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Man crush, Ryan Gosling (as Stephen Meyers), is extremely intelligent, hardworking, and devoted to George Clooney (as Gov. Mike Morris).

As Clooney’s run for President picks up steam, Gosling hooks up with super sexy intern Evan Rachel Wood (as Molly Stearns).  During this affair, he finds out startling information about Wood and Clooney.

The fantastic, Paul Giamatti (as Tom Duffy), tried to lure Gosling away from Clooney, but is rebuffed.  That is….until the startling news, when Gosling decides to defect to the Giamatti camp.  Not so easy.  Turns out….he has been f**ked over by Duffy.  Dirty politics.  Yikes!

The movie was kinda boring in the beginning. but as the plot lines developed…..WOW! Not for kids, f-words fly appropriately, and the plot is for adults.  Not sure if teens would like it…I mean Clooney, Hoffman,……oh yeah…..Gosling he could do it.

Oh….Marisa Tomei (as Reporter, Ida Horowicz) is *OMG* super sexy and absolutely terrific.  If anyone out there knows her…..an introduction would be welcome!  :-)

If you do not know where the term “ides of march” comes from….go here (it has something to do with Caesar).

Go to IMDb for more information.  We watched this on VUDU.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Married couple Rachel McAdams (as Paige) and Channing Tatum (as Leo) leave a party on a snowy night.  McAdams gets horny at a stop sign and takes off her seat belt to have sex with Tatum.  Unfortunately, a truck runs into them and Paige suffers major brain damage as she flies through the windsheild.

When Paige awakes, she does not remember recent events (within the last 5 years) which means she does not recognize her husband or friends.

“The Vow” is all about Tatum trying to win McAdams love back as she thinks she is still in love with an old flame.  Paige’s family are real dicks and do not help at all.

Channing Tatum does awkward, lost, and lonely brilliantly.  McAdams, as always, is terrific.  There are no f-words, but, the story line is not for kids.  99% of the audience were teen girls 40 to 45 years younger than me.  They were rewarded with one extended naked butt shot of Tatum (McAdams got the frontal view, which she seemed to enjoy) and the girls squealed appropriately.  Movies are always more fun with a teen audience….:-)

Go to IMDb for more information.  We watched this movie at the Tracy, CA CineMark where our poster is STILL UP!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Chau is going to see “Safe House” soon, I will update her rating here…

Ryan Reynolds (as Matt Weston) is a newbie CIA agent in charge of a safe house in Capetown, South Africa.  A very boring job.

Denzel Washington (as CIA legend, and traitor, Tobin Frost) has just picked up information that could bring down the leaders of many intelligence agencies around the world.

Problem is:  There is a mole in the CIA who controls a very nasty group of special operatives.  This mole wants to get that information and will kill anyone to achieve that goal.

Escaping the first attempts, Frost, walks into the U.S. Embassy where he is “protected” (even though he is a traitor).  The CIA moves him to Weston’s safe house and start interrogating him (using waterboarding) to learn what he knows about the information.  Before he yields, the safe house is attacked killing almost everyone.  Luckily,  Reynolds escapes with Washington with everyone searching for them.

“Safe House” is rated R and, truthfully, the action was so intense, I do not recall an f-words (I am sure there were some).  Bloody, but not gory.  Not for kids.  I actually guessed the mole very early on…..Harry, Hermione, and Ron would be disappointed.

Denzel Washington has hit another home run.  He is TERRIFIC, as is Ryan Reynolds.

This a a great “escape from reality movie” worth seeing in the theaters.

Go to IMDb for more information.  We watched the movie at the Tracy, CA CineMark where our poster is STILL UP!  :-))))

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Enjoy!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Liam Neeson (as Ottway) is one of my favorite actors.

In “The Grey” he is one of the people in charge of killing the wolves before they eat the oil pipeline workers.  As such, he gets to know a little bit about grey wolves, which as it turns out, comes in very handy in this movie.

The plot is linear and easy to follow:  A plane carrying the oil workers crashes, 7 survive only to find themselves in mortal danger from man-eating (or at least man-killing) grey wolves.

Survival is paramount and Neeson takes charge.  He is the “alpha male” of the human pack.

Graphic depictions of humans during and after wolf mauling, very touching, and graphic, images and dialogue with people dying.  OK….this is one f-ing brutal film.  I guarantee I will not watch it again…too dang brutal to go through that again.  F-words, graphic violence, extremely surprising events that make you JUMP out out of your seat,  make this an older teen or adult movie.  Leave the kids home!

Oh…the ending is NOT the ending.  Stay until the VERY END to see the real ending….it is good to sit and catch your breath anyway….

Go to IMDb for more info.  We watched “The Grey” at the Tracy, CA CineMark where your poster is STILL up!  :-)))

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Gotta tell ya….Tracy, CA is a hot bed for singing talent.

Megan Slankard, Tara Tinsley, some guy named MC Hammer, and now E.J.

Watch out world…here comes Tracy, CA !!!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

VERY FUNNY!

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

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Ana Faris (as Ally Darling) wakes up with a new guy next to her in bed.  They get up, she goes to work, and is promptly laid off.  Arrrghhh…

Riding home she reads an article telling her that the average number of lovers for women, before they find “the one”, is about 10, and that if they reach 20, the chances of getting married is forever diminished.

Ally decides to do a count of her lovers, and comes up with 19 !!  Yikes.  She is one away from a life of single-dom (at least according to the article).

