Reviews by Friends of jmdobies

TheBard says "Another Eastwood American History Lesson Thoughtfully Told " about The Changeling

TheBard — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:30:20 GMT

Bottom-Line: A little plodding at times Changeling is a great film.

Produced and directed by Clint Eastwood Changeling chronicles the true story Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) a single mother whose son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) goes missing one day from their Los Angeles home in 1925.

Christine calls the police and after the mandatory 24-hour waiting period the much maligned Los Angeles Police Department starts looking for her son. They think they have found him in DeKalb, IL and Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) contacts Christine with the good news. But when the boy arrives Christine insists that he is not her son...

The plot in Changeling is quite involved, too involved to detail here, sufficed to say, the script is brilliantly done and recounts in some detail the events that transpired between 1925 and 1935.

My Viewpoint

The title, Changeling, and the trailers for the movie carry with them an allusion that this was to be a science fiction film and that the events that...

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GigiandAdonai says "Looks like a bottle of gold and smells divine." about Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash

GigiandAdonai — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:36:54 GMT

The bottle says:

Ready to reveal your daring side? Flaunt your gorgeous even skin tone with confidence. Caress Evenly Gorgeous Body Washwith burnt brown sugar and karite butter, gently exfoliates and lusciously moisturizes to reveal beautifully even-toned skin. Go ahead, be daring! For a luxurious, silkening shower or bath squeeze a dab onto a poof (you judge the dab). Lather, breathe deep and relax. Ignore any knocks at the door.

Have you been enticed yet? This body wash is too good for words. The 18 FL OZ bottle is a traditional shampoo-style one with a flip-top cap. On the bottle is a red dress revealing cleavage. The bottle is almost transparent so that you can see this bronzy looking gel and little beads. When you open it up the aroma is so refreshing. You want to slather it all over your body! Make sure you are ready to get in the tub or shower once you open it because believe me, you will not want to put the bottle down. When you squirt the gel...

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JazzSinger says "Make a soldier's day with AnySoldier.com." about AnySoldier.com

JazzSinger — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:55:44 GMT

I first learned about AnySoldier.com from JovialCougar's review. I was intrigued by the concept of the site, and I checked it out for myself. Well, I loved what I saw, and I have now become a contributor to this very worthy cause.

AnySoldier.com is a web site where soldiers from all branches of the military post their needs and wants on behalf of their units. People can then read through these postings, request the soldier's address, and support the troops by sending them the items they request. It's a really neat idea that allows you to support the troops directly.

The best way I have found to go about sending a package is to get a flat-rate Priority Mail box from the post office. There are boxes specifically for sending to military addresses, and the postage will only cost you $11.95, which is a great deal. Some post offices will have these available. Otherwise, you can order them online from the USPS. Either way, the boxes are free. I then head for my local Dollar...

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VolFanGrl says "Full of plot twists I never expected....." about New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)

VolFanGrl — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:32:09 GMT

I was highly anticipating this book. I had finished Twilight, and watched the movie, I could hardly contain myself. I read over half of the book in the first day!!!

While I was disappointed that there wasn't more Edward/Bella in this one, I thought that it was important to explore the relationship between Bella and Jake. While, I haven't read the next two novels yet, I was never so excited when Bella and Edward were reunited in the end. They are truly this generations Romeo and Juliet. I just hope that it doesn't end as tragically as that book did.....

During the break-up part of the book, though I felt silly, I cried like a baby!!! When I was 15-16 yrs old, I myself went through a terrible breakup, and while it was....a long time ago, the authors telling of it brought all of those old emotions flooding back! I felt that emptiness that Bella felt, and that pain, as I'm sure most, if not all, teens experience at some time or another. There is nothing on this earth like the pain of losing...

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VolFanGrl says "Not as good as the book.....but still terrific!" about Twilight - The Movie

VolFanGrl — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:23:50 GMT

After I read the book, I could barely wait to watch the movie. While it wasn't as good as the book, but, really, what movie is EVER as good as the book?, it was still wonderful!!!

Seeing the characters from the page come to life on the screen was exciting. I think the selection of actors fit PERFECTLY! While I had seen previews for the movie, at the time I had no intention of reading the books, because I thought they were intended for teens, but, thankfully, my husbands cousing talked me into reading the books. But, while seeing the previews, I hadn't really paid much attention to what the characters looked like. When I saw them on the screen, it was like they had been pulled directly from what I had imagined they would look like!!!

I am looking so forward to the next instalment in this saga.

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GigiandAdonai says "All the adventure and scifi a 10-year-old could ask for!" about Race to Witch Mountain

GigiandAdonai — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:21:27 GMT

Tuesday I took my best friend's 10-year-old grandson, Hunter, to see Race To Witch Mountain. I owed him a movie because I took his younger sister Halie to see the Hannah Montana Movie. He chose this movie and by the time we were able to squeeze it in with his baseball practice and banjo lessons we got a date. Fortunately for me it had already left the big theaters and gone to the multi-cinemas and games complex where every movie is $2.00 every day!

