Chris Pine plays a character whose origins have left him questioning the purpose for his existence.  He’s a good guy, but he’s also reckless and mischievous.  Then, when fate brings the world to the point of crisis, he rises to the occasion, discovers his true calling, and saves the world.

No, this character isn’t James T. Kirk from  2009′s Star Trek; it’s Jack Frost. The striking similarities between Pine’s Trek and Guardians roles, though, were too much for me to ignore.

Wrapped around the tried-but-true storyline, though, is a delightful movie filled with colorful characters.  My entire family sat down to watch Rise of the Guardians for a family movie night, and everyone — kids ages 7, 10, 12, and 14 and both parents — enjoyed it.  Common characters like Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin) and the Easter bunny (Hugh Jackman) were re-imagined in such a way that I was genuinely intrigued to get to know these characters over again. A tattooed, sword-wielding Santa with a Russian accent? This is something you have to see.

Guardians moved along at a good pace and spread plenty of humorous moments throughout to ease the tension created by the Boogeyman (Jude Law), the nemesis in this film.  Even my 7-year-old, who has trouble with some of the scarier scenes in films like Brave, was able to handle Guardians.  Yet, the story remained engaging for my older kids, too.  In all, directory Peter Ramsey achieved a well-balanced family film that everyone in my family liked well enough that we’ve already watched it multiple times and recommended it to family and friends.  That is no easy task to pull off.

If you haven’t seen it yet, grab a copy of Rise of the Guardians to watch on your next family movie night. You’ll be glad you did.

Worth it Or wasted? Worth it! 3.5 out of 5 stars

TFL: Steven, you’ve performed at some of the highest levels, from serving in the Marines to pulling off physically demanding roles as a stunt double in blockbuster action movies.  At some point you must have realized that you can’t get by on what nature gave you alone; you have to take care of yourself if you want to continue to perform at your peak.  When did that realization hit?  What impact did it have on you?

Steven McMichael: I had the mentality that I was invincible for the first 10 years of stunt performing. It wasn’t until I started getting injuries that I realized that I have to figure out how to minimize injury. Stuntwork has such a broad scope that it’s impossible to train for everything. In addition, stretching and warm-up time is often not possible due to the circumstances such as SPFX make-up, prosthesics, costume, and erratic on-set scheduling changes. A good example of this was when I was performing one of the biggest stunts of my career doubling for Tom Welling (Clark Kent) on the pilot of the TV series Smallville. Those who have seen the show may remember the scene – I was posing as Clark Kent when he was hit by Lex Luthor in a Porsche going 30 mph. Both the Porsche and I went flying off the bridge. That one really hurt!

TFL: We can probably all make a pretty good guess at some of the things you do to stay on top of your game – weight training, aerobic exercise, etc.  Are there any elements of taking care of yourself that came as a surprise to you?  How important is skin care in terms of keeping you in shape and ready for your unique line of work?

SM: Appearance is very important in the film industry, so caring for my skin is vital to maintaining the best mindset to perform and choreograph fight scenes and design stunts.  Additionally, wearing prosthetics can really take a toll on your skin, which came as a surprise to me. The glue and the materials used can not only cause irritation, they can be toxic. To help keep my skin healthy and fight irritation, I use Dove Men+Care products, specifically Fresh Awake Body and Face Wash and Aqua Impact Deo/AP. Not only do these products fight skin irritation and moisturize my skin, but they also keep me smelling fresh (Aqua Impact deo/AP fights odor and wetness for 48 hours), which is crucial as I am often in close contact with A-list actors!

TFL: A quick read of your IMDB profile shows you’ve worked on an amazing collection of productions, including some movies with pretty big names attached to them.  What’s that been like for you?  Do you have a “famous celebrity” story you can share?

SM: I am not someone who turns to jelly when I’m working with name talent. My job is to make them look good, and we all put our pants on the same way in the morning. However, I have been in awe of the physical performances of people such as Hugh Jackman, Will Smith, and Milla Jovovich. On the set of I Robot, waiting between action sequences we (group of stunt performers) were talking with Will Smith at the Craft Service table (green room) and he told us a hilarious story about how when he was a kid, he shocked his dad with the utility box when their basement flooded. He was so down-to-earth, and I love that he felt comfortable enough to tell us childhood stories.