That night, at the bar with her girlfriends she gets plastered and meets her ex-boss (who had laid her off earlier in the day).  Yup…she sleeps with him making him #20.  You could say he got to lay her off in the morning and lay her at night.  Sweeet.

Now at the limit of sexual partners, Ally decides to recycle through all her ex-lovers (so she does not go over 20) in the hopes she can find one she has already done the deed with to marry.  To help her find these guys she enlists her (very) handsome neighbor, Colin Shea (played by Captain America, Chris Evans).

You can pretty much guess what happens, but, along the way Faris and Evans have a chemistry that is very believable (with legs like Faris, I can see why) and the sexy fun moves along in a very enjoyable movie.

Lots of f-words, Faris and Evans both get naked a few times (but, not totally visible)…. pleasing both sexes.  :-)  Not for kids.

For more information go to IMDb.  We watched this on VUDU.

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I pretty much know why this is getting kinda bad reviews.  It is ALMOST EXACTLY like the book.  In a book, the beginning is slow as you get to know the characters, then the speed picks up a little toward the middle, and finally it hits warp speed until it ends with you breathless and spent at the climax (sorta like….oh, well you know

“One for the Money” follows the book, with only a few minor deviations.  The first 30 minutes….ZZZZzzzzzz…as the audience was getting to know the characters, and I was bored since I already knew them.  It got better in the middle, Katherine Heigl (as Stephanie Plum) has an extraordinary body helping keep the guys attention before the action starts in earnest, then the long-ish climax with cars blowing up, people dying, shootings, kidnappings, fights, a little bit of sex, and a neat final battle that all help bring the movie up a WaterTower at the end.

Plum is a laid off lingerie salesperson.  Her cousin, Vinnie, is kind of a scum bag, but, he hires her as a bounty hunter and hands her a few cases.  One case involves an ex-lover, and cop, Joe Morelli (played by Jason O’Mara) who she is eagerly ready to put behind bars (for a $50,000 finders fee).  Unfortunately, she knows nothing about bounty hunting, guns, self-defense, etc.  This puts her at a distinct disadvantage (especially since Morelli is a cop with all these skills).

Some cussing, but, I don’t recall any f-words.  Not for kids, and truthfully, I might wait to watch it on DVD.  It might be better to read the book first because the book is funny, fast, and exciting.

For more information go to IMDb.  We watched this at CineMark  Tracy, CA where the ForCarol.com poster is still up!!!!  :-)

PS:  Longtime favorite, Fisher Stevens, makes a terrific but very short appearance, and Debbie Reynolds sucked (didn’t she win an Oscar at one time?).

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My prrreeessscciiousssssss…

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Owen Wilson (as Gil) is a wannabe novelist making a great living as a “hack” Hollywood script writer.  He and his fiancee, Rachel McAdams as Inez, are visiting Paris with her parents.

Gil wants to live in Paris when they get married, Inez wants to move to Malibu. Gil loves Paris when it rains, Inez hates the rain.  Gil wants to walk, Inez hails a taxi.  Gil wants to be alone and enjoy each other, Inez has the hots for a snooty know-it-all ex-boyfriend.  Gil thinks the 1920′s in Paris is the time he should have lived in…the romantic past filled with greatness that the present just cannot offer.  Inez thinks he is stupid.

A marriage made in heaven.

One night, Inez insists on going dancing and partying with her ex and Gil begs out preferring to walk back to the hotel.  He gets lost and sits on a stoop just enjoying the peace and quite….and Paris.  At midnight a bell rings and an old 1920′s vintage taxi rolls up.  The people inside invite Gil to join them for fun, drinking, and a chance to meet new people.  Gil joins them and meets, much to his surprise, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald, and best of all, Ernest Hemingway.

Is this a dream?  Does Gil find true love?  Does he finish his novel? Well you will have to rent “Midnight in Paris” to find out.

“Midnight in Paris” is a terrific movie fine for the whole family. No f-words or cursing, but, I do not think the kids would enjoy it as there is no action and the story is adult oriented (love, marriage, is love really love?, the meaning of life, our fear of death, and how the past always seems more appealing than the present).

Owen Wilson is superb, as are Rachel McAdams and the *spectacular* Marion Cotillard as Adrianna (Pablo Picasso’s current lover).

Go to IMDb for more info.  We watched this on VUDU.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Gina Carano (as Mallory) is a private contractor special agent.  She goes where ever there is a need for someone with her special skills.

A journalist is being held hostage in Barcelona, Spain.  Mallory and team (including Channing Tatum, as Aaron) rescue the journalist and turn him over to those who wanted him freed.  Job well done.

Sometime later, Mallory is requested for a quick job in Dublin, Ireland.  She is working with Michael Fassbender (as Paul) to do something or other (yes, the movie was a bit confusing).  While there, the ever suspicious Mallory tracks Paul’s movements and finds he is acting somewhat suspicious.  Later that night, Paul attacks Mallory….big mistake.

Mallory is marked for elimination by the people who hired her, but, we do not know who.  It could be Ewan McGregor (as Kenneth) or maybe Michael Douglas (as Coblenz) or Antonio Banderas (as Rodrigo)…or….

The last word in the movie is “shit” (very cool ending!).  There is one f-word (maybe two).  Not for kids, but, is an enjoyable 2 hours for older teens and adults.

“Haywire” is uniquely different.  The fight scenes are terrific.  Unless the audio system in the theater was bad, the soundtrack was muted.  This actually added a very unique dread to the action.  I liked it.  But, again, it might have been accidental.

