Farewell 2011, Welcome 2012! My Thoughts, I Guess.

 
Well, well...it's that time of the year again. Don't know what I'm talking about?

Where have you been, living under an rock?!

Just pulling your leg(s)! I know you all know what time it is, and, once again, like every year we sit back and reflect on what we've been through during the last 12 months. Yeah, it may be boring, tedious or an unnecessary waste of time, but we still do it anyway to remind ourselves of the good times or bad times that we have encountered. I personally don't reflect or like to partake in the whole end-of-the-year wrap up thing; I just move on. I mean, tomorrow will be Sunday--it's no different than last weekend, just that it will be 2012.

Oh well, enough of me babbling about nonsense.

I guess this will be the last blog post of 2011, and starting sometime after today, I will post up a new entry that will represent what will become of me and this blog for 2012.

So many things to be grateful for as this year comes to an end. First, my greatest accomplishment, academically, is completing my M.F.A. in creative writing at Stonecoast. For me, it was a long hard but well fought battle and in the end my endeavor has made me into a better writer with a better sense of what I want to create and put forth for others to read. I'M A DAMN POPULAR FICTION WRITER AND I HAVE THE CREDENTIALS TO PROVE IT NOW!

All kidding aside, this is something that I am very proud of, and I know that everyone in my graduating class also feels the same way about their own individual battles and accomplishments. This final residency, we will all walk through the stonehouse or the Harraseeket Inn soaking up every last detail that we will take with us as memories of a glorious two years that we all spent bonding. It's funny but I know most of you in my graduating class will read this, and all I want to say is that I proud of our group and am honored to be a part of it.

STONECOAST WINTER CLASS OF 2012 RULES!

I know, corny! I had to do it though! ha! :)

Enough of the mushy stuff and let's get on with what the future holds for my blog: It's All In My Head. I honestly don't know. Go figure. I have some ideas of what I would like to post up as future blog entries and they involve more movie reviews and top personal video compilations. I meant to do this a while ago, but I may also start reviewing video games. I am a gamer, always have been, but I want to balance the blog with other resourceful commentary on my writing as well and things that I encounter. Again, this blog is about my what floats around in my head, hence the title.

I recently purchased a microphone, Bwahahahaha! (That's supposed to be me sounding very sinister.) I'm thinking that I may incorporate podcasts to the blog, or to compliment certain entries. I have many artist friends, and I was talking with them recently; I discovered how many similarities we share when it comes to creating our work. Even though we choose different outlets for self expression, the process still has some likenesses. There are lots of ideas rolling around in my cranium right now and I'll have to flesh them out at some point and see where I can do with those thought clouds. Of course, just getting to together with friends and talking about random nonsense is always good.

I'm excited about the podcasts and the possibilities that it could present. I'll definitely let ya'll know what I come up with.

A couple of surprising statistics and data I discovered recently about this blog! I have two followers now! I know who you are, of course! My initial apprehension with this blog was whether anyone would read it, but I have had readers, so I am happy about that. Since it went live about two years ago, I have had about, somewhere in the ball park figure, of 1500 visits! WOW! I'm not sure if that's average or not, but I'm satisfied that people are finding it and reading. Back to my two followers! I glad you're on board, and I welcome others to follow me or to continue reading--I won't bite...hard at least. ha!

Another idea just crossed my mind. I was thinking about possibly creating another blog for podcasts rather than just putting them here? Hmm, don't know yet. I've thought about creating another blog but the thought of maintaining two, AAAHHH! Then I thought maybe it could be a partnership with another blogger or writer(s). Hmm, who knows because I haven't decided yet. My mind floats in and out of ideas, it's weird, but I'll make sense out of all of it at some point.

Back to stats! I noticed a while ago that most of the searches that led to this blog involved: squirrels, the anime convention I went to two years ago and zombie stuff. Strange. However, the most surprising statistic I found yesterday was that my "Braidesmaids: Movie Review" blog post got *184* page views. That's insane; I raved about the movie because I liked it, for a chick flick, but I didn't think I said anything about it that was amazing. Hmm... maybe I am doing something that is working.

I think I'll stop here. This entry is already pretty long. I guess it wasn't much of a reflection, it is what it is. Geez, I'm so random even when it comes to my own thoughts. Ha! Rest assured that I will continue to deliver on the random and quirkiness. From here on out, I'm putting my 5OUL ON D!SPLAY. A little bit at a time, at least.

The words "5OUL ON D!SPLAY" are actually a song title. If you know this song and/or enjoy it, you ROCK!

Again, have a great Happy New Year and make the most out of 2012! I'll see you on the flip side.

Until then.

The New York City Subway Rider

Hey all, it's been a long time but I'm still here. Good to be back, although I'm not sure if in full capacity or limited, ha!

Well, this first blog post, in over a month, is more of a rant.

New Yorkers are know for being many things. We're tough, obnoxious, loud and we're always saying "Hey", "Yo!", "You feel me, Dawg?" and "What's up with that?" Actually, that last one is mine! Anyway, I think You get what I'm saying. I hope! However, today, I want to concentrate on one type of New Yorker; the NYC subway rider.

I'm a subway rider and some of things I have seen are 1) entertaining, but 2) annoying. The occasional dance group that comes on and performs is enjoyable to watch, but sometimes other performers come on and make more noise than is really wanted. Yes, I'm talking about you Spanish guitarists who come on and start singing. We may speak the same language but hearing you in the morning is so annoying that I don't want to deal with it and every other rider feels the same way. There are different pairs of you musicians, I know this for a fact because I've paid attention at times, but all of you seem to play the same song! Okay, you did play a Christmas song once, but enough already!

Luckily my ear-buds have been able to provide relief, but sometimes not. My music can only cover so much. Honestly, I'd rather torture myself with my own music because at least I have control over when to stop or start. When you guitarists come on it's a whole different story, I'm afraid.

What else is annoying about an NYC subway rider? Those that eat on the train. Now, I'm not talking about a small snack because I sometimes do that, but those that bring their whole KFC or Chinese food meals on and start eating. I mean, seriously! You can't wait to get to your final destination, be it home or office, to eat your food? Why must you sit there and eat surrounded by other people that may have not eaten yet or are disgusted by hearing the sounds of your teeth chewing. First of all, you're in a narrow subway car, people are all around you and you still come on and bring your food that already smells good. So, you're making the whole car smell like your food. YOU ASSHOLE! What if I hadn't eaten anything yet, or what you have smell and looks better then what I ate? You are so annoying! Sometimes I feel like saying, are you gong to share that with everyone in this car because you're making everyone else smell your food already? AND, I know for a fact that you will be the low-life scumbag that will leave that empty container under the seat after you're done.

Okay, not every person who I see eating on the train does that. BUT, I know some of them do!

Oh, and what about the subway rider who sits but doesn't lean all the way back into the seat? Mr. Hunched-over-in-his-seat. I'm going to say that not all of these types of riders are bad. No. Most sit this way and stay that why. I'm talking about the type that sits this way and shifts between leaning back in the seat and then hunches over again. You sir are the biggest douchebag. And you have the gall to get angry or make faces when people try to sit in the space next to you. Why? There's a seat next to you, but you sit in such a way that your body is slouching into the next seat. They're going to touch you, brush up against you or shove their way into that seat! That other person is entitled to a seat. It's not his or her fault that you cannot sit straight in yours. OH, and then, when you're in your hunched over position and people are sitting on either side of you; I don't know what possessed you to do this, but why would you start stretching your arms out in odd angles?

I'm sitting across from this asshole of a rider and all I can think is what an ass you are. The whole time I'm laughing in my head at how dumb, arrogant and inconsiderate you are. The woman sitting next to you, I know, felt the same way. Every time you did your stretch, she looked at you with eyes that said what the hell are you doing and can you stop that you jerk? 

But you know who is more annoying? You obnoxious, loud, immature public high schoolers, that's who! Again, not all high school kids fall under this category, but those of you who have gotten on a train between 2:30 and 3:30 in the afternoon know who I'm talking about. Never was there a time where I wanted absolute peace then when public high schools unchained the doors and reckless abandonment was set free. Well, enough about that.

