Ghost Town – A Critical Movie Review of a Movie That Does Not Suck

Gadabout hadn’t heard much about Ghost Town before its release – not even a preview. We are treated to at least five previews each and every time cough up $20 for a big screen visit, and since I’ve never viewed one I have to guess it is because it didn’t need one. Ghost Town stands on its own and will be acclaimed for its lasting impression of living and learning in our narcissistic 21st century.

The film strikes at the heart with the force of the Holy Sacraments, yet is overtly secular. There is no mention of God (well maybe just a little near the end and it was surprising to take it in), there are no churches, or high priests and certainly no Jesus. There may be an absence of religion on screen, but the power of something greater than individualism ignites your spirit.

Ricky Gervais (A Night at the Museum) and Greg Kinnear take us on journey of love, discovery and altruism that is frightfully believable despite the presence of ghostly beings living amongst us. Gervais plays Doctor Bertram Pincus, DDS, whose near death experience leaves him with the unfortunate ability to commune with the dead. He is an unlikeable character detested for his treatment of others. The screenplay might be simplistic, and liberties taken to form plot turns, but the story never leaves us in play or tease us as easy marks. You will laugh out loud at least 10 times and you won’t be embarrassed to do so. But beware that even the strongest will feel the pressure to resist tears. When a movie can toss our emotions at will, tell a story of faith and redemption, and motivate us to live better and richer lives – then that film is a success. Ghost Town is that movie.

The critics haven’t published quite yet, and if they come in at C+ don’t listen to those elitists with an agenda. Listen instead to Gadabout the Titan. And one final word: men should not see this film with other men because it is too dangerous to hold back a misty eye in front of another. Fathers MUST NOT bring their sons!

Barack Obama meets Thomas Merton

“It is true, political problems are not solved by love and mercy. But the world of politics is not the only world, and unless political decisions rest on a foundation of something better and higher than politics, they can never do any real good for men. When a country has to be rebuilt after war, the passions and energies of war are no longer enough. There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build, and the will to forgive. The will for reconciliation.” - From Introductions East & West. The Foreign Prefaces of Thomas Merton

“A Responsible, Phased Withdrawal
Barack Obama believes we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.

Under the Obama plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. He will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism.” From Barack Obama’s Homepage

Gadabout Jack does not sense an auspicious beginning and lasting relationship for our world’s newest democracy in Candidate Obama’s plan for the future. It is harsh and stale, and lacking the awareness that matters of war and peace cannot be determined from the eyes of destruction then abandonment. Perhaps the strategy should be of continued support, rebuilding and of peace.

Palin is Unfit for Duty -- just ask a democrat

News Flash -- Pelosi is unfit too!

Let me get this straight: Nancy Pelosi has five children and seven grand children and is considered fit and ready to lead the House of Representatives, but Sarah Palin is labeled a “freak” for abandoning maternal responsibilities? Really? Now that is interesting.

“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Matthew 7:2

“Knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.” – Mark 15:10

Gadabout believes it is about making judgments of others and envy that drive these sharp criticisms of VP Sarah Palin, and that those making these statements are surely going to hell. It is all about securing power for the left, regardless of Palin’s obvious popularity, that promotes such slander and ridicule. Seemingly neutral female individuals have found it quite comfortable to judge negatively based upon family values. Where are the feminists? If political party labels were redacted, would such vandalism of character continue? I think not. Unfortunately, Gadabout is but a mere male, and his words matter little in these matters of Devine Femininity.

Take heed that such negativism is not merely words; no, it is a sin and hell awaits.

The Greatest Play In Baseball - Rick Monday Saves U.S. Flag

Gadabout was recently forwarded this video from a close friend and I would like to take this opportunity to address the often neglected and tainted concepts of patriotism, citizenship and allegiance to moral standards. If you are at the office reading this, then you most likely will be blocked from watching the YouTube video I’ve posted above. In that case, go up Gadabout at home and watch it. The video is of Chicago Cub’s center fielder, Rick Monday, as he rescues the American Flag while playing at Dodger Stadium from a couple of punks in 1976 trying to set it afire. It is a mostly forgotten incident, but every time I view the clip I feel that swell of patriotism from hidden reaches deep inside that reminds me and reinforces the importance of doing the right thing whenever and wherever circumstances dictate.