I had seen previews for the movie and knew I also wanted to see it. I could vaguely remember the older movies EscapeTo Witch Mountain (1975) and Return From Witch Mountain (1978) and then remade in 1995. I didn't go into this movie with any preconceived ideas of how the movie should turn out. I wasn't even trying to recall the older movies and compare them. I became a fan of Dwayne Johnson when I saw him in Game Plan and I knew he would be an excellent performer in this movie as well.

The leading cast to Race To Witch Mountain...

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VolFanGrl says "Best Book I've Read In A LOOONG Time" about Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

VolFanGrl — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:17:23 GMT

I have to admit, I went into this book wary....I had heard that it was more for teens and young adults. And, since I just turned 30 (gulp), I had no intention of reading it. BUT, my husbands cousin, I think she's 21, kept telling me that I HAD to read it, that I would love it. But, when her MOTHER chimed in and told me the same thing, I thought, "What the heck!" So, I bought it....I am so glad I did.

I immediatly fell in love. It took me back to my teen years (which weren't SO long ago!!), and I could actually feel that angst and passion of your first love....Edward and Bella are perfect. I could barely put the book down! I couldn't wait to watch the movie afterward!

This writer, Stephanie Meyer, put into words every emotion I felt at that age! She is such a wonderful author, and I can't wait to check out some more of her work!

I am so glad that I listened to my husbands cousin and picked up this book.....it is well worth it!!!

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awlafon says "Black & Decker Toast-R-Oven: Great option for breads, pizza" about Black & Decker TRO651 Toast-R-Oven Toaster Oven

awlafon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:17:42 GMT

Black & Decker Toast-R-Oven

When our GE 2 Slice Bagel Toaster stopped toasting on one side and now became useless to me, my husband came home with a Black & Decker Toast-R-Oven. I wasn't all that thrilled as I like to be a minimalist as far as appliances sitting out on my counter and unlike the small toaster, this wasn't an appliance that could be put away daily.

Despite the space the Black & Decker Toast-R-Oven takes up on my counter, I have come to appreciate some advantages of housing this toaster oven on my counter.

-I can heat a variety of breads on both sides. It works well for small crustinis or thick sandwich breads that are nightmares in a traditional pop up toaster.

-For some reason, maybe because it is eye level and has the added advantage fo making the ticking sound, I seem less likely to forget about and burn bread.

-It has a 9 inch pizza capacity which I haven't tested because a 9 inch pizza at my house would be a snack but it does work very well for heating up left...

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jps246 says "Coleman 22-ounce Fuel Container is a decent choice for camping" about Coleman Exponent 22-ounce Fuel Container

jps246 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:16:37 GMT

The Coleman Exponent 22-ounce Fuel Container provides 22 ounces of fuel storage for your backpacking stove, including the Coleman Exponent stove models. For some of these models the pump assembly is installed directly into the fuel bottle and with other stove models, you pour the gas out of the bottle and into your stove. This bottle can be used for both types of Exponent stoves along with other stoves where the fuel pump threads directly into the fuel bottle (including MSR stoves such as the Whisperlite models). The bottle is made from a single piece of aluminum that is light and strong at the same time. The bottle is about 4 inches in diameter and is about 12 to 13 inches high with the cap on it. Both the aluminum and the plastic that forms the cap are rugged and shouldn't have any issues being packed into a backpack and brought into the backcountry.

In my mind the 22-ounce sized bottle is designed for longer backpacking trip since a full bottle of fuel will last for about a week...

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Fardreamer says "The Force is with Luke Skywalker in his Imperial disguise!" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Power of the Force Luke Skywalker (in Stormtrooper Disguise)

Fardreamer — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:00:14 GMT

Disguised as stormtroopers and fighting off a regiment of Imperial troops inside the Death Star, the escaping band of heroes finds refuge in a garbage receptacle. The Rebels realize their problem has changed when the walls begin closing in. - From the action figure's package blurb.

One of the few regrets I have as a collector of Star Wars action figures is the fact that my freshman year at what is now Miami-Dade College coincided with the last production "run" of Star Wars products from a still-independent Kenner Toys. I was paying my own way to college at the time, and even though in-state tuition was comparatively affordable, my financial situation wasn't so secure that I could pay for my tuition and splurge on what one could consider "non-essential" things.

At the time, Kenner was offering its original Power of the Force line of figures and vehicles, and one of the figures I had to take a pass on was the very first Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise action figure, which was...

