Category: movies

I know I’m like a year late with this but Sunday night I rented “The Adjustment Bureau”.  The basic premise of the movie is that David Norris (Matt Damon) discovers that there is a “power” or agency that controls the plan for your life.  Free will is an illusion and most of the mishaps in your life are really designed to steer you toward your chosen plan.

The movie was a dramatic thriller that told the story of David, a man destined to eventually be President of the US.  By chance, he meets a woman, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) and their connection is instant and life changing.  When David accidentally walks in on the “Bureau” changing the thought process of a friend, the curtain is pulled back to reveal an organization that controls/manages the life plan for everyone based on orders from “The Chairman”.  He is told that Elise in not part of his life plan.  David knows that he shouldn’t pursue Elise but he is compelled to be with her at all cost.

Is our own life plan really in our control?  Is our life plan really in our control?  We have all experienced times when a decision we have made backfires.  It could be a missed opportunity because we weren’t ready to receive it.  It could be something as simple as a missed phone call.  Or having to change a shirt that causes you to arrive at a destined place later than planned.  Maybe there is a reason these things happen .  Instead of cursing these inconveniences, maybe we should embrace the possibilities that it was meant to be.  If you believe in a higher power than you can take comfort in the knowledge that your steps have been pre ordered for your good.  The old cliché that “things happen for a reason” seems to be based on the fact that things really do happen or not happen for a reason.  Maybe its the romantic in me but the best part of the movie, as it is in life, is the adage that “True love conquers all.”  It is worth fighting for!

Just watch out for the guys in hats!

Last night the hubby and I did the dinner and a movie date night.  I can’t remember the last time we went out without the kids.  And that’s a sign that some couple time was long overdue.

Anyway, I wanted to see the new Planet of the Apes movie.  I was a fan of the original.  Anyone in the Metro knows that during the summer in the 70’s and early 80’s you went downtown to the movie theatre on Main Street.  I remembering riding the bus with a couple of friends and we would escape the heat inside the theatre.  I enjoyed the original “POA” movie and hoped that this prequel would do justice to the franchise.

It did.  “The Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is a smart and entertaining film.  The story revolves around a scientist, Will, and his desperate attempt to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.  Testing the drug on chimpanzees, the virus mutates and not only repairs brain cells but gives the test subject human level intelligence.  After a lab incident threatens to shut down the project, the baby chimp “Caesar” is found and taken to live with Will and his ill father.  Caesar has inherited his mother’s intelligent and learns at a fast pace.

Without giving away the entire plot, I will simply say this film is well worth the $10 to catch it in the theatre.  The characters are well-developed and the plot is filled with “shout outs” to the original.  Even the CGI special effects were realistic.  The movie pulls you in and leaves you wondering whether you should root for the apes and their freedom or for the humans to survive the fate that awaits them.

What’s Playing on the iPod right now: “Hard Knock Life” – Jay-Z
What I am reading now: “Rum Punch” – Elmore Leonard

>What’s Playing on the iPod right now: Nothing. Downloading some new stuff.

This has been a rather busy week. Normally I can get some writing done during lunch and breaks. I was only able to manage a couple of days this week. But, I should have a word count to report next week. I was driving to pick up the girls and had to pull over. A conversation that needed to take place between my main character, Adrienne and her finance, Charles, came to me like an audio clip. Had to get it down on paper before I forgot.

Anyway, I was watching the game and saw that a new Rambo movie comes out tomorrow.

“When you’re pushed, killing is easy…….”

All I can say to this is: WTF?

Peace.