort of numerical rating scale.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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This isn’t one of those times where just a book is misrepresented when turned into a film, but also a life.
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Running with Scissors is based off of the memoirs of Augusten Burroughs and how he grew up abandoned by his parents and adopted by his mother’s eccentric shrink. Director Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of Augusten’s messy life is…well, a mess.
The casting choice of Joseph Cross for the lead role was an odd one. He is supposed to appear as a 15 year old and younger and yet he looks more like he is 18 or 19. His acting was lacking passion considering the part and the feelings meant to be portrayed.
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Let us examine the supporting cast by strengths and faults. Annette Bening plays Augusten’s mother and gets an A- for her efforts to bring talent into the chaotic mixture. Her character is indeed a fun one to listen to once she starts popping the pills. Brian Cox playing the shrink has his moments, but the character isn’t developed likeable enough and eventually fades away. Everyone else: Joseph Fines, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Gabrielle Union all are reduced to mere background cameo fodder. What should be a cast of talent and character quirkiness becomes a disorganized bore.
The story seems like one that should be wrought with humor and yet aside from one tear-inducing, hilarious moment from Brian Cox near the mid-beginning: I was yawning. The eccentric set-ups fall short of being funny and the fact that this is all supposedly based on a real life person should add to the drama and value, however even that fails to save things.
This movie makes me want to go and read the book; surely Hollywood doesn’t want us to stop watching movies and start reading again, does it? Only one funny moment, only one Annette Bening, and one long waste of time if you sit through this whole movie. Running with Scissors is not a safe bet for entertainment.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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Dreamland, out now on DVD, is about a young woman who lives in a desert trailer park having to choose between caring for her depressed father and sick friend or fulfilling her own destiny. The film was directed by Jason Matzer and stars: Agnes Bruckner, Kelli Garner, Justin Long, John Corbett, and Gina Gershon.
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Set in the desert, the backdrops in this film are gorgeous eye-candy and all of the lighting is perfect. Watching this movie is like watching emotion, captured raw and splayed out in artistic doses for the brain to comprehend.
The actors all fit into their roles and the awesome scenery with ease. Agnes Bruckner plays the lead, a poetic new graduate with the smarts for college but too much heart to ever leave what she feels are her obligated duties at home. Kelli Garner plays the dying young woman who leans sometimes a little too much on her friend to care for her and help her cope with the future. Justin Long comes into the film as an outsider who comes between the girls when they both fall in love with him.
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John Corbett plays the father of Agnes’ character and Gina Gershon has a tiny part as Justin’s mother. The only issues I had with the casting choices were: 1. Justin Long; he does fine, but it is hard to see him in such a role. 2. The girls spend a lot of time sunbathing in the desert, but for some reason they aren’t exactly very tan, especially Kelli who is a very pale girl.
The story in Dreamland does indeed incorporate some teen drama clichés into it, however with the mood set by atmosphere and good directing it works. I think teen girls will love this movie, yet everyone else can enjoy it as well without feeling like it is a guilty pleasure.
A solid paced and beautiful film, Dreamland is worth checking out if you are looking for your dramatic “coming of age” fix.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, better known as Borat is directed by Larry Charles, but really all of the madness is orchestrated by the star of the film, Mr. Sacha Baron Cohen.
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The plot of the film centers around Sacha’s character, Borat, who hails from a small country wishing to become more successful like America. The officials of Borat’s country send him to America to learn and document his journey. Ultimately, Borat strays from his task and goes cross-country on a mission to woo the heart of Pamela Anderson.
The movie follows a familiar plot line of sorts, however if you are a fan of “offensive” comedy: then Borat is hilarious!
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Interesting to the filming of this movie is the fact that most of the scenes were unscripted. Very few of the participants are actors and much of the reaction to the Borat character is genuine. Of course, after capturing the scenes the make-shift actors were then required to sign a lengthy release form. This style of filming along with Borat’s character being racist has led to much controversy.
Many of the “actors” caught on film for Borat’s adventures have since filed lawsuits, ranging from defamation of character to lack of compensation. Offense has been found in the racist jokes which center around Borat’s fear of Jews. As a result, the film has been banned in Russia and all Arab countries other than Lebanon.
It has also been reported that the police were called 91 times in relation to the filming of Borat. What does all this controversy add up to? It equals excellent publicity for the work and also adds an extra giggle or two when you think about it during a viewing of the film.
The movie is only 88 minutes long. However, it seems to go on for a more extended length. In a comedy it is generally not a good thing to feel any sort of “drag” and Borat does start to do that near the middle. However, once again the comedian’s antics pick you back up and tickle the funny bone. Some may say that this movie is one joke stretched out too long, (similar to his movie character Ali G, I figured this would be the case) but it made me laugh so hard I did not notice.
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If you are easily offended or not a fan of racial humor, rape jokes, and full nude, laugh-inducing fight scenes then this is not the film for you. If you are looking for a laugh and don’t care at who’s expense don’t hesitate to check out this movie. Borat is very funny and should be considered a work of fictional comedy to enjoy not to protest and take too seriously.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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Judging from what little I had heard about the film and the movie poster itself I thought Pan’s Labryinth was going to be a childish movie. The movie has been drawing comparisons to films like Narnia, therefore I am guessing I am not the only fool out there judging “covers”. Let us no longer be fools for I have bore witness to the playing of the moving pictures and have come back with the following review.
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The comparisons to other “fantasy” type films are not an accurate way to judge it truly. Overall, I would say it is a war movie with a fantasy twist running through it. Along with most aspects of war, you get all sorts of violence and bloody gore. This is not a movie for children. In fact if you let yourself get close enough to the movie poster to read the rating, it also has a blurb on there about being a “fairy tale for adults”.
The movie is visually stunning. This is the first thing a viewer would notice. You are taken into the brutal world of soldiers fighting over an outpost and also into a parallel fantasy world that is conjured up in the mind of a young girl named Ofelia. All of the make-up, costumes, and effects are top notch no matter which world you are in.
An in-depth discussion on the film by any group could possibly lead to hours of contemplation when recalling all of the scene transitions and subliminal connections. One side may wish to believe that the girl from the film is really able to go into another world with monsters, fauns, and fairies, whereas the opposing conversationalist would say it is all in Ofelia’s mind to deal with her harsh surroundings. I would for sure be on the side of the latter, which really gives the film a dose of severe honesty and a deep sense of tragedy.
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The acting and pacing of the film fit perfectly and snug to all corners of the projected picture. This is one of the best films to have been released at the end of 2006. The initial release was limited. However, it went wider in January of 2007. So even if you hate reading subtitles at the movies, try and catch this one on the big screen if you can, because along with the acting and pacing the sounds of the film are excellent when heard on the big surround sound systems.
In my opinion, Pan’s Labryinth leans more on a war movie plot. The fantasy elements that are brought into play are a bit sinister. Therefore, you’d probably scare the crap out of smaller children and if you are squeamish there are several scenes to make you cringe. However, films like this are rare in the cinematic market these days and it should be on your “must see” list.
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Written by Wes Laurie - Visit Website
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