Men Who Stare at Goats, The – A Movie Review

Reporter Bob Wilton is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady, a shadowy figure who claims to be part of an experimental U.S. military unit. According to Cassady, the New Earth Army is changing the way wars are fought. A legion of “Warrior Monks” with unparalleled psychic powers can read the enemy’s thoughts, pass through solid walls, and even kill a goat simply by staring at it. Not a terrible movie, but I was expecting more.

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What Should Have Been

Recently I complained about the overall demeanor and conduct of a Naturalization Ceremony I attended. I commented about the fact that with all the beautiful American Anthems available, they had chosen to play, “Proud to Be An American.” I know some people like it, but it’s a bit too country and smarmy for my tastes.

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Monsters vs Aliens – A Movie Review

When California girl Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. Alerted to the threat of this new monster, the military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of other monsters. I would give the movie 7/10. It is an animated movie that you can actually volunteer to take your kids to and enjoy it just as much as they can.

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Paranormal Activity

After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban “starter” tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. The concept was OK, but it’s been done before to much better effect. Overall, neither one of us found the movie scray at all.

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CineBistro in Hyde Park

CineBistro is a concept created by Cobb Theaters. Each features an upscale, yet inviting and comfortable atmosphere in which to dine while watching a major motion picture. It was, for us, a pleasant experience, but I think to do the whole thing (dinner and movie), the cost is a bit high. We’ll see how well the concept can catch on. Lay thinks they won’t make it. I think they might.

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Next Day Air – A Movie Review

When two bumbling criminals accidentally receive a package of grade-A cocaine, they think they’ve hit the jackpot. But when they try to cash in on their luck, it triggers a series of events that forever changes the lives of ten people. Smalltime hoods Brody and Guch have seen better days. But when a wacked-out courier accidentally brings them a box containing 10 kilos of high-quality cocaine meant for their next-door neighbors, it sets in motion a chain of events that could cost all of them their lives. Brody and Guch immediately arrange to sell the coke to Brody’s drug dealer cousin and his tightlipped bodyguard. But when the intended recipients of the package, wannabe gangster Jesus and his feisty girlfriend, realize the box hasn’t arrived, they set out on a desperate search to find it before ruthless drug kingpin Bodega Diablo notices it’s missing. But they’re too late. There’s some fun watching how we think delivery services handle our packages. But it was, otherwise, a bit predictable.

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Zombieland – A Movie Review

Two men have found a way to survive a world overrun by zombies. Columbus is a big wuss — but when you’re afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive. Tallahassee is an AK-totin’, zombie-slayin’ badass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth. As they join forces with Wichita and Little Rock, who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem, they will have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies. It’s just a fun movie, probably worth watching, but won’t make it on anyone’s greatest films ever award.

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Raised to Believe That All Men Are Created Equal And Never Forgot That

In the Maine same-sex-marriage campaign 87-year-old Philip Spooner, a World War II veteran spoke in favor of same sex marriage at public hearing at the Augusta Civic Center last spring. Spooner says he is a life-long Republican who believes gay and lesbians should have equal rights. He says it’s what he fought for in WWII, and says he didn’t raise four sons for three of them to have equal rights, and the gay son to be treated differently.

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Shrink – A Movie Review

What happens when the people we count on to hold us together are barely holding it together themselves? Henry Carter is a psychiatrist with an A-list clientele, including a once-famous actress, an insecure young writer, and a comically obsessive-compulsive super agent. Henry is not in a good place, however. Watch it but don’t expect too much.

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Buju Banton Coming to St. Petersburg Venue

Buju Banton is a Jamacian Reggae star who riled up the gay community with songs like “Boom Bye Bye” which calls for gay people to be shot in the head with automatic weapons, have acid poured on them, and be burned “like an old tire wheel.” He currently has an American tour being roundly opposed by the gay community, and a number of events have been cancelled. Unfortunately, the owner of a concert venue in downtown St. Petersburg, Janus Landing, feels no responsibility to help build an inclusive community.

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