The Super Mario Bros. Movie

 

           

          I noticed that there is a once and a lifetime opportunity to view the latest sequel to the latest Mario Bros. movie, and I was always intrigued with the creators as well as the people behind Illumination and Universal Studios did by finally getting Mario right. And so, I decided to make a late movie night and watch the very first Super Mario Bros. Movie for the first time and see if it still holds up before I make a 1:15 pm showing of its successor. 

          While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers and brothers Mario and Luigi are transported through a mysterious pipe to a magical new world. But when the siblings are separated, an epic adventure begins.

            When I first saw the trailer three years before the film’s release I have to admit I was a bit uncertain of the choice of actors they cast for these iconic characters like Chris Pratt playing Mario who at first watching the trailer and hearing his voice I almost thought that he was doing a bizarre Batman impression when delivering Mario's iconic lines and even Charlie Day cast to voice Luigi, I was a bit confused because Day is shorter than Pratt so, I would imagine Day would be more suitable to play Mario and also by the time of the film’s release people been releasing videos of Charlie Day in It's Always Sunny, as Luigi like he's doing a Sunny in Philadelphia scene for which in all honesty it's funny and amusing to me personally because it just fits perfectly. Now watching the film, three years after the film’s release each actor or actress really do a great job with each of their roles and Pratt and Day really do an exceptional job bringing these iconic video game characters to life for really I almost thought that it would never happen but really Illumination did a great job in choosing the right actors to play these iconic characters from my childhood. Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job as Princess Peach for which in all honesty she as a great voice moreover is an exceptional actress so deep down there's a no brainer. But the surprising thing is Seth Rogen is fantastic as Donkey Kong, for which sure you can put this guy as a has been like bro with that annoying chuckle and that's Donkey Kong but for some reasons he does a fantastic job and actually love the way he plays Donkey Kong despite that I've seen many of his films and always looked at him as an annoying douche. Sadly it's taken Hollywood to finally get right with the Super Mario Bro's and well, let’s be honest we don't need to talk a lot about the awful live action movie, but with this movie I really felt like it was worth the wait and in all honesty want to get a Nintendo well, maybe the latest Nintendo and got to town with Mario games but that will hopefully be for another time. Now if you’re an old time and grew up with Mario in terms of games or the old cartoons then I would highly recommend re-watching the film or watch the film on Peacock and have a great time with the film and really just have this sigh of relief that all this time Hollywood or basically Illumination finally finding the right recipe to make this film what it was meant to be and that's BE A CARTOON! Although let's be honest Hollywood never could figure out adapting Video Games all they really do is just give to the wrong people, though it’s all about the baby steps, let’s face it. 

    

Movies I haven't seen in a while: Celtic Pride

 

                

           Now I will argue with this movie I haven't seen in a long time, that this was a way better Damon Wayans movie than Major Payne. Although Celtic Pride has the potential of being good and somewhat of a bewildering and ridicules idea. I would still say that this is the least entertaining movie but more importantly shows off Damon Wayans comedic talent. Also starring SNL Alumni Dan Aykroyd and Daniel Stern, this is a comedic duo that are professionals but may have just cashed in a check.

          Obsessive Boston fans Michael O'Hara (Daniel Stern) and Jimmy Flaherty (Dan Aykroyd) plan to kidnap Utah Jazz best player Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans) after outscoring their Celtics in the NBA Finals. Now the real fun begins as the battle of wits becomes the ultimate test. 

           I honestly don't know how I was able to watch this movie, though I know for sure this was one of those movie's we rented as kids back when there use to be Video Store's and I guess we probably watched this movie because Dan Aykroyd was a Ghostbuster and it was because of him as well as Daniel Stern who played Marv from the first-two Home Alone films, and at the time I was like okay a goofy comedy sure, but then re-watching the film this truly and yet almost becomes a dark comedy, disguised to be a family goofy comedy, for which that's probably the best way to describe the film now. The script was developed by comedy legend Judd Apatow and Colin Quinn (infamous from Weekend Update on SNL) both men are from New York City, and for some reasons they chose to set the movie at the time the old Boston Garden is diminished, and the Celtic's are playing for the NBA Finals? Like sure you can probably do that because it's Hollywood you can get away with made up stories but you should also read the facts because Michael Jordan was and still is the king of the NBA so, why not just make it a Conference finals rematch and have Knicks fans kidnapping Jordan, though I doubt you can make that happen considering MJ costs a lot of money and probably expensive to even do, so that would be a good reason. I will say being older now and this film being thirty years old why not make this a Lakers/Celtics finals instead of a Utah Jazz because sure they were great in the late 90's but they were never going to win anything so, why not make this a Lakers/Celtics rivalry and make Damon Wayans the Kobe Bryant looking player and that way it can be more interesting, over all there's a lot of things they could of done but what they did do didn't do so great at the box office because really I think both Stern and Aykroyd just got a check and cashed it all in, as well as not caring a whole lot of the script in general or the story. All in all, Damon Wayans performance in the movie is almost better and out classed Stern and Aykroyd in terms of comedy because the way he's trying to get into Dan's head to turn against Stern is hilarious especially when they paned to Wayans and has this Jack Nicholson impression. This movie alone has the potential to be good, granted it's not the best or greatest comedy, it's also an entertaining and great production design, in terms of re-creating the Boston Garden. If it were me I would hire minimum wage Ben Affleck and minimum wage Mark Wahlberg and have them kidnap Lebron James and just center the story around these bozo's that's basically how I would do it because both Stern and Aykroyd don't look like the Boston time so, that's basically how I would do that, if I had to remake this movie. Now hearing that the Celtics blown game six against the Sixers in the playoffs I'm wondering if history would repeat itself in terms of movie-wise although game seven is tomorrow so, hopefully it won't happen because this movie might be to blame.

     

Nixon

 

       

            After being 0 for 2 in terms of finding movies to get Trainspotting out of my head, though I can never get certain images out of my head. Granted as great of a movie Trainspotting is and still is, I decided to go back to my brothers list of movies I need to watch, and Nixon was on the list and sure enough, Nixon was on Amazon Prime for free well technically, free considering you have to pay a subscription right. Anyway, Nixon directed by Oliver Stone and Anthony Hopkins in the title role, combined to make one of the most unappreciative biopics about a former President of the United States.

             The non-chronological narrative Nixon's (Anthony Hopkins) personal and professional life, touching on his youth, college years, and political triumphs and failures. Nixon is seen as a child born to austere Quaker parents, as a young attorney wooing his future wife, Pat (Joan Allen), and as an astute but dour politician. After finally becoming president, Nixon is embroiled in the infamous Watergate scandal.

