Movies

So many people have given me their two cents on X-3. Some of them loved it, some of them hated it, and others were just kind of indifferent.
I guess I liked it more than most, but I also had much lower expectations that other folks. I read back in December that the script was horrible and that the story was weak. So going in I thought that I was going to hate it. Well, I didn't. But that doesn't mean that it was the best movie I have seen all year.
I thought that the script was pretty bad. The dialogue was weak and forced and there was none of that fun banter that made the first two films great. Yet the action sequences were great and the directing was a seamless transition from Singer to Ratner.
I thought that the story was a great idea, but it was left a bit underdeveloped.

Superman Returns was pushed up to June 28th...Which means that I will be able to see it on June 27th at midnight...wait...this just in...the movie will be opening at 10 Pm local time on the night of the 27th. So not only do I get to see it the night before the "hard opening" I get to have a full night's sleep after it!

Pirates of The Caribbean looks pretty bad if you ask me. Now that the novelty of Johnny Depp playing Keith Richards The Pirate has worn off I think that the new movie will be flimsy and lame...but I will be there to see it, just to make sure.

Some folks got to see the Snakes On A Plane preview before X-3. I wasn't one of them and it pisses me off. I instead got to see the preview for Ghost Rider, a snoozefest starring Nick Cage, that doesn't even open until February. And we all know what kind of movies open in Febraury. The last big hero movie that rolled out in the Hallmark Month of Hearts was Dare Devil. ZZZZzzzzzz.

Quick, summer TV! My top 5 shows for the summer season...

1. Big Brother All-Stars
2. Saved
3. The 4400
4. Windfall
5. Lost (gonna watch it again)

Lost of peeps love Rescue Me. I tired to like it, but I just couldn't D.L. is awesome, but it was too much ghost story and too little rescue.



OUT

Thank You

Thanks to those of you who posted comments or called me about my "serious" blog entry. I am not one of those EMO bloggers who puts my heart and soul into every entry, but I needed to vent a bit and I was glad that most of you responded and did so in a positive way. I promise to not to get so serious again for a long time.

I was thinking...the one thing that Myspace blogging does that that is better than blogger.com is the place to put what music you are listening to. I love to tell people what I am currently listening to. I will try to be better about mentioning that.

Right now I am listening to Saves the Day. (Sound The Alarm)


I also never posted my review of The Da Vinci Code. I liked it better than most of the critics. I thought that Tom Hanks was horrible, but the film wasn't that bad. Ron Howard did a good job of getting most of the history (fictional and non-fiction) on the screen without making it feel forced.
The movie is long and can drag at times, but Paul Bettany as Silas was awesome and I thought that Ian Mckellen as Sir Teabing was a perfect cast!

Grade: B


The Lost finale is tomorrow....I can't wait!

OUT

Season Finales

UPDATED

Grading the season finales is one of my favorite hobbies. So with another season coming to close tomorrow night with Lost I will give two grades for each show. One for the finale and one for the season as a whole.

SHOW (Finale) Season

CSI (B-) B
CSI: Miami (C- ) D
Medium (B+) A-
Invasion (B+) C
Without A Trace (C-) C+
The O.C. (C) B-
Battlestar Galactica (A) A+
The Shield (A+) A+
Nip/Tuck (B) D
Reba (C-) B
My Name Is Earl (A-) B
2 1/2 Men (B-) B+
How I Met Your Mother (B+) B+
The War At Home (B) C
New Adventures of Christine (B-) B
One Tree Hill (B-) C
Desperate Housewives (C) B+
Smallville (B) A
House (B) B
24 (D) B
Alias (B) B+
Grey's Anatomy (A) B+
The Sopranos (A) TBD
Veronica Mars (A) A+
Lost (A) A++


And with that comes the end of another TV season, tear tear. But never fear, Big Brother is around the corner to keep me excited all Summer long.

