Christmas Reviews

Now that Christmas has passed and we're all looking at the first few days of 2009, I thought I would share some reviews and thoughts of several of my Christmas gifts.

Craftsman Wrenches

I asked for these wrenches specifically and was thrilled to receive them. They are a 12 piece Metric combination set with an open end and a closed, 6 point end. The 6 point end makes them less likely to strip stubborn bolts and fits snugly around bold heads. The 7-18mm spread includes pretty much all the sizes I will need, and the best thing about Craftsman hand tools is their lifetime warranty. If I happen to be under my car at 50 years from now, pounding on one of these wrenches to loosen a bolt and the wrench breaks, I can drive to Sears and present them with it and it will be immediately replaced, free of charge. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Tootsie

Dustin Hoffman stars in this film, the original cross-dressing comedy. While most people my age remember Robin William's amusing antics as Mrs. Doubtfire, he has nothing on Dustin Hoffman's hilarious portrayal of Michael Dorsey, an out-of-work actor that finds success only as his female alter-ego, Dorothy Michaels. Directed by the brilliant Sydney Pollack, this film is a laugh-out-loud comedy that crafts humor from irony and circumstance rather than going for the cheap laugh. Additionally, it has a unique tone to the subject of cross-dressing due to its age, and I feel is all the better for it.

Swingline Stapler

If you've seen the classic movie Office Space, then you have seen this stapler. Apparently, I'm only supposed to use "Swingline High Performance Staples" in it. Sortof like how Ferraris require Premium gasoline. My old stapler was a piece of junk, so this is definitely an upgrade. Milton would be proud.

Piper Books
I asked for John Piper's Desiring God for Christmas. I have never read any of Piper's books save for the very short Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, so I felt as though I should at least read the book that so many believers rave about. My in-laws responded to my request by purchasing not only Desiring God, but also Pleasures of God (which several of my friends have told me is actually their favorite Piper book) and Future Grace. While I have not started any of these books yet, I am looking forward to digging into the books that have shaped the minds of so many pastors, professors and friends that I respect.

Old Navy Sweater

This was a very thoughtful gift from my wife Kristen. She has excellent taste and I have decided to pretty much let her pick out my clothes from now on. I always look good in the things she buys for me. The sweater is warm and initially I thought it might be a little itchy, but it is on the contrary quite soft and comfy.

Sports Night
I've mentioned this show on my blog before, but it's worth noting again that this was certainly one of if not the best show ever to grace network television. Unappreciated in its own time and consigned to a mediocre dvd release with no special features and a poor quality digital transfer, this re-release of the show does Sports Night right. There are commentaries with the very talented director/producers Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme, as well as a number of other bonus features. If you haven't seen Sports Night, then you haven't seen Shakespeare as it was meant to be played.

The Ministry of Fear

Graham Green is one of my all-time favorite writers, and as I have read nearly the entirety of his popular collection, I have been attempting to branch out to some of his lesser-known works. The Ministry of Fear was not Greene's most acclaimed novel, though he always considered it his favorite, a fact that drew me to it. I have only just begun to read this novel, but all signs point to it being yet another wonderful example of Greene's talent as a writer.

Jaws

This is one of the all time classics of the silver screen, containing such famous quotes as "You're gonna need a bigger boat" and "Smile you sonofa..." While the tale of this rogue shark may be a little short on scientific fact (though Richard Dreyfuss' character does call the shark "a carcaradon carcharias") it is filled with terror and the excitement of an extended battle with the apex predator of the ocean. Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider all shine in their respective roles. The irony of this gift for me is that it came from my sister-in-law Tiffany, who is very wary of sharks. Also, I would recommend watching this trailer, melding the smashing success of Jaws with the mediocre film Must Love Dogs.