Monday, January 31, 2011

Inception

Fantastic; simply mind-bending fun.

Christopher Nolan has delivered a movie that seems as if it should be more confusing than it actually is.

Inception tells the story of corporate espionage by way of stealing ideas from people's dreams.

Leonardo DiCaprio headlines a stellar cast including Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy and Michael Cain.

Watanabe hires DiCaprio to plant an idea inside the mind of his competitor (Murphy) in order to bring about his collapse. This is called Inception.

DiCaprio assembles a team to pull of the extremely tricky ploy. However, he has some personal baggage that might spell the doom for the entire project and the lives of his team as well.

The logistics and implementation of this movie are things that you just have to watch. It's a case where seeing is better than explaining.

Throughout the film I was on the edge of the possibility that I might go into confusion but it never happened. Writer/director Nolan kept me well informed and entirely entertained.

This is a movie well worth multiple viewings. (Nevermind the ending...)

Inception

Friday, January 28, 2011

Soul Print by Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson's books seem to get shorter with each publication. That doesn't make them have less of an impact though.

Soul Print is Batterson's self-help book but this isn't like every other self-help trash. Batterson wants to help you understand who you are by revealing who God is.

By looking at the life of David, Batterson reveals how our memories and life situations are put in place so that God can shape us to who he wants us to know.

Containing 5 "scenes": Holy Confidence, Lifesymbols, The crags of the wild goats, Alter Ego, The Devil's Workshop and The White stone; you will be ushered into remembering your past as well as learning some funny anecdotes from the author.

Batterson touches on walking through confusing times when God seems to leave us alone as well as the times when we think we're doing what God is calling us to do.

This would make a great small group resource as there are great discussion questions at the end.

I don't think you can go wrong with a Mark Batterson book.
Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Eclipse

It was better than the first two, but that's like saying a hot poker in the ear is better than a fishhook in the eye.

Eclipse is the third movie of the Twilight saga. (Only one more to go!)

All the characters are back, Bella, Edward and Jacob.

Bella/Kristen Stewart is still as annoying as all get out.

Edward still has the big vampire hair.

Jacob is like Captain Kirk - he finds ways to always be without a shirt.

The best part of this movie, well all three movie so far, is Bella's dad. Billy Burke offers some much-needed comedy in this trash.

So why watch these films if I hate them so much? Simple: I enjoy torture. This is like watching movies like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes or something; you end up laughing so hard at the horrible acting and the dreadful writing.

At least, with this movie, you get some good acting by Bryce Dallas Howard. She does a great job at being a vengeful vampire. Although her time is too short. Dakota Fanning, however, doesn't fit her role.

This film is good for frisbee golf and cup holders.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Single-Disc Edition)

The Ghost Writer

What would you do if you were tasked with ghost writing a former head of state's memoirs?

In The Ghost Writer, Ewan McGregor plays the writer for former British Prime Minister, Adam Lange (Pierce Brosnan). Ewan is brought in because the former Ghost Writer's body was found washed to shore.

Shorter after beginning the project, Lange is accused of war crimes for kidnapping and torturing suspected terrorists.

The rest of the movie is a thrilling twist-and-turn in the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock.

Also starring Olivia Williams as Lange's wife and Kim Cattrall as Lange's PR person.

I gave this movie half of my attention until things really started heating up. This is chock full of A-list actors. You won't be able to miss the not-so subtle hints toward Tony Blair.

This is the kind of movie where most of you will probably figure out the ending beforehand, but it's still fun to think about who-dun-it and why.

Full of misdirection, and betrayal, this is a story of placing a normal guy in the middle of an international political conspiracy.
The Ghost Writer

The Quantum of Solace

Such hopes for the new Bond series has been momentarily dashed. Not only will we have to wait extra long for the next movie to come out (due to studio bankruptcy) but Daniel Craig's second attempt at Bond fell flat.

Quantum of Solace never got off the ground for me. I liked how it picked up right after Casino Royale. The opening car chase was perfect for the Bond man.

Then things got confusing and jumbled.

We had characters enter the movie only to be killed in the next scene. What was up with the woman who was supposed to keep her eye on Bond, sleep with him and then get oil poured all over her?

I understand it was in honor of Goldfinger, but things moved too quickly here. There were so many characters that were introduced, without clearly explaining why they were in the movie, only to be killed within 30 seconds.

This attempt to re-energize James Bond as the British counter to Jason Bourne is not having a positive result.

Craig is still amazing as Bond. I think he ranks #2. Yet, even his mad skills couldn't save this movie from the land of the lame.

Quantum of Solace

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Natural by Bernard Malamud

Hailed as one of the greatest sports stories ever written, The Natural tells the story of fame, and betrayal.

Many of us are probably familiar with the Robert Redford movie based on this novel.

