My Workout For Thursday January 23

My Workout For Tuesday January 07

I earned 614 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Reverse Crunch +53 pts

15 reps (+19 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

12 reps (+15 pts)

Plank +30 pts

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Side Plank +42 pts

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

Chin-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

5 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +165 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

30 lb x 8 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 7 reps (+40 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +208 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+55 pts)

40 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

40 lb x 7 reps (+51 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +98 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

20 lb x 8 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 7 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 5 reps (+22 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

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Carrie Fisher’s legacy will never be forgotten. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Film Review

An act.  A simple, defiant act from one person.  The intent was to call one man's bluff.  The result is the beginning of something far larger than one could have imagined, something that could change the world but leave a path of devastation in the process.  Can that person live with himself/herself knowing what the consequences of his/her decision will be?  Can he/she become the hero the larger picture desperately wants him/her to be? This idea is explored in the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence's adaptation of the second book in Suzanne Collins' massively popular The Hunger Games trilogy, and while it does suffer from "middle film syndrome," the stronger story, excellent acting, and thematic focus make it an improvement over the very good first film. In the 74th Hunger Games, Panem's District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark challenged the gamemakers and the Capitol by threatening to kill themselves and yield no winner.  The authorities acquiesced and let both live.  However, this act of defiance, coupled with Katniss' compassion toward a tribute from District 11, planted the seeds of insurrection that has been met with equally violent suppression.  President Snow, ruler of Panem, makes a deal with Katniss - sell the idea that her defiance was an act of love for Peeta and aid in quelling the burgeoning rebellious atmosphere or see her and Peeta's loved ones die. Katniss, loyal to her family above all, decides to continue the charade of love, but as the victory lap across the other Districts commences, she witnesses the oppressive state in action, and the charade collapses.  Snow decides that for the 75th Hunger Games, the third Quarter Quell, tributes that survived the previous Games are the only eligible tributes. putting Katniss and Peeta back into the Games.  However, this time isn't just about survival --- revolution is in the air, and Katniss has to decide if she can bring things back to the status quo or if she can become symbol of the revolution that is desired of her. The first film only hinted at the thematic elements that come into play throughout the entire story.  In Catching Fire, the exploration of violence and revolution and the personal cost of each comes to the forefront. Katniss, Peeta, and their mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, all are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Katniss is explicitly suffering from nightmares and emotional triggers, Peeta is struggling to move forward with his life, and Haymitch is severely self-medicating with alcohol.  Haymitch reiterates to Katniss several times that there are no winners of The Hunger Games, just survivors, and there is no end to the involvement in the Games as now they must be mentors to other tributes from District 12, reliving the horrors the Games gave them.  Compound that with having to keep up the show that Katniss put on involving falling for Peeta, and Katniss sees how the Games have eternally forced her to live a lie, crushing whatever spirit she has left. The first half of the film compares and contrasts this with the unrest and oppression of the Districts and the mindless disconnect of the Capitol.  The second half becomes more plot-driven as the 75th Hunger Games gets underway, causing the film to have a split personality, but the thematic focus is constant, and the brutality of the story's universe is felt with major impact. The screenplay drafted by Simon Beaufoy and rewritten by Michael Arndt (credited as Michael deBruyn) does a great job highlighting the thematic points without making them obvious, and the editing work by Alan Edward Bell as well as the cinematography by Jo Willems fix the incoherence of the action sequences in the first film, making a solid story worth watching.  James Newton Howard's film score accentuates the tonal shifts of the film without becoming overbearing. The strong acting that was the main reason to watch the first film is also much improved. Jennifer Lawrence has been nothing but a high-quality actress since her breakthrough in Winter's Bone, and her winning a well-deserved Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook has not caused her to settle.  The weariness and loss of innocence in Katniss' eyes and her struggles with PTSD draw the audience into the story more than before.  Her chemistry with everyone is natural, and her physicality balances her emotional frailty.  Jennifer Lawrence is still the number one reason why this film series has been successful.  Her talent seems limitless, and with how incredible she is at playing a wide range of roles, she may be this generation's Meryl Streep. Josh Hutcherson improves significantly in this film, not only holding his own against Jennifer Lawrence but also giving the film a counterbalance to Katniss.  