Full disclosure right up front. If there was ever a movie made that was squarely targeted at 17 year old boys, it's the new 21 And Over.
How do I know this? I was a 17 year old boy at one time, and I get it. This was made by the same people that brought us The Hangover a few years back. And even though tons of younger kids saw that R rated movie, it really was for adults. Not only in it's rating, but in its subject matter, and eventual outcome. The ending message of that movie had to be lived, and teens although will laugh at The Hangover's slap stick, they don't fully relate to the end game. That is not the problem here.
21 And Over (Rated R) is about three friends. One of the friends, Jeff Chang, is in college and has a huge meeting the morning after his 21st birthday to get into medical school. His doctor-father pulled many strings to get this meeting. Problem is, two friends come into town and are taking Jeff out for a drunken night. And that's pretty much the first 70 minutes of this movie. If you like to watch three guys out on the town, drinking, partying, chasing women and puking this is your movie. I would also like someone to go to this movie and try to count the "F-Bombs" here. I think Goodfellas holds the all-time record at like 285 or something, but I bet this is close in a movie that is an hour shorter.
Then they try to carve out a "coming of age" angle and attempt to develop a story, and some of it works alright. What this turns into, is a movie of rebellion, and the never ending quest today to not grow up. It speaks directly and absolutely to the rebel in all kids today, and in all generations past that it is far more fun to drink all night, party and be a kid forever. Who at 17 or 21 wouldn't buy into that? Wouldn't that just be great? That joke used to be a whole lot funnier than it is today. It puts today's college experience front and center.
21 And Over knows who is going to this movie and really caters to it. It really is The Hangover for late teens. There are some fun gags in this movie but what this really is, is a series of scenes that many teens have lived sadly, and eventually want to live out. There is a certain glorification to the whole "getting so drunk we don't know who we are thing." But mostly this is just a laundry list of gags, and scenes that young guys will think is really cool, and funny. Are there a few laughs? Why, yes there are, but not enough to save this. But for the core who are going to see this, it's right on target.
Interestingly though, this opened as real flop. Leading me to think that there is just so much of this type of thing at the flicks these days, this was thought of as "been there, done that." A measly 9 million first weekend out. Waiting till Spring Break might have been wiser financially.
21 And Over. Juvenile. Actually 21 might be pushing it.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
MOVIE REVIEW - Snitch
It's been a long time coming, but finally the new drug law movie, Snitch is out this week. This film has been under construction in some way since about 2004.
Snitch stars Dewayne Johnson (The Rock) as John, a young father who is in his second marriage. He has a son from a first marriage who is18 years old. His son, who is a good kid, makes a bone-headed decision to accept a UPS delivery of a shipment of drugs for sale one of his friends is shipping home. After his son signs for the package, his house is raided and he is now up on drug charges. And the sentence is really stiff. He could face 10 years minimum or up to 30 years if he doesn't play ball with the Feds.
John is remarried and has a little girl and a huge house as his construction company has done well. John is a suburban guy with no knowledge of the real trouble his son is in. He goes to the U.S Attorney (Susan Sarandon), to see what can be done. She states that if her son could turn over other drug dealers, his sentence could be reduced. He knows none. So John decides to go out and enter the drug world as an informant. Problem is he is way over his head. He enters into agreements with local drug dealers and eventually the Mexican Cartel to drive tractor-trailer loads of drugs, and money, and be used as a mule.
Then John is double crossed by the Feds, as his agreement is not really held up on their end. So he gets in even deeper and his entire family is now in danger and the cartel is weaving their web around his entire life. Can he eventually make it right, and help his son? And will the Feds finally cooperate? That is Snitch!
First off, this is based on actual events, and is not a true story. And this movie has an obvious agenda convincing us that the drug laws and sentences at the time were probably a bit out of focus, especially for first time offenders. But even if it's completely fiction, and even if it subtracted the attempted college lesson, this is a good story. Darn good. Behind all the bells, whistles, action and underlying message, this is compelling stuff of a father going to no limits to save his son from a lifetime of jail that he doesn't deserve.
This also has a nice cast with not only Johnson and Sarandon, but also Barry Pepper, Benjamin Bratt, and others. Johnson is not the greatest actor on earth, but he is likable, and is an imposing figure on screen. The big flaw in this movie is it may be a bit over cast. There just isn't enough movie to go around for Bratt, Pepper, or Sarandon to shine properly. This is Johnson's movie.
