What I Thought of It

Dick Harper (Jim Carrey) is a big shot at Globodyne Corporation. He has become Vice-President of Communications, but then things go wrong and Globodyne goes under. Of course, Dick is optimistic and assures his wife Jane (Téa Leoni) that things will be all right and that he will find another job. Unfortunately for him, Globodyne Corporation was such a big employer that everyone from there is looking for a job and Dick can’t find one.

Dick and Jane’s luck worsens when they start to run out of money. Soon all their belongings have been sold and they can no longer afford their home. The couple embark on an extreme scheme to secure money: by stealing it wherever they can.

As you might suspect, Fun with Dick and Jane is a great vehicle for Jim Carrey to indulge his comical self. With plenty of jokes and crazy misadventures, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end.

Last thoughts: Fun with Dick and Jane is a movie that aims to and will bring you many laughs. It’s not my favorite kind of movie, but if you’re ready for 90 minutes of no-brainer hilarity, then Fun with Dick and Jane easily delivers.

Genre: Comedy (2005)
Length: 90 min
Rating: PG-13
Story +++
Cast ++++
Humor ++++

Christmas is that time of year when everyone does their best to be nice to the world. Even the movie folks do their best by releasing feel-good movies with heartwarming messages.

That was the case with a movie called Elf.

Elf introduces us to Buddy (Will Ferrell), who is an elf - or so he thinks. Buddy is in fact a human who climbed into Santa’s bag when he was still a baby orphan. Santa let him stay at the North Pole, where he grew up to be a human-sized being trying his best to be an elf.

One day Buddy finds out the truth. He also learns that though his mother passed away a long time ago, his father is alive and unaware that Buddy was ever born. Buddy’s dad works in the Empire State Building in New York City. Before long Buddy sets off for The Big Apple to meet his dad.

Buddy begins a long journey on foot from the North Pole to his destination. When he finally arrives at his father’s workplace, Buddy is kicked out of the building because the man won’t believe Buddy is his son.

Poor Buddy ends up in a department store, where the manager of the Christmas section mistakes him for an employee in elf costume. So Buddy goes to work and becomes infatuated with the beautiful department store elf Jovie (Zooey Deschanel).

From there more zany events unfold, just as you’d expect with Will Ferrell in the lead.

Like every good Christmas movie, Elf gets a happy ending.

Last thoughts: Elf is a delightful movie that’s fun to watch any time of year. Both Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel are perfectly charming, and boy, Zooey Deschanel can really sing! Get this movie ready for viewing this Christmas, because Elf is a must-see holiday film!

Genre: Comedy (2003)
Length: 97 min
Rating: PG
Story ++++
Cast ++++
Humor +++

Maybe you’ve seen Shoes Under on one of those TV infomercials. I haven’t, but this “As Seen On TV” product did look interesting when I saw it in a store. I bought two Shoes Under units, expecting to organize my shoes neatly under the bed.

For those who’ve never heard of it, Shoes Under is a nylon box. Granted, it’s floppy - not rigid - but it’s best described as a box. The box has a see-thru top that zips open, and the interior has 12 compartments supposedly for 12 pairs of shoes. Shoes Under does not come up very high, making it perfect to slide under the bed. It seems like the ideal way to store your off-season shoes.

That was the product description; now here’s the reality. When unfolded from the packaging box, Shoes Under is much smaller than the picture would suggest. The nylon fabric seems strong and durable, but you’ll really doubt how many shoes will fit in one unit. The compartments are too small! For instance, a pair of running shoes (for average-sized feet) will take up two compartments, one for each shoe. A pair of flip-flops or flatter shoes could actually fit in one compartment, but my dress shoes won’t. I concluded that except for my one pair of flip-flops, none of my other shoes would fit “one pair per pocket”, meaning that I would need four units (twice as much space) to hold all my footwear. Though I only paid $4 for each Shoes Under unit, it’s not the ideal way to store my shoes.

Last thoughts: Shoes Under seems perfect at first, then proves to be impractical when you try to use it. With the pockets/compartments being so small, it’s not what I was looking for. Mine will be going back to the store. I think a couple of under-bed plastic storage boxes would be much more useful and versatile.

So what have we learned today? Don’t believe everything you see on TV or even on the outside of a box.

Quality +++
Design & Features ++
Functionality +
Style ++
Price ++++

With all the known (and hidden) health hazards of plastic water bottles, Thermos appears to have made the perfect water bottle to replace the old BPA-containing containers.

