Review: iPod nano

Most of my friends had iPods. I didn’t. I didn’t want to haul around the mp3 playing brick. I was holding out for something smaller. I was excited when the iPod Mini came out, but still wasn’t too impressed. Around the 1st of September I read a press release explaining that Apple would be making a big announcement on the 7th. It would definitely have something to do with the iPod family. I was excited because I knew it might be what I was waiting for.

After I arrived at work on the 7th I checked various sites around the Internet. Many seemed to think Apple would be announcing an iPod phone and a smaller iPod. Finally the word got out and Apple had the iPod nano on their site. Immediately after I saw the specs and photos I knew I was ordering one. Less than 2 hours later I did. Using the Education discount (By the way, anyone can get the Education discount because they don’t do any checking on you.) through the Apple store I put in my order for a 4 GB black iPod nano with free engraving. Line one would get Nick Momrik and line two ‘MtDewVirus’. After tax the total came to just over $242 (with free shipping). Not bad for an item listed at $249.

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Rate The Stuff

Mo launched Rate The Stuff earlier this week. It’ll be interesting to see how the Yahoo ads do on the new site because each page will be so specific to a product. Early on, the ads are very focused, so my guess is that it’ll be a hit. Will RTS be able to survive with so many other review sites out there from the big blog networks? Time will tell.

This is Mo’s 4th site, compared to my 3. I guess I better step it up!

Review: The Killers – Hot Fuss [LIMITED EDITION]

Hot FussJust last week The Killers won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. I’ve heard 3 of their songs on XM Radio over the last few weeks and really enjoyed the music, so I decided to buy the CD. Their most popular songs (with # from the CD) are:

  • 2. Mr. Brightside
  • 4. Somebody Told Me
  • 5. All These Things That I’ve Done

I’ve only listened to the album a few times but have enjoyed a number of the other songs. Hot Fuss is definitely a CD that you can feel good about buying. You don’t just get a CD where you’ll play one song over and over again. I give the album an A-.

Review: The Dukes of Hazzard

Dukes of Hazzard

The Dukes of Hazzard (Unrated Widescreen Edition)I remember watching the TV series all of the time as a kid. The Dukes and the General Lee were my heroes because they always saved the day. When I first heard a movie was coming out I was excited. I was even more excited when I saw the cast. Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, and Willie Nelson all played big roles in the film.

Going into the movie I was expecting something entertaining. The Dukes of Hazzard delivered in that area as well as being pretty damn funny. Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott worked well together as the Bo and Luke Duke. Jessica Simpson was great eye candy in the role of Daisy Duke, but she does not have a future career in movies. I was a bit disappointed in the choice of Burt Reynolds for Boss Hogg. In the TV series, Boss Hogg was a shorty chubby guy where Reynolds is much taller and in reasonable shape.

If you were a fan of the original TV show you should enjoy the movie. Make sure you stay after the film and watch the credits for some bloopers. I give it a B+.

Review: After the Sunset

After the Sunset (Widescreen Edition) (New Line Platinum Series)When renting a few movies last week I was asked if I wanted to grab a $1 rental for free. I turned around and After the Sunset was the first DVD I spotted, so I took it. The free movie turned out to be better than the two new releases which cost $2.50 each.

I’ve always liked Pierce Brosnan movies and this was no different. The cast also included a hot Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, and Don Cheadle. The action was good and the humor was laughable. It’s a typical theif vs. enforcement agent type of movie, but the comedy adds a nice touch. I give it a B.

Review: The Ring Two

The Ring Two (Unrated Widescreen Edition)I really liked The Ring when it came out in theaters, but The Ring Two is horrible. The story gets all twisted and doesn’t make much sense. This is a case where the producers should have stopped after one film.

For a what was supposed to be a scary movie, TR2 was a letdown. I only jumped during one scene and it didn’t even fit in with the story. I wouldn’t waste the time to watch it again and neither should you. I give it a D.


Review: Sin City

Sin CityQuentin Tarantino comes along as a special guest director for Sin City. The movie definitely has a Tarantino feel to it. It’s unlike any other movie you’ve ever seen. Looking at IMDb I noticed that Sin City 2 and Sin City 3 are planned for the future. It’ll be interesting to see how each movie follows along after the first.

I had been told that Sin City was different by almost everyone who had seen it. “Different” isn’t quite the right word. This movie is shown in black and white for the most part with color added here and there to draw your attention. One character’s lips are red, another’s eyes are blue, and another’s hair is gold blonde. The B&W along with color added in specific places really makes Sin City stand out. The story is a bit twisted but it’s entertaining and kept my interest.

I wouldn’t say that I’d watch the movie again, but it was good enough to watch. With a cast that includes Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Josh Hartnett, Michael Madsen, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, and Elijah Wood how can you go wrong? It’s virtually a who’s who of Hollywood. I give the movie a B.

Review: Into The Sun

Into the SunOver the past few years, Steven Seagal’s movies have sucked. I’ve been a fan of his movies ever since I saw Under Siege, but with his recent lack of hits he is not even in my top five list of favorite actors anymore. With that said, Into the Sun was actually a decent movie.

Some of the other Seagal movies I’ve seen in the last two or three years have been downright horrible. I should know better than to watch one of his movies that didn’t make it to the big screen. What can I say though? I’m a fan. Or…I was. At least Into the Sun had Seagal doing his own voice-overs for the entire film, unlike previous films.

There is a lot of action, but nothing I’ve never seen before from Seagal. The story is nothing special, but kept me semi-interested. I give the movie a C-.

Review: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Unrated Extended Edition)I’m not the biggest fan on stupid comedy movies, but Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle was pretty good. John Cho and Kal Penn worked well together to make this film.

The entire film revolves around the characters of Harold and Kumar. One night after getting stoned, they get the munchies. A commercial for White Castle appears on TV and they’re off to satisfy their hunger. Their journey takes them on many unexpected turns, providing some hilarious scenes. The end of the movie was left wide open for a sequel, which I hope they decide to make.

As I mentioned, I’m not a big fan of comedy, so the highest I can give is a B+.

Review: Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby (3 Disc Deluxe Edition Including CD Soundtrack)One of the best movies I’ve seen in quite some time. Million Dollar Baby deserves every award it won last year. Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hilary Swank put on one hell of a performance for this one.

The movie teaches a great lesson about life…even when it appears as if we’ve lost, sometimes we’ve achieved our wildest dreams. Success is not always what it appears to be. The end of the movie appears to be a sad ending, but if you step back it’s actually a good thing for all of the involved parties. I won’t give away any more spoiling details.

Some of the action is slow, but it needs to be in order to develop the characters. The boxing scenes look pretty realistic and the music works well with the action. This film is definitely worth watching. I’d give it a A-.