Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone review – The movie

Below is my review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone the movie, this compliments nicely my Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone book review. Read both to complete the set!

Going by a tip from Marissa on how to approach this series, she told me to first read the book and THEN watch the movie. So that is the order in which I went . . . and I’m glad I did.

I’ll try to keep this review short. To be direct and to the point, the movie did NOT live up to my expectations after reading the book. In some ways, it may be better to see the movie first . . . But if you do that then you will be thinking of the movie’s interpretation of things rather than the books, which puts a limit on imagination.

My imagination limit for the book was huge because I had had nearly zero experience with Harry Potter in any form beforehand, and that fresh perspective let my imagination really take things to a much grander scale and degree than was seen in the film. As always, film can rarely ever achieve what the mind can imagine.

The first thing that struck me about the movie was the age of the actors. THEY ARE SO TINY! Now since I don’t live in a cave, I HAVE seen them all before and older, so here I was very surprised at just how young they are. This immediately made matters worse because the kids were never seen as that young in my mind’s eye while reading (and it doesn’t mention an age I believe).

The second thing was how far off the movie’s casting was as far as the Dursley’s were concerned. About the only part that seemed wholly accurate to me was the opening with Dumbledore and Hagrid.

The biggest con of all though was how much stuff was left out of the book. Many little details here and there (like Harry not reading the back of the Dumbledore card in the beginning while on the train), as well as a big few scenes. One major one that comes to mind that’s missing from the film is the end trial with the potions.

There was also so many little details that were just much cooler and better in my head. For example I couldn’t stand how the kids just “float” up when flying on their brooms. In my mind they kicked off with force as if it was Neo in the Matrix Reloaded! Those little things got to me.

Also the Dursley’s were much, much better in my mind, and the film overall is a bit to cheesy in certains ways. Uncle Vernon for example was much more threatening looking and sounding, and Dudley was MUCH fatter than he ever could be on film.

So what about the pros? I thought the movie overall did a pretty good job. If you hadn’t read the book you wouldn’t even notice the things that bothered me. I think all the kids were perfectly cast especially the main protagonists. I thought Hagrid was done perfectly, and pretty much all the faculty was spot on. The sets were also nice and the effects are okay, though I”m sure they were much better at the time (it all looks pretty dated now).

However probably the worst part of the movie to me was Professor Quirrel, who is so lame and stupid in the film that it almost ruins the whole thing IMO. He was WAAAAY better in my head.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone isn’t a bad movie, but it leans a bit too young and isn’t what I’d consider a great movie. It’s decent though.

I also must point out that the DVD has quite a lot of extra stuff to do. Though not necessarily enough content IMO. I would’ve loved to see more behind-the-scenes videos. And they should’ve had an in-depth making of featurette, which isn’t on the DVD. Most of the DVD are little games, but they are pretty fun and there is quite a bit there. It’s also very challenging, I actually had to look online to complete the potion-mixing game! I thought it was cool that they included deleted scenes as well, but those scenes are a bit difficult to get to if you don’t know where or how to find them, and that means that some people won’t ever see them because they won’t take the time to jump through the hoops it takes to complete the games and unlock the scenes. But it’s a pretty fun set overall, I just wish it had more to it.

- Josh, the Elder

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone review – The book

Below is my Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone review of the book. This is the first book in the extremely popular Harry Potter series, as most of you already know.

I had been slightly intrigued by the Harry Potter phenomenon, but never enough to actually look into it on my own. I also have a natural dispensation against certain entertainment that involves blatant uses of the words “witchcraft” and “wizardry” (though the latter less-so, even though it’s pretty much the same thing) in such a blatant, cheerleading manner.

I’ll discuss this a bit more at the end of my review. So it was for the above reasons that I never actually checked the books (or movies) out myself. I also didn’t want to support them with my hard-earned cash, so I never bought them on my own. I finally got my hands on it though when a friend lent me her copy of the first book and film. I’ll review the film next. I must say if it wasn’t for her I probably wouldn’t have read them for quite some time. So thanks again Marissa.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is, in my opinion, something akin to Lord of the Rings-style fantasy lite. Going into the book, I knew next to nothing about Harry Potter. All my knowledge came from movie trailers, or from articles/reviews that I had read about the videogames.

As such, I was wholly ignorant about most aspects of the book and the world of Harry Potter. Striking me within the first chapter was the fact that Harry Potter is actually set in modern day times. This I did not know. From what I had seen, I gathered that it was set in some old historic period ala Lord of the Rings. I did not think technology or machines necessarily existed in the Harry Potter world. That was struck down within the first moments when Harry Potter is at his muggle (non-magic user) family household, where everything from cars to computer games is mentioned.

