Meet Bill!!!!

Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Alba, and Timothy Olyphant star in Meet Bill. Unlike the last movie I reviewed, this one is quite intelligent.

It is about a man who has lived under the thumb of his father in law and overbearing, cheating wife. When Bill (Aaron Eckhart) catches his wife with the news reporter (Timothy Olyphant) is basically forced into a midlife crisis.

In Meet Bill, Bill battles his wife, father in law, the movie reporter, and his gut. With the help of a sarcastic teen he is "mentoring," the lingerie sales woman with a quirky sense of humor, his gay brother, and hi "life partner," he conquers his father in-law, life, and the doughnut franchise he buys to get out from under his in laws thumb.

Timothy Oplyphant plays a great douche bag in this movie, particularly when Bill drags him out of his house buy his towel wrapped hair (he dies his hair.) This movie is full of plenty of witty comments like, "life is one long series of discrimination's, so get used to it." I cracked up on that one.

There was allot of truth in this movie and I loved how it made that truth funny, Want intelligent comedy? Aaron Eckhart will deliver. Four stars, I loved it!!!

HALL PASS, GREAT GUY MOVIE BUT BE PREPAIRED FOR A RAUNCHY FLICK

Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis star in this funny, laugh out loud, and cover your eyes guy movie. You ever talk to your buddys and hear them talk about how they can get all these chicks if they weren't marries (or maybe you are one of them.) This is about those guys getting the infamous "Hall Pass."

But first it starts out with a display of some disgusting but accurate, and funny back and fourth chatter between two guys when they are alone (or they think you are) and speaking "frankly."

Hall Pass is completely tasteless, and shameless, but a true guilty pleasure (or not so guilty.)

I was however not too impressed with the short tubby guy laying a turd in a sand trap at a golf course, nor the big black pecker that practically landed in Owen Wilson's face. Nonetheless it was funny, and I could not help but watch.

Sit down, pop open a beer, and enjoy Hall Pass. Just take it at face value, don't expect and intelligent comedy, expect raunchy to the extreme.

Hall Pass. 4 stars!!!

Interview With Author RYE JAMES!!!!!

Rye James!!! The author of the above mentioned novels is here and here is what he has to say!!!!

1: "The Assassin," where did you get the idea for this, and how did you come up with the moral issues this book involves?

I wanted to write a western that had different aspects to it instead of just a straight shoot 'em up. It's got a little bit of mystery to it so I think it appeals to those who might not be interested in a western. I've been told by people that they don't like westerns, but they like this book, presumably cause of the mystery angle and the complexity of the Assassin character. The issues in the book just kind of evolved as I was writing it. I didn't have it all planned out in advance. I do a basic outline and know how I want the story to start and end, but everything in the middle just depends on what happens with the characters between those points.

2: As a western writer, have you had trouble hitting your target demographic?

I think it's tough for anybody who writes westerns to find an audience for it. As soon as you release it you've already eliminated a certain percentage of readers who will refuse to read it for any variety of reasons. I think it's always a bit of a struggle for most authors not on the bestseller list to find their audience.

3: If so, do you think not having the right readers could have an effect on the amount of positive reviews you get?

Yeah, a case could probably be made for that. I think most readers enjoy my work and have said so, but reviews are tough to come by. Most book review blogs are besieged with review requests and it's tough finding the right fit and most readers who were happy with their reading experience don't feel the need to write a review.

4: What do you enjoy writing more? Westerns, or contemporary action?

At one point I would've said Westerns, but I don't know if that's the case anymore. I've got story lines for other projects that I'm as excited about as I was with the westerns so right now I would say that I enjoy both of them equally as much.

5: As a writer, I tend to draw from people around me for my characters, would you say you do the same, or are yours more original?

I've never used traits from anybody that I know. Not that I wouldn't, I just don't. Most of mine are either original or I took bits and pieces from western characters in movies that I thought would fit the character.

6: Do you think your books would make good movies? Why?

I think they would. I think the story lines are good, and they have plenty of action, so I would think so. I actually had interest from a foreign production company that was interested in The Assassin but it didn't work out.

7: What do you draw inspiration from?

I think a lot of things. Books, movies, TV, news, just life in general.

8: Do you see some of yourself in your main characters?

Not really too much. There might be a few lines of dialogue, or thoughts, that would be similar to something I would say or do, but for the most part I didn't try to put myself into any of the characters.

9: Would you prefer your readers to buy the kindle, or paperback editions of your books?

I would prefer them to buy the e-books just for the fact that they're cheaper and they can buy more books for the same price as a paperback. But whatever format they prefer to read on is fine with me.