Well, that's it for now. We New Yorkers put up with a lot, but sometimes I think it isn't necessary or wanted. Although, other times, it's great being an observer because I wouldn't have stuff to say or rant about!

Until next time! Stay Safe!

Stranger Than Fiction: A Thought About The Film

 
I think it's a beautiful thing to engage in something, anything, with such passion that you lose yourself as you hone your skills to reach a goal, perfection or an ending.

This is the same in any media chosen to express whatever your passion is. I love reading books or stories that introduce characters so likable that you feel the pain of their loses or the enjoy of their accomplishments. The same goes for movies and the film Stranger Than Fiction is no exception to that rule.

I loved Will Ferrell's portrayal of the lonely, fated protagonist Harold Crick. Here is a character who is plain and hapless in his monotonous life that we see a reason to follow his story. The fact that Emma Thompson's character Karen Eiffel narratives his daily activities further provides a more in-depth understanding of Harold's narrative archetype that we, as the audience, find more compassion. Even Thompson's role as the eccentric writer and narrator are so rational, for writer's at the very least, and I personally find a weird connection with her character. Being a fiction writer has allowed me to really comprehend and also sympathize with the plight of creation and responsibility of fulfillment.

What do I mean by responsibility of fulfillment? It is the act of creating and the art of skillfully providing a reason for existence. Even if your character is to die, such is the case with Harold Crick, the writer still has to provide meaning and justification for the characters death. Writing endings are not easy by no means, let me tell you. So many aspects of narration, character development and story must be taken into account when you slowly reach those final pages and bring your written masterpiece to a close. I always find it difficult to end a story after I have provided such a fond and in-depth look at something that I poured my heart and soul into.

I feel such a great deal of responsibility in capturing and expressing a story with profound visualization and emotion that not only speaks to me but also hits a definite chord with readers of all kinds. The film Stranger Than Fiction does this on many levels. Mind you that what you're watching is a literary tale told visually and every aspect of plot, narration and arch are presented. At times I felt as though this could have actually been a graphic novel, a manga maybe, because it is literally a developing story that is in motion.

I liked the contrasts that progressively appear and further change and enhance the characters lives. Harold and Karen's lives are some what identical in the sense that they work in systematic fashion to approach situations. Harold operates in a corporate and mathematical/computational environment while Karen provides us with the common, at times unorthodox, method of story creation. When Maggie Gyllenhall's character Ana Pascal enters Harold's life it implements a vast contradiction to the life and organization that has ruled Harold's life. She is his opposite and Ana compliments, or in this case unbalances, his perspectives very nicely.

Another aspect of interest is the character of Prof. Jules Hilbert, played by Dustin Hoffman. I always look at this Hilbert as the mage or all knowing guide that helps Harold through his dilemma. He is instrumental in grounding the protagonist in a reasonable reality where Harold can attempt to find answers to his plight. Hoffman is just a lot fun as Hilbert; the kind of literary specialist I wish I had in school, ha! 

I think the one moment that has stuck with me about this film is Harold and Karen's meeting. It is the moment where Karen as an author not only realizes that one of her fictionalized creations turned out to be real, but also her responsibility of giving him a meaningful and justified existence appears. On top of that, she also went further to provide a rational excuse to change. It is something that all us writers go through when we create. We always change where it is necessary while keeping in mind how it will effect the choices that we have made up to that point.

Even in writing, it is all about making choices and decisions and being responsible in making sure we fulfill those intentions.

Bridesmaids: Movie Review

So here I am with another movie review. Believe it or not I'm talking about a chick flick this time around. I don't see a lot of chick flicks, so this is a little weird, a little strange to talk about. Then again, maybe not. I actually really enjoyed how this came out!

I sometimes enjoy watching former Saturday Night Live cast members transition from the small screen to the big screen. Honestly, at this point, the only another person I can think of Will Ferrell. I know there are knows, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd. That's all at the time, for now!

Anyway, Bridesmaids was really a lot of fun and the comedic scenarios were well placed, and who doesn't enjoy "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips? Tell me, who doesn't?

What I really enjoyed about this movie is that while it is a chick flick, the story really focuses on the relationship between Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph's characters. Their moments together on screen brought forth some of the movie's best comedic and introspective moments. Since the movie really directs most of its attention on Annie (Wiig), we see a lot of moments where she really reveals what her character is experiencing and what she hopes to achieve. While marriage may be one of the central themes in the movie, it is over shadowed by the friendship and romance angles that that bring out the laughs and heart felt moments.

I mean, really, I laughed pretty hard during the bathroom scene at the wedding dress store. I'm sure this place is called some thing else, but I don't know what it is and don't really care to find out. Just so you know. Ha!

What I really want to point out is that there are two things that stood out for me while watching this film. One is a universal point that everyone will agree on, and the other is personal. Okay, Megan played by Melissa McCarthy, was just a hilarious tour-de-force! She pretty much stole the show with her in your face, say anything and hold nothing back attitude. She reminds me of that friend that we all have that just behaves and acts according to how they feel. The only way I can describe the character of Megan is by associating her to Seth Rogen's character in Knocked Up. I think the moment that really brought her character out for me was the scene at the Brazilian restaurant, where she starts describing the Fight Club theme bridal shower.

When McCarthy's character started talking about beating the shit out of Rudolph's character, I just fell over and laughed. You just knew that one of them would have the over-the-top idea, and you knew it would be her, but had no idea what she would say. And, BAM! She drops it in like a plate of nicely cooked meat. Just lays it out there for everyone else to pick on and enjoy, and I took it and ran, ha! The other point is a little more personal and it has to do with Kristen Wiig's character.

You could say that I have a soft spot for Kristen Wiig here, like I did in Paul. 

I enjoyed Annie as a character and there were moments where I could almost see someone that resembled her. I think we all can, right? I loved her drunken, high on medication performance on the plane. But, what I loved the most about her was the car she drove. A Toyota Corolla, an AE86 for God's sake! She is my dream, both her and the car! Well, I actually prefer the three door hatchback model, but man, that was an 86! And, it was an old car but it could still roll and burn rubber with the best of them! I cringed when her car got hit from behind. I felt Annie's pain when her car bit the dust temporally. It like the sadness I felt when Takumi's 86 broke down. Those who know me well enough will know what I'm referencing. That car, especially the hatchback model, holds a very special place in my heart.

Not related to the 86, but I felt sad when Annie started crying while watching Cast Away. I liked that one too, and felt sad and heartache when Wilson floated away.

What made this movie work, I think, is a great story which was written in part by Wiig, but also having Judd Apatow as producer. Some of the female bonding humor that worked in this movie can be found in Apatow's other work like Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Superbad just to name a few.

In the end, Bridesmaids was a fun flick, just under two hours, filled with great comedic moments and fond memories of long-time friendships.

Bitter Wintery Blues

Hey all,

So, can you believe the north east got hit with a freak (I might be exaggerating) winter storm and it's only October, and Halloween's tomorrow! It's crazy that a storm like this hit so early. In all my years of existence, I have never seen snow this soon. The earliest at least here in NYC is early to mid-November. Of course, we get cold temperatures, so most of us here are bundled up or in the first stages of winter preparedness. However, this year, it seems as though we been preparing a lot sooner as cold temperatures arrived faster, and then this snow storm!

And here's the kicker! It's sunny today, as I am sure it is over the rest of the north east, and there's practically little or no snow left on the ground! The only indication that anything happened is the snow still on the roofs of buildings and cars. It's still pretty cold out, so that there. Whew! If it were 90 degrees I might go crazy!

But seriously, yesterday was the beginning of wintery discontent. I don't enjoy the winter, or the summer, no, let me restate that. I hate the extremes of both seasons. I always prefer a nice mid-combination of both; although, if I had to choose, I prefer summer temperatures and climate. Some place tropical though.

Despite the ugly weather yesterday, I still went outdoors - first to downtown Manhattan then to the Bronx. What a trip! Freezing temperatures that my hands were freezing even after I put on gloves. The snow came down in large clumps and stuck to ever thing. I honestly didn't think it would be this bad, but I guess I was wrong. But, the snow didn't last for long as it turned to sleet then pure rain! I was miserable during my excursion downtown. People were out in full force though and that's what you have to love about New Yorkers, we don't really give a damn! We'll complain but we'll get stuff done no matter what conditions are like. However, personally, I hate being cold!