The second most striking aspect of the book to me was how straight-up fantasy-based it was. I never really thought about it I guess, but it has all the same elements you expect from pure fantasy, again in the Lord of the Rings-style. You’ve got trolls, goblins, centaur’s, unicorns, dragons . . . not to mention wizards, witches, spells, flying broomsticks, magic and all the rest. All the former (before the ellipses) is stuff I didn’t expect to see. Thus I found those elements surprising and entertaining.

The characters are done pretty well, and I ended up liking all of them. The storyline is also interesting, although it is more interesting when they go into the mythos of the world (and the sorcerer’s stone itself, where the book gets it’s title) than the school activity type stuff.

I thought the book read easily, though I was a bit surprised to see quite a few mentions of death or killing or whatnot. I don’t know why it is considered a children’s book. Not that kids can’t handle it, so I guess it’s a mute point. Heck I was watching Terminator 2 as a kid . . .

It has good character development as well, and you really feel by the end that you’ve learned quite a bit, not just about the world but also about the characters. I think my favorite parts of the book were: the section with the unicorn, when Harry is with his muggle family (both beginning and end), when Harry is initially learning about who he is (the picture of Hagrid in my mind was awesome) and the ending challenges sequence, which reminded me of a videogame. Where you had to solve a puzzle in each room to advance. I also liked the point system, as the kids at Hogwarts are awarded to points for their school group for their triumphs. With points taken away for breaking the rules as a form of punishment. These sections are used to great effect to build character for the main school kids in the books (Harry, Hermione and Ron) and I thought it was a unique idea.

Overall, the world was much more developed than I thought it would be, and the book is interesting all the way through. Though some parts more so than others. I also though the book did good at throwing a few twists in for good measure. The ending twist regarding Professor Snape is something that I SHOULD have seen coming a mile away, but for some reason or other I didn’t make the connection and it caught me by surprise. Twists are always a good thing.

The biggest con for the book in my opinion is that it reads a bit juvenile. Maybe this is to be expected considering it is supposed to be a children’s book (which I don’t by), but I found a few parts to be stupid or dumb, and I didn’t find the book funny either. The dialog can also fall into that dumb category on some occasions. But I suppose it’s to be expected when your story revolves around school kids.

Finally, we have the Christian perspective. I think people who are super conservative regarding anything magic-based being wrong, will not want to read this book. Obviously the whole book revolves around magic.

Which is described both with the term “magic” and the terms “witchcraft” and “wizardry”. Other words in that vein like sorcerer, enchant, spell, incantation, etc. are also frequent. I personally can look past this, because in the grand scheme of things it is not much different then the spells and magic and sorcery you see in games like the Final Fantasy titles, which I love.

The difference here is that it is glorified in a stronger manner and it is spoken-of in a manner that makes it seem mundane. That is, doing witchcraft is normal and everyone does it (except the non-magic users, who are called muggles. Not to be confused with the ultra-cute Moogles, creatures from Final Fantasy). Witchcraft is thus encouraged throughout the book and is seen as a force “for good”. And it is the non-understanding muggles who are painted as ignorant and prejudice because they do not agree with the use of magic (is this underlining liberal elitism towards conservative Christians? Maybe).

There are many different ways this type of thing can be interpreted, and some Christians simply won’t be able to get past the way it glorifies witchcraft. Which is not something I agree with. However I do not think it is as bad as I was told it was, and even though magic is an essential part of Harry Potter, the true focus is actually on plot and character; magic and the use and learning of it, are simply trappings within the story. And to the book’s credit, I think most of the plot would even be interesting if you stripped that stuff out (to the extent you could). As it deals with Harry discovering who he is, it deals with the loss of his family, and has strong themes of friendship, honor, determination and confronting evil which comes in the form of an evil wizard.

There are also many different ways you can find Christian themes in the book, or even use the book to make Christianity “relevant” by using what’s in it to make a positive connection. Ultimately, I would have to say that the book is NOT harmful and Christians shouldn’t be afraid of it. But if you don’t want to support it, as I didn’t, I would still stand by that decision. But I think if you find Harry Potter offensive, you’d also have to include a lot of other things under that same umbrella, from Disney properties to Lord of the Rings (written by a Christian) to Final Fantasy. Since they all contain the same basic fantasy elements, included but not limited to magic, sorcery, witchcrift and spellcraft. Which are, ultimately, the underlining basis of what makes a fantasy a fantasy.