OUT

I will try not to get too serious

Most of you guys that have access to my blog know me pretty well. You know that for years I was very in to church and God and religion. I was very dedicated to my church and honestly believed that I knew what I was talking about. More importantly I believed that the other people in my faith knew what they were talking about.
It turns out that after being out church for a couple of years now I realize that I had placed my faith in faulty people with bad information.
I saw the Da Vinci Code last night and it got me to thinking (again). I know that the movie is fictional and that the story is pretty far-fetched and takes a few liberties with history and fact. But I think people who stop there are missing Dan Brown's point. He is not necessarily trying to make you believe the Jesus/Mary thing as much as he is trying to make you understand that there is a lot more history behind our Bible and our Beliefs than is being taught in our Sunday School classes.
My friends know that where I am today is a far cry from where I was on this issue a few short years ago. How did I come to this conclusion? Well for one, I was kind of forced into it. I made some mistakes in my past, as we all do, but unlike the promise I had been fed by God's people, I was not forgiven for it. Instead I felt like I had been abandoned. And that was the first time I began to search for other answers about the real God.
Here are a few observatiosn that I have made:

1. God's church is not the one that is being "played" right now on every other corner in Memphis.God's church does not hide in it's buildings and pat itself on the back for making a lot of money in the collection plate this week. God' church belongs in the mission field (home and abroad).

2. God demands our worship and our love. He is forgiving and I believe that he finds it repulsive when hypocritcal Christians cannot stop gossiping about someone else's hardships to forgive, forget, or lend a helping hand.

3. I believe that God loves all people, no matter what their past, present, or future. I don't think God cares if you have a drink, smoke a cigarette, get high, sleep with the same sex, or sleep around. I do think that he honors marriage and those who hold it as a sacred union. And I think he cares whether or not you have true and good intentions.

4. I believe in Jesus Christ as a saviour. But I believe that he was a man of God not an actual God. Otherwise it would defeat his entire purpose for dying on the cross.

5. I don't know what I believe about the death and resurrection, but I know that what is said in churches every single Sunday cannot be entirely true.

I believe that I am loved by God and I believe that one day we will understand his true nature and his true plans for mankind. Until then I think it is our job to seek answers and question everything that we are taught. And then we are to draw our own conclusions, just like I have above.

Lastly, I want my friends to know that I don't care what you believe as long as YOU believe it and not because someone else told you to believe it.

OUT

Must See TV

The fall upfronts are complete and the new schedules are out. Here are my top five buzz building shows.

“Six Degrees”

(one-hour, ABC Thursday, 10:00 p.m., ET) – Who will you touch? Who will touch you? They say that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person through a chain of six people, which means that no one is a stranger… for long. In this hour-long drama from the producers of “Lost” and “Alias,” six very different New Yorkers go about their lives without realizing the impact they're having on one another – yet. A mysterious web of coincidences will gradually draw these strangers closer, changing the course of their lives forever. Is it happenstance? Fate? Is there a greater force at work in our world, guiding us along and connecting our lives? This intriguing tale of intertwined destinies reminds us that romance, success, peace or forgiveness might be right around the corner, but they can also be lost in an instant. It’s a story that underlines just how small the world really is, and how someone just five people away might be shaping our future right now. Jay Hernandez (“Friday Night Lights”), Erika Christensen (“Flightplan”), Bridget Moynahan (“Sex and the City”), Dorian Missick (“Lucky Number Slevin”), Hope Davis (“About Schmidt”) and Campbell Scott (“The Secret Lives of Dentists”) star.Cast:Jay Hernandez (“Friday Night Lights”): CarlosBridget Moynahan (“I, Robot”): WhitneyHope Davis (“Proof”): LauraCampbell Scott (“Loverboy”): Steven CasemenDorian Missick (“Lucky Number Slevin”): DamianErika Christensen (“Traffic”): Mae AndersonCredits:EP: J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Alias”)EP: Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Alias”)EP/Writer: Stu Zicherman (“Elektra”)EP/Writer: Raven Metzner (“Elektra”)Director: Rodrigo Garcia (“Six Feet Under”)Production Company: Touchstone Television


“Traveler”

