Hollywood Hits K-Town: Source Code

Went to see the Source Code with a good friend of mine last night. I went into it thinking it would be an action packed movie similar to Deja Vu with Denzel Washington, but it really wasn't. It was actually pretty good and the ending definitely made the movie. 

It was similar to Vantage Point in that it was repetitive for the entire first part of the movie. Transporting into the train, reliving the same 8 minutes, over and over and over again. However the ending brought it all together and actually made it worth it. 

 If you haven't seen anything about the movie or are on the fence about going here is a synopsis from IMDB to help you decide. I liked it and so did my friend, I would say go see it if you have the money and are looking for an action flick other wise go rent it later on.

Here is the synopsis from IMDB:

Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes with a jolt to find himself on a commuter train heading into Chicago. Although the other passengers all seem to know him, he has absolutely no idea where, or even who he is. The last thing Colter remembers is flying a helicopter mission in Iraq, but here he is, in someone else's life going through someone else's morning commute. Before he can do anything, an express train zooms by on the opposite track and a bomb explodes, seemingly killing Colter and all the other passengers.

Colter comes to in an isolation chamber, strapped to a seat, and wearing his military flight suit. He still has no idea what's happening, except that he's being spoken to by mission controller Carol Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), who calmly recites a series of memory questions to which Colter is shocked to realize he knows the answers.

He learns that he's part of an operation called Beleaguered Castle, but before he can progress any further, Goodwin starts up the machinery and suddenlyColter is back on the train, at exactly the same time he first appeared there, once again speeding through Chicago with the same group of commuters.

Colter figures he's in some kind of simulation exercise, with his task being to find the bomber onboard the train before it goes off again. Living the explosion over and over, Colter must uncover the identity of the bomber, while also figuring out what the alternative universe of Beleaguered Castle is.

Adding to the puzzle, Colter uses the second chance opportunities to make peace with his father, and to find romance with a fellow passenger on the train. 

 Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan both did a decent job playing their parts in the movie. Neither will be nominated for any awards or anything for their roles but they did not take away from the movie which is always important. Gyllenhaal's character acting shocked and confused in the first third of the movie seemed too forced and too fake to me at some points is the only complaint I have on him.

For me the star of the movie was Vera Farmiga. Ever since Up in the Air with George Clooney, I have really appreciated her acting ability more and more. Sure she isn't the Jessica's and Jen's of the Hollywood world but she is a solid actor and I am looking forward to the next movie she is in that I happen to stumble across.

Ayers Hall. The most iconic building at my university. The place I am getting my college education. That place 20 minutes down the road where I spend my days and most my evenings trying to figure out what it is that I want to do with my life. My university, the University of Tennessee. 

It gets a bad reputation for being too big, too urban by the local kids. I find it funny because UT is not an actual big school. Ohio St has 68000, South Florida 49000, etc. But anyway thats not the point. I have noticed lately just how nice the University is. We aren't Harvard...

no we don't have the historical significance or the brain power for that. We aren't Yale...

With its old school European look. 

We are however not a urban school with no green spaces and no nice looking buildings like some people like to claim. Take a look at this small sampling of my fair school...

Humanities plaza

Humanities Amphitheater 

The Hill sign and lawn

The Torchbearer and Circle Park

McClung Tower and Humanities 

Haslam Business Building

Melrose Hall

Yes my university has its own unique sense of style. Its not the greatest but it most definitely isn't ugly. Take a minute next time your on campus in the early fall or late spring, when the flowers are in bloom and the trees full. Take a look around and just notice it. 

To me however the most Beautiful scene on campus will always be...

Hollywood Hits K-Town: Lincoln Lawyer

Matthew McConaughey, shirt on about oh I don't know 10% of a standard movie staring him? I'd say that's close to accurate. However when I saw the preview for this movie I was very interested to watch it because its not a surfer Rom-com.

McConaughey definitely has made strides in his acting ability or has been in the wrong movies all along because I definitely loved this movie. And as an added bonus the shirt only came off once, for about 2 minutes in a 1 hour 58 minute movie.