But this is a nice combination of drama and action. There is enough story here to keep you into it, and enough action to make it exciting. It suffers some from poor writing and a few holes here and there, but I'm willing to give it a pass on that. Sometimes with these kinds of movies it's best to move it along. These movies have a time limit to be effective for the audience, and this does clip along nicely. No sense dragging a movie like this out.
One thing really done well here, the action is not way over the top. They remember that John is not an action hero, he is a suburban dad, who is way over his head. I have to admit, I was worried the whole movie they were going to turn him into Rambo at any minute, but they don't, because they can't. It would have killed the movie, but that hasn't stopped movie makers before.
Snitch. For a February release, I liked this movie. This will not change cinematic movie making for generations to come, but this is entertaining.
Snitch stars Dewayne Johnson (The Rock) as John, a young father who is in his second marriage. He has a son from a first marriage who is18 years old. His son, who is a good kid, makes a bone-headed decision to accept a UPS delivery of a shipment of drugs for sale one of his friends is shipping home. After his son signs for the package, his house is raided and he is now up on drug charges. And the sentence is really stiff. He could face 10 years minimum or up to 30 years if he doesn't play ball with the Feds.
John is remarried and has a little girl and a huge house as his construction company has done well. John is a suburban guy with no knowledge of the real trouble his son is in. He goes to the U.S Attorney (Susan Sarandon), to see what can be done. She states that if her son could turn over other drug dealers, his sentence could be reduced. He knows none. So John decides to go out and enter the drug world as an informant. Problem is he is way over his head. He enters into agreements with local drug dealers and eventually the Mexican Cartel to drive tractor-trailer loads of drugs, and money, and be used as a mule.
Then John is double crossed by the Feds, as his agreement is not really held up on their end. So he gets in even deeper and his entire family is now in danger and the cartel is weaving their web around his entire life. Can he eventually make it right, and help his son? And will the Feds finally cooperate? That is Snitch!
First off, this is based on actual events, and is not a true story. And this movie has an obvious agenda convincing us that the drug laws and sentences at the time were probably a bit out of focus, especially for first time offenders. But even if it's completely fiction, and even if it subtracted the attempted college lesson, this is a good story. Darn good. Behind all the bells, whistles, action and underlying message, this is compelling stuff of a father going to no limits to save his son from a lifetime of jail that he doesn't deserve.
This also has a nice cast with not only Johnson and Sarandon, but also Barry Pepper, Benjamin Bratt, and others. Johnson is not the greatest actor on earth, but he is likable, and is an imposing figure on screen. The big flaw in this movie is it may be a bit over cast. There just isn't enough movie to go around for Bratt, Pepper, or Sarandon to shine properly. This is Johnson's movie.
But this is a nice combination of drama and action. There is enough story here to keep you into it, and enough action to make it exciting. It suffers some from poor writing and a few holes here and there, but I'm willing to give it a pass on that. Sometimes with these kinds of movies it's best to move it along. These movies have a time limit to be effective for the audience, and this does clip along nicely. No sense dragging a movie like this out.
One thing really done well here, the action is not way over the top. They remember that John is not an action hero, he is a suburban dad, who is way over his head. I have to admit, I was worried the whole movie they were going to turn him into Rambo at any minute, but they don't, because they can't. It would have killed the movie, but that hasn't stopped movie makers before.
Snitch. For a February release, I liked this movie. This will not change cinematic movie making for generations to come, but this is entertaining.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Refreshing
In the news it's not often that you hear something that's truly refreshing, easy and fun to listen to. Well today, there was one.
I am as sick of winter, snow and the wind as you, and I am ready for spring. There are few signs more absolute that spring is on the way than the Indians opening spring training this week. Be it in Arizona. But I wouldn't care if it was at Firestone Stadium at this stage of the game, lets get on with it.
The new look Tribe had a real nice off season with the centerpiece being the signing of Ohio native, Nick Swisher. An Ohio State grad, and long time productive major league ball player, it's been hard not to get caught up in his smile and enthusiasm for the game and being and Indian for the next 4 or 5 years. But how about these comments?
