It was a great idea, Mother, thank you. We went to Sizzler. It was yummy and we had lots of good conversation.
Monthly Archive for April, 2007
JK. Here’s Boyd and Rod hard at work at Cook Martin.
Over the past couple months there have been some complaints about the condo being a mess. Please make sure that when you take your turn at the condo you clean everything on the cleaning list that was in the packet that Father gave us before he left. And hey, think of this, it might even be nice if you took the time to “go the extra mile” and clean something that isn’t on the list. If each of us would do a little extra it would make the condo even that much more enjoyable. Thank you! I know each of us will do better!
When I was in high school, I didn’t take my dates to scary movies for the exact same reason I didn’t take them to amusement parks – I didn’t want them to see me reduced to a quivering pile of sweaty, crying, screaming, eye-covering hysteria. Trust me, I’m 32 and I felt I was betraying some film critic’s rule of conduct by closing my eyes during the screening of “Disturbia.”
“Disturbia” stars the up and coming actor Shia LaBeouf, who is probably best recognized for his role as Stanley Yelnats in the 2003 film “Holes.” That was four years ago and now viewers are privy to a grown-up, serious actor in LaBeouf. In fact, this summer might be his catapult into Hollywood Hunk status, as he’s set to voice a penguin in “Surf’s Up” and star alongside the robots in disguise in “Transformers.”
In this Hitchcock-meets-the-iPod thriller, LaBeouf plays Kale Brecht, a smart, goodhearted teenager living alongside Hollywood’s vision of the Utopian family. This is cemented by the opening scene of Kale and his father (Matt Craven) fly fishing and sharing laughs and Cokes. This tidy little world comes to a grinding halt when they are involved in one of the most horrific on-screen car wrecks I have ever seen.
Flash forward and we find Kale on a different, darker path since his father’s death. His schoolwork is in the toilet, he’s been arrested several times and his latest infraction – punching the Spanish teacher – has him sentenced to house arrest for three months, his entire summer vacation. Kale’s mom (Carrie-Ann Moss) is at a loss, so she cancels his XBOX Live, iTunes and even cuts the cord on his TV. So, as it is with most folks, when you’ve got nothing to do and nowhere to go, grabbing the binoculars and spying on your neighbors is a great diversion.
Kale becomes an anthropologist from his bedroom window, watching the neighbor’s lives unfold, making assumptions and seeing secrets. He watches a man have an affair with the housekeeper and sees adolescent boys watching porno movies and deceiving their mom. However, his favorite target is Ashley (Sarah Roemer), a recent transplant to the suburbs and the neighborhood babe. From his peeping, Kale learns that Ashley is an avid reader, looks great in a bikini and has a troubled home life, as the impression is given that her dad is an alcoholic and a womanizer. But Kale can’t go past his front lawn, so his dream of charming Ashley is wishful thinking.
Luck turns Kale’s way when Ashley discovers him and his friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) gawking through binoculars during her afternoon swim. Kale is mortified, but soon the threesome is spending each day and evening in Kale’s room, eating pizza and spying. They begin to believe their next door neighbor, Mr. Turner (David Morse), is a serial killer from Texas and this is the point where the tension is ratcheted up 360 degrees. Some of the scares I saw coming a mile away, but the best part was the director, D.J. Caruso (“Taking Lives”), used very little blood and gore to induce eye-covering.
I won’t reveal the crux of the plot, but it basically follows the same thread of Hitchock’s “Rear Window.” Is Mr. Turner a victim of a crazy teenager’s wild speculation, or is he a cold-blooded killer? You can probably guess which side of the fence he resides (no pun intended), but the journey to the conclusion is where the fun resides. And when I say fun, I really mean soiled pants, chewed fingernails and sweaty pits.
Overall, there isn’t one particular element that drives “Disturbia” into a three-star film, rather a conglomerate of goodness highlighted with the acting. Shia LaBeouf pulls off the angst-ridden teen with ease and David Morse pulls off creepy just by showing up. The end result is a surprisingly deft thriller that is certainly worth the full price ticket.
Watch the trailer for “Disturbia” at Apple.com.
I forgot to post the kids swimsuits.
She got an A. She had fun doing it.
I watched Spencer and Faith a while ago, here are some cute pictures.
Thought I’d better share some photos.
While on my mission, I picked up a book by James Allen called, “As a Man Thinketh” and treasured the wisdom in its pages. After Elder Holland’s conference talk last Saturday about faith coming from thoughts and words, I revisited the book. Throughout life it seems we hear talks and read poignant thoughts at times when we need them the most.
Lately, with stressful and unpredictable times at work, I’ve had to cultivate a positive attitude beyond anything in recent memory. This has taught me two things: First, that I have been lazy in cultivating positive thoughts and speech. Second, that what you put out comes back, or, in terms we all know, you reap what you sow.
I want to share some clips from the book, but I’d encourage you all to read it.
Also, in terms of Elder Holland’s talk, let me share this quick story: Emma was sick two weeks ago and she asked me for a blessing. I wasn’t sure how to bless her, because I knew she’d be okay eventually and didn’t feel the pressing need to “raise her from the dead” so to speak. I thought, “I guess just giving the blessing will comfort her enough and she’ll know I care about her.” However, as I was sealing the anointing, I was impressed ever so slightly to say the following: “Emma, you will sleep through the night without interruption and I promise your fever will be gone by morning.” Emma slept through the night and her fever was gone the next day. Perhaps giving the blessing was for her and me.
“Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.”
“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.”
“Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought is some direction.”
“Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance.”
The equation,for me, works like this:
Positive/Good Thoughts + Positive Speech = Faith = Success/Miracles.
Just wanted to drop a line from ol’ Cache Valley and say “Happy Easter.” It’s been a nice relaxing day. We went to church, hunted for eggs, had Mary and my mom over for dinner and the kids opened their swimsuits (which they loved). Now it will be ham and eggs for the remainder of the week.
Latest Comments
RSS