This Stainless Steel Bottle from Thermos will keep your beverage cool or warm for up to 12 hours, and it has a great drinking top that’s easy to open even with gloved hands.

I tested this bottle myself for a couple of days, taking juice with me in my car and on a hike. The juice stayed the same temperature even while the outside temperature was way below freezing. While the drink inside is insulated, the bottle will get cold (or hot) on the outside, so keep your gloves on when you grab it.

The Thermos Hydration Bottle opens two ways. First, there is a small cap that’s easy to twist open thanks to the rubber grip. The cap opens to reveal a nice drinking spout that lets you drain the bottle to the last drop. Thermos was smart enough to design a bottle interior that allows all excess liquid to flow out. Below (and tethered to) the small cap is a bigger ring that twists off completely from the bottle mouth for easy filling and cleaning. I personally dislike drinking from the bottle mouth because the metal feels cold on the lips.

My bottle holds 500 ml of fluid. After months of searching, it’s the only stainless steel bottle I’ve found that states compatibility with iced tea, juices, and sports drinks. It was this rare feature that sold me on the bottle.

The outer stainless steel surface comes in a nice metallic blue or red, making this Thermos Hydration Bottle a sleek, eye-catching product.

Last thoughts: For me, the Thermos FBX-500C is the ideal BPA-free bottle. I tried a couple of stainless steel bottles before this one, and this one is the first satisfactory alternative to my trusty old plastic bottle. It’s a great buy for a reasonable price!

Quality +++++
Design +++++
Style ++++
Features ++++
Price ++++

If 500 ml of capacity isn’t enough, then check out this Thermos 26 oz. (770 ml)version.

I got this water bottle because I was looking for a metal (i.e., not plastic) water bottle with a wide mouth. The Innate (formerly Bilt) Fresco Stainless Steel Drinking Container was marked down to $4 at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Can’t go wrong with that price, I thought. That’s where I was wrong.

But first, the bottle is made of stainless steel and BPA-free, so unlike plastic or lacquer-coated aluminum water bottles, there’s no nasty plastic directly touching your water. The lid is made of food-grade plastic no. 5, which is currently considered “safe”.

The design of this water bottle is reasonably good. It looks sleek and feels nice to the touch. The lid has a handle, so you can hook on a carabiner to hang the bottle from, say, a backpack.

So far it’s not a bad water bottle, but there are three things about it that I really dislike:

1. It dents easily. The stainless steel is prone to damage from even the smallest impact.

2. The lid closes poorly. Unless you twist it rapidly - almost too rapidly - it will leak.

3. After being washed, the bottle does not dry well on the inside. Water gets stuck in the shoulder, just under the drinking collar, and stays there unless you wipe it off.

The wide mouth is a good feature and will supposedly fit to a portable back-country water filter, but I think the opening could be bigger. Drinking from a water bottle is easier when my nose can also fit in the hole.

Last thoughts: The Fresco H20 Water Bottle is nice-looking but has some shortcomings that I can’t live with. Apparently, there exists a newer version with modifications to the top part, which could solve two of the three problems I mentioned.

Quality +++
Design ++++
Style ++++
Features +++
Price +++++

SLABANG is one of the alarm clocks sold by IKEA, and it’s one that I really love. I’ve had mine for years now. Mine is yellow, whereas they sell just the gray ones nowadays.

As you can tell from the picture, the SLABANG is not too big and doesn’t look like much at first glance. That’s where you’d be wrong. The SLABANG is chock-full of great features in a modest little package.

First, the SLABANG does not light up at night, so you can’t see the time in the dark. You might think, “What use is an alarm clock if I can’t see the time?” Think again. The lightless display keeps the bedroom dark to help you sleep better. Then, whenever you want to know the time, just hit the top (the large black button) and the display will light up for a couple of seconds. Smart, isn’t it?

You set the clock time and alarm times by using the small round buttons on the back. Besides the standard alarm ring, you can record different wake-up sounds. Just press the RECORD button, and tomorrow you can wake up to your own voice yelling, “Rise and shine!”.

When the alarm goes off, hit the top and it will snooze for 5 minutes, then the alarm will go off again. If you keep hitting the top, it will keep snoozing, until you turn it off. To turn off the alarm for good, you’ll need to flip the switch on the back of the clock.

The SLABANG is made of a rubbery exterior, which helps it stay nicely in place on any surface. It runs on three AAA batteries, but they should last a long time (1.5 to 2 years, in my experience).

