Friday Night Lights

Timing: Football season starts.
Drink: Bourbon & Coke
Entree: Stadium Nachos

Movie:
Texas continues to be a hotbed for recruiting the nation's top college football players and we see why this is the case in Friday Night Lights.  This film takes us inside the high stakes world of high school football where lives are decided by what was intended to be just a game but has evolved into something most teenagers are ill equipped to handle.

These small rural towns shut down and gather on each of fall's Friday nights to support their high school football teams.  The pressure culminates in a success that can lead players and their respective families to a life that would otherwise be unobtainable.  Failure, on the other hand, can determine a destiny consisting of a limited continued life within the economically depressed town of their childhood.

Ultimately we see the struggle of the players as they put themselves through this gauntlet of high school football in order to make it to the next gauntlet of college football.  Most seem to play because of their love and hate of the sport and some are forced to do so out of no choice of their own.

Mel's Rating: 77%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Little Children

Entrees: Caprese Salad Skewers, Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites & Puff Pastry Sausage Pockets
Dessert: Mini Eclairs
Timing: Visiting the National Museum of Toys & Miniatures

Movie:
I think this flick tried too hard to be the new American Beauty.  Kate Winslet did a great job but her main counterpart, Patrick Wilson, is just not convincing. Maybe this shortcoming is attributed to the fact that we are supposed to believe that his character is actually cheating on Jennifer Connelly.  Regardless, while the side story involving Jackie Earle Haley's character is indeed disturbing in itself the whole picture of this dysfunctional underlying world within idealistic suburbia does not quite come together.  However, the film succeeds in portraying that you can have "the house" in "the neighborhood", be married, and have a kid but that does not guarantee happiness nor does it necessarily make you safe.

Melanie's Rating: 79%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Spartacus

Appetizer: Cotton Candy Grapes & Olives

Entree: Grilled Chicken Drumsticks & Caesar Salad

Dessert: Almond Stuffed Dates topped with Honey & Pistachios

Timing: Visiting Treasures of The Roman Empire exhibit.

Movie:
I'm not quite sure why this is such a highly regarded film.  Frankly, I enjoyed reading more about the movie than watching it.  For instance, Kirk Douglas owned the film's production company so he really was the boss.  In fact, Douglas ousted the original director just after one week on set and replaced him with Stanley Kubrick.  With Douglas' financial grip on the project Kubrick's opinions had to take a back seat.  However you can see some of Kubrick's style sneak forward with his

signature one shot close up and an almost unearthly view of the desert at night.  Kubrick later disowned the film which was the only one he directed without total artistic control.

Additionally if you do decide to watch this film make sure to get your hands on a restored copy post 1991. There is an interesting scene between Sir Laurence Olivier and Tony Curtis that was considered so risky at the time of original the release in 1960 and was ultimately cut altogether.

Below are some observations in regards to the actual film:

• Olivier is memorizing as usual.  
• Tony Curtis does not fit in at all.  
• The story seems rushed and therefore unbelievable.  This is especially true in terms of the relationship between Spartacus and Varinia.

Mel's Rating: 71%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating:
Kurt Douglass' ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Movie ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Olympics Opening Ceremonies

Entree: Black Bean Pork Stew with Yellow Rice & Cilantro
Dessert: Fried Plantains

Per tradition we always watch the Olympics opening ceremonies so we'll be tuning into the events in Rio while dining on some Brazilian fare.

Here's some music to get you pumped...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCqUESCoB1w

Did you know?

• The five Olympic rings symbolize the five continents.
• The first Olympics were held in 776 b.c.
• The U.S. has collectively won more medals in the Summer games than any other country.