Edwards Design Solutions

Personally, I like Christmas. I don’t like the commercialization of what is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus being born. It was the beginning of the entire process of the redemption of mankind. Then a few thousand years later, the big-box stores and mega-corps have taken the gift-giving idea to all new heights of insanity.

How many people in the free world (or is it really just the USA?) save up piles of cash and credit card space for the Christmas season, then work the whole first quarter of the new year to recover from the debt incurred? What about the brainwashing of society’s children, to buy the latest-and-greatest junk because the commercials make it look really cool? Parents are pressured into keeping the kids happy. Men alone have it even worse, because they also have to keep their spouse happy! But what about those of us who may have a spouse that really does want something nice for the holidays, but you better stay on a budget buddy…..or the whole thing will be snafu-ed? Not that I am in that situation….

There are a few simple guidelines for the haggard husband, that are very easy to follow:

1. Don’t buy an appliance unless it is EXPRESSLY asked for!
2. Don’t buy clothing (what are you, stupid!?)
3. Don’t buy something you really want and try to pass it off as something for her.
4. DO take the time to shop for a bargain (they tend to check the credit card statements)

Jewelry can be a nice buy, as an accessory, that doesn’t have any hidden meaning to it. Now, women can over-analyze and read between lines to find innuendo that men NEVER had an inkling or agenda to infer. What I mean is, don’t go buying a dress that is accidentally too small. She might think you are inferring that she’s overweight, even if you simply made a mistake! Too bad for you. The point is, you will find yourself in the proverbial “doghouse” faster than you can say I’m sorry. Nothing you will try to say or do will matter after that. Take a look at the following clip to see what I mean.

The Doghouse

PG (for some mild action and peril) – 1hr. 36min.

I had no idea that 3-D could look soooo good! At least for me, the effects of the CG-Anime in this new 3-D format out-shined the story. The cast of voices were excellent and the entire premise of a TV star canine believing that his own exploits were real….astounding! It came as no surprise to me that John Lasseter (Pixar) was the executive producer on another good showing from Disney. When it comes to Lasseter, can he do no wrong? I also recently saw the direct-to-DVD Disney production of the much awaited, and nearly never released, Tinker Bell movie which he was also involved in salvaging.

Bolt (John Travolta) is the epitome of “ignorance is bliss” until his human Penny (Miley Cyrus) is “kidnapped”. With the help of an alley-cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and a hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton), Bolt has to make his way to Hollywood from New York City. Along the way, he learns to be an ordinary dog when his super-powers stop working and he realizes that he’s just like every other animal.

The trailer is here! I felt ripped-off when I was promised this trailer in the previews of the Quantum of Solace and it wasn’t delivered. It didn’t take away from that movie though. I did see this trailer last night during Fringe though. It is now available in many formats, by going to StarTrekMovie.com but I have a medium version available for viewing right here!

Well I have my picks and I have my reasons. I get so tired of stuffed shirts, that call themselves critics, but have no talent whatsoever of their own. That’s why they’re critics! It usually boils down to either jealousy of someone else’s talent or attempting to make up for one’s own shortcomings.

I feel that anything, if it truly should be judged, ought to be judged fairly by its peers. The judging should have required parameters and specifications to be met, even if only in the slightest. So reading or watching a movie critic, who is not involved in the movie making industry, criticize someone’s work is ridiculous if you ask me.

Now if you want make some form of opinion based on loose criteria, I’m OK with that. Which is really all that I do. I like to think that I enjoy a movie because it kept me interested in following the story to its conclusion. Or maybe it just made me feel something that I was not expecting. What about a movie that just lives up to the hype or preconceived expectations of its genre? This post will cover my slant on the “Best Films of 2008″, including The Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace and WALL-E. Continue reading »

I am somewhat of a die hard Trekkie and I have either hoped that the series would be put to rest or reinstated, not reinvented. Unfortunately, reinvention seems to be unavoidable and it has made it hard for me to easily accept the changes that have come. I remember the first two movies of the OST crew and I was impressed but bored with the Motion Picture. I remain a fanatic for the Wrath Of Khan.

I started to see the Alpha of the Omega, in the Genesis of the Search for Spock. I got lost somewhere during the Voyage Home. I had hoped that the Final Frontier really would be the final movie, I was wrong. I found portions of the Undiscovered Country to be new territory, but not completely acceptable. Everyone may have thought that the ship and crew had been retired, nope.

I remember the early reports and look-and-feel of the Next Generation series – I wasn’t happy. I remember that the technology of the show was good, with the exception of the quite cheezy “Warp Effects”. Sets and equipment was good. Character creation and story lines were OK, at first. Then DS9 came along and ruined everything. I saw a glimmer of hope with Cpt. Janeway and the Voyager crew, but that was short lived in my opinion. Continue reading »

Well, put the sexual innuendo and the small amount of language aside and you have a great movie. This film reminds me of when it was fun to watch the quick quips and come-backs of the likes of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday). The screen is lit up by the exchanges of Renée Zellweger as the fiery and platinum-blonde reporter-turned-hero-wrecker, and George Clooney as the aging pro-footballer-turned-promoter. Their chemistry is truely electric and this film would have been a waste of celluloid if any other couple had been cast.

The other bit of greatness this film brings, is the realization of no matter how much times and circumstances change, there are still those few unalterable truths that can make you laugh, cry and ponder the similarities you see in your own little universe. The changes to the game, during that time of the mid to late 1920′s, were immense. The adoption of rules (not necessarily good for the sport) and the addition of a Commissioner were just the beginning of what American pro football is today.

PG-13(for brief strong language) – 1hr. 54min.

Continue reading »