Super 8

More like Super 10. This movie definitely deserved my highest rating. I was a little leery of my good old J.J. Abrams after the disaster of Cloverfield but he began redeeming himself with Star Trek and Super 8 has more than fully restored him to my good graces. I remember them released a cryptic 20 second trailer of Super 8 last year before it even had a title and I have been waiting for it ever since. Without further ado, my review.

This movie was hilarious. It reminded me of Goonies and Sandlot which isn't surprising considering it follows around a group of kids. It is set in a charming late 70s town in the midwest and the feel of adventure that the kids bring is instant and intoxicating. The storyline unfolding at a quick pace but without leaving much out. It followed a logical progression and didn't leave the viewer feeling like he or she was missing anything. The romance was well-played, keeping the innocence of the the main characters. The kids did an amazing job.

My only complaint about the move was the language. It was necessary for some foul language, but I felt like the F-word was unnecessary and they could have toned down the kids' swearing a little bit in some scenes. Other than that the movie was fantastic. As my second 10 of the year, I would readily recommend Super 8 to anybody who needs a good laugh and loves childlike adventure.

Makin' Mormon Jello

In preparation for a Memorial Day work party I joked about bringing Mormon jello because we had been talking about the billboard in Provo that proudly features green jello and carrots with the slogan "Some things just go together." I figured that I might as well learn to mix green jigglyness with vegetables and fruits someday since I will inevitably be expected to make it at some point. Heather was brave enough to volunteer to help me give birth to my first jello conglomeration.

First we had to dissolve the jello mix in a few cups of hot water then mix in some cold water. We figured it would be a good idea to wait a little while until putting the fruit in (we used bananas and pineapple). I am still working on when to put the fruit in (the bananas all floated to the top rather than being suspended) but I think I have the basic idea of Mormon jello-making down thanks to Heather, the creators of the instructions on the jello box, and a lady at the grocery store who told us how much of the mix we would need. It tasted delicious and I can't wait for my next jello experience.