Just Go With It

Last night in our summer movie marathon we continued on with the Adam Sandler comedy just go with it. Adam Sandler has taken a beating lately in the press and with recent movie reviews, most often deservedly so. This movie was a bit different however, it certainly was not an Oscar-winner, but it was an enjoyable flick.

In the movie Sandler plays Danny Mackaby a plastic surgeon. His office assistant is Catherine Murphy played by Jennifer Aniston. Catherine is a single mom with two children who is often the foil for Dr. Danny's sense of humor.

As the movie begins we see Danny has a young man about to be married to a woman who is marrying him despite not being in love with them because he is going to be a cardiologist, but at the same time is very mean about the size of his nose. After leaving her at the altar Danny goes out to drown his sorrows, and even with a nose that goes into a ZIP Code a day before he does he discovers that a wedding ring is a great attraction for a lot of women.

At a party one evening, Danny, now a successful plastic surgeon, meets a woman named Palmer a very attractive schoolteacher played by Brooklyn Decker. The evening takes off well for them and they end up together waking up in the morning on a beach. Palmer, however, discovers the wedding ring that Danny had in his pocket and assumes he is actually married. It turns out that she is the one woman who is not interested in dating married man because her parents had broken up due to such a fling.

This leads to Danny needing to convince her that he's not married, in fact is about to get a divorce. He convinces Catherine to play his soon-to-be divorced wife, and play it to the hilt she does.

Of course it would be a short movie if this is all that happened, so at the end of the evening Catherine takes a phone call from her children which of course leads Palmer to understand that Danny has children and changes her whole view about their potential relationship. What Danny has to do to convince her to continue dating him leads to the plot of them.

The cast is strong. Sandler is often likable even in his worst roles. Aniston, they'll getting older, will always look like a girl you wished you dated in high school. Nicole Kidman has a part as Devlin Adams Catherine's nemesis from college.

Dave Matthews, yes that Dave Matthews plays her husband. And of course for anyone who is seen the commercials for the movie when it was in the theaters Brooklyn Decker Pl., Palmer. Decker the supermodel married to tennis player Andy Roddick has a few noble scenes, mostly those scenes are when she is in a bikini. She plays Palmer, as a naive nice girl and surprisingly it's fairly believable in the role. But let's be clear, she is in the movie because of how she looks. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Interestingly, in the movie Anniston's Park Catherine is played as an average girl, one then nobody really notices with her lab coat and glasses. When Catherine this roadster jump in the lake the look of surprise on Danny's face and seeing how attractive she is makes one wonder what he was seeing the whole time that we could clearly see from the beginning.

It does not take a genius to see where the movies going but it is still an enjoyable ride. A good movie for night when you don't want to think too much.

Heroes by Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson released his newest album a couple of weeks ago. Nelson, pushing eighty, has a voice that is still remarkable, as recognizable as any in music.

The Album features many guests and contributors with Willie's son Lukas playing and singing on many of the songs in the album. His son, with a voice a little higher and more nasal than his father, is a fine singer but the truth is Willie's voice is like velvet, this album needs less help and more Willie.

Still the album is strong. Willie continues his recent pattern of recording some of the best covers of rock songs that you have ever heard. On this album Willie's version of Coldplay's "The Scientist" is stunning in it's simplicity. You might remember that Willie's take on this song appeared on a Super Bowl commercial for some Mexican resteraunt chain. On this album Willie also performs the Pearl Jam song " Just Breathe." This, too, is a fantastic version of a good song.

I also want to offer advice on a song that does not appear on this album. On Outlaw Country on XM I recently heard Willie performing a version of the Dave Matthews song " Gravedigger." I do not know what album is it on, for whatever reason his version of this song is not on Spotify. I will say this however, this song is one of the best I have heard in the last year. The lyrics and Willie's voice are a perfect combination. This song is as moving as you will hear. Find it.

Returning to the album, one song the contributions strengthen is the title cut. With the unmistakable voice of Jamey Johnson and Texas music legend Billie Joe Shaver this song is a strong entry.

