hanks

Angels & Demons (Two-Disc Extended Edition)
$36.95
I finished reading the book ( for the second time) 2 days ago.
I just finished seeing the movie.
I did NOT expect the movie to be entirely faithful to the
book because I knew there was too much info. and detail
in the book.
That being send,for me,this book to movie transfer was butchered!!
Why? Outside of the search for the four cardinals and the anti-
matter bomb there is little else that relates to the book.
The two MAJOR problems were the entire lack of motivation behind the
main characters actions and no character development.For example,in the book,the heroine,
Vittoria Vetra wants very much to be a part of the search for
the killer of her FATHER/scientific partner.In the movie she just
seems to tag along with Robert Langdon because she's just there.
In the movie the camerlengo kills and hires an assasin to kill because he feels his father the late pope is too liberal?
That's ridiculous.In the book his deep motivation is that he did
NOT know the pope was his father initially for many years.
He only knew that the man who became pope had looked after
him since he was a child.When the pope told him that he actually
was his biological son,the camerlengo was horrified to find
out that the pope had broken his vow of chastity.He had broken
his promise to God!!!This is what motivated the camerlengo in the book.
In the movie the assasin is just a cool unemotional hired killer.In the book he is a rabid nutcase who enjoys killing.
Because of the lack of strong motivation by the central characters
of the movie, it presents these people as having no depth and being more like cardboard cutouts.
Now for the ending.No I won't reveal it but,it reminded of
movies from the 50's where there is a miraculous event,and
everyone lives happily ever after.
I also feel that the makers of this movie were so wrapped up
in the set design and visual effects that they forgot about
character development.If you want to see a beautifully made
film about the slecting of a new pope, with great shots of Rome etc.,may I suggest The Shoes
of the Fisherman.In this movie they did not forgo character
development in favour of set design !!!
It struck me as strange that Robert Langdon virtually ignored
the stunning looking Ms.Vetra, yet in the the book he was strongly
attracted to her.
Personaly,I was really looking forward to seeing who would be selected to portray Max Kohler,the director of Cern.I think that part would have been any actors dream and if he was any good he
could have "chewed up the scenery."
Can anyone tell me the reason for changing the name of the cardinal who was chosen to be the great elector ( in charge of
conclave)from Mortati to Strauss or why the commander of the Swiss
guard was changed from Olivetti to Richter? Lastly why change the
design of the last branding iron? What's the point???
Lastly, I think ,to get the movie anywhere close to being like the book would have required 2 full discs because the book is incredibly detailed.

Angels & Demons (Single-Disc Theatrical Edition)
$28.96
I finished reading the book ( for the second time) 2 days ago.
I just finished seeing the movie.
I did NOT expect the movie to be entirely faithful to the
book because I knew there was too much info. and detail
in the book.
That being send,for me,this book to movie transfer was butchered!!
Why? Outside of the search for the four cardinals and the anti-
matter bomb there is little else that relates to the book.
The two MAJOR problems were the entire lack of motivation behind the
main characters actions and no character development.For example,in the book,the heroine,
Vittoria Vetra wants very much to be a part of the search for
the killer of her FATHER/scientific partner.In the movie she just
seems to tag along with Robert Langdon because she's just there.
In the movie the camerlengo kills and hires an assasin to kill because he feels his father the late pope is too liberal?
That's ridiculous.In the book his deep motivation is that he did
NOT know the pope was his father initially for many years.
He only knew that the man who became pope had looked after
him since he was a child.When the pope told him that he actually
was his biological son,the camerlengo was horrified to find
out that the pope had broken his vow of chastity.He had broken
his promise to God!!!This is what motivated the camerlengo in the book.
In the movie the assasin is just a cool unemotional hired killer.In the book he is a rabid nutcase who enjoys killing.
Because of the lack of strong motivation by the central characters
of the movie, it presents these people as having no depth and being more like cardboard cutouts.
Now for the ending.No I won't reveal it but,it reminded of
movies from the 50's where there is a miraculous event,and
everyone lives happily ever after.
I also feel that the makers of this movie were so wrapped up
in the set design and visual effects that they forgot about
character development.If you want to see a beautifully made
film about the slecting of a new pope, with great shots of Rome etc.,may I suggest The Shoes
of the Fisherman.In this movie they did not forgo character
development in favour of set design !!!
It struck me as strange that Robert Langdon virtually ignored
the stunning looking Ms.Vetra, yet in the the book he was strongly
attracted to her.
Personaly,I was really looking forward to seeing who would be selected to portray Max Kohler,the director of Cern.I think that part would have been any actors dream and if he was any good he
could have "chewed up the scenery."
Can anyone tell me the reason for changing the name of the cardinal who was chosen to be the great elector ( in charge of
conclave)from Mortati to Strauss or why the commander of the Swiss
guard was changed from Olivetti to Richter? Lastly why change the
design of the last branding iron? What's the point???
Lastly, I think ,to get the movie anywhere close to being like the book would have required 2 full discs because the book is incredibly detailed.

Hank Haney's Essentials "Grip Strength" DVD and Exerciser, Medium Tension (7-Pounds per Finger)
$27.95
Finally a training aid that actually gave me results. I purchased this only a week ago and already I'm seeing a benefit. My hands are stronger and I have better control of the golf club. The DVD has some great tips and it's improved my grip and even corrected my ever-tormenting hook. I highly recommend this to any golfer! I already bought several as gifts for my partners at the firm. Thanks for the great product!!!

The Great Buck Howard
$3.99
Is Hollywood so hard up for movie material that they have to start dredging through bit parts on the Johnny Carson show? This bleak exercise in wishful thinking is the Peter Pan version of "Leaving Las Vegas," Buck Howard a mawkish Gallagher Gump channeling Meryl Streep's Helen Archer aping her Yellow Brick Road monologue at the Swamp Tavern during lockdown.

And, besides, this figment is nothing more than "prodigal son" foreplay. Think about it. Tom Hanks Jr., an actor whose only trick is to open his eyes wide when somebody says "Howdy, doody," hates his father so profusely that he shacks up with a shrivelled sugar daddy, a spent Hamlet in drag, resigned to wash the misanthrope's spoiled trousers by hand. Which makes the conclusion even more bizarre when, back in Waylon Jennings' hometown, we're enthusiastically told that, after all, it's the common Bible-thumper's lust that makes Herr Houdini's spoons bend on time.

Eventually, Chuck Noland shows up looking for his long-lost volleyball, but when he finds it, he's introduced to Buck, and "Chuck and Buck" hilarity ensues. As for the rabid hordes of mentalist fans (as in, "Dude, when that guy's trick didn't work, he went totally mental"), they are never let in on what we know five minutes in: The whole movie's rigged; it's a 90-minute-long trick done with camera angles.