In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the book, but I don’t know if I would say it was “great”. I think it’s well made, and it has interesting elements with some unique aspects, but also some standard fare. I’m not gonna give it a rating, but if you find yourself intrigued or simply want to educate yourself on what this series is all about, then be sure to borrow the book from a friend or check it out from the library. I do recommend it in that regard.

I intend to read the rest of the series and watch all the movies. And heck, I just may play the videogames as well. Since Marissa is intent on making me into a Harry Potter maniac. I don’t know if she’ll quite succeed, but there is at least one less muggle in the world. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing . . .

- Josh, the Elder

Kitten in your arms

What is cuter than a kitten in your arms? NOTHING!

Above you can see a very cute picture of my brother Mike with our teenage kitten Bucket laying in his arms. I thought this would make a great pic and so I rushed to get the camera.

I think it definitely was a worthy shot. And good enough to post. Enjoy!

The Bible Chapter 3 (Genesis 3) – The Bible Project Entry #3

Want to read Genesis Chapter 3 of the Bible?

The Bible Project will be me posting one book of the Bible one chapter at a time. I’d like to thank my mother for the inspiration! If you missed the past entry, don’t forget to read Genesis Chapter 2.

Below is the third chapter of the Book of Genesis (The Serpent):

NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, “DID GOD REALLY SAY, “YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN?’”

THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, “WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE.’”

“YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,” THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN. “FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.”

WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT. THEN THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, AND THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED; SO THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGEHTER AND MADE COVERINGS FOR THEMSELVES.

THEN THE MAN AND HIS WIFE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE LORD GOD AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE GARDEN IN THE COOL OF THE DAY, AND THEY HID FROM THE LORD GOD AMONG THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. BUT THE LORD GOD CALLED TO THE MAN, “WHERE ARE YOU?”

HE ANSWERED, “I HEARD YOU IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; SO I HID.”
AND HE SAID, “WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED? HAVE YOU EATEN FROM THE TREE THAT I COMMANDED YOU NOT TO EAT FROM?”
THE MAN SAID, “THE WOMAN YOU PUT HERE WITH ME. SHE GAVE ME SOME FRUIT FROM THE TREE, AND I ATE IT.”

THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE WOMAN, “WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?”
THE WOMAN SAID, “THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE.”

SO THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE SERPENT, “BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS, CURSED ARE YOU ABOVE ALL THE LIVESTOCK AND ALL THE WILD ANIMALS! YOU WILL CRAWL ON YOUR BELLY AND YOU WILL EAT DUST ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. AND I WILL PUT ENMITY BETWEEN YOU AND THE WOMAN, AND BETWEEN YOUR OFFSPRING AND HERS; HE WILL CRUSH YOU HEAD, AND YOU WILL STRIKE HIS HEEL.”

TO THE WOMAN HE SAID,”I WILL GREATLY INCREASE YOUR PAINS IN CHILDBEARING; WITH PAIN YOU WILL GIVE BIRTH TO CHILDREN. YOUR DESIRE WILL BE FOR YOUR HUSBAND, AND HE WILL RULE OVER YOU.”

TO ADAM HE SAID, “BECAUSE YOU LISTENED TO YOUR WIFE AND ATE FROM THE TREE ABOUT WHICH I COMMANDED YOU, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT OF IT,’ CURSED IS THE GROUND BECAUSE OF YOU; THROUGH PAINFUL TOIL YOU WILL EAT OF IT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. IT WILL PRODUCE THORNS AND THISTLES FOR YOU, AND YOU WILL EAT THE PLANTS OF THE FIELD.
BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW YOU WILL EAT YOUR FOOD UNTIL YOU RETURN TO THE GROUND, SINCE FROM IT YOU WERE TAKEN; FOR DUST YOU ARE AND TO DUST YOU WILL RETURN.”

ADAM NAMED HIS WIFE EVE, BECAUSE SHE WOULD BECOME THE MOTHER OF ALL THE LIVING.
THE LORD GOD MADE GARMENTS OF SKIN FOR ADAM AND HIS WIFE AND CLOTHED THEM. AND THE LORD GOD SAID, “THE MAN HAS NOW BECOME LIKE ONE OF US, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. HE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO REACH OUT HIS HAND AND TAKE ALSO FROM THE TREE OF LIFE AND EAT, AND LIVE FOREVER.”

SO THE LORD GOD BANISHED HIM FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK THE GROUND FROM WHICH HE HAD BEEN TAKEN. AFTER HE DROVE THE MAN OUT, HE PLACED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN CHERUBIM AND A FLAMING SWORD FLASHING BACK AND FORTH TO GUARD THE WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is the day that we Americans give thanks to the Lord for all aspects of our lives, good or bad. This is a time to think and reflect on why it is important to be thankful.

