I watch a lot of DVDs and most of the time I fall asleep during half of them. Very few so called action packed movies capture my attention since most of them seem to be thick on budget and thin on content ... Then I popped Buena Vista's new releases Deja Vu into my DVD player and this is truly one movie that captured me from the opening sequence. This one is one of the most creative, suspenseful, thought provoking movies and definitely my favorite of 2007 thus far.
Denzel Washington plays federal agent Doug Carlin who is called to recover evidence in the after effects of an explosion on a New Orleans ferry filled with Navy men and civilians. After meeting with a secret government agency they call upon Doug to help them find the mastermind behind this catastrophic event. They use a state of the art time shifting surveillance machine to learn the sequence of events and eventually Carlin finds that this new contraption may actually enable him to go back in time and stop this horrific act from occuring.
Deja Vu is an exhilarating movie that will keep you glued all the way to the semi-predictable ending. Not only is this an entertaining movie but it also sparks a discussion on a few subjects such as government surveillance, time travel and God's providence. With the combination of Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer and the brilliant mind of producer Jerry Bruckheimer you can be guaranteed to see a top notch movie with an interesting twist at the end.
Reviewed by: Jeff Holton
Let me start by saying that I have read every James Patterson book known to man! Not only do I enjoy his writing immensely but it also keeps grabs my attention and gets my adrenaline pumping.
The 6th Target is the sixth book in "The Woman's Murder Club" series. Inspector Lindsay Boxer and the club are facing one of their toughest cases to date as they search for a psycho marks-man on a ferry, a crazed man in an apartment building and a serial kidnapper of young prodigal children. With the three different characters causing mayhem there is never a dull momentfrom the beginning all the way to the last page. Patterson and Paetro paint Boxer as such a strong character that I can feel a connection with her at times.
The 6th Target is a hair raising story filled with graphic details and suspense and you will not want to put it down. So much so that when I received this book I locked myself in my room and read it all in one sitting. Patterson has done it once again with yet another masterpiece under his belt.
Reviewed by: Michelle Steffy
Redneck Woman is the shared story of Gretchen Wilson's life and career. At a very young age Wilson experienced heartache and hardships that would forever shape and affect her life. Having a dysfuntional family life led to living a life of no boundaries and rebellion. This carefree life led to her drinking and smoking at an early age which inevitabley and eventually led to a long battle of alcohol abuse.
The book not only looks at her young life as a child but also the her many struggles trying to launch music career and the affects of her out of control life on her career. After some time Gretchen soon realized that her drinking and carefree lifestyke had turned into a real problem. Eventually she slowed down her drinking but admitteldy occasionally has a casual drink (which I felt sent a mixed message) but believes that she has this problem more under control.
Redneck Woman contains some pictures of Gretchen over the years which added to the story to help give the reader a visual of the story she shares with the reader. All in all this was an easy and interesting read that gives the reader a glimpse into the life of Gretchen Wilson.
Reviewed by: Michelle Steffy
Having undergone fantastic digital restoration, the new enhanced edition of Peter Pan takes you past the second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning to the enchanted world of using state-of-the-art technology. But however the Disney technical geniuses managed it, the new DVD brings the brightest colors and best sound quality imaginable to the home theater audience. You’ll love flying with Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Michael, and Tinker Bell in this classic adventure of pirates, lost boys, and the infamous Captain Hook!
The discs in the Platinum Edition contain loads of bonus features: continuous audio commentary with Roy Disney, Walt’s nephew, on the creation of Peter Pan; a sneak peek at the new Tinker Bell movie; Peter’s Playful Prank: Story Book–an animated ready-along story book; Peter Pan musical selections with lyrics; and sneak peeks at other Disney films.
Also included are three fun bonus games for the younger family members, a flight along with Peter Pan over London and on to Never Land, and behind the scenes features on the making of Peter Pan including a dramatic re-enactment of an article Walt Disney wrote for the 1953 release of Peter Pan about why he made Peter Pan–an exciting glimpse of the beginnings of this now classic animated tale!
There is a lot of fun and great history packed into this 2-DVD edition that your whole family will want to watch again and again.
Reviewed by: Peggy Thomson
Shannon Kubiak Primicerio had 10 published books by the time she was 25-years-old. A gifted public speaker, motivator, wife and dedicated Christian, her prose continues to improve and inspire larger audiences. This book is no exception to that growth as an author. Michael N. Primicerio has been in youth ministry for years and has succeeded in developing a corporate career that allows him time to write and work with youth.
The husband and wife team, have accomplished careers that they love, and a religious existence that is enviable. They have achieved success that usually takes an entire lifetime to discover. Their secrets are revealed in this quick read, and the advice is priceless when one faces the ten obstacles that stand in the way of achieving your dreams.
1. Fear
2. The approval of others
3. The comforts of home
4. A normal and average life
5. A sense of control
6. Knowledge of where to start
7. The money to make it happen
8. The motivation to do it
9. The vision to follow through
10. A knowledge of how your dream fits into God’s will for you
This book is geared towards twenty something’s- that really have no where to turn for a roadmap towards success. At least no where to turn when it comes to an author less then fifty addressing their needs. This is truly original, in that it is two young people explaining how to get more from life, and how to do it at a young age. The best part of the book is they lay out their own examples and conflicts to demonstrate their points. The obstacles they have faced will ring true such as leaving home, taking risks, financial strains etc. The book is actually applicable for anyone seeking growth.