(one-hour, ABC mid-season) – Jay, Tyler and Will are friends who have spent the last two years in grad school. They are about to depart on a summer trip when a simple prank to rollerblade through one of New York City's most famous museums makes Jay and Tyler prime suspects in a terrorist bombing that destroys the museum seconds later. Hopeful that Will can help clear up this misunderstanding, they learn he's been missing since the explosion and think he may be dead. They’re unable to turn to authorities when they realize they can't prove Will even exists. In every photo from the past two years, he has managed to block his face. Who will believe them? Friends, family, lovers? The boys are pawns in a conspiracy that will take years to unravel, and the government may not have their best interests at heart. Their friendship will be tested like never before as they try to uncover the truth, while avoiding detection of not only the FBI, but everyone in America who has seen their faces on TV as suspects in the bombing.Director David Nutter, who has defined many series including “The X-Files,” “Without a Trace” and “Supernatural,” along with the writer of “Eight Below” and the Oscar®-winning producers of “American Beauty” combine “The Fugitive” with “Enemy of the State” in a taut, tense thriller of innocents on the run. Flashing back to the prior two years to illustrate the formation of this friendship and Will's insidious behavior, this action-packed drama taps into our paranoia with pure adrenaline-fueled entertainment. Matthew Bomer (“Tru Calling”) and Logan Marshall-Green (“The O.C.”) star.Cast:Matthew Bomer (“Tru Calling”): Jay BurchellLogan Marshall-Green (“The O.C.”): Tyler FogAaron Stanford (“X-Men 2”): Will TravelerViola Davis (“Law & Order: SVU”): Agent Jan “Naj” MarlowSteven Culp (“Desperate Housewives”): Agent Fred ChambersCredits:EP: Dan Jinks (“American Beauty”)EP: Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty”)Writer: David Digilio (“Eight Below”)Production Company: Warner Bros. Television, The Jinks/Cohen Company

"HEROES"

(one hour NBC— The epic drama "Heroes" chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. As a total eclipse casts it shadow across the globe, viewers follow a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India whose father's disappearance leads him to uncover a secret theory -- there are people with super powers living among us. A young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "The Bedford Diaries") tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible. A Las Vegas stripper (Ali Larter, "Final Destination"), struggling to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids"), uncovers that her mirror image has a secret. A prison inmate (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") mysteriously finds himself waking up outside of his cell. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and the relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, including the secrets of a captured terrorist. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world. "Heroes" is executive produced by creator/writer Tim Kring ("Crossing Jordan), Dennis Hammer ("Crossing Jordan") and David Semel ("House"), who also directed the pilot. The drama is from NBC Universal Television Studio.

"STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP"

( one hour, NBC)— Emmy Award-winning executive producer-writer Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning executive producer-director Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") return to television with this crackling take on the drama behind the humor of producing a popular, late-night comedy sketch show, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Sorkin lays bare the backstage politics, romances and delicate balance between creative talent, on-air personalities and network executives in an instant text-messaging world. Prominent are Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet, "Syriana"), a savvy new network entertainment chief who inherits a massive public relations disaster on the series — even before she starts her first day — and Matt Albie (Matthew Perry, "Friends") and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford, "The West Wing"), a brilliant creative team that she wants to resurrect the program. Also playing crucial roles are the sketch comedy series stars Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson, "Down with Love"), Simon Stiles (D.L. Hughley, "The Hughleys") and Tom Jeter (Nathan Corddry, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"), their normally cool-headed director, Cal Shanley (Timothy Busfield, "thirtysomething") as well as supreme network honcho Jack Rudolph (Steven Weber, "Wings"). Evan Handler ("Sex and the City") and Carlos Jacott ("Being John Malkovich") also star. The series is a production of Warner Bros. Television.


‘TIL DEATH

(Thursdays, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT on FOX): ‘TIL DEATH is a comedy about middle-aged EDDIE (Brad Garrett, “Everybody Loves Raymond”) and JOY STAMM (Joely Fisher, “Desperate Housewives”), who are on day 8,743 of their marriage and have the battle scars to prove it. Their new next-door neighbors are young newlyweds STEPH (Kat Foster, “Law & Order”) and JEFF WOODCOCK (Eddie Kaye Thomas, “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle”) – idealistic, passionate, adorable and married for all of 12 days. It’s a show about new marriage versus old marriage, about keeping the romance alive – or at least staying together so you have someone to drive you to the hospital for your operations. Eddie is a cynical realist who considers himself an expert on most topics. A high school history teacher, he’s learned well the lessons of history and applies the basic principles to his marriage: all fights are about power, land and resources – and women love to kill fun. A veteran of the marriage wars, Eddie freely gives his advice to the younger, idealistic Jeff, who’s the new Vice Principal at Eddie’s school. Of course, Eddie’s little secret all along is that he loves Joy more than anything. And however brash and sardonic Joy herself appears, she loves Eddie right back.