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awlafon says "Kenmore Undercounter Ice Maker: Never run out of ice again." about Kenmore Undercounter Ice Maker Refrigerator

awlafon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:55:39 GMT

Kenmore Elite Coldspot Undercounter Ice Maker

On a visit to my future would be in-laws home years ago, I found that they had an undercounter ice maker and I thought it was such a convenient idea that I put it on my list of things I wanted in my dream home. I got it and I am very glad to I did.

The Kenmore Elite Coldspot Undercounter Ice Maker, resembles on the outside, and takes up about as much space as, an undercounter trash compacter. Ours has a stainless steel front panel but there are other options as well.

The Kenmore Ice Maker takes the guess work out with a green light for "clean," yellow light for "OK," and red light for "needs cleaning." It is easy to clean. Simply push the clean button and the ice maker will empty. Wipe out the inside and pour the ice maker cleaning solution through the tray as instructed.

Why I love having the Kenmore Elite Coldspot Undercounter Ice Maker:

-It makes small, square ice cubes perfect for glasses or throwing in the blender for making...

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TheBard says "Lets All hear it for Megan "pouty lips" Fox and Explosions!" about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

TheBard — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:09:58 GMT

Bottom-Line: Don't expect great cinema and you won't be disappointed.

The first Transformers movie released in 2007, grossed some 708 million dollar worldwide (319 domestically, 389 overseas) according to boxofficemojo.com. Not a bad take for movie that lacked a coherent plot-line, but sort of made up for it by dishing out the action in loving spoonfuls. With that kind of gross a sequel was a foregone conclusion and so Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was born once again directed by explosion junkie Michael Bay (The Rock, Armageddon, The Island).

The Story-line (I'm being kind)

The Transformers (good and evil) have been watching Earth for quite some time, and some have been living on the planet for centuries soaking up little nuggets of human culture to call their own. But, wait there is more: The Transformers first came to earth when man was still hunting for his food with crude spears and rocks; the year was 17,000 BCE. They came to suck the life from our sun in order...

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TheBard says "My these drives are getting sheaper and better!" about Hewlett Packard HP DVD1040E External 20x Dual Layer Burner w/ LightScribe

TheBard — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:05:13 GMT

Bottom-Line: The HP DVD1040E with LightScribe technology is an outstanding bargain and a must have for anyone who needs to burn CD's or DVD's in single or double-layer format.

The matt black HP DVD1040E is an external USB 2.0 connected drive with DVD+-R/+-RW with DVD+-R up to 20x, double layer recording, DVD-RAM, and LightScribe. The "Double Layer" feature allows the drive to record and store up to 8.5 GB of data or music. The drive also acts as a fully functional CD-R/RW & DVD+R/+RW drive, however it is also compatible with single-layer DVD's (4.7 GB storage). The HP DVD1040E can burn data at speeds of up to 20x single layer (8x double layer), and a CD writing speed of up to 40x.

Installation

The HP DVD1040E is a rather large drive, but it ships with a vertical stand, so one can tuck it away. I choose to let it lay horizontally on my desk. Though earlier HP external (LightScribe) drives shipped with Firewire and USB connectivity, the HP DVD1040E only has USB 2.0 ports. ...

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Bryan-Carey says "Cisco IP Phone offers Technology and Some Advanced Features" about Cisco - 7940 IP Telephone

Bryan-Carey — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:05:41 GMT

Telephones continue to change and it seems like new phones and new versions of old phones pop up faster than one can press the redial button. Business phones change even more quickly then other phones and one technologically up- to- date phone that I have used on the job is the CISCO IP Phone 7940, a phone that connects to the internet.

Telephone Commentary:

This CISCO phone is designed for office use with multiple functions that make it very useful for phones that are used for business purposes. CISCO makes this phone so that its viewing screen stands up at roughly a 60- degree angle, allowing the user to view the panel and the buttons with ease. The handset is small and is placed on the left hand side of the phone. There is also a headphone jack, an internet connection jack, and a speaker phone. The panel on the CISCO IP 7940 phone features a black LCD display with four programmable buttons below the panel and two programmable buttons on the right side of the panel.

CISCO IP...

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GigiandAdonai says "A story of young love, loss and faith above all else." about A Walk To Remember

GigiandAdonai — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:37:19 GMT

After reading Lost Souls I needed to read something that wasn't so scarey and I wanted something to lift my spirits. I went to my bookshelf and began running my fingers across the many books and was taking notice of the ones that I have yet to read. I spotted A Walk To Remember and after having seen the movie tons of times and listening to the soundtrack I decided this was the book for me, at the moment. The funny thing was that I really didn't realize that Nicholas Sparks was also the same person who wrote the book Nights In Rodanthe that would later become a movie. You can read my review of the movie Nights In Rodanthe here if you like.

As I began reading A Walk To Remember I noticed rather quickly that the book was going to be a little different from the movie. The book opens up with Landon Carter providing a prologue to his senior year in high school, 1958, Beaufort, NC. The description of the town was what I can visualize modern day Hilton Head or Beaufort, both in...