Gina Caranoi is very sexy with AWESOME legs (and body).  OMG.   Since she is a fighter (mixed martial arts, see this Wikipedia article), you really do not want to pick a fight with her.  She will most probably kick your butt, like she does in “Haywire”.

For more information go to IMDb.  We watched this move at CineMark in Tracy, CA where our ForCarol.com poster is STILL up!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Chau sent me these very FUNNY, sometimes RAUNCHY, jokes a few days ago.

BEWARE:  Do not read these jokes if you are easily offended.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Drive Safe! ForCarol.com

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We love you Carol

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Former smuggler Chris Farraday (played by Mark Wahlberg) is forced back into action because of the stupidity of his brother-in-law Andy (played by Caleb Landry Jones).

Farraday’s wife, Kate (played by a blonde Kate Beckinsale, I did not recognize her) and kids are threatened by small time hoodlum Tim Briggs (played by the terrific Giovanni Ribisi).  Briggs wants his money (that dumb ass Andy lost), and will kill if he does not get it.

Wahlberg puts together a team that travels to Panama to get counterfeit money for Briggs.  While there, Andy screws up once again and everyone is placed in mortal danger.

“Contraband” is an extremely tense movie.  Danger follows Wahlberg and family at every turn, and all hell breaks loose in Panama and at home.  I left the theater feeling as though I had run 10 miles….tired, sweaty, worn out.

Wow!

“Contraband” is rated R for a reason.  The f-words fly from the beginning and  death and destruction follow (but not graphic).  Not for kids, but, older teens should love it.  The last 15 minutes are off the charts terrific!

Go here for more info from IMDb.  We went to the Tracy, CA CineMark to watch this movie and see our poster which is still up!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Despite what you see in the trailer and the title, “War Horse” this is not really a “war” movie.  Although World War I plays a large part, this is really a story of a horse, a boy, and the love they have for each other.

Jeremy Irvine (as Albert Narracott) tries to get a young horse to like him by offering him an apple.  The horse’s mom decides that that is not safe…. and the two horses flee.

One day, Jeremy’s dad comes home with the young thoroughbred horse (when he really should have come home with a work horse) after spending all his money in an auction.

Tough times follow and Jeremy trains Joey (the horse) to pull a plow.

The two spend every breathing moment together until dad sells Joey to the Army after WWI starts.

“War Horse” then follows Joey as he goes from owner to owner during the war (luckily almost all of them turn out to be very nice, caring, people) and as he manages to survive in the most terrible of times. One really GREAT part is when enemies unite to save Joey….watch for that intense, but, touching, scene.

“War Horse” is an interesting movie.  Lori and Chau both liked it better than I did (maybe that says something…).  I thought it was predictable, a bit boring in the beginning, and intentionally made so you would cry (yeah…I did, so bring some tissue).  It has an epic big old-fashioned movie feel much like “Gone with the Wind” including red sky silhouettes for some unknown emotional reason or another….

Not for young kids.  The war scenes are VERY intense, so leave the little ones home.  No f-words or any kind of cussing.  The horse is beautiful…

For more information go to IMDb.  We went to see this movie at CineMark Tracy, CA.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Tracy, CA UFO Landing Site Road (taken by Glenn Moore, Tracy Press)

See Glenn’s Blog for the whole story on UFO’s in Tracy, CA.

(We all know where this is!)

(We all know where this is too!)

(this looks like the roads in KS where I started running)

Drive Safe!  Never Forget (Carol, Chris, Kassy, and Bobby)

(We gave it 4.5)

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Emma Stone (as Skeeter Phelan) just graduated from college and landed her first writing job.  She had a very nice rejection letter from Harper Row that helped her get this job stating that when she gains more experience, to apply again.

Skeeter was raised in a wealthy family by Cicely Tyson (as Constantine Jefferson).  They loved each other deeply, and Skeeter respected Constantine as an equal.

But…..Skeeter is a woman ahead of her time in the deep south.

Equality for all is not something that was practiced back in those days (NOTE: I remember it well), and Skeeter had an idea for a story.  To tell the world what it is like to be the help, from the help’s perspective.

She proposed this idea to Harper Row, and they agreed it would be interesting especially with the civil rights movement gaining momentum.  The only problem is she needed to interview someone who was not afraid to speak the truth.

Viola Davis (as Aibileen Clark) was just that perfect person.

Later, Octavia Spencer (as the bold and independent Minnie Jackson) joined in, and “The Help” book was under way.

“The Help” is an excellent, engrossing, movie with a superb cast.  Much has been said about Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer when it comes to Oscar time.  They were outstanding, but, in my opinion, everyone is overlooking Emma Stone who was terrific in this movie, as were Bryce Dallas Howard (yes, Ron Howard’s daughter) as the despicable Hilly Holbrook, and Jessica Chastain as the other woman before her time, Celia Foote.

OK for kids, but, I think the pacing will be boring for them (no action, lots of dialogue).  I don’t recall any f-words, but, I may have missed it.

Go to IMDB here for more information.   We watched this movie on VUDU.

The book.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Matt Damon (as Benjamin Mee) has lost his wife and is seeking a better life for his two kids and himself.  After his son is expelled from school, Damon finally gets serious and looks to relocate.

What he finds is an unusual situation.

An old house, with lots of property, 9 miles from the nearest Target.  The only catch:  It is a Zoo.   Not just a backyard Zoo either, a fully functioning  Zoo with employees, exotic animals, and all the headaches, and financial problems, that come with it.

So with his brother’s rule of 20 seconds of insanity…he buys the house and the Zoo…employees and all.   Their first task is to get the Zoo ready for an inspection so they can open by the summer.

