Sweeny Todd Trailers

So far there aren't many musical elements in the trailers, but here they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5brXozjbno



http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809834155/video/4367764

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdC3aaykl2s

Dumbledore is Gay

http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=196#more-196

J.K. Rowling has officially announced that her Harry Potter books are based on a Christian worldview. However, I also ran into the following article:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_en_ot/books_harry_potter
That's right, Dubledore is gay. At first it kind of ruined my good opinion of the books, but then I started to think about it. Rowling says it was love that broke Dumbledore's heart, so I like to think that he realized his mistake and turned from it. Rowling also said that she was trying to promote tolerance of gay people. I like to think that she meant that gay people should not be discriminated against, but it's still a sin to be gay. I'm not against gay people. I'm against their actions, but I won't let that keep me from treating them like human beings. I don't know. I'm tending to think that Rowling is one of those, it's not a sin to be gay, people who think gay people have their rightful place in the church without repentence.

Broadway at a stand still

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071006/ap_en_bu/broadway_negotiations

NEW YORK - Stagehands and producers negotiated until nearly midnight Friday, hoping to resolve contract issues that could shut down much of Broadway just as the fall theater season gets under way. Both sides agreed to talk again Tuesday, said union spokesman Bruce Cohen. Discussions reportedly had been tense this week between Local One, the stagehands union, and the League of American Theatres and Producers. Most of the conflict has involved the thorny issue of load-ins, the complicated physical setting-up of a show in a theater. Producers say the rules governing load-ins are cumbersome and expensive, requiring more stagehands than needed. The union says the rules are necessary. The League initially set a Sept. 30 deadline to resolve the conflict and threatened to lock out the stagehands if an agreement was not reached, but talks have continued. The union, a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, has been working without a contract since the end of July.

Gene Kelly on Roller Skates

Segways and Polo - Sports

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/09/segways-and-polo.html

Prince Caspian

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/09/17/exclusive-the-chronicles-of-narnia-prince-caspian-official-o/

Pavarotti Dies

I'm depressed!

http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615637110x4311772157x4298164926/aol?redir=http%3A//news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/ar/_a/luciano-pavarotti-has-died-says-manager/20070905142309990001%3Fncid%3DNWS00010000000001

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070906/ap_en_mu/pavarotti_reax

http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615637110x4311772157x4298164926/aol?redir=http%3A//news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/ar/_a/luciano-pavarotti-has-died-says-manager/20070905142309990001%3Fncid%3DNWS00010000000001

Review: Firewall

Action, violence, and Harrison Ford. “Firewall” has all the ingredients of another perfect suspense film.

Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) is your typical rich, family man. All he cares about is his family and work.

The family is complete with a beautiful, faithful wife (Virginia Madsen), annoying little brother (Jimmy Bennet), and rebellious older sister (Carly Schroeder).

Jack owns his own bank, and is a bank security expert. He designed a flawless, top security system for his bank.

Things change, however, when a group of men kidnap Jack’s family and threaten to kill them if he doesn’t find a flaw in his system and transfer $100 million stolen money into their account.

The group is led by Bill Cox (Paul Bettany of “Wimbledon” and “A Knight’s Tale”), who knows almost every single detail about Jack and his family.

It’s up to Jack to save his family and get the money back at the same time, turning the game around and giving the villains a taste of their own medicine.

No matter how similar a plot may be to Ford’s previous movies, there is no getting past how well he plays the roles. You never get bored with his acting. His emotions, facial expressions, and tone of voice always draw the audience in with a perfectly, tense moments.

Bettany takes on a new persona in the film. He normally does more sensitive, shy roles in movies such as “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” and “A Beautiful Mind.” One thing doesn’t change in his roles - he is always the clever English-man with some secret to unfold. Now, he is the brutal, unrelenting, deceiving Cox, who even resorts to giving Jack’s son cookies he is allergic to. Bettany is good at his new role. He is very mysterious. You are never sure whether he has a humane side to him or not. He even gets the kids on his side for a short while.

The plot, although unoriginal, is satisfying. It gets better as it goes along, and better, and better, until it comes to a perfectly thought out, but abrupt ending.

Jack’s attempts to escape the nightmare are put together well. At one point, he has a hidden camera in a pen he has in his shirt pocket. He gets close to his secretary (Mary Lynn Rajskub of TV’s “24”) and sneakily switches the pen to his secretary’s pocket.

The great thing about the ending is that it isn’t “cheesy.” The last fight scene doesn’t just happen. It is detailed and long, ending with an axe in the back of one of the villains.