Then I get to the Bronx to visit a good friend of mine, and unfortunately, I was still freezing. The best part, wouldn't you know it, there was no heat in his building! That sounds just about right because there was no heat in my building as well. Damn it! We sat around, talked politics, and how freakin' crazy this weather had gotten so suddenly. All the while, my feet and hands were icy cold.

I got home later that evening and the heat was still absent. No surprise there. What the hell Mr. Super? Why don't you turn on the heat? Why is it that you only turn it on for an hour at a time and/or only at odd hours of the evening? Ahhh, winter is such a great, bone-chilling, miserable time of the year, don't you think so? I know that further upstate and up north the storm has been much worse then what I'm complaining about here. I hearing story of power outages in certain areas and that is just horrible. With no electricity or running water in some cases, the conditions are literally below standards. Yet, I envy and admire those who endure under such undesirable extremes. Real troopers!

Well, that's it for now. Stay safe and warm out there!

Hanna: Movie Review

 
What up, Movie Lovers,

Well, I pulled out another movie that I bought months ago and finally watched it. This time the selection happened to be the film Hanna. Now I have to say that I only heard about this movie because the stars of the film were at the San Diego Comic Con a couple of years ago promoting its release in theaters. I didn't know much about its premise except that it centered around a young girl assassin.

Of course, the premise attracted my curiosity. I mean, why not? A young girl, long blonde hair, blue eyes, trained in weapons & hand-to-hand combat and special intelligence tactics! What more could I want?

Despite these intriguing details, which I didn't know about at the time, the film interested me. I caught the trailer for it several months after, but like every other movie I am only now watching it for the first time. Saoirse Ronan plays the title character Hanna, and Eric Bana takes the role of her father Eric Heller. The movie begins by establishing Hanna as a rogue nature hunter as she hunts, kills and gathers the meat of a wild buck. Her father confronts her and engages her in a series of offensive and defensive fighting techniques. As I watched it, the scene opened up the idea of remote training and survival skills, but the intention was not made clear yet.

During the next 15 minutes, the film continues to reinforce her father's training as Eric tests and attacks her with a series of different tactics. The only clue we get from all this is that her father has been preparing her for when she has to venture outside of the sanctity for their secluded shack in the woods of Finland. When Eric finally believes she is ready, the first plot is revealed that he was part of a covert CIA group. Certain other details are withheld, but an intelligence officer, Marissa Wiegler played by Cate Blanchett, is now pursuing them.

I'm going to skim though most details to move along forward with this brief review. Well, Hanna and her father part ways, and the film follows Hanna as she escapes from the underground CIA base, travels through most of Europe with the help a vacationing British family and ultimately confronts Wiegler. The interesting aspect of the film is how we're shown Hanna's immersion into modern society. She interacts with and is genuinely surprised by the foreign technology, scenery and experiences that she is encountering for the first time. Many of these moments are captured in Hanna's interaction with the vacationing family, especially with their daughter Sophie. The two bond and share brief moments of attraction and curiosity.

One of the complaints I had was the secret agenda surrounding Hanna. The reason her father trained her and why Marissa is after her are the same. Hanna is actually an experiment to create a super soldier with heightened speed, strength and intelligence making her an elite special forces agent. I just kept thinking that the idea was nothing new and over used. When it was revealed, it didn't have the impact that I thought the movie was aiming for. However, that minor point is, for the most part, irrelevant because Hanna's journey is what I found to be the most interesting part of the film.

The action during the movie is fast and gritty in some cases. You see Hanna take her bumps and bruises, but she also delivers the intense hits as she battles foes. Saoirse Ronan really puts on a performance and shines as she both explores her characters motives and fights with such precision that Saoirse could've fooled me with her expertise. I know its all about choreography but it really shows in how well she moves and the editing. She fun to look at. In addition to the visual display of action, the music, composed by the Chemical Brothers, also added a fast beat of electronica that helped to raise the tension and/or pace of many of the scenes. The score played during the scene where Hanna is fleeing from her pursuers in the shipping yard is my personal favorite. While electronic it also felt very playful and upbeat. The music in that scene mirrored the fact that Hanna was playing around against her enemies.

In recollection, Hanna was a fun action, spy, young girl assassin movie with a lot of spunk and clever storytelling. In a way, I would almost consider it a story that took the Mathilda character from Leon: The Professional and based it on her. So, I would say that it was time that I spent being well entertained.

Surrogates: Movie Review

 
Hello all,

Another movie review coming at ya! This time it's the Bruce Willis Sci-Fi film Surrogates.

I have to say that my interest was piqued about this movie when I first saw the trailer a couple of years ago. However, I never got to see it in theaters at the time. Now that I think about it I don't watch that many movies in theaters, and I just catch them after they come out on Blu-ray or DVD. It wasn't until about a  month ago that I saw the trailer advertised on TV that I went out and bought it.

So, the premise is humanity has become completely dependent on the use of artificial robots/cyborgs to function or interact with society. In other words, when you get ready to go to work, you plug yourself into your robot/cyborg, known as a Surrogate, and go about your daily outdoor activities. Sound familiar? It should because it is the exact same plug-in/jack-in function used in The Matrix. Only, instead of plugging into a computer, you plug-in to your artificial clone. It's really a very intriguing idea. The movie explains that this new technology and mode of human interactive function has revolutionized humanity to the point that such things as crime are non-existent.

Of course, like any revolution or new concept, there are going to be opponents. These are known as Dreads, normal people/humans that refuse to allow technology/robots to replace man kind. I may be making this sound too much like the premise for Terminator, but its not this extreme. It has this feel much like Stephen King's The Stand where you have the two factions or social groups. In Surrogates, you have the society that accepts the robots as a means of social image, and the other society hates the robots for the same reason.

The story takes shape when a murder is committed with a device that not only destroys the surrogate but also its human operator. Bruce Willis plays FBI agent Tom Greer, and with Radha Mitchell (Agent Peters) the two investigate the crime which has roots reaching all the way into the surrogate manufacturing company VSI. I don't remember what the full name was, or if it was even mentioned, ha! Surrogates is a very decent detective story but at its core are the major themes that the concept of artificial dependence implies.

For example, all the surrogates are young while their human counterparts are older or aging. The reason I say this is because part of the story focuses on Bruce Willis' character's relationship with his wife Maggie played by Rosamund Pike. From very earlier on, we are shown a disconnect between the couple, especially after Tom is forced to pursue the investigation with out a surrogate. He realizes that his wife may have grown so dependent on the use of the artificial persona/image that she's lost sense of reality.

Another interesting point shown in the movie is that it is a comment on some of society's idea or need to display or appear young or perfect. As a matter of fact, the modern surrogate society is visually represented as a stylish, and artificial rendition of what a perfect society would appear as. The surrogates represent every human operator's own ideal self image of perfection. It's vanity in its purest sense. Even more intriguing is the reaction that Tom gets when he emerges into society in his actual 'flesh' form. Even though it is not revealed how long it as been since he actually set foot out of his house, we see the immediate disconnect with human interaction. Tom has a huge sensory overload that he nearly collapses as he tries to physically move in a space which he only interacted with through artificial eyes.   

Again, I was really impressed by the detective story that revealed the ethical question of extreme dependence on artificial technology. Surrogates was an entertaining film with many thought provoking ideas. And the scene where everyone drops to the ground in unison was pretty cool to see, and the ending provided a ideal awakening.

A Perfect Getaway: Movie Review

Well, here I am with another movie review from my personal library. Actually, I bought this movie several months ago and only recently watched it.

Ahhh, I still have several other movies that I haven't watched yet, and my library will most likely keep getting bigger, ha!

Ever since The Fifth Element and the Resident Evil series, I developed a liking for Milla Jovovich and her bad ass take on female action heroines. I think many people were attracted to her portrayal of bright orange/white headed Leeloo and her tough super soldier persona of Alice, and I'll admit that I became one of the people who found her irresistible. So after reading the synopsis for A Perfect Getaway, I wondered how Milla would handle playing a character as normal as you and I. In other words, she won't have powers or speak a foreign language.

