So I have finally seen Rocky Balboa and I have to tell you, it's really good. Here is a film about being true to yourself and not letting anyone tell you that you're past your expiration date. As George Eliot said, "It's never too late to be what you might have been." Here, Rocky is like the opposite of Jake LaMotta from Raging Bull; rather than let his history cripple him, Rocky finds the courage to put all of his heart into today. The characters are richly drawn, the photography is deep and stark, and the film is filled with powerful, emotional speeches that ring like thunder. I recommend this film to anyone, but especially if you are looking for some motivation.

Take a deep breath. Amy Lee — who has just fired and/or alienated the two longest-serving members of the band — says that Evanescence will be okay. (By the way that site is the most annoying site in the world.) Fired and alienated guitarist John LeCompt basically says that Amy threatened him and his family with violence. Now when you consider that she's just married her shrink, you really have to wonder how expensive his sessions are.

Amazing what you can find on the streets of Broad Ripple when you are looking.

Just back from the midnight screening of Spider-Man 3. The theme of an inner battle was not as well-developed as it could have been and the comedy elements where over-the-top and hammy, but there were definitely some memorable moments.

Sandman trying to literally pull himself together felt very poignant to me right now. I could also identify with the early Peter and Mary Jane stuff, especially the fact that he loved her to the point where he wanted to marry her but still managed to push her away by not taking care to be mindful of her feelings.

Of course, this is not a serious movie so this is all happens on a very abbreviated timeline and they get back together in the end, but I still appreciate the fact that it was there.

Here's an idea for an indie film: a spiritually lost young man ends up in a karaoke bar one night and makes a friend, who encourages him to keep coming back. Over the course of the film, the young man learns to accept who he is and discover his signature song.