It's a sad day for Latrobe, PA, for Jack, and for beerlovers everywhere:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06140/691791-59.stm

I will soon be drinking my last Rolling Rock. Henceforth, it will be Rolling Rock in name only. Nothing more than a crappy macrobrew. Budweiser with a different name. Jack switched beers just in time. :mad:

Today I went to a theatre see The DaVinci Code(TDVC).

This is a well made mystery movie. I'm not Christian, and I'm not expert of Christianity. So I think I could take an objective view of TDVC. I think a lot of Christians say "THOSE ARE LIES!". Well, I know this is a lie too. This is a fiction. This story was written by Dan Brown. There is nothing to rave about.

And....I enjoyed this movie. Sometimes I confused. I've never heard about
Mary Magdalene, The Knights Templer,The Priory of Sion....I should have been learning about them before I saw movie. Tom Hanks is good choice. While I was reading book(but I still not finish reading it...), I thought this role is Kevin Costner. But...Tom Hanks is good actor and he played perfectly that role. Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany, and Jean Reno....what a awesome casting!

I also enjoyed European edifices. Very beautiful.

http://www.reallyscary.com/2006/05/amity...z-dies.asp

[INDENT]The New York Times reports George Lee Lutz, whose brief stay in a home in Amityville, N.Y., spawned one of the most famous haunted house stories, the basis for the Amityville Horror novel and movies, died May 8. He was 59.

The cause was heart disease, according to NY's Clark County coroner.

Mr. Lutz, a former land surveyor, moved his new bride and three children into a three-story home on Long Island in 1975, about a year after six members of the DeFeo family had been shot and killed there. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the eldest son, was convicted of the murders.

According to Mr. Lutz's account, his family lived in the home for 28 days before being driven out by the spirits of the DeFeos.

Mr. Lutz's story has been challenged by some who accused him of intentionally moving into the home to profit from the DeFeo murders, but he stuck by his version.

The family's tales of eerie feelings and the waking dead became the source for Jay Anson's 1977 book, The Amityville Horror, a 1979 film of the same title and a 2005 remake of the movie.[/INDENT]
Believe the story or not, it was damn entertaining. I always liked the movie (the original - I never saw the remake).

I went to use a free movie pass that was expiring this week to see Scary Movie 4. I know, not great, but probably worth a few laughs. But due to a mix-up, I wound up watching An American Haunting. I'm a fan of the genre and hadn't read ANYTHING about this movie, so I decided to stay (as the other movie had already started).

Anyway, if anyone has ANY interest in seeing this movie ..... please rethink your position. If you absolutely must see it, wait for rental. This movie SUCKED. The more I think about it, the more I hate it.

My spoiler-laden review:

***SPOILERS APLENTY***

The movie takes place in Tennessee around 1817 and is supposedly based on true events. It starts off by stating that there has been only one case (in USA?) of a spirit causing a person's death...... this is that story. That got me interested. Too bad it doesn't hold true. Only one person dies in this movie and it isn't from a spirit. It is a (justified?) pre-meditated murder. Of course you have to sit through the entire movie to be disappointed by this little fact.

I liked the setting and the costuming, pretty much all of the period element, even if the actors didn't always seem to fit into them. Even Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek seem to walk through their roles. And Betsy (the girl who was absolutely wonderful in Peter Pan) doesn't seem to have any emotional stake in the events happening around and TO her. Even when falling asleep during school due to nights of incessant torture from a spirit, she doesn't appear tired.

Sutherland plays a pillar of the community who is found guilty of breaking church law by committing usury of a neighbor. The neighbor vows that he and his beautiful daughter (an arbitrary choice of one of his at least four children?) will suffer. The seed has been planted that she has cursed them. If only ....... that would have at least made sense.

