Whine of the week: Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean I can't find something to whine about. Why can't people put their shopping carts in the basket caddies found in the parking lots of grocery stores? It's really not that difficult to walk a few extra steps and put the cart out of the way. It's really annoying when people leave carts in parking spaces or if I come out of the store and there's a cart by my car thanks to the person who was parked next to me and just left. Are people that lazy? I guess the obvious answer is yes. They didn't make those basket caddies for the hell of it. And if it's really windy then there's the worry that the wind will push the basket into the car; believe me the wind can get pretty fierce.

See Jane and Dick Run: The "new" movie Fun With Dick And Jane stars Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni as Dick and Jane Harper. They both either quit or lost their jobs and then suffer the humiliation of going broke and losing everything. They go from living the upper middle class dream to almost living on the street. Then Dick gets the idea to "take back" what's rightfully theirs and decides to start up on a robbing spree; Jane joins him and the two start their life of crime. The film is a remake of the 1976 movie with George Segal and Jane Fonda. What worked in the 70's era does not work in the 2000's era. In the original there was more desperation; times were different and the Harpers stumbled into their life of crime. The couple end up at a loan center when the place is held up and Jane is taken hostage...for about two minutes. She ends up not being taken away with the robbers but does end up with their money. Segal and Fonda are a likable couple and at the end, during their final heist, I found myself rooting for them and hoping they get away with it. I won't tell you what happens but I will say that Carrey and Leoni, while not totally unlikable, are no Segal and Fonda. There's too much of Carrey's shtick in the movie and it's too implausible. And with the exception of only a couple of scenes, it's not funny either. There is a nice shot of the couple dressed as a very famous singing duo, however, there is no dialogue or interaction with other characters. How they spend the money near the end is a nice touch considering today's cutthroat world of business. If you are in the mood for a non-funny mindless comedy, this one's for you.

paul