What we may not have known was that the book is quite different than the movie. (The ending is completely different!)

Roy Hobbs was going to be the best ball player anyone had ever seen. He was going to walk down the street and people were going to say, "There goes Roy Hobbs; the best there ever was!"

After being shot by a crazy woman, he disappeared from the game for a number of years.

When he returns, he no longer has the pitching power that was to take him to mythological heights; instead, he relies on his hitting strength.

The Natural shows you how complex professional baseball can be. You have owners and devious players vying for power and money, you have women who only seek name-recognition, and you honest men, wanting to simply enjoy America's past-time.

I thought Malamud did a great job with this story. I was engaged right until the last page. I hated the ending of this book. Perhaps it's more realistic, but sometimes we need our mythic heroes in sports.

The Natural

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Flight Plan by Lee Burns and Braxton Brady

Lee Burns and Braxton Brady have created a coming-of-age book for boys based on piloting. And what boys don't enjoy fighter jets?

Flight Plan is written in such a way that, while they will roll their eyes at the subject matter, boys in their tweens and young teenage years will connect and enjoy.

With 13 chapters with cool pilot names:

Buckle Up
On Course or Off Course?
Flight Pattern
Who is Going to be Your Wing Man?
Cabin Pressure
Potential Crash Landing
Girls like Guys in Uniform
Afterburners On!
Red Flags
Call Signs and Crew Chiefs
Flight School
Medals of Honor
Final Tune Up

These guys cover all the bases. We're talking drugs, puberty, sex, peer pressure, mentoring, you name an issue that boys deal with, these authors tackle it with straight up talk. There's no wishy-washy way around how they explain what goes through a boy's brain during puberty. This is the kind of talk all boys need to have with their father or father-figure.

If you have a young son or wish to know what it's like to grow up in this era, get Flight Plan.
Flight Plan: your mission to become a man

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by PDS Publishing.

The Lost Books by Ted Dekker

Thomas Nelson Publishing has repackaged the graphic novels of Ted Dekker's young adult series into one hardback book.

The Lost Books is exactly what you need to have the first 4 graphic novels in one set. You have the bonus have protection with the hardcover, while the graphic novels themselves are the same, albeit a little smaller in size.

Everything is crystal clear in visuals; the colors are fantastic, the lettering is pristine.

If we need to say anything about the story, you haven't read the actual YA novels. Taking place during Ted Dekker's Circle Saga, The Lost Books provides some fun branching off of ideas and characters Dekker fans have grown to love.

This set includes: Chosen, Infidel, Renegade, and Chaos.

This is the perfect combo for fans of Dekker and those who have the actual books.

The Lost Books Visual Edition

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Transformers: Exodus by Alex Irvine

We've seen them on the big screen and remember them from our cartoons. Alex Irvine spells out the war on the Transformer's planet that created the ongoing fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Transformers: Exodus gives you a quick glimpse into this war of history. I say quick because while this war spans many years, Irvine cuts it's down to a few pages.

You'll learn how Megatron started as a gladiator and Optimus was a lowly data clerk.

You'll discover that the two had similar plans and why Optimus calls Megatron "brother".

Irvine plays the familiar card by naming only the famous Transformers from the movie and a couple from the cartoon. You won't be caught off guard by any new characters.

This story may include some setup to the third Transformers movie as well, as we get a chance to meet the mentor of Optimus Prime (whom many believe is to be seen in the Transformers 3 teaser trailer)

Lots of battles over lots of time shrunk to a small hardback book. This is a quick read for even the mildest of fans.
Transformers: Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron (Transformers (Del Rey))

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Game Change by John Heilemann & Mark Halperin

Another book for you who crave political behind-the-scenes books. Game Change drops you in the campaigns of Obama, Clinton and McCain. You will grab insights into how each team felt about the other and what they did to combat the hysteria that crowds a presidential campaign.

I enjoyed how even-handed this book felt. I didn't think the authors were pushing their support for any candidate. They gave you the information and told it like it was.

You'll discover crazy ideas such as: McCain's team wanted him to announce that he would only serve one term as President; from the beginning, it seemed as if McCain didn't really desire to be President; Obama had a firm grasp of running after a slow start, Clinton couldn't believe Obama would cheat her out of her due after all the money she raised for him; many in McCain's camp thought Palin was mentally unstable, and then you have the spouses: we're talking intense.

So much information goes through your mind as you uncover the back-biting and complaining whenever something wouldn't go the candidate's way.

This has been the first political book since Obama took office that gave each candidate an even score. You will not find a bias within these pages. You will find straight-laced reporting and wonderful storytelling.

This is an ace for any political junkie.
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

The A-Team

I never saw the television show so I think that hurt my enjoyment of the film.