The results, in my opinion, were quite surprising and enjoyable.

The movie opens to a video replay of a wedding, and the happy couple isn't shown. However, by the next scene, the audience is introduced to the newly weds Cyndey (Jovovich) and Cliff, played by Steve Zahn, as they enjoy their honeymoon on the remote Hawaiian island. Right from the start, the two things that catch my attention are with Milla's performance and her character's last name. After being used to Jovovich playing a commando-like heroine, it was weird seeing her play a down to earth normal woman, very giddy and all smiles, like someone I'd like to spend a Sunday afternoon with. The other is the character she plays is named Cyndey Anderson. The reason I point this out is because it's ironic as seeing that Jovovich is actually married to writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil series).

I found her performance interesting and carefree, again, like someone who's enjoying their honeymoon.

The story takes its first indication of - bump in the road - when Cydney and Cliff encounter another couple along the road and offer to give them a ride. There's a bit of a disagreement and both sides go separate ways on rather uncomfortable terms. This may seem like a minor hiccup, but when the news of the suspects (also newly weds) to a double murder is brought to their attention things turn awkward and suspicions begin to rise. The story takes another turn with the introduction of a third couple, Gina (Kiele Sanchez) and Nick (Timothy Olyphant). To keep this from getting too long, Cydney and Cliff suspect the first couple they met to be the killers and so they seek security in numbers by staying with Gina and Nick.

The first hour of the movie is spent Cyndey/Cliff getting to know Gina/Nick, and let me tell you, during the first hour I thought I was watching a comedy. The character of Nick was so over the top as a ex-special agent with so many anecdotes that he's hilarious, and hearing that Cliff is a screenwriter, Nick starts pitching ideas that 1) serve to humor and intimidate Cliff and 2) set the plot for the rest of the movie. Now, I don't know if this was done intentionally to guide the audience along in suspecting that Nick and Gina are an illusive couple. Or, if is was done to create this interesting fun and dynamic interaction. Either way, I enjoyed Olyphant's performance, and with Milla's giddy, happy California girl nature I found myself enjoying the movie more that I forgot that this was still a suspenseful thriller.

The twists and turns continue as the real killers are identified, and I won't ruin it here just in case others want to discover it for themselves. I will say that there is one strange moment toward the end where Nick goes through a moment of introspection and certain truths are put together. However my grip with this is when Nick's introspect switches to that of Cliff's. As this happened, I kept thinking about how this was possible. Were we in Nick's head or Cliff's, or both through some miracle of telepathy.

All together, A Perfect Getaway truly entertained me. The suspicions about who is really telling the truth about who they say they are, and Olyphant's mysterious yet hilarious performance kept me hook and laughing. Steve Zahn had a note worthy role. Of course, Kiele Sanchez was quite a sight, and Milla Jovovich's smile looked radiant when caught on film.

In the end, it was a time well spent!

The Walking Dead: Season Two, Episode One Review

After about a whole year, I'm delighted to see the first episode of the new season. It felt like so long ago since I saw the last episode from season one and now zombie goodness is back on AMC.

If you've seen the trailers advertising the new season, the one word that described the mood and feeling was intense. The show picked up where the last left off with our group of survivors leaving behind the smoldering remains of the CDC in Atlanta and heading for Fort Bennett.

30 minutes into the 90 minute season premier, the entire group found themselves trapped on a congested highway when a herd of zombies arrives and has everyone scrambling to hide underneath cars. The fear that arose during this scene was so gripping that I found myself holding my breath at certain points. Each time the camera focused on a character all I saw was panic. To top it off I kept getting a feeling that here was where one of the survivors would meet their unfortunate demise.

The threat passed and everyone was safe except for a few bruises, zombie killings and a severely lacerated forearm. The rest of the episode took shape when Sophia was chased into the woods by a zombie, and the whole party took off in search of her. While the entire episode was spent navigating the woods and a secluded church, the real cliffhanger came at the end. Seriously, during a moment of peaceful serenity the unexpected occurred. When it happened I was shocked. The episode ended and I was left wondering why it ended so soon.

Yeah, I know, after an hour and a half, how could I say it ended so soon. Well, it just did.

There were some pretty intense moments and the writing continued to keep me grounded and interested as each of the characters developed further. One of the goals that this episode focused on was showing that while the entire group escaped together certain differences and objects weren't shared by everyone. For instance, Andrea's resentment toward Dale's decision to guilt her into escaping the final blast at the CDC led her to further lament remaining alive. In addition, Shane's growing frustration and envy of Rick causes him to start outwardly displaying his anger. Basically, the group begins to divide itself and it created a dynamic that leaves the viewer guessing who will remain and who will finally burst.

Other questions remain like what Dr. Jenner told Rick before they escaped from the CDC. At the beginning of the episode, Rick continues to radio his progress to Morgan and he is about to mention what Jenner told him but stops claiming it wasn't important at the moment. Also, speaking of Morgan, I'm still wondering what became of him and his son Dwayne. We left them during the first episode of season one and we don't ever hear or see from them again. Rick keeps communicating with them although we never hear Morgan return Rick's messages. 

The gore level is what we would expect with special make-up effects guru Greg Nicotero as lead supervisor. So I know that the effects will be top notch, and believe me this episode had one heck of a highlight with a zombie autopsy. It wowed me when Rick and Daryl cut open that zombie and started pulling out its innards to check the contents of its stomach. Talk about full on gross!

All of these elements came together nicely to provide a great first episode to the new season. Previews to the following week's episode only continue to provide glimpses of what is to be more drama and suspense. I'm looking forward to it and hope the writing continues to drive it as it has so far. It's good to have new zombie goodness back on TV!

Jet Li's Unleashed: Movie Review

Wow, 71 posts and I keep on chugging regardless of what's going on around me.

So this will be my first review of a movie that I already own. I hope to do these just a often as I write up my other reviews for movies that just debuted in theaters.

What can I say about Jet Li's Unleashed? Nothing short of profound and heartfelt.

I am a fan Jet Li and his movies, but this film is one of my favorites just on the shear magnitude of Li's performance as a trapped victim of an abusive upbringing. Just imagine how abusive pet owners can train their animals to be obedient through fear and deadly by constantly beating them to behave aggressively. Now, visualize controlling that dual nature through verbal commands and a leash and you have Jet Li's character Danny.

The trailers never did reveal this mechanism. They only showed an action movie with fights and gun fighting that we all come to recognize from this genre. So, when I first saw Unleashed, I had no idea that Jet Li would be playing such an isolated and tormented character. This new angle or role for Li was quite a shocking revelation because I have only ever known Li to play action hero types. You know, fierce, determined, aggressive, bare knuckle types. This change was nice and gave the audience a chance to see Li really act.

What I also enjoyed about this movie and I believe added to the effectiveness of the character of Danny is director Louis Leterrier's way of showing the audience an intimate look at his protagonist. We see Danny start out as a leashed animal trained to attack on command, but by the middle with the introduction of the secondary characters, we see Danny evolve to be more human. As this happens we are right there with Danny, watching him transform. We feel his timidness, anger and eventual compassion and I frankly enjoy this aspect of the film. Luc Besson actually wrote the script, but may have had some influence in the film making. Besson has this way of filming that I would refer to as portraits of a character's life in transition. We see this in his other films such as Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element and Taken.

The character of Danny is very simplistic in that he only has one function. He is the muscle used by his abusive Uncle, played by Bob Hoskins, to persuade rapid collection of debts. However, as he transitions to developing emotions and compassion, Danny becomes a more complex character trying to escape his old life and settle in a new one. Morgan Freeman's character Sam and Kerry Condon's Victoria help Danny open up to reveal that he is not a leashed animal but a individual discovering a new future through painful forgotten and oppressed images of his past.

The fight scenes choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping also evolve to show Danny's progression. The opening scene depicts a brutal fight filled with raw energy and primal fury. I can't remember when was the last time I saw Jet Li display such an uncontrolled rage that is both efficient and instinctual. More importantly, within this chaotic barrage is a precision for an effective killer. Danny fights in a careless and reckless manor but with the clear intent of killing, and you can see it by how he rips thorough opponents. As he changes, Danny becomes more cautious and mindful that he's fighting to protect others (Sam and Victoria). He style becomes a bit more refined and tactful as opposed to animalistic. Jet Li's fight scene in the bathroom stall is the most impressive example of close fighting in confined spaces.

