Universal Soldier is all about reanimated corpses of soldiers who have to take extreme measures to continue functioning. One way they do that is by covering themselves in ice to cool down their body temperatures.
That got me thinking. The kid in The Sixth Sense is able to see dead people. In that film’s most iconic scene, Cole Sear not only admits to that fact, but he also clarifies the kinds of dead people he sees in Universal Soldier. Continue reading
I imagine most people admire James Bond for his good looks, charm, wit, strength, and attractiveness to high-class women. Those are all positive qualities. But what I admire most about him is his ability to stay cool in high-pressure situations. Continue reading
Sometimes I have to go through an extremely painful situation to learn a valuable lesson. This happened once again last month. And I learned three important things from it. Continue reading
I don’t believe I’ve ever done a list of upcoming movies I’m interested in seeing in theaters. The following are films I can’t stand to wait for. I have to actually go to the theater to enjoy them or I may burst from excitement. Okay, maybe it’s not that extreme, but I’m genuinely intrigued by what these films have to offer. On with the list. Continue reading
Batman has one of the best rogues’ galleries in the history of comic books. Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, and Poison Ivy are all household names on par with Batman and Robin. Since the 1960s, quite a few actors have put their stamps on these and other villainous characters as they brought them to the screen. These include:
I had a fun thought that many of these actors starred together in other films. And once I started down that rabbit hole, I couldn’t be satisfied until I’d explored it thoroughly. I hunted high and low for obscure movies, and I now present my long list of 30 films to you.
I love the work of composers Jerry Goldsmith and John Barry. They produced so many beautiful scores over the course of their careers. So imagine my delight when I recently realized that each of them created two sublime pieces of music for 1979 sci-fi films. Their music has gone on to become absolute classics, and I’d like to share them with you. Continue reading
I debated talking about this at all, but I think it’s an important topic to address. I graduated from Brigham Young University more than a decade ago. My parents attended that same school many years before, but they never pressured any of their children to follow in their footsteps. For me, it was a perfectly fine school that challenged me to do better, kicked me in the pants a few times when I didn’t, and ultimately expanded my horizons. I even met my wife there. So I’m eternally indebted to it.
After I graduated, I didn’t look back. College was just a means to an end for me. There was too much to do to worry about my alma mater. Finding a job, getting married, raising kids, and buying a house became my priorities. BYU is part of my past, and I wanted it to remain there. I currently live just one city away from the Provo campus, though I had intended to live in Washington state. A wise wife has a way of changing a man’s plans. Continue reading
It’s funny how life imitates art. A couple weeks ago, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told her country’s residents something that sounded oddly familiar. In reference to new COVID-19 lockdowns, she said:
“Stay local, and do not congregate. Don’t talk to your neighbors. Please keep to your bubbles. It comes down again to those very simple principles. We know from overseas cases of the Delta variant that it can be spread by people simply walking past one another. So, keep those movements outside to the bare minimum, wear a mask, and make sure you keep up that physical distancing.” Continue reading
Music is ubiquitous in film. If a filmmaker wants to punch up a scene, they often rely on a great soundtrack. This creates many memorable moments. But sometimes it works best to switch off the music for a period of time, even during an action sequence. Here are 10 spectacular action sequences that have little or no music in them. Continue reading
Monday, June 7, 2021 started like any other workday. Or, at least, it started like I used to consider normal for a workday. I got up at my usual ridiculously early time to get in a good workout before putting everything I’d need into my backpack and beginning my bike ride to work. I like to bike to work when the weather permits in order to leave the car for my wife if she needs to go anywhere.
The trouble was that it had been more than a year since I’d biked to the office, so I was a little out of practice. That led to a rather nasty situation in which, about a mile from my house, I got cut off by a driver (not maliciously, but still unexpectedly), and I had to swerve to avoid him. My chain came off the cassette, causing my pedals to swing wildly around and making me lose my footing on them. The left pedal connected violently with my leg and dug a deep hole into it that quickly began to gush blood. I considered my options for a few seconds before deciding to simply put the chain back on, roll up my sock as high as it would go to soak up most of the blood, and then soldier on the last two miles or so to the office.
Here’s what it looked like when I got to the office and pulled the sock down: Continue reading