              There are times when watching a bio-pic about certain historic people like Richard Nixon, where it's like when you watch certain films like Frost/Nixon or All the President's Men you feel like you've seen them all I mean hell, while at work I been reminded about the movie Chappaquiddick where Senator Ted Kennedy literally killed a woman (no not like O.J. but close) where he was drunk driving and left the woman to die, I mean sure you can use a what if, but deep down he literally killed a woman and got away with it. And, true for some movies like there's reason as to why there is no historically accurate films is because majority of them with accuracy in the real life event or story, tend to be so, boring or something that you can find on the old TV show Drunk History, where famous celebrities are wasted and telling the story of historical figures or events. But while watching Nixon I began to realize we truly never got to see a more complex side to Nixon and it always brings back to only thing Nixon was ever remembered for, and that's the Watergate Scandal. Moreover, we never or tend to forget that Nixon has done good things for the country by getting rid of the Draft as well as pulling out American troops from Vietnam. Forming the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and more importantly, overseeing the peaceful, large-scale integration of Southern schools so, deep down Nixon did some good things for the world it's just sadly the man went in over his head or a narcissistic a-hole whichever comes first. As great of a direction Oliver Stone did with this movie and there's a ton of elements that he did with the camera were fantastic, but it's Sir Anthony Hopkins performance as Nixon that really brings this film to greatness, in fact Hopkins actually watched a ton of Nixon's speeches to get the feel of the character, as well as met with a ton of people who knew Nixon at the time and they all gave Hopkins pointers on how to portray him. Granted this movie is a three hour long movie so, if you’re feeling compelled to watch the film I would highly recommend watching the film with soda or Celsius energy drink and take a good ten minute breaks between the movie so that way you can rest your mind as well as your ability to get through the movie, either that or you can pause the movie and pick up where you left off the next day, that is if everyone has a Prime account. The film alone got me thinking a lot about the good things Nixon did as well as the bad things he did but there was a lot of complexities that we've never been able to see in terms of movies and television and the sad thing was that he died a year before the film’s release and I truly believe if he was alive he would approve the movie as well as Hopkins performance, despite Hopkins claiming it's not his great performance but I beg to differ, though the man will probably be dead before I ever get the chance to meet him in person. This film alone is for certain an unappreciative movie and I would highly recommend watching Nixon, whether your Republican or Democrat, this film really shows the complexations to Nixon, and more importantly gives you a sort of humanized feel for the former U.S. President along the way. 

               

Major Payne

 

         Damon Wayne's was another one of those actors that I remember watching one of his films, Celtic Pride and I'm going to get to that film soon, oh don't you all worry. And Major Payne was a film that I've not seen and thought "oh this might be interesting and it's under ninety minutes, so let's give it a shot". Well, I could lie and say that this was funny but unfortunately this film was like Titanic, which had promise but was slowly sinking down to the bottom.

           Basically, Kindergarten Cop meets Rambo/Apocalypse Now, Major Payne (Damon Wayans) is discharged from the army and doesn't know how to cope with civilian life. Then he gets a second chance by going to a degraded military academy where he's literally teaching young kids, for which I would never in a million years have this guy teach kids anything about war, if it were me. 

           I believe my first introduction towards the film was a scene where they're making fun of Apocalypse Now, basically the scene where Martin Sheen is in his hotel room and having a mental breakdown and I thought okay great, there making fun of war movies like Apocalypse now and Full Metal Jacket maybe Major Payne will be a black version of R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket. No, basically the whole film is Wayans with a strange southern accent that gets way annoying and he's being a sort of mentor the these dysfunctional kids who also do childish pranks that go wrong because hell, I don't know this film really made me bewildered to the point where I couldn't find logic or even cared to find any logic. The film is actually based off of a 1955 film, The Private War of Major Benson staring Charlton Heston and literally caries the same plot as Major Payne has, and the good news is you can't find this movie anywhere not on the streaming services so, deep down I'm relieved because even looking at the movie poster I'm just glad to not even attempt to watch a family movie with Heston. I could probably go on and on about what ways to make this funny and avoid turning this into a typical family appropriate film, but deep down this film from the opening frame was having some potential to be good in all but then when the kids came involved then I suddenly realized that this, was going to be a disaster, so either way this film is a great example of the Titanic where it has potential to be a good movie but through the course of the film it was slowly sinking to the very bottom of the ocean, by the final frame. Now if you’re a fan of this movie or love Damon Wayans movies I guess go ahead and watch this movie since this film is on Hulu and Direct TV, but to me this film is like one of those films that are not as good as you'd remember. Like going to a high school reunion and it's at your High School and look at the school like a decaying school from a Simpsons episode (Season 6) and you want to leave as soon as you get a good look around the place. For which that's basically a great example of Major Payne. And now after watching Reefer Madness and Major Payne, I'm suddenly realizing that I'm failing to watch a dumb and entertaining movie to get my mind off watching Trainspotting though deep down I can never un-see the worst toilet in Scotland.

          

Reefer Madness

 

            Trying to find something dumb but entertaining at the same time after my fun and dark experience with both Trainspotting films. Although this film has all the qualities of dumb and entertainment, this film is a combination of both bewilderment and hard inaccuracies I have with the film unlike historians who b***h about historical films. Like I would say films like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven or The Last Duel are more accurate than this film. Reefer Madness is, I guess a movie about the dangers of Reefer in the 1930's, although moonshine liquor was more dangerous than getting high on weed.

            High-school principal Dr. Alfred Carroll (Josef Forte) relates to the audience of parents that marijuana can have a devastating effect on teens. In his story, a drug supplier entices several restless teens, including sister and brother Mary (Dorthey Short) and Jimmy Lane (Warren McCollum) and Mary's boyfriend, Bill (Kenneth Craig), into frequently a reefer house. Gradually, Bill and Jimmy are drawn into smoking dope, which affects their family lives and leads to a terrible crime. 

             I tried to find a lot of trivia or some unknown details but there's absolutely nothing I can find, though in all fairness find something but there's too much writing that I found unbearable to translate and yet more lazy to even do it. All I know is that this film to me is just too foul and accurate, mostly consisting of reefer being a big danger in the 1930's when booze or cigarettes would harm the body more than getting high. And for sure Reefer is bad if you overuse it so much especially when you feel paranoid all day and all night. So, luckily, I did some tiny bit of research and basically what Reefer Madness was basically trying to be a propaganda film to scare parents and children upon the film’s release. Furthermore, I can't say on the filmmaker’s aspect on what they’re trying to do other than making a fabricated film to scare all the parents in the sort of prohibition kind of way. But again, this is reefer or cannabis this is a drug that of course is going to give you cancer though can't back that fact up but will be addictive and you'll probably have the munchies or get paranoid the amount of times you get high but this drug is like the minor case of dangerous it's not like alcoholism or being a heroin junkie where you’re probably going to see a lot of disturbing things or hallucinate a lot of things you want to forget but reefer is almost like getting drunk of beer sure it's going to kill your brain cells and destroy your own liver but it's a drug that I doubt will get you into a realm of harming yourself other than paranoid. This film is no doubt fascinating in terms of how they were able to get this film made but this is one of those films that I would find more inaccurate than the historical films like any Ridley Scott epic. This film alone isn't as bad or disturbing as Trainspotting or The Lost Weekend. So, if you’re looking for something new or something you haven't experienced or want to experience. Then Reefer Madness is on Tubi moreover can find the movie on YouTube so, if you feel adventurous go nuts, but then again, this movie is mad in the thirties so the side effects will most certainly give you a massive headache as well as calling this film highly inaccurate. 