While Katniss is struggling with nightmares, Peeta is simply stuck in neutral.  He knows he shouldn't have won the Hunger Games, and he's aware that Katniss' affections were a ruse, but his existence is a lonely one, and his only wish is to form some connection to the one person who is the reason he is still alive.  Josh Hutcherson stil exudes the same charm as before, but he now gives Peeta more gravitas, more baggage, more of what we wanted him to be in the first film - someone about whom the audience truly cares. Woody Harrelson evolves the darkly comic relief of Haymitch Abernathy in the first film to something more tragic --- a man who is eternally haunted by "winning" a Hunger Game.  He is who Katniss could become.  His alcoholism and sardonic demeanor is still played for laughs from time to time, but Haymitch now imbues that humor with melancholy and provide a reason for Haymitch to be the smart-ass that he is.  Woody Harrelson is just fantastic. Elizabeth Banks takes Effie Trinket, the symbol of Capitol disconnect, and gives her humanity, showing that her fashion and eloquence has become a facade for her compassion.  Lenny Kravitz continues to emanate charm, charisma, and style as Cinna.  Stanley Tucci and Doug Jones provide the necessary jovial counterpoint to the seriousness of the film as the co-hosts of the Hunger Games proceedings.  Donald Sutherland takes President Snow from the imposing father figure in the first film to the great manipulator in this film, and his calm demeanor accentuates the danger of his threats. The newcomers all hold their own against the series' veterans.  Jena Malone is exciting as tribute Johanna Mason, portraying pure id with her deliberate undressing in the presence of Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch, her unfiltered voice, and her unhinged actions and reactions throughout the Quarter Quell  Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer get to play superego as eccentric, intelligent tributes Beetee and Wiress, respectively, who carefully plan out how to utilize the environment to their advantage, and both shine in their roles.  Sam Claflin is wonderful as tribute Finnick Odair, the ego who helps Katniss and Peeta stay alive while understanding the long-term goal and reminding Katniss of "who the real enemy is."  Philip Seymour Hoffman is in reliably top form as new head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, and although his appearance is brief, his presence is felt, and it will be a pleasure to he him more in the next installment. The film does suffer a case of "middle film syndrome," mostly due to the nature of the story and how the first book was adapted.   The first film barely hinted at the burgeoning revolution, only showing one riot --- in District 11, and through its focus on the people of the Capitol as the primary viewership, a group that is isolated from the oppression.  The oppression was present, but the unrest was more of an afterthought --- the people of each District had found ways to live within the confines of Panem.  It makes transitioning to the second film jarring as now the oppression and unrest are felt in every frame.  This film succeeds in reintroducing everything and everyone without excessive exposition.  If one was to start watching the series with this entry, he/she would be able to follow the story pretty well with few questions. The ending leaves a bit to be desired emotionally and hangs the story at an ellipses than a defined period.  Many second films, or at least a film prior to the end, hang at an ellipses without completing its own arc --- the implied sole purpose is to set up the next film.  Even great and successful films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers couldn't circumvent this.  The Empire Strikes Back had a plot-related ellipses, but that film had a complete emotional arc that was independent yet integral to the entire series.  With Catching Fire, by being more literal in its adaptation, the ending introduces new ideas and plot points just to set up the next film, and it makes the film feel incomplete. However, it could be recommended to start with this entry due to it being a different director.  Gary Ross did a successful job with the first film, but Francis Lawrence fleshes out the universe with impressive details and allows the actors to drive the story forward.  Aside from the exposition heavy ending, Francis Lawrence succeeds greatly at the "show, don't tell" approach. The best moment in the film, and the scene that is the one to beat in the entire series, is a brief but powerful sequence involving the announcement that the Quarter Quell will draw its tributes from only the surviving victors of every Game.  It starts with the emotional devastation of Katniss' family, followed by an angry and distressed Haymitch screaming and throwing an empty bottle at the screen, then a stunned and frightened Peeta having the gravity of the announcement push him into his chair, ending with Katniss, emotionally destroyed, running into the woods, gasping for air while screaming in dismay.  This reads like it's melodrama, but the way the director lets the actors play this moment, it's the most human, most emotionally devastating moment in the entire film.  The hope that Katniss accidentally instilled in the Districts after winning the last Game has left these three people in that moment, and it ultimately sets everything in motion for the rest of the story. This moment gives hope that Francis Lawrence will make the next films in the series better and better.  His touch has upped the ante of the series, and while it may be nothing more than the middle film of the series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a great adaptation, a very good film with powerful moments, and a sign that the series is in good hands.