The most beautiful woman in the world, Scarlett Johansson, is the zookeeper.  She works constantly and has zero social life.  You kinda know what happens….

The supporting cast of Thomas Haden Church (as Duncan Mee), Colin Ford (as Dylan Mee), the expressive Maggi Elizabeth Jones (as Rosie Mee), the best actress in the Fanning family, Elle Fanning (as Lily Miska) are all wonderful.

“We Bought a Zoo” is a fun family movie that is great for kids.  Dylan gets mad at Dad and utters  (SHOUTS) the only curse word.  No f-words.  Did I mention that Scarlett Johansson is in this movie?  Yup, Scarlett Johansson.

Go here for more information from IMDB.  We went to CineMark in Tracy, CA to watch this movie.

Chau (Carol’s mom) liked “Warhorse” better.  We will go see that this weekend.  :-)

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A new Mission Impossible team sets out to save the world.

Unfortunately, they are on the U.S. Government’s shit list after being set-up for a bombing at the Kremlin and have been disavowed.

Tom Cruise (as Ethan Hunt) takes control in the effort to find and stop a mad Russian from starting nuclear war in “retaliation” for the bombing.  Local, Modesto native, Jeremy Renner (as Brandt), Simon Pegg (as Benji), and Paula Patton (as Jane) are all terrific as the MI-4 team.

From Budapest, to Moscow, to Dubai (where some of the most harrowing stunts I have ever seen take place in the tallest building in the world), to Mumbai…the scenery is spectacular, the story line is flawless, and there is never a dull moment.  Over two hours long, it felt like ten minutes.

“Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol” is SPECTACULAR.

OK for kids since the violence is not all that bad.  I don’t recall any f-words, but, there is not a whole lot of dialogue with all the action.   Action truly speaks louder than words.  Scary stunt scenes that will make your heart pound and your hands sweat.  Unbelievable.

Go to IMDB  for more information.  We went to CineMark Tracy, CA where the ForCarol.com poster is still hanging above the Exit doors.  :-)

Your mission should you choose to accept it…. is to go see this movie!

PS: Tom Cruise, at almost 50, still does his own stunts…he is crazy!

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

Just wanted to give a HUGE thank you to Cami Brumburgh of NNIS Computer Repair for her amazing donation of TONS of classroom supplies for local Tracy, CA teachers.

I have them out (95 W. 11th Street, Suite 203)  for our “Adopted” teachers to come and grab what they need on a first come first serve basis!

More Tracy, CA businesses wanting to do this would be GREAT!  (I’m not greedy….).

LOTS of supplies!!!!

I set up a FREE classroom supply shelf near the door so teachers can show their badge and grab some stuff!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget (Carol, Chris, Kassy, and Bobby)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Robert Downey Jr. (as Sherlock Holmes) and Jude Law (as Dr. John Watson) are TERRIFIC together.  The chemistry and energy of these two actors together is really amazing to watch.

In “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” be sure to be prepared to pay attention and to come with your thinking cap on.  Also….watch for clues as the movie progresses.  This movie requires you to fill in the blanks, and as such it can be confusing as you try to figure out what is going on.

Jared Harris (as Professor James Moriarity) is planning to start a World War and become the arms merchant of choice when this war starts.  At least that is what I think the plot is…but I will definitely need to see it again to be sure.  Anyway….bombs attributed to “anarchists” are killing people, but, Sherlock finds that they are just covering up assasinations meant to de-stabilize the worlds governments (I think).  Moriarity is really smart, and he and Holmes go brain-to-brain during the movie, at the end we find out who is smarter….hint: Oxygen.

There are several technical movie making techniques that are outstandingly well done.  These are:  When Holmes plans what he is going to do in a fight (much the same as in the first movie), when he “sees” everything (his curse), and finally, the unbelievably excellent slow motion scene as they escape Moriarity’s bad guys thru the woods.  The cinematography during this scene (and the special effects) are the best I have ever seen…..chilling, frightening, tense….all in slow (or stop) motion.  The shattering wood of the trees…the fear in peoples faces….the bullets…wow!

Oh yeah…get your love on for Rachel McAdams done quickly….Noomi Rapace (see the picture above) is excellent.

The movie is sort of ok for kids (the violence may be a bit rough for them, but, mostly I don’t think they will understand it….heck, I don’t), no f-words (in fact, no cursing at all).  It has laugh out loud funny parts, and several “ah-ha” moments as you figure things out (or think you figure things out).  The audience was very interactive with the movie…

Super movie.  Go see it…

Look for the ForCarol.com poster at CineMark Tracy.

Go here for more info on this movie.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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It’s Christmas!  And I have been watching some Christmas related movies the past couple of weeks…lots of fun.

Will Ferrell (as Buddy) as a baby (human) slipped unseen  into Santa’s toy bag one Christmas Eve.  Back in the North Pole, Santa (Ed Asner) discovers “Buddy” and gives him to Bob Newhart (as Papa Elf) to raise.

Buddy grows quickly and one day Papa Elf shows him a picture of his father and mother.  Buddy travels to New York City to find his father (his mother died) and that is where the hilarity begins.

Zooey Deschanel (as Jovie) becomes a love interest.  I have said this before…. Zooey Deschanel has the second most beautiful eyes in the universe!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Interestingly, last night at Barnes & Noble I overheard a person (I know this person) giving advice to a Tracy High student.  In that advice, the person told the student not to listen to her teacher (who I happen to know) for the reason that the student will make much more money than the teacher in her first year of working.  Hmmmm, this advice giver clearly tied a person’s worth in life to their salary.  Wrong!  Wrong!  Wrong!

