Reviews

Overview

Failure to Launch with Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey is a story of a man who seems content living at home. Consequently, his parents hired a woman to motivate him to move out. Of course, the relationship turns into a little more than that, which causes the movie to get interesting.

The Good

• This movie takes a little different of a twist with the hire, so some points have to be given for originality
• It's a light movie, but a fairly fun one

The Bad

• I still found the movie to be too predictable

Final Opinion

Failure to Launch is a decent comedy. However, I can't say it's one of the best that I've seen. Failure to Launch is pretty average in my opinion.

Overview

United 93, which starred Christian Clemenson and Trish Gates and was directed by Paul Greengrass, is an account of one of the hijacked planes on 9/11. It depicts the heroic actions of the plane's passengers to ultimately block to terrorists from flying the plane to its planned destination.

The Good

• It's a very well done film that shows what great heroes the passengers on that plane were. While they died, they saved the lives of hundreds or thousands by taking the actions they did

The Bad

• It still may be difficult for some to watch United 93, and it's a little bloody at times

Final Opinion

While the film leaves you almost feeling sick, it does so because it was so well done. United 93 really illustrated to me how remarkable the passengers on that plane really were.

Labels: Christian Clemenson, Paul Greengrass, Trish Gates, United 93

Overview

The Office: Season Two is a comedy about a group of office workers. It is a remake of a BBC hit television series. Steve Carell plays the role of a the somewhat goofy manager who attempts to keep his employees on his side while maintaining his inflated ego.

The Good

• After a somewhat mediocre first season, the show rebounded well with fresh content that was largely successful

The Bad

• There's not too much--the season was without many duds

Final Opinion

If you enjoy office parodies, then The Office: Season Two is worth watching. I wasn't crazy about the first season, but I thought the second was a great effort.

Interested in purchasing? Visit Amazon for more information and opinions.

Labels: DVD, Steve Carell, The Office

Overview

The Palm Treo 700p Smartphone followed the release of the 700w--Palm's first Windows product. By most accounts, the Treo 700p is superior. It has a QWERTY keyboard, a 1.3 megapixel camera, additional memory, a digital music player, and Bluetooth technology. The Treo is really a compact all-in-one unit.
The Good

• It's small and easy to use
• The Treo 700p has an amazing range of features
• Web browsing with Blazer is easy
• You can get a pretty good deal with a Verizon contract

The Bad

• The Palm OS hasn't been updated in some time
• The Treo 700p doesn't have WiFi
• Recharging the battery every night or two is wise
  

Final Opinion

If you're looking for a feature-rich unit, the Palm Treo 700p may be the answer. It's a great solution for someone who is always on the go.

Overview

Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors by Michael Porter is often considered to be the gold standard when it comes to business strategy. It's a bit of a toolkit that can be used when determining strategy. While not terribly exciting, it's interesting, and covers the foundation of business strategy.

The Good

• It provides a solid foundation of competitive strategy
• It's a timeless toolkit that can be referred to over and over
  

The Bad

• It's long and somewhat dry at times
  

Final Opinion

If you're involved in creating and implementing strategy, Competitive Strategy is a must. It may not be invigorating throughout, but it's a great toolkit.

Labels: Business strategy, Competitive Strategy, Michael Porter

Overview

The Kodak EasyShare LS753 camera was one of Kodak's first small cameras. Kodak's digital cameras have always had good picture quality, but this seemed to be the first model where they kept the size very reasonable.

The Good

• It's a fairly small portable camera with good picture quality
• It can be had fairly inexpensively since it's two years old

The Bad

• There are newer cameras with higher resolution (it's five megapixel)
  

Final Opinion

This camera is a good value. For the average user, the Kodak EasyShare LS753 is a great camera at a reasonable price.

Overview

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins is an examination of what allows some companies to become great, and what blocks others from ever doing so. He picked eleven cases to examine, including Walgreens and Wells Fargo. Ulimately, he is able to isolate the common characteristics of "great" companies and present them in the book.

The Good

• The book provides a good foundation, as it clearly illustrates what companies need to do to become "great"
• The cases are interesting, which allows theory to be more easily understood

The Bad

• I wouldn't say there is a ton of depth here--but it's a good starting point with interesting cases that makes for a quick read
  

Final Opinion

It's a good read for anyone in business. It's not necessarily something I'd read over and over. However, Good to Great may give you some ideas to implement in your business.

Labels: Business strategy, Good to Great, Jim Collins

Overview

Office Space with Ron Livingston and Jennifer Aniston has become a bit of a cult classic. The main character, Peter, becomes frustrated with the pressures and mindless work in his office. He later gets stuck in a hypnotic state and stops caring about his job. Yet, despite this, the consultants like him and lay off his harder working friends. Given Peter's state, he's happy to formulate a revenge plot and urge his friends to follow along.

The Good

• It's hilarious--anyone who has worked in an office will probably enjoy this film
• The film is so unique that it can easily be watched over and over

The Bad

• If you've never worked in an office, you may not appreciate it as much

Final Opinion

If you have office experience, this movie is a must see. While it's not perfect, Office Space is funny from beginning to end.

Overview

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy by Charles Fishman is an examination of Wal-Mart's impact on society. It looks at the positives that include lower prices for consumers, along with the negatives that come with those prices. For example, salmon is only $4.84 at Wal-Mart, but there is a reason that they can pull off such a low price.

The Good

• It's a two-sided analysis of Wal-Mart's impact on society. It acknowledges the benefits while exposing the hidden costs.
• It breaks new ground amidst a mass of Wal-Mart related books.

The Bad

• There isn't much to speak of. Bentonville still may not like it.

Final Opinion

It's the best book I've come across on the topic. If you're interested in Wal-Mart's impact on society, The Wal-Mart Effect is a worthwhile read.

Labels: Charles Fishman, Wal Mart, Wal-Mart Effect