Other interesting notes include the fact that Luc Besson wrote the script with Jet Li in mind. The original title is fact Danny the Dog and not the US title title Unleashed.

I enjoyed this movie so much because it's more about discovery and escape as it is about action. Even the theme played at Victoria's recital is touching and as Jet Li's character finally finds peace and his own place makes me a little teary eyed. All-in-all, Unleashed is a very character driven story of internal and external conflict paired with survival.

Real Steel: Movie Review

Hey there folks! Well I'm back with another movie review. Boy, it seems like I'm making this my new job or hobby. Unfortunately, I'm not getting paid for this.

When I first saw the trailer for Real Steel, I thought, hmm, this looks interesting and vaguely familiar. Then it hit me! It's rock'em sock'em robots but on the big screen. Seriously, that's what this movie is when you look at it from the perspective that it has robots fighting in a ring. And, this brings me to my first non-movie related question.

How many of you out there in internet land know or have seen and played with a rock'em sock'em robot toy. Those things were fun! Bang! and the head gets popped up, ha!

Originally, I thought this movie would never live up to post-Transformers series hype. After the huge, grossly, uber-hammered success of the Baysplosion films, there could not be another smaller movie that used robots which made an impression and left a mark that didn't include things blowing up or a billion parts moving at the same time.

Whew! That was a long sentence.

Luckily, this movie came along and left a sweet, endearing taste in my mouth. On the surface, Real Steel is a film about human controlled robots battling it out in underground and professional fighting, sanctioned and unsanctioned, matches. However, at the core is a heartwarming tale between a father and his son, and that son and his robot. And it appeals to the kid in all of us who always wanted a robot, whether large or small, that we could control and have as a friend.

Hugh Jackman plays Charlie, a former professional boxer, now fighting robot operator who is trying to make ends meet by purchasing fight-bots and pitting them in matches with bitter results. He's the protagonist who is far from his glory days but still finding himself a part of that world and way over his head in debt. In a way, Charlie is still looking to find his gold ticket back to his former glory days but has no idea where it will come from and only continues to make unfavorable decisions that place him further in a hole. Doesn't this remind you already of our struggling economy?

At heart Charlie is a good character and this really emerges with the introduction of of son Max. Charlie never raised his son, and after Max's mother dies, Charlie is called in to sit at a hearing to determine custody of the child. Charlie decides to hand over custody to his sister-in-law and rich husband, but he also schemes to retain custody for a few months with the promise to be paid $100,000 upon transferring total custody to his sister-in-law after her short hiatus. Something about her going away for a few months but putting Max in Charlie's custody during that time.

I'm probably not explaining this properly, but who cares because this whole custody issue plays a very minor almost nonexistent plot to the story. All it serves is to place Charlie and Max together to center the father-son story arc. At first these two do not get along, but their common interests in robot fighting bounce off of each other so well that the audience can begin to see a unique chemistry and bond forming between the two. This especially becomes evident with the discovery of the primary glue factor that keeps them together and not so much focused on winning but figuring out that they need to be in each others lives. It is at this point that we are introduced to Atom.

Atom is the underdog sparring robot that they salvage from a junk yard, and Max immediately places his affections into the robot which becomes a surrogate father, friend and hope. Charlie sees how much time and effort Max places into Atom that he also encourages and supports Max's decision to make an old, 2nd generation sparring robot compete against other mashers. Here is where the most endearing moments of the father-son relationship take shape during the movie.

The fights are great and clean in terms of how they are depicted. It is what you would expect from big robots duking it out with each other in boxing matches. At times it is no-holds-barred, rock'em sock'em and other times it is very technical as it mimics even the flashiest of boxing movie matches. Either way it is pleasant to see, and since the robot designs are very non-complex, like the millions of moving parts in the bots from Transformers, it's good to see and recognize movement and action and not get lost. 

All in all, i was surprised and pleased with the end result. The special effects and CGI made the robots look and move hyper realistically. Even the moments where Atom shadows Max or Charlie's movements were spot on fluid and down right hilarious at times. Dancing robot, that's all I'm going to say about that! When I think about now, this movie resembles Rocky on so many levels. It's about an underdog robot and its struggling controllers overcoming adversity both in the ring and with each other while on the way to the top of the robot fighting league.

I remember when I heard Max give the robot a name, at first I thought he called it Adam, but later he spells it A-T-O-M. I was surprised because it feels like an homage to Osamu Tezuka the creator of Astro Boy. The original Japanese name of Astro Boy is Tetsuwan Atom which translate to Mighty Atom. I know this is a bit of a side note and maybe unrelated, but I felt that the writers were paying there respects to Tezuka by naming the films protagonist robot Atom.  

Honestly, I really enjoyed this film and Hugh Jackman's performance is a nice alternative to his tough as nails Wolverine character. Max's character is also very enjoyable as he both mimics his father's personality and balances him out as well. It's one of the few times where a film reminds me of something I also wanted when I was younger. I mean, who did want or still doesn't want a robot friend? I know I still do.

Now with all this robot action coming to big screen, when will Evangelion or dare I say Voltron get the big screen treatment? Come on, you know you're waiting for it too!

An Afternoon at Occupy Wall Street (UPDATED W/ VIDEO)

**Video located at the bottom**

So, I decided to venture out today and spend a few hours walking through Zuccotti  Park. It's quite an eye opening experience to see so many people from different backgrounds, social status and walks of life gathered together to protest against a single enemy.

I know that Zuccotti Park is only one meeting hub for many protesters and other meeting spots are appearing throughout lower Manhattan, but this was the original starting point, so it felt appropriate to begin here and take as many pictures as possible.

There's really no starting point to mingling to the sea of voices, signs and visible display of community. I must've walked thorough or around at least three times. With each pass I saw something new or different. I read a new message written on a piece of cardboard or heard another grievance that further revealed what's wrong with this country.

It truly is a huge forum to voice out your concerns and troubling issues that not only effect certain individuals but society as a whole. And, the display of solidarity from old and young, student to union worker, etc. added to the sense that these were real issues that affected all no matter where you came from.

I won't talk much from and let these pictures do most of the talking!

Okay, I'll still talking a little bit.

Many displays were constructed with great care and invited passersby and onlookers to contribute to the cause. Speakers attracted small or large groups to listen to their words of inspiration, awareness and action.

So many voices and signs. It was impossible to reach, hear or read each and every one of them. It might take more than once visit and walk through to get to see all of it. And, not only that, eventually, I may be able to see some of the other meeting/gathering hubs that appear.

Across Broadway is where many protesters have stood inline chanting and displaying signs of opposition against the corporate greed!

It was quite an experience to go and see this with my own eyes. The scope and magnitude is clearly visible and it's coming from everywhere.

All in all, I'm glad I went today to witness an incredible event!

**Update**  Video Taken from Zuccotti Park

Unknown: Movie Review

Well, I'm back with another movie review! Seriously, I think I'm going to try to put one or two of these every week. It depends on what I have to watch and if I have the time. Speaking of what I have to watch, there are at least six (6) others movies that I still have to watch with more to come later, I'm sure.

On to this blog entry movie review!

What do I have to say about Liam Neeson? Nothing. He has become quite a force in the action, spy, thriller genre as of late. And, in my opinion, Neeson plays the role very well.

So I was very pleased with his movie Unknown. Yes, in the past few movie blog posts that I have written, I tended to rip new a-holes in some poorly made or ghastly told stories. I thought, maybe, I should try something different. What's that, different?

I have seen Neeson's prior film Taken and enjoyed it very much. Mind you that I never seen the actor play any aggressive role before, unless you count some of the fights in The Phantom Menace, but that's another story, and I'm going off point.