For a suspense film, though, it fails to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. While there are plenty of twists to keep you interested, the film does tend to go on and on, and get a little boring in parts. The first two thirds of the film are all talk and no action. There are no special effects until the finale.

The one complaint I have is the language. The F word is used once, unnecessarily, and there are plenty of other offenses.

Still, director Richard Loncraine has managed to stage out a good drama. It’s not perfect, and it’s very predictable, but hey, that’s Harrison Ford.

“Firewall” is highlighted by its actors, and is sure to please any Ford or Bettany fan.

New Veggie Tales Movie

Cuz we're the pirates who don't do anything!

http://www.veggiepirates.com/

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/veggietalesthepirateswhodontdoanything/trailer1/medium.html

Segway Reaction of the Day

I've posted an amusing story about my segway at http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/09/segway-reaction-of-day.html

Entertainment Friday: Movies

Beowulf
http://www.beowulfmovie.com/

I'm looking forward to this one. It'll probably be rate R, but I just want to see it because I was forced to read it in high school. Looks like a good cast, other than Angelina Jolie.

The Scorpian King 2
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/16/dreams-do-come-true-a-scorpion-king-prequel-minus-the-rock/

I liked the first one overall. Didn't like the Rock's acting, but it was a good movie and good blot, even if the costuming was overly unmodest for the women.

The Jungle Book
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/13/bbc-to-make-live-action-version-of-the-jungle-book/
BBC is making a movie of Jungle Book. Is it just me, or have too many versions of this book been made already?

The Wackness
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/11/ben-kingsley-mary-kate-olsen-and-method-man-to-star-in-the-wac/
Can you believe Mary Kate Olsen is doing something without her sister? Can you believe she's even doing something? I don't think she's a very good actress. Every movie she's made has plopped. Maybe she'll do better without her sister.

Jurassic Park 4
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/13/jurassic-park-4-to-feature-gun-toting-dinosaurs/
Can't they make any real good and original movies any more instead of boring sequels?

Dan in Real Life
http://www.apple.com/trailers/touchstone/daninreallife/medium.html
This one does not look half bad.

Charles Billingsley

As I lay in bed tonight, trying to fall asleep, I couldn't get the chorus to a certain song out of my head. The song is sung by Charles Billingsley, who is a great Christian singing artist. I've seen him in concert twice, both times I met him in the lobby and he seemed a very humble man stuck on praising God. He also has a great voice! I believe he is currently the worship pastor at the local church connected with Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Anyway, here are the lyrics to the chorus I could not get our my head (I don't remember the name of the song or the lyrics to the rest of the song, but just these short sentences and verses have a whole lot of meaning in them - I think that's why I can't get them out of my head - they popped up pretty randomly - it's like God wanted me to take a short time to sit and reflect in awe of His great mercy):

He paid for all my sins with love
And at the cost of His own blood
He paid for all my sins with love
Love that has completely,
Love that has forever freed me

http://www.charlesbillingsley.com/

Hollywood Stars Losing Weight

http://news.aol.com/entertainment/television/story/_a/bertinelli-talks-weight-loss-with-alley/20070810095109990001

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20050577,00.html?xid-bertinelli-alley-cover-story-aol-entertainment-news

Remember those Jenny Craig commercials with Kirstie Alley? Well now she's talked about losing weight a little more. The video of the interview has expired, but I read the short article and the short excerpts from the interview in the article and I have to say what they state is all true. I've copied it below for you:

On Feeling Ashamed

Bertinelli: You just don't want people to see what you look like, because you can hear their brains going.

Alley: You don't want them to see what you've become.

On Getting Past It:

Bertinelli: We're taking responsibility. No one shoved that food in my mouth except me.

Alley: Exactly. It's making me more ethical as a person who's taking responsibility for how she got there in the first place.

Personal Monday: Faith, Music, Segways, Trips to the Doctor's Office, and More

Now Listening to: Spamalot (I know it’s dirty in parts, but I can’t help but enjoy it, the music’s so hilarious. I don’t mind the gay stuff because it makes fun of gay men, not that I would ever make fun of them myself. Plus, we all know Lancelot will leave the prince for Guinevere.)

I have way too much to talk about today! I don’t know how I’ll remember everything. So stick with me on this. It’s going to be a long post.

