Jim Johnson – The Sixty Second Motivator (2006)

Jan 25, 2009 by Mr. Nau Physical therapist, Jim Johnson, walks us through a pair of simple methods for motivating ourselves and other people in this very short book, written from the narrative perspective of a physical therapist in training, seeing how the “sixty second motivator” works his magic in getting reluctant patients to follow […]

Earthquake (1974)

Jan 24, 2009 by Mr. Nau Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, George Kennedy, and Genevieve Bujold star in this Oscar-winning disaster epic, written by Mario Puzo–featuring an unbelievably violent series of earthquakes that devastate downtown Los Angeles. While sometimes cheesy, this is a fun opportunity to watch a swashbuckler try to save everyone. Grade: […]

Treasure Island (1999)

Jan 22, 2009 by Mr. Nau Sometimes, a very low budget film delivers an unforgettable story and stellar acting by unknowns. Sadly, this one delivers no such thing, instead resorting to a poorly-written story, lots of twisted sex scenes, and the most startlingly bad camera work of the 1990s. Let this one languish in obscurity. […]

John C. Maxwell & Les Parrot – 25 Ways to Win with People (2005)

Jan 21, 2009 by Mr. Nau Motivational speaker, John C. Maxwell, gives lessons in people skills in this short little book primarily written by a psychologist, Les Parrot, Ph.D. The maxims are very helpful, although some of the anecdotes and illustrative examples seem gimmicky and contrived. Much of the advice here is grounded in common […]

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Jan 19, 2009 by Mr. Nau Roger Moore is James Bond in this classic spy thriller. Of course, cheesy acting, ridiculously attractive women, and convoluted plot twists–even obviously transparent ones–are de rigueur for this type of picture. A weird villain and his henchman, Jaws, deliver on a fun time, provided disbelief is sufficiently suspended. Grade: […]

Cloverfield (2008)

Jan 18, 2009 by Mr. Nau In this thoroughly entertaining monster movie, produced by J. J. Abrams of Lost fame, a group of friends finds themselves running for their lives from a Godzilla-style monster attacking Manhattan. Brilliantly shot from the viewpoint of one camcorder, the action makes this thrill ride feel like a gritty documentary. […]

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Jan 18, 2009 by Mr. Nau The Coen Brothers direct this exceptional crime thriller set in rural West Texas. The acting performances by the principal cast, especially by Javier Bardem, who delivers an unforgettable performance as one of the most interesting and menacing villains in recent memory, are absolutely perfect. The cinematography and script are […]

To Live (1994)

Jan 17, 2009 by Mr. Nau A compulsive gambler in China squanders his property and has to learn to hustle a living with his puppet shows. Against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution, this beautiful story of tragedy and redemption is directed by Yimou Zhang, better known in the West for his action-oriented wuxia films. […]

Twyla Tharp – The Creative Habit (2005)

Jan 14, 2009 by Mr. Nau Internationally-renowned choreographer, Twyla Tharp, gives her readers a roadmap to building a creative habit and crafting that into successful artistic ventures in this astonishing eye-opener. Her insight into habitual creativity is refreshing and her advice extraordinarily useful. Full of illuminating anecdotes, this primer is essential for anyone creative. Grade: […]

The Visit (2000)

Jan 11, 2009 by Mr. Nau Convicted rapist Alex Waters, played by Hill Harper, is dying in prison of AIDS. His father, played by Billy Dee Williams, is a stern authoritarian father, who is finally convinced to visit Alex. This redemption story tells of a family’s coming to terms with the crimes of a family […]

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