Swisher through his warm and infectious smile, acknowledged this week that he felt to blessed to be a major league ball player, and he couldn't be happier to be with the Tribe. He went on to say that there are only about 750 people on earth lucky enough to call themselves major league ball players and that he felt lucky to be one of them. How can you not love that guy? When was the last time you heard a ball player say that? Me? Never. But man, is he telling the truth.
Yeah I know, ball players make too much money. But it's not our money, it's the owners money. And those saying that money is better spent on something more "worthwhile" is mute. Ball team owners are in a business of winning the World Series, not running a charity or a governmental agency. Funny, does anyone complain about George Clooney making 20 million per picture? Same thing, it's the studio's money, whose job it is to put people in theater seats. But to hear a ball player loaded with cash, say something like this? Refreshing to say the least, whether you are any professional athlete anywhere or a Hollywood icon.
I have no idea if Swisher will hit 30 home runs this year, or lead the Tribe to the pennant. But what I do know is that I will be rooting for him, and the Tribe. He is their new leader, new face, and new identity. And he's the kind of guy you want to cheer for. A helping of humility knowing he is making a great living, by living out a dream. Good for him.
Making it to the Major Leagues is about the hardest thing on earth. You start in t-ball, little league, and pony league. Move on to assorted travel leagues, eventually college, then to tons of levels of minor league baseball, if you are lucky enough to get noticed and drafted. This takes place over many years, and you must be the best at every level to move on the the next. If not, you are out - period. Additionally, you must stay healthy the whole time, and be in the right organization. The odds are so stacked against you all the way, and not by a little.
Making it onto baseball's biggest stage is brutally hard. The only thing that gets you there is being among the best in the world. You can't smoke and mirror this one. Good looks, a great figure, washboard abs, or being a child of someone famous doesn't matter in baseball. It can't be faked. You can either hit, throw, and/or catch a 100 mph ball or you can't.
And it's great to hear Swisher, heck any ball player playing any game for a living to get the totality of it all. His comments went down smoother than an Arnold Palmer in the shade on a hot summer day, and is possibly more refreshing. Forget that he's rich and wake up to the fact that all of our favorite players, singers, actors, TV idols and the Kardashians are stinking rich. Root for Swisher because he gets it, in the entertainment arena where so many don't...or won't.
Go Nick and Go Tribe!
I am as sick of winter, snow and the wind as you, and I am ready for spring. There are few signs more absolute that spring is on the way than the Indians opening spring training this week. Be it in Arizona. But I wouldn't care if it was at Firestone Stadium at this stage of the game, lets get on with it.
The new look Tribe had a real nice off season with the centerpiece being the signing of Ohio native, Nick Swisher. An Ohio State grad, and long time productive major league ball player, it's been hard not to get caught up in his smile and enthusiasm for the game and being and Indian for the next 4 or 5 years. But how about these comments?
Swisher through his warm and infectious smile, acknowledged this week that he felt to blessed to be a major league ball player, and he couldn't be happier to be with the Tribe. He went on to say that there are only about 750 people on earth lucky enough to call themselves major league ball players and that he felt lucky to be one of them. How can you not love that guy? When was the last time you heard a ball player say that? Me? Never. But man, is he telling the truth.
Yeah I know, ball players make too much money. But it's not our money, it's the owners money. And those saying that money is better spent on something more "worthwhile" is mute. Ball team owners are in a business of winning the World Series, not running a charity or a governmental agency. Funny, does anyone complain about George Clooney making 20 million per picture? Same thing, it's the studio's money, whose job it is to put people in theater seats. But to hear a ball player loaded with cash, say something like this? Refreshing to say the least, whether you are any professional athlete anywhere or a Hollywood icon.
I have no idea if Swisher will hit 30 home runs this year, or lead the Tribe to the pennant. But what I do know is that I will be rooting for him, and the Tribe. He is their new leader, new face, and new identity. And he's the kind of guy you want to cheer for. A helping of humility knowing he is making a great living, by living out a dream. Good for him.
Making it to the Major Leagues is about the hardest thing on earth. You start in t-ball, little league, and pony league. Move on to assorted travel leagues, eventually college, then to tons of levels of minor league baseball, if you are lucky enough to get noticed and drafted. This takes place over many years, and you must be the best at every level to move on the the next. If not, you are out - period. Additionally, you must stay healthy the whole time, and be in the right organization. The odds are so stacked against you all the way, and not by a little.
