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The first edition of Complete Idiot's Guide to Bridge by H. Anthony Medley was the fastest selling beginning bridge book, going through more than 10 printings. This updated Second Edition includes some modern advanced bidding systems and conventions, like Two over One, a system used by many modern tournament players, Roman Key Card Blackwood, New Minor Forcing, Reverse Drury, Forcing No Trump, and others. Also included is a detailed Guide to Bids and Responses, along with the most detailed, 12-page Glossary ever published, as well as examples to make learning the game even easier. Click book to order. Available in all bookstores and on Kindle. | |
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Zookeeper (3/10) by Tony Medley Run time 104 minutes Not for children. Hard to believe that a film with talking animals is not OK for children, but this one isn't. And if it's not OK for children, who could see it because it is basically inane? That description certainly fits the filmmakers because they have inserted rudeness and bawdy humor and language into a film that should have had a captive audience in young children, but I wouldn't want any young child of mine to see this. It opens with Kevin James being rudely dumped by his girlfriend, Leslie Bibb, because he's a zookeeper and she doesn't think that bodes well for her future. James turns to the animals for advice. That's right, the lion (voiced by Sylvester Stallone) and the gorilla (voiced by Nick Nolte), the elephant (voiced by producer Judd Apatow), the monkey (voiced by Adam Sandler), and others (voiced by people like Cher and Maya Rudolph) become Kevin's advisor as he becomes emotionally involved with Rosario Dawson. They tell him how he should act. But Kevin is ambivalent about how he should act, so his brother, Nat Faxon, gives him a job with more upward mobility, and, vioilà! Leslie comes rushing back. James surprised a lot of people, including me, with 2009's Paul Blart, Mall Cop, which was an entertaining film and a surprise hit. James co-wrote that, and he co-wrote this with Nick Bakay. It's directed by Frank Coraci, who is a veteran of the stable that includes people like Sandler and Apatow and James. Coraci directed some dismal films, like the remake of Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and 2006's Click (a terrific idea that failed because the production was so uninspired). There is a paucity of humor in this film. The cinematography adds little. The sad part of this dismal production is that the movie has a pretty good moral, to accept yourself for what you are and to be yourself, regardless of what other people think. Unfortunately, in addition to having too much adult-oriented dialogue and situations for children, it's too stupid for adults and is such a prosaic production that it is agony to sit through.
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