       

April Recommendation: T2 Trainspotting

             

            Well, I did it everyone I finally got around to finally watching the sequel to Trainspotting, T2: Trainspotting another 20 years in the making sequel category of films.  I never really recommend a whole lot of sequels for a monthly recommendation, but this movie is surprisingly a well-made and more relatable, which is strangely weird because in the first movie, I'd never imagine finding a more f**ked up movie that could rival A Clockwork Orange. But with this movie it's more of a relatable story to the extent of growing old and as well as overcoming your personal demons.  

            First there was an opportunity, then there was a betrayal. Twenty years later, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place that he can ever call home. There waiting for him are old buddies Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Johnny Lee Miller) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, love, fear, regret, self-destruction and mortal danger are also all lined up and ready to welcome him. 

            Sadly the film is not realistic in terms of these addicts not looking like actual junkie's where they're hair is falling off as well as their own teeth falling off as well, though lets be fair the actors would never take the junk and sure you can use make-up but then it would make the characters less relatable so, deep down it would be less interesting. When you make a sequel, twenty years of the predecessor's last release they're at times, where the sequel can be either at least be good or enjoyable and some of them surpassed the expectations and some well, just failed miserably. With Trainspotting 2, it's more exceptional to the film being made and set twenty years after the film’s release, but more importantly was sets the film to where these characters you love from the first film would end up now furthermore would make a tone of sense as towards their attributes in life. Like Begbie being a psycho so, made ton of sense that he would end up in jail. Sick Boy is still doing lame schemes that would never work and Spud is still fighting with addiction. And the main protagonist of the original film Renton lives somewhere else but then has a breakdown in life that would soon take him back to where it all started. Furthermore, it's all great and everything but what really drives the sequel together is both Danny Boyle and John Hodge driving terrific themes about long-term consequences of addiction, the addiction to the past, especially trying to remember the good days and having no will in wanting to move on in the world. The other great themes to the film are also betrayal, revenge and forgiveness, and if you haven't watched the first film, basically ends with Renton betraying two of his three friends and leaving to start a new life and through the course of the movie Renton played by Ewan McGregor confronts his friends both of them resent him and later forgive him while Begbie played by Robert Carlyle is a raging nut case who just wants to kill him with forgiveness being out of the topic. But the most important two themes that make this film exceptional is aging and nostalgia for which that resonates with me in ways you can't imagine, I mean I'm now 39 years old and looking at the world now it's almost unrecognizable to me, like I worked at state basketball in Nebraska and some of the events were taking place at Bob Devaney Sports Center and my first time working, I couldn't recognized the place anymore and out of the many times I've went to that place for state wrestling it's like the memories went past me and I didn't know what to feel since the state has been producing the best Volleyball team under Coach John Cook. For good measure watching this film for the first time really resonated with me to that I can relate to these characters as time just losing touch with them. If I had to pick a character that I can relate to the most of the four friends it would most certainly be Spud played by underappreciated actor, Ewen Bremner who does such a great job playing his character with a man whose literally struggling with the world as well as addiction but feeling guilty as well and having a hard time overcoming the guilt and I love the scenes with him and Ewan, where Ewan is helping him find new things to be addicted to other then heroin and Bremner does a great job at that to where he's the only one out of the four friends that has a heart moreover would never hurt a fly or person. If you've seen the first movie as well as a fan of the original film I'm sure you all have your opinions of Renton as a character but in my opinion he's a guy who's trying to choose life more than having to put up with two of his toxic friends, Begbie and Sick Boy for which if I was in his shoes yeah I would screw them over because those two out what they are as people and you as an audience member would know they would never change, and the beauty of the movie is again is expressing betrayal, revenge and forgiveness at the same time that you see all of these elements working in the best way possible that you continue to feel blessed and appreciated with the film's ending. I don't think gave a whole lot of appreciation to the first Trainspotting film, but hands down is a great film from start to finish and does a fantastic job being unapologetic with the realistic tone of heroin addiction as well as expressing how dangerous these things really hard to T2 exploring the themes of life not being kind to either one of us and each of these films does a great job in exploring their own themes and I believe everyone needs to see these films to be understood, well, the first one you can just give the film a good once over. Yes, you have to watch the first film to get the understanding towards sequel's themes but each of them are great and both Danny Boyle and John Hodge does a great job with these films together, and T2 Trainspotting is a great film of exploring the aging and nostalgia and yet you have to move forward in life and that's what I love so much about the film and now having watched both films together, I feel blessed and appreciated in watching these films despite the first film being out of this world more F'd up than a Clockwork Orange, either way both films are great because you can never make those films to this generation. And though you'll have to purchase these films on Blu-Ray, I promise you they’re worth the purchase, though don't watch these with your own kids.

                  

Trainspotting

 

          

         

          I used to believe, The Lost Weekend was the most disturbing movie about addiction. Clearly, I was wrong, because after watching Danny Boyle’s classic Trainspotting I now feel so sick and disturbed that I truly need to take a long shower as well as cleaning myself about six times. And I'm not lying when I say that this movie is disturbing look on heroin addiction and why I will never in a million years, want to even touch that stuff.  

          Heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy (Johnny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremmer) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald), along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lamp, and a scheming Sick Boy follows.

          The film honestly starts off with a bang by having the characters run for their lives over lord knows what and I thought to myself okay at least this film is going on a fast-paced thrill ride. Then we get to scenes where it gets absolutely disgusting like Ewan McGregor having a bad case of the runs and going into the worst toilets ever upon which everywhere in this bathroom is LITERALLY filled with s**t and McGregor is pulling out pills he dropped from the SAME TOLIET. Which I was taken an aback on how gross this looked and new from that point on why I made the best choice in never EVER trying drugs. Although this doesn't stop there no, no, no sir, it doesn't after that TMI of a scene I wished never to watch again I stumble upon multiple scenes of disturbing images as well as Ewan finally getting detoxed from all the dope he's been injecting and it literally gets into that horrendous disturbed feeling in your gut that I was literally was wanting to look away and say to make this stop. And Ewan's character apparently hooks up with an underaged teen for sure that's horrifying but all the other elements that happen in the movie outweigh the underage romance. Danny Boyle said that he wanted his actors to watch older movies like the Hustler and A Clockwork Orange, for which "good for you" though the way I see it after watching this movie I think he was may or unintentionally wanting to be more dark and gross than A Clockwork Orange in my opinion. Granted there are some great comedic tones to the movie if you go back on YouTube and rewatch some of those scenes, but watching the whole movie for the first time the disturbing images outweighed the comedy to this movie. I will give this movie a ton of credit this film does have that crazy f**ked up feel to it, but more importantly explores the grunge puck rock themes in the early to late nineties that you forget happened but also focuses on a character that just wants a fresh start as well as getting off of the addiction but more importantly trying to get rid of friends that do nothing but steal and sell your stuff to get rich in a hurry, furthermore believe that's where the great comedic value comes into the movie. Good news you can't watch this movie on any streaming service you'll only get the sequel, in which I'm surprised now after watching the first film why they need to make a sequel because how these nut jobs are able to survive the heroin addiction is beyond me. So, now that I have this movie on Blu-ray and consider this movie as a good once over type film, like A Clockwork Orange, what I'm probably going to use this movie for, is if I have kids and they do stupid s**t like getting into drugs I'm going to sit them down and make them watch this film twice so they can get the horror of drug addiction in the back of their brain memories. Though hopefully that won't happen, I'm confident that won't happen because I know the difference between right and wrong in the world. 

