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HJ FLASH VIDEO REVIEW by david bruce

— Comment on David's blog

Feature Article by
Melinda Ledman

Reviews by
Tim Spanburg,
Maurice Broaddus,
Jenn Wright,
Melinda Ledman ,
PETER "PapaBear" CRUIKSHANK

Review by
TIM SPANBURG

—Continued on the blog

The Friend Zone. Guys, you know what I am talking about. And if you do not know what I am talking about, then drop to your knees and pray that you never find out. But for those of you that know, that have felt the pain of being stuck in this dreaded place, then Just Friends might be the comedic relief you are looking for. If you still do not know what the Friend Zone is, let me fill you in.

The Friend Zone is the dreaded place where a girl sees a guy who she is very close to as a complete asexual being. That guy has no chance of dating the girl, because they are 'friends.' This is a short answer to a complex problem, but here are a few warning signs from my experience, as well as from the movie Just Friends, that can show you if you are in the Friend Zone.

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Just Friends begins with a basic storyline, one familiar to almost everyone. It doesn't stop with the common experience however. It transcends the ordinary in almost every way. From the writing, to the filming, to the story and characters, this film went a step beyond the average movie-making experience.

To begin with, the set location was extreme. Filmed in Saskatchewan in the middle of winter, both cameras and actors were dramatically affected by temperatures that fluctuated between negative 20 and negative 50 degrees. The crew scattered handwarmers throughout their clothes and the cameras were heated. In the production notes, Chris Klein comments, "When I walked out of the airport terminal, the cold punched me in the face." Of course, Ryan Reynolds had the luxury of wearing the fat suit. The way he described it, "The thing was made out of lava. It was minus 40 out there and I'd just sit out there and steam."

—Continued on the blog

Review by
JENN WRIGHT

—Continued on the blog

I guess for many people, the holidays are a time to dread family get-togethers, revive sibling rivalry, and generally be reminded of who they once were (and maybe are still, behind the self-fooling veneer of adulthood).

Chris Brander has spent the past decade rebuilding his life from the adolescent rubble. An overweight, retainer-ridden teen, his final experience of high school was the humiliation of having his heartfelt “let’s-be-more-than-friends” yearbook entry for his widely popular best friend, Jamie, read to a crowd of rather typical juvenile buzzards, circling the soon-to-be-dead.

—Continued on the blog

I hate anything that could remotely be construed as a date movie. If you look at the movies that I’m prone to reviewing, you won’t see many there because it takes some sort of extra-ordinary act (read: free tickets) to get me to see one. In fact, I only went to see this movie because I thought my wife might enjoy it (read: I owed her a date movie). So naturally I expected—no, wanted—to hate this movie. But I found that I simply couldn’t. Examining the power/trap of men and women being friends, I found that Just Friends wants to be this year’s When Harry Met Sally.

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First let me say that I find sexual humor more stupid than funny. But this film has enough genuinely hilarious moments in it that I'd actually watch it again. Though some of the stunts were predictable, the film as a whole resisted the canned feel of most romantic comedies. I don't think it's going to be a boxoffice smasher, but word of mouth will keep it in the theaters longer than it might otherwise stay. Three things will help this film do better after the opening weekend: Samantha James (Anna Farris), the way the brothers beat each other up, and the realistic portrayal of plot events.

—Continued on the blog

Review by
PETER "PapaBear" CRUIKSHANK

—Continued on the blog

The Ugly Duckling meets the Three Stooges. This isn’t an exact description of the film Best Friends, but gives you an idea. Take one over weight and shy teenager (a.k.a. the school loser), then fast forward 10 years. In the beginning of the movie Chris Brander (played by Ryan Reynolds of “The Wedding Party”, “Amityville Horror” and “Waiting”) is the epitome of the lonely kid that everyone makes fun of and avoids (except to make fun of) – with the exception of two friends and his closest buddy, Jamie Palamino (played by Amy Smart who has a long list of performances including “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” and “The Butterfly Effect). And as much as Chris is the class loser, Jamie is just the opposite – a beautiful and popular cheerleader.

—Continued on the blog

Reviews by
Tim Spanburg,
Maurice Broaddus,
Jenn Wright,
Melinda Ledman ,
PETER "PapaBear" CRUIKSHANK

I will not post these comments. I welcome your spiritual concerns and prayer needs.  I will correspond with you, usually within two weeks.
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