Update: What I been watching.

So, I have seen several movies lately, not all of them new, but definitely some good ones.

Philidelphia: *** 1/2 I've seen this movie a couple times, but Alisa hadn't ever seen it, got it off of my DVR, and watched it this week. Almost anything with either Denzel Washington or Tom Hanks is going to be good, put them both in this, and it was fantastic.

On the Waterfront: ** 1/2 Also off the DVR. Wanted to see it because it is considered a classic. It was good. It has solidified in my mind the position that Marlon Brando is overrated. He is good, but I haven't seen him in anything that was great except for The Godfather, and that is really Pacino's movie.

The Chronicles of Riddick: ** (or *** 1/2 on the aweseomely bad scale). This movie has two different reviews. It could have been so much better, had they just had a writer involved. On the other hand, for awesomely bad movies, it rocks. Vin Diesel is the king of awesomely bad.

Quantum of Solace: *** 1/2 This movie was pretty awesome. I have heard some haters bagging on it, but it was pretty good. Ten times better than any of the old bond movies, which I hate. Daniel Craig is actually a bond that you feel could beat you up, unlike Timothy Dalton, who I think if he threatened me as a super villain, my only real chance of dying would be laughing myself to death.

Prop 8

I haven't really posted about this. Its volatile, and from what I have seen, there hasn't been a calm discussion about it, unless all the parties are in agreement. So, not really wanting to get into a debate/discussion, but willing if someone else wants to go there, I thought I would post this link. I was emailed this article, and thought it was incredibly good. It was written by a police detective of some 30 years in LA, and its talking about the campaign, and the protests in his precinct around the temple afterwards.

Here is the article.

After reading his post, I can't help but think that this exact situation may have been the reason for the conference talk in October about how we as a church, and as members should respond to attacks.

Hyrum

So, Hyrum wants to see his name on here. So I thought I would do this.

Veteran's Day

Its about 1am. Alisa and I just finished watching Saving Private Ryan, which she had never before seen. She had been fairly adamant that she wasn't going to watch it, I have it on video, but it was on TV, and I recorded it on our DVR. So, I got her to watch it with me tonight.

By the end of the movie, both of us had tears running down our faces. I love this movie, and the strong emotions of gratitude it gives me. I think of my own Grandpa, who spent WWII island hopping in the Pacific, and what he and those who were with him must have experienced. I think of the men who must have known that there was more than a good chance they would die when the front gates dropped on those personnel carrier watercraft on D-Day. I love those men and women who sacrificed so much to help protect the entire world, and I don't think that is overstating their contribution in the least. Though Veteran's Day is for more than just WWII, and I feel a debt of gratitude to all veteran's, I am going to more specifcally talk about that time.

I have had the opportunity to see Pearl Harbor, and go out to the Arizona Memorial. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of my trip to Hawaii. I have visited the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific, and felt the incredible spirit of that massive cemetary in Hawaii as well. On a statue at that cemetary is a portion of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln. It is one of the most profoundly moving statements that I have ever read. I will copy his letter here in its entirety, and bold the portion found at the cemetary.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

One of the reasons that I love the movie Saving Private Ryan so much, is that I have an incredible desire that these sacrifices not be forgotten. And I don't mean actually wiped from history. Kids will always read about D-Day and WWII in their history books. I feel, however, that the further we move from the society of those who lived through this time, the easier it is to intellectualize the entire thing. To forget the cost on a more personal level. To truly feel the sorrow for the horror and loss that accompanied that time. Though I am quite sure that there are no WWII vets who actually read this, I write this post in honor of them. I hope that I can personally remember the importance of their sacrifice, and the obligation that I have to live so that it wasn't in vain.

Go Real

What a great season to get the new stadium. We find ourselves in the wonderful position of having one more home game here at Rio Tinto stadium. After Real played Chivas USA to a tie, thus moving into the second round of the playoffs, New York Red Bulls did us a favor, and beat Houston. This brings the Red Bulls to Rio Tinto for the Western showdown. If we win Saturday, we will play for the MLS cup in L.A.

These games are awesome, for anyone who hasn't gotten out to see one, you should try to get to this one, you won't regret it.

I was disgusted.

I turned on the TV tonight, curious about the election results. I have known for weeks that Obama would win, there was no doubt in my mind. So, as I turned it on, and saw the pollsters calling the election, it was confirmed.

Thats fine. I didn't vote for him, there are many things he stands for that I disagree with, some very strongly. All that aside, I hope that he will do at least some of the things he has promised to, though being a politician I won't hold my breath, just as I wouldn't have for McCain. I don't believe tomorrow (or late January) will see any revolutionary bipartisanship. I think the powers that be in each party will continue to publicly eviscerate one another. Nancy Pelosi won't all of a sudden quit being one of the most shrill and divisive people in America.

That being said, if he can do something about green energy, if intelligent immigration reform happens, etc. etc. all the better. I am not one who thinks the country will now hit a tailspin and fall into the depths of depravity. The guy I voted for didn't make it, its not the end of the world.

HOWEVER

I nearly threw up with the 'journalists' talking as soon as they called the election. These supposedly unbiased purveyors of information where nearly in tears, speaking of how emotional this was. And spoke of how now, we were finally able to, as a country, overcome racism. WHAT???? So, those who voted for Obama were voting for an end to racism? And those of us who voted for John McCain did it out of a deep seeded sense of hatred for the black man?

I have seen racism, some pretty awful examples while I lived in Texas. This isn't an end to racism anymore than a McCain victory would have proven we were still steeped in it. Seriously, I wanted to punch Tom Brokaw in the jaw.

Then came McCain's speech. While on the whole, I thought it was fine, I was again disturbed by how much race was brought into it. As he said that Black people should feel a special feeling of something.

So, individuals, who happen to be black, should feel more for this president that another?

I'm sorry, I am sickened by how pervasive is the idea that race has anything to do with who a person is. Until it becomes truly irrelevant, both those who espouse to fight racism, and those who are steeped in hate, will be helping it to stick around.

Legend of the Seeker

So, I am a big fan of Terry Goodkind. Love his books. They are probably my second favorite series. I got Alisa to read them, she loves them too. It was with guarded excitement that I heard that Sam Raimi had bought the rights to them and was making them into a miniseries. I have seen enough books/comic books/etc. that I have enjoyed made into movies that have been absolutely atrocious that I was gaurded in my optimism, and was fully prepared for these to be awful. Alisa, with less experience in this realm, didn't have her defenses prepared.

The first episode was on Saturday, and after returning from a great soccer game that Real won, and watching a so-so BYU game off of our DVR that BYU won, we set down to watch Legend of the Seeker, also recorded on our DVR from earlier that evening.

I don't know if words can adequately describe how truly terrible it was. I have watched some stupid stuff. I have enjoyed stupid stuff. Heck, there is a whole genre that some of us have dubbed 'Awesomely Bad' that I really enjoy, guilty pleasures if you will. This show could not have been worse. It hearkened back to the day when hollywood thought all they had to do was make a comic book movie, and they would at least get geeks to come. You know, before the time of real actors, writers, and directors being involved. When such gems as Batman & Robin, or STEEL starring Shaq came out.

I can't think of a single facet of this show that wasn't reprehensible in its mind-numbing, face melting stupidity. I couldn't hate this thing more. And I was prepared for it to suck, I feel really bad for Alisa, who really thought it was going to be good.