    

               

10 Year Anniversary of Mortal Kombat X

 

             After finally completing the story mode of Mortal Kombat (2011). Moreover, learning about the ten-year Anniversary of its successor I figure well, I need to go back and replay a beloved sequel that has made everything better than I remembered in terms of giving Raiden much better combo moves, if you know what I mean. Though there are for certain a ton of great memories I have of the game in terms of the game’s promotion as well as a ton of new elements that still hold up. 

             Two years after the defeat of Outworlds ruler, Shao Kahn, Shinnok attacks Earth Realm with his army of NetherRealm demons, as well as Earth Realm warriors who were killed during Kahn's invasion and are now resurrected as revenants under Quan Chi's control. 

             I knew ten years ago I was planning on pre-ordering this game, but when the launch trailer came out and they included System of a Down's "Chop Suey" playing and it got me excited beyond measure that I even watched the trailer, multiple times. What really makes the MKX intriguing to play as well is a new set of characters such as Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs who are both the daughters of Johnny Cage, Sonya and Jax's, moreover brings something new as well as something exciting for story development because we always knew that Cage and Sonya would hook up and now is the time they finally do and that's something you'd love to see. Moreover, you do see the chemistry between the two from being annoyed with one another to truly caring for one another, especially their daughter as well. The other thing in what I like most about the game is, we get to see a much better look of Outworld on the outside aspect, usually and I would imagine Ed Boon and his crew didn't have enough money to make a better version of Outworld, but with this game you see Outworld with a mix of Middle East with Aztec vibes to it, and the new Emperor of Kotal Kahn sets a new tone for it as an Emperor whose on neutral sides to the coin in situations but a more respectable Emperor. The other thing and this is coming from a fans point is that we finally get to see Scorpion behind the mask, as Hanzo Hasashi a ninja whose not all about revenge but trying to restore honor to his forgotten clan almost the same as Sub-Zero moreover finally seeing these too finally become allies and not just rivals or enemies as well. The other entertainment factor is granted I was a bit weary on this idea, but having played Jason Voorhees in MKX, I have to give some bonus points for impressed because it truly is fun to play some of these characters like the Alien or Predator so, now you can have your own Alien vs Predator almost the same way you can have a 80's showdown between Robocop and the Terminator in MK11. Ten years after the games were released, Mortal Kombat X or XL still holds up from great story mode to increasing more special guest characters appearing in the game. And even having beloved characters like Liu Kang and Kitana as evil revenants to fight Earth Realm warriors, to make the story more compelling and not just allowing Liu Kang as the main hero but have some of these young warriors like Cassie Cage to be the new protagonist in this tenth installment to the Mortal Kombat franchise. So, if you have a PS4 or Xbox One then I would highly recommend playing this game as well as recommend having a horror movie showdown between Jason and Leatherface, for which would make a very interesting showdown, moreover shows Jason being offered an alliance with Liu Kang in the NetherRealm but decides to kill Liu Kang anyway for which shows why Jason is an unstoppable killing machine. 

    

Easter Parade

 

           Even though Easter is over, I still need to rush into a film about the Easter Parade. And although there's no Easter Bunny involved nor the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus. This happy Musical is all about finding love on the Easter Parade, hence the title of the film Easter Parade. A year ago, I tried to make it a mission to get my hands on any Judy Garland films that I haven't seen besides Wizard of Oz and Meet me in St. Louis. And with this film I have got to say it has all the elements of a musical for which I don't believe they had a script, just suggestions in a Musical suggestion box. 

            In this lavish musical, Broadway star Don Hewes' (Fred Astaire) dancing partner goes solo, and Don declares that he can make a hit performer out of the next dancer he sees. This turns out to be the inexperienced Hannah (Judy Garland), who bristles as Don tries to make her into his old partner. But as he realizes that he is falling in love with Hannah, Don knows that he must let her grow into her own kind of dancer if he wants her to reach her full potential. 

            Originally Gene Kelly was going to play the lead role of Easter Parade, the same Gene Kelly infamous for numerous Musical roles like Signin' in the Rain. Unfortunately, Kelly couldn’t accept the role due to an ankle injury while playing Volleyball in his back yard, for which if I was the producers at MGM, upon hearing the news I would probably have this sigh of "F*ck sakes" then pour a bottle of whisky. Luckily Kelly suggested Fred Astaire for the role and producers I'm assumed we're all like "what the hell". Although Gene Kelly wasn't the first injury towards this movie, actress Cyd Charisse was originally going to play the partner who becomes too big for her mentor, but withdraw due to torn ligaments in her knee, for which brought in Ann Miller for the role. So, with all these injuries that occurred during the pre-production of the film I would imagine that the producers, after the film’s release, all took a long vacation to avoid that cluster bomb. After watching so many musicals throughout my 39 years of existence I have to say that this is without a doubt one of those many musicals that you know where it's going from the very beginning of the film, I mean sure this film does carry some really good drama but I feel like even from a writers stand point, this is like the writers and the producer all had a conference meeting had a bag of writers ideas almost like a bag full of suggestions and each of them took turns picking out a writer's idea and that's how Easter Parade was formed, because this is one of those musicals where you can predict where it's going just because you know both Fred and Judy are going to end up together till the very end. Now that being said, does this film hold up in terms of entertainment value? For sure it does, because this film provides great musical numbers as well as great dancing sequences to disguise itself as a predictable musical. For a Judy Garland movie that I've not seen, the film alone holds up to one of her beloved classics it's both entertaining and enjoyable to watch on screen, moreover, provided something new and fresh to watch in the Easter season. So, if you’re a huge fan of Turner Classic Movies or have Live TV on either Direct TV or Hulu then I would highly recommend watching this for this Easter week or next Easter season. 

  

Easter Sunday Recommendation: Lilies of the Field

 

           Easter Sunday is among us ladies and gentlemen, for which I honestly say that even in these years of Lent I often wonder why not start the seasons of lent on a specific day or month just like Thanksgiving or Christmas are always on the same day. I mean not that I'm complaining because in all fairness it's all part of God's plan, I guess. Sadly, with all the evil shenanigans I couldn’t get caught up on season five of the Chosen, though I might be getting back sooner since season six is coming out later this year. Luckily, I found a movie that brought memories of seeing a long time ago, moreover, starring the great Sidney Poitier.

         When traveling African American Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier) stops by a farm in rural Arizona, he is welcomed by a group of Roman Catholic nuns who have emigrated from Germany. Realizing that the farm needs a lot of work, Homer takes on several repair projects for the women, who are led by a head strong Mother Maria (Lilia Skala). Impressed by Homer's kindness and strong work ethic, the nuns come to believe that he has been sent by God to help build them a chapel. 