When I first heard about this movie and its premise, I thought it was a sequel to Taken. However, the synopsis says otherwise. In Unknown, we are introduced to Martin Harris (Neeson), a bio-engineer, traveling with his wife Liz Harris (January Jones) to Germany to attend a scientific conference. The story takes off when Martin leaves his briefcase at the airport. He gets in a cab and tries to go back there to retrieve it and ends up in a car accident where he almost drowns in the river. He's rescued by the cab driver Gina (Diane Kruger), but before things get too harry she leaves and paramedics take Martin to the hospital where he awakens with temporary amnesia.

Now here is where things become tricky because when he is reunited with his wife, she doesn't recognize him! On top of that someone else has taken up his identity. Talk about throwing the first monkey wrench. Now a plot like this has been used before. Fine. But, things pick up after that quite nicely, trust me!

The first 40-50 minutes are spent with Martin trying to retrace his steps while convincing himself that he is not going crazy. In addition to that there are other "shadow" operatives trying to kill him the farther or closer he gets to establishing his identity. I say "identity" and not "the truth" because the real story is much larger and deeper then the audience is led to believe about Martin. Essentially one "identity" leads into the other "the truth."

Remember the briefcase, it really is important!

His search brings him back to Gina and she goes along with Martin in search for his identity. I will not go much deeper then this, but let's just say that once Martin regains and confirms his identity, a deeper and grander scheme is revealed that really shapes this movie into a pleasant viewing experience.

At first I thought the movie was not a sequel to Taken, but there are many elements in Unknown that resemble Neeson's previous excursion into the infiltration game. For starters, brief spoilers, the character Martin is actually a undercover operative who loses his memory thus jeopardizing the mission for the other operative team members. So, the movie has this retrieve and clean-up plot that unfolds and further warps the reality of these characters. In Taken, Neeson plays as similar character in that of a former special forces member who infiltrates and prostitution and drug underworld to rescue his daughter.

There are some very well establish scenes that add to the tension and appropriate confusion that builds and grabs our attention. I remember thinking there were some things that Neeson's character was able to do during teh film that I thought were too technical for a scientist, but in the end, it makes sense! Even the same energy and satisfaction that we felt in Taken, when he kills the kidnappers, is present in Unknown during the climax. At least there is for me! Throughout the movie there are plenty of high action moments and plot twists that keep you pleasantly surprised and waiting for the end to see how it all comes together. In some ways, I would say that this movie is very much the entire Bourne trilogy but condensed to just one movie.

I mean, wow, all this over a briefcase. Make a note: Never leave or forget your stuff because if you go back to get it, you may end up in a coma or with amnesia. Ha! 

So, I enjoyed Unknown and appreciated the intricate story and delivery. Wow, this one turned out shorter than my other reviews. I guess that's what you get when you write about things that you did enjoy. Writing positive reviews is different compared to negative ones, but it's still fun!

Until the next review!

Contagion: Movie Review

Imagine this. You're sitting on a train or bus and across from you is an ad reminding you to get vaccinated for the upcoming flu season. Now the first thought in your mind is to simply ignore the ad because you rarely get sick. Of course! That's the mind set of most people, then again maybe only some. Okay, it's just me. The guy next to you sneezes several times into his hand and you ignore that. A few seats away another person starts coughing without covering his mouth. Your brain visualizes thousands of germs flying out into the air. Now you begin to think and assess your situation: coughing, multiple people, small contain enclosure and you're sitting in the middle of it.

Little uninfected, healthy you!

Then you remember that not too long ago there appeared a little virus known as swine flu, H1N1 and you take back the idea of being a hard ass about getting vaccinated. Why? You were placed in a situation where you felt uncomfortable about being in the middle of flying germs coming out of open mouths. Everything suddenly looks and feels as though covered or crawling with germs and other microscopic particles of infectious filth. A hypochondriacs worst nightmare!

Here lies the premise of the movie Contagion. I love movies about infectious diseases, plagues or whatever that threatens the safety and existence of human kind. The two films the immediately come to mind are Outbreak and Virus, the one with Chuck Connors and Glenn Ford. I like these films because they show drama based on how people fight and struggle to survive against overwhelming odds. Of course, I also enjoy zombie movies too!

This is what I expected going into Contagion. The trailers showed what appeared to be a great plot and story centered on a global scale epidemic. Mind you, it's been a while since a film such as this as come around, and I honestly believe that the only reason it came out now is to serve as a reminder to prepare for the upcoming winter flu season. More on this later, but...

The movie starts by showing us various characters showing signs of mysterious, unidentified infection with the usual symptoms: coughing, soar throats, dizziness and getting hit by trucks. As this is happening, the audience is shown what and who these characters were interacting with setting up the plot of how the virus will spread to infect larger populations. One of these characters is Gwyneth Paltrow who returns home to her (2nd) husband, played by Matt Damon, from a trip abroad to Hong Kong. She quickly deteriorates due to the illness and in the process gets her son infected. The two subsequently die very early in the film.

Damon is left destroyed by the loss but is determined to keep his daughter, from a previous marriage, alive and safe once he finds out that he is immune to the virus. The movie spends the next hour showing us how the infection spreads and the CDC tries to combat the growing threat. Lawrence Fishburne plays the CDC's main talking head trying to find the origin of the virus while Kate Winslet plays a field doctor (?) organizing response teams to handle the outbreak and victims. Jude Law plays a journalist/blogger with selfish intentions and less then credible sources to inform the public about what is really happening.

Yeah, all the major players are introduced...

I'm not going to dive to deep into the story of this movie because there honestly isn't one, or a very loose one to follow. The movie is told from the perspective of at least six (6) characters! All of these characters are never developed or followed to closely by any extent. At least 2-3 of these characters are introduced from the beginning and are either killed by the virus or disappear entirely for a good portion of the film. They return later, but we are left wondering what the heck happened to them! Thorough out the film other characters appear for brief scenes and never return. I mean, what the heck is this movie trying to do, make me lose all interest in being able to follow a single character?

The movie switches POV's so many times that it is difficult to settle on the story or narrative plot of any one character. Each has their own agendas and they spend the entire movie trying to establish a point or reach a goal whether it is personal gain, protection, the cure, it doesn't matter because the movie suffers from ADHD. It is almost incapable of sustaining a single cohesive story because it tries to glue together six distinct stories on a very loose premise. It handles this task very poorly and I'm left feeling like I needed another two hours of explanation to piece this mess together in a comprehensive fashion. The two hour duration already feels too long, I might add. Instead of six POVs, I honestly think there should have been only three. It just seemed to much to follow with six, and like a said before, each suffered from lack of appropriate development.

Each time a character engaged me with a necessary conflict it changed to another. A buzz kill in my book.

What the movie did did show very well was the real public reaction to epidemics. I appreciated the fact that it showed how paranoia and fear can further put society at risk. We all know how pharmaceutical companies make decisions only for profits and how the government acts to deal with possible public health threats. The movie did a great job in portraying all those sides. Still, I felt as though the real story, Damon's character, was overshadowed by the mistake of too many perspectives. Now that I think about it, the film did serve one purpose and that was to create awareness of public health safety, government and CDC bureaucracy, selfish media and panic. It was not too long ago that swine flu scared the public into a state of panic. Speaking of N1H1, that's the epidemic's identity that the movie hides until the very last scene before the credits. Geez, there's a shocker! The whole movie is a documentary of the N1H1 scare of last year, only blown out of proportion to shown a possible worst case scenario.

All in all, Contagion had a good premise and some/most times I did enjoy it, but the constant POV change made it hard to get a handle on a single character's story of struggle and survival.

The Calm Before Irene!

Hey people!

How are ya? As most of you know out there, Hurricane Irene is moving up the north east as I write this post. I live in New York City, and we are not expecting Irene until tomorrow morning (Sunday).

We should be expecting stronger winds and heavy rain starting later this evening. Every news channel and meteorologist is painting this storm to have a major destructive impact on the city. So far the hurricane is still a category 1 and winds exceed 80 mph. That's still pretty serious. With tall skyscrapers, the wind will most likely reach higher then 80 mph.

The mayor has order evacuations of certain parts of the city in anticipation of flooding. On top of that, there is also a possible risk of power and water loss. So, people are preparing and stocking up on provisions as they should. However, there are those that are taking this advisory too seriously and buying goods as if they were preparing to take shelter in a bunker for a month!

