Movie Review Star Trek Into Darkness *****

The latest edition to the Star Trek series is "Into Darkness". This is the 2nd prequel to the original Star Trek television series featuring all of the familiar characters in their youth. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, and Chekov are recent graduates of Star Fleet Academy and run into characters from future TV episodes and movies. There is an attack, a defection, insubordination, demotion, resignation, collaboration, devotion, and resurrection.


Fans of Star Trek will have no problem following the story line and the reemergence of important characters. A lot of the story line is left out of the commercials and reviews because it will absolutely spoil the movie if the synopsis and list of other characters is given up. Viewers new to the classic series may have some questions at the end or may be inspired to watch all of the earlier shows to understand more of the side stories and where these characters go in the future. I have been Trekking since the beginning. I get it. I loved it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Premiere Theater in Hillsdale Michigan shows new release movies on 7 screens. We easily obtained tickets for the 7:00 Saturday show for just $7.25. This theater is soon to be renovated with larger seats in a stadium format. Too cool.

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Jonesville Riverfest 2013

The weekend after Mother's Day is the traditional timing for Jonesville's Riverfest celebration. May 17-19 are the dates for 2013. This is the kickoff for cleanup of the Village and the celebration of its heritage. The central attraction is the canoe races on the St. Joseph River. Other activities include a triathlon, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Civil War encampment, car/bike show, and antique tractor show.

Friday night starts with a 2 person triathlon. One person runs 2.3 miles, one person bikes 5 miles, both people canoe 2 miles. All day Saturday features various 2 person canoe races, the car show, and the start of the basketball tournament. On Sunday there is more races, basketball, and shows. plus the Duck Derby with prizes for the winning duck.

All weekend long, there will be food, crafts, shopping, tours, activities, music, and more food. Jonesville Riverfest is the first big thing to do of the season in this part of Southern Michigan.  Most of the participants are locals, but canoe racers have come from as far away as Canada. The car show attracts classic car enthusiasts from 100 miles or more.

Special overnight pricing for people arriving with a car show entry is available all weekend at the Munro House Bed & Breakfast. Folks with a vehicle on display can get pricing as low as $99 per night for bed and breakfast..

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Movie Review: Iron Man 3 *****

Iron Man 3 is a Marvel Comics movie about Super Hero Iron Man vs. the bad guys. The evil "Mandarin" is taking credit for terrorist explosions that kill and destroy, but leave no trace of bomb material. His legion of Extremis have incredible regenerative powers that make them seem indestructible. They have a grudge against Tony Stark--the alter ego of Iron Man--and seek to destroy him.

I don't read comic books, so all of this is new to me. The movie is more about Tony Stark and less about Iron Man. It is more about his relationship with his protege--Pepper Potts--and less about his feud with the bad guys. Stark has the American Defense contract and has created a War Machine known as Iron Patriot to do the day-to-day protection of American interests. This allows him time to work on the next generation of Iron Men. His prototypes can be summoned to armor and protect him. The bad guys challenge Stark, and he invites them to a show-down at his house that goes badly. The movie moves swiftly, but they saved all of the action for the last 15 minutes.

It is a well-told story with plenty of action, cool characters, comedic one-liners and a good ending. Bill Maher makes a "New Rules" cameo. Stan Lee appears as a judge at a beauty contest. There is something extra after the credits, so hang around. I give it 5 out of 5 stars because I was entertained. I like seeing movies at Premiere Theater in Hillsdale. It is only 6 minutes away, it shows current movies on 7 screens, and the prices are reasonable--currently just $7.25 on Thursday night.

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Memorial Day Special Pricing

Where can you get a deal on lodging over Memorial Day weekend in Michigan? At the Munro House Bed & Breakfast in Jonesville..
What kind of deal? $50 off per night. Where in the heck is Jonesville? South Central Michigan about 20 miles North of the Indiana/Ohio border at highways 12 & 99.
Why Jonesville? Because the crowds will be in Traverse City, Saugatuck, Frankenmuth, and Mackinac Island.
What's in Jonesville? Peace and quiet, good food, and uncommon hospitality.

Normal weekend rates start at $149. But on Memorial Day weekend, rooms are just $99 and up for guests who stay 2 nights. Getaway Friday & Saturday nights, Saturday & Sunday nights, or Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights to save $50 per night. A two night stay will save you $100. A three night stay will save you $150. Put that money in your pocket, or use it to get some extra stuff.

Some people come to Jonesville to shop for antiques. Allen Michigan is just 5 miles down the road and is known as the "Antique Capital of Michigan".
There is an onsite spa at Munro House that specializes in massage. Guests have said "I've had massages all around the world, but had my best one in Jonesville".
Excellent restaurants are in town. Olivia's Chop House for fine dining; Saucy Dog for barbeque; Cedars, Rosalie's Roadhouse, Los Mariachis, and King Buffet for casual dining. Fast food and ice cream at McDonald's, Subway, Coney Hut, and The Udder Side.

Most people come to Jonesville to relax. Crowds are almost non-existent, even on holiday weekends. To truly get away, places like Jones
ville are an ideal choice. There are enough choices for casual activities, plus 10 restaurants in a town of 2,400.
The rooms at Munro House have queen size beds, private baths, high definition cable television, and free wireless internet along with complimentary soft drinks and snacks.
A big breakfast is included every day. People say that the best part about bed and breakfast is the breakfast--at Munro House, it has nothing to do with the food--although Lori's secret recipe waffles are famous on 6 continents.