CAST: Brad Garrett as Eddie, Joely Fisher as Joy, Eddie Kaye Thomas as Jeff, Kat Foster as Steph


It sucks that Traveler will not be on until later in the season. A few other promising shows are "Kidnapped" on NBC which is part 24 and part Da Vinci Code.
"Friday Night Lights" which is from the football movie starring Billy Bob.
"Vanished" on fox about a missing Senator's son. Conspiracy follows.

My two favorite subjects: Music and TV

This question was posed on TVGUIDE.COM this week. I have given this topic a bit of thought and decided to answer it as if it were posed to me. I will then paste Matt Roush's response below my own.

Question: I have loved Grey's Anatomy since the first episode, and it continues to be the show to which I most look forward every week. However, over the past two episodes I have watched entire segments with the mute button on as I read the dialogue via CC. The reason? Though some of the montages can be very effective, the music is distractingly bad. The May 7 episode featured two full-length songs with vocalists whose "instruments" were akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. Grey's is one of the few shows that can fully absorb my attention, but it's disappointing when these songs take me out of my television nirvana. I'm just wondering if you had any thoughts on the subject. Thank you, and keep up the great column! — Abby

Chris: I have to say that I too have grown tired at times of shows using long musical pieces to cover a montage or indicate the passing of time. Grey's has never annoyed me the way some shows have in the past. I quit watching Cold Case because the montages at the end of each episode were more like a music video than a television show.
Some shows effectively use music to cover and move along a story line. Two shows that come to mind are One Tree Hill and The O.C.
I would never watch a show on mute as I am big fan of getting the director's entire vision, but I would like to see less music and more dialogue. I guess in short, it doesn't bother me when it is done effectively, but it is not a tool I would be sad to see go.

Matt Roush: There is no question that Grey's is a serious case study of overdoing the underscoring. This is a complaint I hear a lot, including from people in the industry who otherwise admire the show. The music often overwhelms the action and the dialogue, but this is such a pervasive trend (especially in final-act montages of so many dramas) that I guess I've grown mostly numb to it. Grey's also tends to overdo the cutesy incidental music to lighten the tone of the more romantic scenes. But none of this gets in the way of my enjoyment, or prompts me to mute the dialogue spoken by these wonderful actors. I beg you to reconsider.

My Friday

new digital camera for me
mother's day gift for mom
from the bullseye

new wallet
new birthday gift from paymon

eat moe
eat moe what
eat moe moes

breaking in the glove
shaggin fly balls
the old field not the new ones

argue with kim
but just for fun
its a brother sister thing

play a game
see my real sister
no arguing at all

meat loaf
for free
thanks Jay-Long

screwed out of scene-it
the disparity is humorous...
to them

my music videos
my fish
my bed

TV Tuesday

I tried to post this last week, but for some reason blogspot was mad at me and wouldn't post it...so here goes another try.

There have been some great TV shows this season. I will be posting my top ten shows of the season coming up in just a few weeks as all of the finales finish airing. However, it's never too early to hand out the awards for most disappointing shows of the season. Here is my vote for 5 shows that should have shut down production a while back. But I am not one to complain about a problem and then not offer a solution. So, with each kick in the seat I give these shows I will also hand out free advice on how these shows could regain their glory.

5. CSI Miami
While big brother over in Vegas has turned in an excellent year with exciting new plot lines (Warrick getting married) and even better story telling inventions (like the episode from the view of the killer) CSI Miami has taken a steep fall. Horatio is still one of my favorite TV detectives, but the murders have gotten a bit stale. Sharks, night club murders, and lifestyles of the rich and famous can only be done so many times. It's time that this show goes to the next level by re-tooling the cast a bit and throwing in some fresh writers with new perspectives. I like the idea behind the CSI lab mole, however there hasn't been enough attention given to the story to warrant a frenzy around the finale.

4. Desperate Housewives
I fab four have been great. I love that Bree has fallen so far and that Gabby has shown a softer side. I think Tom and Lynette's marriage is one of the most realistic on television. And Susan is a shit-storm waiting to happen. But if they do nothing else next season, get rid of Betty Applewhite and her ridiculous family. Nothing has hurt the momentum of the show more. D.H. Was hit harder by the sophomore slump than any show on TV, but slowly it has regained it's groove and has become flashy and exciting all over again. I think the reintroduction of a season long story arc might be the best cure. What made season one tick has not been present this time around.

