Thursday, February 21, 2008

Book Review:Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?


Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?
THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC BOOK REVIEW, BY JAMES MYERS
http://www.theentertainmentcritic.com/
http://www.theentertainmentcritic.net/
http://www.theentertainmentcriticmagazine.com/
DOES THIS CLUTTER MAKE MY BUTT LOOK FAT? AN EASY PLAN FOR LOSING WEIGHT AND LIVING MORE
By Peter Walsh
Published by Free Press, A Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc
Publication Date: February 5, 2008
Price: $25.00
256 Pages
ISBN-13: 9781416560166
Four Star Rating ****

NOTED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION EXPERT
BEST SELLING AUTHOR, OF HOW TO ORGANIZE (JUST ABOUT) EVERYTHING: MORE THAN 500 STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVERYTHING FROM ORGANIZING YOUR CLOSETS TO PLANNING A WEDDING TO CREATING A FLAWLESS FILING SYSTEM AND IT’S ALL TOO MUCH: AN EASY PLAN FOR LIVING A RICHER LIFE WITH LESS STUFF
THIS IS HIS 3RD BOOK CONSECUTIVE BEST SELLING BOOK
HIS WORK HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO MANY FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND HAS APPEARED ON 9 BEST SELLER LISTS
A REGULAR ON OPRAH’S SHOW
PETER COACHES PEOPLE ON HOW TO DECLUTTER THEIR HOMES, BUSINESSES, OFFICES, HEADS AND THEIR LIVES
HOST OF A WEEKLY NATIONAL RADIO PROGRAM ON XM 156
HOST OF TLC SHOW CLEAN SWEEP FOR 3 YRS
EDUCATOR AND SKILLED MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
DESIGNED THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND WORK SPACES
OWNS AND OPERATES HIS OWN PRIVATE CONSULTING BUSINESS, PETER WALSH DESIGN-WORKS WITH PRIVATE CLIENTS, ORGS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
NATIONWIDE INTERVIEW IS UPCOMING ON HIS NEW BOOK

“This book is about you and your relationship with your body-about what you think about it, what you put into it, how you treat it, and whether you are happy with it…This is a book about the clutter inside you that prevents you from living the life you want and being the person you wish to be. Your relationship with food is complex. If you’re fat, your problems are real, and there are no miracles. Changing is going to take some straight talk, and I’m here to give it. …

The connection between clutter and weight didn’t occur to me overnight. About a year ago, I published my book, It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life With Less Stuff. Soon after the book was released I began hearing from people who’d used it to get rid of clutter in their homes and lives. In these letters, I discovered an unexpected side effect. The link that I had suspected but only dimly glimpsed became obvious through the experiences of my readers. I was inundated with real examples of the impact clutter had on all areas of one’s life-especially weight.
Dozens of my readers started talking to me in letters, at readings and on the radio. They told me that when they focused on the lives they wanted to live, they were able to free themselves from years of gorging themselves. And you can, too.

Clutter or weight? Weight or clutter? What is the solution? We have to step back and look at the total picture…Declutter your mind, declutter your home, declutter your relationship to food. Then watch the ripple effect this has on every aspect of the way you live. Clear out the junk, and in doing so, clear out the patterns of thought and behavior that prevent you from living the life that you want. If you try to clear the clutter by focusing on the stuff, you will fail to get organized. It’s not about the stuff. If you try to lose weight by focusing on the food, you’ll never change your body for good. It’s not about the food. First define the life you want to live. Acknowledge the issues that clutter that vision. Clean up your priorities. Create a world where those priorities can thrive. Learn how to honor and respect yourself. When you do, the ability to take control of your body will follow.” (Pp9-16).

Is there a relationship between the clutter in our lives, our homes and our workplace and our waistline? Is there a relationship between our environment, our mind and our body? Is there a correlation between the clutter around us, and the clutter inside of our minds that prevents us from living the life that we want? Is there a relationship between clutter and weight problems?

Best-Selling Author Peter Walsh in his new book, Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat: An Easy Plan for Losing Weight and Living More, answers these questions with an emphatic and surprising yes. Walsh takes this occasion to shed light on the connection between de-cluttering and loosing weight in this amazing, and some what shocking new book. From the feedback he received on his first book, It’s All Too Much, the discourse from his numerous appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the emails, letters, phone call and meetings in his private consulting business, Peter Walsh Design, Inc as well as input from his weekly TLC hit television show, Clean Sweep, Walsh has come to the conclusion that by examining people’s lives and determining what they want out of life—what makes them happy, that the process of emotionally and physically letting go of internal and external clutter has a definitive connection to weight loss. The surprising trend he discovered was that for a lot of people, getting rid of clutter and organizing their lives results in loosing weight and gaining the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The same psychological processes that cause us to accumulate and hoard possessions apparently determine how most people desire and consume food.