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Movie Review: Pain and Gain ***

"Pain & Gain" is a movie about a trio of muscle-heads who decide to take a shortcut to wealth by engaging in criminal activity. Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson are two of the body builders who devise a scheme to kidnap a wealthy man and take everything he has. They learned their techniques from watching movies and everything goes horribly wrong--but they get what they wanted. They try to blend in with their new found fortune, but it doesn't take long for them to run out of money. They then decide to try it again, and things go even worse than the first time.

There are a lot of F-bombs, torture scenes, and extremely graphic violence. The first half drags a bit, but the 2nd half is filled with action. This unbelievable tale is a true story--proving once again that truth is stranger than fiction. Not a movie for the squeamish. I give it 3 of 5 stars.

There are 7 screens at Premiere Theater in Hillsdale Michigan showing new release movies 7 days a week just a few minutes from the Munro House in Jonesville. Sunday night movies are currently just $7.25 per ticket. Popcorn, pop, and candy are also reasonably priced.


Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Lodging for Gina Relays at Hillsdale College

The annual major track and field meet at Hillsdale College is known as the Gina Relays. The event honors the legacy of Hillsdale College All-American Gina Van Laar Lanser who continues to inspire athletes to "run fast". Collegiate and unaffiliated athletes from across the Midwest come to Hillsdale Michigan to compete at this April competition. Running, jumping, and throwing events are held over 3 days on the grounds of Hillsdale College.

This event was known at the Hillsdale Relays until Gina's tragic death in 1996, along with her unborn child, in an automobile accident. The meet was renamed the Gina Relays in her honor in 1997. While she was a student at Hillsdale during the 1980s, Gina was a national champion cross country runner and academic all star. The 10,000 meter run is named in her honor as well.

With all of these athletes and all of their coaches, supporters, and officials coming to town, there are not a lot of lodging options in Hillsdale County. The Days Inn (49) and the Dow Center (36) combine for 85 rooms. Hillsdale Motel (25), America's Best Value (23), and Motel Somerset (14) combine for another 62 rooms. Several B&Bs add about 20 additional rooms. The best place to stay in Hillsdale County is at the Munro House Bed & Breakfast in downtown Jonesville. Located just 7 1/2 minutes from Hillsdale College, Munro House is a convenient location for college visitors. 7 Guest rooms are an ideal fit for the comfort of parents and other visitors. 

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Movie Night at the Dawn Theater in Hillsdale

A Michigan documentary, "Black and Blue", was playing at the Dawn Theater in Hillsdale. It was being hosted by the director of the movie, so I decided to make my first trip to the new Dawn Theater. The film was about the University of Michigan football team during the 1930s and the racial issues of the era. There was a large contingent of Michigan Alumni in attendance many dressed in maize and blue.

Having never been there before, I was eager to see what the historic theater had to offer. The box office is just inside the front door. On this night, it was manned by a local judge who happens to have attended the U of M. I was greeted, paid the admission, and was introduced to the manager, Peggy Williams. She was kind enough to give me a grand tour of her great old facility.

A concession stand sells popcorn, candy, and beverages. The beverages are not limited to just soft drinks. Beer and alcohol are also available to adults with proper I.D. They do not sell food, but have agreements with local establishments that will deliver dinner. Here's to You Pub and Grub around the corner has burgers and bar food. Domino's and Pizza Hut can deliver pizza. There is theater seating in the balcony, the main floor has 3 tiers of tables.

Stunt3 Media specializes in bringing forgotten Michigan sports history back to life. The prelude to the movie included a brief history of Carolyn King, the girl from Ypsilanti who was featured on the nightly news during the Watergate era for her quest to play Little League Baseball at a time when girls weren't allowed to play sports. Another story was about the greatest Little League Baseball player of all time. Art "Pinky" Deras led his Hamtramck team to a winning streak never seen before, or since.

"Black and Blue" is the story about two famous Michigan Football players. Willis Ward went on to become a probate judge, the other player was President Gerald Ford. Long before the Civil Rights era, black athletes played collegiate football at Michigan. After consecutive NCAA national football titles, Michigan sought to play against teams outside of the Big 10 Conference. Georgia Tech agreed to play, but only if the black players wouldn't play. This film is about that controversy.

I had a great time at the Dawn Theater. Films are an occasional feature. Live music is their staple business. Most weekends feature Rock, Blues, and Jazz artists live on stage. John Primer and American Idol winner Kris Allen are a couple of the artists who have been booked to play in Hillsdale. The theater is also available for meetings, private parties, and weddings. It is located about 10 minutes from the Munro House in Jonesville and features the area's best night life on weekends.

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"

Movie Review: Oblivion *

Oblivion is a futuristic movie starring Tom Cruise as Jack Harper. Jack and his partner are survivors of the war that annihilated the Earth. The Scavs (Scavengers) are blamed for destroying the Moon which led to natural disasters on Earth. A nuclear war ensued that wiped out much of the population. A colony was started on one of the moons of Saturn. The remaining resources in the Earth's Oceans are being mined by machines protected by drones. The materials are then transported to support the new colony. Every day, Jack is sent on a mission to repair machines that have been damaged by the Scavs.

The idea is good. The drones are cool. Jack's flying machine is super cool. The movie is almost over before we find out what the real story is. Most of the first 2 hours is fluff, and the last 6 minutes is lame. Morgan Freeman has a very small part. Even he can't save the movie. I was tempted to get up and leave at the 30, 60, and 90 minute mark, but decided to suffer until the end. I hated it. Just 1 out of 5 stars.

A first run movie on Friday night at Premiere Theater in Hillsdale is just $7.00 per person. They have a rewards card that can be used to earn free snacks and movie tickets. The theater is less than 10 minutes from the Munro House in Jonesville. Many getaway packages can include a gift card that will get you in to see your choice of movies on 7 screens.

Mike Venturini
"Life is good in Jonesville"