Proving that love of marijuana can bridge culture gaps Snoop Dogg joins Willie for the fun song " Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die. " It is cute but in truth the help of Shaver and Johnson is more significant.

Willie is at his best on the songs that are just his, new songs such as A Horse Called Music and That's All There is to this Song.

This is a very strong album.

Barack Obama on Jimmy Fallon

Barack Obama appeared on Jimmy Fallon the other night at a special show broadcast from the University of North Carolina. From an entertainment point of view the show was a huge success. Fallon at his best, played a solid monologue, then did one of his songs he is known for, one of his creation called Walk of Shame, a song well placed at a college campus.

Dave Matthews joined in and then of course played later in the show. The heart of the show however was the appearance of The President. Fallon in his normal role of cheerleader was visibly excited. Obama took part in the regular feature " Slow Jamming the News." It was funny and The President used the opportunity to skewer Republicans over their stance on his student loan bill.

Playing to the choir at a college campus Obama was clearly trying to raise interest and excitement in the youth vote. It works. Still some would wonder, myself included, if it is correct for a President to appear in a comedy skit so irrelevant and then to use it for political purposes. This was a far cry from Richard Nixon saying " Sock it to Me" and Bill Clinton was not The President when he appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show.

Funny Yes. Worth Watching Yes. Questionable as to if this is something a sitting President should be doing? Yes.

American Idol----The Save Was Used

Last Wednesday night my wife and I did our normal Wednesday night routine and watched American Idol. As has been discussed before on this site my wife loves these shows.

Now I will be the first to admit that, watch the show as much as I do, I do not know the singers names. At this point I know them as Country Girl, Blonde British Petite Girl, Dave Matthews wannabe, Christian Rocker dude, Jersey Girl with the big face, Incredible Black Guy and Petite Hispanic Girl.

They are all very good singers. I think that it could be the best seven singers that they have ever had on the show. They all have appeal. Of the seven the only one who at this point might be suspect is The Jersey Girl and still when she rocks out like she did doing a Zeppelin cover a couple of weeks ago she was great.

So as we are watching the show last week and I am watching the singers and then the judges reviews something struck me. I have noticed each week that the judges just are in love with the Incredible Black Guy and the Petite Hispanic Girl. They are good. I think the girl is a little cold and I always think it is a mistake to take a song that a good portion of the audience is not going to be familiar with. This is what she did. Now the fellow was amazing. I think he is an incredible talent and he might well win the contest. I do not think it is a given however. The fact is that at this point all of the singers have their own niche, I am not sure how many people are changing their votes each week. The loser each week might be the one who gains the least of the votes from the singer departed the week before.

The judges however, to me, have gone over the top. I think that all the singers are good and to go after Blond British and DMB Wannabe last week as hard as they did while praising Hispanic Girl for doing a song no one knows is silly. I told my wife on Wednesday that I wondered if there was some level of conspiracy on the show to make the winner be the most talented technically and more diverse. The Voice is providing some competition, perhaps they are trying to be more serious. My wife said I was being silly and moreover she wanted to enjoy her favorite shows without conspiracy theories thank you very much.

Still watching the judges have a hissy fit over the girl getting eliminate and scolding America to vote for the best one was ridiculous.

Lets be clear about a few things. The show has always been a popularity contest, the contestants that have the widest niche that they fill get to the end, and the judges feedback borders on the nonsensical each week. Telling contestants to be more diverse in their choices and when they do criticizing them for trying to be what they are not is just one example.

The judges on this show need a total revamping. What they really need is Simon.

Scolding your audience and telling them to vote for the judges favorites is perhaps not the best way to treat your audience.

I was put off by it. I myself think that Dave Matthews wannabe and Country Girl could easily win. They could be on the radio tomorrow. I think having the ability to have a commercial success right away is a good trait.

So judges say what you think, but don't say something for the sake of saying something. And don't scold me. I do not respect you enough to put up with it.