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Clerks II

From the Main Menu, highlight and select "Special Features." The Special Features menu has two pages. If you highlight and select "more" you will be taken to the second page. Randal (Jeff Anderson) appears on the right side of the screen. Highlight the top option (Play introduction to film by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier) and move the cursor to the right. A thought bubble of what appears to be a hamburger will show up by Randal's head. Pressing enter/select will take you to a video where writer/director Kevin Smith talks about "The Askewniverse Bible."

Link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0430105/

Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin and Garrett Hedlund co-star in this gripping tale of brotherly love, betrayal, and revenge from acclaimed filmmaker John Singleton.

After their adoptive mother is gunned down during a grocery store holdup, the estranged brothers reunite to seek revenge and take matters into their own hands. Defying police orders, the four begin turning their old Detroit neighborhood upside down searching for the mastermind behind the brutal killing. Along the way, they discover they are bound by ties thicker than blood in this emotionally powerful, action-packed drama.

I had expected only to like this movie. I had seen the trailer and commercials and from them the movie looked decent. I had not expected to run out and buy a copy after seeing it so I could watch it time and time again; I did not expect to love it, only to be entertained. And I was entertained, at parts...but only a few of them.

The self-help street justice that the brothers turn to in their effort to avenge their adopted mother's killer was over-the-top unbelievable. The "saintly" woman who took these lost-cause boys into her home apparently did not do nearly as good of a job raising them as everyone gave her credit for. She took these boys when no one else wanted them. She gave them a home when no one else would. In her and each other, they had family. But then they grew up, went their separate ways and never got off the streets. Only one of the four appears to have his head on straight.

Marky Mark was good in his role, but the role just wasn't impressive. None of the roles were. The writing and the action were hijacked out of some 80s movie that is only aired on the basic channels Saturday afternoons when the networks have nothing else to show. I would have thought the film industry had evolved beyond movies like this.

I am usually a supporter of violence in movies. In most action movies it can paint a picture. In Four Brothers it was senseless and unnecessary as it just leads you back to the idea that what the brothers got away with was completely ridiculous.

The ending. Oh my, the ending. "There is a plot twist coming, I can feel it... Wait, was that it? Was that the big finish? Huh. I guess it was." I just narrated your thought process as you watch the end of Four Brothers.

I think the plot was too big for the movie and there was no way the makers could have achieved what they wanted. I cannot imagine a scenario when this would be a movie worth watching. Feel free to pass on Four Brothers.

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The Poet by Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly has written one explosive thriller after another featuring Detective Harry Bosch. Now, in an electrifying departure, he presents a novel that breaks all the rules and will keep your heart racing and your mind guessing until the very last page.

Death is reporter Jack McEvoy's beat: his calling, his obsession. But this time, death brings McEvoy the story he never wanted to write -- and the mystery he desperately needs to solve. A serial killer of unprecedented savagery and cunning is at large. His targets: homicide cops, each haunted by a murder case he couldn't crack. The killer's calling card: a quotation from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. His latest victim is McEvoy's own brother. And his last... may be McEvoy himself.

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Tommy: Look at 'em there, pretty maids all in a row. I want the one on the left; she's perfect. Which one d'you want? Huh, huh, huh?... Alright. Paul: Does it make a difference? Tommy: Oh yeah. Wait a second. Is this your first time? Paul: Yeah Tommy, it is. Tommy: God, you're gonna remember this the rest of your life. Can't believe you've never been cow tipping before. Get ready to live. She's sleepin'. What you do is, you put your shoulder into her and you push. Paul: And? Tommy: They fall over... Paul: And this doesn't strike you as kinda dumb? Tommy: We're family, we're gonna be doing lots of dumb stuff together. Wait 'til Christmas.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens's classic holiday story sparkles with humor and whimsy in the hands of the always hilarious Muppets! Michael Caine stars as the penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge in a performance that's anything but "bah humbug!" Alone on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts who transport him to his past, present and future -- and it's not a pretty sight! but along the way he comes upon poor, kind, humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, including Tiny Tim who teaches Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas. Complete with original music and dazzling effects, this heartfelt holiday movie is exceptional entertainment your family will enjoy for every Christmas to come.

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Link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0418763/

Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Jake Gyllenhaal star in this critically acclaimed, brilliantly unconventional war story from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.

Jarhead (the self-imposed moniker of the Marines) follows Swoff (Gyllenhaal) from a sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, where he sports a sniper rifle through Middle East deserts that provide no cover from the heat or Iraqi soldiers. Swoff and his fellow Marines sustain themselves with sardonic humanity and wicked comedy on blazing desert fields in a country they don't understand against an enemy they can't see for a cause they don't fully grasp.

One quick note before I go on about how much I enjoyed Jarhead. It is described as this ground-breaking film for being set during a war in a hostile zone, but not being ABOUT the war. I think it is unfair that Jarhead is credited as being the first movie to focus on the mental anguish endured by soldiers when other movies have done the same thing. To name a few, see Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter.

And now that I have gotten that out of my system, Jarhead exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the performances by Peter Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal. Even Jamie Foxx deserves credit for the work he did in Jarhead.

I do not normally like Jake Gyllenhaal. It is not that I dislike him at all, in most of his roles I have simply found him unremarkable. He brought a passion to Jarhead that he has not had the ability to display in previous movies. He has come a long way since Bubble Boy.

I like Peter Sarsgaard. I have liked him in pervious parts and I appreciate the complexity he brought to the character in Jarhead.