Making it onto baseball's biggest stage is brutally hard. The only thing that gets you there is being among the best in the world. You can't smoke and mirror this one. Good looks, a great figure, washboard abs, or being a child of someone famous doesn't matter in baseball. It can't be faked. You can either hit, throw, and/or catch a 100 mph ball or you can't.
And it's great to hear Swisher, heck any ball player playing any game for a living to get the totality of it all. His comments went down smoother than an Arnold Palmer in the shade on a hot summer day, and is possibly more refreshing. Forget that he's rich and wake up to the fact that all of our favorite players, singers, actors, TV idols and the Kardashians are stinking rich. Root for Swisher because he gets it, in the entertainment arena where so many don't...or won't.
Go Nick and Go Tribe!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
MOVIE REVIEW - Beautiful Creatures
Here comes one of the biggest surprises you'll see at the movies in a while. A star is born with 19 year old Alice Englert in the new Beautiful Creatures.
I love having virtually no expectations when going to the movies. Many times it opens your mind a bit further than normal. When you see the trailer for this movie, you feel that it's going to be yet another witchy-supernatural movie loaded with special effects and a bunch of bloody violence. But not here.
This is a real good story, that yes deals with witches or "casters" as they are called here. But it's also a young love story, and one that pits real good against real evil. Set in today's world and dealing with real people. This story although not hugely original, is told very well, at a very nice pace, all delivered by a very good cast, lead by a new star I feel, in Alice Englert.
She is Lena, who is a high school kid in a new school in rural South Carolina. There she meets Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich). She also meets a ton of closed minds, religious intolerance and prejudice. She is from an outcast family that the locals think are cursed and witches. So she is not excepted, except by Ethan. Turns out that they are correct, Lena is a caster, who is about 100 days away from her 16th birthday. On that day it will be determined if she will be a caster swayed to "the evil and dark side" or not. Seems that her young love with Ethan holds the key as to what side she will be swayed to. And many in her family are trying to get Ethan out of her life. Will they survive? And will Lena end up as a caster for good, or will she lead the other casters to the ultimate goal of replacing mortals as the leaders of the world?
This is a very entertaining movie that relies on wonderful storytelling and not special effects for the bang. This movie also boasts a huge cast, that is perfectly assembled. Joining our two leads are Viola Davis, Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson. All very good in their supporting roles really bringing great credibility to this smart and fresh script.
But let's get down to it. Alice Englert is fantastic as the complicated Lena. She has to play Lena in many different lights, and really pulls it off well. She at times is very loving, caring and vulnerable. And aggressive, and assertive in others. This is a very large role that needed a strong, young actress to pull it off. Also the fact that she is a relative unknown is a huge plus for her, and this movie. She is spectacular.
Beautiful Creatures. Low expectations, big return. This is very good.
I love having virtually no expectations when going to the movies. Many times it opens your mind a bit further than normal. When you see the trailer for this movie, you feel that it's going to be yet another witchy-supernatural movie loaded with special effects and a bunch of bloody violence. But not here.
This is a real good story, that yes deals with witches or "casters" as they are called here. But it's also a young love story, and one that pits real good against real evil. Set in today's world and dealing with real people. This story although not hugely original, is told very well, at a very nice pace, all delivered by a very good cast, lead by a new star I feel, in Alice Englert.
She is Lena, who is a high school kid in a new school in rural South Carolina. There she meets Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich). She also meets a ton of closed minds, religious intolerance and prejudice. She is from an outcast family that the locals think are cursed and witches. So she is not excepted, except by Ethan. Turns out that they are correct, Lena is a caster, who is about 100 days away from her 16th birthday. On that day it will be determined if she will be a caster swayed to "the evil and dark side" or not. Seems that her young love with Ethan holds the key as to what side she will be swayed to. And many in her family are trying to get Ethan out of her life. Will they survive? And will Lena end up as a caster for good, or will she lead the other casters to the ultimate goal of replacing mortals as the leaders of the world?
This is a very entertaining movie that relies on wonderful storytelling and not special effects for the bang. This movie also boasts a huge cast, that is perfectly assembled. Joining our two leads are Viola Davis, Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson. All very good in their supporting roles really bringing great credibility to this smart and fresh script.
