December 26, 2004
Review: "Constitutional Chaos" by Judge Adrew P. Napolitano (4 moose)
I am pretty much a law-and-order kind of American. The Patriot Act doesn't bother me, I think we worry too much about the rights of criminals, and I think too many judges impede enforcing the law.
I'm not going to pretend that Judge Napolitano has caused a radical change to my viewpoints on those issues, but I am definitely questioning the foundations of my beliefs.
I recommend everyone read "Constitutional Chaos." If you are more of an ACLU type, it'll confirm some of your concerns, but you'll get a more conservative perspective. If you are a conservative (like me), you'll learn that the government is ignoring laws they enforce on you and me, throwing away the key on untried suspects, and using the "War on Terror" as an excuse to ignore civil liberties.
I wish folks like the ACLU could argue as thoughtfully as Judge Napolitano...but perhaps they have been and I just wasn't willing to listen.
I felt there were a few shortcomings in his work:
- Sometimes he seems to think he has "proven" something when he hasn't.
- He writes as if everything his example defendents say is true (that is, he doesn't seem to show proper skepticism).
- He doesn't seem to show any flexibility -- civil rights trump everything else.
I still readily give "Constitutional Chaos" 5 moose...
Posted by alan at 4:13 PM | TrackBack
Review: "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (5 moose)
A week or so ago I finished reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis and I couldn't recommend a book more highly. Warmth and logic seem to exist separately, but Mr. Lewis combines them in an incredible way...
The version I have also has "The Screwtape Letters" -- another good work (although I wouldn't give it 5 moose like I have "Mere Christianity").
I'll end my review here...but will be quoting more great part of C.S. Lewis' masterpiece in this blog...
Posted by alan at 4:07 PM | TrackBack
December 12, 2004
Review: "Blade Trinity" (4 moose)
Last night Jenn and I watched "Blade Trinity" in Keene. I hesitated going because I was afraid it would just be a lot of blood and gore, but I was pleasantly surprised to find, for a movie of it's genre, it wasn't so bad.
And, for it's genre, it's a very good movie. Wesley Snipes plays Blade as well as he ever has, but the best part of the movie for me was the addition of Ryan Reynolds as Hannibal King, a wise-cracking member of the "Night Stalkers." The last few years he has been one of my favorite comedic actors, and he doesn't disappoint as on of the vampire-killing good guys in "Blade Trinity."
I give it 4 moose out of 5...
Posted by alan at 7:39 PM | TrackBack
November 21, 2004
Review: "The Chronicles of Riddick" (4.5 moose)
We had queued "The Chronicles of Riddick" on Netflix, but when I heard that one of my daughters was going to rent it yesterday, I picked it up at Kmart.
Boy I'm glad I did. No, "The Chronicles of Riddick" isn't a perfect movie -- but it is perfect at what it is supposed to be -- a non-stop action adventure flick. Vin Diesel plays the "I'd rather fight than talk" hero prefectly, the special effects pull you into the dark worlds of the story line, and the evil Necromonger kingdom perfectly walks the fine line of mythology and absurdity.
There aren't many movies where I've been watching them for two hours and I'm hoping it's not going to end any time soon...
As an amateur movie reviewer I really can't comment on the technical aspects of the film -- but if you like science fiction and action-adventure, then I think you'll agree that "The Chronicles of Riddick" deserves 4.5 moose out of 5.
(If you click on the image, you can purchase it at Amazon.com. I will not make any money from the purchase...I just am linking for convenience and because a nabbed the image from their site. Also, this review is for the director's cut widescreen version.)
Posted by alan at 5:31 PM | TrackBack
Review: "All Things New" by Steven Curits Chapman (3 Moose)
As part of a World Vision promotion, I donated $20 and received Steven Curtis Chapman's "All Things New." He has been one of my favorite Christian artists, so I was going to buy the CD regardless -- paying a little extra made sense :-)
I don't want to say I'm disappointed in the album, but I was hoping for something that had at least a couple of super-catchy tunes. I can't remember where I read the review, but it led me to believe that this CD would be Steven at his best -- but I'd argue it's him at his "normal."
Which, of coure, is really good. Unlike some of his other productions, however, I won't be choosing the same song(s) over-and-over to sing along with the chorus. Luckily CD tracks don't wear out, otherwise I would no longer be able to listent to "Bring it On" from "Declaration." :-)
Even when he seems to try to recreate the successes of past, it isn't quite there. For instance, "Big Story" off this CD is reminiscent of "The Great Adventure" (off the album of the same name). It's a good song, but not equal...
Don't get me wrong -- this work has some great tunes, but it's neither "Dive" or "Declaration" in my book. Two that especially deserve a listen are "Last Day On Earth" and "Angels Wish." The beginning of the latter especially pulled me in:
That made the world
And did He cry about the flood
What does God's voice sound like
When He sings, when He's angry
These are just a few things
That the angels have on me
What would we have seen on God's face when the last children drowned in the flood?
Yes, I imagine He did cry...