Like most everyday citizens, I have passed such opportunities and learned life’s lessons the hard way – by turning a blind eye, realizing a mistake and vowing to be a better person henceforth. By the time we reach our teens, most of us know the difference between right and wrong and formulate moral fiber by our actions as we move through life. In 1972, Rick Monday made the right decision, and in those few moments captured on film we are offered a lasting gift; a lesson on patriotism and of right and wrong.

Once you watch the Rick Monday video and feel the pride of country (if you don’t feel it, then you are a lost cause), reminisce of how you felt when you watched Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, last night at the RNC convention. It has been a while since I felt truly proud to be an American. (And Gadabout is a 25 year navy veteran). I bathed in the feeling. It was comforting. It was welcomed. I was not expecting it, but Sarah Palin, out of center field, inspired me to “Man-up” and be proud of our beloved country. Thank you, Ms Vice President.

Capoeira Fighter Isn't So Tough

Well, he never listened to mum.

Wanderings Without a Cell Phone

Canada: it is a large country north of the USA -- really!

Gadabout is battling withdrawal from his cell phone. I didn’t lose the phone, nor did I fail to plan cell details before trekking off on my most recent peregrination into the northern environs of Parry Sound, Ontario. No, I changed my service plan with Verizon well in advance, but after crossing the pitiful border onto Canadian soil the phone just F%$#ing quit working. The Network, My Network, the dude on TV and all of his pals dumped my ass at the border crossing and have not caught up yet. Cell phones suck. Verizon sucks.

Sure, I was searched at the boarder too. It seems that vacationing balding middle aged men poise a serious threat to national security. “Anything to declare?” asks the punk kid with a silly looking uniform. “No,” I reply. “Fine, pull over there,” as he points a pale finger at the inspection station, “and talk to them.” The little shit even simled.

This is Canada, the fifty-first State, our pals to the north. No cell phones, eh? No balding retired naval officers allowed, eh? But you’ll take my cash, right? Eh. Well at least the women are hot, and the beer is cold. Eh? I vote to make Canada a state of the US of A -- stuff might start working up here.

Dear Gadabout Jack -- Olympics

Dear Gadabout Jack, I have a new idea for you to wax about:

Like many Americans, I found myself caught up in the Olympics for the first week. Now that the Michael Phelps show is over, I kind of feel like Tucker Max did when he was no longer the center of attention with his breathalyzer. I believe that what we need to do as a nation now is to collect a bunch of money, commission some artist, and produce a very large statue (Think Colossus) of Michael Phelps celebrating victory. Then in a gesture of friendship we need to deliver and install this statue in the middle of Beijing. It would eventually become the Chinese version of our statue of Liberty, only classier, because it's not French!
That's my 2 bits!

Sincerely and most respectfully,
Buzz Cut

Dear Buzz,
Your true genius is exceeded only by your articulate and enthusiastic imagination. Bravo to you and your originality. This “offering” to the Red Communists would succeed on many levels. First, how could they possibly not accept a gift from their favored investment company? They pretty much own us in the sense that we have leveraged our entire future on their filthy cash tainted by forced labor and polluting factories.

Hey, we’ll most likely have to manufacture the statue on Chinese soil because it will take an excessive amount of time to pull permits, secure safe materials, allow for woman and minority owned small businesses to bid on the government contract, etc. They make it, we pay for it, and they clear an insignificant village to erect and display it. We call that a “win-win.”

Maybe we could slip a bronze copy of Tucker’s book into Phelps' back pocket to confuse communist party leadership. “Who is Tucker Max?” they will chant in unison. So long as he is not a Founding Father, they might just let it pass.

Who is Tucker Max? Well, who is John Galt?

NTSB Aircraft Mishap Report – Pilot (John Edwards) Error, Aircraft Departed Controlled Flight and Impacted Terrain

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” – Sir Walter Scott

It’s not really a news worthy event when a high profile politician is cornered for excessive liberties, nor is it unusual for such a wounded soul to pull out the deception tool for damage control. Ex Presidential hopeful and one time Senator from the Carolinas is human, and humans are not incapable of fault. What is news worthy is that Edwards, the hardened supporter of liberal causes, has seemed to crack under the pressures of his actions. Edwards was a favored child of the left and was trusted to assume the highest office of the land, and cracking under pressure is not allowed. Cracking is unacceptable.

