Posts by Jeremy Butler

Ever have trouble finding two matching socks when trying to get ready in the morning? Ever had to go to school or work with mismatched socks? It is an uncanny phenomenon; all over the world people are losing socks, for them never to return. Well, according to this animated film, we now know who is the cause for the predicament. Apparently living among the human race are little creatures that feed off our socks for sustenance, but they adhere to a strict motto of never eating the full set. OK, obviously that is ridiculous, but it made for an intriguing story for The OddSockEaters, an animated movie based off a popular foreign book series. Looks like another great movie to get the Nalyce stamp of approval on.

The story follows a SockEater named Hugo who finds himself on his own for the first time in his life after his grandfather fades away (which is the kid-friendly way the movie addresses death). Before he goes, Hugo’s grandfather tells him of another family member that will look after him, his uncle, the BigBoss. Following a fallout with his father regarding their code of only taking what was necessary to survive, the BigBoss struck out on his own and has established himself as the leader of a group of SockEaters that pull heists on department stores all over the city. This crew isn’t interested in cash or jewelry, which they see as junk, but socks.

Pick of the Litter indeed. I never quite understood that phrase until I saw this documentary which follows the 18-month training period from the birth of a service dog to their placement with blind people to act as guides. I also didn’t realize how extensive a process that it was to train a guide dog, but when you think about it that makes sense given the importance these animals will play as people’s eyes. According to statistics, out of 800 dogs born to be service dogs, only 300 make it through the training process. So that means that 500 dogs don’t become guides. That’s surreal, but after watching the documentary, and seeing how in-depth the training is and the importance for the dogs to have the right temperament; I am glad to see how seriously the trainers take this task.

During the 18-month period, we meet five pups; Patriot, Poppet, Phil, Potomac, and Primrose. From the moment they are born they are trained to become guide dogs for the blind. The importance of this job is perfectly illustrated in the opening sequence where several people recount instances where guide dogs saved their lives, whether it be preventing the person from walking into traffic or stopping them from tumbling down a dark stairway. This illuminated the dangers that blind people face every day; in both instances, the people state that they attempted to make the guide move, and the animal refused as it sensed the potential danger to the person. That is an incredible and vital instinct that trainers emphasize that every animal must possess.

Hardbodies is a sex comedy; there is no other way of putting it. This is a hard R movie; I wasn’t really expecting that. However, between the gratuitous nudity, there is a love story unfolding, and to be honest, the other subplots are secondary to this point. Not exactly my kind of film, mainly due to it being from before my time, but I still found it to be moderately entertaining. Needless to say, this is more of a guys’ movie, as I don’t know of a woman who would not have an opinion or two about this movie, especially given the current climate. Then again, Fast Times at Ridgemont High remains a classic to this day. I’m not putting this on that same level, but in my opinion it deserves a fair shake and to be paid the respect of the time period.

Scotty is your typical California beach bum, doing whatever he can to get along. That is until he is evicted from his apartment for not paying his rent. Down on his luck, desperate to maintain his way of life, he soon finds three older men who have a lot of money, but they do not have a trait that Scotty possesses, his abilities with women. They agree to let Scotty stay with them at their beach house and pay him a monthly stipend if he returns the favor by teaching them how to pick up women.

Dog Days is your basic ensemble film, with this time the story being dog-centric, as every subplot features a different dog, and some subplots are interconnected via one dog. It is a family-oriented film, so this time you all will not only been treated to a Nalyce stamp of approval, but a Jessica (my wife) stamp of approval as well. The cast is rounded out with a number of familiar faces that includes Nina Dobrev, Tone Bell, Vanessa Hudgens, Eva Longoria, and many, many more. The story tugs on the heartstrings a bit as it addresses several issues plaguing the cast, such as dealing with loss and opening yourself up after heartbreak. Needless to say, the film had the Jessica stamp of approval the second that Chihuahua (which in my opinion is just a bigger member of the rodent family) was found behind the dumpster. And of course, now I find myself fielding requests for a dog just in time for Christmas.

The story is intercut between several characters at different points in their life; Tara is a barista at a local café, recent college graduate trying to figure out her next step, when she finds a dog abandoned behind a dumpster at the café. Being a decent human being, she takes it to the vet, where she meets Dr. Mike (Michael Cassidy), with whom she is instantly smitten. Speaking of smitten, Garrett (Jon Bass) is a patron of the café that Tara works at and owner of a struggling animal rescue. He’s awkward and immediately taken with Tara, who is wrapped up with her doctor infatuation.

The things we do for our children. That was all I could think of while watching Fancy Nancy, another Disney Junior series. Nancy is a girly girl with a love of all things glittery and French. Funny, I can think of another little girl who fits that description. It goes without saying that Nalyce was immediately on board for this disc, going as far as to remind me every day that we need to review this show. When we finally set down to watch it, she was all business, turning off all the lights and basically becoming a zombie staring at the screen. I mean, I've never seen her so dedicated to anything. I have to admit a certain level of pride. Sadly, I was not as enamored with the show as she was.

The series is laid out in the typical format for a Disney series: two episodes per thirty-minute format. Each episode imparts an important lesson that every child should screen to function as a productive member of society, such as the importance of sharing and accepting people for who they are. After every episode I made sure Nalyce told me what the lesson she learned from the episode. It was only slightly less painful than pulling teeth for both of us, as I found myself having to use the privilege of watching another episode as an incentive for her. For her, it was more about the entertainment than the embedded lesson. Nevertheless, I’m a parent first.

After the first season of The Good Fight, I was a fan. I never saw an episode of The Good Wife, but the first season of this series stood up very well on its own, and season two continues that good fight as it were. Last season ended on a cliffhanger with Maia’s (Rose Leslie, Game of Thrones) future seeming very grim after her father fled the country and basically left her holding the bag. Season 2 addresses those concerns right off and ups the stakes as a new violent movement sweeps Chicago, putting a target on the back of every lawyer in the firm. However, let me get to the person you are all probably most interested in: Diane Lockhart. Her character has come a long way from the disarray she was in during the previous season, becoming a name partner at the law firm and attempting to find a balance in her life as well as figure out the state of her marriage. Needless to say, The Good Fight Season 2 continues with the momentum of the previous year and has me anxiously awaiting Season 3, which has been confirmed for 2019.

At the beginning of the season, several lawyers have fallen victim to fatal attacks from former clients, inciting a violent movement against law practitioners for the crime of overbilling. Further complicating matters, the founder of the law firm has recently passed, sending the firm in to a state of limbo as his daughter wants his name removed the firm as well as the loss of former partner Barbara Kolstad (Erica Tazel, Justified). Not to mention Maia’s pending trial following her father fleeing the country. It is perilous times for the newly named Reddick, Bosman, and Lockhart.