But let's get down to it. Alice Englert is fantastic as the complicated Lena. She has to play Lena in many different lights, and really pulls it off well. She at times is very loving, caring and vulnerable. And aggressive, and assertive in others. This is a very large role that needed a strong, young actress to pull it off. Also the fact that she is a relative unknown is a huge plus for her, and this movie. She is spectacular.
Beautiful Creatures. Low expectations, big return. This is very good.
MOVIE REVIEW - A Good Day To Die Hard
Here we go again, the Die Hard movie express has pulled out of the station with A Good Day To Die Hard. 25 years later, still making these flicks.
Bruce Willis is back as John McClane. This time he accidentally teams up with his son Jack (Jai Courtney) who is now a CIA operative working in Russia. The premise of this movie is not really all that difficult to convey. These two are up against rogue aspects of the Russian Government, and organized crime. This bunch is bent on stealing secrets, and nuclear materials to either build a terrible weapon or sell for gigantic profit to those who will. This would effect the balance of world power. Good thing we have these two on the job.
But that's where I'll stop the bashing. This movie is what it is, What they all are. It's an over-the-top action series, that has a bit of fun, and sarcasm mixed in. There is no shortage of long, and drawn out action sequences here. Some are really kind of fun, and all are too long. But that's what they've got. That's who they are. Yes, there is some really marginal acting here, and some really lousy dialogue and a bunch of eye rolling by us in the audience. But, if you don't know that going in, you need to join the 21st century, and bone up on a franchise that began in the 20th century.
This movie does something really smart though in the end. They borrow a page from Taken a couple of years ago with Liam Neeson. The strength, charm, and best part of that movie was the timeless fact that this father was going after the guys who took his daughter. Classic plot. Dad avenging thugs who did his daughter wrong. And that transfers here. This is a story of a father, reuniting with his estranged son, and living every fathers dream of working side by side with his only son to finish a job that needs to be done. In this case save the world. Smart.
Is this whole thing over the top? Yes! If it can blow up, catch on fire, crash, or be shot out of something, it's here. It's convenient, and yes there are holes in this whole thing. But who cares. This is essentially mindless "It's 20 degrees outside so lets go to the movies" stuff.
A Good Day To Die Hard. It is what it is. If you're expecting anything else. Keep on going.
Bruce Willis is back as John McClane. This time he accidentally teams up with his son Jack (Jai Courtney) who is now a CIA operative working in Russia. The premise of this movie is not really all that difficult to convey. These two are up against rogue aspects of the Russian Government, and organized crime. This bunch is bent on stealing secrets, and nuclear materials to either build a terrible weapon or sell for gigantic profit to those who will. This would effect the balance of world power. Good thing we have these two on the job.
But that's where I'll stop the bashing. This movie is what it is, What they all are. It's an over-the-top action series, that has a bit of fun, and sarcasm mixed in. There is no shortage of long, and drawn out action sequences here. Some are really kind of fun, and all are too long. But that's what they've got. That's who they are. Yes, there is some really marginal acting here, and some really lousy dialogue and a bunch of eye rolling by us in the audience. But, if you don't know that going in, you need to join the 21st century, and bone up on a franchise that began in the 20th century.
This movie does something really smart though in the end. They borrow a page from Taken a couple of years ago with Liam Neeson. The strength, charm, and best part of that movie was the timeless fact that this father was going after the guys who took his daughter. Classic plot. Dad avenging thugs who did his daughter wrong. And that transfers here. This is a story of a father, reuniting with his estranged son, and living every fathers dream of working side by side with his only son to finish a job that needs to be done. In this case save the world. Smart.
Is this whole thing over the top? Yes! If it can blow up, catch on fire, crash, or be shot out of something, it's here. It's convenient, and yes there are holes in this whole thing. But who cares. This is essentially mindless "It's 20 degrees outside so lets go to the movies" stuff.
A Good Day To Die Hard. It is what it is. If you're expecting anything else. Keep on going.
MOVIE REVIEW - Safe Haven
Nicholas Sparks romance novel, Safe Haven is new this week, and I hope you have a big stack of pancakes for the amount of sappy syrup they are serving up.
