{"id":541,"date":"2011-03-29T09:35:02","date_gmt":"2011-03-29T16:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rayivey.com\/wordpress\/?p=541"},"modified":"2011-04-05T11:55:11","modified_gmt":"2011-04-05T18:55:11","slug":"spring-forward-day-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rayivey.com\/wordpress\/spring-forward-day-7\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"rss\"<\/a>\"instagram\"<\/a>

Cleveland<\/h2>\n

Got that Switched-On Cleveland Feeling<\/h4>\n

Everyone knows I love to travel for work.\u00a0 I love almost everything about it:\u00a0 the change of pace, the change of scenery, meeting new people.\u00a0 I love cities and I love having the chance to explore different ones.<\/p>\n

Whenever I\u2019m in a city for work, I usually spend most of my time downtown, because that\u2019s generally where the office of the client is and where my hotel is.\u00a0 This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the city.\u00a0 Some places have downtowns that are fun and vibrant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"You<\/a>
You can feel the excitement in the air even as you pull into the parking lot of the Severance Town Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Which brings me to Cleveland.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, I am not complaining.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure there are nice parts of Cleveland.\u00a0 But downtown ain\u2019t one of them.\u00a0 It\u2019s pretty much desolation city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today I took an excursion out to Cleveland Heights to see two movies that weren\u2019t playing at the creepy downtown cinema that\u2019s the only one within walking distance of my hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I am confident that I am the Caucasionist person who has ever attempted to use public transportation in Central Cleveland.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t bother me of course, but I did notice it.\u00a0 Between waiting for the train and the bus it took me an hour and a half to get to my destination, but it was worth it.\u00a0 The movies were fun.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The bustle of the mall inside gets you into the festive mood!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The areas I went through to get to the multiplex weren\u2019t terribly encouraging, though.\u00a0 It does look like Cleveland is having a hard time.<\/p>\n

\/\/\/<\/p>\n

The first movie I saw today was The Lincoln Lawyer<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 I was apprehensive about this film for two reasons.\u00a0 First, the only other adaptation of a Michael Connelly novel that I have seen \u2013 Clint Eastwood\u2019s Blood Work<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 was awful.\u00a0 It looked like a bad episode of \u201cMannix, \u201d and it needlessly changed the ending to accommodate the \u201cTo Famous To Just Be Playing the Nice Neighbor\u201d Rule.\u00a0 Second, I just didn\u2019t see Matthew McConaughey as slick defense attorney Micky Haller.<\/p>\n

But I have to say the movie made a believer out of me.\u00a0 It reminded me of why Connelly is my favorite crime writer:\u00a0 He has a talent for telling stories that feel like they matter.\u00a0 And for whatever reason, McConaughey has decided to remember that he used to be considered an actual actor.\u00a0 He\u2019s quite fine in the role, and the complex story crackles with energy just as the book did.\u00a0 Ryan Phillipe is also quite good as his rich boy client.\u00a0 The movie is lean and unpretentious.\u00a0 It also reminded me of the 1970s \u2013 but unlike Blood Work<\/em><\/strong>, it did so in a good way.<\/p>\n

\"Remember<\/a>
Remember to stay sharp as you drive around the hectic streets of Cleveland on a Saturday!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second movie was the preposterous but irresistible Limitless<\/em><\/strong>, starring handsome naughty boy of the moment Bradley Cooper.\u00a0 Cooper starts off the movie playing against type \u2013 a scruffy, unattractive loser.\u00a0 Quite a stretch for someone as ridiculously attractive as Cooper.\u00a0 But as the crazy plot unfolds he quickly gets a chance to have his appearance polished to a mirror-bright shine.\u00a0 He does seem the perfect person to play a character who discovers a seemingly easy way to turn, overnight, into the perfect version of himself.\u00a0 This is good casting, because I\u2019m sure there are many moviegoers who look at Brad and consider him the \u201cperfect\u201d version of themselves.<\/p>\n

What if a little clear pill could make you smart and accomplished overnight?\u00a0 What would you do?<\/p>\n

\"So<\/a>
So . . what should we do first? The Segway tour? The historical walking tour? How about a drink at one of the local hotspots? Hey, is that Lady Gaga?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More importantly, what would you do when the bill eventually comes due, as it always does in stories like this.<\/p>\n

I enjoyed the movie.\u00a0 It was fun to see Robert De Niro also playing against type (a ruthless but well-mannered finance tycoon).<\/p>\n

All in all, it was a good outing for my first Saturday on the road.<\/p>\n

Movies I\u2019ve Seen Matthew McConaughey or Brad Cooper in<\/h4>\n

The Lincoln Lawyer<\/p>\n

Tropic Thunder<\/p>\n

Sahara<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The energy is infectious in the bustle of the Arcade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reign of Fire<\/p>\n

Frailty<\/p>\n

U-571<\/p>\n

Amistad<\/p>\n

Contact<\/p>\n

A Time to Kill<\/p>\n

Lone Star<\/p>\n

Dazed and Confused<\/p>\n

Limitless<\/p>\n

The Hangover<\/p>\n

He\u2019s Just Not That Into You<\/p>\n

\"You<\/a>
You never know WHO you might run into at the Arcade's fun, frenetic and festive food court!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wet Hot American Summer<\/p>\n

Average Rating: 4.8<\/span> out of 5<\/span> based on 163<\/span> user reviews.<\/span><\/div><\/p>

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