Not too long ago I could be heard requesting the end of Jamie Foxx's 15 minutes of fame. More often than not he plays a relatively transparent character and he does little, if anything, to bring the parts to life. (Granted, I have not seen Ray, so I am speaking only of his other work.) If he continues to bring the maturity to future characters that he brought to Jarhead, I will gladly eat my words.

I liked the way Jarhead, in a subtle fashion, portrayed different types of Marines. The movie primarily featured the enlisted son of a proud veteran, the cowboy Marine who can't wait to kill anything and everything, the man with the haunted past trying to lose himself in the Marines, and the firm-but-fair, almost fatherly, commanding officer. There were many other men and women who fought and participated bravely in the war, but these characters were the focus of the movie.

I liked two main themes/symbols from the movie. I found it very interesting the way the movie suggests that soldiers are coached on how to address the press when expressing their opinions on the war. I also enjoyed the contrast in one of the final scenes as the veteran Marine joins the young men on the bus. This scene was brilliant in its awkwardness.

(I was a little disappointed by how similar boot camp experience with the drill sergeant was to the beginning of Full Metal Jacket, but it may not bother you at all.)

I approached Jarhead very objectively and found myself very pleased with the movie. I had no expectations, lofty or otherwise. I was able to enjoy the movie for what it was. The language and some subject matter may make the movie prohibitive to a younger audience, but I believe Jarhead is an important movie for the respect and appreciation of our armed forces.

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1. Lost Horizon

2. Casablanca

3. Clerks

4. Raging Bull

5. M

(Honorable Mention: Seven Samurai)

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Mac: But our shenanigans are cheeky and fun! Thorny: Yeah, and his shenanigans are cruel and tragic. Foster: Which... makes them not really shenanigans at all. Mac: Evil shenanigans!

01.	Camp Lo	-	Luchini
02.	Master P	-	Ooohhhwee
03.	Mr. Cheeks	-	Lights, Camera, Action
04.	Philly's Most Wanted	-	Cross the Border
05.	Cam'Ron	-	Hey Ma
06.	Trick Daddy	-	I'm a Thug
07.	Ali ft Murphy Lee	-	Boughetto
08.	Benzino	-	Rock the Party
09.	B Rich	-	Whoa Now
10.	Shyne	-	Bonnie & Shyne
11.	Ruff Ryders	-	Down Bottom
12.	504 Boyz	-	I Can Tell
13.	Nas	-	You Know My Style
14.	N.O.R.E.	-	Nothin'
15.	Ghostface Killah	-	Cherchez LaGhost
16.	Silk	-	Freak Me
17.	Trina	-	Pull Over
18.	Big Tymers	-	Still Fly
19.	Alkaline Trio	-	My Friend Peter

In 2005 John Legend won 3 Grammy Awards. He won for Best New Artist, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance on his song "Ordinary People" and Best R&B Album for Get Lifted. Both of Legend's albums have been released under Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label. Get Lifted was a great album, but I think Once Again is better.

a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=IClueOjbfcw&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%253D201870732%2526id%253D201870715%2526s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30">Save Room As the music starts, don't be startled. You are still sitting on your couch, or driving your car. You have not been physically transported to inside an elevator, it is just the song and it will pass. But before you know it you'll want to be sure you have someone in your life into whose eyes you may gaze while you sing along.

02. Heaven There is comfort in John Legend's voice and it comes through in this song. I am not a huge fan of the hollow, tin sounding female support singing "Heaven only knows," but it works well enough.

03. Stereo My guess is that you will be hard-pressed to find a song where you can feel the singer's passion like you can in this song. Listening to this song and this album you, too, will fall in love with your stereo.

04. Show Me While pleading for someone to show him that they love him, Legend shows us how comfortable he is in his upper vocal range.

05. Each Day Gets Better This is the track you will want to take not of on this album. This should be the new relationship anthem. Guys, if you don't get a copy of the album, at least get this song. If your girl has out grown the legend Barry White, try this Legend's "Each Day Gets Better."

06. P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care) This is really the first track on the album where we see the rusty sound in Legend's voice that delighted so many in the Grammy winning "Ordinary People," though it is in short supply. It comes out more later in the album. Gents, this is another track with which to woo your special lady friend.

07. Slow Dance Smooth. Let's drop everything so our arms are free for each other. It's a great message and a great song.

08. Again This song slows the album; it changes the pace and the tone. The first song with conflict in the lyrics is just another way for John Legend to show his versatility on the album.

09. Maxine The jazzier sound here could make this a song you would hear in a more up-scale bar/club/restaurant. It's a good song with a slower tempo.

10. Where Did My Baby Go This is probably my favorite song on the album. It is not the most up-beat subject matter, but it is one of the higher-energy songs. Probably the highest compliment I could pay John Legend is saying that this song is reminiscent of Sam Cooke. It also brings back that rusty, off-key singing that Legend does so well. I love this song.

11. Maxine's Interlude I am not sure why this was added to the album, except for dramatic feel to this story-told-in-an-album. At under 2 minutes, it is not too obtrusive, but I still usually skip this track when I listen to the album.

12. Another Again This is a good song. It is a shame that is on this album because it is overshadowed by so many of the other songs. And maybe if you haven't heard "Prototype," from OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, you won't mind how similar the music is.

13. Coming Home This is a beautiful song with which to end this story. There is more emotion here than in most of the other tracks, which makes sense as the album/story comes to its grand conclusion.

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