A young man is about to get married to Jesse (Elisabeth Harnois.) He is getting second thoughts about taking the plunge. He is cornered by the bride's father Frank Allen (Ryan Reynolds) on the way to the exit. And here the groom is told in detail and an extensive flashback how the chaos theory works (or not.)

The essence of the story starts with a wife setting a clock off 10 minutes trying to give her well organized husband an extra 10 minutes but inadvertently loses 10 minutes and it snowballs into chaos. I will not go through the many details as the surprise twists are what give value to this story. However the father explains that you cannot plan on events, but you can choose to love.

With some of the almost slapstick actions and not likely events I can see how someone would take this as a comedy. At least this has a fresher formula that all those girl meets, guy misunderstands guy, later realizes mistake and they go off happily ever after stories.

I would say that it is at least worth watching so that you can make your own decision as to whether this presentation was worth the effort. For me I'm still not too sure.

Reporter Jack Whittier (Dean Stockwell, excellent choice) is a favorite with the President (Biff McGuire) and his daughter. Taking a project in Budapest he gets one of those classic bites that never came near his Budapest. The President summons Jack back to become his press agent. Soon Jack sees pangrams in every hand. He also finds he blacks out. Eventually he comes to realize he has a bad case of the munchies. He tries to confess but no one will listen; remember this is D.C.

You have to add this film to your wolfy collection. Never know if this will become a classic or cult favorite.

Full Moon High [VHS]

I read and watch mysteries and series of mysteries. You would think they would run out of characters and ideas. Yet they keep turning up. Even from before I was born but just now found out about them.

This book may serve many purposes as sitting up taller at the table. But my two favorite are finding out what is out there in the either before discovering it on Turner Classics. More significant is that this book fills in the back ground for stories characters and puts them in perspective by cross-referencing to other mysteries and characters.

I just recently discovered "Seven Keys to Baldpate" to find it was written by Earl Derr Biggers of Charlie Chan fame. While discussing Charlie we are introduced to favorite writer Sax Rohmer of Fu Manchu fame. And so it goes until coming around full circle.

Look for hours of fun as you will not be able put it down

With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite. I have several.

For example:

"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990

"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler, 1888

"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997

"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1963

"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951

"Sing, goddess, of Peleus' son Achilles' anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus's will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles."
-Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008

"An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment."
-Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1950

"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom,
and such the will of Jove!"
-Translated by Alexander Pope, 1720

"Achilles sing, O Goddess! Peleus' son;
His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes
Caused to Achaia's host, sent many a soul
Illustrious into Ades premature,
And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove)
To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey,
When fierce dispute had separated once
The noble Chief Achilles from the son
Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men."
-Translated by William Cowper, London 1791

You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like. If you do not see information on specific translators, it is still worth the speculation and purchase.

Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.

We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.

Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes form position.

We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war and the search for Arête (to be more like Aries, God of War.)

Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray]

From start to stop this is the noisiest film. Occasionally there are a few known pieces of music from classical masters. Yet for the most part it is obscure pieces of music overwhelming the dialog. Occasionally there is musicales spot where they still play jingles or extremely loud sounds of glass breaking or footstep noises.

If you can get over the noisy background the primes is pretty good. I would not want to presume on telling the producers how to improve this film but it is really too much like those soundbite documentaries were they do not complete a thought before moving on to the next thought.

Basic story is Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) a going nowhere would be writer who stumbles in a situation where he obtains a substance that allows him to utilize parts of his brain that were previously unreachable. Now we are off and running. Where is the substance coming from and are there any side effects. Watch and find out.

If you can get over the noise there are a few fun spots where you can put yourself in the situation.

The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn

Yep" Stranded" (2001) is a standard formula crash on mars. They make no attempt to slowly reveal the plot. It is an in-your-face yep someone's gotta go who gets to pick and where do they go story. But you knew this before you bought this movie.

Even though this film is foreign and some of the acting and reading is stilted we're still fascinated with the interaction of the characters and how they are going to get from point A to point Z. The film does not have to be original or professional; all it has to do is hold our attention and show us their version of the well-known story.