Here is the synopsis excerpt from IMDB:

L.A. criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller signs on to defend slick, suave playboy real estate agent Louis Roulet. Roulet has been charged with assault, and his overbearing mother will do anything to clear the son's name. Cost is no issue - Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. Digging into the case, Mickey and P.I. Raul Levin reveal a blacker picture of Roulet's personality and evidence of a sinister past. Another sudden death and new links to a notorious double-homicide, make Mickey question if he's finally in over his head. His pursuit becomes a question of morality and a even a question of his own mortality.

The lawyer has spent all his professional life afraid that he wouldn't recognize innocence if it stood right in front of him. What he should have been on the watch for was evil, evil as pure as a flame.

The setting here is the lawyers mobile "office" (back seat of a Lincoln towncar) involving actual events and locations in L.A. This story emerged and grew after author Connelly once met a real-life "back seat" lawyer. 

 

The story line does have one major downfall in there is a huge hole in the plot that doesn't get explained but its definitely really good and worth seeing at some point in my opinion. Don't read next paragraph if you don't want to know.

The whole basis of the movie never would have happened if Ryan Phillippe's character never would have hired McConaughey's. It is never logically explained why he did and if you can overlook that then it makes for an awesome ride. 

I really enjoyed the look into the justice system and how it "works" in real life. I loved the supporting cast of William H. Macy, Francis Fisher, Josh Lucas and  Marisa Tomei.

It does bring into light how corrupt is the justice system? Do Plea bargains really belong in it? Should lawyer-client confidentiality really exist in situations where a repeat murder admits his crime and that an innocent is in jail because of it?

Warning: Language and Violence, one minor Sexual scene.

I love history, Nashville a great place to get it

I absolutely appreciate the value of history on life today. History has a habit of repeating itself and it is so interesting to me to see it accomplish just that. 

Sometimes I feel as if I could get through life with out a job and just go see everything historical in the world I would absolutely do it in a heart beat. Unfortunately we cannot do that in this world. 

So instead I decided to get my fill on history by taking a day trip to Nashville last week. "Nashville you say? There is only recording studios and crappy sports teams in Nashville." Well you couldn't be more wrong. 

Nashville is the site that President Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, decided to make his home. The Hermitage is approximately 190 years old and is still in immaculate condition. With audio tours in hand we (My two best friends and I) toured the grounds of this historical site.

Guided through the mansion with tour guides dressed in period clothing, we dived into the world of the Jackson's and I for one emerged with an even greater sense of the importance of preserving history. Walking the grounds of the plantation, seeing the slave quarters archeological sites, the fields and cemetery were all very informative of the way people lived in the 1800's. 

But the day didn't stop there. We drove on into downtown Nashville and took a tour of the state capitol building as well. Completed in 1859, the building's staff have done an excellent job maintaining the structure while keeping up with the ever growing world of technology. 

Walking through the corridors that connect the House and Senate chambers, one can view portraits of the various individuals who have not only impacted the state, but Tennesseans who have impacted the country as well. The very informative tour provided me, a huge politics fan, with a great afternoon in seeing the place where governing actually happens. 

Late afternoon gave way to a walk around bicentennial park and learning the history of the state through various statues and monuments laid through out it.

I highly recommend anyone who wants to know more about the state of the Tennessee to definitely visit the capitol grounds and take advantage of the knowledgeable staff on hand there. For those interested in Presidential history, the Hermitage is definitely one of the top 5 presidential homes maintained for tour groups today.

Who am I? Why am I blogging?

Interesting questions, and valid ones at that.

I am a student at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Lived in Knoxville all my life, but absolutely love to travel outside of it. Studying sports journalism and am a huge fan of the Tennessee Volunteers. 

I love spending time with my friends and really enjoy going on trips, going to movies or just hanging out with them as much as possible. I have a new found interest in cooking and am always looking for new recipes (feel free to share). 

Most importantly to me, I am a christian and Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

So that is a little about me. Why am I blogging? 

Well that is a little more complicated. As a journalism major I have been exposed to all the various forms of media available in the world today. As a soon to be journalist (hopefully) I have to be unbiased in my work, and a blog appears to be the best way for me to share my opinions while when being published by legitimate sources I cannot. 

So through this blog you will hear my opinions on various aspects of life, in the sporting world and much more. You will also get  a chance to hear about what's going on in my life and hopefully get to know me better. 

Thanks for reading, and would love to have you stop by regularly.