Movie Rating: 8.5/10 A tense and thought-provoking first half gives way to a thrilling second half that don't gel together ideally but are wonderfully executed halves.

Film Rating: 8.5/10 The themes of violence from the first film evolve into revolution and reluctant heroism; even an open-ended conclusion doesn't diminish from overall

Hunger Games Film Rating: 9/10 The efficiency of the first film is traded for a fuller experience, one that is emotionally rewarding and viscerally entertaining.

My Workout For Sunday January 05

I earned 706 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Running (treadmill) +88 pts

0:20:00 || 1.5 mi || 1 % (+88 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +83 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

25 lb x 12 reps (+42 pts)

Bent Over Barbell Row +49 pts

55 lb x 10 reps (+25 pts)

55 lb x 8 reps (+24 pts)

Barbell Squat +177 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+43 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

55 lb x 10 reps (+45 pts)

55 lb x 8 reps (+43 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +195 pts

25 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

35 lb x 10 reps (+51 pts)

35 lb x 8 reps (+49 pts)

35 lb x 8 reps (+49 pts)

Upright Barbell Row +43 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

55 lb x 10 reps (+22 pts)

Romanian Deadlift +69 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+34 pts)

55 lb x 10 reps (+35 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Review

    It was the most unexpected of situations.  George Lucas returned to the Star Wars universe by telling the backstory of the famed villain Darth Vader, born Anakin Skywalker, as a new trilogy.  The first film of this new series, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, had an unprecedented wave of hype surrounding it.  After its release, it was as if someone let the air out of the room.  While a significant financial success, the overall result was a tarnishing to the saga loved worldwide.  Its follow-up, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, tarnished the saga further.  What should have been a triumphant moment for American cinema became a textbook example of screwing with mythology.  Suddenly, everyone was wondering how the man who built a story that has become ingrained in many cultures could be the same man who made Episode I and Episode II.      As the inevitable conclusion to the trilogy approached, the anticipation was more muted.  Audiences wanted to see the next installment but not in the way Lucas intended - people expected the film to pale in comparison to the Original Trilogy, so now they were wondering if it was going to be the trainwreck in mediocrity its two predecessors were.     On May 19, 2005, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith was released, and while the audiences were right in expecting it to pale to the Original Trilogy, they were surprised that the film was good - in some moments, very good.     Set three years after the end of Episode II, Episode III begins with the final battle of the Clone Wars - the Battle of Coruscant.  Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the leader of the Galactic Republic, has been kidnapped by the Trade Federation, now under military leadership by General Grevious and Count Dooku.  Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker are sent to rescue Palpatine in the midst of the massive space battle.  After the rescue, Anakin is given the honor of being a part of the Jedi Council but without the title of Master.  Furthering his seeds of discontent, he has recurring nightmares that his wife, Padme Amidala, will die in childbirth, pushing him to find power over the Force that the Jedi perceivably lack.  As Kenobi, Anakin's mentor and friend, is sent after Grevious alone, Anakin begins his descent to the Dark Side of the Force, eventually becoming Darth Vader and turning on the people he once considered allies.     Episode III paralells Return of the Jedi less in its structure and more in its nature - it has dual personality of being light-hearted and fun in some moments and dark and heavy in others.  Its duality is both a strength and a weakness, but the overall result is much better than its predecessors.     The acting is more natural than in Episode I and Episode II.  There are still moments of stiff line-reading, but they are not as prevalent as before.  Ewan McGregor continues to be a highlight, fully emulating what made Sir Alec Guinness iconic as Obi-Wan Kenobi while adding enough of his own vigor to make a mark fully on the character.  Natalie Portman finally gives Padme Amidala the personality she needed all this time, and while she still could have done a bit more with her, she at least seems like she's enjoying being in a Star Wars film.  Hayden Christensen still has no chemistry with Portman - just see the apartment balcony scene toward the end of the first act, the worst scene in the film, as an example.  However, he bounces off McGregor very well, showing the tight bond master and apprentice have and how tragic the breaking of the bond is after the turn to the Dark Side.  Christensen may never be physically imposing as Vader was in the Original Trilogy, but he knows how to be deadly and threatening when it counts.     The best role in the film, though, goes to Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine, the once and future Emperor.  He is what the prequels lacked - a thoroughly engaging and imposing villain.  He hams it up once his nature is exposed, but he allows Palpatine to be felt even when he is not on screen.  Ian McDiarmid breathes life into the prequels, showing what they could have been.     Everything in the film is more inspired.  The music by John Williams is alive again, mixing themes and motifs from all of the films to emphasize the emotional journey.  