Blade Runner 2049

This is the 2nd movie I've seen this year that I think should get an Oscar nomination for best picture.  The acting is great, the visuals are amazing, and the story is completely new and interesting.  If you haven't seen the first Blade Runner I recommend seeing it first, but you can follow this movie without seeing the first movie.  The movie takes place in a world on the edge of war and questions what it means to be human.  Unlike most movies that deal with the idea of artificial intelligence, this one asks the question if a robot can have a soul.  The movie is a thriller, mystery, and noir. 

How To Ask Questions

American journalism is dead.  Have you ever watch a news conference or watched an interview on tv and noticed how the journalist doesn't ask open-ended question.  Instead they all ask leading open-ended questions.  

An open-ended question is a question that starts with who, what, where, when, why, how, or tell me.  Those questions will get the person you are interviewing to give you answers that aren't just yes or no. An example is "What do you think is the best solution in dealing with gun violence?"  This questions invites the person being interviewed to give their opinion and a full answer.

Closed-ended questions start with words like Do, Can, Is, There, Don't, Aren't, and other words that allow the person you are interviewing to answer with just a yes or no.   An example is "Do you support stricter gun laws?"  Here this assumes only two options.  The person being interviewed could just answer yes or no and not have to say anything further.

What a lot of journalists do today is ask a leading question that is closed-ended.  An example is "Consider all the gin violence, the amount of guns in citizens hands, and the fact of how dangerous guns are don't you agree we need more reasonable gun control?"  Again this question is only asking the person who is being interviewed to answer yes or no, but also it is really just the bias opinion of the journalists.

As a salesperson I find it funny how jouralinsts only ask closed-ended.  As a salesperson we are trained to ask open-ended questions and only use a closed-ended question when you are closing a sale.  But when learning about your customer you always ask open-ended questions.  In reality journalists need to go to sales training and learn how to do their jobs better.

Gerald's Game

This is a great psychological thriller that works on many levels.  You really feel for our heroine and you suffer with her.   And you assume it is going to just be her the entire movie, but instead since we see her mind at work there are a lot of interactions with other people.  There is also a surprise ending that doesn't change the whole movie, but it will give you chills. 

Before Midnight

So I really enjoyed the chemistry of our two stars from Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, but I will say in this movie it wasn't as lighthearted.  It seemed to me to be a bit more heavy and instead of a romance it felt like the ending of a romance.   But before it ends we are rewarded and we get a good ending.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two movies, it was still enjoyable.

How Liberals and Conservatives Protest

This issue with taking a knee during the National Anthem isn't about taking a knee in general, it's about doing it against the flag and the anthem.   And thanks to the 1st amendment people have a right to do it legally.  But is it morally right and does it accomplish the goals of the protest?  I'm with you taking a knee to end racism, injustice, and inequality.  Let's take two knees and pray together.  But i can't support taking a knee during the National Anthem.  

When the TEA Party protests were going on during the first Obamacare debates, Conservatives didn't see the need to protest the flag.  That is the difference between conservatives and liberals.  When liberals don't like the actions of the government or politicians they burn or protest the flag and nation as a whole.   When Conservatives don't like the actions of the government or politicians they protest the government and those politicians, while waving the flag and showing love for their nation. 

And look at the results.  The TEA Party movement won control of the House and Senate.  And that same movement helped get Donald Trump elected.  You can dislike the actions of your government and politicians be it federal, state, or local and still love, honor, and respect your flag, anthem, and country.

I Stand for the Flag

My view is that while everyone has the right to free speech and expression, the National Anthem isn't the time or place.  During the anthem we should all be untied as Americans on what is good about us, not divide because of our faults. 

I was okay with what the Dallas Cowboys did on Monday Night Football.  Before the anthem they linked arms and took a knee to show unity.  But then for the actual anthem they stood together and many even held the flag for the National Anthem.  They made their statement while also showing respect for the Flag and the National Anthem.  And while I was okay with it was a compromise, I'd prefer to keep politics out of football and sports in general.  Sports should be a place to get away from politics.   

My issue with the protest itself is first with the guy who started it.  He really didn't have a coherent message except something about inequality and injustice.  But then supports dictators like Castro and Che Chavez.   He wears socks with pigs in cops uniforms.  And then doesn't even vote.  He isn't a role model.

Then you listen to these players who are taking a knee and they are all over the place.  Some are just supporting Kaperneck, some saying it is against racism, others about unity, and still others it is just about how they hate Trump. And I've yet to hear anyone offer any solutions, heard about any NFL organization that has been started, or seen any reports of players going to local police to find out how they can help.

The problem is their message is getting overshadowed by the fact that people are offended at their actions.  Football, the flag, and our National Anthem should be something that unites us all, not something used for political division.

If the NFL wants to continue down this path, then I can't follow.   Football is entertainment, but if it no longer fun for me I can find other ways to spend my entertainment dollars and time.  For me standing for the flag is a make or break issue.   Those that choose to not stand for the flag I wish you well, but as for me I stand for the flag.

American Assassin

If you liked the movie Jack Ryan:  Shadow Recruit you will like this movie.  It is your basic spy movie with lots of fighting, guns, and killing.  It is based on the Vince Flynn book and while not the same as the book it is in the same spirit.  Michael Keaton plays the old trainer who teaches our hero Mitch Rapp.  Keaton was a great pick.  Who is better to train a top American Assassin than Batman.  There are a lot of Rapp books by Flynn, so I hope we get more.

Mother!

This is not a horror movie, so don't go into it thinking you are getting a horror.  It is a strange movie with a lot of symbolism. There is some good acting, but overall the movie is just weird.  It is more concerned with symbolism than just telling an interesting story.

SPOILER ALERT. The symbolism in this movie is biblical.  And the story is basically about God and Mother nature.  It is about how we are killing the earth and how God is selfish wanting love of people instead of just the love of the earth.  It tells the story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, and even Jesus being born, sacrificed, and then we eating Jesus body and blood.

Wind River

This is one of those good mystery thriller movies.  They mystery and how the story revolves around a community reminds me of Gone Baby Gone.  There is emotion and pain.  There is people who connect and others that are punished.  At the end you are at peace even if you are sad for tragedy.  Overall a very good movie, that moves along, allows good people to be good, and bad to be bad.  Jeremy Reiner gives one of best performances and I could see an Oscar nod. 

It

Was It scary?  Yes.  Was It gory?  Kinda.  Was It good?  Defiantly.  It is scary, but it is strange scary.  There are so many different nightmares.  Sometimes you know where the scare is coming and sometimes you don't.   And so much of it us done in the light, instead of complete darkness.  The kids all do a very good job and the guy who plays Pennywise gives a performance that I would say is Oscar worthy.  It is one of the best Stephen King movies and might be his best scary movie (The Shawshank Redemption is his best movie). It feels like a mash up of The Shining, Stranger Things, and A Nightmare on Elm Street.  I don't usually want to see a scary movie twice, but this is one that might want to see again to see what I missed.