I got up early this morning (around 3:30 AM) to go lay in my front yard with my dad to watch the stars. Why so early in the morning you ask? Because that is the best time to watch a meteor shower and reflect on God's glory while doing so. It was amazing. There was a about one meteor per minute for an hour straight. Most of them weren't very bright, but every once in a while there were some real good ones! I love watching the stars and listening to the crickets! It's my favorite activity other than going out in the morning to sit and read in the park and to watch the sun rise.

I’ve started reading my Bible every morning and it’s helping me keep a positive outlook throughout my days. I am reading Proverbs and Jeremiah right now. If anyone has any favorite passages, feel free to post them as comments. You have no idea how much of a difference it makes reading your Bible every morning until you actually start doing it.

The Bible says to meditate on God’s word daily.

Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:27
Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.

I don’t often pay attention to verses like these. I can be lazy that way. I find that I only read my Bible when I’m on an emotional high peak. I want to change this. I know God wants me to spend more time with Him during good and depressing/stressful times.

Two recent events sparked these thoughts in my mind. First, I have spent a lot of time worrying about college lately. I didn’t want a roommate, but I got one. I have no transportation, so I am worried about that. I worry about making friends, doing well in classes, and getting a job. I cried and whined about all of these things and then I woke up and realized I cannot snap my fingers and make my problems go away. Neither will God snap His fingers and make things better; I must wait on Him. In His own timing, He will answer my prayers, and He won’t always answer them the way I want them answered. He knows what I need and will provide that much. I must put my faith in Him and count on His own good timing and purpose. I plan on posting a short devotional that expands on what I’ve learned from this some time in the future.

Second, some family friends came through town the other day and I had lunch with them. They were very encouraging and one of them kept telling me I should start memorizing scripture. I find that the few times I see them during the year they lift me up spiritually. They live out their faith. I look up to them as role models. Talking about college with them got me thinking about how much faith I really put in God. I need to trust God more with my life and pray more often from my heart, not just out of selfish wants and desires. I selfishly want my own dorm room and I selfishly want some reliable mode of transportation for college.

I have found partial solutions to some of the things that have been stressing lately. Have you ever heard of a Segway? It’s a battery powered transportation vehicle that goes about 12 miles per hour and can be used on sidewalks (I’ve included a picture of one). It seems a good option for transportation during college, but comes with a large price tag (anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000). On the bright side, it saves money compared to a car (I have yet to get a driver’s license – speaking of which, I’m very nervous about my driving test this Thursday seeing as how I haven’t practiced much). Still, I have a feeling that I don’t need a segway. I sure want one, but do I really need one. You still get exercise. You have way more fun. But I just have a feeling that I am being selfish in wanting and asking for one. I don’t want to let the segway control me. On the other hand, it might help me get a sign twisting job for a place like Little Caesars’s.

Transferring to a new college requires an even more stressful, time consuming health evaluation that I have been working on with my doctor all summer. Today I got a TB shot and will have it tested on Wednesday. This is my third shot this summer (I also got Hepatitis A and Whooping Cough shots) on top of numerous needles piercing my skin to take my blood for tests. Not that it hurts any. The only hurt came when I got a week long fever from the Whooping Cough shot. It’s just a lot of hassle in a short time. I should have had my health form in to my college long ago, but now I have to wait until I get there to turn it in.

I must have been to the doctor’s office at least ten times in the last few months (I might be exaggerating a little). The worse part of going to the doctor’s office for me is talking about my weight. They just love to lecture you. Luckily, I’ve been doing fairly well. I’ve lost a pound a week, going for about six pounds total this summer. Eating healthier and eating smaller portions isn’t easy, I’ve splurged one too many times, but I seem to lose weight anyway. Not a lot, mind you. Besides, once college starts up I’m sure I’ll gain the freshman 4-15 or whatever it’s called when you gain weight from all the cafeteria food. I do want to become healthier. I want to represent God well with my body. It also helps not being fat if you want a segway (a segway can only hold 300 pounds max, which I’m pretty close to). From what I’ve read, if I get one I’ll get a rude remark from time to time (“Walking’s Healthier!” – But segways do take a lot of exercise; plus they’re certainly healthier than driving a car). I won’t worry about that right now, though. I know I can handle one. I took a tour of Angel Island on one last Friday and had a great time. Besides, I am slowing learning to take things day by day and to not become anxious about the future.

On one last note, I’d just like to recommend a couple of movies. First, “Fat Like Me.” It’s a Lifetime TV Channel Original Film about a skinny girl who wears a fat suit to see what it’s like to be fat. She finds that it’s a lot harder than it sounds. People make fun of her and treat her like an animal or monster when she’s in the fat suit. It’s a good movie, although I did not like the ending. The only way I know of to get it is through itunes, but I’m sure there are other ways.