          I do in fact have a memory in seeing this movie, though granted it's been quite a long time since I've actually seen this movie whole, though I would imagine it's been my childhood years when I went to my Grandfather's house during Easter season, and all I remember is Sidney being concerned for breakfast when you can't eat before Mass. Now if your Catholic or Christian you would understand but if you’re not then no worries. The film alone was made for 240,000-247,000 and yet did a successful run at the box office with 5 million worldwide, for as a Catholic that's awesome considering now you don't see a whole lot of Christian based movies doing well at the box office unless it's The Chosen. Going back and watching this film all the way through this film does in fact bring a lot of Noah's Ark vibes to me to the extent that the character of Homer is being tasked by God in the form of a nun to task him into building a chapel and although the man is not perfect or up to standards of a good Christian, but with kindness towards others he feels compelled to build the Chapel. If there was anyone to make this film believable or authentic, you have to cast Sidney Poitier in the role of Homer Smith for a gillion reasons, the man brings a great sense of realism and relatability towards the character in that he's just a drifter, looking out for himself until he meets these group of nuns that slowly change his life one step at a time, and that to me is something more believable to me because we're all trying to get by on life and life isn't a great thing to rely on but we all have to find the inner kindness in all of ourselves not matter how life throws at you and when you see something that's in need of help you just have to help and that's what Poitier does really well in making the character relatable for the audience member. The surprising factor is that yes this is the movie that made Sidney Poitier a acting legend as well as being the first African-American actor to win the Oscar, but it's his only Oscar besides the lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002, for which sure it's great but I could of swore he won more Oscars especially with his great performance, In the Heat of the Night. But on the other hand, Denzel Washington has two Oscars under his belt so, can't win them all, I guess. Having the opportunity to go back as well as remembering, this great Christian movie classic this is hands down one of the best Catholic films since The Trouble with Angles because it, more importantly brings the diversity in terms of both religion as well as culture, but also brings a positive spin on faith and human kindness that everyone should see, especially on Easter Sunday, furthermore if you have Amazon Prime subscription and looking for a perfect Christian movie to watch this Easter than I would highly recommend watching this Sidney Poitier classic.  

        

Megalopolis

    

         So, here we are ladies and gents. We're here, well technically me, to talk about a film that I would declare is one of the worst films I've ever seen in my entire life. Now sure I've probably said that multiple times, though of course sure most of them are either every Adam Sandler movie or watching something that nobody is ever going to watch in this life time although this film, for reasons why I consider this the worst film ever made is because this film is directed by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola.

         To tell you the truth I can't really understand the plot in the movie, in fact I don't believe anyone can describe this film. I would imagine if you asked Gemini or Alexia or Siri to explain Coppola's Megalopolis. All I can tell you is that mental health is a series condition and sometimes when you don't have enough in the tank to tell a story it's probably best to quit while you’re ahead. 

          To explain the concept or if there is a concept to the madness behind Coppola's idea we must start almost 49 years ago. Back in 1977, Coppola had an idea to make a film drawing parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the future of the United States by retelling a conspiracy theory from Ancient Rome into modern New York, which is a good concept to start off with but like most concepts this idea went into developmental hell through the past decades. Moreover, after years of making some great too decent films, more importantly being disillusioned by the Studio system in general, Coppola decided to take a loophole of sorts and use the fortune he made from various wine-making businesses and financed the film himself. And despite the fact that yes all the things he says about the studio system being afraid to take risks and not trying something new all of those things are true except you made the worst movie ever made and you made it in a way where the acting as well as the story is polarizing to the point that you can't believe Coppola himself directed this movie. And this is the same Francis Ford Coppola who made such great and iconic movies from the Godfather to Apocalypse Now, and he's written a script that would best be described as if Charlie Kelly (from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) had written and the big problem to that is he can't read, moreover the man also knows how to bring out the best of actors and actresses but I feel like the actors themselves once they read the script are bewildered or terrified because they may have made a big mistake. And Shia LaBeouf claims in an interview that he came to blows with Coppola in terms of understanding the story or wanting to understand the movie well, but at the end of the day it was a never ending battle especially when it was said that even Coppola would have new ideas at the last second for which I despise beyond measure because I've dealt with a ton of egotistical monsters and they all do that at the last second for which is bad for business in my opinion. And some of these veteran actors like Lawrence Fishbourne, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman and even Talia Shire (aka Adrian Balboa) have this miserable look on their faces through the course of the movie where they don't even know what this film is and I feel bad for all of these actors and actresses because this is what they have to live with for the rest of their lives especially Jon Voight because there's one scene where he asks Shia about a boner he's got.  Look there is so, much I can tell you about this movie that just seems to bad and beyond measure of explaining but I'm starting to realize that even words can't explain MegaFlopolis but I will be posting some videos so you can understand more because those scenes that you can watch on YouTube speak for themselves. Furthermore I've said many times about what makes a terrible movie and what is the worst movie but this film by Francis Ford Coppola is to me the worst film of all time just because it's created by a crazy 85 year old man whose completely lost his mind as well as losing touch on reality and I would say the same for Steven Spielberg but that's a discussion for another time hopefully when he doesn't make a film like this but it's made by a man whose created some of the greatest films of all time and has somehow made a personalized film that makes no sense and you can tell he's angry about Trump for good reasons he's making a movie about Rome and today's society. Sadly, and for good of mankind you can't see this film on streaming because Coppola believes we don't understand it and are just selling the movie on Blu-Ray so you can watch the movie that way. Though all jokes aside, this film is a great example of keeping tabs on your mental health as well as quitting while you’re still ahead of making iconic films, because the worst thing you want to remember is the one movie you did last then your accomplishments. But, more importantly, take care of your mental health as well, for many reasons you don't want to be like Coppola and Spielberg, even George Lucas quit while he's still ahead even though he doesn't care anymore. 

            

 

March Recommendation: The Dressmaker

 

          There are times when a movie comes around and it's either a good movie or a decent film or something that's a good treasure that you would usually find of Tubi. But I rarely go on Amazon Prime, and I would finally find a hidden treasure that's outstanding from start to finish but also has that story that's worth watching repeatedly but more importantly a relatable movie to watch as well. The Dressmaker is a film based on the book by Rosalie Ham. Furthermore, as director of the film Jocelyn Moorhouse describes the film, she best described the film as "Unforgiven with a sewing machine" and this film is without a doubt one of the greatest hidden treasures I've seen in a long time. 

          Decades after an incident that changed her life, Tilly (Kate Winslet) a skilled dressmaker, returns to Dungatar, Australia seeking answers to the questions that drove her from the town.

