Today I lost a friend though I did not know him personally.  He has been a part of my life since I was ten years old and Star Trek first aired.  Leonard Nimoy passed away this morning.  He was 83.   His best known role was that of Mr. Spock, first officer of the USS Enterprise. The character Spock was a Vulcan/Human mix, not devoid of emotion, but able to suppress and control his emotional responses.  For many of us who thought we were different Spock gave to us a role model that showed us that we could overcome our limitations and excel in what we chose to do and be.  He told us it was okay to be different and that was really a good thing.     While Nimoy alternately tried to remove himself from the character of Spock and embraced it he was forever in our minds the symbol of diversity that epitomized Star Trek.  Spock’s devotion to logic inspired us to examine our situations and understand how they could be improved. Read more about Leonard Nimoy 1931 - 2015

Opening Lines:  “Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge.” The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn." The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn’t clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige."

While growing up in Bloomington, I had the pleasure of knowing a professional stage magician.  He made a small living performing at various conventions and meetings around the United States.  As a small boy of 10, I found him fascinating.  He took me under his wing for a while and gave me what he called a beginning magic kit.  It wasn’t the type you found in magic stores. This was something special.  Read more about The Prestige

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) stars Matt Damon as Senate candidate David Norris.  He has been tapped by an unseen group to win a seat in the Senate . . . just not this election year.  If you were to read the basic plot of the movie it would sound like a typical political thriller.  An unseen group is grooming its candidate for a high office.  Suddenly this candidate becomes enthralled with a woman who they believe will be detrimental to his career and the group’s agenda.  This unknown organization begins to exert every effort to keep their candidate away from the woman and focused on the job at hand.  As the candidate continues to try to find the woman he loves he begins to find out more about this hidden organization and begins to fight against their control and seek his own way. Read more about Adjustment Bureau

Both the American League and National Leauge Championship Series start October 10th. Whether you're disappointed your favorite team is no longer in contention for the World Series or you just can't get enough of October baseball, these films are for you!

Field of Dreams "If you build it, he will come." An Iowa corn farmer Ray Kinsella hears this voice in his field one day and interprets it to mean he should build a baseball field on his farm. Once built, the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other 1919 Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the World Series appear.  He continues to hear voices, each time leading Ray to a different era of baseball and one step closer to his estranged father. 

42 This is the story of Jackie Robinson, recruited from the Negro Leagues to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945 and his historic 1947 rookie season where he broke the race barrier in Major League Baseball.

The Sandlot This coming of age movie is about Scotty Smalls a new kid in the neighborhood and struggling to make friends.  After embarrassing himself in an improvised game of baseball, Scotty turns to his stepfather to teach him how to play, goes back to the sandlot to show his new skill, is befriended by the team and goes on a series of adventures with them.

Angels in the Outfield  Roger wants two things from life: to live with a real family instead of in a foster home and for the California Angels to finally win the pennant even though they are the worst team in the division.  One day some angels appear at a game to help Roger make this happen-but only Roger can see them and believes in them! Will the Angels win the pennant? Ya gotta believe!

Moneyball The true story of Oakland A's manager Billy Beane's sucessful attempt to build a winning baseball team by using computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.

A League of their Own This is a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.  Set during World War II when a shortage of men threatens to shut down major league baseball, one major league owner convinces others to finance a woman's league.

Rookie of the Year  After his broken arm heals in an unexpected fashion, 12 year old little leaguer Henry finds that he now has the ability to pitch with incredible force. Signed by the Cubs and heading to the National League Championship game, Henry faces many challenges as a kid playing in the majors and playing alongside his heroes.

The Bad News Bears A down on his luck ex-Major Leaguer agrees to coach a ragtag little league team, whips them into shape, and takes on their nemisis in a super competitive Californian little leauge. 

Major League The Cleveland Indian's new owner wants to move the team but the only way out of the stadium contract is poor attendence. She assembles the worst baseball players and hopes for a losing season, but when the players catch wind of her plan they start winning just to spite her.

Bull Durham Minor Leaguer "Crash" Davis is sent to the Durham Bulls to help train up coming pitcher "Nuke" LaLoosh in the way of baseball and life.  The situation is even more complicated when Annie gets thrown into the mix.  Annie and Crash each help to shape Nuke into a major league pitcher.

If you are looking for an action-packed, extremely violent, two-and-a-half hour movie filled with lots of amazing martial arts acrobatics and weapons used in ways that you would never wish on your worst enemy, you should try this out (in either the provided English dubbed or subtitled Indonesian versions). I wouldn't ever recommend watching a sequel before the original, but you don't really have to see the first one (which is almost half as long, but just as good); This one basically starts over where it left off. Read more about The Raid 2