:: Privatjokr ::

1. Cool Hand Luke

2. The Sting

3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

4. The Hustler

5. Slapshot

(Honorable Mention: Hud)

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When she finally came to write her story, she would wonder exactly when the books and the words started to mean not just something but everything.

I am sure you are all familiar with the traditional salad-bar concept. You walk up to a selection of ingredients and fix yourself a personalized salad. Burger Bar takes that idea and steals it on behalf of carnivores everywhere (but primarily in Las Vegas!). There is no need for a sneeze guard at Burger Bar since all of the available ingredients, or burger toppings if you will, are listed on the menu. They do offer pre-designed burgers that range from reasonable to not-so-reasonable price-wise, but the fun as far as I am concerned is in building my own burger.

For eaters more adventurous than I, which basically means everyone, Burger Bar is one of the few places in Las Vegas where I would suggest you go to frequently. With so many restaurants in Las Vegas it is hard to go someplace you have been before at the expense of trying somewhere new, but I try to apply that concept to dinner more than I do for lunch. Burger Bar, though a fantastic dinner spot, works well for lunch too. Each time you go, you can create a new burger blueprint like one you have never had before. There are enough options to keep you entertained visit after visit. And even though I basically get the same thing everytime, it hasn't gotten old yet.

Angus Beef + Sesame seed roll + Bacon + Cheddar cheese + Fried egg = Bliss. Add their Brown gravy and you'll wonder why anyone puts ketchup on a burger (and it's GREAT on their skinny fries).

When, not if, you go looking for Burger Bar, you'll find it in Mandalay Bay in the Mandalay Place.

Jareth: I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.

Prepare to enter another world when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis's timeless and beloved adventure. With the stunningly realistic special effects, you'll experience the exploits of Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter, four siblings who find the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of "hide-and-seek" at the country estate of a mysterious professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, once peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs and giants that has been turned into a world of eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular, climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever!

I honestly cannot remember if I ever read these books as a kid. I, like many, have felt a slight itch to read them now, since the movie release was somewhat of a reminder that the books even existed. I wanted to see the movie first, though. I wanted watch with attention devoid of geeky "this-is-nothing-like-the-book" bias.

As I lay in bed on my lazy Saturday afternoon watching The Chronicles of Narnia, I definitely had the longing to be sitting in a dark movie theater, losing myself in the action on the giant silver-screen. Seeing it on DVD was not a bad thing, but I think if I had taken the time to see it in the theater it would have definitely been a good thing.

In the "books we read as children turned movies" category, The Chronicles of Narnia was geared more towards children than Tolkien/Jackson Lord of the Rings movies.

In the "books my children may or may not have read turned movies" category, The Chronicles of Narnia may have even been a little less sophsiticated than Harry Potter. Forgive me for saying that in The Chronicles of Narnia it seemed that a few more things were a little far-fetched. I know it seems ridiculous that I say that a young boy, his brother and sisters leading a war against an evil witch is far fetched, though the fauns and centaurs they lead into battle and a completely different story about an entire school of young wizards were completely acceptable.

Some of the effects were flawless. The CG lion was masterfully done, as were most of the panoramic views. There were so many beatiful scenery shots, but some appeared lazily done. Maybe the design team had to cut a few corners, but the kids looked too blatantly super-imposed at times. This is a petty complaint, and my only one really.

I had fun watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it to anyone with young kids who are yet to go through the phase where they repress their imagination or anyone who has already come out of it.

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The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman

The World is Flat is Thomas L. Friedman's account of the great changes taking place in our time, as lightening-swift advances in technology and communication put people all over the globe in touch as never before -- creating an explosion of wealth in India and China, and challenging the rest of us to run even faster just to stay in place. This updated and expanded edition features more than a hundred pages of fresh reporting and commentary, drawn from Friedman's travels around the world and across the American heartland -- from anyplace where the flattening of the world is being felt.

In The World is Flat, Friedman at once shows "how and why globalization has now shifted into warp drive" (Robert Wright, Slate) and brilliantly demystifies the new flat world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, he explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; how governments and societies can, and must, adapt; and why terrorists want to stand in the way. More than ever, The World is Flat is an essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists.

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The Rage in Placid Lake

Placid Lake's life has never been normal. From his early years when his mother sent him to school in a dress to challenge the other 5 year old children's 'preconceived notions of sexuality,' he should have guessed that fitting in was not going to be easy.

Fortunately for Placid, Gemma, the crayon gobbling scientific genius in awe of no one but her father is also having a few 'blending in' issues. They develop a firm friendship through the years during which their own peculiar parents attempt to drag them up and hurl them into adulthood, and they both discover the binding passion between them is a desperate bid for the elusive … 'Normal life'.