TFL: You career has always included a fair share of travel.  Do you have any fitness and workout tips for guys who are always on the go?

SM: Strength bands. They’re lightweight, storable, and portable. Isometric exercise is great for strength and cardio conditioning at all levels. There’s a great deal of workout ideas available on YouTube. I would work out with these in my hotel room in the morning and again when I got back in the evening. I would also recommend downloading iFitness if you have an iPhone; this app provides exercises, stretches, demos and also tracks your fitness progress.

TFL: As a husband and father, how have you tackled the work-life balance issue?

SM: First of all, my wife was a stunt performer, so she understands the unique aspects of this business. I commonly would leave before the kids got up and came home when they were in bed. No matter what kind of day I had, watching the kids sleep always made me feel lucky to be a dad. I really made the time count with my family when I was home on days off or on the weekends. When out of the country, I don’t know what I would do without Skype. During The Hobbit I would Skype with my family at least twice a day and text whenever I could to stay in touch. 

TFL: What is one indispensable parenting tip for dads who are just starting out?

SM: Make sure you give your wife a break whenever you can so she can recharge and take care of herself as well. It’s important for you, because you need that precious alone time with your baby. When my kids were infants, I enjoyed taking them for walks in the baby walker or front carrier; it was a great way to interact with my kids and develop that personal connection. I would also go biking with a baby chariot; that is a special experience to share.

Welcome to Browsing the Bins, my new music and pop culture review column.  This name refers to one of my all-time favorite activities, spending countless hours at record shops combing meticulously through the bins in search of new artists, out of print CDs and other musical goodies.  Similarly, I hope that this column allows readers to make some new musical discoveries of their own.

To get it started, I am profiling two recent albums from the Belgian band K’s Choice – the American release of both 2010’s Echo Mountain and its 2011 successor Little Echoes.

Formed in the early ‘90s by siblings Sarah and Gert Bettens, K’s Choice became known for combining the dynamics of alternative rock with catchy pop hooks to create a sound that successfully straddled the two genres.  Although the band never enjoyed mainstream popularity in the U.S., its “Not An Addict” video from the Paradise In Me album did manage some decent airplay in 1996.  K’s Choice released two more studio albums, 1998’s Cocoon Crash and 2002’s Almost Happy, before taking an extended hiatus.

A few years ago, Sarah and Gert began swapping demos and songs by email which sparked new interest in recording and performing together again and which ultimately culminated in the 2010 release of the band’s fifth studio album, Echo Mountain.

Containing 14 tracks spread over 2 CDs, Echo Mountain finds K’s Choice trolling familiar musical waters with plenty of songs that build dynamically before releasing to an emotional finish.  The set-starting “Come Live The Life,” “Perfect” and the title track are all excellent examples of this slow-crescendo style.

Although the old formula is present throughout, Echo Mountain’s overall tone is a bit mellower than past offerings.  This is as much a reflection of maturity as it is a statement of new intentions and the quieter approach allows Sarah’s voice to shine on standout tracks like “Say A Prayer,” “16,” “Along For The Ride” and “When I Lay Beside You,” a beautiful love song that is easily the first disc’s highlight.

Sarah’s unique and memorable voice is showcased further on Little Echoes, the follow-up release to Echo Mountain.  This 12-song set is the band’s first all-acoustic recording and features a mix of new originals, covers, and bare-bones takes on songs from the K’s Choice catalog.

“Killing Dragons” from Echo Mountain showcases the beautiful Bettens family harmonies and thrives is this stark and haunting new environment, while the aforementioned “Come Live The Life” manages to maintain its original form when stripped of electric instrumentation.

The covers emerge as the most compelling tracks on this album, especially the true-to-original “Cannonball” by singer/songwriter Damien Rice and Radiohead’s sublime “No Surprises.”  The band even takes a stab at The Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited,” but I haven’t quite made up my mind on this one yet.  The unexpected harmonica solo is a nice touch, but I’m having trouble shaking the original from my mind.