The cinematography by David Tattersall is more fluid, showcasing the action in all of its glory.  The technology has finally caught up with the vision, allowing the visual effects to shine in obvious ways such as the opening battle but also in subtle ways, namely the details in the wonderfully constructed features of the computer-generated Yoda.     Of the whole prequel trilogy storyline, Anakin's downfall and rebirth as Darth Vader is the most interesting and exciting plot point due to its nature.  There's no more meandering around to get to this point in the story.  We've had two films of build-up, most of it unnecessary.  This is when all of the action happens.  This is when all of the tragedy strikes.  This is when the audience cares.  This alone would make it a better film than Episode I and Episode II.     What makes it much better, and what is the biggest surprise, is that George Lucas fully flexes his screenwriting and directing muscles.     First is the surprising focus prevalent throughout the film.  The focus begins at the introduction with Anakin and Obi-Wan flying into the Battle of Coruscant.  Once their ships appear on-screen, the camera follows them into the battle, showing the scope of the battle without focusing on other random individuals for too long.  This focus also allows us to see how brotherly Obi-Wan and Anakin have become.  The audience has a connection.  Their banter becomes hokey, sometimes too hokey, but we are having fun with them.      In fact, about the first half of the film is mostly fun with a little foreboding menace.  About the second half is all menace.  Both halves work very well on their own, with one half not taking itself too seriously and allowing us to enjoy the ride while the other half becoming the depths of the Dark Side it needs to be and allowing us to feel for these characters.     Emphasizing the dark foreboding is Lucas borrowing the cross-cutting technique his close friend Francis Ford Coppola mastered.  Palpatine's formation of the Galactic Empire is cross-cut with Anakin's assassination of the leaders of the Trade Federation.  The birth of Luke and Leia is cross-cut with the birth of Darth Vader.  Both are done well, and both show the director Lucas was and still can be.     However, while the overall results are good to very good, its the details that hold the film back from greatness.     The lightsaber duels are well executed, but some moments devolve into pure visual splendor instead of maintaining emotional resonance.  This happens early on in the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel and is prevalent in the Palpatine/Yoda duel.  The music saves the latter duel, and the former has several intense moments that help keep it grounded overall.     The duality of the film becomes a struggle in the second act.  Everything involving Obi-Wan is fun and exciting, while everything involving Anakin is increasingly dark.  At times, the feeling is schizophrenic, throwing the audience in too many emotional directions to make sense.     The moment of Anakin's turn to the Dark Side could never reach the legend fans made it to be, but the moment becomes almost unintentionally funny due to stiff line-readings and poorly placed sound effects.  This is the most important moment in the entire saga to date, yet it doesn't resonate the way it should.  If the third act wasn't as strong as it is, this scene could have ruined the entire film.     The scene involving the birth of the Darth Vader we all know is well done until the end.  In a moment now immortalized as "FrankenVader," Lucas decided to pay homage to Frankenstein at the worst possible moment, ruining another resonating moment with something unintentionally funny, capping it off with a misguided scream from Vader.     Lucas also tries too hard to bridge the Original Trilogy and the prequels together with this film, either relying heavily on fan service without really getting into a better understanding of things or only providing half-explanations due to bridging the films being more important than making the ideas work on their own.     The maximum enjoyment factor in Episode III is found when watching with context provided from the Original Trilogy, but unlike Episode I and Episode II, there's a story worth telling within its runtime, and it tells it well.  It doesn't reach the quality of the Original Trilogy, but Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is everything audiences wanted the entire prequel trilogy to be - good sci-fi fantasy. Blu-Ray Observations With technology catching up to how Lucas wanted to present his films, the Blu-Ray for Episode III is near-reference quality.  The visuals are balanced very well, and the colors are vivid.  Because of the digital nature of the production, the sterility of the computer-generated atmospheres Lucas inadvertently created come in full force, emphasizing how far away the film is visually from the Original Trilogy.  The audio, again, is superb, this time represented by how the hum and clashes of the lightsabers are crisp, clear, and impactful.  Overall, a great presentation. Movie Rating: 7.5/10 One-half light-hearted action and one-half journey into darkness, the two halves don't gel perfectly together but result in an exciting story. Film Rating: 7/10 What should be the key moments don't resonate, but the music emphasizes the heart of the matter, and what surrounds those missed opportunities carries surprising depth and craft. Star Wars Film Rating: 7/10 This is the prequel audiences wanted the other two to be.  It's not on par with the Original Trilogy, but unlike the other two prequels, this one is worth seeing at least once. Blu-Ray Rating: 8.5/10 Finally, the technology catches up with Lucas' vision, and the Blu-Ray presents it in full splendor.  However, it also shows how flawed that vision was with how sterile some of the environments are.