Peter’s unique approach to these problems has opened a door. In his ergonomic studies, Peter asks his clients, what is it that you want out of life? What do you want your life to be like? What is the ideal model for your life? Once that is established, the client is then asked to compare and contrast their current, existing life to the ideal model. If those are not one and the same, then Peter discusses with the client what must be done to change that. In the case of possessions, we are driven to consume more, purchase more and own more things. Once we understand that the possession of clutter inhibits us from achieving the lifestyle we desire, then we can rid ourselves of the items that keep us from our goal. It’s not the stuff; it is the subtle, psychological influence to possess it. From this same place in our subconscious, it is not the food; it is the external influences to consume it, which once again keeps us from becoming our ideal selves. By unlocking the internal reasons for behind overeating and helping us to identify our personal life goals, Peter believes his method succeeds in make real, lasting life changes where other methods and diets fail.

In this book, Peter does a first-class job in helping us to examine own patterns of buying, eating and exercising, so we can make informed choices in empowering ourselves to understand and ultimately take control of our eating habit, our kitchen, our pantry, and refrigerator to achieve a balance in our lives and a weight that is healthy and maintainable. In his straight-forward style Peter gives us a blueprint for how to achieve our life goals:

(1) Define the life you want to live and picture your ideal you;
(2) Tackle the emotions you possess concerning food and how food makes you feel;
(3) Zero in on the kitchen you create and how to make it a haven for preparing healthy, delicious meals; (There goes your secret stash of Snicker bars);
(4) Understand the reality of the food you stock and how to plan to prepare easy dishes;
(5) Identify the challenges you will face along the way (holidays, special occasions,) and know your weaknesses.

Peter teaches us diets don’t work. Calorie counting doesn’t work. Weekly weigh-ins don’t work. They fail to focus on how, why, and where you eat. By determining what it is that we really want, and clearing the clutter that negatively affects our bodies from our kitchens, pantries, and home will lead to a fuller and healthier life. Peter doesn’t stop there. He teaches us not only how to clean up those spaces, but also the routines we need to succeed. How to plan meals, how to shop, how to exercise dinnertime rituals are all part of his overall instruction contained in this book. The tools and courage to get over all of the common excuses and face the issues to make a change for a better life are discussed in detail. This book and its author are all about living the life we choose to live.

Not that the new book and Peter himself have not taken a little heat for this controversial book. The book has been called “a bombshell”. They have accused Peter of using, “guilt and humiliation” as part of his process. The blogs and discussion forums are full of the sentiment that Peter’s book is anti-size acceptance. The book has been called “deplorable”. I think these arguments are misplaced. Peter’s book is not anti-size acceptance; in fact it is just the opposite. Peter goes to great pains to mimic the size acceptance mantra in this book:

“Imperfection is not a problem-unhappiness is. Happiness is the goal here, and a long life to enjoy that happiness. If you are fine with your weight and satisfied with your life expectancy, great! …if you have a clean bill of health, maybe you should stop harping about those extra ten pounds and enjoy your life. You can put down this book…I don’t believe in weight loss for the sake of weight loss. I believe in living a life that makes you happy.” (Pp 17).

Controversial, but interesting and stunning, this book is one of the most unusual self-help books on the shelves of booksellers. That being said, the analysis and straight-forward style in which the book is written is concise, powerful and persuasive. Walsh in his “pull no punches” manner, and short sentence, word specific style is a great communicator. His constant emphasis on the correlation between our environment and our happiness simply cannot be overstated. This book is about changing your life for the better; about creating the healthy life and body that we ourselves have always wanted. Peter’s approach is a welcome breath of fresh air in the field of ergonomics. Our environment should not be a reflection of what some expert determines is best for us; rather it should be a reflection of what we truly want for ourselves. This is what makes Peter’s book so great; it is our vision, not his which takes priority. Straight honest talk, tempered by tremendous humor and insight make this book a must read. His theory of self-directing change makes this book among the very best of self-help books. When Peter wrote this book, he took a risk. You can take a slight risk to buy and read it. It just may change your life.