This predictable Sparks story and movie, stars the lovely Julianne Hough, and the equally beautiful Josh Duhamel. And there lies some of the problem from a movie stand point, but more on that in a minute. It's another woman in distress movie, where she meets a tortured man, and somehow they will work it all out so they can be together. Now that we are way into the Sparks string of the same movie, it's clear that the only challenge is to find new faces that play the same characters. These are now firmly established as romance novels come to life and not actually real movies.
Harsh sounding I know, but true. As where these movies are only talked about in the same light as other Sparks movies, and not other movies. James Bond flicks have the same syndrome. Difference is, those are not the same story over and over again. Oh yeah, and they are good.
This is the story of Katie (Hough). She flees a terribly abusive marriage in the middle of the night and jumps a bus to the North Carolina Coast. Her husband is a drunken Boston police detective who is out of his mind, and sets out to find Katie using horribly unprofessional methods to to so. Katie meets Alex (Duhamel). He is a general store owner in the town Katie ends up in. His wife died of cancer a few years ago, and he is a single father of two amazingly beautiful children. A boy and a girl, about 10 and 6. They of course, go through the same courting scenes used in every Sparks film. Then they fall in love.
But will Katie's husband find her? And will he do them harm? Will Katie tell Alex the truth about who she really is? And is she really Katie? Burning questions I know, but that's where we are. Will it work out? I don't know about you, but I have a guess.
OK, enough sarcasm, this is the same movie all over again, from...you take your pick, any Sparks movie. Same basic plot, same area of the country and same premise all the way around, with the same characters. There is nothing wrong with Hough here. This is not challenging stuff to do. She is cute, wieghs 100 pounds, and wears incredibly short shorts all movie long. Certainly likable on screen, but no different than she was on Dancing With The Stars. Dumamel is amazingly handsome, and somewhat charming, and there is the obligatory no shirt scene or two. All he really has to do is act smitten all movie and he does it. It's real romance novel stuff. Part of the charm for teenagers I know. But not really good, or enduring movie making.
Seriously, who looks like these two anyway? And that's part of the problem. There is no real level of believability here at all. And I get it too. It's supposed to be a fantasy, a romance novel. And that's my point. This is not a movie, it's a book come to the screen as an escape, a fantasy. But it's the same fantasy that's been had a dozen times before, and that's boring. How about a new setting, how about some new characters, and maybe a different premise, and a real story and not some plot you pour into the "plot mold" and spit out the same old thing. At least the Sparks book The Notebook from years ago dared to be different in many ways and was. And think about it, that's the only one that everyone talks about years later.
Oh yeah, with these movies it's not about being good. It's not about making a real movie, it's about what may be the monetary gain only? Starting to look that way. Or maybe continuing to look that way. How about something new next time? Just to humor us.
Safe Haven. New faces. Same thing - again.
This predictable Sparks story and movie, stars the lovely Julianne Hough, and the equally beautiful Josh Duhamel. And there lies some of the problem from a movie stand point, but more on that in a minute. It's another woman in distress movie, where she meets a tortured man, and somehow they will work it all out so they can be together. Now that we are way into the Sparks string of the same movie, it's clear that the only challenge is to find new faces that play the same characters. These are now firmly established as romance novels come to life and not actually real movies.
Harsh sounding I know, but true. As where these movies are only talked about in the same light as other Sparks movies, and not other movies. James Bond flicks have the same syndrome. Difference is, those are not the same story over and over again. Oh yeah, and they are good.
This is the story of Katie (Hough). She flees a terribly abusive marriage in the middle of the night and jumps a bus to the North Carolina Coast. Her husband is a drunken Boston police detective who is out of his mind, and sets out to find Katie using horribly unprofessional methods to to so. Katie meets Alex (Duhamel). He is a general store owner in the town Katie ends up in. His wife died of cancer a few years ago, and he is a single father of two amazingly beautiful children. A boy and a girl, about 10 and 6. They of course, go through the same courting scenes used in every Sparks film. Then they fall in love.
But will Katie's husband find her? And will he do them harm? Will Katie tell Alex the truth about who she really is? And is she really Katie? Burning questions I know, but that's where we are. Will it work out? I don't know about you, but I have a guess.