This is why you can’t play frisbee with Cookie Monster. 

The Amazing Spider-Man Review

    It's been ten years since Sam Raimi unleashed his vision of the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man onto global audiences.   With dry wit, tight action, impressive structure, and soulful acting, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy became the definition of the comic-book superhero film series for the 21st cetury, with Spider-Man 2 being the golden standard alongside Superman: The Movie for what the genre can and should be.     The series' importance carried through even after the release of Christopher Nolan's masterful and game-changing Batman tale, The Dark Knight.  While Nolan focused on rooting superhero mythology into an image of the current state of the world, Raimi followed the path of the genre as a means of escape, showing that both approaches can exist with equal success.      The third Spider-Man film failed to catch a fire among audiences, meaning that a new story from a new perspective was wanted.  Enter Marc Webb, director of (500) Days of Summer, to take the reins of Spider-Man and tell his own story of the hero from the beginning with The Amazing Spider-Man.     The trajectory of the beginning hits all of the basic notes of the origin story in the previous series' first film.   Peter Parker is a geeky New York high school student who doesn't fit in.  He lives with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, inadvertently wanders near a secret project that leads to a radioactive spider biting him and giving him superpowers.  At first, he struggles to get comfortable with his abilities, but a personal tragedy brings him perspective and a raison d'etre, and a threat to New York City shows him the man he needs to be.     With there being only ten years separating the previous series' first film with this one, it could have been either lazy or boring to cover a lot of the similar ground.  Then why does it feel different?     1.) We are shown who Peter's parents are and, to a degree, why they left them in Ben and May's care.  This has a profound effect on Peter, showing why he is so intelligent, has a chip on his shoulders, and almost prefers not to fit in with his classmates.     2.) The love interest is Gwen Stacy, a geeky fellow student who works as an intern at Oscorp, the place where Peter's father's colleague, Dr. Curt Connors does research, and the place where Peter eventually gets his powers.     3.) The webbing he shoots is man-made, not an organic effect from the bite.  This emphasizes his intelligence and well as provides a sense of danger in a couple scenes.     4.) Spider-Man is seen as a vigilante more than a hero.  The police, led by Captain Stacy, want to lock him up as a criminal due to his outside-the-law crime-fighting activities.     5.) The criminal who caused Peter's personal tragedy isn't caught.  This gives Peter a sense of failure that he carries throughout his endeavors, knowing that what happened to him could easily happen to someone else.     These changes, as well as other stylistic choices, all keep the film fresh and engrossing, allowing the audience to see it as its own entity without reminding them of the previous origin story.  The comic-book universe has several storylines for one character that play out, some in parallel with each other, and this is something that could be difficult to accept on film. Credit must be given to everyone working on the film for trusting the audience to give the film its own chance.     The script, written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Harry Potter alum Steve Kloves, is tight, having a constant sense of propulsion while allowing the audience to delve deep enough into the characters to want to join in on the ride.  It tries to balance the grittiness and reality of Nolan's Batman series with the dry wit and fun of Raimi's Spider-Man series, and, for the most part, works well.     The main actors shine thoroughly.  Andrew Garfield has immense talent, as his work in The Social Network and Never Let Me Go shows, but it is still a surprise how natural a fit he is as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  He gives Peter the arrogance, heart, humor, doubt, and strength that fits perfectly for this film.  Garfield understood how to interpret Peter in this universe, and his interpretation is wonderful.     Emma Stone comes off as strong, snarky, tender, and sexy as Gwen Stacy.  