UrbanDocent.com open for business!!!!!

That's right! The blog that you all know, love and read on a regular basis is now its own wholly contained website --- UrbanDocent.com.

This current blog site -- now known as the "original" Urban Docent -- will remain open as an online archive for previous posts, comments and other old-school frivolity.

All new posts will be found at UrbanDocent.com.

Excelsior!

So, what's the big news?

What's this all about?

Click here to learn more ....

Big big news on the way ....

Watch this space for the soon arrival of the biggest news in the history of the Urban Docent ....

Details coming soon!!!!

People are the same everywhere . . . .

The more I see funny videos like this one, the more I realize that peoples' reactions are pretty much the same all over.

It's easier -- and, in some cases, wiser -- to just do what everybody else is doing in a given situation rather than what you might do otherwise. There must be some wiring in the human mind for survival that causes reactions like these.

But I think it would also be interesting to see the footage that wasn't good enough for the program. I would like to see the reactions of folks who didn't go along with the gags.

"The Messengers" -- aka "What Not To Watch"

Yet another Urban Docent original, spoiler-free review

A group of us made the mistake of watching "The Messengers" late Saturday night. I hope that this review will keep you from treading our path of misfortune ....

I was kind of open to the flick because of its association with Ghost House Pictures and producer, Sam Raimi. Don't get me wrong -- I wasn't expecting "Evil Dead," but I was looking for a little more than just pure garbage.

Plot Summary: This goofy, somewhat dysfunctional family leaves the big city behind to have a fresh start in their county's most sinister-looking homestead. Strange and scary things begin to happen with the children, and one of the family members goes the extra mile to resolve the secrets that have made this such an evil place to live.

Sounds kind of interesting, right? Well, this story would have been more enjoyable if there weren't these massive holes in the logic and behavior of the characters. There are a series of patchy plot points that all add up to even the least discerning film viewer saying, "Hey, what the heck was the point of XYZ THING THAT MADE NO SENSE?"

"The Messengers" is loaded with annoying, repetitive tools like blurry images suddenly sweeping in front of the camera accompanied by a loud music note. It goes for way too many schlocky "shock" tactics that so many similar films ran into the ground years ago. And by the time the film is over, you'll really wish a Raimi-like cellar sequence a la "Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn" was coming your way (but you'll only be disappointed).

I will, however, give the crew some credit for occasionally offering some nice cinematography. There are a few moments that you will be able to appreciate for their technical construction, but they are sadly few and far between.

So, do not pay full-price admission to suffer through this one at the theater; "The Messengers" is too sorry to do that. But if you are in the mood for what promises to be a more competent ghost story, save your pennies for the upcoming "1408," which is based on a story by this little-known author named Stephen King:

Hey SunDragon22!!! Happy Birthday ....

Happy birthday ....