Echo Mountain and Little Echoes are both very good releases from a vastly underappreciated band.  K’s Choice fans will no doubt enjoy both albums, but if you are just discovering the band th]e 2003 compilation 10: 1993-2003 Ten Years of K’s Choice is a great jump-off point.

Ah… but somewhere along the path, people started figuring out that a financial and societal success doesn’t necessarily mean happiness. You see it in movies and read about it in books all the time. The super rich or super smart guy who is driven to the edge of his life because he’s not satisfied with the choices he’s made in life.

This book, The Happy Student, written by Daniel Wong, is different in the sense that he speaks about the happy student. That was the first thing that attracted me to this book. The title focused on happiness rather than success. Although the subtitle does say, “5 Steps to Academic Fulfillment and Success” (you gotta sell books somehow, right?).

All joking aside, the book really isn’t about becoming the next millionaire or the best surgeon, it’s about figuring out what makes you happy and helping you be successful in that. Believe it or not, there is a formula for being a happy student, and when you’re a happy student,  you’re a successful one. Maybe not to society, but to yourself. Ultimately, that’s what we live life for and that’s what I want for my kids.

The author of this post was provided with a complimentary copy of the book reviewed, but the opinions expressed are his own.

“Everyone has an origin story, even though it’s most likely without a planet blowing up, parents murdered, or a radioactive spider bite,” says Uslan, the Originator and Executive Producer of the The Dark Knight Rises, the third and newest in the Dark Knight movie trilogy. He wrote about his comic book obsession – and his childhood dream of showing the world Batman as he saw him – in his memoir, The Boy Who Loved Batman.

“My origin story – what formed my character – is entrenched in comic books,” he says. “When I was 8 years old, I wanted to see if I could get my name in print, next to Bruce Wayne and the rest of Gotham’s characters.”

It wasn’t luck, fortune or an accident that Uslan grew up to produce the most successful comic book-based movie franchise of all time, he says. Now, his goal is to inspire kids and adults to pursue their own dreams with focus and dedication, “because you can make them come true.”

Here’s how:

• Know your passion: Uslan wasn’t the only kid on his block who loved comics – but most of the others probably never dared to dream that they could have a hand in influencing their favorite character, he says. It’s important to ask yourself, “What do I really, really care about?” The answer to this question will be the seed from which dreams sprout.
• Don’t be a passive bystander – participate: His passion for comics blossomed through several steps, including a general interest in reading and writing and active participation with the world’s first ComicCon in New York City in 1964, when he befriended comic writing legend Otto Binder. These days, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to be proactive, he says, citing blogs, websites and social networking. “A teen raised with today’s technology can create a video, for example, that rivals those created by professionals,” he says.
• Identify objectives that will take you to your goal: In high school, Uslan became essential to the yearbook staff, developing media skills that would benefit him later. In 1972, as a junior at Indiana University, he created and taught the first college level course on comic books. After graduating law school, he had the legal knowledge and Hollywood credentials necessary to purchase the film rights to Batman and start repairing the super hero’s image. He wanted to get away from the campy sitcom version of the crusader and reintroduce the Dark Knight to his roots for a movie-going audience. “You don’t have to bend to the expectations of everyone else,” he says. “If you love something enough and are willing to create favorable circumstances, others will bend to you.”
• Learn from problems instead of allowing them to distract: Most people never realize their dreams because life gets in the way. Problems and new priorities arise and detract you from your course. The trick is to figure out how to respond to these in ways that help you reach your goal. For instance, learning how to negotiate, how to efficiently manage your time or how to become very self-disciplined are skills you can apply in pursuing your dream.

Article courtesy News & Experts of Wesley Chapel, FL.

Agents J, K, and K (?) are back in the third installment of the MIB franchise. I entered the movie skeptical that this series had anything left;  after all, how many times can you have a movie with aliens disguised as humans who almost destroy or take over the earth? Well, MIB3 found a new way to give us this same scenario and have us enjoy it.