Tuesday, February 12, 2008

New Magazine is Seeking Submissions

I'm James Myers, The Entertainment Critic. I am starting a new online magazine, The Entertainment Critic's Magazine that will cover all things Entertainment. If you have a book, music, movie, restaurant, pc/video game review, or wish to have an excerpt from your book published, or wish to write an article pertaining to celebrities, events, and any other entertainment item, please consider submitting it for our approval. You can write me at james@theentertainmentcritic.com
All submission are welcome and subject to approval.
James Myers
The Entertainment Critic

Saturday, February 2, 2008

New Home DVD Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

The Entertainment Critic
www.theentertainmentcritic.com
www.theentertainmentcritic.net
Home Edition Video Review
By James Myers
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
DVD 2 Disc Set - Wide Screen / Two-Disc Special Edition
Release Date: December 11, 2007
UPC: 085391174929
Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
Region Code: 1
Time: 2:19:00
Director: David Yates
Screenwriter: Michael Goldenberg (screenplay)
J.K. Rowling (novel)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon
Genre: Fantasy Adventure/ Drama
Awards: Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Official Website: http://www.harrypotterorderofthephoenix.com/
Runtime: 138 Mins
Features: Additional scenes; The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter - Explore all the movies in the series for clues to the mystery of Harry's true destiny; Trailing Tonks: Natalia Tena (aka Nymphadora Tonks) leads a very personal film set tour; Harry Potter: The Magic of Editing - Director David Yates and editor Mark Day show what a difference a good edit makes; DVD-ROM enhanced features
Review: 9/10 rating


6th HIGHEST GROSSING FILM OF ALL TIME, GROSSING $938,464,961 IN THE YEAR 2007

As Harry grows up before our eyes on film, a little bit of the innocence is lost and is replaced by more adult themes, and scarier villains. Nonetheless, this video, the 5th of 7, left me wanting to see more Harry Potter, and more of his adventures. The film begins with Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley mysteriously attacked by two Dementors. In turn Harry is forced to cast the Patronus charm to repel the Dementors, but when the Ministry of Magic detects what he has done (the underage practice of wizardry) he is expelled from Hogwarts. He begins to have horrible nightmares depicting Lord Voldemort's return. Harry is awoken and taken to headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization founded by Dumbledore. Members of the Order, including Harry's Godfather Sirius Black, reveal that under the Ministry's influence, The Daily Prophet has launched a smear campaign against anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned, leaving Harry feeling alone and isolated from the other wizards.

Dumbledore helps to clear Harry's name is cleared of all charges, and he is allowed to return to Hogwarts. Upon entering his fifth year of school, Harry learns that the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge has appointed a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Dolores Umbridge, a Senior Ministry official who refuses to teach practical magic to her students, out of fear that Dumbledore will organize his own personal wizard army. As her grip on the school increases, Ron and Hermione aid Harry in forming a secret defense group, calling themselves "Dumbledore's Army".

During the year, Harry envisions mysterious scenes in his sleep, including a dangerous attack upon Arthur Weasley in the Department of Mysteries. Fearing there may be a connection between Voldemort and Harry's mind, Professor Snape immediately initiates Occlumency lessons to close his mind from the Dark Lord's influence.

Promoted to High Inquisitor, Umbridge, Filch and her loyal Inquisitorial Squad, including Draco Malfoy uncover Dumbledore's Army after interrogating one of the students, Cho Chang with whom Harry had developed intense feelings for. Dumbledore is questioned and makes an impressive escape as Fudge orders for his arrest. With Dumbledore gone, Umbridge becomes the new Headmistress whose sinister dominance over the school continues.

During an O.W.L. exam, Fred and George launch a firework display causing chaos for Umbridge; as the students cheer joyously outside, Harry suffers a vision of Sirius trapped within the bowels of the Ministry. Umbridge, soon after, catches the trio attempting to use the Floo Network and begins interrogating Harry. Hermione leads Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest in search of a faux weapon when a herd of centaurs emerge and carry the Headmistress into the darkness. Finding Ron and other DA members, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley, they fly to London by winged-horses named Thestrals.

Arriving at the Ministry, the six enter the Department of Mysteries where they uncover a prophecy named after Harry. Transfixed, they soon become ambushed by Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius' deranged cousin. A battle erupts as the Death Eaters try to stop the students from escaping, resulting in Sirius' death at Bellatrix's hand. Back in the Atrium, Harry corners Bellatrix where he struggles with his desire to enact the Cruciatus curse. Voldemort himself appears; ready to kill Harry when Dumbledore emerges.