President Clinton successfully navigated hostile waters during the Monica months by looking directly into cameras and challenging the world to a fist fight. You may not respect the man and his moral fiber, but you have to respect his ability to bluff at a high stakes poker table. Clinton showed strength. Not moral strength, but strength nonetheless. Edwards cracked.

Presidents are not allowed to crack. They become tarnished and marred, but they don’t break. Bush the 2nd is worn and battle torn and continues to stand tall. Presidents take risks and make decisions that are never accepted by all, and after years of decision making odds are that they’ll create ire with the broad population over time. Edwards’ behavior uncovers the nasty truth that he didn’t have “the right stuff” after all. That’s the rub – those who supported him are confronted with the reality that “they” were wrong all along. His followers were bamboozled, and that realization hurts. Ouch! They got a swift boat kick to the gut kind of an ouch.

John Edwards was a pretty good pilot, trained by the best and was given the keys to the finest aircraft ever built. He fearlessly taunted thunderstorms with skill and grace for years. He has landed limping aircraft on rough runways and always walked away sans a scratch – until today. Today, John Edwards lost control and the aircraft departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain. Cause of accident: Pilot Error.

Screw The Olympics

Gadabout would like to address the Olympics, but first he needs to talk about himself. Currently, Gadabout is in sunny Winter Haven, Florida, flying the mighty Twin Bee multiengine amphibious aircraft of world fame. The photo above is of the actual aircraft being operated daily from the shores of Brown’s Seaplane Base. It takes commanding skills to safely and effectively fly one of these beauties, and Gadabout is excelling on all fronts. God gave us wings to fly. God gave us the gift of anger if we fail the check ride. Think about that.

Okay, the Olympics. All the usual medal counts and pageantry (expect those million or so drummers on opening night – Sort of scared the crap out of me!), but something seems to be missing. Cannot quite put a finger on it. It’s almost like every event I watch is a partial event. Like the end a swimming race that pops up on the news channel. And then there is the President patting everyone on the back, or talking smack about human rights. How about those prissy bikers wearing the black masks through the airport making a “statement.” What was that all about, anyway?


Long Jump -- Yawn!

We need new competitive venues for the games. Long Jump? Okay, that sucks. A dude runs as fast as he can and leaps forth into the fray of the sand pit. Pole vaulting is still cool because they utilize a medieval jousting rod and fling themselves into the heavens. Pole vaulting can stay, but the long jump can walk out the back door and we’ll kick it closed behind them.

The Olympics suck. We need gladiators kicking some serious ass using weapons and shields, who use pole-vaulting equipment to scale walls to proceed to the archery zone to pony up arrows to claim Chinese drummers. The reward? Not only do they receive a medal for surviving, they are offered a hottie gymnastic chick for the week to be used as a hero sees fit. Screw the Olympics.

The Hottest Robot Chicks

Gadabout's favorite Android Chick...meet Rachael AKA Sean Young

After Gadabout finished watching Cherry 2000 on DVD a couple weeks back, he got to thinking about all the hot android chicks created throughout history and how cool it will be once civilization achieves full rate production of these beauties. If you haven’t seen Pamela Gridley (Model Cherry 2000) in her thought provoking role, then I recommend you stop by Blockbusters on the way home from the office and pick up a copy. No worries, God would approve.

Cherry 2000 AKA Pamela Gridley

Sean Young and Daryl Hannah played Rachael and Pris respectively on Blade Runner...Very Nice, indeed! Replicants Rule!

Pris AKA Daryl Hannah

The Stepford Wives had Katharine Ross in the 1975 version and Nicole Kidman in the 2004 remake. Hard to beat that line-up.

Katharine Ross AKA Stepford Wife


Nicole Kidman AKA upgraded Stepford Wive

Alice Krige played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact…Disturbing, yet there was something there.

Alice Krige AKA Borg Queen

Seven of Nine was a Borg played by the not unattractive Jeri Ryan and holds a special place in Gadabout’s heart – even if she is not a “true” robot.

Jeri Ryan AKA Seven of Nine

Anyway, the day will come where compliant and sexy Android Chicks will walk the face of the earth, created by sapient scientists, dedicated to the betterment of mankind.