Gwen's personality could take any man on, but she lets her guard down with Peter, and the tender moments with Peter are a sight to behold.  Her chemistry with Garfield is natural and flawless.  Even if the rest of the film was terrible, every scene with Stone and Garfield together would still make it worth watching.     Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors is a conflicted man struggling with keeping a secret from Peter about his parents' whereabouts and with a formula that gives him his arm back but at the cost of becoming The Lizard.  Ifans' filmography shows his range, and he maintains the humanity of Connors when the script sometimes forces him into the Lizard's psyche completely.     The supporting roles work as well as they need to, but some are better than others.  Martin Sheen takes his role in Wall Street and focuses more on how he manages home life, making Uncle Ben the father figure we love and respect.  Sally Field isn't given enough time with Garfield to develop the connection they need, but her Aunt May is still welcoming.  C. Thomas Howell is a great embodiment of how the world sees Spider-Man.  Irrfan Khan plays a one-note character, but as one of Dr. Connors' bosses, he has plenty of menace.     However, of the supporting roles, Dennis Leary is the standout as Captain Stacy, Gwen's father.  His acting chops were honed on his show Rescue Me, and he takes the abrasiveness and New York pride of Tommy Gavin and files it down to a more sensitive, fatherly base.  He feels threatened by Spider-Man as the superhero is doing the job that the police are supposed to do.  This tension carries through the dinner with his family and Peter as a guest, and when he sees Spider-Man's true identity, he understands that while he may not agree with the concept of Spider-Man, he knows that the hero is an asset to the city and not a hindrance.  Leary is superb as the moral center of the film.     Director Marc Webb started out with music videos and short films before his impressive feature debut, (500) Days of Summer.  That film showed how comfortable he is with a good script and great actors, and that carries through here.  The best moments are the smaller ones, not only the scenes between Peter and Gwen but also when Spider-Man rescues a child from a threatened vehicle, when Ben and Peter are together, when Peter begins to get comfortable with the new powers, when Spider-Man is in full smart-ass mode, and when Spider-Man goes to the sewer to pursue the Lizard.  Webb understands the power of a delicate touch, and when he applies that touch, the film reaches the greatness of Spider-Man 2.     However, there are enough flaws that keep it from reaching those levels consistently.     First, the construct of the villain doesn't work as well as it should.  The design of the Lizard is too artificial, and when the Lizard starts talking about how he wants to create perfect beings, it's jarring because of how Dr. Connors was never wanting that to begin with.  The Lizard is an interesting villain in the comics, but he doesn't fit with the grittiness of the film.     The post-credit scene is also disconcerting because it introduces an unnamed figure and randomly expands the Parker's parents storyline and Oscorp into the sequel.  It takes away from the film holding up as its own entity, but at least it allows for future films to give this one some additional meaning.     The music by James Horner is faceless.  While Danny Elfman's work in the previous series didn't have a strong theme, it fit the film better than this score does this film.  Horner knows how to up the drama, but nothing from the music is memorable.     The Amazing Spider-Man is not the greatest Spider-Man film ever made, but it matches the first film in the previous series in quality, and the trajectory of the story along with the acting and directing makes me excited to see where this series goes next, and that is most important. Movie Rating: 8/10 The action is good, the drama even better.  The villain isn't a good fit, but this film doesn't skimp on excitement. Film Rating: 8/10 The sense of loss, doubt, responsibility, and love carries the film effortlessly, and the scenes with Gwen and Peter together are perfectly done. Comic-Book Superhero Film Rating: 8/10 It tries to balance Nolan's grittiness with Raimi's sense of fun, and while it doesn't work completely, it's a great example of how good the genre can be. Spider-Man Film Rating: 8.5/10 It may not be as fun as Raimi's series, but it has more heart and as much depth, and it's as good as the first film in that series.