           I honestly don't know how I found this movie to be truthfully honest, it's pretty much the same way I found Happiest Season, where Facebook always releases some of the strangest and yet intriguing movies to watch on like the reels or shorts that you would normally find on Facebook where once you selected the reel, it automatically shows you another one, furthermore one of those reels was Kate Winslet in a gorgeous dress attending a Australian Soccer/Football match in the middle of nowhere and 15 dollar/Thor makes an appearance, aka Liam Hemsworth. And so, being curious of what the film is and after so many clips on Facebook as well as the help of Google for research, I found The Dressmaker basically made by an Australian director, though mostly made entirely by a Australian film crew all set in fictional town in Australia that's so, small makes my home town of Juniata Nebraska look like a New York style of a city. And this is without a doubt one of the greatest hidden treasures I've ever found as well as seen in my lifetime. I think what makes this film compelling is that it's about a femme fatale who returns to her hometown to write the wrongs of the people who wronged her and it's directed in a best way possible but also has that type of story that's almost a blend of both a Coen Bro's movie to a western movie directed by Clint Eastwood. Now sure I've seen Titanic and love Titanic but after watching this movie I got to say this is single handily Kate Winslet's best performance, I mean she does an excellent job playing the protagonist in the movie whose searching for answers but you also feel for her character through the course of the movie and through her eyes you see how awful the townspeople were awful to this woman that you have this great sense of relieve by the end of the film. As great as Kate was in the movie her counterpart Judy Davis who portrays her unstable mother does an excellent job as well playing the mother whose at first a mom that makes me fear my later years because I'm getting the sense of terror or realization that my Mom might be unstable though I strongly hope that's not the case but through the course of the movie the Davis begins to have the warm, hearted and caring felling helps makes this movie a compelling story to tell as if these two characters who are both flawed and had traumatic past are finally being able to rekindle with one another, in their dire need of accepting a terrible truth. Hugo Weaving is simply outstanding in the movie as a loyal friend to Kate who’s both a police officer and a secret crossdresser, for which in a comedic type of a film he does it perfectly, that you can see the man having the time of his life. I think the last film I ever saw Liam Hemsworth in was of course the Hunger Games films but I also liked his performance in Expendables 2 and with this movie he actually does a excellent job playing the love interest to Kate's character that you forget about making fun of him in terms of him being the last minute stand in for Chris Hemsworth in case you Chris Hemsworth. Another actress I have to five recommendation for, is Sarah Snook who the whole world knows her for her performance as Shiv in Succession, and I didn't recognized her until she appeared in a beautiful dress and yet through the first act of the film she's an awkward nerdy grocery clerk and she does a great job out shining Kate Winslet in wearing glamourous dresses. This film is on Amazon Prime for free despite having to pay a subscription fee. But this is one of those films that feels right moreover has that great feel of a dark comedy and a sense of revenge story set in the outback of Australia and like I've said earlier it has one of those elements of a story being developed by the Coen Bros, as well as a western tale directed by Clint Eastwood where you can see the horribleness of the townspeople and you feel for Kate's character through the course of the movie and to be truthfully honest it's like a fine wine of films you haven't seen and when you watch the movie you slowly realize "where has this movie been all my life?" And so, I would highly recommend anyone who has Amazon Prime, should stop what they’re doing and watch this great movie from beginning to the very end and if you don't have Prime or can't afford it you can also find the movie on YouTube just look up the title and you'll find the entire movie for free. In conclusion, yes, this isn’t the greatest films of all time, but this is one of those films I would defiantly rank in my favorite movies to watch, list. Especially when this is a movie about a woman who finally stands up to her bullies and who doesn't love those kinds of films. Moreover, I need to make sure that everyone well, almost everyone sits down and watch this movie all the way through because this movie is just flat out amazing. 

           

Donovan's Reef

 

          After my incredible time watching John Wayne's Hatari I decided to watch another John Wayne classic that's on Amazon Prime along with Hatari as well. Donovan’s Reef is another film like Hatari that has some fun love stories but great comedic performances by Lee Marvin. As a matter of fact, this is another round that John Wayne and Lee Marvin pick off after their duel in The Man who shot Liberty Valance. Speaking of which, Donovan's Reef is both John Wayne and legendary western Director, John Ford's last collaboration together and although it’s a sad fact but could this be in a sense of a Christmas movie to watch this Holiday season? I guess we're going to have to find out. 

          Three World War II Navy Veterans -- Donovan (John Wayne), Doc Dedham (Jack Warden) and Gilhooley (Lee Marvin) -- converge on the French Polynesian island of Haleakaloha and team up to deceive Dedham's prim daughter (Elizabeth Allen), who has just learned of her father's existence and his inherited stock from the company of which she is chairman, and hopes to find just cause to reclaim his shares. Dedham's marriage to an island woman serves further threaten his share in the company.

          I believe I watched this film a bunch of times through the month of March to the point that I almost considered this to me my monthly recommendation, although there's another film I watched where I just need to recommend but will get to that some other time. Though this movie is just a breath of fresh air from both John Wayne and Lee Marvin fighting each other as well as the comedy involved as well as some heartwarming moments that you can't help but love this movie from beginning to the final frame. John Ford explained in his own words that this film would be "a spoof picture -- a whammy crazy sort of thing. We're not going for any prizes", and I would imagine even at Ford's old age, speaking of Ford's age, during the mid-sixties he was in fact suffering from health and the duke became an assistant director on set, mostly setting up equipment and checking dallies each day. More importantly I think, Ford knew that this was going to be his last collaborations with Wayne for good reasons, Ford was going through his last and final couple of years due to health concerns and creative differences with Wayne, one of them was during this movie where the Duke felt a little uncomfortable romancing a woman twenty years between his age though again if it were me I would simply tell the Duke "have you seen Lolita?, Go watch that movie right now and tell me you feel uncomfortable romancing a woman whose 34 years of age", though with this movie they both realized it was going to be the last dance so why not make this the best movie possible. Now when it comes to a John Wayne movie, The Duke is simply the greatest, I mean the man can do both drama as well as action as well as romantic comedies but more importantly he's really funny onscreen so, look as a big fan of the Duke there's really nothing to say the man is a legend that can do anything as an actor for which is a reason why he's an Icon. Now when it comes to Lee Marvin, granted I haven't seen a whole lot of his films but I can say with this movie he's flat out funny and this was his second round with Ford, moreover told Marvin about the movie he was going to make, he told him it didn't matter what the movie was about just simply said that it's going to be a good excuse for the cast and crew to have a free holiday in Hawaii, and with Marvin he's playing the best friend to Wayne for which is weird because their last round they were against each other and now their bro's, but more importantly this movie shows that Marvin can do comedy instead of playing a great antagonist like Liberty Vallance and again both him and Wayne play off each other so well, that there were times I almost though is certain scenes with Marvin that I thought the man was drunk, and the interesting fact both him and Wayne actually went on a drinking binge out in Hawaii together. Now I don't know how that fiasco would turn out but I would imagine Ford's perspective, he'd probably have that typical phone call but instead of him picking them up he called the duke’s son Patrick Wayne to pick them up. No, they basically rescheduled until he got sober, but if I were Ford, I would just call Pat and tell him to pick up Dad and Marvin because they’re at a bar not feeling well. Elizabeth Allen I don't know a whole lot about but, she certainly steal the whole movie as the daughter and love interest to the Duke, for many reasons she starts off as a huge stickler but through the course of the movie she begins to blossom in loving the island as well as getting the chance to know her father and also falling in love with the Duke and who doesn't want to fall in love with him, hell if I were a woman I would totally audition to be the Duke's love interest. To clarify if this stands as a Christmas movie and yes, I will consider this film to be in the spirit of Christmas, and sure all of you can share a different point of view but last year in Nebraska we didn't have any snow in Christmas time we just had fog. But all jokes aside, this film does have a lot of Holiday cheer of a stranded daughter meeting her father for the first time, as well as realizing she has a young bother and sisters moreover she finds love so, if that doesn't give you Holiday cheer, I don't know what does. So, for me I'm defiantly watching this on the month of December this film provided a ton of great comedic humor from both Wayne and Marvin as well as I have a great uplifting story of a woman not knowing her father but then starting a new life with a brand new family which that's something special to see even with Ford at the helm of directing. So, last I checked the film is still on Amazon Prime and you can watch this film on YouTube for free, though I'll let you all be the judge of this film being a contender for a Christmas film but for me I would highly recommend watching this film even if you haven't seen this film as well as being a fan of The Duke's filmography.

