Annapolis

Our Century: U.S. Naval Academy: 150 Years in Annapolis
$29.95
A vivid and enthralling picture of the Naval Academy from its inception through the rocky years of the Civil War, the two world wars, Korea and Vietnam, to the end of the twentieth century. Worth every penny as a look back on how our nation has survived and prospered due to the valiant naval leaders who have protected the United States in war and peace.

Annapolis
$9.99
This book traces an seafaring family, the Staffords, from its start in Annapolis, Maryland during the 18th century to the modern day. Their lives intertwine with US history. Those who enjoy historical novels may enjoy this. Here are a couple of thoughts that came to me as I read the book:
- Gradual loss of family influence as the government grows, a triumph of bureaucracy over individual action. In the beginning, the early Staffords had the President's ear and directly influenced great historical events, but by end, individual action consists of a leaking information to the press to influence Vietnam policy.
- A recurring phrase: Honor is a slippery thing.

Flyboys (Widescreen Edition)
$14.98
The Prince of Noirs, being only 9 years old, is in love with the notion of war. It is all so heroic and exciting when you don't fully comprehend the finality of death. However, as I am a doting mother I indulge the Prince but not without a lot of editorial comment ("I bet their mamas are crying for them"..."even German mamas loved their boys"..."I sure hope there's no war when you grow up"...etc etc). This movie, Flyboys, was about perfect for our Saturday Night Viewing needs. The story line was very simple, there was a sweet little tragic love story easily comprehended by a 9 year old, and some walloping good special effects of bi-planes flying and shooting each other. The effects are what one should watch this movie for, as they are able to induce suspended disbelief in even the most jaded viewer. One is left with a sense of respect for the men who did fly these planes back when there were no parachutes. In fact, the Prince evinced renewed interest in his great grandfather who few a biplane in WWI for the British. So it wasn't a waste of time at all. A bit long maybe, and the talky parts drew out a bit but overall it was an enjoyable movie.

Annapolis (Widescreen Edition)
$14.99
It's like `An Officer and a Gentleman' meets `Antwone Fisher' meets `Rocky', but nowhere near as good as the first two (yes, we all know that I think `Rocky' is an overrated mediocre film). Yes, there isn't much new to `Annapolis', and sadly it doesn't really handle anything in a way to create anything remotely memorable. It's a clich��� ridden rip-off film that has a few selected moments that make it enjoyable, but there is nothing here that would warrant any deep-seated affection.

The performances run the gamut from poor (Tyrese Gibson) to decent (James Franco) to pretty darn good (Vicellous Reon Shannon), and then you have the barely there performances, like that from the gorgeous (Demi Moore/Jennifer Connelly love child) Jordana Brewster.

The film tells of Jake Huard, a young man who dreams of the Navy. When he finally gets his chance he finds that his stubborn and aggressive nature makes it difficult for him to adapt to life in the academy. With the help of a beautiful woman, a caring Lieutenant and his own determination, Jake is able to...box? Yes, that's right; he boxes. There is a boxing competition open to everyone in the academy, which give Jake the opportunity to exact some pain on Cole, his nemesis and resident jerk.

Littered with clich���s that come one right after the other, `Annapolis' never finds its own footing. It borrows far too much from far too many other films. It plays out like a poor mans `An Officer and a Gentleman', with no one able to step up to the plate and deliver something noteworthy. Vicellous Reon Shannon was my favorite part of the film, even if his character was the biggest clich��� the film had to offer (SPOILER: the overweight African American who is mistreated, rises above, gets shot back down and attempts to take his own life). Shannon played the role flawlessly, and I believed in him, connected to him, and absolutely adored him.

But aside from that, I'm left empty handed.

I will say that the films pacing was brisk and the visuals were a nice touch (especially the fight sequences). It's a `pretty' movie.

With Tyrese playing just another variation of Louis Gossett Jr.'s Oscar winning role (which wasn't deserving of an Oscar in the first place) and James Franco trying to be charming while keeping an edge (which he only manages to accomplish SOME of the time), `Annapolis' falls in the middle.

It's not bad but it feels very `been there done that'.