The two points that stand out to me are first how Luca Baglioni (Vincent Gallo) wants to spend his dying moments with Jenny Johnson (Maria de Medeiros.) We could've made book on that answer. The second which might've been a little drawn out but I enjoyed it anyway was the reference to Barsoom and Barsoom's characters; I have to expected John Carter pop out from behind the rocks.

Fake mountains and secondary actors produce the formula disaster movie. All disaster movies have the fun formula. Many try to get at least one know actor to hold it together; this movie has chosen Remo Williams (Fred Ward).

Anyone notice the train is missing?
Daddy, don't leave me!
Where are the gas masks when you need them?

A series of earthquakes kill stupid people and as they get more stupid the shocks get larger. Will the quakes stop in time or all the stupid people doomed?

If you are watching this movie I suggest you stand in the door jam and hold on.

Based on a story "Casting the Runes" by M. R. James. Professor Henry Harrington (Maurice Denham) was going to expose a devil cult as a hoax. We see him become demon chow right up front. Still it could be psychological. Now Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) with the assistance of Joanna Harrington (Peggy Cummins) will travel the same dark road in an effort to prove that the cult leader Dr. Julian Karswell (Niall MacGinnis)is a harmless magician with an over active imagination. With only two weeks to find out does he prove it or become demon chow himself.

I saw the duel versions of Curse of the Demon / Night of the Demon. Even though the picture is sharp there are still all the little glitz and dots from an old film. Save some time and just watch the British version.

The only distraction is a slip of rune strewed parchment that is supposedly self elusive floats around on a wire that may not have been covered because no one suspected the film to have that good of resolution.

A little added plus is the fifty's technology; look at the telephones for example.

See "Burn, Witch, Burn /Night of the Eagle" (1962) based on "Conjure wife" by Fritz Leiber

Many great insights as to "The meaning of life, the universe and everything" begins with a vision or a universal concept that was just under our nose but required someone to tell us what we already knew and bring this to our forethought. Think back to economics classes before the classes economics was just to term for money handling. Now today we see that every Great War every great invention and even the small ones were encouraged and even made available due to economics. Before reading such books as "Homo Evolutis" by Juan Enriquez and Steve Gullans, we knew of evolution and its controversies but never thought that we would see it all around us and realize much of it is our doing. Now there is "The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood" by James Gleick also the author of "Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything." The title of this book is definitely an understatement of what you're about to be presented. Just keep in mind that as much fun as this book is to read it is how you use this" information" that gives the book its worth.

We will see that every little "bit" of the universe and everything in it is "information." Do not over look the prolog for an encompassing hint as what the book is about. No information related subject is glossed over we het extensive history and in-depth views of what information is, how it was all-around ups and where t is going. I will not go into every detail of you would not need to read the book

Be prepared for over 400 footnotes and an extensive bibliography which will take some time to "look the references up."

The book is the first of five books that constitute one story that is divided up in to bite size books that again are divided up in to bite size chapters. Be sure to read all the periphery notes and charts left in the book. And if you are reading out loud to someone you may want to show them the pictures.

The author really knows how to write creepy stories. It makes you want to sleep with one eye open. There is nothing cutesy yet on the other hand there is not violence for violence sake. The story just squeezes into the realm of possibilities. However it takes an evil mind to write these chronicles. One good advantage is that they are short and to the point enough to holds your attention and then be over before you realized what happened.

Three children (Mallory, Jared and their younger brother, Simon) and their mother move in to a new home (O.K. shack... O.K. more like several shacks staked on top of each other.) There they find strange noises in the walls. Perusing the source of the noises and with the use of a dumbwaiter they locate a secret library and you guessed it a riddle that may lead to "The Field Guide." There is an out write warning that if they find it to get rid of it. However the story is fascinating. All of this comes at a price. I do not want to elaborate but if you have long hair or a suspicious mother then I suggest you read with caution.