Please buy the album. It is worth the purchase price, and even if it wasn't I'd consider it a donation to keep a great artist's ministry going. I'm not sure how long it will be possible, but please also consider buying it via donating $20 to World Vision.
As one final note, if you are a fan of Steven's more thoughtful songs, then you might award this CD 4 moose. Based on my preferences, I give it 3 moose out of 5...
Posted by alan at 12:35 PM | TrackBack
November 14, 2004
Ozzy & The Osmonds
Steps to the link at the bottom of this post:
- April asks where Jenn is going after we have brunch.
- Dad replies, to Kelsie's (sp?).
- April says something about having to come home.
- Dad thinks of "Mama, I'm Coming Home" from Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears" album. (Yes, I said, "Album." Go ahead and date me!!!)
- Dad grabs the CD for everyone to listen to on the way to the cafe.
- While traveling, April mentions how Pat Boone got in trouble for doing one of Ozzy's songs (actually, I think it was a Black Sabbath track).
- I believe April brings the Pepsi Twist commercial with Ozzy and The Osbornes.
- Voila! Dad visits iflim.com for the link...
Pepsi Twist Ozzy Superbowl Commercial
Posted by alan at 1:39 PM | TrackBack
November 13, 2004
Review: "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)" by Ann Coulter (3.5 moose)
It seems to me that whenever someone wants to do a "moral equivalency" to some whacked-lefty like Michael Moore, Ann Coulter is their proof that "both sides do it."
Well, I disagree. It is true that Ms. Coulter has a sharp tongue, and goes a bit further than I would with some of her comments, but she doesn't make up facts or distort the truth (that is, unlike the Michael Moore's of this world, she doesn't lie).
"How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)" is almost entirely a collection of past columns she has written, including some that were rejected (it's a shame, however, it didn't include the one USA Today zapped during the Democratic National Convention, "Put the Speakers in a Cage"). Some chapter titles should give you an idea of what she covers:
- At Least They Didn't Run Jimmy Carter This Time
- Barbra Streisand Feels Your Pain (According to Her Publicist)
- Give Us Twenty-two Minutes, We'll Give Up the Country
- The Only Cop the New York Times Likes Is the One in the Village People
- Elián González: The Only Immigrant Liberals Ever Wanted to Deport
And so on...
Okay, I'll admit it...her columns and books are a guilty pleasure -- but I also can't help but feel she is a wonderful person underneath that razor-sharp tongue -- and you can't impugn her logic.
Strangely enough, with the myriad great articles included in the book, the one that pops up first in my memory is about dating in Washington, D.C, "Capital Punishment." An excerpt:
What are you supposed to say to completely insane things like that? I've never figured that out, which is whey these conversations tend to end in hostile silences. "Call me when you'd like to go out to dinner" isn't asking for a date; it's asking me to ask you for a date.
For my male readers in Washington, asking for a date entails these indispensable components: an express request for a female's company on a particular date for a specific activity. Oh yes, and the request has to be made to the female herself. Roughly once every two weeks, I get a female on my answering machine asking me if I'd like to go out with some dumbass male friend of hers who's too afraid to call me himself. (For those outside Washington, I'm not kidding.)
This isn't a screeching, hate-filled, anti-male screed. It is a schreeching, hate-filled anti-D.C. screed. There's no large sociological point about relationships between sexes here. It's Washington.
Now imagine that tact when you are discussing real hot-button political issues :-)
It's a very good book. I probably would have given it four moose except I'm not a big fan of "old" articles, and kind of felt like a bait-and-switch was done on me when I ordered it (I didn't realize it was a compendium of previous works). Neither is Ms. Coulter's fault, and I still recommend you buy the book, but my moose are mine to give or keep :-)
P.S. Although not as meaty as "How to Talk to a Liberal," I highly recommend her first book, "Treason." I'd definitely give that 4 moose, maybe 4.5 because she does such a great job disproving liberal mantras about the cold war...
Posted by alan at 11:07 PM | TrackBack
Review: "The Grudge" (3 moose)
I just got back from watching "The Grudge" with Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's the story of a house haunted by evil spirits that are driven by an anger-driven tragedy...and what happens to anyone who enters the abode...
Overall I'd say it was a well done horror picture, but I found two things lacking.
Stop here if you haven't seen it and plan on doing so...
Well, not that I'm really going to spoil it...
First of all, I don't go for movies where all the "good guys" die (or just one is left standing). That's strike one.
Second, the ending is really lame. I realize this was based on a Japanese movie, but I wonder if it was originally written by a French-influenced native of Japan :-)
(Some time I might tell you about a French movie my wife once watched about a guy and a truck of nitroglycerin. Wait, I'll do it now. Guy spends the whole movie precariously driving a shipment of nitroglycerin to its destination -- finally succeeding.
Then, he drives off a cliff.)
If it weren't for the lame ending, I'd probably give "The Grudge" 3.5 to 4 moose out of 5 -- but instead it gets only 3...
(You can catch a trailer and more at ifilm.com.)