Ender's Game - The Movie

Today was my first good day at work in about two months. I did not want to celebrate by handing out candy so we went to see an advanced showing of "Ender's Game".  I never read the book, but when I saw the movie trailer, I thought: "This looks like a good sci-fy movie".  Well actually it is a great movie.  Excellent Story. Excellent cast including Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley.  Excellent special effects (what they were meant to do). AND a story with a lot of heart and care.

If you liked the original "Star Wars" you will like this. It has an original feel buy yet familiar idea. 

Asa Butterfield who plays Ender Wiggin is the most unusual hero yet. A boy who manages war like someone playing video games.

It is why I go to Movies.

I give it ****1/2 stars. 2013 movie 46  (I did see 1 and 1/2 movies 44 and 45 that I will not mention)

FYI: Should have seen it on IMAX!

Cartoon Fix

David & Goliath, the other side of the story

David is one of my all time favorite people. King David - The Man after GOD's own heart.

Malcolm Gladwell is also one of my favorite authors. So when he writes a book, I read it. When it's title is "David & Goliath", I can hardly wait.  

I just finished the book and was not disappointed.  He starts with the Bible story and takes it a different direction than we tend to do in church.  Gladwell says that while David appeared to be an underdog, he was far from it.   He then proceeds through the chapters telling true stories of underdogs, misfits and people who battle giants.  It is both uplifting and eye-opening.  

One of the coolest stories is about a father in California who took the task of coaching a basketball team composed of 12 year old girls. Fact was he was not from the United States and had never played basketball.  He didn't even like basketball. He was a computer programer in Silicon Valley.  He had a daughter who played in high school and college, but he paid little attention.  So he reluctantly agreed to coach after reviewing the rules.

While I won't tell you the story, he took this small, no talent team and made it to the national championship game for 12 year olds.  He was not burdened by history, tradition or expectations. He simply took a fresh look at the rules!

The stories in this great book tell shocking stories of the Civil Rights Movement; amazing stories of dyslexic people who excelled; and times when people in positions of power, mis-understand the limits of power when faced with "Davids".

Read this book. You can thank me later!  It is *****star.

Captain Phillips: This year's "Zero Dark 30"

Ok! These tense movies need to cease for a while.   "Captain Phillips" is so good that I was tense a knew the entire story!  Just like last year's "Zero Dark Thirty".  It is another story that displays the Navy Seals in action.  When I see these stories, but hear how Congress thinks our military is weak, I think: In the history of mankind, no one has pulled off things like this.

Tom Hanks shows again why he is simply one of the greatest actors ever.

By any measure a good movie. Again ****stars.

2013 movie # 43

Elders

In our church we have two elders that are retiring from being elders.  That in its self is a mis-statement.  There are men and women elders that fit the descriptions of the Bible idea of elders and then there are some that go to "Elder meetings".   I have always believed that many of our shepherding elders just don't have to meet regularly.

I am an elder because I am Old and not because I am a good shepherd.  

The cool thing is that I know the Good Shepherd.

OOPS! I did it again

Note:  To my church friends: I'm not talking about YOU!

So I'm setting in a class at church last Sunday and listening to a video of a well known Texas Minister.

In his talk he mentions that many Christians don't expect Jesus to be with them in worship, because if they did feel his presence (or even consider it) they would not come to worship 20 minutes late or set in worship reading email and answering texts.

While he is saying that, the lady directly behind me was texting so fast and so loud that it was hard to hear the speaker. She even topped that because the bell on her phone "dinged " loudly when she got her responses.

After class someone near me said Hi to me and I responded,  "I thought the preacher was talking about US since we have the same issues."   As I walked away from him, I realized that he is one of the members that usually arrives 20 minutes late!

Yikes - a - hooty

More News

FOX NEWS: All the News we care to make up!

From Wikipedia: The Federal Government Shutdown is "because Congress did not enact regula appropriations or a Continuing Resolution for the 2014 fiscal year, appropriations have lapsed and about 800,000 federal employees were indefinitely furloughed without pay, while another 1.3 million "excepted" employees were required to report to work for an indefinite period without pay until an appropriations bill is passed or their function is no longer "excepted"."

NOTE: The term Obamacare is not mentioned.  It wasn't up for a vote.  That vote happened 3 YEARS AGO!

Turn on FOX News and you will here that President Obama shut the Government down and tried to bar Veterans froming visiting the WWII Memorial.  It was Obama and the Democratic Senate that shut down the Government.

Funny thing is that my fellows Oklahomans are gullible enough to believe FOX. Even my Mother!

My Okie Republican friends believe FOX that it is OBAMA's fault because OBAMACARE is killing us. (Even though it really hasn't started!)  After all, the evil OBAMA got that bill passed 3 years ago and we ask him to forget it and he said NO!  Go figure?

Hey my Repub buddies: You want Obama to compromise?  Why not trade Obamacare that he likes for Gun Control that you don't like?  That is Compromise.

When someone likes something and you want it taken away. No compromise.

O well!   We live in a time that if you have a 24 hour TV channel, you can say anything is the truth and people will believe it because Hey: They said they were "FAIR and BALANCED" and you know EVERYTHING on FOX is the truth because they said so!

GRAVITY

When you think about space movies, you think about the absence of "Gravity". You know- There is another definition of the word, gravity: "a serious situation or problem". 

Not knowing which the director meant, I opt for the second.

I'll say up front: Gravity is one of the most tense, thrill rides that I have had in a while.  I thought "World War Z" was tense but hey?  For a movie with no evil bad guy or monster, no guns or weapons, no robot malfunction,  people you don't like or car chases, just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time and 300 miles above earth.

There are really only two actors: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.   But I guarantee you will hang on every one and visual.  It is a duck out of water (Sandra) and a veteran (George).

Yes, We saw it in 3D and IMAX the best venue for this movie.  IF YOU WAIT FOR NETFLIX, YOU WILL BE THE LOSER.  THIS NEEDS A LARGE THEATER THAT IS PITCH BLACK AND NO ONE ASKING: "DO YOU WANT SOMETHING FROM THE KITHEN?"

I Give it ****1/2 stars.  2013 movie #42