These slides might wake that person up.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Chau sent me these last night via email….very funny but not politically correct (hmmmm, that is what makes them so funny!)  Just like Congress!  :-))))

Enjoy!

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I asked my new girlfriend what sort of books she’s interested in, she said:

Check Books

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Q: What is the difference between men and pigs?

A: Pigs don’t turn into men when they drink.

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Definition of a Nurse:

A beautiful woman who holds your hand for one full minute and then expects your pulse to be normal.

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Q: Why dogs don’t marry?

A: Because they are already leading a dog’s life!

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Q: What’s the difference between mother & wife?

A: One woman brings you into the world crying & the other ensures you continue to do so.

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Q: A blonde enters kitchen, opens sugar container, looks inside and closes it.  She does this again and again. Why?

A: Because her Doctor told her to check her sugar levels regularly.

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Q: What’s the difference between a good secretary and a personal secretary?

One says “Good morning, boss”.  The other says “It’s morning, boss.”

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

***TIME SENSITIVE***  TELL YOUR TRACY, CA FRIENDS TODAY!  

TIME EXTENDED!!!!!!

Donate $15.00 for one ticket and have a chance to win a REALLY COOL 16gig, WiFi, Apple iPad2.

All the money raised from this raffle will go for college scholarships and classroom supplies for Tracy, CA students and teachers.

Thank you for supporting education in Tracy, CA.

The drawing will be held Dec 21, 2011 at 3PM.

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Bring, or snail mail, donations to:  ForCarol.com, Inc., 95 W. 11th Street, Suite 203, Tracy, CA (MAP)

Make checks payable to:  ForCarol.com, Inc.

Or call me at 209-757-8862 and I will come to you.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget (Carol Phan, Chris Hoovler, Kassy Bittick, Bobby Bittick).

Confucius say:  ”If you are in the Book Store and cannot find the book for which you search, you are in the….”

Happy Thanksgiving !!  Gobble, gobble

If you want YOUR NAME in an upcoming book.  CLICK HERE for more information.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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The buzz going into this movie was how bad it was.  Well, it is not as bad as I thought it would be, in fact, it was not bad at all….except for the last 30 minutes which was stupid, inane, and ridiculous.  Cut out that last part and it was really very funny, very goofy, very Adam Sandler.  Come on…you know to expect this from him, if you don’t want goofy…don’t go.

Adam Sandler (as Jack Sadelstein) is expecting a visit from his twin sister Jill (played by…errrr, Adam Sandler).  He is not happy about it, but, convinces himself to try to be good.

And he tries, but Jill really is irritating.  That voice is grating as heck, and man, is she UGLY!

A short stay becomes a long stay (Jill has no reason to return home since their mom has recently passed away) and the craziness escalates.

If this is not funny to you:  ”I don’t know anything about Skype, it sounds anti-Semitic”.  If stickball was not your thing growing up (ah…if you grew up in New York, you will love this movie!), or if you think Adam Sandler will make an Oscar worthy movie….don’t bother going to see “Jack and Jill”.   Simple.

Ok for kids.  No f-words that I remember.  Lots of farting, lots of racial jokes, lots of New York specific humor, crude, rude and goofy.  Adam Sandler!

For more info go here.  We watched this movie at CineMark in Tracy, CA.

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Ben Stiller (as Josh Kovacs) and Eddie Murphy (as Slide) have a tendency to over act and get loud for no reason.  Not here.  They are both controlled (well…as controlled as Murphy can be) and terrific!

Stiller is the general manger of a fancy high rise apartment building in New York City (the credits at the end thank Trump…so the building could be Trump Towers).  The staff takes very good care of the inhabitants, and do not accept tips.

One day, the FBI shows up and arrests Arthur Shaw (played by Alan Alda) for fraud (a la Madoff).  Unfortunately, Stiller had placed his trust in Shaw and the employees of the Tower lost their retirement, and some lost much more.

Stiller is pissed and recruits a band of misfits to get the money back.  Murphy is brought in as the resident expert in stealing.

“Tower Heist” is a much different movie than I expected.  It introduces the characters (however briefly) so you get to know them and like them, and is less over the top than I expected.  The plot unfolds nicely, and it is paced perfectly.  It is alternately exciting, scary, and funny.  We learn that Stiller is a very competent general manager who cares about his people.  He also turns out to be a very good thief.

Not really for small kids as the language can get rough (I was so interested in the movie I do not recall any f-words, but….I may have missed it) and the action can get intense, but, older kids are ok.  Adults should love it! Payback is wonderful.  :-)   It is PG-13.

Eddie Murphy is back….he is awesome, as is Ben Stiller.  Matthew Broderick plays a terrific depressed unemployed recently divorced ex-Wall Street mogul.

Go here for more information.  We watched “Tower Heist” at CineMark in Tracy, CA.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Antonio Banderas (as Puss) and Salma Hayak (as Kitty Softpaws) lend their voices in this cartoon for kids.

Puss is looking for Jack in Beanstalk’s magic beans (the very mean and ugly Jack and Jill have them) so he, Kitty, and bad egg Humpty Dumpty (Zack Galifianakis) can ride the beanstalk up to grab the goose who lays the golden eggs.  Hey, everyone wants to be rich.  Unfortunately, the goose’s mother is HUGE and wants her baby back, and Humpty is not a good egg.

