Archive for the ‘Current Events’ Category

The Russian Five

I think I haven’t done many movie reviews here, but this one is an exception. The reason is that I couldn’t find any reviews of the movie before I went to see it.

Sure, there were writings that claimed to be reviews of the movie, but they are reviews of the story, not of the movie itself. The movie is not rated, so I was looking for something to tell me if it was appropriate for the kids. There was nothing out there that described the movie, so this blog post will fill that gap.

Let me start off by saying I was pleasantly surprised that they did not try to Russian-ize the title. It is The Russian Five written in standard English characters. They did not try to make it look more Russian by throwing a Ya (the backwards R) in there. Like Toys-Ya-Us. It would have been silly to have it read The Yaussian Five. Perhaps since there were real Russians involved, the title was left alone. Or maybe because it was a independently produced documentary, the title was left alone. Once Hollywood and marketing get involved, who knows what would happen.

Also, don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s not really an interesting movie as entertainment. It’s a documentary – it’s probably not going to be enjoyable unless you are from Detroit or like hockey or you are nostalgic for Glasnost.

Now for the main part of this post: the family-friendliness of the movie:

  • Language: Not the best. Much of the movie is fine, then they drop 1 s-bomb, 3 or 4 f-bombs, and 1 or 2 h-e-double-hockey-sticks. It’s a hockey movie, I had to use that term.
  • Violence: It’s hockey. There are hockey fights. Some blood, some stitches, all from game footage.
  • S-e-ecks: None. Trying to keep this post family-friendly too.
  • Drugs: It’s about Russians. Vodka is a given. Most of the movie has nothing. Near the end, there are descriptions of drinking vodka at a celebration, plus footage of people drinking who-knows-what out of the Stanley Cup.

The one thing our kids didn’t understand, that we had to explain to them afterwards why anyone would do such as thing, was the glowing puck on broadcasts during part of the ’90s.

The movie does not have a narrator. The whole story is told via current-day interviews of the people involved, plus archival footage (either game broadcasts or news stories or home movies), plus some animated re-enactments of things that had no footage.

In summary: I laughed, I cried, it was a history lesson and a trip down memory lane.

and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

Exodus 18:3

Knuckleball

Now that no one is talking about the Quid Fremby font anymore, it’s time to announce that Font Grill has released a new font.

Introducing: Knuckleball

image of Knuckleball font

Go download Knuckleball.

This was patterned after the Screwball Squirrel cartoon title. However, the name of “Screwball” for a font was already taken so we had to go with Knuckleball as the next best thing. It seems that Knuckleball was not taken, which was slightly surprising.

At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

2 Kings 20:12

Quid Fremby

Now that no one is talking about Beast font anymore, it’s time to announce that Font Grill has released a new font.

Introducing: Fremby Font

image of Fremby font

Go download Fremby.

Since Fred Quimby was the name of a real person, I didn’t feel right naming it directly after him. So I called it Fremby, directly named after the fictitious cartoon producer Quid Fremby. Besides, he was the producer, not the guy who did the actual lettering so it shouldn’t be named after him anyway.

Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce

Proverbs 3:9

Beast Font

Now that no one is talking about Font-fil-A anymore, it’s time to announce that Font Grill has released a new font.

Introducing: Beast Font

image of beast font

Go download Beast.

Why Beast? People will remember that more easily than BeEast, which is the logo it was based on.

For you will be in league with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

Job 5:23

Baby Shark

For some reason or another, the song Baby Shark is very popular with our kids. All our kids, from the high-schooler down to the second-grader.

The problem is, after hearing one or more of them singing/humming/whistling Baby Shark, I find it is easily stuck in my head too.

In order to share this wonderful experience with all of you, I present ways to help keep the song foremost in one’s mind.

Try asking your kids the following questions:

  • What’s the best Mario Kart track?
  • Why is that room scary?
  • How do you know which tree is a dogwood tree?
  • Why won’t my car start?
  • What do the herald angels sing?

Trust me, after a few of those questions, the kids will be begging you to stop.

If you want the answers, scroll down.

  • Baby Park
  • Cause it’s dark
  • By its bark
  • There’s no spark
  • They sing hark

Her wise princesses would answer her, Indeed she repeats her words to herself,

Judges 5:29

Inmates in Charge

My opinion has been that Brave New World was much more on point than 1984, yet for some reason 1984 got all the press and is the default example of dystopia.

After the election results of yesterday, I am beginning to think that Lord of the Flies is a more appropriate analogy to today. Just think of it – my state just legalized a psychoactive drug. I’m trying to live peacefully in my little part of the island, and the other kids are running around crazily and messing everything up. When are the adults going to show up and restore order?

Okay, maybe it’s not that bad. But it certainly isn’t good. I’m not going to rehash (haha) all the arguments around the legalization debate here. It’s bad enough that the vape store opened up a block away from our middle school, now my parenting trek is even more uphill with the passage of this proposal.

I’m hoping that it doesn’t take as long for society to recognize the problems of smoking cannabis as it did to recognize the problems of smoking tobacco. Tobacco was popular for quite some time before people came to their senses and got a number of restrictions enacted. Related side note: my kids will never experience the standard procedure that I grew up with to ask for a non-smoking table when walking into a restaurant. Back in my day…

Anyway, that’s enough rambling for now. If the mobs start acting up, just spray some more soma at them.

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.

Proverbs 21:2

Happy Reformation Day

I had another post lined up, but I realized this publication date happens to be a holiday – Reformation Day. It is when kids get dressed up and go door to door handing out their lists of grievances against the church, or something like that.

In case you’re wondering, the kids’ costumes of choice this year are a ninja, a mummy, Ranger’s Apprentice, and a traffic cone.

since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

Hebrews 9:10