Adam

Julie & Julia
$28.96
One reviewer was lamenting the non-inclusion of extra features with the standard release of this film. I'm just wondering where she read this information. Can anyone direct me,please? Thanks.

John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
$59.99
Though most people may be drawn to this HBO miniseries for its look at the founding fathers and events of our nation in the early years of existence, I would like to add another reason (well, two actually): the gritty realism that the period is portrayed in, and the incredible acting that really brings the characters to life.

Now, don't get me wrong...this series is indeed a fascinating look at the formative years of the United States of America through the prism of John Adams' existence. Though those events now take on an air of legend, viewers will quickly take pleasure in seeing the events not portrayed as overly epic (unless they actually were!) but as the real-life struggles of some pioneer thinkers.

However, what continues to stick in my mind after viewing the entire series is how "real" the entire experience seemed. From the macro level (like the general living conditions and attitudes towards women/slavery) to the micro level (the crude nature of medicine and the sound of flies that can be heard buzzing in almost every scene), it felt as if I really had been transported to that time period.

Also not to be overlooked is the incredible acting throughout the series. Paul Giammatti (Adams) is one of the most underrated character actors of the modern day, and yet he is matched word for word by Laura Linney (Abigail Adams). The actors portraying such characters as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington are even able to bring forth the traits of the real-life luminaries they are portraying.

Thus, I would recommend this seven-part miniseries to pretty much any viewer who has any interest in historical topics whatsoever. Experts on the period will enjoy the realism of the series, while more casual viewers will just be transported away to a life that, while difficult, produced men and women that turned the U.S. into a nation to be reckoned with.

(500) Days of Summer
$29.98
This is one of the best movies of 2009 - a real sleeper. The acting is great and the storyline is unusual. Recommended for anyone who thinks they have found "the one". Get the soundtrack as well.

Adam (Dekker Thriller)
$15.99
Let me start off by adding that I am a fan of Dekker's writing. I appreciate his ability to convey a spiritual and moral message without be overly "preachy" or "in your face". However, I have learned by reading his work that he can be quite hit and miss and can commonly suffer from mismatched plot and conclusion combinations.

The strength of "Adam" lies in the journey and not the destination. Dekker utilizes a common writing technique of simultaneously unfolding two interrelated plots that are separated by time. In the present, the reader follows Daniel, his ex-wife Heather, and the FBI as they hunt and chase a maniacal serial murderer they refer to as Eve. All the while, Dekker provides us with an insight into the development of the Eve killer through a series of excerpts from a fictional crime magazine. He flows between the two settings quite successfully and effortlessly. Ultimately I became engrossed in discovering where these plots would lead and how they would ultimately collide with one another.

I found Dekker's description of the effects of Daniel's brush with death and the subsequent attempts to recreate this near death experience in order to uncover Eve's identity quite intriguing, despite being pure fictional conjecture.

While I found the plot to be highly involving, Dekker regrettable trips at the finish line. Where he normally reveals some profound spiritual truth, it is difficult to pinpoint Dekker's message here. Dekker takes a dramatic turn from serial killer to demonic possession and exorcism. While I do not mind his dabbling in the supernatural (he has in previous novels as well), here it just seems like a convenient explanation for the evil in the novel. There also appears to be some confusing and convuluted connection to Adam and Eve and the fall of man but this falls drastically short of logical. Ultimately, the novel ends abruptly, leaving a lot of unsolved questions as to how the pieces of the tale fit together and even more questions as to how everything is resolved (or if it is resolved).

Please do not get me wrong. Ted Dekker is an incredibly talented writer and there were many pros to this body of work of his. I enjoyed the experience despite a couple of chapters of disappointment. If you are already a fan of his work then this should join your collection for sure. If you are looking for an introduction to Dekker, this may not be the right choice. While far from his worst, this is certainly not his best. I highly recommend "Blink" or "Thr3e" to truly demonstrate how talented this man is when he takes his time and thinks things through properly.