“Puss in Boots” is a fun movie for kids but a bit boring for adults.  Some funny cat moments (like when Puss drinks leche, and chases the moving light) and some exciting action scenes (the ride up on the beanstalk was, for my stomach, very roller-coasterish)  I did not see Shrek, unless I missed him.  Other than that…well…hmmm, this is an ok movie.  Not great, but, fun for kids.  ”Kung Fu Panda 2” is WAY better.  Adults will enjoy” The Rum Diary“.

Go here for more info on IMDb.  We watched this movie at CineMark, Tracy, CA (watch for our poster, below, in CineMark Tracy Dec 1, 2011 thru Dec 30 2011!).

Oh..although we are now getting used to amazing technology, I have to say, the computer graphics in this movie is astounding!

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

Teachers Joan Juarez (with her kids!) and Tori Klug from North Elementary School in Tracy, CA went with me on a shopping SPREE yesterday to Staples in Tracy for school supplies.

Great fun!

ForCarol.com had gotten an extra $60.00 in donations and Tori and Joan jumped at the chance to get $30 each in supplies.

I have to tell you…$60.00 is NOTHING.  Two little bags of stuff, so I need to work harder to get more money for classroom supplies!   In fact….DONATE money for classroom supplies here.  :-)

Here are a few more pictures of the shopping spree at Staples in Tracy, CA.  If you are a teacher (or a student or parent who wants their class to get involved…have the teacher) go HERE to get “Adopted”.   You may be the next class to go shopping!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Johnny Depp (as Paul Kemp) starts work at a run down newspaper in Puerto Rico.  His first day starts out well (sic)….in a near coma from a massive alcohol binge the night before.  But, no matter, he is hired, and, even though he spends most of his days in an alcohol related haze, he shines as a reporter and writer.

He moves in with photographer, Michael Rispoli (as Sala), and the fantastic Giovanni Ribisi (as the totally, wonderfully acted, whacked out Moburg).

He gets involved with a “crook” and then, luckily, falls out of favor with him, but, via a very nice twist of fate, ends up with the crooks girlfriend (super hot Amber Heard, as Chenault).

Not for kids.  Lots of  f-words.  Parts of the movie were sooooooo funny I could not stop laughing.  The trailer above shows Depp and Rispoli driving the car together….OMG, that is hilarious!

Depp plays drunk really well.  ”The Rum Diary” will not win any box office awards, but, it definitely worth going to see in the movies (if only for Giovanni Ribisi’s acting), or renting when it comes out on DVD or Internet.   I want to buy it…

Go here for more information.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Note:  Caitlin Dong was the first recipient of the Carol Phan College Scholarship.  She is now attending U.C. Berkeley.  Thank you, Caitlin, for this update and the kind words at the end of your blog entry.  You rock!  :-)

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Sitting here, I realized that I am about to start my tenth week of college. That’s insane. On the one hand, it feels as if I’ve always been here in Berkeley, but on the other hand, it seems as if I just moved in yesterday. Though, moving in yesterday would be quite impossible given everything that’s happened in the past two months.

Since Berkeley is one of two UC schools on a semester schedule, I moved in only a week after school started in Tracy. Despite the fact that a majority of my friends had another month off, I was actually content because I felt ready to start school again after a completely relaxed and lazy summer. To be blunt, I had a buttload of stuff to move into my dorm room; I think my dad was relieved once our living room was able to breathe again. We packed out our family van, took two cars, and off we went. After signing in upon arriving at my dorm complex, my family and I made multiple trips to move in my stuff. As I walked down the hallway, I practically passed by my room, as the plaque on the wall next to the door said “study lounge” – naturally, you’d think it was a study lounge, right? Yeah, don’t think so. My dorm room is a converted study lounge, though it is practically the same size as all of the other rooms in the building. Anyway, after a couple of hours, I was all moved in. My roommate did not come until later, but I was relieved when she showed up. I was not about to sleep all alone in this room all by myself the very first night.

One of the first things my roommate, Heather, and I were forced to adjust to was the fact that we had to walk everywhere. For me, this was a particularly difficult adjustment. During the summer, I would literally walk down the street to get the mail and I would be exhausted, aha. Here, though, I just had to / have to suck it up and walk. However, I’m thankful because I definitely needed the exercise, and I hope my calves will be strong by the end of these four years – or by the end of this semester.

The first few days in Berkeley were designated to getting acclimated to living here and what not. Welcome activities and events were held, and we didn’t start school until Thursday of that week. Of course, I would get an infection in my mouth and look like a chipmunk…the day before school started. I was beyond stressed, as I had to call a dentist, figure out what was wrong, go to the health center, and get penicillin…the whole shindig. I was so used to having my mom take care of things like that. To say the least, it stunk. Just a month earlier, I had gotten all four of my impacted wisdom teeth out, but after a couple of weeks, the oral surgeon said that everything was healing and looked good to go. What a lie. After I was finished with that dose of antibiotics, I was rather relieved. But that was short-lived. Two and a half weeks later, I was swollen out again. This time, though, I went home to Tracy and visited the oral surgeon. The next week, I had an operation, and I also had to go home the weekend after for my follow-up appointment. I’d like to believe that I’m on my way to a full recovery this time

I am truly grateful that a handful of close friends also go to UC Berkeley. They are always there for support, especially in times of need. While I have made new friends, found study buddies, and settled into a routine, just knowing that a high school friend is close by and available is reassuring. Then again, I also love my roommate. I think I lucked out; I have not had to experience any of that “I hate my roommate” drama. The fact that we get along so well makes my freshman experience all the more enjoyable and memorable. After the second week of school, we took the public bus (which is free for students!) and bought a pinkish/purplish/bluish betta fish, who we loving named Little Buddy

Since I’ve been here, I haven’t spent too much money. More than half of what I’ve spent was spent on, well, textbooks. Holy cow. My jaw dropped when I paid for all of my textbooks – people really aren’t lying when they say that $200 may or may not pay for a semester’s worth of books. Other than that, I don’t really eat out all that much. I mostly grab my food at the dining common or from other places around campus that accept meal points. What I’ve learned is that I can get a take-out box by paying $0.75 more than if I were to actually eat at the dining common and I can fit practically three meals in there. Sounds like a deal to me.