            

High Anxiety

 

            Continuing with a list of movies I need to watch, High Anxiety is a Mel Brooks film that I was strangely in sense, aware of this being a Mel Brooks parody to Alfred Hitchcock though in a honorable sense a tribute to Hitch himself. Now in all the research I looked for in terms of development and in all fairness, I couldn't find anything on what made Mel Brooks decide on why he chose to make a parody with all well, half of Sir Alfred Hitchcock's films. Though I would imagine that Hitch was making his final movie in 1976, furthermore he decided to call it retirement from Hollywood and would imagine when Brooks heard about it decided to make a tribute parody in his honor. 

            Just after becoming the director of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, Very, Nervous, Dr Richard H. Thorndyke (Mel Brooks) is greeted by a series of mysterious events. When his colleagues -- including the militaristic and mustachioed Nurse Diesel (Cloris Leachman) -- become leery of his question as he struggles to clear his name during a crippling bout of a condition known as high anxiety.

            Before the release of the film, Mel Brooks invited Sir Hitchcock himself to a private screening. And through the course of the screening Brooks was in a state of fear because Hitch wasn't showing a whole lot of emotion furthermore left without saying a word. Then days later Hitch sent Brooks a case of some expensive wine, gave him a note of his approval and stated he wished he worked on this parody as well. For which shows a lot of class to some of these icons that aren't afraid to show their sense of humor and goes back to when Brooks was working on Blazing Saddles, offered legendary actor John Wayne a role in the movie, though Wayne sadly turned him down due to keeping his public image though promised Brooks that he would certainly be the first person to go see Blazing Saddles. I was aware of the films existence though I was a bit uncertain in terms of wanting to actually watch the movie, though again this was on the list my brother made for me and so, I had to watch this movie and really I wished I watched this movie sooner, hell this film speaks for itself and proves that I should never underestimate the power of Mel Brook's comedic talents, I mean this is the same guy who improvised the greatest joke by screwing with a talk show host when asking Brooks about losing his father at a young age and Brooks reply's "No, my father died and if we lost him we would send people out to find him", furthermore if you look up Mel Brooks and dad dying I would assure you, you'll find it and have a great laugh. Now granted I would always say yes in watching High Anxiety but if you haven't seen a Alfred Hitchcock movie or a young buck then I would wait on High Anxiety and watch the important Hitchcock films first before you dive deep into High Anxiety because the worst thing and the last thing, I would want anyone to do is watch this film right away and not get the jokes. Moreover, it's best you watch a good chunk of Hitch's films so you can get the context of the comedy as well as the references along the way. Now to all of those whose been raised on Hitch's films then I would highly recommend watching this film from start to finish moreover proves that this was a great tribute to Sir Alfred Hitchcock's legacy as a filmmaker as well as something to laugh at and experiencing some great jokes in the film as well and especially how they were able to execute the great references as well. Moreover this and a good portion of Brook's films are great examples of how you should do a parody, and not overdo it with a whole lot of references like A Million Ways to Die in the West, and the most important things you have to do, is basically keep it simple and you a good three movies top to make a great parody and use a few movie references as possible. The film alone is on both HBO Max and Hulu unless you don't have the bundle package so, if you’re ever looking for a great comedy to sit down and enjoy from beginning to final frame then I would highly recommend watching this great Brooks classic.  

     

                   

30th Anniversary of Fargo

 

            

           Trying to find that one film to get me into watching more films and at times you must go back to the films that are so, perfect as well as right. And personally, Fargo by the Coen Brothers is one of those films that is so perfect that there's nothing bad about it. Moreover, this year marks its 30th Anniversary of the film’s release so, of course this it's a perfect time to sit down and watch this incredible Coen Bros movie that hands down is their greatest movie ever made second of course is the Big Lebowski and maybe third No Country for Old Men. 

           "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi), (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harvey Presnell), paying the thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts. Unfortunately, the scheme collapses when the thugs shoot a state trooper. 

            Both Joel and Ethan Coen grew up in the Suburban area of Minnesota and always describe the state as Siberia with family restaurants, and through the course of their careers together they decided to pull together and make a crime drama based on their childhood memories in the Upper-Midwest. Though of all the childhood memories what makes this film memorable is introducing the world to the Minnesota Nice culture, moreover what makes this great is that we get to experience a world where everyone is super happy and supper nice, furthermore you never really see that in anywhere else especially in Minnesota and granted I never been to the state but after loving the movie as well as loving the show I would imagine the state as well as the town's, they would sound just like that and even if I go to Minnesota for a Hockey game I would got up to someone and as if I can get some true coat on my Nachos. Although it's been ages since I watched Herb Brooks interviews and he never has a sort of Minnesota Nice accent, though I am guessing it's because the man believes in being a tyrant than being nice. Although this film is in fact, a goofy and dark comedy, it's more importantly a beautiful portrait of a Norman Rockwell painting but if Norman Rockwell decided to paint a crime scene happening in the upper parts of the Midwest and really the combination of both the Coen Bros and Roger Deakins is so, great from wide shots of the snow landscape as well as the statue of Paul Bunyan is both beautiful and scary at the same time especially when it's a bleak landscape with zero percent of sunshine through the course of the movie, and yet my favorite shots of the films is both the large snowy landscapes as well as the scene where both Buscemi and Peter Stormare's characters are shooting the three people and it's almost a scene out of a film noir classic and sure those are my favorite shots of the movie but the entire film of shots is both amazing at the same time. The other perfect aspect of the film is the cast ensemble, and everyone is right for the roles from Francis McDormand who of course won in Oscar for her performance to both Buscemi and Peter Stormare is a dysfunctional criminals on a road trip to Minneapolis, and even William H. Macy who plays a underdog type of character but deep down is both dumb and a terrible person, although he doesn't seem a horrible person, he's more dumb as well as in over his head about the situation he's in and Macy was aware on the aspect of the character and had no complaint in terms of how the character should be portrait. The heartwarming fact about the film is during his days off Peter Stormare actually took some small road trips because a good portion of immigrants that immigrated to America a lot of the Swedish immigrants came to Minnesota and Peter, felt emotional especially when talking to an old man, he actually recognized a dialect and even he felt emotional because it was his grand-parents that spoke the language and it's something heartwarming finding your heritage in an unexpected places. Like Star Wars, The Godfather or Raiders of the Lost Ark or even Casablanca. Fargo is one of those many few films that is just perfect from the beginning of the opening frame to the ending frame moreover it's defiantly the Coen Bros greatest film but more importantly if you’re looking to make a film of your own all you got to do is keep it simple and this film is a great example of what it means to keep a crime drama/dark comedy and just keep it simple as possible. Moreover, it's defiantly one of those films that you can have your own parents as well as your own kids, well maybe not kids more like kids in their seventeen years of age to watch this amazing film. Now even though we’re getting close to springtime I would imagine Minnesota, Colorado or Wisconsin would be still in snow watch warnings, I would highly recommend watching Fargo in celebrating its 30th Anniversary release. Furthermore the film is on HBO Max and Hulu as well as Amazon Prime so, you’re in the best of luck if you’re feeling like wanting to watch a movie like Fargo, and if you want you can always go back and watch the Fargo TV series on Hulu if you feel the need for more Minnesota or North Dakota crime. 

