Cinderella Man

This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing two outstanding films. I saw Batman Begins and Cinderella Man. Since Hawk already reviewed Batman (see 6/16 post), I will stick to Cinderella Man.

My thoughts on Cinderella Man can be summed up in one word: Tremendous.

Now regular readers of this blog know that it does not take an Oscar-worthy film to earn a ringing endorsement from Wild Banshee. But, the Banshee does see a lot of movies, and I can homestly say that Cinderella Man is perhaps one of the ten best movies that I have ever seen.

Cinderella Man is the true story of depression-era boxer James J. Braddock. Braddock (Russell Crowe) runs on hard times when the market crashes in 1929. A series of injuries take Braddock out of the ring, so, like millions of Americans, Braddock struggles to scrape together enough money to feed his wife (Renee Zellweger) and three children. When Braddock finally gets a chance at redemption in the ring, a depressed nation rallies behind him.

Crowe and Zellweger turn in passionate and convincing performances as they portray the Braddocks' commitment to their children and to each other. Ron Howard does an outstanding job directing this film. He creates truly dynamic characters with whom the audience will undoubtedly feel an emotional connection. Howard also does an outstanding job with the cinematography of the fight scenes.

Of course, boxing plays a central part in this movie. But, Cinderella Man is much more than a fight film. Cinderella Man serious without being depressing. It is moving without being manipulative or sappy. And, above all, it is inspiring. Cinderella Man is absolutely a must-see film.

Quote of the Day 6/17/05

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers." Dorothy Bernard

Brand Names

Some brand names become so popular that the product itself becomes known by that name. Kleenex is a prime example of that phenomenon. But not every company can expect that level of success. Another way to make sure that people remember your brand name is to simply choose a name that describes your product's purpose. I recently discovered one such product.

Hiney Hiders is one of the leading producers of bathroom stall doors. What a great name! I have no idea who Hiney Hiders' competitors might be. Perhaps if they had chosen a name like Butt Barriers then I would be aware of their existence, too.

I think that more companies should use this strategy. Who wouldn't be drawn to Road Gripper tires? Or Wake You Up coffee? And no one would forget Stink Stopper deoderant.

Quote of the Day 6/16/05

"When the water reaches the upper level, follow the rats." Claude Swanson

Batman Begins To Impress Me

Yesterday I saw the movie premier of Batman Begins. This movie has received excellent reviews as far as I can tell, and in my opinion earned every one of its four stars. Because I am not exactly a Batman fan, I'm a little uneasy recommending the movie to those who have seen (and loved) the previous movies, since it is so different from most superhero movies. But this is what makes it, in my opinion, so fantastic. Director Christopher Nolan does such an exceptional job of making the story realistic that I actually found myself thinking about halfway through the movie, "Is this a true story...?" For as bizarre and comical as the idea is - that a man dresses like a bat, single-handedly kills groups of armed men, becomes invisible, flies across buildings and drives a nearly invinsible steel sports car at outrageous speeds - all of this - I don't know how - but it somehow actually becomes believable throughout the movie. I also thought the movie dealt well with the psychological and even moral aspects of Batman's rise to superhero-hood, with lots of quotable one-liners about fear, goodness versus evil, and character. And finally, although this is a somewhat minor point, the movie is noticably devoid of sexual innuendo and pointless profanity, which I found to be an added plus.

Quote of the Day 6/15/05

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

Ask Banshee

Dear Banshee,

Let me first say how excited I am to have direct access to the great Banshee herself. After almost a solid year of gleaning little gems of wisdom on everything from politics to sports to dog shows and other events of importance, I can't believe I can actually bring my own personal fears/concerns/problems to the wise diva.

Anyway, here's my question. I've recently started a side business. Of course, I'm anxious to kick it into high gear and begin selling my products. Now, is it wrong to solicit friends and family? How much is too much? When one starts a business, selling make-up for example, how does one appropriately introduce one's acquaintances to the products without being annoying and manipulative? Do you have any tips to make sure my new business doesn't ruin my old friendships?

Signed,
Scared to Start Selling

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Scared,

Wow. Thanks for the compliments. After all that, I feel a little nervous about coming up with an answer worthy of all that praise.

Here's my main advice: Believe in your product. If you truly believe that your product is a wonderful thing, then you will naturally want to share it with the people you know. So, go ahead and talk about it and encouraging people to try it. If you at it as sharing, then the people you're dealing with will likely feel that way, too. Just don't let it get too personal. If your friends and family don't embrace your wonderful product, then it is really just their loss. Even though you might lose a little financially, they're the ones missing out on the true joy of what you sell.

Good luck to you in your business endeavor.

~ Wild Banshee


If you have a burning question on your mind, please Ask Banshee.

Quote of the Day 6/14/05 Flag Day

"Shoot if you must, this old grey head,But spare your country's flag," she said.

~ From the poem "Barbara Fritchie" by John Greenleaf Whittier.

Click here to read the full poem. The poem is about a legendary resident of Fredrick, MD who proudly flew Old Glory while Confederate soldiers marched by and about how Stonewall Jackson spared her life.

A Poem for Flag Day

"The Flag Goes By" by Henry Holcomb Bennett

Hats off!
Along the street there comes
A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums,
A flash of color beneath the sky:
Hats off!
The flag is passing by!

Blue and crimson and white it shines
Over the steel-tipped, ordered lines.
Hats off! The colors before us fly
But more than the flag is passing by.

Sea-fights and land-fights, grim and great,
Fought to make and to save the State:
Weary marches and sinking ships;
Cheers of victory on dying lips;

Days of plenty and years of peace;
March of a strong land's swift increase;
Equal justice, right and law,
Stately honor and reverend awe;

Sign of a nation, great and strong
To ward her people from foreign wrong:
Pride and glory and honor, --all
Live in the colors to stand or fall.

Hats off! Along the street there comes
A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums;
And loyal hearts are beating high:
Hats off! The flag is passing by!

Greatest Pillow Ever

We all know that the right pillow can really make or break a night's sleep. Who hasn't spent the night in a hotel where the pillow was either flat like a pancake or round like a basketball? Most of the time we really don't realize how awful the pillow is until morning rolls around.

Well, the Banshee recently bought a new pillow. And boy, has it changed my life! Prior to getting the pillow, I just assumed that it was natural to wake up with a slight headache and a stiff neck. Turns out this isn't the case at all.

The most wonderful pillow on the planet can be purchases at Bed, Bath and Beyond for under $50. I do not know the exact brand name because I removed the tag. But, the pillow is synthetic down. Basically, this means that it feels exactly like down but doesn't have any prickles poking through and doesn't get mushed all flat right away. The pillow is advertised as the ultimate side-sleeper. I think this is because there are actual side walls on this pillow. Those side walls allow the pillow to keep its shape under you without requiring bunching and balling. But, rest assured, the pillow still feels comfy when you lie on your back.

I realize that pillows are kind of a personal thing and that everyone has their own subtle preferences. But, if any of you are preparing for a new pillow purchase, I strongly encourage you to check out the synthetic down at Bed, Bath and Beyond.