The movie’s premise is basic enough – an old nemisis of K’s (Jones), “Boris the Animal,” played by Jermaine Clement (Flight of the Concords), escapes prison and goes back in time to prevent his defeat, changing the course of history. J (Smith) soon follows to the past, and teams up with the younger K (Brolin) to spoil Boris’ plans. I prepared myself for a fun, shoot-em-up space-western with time travel.

Instead, what I  got was a galactic bromance story, with agents J and K having these complicated, humanizing backstories that let the audience see their evolution from a one dimensional version of Beverly Hills Cop to a cross between Lethal Weapon and Cagney & Lacey.

I may be being too harsh. The extra touchy-feely-ness does add depth to the trilogy to keep it fresh. After all, J’s a rookie no more, and the “old cop/new cop” routines aren’t going to cut it alone. What you see is a movie lesson on selflessness and sacrifice, heavy topics that get sandwiched between scenes of exploding blue alien goo and giant fish.  What I was reminded of was another space/time continuum series, Back to the Future, where the story is just as much about the evolution of the relatioship between Marty and his professor/mentor as it is about their time traveling shenanigans.

There were also lots of funny parts.  Some require knowledge of late 60s pop culure and sports history, but they’re amusing to those who get it. What the movie lacked was the “surprise” element of the first two MIBs. There were no “Wow, that was an alien?!” moments. Like the men in black themselves, this secret world within a world stuff has become old hat to us.

Still, Men in Black 3 is a fun movie for a family night out, though I’d advise against little ones who might become scared of monsters. Pre-teens and tweens will have a great time with dad as you pretend to save the earth together.

Worth it Or wasted? Worth it! 3 out of 5 stars

Much was promised. Much was expected. And much was delivered. The Avengers brought it all to the silver screen – action, adventure, intrigue, even a little trip down Psych 101 for our viewing pleasure. This blockbuster, which took $220 million to make, was an ambitious undertaking on multiple fronts, putting together a cast of giants like Robert Downey, Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, and Gwyneth Paltrow, and weaving together the story lines from the five lead-in films of Captain America, Iron Man 1 and 2, Thor, and The Incredible Hulk. The latest of this Marvel Comics franchise had to stay true to the fanboys or risk their blog-filling wrath, while keeping the attention of the uninitiated — a task only a true movie hero could potentially accomplish, for many have tried, and most have fallen short.

Joss Whedon is that hero. Whedon, creator of the sci-fi/fantasy hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel, is the screenwriter and director of this tour de force and is able to juggle the egos, expectations, and explosions with the same ease with which Thor wields his mystical hammer.

Our main characters, Iron Man (Downey), Black Widow (Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), and Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Ruffalo), are summoned together by Nick Fury (Jackson) of S.H.I.E.L.D. to chase after an indestructible energy device which originated from the other-worldly kingdom of Asgard and had once been used by Captain America’s nemesis, The Red Skull.  Thor’s banished brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), uses the device to bring hordes of alien creatures to conquer Earth. Our mighty heroes are the only thing capable of getting in their way. Thor (Hemsworth) joins from the heavens, and the battle rages over (where else?) New York City.

One of the many aspects of the movie that I like is the very well incorporated CGI effects. The Hulk actually looks like Banner, and the invading cyborg minions aren’t just epileptic-inducing flashes of metal and noise a la Transformers. You can actually tell what they are, and bask in their enormity.

I also enjoyed how well the psychological profiles are developed to help advance the plot. Stark’s narcissistic genius, Thor’s patronizing godliness, Banner’s anger issues, Black Widow’s secret demons, and Captain America’s old fashioned goody-two-shoes-ness (not a technical psych term, I know) come into conflict with each other in fantastic form. Add to this powder keg some mind control induced double crossing and you’ve got a never ending supply of popcorn-munchable battles of brains and brawn.

The psychological and physical battles are punctuated by snappy repartee and surprisingly well-timed slapstick provided by incredibly intelligent writing and superb delivery from the actors. Wit is in abundance here and has the stamp of Whedon’s alma mater, Wesleyan University (mine as well, full disclosure) all over it.