3. Nip/Tuck
This one is easy to figure out, never ever mention the carver(s) again and this show will be just fine. After a two year lay-off the show came back with a buzz and went out with a bust. The characters are so perfectly flawed that Ryan Murphy doesn't need to adjust anything except that horrible story line. I hear the new season in September will feature a new character who will be involved in a more business-like relationship with Christian and Sean. I can't wait.

2. The O.C.
They began by introducing the clones. (Johnny and Chilli) Then they made one of the clones, Johnny, the focal point of the show for half the season. And now Marissa is sleeping with the clone's worst enemy!?! This show is at its best when it features Seth, Summer, and Ryan. Although I still think Ryan could punch people a little less. Sandy is still a great character and it is great to see him as a real person this season with major ethical issues blowing up in his face. I think Marissa's story line has run it's course and if the rumors are true about Mischa not being a series regular next year then the show is well on its way to righting the ship. I hear we get more Taylor next season, whoo hoo. But we also have to deal with more of Marissa's sister, booo!

1. 24
There is probably nothing that this show could ever do that would make me watch it again. I have given up and thrown in the towel. I will see it through til the end of the season, but like a lame duck manager in college basketball I don't give a crap any more. If I were coming back with Jack for another year I would suggest that the show move locations. That they remove CTU from the equation all together. And that they quit writing the show from week to week and get back to writing it in 6-7 episode blocks like the first year. The show is called 24, not CTU. And until they realize this, the show is going to remain one of the most overrated and unlikeable shows on television.

OUT

Five For Friday

Occassionally I put my MP3 player on random when I am getting ready in the morning. I just like to see what songs it will play. It tells me if I am going to have a good day that day. It is like my own personal fortune cookie or tarot reading or something.
Here are the 5 songs it played for me this morning. Tell me what kind of day you think I am having.

1. Hydroponic by 311
2. No Sleep Til Brooklyn by Beastie Boys
3. Pranging by The Streets
4. Wasted and Ready by Ben Kweller
5. Gin and Juice by Snoop

I think something out there is telling me that I should just get high and forget today all together. Hydroponic is about smokin' the herb, Prang is a slang word for cocaine, Wasted and Ready and Gin and Juice are pretty self explanatory, and No Sleep Til Brooklyn describes my recent bouts of insomnia. Huh.

OUT

Friday is my Die Day

Bom Bom Bom
by The Living Things

We're gonna wake this city tonight
Oh, watch it burn into the twilight
I said hey, hey, hey this is our birthright
To be bought and sold, shipped off ready to die. We're ready to fight.

We're going bom bom bom. Bom bom away bom.
Bom bom, bom bom.
We go bom bom, bom bom away bom. Bom bom, bom bom.

I can't drink or drive a tank at nineteen
So I set off to join the U.S. Army
The first time I left my country
I felt the desert sand marchin' under my feet. Come march with me.

We're going bom bom bom. Bom bom away bom.
Bom bom, bom bom.
We go bom bom, bom bom away bom. Bom bom, bom bom.

We're gonna take this city tonight
We're gonna shake this city 'til broad daylight
We're gonna take this city tonight
We're gonna shake this city 'til broad daylight
Shake it. Oh shake it.

I said: No NYC, Los Angeles
No Saint Louis, no New Orleans
No you and me, no you and me, no sympathy
Cause we're gonna bring them, bring them to their knees

We go bom bom bom, bom bom away bom. Bom bom, bom bom.
We go bom bom, bom bom away bom. Bom bom, bom bom.

We're gonna take this city tonight
We're gonna shake this city 'til broad daylight
We're gonna take this city tonight
We're gonna shake this city 'til broad daylight
Shake it. No brights lights, no more big city.
Shake it. No brights lights, no more big city.
Shake it. No brights lights, no more big city.
Shake it. No brights lights, no more big city.

What about sanity is so great?

