Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Troy at the Theater

Folks have been asking me to do movie reviews and some others have been emailing/texting asking if I have seen Slumdog Millionaire so I figured I would kill these and other related topics with one blog entry.

First off, I must have been singing the praises of Da Box way too much. Everytime I go to my local Redbox lately there is a line. All my Redbox using friends claim that there are lines at their local Redbox as well. A family member called me all the way from Dallas to tell me that Dallas-area folks must be reading my blog because the TWO Redbox kiosks at their grocery store has a line. So from now on, my message to you is: Redbox SUCKS!

Movie ratings are assigned by myself (regular guy), Movie Snob (indie-artsy perspective), and the ScriptKeeper (female perspective).

Slumdog Millionaire - Great movie set in India that shows the road traveled all the way to the game show, "Who wants to be a millionaire?" Had the ending not been so "Hollywood" it would have been a strong competitor for best movie of 2008. This is a great choice for the regular movie viewer who wants to baby-step their way into indie-artsy films in the future. Troy: 5 stars, Movie Snob: 4 stars, ScriptKeeper: LOVED IT!

Happy-Go-Lucky - Dark comedy that is definitely not for the average everyday movie viewer who just wants to be entertained. This is a great movie to see with folks where you then go out for drinks or coffee after. Definitely spurs one into taking a look within. Definitely the best movie of 2008 for the indie-artsy crowd. Troy: 5 stars, Movie Snob: unseen, ScriptKeeper: LOVED IT!

Nights in Rodanthe - OK, so the ScriptKeeper dragged me to see this "romance" movie. And surprisingly, even though the ending was somewhat predictable it was better than I thought. Troy: 3 stars, Movie Snob: UNSEEN & PROUD OF IT, ScriptKeeper: LOVED IT!

Tell No One - French foreign thriller that is my vote for the best movie of 2008. And I have to give props to the Movie Snob (for the 100th time before he calls yet again for referral credit) who recommended it to me. This is just a great movie in every way measurable. Keep in mind that this movie is in French so you will have to read subtitles. But trust me, you will not be disappointed. Troy: 5 stars, Movie Snob: 5 stars, ScriptKeeper: LOVED IT!

Gran Torino - Social drama with Clint Eastwood playing the part of a WWII veteran who is somewhat stuck in his old school ways. My first thought leaving the theater was that Clint Eastwood wins the oscar for best actor after this performance. I mean, he IS the movie. The funny thing is that even though the movie is a drama it was more like a comedy with racial and ethnic jokes serving as the subject material. Movie Snob claimed he was noticing that some folks were laughing a little too hard and too long at his theater down in JawJuh! :) Troy: 5 stars, Movie Snob: 5 stars, ScriptKeeper: LIKED IT!

PS: The ScriptKeeper would also like you to know that she LOVED Sex And The City.

We thought Chris Rock was joking...

Remember when Chris Rock said the following in Never Scared?
Oprah is rich, Bill Gates is wealthy. If Bill Gates woke up tommorow with Oprah's money, he'd jump out a fvckin' window and slit his throat on the way down saying, "I can't even put gas in my plane!

German tycoon Adolf Merckle commits suicide
By Markus Nagle Markus Nagle

BLAUBEUREN, Germany (Reuters) – German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide, in despair over the huge losses suffered by his business empire during the financial crisis, his family said on Tuesday. The media-shy billionaire, whose family controls some of Germany's best-known companies, was hit by a train on Monday evening, local officials said. "The desperate situation of his companies caused by the financial crisis, the uncertainties of the last few weeks and his powerlessness to act, have broken the passionate family entrepreneur and he took his own life," a family statement said. State prosecutors from the southern city of Ulm said Merckle, 74, left work on Monday and died after being hit by a train near the town of Blaubeuren. He left behind a suicide note to his family, they added. There was no sign of anyone else being involved, they said. In 2008 Merckle was ranked as the world's 94th-richest person and Germany's fifth-wealthiest by Forbes magazine. Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090106/bs_nm/us_merckle_6

Well, like they always say, truth is stranger than fiction. Look, I know I'm supposed to have lots of comments and questions to add to this and the truth is I actually have too much. But instead of listing them, I'll just repeat what a friend emailed me back regarding the article. It reads much better than anything I would have ever said:

I am not really surprised by this article. There are many people who place their happiness, self-worth and existence in the perceived and notoriety of their riches. Perhaps he would've lived happier if he shifted his thoughts to the many people he was able to bless with employment, donations and the many contributions that his riches afforded others. I find as I age that the true meaning and sustenance of my life is not how much I have in the bank but rather how many people I managed to be a blessing to daily.

Damn, you blessed at least one today. Thank you.