So, Family — Assemble! This one is good for the whole gang, though there are some violent scenes and Hulk-induced smashing which may scare the tiny ones. There are very few times in Hollywood where such a big build up has had such a huge payoff.  This feat can only deserve my highest rating yet.

Your Daddy Time – Worth it or Wasted? — WORTH IT!!!  5 out of 5 Stars

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Do any of the above, and you’ll be in the running for the giveaway.  We’ll be selecting a winner on Saturday, April 14, so get crackin’.

We’ve got some other great Stooge-stuff to share, too.  Check out this new clip from The Three Stooges featuring Jennifer Hudson:

Even more Stooge fun:

• Share The Three Stooges motion poster on Facebook
• Visit the official website to play games and Get Stooged

The Three Stooges stars Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, Sofia Vergara, Craig Bierko, Stephen Collins, and Larry David, has created buzz this week with a nun-in-a-swimsuit cameo by Kate Upton, is directed by Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly, and yet somehow is still rated PG by the MPAA.

Contest rules subject to change without notice.  The decision of the staff of The Father Life, Inc., is final. Prizes courtesy 20th Century Fox. Contest open to US addresses only.

Greek gods, minotaurs, and 2-headed dragons, oh my!  Wrath is the sequel to the 2010 movie Clash of the Titans, itself a remake of the 1981 original.  Here we find out what Peseus (Zeus’s half human son) does after his famous battle with the Kraken, which for all intents and purposes, was nothing. Apparently the whole world did a lot of nothing as well, so much so, that they stopped praying to the gods, and like Tinkerbell, once you stop believing, Zeus and his immortal brethren begin to loose their pixie powers.

This allows Chronos, a bad god, imprisoned by his sons Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, to break free from his prison and wreck havoc with various types of hideous creatures. So the formerly all-powerfuls turn to Perseus to help them make things right.

Sam Worthington reprises Perseus, this time with a shock of bed hair that I guess is supposed to represent his years of peaceful living. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes are again the feuding godly brothers Zeus & Hades, and Edgar Ramirez is Ares, Perseus’s brother from another mother and full god.  The only woman in this sword and sandle flick is Queen Andromeda, played by Rosamund Pike, who spends the movie standing around in full battle armor but has only about a dozen lines.

The acting, save Rosamund, seemed phoned in, as Liam spends most of the movie literally passed out and Sam seems to be trying to hold back some inside joke he won’t tell us about.  Whereas Clash had a message about the importance of men over gods, this one seemed to be about whiney boys and their bad relationships with their fathers. Chronos wants to kill his boys the gods, the gods want to kill each other, and everyone wants to take the humans with them. There was some comic relief with Toby Kebbell’s character Agenor, another demigod and son of Poseidon, but I kept hoping they would kill off someone, anyone, just to see if there was any emotion in Sam’s face worth recording.

This could have been a great movie if they put more effort on this storyline of fathers and sons. We get it that Perseus is breaking the chain of absentee fatherhood, but I never get why the gods were in such fear of their dad Chronos. I know the mythology (that Chronos swallowed his children whole and that Zeus tricked him into vomiting out his siblings), but you don’t get any of that from the movie.

My guess is that in Clash they focused on the movie and threw on 3D in the last minute, and for Wrath they did the opposite, making it an extremely enjoyable 3D visual experience, but with a weak plotline and lazy acting. I suspect the studios exercised their sequel clauses where most of these guys were more than ready to move on. You should, too.

Your Daddy time – Wasted or Worth It?  WASTED! Unless you just HAVE to see it in 3D, wait for cable when you can see it in your slippers and snuggies. 2 out of 5 stars

For better or worse, they’re back.  The Three Stooges hits theaters on April 13.  Billed as a family-friendly comedy, the trailer certainly makes it look like directors the Farrelly brothers have stayed true to the Stooges of old.  Stay tuned for a Three Stooges giveaway coming to The Father Life soon, and let us know what you think of the trailer!

Find the trailer here: http://youtu.be/hmQ0VxvwwOA

Official website: http://www.threestooges.com