Soon after Sutherland begins to see a black wolf and possibly more on his property. But the wolf vanishes whenever confronted. Then Betsy is visited in her bedroom by a spirit. At first the spirit only pulls back the covers, but soon it becomes more violent, flinging her about and slapping her around. The family consults a friend and soon after Betsy's school teacher. (The church has apparently severed ALL ties.) As usual, there is belief that Betsy only suffers from bad dreams. But soon pillows explode and objects and people are tossed about the room, dispelling that theory. This all goes on an indeterminable length of time until exhaustion (both on the part of the characters and the viewers). All the while Betsy appears to act frightened when the script deems appropriate, but at other times she wanders away from school into the woods and NEVER stops sleeping alone in her bedroom. Now some of this may be dream sequence, but frankly it doesn't matter. The family seems to simultaneously use Betsy as "bait" to witness the spirit, yet not do anything about it.

And despite all this, I didn't hate this movie at this point. It's standard horror movie fare - ignoring or emphasizing certain illogical elements in order to advance the plot. As I've said before, I'll give horror movies plenty of slack because I like the genre so much. At this point, I wouldn't have particularly liked the movie, but .........

***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT***
What fatally ruined it was the startling twist that was tacked on to the end. It is revealed to Spacek, the mother, magically by a (the same????) spirit. Sutherland, apparently distraught at being separated from the church, had begun molesting young Betsy. Betsy, also understandably distraught now, separated from her own spirit and her spirit began haunting her family and herself and beating her mercilessly. And to make matters worse, this entire movie has been "bookended" by present a present-day storyline in which it is now revealed (somehow - inference) to a mother that her daughter is being molested by her (ex-)husband.

The End

I'm sure I'll be the laughing stock of the forums for admitting I watch this show, but it is really enjoyable. There are a few great characters (Seth, Sandy, and Summer), and some great backups as well. I must admit that the finale tonight was incredible.
**SPOILER**

Marissa's death took me completely by suprise, and I think it was the most realistic death scene I've ever seen on tv. Instead of the "I love you", "I love you more" dialogue, Ryan repeats "It'll be ok" over and over until she fades out in his arms. I was shocked that a show that never took itself seriously could turn out such a good performance. Did anyone else see it?

[SIZE="3"]I liked the first one, but this sequel sort of left me . . . not cold, but cool. It's got a Man on Fire scenario but Jason Statham can't do the murderous cold soul Denzel projected. And the fight scenes . . . no one likes cool chop-socky better than yrs trly, but when it gets cartoony I drop out of the story. Cool firehose sequence though. It's worth seeing, but keep the remote handy. I don't think there'll be a #3.

FF=3[/SIZE]

I thought it was too soon for this movie, and after seeing it, I know so: Not a dry eye in the house. This movie was shown without ads or previews. Straight to the movie. Nothing shown before or after. The movie plays like a docu-drama in real time. I hadn't planned to see United 93 as I did believe it was too soon for a 9/11 movie, but I'm glad I did see it. I recommend it.

AC

P.S. What was the first Pearl Harbor movie and what year? Was it From Here to Eternity? Just asking. How long did Hollywood wait to make a PH movie?

This episode was great! OMG I hate Michael and feel sorry for him. Next week is going to be so good! I can't believe I have to wait a whole week!

[SIZE="3"]Y'know what? Not bad. Better than not bad. Fun. But you've got approach it as what it is: a film based on a videogame. The storyline offered some surprises and is more intelligent than it needs to be. I think if you've played this game, (as I have -- and very few males out there haven't), you'll have a good time. The first-person shooter sequence is straight out of the game -- that and the BFG (wow) had me grinning. Favorite line: The Rock saying, "I'm not supposed to die!" as he gets pulled through a grate by one of the mutants.

FF=0[/SIZE]

Channel surfing last night when I happen across the caddies invading the pool from Caddyshack. Knowing the Baby Ruth is about to be loosed, I decide to watch it with my son. We watch, laugh and then I'm surprised when I discover we have been watching the Family Network. Caddyshack on the Family Network! My parents threw every conceivable roadblock at me to prevent the viewing such films and here it is being shown as wholesome family fare these days.