The second film I wanted to recommend is “Hairspray” is still in theatres. I loved this film. It’s taken me way too long to get around to posting on it. It’s about a big girl making her dreams come true despite her size. The only problem I have with plots like these is that the obese characters show pride in their size. I see no problem in showing pride in who you are and what your abilities are, but I do not think it right to take pride in your size when you should make every effort you can to be as healthy as you can. I do have one short complaint about “Hairspray” and that is that the main character’s mother is played by a man, John Travolta. The scenes with the mother and father made me smile and laugh, but then I would remember that the mother was a man in a fat suit and I could not enjoy it any more. I find cross dressing just disgusting. I won’t judge those who choose that lifestyle, but I will never support the lifestyle itself along with the homosexual, bisexual, and sex change life styles.

Just to show you how long it took me to write this post, I am now half way through the soundtrack to “The Pirate Queen.” It has some nice songs, but the show was boring and lacked character development. You don’t feel attached to the characters when you should (rather like the movie “Eragon”). Still, it’s a good soundtrack with a good cast, even if it is too similar to “Les Miserables.”

Consuming Technology

An article on yahoo.com from the AP states that there is a battle going on between HD DVD players and Blue-Ray Discs. Consumers are urged to pick sides, because one or the other will come out on the top and regular DVDs will be fogotten forever, just like VHSs. Is it just me, or are we way too consumed by technology today? I mean, there are so many different new technologies coming out I get completely confused. What is HD TV and such? Etc Etc Etc!!! It seems like it was just yesterday they came out with DVDs, and now this. I have a large DVD library (more than I should have. I think buying movies and music is my weakness I need to learn to control). I used to have a large VHS library. Honestly folks, I think all they want is your money. They'll just keep coming out with more and more new technology and you'll keep throwing out the old technology and replacing it with the new technology. What do you think?

To read the AP article, click here.

Entertainment Friday: Articles and Movie News

Christian Features

Interesting Christian News
Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) acquired the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Florida. Attendance at the Holy Land Experience has slumped since the park opened in 2001. tbn hopes to boost attendance by promoting the park through its extensive television network. tbn also plans to reverse policies that banned Pentecostals from working in the park.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/august/8.17.html
Do you think this is crazy? Part of me wants to say this is a silly way to create another fad and go with the worldly way of things, but most of me wants to say this is another opportunity to witness to others. What do you think?

Christian Articles of the Week
On Not Transforming the World
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/augustweb-only/132-42.0.html

Some Interesting News Articles

Laura Bush is writing a children’s book.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070809/ap_en_ot/books_laura_bush

Luciano Pavarotti in Hospital
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070809/ap_en_ot/people_pavarotti

Movies

Hollywood Remakes of Old Cartoons
Hollywood is getting into a habit of making remake films of old cartoons. Here are some links that might interest you.

Speed Racer
http://movies.aol.com/movie/speed-racer-2008/28066/main
http://www.bww.cinematical.com/2007/07/15/nayo-wallace-will-play-minx-in-speed-racer/

Johnny Quest
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/08/first-speed-racer-now-here-comes-jonny-quest/

Spider Man the Musical
While another late Hollywood trend has been to turn musicals into movies, we now find that they are considering turning movies into musicals. I’ve heard rumors of an “Ever After” Musical, a Spider Man musical is now in the works.
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/08/marvel-announces-media-line-up-movies-games-and-even-a-musical/
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107378.html

The Little Mermaid
Disney is also in the process of turning “The Little Mermaid” into a musical. It comes out this winter.
http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlemermaid/index.html

Other Movie News – Jack Black’s New Film
This film just reminds me of a Nickelodeon’s All That sketch, but looks good. It’s called “Be Kind, Rewind.”
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/09/first-trailer-for-jack-blacks-be-kind-rewind/

Pink Panther
In other news, they’re making a Pink Panther sequel. This is ridiculous considering how horribly stupid and boring the first remake was.
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/09/pink-panther-sequel-nabs-excellent-cast/

Fahrenheit 451 Remake Starring Tom Hanks
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/06/tom-hanks-to-star-in-fahrenheit-451/

Snowyville – Another Christmas Movie – Starring Tim Curry
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/06/tim-curry-and-jim-belushi-head-to-snowyville/

Monopoly Board Game the Movie
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/06/ridley-scott-talks-monopoly-movie/