OK, enough sarcasm, this is the same movie all over again, from...you take your pick, any Sparks movie. Same basic plot, same area of the country and same premise all the way around, with the same characters. There is nothing wrong with Hough here. This is not challenging stuff to do. She is cute, wieghs 100 pounds, and wears incredibly short shorts all movie long. Certainly likable on screen, but no different than she was on Dancing With The Stars. Dumamel is amazingly handsome, and somewhat charming, and there is the obligatory no shirt scene or two. All he really has to do is act smitten all movie and he does it. It's real romance novel stuff. Part of the charm for teenagers I know. But not really good, or enduring movie making.
Seriously, who looks like these two anyway? And that's part of the problem. There is no real level of believability here at all. And I get it too. It's supposed to be a fantasy, a romance novel. And that's my point. This is not a movie, it's a book come to the screen as an escape, a fantasy. But it's the same fantasy that's been had a dozen times before, and that's boring. How about a new setting, how about some new characters, and maybe a different premise, and a real story and not some plot you pour into the "plot mold" and spit out the same old thing. At least the Sparks book The Notebook from years ago dared to be different in many ways and was. And think about it, that's the only one that everyone talks about years later.
Oh yeah, with these movies it's not about being good. It's not about making a real movie, it's about what may be the monetary gain only? Starting to look that way. Or maybe continuing to look that way. How about something new next time? Just to humor us.
Safe Haven. New faces. Same thing - again.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Dewsweeper Golf Course Review - Mountain Lake (Florida)
As golfers we have a tendency to instinctively know when we are playing somewhere that is special, a treat, or possibly hallowed golf grounds.
That happened to us a few days ago, when the Dewsweepers Southern Division played an incredibly private golf course in Central Florida, Mountain Lake. Mountain Lake is in Lake Wales, Florida in the heart of Polk County. About the center of the state. It's a course and community that is off the radar, and lucky for us, we were privileged to play it. Our friend Ray works for Mountain Lake Corporation and he was the one that put the wheels in motion for all of us to step onto this work of art. An honor.
Mountain Lake, we decided as a group, may be the best golf course any of us have ever played. We have all played a lot of golf over 35 years, and we all were hard pressed to think of a better one. The weather was perfect, and the conditions were same. Mountain Lake is a magnificently designed and cared for course that has the feel of something more than golf. It's an experience as opposed to a round of golf. Golf Digest recently ranked private courses nationally. Mountain Lake came in number 8, Augusta National came in number 9.
Mountain Lake has a very interesting story. Built in 1916 and designed by a world renowned golf course designer named Seth Raynor. Raynor built some of the best golf courses in the country over a very short time, as he died at 51 years old in 1926. About a decade ago, Mountain Lake was redone to a degree, but was returned to he original specs taken from Raynor's own blueprints. With square tee boxes, and the greens made original again. In essence redoing some of the modifications made over the decades.
Mountain Lake is not a hugely long golf course, checking in about 6,300 yards and it can tip out about 6,700. It is not loaded with a huge amount of sand, but there is plenty, and it's placed perfectly for challenge. There is some water, but not a ton. The course is relatively driver friendly, and to stand on many tees you might be wondering how it is this course is so difficult. Because it's designed to perfection. Sand and water in just the right places. Greens that are sloped, and shaped by an artist, and rolling this day at about a 12.5. Lightning quick, fair, and fabulous. PGA quality, maybe beyond if that's possible. This place is perfectly pristine. From my view it is a second shot golf course. Approach shots are the key to scoring. Something most golfers have trouble with.
Fairways are generous, and manicured in an almost unbelievable fashion. There is nothing out of place ever. No cart paths, just a few Florida clay paths that actually add to the beauty of this place. Tight grass, with great give on the fairways, and tough Bermuda rough if you are off of them. On the fairways perfect lies every time. Like many great courses, if you drive it in the fairway, you are rewarded, if not, you pay. You can also leave yourself insanely hard short shots if you miss the green on many of these holes. These shots on public courses are generally not difficult. At Mountain Lake with the speed and slope of most greens and the way they are protected, short shots are really tough. Makes more sense to hit the greens in regulation. But we are amateurs. I hit more 60 degree wedges there than any round in my life, trying to get it stopped on short shots.
We all played pretty well, and showed amazing respect to the course all day long. Tim went 45/39 for a nice 84. Ray shot the best all day long, really locked in posting 41/42 for a real nice 83. I shot 44/42 for an 86 even with a terrible triple on number 10. And Beef rolled in a 47/47 for 94. Ray highlighted the round with 2 birdies on the front 9 on 3, and 7. Well done. Ray challenged the course more than the rest of us this day, and he was rewarded for it as he was hitting the ball well. Scores were fine, but secondary. The experience was rewarding in itself.