The A-Team throws a crew of unruly Army Rangers together to play outside the normal parameters of military engagement. This sets them up for betrayal and double crosses.

The movie stars, Liam Neeson, Jessica Biel, and Patrick Wilson among other no-namers. It's one thing when you're an actor like Neeson and come out with other excellent work leaving you with the enjoyment of these fun films. It's another thing when you're Biel and Wilson and you have to make these films because no one else will hire you.

After one of the secret missions ends with the death of their commanding officer, the A-Team is disbanded and sent to prison. They know they've been framed and it's their job to break out of jail, determine who it was who set them up, and exact revenge.

The movie is full of semi-cool eye candy special effects and unbelievable action sequences. Most of the character development would probably make more sense to me if I had seen an episode of the original show.

This is just fine for a rental or even better if a friend lets you borrow it. Don't bother with a purchase.
The A-Team

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Recreating the Church: Leadership for the Postmodern Age by Richard L. Hamm

Richard Hamm has written a great resource for pastors feeling the drain of leading a church in these postmodern/post-Christian times.

Recreating the Church will help church leaders understand why most churches behave and why they are structured the way they are. Hamm then spells out ways in which these pastors can structure change the format to make these institutions better equipped to handle the vast attitudes.

Broken down in three sections, you'll read "How Did it Come to This?" in which, through each generation, governmental structures took place. For the most part, the mainline churches are based on a post-World War II mindset. This generation valued institutions and organizing gave them value.

Hamm believes this structure no longer resonates with the new generations.

In Part 2 you will learn about the Challenges Confronting Mainline Churches Today; especially with the generational gap, the way people can easily become polarized.

In Part 3 Hamm provides a road map to Leading a Journey of Transformation. This section will provide a couple aspects to leading change.

Many mainline churches are functioning in survival mode, Hamm says. We need to adapt to a more missional mode.

These changes go into detail with our boards, committees, even what pastors and lay leaders need to understand.

This is a good book for anyone in church leadership in this era.
Recreating the Church: Leadership for the Postmodern Age (TCP Leadership Series)

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Chalice Press Publishing.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I had to read this book after watching the film. The Lightning Thief is a great young adult novel. It has all the elements that resonate with the Middle School-aged student: a child who feels left out, a step-parent that acts horribly toward the main character, a loving mother, a place where the unique, out-of-place youth can identify with others, and a major quest that only the youth can accomplish.

In this way, Percy Jackson is a lot like Harry Potter. Instead of witchcraft and sorcery, we're talking about Greek mythology and the gods.

Riordan has hit it out of the park with this first book. I'm looking forward to continuing this series.

The book is much different than the movie. Because of time constraints, much of the story needed to be condensed; but here, in the novel, you will get the full brunt of the betrayal and the insidious plot behind the stealing of Zeus' bolt.

The book is much better than the movie because the big reveal sets up the rest of the series.
The movie is better than the book because there aren't too many villains and backstabs to follow and some of the extra story is left out to streamline a well crafted visual representation.
The Lightning Thief (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Monday, January 10, 2011

The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

This is a small young adult book that feels like almost every other young adult series.

The Dark Hills Divide introduces us to the Land of Elyon and our main character, Alexa Daley. Her father is leader of one of the 4 towns in the walled areas. Everything outside the walls are considered wild.

Through a series of unfortunate events, Alexa is thrust headlong into a coming crisis. She meets up with some talking animals (made possible by a magical stone) who inform her that angry prisoners are planning to invade their towns.

These prisoners are lead by a man named Sabastian. The trick is, we, along with Alexa, have no idea who Sabastian is and part of the fun is figuring out his identity.

I think there might be a religious tie-in seeing as Elyon is mentioned (Elyon is a name for God).

We'll have to see how this series pans out.
The Dark Hills Divide: The Land of Elyon, Book 1

The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

Gabe Lyons, co-author of UnChristian, has released his follow-up, The Next Christians.

He breaks down the idea that the end of Christian America is bad. Lyons doesn't believe so; in fact, he believes this is a great time to be a Christian - the next Christians.

In 3 parts, Lyons shares his research in how the world is changing by way of a new normal without the heavy-handed uses of Christianity. (Think the Moral Majority and the Religious Right) He calls us to follow Jesus by way of restoring.

He calls us to be:

Provoked, not offended
Creators, not critics
Called, not employed
Grounded, not distracted
In Community, not alone
Countercultural, not "relevant"

I greatly appreciated the work Lyon's put forth in this book and UnChristian. I resonated with the idea of promoting restoration instead of a series of laws that should be the rallying cry of all Christian Americans.

I think this book will be used by a great number of Christians who are looking to make an impact in their communities and churches.

If you are tired of the angry Christian rhetoric and want to be known as a force of good, pick up and devour The Next Christians!


The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America