Come on people! Think more reasonably. I mean, yeah, this storm is a real threat for the fact that we are not used to, or know how to prepare, for natural threats/disasters if they were to strike. I mean, we all freaked when that earthquake from Virginia reached us here in NYC and further up the coast. Sure, the west coast laughed at us for how we reacted, but how else were we supposed to react? Stuff like this doesn't happen here!

The mayor has also suspended train and bus service until possibly Monday! WOW! No mass transit at all. that is a first. But Bloomberg is over-compensating for that fact that he screwed up in January when we were buried in several feet of snow. To some degree it is understandable, but sometimes I feel like we are going way overboard. The other thing is the fact that the news media keeps "reporting" or how I view it "hyping" this situation to the point that people begin to believe that Irene will be far worse then what is expected. Mayor Bloomberg keeps having news conferences every hour, practically, and it doesn't really add anything to the situation. It's still the same. Irene is coming and nothings going to stop it. Maybe I'm being too optimistic in thinking that this will get here and things will be fine after, but who knows now!

I'll be fine, rest assured. I live near one of those "zones" but there is no need to evacuate my entire neighborhood. I'll keep you posted on how things go or change. I will hopefully have some pictures after and I'll try to put some video up on my youtube channel and link them here.

So, stay safe or I hope you are doing fine, if you live in the north east! Post comments and thoughts and this storm and the situation.

Take care people. Until next time!

Conan the Barbarian (2011)...I'll Take A Pass.

I wish I had taken a pass on this, but I saw it and I can never get those 2 hours back.

I've been away from here for a bit. I know, I know. Before you start complaining that I don't spend enough time with you let me just say.... Yeah, you're right!

Anyway, here I am again to bring you a short review, or more specifically, my thoughts, on the remake of Conan the Barbarian. Remake?! Yeah, that seems to be the trend these days in Hollywood. Either remake something from the 80's or make a movie out of some TV show from the same time period.

Firstly, let me start by saying that I never really listen to what critiques say in their movie reviews, but they were right to give this 1 star!

Back to the movie! I have to say that I was really disappointed with how this film turned out. I was expecting more of a competent story but instead received a film where Conan seemed to juggle between seeking revenge for his father's death and getting caught up in some other distraction that served as plot. I use the word "plot" loosely just to give the actions that happen in this film a title, but in reality an actual "plot" ceased to exist after Conan's father is killed. Well, he actually kills himself! OOPS, spoiler!!! Sorry, but I don't give a damn at this point!

I mean, don't get me wrong, the film did follow the traditional movie formula of beginning, middle and end. Father gets killed, son seeks revenge, becomes ruthless conqueror/killer, meets girl, loves girl, girl gets captured by arch-nemesis... you know where this is heading! And that is exactly it! The original 1982 Conan followed a similar formula, but I felt there was more meat to the story compared to the 2011 version. Yeah, how can I compare the out-dated 1982 version with the superior modern approach and special effects of the 2011 version?

Simple. The original Conan had a story which showed us how Conan grew to become the savage barbarian that we know. Viewers saw the child put into slavery and become the monster that conquered all later. More importantly, young Conan witnessed his mother get killed before his eyes. That traumatized him and gave us a reason to sympathize with him. Granted that Arnold's portrayal of Conan is tamer compared to Jason Momoa 's more savage portrayal of the character. Now, while I understand that the more savage approach is accurate for this type of character, I felt no sympathy or connection to him in Conan 2011. It just felt like this was a movie that showed us - this is Conan, now watch him go berserk in the name of vengeance.

My friend and I both felt that there were many unanswered questions that could have provided some clarity to what and why certain things were happening. Why was Khalar Zym and his daughter Marique searching for the mask? Maybe the movie did explain it, but I missed it because I became comatose after the first 20 minutes. Seriously the movie dragged at first and never seemed to pick up after that. At one point, Conan's first encounter with Khalar, it did seemed like things got exciting but that must have been because I needed someone to get killed already. However, after that it went flatline again. I also thought this version would follow the original's storyline. I wanted and was hoping to see a more modern version of Thulsa Doom, the snake king played by James Earl Jones, but this version followed a different storyline entirely.

Either way, I was expecting a climatic end fight between protagonist and antagonist. The fight was intense but the pay-off was so anti-climatic. Khalar just falls to his doom. WTF! However gruesome the original's pay-off was (Conan decapitates Thulsa's head after a few hacks) it was more satisfying compared this version's conclusion. Oh! Speaking of conclusions. The remake didn't even have the infamous scene of Conan sitting on his throne pondering his next course of action, which "is a tale for another story." I think that's how it goes. My friend and I thought this movie was so bad that maybe it needed Red Sonya to appear and maybe add some more intensity to the movie. Hey, it would have been fun to see a red haired amazon cross blades with Conan.

Man, I would've loved to see Red Sonya appear that way she would have been captured and Conan would then have to rescue her. He would've gotten his ass handed to him and maybe his arms cut off in an uber ridiculous battle.  All that just so I can say:

"Yeah, you know what? There was a point where he would had his arms all cut off, and he was on a hospital bed, and he was flaying around these little useless fucking knobs, and he was screaming and crying his fucking ass off going, 'aarrgh, aarrgh, put that Lin Kuei robot shit on me! I need to go save Sonya!'"

***$20 to whoever can guess where the above quote comes from!***

Hmm... I may have to think about the $20, but if you can figure it out then you and I are on the same wavelength or something. Ha! I just love where that line comes from and it fits right there so nicely that I couldn't resist. Have fun with that!

Well, honestly, I felt disappointed and confused at times as to where Conan the Barbarian 2011 was getting some of its references from, where it was going, how is he getting there, etc., etc. I felt like I lost almost 2 hours of my life watching this and I'll never get them back. Well, maybe if I watch the original I can reverse the damage. It's a thought.

Okay, that's all of now. Feels good to post a new entry! I guess I just needed to ad my two scents on Conan the Barbarian 2011. I'd pass on it. Save your money. Unless you want to see a mindless tale of revenge.

Until next time!

Transformers 3, Here Goes...

I thought about whether or not I wanted to write something about this movie. In the end I just gave in because, well, who cares, right? It's Micheal Bay's next and hopefully last installment to Transformers. A lot of this stuff is to be expected, and at times it comes out as my own personal rant. Be warmed, there are spoilers, so if you planned on watching Transformers 3 don't read this. If you don't care then read on!

Okay, what can be said that hasn't already been said about Michael Bay's consecutive summer blockbuster, action and explosions ridden, robots from outer space franchise Transformers?

Absolutely nothing. Why? Because even if we bitch and complain at how agonizingly bad their story, pacing and continuity is, we continue to flock to them so we can be awed by the big screen treatment. Now I'm not saying that Transformers should not have been brought to the big screen. I think it should have been given a more competent direction and handling. I know that Transformers has always been about big robots, Autobots and Decepticons, battling each other for superiority, but the inconsistent plot, explosions and visual effects extravaganza that has been fed into our retinas and mental consciousness seems to replace all evidence or clue that there was even a story to begin with.

Now I know some of you will say that, "Well, that's Micheal Bay for you." Yeah, I know, I've said it too. But, you know what? Shame on you for expecting any less, especially those of you who have, like me, been long time fans of the original cartoon series. I would expect nothing less from Bay with other films like Pearl Harbor or Bad Boys, but this is friggin' Transformers!! I'm not taking anything away from Pearl Harbor because at least that was visually and historically accurate for the most part; I mean, it had to be. Still, this is no excuse for Bay or the writers to take the entire series' history and dump it in the trash. This might be harsh, but it's the truth when you see these films.

So here begins my grip with Transformers 3. Oh, and this will be a first! SPOILERS ahead. I'll try to keep them at a minimum but who knows.

So how come nothing that happened in the previous films seems to mean or have any real significance in this third installment? I mean, Sam (Labeouf) subsequently saved the Autobots and humanity on two separate occasions from either new or returning villains. In each, he put not only his own life in danger but those of the people/robots around him. So, why is he not more recognized or given a higher position of status in life/society/government? I'm mentioning all of these categories because Sam has affected or been affected by these in some way, shape or form. I mean, for Christ's sake, he died in Transformers 2 and went to that hilarious and inconceivable realm know as robot heaven! He came back, brought the Matrix of Leadership with him and resurrected Optimus Prime, IN FRONT of everyone that meant anything on those films! So, why he is treated like dirt at the beginning of this film?