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GigiandAdonai says "Is it a vampire or serial killer? What's happening to coeds?" about Lost Souls

GigiandAdonai — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:30:35 GMT

There's a big hype about vampires and werewolves thanks to the Twilight saga. Several weeks ago my dear friend Lisa Carey introduced me to the book Lost Souls. This typically isn't my kind of book but after reading all four books in the Twilight saga I decided to read it.

Lost Souls goes above and beyond what Twilight does. In fact, it's more powerful, less romance and more of the things that vampirism is made of. This book scared me more than once but once I got into it I couldn't put it down.

Kristi Bentz is a 27-year-old going back to All Saints College. She is wanting to investigate and report on the mysterious disappearance of four coeds who have all vanished within the last 18 months. Her father, Rick, is a detective with the New Orleans Police Department and fears for her life because he knows that she has already escaped death twice.

All Saints College is a fictitious location in Louisiana. A lot of the storyline will pull in information from the events of...

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jasyjen says "The suspense and excitement just wasn't there." about Friday the 13th (2009)

jasyjen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:19:53 GMT

I love a good horror movie, and enjoy the suspense of excitement of the original Friday the 13th movies, so I was excited to see the remake. I was curious to see how they could improve on a 'classic' movie with all the technology available today. It turns out, they didn't improve on it at all, and in fact they made it worse.

** There are no spoilers in this review!

I was so disappointed with the remake of Friday the 13th. What I like most about the original Friday the 13th movies is the chase. You know, the victims hiding in the woods, Jason stalking them with an axe in hand, and even though you know they won't escape, the chase is exciting. There is NONE of that in the remake (except for at the end). Literally, Jason walks up to a victim, he kills them, and he moves on. BORING.

The classic Friday the 13th movies all have a little bit of nudity and sex, and there's really nothing wrong with it. However, in the remake their is GRAPHIC (YES, VERY GRAPHIC) sex scenes. ...

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GigiandAdonai says "Like orange juice and soft drink all in one." about Tropicana - Orangeade

GigiandAdonai — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:52:47 GMT

Okay, I read JasyJen's review and really thought I would want to try this product. The other day I was at Walmart and decided I needed to stock up on food and beverages for the weekend because I wouldn't want to get out just to buy more. I happened to go down the chips aisle and the soft drinks are on that same aisle. I saw the Tropicana products and then remembered Jenny's review. I found the 2 liter bottles for only 99 cents! I bought one because I wasn't really sure if I would like it.

Well, I have been drinking it since yesterday and I love it! She was right with everything she said about her review. It's like a well blend of orange juice and just the right ingredients to turn it into a soda but it doesn't have the caffeine or carbonation.

Product Details:

Made with real fruit juice. Non-carbonated. No caffeine. with 100% Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Orange Juice from Concentrate, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Sodium Hexametaphosphate...

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JazzSinger says "Great story of tragedy and football." about We Are Marshall

JazzSinger — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:42:51 GMT

On November 4, 1970, a chartered airplane carrying the Marshall University football team, the entire coaching staff except for one assistant coach, the university's athletic director, and many influential people from the town of Huntington, West Virginia crashed, killing everyone on board. We Are Marshall is the story of the rebuilding of the Marshall football team following that tragedy.

After the plane crash, Marshall is left with no athletic director, no head coach, and only four varsity players (Assistant Coach Red Dawson missed the flight for a recruiting trip, and the four players were left home for various reasons). The university originally decided to suspend the football program, but thanks to the efforts of senior player Nate Ruffin, the decision was ultimately made to continue with the football team.

The first step in rebuilding Marshall football was to hire a head coach, a task which fell to University President Donald Dedmon. Coach Dawson didn't want the job, and neither...

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awlafon says "Avon Foot Works Pedi Peel: helpful if used regularly" about Avon Foot Works Pedi Peel

awlafon — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:28:24 GMT

Avon Foot Works Pedi Peel pads

I saw that Avon Foot Works Pedi Peel were on major sale last year so I gave them a try. My first impression was that the moist pads with bumps reminded me of the cleansing pads from a NeutragenaPower Wave. I wondered how these pads could help with dry, cracked heels.

I was pleasantly surprised. Some how the Pedi Peel pads really do peel away dry, flaky skin. The pads are really easy to use. Simply choose one and rub over feet and heels using the bumpy side. On Sunday mornings or anytime I am going to wear cute, strappy shoes, I like use a Pedi Peel to make sure my feet never look ashy.

If you have severe dry or cracked feet, this will not be your "sole" solution. However, it is a great way to help maintain smoother feet and heels between pedicures or major at home foot treatments.

Since they are simply pads, they are in no way intrusive. I have recommended them to people with diabetes or edema that need to make sure that they don't cut their...

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