Here's my latest movies.

Looks like both of you have sounded off on MATRIX RELOADED so here's my two cents. What should give you an early peek into what I think about this film is that I saw it twice before it was available to the public. Trilogies are unique in the world of film, as we have found out through LORD OF THE RINGS and STAR WARS. Those second chapters always leave you hanging, and essentially cannot be criticized fully without the aid of the first and third chapters. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, the all-time best second chapter of any trilogy ever made, can be enjoyed on its own, but had you not seen STAR WARS and RETURN OF THE JEDI, wouldn't you feel cheated by the lack of backstory (as given to you through part 1) or resolution (as given to you through part 3)? I LOVE THE MATRIX RELOADED because there is so much possibility, so much to look forward to, so much that can be done, in the final act. If the Wachowski Brothers had made this the end-all event picture of all time, then MATRIX REVOLUTIONS certainly has a lot to live up to, doesn't it? I will agree on the negativity on one basis, and it sort of ties into the theme of all this, that if REVOLUTIONS doesn't pay off to all the ideas of RELOADED, then I believe RELOADED then, only then, becomes a sort of failure. Think about the theories that my co-workers and I have mulled over: Like the idea that there is a matrix inside the matrix (Otherwise how does Neo stop the ships coming after him and the crew of the ship in the end?), that maybe Persephone (played by the luscious Monica Belucci) messed up Neo when she kissed him? That maybe Neo and Agent Smith are tied together somehow, and his "decision" he has to make is to die or else Smith never dies. And don't tell me that it wasn't cool when Smith overtook Bane and got into Zion, facilitationg the cliffhanger ending where Bane was the only survivor. This series, critically, is very much unlike the recent STAR WARS films because the first and second films were so weak. ATTACK OF THE CLONES is supported by a weak first chapter, and the third chapter is going to have to make up for all of it, which is unfortunate.

BRUCE ALMIGHTY. I saw this last night, and it's a solid, funny movie. Not hilarious or uproarious but it definitely is worth watching. Jim Carrey finally back to doing what everyone wants him to do, which is kind of a theme of the movie. If we wanted to philosophize about it, Carrey's character pontificates about his "wacky reporter" job, how he hates doing it because no one will ever take him seriously--does that sound familiar to his own work? Jim Carrey also produced this film.

HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT. Audrey Tautou, who I am in love with, is in an adulterous affair that just isn't working. We see her perspective of the events, forming our opinions of the characters based on what she sees, and then, the movie steps backward and we see it from the man's point of view, and it changes your perspective entirely. This is fine work, although once you start learning the truth you may be reminded of other films. If you get a chance to see it, do so, it's a fine conversation piece.

Yes, I'm excited about the Braves and their recent play where they have gone 27-5 since starting 4-8. However, right now they don't have a starting pitcher who you can truly count on to shut teams down. Their offense is a lot better, and that's what I've always said they've needed in these past few postseason runs. Hampton and Reynolds have been solid, and Russ Ortiz would be one of the best pitchers in baseball if he didn't walk so many people (how he gets out of it, I'll never know). Maddux has been less-than-stellar. But they've beaten some good teams in the midst of all this so I'm glad. Hopefully it will keep up. And it looks like good managers definitely make teams a lot better--I don't think this is a secret, but it's obvious that Dusty Baker can take a team and make them better even if on paper they seem to be lacking. And on the Reds front, all I can say is that they very well should get rid of Griffey because the real stars are Kearns and Dunn. Build the team around them and give Griffey to the D'Rays so he can be next to his children. And the D'Rays can also add to their long-standing tradition of having guys who used to be good. Everyone wins.

CHRIS- Whoa