Epinions Recent Reviews for carstairs38

Hitchcock Remakes Himself

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:47:24 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Every year it seems, more and more old movies are remade for modern audiences. And every year, people complain about the lack of original ideas in Hollywood. Yet one director many consider a master of the craft wasn't afraid of the remake. In fact, he...

Challenges to Keep Going Through Endings and Beginnings

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:58:04 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - As soon as downhere announced their 4th studio release, I started counting down. Ending is Beginning< i> was waiting for me when I got back from vacation, and I anxiously put it into my CD player. On first pass, I wasn't blown away. But as I've...

Not the Casting Crowns Christmas CD I Hoped for. But That Doesn't Mean It's Bad

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 23:24:47 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Every year about July I start checking to see who is coming out with new Christmas music. Like I have time to listen to all the CDs I already have. Anyway, somehow this year, the fact that Casting Crowns had a Christmas CD coming out managed to slip by...

"Do You Ever Have Deja Vu?" "I Can Check with the Kitchen."

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:47:02 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Groundhog Day< i> is one of those classic comedies you always hear about. And yet, I hadn't managed to see it until recently. As I had heard, it is funny and has a great message. Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a self-absorbed weatherman in...

A Relentlessly Paced Fantasy Thriller

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 20:04:06 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Author Robin Parrish used to write for some Christian music sites I read, so when he released Relentless, his first novel, I immediately bought it. And there it sat on my bookshelf for over two years waiting for me to finally pick it up and read...

Stamp This Book Right Out of Your To Be Read Pile

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 20:11:49 GMT

rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - At one point, my whole family was into rubber stamping. We'd make all our own cards. And we had a blast doing it. So when I noticed that a stamping themed mystery series was coming, I quickly put it on my must read list. Unfortunately, I'm sorry I...

Chuck Versus the Intersect

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 16:22:32 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Every year, I read about lots of shows I want to watch. Some years, the new shows don't wind up interesting me. But then there are those new shows that blow everything out of the water. As soon as one episode ends, I find myself counting down to the next...

"The Facts Were These"

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 23:40:30 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - What do you get when you combine fantasy, mystery, romance, and a touch of comedy? TV series Pushing Daisies, of course. The show has earned a reputation as being quirky and different. And it is. But trust me on this, that's a good...

Lost in the Wilderness

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 12:59:22 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - I don't get to see every film that enters my consciousness right away. For example, I heard about Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog when it first came out over a decade ago. Yet I just sat down and watched it. Turns out the film is...

There are Some Colorful Adventures in This Collection

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:52:20 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - While Walt Disney started producing his Silly Symphony cartoons in color in the early 1930's, he kept Mickey in black and white until 1935. The early color cartoons produced after the switch are the subject of Mickey Mouse in Living Color, one of...

The Curse of Being Grimm

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:16:16 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Every so often, I read a book and immediately wish I had thought of the premise myself. That was the case with The Fairy-Tale Detectives, the first in the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. This is inventive fantasy aimed at kids. But it...

Standing the Test of Time

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:27:37 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - This year marks the 20th anniversary of Amy Grant's release Lead Me On. The occasion has been marked by a special commemorative edition (which I will probably break down and buy eventually. The curse of being a collector.) And everyone in the...

Things are Darkest in the Dawn

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:13:47 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - The RestoratioNovels by Terri Blackstock have featured an unique premise. What if modern technology as we knew it failed? That's the question the Brannings have had to face in three previous books. And this Christian family have come through with flying...

A Collection of the Rare in Odyssey

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:00:01 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - When I first heard about The Lost Episodes collection of Adventures in Odyssey, I knew I had to get it and listen to it. Okay, so it's the geek in me. But there was one episode in particular I had somehow missed and wanted to hear. And I...

"A Wondrous Future Lies Before You, the Destined Hero of a Charming Fairytale Come True."

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:28:58 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - When the true classics of Disney animation are discussed, Sleeping Beauty is often listed near the top of the list. But not my list. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the film. But it has some serious story and character weaknesses that I can't...

I'm Not Blue I Bought This, But It Could be Better

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:49:21 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - A few months back I was reading a blog that highlighted Joel Auge's debut CD. A Canadian, Joel had been part of a band that never made it big here in the states. But his solo debut sounded interesting with its praise focus, so I went out and bought On...

Ceepak and the Tidy Suicide

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:00:39 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - When his former publisher folded, Chris Grabenstein quickly landed his John Ceepak mysteries at a new publisher. Hell Hole is the first to be published by St. Martin's but the fourth in the series. While the cover doesn't have that bright cotton...

"What're You Hunting For?" "I Thought I Knew; Now I'll Take Anything I Can Find."

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:31:12 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - While I had heard of Dashiell Hammett's married sleuths Nick and Nora Charles, I wasn't that familiar with them until I started watching the Thin Man films this year. And I didn't know what I was missing. This third film in the series is a good...

It Happened at the Comedy Theater

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 14:09:21 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - When the first Double Feature Mystery was released, I was disappointed. I knew Jeffrey Cohen could write better (and funnier) mysteries than that one. That's why I didn't hesitate to give the second one, It Happened One Knife, a chance. And my...

Entertaining Show Occasionally Derailed by Liberal Agenda

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 15:16:30 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - Thanks to the writer's strike this last season, the TV landscape looked very different than it might have. Some shows were given a little longer to find an audience. And those of us who are TV addicts were looking for anything original come spring...

What if We Like Brandon Heath's Second CD

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:09:22 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - After Brandon Heath won the Gospel Music Association Award for best new artist, I went out and bought his debut. It took some time, but I grew to like that project. So I was excited when his follow up, What if We, came out. It's mostly more of...

Viruses and Time Travel in a Short Season

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:46:51 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - How do you follow up on the first season of the most talked about new show of the year? That's the question that the producers of Heroes faced as they got ready to start season two. Their response, however, did not make the fans happy. Many complained...

The Reason I Bought a Wii

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:03:46 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - So, a couple weeks ago, I was over at a friend's house. When I found out he had Mario Kart Wii, I had to give it a try. The result? I was hooked on the spot and spent the next two days tracking down a Wii system and a copy of the game. It is quite...

Fighting Spam for Laughs

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:28:24 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - I am reviewing this book because of spam. Okay, maybe I shouldn't be admitting that right up front, but it is true. The author of Delete This at Your Peril sent me a cold e-mail asking if I was interested in getting a copy in exchange for an...

Given a Bit of Time, the Line is a Little Higher

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:34:15 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author carstairs38 - When the group 4Him broke up, I was hardly surprised. After all, two of their members had already released solo projects. Mark Harris was actually the second member to do that with The Line Between the Two. Being the loyal fan I am, I bought it...