We always have a great time playing golf with whomever we play with, up north or down south. But after we added it all up, with the weather being perfect in February, and the shape of this magnificent course this may have been the best 18 holes of golf we have ever played. Not from a scoring standpoint, but a golfer standpoint. This is an incredible place. Quiet, serene, established, mature and so immensely private, you can't help but recognize you are doing something that all golfers wish they could. Play a course this good.
Mountain Lake. Astounding. Everything that is good about golf.
That happened to us a few days ago, when the Dewsweepers Southern Division played an incredibly private golf course in Central Florida, Mountain Lake. Mountain Lake is in Lake Wales, Florida in the heart of Polk County. About the center of the state. It's a course and community that is off the radar, and lucky for us, we were privileged to play it. Our friend Ray works for Mountain Lake Corporation and he was the one that put the wheels in motion for all of us to step onto this work of art. An honor.
Mountain Lake, we decided as a group, may be the best golf course any of us have ever played. We have all played a lot of golf over 35 years, and we all were hard pressed to think of a better one. The weather was perfect, and the conditions were same. Mountain Lake is a magnificently designed and cared for course that has the feel of something more than golf. It's an experience as opposed to a round of golf. Golf Digest recently ranked private courses nationally. Mountain Lake came in number 8, Augusta National came in number 9.
Mountain Lake has a very interesting story. Built in 1916 and designed by a world renowned golf course designer named Seth Raynor. Raynor built some of the best golf courses in the country over a very short time, as he died at 51 years old in 1926. About a decade ago, Mountain Lake was redone to a degree, but was returned to he original specs taken from Raynor's own blueprints. With square tee boxes, and the greens made original again. In essence redoing some of the modifications made over the decades.
Mountain Lake is not a hugely long golf course, checking in about 6,300 yards and it can tip out about 6,700. It is not loaded with a huge amount of sand, but there is plenty, and it's placed perfectly for challenge. There is some water, but not a ton. The course is relatively driver friendly, and to stand on many tees you might be wondering how it is this course is so difficult. Because it's designed to perfection. Sand and water in just the right places. Greens that are sloped, and shaped by an artist, and rolling this day at about a 12.5. Lightning quick, fair, and fabulous. PGA quality, maybe beyond if that's possible. This place is perfectly pristine. From my view it is a second shot golf course. Approach shots are the key to scoring. Something most golfers have trouble with.
Fairways are generous, and manicured in an almost unbelievable fashion. There is nothing out of place ever. No cart paths, just a few Florida clay paths that actually add to the beauty of this place. Tight grass, with great give on the fairways, and tough Bermuda rough if you are off of them. On the fairways perfect lies every time. Like many great courses, if you drive it in the fairway, you are rewarded, if not, you pay. You can also leave yourself insanely hard short shots if you miss the green on many of these holes. These shots on public courses are generally not difficult. At Mountain Lake with the speed and slope of most greens and the way they are protected, short shots are really tough. Makes more sense to hit the greens in regulation. But we are amateurs. I hit more 60 degree wedges there than any round in my life, trying to get it stopped on short shots.
We all played pretty well, and showed amazing respect to the course all day long. Tim went 45/39 for a nice 84. Ray shot the best all day long, really locked in posting 41/42 for a real nice 83. I shot 44/42 for an 86 even with a terrible triple on number 10. And Beef rolled in a 47/47 for 94. Ray highlighted the round with 2 birdies on the front 9 on 3, and 7. Well done. Ray challenged the course more than the rest of us this day, and he was rewarded for it as he was hitting the ball well. Scores were fine, but secondary. The experience was rewarding in itself.
We always have a great time playing golf with whomever we play with, up north or down south. But after we added it all up, with the weather being perfect in February, and the shape of this magnificent course this may have been the best 18 holes of golf we have ever played. Not from a scoring standpoint, but a golfer standpoint. This is an incredible place. Quiet, serene, established, mature and so immensely private, you can't help but recognize you are doing something that all golfers wish they could. Play a course this good.
Mountain Lake. Astounding. Everything that is good about golf.
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