Last thoughts: With the SLABANG, IKEA has made the best alarm clock I’ve ever owned. I really love the dark display feature. It makes my bedroom a lot darker and keeps me from clock-watching while trying to fall asleep. The alarm is loud enough to wake me up every time. For me, SLABANG is the only alarm clock I’d ever want.

Quality ++++
Design ++++
Style +++
Features +++++
Price +++

Merrell Winter Peak boots

The Merrell Winter Peak is a boot made specifically for cold winters. The Winter Peak is made from Polartec 100 and has a temperature rating of -15 degrees Celsius. That said, don’t expect this shoe to be very comfortable in the summer, because then your feet will be very hot inside.

Merrell makes the Winter Peak in two colors: brown and black (black is shown in the photo). This boot is also waterproof. Merrell does not say how they made it waterproof, but it’s certainly not thanks to a Gore-Tex liner.

The shoe has a nose and heel made of rubber, which is good for the usual winter challenges like snow, but the rubber construction also makes the boot feel a bit stronger and more durable. The rest of the shoe, including the upper mesh, is made from Nubuck / Suede or Synthetic, and this material is seamlessly integrated with the rubber nose and heel to make a snazzy-looking upper.

The sole is made by Vibram to give you the comfort and grip you need from a winter hiking boot. For even more comfort, the midsole has an air cushion, and the shoes also come with foam insoles to help you get the perfect comfort level.

I’ve tested the shoe for a couple of weeks now, wearing it as my everyday shoe. It’s very comfortable, not too stiff around the foot, such that it’s easy to drive with. The shoe does not dig into my legs even with things like bending and kneeling. It is definitely waterproof. I can sometimes feel the cold near the boot opening, when the snow is very deep and I’m stepping into it, but not to the extent of feeling really cold. My feet stay happily warm and very comfortable in the Winter Peak even in -25 degrees Celsius.

I should mention that this is my second pair of Winter Peak boots. My first pair (the store’s display model) had a broken lace loop. I wonder if it happened when they pulled off the tags or if it simply broke. It did not happen to this second pair, and Merrell gives a one-year warranty so it shouldn’t become an issue.

Last thoughts: The Merrell Winter Peak seems to be the shoe that will keep me warm all winter. I love the shape and build. It is not too high so it avoids being big and bulky. It’s also lightweight, which helps on long days standing and walking outside. For me, the Merrell Winter Peak will be my trusty winter boot this year and hopefully for years to come.

Quality ++++
Design ++++
Style ++++
Features ++++
Price ++

After owning a Brita water filter for a couple of years, I came across this pitcher. It was newer, bigger, and better: The lid has a calendar minder (to keep track of when you last changed the filter) and a little flip-top through which to fill the water reservoir. All for less than $25…almost too good to be true.

I guess it was.

This pitcher is made of plastic, as are all the other models I’ve seen, and has a central column where you insert the filter unit. The unit filters 150 liters of water, so you need to replace it from time to time. To keep track of that, you can set the date on the calendar minder on the lid. Curiously, the calendar minder skips some days of the month.

Using the pitcher is a no-brainer. You raise the flip-top and position it under the faucet to fill the reservoir with water. The Brita Space-Saver immediately starts filtering and the bottom compartment starts filling with great drinking water. No complaints here: The water tastes clean and the filtration makes a difference.

However, Brita made some major errors in the design of this water pitcher. I’m surprised to find such big flaws in a product from a reputable company like Brita. First, the reservoir (where the tap water goes) has a little notch where it meets the pitcher handle. So, when you fill the reservoir, water can flow out of the little notch into the handle (which is hollow and open at both ends) and out of the handle onto your kitchen counter. Right now, my Brita Space-Saver Pitcher sits on a little absorbent cloth so my counter can stay dry, but it’s only a temporary solution because the cloth eventually gets moldy.

The second big problem: If you fill the Brita reservoir and, by accident, start using it before all the water has filtered into the bottom compartment, you could be in for a mess. The lid sits loosely on top and can’t be pushed more securely into the pitcher. As you pour, the lid can come off due to water pressure from the reservoir, and everything - including you - will be wet.

My previous Brita pitcher had a secure lid that never got pushed out by water. After several instances of being doused by the 6-Cup Space-Saver, I secured the lid with some trusty duct tape (see the photo). It solves the problem, but should I have to tape down a Brita water pitcher?

Last thoughts: If I still could, I would return the 6-Cup Space-Saver Pitcher. But I was overly optimistic and waited too long for that. The filtration works reliably, just as you would expect from Brita, but the pitcher design was not given much, if any, thought. Any 10-year-old could have drawn up a better product prototype.

Functionality +++
Design -
Value for money -