http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/kevin Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:10:28 GMT Reviews by kevin http://www.viewpoints.com/3-10-to-Yuma--135638-review-c9722 The notorious cowboy outlaw Bill Wade (Russell Crowe) has been captured and it's up to a ragtag team to escort him a nearby city to get him on the prison train to Yuma.  Reluctant hero Dan Evans (Christian Bale) leads this unlikely and unlucky group while they try to slip past Wade's gang, war hungry Apache Indians, and other dangerous foes. — — All and all, 3:10 to Yuma was a solid action flick set in the wild old west.  The movie is smartly written and very well acted by the principle and the ensemble crew (including Peter Fonda, Alan Tudyk, and Luke Wilson).  In addition to all the expected gunfighting and horse chases, there's a good story line with Evan's character (a down on his luck homesteader and family man) and his son William (who resents his father and has wide eyed respect for Wade and his outlaw lifestyle).  Wade's character also has a lot of depth which comes out as the movie progresses. — — One thing that I appreciated very... Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:10:28 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/3-10-to-Yuma--135638-review-c9722 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/PlayStation-3-Assassins-Creed-review-960a5 Amongst the things that Assassin's Creed does really well: —... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:02:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/PlayStation-3-Assassins-Creed-review-960a5 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Bluebird-Chicago-IL-review-3c724 The Bluebird is a relatively new bar/restaurant in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. They have an deep beer list, specializing in unique import and microbrews, plenty of wines, and a creative food menu.  Owned by the folks behind Webster's Wine Bar, you get the sense they wanted to create a similar experience, but for beer lovers. — — I've been there a few times in the past month or so and really enjoyed my experiences. The main draw for me is the beer list, which features a lot of unique beers that you don't often find in bars. This list is heavy on Belgian imports, including many 750ml bottles, which you'll want to split with a friend. They also have quite a few smaller American microbrews; again you'll see brews that you don't see too often. — — Beyond the beer, they offer a pretty extensive wine and spirits list as well. I didn't look too much at the wine list, so I can't comment on that (nor do I have the expertise), but the scotch and bourbon... Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:49:11 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Bluebird-Chicago-IL-review-3c724 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sex-and-the-City-The-Complete-Series-review-24521 My wife and I just finished watching the complete Sex and the City series on DVD (via Netflix, of course). Sex and the City is an HBO television series that had a six season run from 1998 until 2004. It centered around Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), a 30something single woman living in New York City who writes a sex and relationship column in a weekly paper. Her three best friends Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) a Park Avenue WASP, Samatha Jones (Kim Cattrall) an energetic and sexually active PR agent, and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) a career focused lawyer are all main characters in the story. The show revolves around these four single women as they struggle through relationships, marriage (or lack of), children, careers, and identity. — — Overall, I'd say this series as a lot to offer for both men and women viewers. It's well written, funny, and has a balanced view of relationships. Obviously this show is focused on the female side of relationships, but... Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:27:49 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sex-and-the-City-The-Complete-Series-review-24521 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Johnsonville-Beer-Brats-review-bd681 I don't cook much at all, but come summertime I do like to try my hand at grilling.  Being a Midwesterner I love a good brat and my go to is the Johnsonville Beer Brat.  This brat has a mildly spicy flavor with a hint of beer and cooks up deliciously soft with a slightly tough skin.  You should be able to find these brats in your local grocer's frozen meats section. — — Since they come frozen, I like to simmer the brats in a good strong pilsner or IPA to impart even more beer flavor before grilling them.  You also don't want to throw a frozen brat on the grill!  BTW, "beer boiled brats" is a misnomer, you don't want to actually boil them, as you run the risk of exploding the skins.  Also you don't need to grill brats on the hottest settings for the same reason...you don't want to pop the skins...wait for your coals to ash over and turn often for a consistent brown on all sides of the sausage. — — I serve my brats butterflied on a... Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:02:31 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Johnsonville-Beer-Brats-review-bd681 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/PlayStation-3-Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-review-f2e31 Grand Theft Auto IV from Rockstar Games was just released for Playstation 3 and XBox 360.  I'm a huge fan of the GTA series, having previously played through the Vice City and San Andreas editions, and I knew I'd have to get this one as well.  The fact that I didn't own either console didn't deter me as I was sure it would be worth getting a new console for.  So I grabbed a PS3 and got started with a new life of crime in Liberty City. — — Like all the GTA games, you start in single player mode as a fresh young hood in a big bad city.  The objective is to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld by completing various missions including car jacking, drug dealing, extortion, street racing, assassinations, and the like.  