The Other Boleyn Girl
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/06/new-art-for-the-other-boleyn-girl-with-scarlett-johansson-and/

Monet Paintings Stolen in Nice, France

Found this to be an interesting story. I've been to France, so it's more interesting to me than it might be to you. I also love art. So there you go. I guess some famous paintings were stole in broad daylight at a museum in Nice. Here's the link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070805/ts_afp/cultureartcrimetheft_070805193247

This has nothing to do with Nice or the article, but a memory has been sturred. Do you know where the term "Denim" came from? During may stay in France, I learned that denim was originally created in Nimes, thus the name denim, de Nimes (the city of Nimes). Interesting fact, isn't it?

Entertainment Friday: National Treasure - Book of Secrets

Click here to watch the newest trailer for "National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

It does not look like it will be as good as the original. The plot seems to be that an ancestor of Nicholas Cage's character turns up as a conspirator in the assaination of Abe Lincoln. To find the truth, Cage's character must solve the mystery by going throug various obstacles, including kidnapping the president.

Entertainment News Friday: Upcoming and Rumored Movies

The Jane Austen Book Club

I'm rather excited about this one. Of course, it could be that I'm a sucker for anything that has to do with Jane Austen. I predict that I may just have to read the book after the film comes out. The story follows the lives of the members of a Jane Austen book club. They discover that their lives are similar to the Austen books. It's a novel concept. After all, that's what's so wonderful about Jane Austen. We can relate to her novels. Sometimes we just plain get inspiration from them in our own lives. Other times we just need a good laugh or a good chick flick to cheer us up. Looks like this film will have a good cast as well, so it should be good.

Becoming Jane

Speaking of Jane Austen, I can't wait for to see the film "Becoming Jane." I'm not too keen on Anne Hathaway playing Jane, but it should be good.

Snow and the Seven

Disney is in the process of making an updated version of Snow White that takes place in Hong Kong. For more details, go to the link above. If you ask me, this just sounds like a made for the big screen version of Wendy Wu, one of the Disney Channel movies. Not so interesting. The way it looks, though, it'll be a while before anything gets done with this one. No casting has been done and the article makes it look like the script has a long way to go.

The Lost Adventures of Stone Perlmutter Jr.

Not too thrilled about this one. I'm a fan of Jack Black, but I can't stand spoof films. This film is a spoof on Indiana Jones and looks like it will be going along with the style of Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Tenacious D. I wish Black would stick to the more serious roles. He's good at the serious roles. I loved him in "The Holiday." I just plain don't like stupid films that gain popularity because they are stupid. It's stupid. What is happening to the intelligence of America? On top of that, I'm just a little offended because the said hero goes in search of the tomb of Jesus. He'll probably never find it, and if he does he won't find a body.

Jack and the Beanstalk

I actually like the cast for this one. They're all character actors. It does not bother me that they are old and not so popular any more. And what do you expect from a low budget film? At least it will be a family film. I wish there were more clean family films out there. There are probably a lot of chick flicks that would make good family films if all the sexual content were cut.

Star Struck

Simon Cowell is making a film (Star Struck) that follows the top ten on a talent show like American Idol. Should be interesting. Considering Cowell's own humor and style I would assume there will be a lot of crude humor elements to it. Looks like a promo for American Idol that will not be very successful.

Opening Today:

The Bourne Ultimatum - I've only seen the second Bourne film, but I might go see this one since I liked the second one.

Bratz - I'm not sure whether to go see this one. It's obviously a promo for the doll line, but if it's similar to Mean Girls I might go see it. I'll probably wait for this one to come out on video.

El Cantante - Not too keen on this one. I'm not a Jennifer Lopez fan and this just looks like another boring feel good biopic film with a bunch of sexual, dirty, R rated content.

Hot Rod - Another one of those stupid films I hate and will never see.

Underdog - I can't wait to see this one. I'll probably go with my mom since she's a big Underdog fan (she's old and grew up with those kind of cartoons). Honestly, I miss the old, clean cartoons. We need more of them and less of the modern cartoons that are dirty and filled with things that kids should not see. The old cartoons are more fun to watch anyway. My only worry about this film is that it's made by Disney. Disney tends to make their films kind of cheesy.

Becoming Jane - I'm very excited about this one.

The Ten - Another stupid movie, only this one makes fun of the Bible and the Ten Commandments. Very offensive. Not sure what else to say. It's just wrong. Good thing it's only coming out limited release.