Academically, the transition from high school to college was not a shock. I feel as if the workload is comparable; while I am in class for less time here, there is more work to do for each class. Therefore, it just all evens out. I will say, though, that you do have to adjust to each of your classes and what exactly each professor expects out of you and of your work. Nevertheless, you learn to adjust, seek help, and improve. I’ve also gotten into the habit of getting work done in between classes. I sit on the benches in the lecture halls outside of the lecture rooms. Everyone else around me is also working, so I’m surprisingly productive. I have not gone to the library to work and study; I normally do my homework and what not in my room or in one of the study lounges in my building.

One of the perks of going to college is being presented with opportunities to see/meet people, such as John Cho, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jane Lynch, and Johnny Depp. John Cho and Maxine Hong Kingston, along with a couple of others, came for an event called “Dreaming in Different Tongues: Languages and the Way We Think.” Jane Lynch was in Berkeley in order to give a talk and for a book signing for her newly published work, Happy Accidents. My sister is a huge fan of Jane Lynch, so I ended up getting a signed copy of the book for her. It was surreal to talk to Jane Lynch in person – actually, it was pretty darn cool, if you ask me. While I didn’t attend the Johnny Depp event, I know a number of people that did.

I’ve been going to the Recreational Sports Facility at least a few times a week. After paying for the $10 semester membership, there are over a hundred classes available for me to attend each week. So far, I’ve been to zumba, cardio hip hop, cardio dance, pilates, cardio kickboxing, and stepography. Going to these classes is a fun way to relieve stress and also get some exercise. Each of the instructors has so much energy, so I’m always in for a good workout.

Just earlier this week, the fire alarm in my building went off not one, not two, but three times in one day. Talk about fire alarm malfunctions. But I guess that’s dorm life for you. Dorm life, while it has worked out quite nicely for me, makes me appreciate being home when I go back for the weekend. I don’t have to wear shower shoes, I eat real food, and, though I thought I’d never really say this, I miss good ole Tracy. However, I’m glad I was able to participate in The Berkeley Project Day with some of my Tracy friends. Doing some community service was fun and rewarding!

The transition into an urban area has been interesting; there are always people wandering about and it seems as if there is always something going on. Street vendors line the streets on the weekends and the line for ice cream sandwiches measures at least half a block. Since I’ve been here, I’ve come to love and embrace my independence, and college has been an overall positive experience thus far. I’m sure there’s much more that I’m forgetting at this point, but you’re probably tired of reading this anyway, so thanks for reading, aha And, I’d also like to give thanks again to everyone involved in the Carol Phan Scholarship effort; every little bit of money definitely counts and makes a difference!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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After a failed protection detail in 2006, Johnny English (the outstanding Rowan Atkinson) left MI7 and spent 5 years learning the ancient martial arts and how to control his body with his mind.   The time has come for MI7 to call him back, and he asks his Master if he is ready.

His Master replied:  ”No”

Oh, well, ready or not….English travels back to England to solve the mystery of the Vortex organization bent on killing the Chinese Premier.

A bumbling version of 007, English  somehow manages to save the day and solve the mystery.  Getting to that point is hilarious (assuming you have acquired a fondness for Rowan Atkinson’s weirdly stupid humor, like I have….he is simply the best physical comic actor the world has ever seen (well…maybe a tie with Benny Hill).  Mr. Bean rocks).

OK for kids, no f-words, no cursing at all.  It will not win the box office this week as there were very few people in the theater, but, the people who were there are a special breed.

The ending is awesome.  Stay all the way till the end.  There is a classic Mr. Bean silent act, set to the music from Fantasia, that is not to be missed by his fans.

For more information, go here.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

Why UOP?  My daughter Kristen (Soph) and lifelong friend Alison (Frosh) go there!  :-)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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A fisherman finds an injured dolphin washed up on the beach.  He yells to a passing kid (Nathan Gamble as Sawyer Nelson) and uses his cell phone to call 911.

Harry Connick Jr. (as Dr. Clay Haskett) and his team from the local marine animal hospital repond and take the dolphin (named “Winter” by Connick’s daughter, Cozi Zuehlsdorff (as Hazel Haskett)) to the hospital.

Unfortunately, the dolphin’s tale is infected and needs to be amputated.

Sawyer saves the day by recruiting Morgan Freeman (as Dr. Cameron McCarthy) to build a prosthetic for Winter.

Kids and parents alike will love Dolphin Tale.  No f-words, in fact, no cussing at all.  A heartwarming story of survival and people who care more about animals than about money.

Go to IMDB for more information.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

I read an article in National Geographic this month about the complexities of the teenage brain.  The entire story can be read there, but, I’ll quote a bit of it here.  It is a VERY good article, and very appropriate to this web site’s message!

Beautiful Brains

Moody. Impulsive. Maddening. Why do teenagers act the way they do? Viewed through the eyes of evolution, their most exasperating traits may be the key to success as adults.