Even in a bad situation, you can take time to “be still” and know that the Lord is your God, no matter who you are or what you’ve done. Even if you are not the type of person to pray, today is a great day to start.

So bow your head and give thanks to our Father in Heaven and His Son who died to take OUR place and give us salvation from the consequences of sin.

I know that I have a lot to be thankful for, even if things in life aren’t perfect or the way I want them to be. God deserves it.

Btw, here is an interesting short synopsis of the history of Thanksgiving.

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=Thanksgiving&bcpid=46875634001&bclid=1672079702&bctid=1586348651

The Bible Chapter 2 (Genesis 2) – The Bible Project Entry #2

Want to read Genesis Chapter 2 of the Bible?

The Bible Project will be me posting one book of the Bible one chapter at a time. I’d like to thank my mother for the inspiration! If you missed the past entry, don’t forget to read Genesis Chapter 1.

Below is the second chapter of the Book of Genesis (Adam & Eve):

THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD MADE;AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD MADE.

AND GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY, AND SANCTIFIED IT: BECAUSE IN IT HE HAD RESTED FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH GOD CREATED AND MADE.

THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND OF THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED, IN THE DAY THAT THE LORD GOD MADE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS,

AND EVERY PLANT OF THE FIELD BEFORE IT WAS IN THE EARTH, AND EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD BEFORE IT GREW; FOR THE LORD GOD HAD NOT CAUSED IT TO RAIN UPON THE EARTH, AND THERE WAS NOT A MAN TO TILL THE GROUND.

AND THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND, AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE: AND MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL.

AND THE LORD GOD PLANTED A GARDEN EASTWARD IN EDEN AND THERE HE PUT THE MAN WHOM HE HAD FORMED.

AND OUT OF THE GROUND MADE THE LORD GOD TO GROW EVERY TREE THAT IS PLEASANT TO THE SIGHT, AND GOOD FOR FOOD: THE TREE OF LIFE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, AND THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

AND A RIVER WENT OUT OF EDEN TO WATER THE GARDEN: AND FROM THENCE IT WAS PARTED, AND BECAME INTO FOUR HEADS.

THE NAME OF THE FIRST IS PISON; THAT IS IT WHICH COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF HAVILAH, WHERE THERE IS GOLD: AND THE GOLD OF THAT LAND IS GOOD; THERE IS BDELLIUM AND THE ONYX STONE.

AND THE NAME OF THE SECOND RIVER IS GIHON; THE SAME IS IT THAT COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF ETHIOPIA.

AND THE NAME OF THE THIRD RIVER IS HIDDEKEL; THAT IS IT WHICH GOETH TOWARD THE EAST OF ASSYRIA. AND THE FOURTH RIVER IS EUPHRATES.

AND THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN, AND PUT HIM INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO DRESS IT AND TO KEEP IT.
AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN, SAYING, OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN THOU MAYEST FREELY EAT;

BUT OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THOU SHALT NOT EAT OF IT; FOR IN THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST THEREOF THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.

AND THE LORD GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE: I WILL MAKE HIM A HELP FOR HIM.

AND OUT OF THE GROUND THE LORD GOD FORMED EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD, AND EVERY FOWL OF THE AIR: AND BROUGHT THEM UNTO ADAM TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD CALL THEM; AND WHATSOEVER ADAM CALLED EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT WAS THE NAME THEREOF.

AND ADAM GAVE NAMES TO ALL CATTLE, AND TO THE FOWL OF THE AIR, AND TO EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD:BUT FOR ADAM THERE WAS NOT FOUND AN HELP MEET FOR HIM.

AND THE LORD GOD CAUSED A DEEP SLEEP TO FALL UPON ADAM AND HE SLEPT: AND HE TOOK ONE OF HIS RIBS, AND CLOSED UP THE FLESH INSTEAD THEREOF:

AND THE RIB, WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD TAKEN FROM MAN, MADE HE A WOMAN, AND BROUGHT HER UNTO THE MAN.

AND ADAM SAID, THIS IS NOW BONE OF MY BONES, AND FLESH OF MY FLESH; SHE SHALL BE CALLED WOMAN, BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN.

THEREFORE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE UNTO HIS WIFE; AND THEY SHALL BE ONE FLESH.

AND THEY WERE BOTH NAKED, THE MAN AND HIS WIFE, AND WERE NOT ASHAMED.