A brief but furious duel takes place, in which Bellatrix escapes through the Floo Network. When Voldemort disappears, and the battle seems over, Harry suddenly finds himself being possessed -- recalling images of his past, of his family and his friends. Seeing Ron and Hermione across the hall, Harry resists and rebuffs Voldemort, calling the Dark Lord weak. Before Voldemort can kill Harry, Ministry officials, including Fudge, arrive via the Floo Network, finding the Dark Lord with their own eyes. Voldemort promptly disappears.

In the aftermath, the Ministry is forced to end their smear campaign and Umbridge is removed from Hogwarts awaiting a formal investigation. Dumbledore explains that he had attempted to distance himself from Harry all year, hoping it would bring less risk as Voldemort would not try to invade his mind.

Gone from this film is sweet innocence of self-discovery seen in the earlier Potter films. This is an attempt to be grimmer than the past films. The viewer gets a real feel of danger, desperation and grit in this film. It is closer to the new Batman films than to a Disney/Pixar film. Harry comes of age in this film, going from a wide-eyed youth to a sadder but wiser adolescent after the incredible confrontations with evil in this film. The tone of this film from the outset is a sense of foreboding that only an adult can sense in real life. The film is different from its predecessors, but works on a more dramatic level.

The home video version of this films adds some extra scenes and information including The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter - Explore all the movies in the series for clues to the mystery of Harry's true destiny; Trailing Tonks: Natalia Tena (aka Nymphadora Tonks) leads a very personal film set tour; Harry Potter: The Magic of Editing - Director David Yates and editor Mark Day show what a difference a good edit makes. I really liked the Special Edition of the 2-Disc set. Don’t pass this one up. It’s different, but it is still very good.

http://www.reelzchannel.com/video/19844/dailies-special-presentation-harry-potter (Trailer)

New Home DVD Review: THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

The Entertainment Critic
www.theentertainmentcritic.com
www.theentertainmentcritic.net
Home Edition Video Review
By James Myers
The Bourne Ultimatum
DVD - Wide Screen
Release Date: 12/11/2007
Genre: Action, Thriller
UPC: 025193227423
Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Region Code: 1
Presentation: Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
Language: Français
Time: 1:56:00
Director: Paul Greengrass
Screenwriter:
Tony Gilroy (screenplay) and
Scott Z. Burns (screenplay) and
George Nolfi (screenplay)
Tony Gilroy (screen story)
Robert Ludlum (novel)
Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Official Website: http://www.thebourneultimatum.com/
Features: Deleted Scenes; Man on the Move: Jason Bourne; Rooftop Pursuit; Planning the Punches; Driving School; New York Chase; Feature Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass
Review: 9/10 rating


There are 2 things that make the Borne Series worth watching. One is the tremendous, moving, non-stop action and special effects. The second is Jason Bourne’s (Matt Damon) undeniable desire to learn the truth and exact revenge on his adversaries.
It is Bourne’s internal struggle, admirably portrayed by Damon that makes these films something other than trite spy movies. In Ultimatum, Damon and Bourne are at their action-paced best.

The movie begins immediately after Bourne apologizes to Neski's daughter. Wounded from the Bourne Supremacy car chase, Jason Bourne is still evading the Moscow police. Cornered by two officers while breaking into a medical clinic to treat his wounds, Bourne overpowers the officers and leaves them alive as he escapes, saying his argument is not with them.

The story continues six weeks later when Bourne goes to Paris to tell Marie's brother Martin of her death. Bourne heads on to London by train and reads an article in The Guardian where journalist Simon Ross describes Jason Bourne as a CIA officer. Bourne arranges to meet Ross in London at Waterloo station. Ross, however, is under surveillance because his use of the word "Blackbriar" in a phone call to his editor was tracked by ECHELON, alerting the CIA. After receiving a phone call from Bourne, Ross drives to Waterloo Station and is followed by the CIA, who believe him to be meeting his source there. At the station, Bourne sees CIA officers following Ross and places a prepaid mobile phone on him; through it, Bourne instructs the frightened journalist on how to dodge the station's surveillance, while knocking out the CIA agents attempting to kidnap Ross. However, CIA official Noah Vosen who heads Operation Blackbriar (a renamed Treadstone proposed by Ward Abbott at the end of The Bourne Identity), orders an assassin named Paz to kill Ross and his source. Vosen's team identifies Bourne on a security camera and recognizes him as the original Treadstone assassin, assuming he must be Ross's source. Bourne advises Ross to remain hidden, but Ross panics and reveals himself, giving Paz a clear killing shot. In the ensuing chaos, Bourne steals Ross's notes from his body; the notes reveal Ross's source as Neal Daniels, the CIA's Madrid station chief.

