Author: Mike Pihlman

  • 5 Years Ago Today We Lost Carol, Chris, Kassy, and Bobby

    5 Years Ago Today We Lost Carol, Chris, Kassy, and Bobby

    We miss you and love you all so much. Drive Safe!  Never Forget

  • “Wild” Movie Review

    “Wild” Movie Review

    (Pacific Crest Trail Therapy) – – Cheryl Strayer (Reese Witherspoon) is battling some serious demons. One way to confront herself and those demons, she decides, is to hike over 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. 94 days later she finds herself and excises (hmmm, exercises?) her demons. The death of her mother (Laura Dern)…

  • My First Few Weeks at Cal State Long Beach Among Other Things :-)

    My First Few Weeks at Cal State Long Beach Among Other Things :-)

    Claire Guite, our 2015 Carol Phan College Scholarship recipient, sent in this blog entry talking about her first few weeks at Cal State Long Beach!  — My First Few Weeks at Cal State Long Beach Among Other Things 🙂 By claireguite When I entered for this scholarship, I thought for sure I wasn’t going to win…

  • “Welcome to Me” Movie Review

    “Welcome to Me” Movie Review

    (Wacky, Weird, Quirky) – – Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig) has won $86 million in the lottery. She has borderline personality disorder and, since she is now rich, she stopped taking her meds and said goodbye to her psychiatrist. Alice wants to host a TV talk show.  But this is a talk show unlike any other…

  • “The Skeleton Twins” Movie Review

    “The Skeleton Twins” Movie Review

    (Suicidal Twins Reunite) – – Maggie Dean (Kristen Wiig) is just about to swallow a handful of pills when her cell phone rings. She answers it and finds out that her brother, Milo (Bill Hader), is in the hospital after slashing his wrists. Maggie travels to visit her brother even though the two of them…

  • “Woman in Gold” Movie Review

    “Woman in Gold” Movie Review

    (Golden) – – Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) has just buried her sister. At the cemetery, she is talking to an old family friend when she finds out that the friend’s son is a lawyer who has fallen on hard times. Needing legal advice from someone she can trust, she asks her friend to connect them.…

  • “Taken 3” Movie Review

    “Taken 3” Movie Review

    (Particularly Skillful) – – Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) and Lenore St. John (Famke Janssen) want to get closer again. They are just waiting for Lenore to leave her current husband, Stuart St. John (Dougray Scott). Problem is…..Lenore is murdered before that can happen and Mills is the suspected murderer. With the cops and the Russian…

  • Movie Review: “Broken Flowers”

    Movie Review: “Broken Flowers”

    (Quirky, Quiet, Droll) – – Don Johnston’s (Bill Murray) latest girlfriend just walked out. But, Don takes this life changing event like he seems to take everything else: Quietly. In the foyer, there is a pink envelope among the incoming mail that his now ex-girlfriend thinks is from his current lover. Don opens it and…

  • “Ant-Man” Movie Review

    “Ant-Man” Movie Review

    (Amazing! Astounding! Avenger?) – – Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) has just spent 3 years in San Quentin for a burglary. He has high hopes for getting a good job (after all he, like me, has a Masters in Electrical Engineering) and spending more time with his young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson). The job he…