The Bible Chapter 1 (Genesis 1) – The Bible Project Entry #1

Want to read Chapter 1 of the Bible?

I am starting a new series of posts that I have dubbed, quite simply, “The Bible Project”, inspired by something my mom is doing. My mom started posting chapters of the Bible, one at a time, on her own via her social network pages. She basically tries to post a new entry (which she types out on her own) every day.

In addition to being a nice way to slowly go through the Bible and learn it’s words by typing it out, she is also hoping that people may be more likely to read the words if they are posted one chapter at a time.

So I thought I’d start posting them here, to give this Bible Project a wider viewing audience and more exposure.

Below is entry #1, Genesis Chapter 1.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said,”Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.

And God said,”Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening , and there was morning -the third day.

And God said,”Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the fourth day.

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning-the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning-the sixth day.

Kitty chair relaxation

Kittens in chairs go hand-in-hand. I mean really, what is more cute than a kitty sleeping in a chair?

All rolled up into a ball, stretched out across, arms or legs dangling over the side, eyes peering off the edge and into the abyss below.

You will certainly see more kittie+chair pictures coming soon, I got a ton of them. But for now, just focus on the cuteness that is Bucket in the photo above.

Prince of Persia movie trailer in HD. The Sands of Time hit the big-screen

One of the coolest videogames, and videogame franchises, of all time is hitting movie theaters on May 26, 2010 with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

The movie is somewhat loosely based on the 2003 Prince of Persia videogame of the same name that was released on last-gen consoles for PS2, Xbox 1, GameCube and PC. It would go on to spawn a trilogy with follow-up sequels Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within and Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones. The series would go on to get a current-gen Xbox 360/PS3 re-imagining simply titled “Prince of Persia“, as well as an Xbox Live Arcade remake of the 1989 original PC game called Prince of Persia Classic.

As such, this POP movie may be the first in a possible trilogy (if not more than a trilogy) and is being distributed by Disney and produced by Pirates of the Caribbean mastermind Jerry Bruckheimer. And directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mona Lisa Smile).

And that means that this film is gonna be one epic, big-budget, special effects, story-driven extravaganza that Disney is marketing as their follow-up to the 2 billion dollar+ grossing Pirates series. In fact they are going to push this film to exceed the Pirates series and are expecting it to make more money and be an even bigger success.

Impossible right? Well remember that Pirates of the Caribean wasn’t a big-name before the first film. But the game is a well known title to a quite large gaming audience.It is as well known to gamers as Assassin’s Creed, a game the movie also seems to emulate in some regards and another big franchise that Prince of Persia videogame publisher Ubisoft makes. So I think this film, especially if gamers come out to support it, could already have a massive built-in fanbase. So it’s certainly possible that this could be Disney’s next Pirates of the Caribbean especially with how great the film looks.

Here is the official high-definition trailer for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie. (Hit the button next to the volume control button to make the video big)

I am personally very impressed and I think that they are doing a perfect job in adapting the videogame into a film. They are staying true enough to the game to attract the gaming audience that has played it while also pulling in fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean films who are looking for another epic, adventure-soaked, fun romp that is both family-friendly and also full of action. This just may be the film that breaks video-game-based-movies into the big-time.

- Josh, the Elder

Bill O’Reilly The View Halloween 2009 special

One of my favorite shows and favorite hosts of all time is Bill O’Reilly of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor, which I almost never fail to miss, and haven’t for the last few years.

I’m pretty convinced that if you just watched the show, no matter what side you are on or whether you agree or disagree with his viewpoints, that you’d have an enjoyable time. I’ve had many experiences in watching it where people and friends were over who didn’t watch the show or could care less, and they’d be laughing and have come around to why the show is so great (ratings-wise it’s untouched, for good reason).

Anyhoo, recently Bill appeared on The View, a show he’s appeared on about once a year or so since his book before his current one (Culture Warrior) came out. When Bill goes on these shows now which are almost always lopsided liberal, he pretty much knows what he’s getting. By now he is pretty much into the grove, lets things roll off his shoulder, and goof’s around (sometimes a bit too much). Which I think is a good way to approach a show like The View which is anything but fair and balanced (one conservative in a sea of liberals, as always with media).

I also think he is very smart to come on these shows, hold his own, and ultimately make more people aware of who he really is, what he really believes in, what he stands for, and what he is really like live and in-person and facing these pinheads one on one.

Here is a clip of him during the Halloween 2009 episode that just aired recently. These clips are generally taken down soon after being posted so if you didn’t catch it here’s the full clip of his appearance (which isn’t one of his best IMO but still fun to watch).