Deputy Director Pamela Landy is asked to help capture Bourne. With Landy's help, Vosen and his team realize that Daniels is Ross's source. They decide to send a team to Daniels's office in Madrid, but Bourne arrives first, finding only one photograph in the otherwise empty safe. Bourne attacks the CIA team when they enter the office. Just as Bourne finishes mopping up the CIA agents, Nicky Parsons enters the office. Nicky tells him that Daniels fled to Tangier and helps him to escape the CIA reinforcements by telling Vosen that Bourne had already left the office. Bourne calls the police to report the sound of gunfighting; they arrive just as the second CIA team piles out of their vehicles, guns drawn, in front of the office. When Bourne asks Nicky why she is helping him, Nicky only hints vaguely at something before Bourne's amnesia ("It was difficult for me... with you. (long pause) You really don't remember anything?"). While in Tangier, they realize the CIA has sent assassin Desh Bouksani for Daniels. Nicky uses her official clearance access to send Desh a message, telling him to meet her for a new phone. This allows Bourne to follow Desh to his target. When Vosen realizes Nicky's deceit he orders Desh to kill Nicky and Bourne after terminating Daniels. Landy is outraged at Vosen's willingness to indiscriminately kill CIA personnel and quits the operation.


Bourne shortly before confronting Desh in Tangier, Bourne follows Desh and is unable to save Daniels, who dies from Desh's planted bomb. When Desh returns for Nicky, Bourne outruns the Tangier police and fights Desh, eventually strangling him with a towel. Bourne accompanies Nicky to a bus station where she begins her own separate life on the run from the CIA. At the Tangier morgue, Bourne examines Daniels' charred papers and finds the address of the CIA substation in New York City. Bourne takes a flight to New York City, and on arrival deliberately uses a passport that alerts Landy to his presence. Bourne calls Landy while observing her and Vosen from across the street. The ending of The Bourne Supremacy is repeated: Landy tells him his real name is David Webb and that he was born on "4/15/71", a code for the address of the Treadstone facility at 415 East 71st Street. Bourne sends a text message to Landy to arrange a meeting. Vosen and his team intercept the message and follow Landy as she leaves the building. Bourne's meeting is later found to be a diversion, allowing Bourne to enter Vosen's office and steal classified Blackbriar documents.

Vosen realizes the diversion after a phone call from Bourne, who called Vosen to get a recording of Vosen's voice - the key to unlocking the safe. Bourne states he is in Vosen's office, and a desperate Vosen frantically orders CIA officers back to his office to capture Bourne. Bourne escapes and enters into a car chase with CIA officers and Paz; emerging victorious from his vehicular duel with Paz, Bourne chooses not to kill him. Just outside the facility, Bourne meets Landy and gives her the stolen documents from Vosen's office before entering the building. Inside, he meets Dr. Albert Hirsch, who ran Treadstone's psychological conditioning. With his help, Bourne remembers that as Captain David Webb he volunteered for the program. Horrified by the memory of what he did to complete his conditioning and to assume the Jason Bourne identity, he tells Hirsch, "I remember everything. I'm no longer Jason Bourne."

On his way back to the substation, Vosen realizes Landy gave Bourne an address in code when Landy told Bourne of his date of birth. Vosen races to the facility and confronts Landy as she finishes faxing away his documents Bourne stole. Meanwhile, Bourne is cornered on the facility's rooftop by Paz. Paz holds Bourne at gunpoint and demands to know why Bourne spared his life. Bourne asks if Paz knows why he was ordered to kill Bourne. "Look at us. Look at what they make you give," says Bourne, repeating the dying words of the Treadstone assassin called The Professor from The Bourne Identity. Paz lowers his weapon, but Vosen appears and fires on Bourne just as he jumps from the roof into the river below.

Some time later, Nicky sees a news report noting the exposure of Blackbriar, the arrests of Hirsch and Vosen, that CIA Director Ezra Kramer is the subject of a United States Senate hearing regarding his conduct, and that David Webb (Bourne's real name), fell into the East River. The report notes that after a three-day search, Bourne's body is yet to be found: at which Nicky smiles. As Moby's "Extreme Ways" plays, the movie (in an allusion to the opening scene of The Bourne Identity) cuts back to Bourne, floating motionless in the water; after a long moment he starts to move, and swims away into darkness.

Bourne’s internal, existential dilemma makes this extraordinary action film both interesting and thoughtful. As long as Damon continues to play the dangling secret agent, these home DVDs are worth taking home.



http://www.reelzchannel.com/video/20204/the-checkllist-the-bourne-ultimatum (Trailer)