10: would you ever consider working with a collaborator on a book or graphic novel?

I don't really know. It's not something I've given a whole lot of consideration about. I like having control of what I do so I don't know if I'd be a great co-writer on something.

Justified, questions answered

"What did Raylon do to Dickie Bennet?"

"why the Bennetts are mad at Raylon givens on justified?"   These are the keywords I have noticed to bring traffic to my blog recently, so I will answer these questions.   Raylon and Dickie played baseball together when they were young, Dickie did something to Raylon, so Raylon took a baseball bat to Dickie's leg crippling him for life,   The Bennets are mad at him for this reason as well as the fact that in season two Raylon kills Dickie's Brother.

Justified season 2. SPOILER ALERT!!!!!

The second season of Justified was more shocking and mind blowing than the first. Timothy Olyphant has gone into much more depth of this character than I think Elmore Leonard has. On top of that, there is Walter Goggins as Boyde Crowder who is the amazing badguy that you kind of root for. Normally when there are badguys your root for like this, he has some sort of good to his agenda, but not Boyde!!! Part of you wants him to run all the crime in Harland County Kentucky. on top of that, there is a slew of new characters, Mags Bennet (crime boss, and weed giant of Harlan County) and her boys, particularly Dickie Bennett. The whole season I just wanted someone to shoot him, and though it almost happened a couple times, it never did. But hey, that is cool 'cause that's what makes me want to watch the next episode, the hope that Dickie may get shot someday.

Rayon's relationship his ex wife Wynona gets pretty heated after her and her husband agree to divorce. Then of course the subject that got her and Raylon to split in the first place comes up, and it pretty much revolves around Raylon never being sure if he is going to come home alive from day to day.

One of the more interesting episodes is where Wynona manages to steal a bunch of money from the evidence locker, and Raylon plays hell getting it back, this causes Rayon's relationship with his boss Art to be real edgy. It almost makes a guy cry as we all have learned to love Art.

Mag Bennett ends up giving all but the weed business to Boyd Crowder. Boyd shacks up with Ava, gets Arlo (Rayon's dad) in on stealing the weed business from Mags, Dickie gets mad because he was the one running it for her, goes to Arlo's house wanting to "talk" to him. Arlo is not there, but Rayon's beloved aunt Helen is with a shotgun, unfortunately she doesn't have the advantage and gets shot at point blank range with a 12 gauge. I dispute the shows illustration of it, though it was very suspenseful showing a shot from outside the house, you hear her make a gasp and then she gets a shot out, though this is possible, I do not feal it would have been likely considering the weapons used, but hey is was very well played out and definitely made me make sure I didn't miss the next episode.

Next Raylon gets a chance to kill Dickie, but gets all choked up and doesn't want to be the badguy and just sends him to jail. By this point Raylon has thwarted assassins that were gunning for Wynona and makes her ex disappear.

The last episode, really started to have the feel of the old Gunsmoke show, Marshall Dylan (Raylon Givens) sees it his civic duty even though he is on vacation, to help a little girl who is out for the blood of her fathers death. In his attempts to find where the girl is, he gets knocked out with a baseball bat, when he wakes, he is tied up and hanging upside down in a tree. Salty Sam (Dickie Bennett) starts to monologue about how Marshall Dylan owes him for crippling him twenty years ago. Then eventually gets around to beating him with the bat a few times. Then the bad guy we love to hate, The Rango Kid (Boyde Crowder) comes in with a witty thing to say like, "I don't know whether to just shoot him now or let him hit you a couple more times." Oh but Marshall Dylan even in his pain is more witty and says, "I vote the first one." So Rango gets him cut down and proceeds to shoot Salty Sam, yay!!!!!!!!!! I thought. No, that doesn't happen, Salty Sam has  silver tongue, he mentions the fact that Marshall Dylan needs him to get to the Bennets place and save the girl. 

So Marshall Dylan takes Salty and holds him at gun point in front of The Bennett clans place in front of their numerous guys with machine guns, and says I need to get in there. The little girl has beat him to it, and fires a shot witch makes everyone outside start shooting at Marshall Dylan. This is the twist, normally Marshall Dylan save the day, no this time the bullets completely miss Salty (damn it!!!!!) and Dylan gets gut shot. Just when his chips are down and Salty's big brother has Dylan at point blank range, a sharpshooter hits the big brother in the head, it seems Marshall Dylan's friend with the Marshall's service caught wind of his situation and came to help, thanks to miss Kitty (Wynona).