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Set in the New York underworld where nothing is as it seems, Lucky # Slevin is an action-packed, "fun-as-hell roller coaster ride" (Venice Magazine). When down-on-his-luck Slevin (Josh Hartnett) stumbles into a running feud between the city's most feared crime bosses (Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley), he ignites an all-out war. Tracked by a mysterious assassin (Bruce Willis) and distracted by his flirtatious neighbor (Lucy Liu), Slevin must try to cheat death by turning the tables on the gangsters. "If you take the best parts of Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects and The Professional, what you get is Lucky # Slevin" (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV Kansas City).

This is the movie that put Josh Hartnett on the acting map for me. His earlier works have been easy enough to avoid and consider yourself lucky if you've been able to do so. I do hope this is a transition on his part into better roles; he was entertaining. His quick-witted quips keep you laughing and help you avoid the need to wonder what on earth is going on in the movie. They fill you in due time, even though I wouldn't be surprised if you figure out the ending before it unfolds; you wouldn't be the first.

It seemed a little silly to have Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley in roles such as these since they were relatively small roles. But they definitely added big names to draw attention to a movie more people should see.

I feel like I should have more to say about this movie, but I can really sum it up by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed Lucky # Slevin.

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The Man Booker Prize for Fiction represents the very best in contemporary fiction (from the UK, Ireland, and the Commonwealth). One of the world’s most prestigious awards, and one of incomparable influence, it continues to be the pinnacle of ambition for every fiction writer. It has the power to transform the fortunes of authors, and even publishers. In 2004, not only did Alan Hollinghurst’s The Line of Beauty reach the bestseller lists, but previous winners The Life of Pi (2002) and Vernon God Little (2003) were also amongst the bestselling books of the year. Congratulations to last year's winner John Banville for his novel The Sea.

The winner receives £50,000 with a guaranteed increase in sales and recognition worldwide.

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

A simple, haunting phrase whistled off-screen tells us that a young girl will be killed. "Who is the murderer?" pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) closes in on little Elsie Beckmann. In his harrowing masterwork M, Fritz Lang merges trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller.

There are so many cinematic gems from the first half of the 20th century that are hidden under piles of dust. It is unfortunate that many have been largely forgotten. The good news is that I do not foresee the same fate for M. Filmed in 1931, M still entertains and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats generations later. The elaborate steps through which good guys and bad guys alike must keep watch for the man who has already killed 8 children was thoroughly engaging. And the irony of crooks bringing a criminal to justice was beautiful.

I grew up with Peter Lorre being nothing more than an occasional guest spot in a Looney Tunes Cartoon. I had no idea who this man was with these signature puppy-dog eyes and this voice you wouldn't let read to your kids at night. I had no idea he made movies until I was older. I began to see his name associated with certain movies that were well before my time. I heard stories and read snippets about him that praised his body of work. Before M I had seen him support such great leads as Humphrey Bogart and Daffy Duck. It wasn't until M that I experienced first hand how good Peter Lorre was. He spends most of the movie nearly silent. I was nearly confused by why his name was so prominently displayed on the DVD, though he had such a quiet role. And then the movie began to draw to a close and as it did its pace quickened and Peter Lorre came out of his shell.

I really enjoyed M.

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Always remember the cardinal rule of eating out: Never mess with people who handle your food! Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder), Anna Faris (the Scary Movie series) and Justin Long (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) star in this hilarious comedy about the band of mischievous waiters, waitresses and cooks just waiting to show guests how extraordinary the service at ShenaniganZ restaurant can be.

I sat down to watch this movie with friends a few months ago and only made it through the first 30 minutes before I fell asleep. It was not the movie's fault, I was grossly sleep deprived at the time. It is hard to imagine that I was able to fall asleep considering how hard I laughed through the first 30 minutes. All I can say for sure is that I had to see the rest if the beginning was that funny.

I've now seen the entire movie and it was funny. I laughed hard and often. I don't recommend the movie to you if you fell in with those who criticized Napoleon Dynamite for its lack of plot. You would be similarly disappointed with Waiting. Sure there is a moral dilemma in which one waiter is entrenched, but the rest of the movie is just about daily shenanigans of a few angsty employees of the food industry.

If you are naive enough to believe that restaurant dining is 100% clean and healthy, you may want to avoid seeing Waiting as it is an over-the-top portrayal of how sometimes a disgruntled server and/or cook will take a few inappopriate measures to get even with an annoying customer.

Ryan Reynolds gives a solid performance that, while not his best, goes to great strides to typecast him as the nearly past his prime big man on campus; a part he played perfectly in Van Wilder.

This will never be listed in the annals of great comedies, but it certainly was good for a few laughs. I am glad I finally got around to seeing the whole thing.