           

Mortal Kombat (2011) Replay Review

 

           This Replay Review is close to a thousand years in the making although this is one of those Replay Reviews we're I personally need to blow off some steam, but when you think about it, it's hilarious when figuring it all out in my old age. Mortal Kombat on the PlayStation 3 has been that one great fighting game on the PS3, where everything about it is excellent although some combo movies on two of the thirty maybe thirty-five characters and when it comes to beating the toughest boss character since the original MK games well I'd say this is the one game that left me personal scars.

           The game basically sets during the MK Armageddon, aka PS2 era. And Shao Kahn is about to kill Raiden until; the Thunder God delivers a final message to his younger self. And thus, the game begins as a reinvention to the previous first-three arcade classics. Almost like X-Men Days of Future Past meets Mortal Kombat when you think about it. 

           By the time of the games release it was actually a big deal, considering the creators of NetherRealm Studio's we're just starting up after the demise of Midway games, as well as being bought by Warner Bros. for which I guess after the release of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the Studio heads we're like maybe we should by this company so, we can transition this with DC Universe. Though I never paid attention to the merger of Warner Bros. and yet the important factor was that the MK guys going back to the original gameplay of a straightforward combat rather than in the PS2 years where you can fight your opponent around in open circle almost like the Tekken games. Though a side from the brief history, this game to me is infamous for numerous things the main one is having to finally beat Shao Kahn with Raiden who just has special movies and very unreliable combo moves, and when I'm playing a fighting game like Mortal Kombat I have to know the characters combo moves, as well as their special moves but with both Raiden and Kung Lao combined, they both have the worst combo moves ever and I have to fight our opponents in a medium level and through the last fifteen years since the games release I could never in a million years beat Shao Kahn as Raiden during the story mode for which leads to the greatest WTF moment in my entire life, is finally noticing that I can turn the story mode difficulty from medium to BEGINNER'S MODE. And I'm sorry in stating this but when I do a story mode, I tend to finish something I mean it explains a lot after watching my Freddy and Jason slasher movie marathon back in October. And through the years I could never beat Shao Kahn in the final battle of Story Mode, and it just drove me the point of madness where even left thumb could possibly be broken or is suffering from PTSD because every time, I pop my knuckles my left thumb will still pop. Now, I don't know where I found the story mode setting maybe Mortal Kombat 1 or Mortal Kombat 11, either way it could be one of those games but once I found out about this, I decide to try it all out on Mortal Kombat 2011, then I was in a state of shock because of all of those years of playing this damn game I could of done this a long time ago but yet nobody ever said to just turn the settings down. And I can beat Shao Kahn with characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion on the medium setting no doubt, but with Raiden it's almost impossible so, if you have a PS3 or still playing PS3 and playing MK 2011 all you got to do is go to the gameplay settings and just select the story mode settings and just set it down to beginner's mode. The other thing that's makes this game infamous is all of the women in the game all dress like their porn stars and granted if you take a look at the PS2, Mortal Kombat's sure they're dressed risqué but when you have Mileena whose wearing absolutely NOTHING, but a few strips of linen clothes between her knockers and her WAP almost as if it's supposed to be a bikini from the sixties and yet the laws of physics are able to hold on, moreover their wearing stripper heals as well, while fighting for which really you can't do that in the movies but you can get away with it on the animated films. Look a side from finally after fifteen years of not defeating Shao Kahn I finally defeated the bastard and I relished the moment as well as I may go back and play the game again, but look this is another one of those great fighting games that has its unique quirks of characters not having best combos but checking out the women in the game and yet they look almost like porn stars, because you can't make it now since Dead or Alive has ceased to exist. So, if you’re wanting to go back to your PS3 since everyone is considering the PS3 and Xbox 360 as retro gaming systems, I would highly recommend getting your MK fix going by playing Mortal Kombat 2011. 

      

The Naked Kiss

 

             

              I'M BACK! That's right everyone I'm like Jason Statham; I can't be killed. There's been a lot of hectic things happening over the past few weeks but I'm not here to talk about my evil nonsense, I'm here to talk about movies. And luckily with a list my brother provided I found an excellent film noir that escalated for the beginning frame and I'm not lying when I say this, it got out of hand fast furthermore that's defiantly something I never see in a movie like The Naked Kiss.

              A former proustite attempts to assimilate in a suburbia after fleeing her pimps; shortly before her wedding, she finds out that her philanthropic fiancée has a shocking sexual interest.

              Samuel Fuller director of Naked Kiss, actually started off as a reporter at the age of 17, famously broke the case story of a famous actress in New York City at the time then became a pulp novelist then for a short time throughout the late thirties, he began a leap of faith by writing his first screenplay, later in life Fuller claimed that "if reporters got paid a thousand dollars like directors do, I'd still be reporting today". Fuller's films through the fifties and early sixties explored a ton of controversial subjects almost the same way like Kubrick does with his films and really when it comes to this film I'm surprised Fuller doesn't get a whole lot of reputation though I personally feel it's because people in the fifties as well as sixties were not going to allow this kind of movie in their local theater for which sure that's fine but it would at least be convenient to have a movie like this at a later time right? I mean sure citizens as well as MPAA don't want to show this to their kids, but you can't deny a scary act that would happen in your local neighborhood. Now I'm not going to spoil a whole lot of details just because I want everyone to watch this movie, but this is an excellent film about a woman whose trying the best of her ability to have a fresh start on a new life from her past, as well as going straight, especially wanting to set an example to the fellow girls she works with but when she witness a disturbing secret, and of course, she acts and found to be guilty but through the course of act 3, you continue to root for actress Constance Towers (who plays the lead in the film) because you know what she's doing is justified but everyone doesn't believe her and as an audience member that puts a lot of hate in your heart. And personally, I look at this movie and give this a ton of praise from both Towers as well as Samuel Fuller because they knew the subject they were approaching with the film and went full force with it and this film is a great definition of sticking with your guns from beginning to end. If you have Tubi and love watching hidden gems as well as some classic movies then I would highly recommend watching The Naked Kiss and trust me when I say this, this film literally gets you sucked in from the very first opening frame and never let’s go till the very end of the closing credits.