Oh and in the end Mags Bennett kills herself with the same arsenic type poison she tends to put in her apple pie flavored moonshine to kill other people.

All in all I completely enjoy this series and season two delivered, yeah the people I liked got killed and the ones I hate seem to like, but that's what keeps it interesting. Watch this, but only if you have seen the first season, 'cause you won't understand a thing.

self protection, lethal weapons.

alright, the fun begins! woohoo now we are going to talk about things that can kill. This is not the preffered outcome, but in many cases when you are protecting your family, it is better to be safe than sorry.

First I would like to talk about in home weapons. The best is the shotgun. The variety of ammo that can be used makes it very versatile, and affordable. I like them because, in the close range senarios that occure in the home, they have devastation results, and there is little to no worry about over penetration. Missing the badguy and having abullet go through a wall and lead to unwanted injury or death.

There are many shotguns available on the market, but for simplicity's sake I will break it down to the two most common chambers, and brands.

Mossberg! probably the most notorious, and affordable of them. You can chose the model 500 in either 12 or 20 guage. Without getting into the big debate, I will say the for home protection, either is equeally sufficient. Or you can get the 12 guage 590 whitch features a shorter barrel and a longer magazine tube. With any firearm I say , go to the range and see what is most comfortable for you.

Next is Remington. Basically the same thing applies, they have field and tactical versions, they tend to be heavier than the Mossberg but that also cuts down on recoil.

When choosing the shotgun guys, keep in, mind whether there is a lady or children in the house who may need to use it, and what will be easier for them.

Next. is pistols, auto to be exact. There are many chamberings available for these but I will break it down to the three that are at every wal mart.

9mm, Well rounded and economical. most full sized pistols can hold near 20 of these baby's and they have little recoil. Not to mention that they are on sale every week at big 5. Problem is I would only use hardball rounds for target, and would not except anything less than full metal jacket hollow points for protection, they lack power and tend to go through the target without causeing as much damage as I would like.

40 cal. S&W. this is what my wife carrys. Has plenty of power, and small enough to fit 13 plus 1 in her FNP-40 plus it is still relatively low in recoil.

.45 ACP I love this. I carry a 1911 and though it only has 7 rounds, I feel very safe with the massive bullet that tends to do what the m16 round does, but for the opposite reason. They tumble through the tissue, this causes great damage and will stop even the most drugged out crazy in their tracks.

There are many other chamberings available. I say go to the range and pick out three of the same models guns in each cambering. If you are hitting eye sockets at 20 yards with the 9mm and go up to the 40 and don't do as good, buy the 9. All the extra power don't mean anything if you don't hit the target.

Now revolvers. there are too many on the market today to say what is good. Again go to the range. Revolvers are slower, but they will never jam, so with them you can rest easy. I suggest overlooking the .38 special and get a 357 as they will shoot the same bullets. Problem with the .357 is that it will go through your enemy, your house, your neighbors house, and so on. You can get something bigger like a .44 cal, or a .45 long colt. Ultimately, go to the range and see what your comfortable with. Every gun is a compromise in some way, see what you like and don't buy anything unless you know for sure, remember your life and your family's life hangs on this decision.

Riding The Rap. Elmore Leanord.

O.K. This one follows rayon, Harry, and the girlfriend about one year after Pronto left off. Basic back story is that in Pronto, Raylon took it upon himself to save Harry and girlfriends asses, saw someone who he befriended get killed in front of his eyes, then went back to Miami, and offed him (The Zip 'Tommy Bucks.)

This book has more characters than the first which makes it a little hard to follow if you aren't used to Elmore Leonard's writing style where he tends to stop whatever is going on, to tell some back story. It's like reading Snatch, or Once Upon A Time In Mexico, writing traits that I do not share with Elmore.

Riding the rap turned out to be a great read as I am used to this type of writing. The story follows Raylon Givens as he investigates the kidnapping of his friend Harry Arno, all the while dealing with the anguish of having killed a man almost out of cold blood, his girlfriend Joyce's opinion of that, and dealing with the fact that Joyce used to be intimate with Harry and now there is some tension in her and Raylon's relationship.

It seems quite comical some of the scenes involving the bad guys, Chip Ganz, Louis Lewis, and Bobby Deo, all of whom will be recognized from the show, but however, many things are different than the show and play out in different ways, this makes it quite enjoyable even though I watch Justified religiously, The story is still quite different and the surprising twists and turns still have Elmore Leonard's desired effect.

All in all, Riding The Rap is a great book, and I am now officially hooked on Elmore's writing. Four and a half stars!!!!!