I have this unusual need to play it safe. Like for example, I know not to take a stroll down Summer Avenue near Tillman after dark. It's not safe for a nice boy like me! I know that there are inherent dangers looming behind the darkness and I don't want to be robbed, shot, kidnapped, or killed. My sanity allows me to make choices like staying home or waiting until morning to walk through those parts of town. It is an ability that I guess I take for granted...at the same time, is my sanity as much a curse as it is a treasure?
See, I find myself playing it safe way too often. This is an on-going struggle within myself and no matter which side wins, safety or risk, I know that it is only one small battle in a life long war taking place in my brain. If I chose to take a risk today, I will likely chose to play it safe the next ten times.
I am beginning to feel like I am making choices today that are shaping the rest of my life. I get the sensation that with every safe play I make I am digging up a shovel full of dirt. And another. And another. And eventually I am going to be standing in a hole so deep from playing it safe that I will never be able to get out of it.
Maybe this is not a new idea to most of you, I'm not sure. It is something that I have been struggling with for several years, but more so than ever in the past few months.
Monday I was talking with my dad and he told me that it looks like I might need to start saving for a new roof. Well, I am a long ways from having enough money saved up to buy a new roof on my house. So I told him that I was thinking about putting my house back on the market. He bounced back and forth with the pros and cons, but never really picked one side or the other. My grandmother who was there with us thought that selling the house was the best idea ever, but her input is not that highly valued as she rarely knows what we are talking about in the first place. All she could think about was how horrible it is that I now have "mexicans and ni**ers" living next to me.
When my dad and I were done talking I was more confused than ever. Should I sell my house or not? It's not like I am selling it to get out of Memphis as most of my job opportunities in other parts of the country seem to be fading away. But by selling it I am free to come and go as I please. As a renter I would also gain the freedom of knowing that if a new roof is needed, hey, I don't have to pay for it.
I digress...the point is, the house that I own is a great excuse for me to still be stuck in Memphis. As long as I have it, I can't really leave. At the same time the house is a bit of a burden and if I sold it in the near future it is unlikely that I would actually leave all of my friends and family behind anyway. (But with that logic isn't it smarter to just keep the house??? Geez, I am just confusing myself more.)
I think a lot of my worries are stemming from my need to drastically change my life every couple of years. I get into this mood every so often where I am tired of complacent living and I do something drastic to shake things up and then I am happy for a while longer.
Maybe I should simply count my blessings. I have a great roomie. I have a pretty decent job and I can still afford all of my bills. I have great friends and a supportive family. Could the fact that I have things so good and I am obviously trying to sabatoge myself be a sign that I am not quite as sane as I have given myself credit for? Hmmmm.

Out

Mission Impossible III

So, is there any chance of this movie not sucking? I'm not sure. I am not a big fan of action movies. I hated Armageddon, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and so forth and so on. I mean I used to love a good action flick, hell T-2 is one of the greatest action films of all time. But the latest Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg blockbuster, War of the Worlds, was less than stellar. And if those two can't get it right then who can?
I did kind of like The Island, but apparently me and a small group of my friends were the only ones.
I am heading out to see MI3 this weekend and I really hope that it is going to be good. I enjoyed the first two and I am hoping that the third will be up to par. I decided to make a positives and negatives list so that I will be in the right frame of mind to kick off Summer Blockbuster Season.

Why this movie will suck:
1. Tom Cruise-He's a freak and he has made it nearly impossible to watch him on the screen without remembering something insane that he's done lately. For example, did you guys read that he cooked and ate the placenta and umbilical cord following his wife's delivery!

2. Sequels-They never live up to the hype. The second Mission wasn't as good as the first and usually a third helping of a film is just re-heated leftovers.

3. History- Action movies have just been bad lately. I refuse to get my hopes up. Hollywood has yet to prove that it has broken the recent slump.

The reasons why it is going to be awesome:

1. JJ Abrams- Anyone who knows JJ knows that he is going to put the best product possible out there. The Lost creator is never going to let his cult following down.

2. Philip Seymour Hoffman- The guy is the greatest character actor of our time. If he accepted the role then you had better believe that the script was up to par.

3. Tom Cruise- Nevermind his cooky personal life, the guy cranks out hits. Let's forget Vanilla Sky for a few seconds and count his many triumphs. And that whole War of the Worlds thing, it wasn't his fault. He did a really great job and played out of character just a bit.

So, it looks like only time will tell. Mission Impossible III could be the great kick start to a box office resurgence or it could be the bell toll for a long Summer at the movies.

OUT