NEW GUEST CRITIC SERIES #6

As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, sometimes a simple sentence or two from a friend says it all. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for quick-hit movie reviews.

TODAY'S CRITICS

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Tammy Englund. Despite being a huge Milwaukee Brewers fan, Tammy married a Minnesotan named Matt and lives and works in the Twin Cities area. I met Tammy as "The Suit" in the role of being her instructional coach with Concept Schools when she used to teach math and science to upper elementary students at the Minnesota School of Science. Trust me. She didn't need my help. She's a phenomenal teacher!

She is renowned, far and wide, for her masterful units on puberty and teen development. The powerful information and lack of giggles through educated amazement still echo through the chilly streets and education annuls of the Twin Cities. Tammy is the proud keeper of two turtles, but and her husband are about to trade up. As of the publication date of this article, Miss Tammy is 20 weeks pregnant with her and her husband's first child. I have not heard boy or girl yet, but I've been told on good authority that it's definitely not a turtle.

Tammy teaches middles school now outside of Concept Schools and loves it. We still keep in touch through social media. From time to time, I win contests for free advances screenings for movies. Some of you who follow the website's Facebook page, have likely seen my postings.

When I can't make the screenings myself, I give them away to friends as a "Date Night Movie Ticket Tooth Fairy" of sorts. My prowess at winning tickets has extended beyond my Chicagoland area. Since I used to oversee schools in Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Peoria, and Indianapolis for work, I've acquired a great many teacher friends in many places. When I can win tickets in other cities, I give them to them. I love helping folks out.

Through me, Tammy and her husband Matt landed a plum advanced screening to see "The Judge" starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, and Billy Bob Thornton. This guest critic take will beat the film into theaters next week! I plan to see and review the film myself fully, but I will let Tammy and Matt tease the goods!

THEIR REVIEW

Tammy's review: "It was a great movie. It may have been my hormones that come with growing a human, but I laughed, I cried. It was a new role for Robert Downey Jr. and he played it very well!! He was more of a well-rounded human. I thought it ran a little long, but there were several parts of the story that needed to be resolved.

Matt's review: "Eh, it's better than "Iron Man 2," but not as good as "Iron Man." (totally joking)"

CONCLUSION

I'd like to thank Tammy and her husband Matt for their quick and effective take. I know I was lost until Matt gave me the quantifiable data of comparing superhero flicks and sequels. Well played! Sign me up to see "The Judge" in theaters on October 10th. Thanks for letting me play along and thanks for thinking of me with this review! I'm glad the tickets worked out and I hope I can send a few more your way in the future.

Let's keep this going. Friends, if you see a movie that I don't see and want to be featured on my website (and get a fun fake biography written about you), hit up my website's Facebook page and you can be my next GUEST CRITIC!