By David Dobbs

Photograph by Kitra Cahana

See a couple of my Brad Meltzer book reviews.

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

The 3D projection imaging technology that enables this is amazing.  ENJOY.

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

Once again Keith Urban rocked Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA….err, Power Balance Pavilion.

My little camera’s audio capability sucks, but, the video is ok.  Hmmmm, I need to design a “concert” camera. One that can take great pictures and movies in the dark, and has high quality automatic volume controls….

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This years show was more audience oriented as Keith read all the signs, and hugged a bride to be after he brought her on stage.  Later in the show he selected 4 people to come on stage (two drunk women, an older guy, and a teenager) to sing part of a song. Then he had the audience select the winner.

That was fun.  Here is the winner!

Oh yeah…KU is STUPENDOUS, the best entertainer out there…

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

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I suppose it is human nature to raise your expectations of a movie based on a lot of positive reviews.  We had heard so much about “Bridesmaids” that we decided to watch it on VUDU last night.

Other than a few sparkling scenes, and three very good performances (Kristen Wiig as Annie, Melissa McCarthy as Megan, and Chris O’Dowd as Officer Rhodes), it was just average.  Kinda funny, kinda gross, kinda crude, kinda uncomfortable, ….kinda disappointing.

Maya Rudolph (as Lillian) is getting married.  She chooses lifelong friend Wiig to be her maid of honor.  As Wigg meets the other “Bridesmaids” we find out that there is a competition between them for Rudolph’s friendship.

As the wedding planning proceeds, Annie’s life goes to hell and so does the wedding planning.  Rudolph dumps Wiig as her maid of honor replacing her with new best friend, Helen (played by Rose Byrne).  Everything spirals downward….

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

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A pain in a young man’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam) back turns out to be a rare form of cancer.  Searching the Internet he finds out that he has a 50/50 chance of survival.

His friend, Seth Rogan (as Kyle), decides that if he were a casino, 50/50 would be really good odds of winning.

“50/50″  follows Adam’s life as he undergoes chemotherapy, goes to weekly visits with a therapist (Anna Kendrick as Katherine), the loss of his hair, meeting new friends, reconnecting with his parents, the breakup of he and his girlfriend, and finding true love.

You would think this is a depressing movie, right?  Actually it is not.

It is am extremely interesting character study (actually multiple characters) on how people react to adversity, and, at points, is VERY funny (the humor being much more effective when the background setting is depressing and grim).  There were a couple of times I could not stop laughing, but, the movie theater was super quiet…very embarrassing.

“50/50″  is a great movie.  Zero action, lots of dialogue, and the f-words fly.  One painful sex scene.  NOT for kids.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an incredible actor.  If he does not, at least, get an Oscar nomination for best actor (or supporting actor) there is something wrong with the system.  Seth Rogan was also terrific.

“50/50″  won’t win the box office race, but, it should win a lot more when Oscar time comes around.

Go here for more information on “50/50″.

In case you forgot…here is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, with John Lithgow, as we first knew him in the TV show “Third Rock From the Sun”

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Drive Safe! Never Forget.

OK, my circle of friends on Facebook definitely needs re-evaluation.  Just kidding….

The last few days, I have seen more funny pictures, photos, etc than ever before.  In an effort to do my civic duty (and to hopefully get DONATIONS for College Scholarships for Tracy, CA students) here is a funny facebook post compilation from the last few days.

You can claim yours in the comment section!

My FAVORITE is at the top…the rest follow in no particular order (well….maybe reverse chronological):

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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“OMG THAT WAS AN AWESOME MOVIE!”  yelled a teenage girl as she was leaving CineMark  Theater #14 in Tracy, CA.

For sure, the teen and pre-teen girls in the movie LOVED “Abduction”.  You could tell when they SCREAMED as soon as Taylor Lautner (as Nathan Price) made his first screen appearance, took off his shirt (which happened gratuitously), kissed the girl (Lily Collins, with those Kathy Ireland (*sigh*) eyebrows, as Karen), held her hand (at sappy inappropriate times), played beer pong, or engaged in stupid teenage acts like riding on the hood of a speeding car, underage drinking, and riding his motorcycle without a helmet (I assume so the girls could see his “beautiful” face).

His “Dad” kicked his butt after the drinking binge, but, you knew all along he was training Lautner for the time when he may have to defend himself from evil forces.  That time came about 30 to 45 minutes into the movie.  Unfortunately, that excellent action sequence was also start of the most inane dialogue I have experienced in a movie in, well, forever.

The plot is intriguing, the action is great (if predictable or inaccurate, hey Mitch Rapp would never sit in front of a window for a leisurely cup of coffee if someone was after him).  If only the actors would not talk ……the movie would have been a terrific thriller (the reason I went is because I write book reviews on Thrillers and Mysteries and I love a good thriller).

OK for kids, obviously ok for pre-teen and teen girls who will LOVE this movie.  No f-words that I remember (but they may have been masked by the screaming).

Truthfully…the girls made watching this movie really fun.  :-)

Oh yeah…..Teens:  DON”T act stupid like he did in the movie…YOU can die.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

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Awhile back, I posted a blog on Google+.

Since then I have been using it, and find it quite different than Facebook, and potentially VERY cool.

With the recent changes in Facebook (which seem to have made it harder to use and find stuff), this link can get you started with Google+, or at least give it a try.

https://plus.google.com/i/8zUyZiApzZo:Whz9W8uaGD4

Add me to your circles!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.