Kung Fu Panda: Skadoosh!

So I am on break from school for the oh so joyous holiday season. My little six year old sister pretty much has run of our house and what is selected as far as the television goes. Normally its all about Mary Poppins or her all time favorite The Wiggles, but on the rare occasion she will want to watch something the whole family can enjoy, well at least watch together.

Last night she wanted to watch a movie I had yet to really see and thought to myself, "Thank God, something with Jack Black." Her selection was Kung Fu Panda, and my reaction to the film shocked me.

The movie is about a Panda named Po who was raised by a goose who owns a noodle shop in the Valley of Peace. Po's father wants him to take over the family noodle shop, while Po has other plans. He wants to be a Kung Fu artist and be one of the fab five trained at the Jade Palace. He makes his way accidentally into the palace in time to see the Dragon Warrior be selected. Little does Po know, that's him.

That's a brief synopsis of the introductory parts of the movie. But the journey of Po becoming the Dragon Warrior is where the laughs and lessons ensue. Po learned how to become a Kung Fu warrior because of his love for food. First lesson, we all learn in different ways. It is one not necessarily in there for the children, but more for the adults watching the film. We should all gain the patience to learn the way that is best for an individual to learn.

Po then gets to see the Dragon Scroll, which should make him super powerful. But when he opens it, all it is is a blank and reflecting piece of parchment. As Po leaves the temple disheartened he looks at the parchment and realizes. The Dragon Warrior is inside of him, the best lesson so far. He learns the power all comes from yourself. We don't need some special secret to get ahead in life, we just need to believe in ourselves.

I think I identified with this because I really do struggle in this area. I fail to believe in the importance of believing in myself. In fact I do the opposite. I tend to doubt myself, thinking that if I do I will actually succeed. I know this is backwards thinking, but for some reason in my brain it works. So for me to have this flaw highlighted for me by a cartoon film, I am still in a little bit of shock.

Through the one-liners. The cryptic, yet informative, wisdom of Master Oogway (the old turtle who founded Kung Fu). And some cool Panda fight scenes. I actually took more from this film than I have from the last few movies I have watched combined. And I definitely found my new favorite catch phrase...

Skadoosh!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Guy's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: Get Your Mouthwatering

This Food Network hit has been my night light for many nights since it first aired in 2006. Guy Fieri finds the best places he can stage his shows at and invades the kitchen of some of the best food concoctions ever at the most unlikely places.

Guy is the best host for the show. He's laid back, knows food, and he can always make the proprietor and the audience laugh.

With places entitled "Hillbilly Hotdogs" serving up the biggest burgers and hot dogs you'll ever see. He has visited and crashed the kitchens of over 400 restaurants and has shown the nation that good food can be found anywhere.

My personal favorite was a small family restaurant called Pizza Station. This establishment specializes making unusual and extraordinary pizzas.

Disclaimer, do not watch this show if you are hungry, it'll make you starve.

This is not good television, it is great television.

The only problem is I can never remember where these places are. I know if I was driving by and saw them I would remember, and remember what to order. But when I go to plan out a trip to these places I fail epically.

So check the show out, if you don't have Food Network, I'm sure you can find it online.

If anything you can learn how to cook a little in the process of making your mouth water like a dog's as he waits for his bone.

Final Post for Jour 425

So far this all has been for a class. The two posts a week. The hours spent watching and re-watching movies. The forging of ideas. All for a grade. So far I haven't regretted, and don't think I ever will, regret a single post. It's been a blast.

I have always taken something from movies and will always value the lessons to be learned from a film. I will continue to watch as many movies as my busy schedule allows for and will relish my upcoming Christmas break to catch up on some flicks I have been wanting to see.

This isn't a goodbye for me though. I have found yet another hobby to enjoy. Blogging. I will be continuing this blog after the conclusion of this class. Now it might be a tad bit more vulgar, or as I like to put it, real. I know this sounds dumb but its the truth I have been holding back, at least a little.

So please continue reading. Continue to learn about life from a movie with me. I know people will agree and disagree with what I write. But I hope I can spur ya'll's imagination. Only if just a little bit. My wish is that everyone can take as much as I do from a film. And I hope people learn their own lessons, and not just take the ones I learn and accept them as truth.

Our brain is an amazing thing and if we push it we can all become the smartest and most analytical people imaginable.

So! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad. Or whatever you celebrate.

More posts to come after Christmas, or maybe some before.

I know it's the title of my blog, but this is the most important lesson I have ever learned about life. I have it tattooed on my back and I will always try to lead my life by this saying.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Overcome

This is the second installment of the trilogy and one of the best books and movies of all time. The middle movies of most trilogies always tends to struggle for some reason. But not this time around. This is my personal favorite of the two films because it shows the most of the inner struggle of all three.