Why isn't he recognized by anyone as the one who saved the earth on two separate occasions? Yeah, I know, you can argue that the Autobots took credit for everything to protect him, sure. But, why in the hell would the government and military just let him wander on his own AGAIN when he's the principle reason that crap happens? Everytime the Decepticons went after him to start some kind of ruckus. Wouldn't the government have figured it out that maybe they should have put this kid under some kind of protection? Or in a sound proof box to avoid hearing his hyper high-pitched screaming voice. Although it wouldn't have matter because the writers would have found some way to get him in danger again.

I'm going to start pointing to things at random here now, so bare with me, ha!

The pacing of Transformers 3 was so unmerciful. The movie lasted about 2 1/2 hours but actually felt like 4 hours. This was due to the fact that so many pointless scenes that were intended to develop character accomplished none of that. Take for instance, Ken Jeong and John Malkovich's cameo appearances. These two characters were meant to develop Sam's awareness that something was brewing, but their delivery was so awkward that it felt unneeded and out-of-place. Seriously here, Ken Jeong's performance only served to showing viewers how he drop his pants to give Sam a bunch of folded papers he kept in his underpants. To his credit, Ken did deliver his performance with that hokey, erratic behavior that we saw from his performance in The Hangover, but here it served no other purpose. He was there to literally give Labeouf papers that he had tucked in his underwear. And, John Malkovich only served to play Sam's ego power driven boss. Malkovich had maybe about ten minutes of screen time and that was it!

Rose Huntington-Whiteley. All I'm going to say is that Megan Fox gave us a better performance as Sam's love interest and our eye candy. Man, never have I seen someone look so lost and more out-of-place then she did! There was something about her face that didn't sit right with me, and it irritated me to no end how she could get away with most of her scenes based solely on her looks. Where was the acting? Oh wait, there was no acting because, and correct me if I'm wrong, she can't act! She's a model, and based on what I read, Michael Bay only placed her there because she could walk in high heels and look good doing it.

Half the time the pacing of this movie just dragged and dragged. A friend of mine went as far as saying that the human scenes were so boring and dried up rehashed versions of interactions from the previous movies that Transformers 3 could have been better and shorter without them. To some degree, I agree because those interactions and dialogue just kept going and going that during several occasions I forgot what I was watching. If that weren't enough, the level of contradiction and inconsistency was aggravating. I couldn't get a sense of where they were going and felt lost. How can stopping Sentinel Prime become such a convoluted plan and at the same time so grossly planned out that it still works but with no rational or logical foresight. It's like everyone said screw planning let's just go head first into certain doom. And, from a militaristic point-of-view, how can a troop of soldiers be so gung-ho about invading a crumpled and Decepticon refortified city of Chicago only to back down when you're right at their doorstep? If you're part of a military, group don't you strategically and tactically plan out an attack or determine if a plan is conceivable? Why would you travel all the way to the enemies front door and then back out?!

Oh, but when the Autobots reappear from their non-deaths, you all-of-sudden grow balls and go in! Jeez!

And while we're on Sentinel Prime, as far as I have been made aware, a Prime doesn't switch sides so easily without a probable reason. Yet, he still betrays the Autobots who brought him back to life, kills Ratchet and whole bunch of other Autobots and soldiers to honor some pack he made with the Decepticons. To make this plot even more illogical is the fact that Sentinel Prime does it even after knowing that Cybertron is a waste land and that the war to save their race is over! Oh, and here's the real kicker. Fifty years ago, humanity made a deal with the Decepticons to allow them to take over earth.

Yes, earth's governments, specifically the United States government thought is was a good idea to join forces with a race of evil robots. I mean, WTF!! Hasn't humanity learned from every past movie alien invasion in history? Why would you trust an alien race for anything? As humans, we can't even trust ourselves, ha! So how can we trust an alien race that's stronger then us? Oh, because they gave you some of their alien technology to build nuclear reactors and thus the A-bomb. I love how the movie weaved Transformer influence into our world history and used it as the primary reason why bad things happened. I give it to the writers there because I enjoy "what if" scenarios. However, this whole idea and subsequent back-story, from the writers, that the U.S. government made a pact with an alien race in return for some advanced technology seems so contrived and pretentious that it feels a bit like a slap in the face. Was this your big "secret" movie?

Man, I felt like all my prior alien invasion movie watching experiences got shot in the face after this. I mean, they didn't see past the possibility that these robot beings could betray our feeble trust. According to Transformers 3, world governments put their entire faith and technological progression in the hands of big robots that could and eventually do blow us, or at least the city of Chicago, to rubble. It just occurred to me that the movie's writers could have gone has far as to say that the Transformers were involved in the Kennedy assassination! OMG! You know what, they could have been! It would explain that ridiculous "magic bullet" theory, ha! 

The only thing that seemed to save this movie were the robot battle sequences but then they too were blown out of proportion and dragged out. Every robot action sequence was subjected to the visual effect of Matrix-style slow motion acrobatics. Visually they were beautiful to look at but run-time wise they took to long. My friend and I both agreed that it seemed to take a page out of the Dragonball Z book of action pacing. For those of you that know Dragonball Z, you know what I'm talking about! It's the equivalent of three episodes of screaming before Goku throws a single punch or special attack. And how does the appearance of Cybertron right between the Earth and the Moon not affect Earth in any way, shape or form?

It must be said that I still enjoyed the action sequences even if they were mostly implausible and over-the-top. It's what we crave as an audience living in an age where we expect 100% sensationalism when it comes to movies about big robots. Yeah, it not only just expected from the news media, but from anything that Micheal Bay directs as well! Yup, I love mass destruction on an epic scale just as much as the next guy, but is it too hard to ask for continuity and a logical plot?

Wait! I know I said this will hopefully be Bay's last Transformers movie, but with other baddies still lose out there in the world and other possible threats, wouldn't there be a possibility for a 4th? I mean, the city of Chicago was left in ruins, so couldn't that mean... dare I say it - Autobot city aka Metroplex! Oh man! No, let me stop there before I raise my hopes up for something I might regret like Devastator.  

There are so many other things I could point out, but then this post will be forever long and I'm too tired to go on, ha! Again, Transformer 3 was visually stunning as always but flawed by plot and pacing problems. I mean, well, what do we expect from the king of explosions? Did I expect anything less, of course not. Did I want something more, but of course! But, if Michael Bay put more that would mean less screen time for helicopters flying at dawn, guy chasing after a superficial love interest, and, oh yes, explosions!!!  Long live BAYSPLOSIONS!!!

Pixar's New Film...

Is a breath of fresh flowing red hair!

I recently found out that a teaser trailer for Pixar's next film Brave was released with Cars 2. I stumbled upon a bad bootleg copy of the teaser on the Internet and saw what Princess Merida would look like as a moving, breathing character. Needless to say, the bootleg kept me from fully appreciating her character, but when I saw that an official version was up on Youtube, I became excited!

I have to say that although only a teaser, I am already interested, engaged, enamored with Merida! Yeah, I said it! Enamored!!!!

It's the red hair, I tell you! They have a name for it, I think it's called a "Ginger!" I didn't even know that? People refer to redheads as gingers? All that curly flowing red hair just speaks to me! Yeah, I know, it's weird, crazy but I like it - right next to, dare I say it, blonds? Honestly, sometimes a little added color to a straight blond or brunette does catch my attention. Add some color and style to that hair!!! Oh, and those cheeks!

Where did it come from? I have no idea. The only other red head characters I can think of off the top of my head that interested me were Noriko from Heavenly Sword, Red Monica from Battle Chasers for more then her hair, female Ranma from Ranma 1/2, Shanna from Shakugan no Shanna and there are some other ones, but I can't think of them right now. Wow, that's quite a few!

Okay, let me stop before I begin to sound creepy.

Back to what I was talking about! Oh yeah, Brave, the teaser trailer for Pixar's next film. I'm excited and very much looking forward to this!! So, no more talking and check out the teaser below and make up your own minds.