Additionally, while the main story line is fairly linear, you have lots and lots of options for side activities and general undirected joy riding and raising mayhem on the streets of the fine city. — — In Grand... Tue, 13 May 2008 20:53:39 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/PlayStation-3-Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-review-f2e31 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Weber-One-Touch-Gold-22-5-Grill-review-f1e11 ... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:12:58 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Weber-One-Touch-Gold-22-5-Grill-review-f1e11 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Angels-and-Demons-review-d9ef2 ... Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:47:39 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Angels-and-Demons-review-d9ef2 kevin 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Avenue-Montaigne-Fauteuils-dOrchestre-review-24b53 ... Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:46:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Avenue-Montaigne-Fauteuils-dOrchestre-review-24b53 kevin 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Master-and-Margarita--148202-review-961d1 This is a crazy, surreal novel set in 1930s Stalinist Russia.  We're entertained as Satan and his crew of insane, violent henchmen terrorize Moscow and it's citizens, who are at the same time dealing with the injustices and hardships under the Soviet regime.  And it's also set in the time of Christ and Pontis Pilate.  Bulgakov weaves the narration between these two settings and delivers an amazingly engaging and very darkly humorous story. — — Some of the story is drawn from Bulgakov's own experiences as an artist who was marginalized by his own government.  He had problems getting this published during his lifetime and it wasn't actually released until the 1960s, and even then it was censored.  Ovbiously, the version that we are now reading is the full text and translated into English. — — This novel isn't going to be for everyone, but I was so enthralled that I've read it twice in the last six months.  It's a work of strange... Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:41:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Master-and-Margarita--148202-review-961d1 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Band-of-Brothers--148200-review-67480 Band of Brothers is Stephen Ambrose's history of "Easy" Company from D-Day until the fall of Germany.  In it he chronicles this paratrooper division through the major battles and campaigns that they participated in.  He draws from interviews with the actual surviving soldiers, war time letters to home, and historical sources to piece together what life was like for this unit of soldiers. — — I'd previously seen the Spielberg/Hanks HBO mini-series which was based on this book.  I have to say that while the book is extremely well written, the mini-series really drives home what these men endured.  Believe it or not, the book was a quicker read than watching the 10 disc mini-series.  The book is a great read and the mini-series wouldn't exist without the work that Ambrose did here, but given the choice I'd recommend watching the DVDs in order to get the full immersion in the... Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:26:47 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Band-of-Brothers--148200-review-67480 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Lewis-Thomas-Jefferson-and-the-Opening-of-the-American-West-review-d8583 This book tells the amazing history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition mainly through the vantage point of Meriwether Lewis, it's unique leader.  Ambrose leads us through the voyage with descriptive narration that is augmented by journal entries from Lewis's own diaries.  Ambrose also draws on correspondence from President Jefferson, the diaries of others on the trip, and many scholarly works.  Even though this is a history book, it isn't dry at all.  It almost reads like a story. — — What impressed me most was the descriptions of the American West at a time when it was pristine -- before the herds of bison were wiped out, before the Indians were decimated and reloacted, before interstates, highways, railroads, and survey lines dissected the unending beauty of the plains into 40 arce parcels.  It's a romantic vision which will never be recaptured except by the skill of the historian/author's pen.  Ambrose clearly has a passion for the history... Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:12:48 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Lewis-Thomas-Jefferson-and-the-Opening-of-the-American-West-review-d8583 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Bourne-Ultimatum-review-83473 ... Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:12:12 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Bourne-Ultimatum-review-83473 kevin 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Shooter-Widescreen-Edition-DVD-review-4aba3 Mark Wahlberg plays an ex-Army sniper in Shooter (2007).  Overall this was an interesting action flick (which I usually am not too into) with a fairly interesting plot.  Wahlberg put in a solid performance as Bob Lee Swagger, a US Army vet that just wants to be left alone, but gets embroiled in an assassination plot.  I didn't find the villans very convincing, but otherwise the plot and the main character's motivations were solid.  I'd recommend this film for anyone looking to be entertained for a few hours, but in the end there just isn't enough to it to justify a higher... Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:28:14 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Shooter-Widescreen-Edition-DVD-review-4aba3 kevin 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Skinny-Bitch-review-11c91 This book has been getting a lot of talk lately. I decided to check it out and borrowed a copy from a co-worker. Now, I'm not overweight or looking for a diet, but I have pretty bad eating habits, so I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about. — — In general, this book did not disappoint, but it's not stellar either. It's written in a rather clever, maybe even manipulative way, to draw you in and arrive at the authors' controversial dieting conclusion: vegan-ism. It's edgy, it's fun, it can be crass, but it DOES offer some healthy advice. — — But at the same time, I felt is was very manipulative. First, in the language that is uses and it's attitude towards people that don't eat and live their lives like the authors do. Second, and what really rubbed me more was the inconsistent use of logic. Finally, it presents emotional/moral arguments (against meat and dairy, etc) which dilutes factual information, and in my opinion weakens their case. — ... Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:58:18 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Skinny-Bitch-review-11c91 kevin 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/A-Love-Supreme-Deluxe-Edition-by-John-Coltrane-review-e42e2 Some passionate record collectors are also passionate about making lists of music. Suffice to say, I am not one of those, but if I were John Coltrane's A Love Supreme (released 1965) would quite easily make my top three albums of any genre, of all time, period. In my mind, this jazz album puts forth one of the most passionate, cohesive, and expressive musical visions ever. These four tracks combine Coltrane's powerful musical direction with his spiritual beliefs to create a musical, nay, artistic vision which stands with other great works of art at the pinnacle of human creative endeavors. — — A Love Supreme was recorded at the end of 1964 with Coltrane's "classic" quartet: McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass), Elvin Jones (drums), and of course Coltrane on tenor sax. This group had been playing together since 1962 and by this point were completely in musical sync; each able to augment, contrast, and fill in and around the other three players. — —... Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:47:53 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/A-Love-Supreme-Deluxe-Edition-by-John-Coltrane-review-e42e2 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Bistro-Vendome-Denver-CO-review-c94b1 For Valentine's Day this year, I flew out to Denver, where my wife has been consulting for her firm. Not knowing how my flight would be or how late she might have to work, we didn't have any firm dinner plans on Valentine's Day. *gasp* We ended up getting a late start on the evening, so when we stopped in at Bistro Vendome they were booked solid and couldn't get us in. *sigh* Not willing to let a good opportunity pass by though, I made reservations for Saturday night. It turns out that Bistro Vendome is in high demand (www.opentable.com showed it as one of the 5 most booked restaurants in Denver). — — Therefore on Saturday after having a few pre-dinner drinks across the street at Corridor 44 (see review here) we were finally off to Bistro Vendome. Located just off of Larimer square in downtown Denver, Bistro Vendome is accessed through an arcade and is situated on a small private square behind the main block. The restaurant has 4 main areas: the entrance, bar,... Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:16:18 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Bistro-Vendome-Denver-CO-review-c94b1 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Corridor-44-Denver-CO-review-50132 My wife and I just spent Valentine's weekend in Denver, where, luckily, we happened upon Corridor 44. Located in the hip Larimer Square area of downtown Denver, Corridor 44 is a small restaurant/bar specializing in champagnes (boasting over 50 varieties). We stopped in for a drink before our late dinner reservations across the street at Bistro Vendome (read my review here). — — Neither one of use is an expert in sparkling wines, so we were in luck when the menu featured 4 flights, allowing one to sample 3 different champagnes per flight. She chose Flights of France (themed with all French vintages) and I had one (less memorably named, since I've forgotten!) that featured rose varietals. This turned out to be quite a deal -- three nearly full glasses of champagne for roughly $14 per flight. We opted not to get any hors d'oeuvres since dinner was imminent, but the menu did look tasty. — — The decor was what I'd describe as modernized French...chandeliers,... Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:53:49 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Corridor-44-Denver-CO-review-50132 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/City-of-God-review-e17f3 "City of god" is a nickname that residents give the slum that they live in on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro. The movie, City of God (2002), tells the story of a group of boys growing up in the city of god in the 1970s. From childhood through young adulthood, we see the lives of the residents effected by the growing drug violence, finally culminating in a bloody street war. — — Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) upon whom this true story is based, is primarily a narrator who aspires to become a photographer and get out of the slum. Thus the story is told through his view point, but focuses upon the other kids who were lured into the drug gangs. Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino) and Bené (Phellipe Haagensen) are best friends who grow into gang warlords. Whereas Li'l Zé grows increasingly violent and becomes the main instigator in the drug wars, Bené wants a way out and longs for a peaceful hippie lifestyle. Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge -- American audiences... Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:14:11 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/City-of-God-review-e17f3 kevin 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Hells-Kitchen-review-3d8c1 ... Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:15:56 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Hells-Kitchen-review-3d8c1 kevin 3