In the first film we see it the beginning of the struggle, and in the last we see the conclusion of the struggle. But here, oh here we see the shit hit the fan. Frodo's struggle with the power behind the ring is peaking. The will of man-kind hangs by a thread. The Elves are leaving. Middle Earth is soon to be over run with evil.

The best part is through all of this is the will to overcome. This is something we all can learn and through J.R.R Tolkien and Peter Jackson we can learn this trait. Not only this trait, but values of honor. Not to mention the innate ability to go out in a badass way.

The pinnacle of chivalry, honor and manhood comes in one scene. The scene where Theoden the King of Rohan and Aragorn ride out into glory and lay it all on the line. (Have you noticed I love it when it's all laid down on the line in, well anything?) This is one of my favorite movie moments.

I can only hope sometime in my life there will be a moment like that. A moment of pureness in my life. I know it wont be riding out against a legion of Orcs, but I hope it lies somewhere in the same amount of grandeur.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Lore in the form of Gore

This series Spartacus: Blood and Sand ran on the Starz movie channel over this past summer and instantly became a hit, to me at least. The show depicts the story of a gladiator named Spartacus and his road to glory in the arena and in the rest of his life. He has a corrupt master, a host of other gladiators who dislike him, and the pain of losing his wife to deal with throughout the 13 episode season.

It wasn't the nudity or intense fight scenes that made me want to watch the show, as every female I told that I watched the show insisted. It was more than that.

It was the love Spartacus had for his Wife, who was taken away from him. It was the way Spartacus refused to give up in a fight. It was the way Spartacus' biggest enemy and critic, Crixus (Manu Bennett) was taken to near death, but his lust for strength and honor drove him to work his way back into the arena.

It is the lessons the show teaches you about standing up to the evils that oppress you. It is the way the show can make sense even through blood hitting the screen and an occasional nipple seen.

We also can learn some history from this show. It may be half-truth and embellished, but it is an attempt to show an ancient Roman society how some people believe they actually acted. We know they had gladiators and slaves, but their side of the story is rarely shown. In Spartacus: Blood and Sand the majority of the show comes in the form of these roles perspectives.

Just go watch it, it's available on the Starz website. You might even learn some lessons and lore through a form of sex and gore.

I Love You Man: The Ultimate Movie For Men

I Love You Man is the best movie a man can watch with another man. I know that is a little un-comforting but it is so true. Not only does the film keep the one-lining quotes coming, it can teach us all lessons about the friendships we have in life.

The basic plot goes through a man, Peter Klaven, who is getting married and needs to find a best-man. The problem is he's always been a girlfriend kinda guy, and now that he is trying to make male friends he realizes he is an awkward fellow.

I first saw this with my Uncle Scott, and as awkward as that was, it made us closer. The male bonding in the film shows the definition of a true "bro-mance." They reach the level of ultimate friendship.

I love that I have this kind of relationship with my friends. We are closer because of our awkward moments. This movie shows us all how we can reach a level of friendship that goes beyond a normal friendship and reaches a level of brotherhood.

If you're a man, WATCH THIS MOVIE! It is the ultimate man film.

Who knows, you might find the level of friendship they reach in a movie.

Happy Feet: Yes Cartoons Are Great Movies Too

This movie is one of my little sisters favorites, one of my friends too oddly enough. It really is a cute movie though. And to be honest, who doesn't like cartoon penguins. I know this strays from my usual serious movie choices. But in the spirit of the holiday season I'll give you my take.

In the movie the main character is named Mumble. Mumble is the only penguin in his family of singing penguins who can't sing. But he does have a talent. He can dance. For this he is cast out and is forced to leave his family and move on to the vast world in front of him. In the end he is a massive hero and ends up making a difference in the World.

I think this is an awesome lesson to learn. Just because someone is a little different from everyone around us, it doesn't mean we need to treat them like an outcast. The fact that there is a movie out there teaching a lesson to youngsters that's not how to be a princess, or knight in shining armor, actually makes me feel better about the entire movie industry.

We should all be a little less judgmental in our lives. And I'm not saying I do this already. But I know I make a conscious effort to not judge others before I know them.

We're all a little different, but in that we are all the same.

My Movie Rant for Jour. 425

So what will you do today?

This is a video I did for my Journalism 425 class at APU. So watch it and enjoy it. Also it sort of puts a face on the person who is posing all of these thoughts and questions every time I make a new post. I tried to do a whole mock Michael Moore thing and interview people. In the end it just didn't come out how I wanted it to so I am not going to use it. I have always wanted to make an online rant anyways. Sorry its coming up at 6:25 prof. Scauzillo. I had some loading difficulties.

So it also cut off at the end. The last line should be. "SO WHAT WILL YOU DO TODAY?"

I put that in bold because it is such a solid point.

Thanks for the hits folks, keep them coming.