The reader will learn to say no under extreme pressure, forsaking the comforts of a regular job to risk being more, even facing criticism from life long friends when the pursuit of their dreams meant less time for others.
Perhaps the greatest lesson is that one learns the concept of God’s will, and that it is not a free pass to be lazy while waiting for his will to be done. The book reads fast and the advice will have the reader taking notes. It truly can change lives for the better.
Reviewed by: John Mahofski
Christopher Buckley and controvesial subject matters seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. You may recall that Mr. Buckley is the author of the National Best Seller Thank You For Smoking which was a tongue in cheek novel about chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Study Nick Nayler and his pro-smoking lobbying antics. Buckley has returned in his controversial fashion with his latest novel Boomsday which is guaranteed to be a book that will spark much debate and discussion in regards to Social Security reform.
Boomsday introduces us to the loveable yet slightly sadistic you Cassandra Devine. Miss Devine was an ambitious young girl with aspirations to attend the college of her dreams...Yale University. That dream was shot down in flames when she finds that her father had squandered all of her college funds on his failing upstart dotcome company. So instead of Yale Cassandra winds up the Army with the hopes of one day attending Yale after completing her stint. Unfortunately as luck would have it, she gets dishonorably discharged when an audacious senator recklessly drives them into a minefield.
Ten years later Cassandra is an ambitious young Spin Doctor by day and a frustrated blogger by night and into the early morning (thanks to Red Bull). Why is she frustrated? Aside from the aforementions she is angered by the way the government has mismanaged social secuirty and the rising debt that it is acquiring every day. Devine refuses to let her generation be the one responsible for paying the tab that the Boomers will leave behind so she decides it is time for something to be done. In her blog she suggests that Baby Boomers be given financial incentives if they kill themselves by the age of seventy five thus saving the government billions of dollars. Much to her surprise this idea is met with open arms from the Buster generation and even some from the government warm up to the idea.
Boomsday is a very entertaining and slightly morbid read that will certainly get the reader thinking about social security reform. Christopher Buckley has crafted a novel that is both educational and entertaining. No matter if you are a Boomer or a Buster Boomsday is a must read.
Four pastors’ wives from four different denominations drive 45 miles every week to secretly meet together for lunch at Lulu’s Café. Is it a ecumenical uprising or is it a plot to overthrow some atheist movement? No–it is simply an opportunity to meet with others who understand their unique status in life and share with them things that other wives might not fully comprehend.
They each have “creative”-- though often questionable-- ways of handling the expectations their husbands’ congregations put on them–such as the always available volunteer, the exemplary mother, the superior housekeeper, the doting wife, and the perfect Christian--sometimes reminiscent of “I Love Lucy” episodes. Each wife deals with a different personal struggle–not unique to women, but more difficult for a pastor’s wife who feels she’s under constant scrutiny. You’ll find many a chuckle and even a few tears as you relate with these “desperate” pastors’ wives.
This is a fun, behind-the-scenes look at some very special women. And just maybe, it’ll offer up a newfound respect for your own pastor’s wife.
Reviewed by: Peggy Thomson
Gracie Malone explores twelve paradoxical teachings of Jesus using a one-a-week format that can be used as a group or personal study.
Many of Jesus’ teachings often seemed upside-down or backwards, such as discovering strength in weakness, finding joy in trials, and maturing into childhood. Gracie takes these teachings and nine others and swishes them around, wrings them out, and hangs them up to thoroughly reveal how they can become very personally applicable to women today. She uses strong scriptural references and many real-life stories to illustrate the messages each passage holds.
Not only does each chapter provide deep and profound ways of looking at our circumstances in a new way–probably one we’ve not thought of before–but the chapters also end with study questions to more thoroughly search and support each “upside-down teaching.” Whether you choose to read this in a weekly group study or a personal one, you will find this relevant, of ten humorous take on these difficult teachings enlightening and uplifting.
Reviewed by: Peggy Thomson
Deception is the follow up to best selling author Randy Alcon's previous books Deadline and Dominion. There are constant surprises, twists, and turns. Every chapter adds a new element to the mystery.
Oliver Justice Chandler, the Homicide Detective called to the scene of a murdered Portland State University professor, doesn’t like the way the evidence stacks up and comes to the conclusion that the killer has to be one of his fellow detectives–not great for his career or the reputation of the Portland Police Department. And to top it off, he is forced to investigate this case with an ever-present columnist from the Oregon Tribune to help beef up the department’s image. As he sets out to find the "who" and the "why", he encounters more attempts on his life than a spy in a grade B movie. And to complicate things more, he realizes he had a blackout the evening of the murder, and as evidence against him appears, he must consider himself a suspect as well.
A master of wisecrack dialogue, Alcorn makes his characters very believable and fun to get to know. Even after the murderer is revealed, Alcorn masterfully continues the suspense until the murderer is finally caught– keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end! All this, and an occasional comment from overseeing heavenly beings, make this a very intriguing novel that you won’t want to put down.
Reviewed by: Peggy Thomson