My Workout For Friday February 07

I earned 783 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Upright Barbell Row +92 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 8 reps (+23 pts)

Dumbbell Shrug +80 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+19 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

45 lb x 10 reps (+21 pts)

Reverse Crunch +90 pts

20 reps (+26 pts)

18 reps (+23 pts)

17 reps (+22 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

Plank +22 pts

35 sec (+12 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +102 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 10 reps (+27 pts)

25 lb x 7 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 5 reps (+23 pts)

Side Plank +38 pts

30 sec (+21 pts)

25 sec (+17 pts)

Pull-Up +26 pts

1 reps (+13 pts)

1 reps (+13 pts)

Not one complete one, but 8 of them getting my chin just at the bottom of the bar. I am getting closer...

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Bent Over Barbell Row +125 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+28 pts)

85 lb x 12 reps (+32 pts)

95 lb x 10 reps (+33 pts)

95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)

Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift +206 pts

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

75 lb x 12 reps (+53 pts)

85 lb x 9 reps (+54 pts)

85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

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My Workout For Friday January 17

I earned 840 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Moving boxes +840 pts

5:00:00 || Easy (+600 pts)

2:00:00 || Easy (+240 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!

A Focus on the Basics

A new year has begun.  It is a time for reflection, a time for nostalgia, and a time for motivation.

2013 was the craziest year of my life so far.  It was an emotional and visceral roller-coaster from which I learned a lot about myself, about what I want and need.  As I look back, I realize the one thing that I need to start doing in my life if I want to succeed as a professional, as a husband, and as me --- focus on the basics.

In 2012, I was scared that I was stagnating professionally, worried that I was going to be stuck in autopilot and become the unambitious, listless worker everyone fears to be for the rest of his or her life.  I went to graduate school to gain a deeper understanding of my engineering interests, and it was frittering away.  It affected my personal life as well --- I became less productive at home and started to believe that I wasn't living up to the husband I wanted to be.  By the end of 2012, I took a risk and left my job for another with the promise of a real challenge.  There was a lot of thought and deliberation for that decision, and I can honestly say it was a great decision.

However, my stagnation concerns returned, and inward crept the fears again.  My job took more and more of my time, and I felt like I was neglecting my personal life.  I wrote film critiques and played guitar less and less, I struggled keeping in touch with friends and family, and I rarely stopped to look and appreciate where my life had taken me.  My fitness level dropped like a stone in water, and every time I tried to restart working out, something would come up that would take me out of it.

On the professional side, it wasn't a fear that I was wasting my knowledge away, but a fear that I would never be an equal to my co-workers and respected by my superiors.  For every step forward that I took, I felt that there was something that would happen that would knock me two steps backward.  Every time that happened, I looked at myself and wondered whether I should have become an engineer.  I thought I was growing at a snail's pace while everyone else was significantly further along.  The challenge was winning. 

As 2014 begins, I realize that perceived lack of growth is just that --- perceived.  I have grown significantly throughout 2013, and thankfully only a small percentage of that is my weight.  I still have a long way to go, but the hindrance is me.  I'm so focused on gaining advanced knowledge and skills that I've neglected basic principles.  I want to play hard guitar songs without practicing my scales and learning my modes.  I want to be five years down the road personally and professionally so badly that I forget to learn how to live and work now.

So, starting in 2014, I will strive harder to find the work-life balance.  I will improve my fitness to be as good as, if not better than, it was my first year of marriage.  I will focus on learning and memorizing the engineering basics so that I have a foundation of knowledge that won't be on mental sand.  I will learn to understand that I will fail several times before I succeed.  I will play my scales and modes so that my fingers stay nimble enough for playing along with my songs.  I will find a little bit of time to read leisurely, regardless of how long it takes me to finish a book.  I will write more film critiques and complete the cycle of Star Wars critiques I began a couple of years ago.  I will stop and take stock in the life that I have so that I have a solid foundation for the life I will have.  For all who read this, please hold me accountable.  I know I can't do this alone, but I know that I can do this.