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I have never dealt much with the planets and the alignments of the moon. I know that it is big business the world over but it hasn't made its way into my home yet. I have finally had my first encounter with someone who took it at least somewhat seriously.

She wasn't what I would expect from a stereotypical aspect. She did not have long wavy hair, she did not move her arms in wide sweeping motions as she spoke, and she did not dress entirely in purple. What she did do was comment on, in her case, punctuality.

She was seated next to Nick and I while she waited for her friends. She told us that she hates when people are late though she is actually chronically tardy. This was not a double standard to her, since she informed us that she is a Taurus. She correctly assumed that our blank stares were an invitation for elaboration. Tauruses (Taurii?) are always late, she told us matter of factly.

Her sister is a Taurus. But she's always early. Now I'm really confused.

I don't understand it. I don't think I will ever understand it. And that is just fine by me.

The good news is that she bought me a beer. Which is also just fine by me.

Patricia: My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement.

New Found Glory - Too Good To Be

New Found Glory, the pop-punk band from Florida, has released a new album. Each album seems to be a bit slower than the last, but that is not to say they are not as good as the ones that came before. A definite highlight from the new album, Coming Home, is Too Good To Be. The song is more of a ballad than most of the songs they have released and I love it. Really the only thing that links this song to New Found Glory is Jordan's voice. You could easily mistake this song for a different band; it would definitely appeal to a broader audience. It quickly made the short list of songs I cannot stop playing right now.

1. Stand By Me

2. The Green Mile

3. The Shining

4. Apt Pupil

5. The Running Man

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But I know that I can make it. As long as somebody takes me home, every now and then...

Have you ever stopped to consider how much of a jerk this guy is? The "I'm not gonna lie" guy. Many in my peer group/age bracket have uttered this stupid phrase at least once. We use it as a dramatic conversational device to isolate and thus emphasize what will ultimately be a simple and meaningless comment. Granted, I have used it with a relative frequency and I'm not gonna lie, I find it to be surprisingly effective in certain situations. But do you know anyone who really says it ALL THE TIME? Has it ever made you wonder about all of the things he lies about? You know when he isn't lying because he tells you he isn't before he delivers a nugget of truth, but what about all of the other times?

Think about it.

Cont'd from East Coast Road Trip Part III - One for the Books "Down the Shore"

We woke up Sunday morning in Manasquan after little rest. While we began to lay out our day, we headed back to the beach for more boardwalk food. The chicken fingers were even better the second time around. The plan, when we left Michigan a few days before, was to leave the shore and head to our Nation's Capital. Defeated thoughts began to poison our minds. "Go home early," they said. "You've seen enough people and been to enough places already."

We had both taken Monday off work and to have that day at home to recuperate would have been a blessing. But wait. What's that I hear?

No good stories come from going home early.

As if a switch had been flipped, thoughts of home vanished. Thoughts of doing what we had set out to do energized us. Our time there would be short, but we would get to see some friends that we do not see at any regular intervals. We were going to D.C. And after stopping for a full tank of gas, two WaWa raspberry iced teas and a bag of Reese's Pieces we were on our way.

My friend Stephanie had planned our night. We were to head out for a drink and then to the restaurant for dinner. We missed the window of time she reserved to grab a drink by the water (someplace) but made it in time to put on big boy pants and head out to an incredible Italian dinner at Filomena Ristorante (located in Georgetown); the three of us and Josh's friend Brooke. The food and the company were great.

After dinner we said goodnight to the Brooke and Stephanie and met up with Josh's friend "Walt" and followed him back to his place where we would crash after staying up most of the night testing each other's affinity for movies.

Monday did not hold much excitement at the onset of our day. We grabbed some food with "Walt" and his brother before returning to the open road. Eight hours (I think was the drive time) ahead of us and no day to recover when we got home. We both had to be at work the next day. A feeling of impending doom spread over my car.

When we drove out of Michigan on Wednesday we had hopes and expectations of a great trip ahead. The return trip promised only heavy eyelids at work for the next few days. We needed something. We needed a beacon in the night. I don't remember which of us was responsible, so I'll give Josh the credit for making the suggestion. Half kidding he reminds me that we would pass right by Detroit on our way back home...more specifically we would pass Mexicantown. We shared a few laughs about going out with a bang and even our reservations with getting home that much later. But what's another hour at that point? And with that, we now had a late dinner at Xochimilco to make us excited to get back into Michigan.

This was the least exciting leg of our trip. I have no good stories to share from D.C., but I could not leave the trip recap unfinished. We had a lot of fun in D.C. as well as on the entire trip. It was a great time and I can't wait to do it again soon.

Number of consecutive days eating chicken fingers ends at: 5.

I suppose I wanted to say goodbye to someone, and have someone say goodbye to me. The goodbyes we speak and the goodbyes we hear are the goodbyes that tell us we're still alive, after all.